Development of Ethanol Withdrawal-Related Sensitization and Relapse Drinking in Mice Selected for High or Low Ethanol Preference

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Marcelo F.; Grahame, Nicholas J.; Becker, Howard C.

2010-01-01

Background Previous studies have shown that high alcohol consumption is associated with low withdrawal susceptiblility, while at the same time, other studies have shown that exposure to ethanol vapor increases alcohol drinking in rats and mice. In the present studies, we sought to shed light on this seeming contradiction by using mice selectively bred for High- (HAP) and Low- (LAP) Alcohol Preference, first, assessing these lines for differences in signs of ethanol withdrawal and second, for differences in the efficacy of intermittent alcohol vapor exposure on elevating subsequent ethanol intake. Methods Experiment 1 examined whether these lines of mice differed in ethanol withdrawal-induced CNS hyperexcitability and the development of sensitization to this effect following intermittent ethanol vapor exposure. Adult HAP and LAP lines (replicates 1 and 2), and the C3H/HeNcr inbred strain (included as a control genotype for comparison purposes) received intermittent exposure to ethanol vapor and were evaluated for ethanol withdrawal-induced seizures assessed by scoring handling-induced convulsions (HIC). Experiment 2 examined the influence of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure on voluntary ethanol drinking. Adult male and female HAP-2 and LAP-2 mice, along with male C57BL/6J (included as comparative controls) were trained to drink 10% ethanol using a limited access (2 hr/day) 2-bottle choice paradigm. After stable baseline daily intake was established, mice received chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure in inhalation chambers. Ethanol intake sessions resumed 72 hr after final ethanol (or air) exposure for 5 consecutive days. Results Following chronic ethanol treatment, LAP mice exhibited overall greater withdrawal seizure activity compared to HAP mice. In Experiment 2, chronic ethanol exposure/withdrawal resulted in a significant increase in ethanol intake in male C57BL/6J, and modestly elevated intake in HAP-2 male mice. Ethanol intake for male control mice

Effects of High Octane Ethanol Blends on Four Legacy Flex-Fuel Vehicles, and a Turbocharged GDI Vehicle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, John F [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); West, Brian H [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Huff, Shean P [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-03-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting engine and vehicle research to investigate the potential of high-octane fuels to improve fuel economy. Ethanol has very high research octane number (RON) and heat of vaporization (HoV), properties that make it an excellent spark ignition engine fuel. The prospects of increasing both the ethanol content and the octane number of the gasoline pool has the potential to enable improved fuel economy in future vehicles with downsized, downsped engines. This report describes a small study to explore the potential performance benefits of high octane ethanol blends in the legacy fleet. There are over 17 million flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) on the road today in the United States, vehicles capable of using any fuel from E0 to E85. If a future high-octane blend for dedicated vehicles is on the horizon, the nation is faced with the classic chicken-and-egg dilemma. If today’s FFVs can see a performance advantage with a high octane ethanol blend such as E25 or E30, then perhaps consumer demand for this fuel can serve as a bridge to future dedicated vehicles. Experiments were performed with four FFVs using a 10% ethanol fuel (E10) with 88 pump octane, and a market gasoline blended with ethanol to make a 30% by volume ethanol fuel (E30) with 94 pump octane. The research octane numbers were 92.4 for the E10 fuel and 100.7 for the E30 fuel. Two vehicles had gasoline direct injected (GDI) engines, and two featured port fuel injection (PFI). Significant wide open throttle (WOT) performance improvements were measured for three of the four FFVs, with one vehicle showing no change. Additionally, a conventional (non-FFV) vehicle with a small turbocharged direct-injected engine was tested with a regular grade of gasoline with no ethanol (E0) and a splash blend of this same fuel with 15% ethanol by volume (E15). RON was increased from 90.7 for the E0 to 97.8 for the E15 blend. Significant wide open throttle and thermal efficiency performance

Highly improved ethanol gas-sensing performance of mesoporous nickel oxides nanowires with the stannum donor doping

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Junqi; Li, Xiaoqing; Han, Yanbing; Xu, Jingcai; Jin, Hongxiao; Jin, Dingfeng; Peng, Xiaoling; Hong, Bo; Li, Jing; Yang, Yanting; Ge, Hongliang; Wang, Xinqing

2018-06-01

Mesoporous nickel oxides (NiO) and stannum(Sn)-doped NiO nanowires (NWs) were synthesized by using SBA-15 templates with the nanocasting method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometry, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm and UV–vis spectrum were used to characterize the phase structure, components and microstructure of the as-prepared samples. The gas-sensing analysis indicated that the Sn-doping could greatly improve the ethanol sensitivity for mesoporous NiO NWs. With the increasing Sn content, the ethanol sensitivity increased from 2.16 for NiO NWs up to the maximum of 15.60 for Ni0.962Sn0.038O1.038, and then decreased to 12.24 for Ni0.946Sn0.054O1.054 to 100 ppm ethanol gas at 340 °C. The high surface area from the Sn-doping improved the adsorption of oxygen on the surface of NiO NWs, resulting in the smaller surface resistance in air. Furthermore, owing to the recombination of the holes in hole-accumulation lay with the electrons from the donor impurity level and the increasing the body defects for Sn-doping, the total resistance in ethanol gas enhanced greatly. It was concluded that the sensitivity of Sn-doped NiO NWs based sensor could be greatly improved by the higher surface area and high-valence donor substitution from Sn-doping.

High ethanol yields using Aspergillus oryzae koji and corn media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziffer, J.; Iosif, M.C.

1982-01-01

High ethanol and stillage solids were achieved using whole corn mashes. Ethanol yields of 14% (98.5% of theory) and stillage levels of approximately 23% were obtained in 74-90 hours using mild acid pretreatment with A. oryzae wheat bran koji saccharification. High ethanol yields were also obtained with bacterial amylase, instead of the acid treatment, when the sterilization step was omitted. The implications of ethanol fermentation process modifications are explored.

Selection and characterisation of high ethanol tolerant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

15% ethanol tolerance. High level ethanol tolerant Saccharomyces yeast, Orc 6, was investigated for its potential application in ethanologenic fermentations. Data presented in this study revealed that Orc 6 yeast isolate tolerated osmotic stress above 12% (w/v) sorbitol and 15% (w/v) sucrose equivalent of osmotic pressure ...

Caffeine reversal of ethanol effects on the multiple sleep latency test, memory, and psychomotor performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Drake, Christopher L; Roehrs, Timothy; Turner, Lauren; Scofield, Holly M; Roth, Thomas

2003-02-01

Caffeine has been shown to reverse some of the performance-impairing effects of ethanol. However, it is not known whether this antagonistic effect of caffeine is mediated by a reduction in sleepiness. The present study assessed physiological alertness/sleepiness, memory, and psychomotor performance following the administration of placebo, ethanol, and caffeine+ethanol combinations. A total of 13 healthy individuals (21-35 years old) underwent four conditions presented in a Latin Square Design: placebo-placebo, ethanol (0.5 g/kg)-placebo, ethanol (0.5 g/kg)-caffeine 150 mg, and ethanol (0.5 g/kg)-caffeine 300-mg. The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), psychomotor performance battery, memory test, and mood/sleepiness questionnaires were administered following each condition. The peak breadth ethanol concentration (BrEC) was 0.043+/-0.0197% and did not differ among the three caffeine treatments. As expected, ethanol reduced mean latency on the MSLT. The lowest caffeine dose reversed this effect and the highest dose increased mean latency (greater alertness) significantly beyond placebo levels. Ethanol also impaired psychomotor performance and memory. The 300-mg caffeine dose restored performance and memory measures to placebo levels. Although visual analog ratings of dizziness were increased by ethanol, they were not diminished by either caffeine dose. In conclusion, Low-dose caffeine prevented the sleepiness and performance impairment associated with a moderate dose of ethanol. Thus, caffeine, similar to other stimulants, can reverse the physiologically sedating effects of ethanol, although other negative effects remain.

Performance of ethanol electro-oxidation on Ni-Cu alloy nanowires through composition modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xi-Ke; Zhao, Xiao-Yu; Zhang, Li-de; Yang, Chao; Pi, Zhen-Bang; Zhang, Su-Xin

2008-05-28

To reduce the cost of the catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells and improve its catalytic activity, highly ordered Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays have been fabricated successfully by differential pulse current electro-deposition into the pores of a porous anodic alumina membrane (AAMs). The energy dispersion spectrum, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to characterize the composition and morphology of the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays. The results reveal that the nanowires in the array are uniform, well isolated and parallel to each other. The catalytic activity of the nanowire electrode arrays for ethanol oxidation was tested and the binary alloy nanowire array possesses good catalytic activity for the electro-oxidation of ethanol. The performance of ethanol electro-oxidation was controlled by varying the Cu content in the Ni-Cu alloy and the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire electrode shows much better stability than the pure Ni one.

Performance of ethanol electro-oxidation on Ni-Cu alloy nanowires through composition modulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Xike; Zhao Xiaoyu; Yang Chao; Pi Zhenbang; Zhang Lide; Zhang Suxin

2008-01-01

To reduce the cost of the catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells and improve its catalytic activity, highly ordered Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays have been fabricated successfully by differential pulse current electro-deposition into the pores of a porous anodic alumina membrane (AAMs). The energy dispersion spectrum, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to characterize the composition and morphology of the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire arrays. The results reveal that the nanowires in the array are uniform, well isolated and parallel to each other. The catalytic activity of the nanowire electrode arrays for ethanol oxidation was tested and the binary alloy nanowire array possesses good catalytic activity for the electro-oxidation of ethanol. The performance of ethanol electro-oxidation was controlled by varying the Cu content in the Ni-Cu alloy and the Ni-Cu alloy nanowire electrode shows much better stability than the pure Ni one

High-Octane Mid-Level Ethanol Blend Market Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Caley [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Newes, Emily [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brooker, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McCormick, Robert [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Peterson, Steve [Lexidyne, LLC, Colorado Springs, CO (United States); Leiby, Paul [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Martinez, Rocio Uria [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Oladosu, Gbadebo [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Brown, Maxwell L. [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

2015-12-01

The United States government has been promoting increased use of biofuels, including ethanol from non-food feedstocks, through policies contained in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The objective is to enhance energy security, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and provide economic benefits. However, the United States has reached the ethanol blend wall, where more ethanol is produced domestically than can be blended into standard gasoline. Nearly all ethanol is blended at 10 volume percent (vol%) in gasoline. At the same time, the introduction of more stringent standards for fuel economy and GHG tailpipe emissions is driving research to increase the efficiency of spark ignition (SI) engines. Advanced strategies for increasing SI engine efficiency are enabled by higher octane number (more highly knock-resistant) fuels. Ethanol has a research octane number (RON) of 109, compared to typical U.S. regular gasoline at 91-93. Accordingly, high RON ethanol blends containing 20 vol% to 40 vol% ethanol are being extensively studied as fuels that enable design of more efficient engines. These blends are referred to as high-octane fuel (HOF) in this report. HOF could enable dramatic growth in the U.S. ethanol industry, with consequent energy security and GHG emission benefits, while also supporting introduction of more efficient vehicles. HOF could provide the additional ethanol demand necessary for more widespread deployment of cellulosic ethanol. However, the potential of HOF can be realized only if it is adopted by the motor fuel marketplace. This study assesses the feasibility, economics, and logistics of this adoption by the four required participants--drivers, vehicle manufacturers, fuel retailers, and fuel producers. It first assesses the benefits that could motivate these participants to adopt HOF. Then it focuses on the drawbacks and barriers that these participants could face when adopting HOF and proposes strategies--including incentives and

Performances comparison between three technologies for continuous ethanol production from molasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouallagui, Hassib; Touhami, Youssef; Hanafi, Nedia; Ghariani, Amine; Hamdi, Moktar

2013-01-01

Molasses are a potential feedstock for ethanol production. The successful application of anaerobic fermentation for ethanol production from molasses is critically dependent to the development and the use of high rate bioreactors. In this study the fermentation of sugar cane molasses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the ethanol production in a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR), an immobilised cell reactor (ICR) and a membrane reactor (MBR) was investigated. Ethanol production and reactor productivities were compared under different dilution rates (D). When using the CSTR, a decent ethanol productivity (Qp) of 6.8 g L −1 h −1 was obtained at a dilution rate of 0.5 h −1 . The Qp was improved by 48% and the residual sugar concentration was reduced by using the ICR. Intensifying the production of ethanol was investigated in the MBR to achieve a maximum ethanol concentration and a Qp of 46.5 g L −1 and 19.2 g L −1 h −1 , respectively. The achieved results in the MBR worked with high substrate concentration are promising for the scale up operation. -- Highlights: ► We compare three reactors for ethanol production from sugar cane molasses. ► The ethanol productivity of 6.8 g L -1 h -1 was obtained using the CSTR. ► The ethanol productivity was improved by 48% by using the ICR. ► Intensifying ethanol productivity (19.2 g L -1 h -1 ) was investigated in the MBR

Analysis of performance losses of direct ethanol fuel cells with the aid of a reference electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guangchun; Pickup, Peter G.

The performances of direct ethanol fuel cells with different anode catalysts, different ethanol concentrations, and at different operating temperatures have been studied. The performance losses of the cell have been separated into individual electrode performance losses with the aid of a reference electrode, ethanol crossover has been quantified, and CO 2 and acetic acid production have been measured by titration. It has been shown that the cell performance strongly depends on the anode catalyst, ethanol concentration, and operating temperature. It was found that the cathode and anode exhibit different dependences on ethanol concentration and operating temperature. The performance of the cathode is very sensitive to the rate of ethanol crossover. Product analysis provides insights into the mechanisms of electro-oxidation of ethanol.

Analysis of performance losses of direct ethanol fuel cells with the aid of a reference electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Guangchun; Pickup, Peter G. [Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Elizabeth Avenue, St. John' s, Newfoundland (Canada A 1B 3X7)

2006-10-20

The performances of direct ethanol fuel cells with different anode catalysts, different ethanol concentrations, and at different operating temperatures have been studied. The performance losses of the cell have been separated into individual electrode performance losses with the aid of a reference electrode, ethanol crossover has been quantified, and CO{sub 2} and acetic acid production have been measured by titration. It has been shown that the cell performance strongly depends on the anode catalyst, ethanol concentration, and operating temperature. It was found that the cathode and anode exhibit different dependences on ethanol concentration and operating temperature. The performance of the cathode is very sensitive to the rate of ethanol crossover. Product analysis provides insights into the mechanisms of electro-oxidation of ethanol. (author)

Report of the PRI biofuel-ethanol; Rapport du PRI biocarburant-ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This evaluation report presents three research programs in the framework of the physiological behavior of the yeast ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae'', with high ethanol content. These studies should allowed to select an efficient yeast for the ethanol production. The first study concerns the development of an enzymatic process for the hydrolysis and the fermentation. The second study deals with the molecular and dynamical bases for the yeast metabolic engineering for the ethanol fuel production. The third research concerns the optimization of performance of microbial production processes of ethanol. (A.L.B.)

Report of the PRI biofuel-ethanol; Rapport du PRI biocarburant-ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This evaluation report presents three research programs in the framework of the physiological behavior of the yeast ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae'', with high ethanol content. These studies should allowed to select an efficient yeast for the ethanol production. The first study concerns the development of an enzymatic process for the hydrolysis and the fermentation. The second study deals with the molecular and dynamical bases for the yeast metabolic engineering for the ethanol fuel production. The third research concerns the optimization of performance of microbial production processes of ethanol. (A.L.B.)

Transmicrocatheter local injection of ethanol to treat hepatocellular carcinoma with high flow arteriovenous shunts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Shouhai; Shan Hong; Jiang Zaibo; Huang Mingsheng; Zhu Kangshun; Li Zhengran; Meng Xiaochun

2002-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of embolization therapy in treating the high flow hepatic arteriovenous shunts in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by locally injected ethanol through microcatheter. Methods: Forty-one branches of arteriovenous shunts were treated by local ethanol infusion through microcatheter in 29 patients suffered with HCC. Angiography was performed to observe the embolization effect and influence to non-targeted vessels. Result: Forty-one branches of arteriovenous shunts in 29 patients were injected with ethanol locally. Each single shunt was infused 1-6 times. The dose of ethanol was 2-3 ml per time, and the total dose of ethanol was 2-12 ml. All shunting tracts were embolized, and all non-target vessels were protected fluently. Iodine-oil deposition was well in continued TACE. Their syndromes were improved or disappeared. Conclusion: Transmicrocatheter injection of ethanol could safely and effectively treat the hepatic arteriovenous shunts and make advantages to TACE in HCC

The highly selective orexin/hypocretin 1 receptor antagonist GSK1059865 potently reduces ethanol drinking in ethanol dependent mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Marcelo F; Moorman, David E; Aston-Jones, Gary; Becker, Howard C

2016-04-01

The orexin/hypocretin (ORX) system plays a major role in motivation for natural and drug rewards. In particular, a number of studies have shown that ORX signaling through the orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) regulates alcohol seeking and consumption. Despite the association between ORX signaling and motivation for alcohol, no study to date has investigated what role the ORX system plays in alcohol dependence, an understanding of which would have significant clinical relevance. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the highly selective OX1R antagonist GSK1059865 on voluntary ethanol intake in ethanol-dependent and control non-dependent mice. Mice were subjected to a protocol in which they were evaluated for baseline ethanol intake and then exposed to intermittent ethanol or air exposure in inhalation chambers. Each cycle of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE), or air, exposure was followed by a test of ethanol intake. Once the expected effect of increased voluntary ethanol intake was obtained in ethanol dependent mice, mice were tested for the effect of GSK1059865 on ethanol and sucrose intake. Treatment with GSK1059865 significantly decreased ethanol drinking in a dose-dependent manner in CIE-exposed mice. In contrast GSK1059865 decreased drinking in air-exposed mice only at the highest dose used. There was no effect of GSK1059865 on sucrose intake. Thus, ORX signaling through the OX1R, using a highly-selective antagonist, has a profound influence on high levels of alcohol drinking induced in a dependence paradigm, but limited or no influence on moderate alcohol drinking or sucrose drinking. These results indicate that the ORX system may be an important target system for treating disorders of compulsive reward seeking such as alcoholism and other addictions in which motivation is strongly elevated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Atomization and Combustion Performance of Renewable Biofuels and the Effects of Ethanol Blending in Biodiesel

Science.gov (United States)

Silver, Adam Gregory

This thesis presents results from an experimental investigation of the macroscopic and microscopic atomization and combustion behavior of B99 biodiesel, ethanol, B99-ethanol blends, methanol, and an F-76-Algae biodiesel blend. In addition, conventional F-76 and Diesel #2 sprays were characterized as a base case to compare with. The physical properties and chemical composition of each fuel were measured in order to characterize and predict atomization performance. A variety of B99-ethanol fuel blends were used which demonstrate a tradeoff between lower density, surface tension, and viscosity with a decrease in the air to liquid ratio. A plain jet air-blast atomizer was used for both non-reacting and reacting tests. The flow rates for the alternative fuels were set by matching the power input provided by the baseline fossil fuels in order to simulate use as a drop in replacement. For this study, phase Doppler interferometry is employed to gain information on drop size, SMD, velocity, and volume flux distribution across the spray plume. A high speed camera is used to gather high speed cinematography of the sprays for observing breakup characteristics and providing additional insight. Reacting flow tests captured NOx, CO, and UHC emissions along with high speed footage used to predict soot levels based on flame luminosity. The results illustrate how the fuel type impacts the atomization and spray characteristics. The air-blast atomizer resulted in similar atomization performance among the DF2, F-76, and the F-76/Algae blend. While methanol and ethanol are not suitable candidates for this air-blast configuration and B99 produces significantly larger droplets, the addition of ethanol decreased drop sizes for all B99-ethanol blends by approximately 5 microns. In regards to reacting conditions, increased ethanol blending to B99 consistently lowered NOx emissions while decreasing combustion efficiency. Overall, lower NOx and CO emissions were achieved with the fuel blends

Performance and stability of Pd nanostructures in an alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Carrera-Cerritos, R.; Fuentes-Ramírez, R.; Cuevas-Muñiz, F. M.; Ledesma-García, J.; Arriaga, L. G.

2014-12-01

Pd nanopolyhedral, nanobar and nanorod particles were synthesised using the polyol process and evaluated as anodes in a direct ethanol fuel cell. The materials were physico-chemically characterised by high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of the operation parameters (i.e., temperature and fuel ethanol concentration) on the maximum power density (MPD) and open circuit voltage (OCV) was investigated. In addition, a stability test was performed by applying three current density steps for fifty cycles. The OCV values increased as the temperature increased for all of the catalysts at low ethanol concentration. Although the MPD increased with temperature for all of the catalyst independent of the ethanol concentration, the effect of the temperature on the MPD for each Pd structure results in different slopes due to the different crystal faces. Finally, a loss of electro-catalytic activity after fifty cycles was observed in all of the catalysts evaluated, which may be in response to morphological changes in the nanostructures.

Adaptation to High Ethanol Reveals Complex Evolutionary Pathways.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin Voordeckers

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Tolerance to high levels of ethanol is an ecologically and industrially relevant phenotype of microbes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this complex trait remain largely unknown. Here, we use long-term experimental evolution of isogenic yeast populations of different initial ploidy to study adaptation to increasing levels of ethanol. Whole-genome sequencing of more than 30 evolved populations and over 100 adapted clones isolated throughout this two-year evolution experiment revealed how a complex interplay of de novo single nucleotide mutations, copy number variation, ploidy changes, mutator phenotypes, and clonal interference led to a significant increase in ethanol tolerance. Although the specific mutations differ between different evolved lineages, application of a novel computational pipeline, PheNetic, revealed that many mutations target functional modules involved in stress response, cell cycle regulation, DNA repair and respiration. Measuring the fitness effects of selected mutations introduced in non-evolved ethanol-sensitive cells revealed several adaptive mutations that had previously not been implicated in ethanol tolerance, including mutations in PRT1, VPS70 and MEX67. Interestingly, variation in VPS70 was recently identified as a QTL for ethanol tolerance in an industrial bio-ethanol strain. Taken together, our results show how, in contrast to adaptation to some other stresses, adaptation to a continuous complex and severe stress involves interplay of different evolutionary mechanisms. In addition, our study reveals functional modules involved in ethanol resistance and identifies several mutations that could help to improve the ethanol tolerance of industrial yeasts.

An Experimental Investigation of Ethanol-Diesel Blends on Performance and Exhaust Emissions of Diesel Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tarkan Sandalcı

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Ethanol is a promising alternative fuel, due to its renewable biobased origin. Also, it has lower carbon content than diesel fuel and it is oxygenated. For this reason, ethanol is providing remarkable potential to reduce particulate emulsions in compression-ignition engines. In this study, performance of ethanol-diesel blends has been investigated experimentally. Tested fuels were mineral diesel fuel (E0D100, 15% (v/v ethanol/diesel fuel blend (E15D85, and 30% (v/v ethanol/diesel fuel blend (E30D70. Firstly, the solubility of ethanol and diesel was experienced. Engine tests were carried out to reveal the performance and emissions of the engine fuelled with the blends. Full load operating conditions at various engine speeds were investigated. Engine brake torque, brake power, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature, and finally exhaust emissions were measured. Performance of the tested engine decreased substantially while improvement on smoke and gaseous emissions makes ethanol blend favorable.

Implications of Industrial Processing Strategy on Cellulosic Ethanol Production at High Solids Concentrations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cannella, David

The production of cellulosic ethanol is a biochemical process of not edible biomasses which contain the cellulose. The process involves the use of enzymes to hydrolyze the cellulose in fermentable sugars to finally produce ethanol via fermentative microorganisms (i.e. yeasts). These biomasses...... are the leftover of agricultural productions (straws), not edible crops (giant reed) or wood, thus the ethanol so produced is also called second generation (or 2G ethanol), which differs from the first generation produced from starch (sugar beets mostly). In the industrial production of cellulosic ethanol high...... solids strategy resulted critical for its cost effectiveness: high concentration of initial biomass it will lead to high concentration of the final product (ethanol), thus more convenient to isolate. This thesis investigate the implementation of a high solids loading concept into cellulosic ethanol...

Enhancement of ethanol production from green liquor-ethanol-pretreated sugarcane bagasse by glucose-xylose cofermentation at high solid loadings with mixed Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Yanzhi; Li, Pengfei; Lei, Fuhou; Xing, Yang; Jiang, Jianxin

2017-01-01

Efficient cofermentation of glucose and xylose is necessary for economically feasible bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Here, we demonstrate pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) with green liquor (GL) combined with ethanol (GL-Ethanol) by adding different GL amounts. The common Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CSC) and thermophilic S. cerevisiae (TSC) strains were used and different yeast cell mass ratios (CSC to TSC) were compared. The simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSF/SSCF) process was performed by 5-20% (w/v) dry substrate (DS) solid loadings to determine optimal conditions for the co-consumption of glucose and xylose. Compared to previous studies that tested fermentation of glucose using only the CSC, we obtained higher ethanol yield and concentration (92.80% and 23.22 g/L) with 1.5 mL GL/g-DS GL-Ethanol-pretreated SCB at 5% (w/v) solid loading and a CSC-to-TSC yeast cell mass ratio of 1:2 (w/w). Using 10% (w/v) solid loading under the same conditions, the ethanol concentration increased to 42.53 g/L but the ethanol yield decreased to 84.99%. In addition, an increase in the solid loading up to a certain point led to an increase in the ethanol concentration from 1.5 mL GL/g-DS-pretreated SCB. The highest ethanol concentration (68.24 g/L) was obtained with 15% (w/v) solid loading, using a CSC-to-TSC yeast cell mass ratio of 1:3 (w/w). GL-Ethanol pretreatment is a promising pretreatment method for improving both glucan and xylan conversion efficiencies of SCB. There was a competitive relationship between the two yeast strains, and the glucose and xylose utilization ability of the TSC was better than that of the CSC. Ethanol concentration was obviously increased at high solid loading, but the yield decreased as a result of an increase in the viscosity and inhibitor levels in the fermentation system. Finally, the SSCF of GL-Ethanol-pretreated SCB with mixed S. cerevisiae strains increased ethanol concentration and was an

Comparative polygenic analysis of maximal ethanol accumulation capacity and tolerance to high ethanol levels of cell proliferation in yeast.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago M Pais

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is able to accumulate ≥17% ethanol (v/v by fermentation in the absence of cell proliferation. The genetic basis of this unique capacity is unknown. Up to now, all research has focused on tolerance of yeast cell proliferation to high ethanol levels. Comparison of maximal ethanol accumulation capacity and ethanol tolerance of cell proliferation in 68 yeast strains showed a poor correlation, but higher ethanol tolerance of cell proliferation clearly increased the likelihood of superior maximal ethanol accumulation capacity. We have applied pooled-segregant whole-genome sequence analysis to identify the polygenic basis of these two complex traits using segregants from a cross of a haploid derivative of the sake strain CBS1585 and the lab strain BY. From a total of 301 segregants, 22 superior segregants accumulating ≥17% ethanol in small-scale fermentations and 32 superior segregants growing in the presence of 18% ethanol, were separately pooled and sequenced. Plotting SNP variant frequency against chromosomal position revealed eleven and eight Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs for the two traits, respectively, and showed that the genetic basis of the two traits is partially different. Fine-mapping and Reciprocal Hemizygosity Analysis identified ADE1, URA3, and KIN3, encoding a protein kinase involved in DNA damage repair, as specific causative genes for maximal ethanol accumulation capacity. These genes, as well as the previously identified MKT1 gene, were not linked in this genetic background to tolerance of cell proliferation to high ethanol levels. The superior KIN3 allele contained two SNPs, which are absent in all yeast strains sequenced up to now. This work provides the first insight in the genetic basis of maximal ethanol accumulation capacity in yeast and reveals for the first time the importance of DNA damage repair in yeast ethanol tolerance.

Effects of PEMFC operating parameters on the performance of an integrated ethanol processor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francesconi, Javier A.; Mussati, Miguel C.; Aguirre, Pio A. [INGAR Instituto de Desarrollo y Diseno (CONICET-UTN), Avellaneda 3657, CP:S3002GJC, Santa Fe (Argentina)

2010-06-15

In this paper the performance of a complete fuel cell system processing ethanol fuel has been analyzed as a function of the main fuel cell operating parameters. The fuel processor is based on the steam reforming process, followed by high- and low-temperature shift reactors, and carbon monoxide preferential oxidation reactor, which are coupled to a polymeric fuel cell (PEMFC). The goal was to analyze and improve the fuel cell system performance by simulation techniques. PEMFC operation has been analyzed using an available parametric model, which was implemented within HYSYS environment software. Pinch Analysis concepts were used to investigate the process energy integration and determine the maximum efficiency minimizing ethanol consumption. The system performance was analyzed for the SR-12 Modular PEM Generator, the Ballard Mark V fuel cell and the BCS 500 W stack. The net system efficiency is dependent on the required power demand. Efficiency values higher than 50% at low loads and less than 30% at high power demands are computed. In addition, the effect of fuel cell temperature, pressure and hydrogen utilization was analyzed. The trade-off between the reformer yield and the fuel cell performance defines the optimal operation pressure. The cell temperature determines operating zones where the water, involved in the reforming reactions, can be produced or demanded. (author)

High activity of cubic PtRh alloys supported on graphene towards ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Lu; Jiang, Yan-Xia; Zhang, Bin-Wei; Cai, Yuan-Rong; Sun, Shi-Gang

2014-07-21

Cubic PtRh alloys supported on graphene (PtxRhy/GN) with different atomic ratio of Pt and Rh were directly synthesized for the first time using the modified polyol method with Br(-) for the shape-directing agents. The process didn't use surface-capping agents such as PVP that easily occupy the active sites of electrocatalysts and are difficult to remove. Graphene is the key factor for cubic shape besides Br(-) and keeping catalysts high-dispersed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of these electrocatalysts. The results showed that they were composed of homogeneous cubic PtRh alloys. Traditional electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, were used to investigate the electrocatalytic properties of PtxRhy/GN towards ethanol electrooxidation. It can be seen that PtxRhy/GN with all atomic ratios exhibited high catalytic activity, and the most active one has a composition with Pt : Rh = 9 : 1 atomic ratio. Electrochemical in situ FTIR spectroscopy was used to evaluate the cleavage of C-C bond in ethanol at room temperature in acidic solutions, the results illustrated that Rh in an alloy can promote the split of C-C bond in ethanol, and the alloy catalyst with atomic ratio Pt : Rh = 1 : 1 showed obviously better performance for the C-C bond breaking in ethanol and higher selectivity for the enhanced activity of ethanol complete oxidation to CO2 than alloys with other ratios of Pt and Rh. The investigation indicates that high activity of PtxRhy/GN electrocatalyst towards ethanol oxidation is due to the specific shape of alloys and the synergistic effect of two metal elements as well as graphene support.

Influence of high temperature and ethanol on thermostable lignocellulolytic enzymes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovgaard, Pernille Anastasia; Jørgensen, Henning

2013-01-01

the influence of temperature and ethanol on enzyme activity and stability in the distillation step, where most enzymes are inactivated due to high temperatures. Two enzyme mixtures, a mesophilic and a thermostable mixture, were exposed to typical process conditions [temperatures from 55 to 65 °C and up to 5...... % ethanol (w/v)] followed by specific enzyme activity analyses and SDS-PAGE. The thermostable and mesophilic mixture remained active at up to 65 and 55 °C, respectively. When the enzyme mixtures reached their maximum temperature limit, ethanol had a remarkable influence on enzyme activity, e.g., the more...... ethanol, the faster the inactivation. The reason could be the hydrophobic interaction of ethanol on the tertiary structure of the enzyme protein. The thermostable mixture was more tolerant to temperature and ethanol and could therefore be a potential candidate for recycling after distillation....

Xylose fermentation to ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMillan, J.D.

1993-01-01

The past several years have seen tremendous progress in the understanding of xylose metabolism and in the identification, characterization, and development of strains with improved xylose fermentation characteristics. A survey of the numerous microorganisms capable of directly fermenting xylose to ethanol indicates that wild-type yeast and recombinant bacteria offer the best overall performance in terms of high yield, final ethanol concentration, and volumetric productivity. The best performing bacteria, yeast, and fungi can achieve yields greater than 0.4 g/g and final ethanol concentrations approaching 5%. Productivities remain low for most yeast and particularly for fungi, but volumetric productivities exceeding 1.0 g/L-h have been reported for xylose-fermenting bacteria. In terms of wild-type microorganisms, strains of the yeast Pichia stipitis show the most promise in the short term for direct high-yield fermentation of xylose without byproduct formation. Of the recombinant xylose-fermenting microorganisms developed, recombinant E. coli ATTC 11303 (pLOI297) exhibits the most favorable performance characteristics reported to date.

Atomic layer deposition of ruthenium surface-coating on porous platinum catalysts for high-performance direct ethanol solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Heon Jae; Kim, Jun Woo; Jang, Dong Young; Shim, Joon Hyung

2015-09-01

Pt-Ru bi-metallic catalysts are synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Ru surface-coating on sputtered Pt mesh. The catalysts are evaluated in direct ethanol solid oxide fuel cells (DESOFCs) in the temperature range of 300-500 °C. Island-growth of the ALD Ru coating is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The performance of the DESOFCs is evaluated based on the current-voltage output and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Genuine reduction of the polarization impedance, and enhanced power output with improved surface kinetics are achieved with the optimized ALD Ru surface-coating compared to bare Pt. The chemical composition of the Pt/ALD Ru electrode surface after fuel cell operation is analyzed via XPS. Enhanced cell performance is clearly achieved, attributed to the effective Pt/ALD Ru bi-metallic catalysis, including oxidation of Cdbnd O by Ru, and de-protonation of ethanol and cleavage of C-C bonds by Pt, as supported by surface morphology analysis which confirms formation of a large amount of carbon on bare Pt after the ethanol-fuel-cell test.

Phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extract of Dichrostachys Cinerea W and Arn leaves by a thin layer chromatography, high performance thin layer chromatography and column chromatography

OpenAIRE

M Vijayalakshmi; K Periyanayagam; K Kavitha; K Akilandeshwari

2013-01-01

Background: The leaves of Dichrostachys cinerea are used as laxative, diuretic, painkiller. It is also used in the treatment of gonorrhoea, boils, oedema, gout, veneral diseases and nasopharyngeal affections, etc. Materials and Methods: The Phytochemical investigation of ethanolic extract of D. cinerea leaves were performed by standard chemical tests, thin layer chromatography (TLC) by using various solvent systems, and by high performance liquid chromatography (HPTLC). Two compounds were...

Retrograde Transvenous Ethanol Embolization of High-flow Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linden, Edwin van der; Baalen, Jary M. van; Pattynama, Peter M. T.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To report the clinical efficiency and complications in patients treated with retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization of high-flow peripheral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization of high-flow AVMs is a technique that can be used to treat AVMs with a dominant outflow vein whenever conventional interventional procedures have proved insufficient. Methods: This is a retrospective study of the clinical effectiveness and complications of retrograde embolization in five patients who had previously undergone multiple arterial embolization procedures without clinical success. Results: Clinical outcomes were good in all patients but were achieved at the cost of serious, although transient, complications in three patients. Conclusion: Retrograde transvenous ethanol embolization is a highly effective therapy for high-flow AVMs. However, because of the high complication rate, it should be reserved as a last resort, to be used after conventional treatment options have failed.

Gene expression cross-profiling in genetically modified industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains during high-temperature ethanol production from xylose.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Ku Syahidah Ku; Sakamoto, Takatoshi; Hatanaka, Haruyo; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Kondo, Akihiko

2013-01-10

Production of ethanol from xylose at high temperature would be an economical approach since it reduces risk of contamination and allows both the saccharification and fermentation steps in SSF to be running at elevated temperature. Eight recombinant xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains developed from industrial strains were constructed and subjected to high-temperature fermentation at 38 °C. The best performing strain was sun049T, which produced up to 15.2 g/L ethanol (63% of the theoretical production), followed by sun048T and sun588T, both with 14.1 g/L ethanol produced. Via transcriptomic analysis, expression profiling of the top three best ethanol producing strains compared to a negative control strain, sun473T, led to the discovery of genes in common that were regulated in the same direction. Identification of the 20 most highly up-regulated and the 20 most highly down-regulated genes indicated that the cells regulate their central metabolism and maintain the integrity of the cell walls in response to high temperature. We also speculate that cross-protection in the cells occurs, allowing them to maintain ethanol production at higher concentration under heat stress than the negative controls. This report provides further transcriptomics information in the interest of producing a robust microorganism for high-temperature ethanol production utilizing xylose. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extraction efficiency of water, ethanol and supereritical carbon dioxide for amide content from fruit of piper sarmentosum using colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, K.; Ismail, Z.; Ibrahim, P.

2010-01-01

Extraction is important for both natural product research and preparation of extracts to be used as raw materials for phytopharamaceuticals. Selection of a suitable solvent as well as type of extraction is prerequisite to prepare extracts enriched with particular type of compounds with peculiar activities. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the extraction efficiency of water, ethanol and supercritical CO/sub 2/ for amides from fruit of Piper sarmentosum using colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The pulverized fruit material was extracted by reflux using water and ethanol, and supercritical CO/sub 2/ at 60 degree c and operating pressure of 3000,4 000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 psi. The colorimetric analysis indicated that except the water extracts, total amide content in different extracts was not significantly different (P<0.05). Similarly, HPLC analysis using pellitorine, sarmentine and sarrnentosine as markers indicated that except water extracts, total content of the markers in different extracts was not significantly different (P<0.05). These results indicate that extraction efficiency of ethanol for amides is comparable to that of supercritical CO/sub 2/. Hence, ethanol may be used to prepare amide enriched extracts without using costly equipment and operating expertise. (author)

High-throughput detection of ethanol-producing cyanobacteria in a microdroplet platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Abalde-Cela, Sara; Gould, Anna; Liu, Xin; Kazamia, Elena; Smith, Alison G; Abell, Chris

2015-05-06

Ethanol production by microorganisms is an important renewable energy source. Most processes involve fermentation of sugars from plant feedstock, but there is increasing interest in direct ethanol production by photosynthetic organisms. To facilitate this, a high-throughput screening technique for the detection of ethanol is required. Here, a method for the quantitative detection of ethanol in a microdroplet-based platform is described that can be used for screening cyanobacterial strains to identify those with the highest ethanol productivity levels. The detection of ethanol by enzymatic assay was optimized both in bulk and in microdroplets. In parallel, the encapsulation of engineered ethanol-producing cyanobacteria in microdroplets and their growth dynamics in microdroplet reservoirs were demonstrated. The combination of modular microdroplet operations including droplet generation for cyanobacteria encapsulation, droplet re-injection and pico-injection, and laser-induced fluorescence, were used to create this new platform to screen genetically engineered strains of cyanobacteria with different levels of ethanol production.

The acute effects of MDMA and ethanol administration on electrophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in healthy volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Spronk, D B; Dumont, G J H; Verkes, R J; De Bruijn, E R A

2014-07-01

Knowing how commonly used drugs affect performance monitoring is of great importance, because drug use is often associated with compromised behavioral control. Two of the most commonly used recreational drugs in the western world, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") and ethanol (alcohol), are also often used in combination. The error-related negativity (ERN), correct-related negativity (CRN), and N2 are electrophysiological indices of performance monitoring. The present study aimed to investigate how ethanol, MDMA, and their co-administration affect performance monitoring as indexed by the electrophysiological correlates. Behavioral and EEG data were obtained from 14 healthy volunteers during execution of a speeded choice-reaction-time task after administration of ethanol, MDMA, and combined ethanol and MDMA, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover design. Ethanol significantly reduced ERN amplitudes, while administration of MDMA did not affect the ERN. Co-administration of MDMA and ethanol did not further impair nor ameliorate the effect of ethanol alone. No drug effects on CRN nor N2 were observed. A decreased ERN following ethanol administration is in line with previous work and offers further support for the impairing effects of alcohol intoxication on performance monitoring. This impairment may underlie maladaptive behavior in people who are under influence. Moreover, these data demonstrate for the first time that MDMA does not affect performance monitoring nor does it interact with ethanol in this process. These findings corroborate the notion that MDMA leaves central executive functions relatively unaffected.

Selection and characterisation of high ethanol tolerant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-17

Dec 17, 2008 ... High level ethanol tolerant Saccharomyces yeast, Orc 6, was investigated for its potential application ... sources include cashew, apple juice (Osho, 2005), palm ... choice for fermentation (Chandra and Panchal, 2003). Yeasts ...

Small-sized PdCu nanocapsules on 3D graphene for high-performance ethanol oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

HuThese Authors Contributed Equally To This Work., Chuangang; Zhai, Xiangquan; Zhao, Yang; Bian, Ke; Zhang, Jing; Qu, Liangti; Zhang, Huimin; Luo, Hongxia

2014-02-01

A one-pot solvothermal process has been developed for direct preparation of PdCu nanocapsules (with a size of ca. 10 nm) on three-dimensional (3D) graphene. Due to the 3D pore-rich network of graphene and the unique hollow structure of PdCu nanocapsules with a wall thickness of ca. 3 nm, the newly-prepared PdCu/3D graphene hybrids activated electrochemically have great electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation in alkaline media, much better than single-phase Pd and commercial E-TEK 20% Pt/C catalysts promising for application in direct ethanol fuel cells.A one-pot solvothermal process has been developed for direct preparation of PdCu nanocapsules (with a size of ca. 10 nm) on three-dimensional (3D) graphene. Due to the 3D pore-rich network of graphene and the unique hollow structure of PdCu nanocapsules with a wall thickness of ca. 3 nm, the newly-prepared PdCu/3D graphene hybrids activated electrochemically have great electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation in alkaline media, much better than single-phase Pd and commercial E-TEK 20% Pt/C catalysts promising for application in direct ethanol fuel cells. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05722d

Influence of fiber degradation and concentration of fermentable sugars on simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of high-solids spruce slurry to ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyer, Kerstin; Galbe, Mats; Zacchi, Guido

2013-10-08

Saccharification and fermentation of pretreated lignocellulosic materials, such as spruce, should be performed at high solids contents in order to reduce the cost of the produced bioethanol. However, this has been shown to result in reduced ethanol yields or a complete lack of ethanol production. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results when prehydrolysis is performed at a higher temperature prior to the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of steam-pretreated lignocellulosic materials. In some cases, a significant increase in overall ethanol yield was reported, while in others, a slight decrease in ethanol yield was observed. In order to investigate the influence of prehydrolysis on high-solids SSF of steam-pretreated spruce slurry, in the present study, the presence of fibers and inhibitors, degree of fiber degradation and initial fermentable sugar concentration has been studied. SSF of whole steam-pretreated spruce slurry at a solids content of 13.7% water-insoluble solids (WIS) resulted in a very low overall ethanol yield, mostly due to poor fermentation. The yeast was, however, able to ferment the washed slurry and the liquid fraction of the pretreated slurry. Performing prehydrolysis at 48°C for 22 hours prior to SSF of the whole pretreated slurry increased the overall ethanol yield from 3.9 to 62.1%. The initial concentration of fermentable sugars in SSF could not explain the increase in ethanol yield in SSF with prehydrolysis. Although the viscosity of the material did not appear to decrease significantly during prehydrolysis, the degradation of the fibers prior to the addition of the yeast had a positive effect on ethanol yield when using whole steam-pretreated spruce slurry. The results of the present study suggest that the increase in ethanol yield from SSF when performing prehydrolysis is a result of fiber degradation rather than a decrease in viscosity. The increased concentration of fermentable sugars at the beginning of the

Facile synthesis of highly active PdAu nanowire networks as self-supported electrocatalyst for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Wei; Wang, Jin; Wang, Erkang

2014-06-25

In recent years, direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are attracting increasing attention owing to their wide applications. However, a significant challenge in the development of DEFC technology is the urgent need for highly active anode catalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction. In this work, a facile and reproducible method for the high-yield synthesis of PdAu nanowire networks is demonstrated. The whole synthetic process is very simple, just mixing Na2PdCl4, HAuCl4, and KBr in an aqueous solution and using polyvinylpyrrolidone as a protective reagent while sodium borohydride as a reductant. The whole synthetic process can be simply performed at room temperature and completed in 30 min, which can greatly simplify the synthetic process and lower the preparation cost. Electrochemical catalytic measurement results prove that the as-prepared catalysts exhibit dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline solution. The facile synthetic process and excellent catalytic performance of the as-prepared catalysts demonstrate that they can be used as a promising catalyst for DEFCs.

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF 1,4 DIOXANE-ETHANOL-DIESEL BLENDS ON DIESEL ENGINES WITH AND WITHOUT THERMAL BARRIER COATING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chockalingam Sundar Raj

2010-01-01

Full Text Available 1,4 dioxane, a new additive allows the splash blending of ethanol in diesel in a clear solution. The objective of this investigation is to first create a stable ethanol-diesel blended fuel with 10% 1,4 dioxane additive, and then to generate performance, combustion and emissions data for evaluation of different ethanol content on a single cylinder diesel engine with and without thermal barrier coating. Results show improved performance with blends compared to neat fuel for all conditions of the engine. Drastic reduction in smoke density is found with the blends as compared to neat diesel and the reduction is still better for coated engine. NOx emissions were found to be high for coated engines than the normal engine for the blends. The oxygen enriched fuel increases the peak pressure and rate of pressure rise with increase in ethanol ratio and is still superior for coated engine. Heat release pattern shows higher premixed combustion rate with the blends. Longer ignition delay and shorter combustion duration are found with all blends than neat diesel fuel.

Comparative analysis of the Performance and Emission Characteristics of ethanol-butanol-gasoline blends

Science.gov (United States)

Taneja, Sumit; Singh, Perminderjit, Dr; Singh, Gurtej

2018-02-01

Global warming and energy security being the global problems have shifted the focus of researchers on the renewable sources of energy which could replace petroleum products partially or as a whole. Ethanol and butanol are renewable sources of energy which can be produced through fermentation of biomass. A lot of research has already been done to develop suitable ethanol-gasoline blends. In contrast very little literature available on the butanol-gasoline blends. This research focuses on the comparison of ethanol-gasoline fuels with butanol-gasoline fuels with regard to the emission and performance in an SI engine. Experiments were conducted on a variable compression ratio SI engine at 1600 rpm and compression ratio 8. The experiments involved the measurement of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburned hydrocarbons emission and among performance parameters brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency were recorded at three loads of 2.5kgs (25%), 5kgs (50%) and 7.5kgs (75%). Results show that ethanol and butanol content in gasoline have decreased brake specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon emissions while the brake thermal efficiency and oxides of nitrogen are increased. Results indicate thatbutanol-gasoline blends have improved brake specific fuel consumption, carbon monoxide emissions in an SI engine as compared to ethanol-gasoline blends. The carbon dioxide emissions and brake thermal efficiencies are comparable for ethanol-gasoline blends and butanol-gasoline blends. The butanol content has a more adverse effect on emissions of oxides of nitrogen than ethanol.

Ethanol production from food waste at high solids content with vacuum recovery technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Haibo; Qureshi, Nasib; Chen, Ming-Hsu; Liu, Wei; Singh, Vijay

2015-03-18

Ethanol production from food wastes does not only solve environmental issues but also provides renewable biofuels. This study investigated the feasibility of producing ethanol from food wastes at high solids content (35%, w/w). A vacuum recovery system was developed and applied to remove ethanol from fermentation broth to reduce yeast ethanol inhibition. A high concentration of ethanol (144 g/L) was produced by the conventional fermentation of food waste without a vacuum recovery system. When the vacuum recovery is applied to the fermentation process, the ethanol concentration in the fermentation broth was controlled below 100 g/L, thus reducing yeast ethanol inhibition. At the end of the conventional fermentation, the residual glucose in the fermentation broth was 5.7 g/L, indicating incomplete utilization of glucose, while the vacuum fermentation allowed for complete utilization of glucose. The ethanol yield for the vacuum fermentation was found to be 358 g/kg of food waste (dry basis), higher than that for the conventional fermentation at 327 g/kg of food waste (dry basis).

Highly Ordered Periodic Au/TiO₂ Hetero-Nanostructures for Plasmon-Induced Enhancement of the Activity and Stability for Ethanol Electro-oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Zhao; Wang, Qiyu; Zheng, Weitao; Cui, Xiaoqiang

2016-03-02

The catalytic electro-oxidation of ethanol is the essential technique for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) in the area of alternative energy for the ability of converting the chemical energy of alcohol into the electric energy directly. Developing highly efficient and stable electrode materials with antipoisoning ability for ethanol electro-oxidation remains a challenge. A highly ordered periodic Au-nanoparticle (NP)-decorated bilayer TiO2 nanotube (BTNT) heteronanostructure was fabricated by a two-step anodic oxidation of Ti foil and the subsequent photoreduction of HAuCl4. The plasmon-induced charge separation on the heterointerface of Au/TiO2 electrode enhances the electrocatalytic activity and stability for the ethanol oxidation under visible light irradiation. The highly ordered periodic heterostructure on the electrode surface enhanced the light harvesting and led to the greater performance of ethanol electro-oxidation under irradiation compared with the ordinary Au NPs-decorated monolayer TiO2 nanotube (MTNT). This novel Au/TiO2 electrode also performed a self-cleaning property under visible light attributed to the enhanced electro-oxidation of the adsorbed intermediates. This light-driven enhancement of the electrochemical performances provides a development strategy for the design and construction of DAFCs.

Spark Ignition Engine Combustion, Performance and Emission Products from Hydrous Ethanol and Its Blends with Gasoline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musaab O. El-Faroug

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the serviceability of hydrous ethanol as a clean, cheap and green renewable substitute fuel for spark ignition engines and discusses the comparative chemical and physical properties of hydrous ethanol and gasoline fuels. The significant differences in the properties of hydrous ethanol and gasoline fuels are sufficient to create a significant change during the combustion phase of engine operation and consequently affect the performance of spark-ignition (SI engines. The stability of ethanol-gasoline-water blends is also discussed. Furthermore, the effects of hydrous ethanol, and its blends with gasoline fuel on SI engine combustion characteristics, cycle-to-cycle variations, engine performance parameters, and emission characteristics have been highlighted. Higher water solubility in ethanol‑gasoline blends may be obviously useful and suitable; nevertheless, the continuous ability of water to remain soluble in the blend is significantly affected by temperature. Nearly all published engine experimental results showed a significant improvement in combustion characteristics and enhanced engine performance for the use of hydrous ethanol as fuel. Moreover, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen emissions were also significantly decreased. It is also worth pointing out that unburned hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide emissions were also reduced for the use of hydrous ethanol. However, unregulated emissions such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde were significantly increased.

The preparation and ethanol fermentation of high-concentration sugars from steam-explosion corn stover.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Hui; Wang, Fengqin; Yin, Shuangyao; Ren, Tianbao; Song, Andong

2015-05-01

In the field of biofuel ethanol, high-concentration- reducing sugars made from cellulosic materials lay the foundation for high-concentration ethanol fermentation. In this study, corn stover was pre-treated in a process combining chemical methods and steam explosion; the cellulosic hydrolyzed sugars obtained by fed-batch saccharification were then used as the carbon source for high-concentration ethanol fermentation. Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1308, Angel yeast, and Issatchenkia orientalis were shake-cultured with Pachysolen tannophilus P-01 for fermentation. Results implied that the ethanol yields from the three types of mixed strains were 4.85 g/100 mL, 4.57 g/100 mL, and 5.02 g/100 mL (separately) at yield rates of 91.6, 89.3, and 92.2%, respectively. Therefore, it was inferred that shock-fermentation using mixed strains achieved a higher ethanol yield at a greater rate in a shorter fermentation period. This study provided a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the fermentation of industrial high-concentrated cellulosic ethanol.

Performance and exhaust emissions of a gasoline engine with ethanol blended gasoline fuels using artificial neural network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najafi, G.; Ghobadian, B.; Tavakoli, T.; Faizollahnejad, M. [Tarbiat Modares University, Jalale-E-Aleahmad Highway, Tehran, P.O. Box: 14115-111 (Iran); Buttsworth, D.R.; Yusaf, T.F. [University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350 QLD (Australia)

2009-05-15

The purpose of this study is to experimentally analyse the performance and the pollutant emissions of a four-stroke SI engine operating on ethanol-gasoline blends of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% with the aid of artificial neural network (ANN). The properties of bioethanol were measured based on American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The experimental results revealed that using ethanol-gasoline blended fuels increased the power and torque output of the engine marginally. For ethanol blends it was found that the brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) was decreased while the brake thermal efficiency ({eta}{sub b.th.}) and the volumetric efficiency ({eta}{sub v}) were increased. The concentration of CO and HC emissions in the exhaust pipe were measured and found to be decreased when ethanol blends were introduced. This was due to the high oxygen percentage in the ethanol. In contrast, the concentration of CO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} was found to be increased when ethanol is introduced. An ANN model was developed to predict a correlation between brake power, torque, brake specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, volumetric efficiency and emission components using different gasoline-ethanol blends and speeds as inputs data. About 70% of the total experimental data were used for training purposes, while the 30% were used for testing. A standard Back-Propagation algorithm for the engine was used in this model. A multi layer perception network (MLP) was used for nonlinear mapping between the input and the output parameters. It was observed that the ANN model can predict engine performance and exhaust emissions with correlation coefficient (R) in the range of 0.97-1. Mean relative errors (MRE) values were in the range of 0.46-5.57%, while root mean square errors (RMSE) were found to be very low. This study demonstrates that ANN approach can be used to accurately predict the SI engine performance and emissions. (author)

Performance of Nafion-TiO2 hybrid membranes and PtSn/C electrocatalysts in PEM type fuel cells fed with ethanol and H2/CO at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isidoro, Roberta Alvarenga

2010-01-01

In this work, Nafion-TiO 2 hybrid electrolytes and PtSn/C electrocatalysts were synthesized for the application in direct ethanol fuel cell operating at high temperature (130 degree C). For this purpose, TiO 2 particles were incorporated in commercial Nafion membranes by an 'in situ' sol gel route. The resulting materials were characterized by gravimetric analysis, water uptake, DSC, XRD and EDX. Electrocatalysts based on carbon dispersed platinum-tin (PtSn/C), with different composition, were produced by alcohol-reduction method and were employed as anodic electrode. The electrocatalysts were characterized by XRD, EDX, XPS and transmission electronic spectroscopy. The electrochemical characterization was conducted by cyclic voltametry, carbon monoxide linear anodic voltammetry (CO stripping), and chronoamperometry. Membrane-electrodes assembly (MEAs) were formed with PtSn/C anodes, Pt/C cathodes and Nafion-TiO 2 hybrids. The performance of these MEA was evaluated in single-cell fed with H2/CO mixture or ethanol solution at the anode and oxygen at the cathode in the temperature range of 80-130 degree C. The analysis showed that the hybrid membranes improved the DEFC performance due to crossover suppression and that PtSn/C 70:30 electrocatalysts, prepared by an alcohol reduction process, showed better performance in ethanol oxidation. (author)

Simultaneous saccharification and ethanol fermentation at high corn stover solids loading in a helical stirring bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian; Chu, Deqiang; Huang, Juan; Yu, Zhanchun; Dai, Gance; Bao, Jie

2010-03-01

The higher ethanol titer inevitably requires higher solids loading during the simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using lignocellulose as the feedstock. The mixing between the solid lignocellulose and the liquid enzyme is crucially important. In this study, a bioreactor with a novel helical impeller was designed and applied to the SSF operation of the steam explosion pretreated corn stover under different solids loadings and different enzyme dosages. The performances using the helical impeller and the common Rushton impeller were compared and analyzed by measuring rheological properties and the mixing energy consumption. The results showed that the new designed stirring system had better performances in the saccharification yield, ethanol titer, and energy cost than those of the Rushton impeller stirring. The mixing energy consumption under different solids loadings and enzyme dosages during SSF operation were analyzed and compared to the thermal energy in the ethanol produced. A balance for achieving the optimal energy cost between the increased mixing energy cost and the reduced distillation energy cost at the high solids loading should be made. The potentials of the new bioreactor were tested under various SSF conditions for obtaining optimal ethanol yield and titer. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Online stable carbon isotope ratio measurement in formic acid, acetic acid, methanol and ethanol in water by high performance liquid chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo

2008-01-01

A suitable analysis condition was determined for high performance liquid chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (HPLC-IRMS) while making sequential measurements of stable carbon isotope ratios of δ 13 C in formic acid, acetic acid, methanol and ethanol dissolved in water. For this online column separation method, organic reagents are not applicable due to carbon contamination; thus, water and KH 2 PO 4 at low concentrations were tested as mobile phase in combination with a HyPURITY AQUASTAR TM column. Formic acid, acetic acid, methanol and ethanol were separated when 2 mM KH 2 PO 4 aqueous solution was used. Under the determined analysis condition for HPLC-IRMS, carbon concentrations could be measured quantitatively as well as carbon isotope ratio when carbon concentration was higher than 0.4 mM L for each chemical

Summary of High-Octane Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theiss, Timothy J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Alleman, Teresa [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brooker, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Elgowainy, Amgad [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Fioroni, Gina [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Han, Jeongwoo [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Huff, Shean P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Johnson, Caley [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kass, Michael D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Leiby, Paul Newsome [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Martinez, Rocio Uria [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); McCormick, Robert [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Moriarty, Kristi [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Newes, Emily [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Oladosu, Gbadebo A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Szybist, James P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Thomas, John F. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Wang, Michael [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); West, Brian H. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-07-01

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of light-duty vehicles are pursuing a broad portfolio of technologies to reduce CO₂ emissions and improve fuel economy. Central to this effort is higher efficiency spark ignition (SI) engines, including technologies reliant on higher compression ratios and fuels with improved anti-knock properties, such as gasoline with significantly increased octane numbers. Ethanol has an inherently high octane number and would be an ideal octane booster for lower-octane petroleum blendstocks. In fact, recently published data from Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories (Splitter and Szybist, 2014a, 2014b; Szybist, 2010; Szybist and West, 2013) and OEMs (Anderson, 2013) and discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest the potential of a new high octane fuel (HOF) with 25–40 vol % of ethanol to assist in reaching Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goals. This mid-level ethanol content fuel, with a research octane number (RON) of about 100, appears to enable efficiency improvements in a suitably calibrated and designed engine/vehicle system that are sufficient to offset its lower energy density (Jung, 2013; Thomas, et al, 2015). This efficiency improvement would offset the tank mileage (range) loss typically seen for ethanol blends in conventional gasoline and flexible-fuel vehicles (FFVs). The prospects for such a fuel are additionally attractive because it can be used legally in over 18 million FFVs currently on the road. Thus the legacy FFV fleet can serve as a bridge by providing a market for the new fuel immediately, so that future vehicles will have improved efficiency as the new fuel becomes widespread. In this way, HOF can simultaneously help improve fuel economy while expanding the ethanol market in the United States via a growing market for an ethanol blend higher than E10. The DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office initiated a collaborative research program

High-pressure pyrolysis and oxidation of ethanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hashemi, Hamid; Christensen, Jakob M.; Glarborg, Peter

2018-01-01

against the present data as well as ignition delay times and flame speed measurements from literature. The model predicted the onset of fuel conversion and the composition of products from the flow reactor experiments fairly well. It also predicted well ignition delays above 900 K whereas it overpredicted...... reported flame speeds slightly. The results of sensitivity analyses revealed the importance of the reaction between ethanol and the hydroperoxyl radical for ignition at high pressure and intermediate temperatures. An accurate determination of the rate coefficients for this reaction is important to improve......The pyrolysis and oxidation of ethanol has been investigated at temperatures of 600–900 K, a pressure of 50 bar and residence times of 4.3–6.8 s in a laminar flow reactor. The experiments, conducted with mixtures highly diluted in nitrogen, covered fuel-air equivalence ratios (Φ) of 0.1, 1.0, 43...

Small-sized PdCu nanocapsules on 3D graphene for high-performance ethanol oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chuangang; Zhai, Xiangquan; Zhao, Yang; Bian, Ke; Zhang, Jing; Qu, Liangti; Zhang, Huimin; Luo, Hongxia

2014-03-07

A one-pot solvothermal process has been developed for direct preparation of PdCu nanocapsules (with a size of ca. 10 nm) on three-dimensional (3D) graphene. Due to the 3D pore-rich network of graphene and the unique hollow structure of PdCu nanocapsules with a wall thickness of ca. 3 nm, the newly-prepared PdCu/3D graphene hybrids activated electrochemically have great electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation in alkaline media, much better than single-phase Pd and commercial E-TEK 20% Pt/C catalysts promising for application in direct ethanol fuel cells.

Sodium borohydride as an additive to enhance the performance of direct ethanol fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Lianqin; Fang, Xiang; Shen, Pei Kang [The Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Chemistry and Energy Conservation of Guangdong Province, The State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Bambagioni, Valentina; Bevilacqua, Manuela; Bianchini, Claudio; Filippi, Jonathan; Lavacchi, Alessandro; Marchionni, Andrea; Vizza, Francesco [Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM-CNR), via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence (Italy)

2010-12-15

The effect of adding small quantities (0.1-1 wt.%) of sodium borohydride (NaBH{sub 4}) to the anolyte solution of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) with membrane-electrode assemblies constituted by nanosized Pd/C anode, Fe-Co cathode and anion-exchange membrane (Tokuyama A006) was investigated by means of various techniques. These include cyclic voltammetry, in situ FTIR spectroelectrochemistry, a study of the performance of monoplanar fuel cells and an analysis of the ethanol oxidation products. A comparison with fuel cells fed with aqueous solutions of ethanol proved unambiguously the existence of a promoting effect of NaBH{sub 4} on the ethanol oxidation. Indeed, the potentiodynamic curves of the ethanol-NaBH{sub 4} mixtures showed higher power and current densities, accompanied by a remarkable increase in the fuel consumption at comparable working time of the cell. A {sup 13}C and {sup 11}B {l_brace}{sup 1}H{r_brace}NMR analysis of the cell exhausts and an in situ FTIR spectroelectrochemical study showed that ethanol is converted selectively to acetate while the oxidation product of NaBH{sub 4} is sodium metaborate (NaBO{sub 2}). The enhancement of the overall cell performance has been explained in terms of the ability of NaBH{sub 4} to reduce the PdO layer on the catalyst surface. (author)

High ethanol producing derivatives of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus

Science.gov (United States)

Ljungdahl, L.G.; Carriera, L.H.

1983-05-24

Derivatives of the newly discovered microorganism Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus which under anaerobic and thermophilic conditions continuously ferment substrates such as starch, cellobiose, glucose, xylose and other sugars to produce recoverable amounts of ethanol solving the problem of fermentations yielding low concentrations of ethanol using the parent strain of the microorganism Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus are disclosed. These new derivatives are ethanol tolerant up to 10% (v/v) ethanol during fermentation. The process includes the use of an aqueous fermentation medium, containing the substrate at a substrate concentration greater than 1% (w/v).

Xylose fermentation to ethanol. A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMillan, J D

1993-01-01

The past several years have seen tremendous progress in the understanding of xylose metabolism and in the identification, characterization, and development of strains with improved xylose fermentation characteristics. A survey of the numerous microorganisms capable of directly fermenting xylose to ethanol indicates that wild-type yeast and recombinant bacteria offer the best overall performance in terms of high yield, final ethanol concentration, and volumetric productivity. The best performing bacteria, yeast, and fungi can achieve yields greater than 0.4 g/g and final ethanol concentrations approaching 5%. Productivities remain low for most yeast and particularly for fungi, but volumetric productivities exceeding 1.0 g/L-h have been reported for xylose-fermenting bacteria. In terms of wild-type microorganisms, strains of the yeast Pichia stipitis show the most promise in the short term for direct high-yield fermentation of xylose without byproduct formation. Of the recombinant xylose-fermenting microorganisms developed, recombinant E. coli ATTC 11303 (pLOI297) exhibits the most favorable performance characteristics reported to date.

The greenhouse gas emissions performance of cellulosic ethanol supply chains in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bauen Ausilio

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Calculating the greenhouse gas savings that may be attributed to biofuels is problematic because production systems are inherently complex and methods used to quantify savings are subjective. Differing approaches and interpretations have fuelled a debate about the environmental merit of biofuels, and consequently about the level of policy support that can be justified. This paper estimates and compares emissions from plausible supply chains for lignocellulosic ethanol production, exemplified using data specific to the UK and Sweden. The common elements that give rise to the greatest greenhouse gas emissions are identified and the sensitivity of total emissions to variations in these elements is estimated. The implications of including consequential impacts including indirect land-use change, and the effects of selecting alternative allocation methods on the interpretation of results are discussed. Results We find that the most important factors affecting supply chain emissions are the emissions embodied in biomass production, the use of electricity in the conversion process and potentially consequential impacts: indirect land-use change and fertiliser replacement. The large quantity of electricity consumed during enzyme manufacture suggests that enzymatic conversion processes may give rise to greater greenhouse gas emissions than the dilute acid conversion process, even though the dilute acid process has a somewhat lower ethanol yield. Conclusion The lignocellulosic ethanol supply chains considered here all lead to greenhouse gas savings relative to gasoline An important caveat to this is that if lignocellulosic ethanol production uses feedstocks that lead to indirect land-use change, or other significant consequential impacts, the benefit may be greatly reduced. Co-locating ethanol, electricity generation and enzyme production in a single facility may improve performance, particularly if this allows the number of energy

The effect of ethanol concentration on the direct ethanol fuel cell performance and products distribution: A study using a single fuel cell/attenuated total reflectance - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Assumpção, M. H. M. T.; Nandenha, J.; Buzzo, G. S.; Silva, J. C. M.; Spinacé, E. V.; Neto, A. O.; De Souza, R. F. B.

2014-05-01

The effect of ethanol concentration on the direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) performance and products distribution were studied in situ using a single fuel cell/ATR-FTIR setup. The experiments were performed at 80 °C using commercial Pt3Sn/C as anodic catalyst and the concentrations of ethanol solution were varied from 0.1 to 2.0 mol L-1. An increase in power density was observed with the increase of ethanol concentration to 1.0 mol L-1, while the band intensities analysis in the FTIR spectra revealed an increase of acetic acid/acetaldehyde ratio with the increase of ethanol concentration. Also, from FTIR spectra results, it could be concluded that the acetic acid production follow parallel mechanisms; that is, it does not require the presence of acetaldehyde as an intermediate.

Production of Hydrogen from Bio-ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabrice Giroudiere; Christophe Boyer; Stephane His; Robert Sanger; Kishore Doshi; Jijun Xu

2006-01-01

IFP and HyRadix are collaborating in the development of a new hydrogen production system from liquid feedstock such as bio-ethanol. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along with high hydrogen yield are the key objectives. Market application of the system will be hydrogen refueling stations as well as medium scale hydrogen consumers including the electronics, metals processing, and oils hydrogenation industries. The conversion of bio-ethanol to hydrogen will be performed within a co-developed process including an auto-thermal reformer working under pressure. The technology will produce high-purity hydrogen with ultralow CO content. The catalytic auto-thermal reforming technology combines the exothermic and endothermic reaction and leads to a highly efficient heat integration. The development strategy to reach a high hydrogen yield target with the bio-ethanol hydrogen generator is presented. (authors)

Ethanol tolerant precious metal free cathode catalyst for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimmer, Ilena; Zorn, Paul; Weinberger, Stephan; Grimmer, Christoph; Pichler, Birgit; Cermenek, Bernd; Gebetsroither, Florian; Schenk, Alexander; Mautner, Franz-Andreas

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Selective ORR catalysts are presented for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells. • Perovskite based cathode catalysts show high tolerance toward ethanol. • A membrane-free alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell is presented. - Abstract: La 0.7 Sr 0.3 (Fe 0.2 Co 0.8 )O 3 and La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 −based cathode catalysts are synthesized by the sol-gel method. These perovskite cathode catalysts are tested in half cell configuration and compared to MnO 2 as reference material in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs). The best performing cathode is tested in single cell setup using a standard carbon supported Pt 0.4 Ru 0.2 based anode. A backside Luggin capillary is used in order to register the anode potential during all measurements. Characteristic processes of the electrodes are investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Physical characterizations of the perovskite based cathode catalysts are performed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and by X-ray diffraction showing phase pure materials. In half cell setup, La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 shows the highest tolerance toward ethanol with a performance of 614 mA cm −2 at 0.65 V vs. RHE in 6 M KOH and 1 M EtOH at RT. This catalyst outperforms the state-of-the-art precious metal-free MnO 2 catalyst in presence of ethanol. In fuel cell setup, the peak power density is 27.6 mW cm −2 at a cell voltage of 0.345 V and a cathode potential of 0.873 V vs. RHE.

Effect of hydrogen on ethanol-biodiesel blend on performance and emission characteristics of a direct injection diesel engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Parthasarathy, M; Isaac JoshuaRamesh Lalvani, J; Dhinesh, B; Annamalai, K

2016-12-01

Environment issue is a principle driving force which has led to a considerable effort to develop and introduce alternative fuels for transportation. India has large potential for production of biofuels like biodiesel from vegetable seeds. Use of biodiesel namely, tamanu methyl ester (TME) in unmodified diesel engines leads to low thermal Efficiency and high smoke emission. To encounter this problem hydrogen was inducted by a port fueled injection system. Hydrogen is considered to be low polluting fuel and is the most promising among alternative fuel. Its clean burning characteristic and better performance attract more interest compared to other fuels. It was more active in reducing smoke emission in biodiesel. A main drawback with hydrogen fuel is the increased NO x emission. To reduce NO x emission, TME-ethanol blends were used in various proportions. After a keen study, it was observed that ethanol can be blended with biodiesel up to 30% in unmodified diesel engine. The present work deals with the experimental study of performance and emission characteristic of the DI diesel engine using hydrogen and TME-ethanol blends. Hydrogen and TME-ethanol blend was used to improve the brake thermal efficiency and reduction in CO, NO x and smoke emissions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of ethanol-gasoline blends on performance and exhaust emissions of a spark ignition engine through exergy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doğan, Battal; Erol, Derviş; Yaman, Hayri; Kodanli, Evren

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Examining the performance of ethanol-gasoline blend. • Evaluation of the exhaust emissions. • Energy and exergy analysis. • Calculation of irreversibility from cooling system and the exhaust resulting. - Abstract: Ethanol which is considered as an environmentally cleaner alternative to fossil fuels is used on its own or blended with other fuels in different ratios. In this study, ethanol which has high octane rating, low exhaust emission, and which is easily obtained from agricultural products has been used in fuels prepared by blending it with gasoline in various ratios (E0, E10, E20, and E30). Ethanol-gasoline blends have been used in a four-cylinder four-stroke spark ignition engine for performance and emission analysis under full load. In the experimental studies, engine torque, fuel and cooling water flow rates, and exhaust and engine surface temperature have been measured. Engine energy distribution, irreversible processes in the cooling system and the exhaust, and the exergy distribution have been calculated using the experimental data and the formulas for the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Experiments and theoretical calculations showed that ethanol added fuels show reduction in carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO_2) and nitrogen oxide (NO_X) emissions without significant loss of power compared to gasoline. But it was measured that the reduction of the temperature inside the cylinder increases the hydrocarbon (HC) emission.

Performance characteristics of a glowplug assisted low heat rejection diesel engine using ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karthikeyan, B.; Srithar, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, Tamilnadu 625 015 (India)

2011-01-15

Conventional diesel engines with ethanol as fuel are associated with problems due to high self-ignition temperature of the fuel. The hot surface ignition method, wherein a part of the injected fuel is made to touch an electrically heated hot surface (glowplug) for ignition, is an effective way of utilizing ethanol in conventional diesel engines. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of thermal insulation on ethanol fueled compression ignition engine. One of the important ethanol properties to be considered in the high compression ratio engine is the long ignition delay of the fuel, normally characterized by lower cetane number. In the present study, the ignition delay was controlled by partial insulation of the combustion chamber (low heat rejection engine) by plasma spray coating of yttria stabilized zirconia for a thickness of 300 {mu}m. Experiments were carried out on the glowplug assisted engine with and without insulation in order to find out the possible benefits of combustion chamber insulation in ethanol and diesel operation. Highest brake thermal efficiency of 32% was obtained with ethanol fuel by insulating the combustion chamber. Emissions of the unburnt hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen and carbon monoxides were higher than that of diesel. But the smoke intensity and was less than that of diesel engine. Volumetric efficiency of the engine was reduced by a maximum of 9% in LHR mode of operation. (author)

The effects of caffeine, nicotine, ethanol, and tetrahydrocannabinol on exercise performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesta, Dominik H; Angadi, Siddhartha S; Burtscher, Martin; Roberts, Christian K

2013-12-13

Caffeine, nicotine, ethanol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are among the most prevalent and culturally accepted drugs in western society. For example, in Europe and North America up to 90% of the adult population drinks coffee daily and, although less prevalent, the other drugs are also used extensively by the population. Smoked tobacco, excessive alcohol consumption and marijuana (cannabis) smoking are addictive and exhibit adverse health effects. These drugs are not only common in the general population, but have also made their way into elite sports because of their purported performance-altering potential. Only one of the drugs (i.e., caffeine) has enough scientific evidence indicating an ergogenic effect. There is some preliminary evidence for nicotine as an ergogenic aid, but further study is required; cannabis and alcohol can exhibit ergogenic potential under specific circumstances but are in general believed to be ergolytic for sports performance. These drugs are currently (THC, ethanol) or have been (caffeine) on the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency or are being monitored (nicotine) due to their potential ergogenic or ergolytic effects. The aim of this brief review is to evaluate the effects of caffeine, nicotine, ethanol and THC by: 1) examining evidence supporting the ergogenic or ergolytic effects; 2) providing an overview of the mechanism(s) of action and physiological effects; and 3) where appropriate, reviewing their impact as performance-altering aids used in recreational and elite sports.

The effect of supercharging on performance and emission characteristics of C.I. Engine with diesel-ethanol-ester blends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donepudi Jagadish

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Biofuels like ethanol, biodiesel, have attracted attention of people worldwide and proved to be the successful fuel alternates to petroleum products. In the present investigation, the effect of supercharging is studied on the performance of a direct injection diesel engine using ethanol diesel blends with palm stearin methyl ester as additive. The performance of the engine is evaluated in terms of brake specific fuel consumption, thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature, un-burnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide emissions, and smoke opacity. The investigation results showed that the output and torque performance of the engine with supercharging was improved in comparison with naturally aspirated engine. It is observed that the brake thermal efficiency of ethanol diesel blends was higher than that of diesel. With supercharging brake thermal efficiency is further improved. Brake specific fuel consumption of ethanol, ester and diesel blends are lower compared with diesel at full load. Further reduction in brake specific fuel consumption is observed with supercharging. Nitrous oxide formation seems to decrease with ethanol, ester and diesel blends. Hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions are more with ethanol, ester and diesel blends with supercharging slight reduction in those values are observed.

Characteristics and performance of lanthanum gallate electrolyte-supported SOFC under ethanol steam and hydrogen

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bo; Zhu, Xin-Jian; Hu, Wan-Qi; Yu, Qing-Chun; Tu, Heng-Yong

This study is focused on the electrochemical performance of perovskite-type materials based on doped LaGaO 3. La 0.8Sr 0.2Ga 0.8Mg 0.2O 3- δ (LSGM) and La 0.8Sr 0.2Ga 0.8Mg 0.115Co 0.085O 3- δ (LSGMC) were used as electrolytes and (Pr 0.7Ca 0.3) 0.9MnO 3 (PCM) and La 0.75Sr 0.25Cr 0.5Mn 0.5O 3- δ (LSCM) as cathode and anode material, respectively. LSGM and LSGMC electrolytes were prepared by tape casting with a thickness of about 600 μm. The performance of LSCM/LSGMC/PCM was slightly superior to that obtained on LSCM/LSGM/PCM at different temperatures in both humidified hydrogen and ethanol steam atmospheres, good values of power output in LSCM/LSGMC/PCM were 182 and 169 mW cm -2 using humidified hydrogen and ethanol steam as fuel, respectively, and oxygen as oxidant at 850 °C. Cell stability tests indicate no significant degradation in performance after 60 h of cell testing when LSCM anode was exposed to ethanol steam at 750 °C. Almost no carbon deposits were detected after testing in ethanol steam at 750 °C for >60 h on the LSCM anodes, suggesting that carbon deposition was limited during cell operation.

A Shortcut to the Production of High Ethanol Concentration from Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei-Guo Zhang

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Aspergillus niger SL-09, a newly isolated exoinulinase-hyperproducing strain, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Z-06, with high ethanol tolerance, were used in a fed-batch process for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke tuber mash and flour. S. cerevisiae Z-06 utilized 98 % of the total sugar and produced 19.6 % of ethanol in 48 h. In this process the conversion efficiency of the fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke and the production of ethanol were 90 % of the theoretical ethanol yield and the cost of the production of flour was cut nearly into half.

High Performance Nanocatalysts Supported on Micro/Nano Carbon Structures Using Ethanol Immersion Pretreatment for Micro DMFCs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Liang-You; Wu, Yi-Shiuan; Chang, Chaun; Tseng, Fan-Gang

2013-01-01

In this paper, highly dense platinum (Pt) nanocatalysts were successfully deposited on the hydrophilically-treated nano/micro carbon supports with an ethanol (EtOH) immersion pretreatment and an acidic treatment for the performance improvement of methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). In order to thoroughly immerse the three-dimensional, interwoven structures of the carbon cloth fibers with a 6 M sulfuric acid surface modification, which increasing more oxygen-containing functional groups on the surfaces of the carbon supports, the EtOH immersion pretreatment of the carbon supports was utilized prior to the sulfuric acid treatment. Subsequently, Pt catalysts were reduced on the modified carbon supports by a homemade open-loop reduction system (OLRS) [1] For comparisons, carbon cloth (CC) and carbon nanotube on CC (CNT/CC) supports were employed with and without EtOH immersion pretreatments before Pt catalyst reduction. In the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves, the electrosorption charges of hydrogen ion (Q H ) and the peak current density (I P ) of the fabricated Pt/CC and Pt/CNT/CC electrodes with the EtOH immersion pretreatments can efficiently be enhanced due to more active Pt sites for electrocatalytic reactions

Effect of flocculation on performance of arming yeast in direct ethanol fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khaw Teik Seong; Katakura, Yoshio; Ninomiya, Kazuaki; Shioya, Suteaki [Osaka Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Biotechnology; Bito, Yohei; Katahira, Satoshi; Kondo, Akihiko [Kobe Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Chemical Science and Engineering; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Div. of Applied Life Sciences

2006-11-15

In the direct ethanol fermentation of raw starch by arming yeast with {alpha}-amylase and glucoamylase, it is preferable to use a flocculent yeast because it can be recovered without centrifugation. Three types of arming yeast system, I (nonflocculent), II (mildly flocculent), and III (heavily flocculent), were constructed and their fermentation performances were compared. With an increase in the degree of flocculation, specific ethanol production rate for soluble starch decreased (0.19, 0.17, and 0.12 g g-dry-cell{sup -1} h{sup -1} for systems I, II, and III, respectively), but that for raw starch did not decrease as much as expected (0.06, 0.06, and 0.04 g g-dry-cell{sup -1} h{sup -1} for systems I, II and III, respectively). Microscopic observation revealed that many starch granules were captured in the yeast flocs in system III during the direct ethanol fermentation of raw starch. It was suggested that the capture of starch granules increases apparent substrate concentration for amylolytic enzymes in arming yeast cell flocs; thus, the specific ethanol production rate of system III was kept at a level comparable to those of the other systems. (orig.)

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF 1,4 DIOXANE-ETHANOL-DIESEL BLENDS ON DIESEL ENGINES WITH AND WITHOUT THERMAL BARRIER COATING

OpenAIRE

Chockalingam Sundar Raj; Sambandam Arul; Subramanian Sendilvelan; Ganapathy Saravanan

2010-01-01

1,4 dioxane, a new additive allows the splash blending of ethanol in diesel in a clear solution. The objective of this investigation is to first create a stable ethanol-diesel blended fuel with 10% 1,4 dioxane additive, and then to generate performance, combustion and emissions data for evaluation of different ethanol content on a single cylinder diesel engine with and without thermal barrier coating. Results show improved performance with blends compared to neat fuel for all conditions of th...

Transcriptome profiling of Zymomonas mobilis under ethanol stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Ming-xiong

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High tolerance to ethanol is a desirable characteristics for ethanologenic strains used in industrial ethanol fermentation. A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ethanologenic strains tolerance of ethanol stress may guide the design of rational strategies to increase process performance in industrial alcoholic production. Many extensive studies have been performed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli. However, the physiological basis and genetic mechanisms involved in ethanol tolerance for Zymomonas mobilis are poorly understood on genomic level. To identify the genes required for tolerance to ethanol, microarray technology was used to investigate the transcriptome profiling of the ethanologenic Z. mobilis in response to ethanol stress. Results We successfully identified 127 genes which were differentially expressed in response to ethanol. Ethanol up- or down-regulated genes related to cell wall/membrane biogenesis, metabolism, and transcription. These genes were classified as being involved in a wide range of cellular processes including carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall/membrane biogenesis, respiratory chain, terpenoid biosynthesis, DNA replication, DNA recombination, DNA repair, transport, transcriptional regulation, some universal stress response, etc. Conclusion In this study, genome-wide transcriptional responses to ethanol were investigated for the first time in Z. mobilis using microarray analysis.Our results revealed that ethanol had effects on multiple aspects of cellular metabolism at the transcriptional level and that membrane might play important roles in response to ethanol. Although the molecular mechanism involved in tolerance and adaptation of ethanologenic strains to ethanol is still unclear, this research has provided insights into molecular response to ethanol in Z. mobilis. These data will also be helpful to construct more ethanol resistant strains for cellulosic

High performance nano-Ni/Graphite electrode for electro-oxidation in direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Soliman, Ahmed B.; Abdel-Samad, Hesham S.; Abdel Rehim, Sayed S.; Ahmed, Mohamed A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

2016-09-01

Ni/Graphite electrocatalysts (Ni/G) are successfully prepared through electrodeposition of Ni from acidic (pH = 0.8) and feebly acidic (pH = 5.5) aqueous Ni (II) baths. The efficiencies of such electrodes are investigated as anodes for direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells through their ethanol electrooxidation cyclic voltammetric (CV) response in alkaline medium. A direct proportionality between the amount of the electrodeposited Ni and its CV response is found. The amounts of the deposited Ni from the two baths are recorded using the Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (eQCM). The Ni/G electrodes prepared from the feebly acidic bath show a higher electrocatalytic response than those prepared from the acidic bath. Surface morphology of the Ni particles electrodeposited from feebly acidic bath appears in a nano-scale dimension. Various electrochemical experiments are conducted to confirm that the Ni/G ethanol electrooxidation CV response greatly depends on the pH rather than nickel ion concentration of the deposition bath. The eQCM technique is used to detect the crystalline phases of nickel as α-Ni(OH)2/γ-NiOOH and β-Ni(OH)2/β-NiOOH and their in-situ inter-transformations during the potentiodynamic polarization.

Derived thermodynamic properties for the (ethanol + decane) and (carbon dioxide + ethanol + decane) systems at high pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamora-López, Héctor S.; Galicia-Luna, Luis A.; Elizalde-Solis, Octavio; Hernández-Rosales, Irma P.; Méndez-Lango, Edgar

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Experimental density data are reported for (ethanol + decane) and (ethanol + decane + CO 2 ) mixtures. ► Compressed liquid densities were measured in a vibrating tube densimeter from (313 to 363) K. ► Excess molar volumes for (ethanol + decane) mixtures are positive. ► The presence of carbon dioxide in the (ethanol + decane) mixture causes negative excess molar volumes. - Abstract: Volumetric properties for the binary (ethanol + decane) and ternary (ethanol + decane + carbon dioxide) systems are reported from (313 to 363) K and pressures up to 20 MPa. Compressed liquid densities of both systems were measured in a vibrating tube densimeter at different compositions. Binary mixtures {x 1 ethanol + (1-x 1 ) decane} were prepared at x 1 = 0.0937, 0.1011, 0.2507, 0.4963, 0.7526, 0.9014. Compositions for the ternary system were prepared by varying the ethanol/decane relation and trying to keep constant the presence of carbon dioxide at about 0.2 mole fraction. These were {x 1 ethanol + x 2 decane + (1-x 1 -x 2 ) carbon dioxide} x 1 = 0.0657, 0.1986, 0.4087, 0.6042, 0.7109. Density results were correlated using an empirical model with five parameters. Deviations between experimental and calculated values agree and are within the experimental uncertainty. Isobaric expansivity, isothermal compressibility, thermal pressure coefficient, and internal pressure have been calculated for both binary and ternary systems using the empirical model.

Recurrence of primary aldosteronism after percutaneous ethanol injection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan-Chi Chang

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Adrenalectomy is the definite treatment for aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA. Percutaneous ethanol or acetic acid injection with computed tomography (CT guidance has been described as a safe, noninvasive, and effective alternative treatment modality in patients with high surgical risk. We report on a man who was 49 years of age and presented with treatment-resistant hypertension and was later diagnosed with APA. CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI was performed for this high surgical risk patient. He had aldosteronism recurrence 4 years after the ethanol injection, so a second PEI was performed. The tumor size was reduced and his blood pressure was normalized. Therefore, we suggest that clinicians should closely check aldosterone to renin ration and potassium level if percutaneous chemical ablation is considered in functioning adrenal adenomas.

Effect of using ethanol and methanol on thermal performance of a closed loop pulsating heat pipe (CLPHP) with different filling ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Md. Lutfor; Salsabil, Zaimaa; Yasmin, Nusrat; Nourin, Farah Nazifa; Ali, Mohammad

2016-07-01

This paper presents an experimental study of a closed loop Pulsating Heat Pipe (CLPHP) as the demand of smaller and effective heat transfer devices is increasing day by day. PHP is a two phase heat transfer device suited for heat transfer applications, especially suited for handling moderate to high heat fluxes in different applications. A copper made Pulsating Heat Pipe (PHP) of 250 mm length is used in this experimental work with 2 mm ID and 3 mm OD, closed end-to-end in 8 looped, evacuated and then partially filled with working fluids. The evaporation section is 50 mm, adiabatic section is 120 mm and condensation section is 80 mm. The performance characterization is done for two working fluids at Vertical (0°) orientations. The working fluids are Methanol and Ethanol and the filling ratios are 40%, 50%, 60% & 70% based on total volume, respectively. The results show that the influence of various parameters, the heat input flux, and different filling ratios on a heat transfer performance of CLPHP. Methanol shows better performance as working fluid in PHP than ethanol at present orientation for a wide range of heat inputs and can be used at high heat input conditions. Ethanol is better choice to be used in low heat input conditions.

Ethanol does not delay muscle recovery but decreases testosterone/cortisol ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugvad, Anders; Haugvad, Lars; Hamarsland, Håvard; Paulsen, Gøran

2014-11-01

This study investigated the effects of ethanol consumption on recovery from traditional resistance exercise in recreationally trained individuals. Nine recreationally trained volunteers (eight males and one female, 26 ± 4 yr, 81 ± 4 kg) conducted four resistance exercise sessions and consumed a low (0.6 (females) and 0.7 (males) g · kg(-1) body mass) or a high dose (1.2 or 1.4 g · kg(-1) body mass) of ethanol 1-2.5 h after exercise on two occasions. The first session was for familiarization with the tests and exercises and was performed without ethanol consumption. As a control trial, alcohol-free drinks were consumed after the exercise session. The sequence of trials, with low and high ethanol doses and alcohol-free drinks (control), was randomized. Maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) (knee extension), electrically stimulated contractions (knee extension), squat jumps, and hand grip strength were assessed 10-15 min and 12 and 24 h after the ethanol/placebo drinks. In addition to a baseline sample, blood was collected 1, 12, and 24 h after the ethanol/placebo drinks. The exercise session comprised 4 × 8 repetition maximum of squats, leg presses, and knee extensions. MVC were reduced by 13%-15% immediately after the exercise sessions (P squat jump performance were recovered 24 h after ethanol drinks. MVC was not fully recovered at 24 h in the control trial. Compared with those in the control, cortisol increased and the free testosterone/cortisol ratio were reduced after the high ethanol dose (P < 0.01). Neither a low nor a high dose of ethanol adversely affected recovery of muscle function after resistance exercise in recreationally strength-trained individuals. However, the increased cortisol levels and reduced testosterone/cortisol ratio after the high ethanol dose could translate into long-term negative effects.

An overview of exposure to ethanol-containing substances and ethanol intoxication in children based on three illustrated cases

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Kam Lun Hon

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Alcohol addiction and intoxication are major health problems worldwide. Acute alcohol intoxication is well reported in adults and adolescents but less frequently reported in children of younger ages. We report three anonymized cases of pediatric ethanol exposure and illustrate the different mechanisms of intoxication. In all cases, a focused history is the key to prompt diagnosis and timely management. Physicians should be aware of this potential poison in children presented with acute confusional or encephalopathic state. In contrast, neonates with ethanol intoxication may present with nonspecific gastrointestinal symptomatology. Urgent exclusion of sepsis, electrolyte imbalance, drug intoxication, and surgical abdominal condition is critical. Using these illustrated cases, we performed a narrative literature review on issues of exposure to ethanol-containing substances and ethanol intoxication in children. In conclusion, a high level of suspicion and interrogation on ethanol or substance use are essential particularly in the lactating mother for an accurate and timely diagnosis of ethanol intoxication to be made.

Competitiveness of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol compared to US corn ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crago, Christine L.; Khanna, Madhu; Barton, Jason; Giuliani, Eduardo; Amaral, Weber

2010-01-01

Corn ethanol produced in the US and sugarcane ethanol produced in Brazil are the world's leading sources of biofuel. Current US biofuel policies create both incentives and constraints for the import of ethanol from Brazil and together with the cost competitiveness and greenhouse gas intensity of sugarcane ethanol compared to corn ethanol will determine the extent of these imports. This study analyzes the supply-side determinants of cost competitiveness and compares the greenhouse gas intensity of corn ethanol and sugarcane ethanol delivered to US ports. We find that while the cost of sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil is lower than that of corn ethanol in the US, the inclusion of transportation costs for the former and co-product credits for the latter changes their relative competitiveness. We also find that the relative cost of ethanol in the US and Brazil is highly sensitive to the prevailing exchange rate and prices of feedstocks. At an exchange rate of US1=R2.15 the cost of corn ethanol is 15% lower than the delivered cost of sugarcane ethanol at a US port. Sugarcane ethanol has lower GHG emissions than corn ethanol but a price of over $113 per ton of CO 2 is needed to affect competitiveness. (author)

Moderate ethanol administration accentuates cardiomyocyte contractile dysfunction and mitochondrial injury in high fat diet-induced obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Fang; Lei, Yonghong; Wang, Qiurong; Esberg, Lucy B; Huang, Zaixing; Scott, Glenda I; Li, Xue; Ren, Jun

2015-03-18

Light to moderate drinking confers cardioprotection although it remains unclear with regards to the role of moderate drinking on cardiac function in obesity. This study was designed to examine the impact of moderate ethanol intake on myocardial function in high fat diet intake-induced obesity and the mechanism(s) involved with a focus on mitochondrial integrity. C57BL/6 mice were fed low or high fat diet for 16 weeks prior to ethanol challenge (1g/kg/d for 3 days). Cardiac contractile function, intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis, myocardial histology, and mitochondrial integrity [aconitase activity and the mitochondrial proteins SOD1, UCP-2 and PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α)] were assessed 24h after the final ethanol challenge. Fat diet intake compromised cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca(2+) properties (depressed peak shortening and maximal velocities of shortening/relengthening, prolonged duration of relengthening, dampened intracellular Ca(2+) rise and clearance without affecting duration of shortening). Although moderate ethanol challenge failed to alter cardiomyocyte mechanical property under low fat diet intake, it accentuated high fat diet intake-induced changes in cardiomyocyte contractile function and intracellular Ca(2+) handling. Moderate ethanol challenge failed to affect fat diet intake-induced cardiac hypertrophy as evidenced by H&E staining. High fat diet intake reduced myocardial aconitase activity, downregulated levels of mitochondrial protein UCP-2, PGC-1α, SOD1 and interrupted intracellular Ca(2+) regulatory proteins, the effect of which was augmented by moderate ethanol challenge. Neither high fat diet intake nor moderate ethanol challenge affected protein or mRNA levels as well as phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β in mouse hearts. Taken together, our data revealed that moderate ethanol challenge accentuated high fat diet-induced cardiac contractile and intracellular Ca(2+) anomalies as well as mitochondrial injury. Copyright �

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

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Nurhayati Nurhayati

2015-07-01

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

Utilization of household food waste for the production of ethanol at high dry material content.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsakas, Leonidas; Kekos, Dimitris; Loizidou, Maria; Christakopoulos, Paul

2014-01-08

Environmental issues and shortage of fossil fuels have turned the public interest to the utilization of renewable, environmentally friendly fuels, such as ethanol. In order to minimize the competition between fuels and food production, researchers are focusing their efforts to the utilization of wastes and by-products as raw materials for the production of ethanol. household food wastes are being produced in great quantities in European Union and their handling can be a challenge. Moreover, their disposal can cause severe environmental issues (for example emission of greenhouse gasses). On the other hand, they contain significant amounts of sugars (both soluble and insoluble) and they can be used as raw material for the production of ethanol. Household food wastes were utilized as raw material for the production of ethanol at high dry material consistencies. A distinct liquefaction/saccharification step has been included to the process, which rapidly reduced the viscosity of the high solid content substrate, resulting in better mixing of the fermenting microorganism. This step had a positive effect in both ethanol production and productivity, leading to a significant increase in both values, which was up to 40.81% and 4.46 fold, respectively. Remaining solids (residue) after fermentation at 45% w/v dry material (which contained also the unhydrolyzed fraction of cellulose), were subjected to a hydrothermal pretreatment in order to be utilized as raw material for a subsequent ethanol fermentation. This led to an increase of 13.16% in the ethanol production levels achieving a final ethanol yield of 107.58 g/kg dry material. In conclusion, the ability of utilizing household food waste for the production of ethanol at elevated dry material content has been demonstrated. A separate liquefaction/saccharification process can increase both ethanol production and productivity. Finally, subsequent fermentation of the remaining solids could lead to an increase of the overall

Characteristics and performance of lanthanum gallate electrolyte-supported SOFC under ethanol steam and hydrogen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Bo; Zhu, Xin-Jian; Yu, Qing-Chun; Tu, Heng-Yong [Institute of Fuel Cell, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240 (China); Hu, Wan-Qi [Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)

2009-01-01

This study is focused on the electrochemical performance of perovskite-type materials based on doped LaGaO{sub 3}. La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}Mg{sub 0.2}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSGM) and La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}Mg{sub 0.115}Co{sub 0.085}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSGMC) were used as electrolytes and (Pr{sub 0.7}Ca{sub 0.3}){sub 0.9}MnO{sub 3} (PCM) and La{sub 0.75}Sr{sub 0.25}Cr{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 0.5}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSCM) as cathode and anode material, respectively. LSGM and LSGMC electrolytes were prepared by tape casting with a thickness of about 600 {mu}m. The performance of LSCM/LSGMC/PCM was slightly superior to that obtained on LSCM/LSGM/PCM at different temperatures in both humidified hydrogen and ethanol steam atmospheres, good values of power output in LSCM/LSGMC/PCM were 182 and 169 mW cm{sup -2} using humidified hydrogen and ethanol steam as fuel, respectively, and oxygen as oxidant at 850 C. Cell stability tests indicate no significant degradation in performance after 60 h of cell testing when LSCM anode was exposed to ethanol steam at 750 C. Almost no carbon deposits were detected after testing in ethanol steam at 750 C for >60 h on the LSCM anodes, suggesting that carbon deposition was limited during cell operation. (author)

HYDROPHOBIC ZEOLITE-SILICONE RUBBER MIXED MATRIX MEMBRANES FOR ETHANOL-WATER SEPARATION: EFFECT OF ZEOLITE AND SILICONE COMPONENT SELECTION ON PERVAPORATION PERFORMANCE

Science.gov (United States)

High-silica ZSM 5 zeolites were incorporated into poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) polymers to form mixed matrix membranes for ethanol removal from water via pervaporation. Membrane formulation and preparation parameters were varied to determine the effect on pervaporation perform...

Sorghum to Ethanol Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlberg, Jeffrey A. [Univ. of California, Parlier, CA (United States). Kearney Research and Extension Center; Wolfrum, Edward J. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Process and Analytical Engineering Group

2010-09-28

The development of a robust source of renewable transportation fuel will require a large amount of biomass feedstocks. It is generally accepted that in addition to agricultural and forestry residues, we will need crops grown specifically for subsequent conversion into fuels. There has been a lot of research on several of these so-called "dedicated bioenergy crops" including switchgrass, miscanthus, sugarcane, and poplar. It is likely that all of these crops will end up playing a role as feedstocks, depending on local environmental and market conditions. Many different types of sorghum have been grown to produce syrup, grain, and animal feed for many years. It has several features that may make it as compelling as other crops mentioned above as a renewable, sustainable biomass feedstock; however, very little work has been done to investigate sorghum as a dedicated bioenergy crop. The goal of this project was to investigate the feasibility of using sorghum biomass to produce ethanol. The work performed included a detailed examination of the agronomics and composition of a large number of sorghum varieties, laboratory experiments to convert sorghum to ethanol, and economic and life-cycle analyses of the sorghum-to-ethanol process. This work showed that sorghum has a very wide range of composition, which depended on the specific sorghum cultivar as well as the growing conditions. The results of laboratory- and pilot-scale experiments indicated that a typical high-biomass sorghum variety performed very similarly to corn stover during the multi-step process required to convert biomass feedstocks to ethanol; yields of ethanol for sorghum were very similar to the corn stover used as a control in these experiments. Based on multi-year agronomic data and theoretical ethanol production, sorghum can achieve more than 1,300 gallons of ethanol per acre given the correct genetics and environment. In summary, sorghum may be a compelling dedicated bioenergy crop that could help

Carbon supported ultrafine gold phosphorus nanoparticles as highly efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tongfei; Fu, Gengtao; Su, Jiahui; Wang, Yi; Lv, Yinjie; Zou, Xiuyong; Zhu, Xiaoshu; Xu, Lin; Sun, Dongmei; Tang, Yawen

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: We develop a new kind of carbon supported gold-phosphorus (Au-P/C) electrocatalyst by a facile and novel phosphorus reduction method, and demonstrate the Au-P/C is a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for the ethanol oxidation reaction. - Highlights: • Au-P/C catalyst is synthesized by a facile and novel white-phosphorus reduce method. • AuP particles with ultrafine particle-size are uniformly dispersed on carbon support. • Au-P/C catalyst exhibits much higher content of P 0 than reported metal/P catalysts. • Au-P/C catalysts show excellent catalytic properties for ethanol oxidation reaction. - Abstract: Herein, we develop a new kind of carbon supported gold-phosphorus (Au-P/C) electrocatalyst for the alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). The Au-P/C catalysts with different Au/P ratio (i.e., AuP/C, Au 3 P 2 /C and Au 4 P 3 /C) can be obtained by a facile and novel hot-reflux method with white phosphorus (P 4 ) as reductant and ethanol as solvent. The crystal structure, composition and particle-size of the Au-P/C catalysts are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etc. The results demonstrate that Au-P/C catalysts present an alloy phase with the high content of P, ultrafine particle-size and high dispersity on carbon support, which results in excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the EOR compared with that of the free-phosphorus Au/C catalyst. In addition, among the various Au-P/C catalysts with different Au/P ratio, the AuP/C sample exhibits the best electrocatalytic performance in comparison with other Au 3 P 2 /C and Au 4 P 3 /C samples.

Performance of a hydrogen-enriched ethanol engine at unthrottled and lean conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Bo; Ji, Changwei; Wang, Shuofeng

2016-01-01

Highlights: • H_2 addition eased cyclic variation of ethanol engine at unthrottled condition. • H_2-blended ethanol engine gains better efficiency at lean conditions. • Bmep of H_2-blended ethanol engine could be controlled by lean burning. • H_2 addition results in reduced exhaust loss and HC emissions. - Abstract: Concerning the throttling loss under part load conditions, it is feasible to further improve the engine thermal efficiency through operating the engine under the unthrottled condition and controlling its load by changing the excess air ratio. However, the narrow flammability of ethanol may lead the ethanol engine to encounter high cyclic variations under unthrottled and lean conditions. The addition of hydrogen is potentially helpful for solving this problem. In this test, the engine was run under an speed of 1400 rpm and unthrottled conditions. The hydrogen volume fractions in the intake were respectively kept at 0% and 3%. For a given hydrogen blending level, the ethanol flow rate was reduced to enable the engine to run under lean conditions. The results showed that the engine efficiency was improved with the blending of hydrogen. The highest thermal efficiency was improved by 6.07% after blending 3% hydrogen to the intake air. The addition of hydrogen could increase the engine torque output at lean conditions. Both cooling and exhaust losses were decreased after the hydrogen enrichment while adopting the lean combustion strategy. The hydrogen addition contributed to the extended lean burn limit and decreased cyclic variation under lean conditions. HC and CO emissions were decreased whereas NOx emissions were increased after the blending of hydrogen.

Performance evaluation of ZnO–CuO hetero junction solid state room temperature ethanol sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Ming-Ru; Suyambrakasam, Gobalakrishnan; Wu, Ren-Jang; Chavali, Murthy

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Sensor response (resistance) curves of time were changed from 150 ppm to 250 ppm alcohol concentration of ZnO–CuO 1:1. The response and recovery times were measured to be 62 and 83 s, respectively. The sensing material ZnO–CuO is a high potential alcohol sensor which provides a simple, rapid and highly sensitive alcohol gas sensor operating at room temperature. Highlights: ► The main advantages of the ethanol sensor are as followings. ► Novel materials ZnO–CuO ethanol sensor. ► The optimized ZnO–CuO hetero contact system. ► A good sensor response and room working temperature (save energy). -- Abstract: A semiconductor ethanol sensor was developed using ZnO–CuO and its performance was evaluated at room temperature. Hetero-junction sensor was made of ZnO–CuO nanoparticles for sensing alcohol at room temperature. Nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method and optimized with different weight ratios. Sensor characteristics were linear for the concentration range of 150–250 ppm. Composite materials of ZnO–CuO were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). ZnO–CuO (1:1) material showed maximum sensor response (S = R air /R alcohol ) of 3.32 ± 0.1 toward 200 ppm of alcohol vapor at room temperature. The response and recovery times were measured to be 62 and 83 s, respectively. The linearity R 2 of the sensor response was 0.9026. The sensing materials ZnO–CuO (1:1) provide a simple, rapid and highly sensitive alcohol gas sensor operating at room temperature.

The ethanol pathway from Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum improves ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum.

Science.gov (United States)

Hon, Shuen; Olson, Daniel G; Holwerda, Evert K; Lanahan, Anthony A; Murphy, Sean J L; Maloney, Marybeth I; Zheng, Tianyong; Papanek, Beth; Guss, Adam M; Lynd, Lee R

2017-07-01

Clostridium thermocellum ferments cellulose, is a promising candidate for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass, and has been the focus of studies aimed at improving ethanol yield. Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum ferments hemicellulose, but not cellulose, and has been engineered to produce ethanol at high yield and titer. Recent research has led to the identification of four genes in T. saccharolyticum involved in ethanol production: adhE, nfnA, nfnB and adhA. We introduced these genes into C. thermocellum and observed significant improvements to ethanol yield, titer, and productivity. The four genes alone, however, were insufficient to achieve in C. thermocellum the ethanol yields and titers observed in engineered T. saccharolyticum strains, even when combined with gene deletions targeting hydrogen production. This suggests that other parts of T. saccharolyticum metabolism may also be necessary to reproduce the high ethanol yield and titer phenotype in C. thermocellum. Copyright © 2017 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct Fungal Production of Ethanol from High-Solids Pulps by the Ethanol-fermenting White-rot Fungus Phlebia sp. MG-60

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Ichiro Kamei

2014-07-01

Full Text Available A white-rot fungus, Phlebia sp. MG-60, was applied to the fermentation of high-solid loadings of unbleached hardwood kraft pulp (UHKP without the addition of commercial cellulase. From 4.7% UHKP, 19.6 g L-1 ethanol was produced, equivalent to 61.7% of the theoretical maximum. The highest ethanol concentration (25.9 g L-1, or 46.7% of the theoretical maximum was observed in the culture containing 9.1% UHKP. The highest filter paper activity (FPase was observed in the culture containing 4.7% UHKP, while the production of FPase in the 16.5% UHKP culture was very low. Temporarily removing the silicone plug from Erlenmeyer flasks, which relieved the pressure and allowed a small amount of aeration, improved the yield of ethanol produced from the 9.1% UHKP, which reached as high as 37.3 g L-1. These results indicated that production of cellulase and ensuing saccharification and fermentation by Phlebia sp. MG-60 is affected by water content and benefits from a small amount of aeration.

Fermentation of hexoses to ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustafsson, Lena [Goeteborg Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of General and Marine Microbiology]|[Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Goeteborg (Sweden). Dept of Chemical Reaction Engineering

2000-06-01

The Goals of the project has been: to increase the ethanol yield by reducing the by-product formation, primarily biomass and glycerol, and to prevent stuck fermentations, i.e. to maintain a high ethanol production rate simultaneously with a high ethanol yield. The studies have been performed both in defined laboratory media and in a mixture of wood- and wheat hydrolysates. The yeast strains used have been both industrial strains of bakers yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and haploid laboratory strains. The Relevance of these studies with respect to production of ethanol to be used as fuel is explained by: With the traditional process design used today, it is very difficult to reach a yield of more than 90 % of the theoretical maximal value of ethanol based on fermented hexose. During 'normal' growth and fermentation conditions in either anaerobic batch or chemostat cultures, substrate is lost as biomass and glycerol in the range of 8 to 11 % and 6 to 11 % of the substrate consumed (kg/kg). It is essential to reduce these by-products. Traditional processes are mostly batch processes, in which there is a risk that the biocatalyst, i.e. the yeast, may become inactivated. If for example yeast biomass production is avoided by use of non-growing systems, the ethanol production rate is instantaneously reduced by at least 50%. Unfortunately, even if yeast biomass production is not avoided on purpose, it is well known that stuck fermentations caused by cell death is a problem in large scale yeast processes. The main reason for stuck fermentations is nutrient imbalances. For a good process economy, it is necessary to ensure process accessibility, i.e. to maintain a high and reproducible production rate. This will both considerably reduce the necessary total volume of the fermentors (and thereby the investment costs), and moreover minimize undesirable product fall-out.

Yeast selection for fuel ethanol production in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Basso, Luiz C; de Amorim, Henrique V; de Oliveira, Antonio J; Lopes, Mario L

2008-11-01

Brazil is one of the largest ethanol biofuel producers and exporters in the world and its production has increased steadily during the last three decades. The increasing efficiency of Brazilian ethanol plants has been evident due to the many technological contributions. As far as yeast is concerned, few publications are available regarding the industrial fermentation processes in Brazil. The present paper reports on a yeast selection program performed during the last 12 years aimed at selecting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains suitable for fermentation of sugar cane substrates (cane juice and molasses) with cell recycle, as it is conducted in Brazilian bioethanol plants. As a result, some evidence is presented showing the positive impact of selected yeast strains in increasing ethanol yield and reducing production costs, due to their higher fermentation performance (high ethanol yield, reduced glycerol and foam formation, maintenance of high viability during recycling and very high implantation capability into industrial fermenters). Results also suggest that the great yeast biodiversity found in distillery environments could be an important source of strains. This is because during yeast cell recycling, selective pressure (an adaptive evolution) is imposed on cells, leading to strains with higher tolerance to the stressful conditions of the industrial fermentation.

Sustainability of grape-ethanol energy chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ester Foppa Pedretti

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to evaluate the sustainability, in terms of greenhouse gases emission saving, of a new potential bio-ethanol production chain in comparison with the most common ones. The innovation consists of producing bio-ethanol from different types of no-food grapes, while usually bio-ethanol is obtained from matrices taken away from crop for food destination: sugar cane, corn, wheat, sugar beet. In the past, breeding programs were conducted with the aim of improving grapevine characteristics, a large number of hybrid vine varieties were produced and are nowadays present in the Viticulture Research Centre (CRA-VIT Germplasm Collection. Some of them are potentially interesting for bio-energy production because of their high production of sugar, good resistance to diseases, and ability to grow in marginal lands. Life cycle assessment (LCA of grape ethanol energy chain was performed following two different methods: i using the spreadsheet BioGrace, developed within the Intelligent Energy Europe program to support and to ease the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC implementation; ii using a dedicated LCA software. Emissions were expressed in CO2 equivalent (CO2eq. These two tools gave very similar results. The overall emissions impact of ethanol production from grapes on average is about 33 g CO2eq MJ–1 of ethanol if prunings are used for steam production and 53 g CO2eq MJ–1 of ethanol if methane is used. The comparison with other bio-energy chains points out that the production of ethanol using grapes represents an intermediate situation in terms of general emissions among the different production chains. The results showed that the sustainability limits provided by the normative are respected to this day. On the contrary, from 2017 this production will be sustainable only if the transformation processes will be performed using renewable sources of energy.

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moraes, Leticia Poras Reis de; Amico, Sandro Campos; Malfatti, Celia de Fraga, E-mail: leticiamoraes@usp.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (Brazil); Matos, Bruno R.; Santiago, Elisabete Inacio; Fonseca, Fabio Coral [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: Direct ethanol fuel cells require adequate electrocatalysts to promote the carbon carbon cleavage of ethanol molecule. Typical electrocatalysts are based on platinum, which have shown improved activity in acidic media. However, Pt-based catalysts have high cost and are easily deactivated by CO poisoning. Therefore, novel catalysts have been developed, and among then, palladium-based materials have shown promising results for the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. The present study reports on the performance of alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) by using carbon-supported Pd, PdSn, PdNi, and PdNiSn produced by impregnation-reduction of the metallic precursors. The effect of chemical functionalization by acid treatment of the carbon support (Vulcan) was investigated. The electrocatalysts were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-rays diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and ADEFC tests. TGA measurements of functionalized Vulcan evidenced the characteristic weight losses attributed to the presence of surface functional groups due to the acid treatment. A high degree of alloying between Pd and Sn was inferred from XRD data, whereas in both PdNi and PdNiSn, Ni occurs mostly segregated in the oxide form. TEM analyses indicated agglomeration of Pd and PdSn particles, whereas a more uniform particle distribution was observed for PdNi and PdNiSn samples. CV curves showed that the peak potential for the oxidation of ethanol shifts towards negative values for all samples supported on functionalized Vulcan indicating that ethanol oxidation is facilitated. Microstructural and electrochemical features were confirmed by ADEFC tests, which revealed that the highest open circuit voltage and maximum power density were achieved for PdNiSn electrocatalysts supported on functionalized Vulcan with uniform particle distribution and improved triple phase boundaries. (author)

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moraes, Leticia Poras Reis de; Amico, Sandro Campos; Malfatti, Celia de Fraga; Matos, Bruno R.; Santiago, Elisabete Inacio; Fonseca, Fabio Coral

2016-01-01

Full text: Direct ethanol fuel cells require adequate electrocatalysts to promote the carbon carbon cleavage of ethanol molecule. Typical electrocatalysts are based on platinum, which have shown improved activity in acidic media. However, Pt-based catalysts have high cost and are easily deactivated by CO poisoning. Therefore, novel catalysts have been developed, and among then, palladium-based materials have shown promising results for the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. The present study reports on the performance of alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) by using carbon-supported Pd, PdSn, PdNi, and PdNiSn produced by impregnation-reduction of the metallic precursors. The effect of chemical functionalization by acid treatment of the carbon support (Vulcan) was investigated. The electrocatalysts were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-rays diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and ADEFC tests. TGA measurements of functionalized Vulcan evidenced the characteristic weight losses attributed to the presence of surface functional groups due to the acid treatment. A high degree of alloying between Pd and Sn was inferred from XRD data, whereas in both PdNi and PdNiSn, Ni occurs mostly segregated in the oxide form. TEM analyses indicated agglomeration of Pd and PdSn particles, whereas a more uniform particle distribution was observed for PdNi and PdNiSn samples. CV curves showed that the peak potential for the oxidation of ethanol shifts towards negative values for all samples supported on functionalized Vulcan indicating that ethanol oxidation is facilitated. Microstructural and electrochemical features were confirmed by ADEFC tests, which revealed that the highest open circuit voltage and maximum power density were achieved for PdNiSn electrocatalysts supported on functionalized Vulcan with uniform particle distribution and improved triple phase boundaries. (author)

Ethanol: the promise and the peril : Should Manitoba expand ethanol subsidies?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sopuck, R.D.

2002-01-01

Ethanol is produced through the fermentation of wheat. Blending ethanol with gasoline results in an ethanol-blended gasoline (EBG). Manitoba has already established an ethanol industry in the province and the government of the province is studying the feasibility of expansion. Every year in Manitoba, approximately 90 million litres of EBG are consumed, and the province's ethanol facility also produces a high protein cattle feed called distillers dry grain. Controversies surround the ethanol industry over both the economics and the environmental benefits and impacts. At issue is the economic efficiency of the production of ethanol, where opponents claim that the final product contains less energy than that required to produce it. A small gain is obtained, as revealed by a recent study. It is difficult to quantify the environmental effects of the ethanol industry, whether they be negative or positive. The author indicates that no matter what happens, the gasoline market in Manitoba is so small when compared to the rest of the world that the effect will not be significant. The three methods for the production of ethanol are: (1) the most risky and expensive method is the stand alone ethanol production facility, (2) integrated facilities where other products are produced, such as wet mash or nutraceuticals, and (3) integrated facilities where dry mash can be exported as a high protein feed. The production of a wide range of products is clearly the best option to be considered during the design of an ethanol facility. Price collapse and the capitalizing of subsidies into prices are the main risks facing the expansion of ethanol production in Manitoba. The author states that direct subsidies and price supports should be avoided, since subsidies would encourage the conversion of more feed grain into ethanol. The feed shortage would worsen especially as Manitoba does not currently produce enough feed to support its growing livestock industry. The author concludes that

Life cycle impacts of ethanol production from spruce wood chips under high-gravity conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Matty; Xiros, Charilaos; Tillman, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

Development of more sustainable biofuel production processes is ongoing, and technology to run these processes at a high dry matter content, also called high-gravity conditions, is one option. This paper presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of such a technology currently in development for the production of bio-ethanol from spruce wood chips. The cradle-to-gate LCA used lab results from a set of 30 experiments (or process configurations) in which the main process variable was the detoxification strategy applied to the pretreated feedstock material. The results of the assessment show that a process configuration, in which washing of the pretreated slurry is the detoxification strategy, leads to the lowest environmental impact of the process. Enzyme production and use are the main contributors to the environmental impact in all process configurations, and strategies to significantly reduce this contribution are enzyme recycling and on-site enzyme production. Furthermore, a strong linear correlation between the ethanol yield of a configuration and its environmental impact is demonstrated, and the selected environmental impacts show a very strong cross-correlation ([Formula: see text] in all cases) which may be used to reduce the number of impact categories considered from four to one (in this case, global warming potential). Lastly, a comparison with results of an LCA of ethanol production under high-gravity conditions using wheat straw shows that the environmental performance does not significantly differ when using spruce wood chips. For this comparison, it is shown that eutrophication potential also needs to be considered due to the fertilizer use in wheat cultivation. The LCA points out the environmental hotspots in the ethanol production process, and thus provides input to the further development of the high-gravity technology. Reducing the number of impact categories based only on cross-correlations should be done with caution. Knowledge of the

Effect of ethanol as a co-solvent on the aerosol performance and stability of spray-dried lysozyme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Shuying; Thulstrup, Peter Waaben; Mu, Huiling

2016-01-01

In the spray drying process, organic solvents can be added to facilitate drying, accommodate certain functional excipients, and modify the final particle characteristics. In this study, lysozyme was used as a model pharmaceutical protein to study the effect of ethanol as a co...... the spray drying process. The enzymatic activities of the spray-dried lysozyme showed no significant impact of ethanol; however, the lysozyme enzymatic activity was ca. 25% lower compared to the starting material. In conclusion, the addition of ethanol as a co-solvent in the spray drying feed for lysozyme......-solvent on the stability and aerosol performance of spray-dried protein. Lysozyme was dissolved in solutions with various ratios of ethanol and water, and subsequently spray-dried. A change from spherical particles into wrinkled and folded particles was observed upon increasing the ratio of ethanol in the feed...

High cell density cultures produced by internal retention: application in continuous ethanol fermentation

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Berta Carola Pérez

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Ethanol has provoked great interest due to its potential as an alternative fuel. Nevertheless, fermentation processes must be developed by increasing the low volumetric productivity achieved in conventional cultures (batch or continuous to make this product become economically competitive. This can be achieved by using techniques leading to high cell concentration and reducing inhibition by the end-product. One of the frequently employed methods involves cell recycling. This work thus developed a membrane reactor incorporating a filtration module with 5 u,m stainless steel tubular units inside a 3L stirred jar fermenter for investigating its application in continuous ethanol production. The effects of cell concentration and transmembrane pressure difference on permeate flux were evaluated for testing the filtration module's performance. The internal cell retention system was operated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae continuous culture derived from sucrose, once fermentation conditions had been selected (30 °C, 1.25 -1.75 vvm, pH 4.5. Filter unit permeability was maintained by applying pulses of air. More than 97% of the grown cells were retained in the fermenter, reaching 51 g/L cell concentration and 8.51 g/L.h average ethanol productivity in culture with internal cell retention; this was twice that obtained in a conventional continuous culture. Key words: Membrane reactor, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, alcoholic fermentation, cell recycling.

The Effect of Ethanol-Diesel Blends on The Performance of A Direct Injection Diesel Engine

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Arifin Nur

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The experiment was conducted on a conventional direct injection diesel engine. Performance test was carried out to evaluate the performance and emission characteristics of a conventional diesel engine that operates on ethanol-diesel blends. The test procedure was performed by coupling the diesel engine on the eddy current dynamometer. Fuel consumption was measured using the AVL Fuel Balance, and a hotwire anemometer was used to measure the air consumption. Some of the emission test devices were mounted on the exhaust pipe. The test of fuel variations started from 100% diesel fuel (D100 to 2.5% (DE2.5, 5% (DE5, 7.5% (DE7.5, and 10% (DE10 ethanol additions. Performance test was conducted at 1500 rpm with load variations from 0 to 60 Nm by increasing the load on each level by 10 Nm. The addition of 5% ethanol to diesel (DE5 increased the average pressure of combustion chamber indication to 48% as well as reduced the specific fuel consumption to 9.5%. There were better exhaust emission characteristics at this mixture ratio than diesel engine which used pure diesel fuel (D100, the reduction of CO to 37%, HC to 44% and opacity to 15.9%.

Performance and emission characteristics of diesel engine fueled with ethanol-diesel blends in different altitude regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Jilin; Bi, Yuhua; Shen, Lizhong

2011-01-01

In order to investigate the effects ethanol-diesel blends and altitude on the performance and emissions of diesel engine, the comparative experiments were carried out on the bench of turbo-charged diesel engine fueled with pure diesel (as prototype) and ethanol-diesel blends (E10, E15, E20 and E30) under different atmospheric pressures (81 kPa, 90 kPa and 100 kPa). The experimental results indicate that the equivalent brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) of ethanol-diesel blends are better than that of diesel under different atmospheric pressures and that the equivalent BSFC gets great improvement with the rise of atmospheric pressure when the atmospheric pressure is lower than 90 kPa. At 81 kPa, both HC and CO emissions rise greatly with the increasing engine speeds and loads and addition of ethanol, while at 90 kPa and 100 kPa their effects on HC and CO emissions are slightest. The changes of atmospheric pressure and mix proportion of ethanol have no obvious effect on NO(x) emissions. Smoke emissions decrease obviously with the increasing percentage of ethanol in blends, especially atmospheric pressure below 90 kPa.

Performance and Emission Characteristics of Diesel Engine Fueled with Ethanol-Diesel Blends in Different Altitude Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jilin Lei

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the effects ethanol-diesel blends and altitude on the performance and emissions of diesel engine, the comparative experiments were carried out on the bench of turbo-charged diesel engine fueled with pure diesel (as prototype and ethanol-diesel blends (E10, E15, E20 and E30 under different atmospheric pressures (81 kPa, 90 kPa and 100 kPa. The experimental results indicate that the equivalent brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC of ethanol-diesel blends are better than that of diesel under different atmospheric pressures and that the equivalent BSFC gets great improvement with the rise of atmospheric pressure when the atmospheric pressure is lower than 90 kPa. At 81 kPa, both HC and CO emissions rise greatly with the increasing engine speeds and loads and addition of ethanol, while at 90 kPa and 100 kPa their effects on HC and CO emissions are slightest. The changes of atmospheric pressure and mix proportion of ethanol have no obvious effect on NOx emissions. Smoke emissions decrease obviously with the increasing percentage of ethanol in blends, especially atmospheric pressure below 90 kPa.

Predictors of ethanol consumption in adult Sprague-Dawley rats: relation to hypothalamic peptides that stimulate ethanol intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Karatayev, Olga; Barson, Jessica R; Carr, Ambrose J; Baylan, Jessica; Chen, Yu-Wei; Leibowitz, Sarah F

2010-06-01

To investigate mechanisms in outbred animals that increase the propensity to consume ethanol, it is important to identify and characterize these animals before or at early stages in their exposure to ethanol. In the present study, different measures were examined in adult Sprague-Dawley rats to determine whether they can predict long-term propensity to overconsume ethanol. Before consuming 9% ethanol with a two-bottle choice paradigm, rats were examined with the commonly used behavioral measures of novelty-induced locomotor activity and anxiety, as assessed during 15 min in an open-field activity chamber. Two additional measures, intake of a low 2% ethanol concentration or circulating triglyceride (TG) levels after a meal, were also examined with respect to their ability to predict chronic 9% ethanol consumption. The results revealed significant positive correlations across individual rats between the amount of 9% ethanol ultimately consumed and three of these different measures, with high scores for activity, 2% ethanol intake, and TGs identifying rats that consume 150% more ethanol than rats with low scores. Measurements of hypothalamic peptides that stimulate ethanol intake suggest that they contribute early to the greater ethanol consumption predicted by these high scores. Rats with high 2% ethanol intake or high TGs, two measures found to be closely related, had significantly elevated expression of enkephalin (ENK) and galanin (GAL) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) but no change in neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). This is in contrast to rats with high activity scores, which in addition to elevated PVN ENK expression showed enhanced NPY in the ARC but no change in GAL. Elevated ENK is a common characteristic related to all three predictors of chronic ethanol intake, whereas the other peptides differentiate these predictors, with GAL enhanced with high 2% ethanol intake and TG measures but NPY related to activity. 2010 Elsevier

Oxidative and Non-Oxidative Metabolomics of Ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2016-01-01

It is well known that ethanol can cause significant morbidity and mortality, and much of the related toxic effects can be explained by its metabolic profile. This work performs a complete review of the metabolism of ethanol focusing on both major and minor metabolites. An exhaustive literature search was carried out using textual and structural queries for ethanol and related known metabolizing enzymes and metabolites. The main pathway of metabolism is catalyzed by cytosolic alcohol dehydrogenase, which exhibits multiple isoenzymes and genetic polymorphisms with clinical and forensic implications. Another two oxidative routes, the highly inducible CYP2E1 system and peroxisomal catalase may acquire relevance under specific circumstances. In addition to oxidative metabolism, ethanol also originates minor metabolites such as ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, ethyl phosphate, ethyl nitrite, phosphatidylethanol and fatty acid ethyl esters. These metabolites represent alternative biomarkers since they can be detected several hours or days after ethanol exposure. It is expected that knowing the metabolomics of ethanol may provide additional insights to better understand the toxicological effects and the variability of dose response.

Assessing the Environmental Performance of Integrated Ethanol and Biogas Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin, Michael; Svensson, Niclas; Fonseca, Jorge (Linkoeping Univ., Environmental Technology and Management, Linkoeping (Sweden)), e-mail: michael.martin@liu.se

2011-06-15

As the production of biofuels continues to expand worldwide, criticism about, e.g. the energy output versus input and the competition with food has been questioned. However, biofuels may be optimized to increase the environmental performance through the concepts of industrial symbiosis. This paper offers a quantification of the environmental performance of industrial symbiosis in the biofuel industry through integration of biogas and ethanol processes using a life cycle approach. Results show that although increasing integration is assumed to produce environmental benefits in industrial symbiosis, not all impact categories have achieved this and the results depend upon the allocation methods chosen

The ethanol heavy-duty truck fleet demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

This project was designed to test and demonstrate the use of a high- percentage ethanol-blended fuel in a fleet of heavy-duty, over-the- road trucks, paying particular attention to emissions, performance, and repair and maintenance costs. This project also represents the first public demonstration of the use of ethanol fuels as a viable alternative to conventional diesel fuel in heavy-duty engines.

Porous bimetallic PdNi catalyst with high electrocatalytic activity for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yue; Bin, Duan; Yan, Bo; Du, Yukou; Majima, Tetsuro; Zhou, Weiqiang

2017-05-01

Porous bimetallic PdNi catalysts were fabricated by a novel method, namely, reduction of Pd and Ni oxides prepared via calcining the complex chelate of PdNi-dimethylglyoxime (PdNi-dmg). The morphology and composition of the as-prepared PdNi were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of PdNi catalysts towards ethanol electrooxidation were also studied by electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) measurement. In comparison with porous Pd and commercial Pd/C catalysts, porous structural PdNi catalysts showed higher electrocatalytic activity and durability for ethanol electrooxidation, which may be ascribed to Pd and Ni property, large electroactive surface area and high electron transfer property. The Ni exist in the catalyst in the form of the nickel hydroxides (Ni(OH) 2 and NiOOH) which have a high electron and proton conductivity enhances the catalytic activity of the catalysts. All results highlight the great potential application of the calcination-reduction method for synthesizing high active porous PdNi catalysts in direct ethanol fuel cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selecting ethanol as an ideal organic solvent probe in radiation chemistry γ-radiolysis of acetone-ethanol system and acetophenone-ethanol system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Haofang; Wu Jilan; Fang Xingwang; Zhang Xujia

1995-01-01

Radiolysis of acetone-ethanol solution and acetophenone-ethanol solution has been studied in this work. The dependences of G values of the final γ radiolysis products such as H 2 . 2,3-butanediol and acetaldehyde on additive concentration in liquid ethanol have been obtained. There are two kinds of new final products, isopropanol and 2-methyl-2,3-butanediol are detected in irradiated acetone-ethanol solution. As for acetophenone-ethanol system, more new final products are found. In addition, experiments of pulse radiolysis upon acetophenone-ethanol solution have also been performed. The absorption spectrum with λ max at 315nm and 440nm is observed, which is assigned to ketyl radical ion C 6 H 5 (CH 3 )CO - . And the reaction mechanism of the two systems is proposed respectively with a moderate success. (author)

Social opportunity and ethanol drinking in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomie, Arthur; Burger, Kelly M; Di Poce, Jason; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2004-11-01

Two experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of pairings of ethanol sipper conditioned stimulus (CS) with social opportunity unconditioned stimulus (US) on ethanol sipper CS-directed drinking in rats. In both experiments, rats were deprived of neither food nor water, and initiation of drinking of unsweetened 3% ethanol was evaluated, as were the effects of increasing the concentration of unsweetened ethanol (3-10%) across sessions. In Experiment 1, Group Paired (n=8) received 35 trials per session wherein the ethanol sipper CS was presented for 10 s immediately prior to 15 s of social opportunity US. All rats initiated sipper CS-directed drinking of 3% ethanol. Increasing the concentration of ethanol in the sipper CS [(3%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% (vol./vol.)] across sessions induced escalation of daily g/kg ethanol intake. To evaluate the hypothesis that the drinking in Group Paired was due to autoshaping, Experiment 2 included a pseudoconditioning control that received sipper CS and social opportunity US randomly with respect to one another. All rats in Group Paired (n=6) and in Group Random (n=6) initiated sipper CS-directed drinking of 3% ethanol and daily mean g/kg ethanol intake in the two groups was comparable. Also comparable was daily g/kg ethanol intake, which increased for both groups with the availability of higher concentrations of ethanol in the sipper CS, up to a maximum of approximately 0.8 g/kg ethanol intake of 10% ethanol. Results indicate that random presentations of ethanol sipper CS and social opportunity US induced reliable initiation and escalation of ethanol intake, and close temporally contiguous presentations of CS and US did not induce still additional ethanol intake. This may indicate that autoshaping CR performance is not induced by these procedures, or that high levels of ethanol intake induced by factors related to pseudoconditioning produces a ceiling effect. Implications for ethanol drinking in humans are discussed.

Effect of Ethanol Stress on Fermentation Performance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cells Immobilized on Nypa fruticans Leaf Sheath Pieces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoang Phong Nguyen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized on Nypa fruticans leaf sheath pieces were tested for ethanol tolerance (0, 23.7, 47.4, 71.0 and 94.7 g/L. Increase in the initial ethanol concentration from 23.7 to 94.7 g/L decreased the average growth rate and concentration of ethanol produced by the immobilized yeast by 5.2 and 4.1 times, respectively. However, in the medium with initial ethanol concentration of 94.7 g/L, the average growth rate, glucose uptake rate and ethanol formation rate of the immobilized yeast were 3.7, 2.5 and 3.5 times, respectively, higher than those of the free yeast. The ethanol stress inhibited ethanol formation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and the yeast responded to the stress by changing the fatty acid composition of cellular membrane. The adsorption of yeast cells on Nypa fruticans leaf sheath pieces of the growth medium increased the saturated fatty acid (C16:0 and C18:0 mass fraction in the cellular membrane and that improved alcoholic fermentation performance of the immobilized yeast.

Effects of ethanol-diesel fuel blends on the performance and exhaust emissions of heavy duty DI diesel engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakopoulos, D.C.; Rakopoulos, C.D.; Kakaras, E.C.; Giakoumis, E.G.

2008-01-01

An experimental investigation is conducted to evaluate the effects of using blends of ethanol with conventional diesel fuel, with 5% and 10% (by vol.) ethanol, on the performance and exhaust emissions of a fully instrumented, six-cylinder, turbocharged and after-cooled, heavy duty, direct injection (DI), Mercedes-Benz engine, installed at the authors' laboratory, which is used to power the mini-bus diesel engines of the Athens Urban Transport Organization sub-fleet with a view to using bio-ethanol produced from Greek feedstock. The tests are conducted using each of the above fuel blends, with the engine working at two speeds and three loads. Fuel consumption, exhaust smokiness and exhaust regulated gas emissions such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and total unburned hydrocarbons are measured. The differences in the measured performance and exhaust emissions of the two ethanol-diesel fuel blends from the baseline operation of the engine, i.e. when working with neat diesel fuel, are determined and compared. Theoretical aspects of diesel engine combustion combined with the widely differing physical and chemical properties of the ethanol against those for the diesel fuel, are used to aid the correct interpretation of the observed engine behavior

Sequential high gravity ethanol fermentation and anaerobic digestion of steam explosion and organosolv pretreated corn stover.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsimpouras, Constantinos; Zacharopoulou, Maria; Matsakas, Leonidas; Rova, Ulrika; Christakopoulos, Paul; Topakas, Evangelos

2017-11-01

The present work investigates the suitability of pretreated corn stover (CS) to serve as feedstock for high gravity (HG) ethanol production at solids-content of 24wt%. Steam explosion, with and without the addition of H 2 SO 4 , and organosolv pretreated CS samples underwent a liquefaction/saccharification step followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). Maximum ethanol concentration of ca. 76g/L (78.3% ethanol yield) was obtained from steam exploded CS (SECS) with 0.2% H 2 SO 4 . Organosolv pretreated CS (OCS) also resulted in high ethanol concentration of ca. 65g/L (62.3% ethanol yield). Moreover, methane production through anaerobic digestion (AD) was conducted from fermentation residues and resulted in maximum methane yields of ca. 120 and 69mL/g volatile solids (VS) for SECS and OCS samples, respectively. The results indicated that the implementation of a liquefaction/saccharification step before SSF employing a liquefaction reactor seemed to handle HG conditions adequately. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ru-assisted synthesis of Pd/Ru nanodendrites with high activity for ethanol electrooxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ke; Bin, Duan; Yang, Beibei; Wang, Caiqin; Ren, Fangfang; Du, Yukou

2015-07-01

Due to the specific physical and chemical properties of a highly branched noble metal, the controllable synthesis has attracted much attention. This article reports the synthesis of Pd/Ru nanodendrites by a facile method using an oil bath in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, potassium bromide and ascorbic acid. The morphology, structure, and composition of the as-prepared catalysts were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In the electrochemical measurement, the as-prepared Pd7/Ru1 bimetallic nanodendrites provide a large electrochemically active surface area and exhibit high peak current density in the forward scan toward ethanol electrooxidation, which is nearly four times higher than those of a pure Pd catalyst. The as-prepared Pd7/Ru1 catalysts also exhibit significantly enhanced cycling stability toward ethanol oxidation in alkaline medium, which are mainly ascribed to the synergetic effect between Pd and Ru. This indicates that the Pd7/Ru1 catalysts should have great potential applications in direct ethanol fuel cells.Due to the specific physical and chemical properties of a highly branched noble metal, the controllable synthesis has attracted much attention. This article reports the synthesis of Pd/Ru nanodendrites by a facile method using an oil bath in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, potassium bromide and ascorbic acid. The morphology, structure, and composition of the as-prepared catalysts were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In the electrochemical measurement, the as-prepared Pd7/Ru1 bimetallic nanodendrites provide a large electrochemically active surface area and exhibit high peak current density in the forward scan toward ethanol electrooxidation, which is nearly four times higher than those of a pure Pd catalyst. The as-prepared Pd7/Ru1 catalysts also exhibit significantly

Rapid and highly efficient growth of graphene on copper by chemical vapor deposition of ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lisi, Nicola, E-mail: nicola.lisi@enea.it [ENEA, Materials Technology Unit, Surface Technology Laboratory, Casaccia Research Centre, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Buonocore, Francesco; Dikonimos, Theodoros; Leoni, Enrico [ENEA, Materials Technology Unit, Surface Technology Laboratory, Casaccia Research Centre, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy); Faggio, Giuliana; Messina, Giacomo [Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell' Informazione, delle Infrastrutture e dell' Energia Sostenibile (DIIES), Università “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, 89122 Reggio Calabria (Italy); Morandi, Vittorio; Ortolani, Luca [CNR-IMM Bologna, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna (Italy); Capasso, Andrea [ENEA, Materials Technology Unit, Surface Technology Laboratory, Casaccia Research Centre, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome (Italy)

2014-11-28

The growth of graphene by chemical vapor deposition on metal foils is a promising technique to deliver large-area films with high electron mobility. Nowadays, the chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons on copper is the most investigated synthesis method, although many other carbon precursors and metal substrates are used too. Among these, ethanol is a safe and inexpensive precursor that seems to offer favorable synthesis kinetics. We explored the growth of graphene on copper from ethanol, focusing on processes of short duration (up to one min). We investigated the produced films by electron microscopy, Raman and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. A graphene film with high crystalline quality was found to cover the entire copper catalyst substrate in just 20 s, making ethanol appear as a more efficient carbon feedstock than methane and other commonly used precursors. - Highlights: • Graphene films were grown by fast chemical vapor deposition of ethanol on copper. • High-temperature/short-time growth produced highly crystalline graphene. • The copper substrate was entirely covered by a graphene film in just 20 s. • Addition of H{sub 2} had a negligible effect on the crystalline quality.

High Level Ethanol Production by Nitrogen and Osmoprotectant Supplementation under Very High Gravity Fermentation Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pachaya Chan-u-tit

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Optimization of nutrient supplements i.e., yeast extract (1, 3 and 5 g·L−1, dried spent yeast (DSY: 4, 12 and 20 g·L−1 and osmoprotectant (glycine: 1, 3 and 5 g·L−1 to improve the efficiency of ethanol production from a synthetic medium under very high gravity (VHG fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae NP 01 was performed using a statistical method, an L9 (34 orthogonal array design. The synthetic medium contained 280 g·L−1 of sucrose as a sole carbon source. When the fermentation was carried out at 30 °C, the ethanol concentration (P, yield (Yp/s and productivity (Qp without supplementation were 95.3 g·L−1, 0.49 g·g−1 and 1.70 g·L−1·h−1, respectively. According to the orthogonal results, the order of influence on the P and Qp values were yeast extract > glycine > DSY, and the optimum nutrient concentrations were yeast extract, 3; DSY, 4 and glycine, 5 g·L−1, respectively. The verification experiment using these parameters found that the P, Yp/s and Qp values were 119.9 g·L−1, 0.49 g g−1 and 2.14 g·L−1·h−1, respectively. These values were not different from those of the synthetic medium supplemented with 9 g·L−1 of yeast extract, indicating that DSY could be used to replace some amount of yeast extract. When sweet sorghum juice cv. KKU40 containing 280 g·L−1 of total sugar supplemented with the three nutrients at the optimum concentrations was used as the ethanol production medium, the P value (120.0 g·L−1 was not changed, but the Qp value was increased to 2.50 g·L−1·h−1.

Ethanol tolerant Pt-alloy cathodes for DEFC applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez Valera, F.J. [CINVESTAV Unidad Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico). Grupo de Recursos Minerales y Energeticos; Savadogo, O. [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Laboratoire de nouveaux materiaux pour l' energie et l' electrochimie

2008-07-01

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) based on Ru/C cathodes have interesting current density versus cell voltage behaviour. In particular, the selectivity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acid medium in the presence of ethanol was improved when this cathode material was used. This study quantified the degree of tolerance to ethanol and the electrocatalytic activity for the ORR. It compared the specific activity towards the ORR for Pt1Co1/C and Pt3Cr1/C. The study showed that these cathodes have a high tolerance to this alcohol and demonstrated the good performance of this type of Pt-alloy in a DEFC as oxygen reduction cathodes. The performance of the Pt1Co1/C alloy was shown to be better than the Pt3Cr1/C, even when the former had a lower Pt content. The enhanced catalytic behaviour of the PtCo/C alloy can be attributed to the higher degree of allying or a smaller mean particle size and a larger surface area. Polarization measurements with relatively high ethanol concentrations confirmed the good catalytic behaviour of the PtCo/C alloy as cathode in a DEFC operating at 90 degrees C. Current work is focusing on the variation of Co content in the alloy structure and the analysis of this change in terms of ORR activity, tolerance to ethanol and electrochemical behaviour in a DEFC. 10 refs., 5 figs.

Influence of ethanol as bore fluid component on the morphological structure and performance of PES hollow fiber membrane for oil in water separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otitoju, Tunmise Ayode; Ahmad, Abdul Latif; Ooi, Boon Seng [Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang (Malaysia)

2017-10-15

The relationships among varying bore fluid compositions containing ethanol/water were studied. The ethanol composition was varied in the ratio of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. The membrane dope solutions were prepared from 17.25 wt% polyethersulfone (PES), 0.75 wt% polyethylene glycol (PEG), 3 wt% silicon dioxide sol and 78.25 wt% of 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) via dry-jet spinning process. The membranes’ morphology as a result of varying ethanol ratio in the bore fluid composition was characterized and their effects on crude oil/water emulsion separation were evaluated. Results show that the membrane pore size and porosity decreased with increasing ethanol content in the bore fluid mixture, whereas the inner wall thickness of fibers increased. Furthermore, an increase in ethanol concentration also resulted in a slight increase in water contact angle. The use of 100/0 of ethanol/water resulted in UF membranes with the lowest performance. On the other hand, bore fluid mixture containing 25/75 ethanol/water produced membrane with the best performance for crude oil/water separation. Overall, the use of bore fluid mixture containing 25/75 ethanol/water mixture was found to be a powerful way to tune the morphological properties and performance of HF membrane.

Influence of ethanol as bore fluid component on the morphological structure and performance of PES hollow fiber membrane for oil in water separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otitoju, Tunmise Ayode; Ahmad, Abdul Latif; Ooi, Boon Seng

2017-01-01

The relationships among varying bore fluid compositions containing ethanol/water were studied. The ethanol composition was varied in the ratio of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. The membrane dope solutions were prepared from 17.25 wt% polyethersulfone (PES), 0.75 wt% polyethylene glycol (PEG), 3 wt% silicon dioxide sol and 78.25 wt% of 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) via dry-jet spinning process. The membranes’ morphology as a result of varying ethanol ratio in the bore fluid composition was characterized and their effects on crude oil/water emulsion separation were evaluated. Results show that the membrane pore size and porosity decreased with increasing ethanol content in the bore fluid mixture, whereas the inner wall thickness of fibers increased. Furthermore, an increase in ethanol concentration also resulted in a slight increase in water contact angle. The use of 100/0 of ethanol/water resulted in UF membranes with the lowest performance. On the other hand, bore fluid mixture containing 25/75 ethanol/water produced membrane with the best performance for crude oil/water separation. Overall, the use of bore fluid mixture containing 25/75 ethanol/water mixture was found to be a powerful way to tune the morphological properties and performance of HF membrane.

Direct ethanol production from cellulosic materials at high temperature using the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus displaying cellulolytic enzymes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanase, Shuhei; Yamada, Ryosuke; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko [Kobe Univ. (Japan). Dept. of Chemical Science and Engineering; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Tanaka, Tsutomu; Fukuda, Hideki [Kobe Univ. (Japan). Organization of Advanced Science and Technology

2010-09-15

To exploit cellulosic materials for fuel ethanol production, a microorganism capable of high temperature and simultaneous saccharification-fermentation has been required. However, a major drawback is the optimum temperature for the saccharification and fermentation. Most ethanol-fermenting microbes have an optimum temperature for ethanol fermentation ranging between 28 C and 37 C, while the activity of cellulolytic enzymes is highest at around 50 C and significantly decreases with a decrease in temperature. Therefore, in the present study, a thermotolerant yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus, which has high growth and fermentation at elevated temperatures, was used as a producer of ethanol from cellulose. The strain was genetically engineered to display Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase and Aspergillus aculeatus {beta}-glucosidase on the cell surface, which successfully converts a cellulosic {beta}-glucan to ethanol directly at 48 C with a yield of 4.24 g/l from 10 g/l within 12 h. The yield (in grams of ethanol produced per gram of {beta}-glucan consumed) was 0.47 g/g, which corresponds to 92.2% of the theoretical yield. This indicates that high-temperature cellulose fermentation to ethanol can be efficiently accomplished using a recombinant K. marxianus strain displaying thermostable cellulolytic enzymes on the cell surface. (orig.)

Transient simulation of a solar heating system for a small-scale ethanol-water distillation plant: Thermal, environmental and economic performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas-Bautista, Juan Pablo; García-Cuéllar, Alejandro Javier; Pérez-García, Santiago L.; Rivera-Solorio, Carlos I.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal simulation of a small solar ethanol distillation plant is performed. • The optimum collector area is obtained for two different thermal collectors types. • Higher solar fraction was found for parabolic trough collectors. • Economic analysis is performed for different scenarios to evaluate feasibility. - Abstract: The thermal, environmental and economic performance of a small-scale ethanol distillation system, where solar energy is used as primary energy source, was studied. Two different concentrations of ethanol at the feed stream (5 wt.% and 10 wt.%) were analysed to obtain a distillate product of 95 wt.% ethanol (hydrous ethanol). Evacuated tube solar collectors (ETC) and parabolic trough collectors (PTC) were considered for the solar heating system. A case of study for a specific geographical place (Monterrey, México) was developed herein to evaluate the solar ethanol distillation system; the results can be extended to other locations, weather conditions and operational parameters. The thermal results from the simulation showed that through an adequate selection of the solar collector area and an appropriate sizing of the different equipment of the solar distillation system, PTC represents a better option where energy savings of 80% and 71% can be achieved for 5 wt.% and 10 wt.% ethanol at the feed stream, respectively. However, the economic feasibility of the solar distillation system is achieved using ETC for a price of hydrous ethanol of 1.75 USD/L and a feed stream of 10 wt.% ethanol, reaching an internal rate of return (IRR) of 18.8% and payback period of 5.2 years. As an important technical result, selected ETC presented advantages over PTC where an average distillate product of 3.6 and 3.4 ml at 95 wt.% ethanol can be obtained per unit of solar energy (kW h) captured per area (m"2) of solar collector using 5 wt.% and 10 wt.% ethanol at the feed stream, respectively (36% more than PTC). The reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG

“Jello® Shots” and Cocktails as Ethanol Vehicles: Parametric Studies with High- and Low-Saccharin-Consuming Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy K. Dess

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Naïve humans and rats voluntarily consume little ethanol at concentrations above ~6% due to its aversive flavor. Developing procedures that boost intake of ethanol or ethanol-paired flavors facilitates research on neural mechanisms of ethanol-associated behaviors and helps identify variables that modulate ethanol intake outside of the lab. The present study explored the impact on consumption of ethanol and ethanol-paired flavors of nutritionally significant parametric variations: ethanol vehicle (gelatin or solution, with or without polycose; ethanol concentration (4% or 10%; and feeding status (chow deprived or ad lib. during flavor conditioning and flavor preference testing. Individual differences were modeled by testing rats of lines selectively bred for high (HiS or low (LoS saccharin intake. A previously reported preference for ethanol-paired flavors was replicated when ethanol had been drunk during conditioning. However, indifference or aversion to ethanol-paired flavors generally obtained when ethanol had been eaten in gelatin during conditioning, regardless of ethanol concentration, feeding status, or caloric value of the vehicle. Modest sex and line variations occurred. Engaging different behavioral systems when eating gelatin, rather than drinking solution, may account for these findings. Implications for parameter selection in future neurobiological research and for understanding conditions that influence ethanol intake outside of the lab are discussed.

Circadian activity rhythms and voluntary ethanol intake in male and female ethanol-preferring rats: effects of long-term ethanol access.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenwasser, Alan M; McCulley, Walter D; Fecteau, Matthew

2014-11-01

Chronic alcohol (ethanol) intake alters fundamental properties of the circadian clock. While previous studies have reported significant alterations in free-running circadian period during chronic ethanol access, these effects are typically subtle and appear to require high levels of intake. In the present study we examined the effects of long-term voluntary ethanol intake on ethanol consumption and free-running circadian period in male and female, selectively bred ethanol-preferring P and HAD2 rats. In light of previous reports that intermittent access can result in escalated ethanol intake, an initial 2-week water-only baseline was followed by either continuous or intermittent ethanol access (i.e., alternating 15-day epochs of ethanol access and ethanol deprivation) in separate groups of rats. Thus, animals were exposed to either 135 days of continuous ethanol access or to five 15-day access periods alternating with four 15-day periods of ethanol deprivation. Animals were maintained individually in running-wheel cages under continuous darkness throughout the experiment to allow monitoring of free-running activity and drinking rhythms, and 10% (v/v) ethanol and plain water were available continuously via separate drinking tubes during ethanol access. While there were no initial sex differences in ethanol drinking, ethanol preference increased progressively in male P and HAD2 rats under both continuous and intermittent-access conditions, and eventually exceeded that seen in females. Free-running period shortened during the initial ethanol-access epoch in all groups, but the persistence of this effect showed complex dependence on sex, breeding line, and ethanol-access schedule. Finally, while females of both breeding lines displayed higher levels of locomotor activity than males, there was little evidence for modulation of activity level by ethanol access. These results are consistent with previous findings that chronic ethanol intake alters free-running circadian

How do yeast cells become tolerant to high ethanol concentrations?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Snoek, Tim; Verstrepen, Kevin J.; Voordeckers, Karin

2016-01-01

The brewer’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae displays a much higher ethanol tolerance compared to most other organisms, and it is therefore commonly used for the industrial production of bioethanol and alcoholic beverages. However, the genetic determinants underlying this yeast’s exceptional ethanol...... and challenges involved in obtaining superior industrial yeasts with improved ethanol tolerance....

Ethanol production and maximum cell growth are highly correlated with membrane lipid composition during fermentation as determined by lipidomic analysis of 22 Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Clark M; Lozada-Contreras, Michelle; Jiranek, Vladimir; Longo, Marjorie L; Block, David E

2013-01-01

Optimizing ethanol yield during fermentation is important for efficient production of fuel alcohol, as well as wine and other alcoholic beverages. However, increasing ethanol concentrations during fermentation can create problems that result in arrested or sluggish sugar-to-ethanol conversion. The fundamental cellular basis for these problem fermentations, however, is not well understood. Small-scale fermentations were performed in a synthetic grape must using 22 industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains (primarily wine strains) with various degrees of ethanol tolerance to assess the correlation between lipid composition and fermentation kinetic parameters. Lipids were extracted at several fermentation time points representing different growth phases of the yeast to quantitatively analyze phospholipids and ergosterol utilizing atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry methods. Lipid profiling of individual fermentations indicated that yeast lipid class profiles do not shift dramatically in composition over the course of fermentation. Multivariate statistical analysis of the data was performed using partial least-squares linear regression modeling to correlate lipid composition data with fermentation kinetic data. The results indicate a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.91) between the overall lipid composition and the final ethanol concentration (wt/wt), an indicator of strain ethanol tolerance. One potential component of ethanol tolerance, the maximum yeast cell concentration, was also found to be a strong function of lipid composition (R(2) = 0.97). Specifically, strains unable to complete fermentation were associated with high phosphatidylinositol levels early in fermentation. Yeast strains that achieved the highest cell densities and ethanol concentrations were positively correlated with phosphatidylcholine species similar to those known to decrease the perturbing effects of ethanol in model membrane systems.

Membranes for direct ethanol fuel cells: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, Z.; Kamarudin, S.K.; Timmiati, S.N.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • DEFCs have emerged as alternative energy source. • But many issue need to be addressed. • This paper describes current problem and advancement of membrane in DEFC. - Abstract: Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are attractive as a power source options because ethanol is a nontoxic, leading to ease of handling and a high energy density fuel, leading to high system energy density. However, to provide practical DEFCs power source there are several issues that still must be addressed including low power density, effect of ethanol crossover on efficiency of fuel utilization, electrical, mechanical and thermal stability and water uptake of the DEFCs electrolyte membrane. This paper describes the proton exchange membrane and alkaline exchange membrane for DEFCs, focusing on current problems and advancements in DEFC membranes. It also presents the specifications and performances of the membranes used in DEFC.

Characterization of very high gravity ethanol fermentation of corn mash. Effect of glucoamylase dosage, pre-saccharification and yeast strain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Devantier, Rasmus; Pedersen, S; Olsson, Lisbeth

2005-01-01

Ethanol was produced from very high gravity mashes of dry milled corn (35% w/w total dry matter) under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation conditions. The effects of glucoamylase dosage, pre-saccharification and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain on the growth characteristics such as the ......Ethanol was produced from very high gravity mashes of dry milled corn (35% w/w total dry matter) under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation conditions. The effects of glucoamylase dosage, pre-saccharification and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain on the growth characteristics...... such as the ethanol yield and volumetric and specific productivity were determined. It was shown that higher glucoamylase doses and/or pre-saccharification accelerated the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process and increased the final ethanol concentration from 106 to 126 g/kg although the maximal...... specific growth rate was decreased. Ethanol production was not only growth related, as more than half of the total saccharides were consumed and more than half of the ethanol was produced during the stationary phase. Furthermore, a high stress tolerance of the applied yeast strain was found to be crucial...

Improved ethanol yield and reduced Minimum Ethanol Selling Price (MESP by modifying low severity dilute acid pretreatment with deacetylation and mechanical refining: 1 Experimental

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Xiaowen

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Historically, acid pretreatment technology for the production of bio-ethanol from corn stover has required severe conditions to overcome biomass recalcitrance. However, the high usage of acid and steam at severe pretreatment conditions hinders the economic feasibility of the ethanol production from biomass. In addition, the amount of acetate and furfural produced during harsh pretreatment is in the range that strongly inhibits cell growth and impedes ethanol fermentation. The current work addresses these issues through pretreatment with lower acid concentrations and temperatures incorporated with deacetylation and mechanical refining. Results The results showed that deacetylation with 0.1 M NaOH before acid pretreatment improved the monomeric xylose yield in pretreatment by up to 20% while keeping the furfural yield under 2%. Deacetylation also improved the glucose yield by 10% and the xylose yield by 20% during low solids enzymatic hydrolysis. Mechanical refining using a PFI mill further improved sugar yields during both low- and high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis. Mechanical refining also allowed enzyme loadings to be reduced while maintaining high yields. Deacetylation and mechanical refining are shown to assist in achieving 90% cellulose yield in high-solids (20% enzymatic hydrolysis. When fermentations were performed under pH control to evaluate the effect of deacetylation and mechanical refining on the ethanol yields, glucose and xylose utilizations over 90% and ethanol yields over 90% were achieved. Overall ethanol yields were calculated based on experimental results for the base case and modified cases. One modified case that integrated deacetylation, mechanical refining, and washing was estimated to produce 88 gallons of ethanol per ton of biomass. Conclusion The current work developed a novel bio-ethanol process that features pretreatment with lower acid concentrations and temperatures incorporated with deacetylation

Sustainability of grape-ethanol energy chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Riva

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to evaluate the sustainability, in terms of greenhouse gases emission saving, of a new potential bio-ethanol production chain in comparison with the most common ones. The innovation consists of producing bio-ethanol from different types of no-food grapes, while usually bio-ethanol is obtained from matrices taken away from crop for food destination: sugar cane, corn, wheat, sugar beet. In the past, breeding programs were conducted with the aim of improving grapevine characteristics, a large number of hybrid vine varieties were produced and are nowadays present in the CRA-VIT (Viticulture Research Centre Germplasm Collection. Some of them are potentially interesting for bio-energy production because of their high production of sugar, good resistance to diseases, and ability to grow in marginal lands. LCA (Life Cycle Assessment of grape ethanol energy chain was performed following two different methods: (i using the spreadsheet “BioGrace, developed within the “Intelligent Energy Europe” program to support and to ease the RED (Directive 2009/28/EC implementation; (ii using a dedicated LCA software. Emissions were expressed in CO2 equivalent (CO2eq. The results showed that the sustainability limits provided by the normative are respected to this day. On the contrary, from 2017 this production will be sustainable only if the transformation processes will be performed using renewable sources of energy. The comparison with other bioenergy chains points out that the production of ethanol using grapes represents an intermediate situation in terms of general emissions among the different production chains.

Facial synthesis of porous hematite supported Pt catalyst and its photo enhanced electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Shuai; Shen, Pei Kang

2015-01-01

Graphical Abstract: A porous α-Fe 2 O 3 supported Pt catalyst has been synthesized by a facial thermal treatment assisted precipitation method and the materials show a illumination enhanced performance for ethanol oxidation. Display Omitted -- Highlights: •A porous α-Fe 2 O 3 supported Pt catalyst has been synthesized for the first time. •With the addition of α-Fe 2 O 3 , the current density of Pt/C grows about 51% under illumination and 32% in the dark compared with unsupported catalyst. •The current increases under illuminationin chronoamperometric experiments at a given potential of 0.7 V due to the photons from light provide energy for CO stripping. •This work demostrates an optical strategy to accelerate electrode reactions towards ethanol oxidation reaction. -- Abstract: The porous α-Fe 2 O 3 supported Pt catalyst is synthesized by a facial thermal treatment assisted precipitation method. The particle size of Pt is less than 3 nm. The pore diameters of α-Fe 2 O 3 particles are concentrated to 2.46 nm in a mesooporous scale. Its electrochemical performance is tested. The ethanol oxidation current of the Pt/Fe 2 O 3 catalsyt obviously improves under illumination, compared with that in the dark, during the optical switching operation. Moreover, with the addition of α-Fe 2 O 3 , the ethanol oxidation current of Pt/C grows about 51% under illumination and 32% in the dark; the onset potential shifts negtively for about 20 mV. This work demostrates an optical strategy which can be a potential alternative to accelerate electrode reactions towards ethanol oxidation reaction

Highly ordered Pd nanowire arrays as effective electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in direct alcohol fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, C.W. [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Wang, H. [Departement of Applied Chemistry, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523106 (China); Shen, P.K. [School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yet-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Jiang, S.P.

2007-12-03

Pd nanowire arrays (NWAs) with high electrochemically active surface area are successfully fabricated using anodized aluminum oxide electrodeposition. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Pd NWAs for ethanol electrooxidation are not only significantly higher that of conventional Pd film electrodes, but also higher than that of well-established commercial PtRu/C electrocatalysts. The Pd NWAs show great potential as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media in direct ethanol fuel cells. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Ligno-ethanol in competition with food-based ethanol in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poganietz, Witold-Roger

2012-01-01

First-generation biofuels are often challenged over their potentially adverse impact on food prices. Biofuels that use nonfood biomass such as lignocellulose are being promoted to ease the conflict between fuels and food. However, their complex processes mean that the total costs of lignocellulosic ethanol may be high in comparison. This might undermine the economic soundness of plans for its use. Another potential advantage of lignocellulosic ethanol is seen in an enhanced contribution to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the increasing attractiveness of lignocellulosic biofuels may also lead to changes in land use that induce additional carbon emissions. For this reason, the environmental impacts of such plans are not straightforward and depend on the affected category of land. The objective of this paper is to compare the economic perspectives and environmental impact of lignocellulosic ethanol with food-based ethanol taking into account market constraints and policy measures. The analysis of the environmental impact focuses on carbon dioxide emissions. In the medium run, i.e., by 2020, lignocellulosic ethanol could enter the gasoline market, crowding out inter alia food-based ethanol. In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, lignocellulosic ethanol seems to be environmentally desirable in each of the analyzed cases. The findings depend crucially on the market conditions, which are influenced inter alia by crude oil, the exchange rate, and technology conditions. -- Highlights: ► Competition of ligno-ethanol with competing energy carriers is analyzed. ► In medium-term ligno-ethanol could crowd out food-based ethanol. ► In terms of CO 2 ligno-ethanol seems to be environmentally desirable. ► The environmental impacts include by land use change induced CO 2 emissions. ► The findings depend crucially on market conditions.

Examination of Ethanol Marketing and Input Procurement Practices of the U.S. Ethanol Producers

OpenAIRE

Spaulding, Aslihan D.; Schmidgall, Timothy J.

2008-01-01

Growing concerns about the dependence on foreign oil and high prices of gasoline have led to rapid growth in ethanol production in the past decade. Unlike earlier development of the ethanol industry which was highly concentrated in a few large corporations, recent ownership of the ethanol plants has been by farmer-owned cooperatives. Not much is known about the marketing and purchasing practices and plants’ flexibility with respect to adapting new technologies. The purpose of this research is...

Characterization of very high gravity ethanol fermentation of corn mash. Effect of glucoamylase dosage, pre-saccharification and yeast strain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devantier, R. [Starch, Applied Discovery, Research and Development, Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd (Denmark); Center for Microbial Biotechnology, BioCentrum-DTU, Technical Univ. of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby (Denmark); Pedersen, S. [Starch, Applied Discovery, Research and Development, Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd (Denmark); Olsson, L. [Center for Microbial Biotechnology, BioCentrum-DTU, Technical Univ. of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby (Denmark)

2005-09-01

Ethanol was produced from very high gravity mashes of dry milled corn (35% w/w total dry matter) under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation conditions. The effects of glucoamylase dosage, pre-saccharification and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain on the growth characteristics such as the ethanol yield and volumetric and specific productivity were determined. It was shown that higher glucoamylase doses and/or pre-saccharification accelerated the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process and increased the final ethanol concentration from 106 to 126 g/kg although the maximal specific growth rate was decreased. Ethanol production was not only growth related, as more than half of the total saccharides were consumed and more than half of the ethanol was produced during the stationary phase. Furthermore, a high stress tolerance of the applied yeast strain was found to be crucial for the outcome of the fermentation process, both with regard to residual saccharides and final ethanol concentration. The increased formation of cell mass when a well-suited strain was applied increased the final ethanol concentration, since a more complete fermentation was achieved. (orig.)

Characteristics of an immobilized yeast cell system using very high gravity for the fermentation of ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Hairui; Yu, Jianliang; Zhang, Xu; Tan, Tianwei

2012-09-01

The characteristics of ethanol production by immobilized yeast cells were investigated for both repeated batch fermentation and continuous fermentation. With an initial sugar concentration of 280 g/L during the repeated batch fermentation, more than 98% of total sugar was consumed in 65 h with an average ethanol concentration and ethanol yield of 130.12 g/L and 0.477 g ethanol/g consumed sugar, respectively. The immobilized yeast cell system was reliable for at least 10 batches and for a period of 28 days without accompanying the regeneration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inside the carriers. The multistage continuous fermentation was carried out in a five-stage column bioreactor with a total working volume of 3.75 L. The bioreactor was operated for 26 days at a dilution rate of 0.015 h(-1). The ethanol concentration of the effluent reached 130.77 g/L ethanol while an average 8.18 g/L residual sugar remained. Due to the high osmotic pressure and toxic ethanol, considerable yeast cells died without regeneration, especially in the last two stages, which led to the breakdown of the whole system of multistage continuous fermentation.

High-temperature fermentation. How can processes for ethanol production at high temperatures become superior to the traditional process using mesophilic yeast?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel-Banat, Babiker M.A.; Hoshida, Hisashi; Nonklang, Sanom; Akada, Rinji [Yamaguchi Univ. Graduate School of Medicine, Ube (Japan). Dept. of Applied Molecular Bioscience; Ano, Akihiko [Iwata Chemical Co. Ltd. (Japan)

2010-01-15

The process of ethanol fermentation has a long history in the production of alcoholic drinks, but much larger scale production of ethanol is now required to enable its use as a substituent of gasoline fuels at 3%, 10%, or 85% (referred to as E3, E10, and E85, respectively). Compared with fossil fuels, the production costs are a major issue for the production of fuel ethanol. There are a number of possible approaches to delivering cost-effective fuel ethanol production from different biomass sources, but we focus in our current report on high-temperature fermentation using a newly isolated thermotolerant strain of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus. We demonstrate that a 5 C increase only in the fermentation temperature can greatly affect the fuel ethanol production costs. We contend that this approach may also be applicable to the other microbial fermentations systems and propose that thermotolerant mesophilic microorganisms have considerable potential for the development of future fermentation technologies. (orig.)

Solanum nigrum Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis via Suppression of Hyperglycemia in High-Fat/Ethanol Diet-Induced Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Jeng Tai

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs signal through the receptor for AGE (RAGE, which can lead to hepatic fibrosis in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. We investigated the inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts from Solanum nigrum (AESN on AGEs-induced RAGE signaling and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs and hyperglycemia induced by high-fat diet with ethanol. Methods: An animal model was used to evaluate the anti-hepatic fibrosis activity of AESN in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 30% with ethanol (10%. Male Wistar rats (4 weeks of age were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6: (1 control (basal diet; (2 HFD (30% + ethanol (10% (HFD/ethanol; (3 HFD/ethanol + AESN (100 mg/kg, oral administration; and (4 HFD/ethanol + pioglitazone (10 mg/kg, oral administration and treated with HFD for 6 months in the presence or absence of 10% ethanol in dietary water. Results: We found that AESN improved insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, and downregulated lipogenesis via regulation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα, PPARγ co-activator (PGC-1α, carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC, and fatty acid synthase (FAS mRNA levels in the liver of HFD/ethanol-treated rats. In turn, AESN may delay and inhibit the progression of hepatic fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA inhibition and MMP-2 production. Conclusions: These results suggest that AESN may be further explored as a novel anti-fibrotic strategy for the prevention of liver disease.

Ethanol Fuels Reference Guide: A Decision-Makers Guide to Ethanol Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-10-01

This guide is a compendium of information on alcohol fuel production and use. Chapter titles are: facts about ethanol; gasohol-answers to the basic questions; feedstocks and their coproducts; ethanol production processes; and vehicle fuel use and performance. In addition, there are 8 appendices which include fermentation guides for common grains and potatoes, component and enzyme manufacturers, and information on regulations and permits. (DMC)

Ethanol fermentation integrated with PDMS composite membrane: An effective process.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Chaohui; Cai, Di; Hu, Song; Miao, Qi; Wang, Yong; Qin, Peiyong; Wang, Zheng; Tan, Tianwei

2016-01-01

The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane, prepared in water phase, was investigated in separation ethanol from model ethanol/water mixture and fermentation-pervaporation integrated process. Results showed that the PDMS membrane could effectively separate ethanol from model solution. When integrated with batch ethanol fermentation, the ethanol productivity was enhanced compared with conventional process. Fed-batch and continuous ethanol fermentation with pervaporation were also performed and studied. 396.2-663.7g/m(2)h and 332.4-548.1g/m(2)h of total flux with separation factor of 8.6-11.7 and 8-11.6, were generated in the fed-batch and continuous fermentation with pervaporation scenario, respectively. At the same time, high titre ethanol production of ∼417.2g/L and ∼446.3g/L were also achieved on the permeate side of membrane in the two scenarios, respectively. The integrated process was environmental friendly and energy saving, and has a promising perspective in long-terms operation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of minute amount of furfural in ethanol aqueous solution by use of batch-rectification; Kaibun seiryu ni yoru ethanol suiyoekichu no biryo furfural no jokyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakano, K.; Shimoda, M.; Uemura, Y.; Hatate, Y. [Kagoshima University, Kagoshima (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1997-03-10

Furfural is produced in the distillation stage of low-class distilled spirit manufacturing and badly influences the quality of products. The removal of minute amount of furfural in an ethanol aqueous solution was thus investigated by an Oldershow-type batch-rectifying column consisting of ten plates. Furfural of 50 ppm was added to an ethanol aqueous solution of 6.6 mole% as raw materials. If the ethanol concentration in the upper distillation plates is set high, furfural is forecast to be concentrated in the intermediate plate. In an experiment, side-cut was carried out at this plate. If side-cut is performed at the seventh-plate tray from the top, the total side-cut rate is 12%. In this case, 77% of furfural is removed. The side-cut rate of ethanol at that time was 11%. Moreover, 85% of furfural was removed when ethanol with high concentration was extracted from the top under total reflux conditions and when side-cut was carried out. Only 9% of ethanol was distilled in this case. It was confirmed that furfural can be separated using a multi-plate batch-distilling column. 2 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

Novel DDR Processing of Corn Stover Achieves High Monomeric Sugar Concentrations from Enzymatic Hydrolysis (230 g/L) and High Ethanol Concentration (10% v/v) During Fermentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xiaowen; Jennings, Ed; Shekiro, Joe; Kuhn, Erik M.; O' Brien, Marykate; Wang, Wei; Schell, Daniel J.; Himmel, Mike; Elander, Richard T.; Tucker, Melvin P.

2015-04-03

Distilling and purifying ethanol, butanol, and other products from second and later generation lignocellulosic biorefineries adds significant capital and operating cost for biofuels production. The energy costs associated with distillation affects plant gate and life cycle analysis costs. Lower titers in fermentation due to lower sugar concentrations from pretreatment increase both energy and production costs. In addition, higher titers decrease the volumes required for enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation vessels. Therefore, increasing biofuels titers has been a research focus in renewable biofuels production for several decades. In this work, we achieved over 200 g/L of monomeric sugars after high solids enzymatic hydrolysis using the novel deacetylation and disc refining (DDR) process on corn stover. The high sugar concentrations and low chemical inhibitor concentrations from the DDR process allowed ethanol titers as high as 82 g/L in 22 hours, which translates into approximately 10 vol% ethanol. To our knowledge, this is the first time that 10 vol% ethanol in fermentation derived from corn stover without any sugar concentration or purification steps has been reported. Techno-economic analysis shows the higher titer ethanol achieved from the DDR process could significantly reduce the minimum ethanol selling price from cellulosic biomass.

Overexpression of pyruvate decarboxylase in the yeast Hansenula polymorpha results in increased ethanol yield in high-temperature fermentation of xylose.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishchuk, Olena P; Voronovsky, Andriy Y; Stasyk, Oleh V; Gayda, Galina Z; Gonchar, Mykhailo V; Abbas, Charles A; Sibirny, Andriy A

2008-11-01

Improvement of xylose fermentation is of great importance to the fuel ethanol industry. The nonconventional thermotolerant yeast Hansenula polymorpha naturally ferments xylose to ethanol at high temperatures (48-50 degrees C). Introduction of a mutation that impairs ethanol reutilization in H. polymorpha led to an increase in ethanol yield from xylose. The native and heterologous (Kluyveromyces lactis) PDC1 genes coding for pyruvate decarboxylase were expressed at high levels in H. polymorpha under the control of the strong constitutive promoter of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH). This resulted in increased pyruvate decarboxylase activity and improved ethanol production from xylose. The introduction of multiple copies of the H. polymorpha PDC1 gene driven by the strong constitutive promoter led to a 20-fold increase in pyruvate decarboxylase activity and up to a threefold elevation of ethanol production.

Long-term effects of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure in adolescent and adult rats: radial-arm maze performance and operant food reinforced responding.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary-Louise Risher

Full Text Available Adolescence is not only a critical period of late-stage neurological development in humans, but is also a period in which ethanol consumption is often at its highest. Given the prevalence of ethanol use during this vulnerable developmental period we assessed the long-term effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE exposure during adolescence, compared to adulthood, on performance in the radial-arm maze (RAM and operant food-reinforced responding in male rats.Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to CIE (or saline and then allowed to recover. Animals were then trained in either the RAM task or an operant task using fixed- and progressive- ratio schedules. After baseline testing was completed all animals received an acute ethanol challenge while blood ethanol levels (BECs were monitored in a subset of animals. CIE exposure during adolescence, but not adulthood decreased the amount of time that animals spent in the open portions of the RAM arms (reminiscent of deficits in risk-reward integration and rendered animals more susceptible to the acute effects of an ethanol challenge on working memory tasks. The operant food reinforced task showed that these effects were not due to altered food motivation or to differential sensitivity to the nonspecific performance-disrupting effects of ethanol. However, CIE pre-treated animals had lower BEC levels than controls during the acute ethanol challenges indicating persistent pharmacokinetic tolerance to ethanol after the CIE treatment. There was little evidence of enduring effects of CIE alone on traditional measures of spatial and working memory.These effects indicate that adolescence is a time of selective vulnerability to the long-term effects of repeated ethanol exposure on neurobehavioral function and acute ethanol sensitivity. The positive and negative findings reported here help to further define the nature and extent of the impairments observed after adolescent CIE and provide direction for future

Phase behaviour measurements for the system (carbon dioxide + biodiesel + ethanol) at high pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araújo, Odilon A.S.; Silva, Fabiano R.; Ramos, Luiz P.; Lenzi, Marcelo K.; Ndiaye, Papa M.; Corazza, Marcos L.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Comparison between ethyl and methyl esters in a pressure-composition of {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2)} at 303.15 K (triangles), 323.15 K (squares) and 343.15 K (circles). Open symbols are ethyl biodiesel (this work) and closed symbols are methyl biodiesel data by Pinto et al. Highlights: ► We measured phase behaviour for the system involving {CO 2 + biodiesel + ethanol}. ► The saturation pressures were obtained using a variable-volume view cell. ► The experimental data were modelled using PR-vdW2 and PR-WS equations of state. - Abstract: This work reports phase equilibrium measurements for binary system {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2)} and ternary system {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2) + ethanol(3)}. The biodiesel (ethyl esters) used in this work was produced from soybean oil, purified and characterised following the standard specification for subsequent use. Nowadays, great interest in biodiesel production processes at supercritical and/or pressurised solvents is observed, such as, non-catalytic supercritical biodiesel production and enzyme-catalyzed biodiesel production, besides the supercritical CO 2 can be an interesting alternative to glycerol separation in the biodiesel purification step. Towards this, the main goal of this work is to study the phase behaviour at high pressure for the binary and ternary systems involving CO 2 , biodiesel and ethanol. Experiments were carried out in a high pressure variable-volume view cell with operating temperatures ranging from (303.15 to 343.15) K and pressures up to 25 MPa. The CO 2 molar fraction ranged from 0.4213 to 0.9855 for the system {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2)}, 0.4263 to 0.9781 for the system {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2) + ethanol(3)} with a biodiesel to ethanol molar ratio of (1:3), and 0.4317 to 0.9787 for the system {CO 2 (1) + biodiesel(2) + ethanol(3)} with a biodiesel to ethanol molar ratio of (1:8). For the systems investigated, vapour–liquid (VL), liquid–liquid (LL) and vapour–liquid–liquid (VLL

High-level ethanol production from starch by a flocculent Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain displaying cell-surface glucoamylase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kondo, A.; Shigechi, H.; Abe, M.; Uyama, K. [Dept. of Chemical Science and Engineering, Kobe Univ., Nadaku, Kobe (Japan); Matsumoto, T.; Fukuda, H. [Div. of Molecular Science, Kobe Univ., Nadaku, Kobe (Japan); Takahashi, S.; Ueda, M.; Tanaka, A. [Dept. of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Kyoto Univ., Sakyoku, Kyoto (Japan); Kishimoto, M. [Dept. of Biotechnology, Osaka Univ., Osaka (Japan)

2002-07-01

A Strain of host yeast YF207, which is a tryptophan auxotroph and shows strong flocculation ability, was obtained from Saccharomyces diastaticus ATCC60712 and S. cerevisiae W303-1B by tetrad analysis. The plasmid pGA11, which is a multicopy plasmid for cell-surface expression of the Rhyzopus oryzae glucoamylase/{alpha}-agglutinin fusion protein, was then introduced into this flocculent yeast strain (YF207/pGA11). Yeast YF207/pGA11 grew rapidly under aerobic condition (dissolved oxygen 2.0 ppm), using soluble starch. The harvested cells were used for batch fermentation of soluble starch to ethanol under anaerobic condition and showed high ethanol production rates (0.71 g h{sup -1} I{sup -1}) without a time lag, because glucoamylase was immobilized on the yeast cell surface. During repeated utilization of cells for fermentation, YF207/pGA11 maintained high ethanol production rates over 300 h. Moreover, in fed-batch fermentation with YF207/pGA11 for approximately 120 h, the ethanol concentration reached up to 50 g I{sup -1}. In conclusion, flocculent yeast cells displaying cell-surface glucoamylase are considered to be very effective for the direct fermentation of soluble starch to ethanol. (orig.)

Numerical modeling on homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion engine fueled by diesel-ethanol blends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanafi H.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the performance and emission characteristics of HCCI engines fueled with oxygenated fuels (ethanol blend. A modeling study was conducted to investigate the impact of ethanol addition on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI engine fueled by diesel. One dimensional simulation was conducted using the renowned commercial software for diesel and its blend fuels with 5% (E5 and 10% ethanol (E10 (in vol. under full load condition at variable engine speed ranging from 1000 to 2750 rpm with 250 rpm increment. The model was then validated with other researcher’s experimental result. Model consists of intake and exhaust systems, cylinder, head, valves and port geometries. Performance tests were conducted for volumetric efficiency, brake engine torque, brake power, brake mean effective pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, and brake thermal efficiency, while exhaust emissions were analyzed for carbon monoxide (CO and unburned hydrocarbons (HC. The results showed that blending diesel with ethanol increases the volumetric efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption and brake thermal efficiency, while it decreases brake engine torque, brake power and brake mean effective pressure. In term of emission characteristics, the CO emissions concentrations in the engine exhaust decrease significantly with ethanol as additive. But for HC emission, its concentration increase when apply in high engine speed. In conclusion, using Ethanol as fuel additive blend with Diesel operating in HCCI shows a good result in term of performance and emission in low speed but not recommended to use in high speed engine. Ethanol-diesel blends need to researched more to make it commercially useable.

High titer ethanol and lignosulfonate production from SPORL pretreated poplar at pilot-scale

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Junyong (J.Y. eZhu

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Poplar NE222 (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh × P. nigra L. wood chips were pretreated in a 390 L pilot-scale rotating wood-pulping digester using a dilute sulfite solution of approximately pH  1.8 at 160°C for 40 min for bioconversion to ethanol and lignosulfonate (LS. An estimated combined hydrolysis factor (CHF of 3.3 was used to scale the pretreatment temperature and time from laboratory bench scale experiments, which balanced sugar yield and inhibitor formation to facilitate high titer ethanol production through fermentation using S. cerevisiae YRH400 without detoxification. A terminal ethanol titer of 43.6 g L-1 with a yield of 247 L tonne wood-1 was achieved at total solids loading of 20%. The relatively low ethanol yield compared with yield from SPORL-pretreated softwoods was due to inefficient utilization of xylose. The LS from SPORL has a substantially higher phenolic group (Ph-OH content although it is less sulfonated and has a lower molecular weight than a purified commercial softwood LS, and therefore has potential for certain commercial markets and future novel applications through further processing.

Investigation of diesel-ethanol blended fuel properties with palm methyl ester as co-solvent and blends enhancer

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Mat Taib Norhidayah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Diesel engine is known as the most efficient engine with high efficiency and power but always reported as high fuel emission. Malaysia National Automotive Policy (NAP was targeting to improve competitive regional focusing on green technology development in reducing the emission of the engine. Therefore, ethanol was introduced to reduce the emission of the engine and while increasing its performance, Palm methyl ester was introduced as blend enhancer to improve engine performance and improve diesel-ethanol blends stability. This paper aimed to study the characteristics of the blends and to prove the ability of palm-methyl-ester as co-solvent in ethanol-diesel blends. Stability and thermophysical test were carried out for different fuel compositions. The stability of diesel-ethanol blended was proved to be improved with the addition of PME at the longer period and the stability of the blends changed depending on temperature and ethanol content. Density and viscosity of diesel-ethanol-PME blends also give higher result than diesel-ethanol blends and it's proved that PME is able to increase density and viscosity of blends. Besides, heating value of the blends also increases with the increasing PME in diesel-ethanol blends.

Rapid synthesis of dendritic Pt/Pb nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ke; Xu, Hui; Yan, Bo; Wang, Jin; Gu, Zhulan; Du, Yukou

2017-12-01

This article reports a rapid synthetic method for the preparation of dendritic platinum-lead bimetallic catalysts by using an oil bath for 5 min in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and ascorbic acid (AA). CTAC acts as a shape-direction agent, and AA acts as a reducing agent during the reaction process. A series of physical techniques are used to characterize the morphology, structure and electronic properties of the dendritic Pt/Pb nanoparticles, indicating the Pt/Pb dendrites are porous, highly alloying, and self-supported nanostructures. Various electrochemical techniques were also investigated the catalytic performance of the Pt/Pb catalysts toward the ethanol electrooxidation reaction. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry indicated that the synthesized dendritic Pt/Pb nanoparticles possessed much higher electrocatalytic performance than bulk Pt catalyst. This study may inspire the engineering of dendritic bimetallic catalysts, which are expected to have great potential applications in fuel cells.

Influence of high gravity process conditions on the environmental impact of ethanol production from wheat straw

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janssen, Matty; Tillman, Anne-Marie; Cannella, David

2014-01-01

Biofuel production processes at high gravity are currently under development. Most of these processes however use sugars or first generation feedstocks as substrate. This paper presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the production of bio-ethanol at high gravity conditions from...... of the ethanol production, but this can be compensated by reducing the impact of enzyme production and use, and by polyethylene glycol addition at high dry matter content. The results also show that the renewable and non-renewable energy use resulting from the different process configurations ultimately...

Insights from the Fungus Fusarium oxysporum Point to High Affinity Glucose Transporters as Targets for Enhancing Ethanol Production from Lignocellulose

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Shahin S.; Nugent, Brian; Mullins, Ewen; Doohan, Fiona M.

2013-01-01

Ethanol is the most-widely used biofuel in the world today. Lignocellulosic plant biomass derived from agricultural residue can be converted to ethanol via microbial bioprocessing. Fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum can simultaneously saccharify straw to sugars and ferment sugars to ethanol. But there are many bottlenecks that need to be overcome to increase the efficacy of microbial production of ethanol from straw, not least enhancement of the rate of fermentation of both hexose and pentose sugars. This research tested the hypothesis that the rate of sugar uptake by F. oxysporum would enhance the ethanol yields from lignocellulosic straw and that high affinity glucose transporters can enhance ethanol yields from this substrate. We characterized a novel hexose transporter (Hxt) from this fungus. The F. oxysporum Hxt represents a novel transporter with homology to yeast glucose signaling/transporter proteins Rgt2 and Snf3, but it lacks their C-terminal domain which is necessary for glucose signalling. Its expression level decreased with increasing glucose concentration in the medium and in a glucose uptake study the Km(glucose) was 0.9 mM, which indicated that the protein is a high affinity glucose transporter. Post-translational gene silencing or over expression of the Hxt in F. oxysporum directly affected the glucose and xylose transport capacity and ethanol yielded by F. oxysporum from straw, glucose and xylose. Thus we conclude that this Hxt has the capacity to transport both C5 and C6 sugars and to enhance ethanol yields from lignocellulosic material. This study has confirmed that high affinity glucose transporters are ideal candidates for improving ethanol yields from lignocellulose because their activity and level of expression is high in low glucose concentrations, which is very common during the process of consolidated processing. PMID:23382943

Insights from the fungus Fusarium oxysporum point to high affinity glucose transporters as targets for enhancing ethanol production from lignocellulose.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin S Ali

Full Text Available Ethanol is the most-widely used biofuel in the world today. Lignocellulosic plant biomass derived from agricultural residue can be converted to ethanol via microbial bioprocessing. Fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum can simultaneously saccharify straw to sugars and ferment sugars to ethanol. But there are many bottlenecks that need to be overcome to increase the efficacy of microbial production of ethanol from straw, not least enhancement of the rate of fermentation of both hexose and pentose sugars. This research tested the hypothesis that the rate of sugar uptake by F. oxysporum would enhance the ethanol yields from lignocellulosic straw and that high affinity glucose transporters can enhance ethanol yields from this substrate. We characterized a novel hexose transporter (Hxt from this fungus. The F. oxysporum Hxt represents a novel transporter with homology to yeast glucose signaling/transporter proteins Rgt2 and Snf3, but it lacks their C-terminal domain which is necessary for glucose signalling. Its expression level decreased with increasing glucose concentration in the medium and in a glucose uptake study the Km((glucose was 0.9 mM, which indicated that the protein is a high affinity glucose transporter. Post-translational gene silencing or over expression of the Hxt in F. oxysporum directly affected the glucose and xylose transport capacity and ethanol yielded by F. oxysporum from straw, glucose and xylose. Thus we conclude that this Hxt has the capacity to transport both C5 and C6 sugars and to enhance ethanol yields from lignocellulosic material. This study has confirmed that high affinity glucose transporters are ideal candidates for improving ethanol yields from lignocellulose because their activity and level of expression is high in low glucose concentrations, which is very common during the process of consolidated processing.

Towards 40% efficiency with BMEP exceeding 30 bar in directly injected, turbocharged, spark ignition ethanol engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boretti, Alberto

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The main advantages of ethanol vs. gasoline are higher knock resistance and heat of vaporization. ► Direct injection and turbo charging are the key features of high efficiency and high power density ethanol engines. ► Advanced ethanol engines are enablers of vehicle fuel energy economy similar to Diesel engines. ► Waste bio mass ethanol may cut the nonrenewable energy costs of fossil fuels passenger cars by almost 90%. - Abstract: Current flexi fuel gasoline and ethanol engines have efficiencies generally lower than dedicated gasoline engines. Considering ethanol has a few advantages with reference to gasoline, namely the higher octane number and the larger heat of vaporization, the paper explores the potentials of dedicated pure ethanol engines using the most advanced techniques available for gasoline engines, specifically direct injection, turbo charging and variable valve actuation. Computations are performed with state-of-the-art, well validated, engine and vehicle performance simulations packages, generally accepted to produce accurate results when targeting major trends in engine developments. The higher compression ratio and the higher boost permitted by ethanol allows larger than gasoline top engine brake thermal efficiencies and peak power and torque, while the variable valve actuation produces smaller penalties in efficiency changing the load than in conventional throttle controlled engines.

Ethanol production from Dekkera bruxellensis in synthetic media with pentose

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Carolina B. Codato

Full Text Available Abstract Ethanol is obtained in Brazil from the fermentation of sugarcane, molasses or a mixture of these. Alternatively, it can also be obtained from products composed of cellulose and hemicellulose, called “second generation ethanol - 2G”. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly applied in industrial ethanol production, is not efficient in the conversion of pentoses, which is present in high amounts in lignocellulosic materials. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a yeast strain of Dekkera bruxellensis in producing ethanol from synthetic media, containing xylose or arabinose, xylose and glucose as the sole carbon sources. The results indicated that D. bruxellensis was capable of producing ethanol from xylose and arabinose, with ethanol concentration similar for both carbon sources, 1.9 g L-1. For the fermentations performed with xylose and glucose, there was an increase in the concentration of ethanol to 5.9 g L-1, lower than the standard yeast Pichia stipitis (9.3 g L-1, but with similar maximum yield in ethanol (0.9 g g TOC-1. This proves that the yeast D. bruxellensis produced lower amounts of ethanol when compared with P. stipitis, but showed that is capable of fermenting xylose and can be a promising alternative for ethanol conversion from hydrolysates containing glucose and xylose as carbon source.

Environmental aspects of ethanol-based fuels from Brassica carinata. A case study of second generation ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez-Garcia, Sara; Moreira, M'a Teresa; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Gasol, Carles M.; Gabarrell, Xavier; Rieradevall, Joan

2009-01-01

One of the main challenges faced by mankind in the 21st century is to meet the increasing demand for energy requirements by means of a more sustainable energy supply. In countries that are net fossil fuel importers, expectation about the benefit of using alternative fuels on reducing oil imports is the primary driving force behind efforts to promote its production and use. Spain is scarce in domestic energy sources and more than 50% of the energy used is fossil fuel based. The promotion of renewable energies use is one of the principal vectors in the Spanish energy policy. Selected herbaceous crops such as Brassica carinata are currently under study as potential energy sources. Its biomass can be considered as potential feedstock to ethanol conversion by an enzymatic process due to the characteristics of its composition, rich in cellulose and hemicellulose. This paper aims to analyse the environmental performance of two ethanol-based fuel applications (E10 and E85) in a passenger car (E10 fuel: a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline by volume; E85 fuel: a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline by volume) as well as their comparison with conventional gasoline as transport fuel. Two types of functional units are applied in this study: ethanol production oriented and travelling distance oriented functional units in order to reflect the availability or not of ethanol supply. E85 seems to be the best alternative when ethanol production based functional unit is considered in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and E10 in terms of non-renewable energy resources use. Nevertheless, E85 offers the best environmental performance when travelling distance oriented functional unit is assumed in both impacts. In both functional unit perspectives, the use of ethanol-based fuels reduces the global warming and fossil fuels consumption. However, the contributions to other impact indicators (e.g. acidification, eutrophication and photochemical oxidants formation) were lower

Effect of the presence of initial ethanol on ethanol production in sugar cane juice fermented by Zymomonas mobilis

OpenAIRE

Tano,Marcia Sadae; Buzato,João Batista

2003-01-01

Ethanol production in sugar cane juice in high initial sugar concentration, fermented by Z. mobilis in the presence and absence of ethanol, was evaluated. Ethanol production was low in both media. The presence of initial ethanol in the sugar cane juice reduced ethanol production by 48.8%, biomass production by 25.0% and the total sugar consumption by 28.3%. The presence of initial ethanol in the medium did not affect significantly levan production and biomass yield coefficient (g biomass/g su...

High-Efficiency Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Modified Fullerene [60] for Ethanol Oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qing; Bai, Zhengyu; Shi, Min; Yang, Lin; Qiao, Jinli; Jiang, Kai

2015-01-01

Highlights: • C 60 support provides new ways to develop catalyst materials for its distorted structure. • Pd nanoparticles with uniform size and high dispersion have been successfully assembled on HP-β-CD-C 60 in aqueous solution. • Pd/HP-β-CD-C 60 shows very promising catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. - Abstract: In this paper, Palladium nanoparticles with uniform size and high dispersion have been successfully assembled on hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) modified C 60 (abbreviated as HP-β-CD-C 60 ) via a sodium borohydride reduction process. According to the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements, the average particle size of the as-prepared Pd nanoparticles dispersed on HP-β-CD modified C 60 is 2.7 nm. Electrochemical studies reveal that the Pd/HP-β-CD-C 60 modified electrode shows a significantly high electrocatalytic activity, much more negative onset potentials and better stability than electrodes modified by other electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation, which indicates that it is a better potential candidate for application in a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC)

Water-insoluble fractions of botanical foods lower blood ethanol levels in rats by physically maintaining the ethanol solution after ethanol administration

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Shunji Oshima

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Several studies have analyzed the functions of foods and dietary constituents in the dynamics of alcohol metabolism. However, few studies have reported the function of dietary fibers in the dynamics of alcohol metabolism. Objective: We assessed the effects of botanical foods that contain dietary fibers on alcohol metabolism. Methods: The ability of the water-insoluble fraction (WIF of 18 kinds of botanical foods to maintain 15% (v/v ethanol solution was examined using easily handled filtration. A simple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the correlation between the filtered volumes and blood ethanol concentration (BEC in F344 rats 4 h after the ingestion of 4.0 g/kg of ethanol following dosage of 2.5% (w/v WIF of the experimental botanical foods. Furthermore, the supernatant (6.3 Brix; water-soluble fraction and precipitate (WIF of tomato, with a strong ethanol-maintaining ability, were obtained and BEC and the residual gastric ethanol in rats were determined 2 h after the administration of 4.0 g/kg of ethanol and the individuals fractions. Results: The filtered volumes of dropped ethanol solutions containing all the botanical foods tested except green peas were decreased compared with the ethanol solution without WIF (control. There was a significant correlation between the filtered volumes and blood ethanol concentration (BEC. There was no significant difference in the residual gastric ethanol between controls and the supernatant group; however, it was increased significantly in the WIF group than in controls or the supernatant group. Consistent with this, BEC reached a similar level in controls and the supernatant group but significantly decreased in the WIF group compared with controls or the supernatant group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that WIFs of botanical foods, which are mostly water-insoluble dietary fibers, possess the ability to absorb ethanol-containing solutions, and this ability correlates

Modified SPEEK membranes for direct ethanol fuel cell

KAUST Repository

Maab, Husnul; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2010-01-01

/PI homogeneous blends. The membranes were characterized concerning their water and ethanol solution uptake, water and ethanol permeability in pervaporation experiments and their performance in DEFC tests. The ethanol permeabilities for the CMS-coated (180 nm

High postnatal susceptibility of hippocampal cytoskeleton in response to ethanol exposure during pregnancy and lactation.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Karina Pires; Heimfarth, Luana; Pierozan, Paula; Ferreira, Fernanda; Loureiro, Samanta Oliveira; Fernandes, Carolina Gonçalves; Carvalho, Rônan Vivian; Pessoa-Pureur, Regina

2015-11-01

Ethanol exposure to offspring during pregnancy and lactation leads to developmental disorders, including central nervous system dysfunction. In the present work, we have studied the effect of chronic ethanol exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the phosphorylating system associated with the astrocytic and neuronal intermediate filament (IF) proteins: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilament (NF) subunits of low, medium, and high molecular weight (NFL, NFM, and NFH, respectively) in 9- and 21-day-old pups. Female rats were fed with 20% ethanol in their drinking water during pregnancy and lactation. The homeostasis of the IF phosphorylation was not altered in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, or hippocampus of 9-day-old pups. However, GFAP, NFL, and NFM were hyperphosphorylated in the hippocampus of 21-day-old pups. PKA had been activated in the hippocampus, and Ser55 in the N-terminal region of NFL was hyperphosphorylated. In addition, JNK/MAPK was activated and KSP repeats in the C-terminal region of NFM were hyperphosphorylated in the hippocampus of 21-day-old pups. Decreased NFH immunocontent but an unaltered total NFH/phosphoNFH ratio suggested altered stoichiometry of NFs in the hippocampus of ethanol-exposed 21-day-old pups. In contrast to the high susceptibility of hippocampal cytoskeleton in developing rats, the homeostasis of the cytoskeleton of ethanol-fed adult females was not altered. Disruption of the cytoskeletal homeostasis in neural cells supports the view that regions of the brain are differentially vulnerable to alcohol insult during pregnancy and lactation, suggesting that modulation of JNK/MAPK and PKA signaling cascades target the hippocampal cytoskeleton in a window of vulnerability in 21-day-old pups. Our findings are relevant, since disruption of the cytoskeleton in immature hippocampus could contribute to later hippocampal damage associated with ethanol toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of ethanol on Pavlovian autoshaping in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomie, A; Cunha, C; Mosakowski, E M; Quartarolo, N M; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

1998-09-01

Approach responses, consummatory behaviors, and directed motor responses maintained by food reward resemble autoshaping CRs and are increased by lower doses of ethanol. This study evaluated the effects of presession i.p. injections of ethanol doses (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.70. or 1.00 g/kg) on the acquisition of lever-press autoshaping CR performance in groups of male Long-Evans hooded rats. Paired groups received 15 daily sessions of Pavlovian autoshaping procedures, wherein the insertion of a retractable lever for 5 s (CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food (US). Ethanol facilitated lever-press autoshaping CR acquisition, as revealed by dose-related increases in the number of trials on which CRs were performed. The form of the dose-effect curve was inverted U-shaped with maximal responding induced during sessions 1-5 by the 0.70 g/kg ethanol dose. A similar dose-effect curve was observed during sessions 11-15, revealing that the effects of ethanol on autoshaping CR performance were relatively stable. A pseudoconditioning control group injected presession with 0.50 g/kg ethanol received training wherein the food US was presented randomly with respect to the lever CS. Few lever-presses were performed by the Random 0.50 group, indicating that ethanol's effects on autoshaping CR acquisition and maintenance observed in the Paired 0.50 group were not due to its psychomotor activating effects. A non-injection control group performed more autoshaping CRs than did the control group injected presession with saline, indicating that daily presession i.p. injections per se suppress autoshaping CR performance. Results reveal that low doses of ethanol enhance Pavlovian conditioning of directed motor and consummatory-like responding maintained by food reward. Implications for autoshaping accounts of impulsivity and drug abuse are considered.

Enhanced ethanol gas sensing performance of the networked Pd, In2O3-codecorated ZnO nanorod sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sangmin; Sun, Gun-Joo; Lee, Jae Kyung; Hyun, Soong Keun; Lee, Chongmu

2017-10-01

ZnO nanorods codecorated with Pd and In2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal evaporation of a mixture of ZnO and graphite powders in an oxidizing atmosphere and followed by solvothermal deposition of Pd and In2O3 and their ethanol gas sensing properties were examined. Pristine ZnO nanorods, Pd-decorated ZnO nanorods and In2O3-decorated ZnO nanorods were also prepared in a similar manner. The codecorated ZnO nanorod sensor showed significantly stronger response to ethanol than the other three sensors, suggesting a synergistic effect of Pd and In2O3 codecoration. The former also showed faster response and recovery than the latter. The pristine and codecorated ZnO nanorod sensors exhibited selectivity toward ethanol over other gases such as acetone, CO, benzene, and toluene. The underlying mechanism for the enhanced sensing performance of the Pd, In2O3-codecorated ZnO nanorod sensor toward ethanol is discussed.

Bioelectrochemical ethanol production through mediated acetate reduction by mixed cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinbusch, Kirsten J J; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Schaap, Joris D; Kampman, Christel; Buisman, Cees J N

2010-01-01

Biological acetate reduction with hydrogen is a potential method to convert wet biomass waste into ethanol. Since the ethanol concentration and reaction rates are low, this research studies the feasibility of using an electrode, in stead of hydrogen, as an electron donor for biological acetate reduction in conjunction of an electron mediator. Initially, the effect of three selected mediators on metabolic flows during acetate reduction with hydrogen was explored; subsequently, the best performing mediator was used in a bioelectrochemical system to stimulate acetate reduction at the cathode with mixed cultures at an applied cathode potential of -550 mV. In the batch test, methyl viologen (MV) was found to accelerate ethanol production 6-fold and increased ethanol concentration 2-fold to 13.5 +/- 0.7 mM compared to the control. Additionally, MV inhibited n-butyrate and methane formation, resulting in high ethanol production efficiency (74.6 +/- 6%). In the bioelectrochemical system, MV addition to an inoculated cathode led directly to ethanol production (1.82 mM). Hydrogen was coproduced at the cathode (0.0035 Nm(3) hydrogen m(-2) d(-1)), so it remained unclear whether acetate was reduced to ethanol by electrons supplied by the mediator or by hydrogen. As MV reacted irreversibly at the cathode, ethanol production stopped after 5 days.

Long-Term Effects of Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure in Adolescent and Adult Rats: Radial-Arm Maze Performance and Operant Food Reinforced Responding

Science.gov (United States)

Risher, Mary-Louise; Fleming, Rebekah L.; Boutros, Nathalie; Semenova, Svetlana; Wilson, Wilkie A.; Levin, Edward D.; Markou, Athina; Swartzwelder, H. Scott; Acheson, Shawn K.

2013-01-01

Background Adolescence is not only a critical period of late-stage neurological development in humans, but is also a period in which ethanol consumption is often at its highest. Given the prevalence of ethanol use during this vulnerable developmental period we assessed the long-term effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure during adolescence, compared to adulthood, on performance in the radial-arm maze (RAM) and operant food-reinforced responding in male rats. Methodology/Principal Findings Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to CIE (or saline) and then allowed to recover. Animals were then trained in either the RAM task or an operant task using fixed- and progressive- ratio schedules. After baseline testing was completed all animals received an acute ethanol challenge while blood ethanol levels (BECs) were monitored in a subset of animals. CIE exposure during adolescence, but not adulthood decreased the amount of time that animals spent in the open portions of the RAM arms (reminiscent of deficits in risk-reward integration) and rendered animals more susceptible to the acute effects of an ethanol challenge on working memory tasks. The operant food reinforced task showed that these effects were not due to altered food motivation or to differential sensitivity to the nonspecific performance-disrupting effects of ethanol. However, CIE pre-treated animals had lower BEC levels than controls during the acute ethanol challenges indicating persistent pharmacokinetic tolerance to ethanol after the CIE treatment. There was little evidence of enduring effects of CIE alone on traditional measures of spatial and working memory. Conclusions/Significance These effects indicate that adolescence is a time of selective vulnerability to the long-term effects of repeated ethanol exposure on neurobehavioral function and acute ethanol sensitivity. The positive and negative findings reported here help to further define the nature and extent of the impairments observed

Tunable catalytic properties of bi-functional mixed oxides in ethanol conversion to high value compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramasamy, Karthikeyan K.; Gray, Michel J.; Job, Heather M.; Smith, Colin D.; Wang, Yong

2016-04-10

tA highly versatile ethanol conversion process to selectively generate high value compounds is pre-sented here. By changing the reaction temperature, ethanol can be selectively converted to >C2alcohols/oxygenates or phenolic compounds over hydrotalcite derived bi-functional MgO–Al2O3cata-lyst via complex cascade mechanism. Reaction temperature plays a role in whether aldol condensationor the acetone formation is the path taken in changing the product composition. This article containsthe catalytic activity comparison between the mono-functional and physical mixture counterpart to thehydrotalcite derived mixed oxides and the detailed discussion on the reaction mechanisms.

Phase equilibrium measurements and thermodynamic modelling for the system (CO2 + ethyl palmitate + ethanol) at high pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaschi, Priscilla S.; Mafra, Marcos R.; Ndiaye, Papa M.; Corazza, Marcos L.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Ethyl palmitate and biodiesel comparison in a pressure–composition diagram for the systems (CO 2 + ethyl palmitate + biodiesel), at different temperatures. Highlights: ► We measured VLE, LLE, and VLLE for the system (CO 2 + ethyl palmitate + ethanol). ► The saturation pressures were obtained using a variable-volume view cell. ► Phase envelope of (CO 2 + ethyl palmitate) is different that (CO 2 + soybean oil biodiesel). ► The experimental data were modeled using PR-vdW2 and PR–WS equations of state. - Abstract: This work reports phase equilibrium measurements for the binary {CO 2 (1) + ethyl palmitate(2)} and ternary {CO 2 (1) + ethyl palmitate(2) + ethanol(3)} systems at high pressures. There is currently great interest in biodiesel production processes involving supercritical and/or pressurized solvents, such as non-catalytic supercritical biodiesel production and enzyme-catalysed biodiesel production. Also, supercritical CO 2 can offer an interesting alternative for glycerol separation in the biodiesel purification step in a water-free process. In this context, the main goal of this work was to investigate the phase behaviour of binary and ternary systems involving CO 2 , a pure constituent of biodiesel ethyl palmitate and ethanol. Experiments were carried out in a high-pressure variable-volume view cell with operating temperatures ranging from (303.15 to 353.15) K and pressures up to 21 MPa. The CO 2 mole fraction ranged from 0.5033 to 0.9913 for the binary {CO 2 (1) + ethyl palmitate(2)} system and from 0.4436 to 0.9712 for ternary system {CO 2 (1) + ethyl palmitate(2) + ethanol(3)} system with ethyl ester to ethanol molar ratios of (1:6), (1:3), and (1:1). For the systems investigated, vapour–liquid (VL), liquid–liquid (LL) and vapour–liquid–liquid (VLL) phase transitions were observed. The experimental data sets were successfully modeled using the Peng–Robinson equation of state with the classical van der Waals

Impact of Furfural on Rapid Ethanol Production Using a Membrane Bioreactor

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Mohammad J. Taherzadeh

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A membrane bioreactor was developed to counteract the inhibition effect of furfural in ethanol production. Furfural, a major inhibitor in lignocellulosic hydrolyzates, is a highly toxic substance which is formed from pentose sugars released during the acidic degradation of lignocellulosic materials. Continuous cultivations with complete cell retention were performed at a high dilution rate of 0.5 h−1. Furfural was added directly into the bioreactor by pulse injection or by addition into the feed medium to obtain furfural concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 21.8 g L−1. At all pulse injections of furfural, the yeast was able to convert the furfural very rapidly by in situ detoxification. When injecting 21.8 g L−1 furfural to the cultivation, the yeast converted it by a specific conversion rate of 0.35 g g−1 h−1. At high cell density, Saccharomyces cerevisiae could tolerate very high furfural levels without major changes in the ethanol production. During the continuous cultures when up to 17.0 g L−1 furfural was added to the inlet medium, the yeast successfully produced ethanol, whereas an increase of furfural to 18.6 and 20.6 g L−1 resulted in a rapidly decreasing ethanol production and accumulation of sugars in the permeate. This study show that continuous ethanol fermentations by total cell retention in a membrane bioreactor has a high furfural tolerance and can conduct rapid in situ detoxification of medium containing high furfural concentrations.

Ethanol Demand in United States Gasoline Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadder, G.R.

1998-11-24

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (OWL) Refinery Yield Model (RYM) has been used to estimate the demand for ethanol in U.S. gasoline production in year 2010. Study cases examine ethanol demand with variations in world oil price, cost of competing oxygenate, ethanol value, and gasoline specifications. For combined-regions outside California summer ethanol demand is dominated by conventional gasoline (CG) because the premised share of reformulated gasoline (RFG) production is relatively low and because CG offers greater flexibility for blending high vapor pressure components like ethanol. Vapor pressure advantages disappear for winter CG, but total ethanol used in winter RFG remains low because of the low RFG production share. In California, relatively less ethanol is used in CG because the RFG production share is very high. During the winter in California, there is a significant increase in use of ethanol in RFG, as ethanol displaces lower-vapor-pressure ethers. Estimated U.S. ethanol demand is a function of the refiner value of ethanol. For example, ethanol demand for reference conditions in year 2010 is 2 billion gallons per year (BGY) at a refiner value of $1.00 per gallon (1996 dollars), and 9 BGY at a refiner value of $0.60 per gallon. Ethanol demand could be increased with higher oil prices, or by changes in gasoline specifications for oxygen content, sulfur content, emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCS), and octane numbers.

Ethanol cellular defense induce unfolded protein response in yeast

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Elisabet eNavarro-Tapia

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Ethanol is a valuable industrial product and a common metabolite used by many cell types. However, this molecule produces high levels of cytotoxicity affecting cellular performance at several levels. In the presence of ethanol, cells must adjust some of their components, such as the membrane lipids to maintain homeostasis. In the case of microorganism as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ethanol is one of the principal products of their metabolism and is the main stress factor during fermentation. Although many efforts have been made, mechanisms of ethanol tolerance are not fully understood and very little evidence is available to date for specific signaling by ethanol in the cell. This work studied two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, CECT10094 and Temohaya-MI26, isolated from flor wine and agave fermentation (a traditional fermentation from Mexico respectively, which differ in ethanol tolerance, in order to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the ethanol stress response and the reasons for different ethanol tolerance. The transcriptome was analyzed after ethanol stress and, among others, an increased activation of genes related with the unfolded protein response (UPR and its transcription factor, Hac1p, was observed in the tolerant strain CECT10094. We observed that this strain also resist more UPR agents than Temohaya-MI26 and the UPR-ethanol stress correlation was corroborated observing growth of 15 more strains and discarding UPR correlation with other stresses as thermal or oxidative stress. Furthermore, higher activation of UPR pathway in the tolerant strain CECT10094 was observed using a UPR mCherry reporter. Finally, we observed UPR activation in response to ethanol stress in other S. cerevisiae ethanol tolerant strains as the wine strains T73 and EC1118. This work demonstrates that the UPR pathway is activated under ethanol stress occurring in a standard fermentation and links this response to an enhanced ethanol tolerance. Thus

The Effect of Ethanol-Diesel Blends on The Performance of A Direct Injection Diesel Engine

OpenAIRE

Arifin Nur; Yanuandri Putrasari; Iman Kartolaksono Reksowardojo

2012-01-01

The experiment was conducted on a conventional direct injection diesel engine. Performance test was carried out to evaluate the performance and emission characteristics of a conventional diesel engine that operates on ethanol-diesel blends. The test procedure was performed by coupling the diesel engine on the eddy current dynamometer. Fuel consumption was measured using the AVL Fuel Balance, and a hotwire anemometer was used to measure the air consumption. Some of the emission test devices we...

High-sensitive nitrogen dioxide and ethanol gas sensor using a reduced graphene oxide-loaded double split ring resonator

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sandeep Kumar; Azad, Prakrati; Akhtar, M. J.; Kar, Kamal K.

2017-08-01

A reduced graphene oxide (rGO) incorporated double split ring resonator (DSRR) portable microwave gas sensor is proposed in this work. The sensor is fabricated using two major steps: the DSRR is fabricated on the FR-4 substrate, which is excited by a high impedance microstrip line. The rGO is synthesized via a chemical route and coated inside the smaller ring of the DSRR. The SEM micrographs reveal crumpled sheets of rGO that provide a large surface area, and the XRD patterns of the as-synthesized rGO reveal the two-dimensional structure of the rGO nanosheets. The sensor performance is measured at room temperature using 100-400 ppm of ethanol and NO2 target gases. At 400 ppm, the sensor reveals a shift of 420 and 390 MHz in the S 21 frequency for NO2 and ethanol gases, respectively. The frequency shifts of 130 and 120 MHz in the S 21 resonance frequency are obtained for NO2 and ethanol gases, respectively, at a very low concentration of 100 ppm. The high sensitivity of the proposed rGO gas sensor is achieved due to the combined effect of the large surface area of the rGO responsible for accommodating more gas molecules, and its increased conductivity due to the transfer of the electron from the rGO. Moreover, an exceedingly short response time is observed for NO2 in comparison to ethanol, which allows the proposed sensor to be used for the selective detection of NO2 in a harsh environment. The overall approach used in this study is quite simple, and has great potential to enhance the gas detection behaviour of rGO.

2D PdAg Alloy Nanodendrites for Enhanced Ethanol Electroxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Wenjing; Kang, Xiaolin; Xu, Cheng; Zhou, Junhua; Deng, Jun; Li, Yanguang; Cheng, Si

2018-03-01

The development of highly active and stable electrocatalysts for ethanol electroxidation is of decisive importance to the successful commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells. Despite great efforts invested over the past decade, their progress has been notably slower than expected. In this work, the facile solution synthesis of 2D PdAg alloy nanodendrites as a high-performance electrocatalyst is reported for ethanol electroxidation. The reaction is carried out via the coreduction of Pd and Ag precursors in aqueous solution with the presence of octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as the structural directing agent. Final products feature small thickness (5-7 nm) and random in-plane branching with enlarged surface areas and abundant undercoordinated sites. They exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity (large specific current ≈2600 mA mgPd-1) and excellent operation stability (as revealed from both the cycling and chronoamperometric tests) for ethanol electroxidation. Control experiments show that the improvement comes from the combined electronic and structural effects. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Mutated Yeast Strain with Enhanced Ethanol Production Efficiency and Stress Tolerance

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Naghmeh Hemmati1*, David A. Lightfoot1,2, and Ahmed Fakhoury3

2012-05-01

Full Text Available One of the strategies to improve and optimize bio-ethanolproduction from new feed stocks is to develop new strainsof Saccharomyces cerevisiae with tolerance to stresses. Themain objectives here were to; generate S. cerevisiae mutantstolerant to high ethanol concentrations; test for their abilityto ferment maize starch; and partially characterize the mutationsresponsible for the new phenotypes. A combinationof mutagenesis, selection and cross-stress protection methodswere used. EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate was used tomutagenize one S. cerevisiae strain. The mutagenized yeaststrain was exposed to high concentrations of ethanol andtolerant mutants were isolated. Mutants showed improvedethanol yield (0.02-0.03 g/g of maize and fermentation efficiency(3-5%. Finally, AFLP (Amplified Fragment LengthPolymorphism was performed to identify polymorphisms inthe mutants that might underlie the strains ethanol tolerance.The best performing mutant isolate had four altered genetranscripts encoding; an arginine uptake and canavanine resistanceprotein (CAN1; mitochondrial membrane proteins(SLS1; a putative membrane glycoprotein (VTH1; and cytochromeC oxidase (COX6; EC 1.9.3.1 among about 1,000tested. It was concluded these mutations might underlie theimproved ethanol production efficiency and stress tolerance.

Homo- and heterofermentative lactobacilli differently affect sugarcane-based fuel ethanol fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Basso, Thiago Olitta; Gomes, Fernanda Sgarbosa; Lopes, Mario Lucio; de Amorim, Henrique Vianna; Eggleston, Gillian; Basso, Luiz Carlos

2014-01-01

Bacterial contamination during industrial yeast fermentation has serious economic consequences for fuel ethanol producers. In addition to deviating carbon away from ethanol formation, bacterial cells and their metabolites often have a detrimental effect on yeast fermentative performance. The bacterial contaminants are commonly lactic acid bacteria (LAB), comprising both homo- and heterofermentative strains. We have studied the effects of these two different types of bacteria upon yeast fermentative performance, particularly in connection with sugarcane-based fuel ethanol fermentation process. Homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum was found to be more detrimental to an industrial yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CAT-1), when compared with heterofermentative Lactobacillus fermentum, in terms of reduced yeast viability and ethanol formation, presumably due to the higher titres of lactic acid in the growth medium. These effects were only noticed when bacteria and yeast were inoculated in equal cell numbers. However, when simulating industrial fuel ethanol conditions, as conducted in Brazil where high yeast cell densities and short fermentation time prevail, the heterofermentative strain was more deleterious than the homofermentative type, causing lower ethanol yield and out competing yeast cells during cell recycle. Yeast overproduction of glycerol was noticed only in the presence of the heterofermentative bacterium. Since the heterofermentative bacterium was shown to be more deleterious to yeast cells than the homofermentative strain, we believe our findings could stimulate the search for more strain-specific antimicrobial agents to treat bacterial contaminations during industrial ethanol fermentation.

Numerical investigation of ethanol fuelled HCCI engine using stochastic reactor model. Part 2: Parametric study of performance and emissions characteristics using new reduced ethanol oxidation mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maurya, Rakesh Kumar; Akhil, Nekkanti

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Newly developed reduced ethanol mechanism (47 species and 272 reactions) used. • Engine maps over wide range are developed for performance and emissions parameters. • HCCI operating range increases with compression ratio & decreases with engine speed. • Maximum combustion efficiency up to 99% and thermal efficiency up to 50% is achieved. • Maximum N_2O emission found up to 2.7 ppm and lower load have higher N_2O emission. - Abstract: Ethanol fuelled homogenous charge compression ignition engine offers a better alternative to tackle the problems of achieving higher engine efficiency and lower emissions using renewable fuel. Present study computationally investigates the HCCI operating range of ethanol at different compression ratios by varying inlet air temperature and engine speed using stochastic reactor model. A newly developed reduced ethanol oxidation mechanism with NO_x having 47 species and 272 reactions is used for simulation. HCCI operating range for compression ratios 17, 19 and 21 are investigated and found to be increasing with compression ratio. Simulations are conducted for engine speeds ranging from 1000 to 3000 rpm at different intake temperatures (range 365–465 K). Parametric study of combustion and emission characteristics is conducted and engine maps are developed at most efficient inlet temperatures. HCCI operating range is defined using combustion efficiency (>85%) and maximum pressure rise rate (<5 MPa/ms). In HCCI operating range, higher efficiency is found at higher engine loads and lower engine speeds. Emission characteristics of species (NO_x, N_2O, CO, CH_4, C_2H_4, C_2H_6, CH_3CHO, and HCHO) found in significant amount is also analysed for ethanol fulled HCCI engine. Emission maps for different species are presented and discussed for wide range of speed and load conditions. Some of unregulated species such as aldehydes are emitted in significantly higher quantities from ethanol fuelled HCCI engine at higher load

Ethanol Forensic Toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Paul J; Doroudgar, Shadi; Van Dyke, Priscilla

2017-12-01

Ethanol abuse can lead to negative consequences that oftentimes result in criminal charges and civil lawsuits. When an individual is suspected of driving under the influence, law enforcement agents can determine the extent of intoxication by measuring the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and performing a standardized field sobriety test. The BAC is dependent on rates of absorption, distribution, and elimination, which are influenced mostly by the dose of ethanol ingested and rate of consumption. Other factors contributing to BAC are gender, body mass and composition, food effects, type of alcohol, and chronic alcohol exposure. Because of individual variability in ethanol pharmacology and toxicology, careful extrapolation and interpretation of the BAC is needed, to justify an arrest and assignment of criminal liability. This review provides a summary of the pharmacokinetic properties of ethanol and the clinical effects of acute intoxication as they relate to common forensic questions. Concerns regarding the extrapolation of BAC and the implications of impaired memory caused by alcohol-induced blackouts are discussed. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Characterisation of thermotolerant, ethanol tolerant fermentative Saccharomyces cerevisiae for ethanol production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiransree, N.; Sridhar, M.; Venkateswar Rao, L. [Department of Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad (India)

2000-03-01

Of the four thermotolerant, osmotolerant, flocculating yeasts (VS{sub 1}, VS{sub 2}, VS{sub 3} and VS{sub 4}) isolated from the soil samples collected within the hot regions of Kothagudem Thermal Power Plant, located in Khammam Dt., Andhra Pradesh, India, VS{sub 1} and VS{sub 3} were observed as better performers. They were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. VS{sub 1} and VS{sub 3} were tested for their growth characteristics and fermentation abilities on various carbon sources including molasses at 30 C and 40 C respectively. More biomass and fermentation was observed in sucrose, fructose and glucose. Maximum amount of ethanol produced by VS{sub 3} containing 150 (g/l) of these substrates were 74, 73, and 72 (g/l) at 30 C and 64, 61 and 63 (g/l) at 40 C respectively. With molasses containing 14% sugar, the amount of ethanol produced by VS{sub 3} was 53.2 and 45 (g/l) at 30 C and 40 C respectively. VS{sub 3} strain showed 12% W/V ethanol tolerance. VS{sub 3} strain was also characterised for its ethanol producing ability using various starchy substrates in solid state and submerged fermentation. More ethanol was produced in submerged than solid state fermentation. (orig.)

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of very high gravity (VHG) potato mash for the production of ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srichuwong, Sathaporn; Fujiwara, Maki; Wang, Xiaohui; Seyama, Tomoko; Shiroma, Riki; Arakane, Mitsuhiro; Tokuyasu, Ken [National Food Research Institute, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 2-1-12 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8642 (Japan); Mukojima, Nobuhiro [National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, NARO, 9-4 Shinsei-minami, Memuro-cho, Kasai-gun, Hokkaido 082-0071 (Japan)

2009-05-15

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of very high gravity (VHG) potato mash, containing 304 g L{sup -1} of dissolved carbohydrates, was carried out for ethanol production. Potato tubers were ground into a mash, which was highly viscous. Mash viscosity was reduced by the pretreatment with mixed enzyme preparations of pectinase, cellulase and hemicellulase. The enzymatic pretreatment established the use of VHG mash with a suitable viscosity. Starch in the pretreated mash was liquefied to maltodextrins by the action of thermo-stable {alpha}-amylase at 85 C. SSF of liquefied mash was performed at 30 C with the simultaneous addition of glucoamylase, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ammonium sulfate as a nitrogen source for the yeast. The optimal glucoamylase loading, ammonium sulfate concentration and fermentation time were 1.65 AGU g{sup -1}, 30.2 mM and 61.5 h, respectively, obtained using the response surface methodology (RSM). Ammonium sulfate supplementation was necessary to avoid stuck fermentation under VHG condition. Using the optimized condition, ethanol yield of 16.61% (v/v) was achieved, which was equivalent to 89.7% of the theoretical yield. (author)

Comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones.

Science.gov (United States)

Carnes, Stephanie; O'Brien, Stacey; Szewczak, Angelica; Tremeau-Cayel, Lauriane; Rowe, Walter F; McCord, Bruce; Lurie, Ira S

2017-09-01

A comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones has been conducted. Nine different mixtures of bath salts were analyzed in this study. The three different chromatographic techniques were examined using a general set of controlled synthetic cathinones as well as a variety of other synthetic cathinones that exist as positional isomers. Overall 35 different synthetic cathinones were analyzed. A variety of column types and chromatographic modes were examined for developing each separation. For the ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography separations, analyses were performed using a series of Torus and Trefoil columns with either ammonium formate or ammonium hydroxide as additives, and methanol, ethanol or isopropanol organic solvents as modifiers. Ultra high performance liquid chromatographic separations were performed in both reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction chromatographic modes using SPP C18 and SPP HILIC columns. Gas chromatography separations were performed using an Elite-5MS capillary column. The orthogonality of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography was examined using principal component analysis. For the best overall separation of synthetic cathinones, the use of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography in combination with gas chromatography is recommended. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hierarchical Pd-Sn alloy nanosheet dendrites: an economical and highly active catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Liang-Xin; Wang, An-Liang; Ou, Yan-Nan; Li, Qi; Guo, Rui; Zhao, Wen-Xia; Tong, Ye-Xiang; Li, Gao-Ren

2013-01-01

Hierarchical alloy nanosheet dendrites (ANSDs) are highly favorable for superior catalytic performance and efficient utilization of catalyst because of the special characteristics of alloys, nanosheets, and dendritic nanostructures. In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time a facile and efficient electrodeposition approach for the controllable synthesis of Pd-Sn ANSDs with high surface area. These synthesized Pd-Sn ANSDs exhibit high electrocatalytic activity and superior long-term cycle stability toward ethanol oxidation in alkaline media. The enhanced electrocataytic activity of Pd-Sn ANSDs may be attributed to Pd-Sn alloys, nanosheet dendrite induced promotional effect, large number of active sites on dendrite surface, large surface area, and good electrical contact with the base electrode. Because of the simple implement and high flexibility, the proposed approach can be considered as a general and powerful strategy to synthesize the alloy electrocatalysts with high surface areas and open dendritic nanostructures.

The effects of ethanol addition with waste pork lard methyl ester on performance, emission and combustion characteristics of a diesel engine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Panneer Selvam Dharmaraj

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the recent research, as a result of depletion of world petroleum reserves, considerable attention has been focused on the use of different alternative fuels in diesel engines. The present work aims to ensure the possibility of adding ethanol as an additive with animal fat biodiesel that is tested as an alternative fuel for diesel in a CI engine. In this study, biodiesel is obtained from waste pork lard by base-catalyzed transesterification with methanol when potassium hydroxide as catalyst. 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% by volume of ethanol is blended with neat biodiesel in order to improve performance and combustion characteristics of a diesel engine. The experimental work is carried out in a 3.7 kW, single cylinder, naturally aspirated, water cooled, direct injection diesel engine for different loads and at a constant speed of 1500 rpm. The performance, emission and combustion characteristics of biodiesel-ethanol blends are investigated by comparing them with neat biodiesel and standard diesel. The experimental test results showed that the combustion and performance characteristics improved with the increase in percentage of ethanol addition with biodiesel. When compared to neat biodiesel and standard diesel, an increase in brake thermal efficiency of 5.8% and 4.1% is obtained for BEB7.5 blend at full load of the engine. With the increase in percentage of ethanol fraction in the blends, peak cylinder pressure and the corresponding heat release rate are increased. Biodiesel-ethanol blends exhibit longer ignition delay and shorter combustion duration when compared to neat biodiesel. Optimum reduction in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbon and smoke emission are attained while using BEB5 blend at full load of the engine. However, there is an adverse effect in case of nitrogen oxide emission.

Concomitant stress potentiates the preference for, and consumption of, ethanol induced by chronic pre-exposure to ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Morais-Silva, G; Fernandes-Santos, J; Moreira-Silva, D; Marin, M T

2016-01-01

Ethanol abuse is linked to several acute and chronic injuries that can lead to health problems. Ethanol addiction is one of the most severe diseases linked to the abuse of this drug. Symptoms of ethanol addiction include compulsive substance intake and withdrawal syndrome. Stress exposure has an important role in addictive behavior for many drugs of abuse (including ethanol), but the consequences of stress and ethanol in the organism when these factors are concomitant results in a complex interaction. We investigated the effects of concomitant, chronic administration of ethanol and stress exposure on the withdrawal and consumption of, as well as the preference for, ethanol in mice. Male Swiss mice (30-35 g, 8-10 per group) were exposed to an ethanol liquid diet as the only source of food for 15 days. In the final 5 days, they were exposed to forced swimming stress. Twelve hours after removal of the ethanol liquid diet, animals were evaluated for ethanol withdrawal by measuring anxiety-related behaviors and locomotor activity. Twenty-four hours after evaluation of ethanol withdrawal, they were evaluated for voluntary consumption of ethanol in a "three-bottle choice" paradigm. Mice exposed to chronic consumption of ethanol had decreased locomotor activity during withdrawal. Contrary to our expectations, a concomitant forced swimming stress did not aggravate ethanol withdrawal. Nevertheless, simultaneous ethanol administration and stress exposure increased voluntary consumption of ethanol, mainly solutions containing high concentrations of ethanol. These results showed that stressful situations during ethanol intake may aggravate specific addiction-related behaviors.

Concomitant stress potentiates the preference for, and consumption of, ethanol induced by chronic pre-exposure to ethanol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Morais-Silva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Ethanol abuse is linked to several acute and chronic injuries that can lead to health problems. Ethanol addiction is one of the most severe diseases linked to the abuse of this drug. Symptoms of ethanol addiction include compulsive substance intake and withdrawal syndrome. Stress exposure has an important role in addictive behavior for many drugs of abuse (including ethanol, but the consequences of stress and ethanol in the organism when these factors are concomitant results in a complex interaction. We investigated the effects of concomitant, chronic administration of ethanol and stress exposure on the withdrawal and consumption of, as well as the preference for, ethanol in mice. Male Swiss mice (30–35 g, 8-10 per group were exposed to an ethanol liquid diet as the only source of food for 15 days. In the final 5 days, they were exposed to forced swimming stress. Twelve hours after removal of the ethanol liquid diet, animals were evaluated for ethanol withdrawal by measuring anxiety-related behaviors and locomotor activity. Twenty-four hours after evaluation of ethanol withdrawal, they were evaluated for voluntary consumption of ethanol in a “three-bottle choice” paradigm. Mice exposed to chronic consumption of ethanol had decreased locomotor activity during withdrawal. Contrary to our expectations, a concomitant forced swimming stress did not aggravate ethanol withdrawal. Nevertheless, simultaneous ethanol administration and stress exposure increased voluntary consumption of ethanol, mainly solutions containing high concentrations of ethanol. These results showed that stressful situations during ethanol intake may aggravate specific addiction-related behaviors.

Phytochemical Profile of Erythrina variegata by Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy Analyses

OpenAIRE

Suriyavathana Muthukrishnan; Subha Palanisamy; Senthilkumar Subramanian; Sumathi Selvaraj; Kavitha Rani Mari; Ramalingam Kuppulingam

2016-01-01

Natural products derived from plant sources have been utilized to treat patients with numerous diseases. The phytochemical constituents present in ethanolic leaf extract of Erythrina variegata (ELEV) were identified by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analyses. Shade dried leaves were powdered and extracted with ethanol for analyses through HPLC to identify selected flavonoids and through GC-MS to identify other molecules. Th...

Experimental investigation of performance, exhaust emission and combustion parameters of stationary compression ignition engine using ethanol fumigation in dual fuel mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamuwa, D.K.; Sharma, D.; Soni, S.L.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Potential of renewable fuels as diesel replacement is being emphasized. • Effect of ethanol fumigation on the performance of diesel engine is investigated. • NOx, CO_2 and smoke decreases with simultaneous increase in HC and CO. • Increase in ignition delay with decrease in combustion duration for ethanol substitution observed. - Abstract: Dwindling reserves and steeply increasing prices of the fossil-fuels, concern over climatic change due to release of anthropogenic greenhouse gases and the strict environmental regulations have motivated the researchers for the search for renewable alternative fuel that has clean burning characteristics and may be produced indigenously. Alcohols, being oxygenated fuel improve the combustion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus enhancing agrarian economies and encouraging national economy as a whole. The objective of this paper is to investigate the thermal performance, exhaust emissions and combustion behaviour of small capacity compression ignition engine using fumigated ethanol. Fumigated ethanol at different flow rates is supplied to the cylinder during suction with the help of a simplified low cost ethanol fuelling system. With ethanol fumigation, brake thermal efficiency decreased upto 11.2% at low loads due to deteriorated combustion, whereas improved combustion increased efficiency up to 6% at higher loads, as compared to pure diesel. Maximum reduction of 22%, 41% and 27% respectively in nitrogen oxide, smoke and carbon-di-oxide emissions with simultaneous increase in hydrocarbon and carbon-mono-oxide emissions upto maximum of 144% and 139% respectively for different rates of ethanol fumigation have been observed, when compared to pure diesel operation. This is due to the changes in physico-chemical properties of air fuel mixture, viz combustion temperature, oxygen concentration, latent heat of vaporisation, fuel distribution, cetane number and ignition delay, that occurred with addition of

Ethanol fermentation from molasses at high temperature by thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces sp. IIPE453 and energy assessment for recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Diptarka; Ghosh, Prasenjit; Ghosh, Debashish; Suman, Sunil Kumar; Khan, Rashmi; Agrawal, Deepti; Adhikari, Dilip K

2014-10-01

High temperature ethanol fermentation from sugarcane molasses B using thermophilic Crabtree-positive yeast Kluyveromyces sp. IIPE453 was carried out in batch bioreactor system. Strain was found to have a maximum specific ethanol productivity of 0.688 g/g/h with 92 % theoretical ethanol yield. Aeration and initial sugar concentration were tuning parameters to regulate metabolic pathways of the strain for either cell mass or higher ethanol production during growth with an optimum sugar to cell ratio 33:1 requisite for fermentation. An assessment of ethanol recovery from fermentation broth via simulation study illustrated that distillation-based conventional recovery was significantly better in terms of energy efficiency and overall mass recovery in comparison to coupled solvent extraction-azeotropic distillation technique for the same.

Ethanol fermentation with a flocculating yeast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Admassu, W; Korus, R A; Heimsch, R C

1985-08-01

A 100 cm x 5.7 cm internal diameter tower fermentor was fabricated and operated continuously for 11 months using the floc-forming yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (American Type Culture Collection 4097). Steady state operation of the system was characterized at 32/sup 0/C and pH 4.0 for glucose concentrations ranging from 105 to 215 g l/sup -1/. The height of the yeast bed in the tower was maintained at 80 cm. The high yeast density, ethanol concentration and low pH prevented bacterial contamination in the reactor. The concentration profiles of glucose and ethanol within the bed were described by a dispersion model. Modeling parameters were determined for the yeast by batch kinetics and tracer experiments. The kinetic model included ethanol inhibition and substrate limitation. A tracer study with step input of D-xylose (a non-metabolizable sugar for S. cerevisiae) determined the dispersion number (D/uL=0.16) and liquid voidage (epsilonsub(L)=0.25). Measurements taken after 6 months of continuous operation indicated that there was no significant change in fermentor performance.

High Titer Ethanol and Lignosulfonate Production from SPORL Pretreated Poplar at Pilot Scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Haifeng [Key Laboratory of Low Carbon Energy and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao (China); Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States); Zhu, J. Y., E-mail: jzhu@fs.fed.us; Gleisner, Roland [Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States); Qiu, Xueqing [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Horn, Eric [BioPulping International, Inc., Madison, WI (United States)

2015-04-27

Poplar NE222 (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh × P. nigra L.) wood chips were pretreated in a 390 L pilot-scale rotating wood-pulping digester using a dilute sulfite solution of approximately pH 1.8 at 160°C for 40 min for bioconversion to ethanol and lignosulfonate (LS). An estimated combined hydrolysis factor (CHF) of 3.3 was used to scale the sulfite pretreatment temperature and time from laboratory bench scale experiments, which balanced sugar yield and inhibitor formation to facilitate high titer ethanol production through fermentation using S. cerevisiae YRH400 without detoxification. A terminal ethanol titer of 43.6 g L{sup -1} with a yield of 247 L tonne wood{sup -1} was achieved at total solids loading of 20%. The relatively low ethanol yield compared with yield from Sulfite pretreatment to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL)-pretreated softwoods was due to inefficient utilization of xylose. The LS from SPORL has a substantially higher phenolic group (Ph-OH) content, though it was less sulfonated and had a lower molecular weight than a purified commercial softwood LS, and therefore has potential for certain commercial markets and future novel applications through further processing. The conversion efficiency achieved through process integration and simplification, demonstrated here, has significant importance to the entire supply chain of biofuel production from woody biomass.

Highly Sensitive Ethanol Chemical Sensor Based on Novel Ag-Doped Mesoporous α-Fe2O3 Prepared by Modified Sol-Gel Process

Science.gov (United States)

Alqahtani, Moteb M.; Ali, Atif M.; Harraz, Farid A.; Faisal, M.; Ismail, Adel A.; Sayed, Mahmoud A.; Al-Assiri, M. S.

2018-05-01

Mesoporous α-Fe2O3 has been synthesized via a simple sol-gel procedure in the presence of Pluronic (F-127) triblock copolymer as structure directing agent. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were deposited onto α-Fe2O3 matrix by the photochemical reduction approach. Morphological analysis revealed the formation of Ag nanoparticles with small sizes < 20 nm onto the mesoporous structure of α-Fe2O3 possessing < 50 nm semi-spherical shape. The XRD, FTIR, Raman, UV-vis, PL, and N2 sorption isotherm studies confirmed the high crystallinity, mesoporosity, and optical characteristics of the synthesized product. The electrochemical sensing toward liquid ethanol has been performed using the current devolved Ag/α-Fe2O3-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry ( CV) and current potential ( I-V) techniques, and the obtained results were compared with bare GCE or pure α-Fe2O3. Mesoporous Ag/α-Fe2O3 was found to largely enhance the sensor sensitivity and it exhibited excellent sensing characteristics during the precision detection of low concentrations of ethanol. High and reproducible sensitivity of 41.27 μAmM- 1 cm- 2 at lower ethanol concentration region (0.05 to 0.8 mM) and 2.93 μAmM- 1 cm- 2 at higher concentration zone (0.8 to 15 mM), with a limit of detection (LOD) of 15.4 μM have been achieved. Investigation on reaction kinetics revealed a characteristic behavior of mixed surface and diffusion-controlled processes. Detailed sensing studies revealed also that the sensitivity toward ethanol was higher than that of methanol or isopropanol. With further effort in developing the synthesis and fabrication approaches, a proper utility for the current proposed protocol for fabricating a better sensor device performance is possible.

Fact sheet: Ethanol from corn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-05-31

This fact sheet is intended to provide an overview of the advantages of ethanol from corn, emphasizing ethanol`s contribution to environmental protection and sustainable agriculture. Ethanol, an alternative fuel used as an octane enhancer is produced through the conversion of starch to sugars by enzymes, and fermentation of these sugars to ethanol by yeast. The production process may involve wet milling or dry milling. Both these processes produce valuable by-products, in addition to ethanol and carbon dioxide. Ethanol contains about 32,000 BTU per litre. It is commonly believed that using state-of-the-art corn farming and corn processing processes, the amount of energy contained in ethanol and its by-products would be more than twice the energy required to grow and process corn into ethanol. Ethanol represents the third largest market for Ontario corn, after direct use as animal feed and wet milling for starch, corn sweetener and corn oil. The environmental consequences of using ethanol are very significant. It is estimated that a 10 per cent ethanol blend in gasoline would result in a 25 to 30 per cent decrease in carbon monoxide emissions, a 6 to 10 per cent decrease in net carbon dioxide, a slight increase in nitrous oxide emissions which, however, would still result in an overall decrease in ozone formation, since the significant reduction in carbon monoxide emissions would compensate for any slight increase in nitrous oxide. Volatile organic compounds emission would also decrease by about 7 per cent with a 10 per cent ethanol blend. High level blends could reduce VOCs production by as much as 30 per cent. 7 refs.

Ethanol effect on metabolic activity of the ethalogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum.

Science.gov (United States)

Paschos, Thomas; Xiros, Charilaos; Christakopoulos, Paul

2015-03-12

Fusarium oxysporum is a filamentous fungus which has attracted a lot of scientific interest not only due to its ability to produce a variety of lignocellulolytic enzymes, but also because it is able to ferment both hexoses and pentoses to ethanol. Although this fungus has been studied a lot as a cell factory, regarding applications for the production of bioethanol and other high added value products, no systematic study has been performed concerning its ethanol tolerance levels. In aerobic conditions it was shown that both the biomass production and the specific growth rate were affected by the presence of ethanol. The maximum allowable ethanol concentration, above which cells could not grow, was predicted to be 72 g/L. Under limited aeration conditions the ethanol-producing capability of the cells was completely inhibited at 50 g/L ethanol. The lignocellulolytic enzymatic activities were affected to a lesser extent by the presence of ethanol, while the ethanol inhibitory effect appears to be more severe at elevated temperatures. Moreover, when the produced ethanol was partially removed from the broth, it led to an increase in fermenting ability of the fungus up to 22.5%. The addition of F. oxysporum's system was shown to increase the fermentation of pretreated wheat straw by 11%, in co-fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The assessment of ethanol tolerance levels of F. oxysporum on aerobic growth, on lignocellulolytic activities and on fermentative performance confirmed its biotechnological potential for the production of bioethanol. The cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes of this fungus could be exploited within the biorefinery concept as their ethanol resistance is similar to that of the commercial enzymes broadly used in large scale fermentations and therefore, may substantially contribute to a rational design of a bioconversion process involving F. oxysporum. The SSCF experiments on liquefied wheat straw rich in hemicellulose indicated that the

Environmental sustainability assessment of bio-ethanol production in Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silalertruksa, Thapat; Gheewala, Shabbir H.

2009-01-01

Bio-ethanol is playing an important role in renewable energy for transport according to Thai government policy. This study aims to evaluate the energy efficiency and renewability of bio-ethanol system and identify the current significant environmental risks and availability of feedstocks in Thailand. Four of the seven existing ethanol plants contributing 53% of the total ethanol fuel production in Thailand have been assessed by the net energy balance method and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). A renewability and net energy ratio portfolio has been used to indicate whether existing bio-ethanol production systems have net energy gain and could help reduce dependency on fossil energy. In addition, LCA has been conducted to identify and evaluate the environmental hotspots of 'cradle to gate' bio-ethanol production. The results show that there are significant differences of energy and environmental performance among the four existing production systems even for the same feedstock. The differences are dependent on many factors such as farming practices, feedstock transportion, fuel used in ethanol plants, operation practices and technology of ethanol conversion and waste management practices. Recommendations for improving the overall energy and environmental performance of the bio-ethanol system are suggested in order to direct the bio-ethanol industry in Thailand towards environmental sustainability.

PRENATAL ETHANOL EXPOSURE LEADS TO GREATER ETHANOL-INDUCED APPETITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Science.gov (United States)

Pautassi, Ricardo M.; Nizhnikov, Michael E.; Spear, Norman E.; Molina, Juan C.

2012-01-01

Prenatal ethanol significantly heightens later alcohol consumption, but the mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon are poorly understood. Little is known about the basis of this effect of prenatal ethanol on the sensitivity to ethanol’s reinforcing effects. One possibility is that prenatal ethanol exposure makes subjects more sensitive to the appetitive effects of ethanol or less sensitive to ethanol’s aversive consequences. The present study assessed ethanol-induced second-order conditioned place preference (CPP) and aversion and ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA) in infant rats prenatally exposed to ethanol (2.0 g/kg) or vehicle (water) or left untreated. The involvement of the κ opioid receptor system in ethanol-induced CTA was also explored. When place conditioning occurred during the ascending limb of the blood-ethanol curve (Experiment 1), the pups exposed to ethanol in utero exhibited greater CPP than untreated controls, with a shift to the right of the dose-response curve. Conditioning during a later phase of intoxication (30–45 min post-administration; Experiment 2) resulted in place aversion in control pups exposed to vehicle during late gestation but not in pups that were exposed to ethanol in utero. Ethanol induced a reliable and similar CTA (Experiment 3) in the pups treated with vehicle or ethanol during gestation, and CTA was insensitive to κ antagonism. These results suggest that brief exposure to a moderate ethanol dose during late gestation promotes ethanol-mediated reinforcement and alters the expression of conditioned aversion by ethanol. This shift in the motivational reactivity to ethanol may be an underlying basis of the effect of prenatal ethanol on later ethanol acceptance. PMID:22698870

Nucleus Accumbens MC4-R Stimulation Reduces Food and Ethanol Intake in Adult Rats Regardless of Binge-Like Ethanol Exposure during Adolescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisca Carvajal

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The melanocortin (MC system regulates feeding and ethanol consumption. Recent evidence shows that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4-R stimulation within the nucleus accumbens (NAc elicits anorectic responses and reduces ethanol consumption and ethanol palatability in adult rats. Ethanol exposure during adolescence causes long-lasting changes in neural pathways critically involved in neurobehavioral responses to ethanol. In this regard, binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence reduces basal alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH and alters the levels of agouti-related peptide (AgRP in hypothalamic and limbic areas. Given the protective role of MC against excessive ethanol consumption, disturbances in the MC system induced by binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence might contribute to excessive ethanol consumption during adulthood. In the present study, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence leads to elevated ethanol intake and/or eating disturbance during adulthood. Toward that aim, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with ethanol (3 g/kg i.p.; BEP group or saline (SP group for 14 days (PND 25 to PND 38. On PND73, all the groups were given access to 20% ethanol on an intermittent schedule. Our results showed that adult rats given intermittent access (IAE to 20% ethanol achieved high spontaneous ethanol intake that was not significantly enhanced by binge-like ethanol pretreatment during adolescence. However, BEP group exhibited an increase in food intake without a parallel increase in body weight (BW relative to SP group suggesting caloric efficiency disturbance. Additionally, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence alters the expected reduction in feeding and ethanol consumption following NAc shell administration of a selective MC4-R agonist in adult rats showing high rates of ethanol consumption. For that, animals in each pretreatment condition (SP and BEP were divided into

Novel strategy to improve vanillin tolerance and ethanol fermentation performances of Saccharomycere cerevisiae strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Dao-Qiong; Jin, Xin-Na; Zhang, Ke; Fang, Ya-Hong; Wu, Xue-Chang

2017-05-01

The aim of this work was to develop a novel strategy for improving the vanillin tolerance and ethanol fermentation performances of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Isogeneic diploid, triploid, and tetraploid S. cerevisiae strains were generated by genome duplication of haploid strain CEN.PK2-1C. Ploidy increments improved vanillin tolerance and diminished proliferation capability. Antimitotic drug methyl benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamate (MBC) was used to introduce chromosomal aberrations into the tetraploid S. cerevisiae strain. Interestingly, aneuploid mutants with DNA contents between triploid and tetraploid were more resistant to vanillin and showed faster ethanol fermentation rates than all euploid strains. The physiological characteristics of these mutants suggest that higher bioconversion capacities of vanillin and ergosterol contents might contribute to improved vanillin tolerance. This study demonstrates that genome duplication and MBC treatment is a powerful strategy to improve the vanillin tolerance of yeast strains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological pretreatment and ethanol production from olive cake

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jurado, Esperanza; Gavala, Hariklia N.; Baroi, George Nabin

2010-01-01

Olive oil is one of the major Mediterranean products, whose nutritional and economic importance is well-known. However the extraction of olive oil yields a highly contaminating residue that causes serious environmental concerns in the olive oil producing countries. The olive cake (OC) coming out...... of the three-phase olive oil production process could be used as low price feedstock for lignocellulosic ethanol production due to its high concentration in carbohydrates. However, the binding of the carbohydrates with lignin may significantly hinder the necessary enzymatic hydrolysis of the polymeric sugars...... before ethanol fermentation. Treatment with three white rot fungi, Phaneroachaete chrysosporium, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Ceriolopsis polyzona has been applied on olive cake in order to investigate the potential for performing delignification and thus enhancing the efficiency of the subsequent...

Increase of ethanol productivity by cell-recycle fermentation of flocculating yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, F Z; Xie, T; Hui, M

2011-01-01

Using the recombinant flocculating Angel yeast F6, long-term repeated batch fermentation for ethanol production was performed and a high volumetric productivity resulted from half cells not washed and the optimum opportunity of residual glucose 20 g l(-1) of last medium. The obtained highest productivity was 2.07 g l-(1) h(-1), which was improved by 75.4% compared with that of 1.18 g l(-1) h(-1) in the first batch fermentation. The ethanol concentration reached 8.4% corresponding to the yield of 0.46 g g(-1). These results will contribute greatly to the industrial production of fuel ethanol using the commercial method with the flocculating yeast.

Impact of parameter fluctuations on the performance of ethanol precipitation in production of Re Du Ning Injections, based on HPLC fingerprints and principal component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Li-Qiong; Wang, Shu-Yao; Li, Yan-Jing; Wang, Yong-Xiang; Wang, Zhen-Zhong; Huang, Wen-Zhe; Wang, Yue-Sheng; Bi, Yu-An; Ding, Gang; Xiao, Wei

2016-01-01

The present study was designed to determine the relationships between the performance of ethanol precipitation and seven process parameters in the ethanol precipitation process of Re Du Ning Injections, including concentrate density, concentrate temperature, ethanol content, flow rate and stir rate in the addition of ethanol, precipitation time, and precipitation temperature. Under the experimental and simulated production conditions, a series of precipitated resultants were prepared by changing these variables one by one, and then examined by HPLC fingerprint analyses. Different from the traditional evaluation model based on single or a few constituents, the fingerprint data of every parameter fluctuation test was processed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to comprehensively assess the performance of ethanol precipitation. Our results showed that concentrate density, ethanol content, and precipitation time were the most important parameters that influence the recovery of active compounds in precipitation resultants. The present study would provide some reference for pharmaceutical scientists engaged in research on pharmaceutical process optimization and help pharmaceutical enterprises adapt a scientific and reasonable cost-effective approach to ensure the batch-to-batch quality consistency of the final products. Copyright © 2016 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of an alcoholic hepatic steatosis model induced by ethanol and high-fat diet in rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Alcoholic liver disease is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, which increases when ethanol is associated with high-fat diets (HFD. This work aimed to establish a model of alcoholic hepatic steatosis (AHS by using a combination of 10% ethanol and sunflower seeds as the source of HFD. Male rats received water or 10% ethanol and regular chow diet and/or HFD, which consisted of sunflower seeds. The food consumption, liquid intake and body weight of the rats were monitored for 30 days. After this period, blood was collected for biochemical evaluation, and liver samples were collected for histological, mitochondrial enzyme activity and oxidative stress analyses. Our results indicated that the combination of 10% ethanol and HFD induced micro- and macrosteatosis and hepatocyte tumefaction, decreased the levels of reduced glutathione and glutathione S-transferase activity and increased the level of lipoperoxidation and superoxide dismutase activity. The mitochondrial oxidation of NADH and succinate were partially inhibited. Complexes I and II were the main inhibition sites. Hepatic steatosis was successfully induced after 4 weeks of the diet, and the liver function was modified. The combination of 10% ethanol and sunflower seeds as an HFD produced an inexpensive model to study AHS in rats.

Relationship of trehalose accumulation with ethanol fermentation in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pin-Mei; Zheng, Dao-Qiong; Chi, Xiao-Qin; Li, Ou; Qian, Chao-Dong; Liu, Tian-Zhe; Zhang, Xiao-Yang; Du, Feng-Guang; Sun, Pei-Yong; Qu, Ai-Min; Wu, Xue-Chang

2014-01-01

The protective effect and the mechanisms of trehalose accumulation in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were investigated during ethanol fermentation. The engineered strains with more intercellular trehalose achieved significantly higher fermentation rates and ethanol yields than their wild strain ZS during very high gravity (VHG) fermentation, while their performances were not different during regular fermentation. The VHG fermentation performances of these strains were consistent with their growth capacity under osmotic stress and ethanol stress, the key stress factors during VHG fermentation. These results suggest that trehalose accumulation is more important for VHG fermentation of industrial yeast strains than regular one. The differences in membrane integrity and antioxidative capacity of these strains indicated the possible mechanisms of trehalose as a protectant under VHG condition. Therefore, trehalose metabolic engineering may be a useful strategy for improving the VHG fermentation performance of industrial yeast strains. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adenylyl cylases 1 and 8 mediate select striatal-dependent behaviors and sensitivity to ethanol stimulation in the adolescent period following acute neonatal ethanol exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Susick, Laura L; Lowing, Jennifer L; Bosse, Kelly E; Hildebrandt, Clara C; Chrumka, Alexandria C; Conti, Alana C

2014-08-01

Neonatal alcohol exposure in rodents causes dramatic neurodegenerative effects throughout the developing nervous system, particularly in the striatum, acutely after exposure. These acute neurodegenerative effects are augmented in mice lacking adenylyl cyclases 1 and 8 (AC1/8) as neonatal mice with a genetic deletion of both AC isoforms (DKO) have increased vulnerability to ethanol-induced striatal neurotoxicity compared to wild type (WT) controls. While neonatal ethanol exposure is known to negatively impact cognitive behaviors, such as executive functioning and working memory in adolescent and adult animals, the threshold of ethanol exposure required to impinge upon developmental behaviors in mice has not been extensively examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the behavioral effects of neonatal ethanol exposure using various striatal-dependent developmental benchmarks and to assess the impact of AC1/8 deletion on this developmental progression. WT and DKO mice were treated with 2.5 g/kg ethanol or saline on postnatal day (P)6 and later subjected to the wire suspension, negative geotaxis, postural reflex, grid hang, tail suspension and accelerating rotarod tests at various time points. At P30, mice were evaluated for their hypnotic responses to 4.0 g/kg ethanol by using the loss of righting reflex assay and ethanol-induced stimulation of locomotor activity after 2.0 g/kg ethanol. Ethanol exposure significantly impaired DKO performance in the negative geotaxis test while genetic deletion of AC1/8 alone increased grid hang time and decreased immobility time in the tail suspension test with a concomitant increase in hindlimb clasping behavior. Locomotor stimulation was significantly increased in animals that received ethanol as neonates, peaking significantly in ethanol-treated DKO mice compared to ethanol-treated WT controls, while sedation duration following high-dose ethanol challenge was unaffected. These data indicate that the

Sorghum to Ethanol Research Initiative: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-08-291

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolfrum, E.

2011-10-01

The goal of this project was to investigate the feasibility of using sorghum to produce ethanol. The work performed included a detailed examination of the agronomics and composition of a large number of sorghum varieties, laboratory experiments to convert sorghum to ethanol, and economic and life-cycle analyses of the sorghum-to-ethanol process. This work showed that sorghum has a very wide range of composition, which depended on the specific sorghum cultivar as well as the growing conditions. The results of laboratory- and pilot-scale experiments indicated that a typical high-biomass sorghum variety performed very similarly to corn stover during the multi-step process required to convert biomass feedstocks to ethanol; yields of ethanol for sorghum were very similar to the corn stover used as a control in these experiments. Based on multi-year agronomic data and theoretical ethanol production, sorghum can achieve more than 1,300 gallons of ethanol per acre given the correct genetics and environment. In summary, sorghum may be a compelling dedicated bioenergy crop that could help provide a portion of the feedstocks required to produce renewable domestic transportation fuels.

Oxidative and Non-Oxidative Metabolomics of Ethanol

OpenAIRE

Ricardo Jorge Dinis Oliveira

2016-01-01

Background: It is well known that ethanol can cause significant morbidity and mortality, and much of the related toxic effects can be explained by its metabolic profile. Objective: This work performs a complete review of the metabolism of ethanol focusing on both major and minor metabolites. Method: An exhaustive literature search was carried out using textual and structural queries for ethanol and related known metabolizing enzymes and metabolites. Results: The main pathway of metabolism is ...

Alterations in ethanol-induced behaviors and consumption in knock-in mice expressing ethanol-resistant NMDA receptors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina R den Hartog

Full Text Available Ethanol's action on the brain likely reflects altered function of key ion channels such as glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs. In this study, we determined how expression of a mutant GluN1 subunit (F639A that reduces ethanol inhibition of NMDARs affects ethanol-induced behaviors in mice. Mice homozygous for the F639A allele died prematurely while heterozygous knock-in mice grew and bred normally. Ethanol (44 mM; ∼0.2 g/dl significantly inhibited NMDA-mediated EPSCs in wild-type mice but had little effect on responses in knock-in mice. Knock-in mice had normal expression of GluN1 and GluN2B protein across different brain regions and a small reduction in levels of GluN2A in medial prefrontal cortex. Ethanol (0.75-2.0 g/kg; i.p. increased locomotor activity in wild-type mice but had no effect on knock-in mice while MK-801 enhanced activity to the same extent in both groups. Ethanol (2.0 g/kg reduced rotarod performance equally in both groups but knock-in mice recovered faster following a higher dose (2.5 g/kg. In the elevated zero maze, knock-in mice had a blunted anxiolytic response to ethanol (1.25 g/kg as compared to wild-type animals. No differences were noted between wild-type and knock-in mice for ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, sleep time, hypothermia or ethanol metabolism. Knock-in mice consumed less ethanol than wild-type mice during daily limited-access sessions but drank more in an intermittent 24 h access paradigm with no change in taste reactivity or conditioned taste aversion. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that NMDA receptors are important in regulating a specific constellation of effects following exposure to ethanol.

Alterations in ethanol-induced behaviors and consumption in knock-in mice expressing ethanol-resistant NMDA receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

den Hartog, Carolina R; Beckley, Jacob T; Smothers, Thetford C; Lench, Daniel H; Holseberg, Zack L; Fedarovich, Hleb; Gilstrap, Meghin J; Homanics, Gregg E; Woodward, John J

2013-01-01

Ethanol's action on the brain likely reflects altered function of key ion channels such as glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). In this study, we determined how expression of a mutant GluN1 subunit (F639A) that reduces ethanol inhibition of NMDARs affects ethanol-induced behaviors in mice. Mice homozygous for the F639A allele died prematurely while heterozygous knock-in mice grew and bred normally. Ethanol (44 mM; ∼0.2 g/dl) significantly inhibited NMDA-mediated EPSCs in wild-type mice but had little effect on responses in knock-in mice. Knock-in mice had normal expression of GluN1 and GluN2B protein across different brain regions and a small reduction in levels of GluN2A in medial prefrontal cortex. Ethanol (0.75-2.0 g/kg; i.p.) increased locomotor activity in wild-type mice but had no effect on knock-in mice while MK-801 enhanced activity to the same extent in both groups. Ethanol (2.0 g/kg) reduced rotarod performance equally in both groups but knock-in mice recovered faster following a higher dose (2.5 g/kg). In the elevated zero maze, knock-in mice had a blunted anxiolytic response to ethanol (1.25 g/kg) as compared to wild-type animals. No differences were noted between wild-type and knock-in mice for ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, sleep time, hypothermia or ethanol metabolism. Knock-in mice consumed less ethanol than wild-type mice during daily limited-access sessions but drank more in an intermittent 24 h access paradigm with no change in taste reactivity or conditioned taste aversion. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that NMDA receptors are important in regulating a specific constellation of effects following exposure to ethanol.

Carbon nanotube-based ethanol sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brahim, Sean; Colbern, Steve; Gump, Robert; Moser, Alex; Grigorian, Leonid

2009-01-01

Sensors containing metal-carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid materials as the active sensing layer were demonstrated for ethanol vapor detection at room temperature. The metal-CNT hybrid materials were synthesized by infiltrating single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with the transition metals Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Pd or Pt. Each sensor was prepared by drop-casting dilute dispersions of a metal-CNT hybrid onto quartz substrate electrodes and the impedimetric responses to varying ethanol concentration were recorded. Upon exposure to ethanol vapor, the ac impedance (Z') of the sensors was found to decrease to different extents. The sensor containing pristine CNT material was virtually non-responsive at low ethanol concentrations (<50 ppm). In contrast, all metal-CNT hybrid sensors showed extremely high sensitivity to trace ethanol levels with 100-fold or more gains in sensitivity relative to the starting SWNT sensor. All hybrid sensors, with the exception of Ni filled CNT, exhibited significantly larger sensor responses to ethanol vapor up to 250 ppm compared to the starting SWNT sensor.

Desolvation of L-histidine and {alpha}-ketoisocaproic acid complex from ethanolate crystals under humidified conditions and influence of crystallinity on its desolvation; Histidine Ketoisocapron san ensan ethanol wamono kessho no koshitsudo jokenka deno datsu ethanol to datsu ethanol sei ni oyobosu kesshosei no eikyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kishimoto, S.; Tanabe, T.; Maruyama, S.; Kishishita, A.; Nagashima, N. [Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-07-10

Desolvation of L-histidine and a-ketoisocaproic acid complex from ethanolate crystals was investigated. The ethanolate crystals were obtained from ethanol aqueous solutions of above 60 wt% of ethanol. It was difficult to remove ethanol molecules from the crystals lay vacuum drying. However, it was found that ethanol molecules in the crystal lattice could be released under humidified conditions, for example, 313 K and 60% relative humidity, accompanied by transformation to non-solvated crystals. When the peak of 2{theta}=9.0{degree}(CuK{alpha} radiation) in powder X-ray diffraction pattern of the ethanolate crystals was weak, ethanol molecules (about 1wt.%) remained in the crystals at the end of transformations and then the residual ethanol decreased slowly. A controlled moderate cooling process, where the supersaturation is released slowly, is the key point to obtain ethanolate crystals having high `crystallinity` (defined as peak height of 2{theta}=9.0{degree}) which shows quick desolation rather than adding ethanol for a rapid increase of supersaturation in crystallization. 6 refs., 7 figs.

Operant ethanol self-administration in ethanol dependent mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Marcelo F; Becker, Howard C

2014-05-01

While rats have been predominantly used to study operant ethanol self-administration behavior in the context of dependence, several studies have employed operant conditioning procedures to examine changes in ethanol self-administration behavior as a function of chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal experience in mice. This review highlights some of the advantages of using operant conditioning procedures for examining the motivational effects of ethanol in animals with a history of dependence. As reported in rats, studies using various operant conditioning procedures in mice have demonstrated significant escalation of ethanol self-administration behavior in mice rendered dependent via forced chronic ethanol exposure in comparison to nondependent mice. This paper also presents a summary of these findings, as well as suggestions for future studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancing Pt-Ni/CeO2 performances for ethanol reforming by catalyst supporting on high surface silica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palma, V.; Ruocco, C; Meloni, E.; Gallucci, F.; Ricca, A.

2018-01-01

In this paper, bimetallic Pt-Ni/CeO2 catalysts supported over mesoporous silica were employed for ethanol reforming in the low-temperature range. In particular, catalyst behaviour was investigated under a H2O/C2H5OH/N2 as well as H2O/C2H5OH/AIR mixture between 300 and 600 °C at different space

An experimental study on renal infarction with ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Man Chung; Choi, Byung Ihn; Park, Jae Hyung; Ha, Sung Whan; Chang, Kee Hyun

1982-01-01

Renal infarction with ethanol was induced experimentally in rabbits and selective renal angiography was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of ethanol as embolic material. The results were as follows: 1. Complete obstruction of renal artery was produced in all cases within 1 week after injection of absolute ethanol (0.5 ml/Kg). 2. Incomplete obstruction of renal artery was produced in majority after injection of absolute ethanol (0.2 ml/Kg) and changed to complete obstruction above half cases with time. 3. Incomplete obstructive of renal artery was produced in minority after injection of 60% ethanol (0.2 ml/Kg) and complete obstruction of renal artery was not produced. It was consider that ethanol is an effective agent for complete renal infarction and 0.2 to 0.5 ml/Kg of absolute ethanol is effective dose for complete renal infarction

Ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials. Fermentation and on-line analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olsson, L.

1994-04-01

The fermentation performance of bacteria, yeast and fungi was investigated in lignocellulosic hydrolysates with the aim of finding microorganisms which both withstand the inhibitors and that have the ability to ferment pentoses. Firstly, the performance of Saccharomyces cidri, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactococcus lactis ssp lactis, Escherichia coli and Zymomonas mobilis was investigated in spent sulphite liquor and enzymatic hydrolysate of steam-pretreated willow. Secondly, the performance of natural and recombinant E. coli, Pichia stipitis, recombinant S. cerevisiae, S. cerevisiae in combination with xylose isomerase and Fusarium oxysporum was investigated in a xylose-rich acid hydrolysate of corn cob. Recombinant E. coli was the best alternative for fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates, giving both high yields and productivities. The main drawback was that detoxification was necessary. The kinetics of the fermentation with recombinant E. coli KO11 was investigated in the condensate of steam-pretreated willow. A cost analysis of the ethanol production from willow was made, which predicted an ethanol production cost of 3.9 SEK/l for the pentose fermentation. The detoxification cost constituted 22% of this cost. The monitoring of three monosaccharides and ethanol in lignocellulosic hydro lysates is described. The monosaccharides were determined using immobilized pyranose oxidase in an on-line amperometric analyser. Immobilization and characterization of pyranose oxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium is also described. The ethanol was monitored on-line using a micro dialysis probe as an in situ sampling device. The dialysate components were then separated in a column liquid chromatographic system and the ethanol was selectively detected by an amperometric alcohol bio sensor. The determinations with on-line analysis methods agreed well with off-line methods. 248 refs, 4 figs, 12 tabs

Facile synthesis of a platinum-lead oxide nanocomposite catalyst with high activity and durability for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei-Hua; Wang, Hong-Hui; Chen, De-Hao; Zhou, Zhi-You; Sun, Shi-Gang

2012-12-21

Aimed at searching for highly active and stable nano-scale Pt-based catalysts that can improve significantly the energy conversion efficiency of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), a novel Pt-PbO(x) nanocomposite (Pt-PbO(x) NC) catalyst with a mean size of 3.23 nm was synthesized through a simple wet chemistry method without using a surfactant, organometallic precursors and high temperature. Electrocatalytic tests demonstrated that the as-prepared Pt-PbO(x) NC catalyst possesses a much higher catalytic activity and a longer durability than Pt nanoparticles (nm-Pt) and commercial Pt black catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation. For instance, Pt-PbO(x) NC showed an onset potential that was 30 mV and 44 mV less positive, together with a peak current density 1.7 and 2.6 times higher than those observed for nm-Pt and Pt black catalysts in the cyclic voltammogram tests. The ratio of current densities per unit Pt mass on Pt-PbO(x) NC, nm-Pt and Pt black catalysts is 27.3 : 3.4 : 1 for the long-term (2 hours) chronoamperometric experiments measured at -0.4 V (vs. SCE). In situ FTIR spectroscopic studies revealed that the activity of breaking C-C bonds of ethanol of the Pt-PbO(x) NC is as high as 5.17 times that of the nm-Pt, which illustrates a high efficiency of ethanol oxidation to CO(2) on the as-prepared Pt-PbO(x) NC catalyst.

Experimental investigation and modeling of adsorption of water and ethanol on cornmeal in an ethanol-water binary vapor system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, H.; Yuan, X.G.; Tian, H.; Zeng, A.W. [State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2006-04-15

The adsorption capacity of water and ethanol on cornmeal in an ethanol-water binary vapor system was investigated in a fixed-bed apparatus for ethanol dehydration. Experiments were performed at temperatures of 82-100 C for different relative humidities of ethanol-water vapor. Adsorption equilibrium models, including those based on the adsorption potential theory of Polanyi and Sircar's model, have been used to fit the experimental data for water adsorption on cornmeal, and all gave good fits. For ethanol adsorption, pseudo-equilibrium was defined as the mass adsorbed on the cornmeal within the time needed for the equilibrium for water on the same adsorbent. Based on this limiting condition, adsorption behaviors and mechanisms were analyzed. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Effect of Di-Tertiary Butyl Peroxide on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of ethanol blended cotton seed methyl ester fuelled automotive diesel engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, K. Senthil; Raj, R. Thundil Karuppa

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Effect of di-tertiary butyl peroxide on ethanol blended biodiesel is investigated. • Cetane enhanced ethanol up to 10% can be blended with cotton seed biodiesel. • Nitrogen oxides emissions are lower for cetane enhanced ethanol biodiesels. • Performance characteristics of cetane improved ethanol biodiesels are reasonable. • Cetane enhanced ethanol blended biodiesel is an promising renewable energy source. - Abstract: An experimental study is carried out to examine and analyze the influence of Di-Tertiary Butyl Peroxide in bioethanol diesel blends on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics in a single cylinder, 4-stroke, naturally aspirated, automotive diesel engine for variable speed at full load conditions. Esterified cotton seed oil of 5% by volume is emulsified with 95% pure diesel to get the base fuel (BE0) for the experiments. Bioethanol diesel blends are produced from base fuel by adding 5% and 10% pure ethanol on a volumetric basis to obtain BE5 and BE10 respectively. The bioethanol fuels are low in Cetane number and hence Di-Tertiary Butyl Peroxide a Cetane enhancer is added by 0.4% by volume to produce BE5CN0.4% and BE10CN0.4% emulsions respectively. It is found from the experiments carried out, that an inverse trend exists between brake thermal efficiency and percentage of ethanol in base fuel. This is due to the lower calorific value of ethanol and an improvement in brake thermal efficiency is observed with ignition improver added blends. The presence of Cetane improver significantly reduced oxides of nitrogen and unburned hydro carbon emissions for overall engine speed and carbon monoxide emissions for low to medium speed range.

Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu

2016-01-01

Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

[Continuous ethanol fermentation coupled with recycling of yeast flocs].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bo; Ge, Xu-Meng; Li, Ning; Bai, Feng-Wu

2006-09-01

A continuous ethanol fermentation system composed of three-stage tanks in series coupled with two sedimentation tanks was established. A self-flocculating yeast strain developed by protoplast fusion from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe was applied. Two-stage enzymatic hydrolysate of corn powder containing 220g/L of reducing sugar, supplemented with 1.5g/L (NH4)2HPO4 and 2.5g/L KH2PO4, was used as the ethanol fermentation substrate and fed into the first fermentor at the dilution rate of 0.057h(-1). The yeast flocs separated by sedimentation were recycled into the first fermentor as two different models: activation-recycle and direct recycle. The quasi-steady states were obtained for both operation models after the fermentation systems experienced short periods of transitions. Activation process helped enhance the performance of ethanol fermentation at the high dilution rates. The broth containing more than 101g/L ethanol, 3.2g/L residual reducing sugar and 7.7g/L residual total sugar was produced. The ethanol productivity was calculated to be 5.77g/(L x h), which increased by more than 70% compared with that achieved in the same tank in series system without recycling of yeast cells.

Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

Ethanol production in an integrated fermentation/membrane system. Process simulations and economics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Groot, W J; Kraayenbrink, M R; Lans, R.G.J.M. van der; Luyben, K C.A.M. [Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands). Dept. of Biochemical Engineering

1993-01-01

Four systems comprising of an ethanol fermentation integrated with microfiltration and/or pervaporation, and a conventional continuous culture, were compared with respect to the performance of the fermentation and economics. The processes are compared on the basis of the same kinetic model. It is found that cell retention by microfiltration leads to lower production costs, compared to a conventional continuous culture. Pervaporation becomes profitable at a high selectivity of ethanol/water separation and low membrane prices. (orig.).

Crude oil–corn–ethanol – nexus: A contextual approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natanelov, Valeri; McKenzie, Andrew M.; Van Huylenbroeck, Guido

2013-01-01

This paper offers a holistic study on the complex relationships between crude oil, corn and ethanol during a turbulent period between 2006 and end of 2011. Through a holistic mapping of the current market situation and a contextual analytical design we show that there exists a strong relationship between crude oil and corn markets on one side, and crude oil and ethanol on the other. However, the price relationship between corn and ethanol was revealed to be less straightforward, and is driven by the US government fuel policy. Furthermore the study indicates that corn markets have became more prone to volatility due to ethanol production, especially when the demand for corn is high and/or the crude oil prices are high enough to create a competitive market for ethanol. - Highlights: • Strong relationship between crude oil–corn and crude oil–ethanol. • Corn–ethanol connected through a by-pass of crude oil markets. • Ethanol market has no direct impact on the price levels of corn. • Corn markets became more prone to volatility due to ethanol production

Ethanol production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates using engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae harboring xylose isomerase-based pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Ja Kyong; Um, Youngsoon; Woo, Han Min; Kim, Kyoung Heon; Lee, Sun-Mi

2016-06-01

The efficient co-fermentation of glucose and xylose is necessary for the economically feasible bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Even with xylose utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the efficiency of the lignocellulosic ethanol production remains suboptimal mainly due to the low conversion yield of xylose to ethanol. In this study, we evaluated the co-fermentation performances of SXA-R2P-E, a recently engineered isomerase-based xylose utilizing strain, in mixed sugars and in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. In a high-sugar fermentation with 70g/L of glucose and 40g/L of xylose, SXA-R2P-E produced 50g/L of ethanol with an yield of 0.43gethanol/gsugars at 72h. From dilute acid-pretreated hydrolysates of rice straw and hardwood (oak), the strain produced 18-21g/L of ethanol with among the highest yield of 0.43-0.46gethanol/gsugars ever reported. This study shows a highly promising potential of a xylose isomerase-expressing strain as an industrially relevant ethanol producer from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High stable suspension of magnetite nanoparticles in ethanol by using sono-synthesized nanomagnetite in polyol medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastami, Tahereh Rohani; Entezari, Mohammad H.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The sonochemical synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles was carried out in EG without any surfactant. • The nanoparticles with sizes ∼24 nm were composed of small building blocks with sizes ∼2 nm. • The hydrophilic magnetite nanoparticles were stable in ethanol even after 8 months. • Ultrasonic intensity showed a crucial role on the obtained high stable magnetite nanoparticles in ethanol. - Abstract: The sonochemical synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles was carried out at relatively low temperature (80 °C) in ethylene glycol (EG) as a polyol solvent. The particle size was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The magnetite nanoparticles with an average size of 24 nm were composed of small building blocks with an average size of 2–3 nm and the particles exhibited nearly spherical shape. The surface characterization was investigated by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The stability of magnetite nanoparticles was studied in ethanol as a polar solvent. The nanoparticles showed an enhanced stability in ethanol which is due to the hydrophilic surface of the particles. The colloidal stability of magnetite nanoparticles in ethanol was monitored by UV–visible spectrophotometer. According to the results, the nanoparticles synthesized in 30 min of sonication with intensity of 35 W/cm 2 (50%) led to a maximum stability in ethanol as a polar solvent with respect to the other applied intensities. The obtained magnetite nanoparticles were stable for more than12 months

Ethanol electrooxidation on a carbon-supported Pt catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure: A high-temperature/high-pressure DEMS study

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, S.; Halseid, M. Chojak; Heinen, M.; Jusys, Z.; Behm, R. J.

The electrooxidation of ethanol on a Pt/Vulcan catalyst was investigated in model studies by on-line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) over a wide range of reaction temperatures (23-100 °C). Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic measurements of the Faradaic current and the CO 2 formation rate, performed at 3 bar overpressure under well-defined transport and diffusion conditions reveal significant effects of temperature, potential and ethanol concentration on the total reaction activity and on the selectivity for the pathway toward complete oxidation to CO 2. The latter pathway increasingly prevails at higher temperature, lower concentration and lower potentials (∼90% current efficiency for CO 2 formation at 100 °C, 0.01 M, 0.48 V), while at higher ethanol concentrations (0.1 M), higher potentials or lower temperatures the current efficiency for CO 2 formation drops, reaching values of a few percent at room temperature. These trends result in a significantly higher apparent activation barrier for complete oxidation to CO 2 (68 ± 2 kJ mol -1 at 0.48 V, 0.1 M) compared to that of the overall ethanol oxidation reaction determined from the Faradaic current (42 ± 2 kJ mol -1 at 0.48 V, 0.1 M). The mechanistic implications of these results and the importance of relevant reaction and mass transport conditions in model studies for reaction predictions in fuel cell applications are discussed.

Ethanol electrooxidation on a carbon-supported Pt catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure: A high-temperature/high-pressure DEMS study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, S.; Halseid, M. Chojak; Heinen, M.; Jusys, Z.; Behm, R.J. [Institute of Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, Ulm University, D-89069 Ulm (Germany)

2009-05-01

The electrooxidation of ethanol on a Pt/Vulcan catalyst was investigated in model studies by on-line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) over a wide range of reaction temperatures (23-100 C). Potentiodynamic and potentiostatic measurements of the Faradaic current and the CO{sub 2} formation rate, performed at 3 bar overpressure under well-defined transport and diffusion conditions reveal significant effects of temperature, potential and ethanol concentration on the total reaction activity and on the selectivity for the pathway toward complete oxidation to CO{sub 2}. The latter pathway increasingly prevails at higher temperature, lower concentration and lower potentials ({proportional_to}90% current efficiency for CO{sub 2} formation at 100 C, 0.01 M, 0.48 V), while at higher ethanol concentrations (0.1 M), higher potentials or lower temperatures the current efficiency for CO{sub 2} formation drops, reaching values of a few percent at room temperature. These trends result in a significantly higher apparent activation barrier for complete oxidation to CO{sub 2} (68 {+-} 2 kJ mol{sup -1} at 0.48 V, 0.1 M) compared to that of the overall ethanol oxidation reaction determined from the Faradaic current (42 {+-} 2 kJ mol{sup -1} at 0.48 V, 0.1 M). The mechanistic implications of these results and the importance of relevant reaction and mass transport conditions in model studies for reaction predictions in fuel cell applications are discussed. (author)

Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence: effects on social behavior and ethanol sensitivity in adulthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Varlinskaya, Elena I; Truxell, Eric; Spear, Linda P

2014-08-01

This study assessed long-lasting consequences of repeated ethanol exposure during two different periods of adolescence on 1) baseline levels of social investigation, play fighting, and social preference and 2) sensitivity to the social consequences of acute ethanol challenge. Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were tested 25 days after repeated exposure to ethanol (3.5 g/kg intragastrically [i.g.], every other day for a total of 11 exposures) in a modified social interaction test. Early-mid adolescent intermittent exposure (e-AIE) occurred between postnatal days (P) 25 and 45, whereas late adolescent intermittent exposure (l-AIE) was conducted between P45 and P65. Significant decreases in social investigation and social preference were evident in adult male rats, but not their female counterparts following e-AIE, whereas neither males nor females demonstrated these alterations following l-AIE. In contrast, both e-AIE and l-AIE produced alterations in sensitivity to acute ethanol challenge in males tested 25 days after adolescent exposure. Ethanol-induced facilitation of social investigation and play fighting, reminiscent of that normally seen during adolescence, was evident in adult males after e-AIE, whereas control males showed an age-typical inhibition of social behavior. Males after l-AIE were found to be insensitive to the socially suppressing effects of acute ethanol challenge, suggesting the development of chronic tolerance in these animals. In contrast, females showed little evidence for alterations in sensitivity to acute ethanol challenge following either early or late AIE. The results of the present study demonstrate a particular vulnerability of young adolescent males to long-lasting detrimental effects of repeated ethanol. Retention of adolescent-typical sensitivity to the socially facilitating effects of ethanol could potentially make ethanol especially appealing to these males, therefore promoting relatively high levels of ethanol intake later

Ethanol production using hemicellulosic hydrolyzate and sugarcane ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Juliana

2015-02-11

Feb 11, 2015 ... The use of vegetable biomass as substrate for ethanol production could reduce the ... Fermentation was performed in a laboratory scale using the J10 and FT858 ... Key words: Hydrolysis of sugarcane straw and pointers, sugarcane juice, ..... Ethanol: An Overview about Composition, Pretreatment Methods,.

High catalytic activity of ultrafine nanoporous palladium for electro-oxidation of methanol, ethanol, and formic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Weimin; Qi, Zhen; Zhao, Changchun; Ji, Hong; Zhang, Zhonghua [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jingshi Road 73, Jinan 250061 (China)

2009-10-15

Nanoporous palladium (NPPd) with ultrafine ligament size of 3-6 nm was fabricated by dealloying of an Al-Pd alloy in an alkaline solution. Electrochemical measurements indicate that NPPd exhibits significantly high electrochemical active specific surface area (23 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}), and high catalytic activity for electro-oxidation of methanol, ethanol, and formic acid. Mass activities can reach 149, 148, 262 mA mg{sup -1} for the oxidation of methanol, ethanol and formic acid, respectively. Moreover, superior steady-state activities can be observed for all the electro-oxidation processes. NPPd will be a promising candidate for the anode catalyst for direct alcohol or formic acid fuel cells. (author)

Melatonin in concentrated ethanol and ethanol alone attenuate methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletions in C57BL/6J mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, L; Cherng, C-F G; Chen, C

2002-12-01

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of melatonin, ethanol and temperature changes on methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity in both sexes of mice. Mice exhibited a similar degree of striatal dopamine depletion when methamphetamine was administered during the light and dark cycles. Moreover, 10 mg/kg, but not 5 mg/kg, of methamphetamine, significantly increased body temperature even though dopamine depletions were observed following both doses. Melatonin (80 mg/kg) dissolved in 30% (v/v) ethanol and 30% ethanol alone exerted a moderate to full protection against methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletions in both sexes of mice, whereas the same dose of melatonin in 3% ethanol exerted no protective effect. Furthermore, ethanol attenuated methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletions in a dose-dependent manner with the exception of high efficacy of ethanol at low doses. Finally, the protective effects of ethanol were not blocked by bicuculline. Together, we conclude that ethanol may protect mice against methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletion probably via non-GABAA receptor activation.

Ternary Pt9RhFex Nanoscale Alloys as Highly Efficient Catalysts with Enhanced Activity and Excellent CO-Poisoning Tolerance for Ethanol Oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Yin, Shibin; Wen, Ying; Tian, Zhiqun; Wang, Ningzhang; Key, Julian; Wang, Shuangbao; Shen, Pei Kang

2017-03-22

To address the problems of high cost and poor stability of anode catalysts in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), ternary nanoparticles Pt 9 RhFe x (x = 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) supported on carbon powders (XC-72R) have been synthesized via a facile method involving reduction by sodium borohydride followed by thermal annealing in N 2 at ambient pressure. The catalysts are physically characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their catalytic performance for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is evaluated by cyclic and linear scan voltammetry, CO-stripping voltammograms, and chronopotentiometry. All the Pt 9 RhFe x /C catalysts of different atomic ratios produce high EOR catalytic activity. The catalyst of atomic ratio composition 9:1:3 (Pt/Rh/Fe) has the highest activity and excellent CO-poisoning tolerance. Moreover, the enhanced EOR catalytic activity on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C when compared to Pt 9 Rh/C, Pt 3 Fe/C, and Pt/C clearly demonstrates the presence of Fe improves catalytic performance. Notably, the onset potential for CO oxidation on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C (0.271 V) is ∼55, 75, and 191 mV more negative than on Pt 9 Rh/C (0.326 V), Pt 3 Fe/C (0.346 V), and Pt/C (0.462 V), respectively, which implies the presence of Fe atoms dramatically improves CO-poisoning tolerance. Meanwhile, compared to the commercial PtRu/C catalyst, the peak potential on Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C for CO oxidation was just slightly changed after several thousand cycles, which shows high stability against the potential cycling. The possible mechanism by which Fe and Rh atoms facilitate the observed enhanced performance is also considered herein, and we conclude Pt 9 RhFe 3 /C offers a promising anode catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells.

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in DEFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moraes, L.P.R. de; Elsheikh, A.; Silva, E. L. da; Radtke, C.; Amico, S.C.; Malfatti, C.F.

2014-01-01

Direct ethanol fuel cells require the use of electrocatalysts to promote bond cleavage of the ethanol molecule in an efficient way. Currently, most electrocatalysts contain platinum, which enables improved catalytic activity and stability in acidic media. However platinum presents high cost and low availability. Based on that, novel catalysts have been developed, such as those based on palladium and its alloys, which have attained excellent results in the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. In this work, Pd, PdSn and PdNiSn catalysts supported on Vulcan XC72R carbon were synthesized via impregnation/reduction. The electrocatalysts were characterized by RBS, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The X-ray diffraction results showed the formation of an alloy and not the deposition of isolated elements. The synthesized catalysts displayed good catalytic activity, as observed by cyclic voltammetry, being the best electrochemical performance achieved by the ternary alloy. (author)

Hierarchical porous ZnO microflowers with ultra-high ethanol gas-sensing at low concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Liming; Yue, He; Li, Haiying; Liu, Li; Li, Yu; Du, Liting; Duan, Haojie; Klyui, N. I.

2018-05-01

Hierarchical porous and non-porous ZnO microflowers have been successfully fabricated by hydrothermal method. Their crystal structure, morphology and gas-sensing properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and chemical gas sensing intelligent analysis system (CGS). Compared with hierarchical non-porous ZnO microflowers, hierarchical porous ZnO microflowers exhibited ultra-high sensitivity with 50 ppm ethanol at 260 °C and the response is 110, which is 1.8 times higher than that of non-porous ZnO microflowers. Moreover, the lowest concentration limit of hierarchical porous ZnO microflowers (non-porous ZnO microflowers) to ethanol is 0.1 (1) ppm, the response value is 1.6 (1).

The study of water + HCl + ethanol vapor-liquid equilibrium at 78 kPa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ojeda Toro, Juan Carlos; Dobrosz-Gómez, Izabela; Gómez García, Miguel Ángel

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Comparison between experimental and calculated saturation temperature of water + HCl + ethanol system using two rigorous electrolyte models. - Highlights: • Data for the water + HCl + ethanol VLE is reported at 78 kPa. • The VLE for the system water + HCl + ethanol was determined. • A new set of parameters for extended UNIQUAC model were correlated. • A new set of parameters for LIQUAC model were correlated. - Abstract: In this work, the isobaric vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data obtained for the ternary system water + HCl + ethanol at 78 kPa, using an Ellis still, were studied. Two rigorous electrolyte models (extended UNIQUAC and LIQUAC) were fitted to the experimental data. Ethanol-H + , water-H + , ethanol-Cl − , water-Cl − , and Cl − -H + interaction parameters were determined. Likewise, Henry’s law constants for the volatile electrolyte were defined. A high goodness of fit was obtained for both electrolyte models; however, the extended UNIQUAC one showed better performance (AAD = 0.1326%). Two azeotropes observed in the system were accurately predicted (ethanol + water: x EtOH = 0.86 at 344.6 K; and HCl + water: x HCl = 0.11 at 375.5 K).

Pd nanowire arrays as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hong; Cheng, Faliang [Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523106 (China); Xu, Changwei; Jiang, Sanping [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2007-05-15

Highly ordered Pd nanowire arrays were prepared by template-electrodeposition method using anodic aluminum oxide template. The Pd nanowire arrays, in this paper, have high electrochemical active surface and show excellent catalytic properties for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media. The activity of Pd nanowire arrays for ethanol oxidation is not only higher that of Pd film, but also higher than that of commercial E-TEK PtRu(2:1 by weight)/C. The micrometer sized pores and channels in nanowire arrays act as structure units. They make liquid fuel diffuse into and products diffuse out of the catalysts layer much easier, therefore, the utilization efficiency of catalysts gets higher. Pd nanowire arrays are stable catalysts for ethanol oxidation. The nanowire arrays may be a great potential in direct ethanol fuel cells and ethanol sensors. (author)

Dual orexin receptor antagonists show distinct effects on locomotor performance, ethanol interaction and sleep architecture relative to gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor modulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andres D. Ramirez

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs are a potential treatment for insomnia that function by blocking both the orexin 1 and orexin 2 receptors. The objective of the current study was to further confirm the impact of therapeutic mechanisms targeting insomnia on locomotor coordination and ethanol interaction using DORAs and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA-A receptor modulators of distinct chemical structure and pharmacologic properties in the context of sleep-promoting potential. The current study compared rat motor co-ordination after administration of DORAs, DORA-12 and almorexant, and GABA-A receptor modulators, zolpidem, eszopiclone and diazepam, alone or each in combination with ethanol. Motor performance was assessed by measuring time spent walking on a rotarod apparatus. Zolpidem, eszopiclone and diazepam (0.3–30 mg/kg administered orally [PO] impaired rotarod performance in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, all three GABA-A receptor modulators potentiated ethanol- (0.25–1.25 g/kg induced impairment on the rotarod. By contrast, neither DORA-12 (10–100 mg/kg, PO nor almorexant (30–300 mg/kg, PO impaired motor performance alone or in combination with ethanol. In addition, distinct differences in sleep architecture were observed between ethanol, GABA-A receptor modulators (zolpidem, eszopiclone and diazepam and DORA-12 in electroencephalogram studies in rats. These findings provide further evidence that orexin receptor antagonists have an improved motor side-effect profile compared with currently available sleep-promoting agents based on preclinical data and strengthen the rationale for further evaluation of these agents in clinical development.

Beneficial effects of rhodium and tin oxide on carbon supported platinum catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Layciane A.; Morais, Claudia; Napporn, Teko W.; Kokoh, K. Boniface; Olivi, Paulo

2016-05-01

This work investigates ethanol electrooxidation on Pt/C, PtxRhy/C, Pt-SnO2/C, and PtxRhy-SnO2/C catalysts synthesized by the Pechini and microwave-assisted polyol methods. The catalysts are characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The electrochemical properties of these electrode materials are examined by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry experiments in acid medium. The products obtained during ethanol electrolysis are identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The adsorbed intermediates are evaluated by an in situ reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy technique combined with cyclic voltammetry. Catalysts performance in a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) is also assessed. The electrical performance of the electrocatalysts in a single DEFC at 80 °C decreases in the following order Pt70Rh30SnO2 > Pt80Rh20SnO2 > Pt60Rh40SnO2 ∼ PtSnO2 > PtxRhy ∼ Pt, showing that the presence of SnO2 enhances the ability of Pt to catalyze ethanol electrooxidation.

Highly improved sensibility and selectivity ethanol sensor of mesoporous Fe-doped NiO nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X. Q.; Wei, J. Q.; Xu, J. C.; Jin, H. X.; Jin, D. F.; Peng, X. L.; Hong, B.; Li, J.; Yang, Y. T.; Ge, H. L.; Wang, Xinqing

2017-12-01

In this paper, nickel oxides (NiO) and iron (Fe)-doped NiO nanowires (NWs) with the various doping content (from 1 to 9 at%) were synthesized by using SBA-15 templates with the nanocasting method. All samples were synthesized in the same conditions and exhibited the same mesoporous-structures, uniform diameter, and defects. Mesoporous-structures with high surface area created more active sites for the adsorption of oxygen on the surface of all samples, resulting in the smaller surface resistance in air. The impurity energy levels from the donor Fe-doping provided electrons to neutralize the holes of p-type Fe-doped NiO NWs, which greatly enhanced the total resistance. The comparative gas-sensing study between NiO NWs and Fe-doped NiO NWs indicated that the high-valence donor Fe-doping obviously improved the ethanol sensitivity and selectivity for Fe-doped NiO NWs. And Ni0.94Fe0.06O1.03 NWs sensor presented the highest sensitivity of 14.30 toward ethanol gas at 320 °C for the high-valence metal-doping.

Modified SPEEK membranes for direct ethanol fuel cell

KAUST Repository

Maab, Husnul

2010-07-01

Membranes with low ethanol crossover were prepared aiming their application for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). They were based on (1) sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) coated with carbon molecular sieves (CMS) and (2) on SPEEK/PI homogeneous blends. The membranes were characterized concerning their water and ethanol solution uptake, water and ethanol permeability in pervaporation experiments and their performance in DEFC tests. The ethanol permeabilities for the CMS-coated (180 nm and 400 nm thick layers) SPEEK were 8.5 and 3.1 x 10(-10) kg m s(-1) m(-2) and for the homogeneous SPEEK/PI blends membranes with 10, 20 and 30 wt.% of PI were 4.4, 1.0 and 0.4 x 10(-10) kg m s(-1) m(-2) respectively, which is 2- to 50-fold lower than that for plain SPEEK (19 x 10(-10) kg m s(-1) m(-2)). Particularly the SPEEK/PI membranes had substantially better performance than Nafion 117 membranes in DEFC tests at 60 degrees C and 90 degrees C. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do new cellulolytic enzyme preparations affect the industrial strategies for high solids lignocellulosic ethanol production?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cannella, David; Jørgensen, Henning

2014-01-01

proven essential for economic feasibility at industrial scale. Historically, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) was found to give better ethanol yields compared to separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), but data in literature are typically based on operating the process at low dry...... matter conditions. In this work the impact of selected enzyme preparation and processing strategy (SHF, presaccharification and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation—PSSF, and SSF) on final ethanol yield and overall performance was investigated with pretreated wheat straw up to 30% DM...... cellulose to around 94%, revealing that the most relevant products could be accounted for. One observation was the presence of oxidized sugar (gluconic acid) upon enzymatic hydrolysis with the latest enzyme preparation. Experiments showed gluconic acid formation by recently discovered enzymatic class...

Production of ethanol and feed by high dry matter hydrolysis and fermentation of palm kernel press cake.

Science.gov (United States)

Jørgensen, Henning; Sanadi, Anand R; Felby, Claus; Lange, Niels Erik Krebs; Fischer, Morten; Ernst, Steffen

2010-05-01

Palm kernel press cake (PKC) is a residue from palm oil extraction presently only used as a low protein feed supplement. PKC contains 50% fermentable hexose sugars present in the form of glucan and mainly galactomannan. This makes PKC an interesting feedstock for processing into bioethanol or in other biorefinery processes. Using a combination of mannanase, beta-mannosidase, and cellulases, it was possible without any pretreatment to hydrolyze PKC at solid concentrations of 35% dry matter with mannose yields up to 88% of theoretical. Fermentation was tested using Saccharomyces cerevisiae in both a separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) setup. The hydrolysates could readily be fermented without addition of nutrients and with average fermentation yields of 0.43 +/- 0.02 g/g based on consumed mannose and glucose. Employing SSF, final ethanol concentrations of 70 g/kg was achieved in 216 h, corresponding to an ethanol yield of 70% of theoretical or 200 g ethanol/kg PKC. Testing various enzyme mixtures revealed that including cellulases in combination with mannanases significantly improved ethanol yields. Processing PKC to ethanol resulted in a solid residue enriched in protein from 17% to 28%, a 70% increase, thereby potentially making a high-protein containing feed supplement.

Wheel running, voluntary ethanol consumption, and hedonic substitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozburn, Angela Renee; Harris, R Adron; Blednov, Yuri A

2008-08-01

Few studies have examined the relationship between naturally rewarding behaviors and ethanol drinking behaviors in mice. Although natural and drug reinforcers activate similar brain circuitry, there is behavioral evidence suggesting food and drug rewards differ in perceived value. The primary goal of the present study was to investigate the relationships between naturally reinforcing stimuli and consumption of ethanol in ethanol preferring C57BL/6J mice. Mouse behaviors were observed after the following environmental manipulations: standard or enhanced environment, accessible or inaccessible wheel, and presence or absence of ethanol. Using a high-resolution volumetric drinking monitor and wheel running monitor, we evaluated whether alternating access to wheel running modified ethanol-related behaviors and whether alternating access to ethanol modified wheel running or subsequent ethanol-related behaviors. We found that ethanol consumption remains stable with alternating periods of wheel running. Wheel running increases in the absence of ethanol and decreases upon reintroduction of ethanol. Upon reintroduction of ethanol, an alcohol deprivation effect was seen. Collectively, the results support theories of hedonic substitution and suggest that female C57BL/6J mice express ethanol seeking and craving under these specific conditions.

Improvement of solar ethanol distillation using ultrasonic waves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaruwat Jareanjit

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This report presents a study on the use of ultrasonic waves in solar ethanol distillation to investigate the performance of ultrasonic waves at a frequency of 30 kHz and at 100 Watts that were installed in the inlet area of a 10-litre distillation tank. Based on the non-continuous distillation process (batch distillation, the experiment demonstrated that using ultrasonic waves in solar ethanol distillation caused the average concentration of hourly distilled ethanol to be higher than that of a normal system (solar ethanol distillation without ultrasonic wave at the same or higher distillation rate and hourly distillation volume. The ultrasonic wave was able to enhance the separation of ethanol from the solution (water-ethanol mixture through solar distillation. The amount of pure ethanol product from each distilled batch was clearly larger than the amount of product obtained from a normal system when the initial concentration of ethanol was lower than 50%v/v (% by volume, where an average of approximately 40% and 20% are obtained for an initial ethanol concentration of 10%v/v and 30%v/v, respectively. Furthermore, the distillation rate varied based on the solar radiation value.

Ethanol-drug absorption interaction: potential for a significant effect on the plasma pharmacokinetics of ethanol vulnerable formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lennernäs, Hans

2009-01-01

Generally, gastric emptying of a drug to the small intestine is controlled by gastric motor activity and is the main factor affecting the onset of absorption. Accordingly, the emptying rate from the stomach is mainly affected by the digestive state, the properties of the pharmaceutical formulation and the effect of drugs, posture and circadian rhythm. Variability in the gastric emptying of drugs is reflected in variability in the absorption rate and the shape of the plasma pharmacokinetic profile. When ethanol interacts with an oral controlled release product, such that the mechanism controlling drug release is impaired, the delivery of the dissolved dose into the small intestine and the consequent absorption may result in dangerously high plasma concentrations. For example, the maximal plasma concentration of hydromorphone has individually been shown to be increased as much as 16 times through in vivo testing as a result of this specific pharmacokinetic ethanol-drug formulation interaction. Thus, a pharmacokinetic ethanol-drug interaction is a very serious safety concern when substantially the entire dose from a controlled release product is rapidly emptied into the small intestine (dose dumping), having been largely dissolved in a strong alcoholic beverage in the stomach during a sufficient lag-time in gastric emptying. Based on the literature, a two hour time frame for screening the in vitro dissolution profile of a controlled release product in ethanol concentrations of up to 40% is strongly supported and may be considered as the absolute minimum standard. It is also evident that the dilution, absorption and metabolism of ethanol in the stomach are processes with a minor effect on the local ethanol concentration and that ethanol exposure will be highly dependent on the volume and ethanol concentration of the fluid ingested, together with the rate of intake and gastric emptying. When and in which patients a clinically significant dose dumping will happen is

Catalytic steam reforming of ethanol for hydrogen production: Brief status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bineli Aulus R.R.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Hydrogen represents a promising fuel since it is considered as a cleanest energy carrier and also because during its combustion only water is emitted. It can be produced from different kinds of renewable feedstocks, such as ethanol, in this sense hydrogen could be treated as biofuel. Three chemical reactions can be used to achieve this purpose: the steam reforming (SR, the partial oxidation (POX and the autothermal reforming (ATR. In this study, the catalysts implemented in steam reforming of ethanol were reviewed. A wide variety of elements can be used as catalysts for this reaction, such as base metals (Ni, Cu and Co or noble metals (Rh, Pt and Ru usually deposited on a support material that increases surface area and improves catalytic function. The use of Rh, Ni and Pt supported or promoted with CeO2, and/or La2O3 shows excellent performance in ethanol SR catalytic process. The ratio of water to ethanol, reaction temperatures, catalysts loadings, selectivity and activity are also discussed as they are extremely important for high hydrogen yields.

The expanding U. S. ethanol industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fecht, B

1991-01-01

American experience in the ethanol industry is discussed. Archer Daniel Midlands Co. (ADM) is a large agri-processing company that is the largest processor of grains and oilseeds, and processes ca 400,000 bushels of corn per day at its Decateur facility. Waste water and heat from the plant is used to grow vegetables hydroponically, with carbon dioxide from distillation used to speed growing at night. About 40,000 heads of lettuce per day are harvested, with cucumbers and tomatoes grown as premium crops. The plant includes a state-of-the-art fluidized bed power plant that burns high sulfur coal without sulfur emission. Approval has recently been granted by the Environmental Protection Agency to burn used tires, and payback for the process is expected to take 3-4 years. Ethanol is produced by steeping corn and separating germ and starch, with the starch used to make corn sweeteners. As well as ethanol, byproducts include animal feed, hydroponics, oils and margarines. ADM is the largest barging company in the U.S., with 14,000 rail cars, 1,200 dedicated to fuel ethanol. The Clean Air Act will mandate a 2.7% oxygen gasoline, and 10% ethanol additive gives 3.3% oxygen. The high octane rating of ethanol-blend gasoline is a strong selling point, and is a good deal for refiners, especially at octane-poor refineries.

Ethanol production potential of local yeast strains isolated from ripe ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The ability of different yeast strains isolated from ripe banana peels to produce ethanol was investigated. Of the 8 isolates screened for their fermentation ability, 5 showed enhanced performance and were subsequently identified and assessed for important ethanol fermentation attributes such as ethanol producing ability, ...

Nozzle flow and atomization characteristics of ethanol blended biodiesel fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Su Han; Suh, Hyun Kyu; Lee, Chang Sik [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea)

2010-01-15

This study was conducted to investigate the injection and atomization characteristics of biodiesel-ethanol blended fuel. The injection performance of biodiesel-ethanol blended fuel was analyzed from the injection rate characteristics using the injection rate measuring system, and the effective injection velocity and effective spray diameter using the nozzle flow model. Moreover, the atomization characteristics, such as local and overall SMD distributions, overall axial velocity and droplet arrival time were analyzed and compared with these from diesel and biodiesel fuels to obtain the atomization characteristics of biodiesel-ethanol blended fuel. It was revealed that ethanol fuel affects the decrease of the peak injection rate and the shortening of the injection delay due to the decrease of fuel properties, such as fuel density and dynamic viscosity. In addition, the ethanol addition improved the atomization performance of biodiesel fuel, because the ethanol blended fuel has a low kinematic viscosity and surface tension, then that has more active interaction with the ambient gas, compared to BD100. (author)

Recurring ethanol exposure induces disinhibited courtship in Drosophila.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun-Gwan Lee

Full Text Available Alcohol has a strong causal relationship with sexual arousal and disinhibited sexual behavior in humans; however, the physiological support for this notion is largely lacking and thus a suitable animal model to address this issue is instrumental. We investigated the effect of ethanol on sexual behavior in Drosophila. Wild-type males typically court females but not males; however, upon daily administration of ethanol, they exhibited active intermale courtship, which represents a novel type of behavioral disinhibition. The ethanol-treated males also developed behavioral sensitization, a form of plasticity associated with addiction, since their intermale courtship activity was progressively increased with additional ethanol experience. We identified three components crucial for the ethanol-induced courtship disinhibition: the transcription factor regulating male sex behavior Fruitless, the ABC guanine/tryptophan transporter White and the neuromodulator dopamine. fruitless mutant males normally display conspicuous intermale courtship; however, their courtship activity was not enhanced under ethanol. Likewise, white males showed negligible ethanol-induced intermale courtship, which was not only reinstated but also augmented by transgenic White expression. Moreover, inhibition of dopamine neurotransmission during ethanol exposure dramatically decreased ethanol-induced intermale courtship. Chronic ethanol exposure also affected a male's sexual behavior toward females: it enhanced sexual arousal but reduced sexual performance. These findings provide novel insights into the physiological effects of ethanol on sexual behavior and behavioral plasticity.

Rewiring Lactococcus lactis for Ethanol Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Solem, Christian; Dehli, Tore Ibsen; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal

2013-01-01

to redirect the metabolism of LAB model organism Lactococcus lactis toward ethanol production. Codon-optimized Zymomonas mobilis pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) was introduced and expressed from synthetic promoters in different strain backgrounds. In the wild-type L. lactis strain MG1363 growing on glucose, only...... small amounts of ethanol were obtained after introducing PDC, probably due to a low native alcohol dehydrogenase activity. When the same strains were grown on maltose, ethanol was the major product and lesser amounts of lactate, formate, and acetate were formed. Inactivating the lactate dehydrogenase...... genes ldhX, ldhB, and ldh and introducing codon-optimized Z. mobilis alcohol dehydrogenase (ADHB) in addition to PDC resulted in high-yield ethanol formation when strains were grown on glucose, with only minor amounts of by-products formed. Finally, a strain with ethanol as the sole observed...

Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Luciano Charlita de; Kaneko, Shinji

2011-01-01

Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: → Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. → It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. → Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. → Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitas, Luciano Charlita de, E-mail: lucianofreitas@hiroshima-u.ac.j [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan); Kaneko, Shinji [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan)

2011-05-15

Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: {yields} Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. {yields} It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. {yields} Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. {yields} Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

Differential neural representation of oral ethanol by central taste-sensitive neurons in ethanol-preferring and genetically heterogeneous rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemon, Christian H; Wilson, David M; Brasser, Susan M

2011-12-01

In randomly bred rats, orally applied ethanol stimulates neural substrates for appetitive sweet taste. To study associations between ethanol's oral sensory characteristics and genetically mediated ethanol preference, we made electrophysiological recordings of oral responses (spike density) by taste-sensitive nucleus tractus solitarii neurons in anesthetized selectively bred ethanol-preferring (P) rats and their genetically heterogeneous Wistar (W) control strain. Stimuli (25 total) included ethanol [3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, and 40% (vol/vol)], a sucrose series (0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1 M), and other sweet, salt, acidic, and bitter stimuli; 50 P and 39 W neurons were sampled. k-means clustering applied to the sucrose response series identified cells showing high (S(1)) or relatively low (S(0)) sensitivity to sucrose. A three-way factorial analysis revealed that activity to ethanol was influenced by a neuron's sensitivity to sucrose, ethanol concentration, and rat line (P = 0.01). Ethanol produced concentration-dependent responses in S(1) neurons that were larger than those in S(0) cells. Although responses to ethanol by S(1) cells did not differ between lines, neuronal firing rates to ethanol in S(0) cells increased across concentration only in P rats. Correlation and multivariate analyses revealed that ethanol evoked responses in W neurons that were strongly and selectively associated with activity to sweet stimuli, whereas responses to ethanol by P neurons were not easily associated with activity to representative sweet, sodium salt, acidic, or bitter stimuli. These findings show differential central neural representation of oral ethanol between genetically heterogeneous rats and P rats genetically selected to prefer alcohol.

In vivo evolutionary engineering for ethanol-tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae haploid cells triggers diploidization.

Science.gov (United States)

Turanlı-Yıldız, Burcu; Benbadis, Laurent; Alkım, Ceren; Sezgin, Tuğba; Akşit, Arman; Gökçe, Abdülmecit; Öztürk, Yavuz; Baykal, Ahmet Tarık; Çakar, Zeynep Petek; François, Jean M

2017-09-01

Microbial ethanol production is an important alternative energy resource to replace fossil fuels, but at high level, this product is highly toxic, which hampers its efficient production. Towards increasing ethanol-tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the so far best industrial ethanol-producer, we evaluated an in vivo evolutionary engineering strategy based on batch selection under both constant (5%, v v -1 ) and gradually increasing (5-11.4%, v v -1 ) ethanol concentrations. Selection under increasing ethanol levels yielded evolved clones that could tolerate up to 12% (v v -1 ) ethanol and had cross-resistance to other stresses. Quite surprisingly, diploidization of the yeast population took place already at 7% (v v -1 ) ethanol level during evolutionary engineering, and this event was abolished by the loss of MKT1, a gene previously identified as being implicated in ethanol tolerance (Swinnen et al., Genome Res., 22, 975-984, 2012). Transcriptomic analysis confirmed diploidization of the evolved clones with strong down-regulation in mating process, and in several haploid-specific genes. We selected two clones exhibiting the highest viability on 12% ethanol, and found productivity and titer of ethanol significantly higher than those of the reference strain under aerated fed-batch cultivation conditions. This higher fermentation performance could be related with a higher abundance of glycolytic and ribosomal proteins and with a relatively lower respiratory capacity of the evolved strain, as revealed by a comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis between the evolved and the reference strains. Altogether, these results emphasize the efficiency of the in vivo evolutionary engineering strategy for improving ethanol tolerance, and the link between ethanol tolerance and diploidization. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic dissection of acute ethanol responsive gene networks in prefrontal cortex: functional and mechanistic implications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron R Wolen

Full Text Available Individual differences in initial sensitivity to ethanol are strongly related to the heritable risk of alcoholism in humans. To elucidate key molecular networks that modulate ethanol sensitivity we performed the first systems genetics analysis of ethanol-responsive gene expression in brain regions of the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit (prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and ventral midbrain across a highly diverse family of 27 isogenic mouse strains (BXD panel before and after treatment with ethanol.Acute ethanol altered the expression of ~2,750 genes in one or more regions and 400 transcripts were jointly modulated in all three. Ethanol-responsive gene networks were extracted with a powerful graph theoretical method that efficiently summarized ethanol's effects. These networks correlated with acute behavioral responses to ethanol and other drugs of abuse. As predicted, networks were heavily populated by genes controlling synaptic transmission and neuroplasticity. Several of the most densely interconnected network hubs, including Kcnma1 and Gsk3β, are known to influence behavioral or physiological responses to ethanol, validating our overall approach. Other major hub genes like Grm3, Pten and Nrg3 represent novel targets of ethanol effects. Networks were under strong genetic control by variants that we mapped to a small number of chromosomal loci. Using a novel combination of genetic, bioinformatic and network-based approaches, we identified high priority cis-regulatory candidate genes, including Scn1b, Gria1, Sncb and Nell2.The ethanol-responsive gene networks identified here represent a previously uncharacterized intermediate phenotype between DNA variation and ethanol sensitivity in mice. Networks involved in synaptic transmission were strongly regulated by ethanol and could contribute to behavioral plasticity seen with chronic ethanol. Our novel finding that hub genes and a small number of loci exert major influence over the ethanol

Simulating multi-component liquid phase adsorption systems: ethanol and residual sugar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, R.; Tezel, F.H.; Thibault, J. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa (Canada)], email: Jules.Thibault@uottawa.ca

2011-07-01

A series of multi-component adsorption studies was performed to determine the relative advantages of producing ethanol which is to be blended with gasoline. These studies developed a model to describe the competition for adsorption sites between ethanol and sugar molecules on the surface of the adsorbent. Three competitive adsorption models established by batch systems were examined to evaluate the suitability of the experiment data across different ethanol and sugar concentrations and determine their isotherm parameters. Multi-component packed bed adsorption experiments were then performed. The results show that ethanol capacity was decreased only slightly from that obtained in single component adsorption studies. There is significant evidence to indicate that sugar displacement from adsorption sites occurs because adsorption of ethanol is preferred. So the capacity of sugars will be greatly reduced if there are appreciable ethanol concentrations.

Bifunctionalized organic-inorganic charged nanocomposite membrane for pervaporation dehydration of ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Bijay P; Kumar, Mahendra; Saxena, Arunima; Shahi, Vinod K

2010-06-01

Chitosan was modified into N-p-carboxy benzyl chitosan (NCBC) by introducing an aromatic ring grafted with acidic -COOH group and highly stable and cross-linked nanostructured NCBC-silica composite membranes were prepared for pervaporation dehydration of water-ethanol mixture. These membranes were tailored to comprise three regions namely: hydrophobic region, highly charged region and selective region, in which weak acidic group (-COOH) was grafted at organic segment while strong acidic group (-SO(3)H) was grafted at inorganic segment to achieve high stability and less swelling in water-ethanol mixture. Cross-linking density and NCBC-silica content in membrane matrix has been systematically optimized to control the nanostructure of the developed polymer matrix for studying the effects of molecular structure on the swelling, and PV performance. Among prepared membranes, nanocomposite membrane with 3h cross-linking time and 90% (w/w) of NCBC-silica content (PCS-3-3) exhibited 1.66×10(-4)cm(3)(STP) cm/cm(2) s cmHg water permeability (P(W)), while 1.35×10(-7) cm(3)(STP) cm/cm(2) s cmHg ethanol permeability (P(EtOH)) of developed membrane and 1231 PV selectivity factor at 30 °C for separating water from 90% (w/w) ethanol mixture. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High efficient ethanol and VFAs production from gas fermentation: effect of acetate, gas and inoculum microbial composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Gammal, Maie; Abou-Shanab, Reda; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

In bioindustry, syngas fermentation is a promising technology for biofuel production without the use of plant biomass as sugar-based feedstock. The aim of this study was to identify optimal conditions for high efficient ethanol and volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from synthetic gas fermenta......In bioindustry, syngas fermentation is a promising technology for biofuel production without the use of plant biomass as sugar-based feedstock. The aim of this study was to identify optimal conditions for high efficient ethanol and volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from synthetic gas...... fatty acids and ethanol was achieved by the pure culture (Clostridium ragsdalei). Depending on the headspace gas composition, VFA concentrations were up to 300% higher after fermentation with Clostridium ragsdalei compared to fermentation with mixed culture. The preferred gas composition with respect...... to highest VFA concentration was pure CO (100%) regardless of microbial composition of the inoculum and media composition. The addition of acetate had a negative impact on the VFA formation which was depending on the initial gas composition in head space....

The contribution of enzymes and process chemicals to the life cycle of ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLean, Heather L; Spatari, Sabrina

2009-01-01

Most life cycle studies of biofuels have not examined the impact of process chemicals and enzymes, both necessary inputs to biochemical production and which vary depending upon the technology platform (feedstock, pretreatment and hydrolysis system). We examine whether this omission is warranted for sugar-platform technologies. We develop life cycle ('well-to-tank') case studies for a corn dry-mill and for one 'mature' and two near-term lignocellulosic ethanol technologies. Process chemical and enzyme inputs contribute only 3% of fossil energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for corn ethanol. Assuming considerable improvement compared to current enzyme performance, the inputs for the near-term lignocellulosic technologies studied are found to be responsible for 30%-40% of fossil energy use and 30%-35% of GHG emissions, not an insignificant fraction given that these models represent technology developers' nth plant performance. Mature technologies which assume lower chemical and enzyme loadings, high enzyme specific activity and on-site production utilizing renewable energy would significantly improve performance. Although the lignocellulosic technologies modeled offer benefits over today's corn ethanol through reducing life cycle fossil energy demand and GHG emissions by factors of three and six, achieving those performance levels requires continued research into and development of the manufacture of low dose, high specific activity enzyme systems. Realizing the benefits of low carbon fuels through biological conversion will otherwise not be possible. Tracking the technological performance of process conversion materials remains an important step in measuring the life cycle performance of biofuels.

Biofilm reactors for ethanol production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1988-07-01

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

Rapid, general synthesis of PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges and their enhanced catalytic performance for ethanol/methanol electrooxidation in an alkaline medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Chengzhou; Guo, Shaojun; Dong, Shaojun

2013-01-14

We have demonstrated a rapid and general strategy to synthesize novel three-dimensional PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges in the absence of a capping agent. Significantly, the as-prepared PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges exhibited greatly enhanced activity and stability towards ethanol/methanol electrooxidation in an alkaline medium, which demonstrates the potential of applying these PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges as effective electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells. In addition, this simple method has also been applied for the synthesis of AuPt, AuPd bimetallic, and AuPtPd trimetallic alloy nanosponges. The as-synthesized three-dimensional bimetallic/trimetallic alloy nanosponges, because of their convenient preparation, well-defined sponge-like network, large-scale production, and high electrocatalytic performance for ethanol/methanol electrooxidation, may find promising potential applications in various fields, such as formic acid oxidation or oxygen reduction reactions, electrochemical sensors, and hydrogen-gas sensors. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Focused Flow During Infiltration Into Ethanol-Contaminated Unsaturated Porous Media

Science.gov (United States)

Jazwiec, A.; Smith, J. E.

2017-12-01

The increasing commercial and industrial use of ethanol, e.g. in biofuels, has generated increased incidents of vadose zone contamination by way of ethanol spills and releases. This has increased the interest in better understanding behaviors of ethanol in unsaturated porous media and it's multiphase interactions in the vadose zone. This study uses highly controlled laboratory experiments in a 2-D (0.6mx0.6mx0.01m) flow cell to investigate water infiltration behaviors into ethanol-contaminated porous media. Ethanol and water were applied by either constant head or constant flux methods onto the surface of sands homogenously packed into the flow cell. The constant flux experiments at both low and high application rates were conducted using a rainulator with a row of hypodermic needles connected to a peristaltic pump. The constant head experiments were conducted using an 8cm diameter tension disk infiltrometer set to both low and high tensions. The presence of ethanol contamination generated solute-dependent capillarity induced focused flow (SCIFF) of water infiltration, which was primarily due to decreases in interfacial tensions at the air-liquid interfaces in the unsaturated sands as a function of ethanol concentration. SCIFF was clearly expressed as an unsaturated water flow phenomenon comprised of narrowly focused vertical flow fingers of water within the initially ethanol contaminated porous media. Using analyses of photos and video, comparisons were made between constant flux and constant head application methods. Further comparisons were made between low and high infiltration rates and the two sand textures used. A high degree of sensitivity to minor heterogeneity in relatively homogeneous sands was also observed. The results of this research have implications for rainfall infiltration into ethanol contaminated vadose zones expressing SCIFF, including implications for associated mass fluxes and the nature of flushing of ethanol from the unsaturated zone to

Influence and role of ethanol minor constituents of fuel grade ethanol on corrosion behavior of carbon steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samusawa, Itaru; Shiotani, Kazuhiko

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The pitting factors of the minor contents of ethanol are acetic acid, Cl and H 2 O. • Formic acid in ethanol promotes general corrosion. • The H 2 O content in fuel-grade-ethanol (FGE) affects the corrosion morphology. • Acetic acid generates iron acetate, which has high solubility in FGE environments. • A pitting mechanism based on the rupture of passive film is proposed. - Abstract: The influences of organic acids, chloride and water on the corrosion behavior of carbon steel in fuel grade ethanol (FGE) environments were investigated by immersion testing in simulated FGE. The roles of acetic acid, chloride and water in pitting corrosion were studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electrochemical experiments. The results indicated that iron acetate is generated on oxide film. Iron(II) acetate shows high solubility in FGE environments. The sites where iron(II) acetate is existed become preferential anodic sites, and chloride promotes anodic dissolution at such sites

Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in Warsaw Alcohol High-Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Alcohol Low-Preferring (WLP) rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyr, Wanda; Wyszogrodzka, Edyta; Paterak, Justyna; Siwińska-Ziółkowska, Agnieszka; Małkowska, Anna; Polak, Piotr

2016-03-01

The aversive action of the pharmacological properties of ethanol was studied in selectively bred Warsaw Alcohol High-Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Alcohol Low-Preferring (WLP) rats. For this study, a conditioned-taste aversion test was used. Male WHP and WLP rats were submitted to daily 20-min sessions for 5 days, in which a saccharin solution (1.0 g/L) was available (pre-conditioning phase). Next, this drinking was paired with the injection of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1.0 g/kg), intraperitoneally [i.p.] immediately after removal of the saccharin bottle (conditioning phase). Afterward, the choice between the saccharin solution and water was extended for 18 subsequent days for 20-min daily sessions (post-conditioning phase). Both doses of ethanol did not produce an aversion to saccharin in WLP and WHP rats in the conditioning phase. However, injection of the 1.0 g/kg dose of ethanol produced an aversion in WLP rats that was detected by a decrease in saccharin intake at days 1, 3, 7, and 10 of the post-conditioning phase, with a decrease in saccharin preference for 16 days of the post-conditioning phase. Conditioned taste aversion, measured as a decrease in saccharin intake and saccharin preference, was only visible in WHP rats at day 1 and day 3 of the post-conditioning phase. This difference between WLP and WHP rats was apparent despite similar blood ethanol levels in both rat lines following injection of 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg of ethanol. These results may suggest differing levels of aversion to the post-ingestional effects of ethanol between WLP and WHP rats. These differing levels of aversion may contribute to the selected line difference in ethanol preference in WHP and WLP rats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Repeated light-dark phase shifts modulate voluntary ethanol intake in male and female high alcohol-drinking (HAD1) rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, James W; Fixaris, Michael C; Belanger, Gabriel V; Rosenwasser, Alan M

2007-10-01

Chronic disruption of sleep and other circadian biological rhythms, such as occurs in shift work or in frequent transmeridian travel, appears to represent a significant source of allostatic load, leading to the emergence of stress-related physical and psychological illness. Recent animal experiments have shown that these negative health effects may be effectively modeled by exposure to repeated phase shifts of the daily light-dark (LD) cycle. As chronobiological disturbances are thought to promote relapse in abstinent alcoholics, and may also be associated with increased risk of subsequent alcohol abuse in nonalcoholic populations, the present experiment was designed to examine the effects of repeated LD phase shifts on voluntary ethanol intake in rats. A selectively bred, high alcohol-drinking (HAD1) rat line was utilized to increase the likelihood of excessive alcoholic-like drinking. Male and female rats of the selectively bred HAD1 rat line were maintained individually under a LD 12:12 cycle with both ethanol (10% v/v) and water available continuously. Animals in the experimental group were subjected to repeated 6-hour LD phase advances at 3 to 4 week intervals, while control rats were maintained under a stable LD cycle throughout the study. Contact-sensing drinkometers were used to monitor circadian lick patterns, and ethanol and water intakes were recorded weekly. Control males showed progressively increasing ethanol intake and ethanol preference over the course of the study, but males exposed to chronic LD phase shifts exhibited gradual decreases in ethanol drinking. In contrast, control females displayed decreasing ethanol intake and ethanol preference over the course of the experiment, while females exposed to experimental LD phase shifts exhibited a slight increase in ethanol drinking. Chronic circadian desynchrony induced by repeated LD phase shifts resulted in sex-specific modulation of voluntary ethanol intake, reducing ethanol intake in males while

Electron transport in ethanol & methanol absorbed defected graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Dandeliya, Sushmita; Srivastava, Anurag

2018-05-01

In the present paper, the sensitivity of ethanol and methanol molecules on surface of single vacancy defected graphene has been investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The changes in structural and electronic properties before and after adsorption of ethanol and methanol were analyzed and the obtained results show high adsorption energy and charge transfer. High adsorption happens at the active site with monovacancy defect on graphene surface. Present work confirms that the defected graphene increases the surface reactivity towards ethanol and methanol molecules. The presence of molecules near the active site affects the electronic and transport properties of defected graphene which makes it a promising choice for designing methanol and ethanol sensor.

Highly active carbon supported ternary PdSnPtx (x=0.1-0.7) catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline and acid media.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoguang; Zhu, Fuchun; He, Yongwei; Wang, Mei; Zhang, Zhonghua; Ma, Zizai; Li, Ruixue

2016-04-15

A series of trimetallic PdSnPtx (x=0.1-0.7)/C catalysts with varied Pt content have been synthesized by co-reduction method using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. These catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The electrochemical results show that, after adding a minor amount of Pt dopant, the resultant PdSnPtx/C demonstrated more superior catalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation as compared with that of mono-/bi-metallic Pd/C or PdSn/C in alkaline solution and the PdSnPt0.2/C with optimal molar ratio reached the best. In acid solution, the PdSnPt0.2/C also depicted a superior catalytic activity relative to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The possible enhanced synergistic effect between Pd, Sn/Sn(O) and Pt in an alloyed state should be responsible for the as-revealed superior ethanol electro-oxidation performance based upon the beneficial electronic effect and bi-functional mechanism. It implies the trimetallic PdSnPt0.2/C with a low Pt content has a promising prospect as anodic electrocatalyst in fields of alkali- and acid-type direct ethanol fuel cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Techno-economic Analysis for the Thermochemical Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol via Acetic Acid Synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Yunhua; Jones, Susanne B.

2009-04-01

Biomass is a renewable energy resource that can be converted into liquid fuel suitable for transportation applications. As a widely available biomass form, lignocellulosic biomass can have a major impact on domestic transportation fuel supplies and thus help meet the Energy Independence and Security Act renewable energy goals (U.S. Congress 2007). This study performs a techno-economic analysis of the thermo chemical conversion of biomass to ethanol, through methanol and acetic acid, followed by hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol. The conversion of syngas to methanol and methanol to acetic acid are well-proven technologies with high conversions and yields. This study was undertaken to determine if this highly selective route to ethanol could provide an already established economically attractive route to ethanol. The feedstock was assumed to be wood chips at 2000 metric ton/day (dry basis). Two types of gasification technologies were evaluated: an indirectly-heated gasifier and a directly-heated oxygen-blown gasifier. Process models were developed and a cost analysis was performed. The carbon monoxide used for acetic acid synthesis from methanol and the hydrogen used for hydrogenation were assumed to be purchased and not derived from the gasifier. Analysis results show that ethanol selling prices are estimated to be $2.79/gallon and $2.81/gallon for the indirectly-heated gasifier and the directly-heated gasifier systems, respectively (1stQ 2008$, 10% ROI). These costs are above the ethanol market price for during the same time period ($1.50 - $2.50/gal). The co-production of acetic acid greatly improves the process economics as shown in the figure below. Here, 20% of the acetic acid is diverted from ethanol production and assumed to be sold as a co-product at the prevailing market prices ($0.40 - $0.60/lb acetic acid), resulting in competitive ethanol production costs.

Selective Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Ethanol on a Boron- and Nitrogen-Co-doped Nanodiamond.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yanming; Zhang, Yujing; Cheng, Kai; Quan, Xie; Fan, Xinfei; Su, Yan; Chen, Shuo; Zhao, Huimin; Zhang, Yaobin; Yu, Hongtao; Hoffmann, Michael R

2017-12-04

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to ethanol, a clean and renewable liquid fuel with high heating value, is an attractive strategy for global warming mitigation and resource utilization. However, converting CO 2 to ethanol remains great challenge due to the low activity, poor product selectivity and stability of electrocatalysts. Here, the B- and N-co-doped nanodiamond (BND) was reported as an efficient and stable electrode for selective reduction of CO 2 to ethanol. Good ethanol selectivity was achieved on the BND with high Faradaic efficiency of 93.2 % (-1.0 V vs. RHE), which overcame the limitation of low selectivity for multicarbon or high heating value fuels. Its superior performance was mainly originated from the synergistic effect of B and N co-doping, high N content and overpotential for hydrogen evolution. The possible pathway for CO 2 reduction revealed by DFT computation was CO 2 →*COOH→*CO→*COCO→*COCH 2 OH→*CH 2 OCH 2 OH→CH 3 CH 2 OH. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ethanol production from maize silage as lignocellulosic biomass in anaerobically digested and wet-oxidized manure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oleskowicz-Popiel, Piotr; Lisiecki, P.; Holm-Nielsen, J.B.

2008-01-01

was investigated using 2 1 bioreactors. Wet oxidation performed for 20 min at 121 degrees C was found as the most suitable pretreatment conditions for AD manure. High ammonia concentration and significant amount of macro- and micro-nutrients in the AD manure had a positive influence on the ethanol fermentation....... No extra nitrogen source was needed in the fermentation broth. It was shown that the AD manure could successfully substitute process water in SSF of pretreated lignocellulosic fibres. Theoretical ethanol yields of 82% were achieved, giving 30.8 kg ethanol per 100 kg dry mass of maize silage. (C) 2007...

Ethanol production from biodiesel-derived crude glycerol by newly isolated Kluyvera cryocrescens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Won Jae; Hartono, Maria Regina; Chan, Weng Heng; Yeo, Suan Siong [Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Jurong Island (Singapore). Inst. of Chemical and Engineering Sciences

2011-02-15

The rapidly expanding market for biodiesel has increased the supply and reduced the cost of glycerol, making it an attractive sustainable feed stock for the fuel and chemical industry. Glycerol-based biorefinery is the microbial fermentation of crude glycerol to produce fuels and chemicals. A major challenge is to obtain microbes tolerant to inhibitors such as salts and organic solvents present in crude glycerol. Microbial screening was attempted to isolate novel strain capable of growing on crude glycerol as a sole carbon source. The newly isolated bacteria, identified as nonpathogenic Kluyvera cryocrescens S26 could convert biodiesel-derived crude glycerol to ethanol with high yield and productivity. The supplementation of nutrients such as yeast extract resulted in distinguished enhancement in cell growth as well as ethanol productivity under anaerobic condition. When glycerol fermentation is performed under microaerobic condition, there is also a remarkable improvement in cell growth, ethanol productivity and yield, compared with those under strict anaerobic condition. In batch fermentation under microaerobic condition, K. cryocrescens S26 produced 27 g/l of ethanol from crude glycerol with high molar yield of 80% and productivity of 0.61 g/l/h. (orig.)

High index surfaces of Au-nanocrystals supported on one-dimensional MoO3-nanorod as a bi-functional electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation and oxygen reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karuppasamy, L.; Chen, C.Y.; Anandan, S.; Wu, J.J.

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Synthesis of a new class of Au nanocrystals enclosed with high index surface supported on MoO 3 nanorods by ultrasonic probe method. •The role of supporting materials reduces the loading of Au and acts as a co-catalyst. •The as prepared electrocatalyst exhibits enhanced catalytic activity and stability towards both EOR and ORR. -- Abstract: The design of highly active electrocatalyst for ethanol electrooxidation (EOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great significance for the improvement of efficient direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). Therefore, creating high index facets nanocrystals with abundant catalytic active sites of stepped atoms is an effective way to enhance the electrocatalytic performance. In this article, we prepared the high index surface structures of Au nanocrystals supported on one-dimensional (1-D) MoO 3 nanorods by using two steps ultrasonic probe irradiation method. The size and physical properties of as electrocatalysts were studied by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) instrumentation. Besides, the catalytic activity of as Au-MoO 3 electrocatalyst was determined by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometric (CA), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), CO-stripping, and linear sweep voltammetry-rotating disk electrode (LSV-RDE). As a consequence, the Au-MoO 3 nanocomposites has been considered as an effective electrocatalyst for both ethanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction.

Anode catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells utilizing directly solar light illumination.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Daobao; Wang, Shuxi; Zheng, Peng; Wang, Jian; Zha, Longwu; Hou, Yuanyuan; He, Jianguo; Xiao, Ying; Lin, Huashui; Tian, Zhaowu

2009-01-01

Shine a light: A PtNiRu/TiO(2) anode catalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells shows photocatalytic activity. The peak current density for ethanol oxidation under solar light illumination is 2-3 times greater than that in the absence of solar light. Ethanol is oxidized by light-generated holes, and the electrons are collected by the TiO(2) support to generate the oxidation current.Novel PtNiRu/TiO(2) anode catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) were prepared from PtNiRu nanoparticles (1:1:1 atomic ratios) and a nanoporous TiO(2) film by a sol-gel and electrodeposition method. The performances of the catalysts for ethanol oxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicate a remarkable enhancement of activity for ethanol oxidation under solar light illumination. Under solar light illumination, the generated oxidation peak current density is 24.6 mA cm(-2), which is about 2.5 times higher than that observed without solar light (9.9 mA cm(-2)). The high catalytic activity of the PtNiRu/TiO(2) complex catalyst for the electrooxidation of ethanol may be attributed to the modified metal/nanoporous TiO(2) film, and the enhanced electrooxidation of ethanol under solar light may be due to the photogeneration of holes in the modified nanoporous TiO(2) film.

How does petroleum price and corn yield volatility affect ethanol markets with and without an ethanol use mandate?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, Wyatt; Meyer, Seth; Westhoff, Pat

2009-01-01

The recent increase in ethanol use in the US strengthens and changes the nature of links between agricultural and energy markets. Here, we explore the interaction of market volatility and the scope for policy to affect this interaction, with a focus on how corn yields and petroleum prices affect ethanol prices. Mandates associated with new US energy legislation may intervene in these links in the medium-term future. We simulate stochastically a structural model that represents these markets, and that includes mandates, in order to assess how shocks to corn or oil markets can affect ethanol price and use. We estimate that the mandate makes ethanol producer prices more sensitive to corn yields and less sensitive to changes in petroleum prices overall. We note a discontinuity in these links that is caused by the mandate. Ethanol use can exceed the mandate if petroleum prices and corn yields are high enough, but the mandate limits downside adjustments in ethanol use to low petroleum prices or corn yields

High efficient ethanol and VFAs production from gas fermentation: effect of acetate, gas and inoculum microbial composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Gammal, Maie; Abou-Shanab, Reda; Angelidaki, Irini

2017-01-01

In bioindustry, syngas fermentation is a promising technology for biofuel production without the use of plant biomass as sugar-based feedstock. The aim of this study was to identify optimal conditions for high efficient ethanol and volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from synthetic gas...... fatty acids and ethanol was achieved by the pure culture (Clostridium ragsdalei). Depending on the headspace gas composition, VFA concentrations were up to 300% higher after fermentation with Clostridium ragsdalei compared to fermentation with mixed culture. The preferred gas composition with respect...

Control of Biofilm Formation in Fungi Using Ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Sebaey, R.T.

2015-01-01

The use of fungi in biotechnology requires that no cell loss takes place; a maximal level of cell-nutrient interaction is required to achieve efficient performance and avoid cell loss. The main aim of the present study is to use ethanol to control cell-cell and cell-surface adhesion through manipulating cell surface properties. A Fungal isolate with a phenol oxidase activity (43.2 U/ml) was chosen out of twelve isolates belonging to two main genera: Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. The fungus isolate, assigned as the highest phenol oxidase producer, was morphologically identified as Penicillium purpurogenum. Penicillium purpurogenum formed a ring around the bottle in static and shaking conditions, therefore, a number of different stress conditions, such as ph, temperature, different nitrogen sources, gamma radiation and ethanol, were employed separately to control biofilm formation in the fungus under study. The fungus was tested for its morphology, mycelia weight, stress response (catalase, lipid peroxidation and red pigment synthesis) and extracellular and surface bound protein and exo polysaccharides. The obtained results correlate the biofilm formation to stress response and surface bound protein. Combining all types of stress did not result in more biofilm formation control; on the contrary, it posed more stress on the fungus and affected the biomass. Ethanol on its own was successively used to control biofilm, which was inhibited in the presence of 2.5% v/v ethanol without affecting the growth. The addition of ethanol also increased the intracellular phenol oxidase activity from 43.2 to 228.43 U/ml. scanning electron microscopy showed that the addition of ethanol resulted in the formation of loose mycelia network as compared to a tight mycelia network in ethanol free cultures. The presence of Yap1p gene, the detection of an oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG) and catalase after ethanol addition all suggest that a stress response might be involved in the

Strain differences in ethanol preference and reinforced behaviour: a comparison of two-bottle choice and operant self-administration paradigms.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, A W; Neill, J C; Costall, B

1997-02-01

An animal's volitional consumption of ethanol may be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In addition, genetic control of ethanol intake may depend on the test paradigm used. In the present study, performance for, and intake of ethanol in a limited access oral operant paradigm, and preference for ethanol in a two-bottle free choice test in the home-cage were compared in female rats of the heterogeneous Sprague Dawley (SD) and inbred Lewis strains. A smaller proportion of SD rats reached criterion on the self-administration task (four of 10 SD vs eight of 10 Lewis), but those SD rats that did achieve criterion maintained higher levels of responding and greater ethanol intake, relative to the Lewis strain, in the operant self-administration paradigm. Additionally, SD but not Lewis rats exhibited increased locomotor activity and an increase in performance for ethanol compared with water. In marked contrast, Lewis rats exhibited a greater preference for 10% ethanol over water in the two-bottle choice test compared with the SD strain, which preferred water to ethanol. These results suggest that both genotype and test paradigm are involved in the extent to which ethanol serves as a positive reinforcer and that unlike two-bottle choice preference tests, self-administration studies are more highly predictive of the reinforcing properties of ethanol.

Environmental profile of ethanol from poplar biomass as transport fuel in Southern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez-Garcia, Sara; Moreira, M. Teresa; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Gasol, Carles M.; Gabarrell, Xavier; Rieradevall, Joan

2010-01-01

Liquid biofuels provide one of the few options for fossil fuel substitution in the short to medium-term and they are strongly being promoted by the European Union as transport fuel (such as ethanol) since they have the potential to offer both greenhouse gas (GHG) savings and energy security. A ''well to wheel'' analysis has been conducted for poplar based ethanol by means of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The aim of the analysis is to assess the environmental performance of three ethanol applications (E10, E85 and E100) in comparison with conventional gasoline. To compare the environmental profiles, the study addressed the impact potentials per kilometre driven by a middle size passenger car, taking into account the performance difference between ethanol blends and gasoline. According to the results of this study, fuel ethanol derived from poplar biomass may help to reduce the contributions to global warming, abiotic resources depletion and ozone layer depletion up to 62%, 72% and 36% respectively. Reductions of fossil fuel extraction of up to 80% could be achieved when pure ethanol is used. On the contrary, contributions to other impact categories would be increased, specifically to acidification and eutrophication. In both categories, ethanol based blends are less environmentally friendly than conventional gasoline due to the higher impact from the upstream activities. Research focussed on the reduction of the environmental impacts should be pointed forward poplar cultivation as well as ethanol conversion plant (enzyme manufacturing, energy production and distillation). In this study poplar cultivation was really intensive in order to obtain a high yield. Strategic planning according to the location of the crops and its requirements should help to reduce these impacts from its cultivation. (author)

Ethanol production from the seaweed Gelidium amansii, using specific sugar acclimated yeasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Hyeyoung; Ra, Chae-Hun; Kim, Sung-Koo

2014-02-28

For the production of ethanol from seaweed as the source material, thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic saccharification were carried out for monosugars production of 25.5 g/l galactose and 7.6 g/l glucose using Gelidium amansii. The fermentation was performed with Pichia stipitis KCTC 7228 or Saccharomyces cerevisiae KCCM 1129. When wild P. stipitis and S. cerevisiae were used, the ethanol productions of 11.2 g/l and 6.9 g/l were produced, respectively. The ethanol productions of 16.6 g/l and 14.6 g/l were produced using P. stipitis and S. cerevisiae acclimated to high concentration of galactose, respectively. The yields of ethanol fermentation increased to 0.5 and 0.44 from 0.34 and 0.21 using acclimated P. stipitis and S. cerevisiae, respectively. Therefore, acclimation of yeasts to a specific sugar such as galactose reduced the glucose-induced repression on the transport of galactose.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae KNU5377 stress response during high-temperature ethanol fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il-Sup; Kim, Young-Saeng; Kim, Hyun; Jin, Ingnyol; Yoon, Ho-Sung

2013-03-01

Fuel ethanol production is far more costly to produce than fossil fuels. There are a number of approaches to cost-effective fuel ethanol production from biomass. We characterized stress response of thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae KNU5377 during glucose-based batch fermentation at high temperature (40°C). S. cerevisiae KNU5377 (KNU5377) transcription factors (Hsf1, Msn2/4, and Yap1), metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and alcohol dehydrogenase), antioxidant enzymes (thioredoxin 3, thioredoxin reductase, and porin), and molecular chaperones and its cofactors (Hsp104, Hsp82, Hsp60, Hsp42, Hsp30, Hsp26, Cpr1, Sti1, and Zpr1) are upregulated during fermentation, in comparison to S. cerevisiae S288C (S288C). Expression of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase increased significantly in KNU5377 cells. In addition, cellular hydroperoxide and protein oxidation, particularly lipid peroxidation of triosephosphate isomerase, was lower in KNU5377 than in S288C. Thus, KNU5377 activates various cell rescue proteins through transcription activators, improving tolerance and increasing alcohol yield by rapidly responding to fermentation stress through redox homeostasis and proteostasis.

Application of PtSn/C catalysts and Nafion SiO2 membranes in direct ethanol fuel cell at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dresch, Mauro Andre

2014-01-01

This work has as objective to evaluate anodes and electrolytes in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC) operating at high temperature (130 deg C). As anode materials, electrocatalysts based on Pt Sn/C were prepared by Modified Polyol Method with various Pt:Sn atomic ratios. Such methodology promotes self organized electrocatalysts production with narrow particle size distribution and high alloying degree. The electrocatalysts were characterized by XRD, and CO stripping. The results showed that these materials presented high alloying degree and Eonset CO oxidation at lower potential as commercial materials. As electrolyte, Nafion-SiO 2 hybrids were synthesized by sol-gel reaction, by the incorporation of oxide directly into the ionic aggregates of various kinds of Nafion membranes. The synthesis parameter, such sol-gel solvent, membrane thickness and silicon precursor concentration were studied in terms of silica incorporation degree and hybrid mechanical stability. Finally, the optimized anodes and electrolytes were evaluated in DEFC operating at 80 - 130 deg C temperature range. The results showed a significant improvement of the DEFC performance (122 mW cm -2 ), resulted from the acceleration of ethanol oxidation reaction rate due to anode material optimization and high temperature operation once the use of hybrids possibilities the increase of temperature without a significant conductivity loses. In this sense, the combination of optimized electrodes and electrolytes are a promising alternative for the development of these devices. (author)

Modifications in adrenal hormones response to ethanol by prior ethanol dependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Guaza, C; Borrell, S

1985-03-01

Ethanol was administered to rats by means of a liquid diet for 16 days; after an ethanol-free interval of four weeks, animals received a test (IP) dose of ethanol (2 g/kg), and the adrenocortical and adrenomedullary responses were evaluated. Chronically ethanol-exposed animals showed tolerance to the stimulatory effect of ethanol in the pituitary-adrenal axis. Likewise, previously dependent rats showed tolerance to the increase in the activity of the adrenomedullary function induced by acute administration of the drug. Our results indicate that chronic ethanol ingestion can induce persistent changes after complete alcohol abstinence.

Ethanol Basics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2015-01-30

Ethanol is a widely-used, domestically-produced renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials. More than 96% of gasoline sold in the United States contains ethanol. Learn more about this alternative fuel in the Ethanol Basics Fact Sheet, produced by the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program.

Use of continuous lactose fermentation for ethanol production by Kluveromyces marxianus for verification and extension of a biochemically structured model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sansonetti, S.; Hobley, Timothy John; Curcio, S.

2013-01-01

A biochemically structured model has been developed to describe the continuous fermentation of lactose to ethanol by Kluveromyces marxianus and allowed metabolic coefficients to be determined. Anaerobic lactose-limited chemostat fermentations at different dilution rates (0.02 – 0.35 h-1) were...... performed. Species specific rates of consumption/formation, as well as yield coefficients were determined. Ethanol yield (0.655 C-mol ethanol*C-mol lactose-1) was as high as 98 % of theoretical. The modeling procedure allowed calculation of maintenance coefficients for lactose consumption and ethanol...

Production of ethanol at high temperatures in the fermentation of Jerusalem artichoke juice and a simple medium by Kluyveromyces marxianus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosa, M.F.; Correia, I.S.; Novais, J.M.

1987-01-01

Temperatures as high as 36 degrees C and 40 degrees C did not negatively affect the ethanol productivity of Jerusalem artichoke (J.a.) juice batch fermentation and the final concentrations of ethanol were close to those produced at lower temperatures. At higher process temperatures (36-40 degrees C), ethanol toxicity in Kluyveromyces marxianus was less important during the fermentation of J.a. juice as compared with a simple medium. In simple medium, the heat-sticking of fermentation was observed and the percentage of unfermented sugars steeply increased from 28 degrees C up to 40 degrees C. (Refs. 13).

Effect of ethanolic extract of propolis as an alternative to antibiotics as a growth promoter on broiler performance, serum biochemistry, and immune responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbasali Gheisari

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Aim: An in vivo experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of ethanolic extract of propolis, on growth performance, carcass traits, serum biochemistry, and humoral immune responses of chickens, as compared with the antibiotic flavophospholipol. Materials and Methods: 312 1-day-old as-hatched broiler chicks (Ross 308 were randomly allotted to 6 treatments with 4 replicate pens per treatment. The 6 dietary treatments fed for 42 days consisted of a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control; control plus 4.5 mg/kg flavophospholipol, and control plus 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg ethanol extracts of propolis, respectively. Results: Neither propolis nor antibiotic affected the performance criteria; however, dietary treatments tended to enhance to enhance body weight and daily feed intake of broiler chickens compared with control group (p>0.05. None of the dietary treatments significantly altered feed: Gain though; broilers fed diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg propolis had better feed: gain values compared with other groups in starter, and grower phases as well as the whole experimental period (p>0.05. Carcass yield and internal organ relative weights were not affected by treatments on day 42, except for abdominal fat pad weight that decreased in broilers supplemented with antibiotic. None of the treatments significantly affected humoral immune function. Dietary treatments failed to induce any significant effect on serum biochemistry (p>0.05; though broilers receiving 100 mg/kg propolis had greater high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and lower triglyceride concentrations compared with other groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results indicated that addition of ethanolic extract of propolis to routine dietary components of broilers, such as corn and soybean, seems not to have a positive influence on performance criteria.

Autoshaping of ethanol drinking: an animal model of binge drinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomie, Arthur; di Poce, Jason; Derenzo, Christopher C; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2002-01-01

To examine the hypothesis that Pavlovian autoshaping provides an animal learning model of drug abuse, two studies evaluated the induction of ethanol drinking by autoshaping procedures. In Experiment 1, the sipper tube conditioned stimulus (CS) contained saccharin/ethanol solution and was repeatedly paired with food as an unconditioned stimulus (US). The CS-US paired group consumed more of the 0.1% saccharin-6% ethanol solution than did the CS-US random group, revealing that autoshaping conditioned responses (CR) induce ethanol drinking not attributable to pseudo-conditioning. Experiment 2 employed saccharin-fading procedures and showed that the paired vs random group differences in ethanol drinking were maintained, even as the saccharin was eliminated from the solution. The results show that Pavlovian autoshaping procedures induce high volumes of ethanol drinking when the presentation of a sipper tube containing an ethanol solution precedes the response-independent delivery of food. The high volume of ethanol consumed in a brief period of time suggests that Pavlovian autoshaping may be a model of binge drinking.

Influence of different SSF conditions on ethanol production from corn stover at high solids loadings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gladis, Arne; Bondesson, Pia-Maria; Galbe, Mats

2015-01-01

In this study, three different kinds of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of washed pretreated corn stover with water-insoluble solids (WIS) content of 20% were investigated to find which one resulted in highest ethanol yield at high-solids loadings. The different methods were...

Chronic intermittent ethanol inhalation increases ethanol self-administration in both C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice.

Science.gov (United States)

McCool, Brian A; Chappell, Ann M

2015-03-01

Inbred mouse strains provide significant opportunities to understand the genetic mechanisms controlling ethanol-directed behaviors and neurobiology. They have been specifically employed to understand cellular mechanisms contributing to ethanol consumption, acute intoxication, and sensitivities to chronic effects. However, limited ethanol consumption by some strains has restricted our understanding of clinically relevant endpoints such as dependence-related ethanol intake. Previous work with a novel tastant-substitution procedure using monosodium glutamate (MSG or umami flavor) has shown that the procedure greatly enhances ethanol consumption by mouse strains that express limited drinking phenotypes using other methods. In the current study, we employ this MSG-substitution procedure to examine how ethanol dependence, induced with passive vapor inhalation, modifies ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice. These strains represent 'high' and 'low' drinking phenotypes, respectively. We found that the MSG substitution greatly facilitates ethanol drinking in both strains, and likewise, ethanol dependence increased ethanol consumption regardless of strain. However, DBA/2J mice exhibited greater sensitivity dependence-enhanced drinking, as represented by consumption behaviors directed at lower ethanol concentrations and relative to baseline intake levels. DBA/2J mice also exhibited significant withdrawal-associated anxiety-like behavior while C57BL/6J mice did not. These findings suggest that the MSG-substitution procedure can be employed to examine dependence-enhanced ethanol consumption across a range of drinking phenotypes, and that C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice may represent unique neurobehavioral pathways for developing dependence-enhanced ethanol consumption. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen-ethanol blending as an alternative fuel of spark ignition engines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Baghdadi, M.A.S. [University of Babylon (Iraq). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2003-07-01

The performance and pollutant emission of a four-stroke spark ignition engine using hydrogen-ethanol blends as fuel have been studied. The tests were performed using 2, 4, 6, 8, 1 0 and 12 mass% hydrogen-ethanol blends. Gasoline fuel was used as a basis for comparison. The effect of using different blends of hydrogen-ethanol on engine power, specific fuel consumption, CO and NO{sub x} emission was studied. Operating test results for a range of compression ratio (CR) and equivalent ratio are presented. The results show that the supplemental hydrogen in the ethanol-air mixture improves the combustion process and hence improves the combustion efficiency, expands the range of combustibility of the ethanol fuel, increases the power, reduces the s.f.c. and reduces toxic emissions. The important improvement of hydrogen addition is to reduce the s.f.c. of ethanol engines. Results were compared to those with gasoline fuel at 7 CR and stoichiometric equivalence ratio. (author)

Recent updates on lignocellulosic biomass derived ethanol - A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajeev Kumar

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Lignocellulosic (or cellulosic biomass derived ethanol is the most promising near/long term fuel candidate. In addition, cellulosic biomass derived ethanol may serve a precursor to other fuels and chemicals that are currently derived from unsustainable sources and/or are proposed to be derived from cellulosic biomass. However, the processing cost for second generation ethanol is still high to make the process commercially profitable and replicable. In this review, recent trends in cellulosic biomass ethanol derived via biochemical route are reviewed with main focus on current research efforts that are being undertaken to realize high product yields/titers and bring the overall cost down.

Assessment of energy performance and air pollutant emissions in a diesel engine generator fueled with water-containing ethanol-biodiesel-diesel blend of fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wen-Jhy; Liu, Yi-Cheng; Mwangi, Francis Kimani; Chen, Wei-Hsin; Lin, Sheng-Lun; Fukushima, Yasuhiro; Liao, Chao-Ning; Wang, Lin-Chi

2011-01-01

Biomass based oxygenated fuels have been identified as possible replacement of fossil fuel due to pollutant emission reduction and decrease in over-reliance on fossil fuel energy. In this study, 4 v% water-containing ethanol was mixed with (65-90%) diesel using (5-30%) biodiesel (BD) and 1 v% butanol as stabilizer and co-solvent respectively. The fuels were tested against those of biodiesel-diesel fuel blends to investigate the effect of addition of water-containing ethanol for their energy efficiencies and pollutant emissions in a diesel-fueled engine generator. Experimental results indicated that the fuel blend mix containing 4 v% of water-containing ethanol, 1 v% butanol and 5-30 v% of biodiesel yielded stable blends after 30 days standing. BD1041 blend of fuel, which composed of 10 v% biodiesel, 4 v% of water-containing ethanol and 1 v% butanol demonstrated -0.45 to 1.6% increase in brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC, mL kW -1 h -1 ) as compared to conventional diesel. The better engine performance of BD1041 was as a result of complete combustion, and lower reaction temperature based on the water cooling effect, which reduced emissions to 2.8-6.0% for NO x , 12.6-23.7% particulate matter (PM), 20.4-23.8% total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 30.8-42.9% total BaPeq between idle mode and 3.2 kW power output of the diesel engine generator. The study indicated that blending diesel with water-containing ethanol could achieve the goal of more green sustainability. -- Highlights: → Water-containing ethanol was mixed with diesel using biodiesel and butanol as stabilizer and co-solvent, respectively. → Fuel blends with 4 v% water-containing ethanol, 1 v% butanol, 5-30 v% biodiesel and conventional diesel yielded a stable blended fuel after more than 30 days. → Due to more complete combustion and water quench effect, target fuel BD1041 was gave good energy performance and significant reduction of PM, NO x , total PAH and total BaPeq emissions. �

Forced swim stress increases ethanol consumption in C57BL/6J mice with a history of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Rachel I; Lopez, Marcelo F; Becker, Howard C

2016-06-01

Stress exposure has been identified as one risk factor for alcohol abuse that may facilitate the transition from social or regulated alcohol use to the development of alcohol dependence. Additionally, stress is a common trigger for relapse and subsequent loss of control of drinking in alcohol-dependent individuals. The present study was designed to characterize effects of repeated forced swim stress (FSS) on ethanol consumption in three rodent drinking models that engender high levels of ethanol consumption. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 10-min FSS 4 h prior to each drinking session in three different models of high ethanol consumption: chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) drinking (a model of dependence-like drinking), drinking-in-the-dark (DID; a model of binge-like drinking), and intermittent vs. continuous access (a model of escalated drinking). In the CIE drinking paradigm, daily FSS facilitated the escalation of ethanol intake that is typically seen in CIE-exposed mice without altering ethanol consumption in control mice exposed to FSS. FSS prior to drinking sessions did not alter ethanol consumption in the DID or intermittent access paradigms, whereas stressed mice in the continuous access procedure consumed less ethanol than their nonstressed counterparts. The CIE drinking paradigm may provide a helpful preclinical model of stress-induced transition to ethanol dependence that can be used to (1) identify underlying neural mechanisms that facilitate this transition and (2) evaluate the therapeutic potential of various pharmacological agents hypothesized to alleviate stress-induced drinking.

Study of alcohol fuel of butanol and ethanol effect on the compression ignition (CI) engine performance, combustion and emission characteristic

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, M. A.; Yusop, A. F.; Mat Yasin, M. H.; Hamidi, M. A.; Alias, A.; Hussin, H.; Hamri, S.

2017-10-01

Diesel engine which is one of the larger contributors to total consumption for petroleum is an attractive power unit used widely in many fields. However, diesel engines are among the main contributors to air pollutions for the large amount of emissions, such as CO, CO2 and NOx lead to an adverse effect on human health. Many researches have been done to find alternative fuels that are clean and efficient. Biodiesel is preferred as an alternative source for diesel engine which produces lower emission of pollutants. This study has focused on the evaluation of diesel and alcohol-diesel fuel properties and also the performance, combustion and exhaust emission from diesel engine fuelled with diesel and alcohol. Butanol and ethanol is blend with diesel fuel at 1:9 ratio. There are three test fuel that is tested which Diesel (100% diesel), D90BU10 (10% Butanol and 90% diesel) and D90E10 (10% Ethanol and 90% diesel). The comparison between diesel and alcohol-diesel blend has been made in terms of fuel properties characterization, engine performance such as brake power (BP) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) also the in cylinder maximum pressure characteristic. Thus, exhaust gas emission of CO, CO2, NOx and O2 emission also has been observed at constant load of 50% but in different operating engine speed (1100 rpm, 1400 rpm, 1700 rpm, 2000 rpm and 2300 rpm). The results show the addition of 10% of each butanol and ethanol to diesel fuel had decreased the fuel density about 0.3% to 0.5% compared to mineral diesel. In addition, viscosity and energy content are also decrease. The addition of 10% butanol had improved the fuel cetane number however the ethanol blends react differently. In term of engine performance, as the engine speed increased, BP output also increase respectively. Hence, the alcohol blends fuel generates lower BP compared to diesel, plus BSFC for all test fuel shows decreasing trend at low and medium speed, however increased gradually at higher engine

Lever conditioned stimulus-directed autoshaping induced by saccharin-ethanol unconditioned stimulus solution: effects of ethanol concentration and trial spacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomie, Arthur; Festa, Eugene D; Sparta, Dennis R; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2003-05-01

Two experiments were designed to evaluate whether brief access to a saccharin-ethanol solution would function as an effective unconditioned stimulus (US) in Pavlovian-autoshaping procedures. In these experiments, the insertion of a lever conditioned stimulus (CS) was followed by the brief presentation of a sipper tube containing saccharin-ethanol US solution. Experience with this Pavlovian-autoshaping procedure engendered lever CS-directed autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) in all rats. In Experiment 1, the concentration of ethanol [0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, or 8% (vol./vol.)] in 0.1% saccharin was systematically increased within subjects across autoshaping sessions to evaluate the relation between a rat's drinking and lever pressing. In Experiment 2, the mean intertrial interval (ITI) duration (60, 90, 120 s) was systematically increased within subjects across autoshaping sessions to evaluate the effect of ITI duration on drinking and lever pressing. A pseudoconditioning control group received lever CS randomly with respect to the saccharin-ethanol US solution. In Experiment 1, lever-press autoshaping CRs developed in all rats, and the tendency of a rat to drink an ethanol concentration was predictive of the performance of lever-press autoshaping CRs. In Experiment 2, longer ITIs induced more lever CS-directed responding, and CS-US paired procedures yielded more lever CS-directed responding than that observed in CS-US random procedures. Saccharin-ethanol is an effective US in Pavlovian-autoshaping procedures, inducing more CS-directed responding than in pseudoconditioning controls receiving CS-US random procedures. More lever CS-directed responding was observed when there was more drinking of the saccharin-ethanol US solution (Experiment 1); when the CS and US were paired, rather than random (Experiment 2); and with longer mean ITI durations (Experiment 2). This pattern of results is consistent with the hypothesis that lever CS-directed responding reflects performance

Tolerance to and cross tolerance between ethanol and nicotine.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, A C; Burch, J B; de Fiebre, C M; Marks, M J

1988-02-01

Female DBA mice were subjected to one of four treatments: ethanol-containing or control diets, nicotine (0.2, 1.0, 5.0 mg/kg/hr) infusion or saline infusion. After removal from the liquid diets or cessation of infusion, the animals were challenged with an acute dose of ethanol or nicotine. Chronic ethanol-fed mice were tolerant to the effects of ethanol on body temperature and open field activity and were cross tolerant to the effects of nicotine on body temperature and heart rate. Nicotine infused animals were tolerant to the effects of nicotine on body temperature and rotarod performance and were cross tolerant to the effects of ethanol on body temperature. Ethanol-induced sleep time was decreased in chronic ethanol- but not chronic nicotine-treated mice. Chronic drug treatment did not alter the elimination rate of either drug. Chronic ethanol treatment did not alter the number or affinity of brain nicotinic receptors whereas chronic nicotine treatment elicited an increase in the number of [3H]-nicotine binding sites. Tolerance and cross tolerance between ethanol and nicotine is discussed in terms of potential effects on desensitization of brain nicotinic receptors.

Resolution of enantiopure (S)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol from racemic mixture by a novel Bacillus cereus isolate.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjan, Preeti; Pandey, Ashok; Binod, Parameswaran

2017-09-01

Chiral intermediates have wide application and high demand in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and other biotechnological industries for the preparation of bulk drug substances or fine chemicals. (S)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol is an important synthetic intermediate of mevinic acid analog and a potential inhibitor of 3-hydroxy methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase enzymes which is rate limiting for cholesterol synthesis. The present study focuses on the resolution of (RS)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol using whole cell biotransformation approach. The screening of microbial strains for the specific conversion were performed by the enrichment techniques using (RS)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol. Evaluation of resolution, i.e., the enantioselective conversion of (R)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol into 1-acetonapthone and production of (S)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol with high purity were carried out. Among the isolates, a novel strain Bacillus cereus WG3 was found to be potent for the resolution and conversion of (S)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol. This strain showed 86% conversion of (R)-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol and 95% yield of S-1-(1-napthyl) ethanol with 80% ee after 24 h. Further, the optimization of biotransformation reactions was carried out and the optimal parameters were found to be pH 7.0 and temperature 30 °C. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ethanol production from soybean molasses by Zymomonas mobilis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Letti, Luiz Alberto Junior; Karp, Susan Grace; Woiciechowski, Adenise Lorenci; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo

2012-01-01

This work deals with the utilization of soybean molasses (a low cost byproduct) to produce ethanol, an important biofuel, using the microorganism Zymomonas mobilis NRRL 806, a gram negative bacterium. At the first part of the work, laboratorial scale tests, using 125 mL flasks were performed to evaluate the effect of three variables on ethanol production: soybean molasses concentration (the sole carbon and nitrogen source), pH and period of previous aerobial phase. The optimal soybean concentration was around 200 g L -1 of soluble solids, pH between 6.0 and 7.0, and the period of previous aerobial phase did not provide significant effect. At the second part, kinetic tests were performed to compare the fermentation yields of Zymomonas mobilis NRRL 806 in flasks and in a bench scale batch reactor (it was obtained respectively 78.3% and 96.0% of the maximum theoretical yields, with productions of 24.2 and 29.3 g L -1 of ethanol). The process with a reactor fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae LPB1 was also tested (it was reached 89.3% of the theoretical maximum value). A detailed kinetic behavior of the molasses sugars metabolism for Z. mobilis was also shown, either in reactor or in flasks. This work is a valuable tool for further works in the subject of ethanol production from agro-industrial by-products. -- Highlights: ► Zymomonas mobilis was able to grow and produce ethanol on diluted soybean molasses. ► Best conditions for ethanol production:200g L -1 of soluble solids; pH around 6,5. ► Z. mobilis had better ethanol production and yield when compared to S. cerevisiae. ► In reactor, Z. mobilis produced 29.3 g L -1 of ethanol, 96.0% of the maximum yield.

Electrochemical Partial Reforming of Ethanol into Ethyl Acetate Using Ultrathin Co3O4 Nanosheets as a Highly Selective Anode Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Lei; Qin, Qing; Zhao, Xiaojing; Xu, Chaofa; Hu, Chengyi; Mo, Shiguang; Wang, Yu Olivia; Lin, Shuichao; Tang, Zichao; Zheng, Nanfeng

2016-08-24

Electrochemical partial reforming of organics provides an alternative strategy to produce valuable organic compounds while generating H2 under mild conditions. In this work, highly selective electrochemical reforming of ethanol into ethyl acetate is successfully achieved by using ultrathin Co3O4 nanosheets with exposed (111) facets as an anode catalyst. Those nanosheets were synthesized by a one-pot, templateless hydrothermal method with the use of ammonia. NH3 was demonstrated critical to the overall formation of ultrathin Co3O4 nanosheets. With abundant active sites on Co3O4 (111), the as-synthesized ultrathin Co3O4 nanosheets exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activities toward water and ethanol oxidations in alkaline media. More importantly, over the Co3O4 nanosheets, the electrooxidation from ethanol to ethyl acetate was so selective that no other oxidation products were yielded. With such a high selectivity, an electrolyzer cell using Co3O4 nanosheets as the anode electrocatalyst and Ni-Mo nanopowders as the cathode electrocatalyst has been successfully built for ethanol reforming. The electrolyzer cell was readily driven by a 1.5 V battery to achieve the effective production of both H2 and ethyl acetate. After the bulk electrolysis, about 95% of ethanol was electrochemically reformed into ethyl acetate. This work opens up new opportunities in designing a material system for building unique devices to generate both hydrogen and high-value organics at room temperature by utilizing electric energy from renewable sources.

Evaluation of ethanol production from pito mash using Zymomonas ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) method, while analysis of ethanol content was performed using gas chromatography. ... Keywords: Pito mash, agro-industrial wastes, Zymomonas mobilis, ethanol, reducing sugars. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Evaluation of Drying Process on the Composition of Black Pepper Ethanolic Extract by High Performance Liquid Chromatography With Diode Array Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Namjoyan, Foroogh; Hejazi, Hoda; Ramezani, Zahra

2012-01-01

Background Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is one of the well-known spices extensively used worldwide especially in India, and Southeast Asia. The presence of alkaloids in the pepper, namely, piperine and its three stereoisomers, isopiperine, chavicine and isochavicine are well noticed. Objectives The current study evaluated the effect of lyophilization and oven drying on the stability and decomposition of constituents of black pepper ethanolic extract. Materials and Methods In the current study ethanolic extract of black pepper obtained by maceration method was dried using two methods. The effect of freeze and oven drying on the chemical composition of the extract especially piperine and its three isomers were evaluated by HPLC analysis of the ethanolic extract before and after drying processes using diode array detector. The UV Vis spectra of the peaks at piperine retention time before and after each drying methods indicated maximum absorbance at 341.2 nm corresponding to standard piperine. Results The results indicated a decrease in intensity of the chromatogram peaks at approximately all retention times after freeze drying, indicating a few percent loss of piperine and its isomers upon lyophilization. Two impurity peaks were completely removed from the extract. Conclusions In oven dried samples two of the piperine stereoisomers were completely removed from the extract and the intensity of piperine peak was increased. PMID:24624176

The influence of Adh function on ethanol preference and tolerance in adult Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogueta, Maite; Cibik, Osman; Eltrop, Rouven; Schneider, Andrea; Scholz, Henrike

2010-11-01

Preference determines behavioral choices such as choosing among food sources and mates. One preference-affecting chemical is ethanol, which guides insects to fermenting fruits or leaves. Here, we show that adult Drosophila melanogaster prefer food containing up to 5% ethanol over food without ethanol and avoid food with high levels (23%) of ethanol. Although female and male flies behaved differently at ethanol-containing food sources, there was no sexual dimorphism in the preference for food containing modest ethanol levels. We also investigated whether Drosophila preference, sensitivity and tolerance to ethanol was related to the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh), the primary ethanol-metabolizing enzyme in D. melanogaster. Impaired Adh function reduced ethanol preference in both D. melanogaster and a related species, D. sechellia. Adh-impaired flies also displayed reduced aversion to high ethanol concentrations, increased sensitivity to the effects of ethanol on postural control, and negative tolerance/sensitization (i.e., a reduction of the increased resistance to ethanol's effects that normally occurs upon repeated exposure). These data strongly indicate a linkage between ethanol-induced behavior and ethanol metabolism in adult fruit flies: Adh deficiency resulted in reduced preference to low ethanol concentrations and reduced aversion to high ones, despite recovery from ethanol being strongly impaired.

Biochemical Disincentives to Fertilizing Cellulosic Ethanol Crops

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, M. E.; Hockaday, W. C.; Snapp, S.; McSwiney, C.; Baldock, J.

2010-12-01

Corn grain biofuel crops produce the highest yields when the cropping ecosystem is not nitrogen (N)-limited, achieved by application of fertilizer. There are environmental consequences for excessive fertilizer application to crops, including greenhouse gas emissions, hypoxic “dead zones,” and health problems from N runoff into groundwater. The increase in corn acreage in response to demand for alternative fuels (i.e. ethanol) could exacerbate these problems, and divert food supplies to fuel production. A potential substitute for grain ethanol that could reduce some of these impacts is cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol feedstocks include grasses (switchgrass), hardwoods, and crop residues (e.g. corn stover, wheat straw). It has been assumed that these feedstocks will require similar N fertilization rates to grain biofuel crops to maximize yields, but carbohydrate yield versus N application has not previously been monitored. We report the biochemical stocks (carbohydrate, protein, and lignin in Mg ha-1) of a corn ecosystem grown under varying N levels. We measured biochemical yield in Mg ha-1 within the grain, leaf and stem, and reproductive parts of corn plants grown at seven N fertilization rates (0-202 kg N ha-1), to evaluate the quantity and quality of these feedstocks across a N fertilization gradient. The N fertilization rate study was performed at the Kellogg Biological Station-Long Term Ecological Research Site (KBS-LTER) in Michigan. Biochemical stocks were measured using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), combined with a molecular mixing model (Baldock et al. 2004). Carbohydrate and lignin are the main biochemicals of interest in ethanol production since carbohydrate is the ethanol feedstock, and lignin hinders the carbohydrate to ethanol conversion process. We show that corn residue carbohydrate yields respond only weakly to N fertilization compared to grain. Grain carbohydrate yields plateau in response to fertilization at

Treatment of hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules by percutaneous ethanol injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Larijani, Bagher; Pajouhi, Mohammad; Ghanaati, Hossein; Bastanhagh, Mohammad-Hassan; Abbasvandi, Fereshteh; Firooznia, Kazem; Shirzad, Mahmood; Amini, Mohammad-Reza; Sarai, Maryam; Abbasvandi, Nasreen; Baradar-Jalili, Reza

2002-12-06

BACKGROUND: Autonomous thyroid nodules can be treated by a variety of methods. We assessed the efficacy of percutaneous ethanol injection in treating autonomous thyroid nodules. METHODS: 35 patients diagnosed by technetium-99 scanning with hyperfunctioning nodules and suppressed sensitive TSH (sTSH) were given sterile ethanol injections under ultrasound guidance. 29 patients had clinical and biochemical hyperthyroidism. The other 6 had sub-clinical hyperthyroidism with suppressed sTSH levels (thyroid hormone levels. Ethanol injections were performed once every 1-4 weeks. Ethanol injections were stopped when serum T3, T4 and sTSH levels had returned to normal, or else injections could no longer be performed because significant side effects. Patients were followed up at 3, 6 and, in 15 patients, 24 months after the last injection. RESULTS: Average pre-treatment nodule volume [18.2 PlusMinus; 12.7 ml] decreased to 5.7 PlusMinus; 4.6 ml at 6 months follow-up [P thyroid hormone levels at 3 and 6 months follow-up [P 0.05]. Ethanol injections were well tolerated by the patients, with only 2 cases of transient dysphonia. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that ethanol injection is an alternative to surgery or radioactive iodine in the treatment of autonomous thyroid nodules.

Removal of Atmospheric Ethanol by Wet Deposition: A Global Flux Estimate

Science.gov (United States)

Felix, J. D. D.; Willey, J. D.; Avery, B.; Thomas, R.; Mullaugh, K.; Kieber, R. J.; Mead, R. N.; Helms, J. R.; Campos, L.; Shimizu, M. S.; Guibbina, F.

2017-12-01

Global ethanol fuel consumption has increased exponentially over the last two decades and the US plans to double annual renewable fuel production in the next five years as required by the renewable fuel standard. Regardless of the technology or feedstock used to produce the renewable fuel, the primary end product will be ethanol. Increasing ethanol fuel consumption will have an impact on the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere and increase atmospheric concentrations of the secondary pollutant peroxyacetyl nitrate as well a variety of VOCs with relatively high ozone reactivities (e.g. ethanol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde). Despite these documented effects of ethanol emissions on atmospheric chemistry, current global atmospheric ethanol budget models have large uncertainties in the magnitude of ethanol sources and sinks. The presented work investigates the global wet deposition sink by providing the first estimate of the global wet deposition flux of ethanol (2.4 ± 1.6 Tg/yr) based on empirical wet deposition data (219 samples collected at 12 locations). This suggests the wet deposition sink removes between 6 and 17% of atmospheric ethanol annually. Concentrations of ethanol in marine wet deposition (25 ± 6 nM) were an order of magnitude less than in the majority of terrestrial deposition (345 ± 280 nM). Terrestrial deposition collected in locations impacted by high local sources of biofuel usage and locations downwind from ethanol distilleries were an order of magnitude higher in ethanol concentration (3090 ± 448 nM) compared to deposition collected in terrestrial locations not impacted by these sources. These results indicate that wet deposition of ethanol is heavily influenced by local sources and ethanol emission impacts on air quality may be more significant in highly populated areas. As established and developing countries continue to rapidly increase ethanol fuel consumption and subsequent emissions, understanding the magnitude of all ethanol sources and

Delta receptor antagonism, ethanol taste reactivity, and ethanol consumption in outbred male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Higley, Amanda E; Kiefer, Stephen W

2006-11-01

Naltrexone, a nonspecific opioid antagonist, produces significant changes in ethanol responsivity in rats by rendering the taste of ethanol aversive as well as producing a decrease in voluntary ethanol consumption. The present study investigated the effect of naltrindole, a specific antagonist of delta opioid receptors, on ethanol taste reactivity and ethanol consumption in outbred rats. In the first experiment, rats received acute treatment of naltrexone, naltrindole, or saline followed by the measurement of ethanol consumption in a short-term access period. The second experiment involved the same treatments and investigated ethanol palatability (using the taste-reactivity test) as well as ethanol consumption. Results indicated that treatment with 3 mg/kg naltrexone significantly affected palatability (rendered ethanol more aversive, Experiment 2) and decreased voluntary ethanol consumption (Experiments 1 and 2). The effects of naltrindole were inconsistent. In Experiment 1, 8 mg/kg naltrindole significantly decreased voluntary ethanol consumption but this was not replicated in Experiment 2. The 8 mg/kg dose produced a significant increase in aversive responding (Experiment 2) but did not affect ingestive responding. Lower doses of naltrindole (2 and 4 mg/kg) were ineffective in altering rats' taste-reactivity response to and consumption of ethanol. While these data suggest that delta receptors are involved in rats' taste-reactivity response to ethanol and rats' ethanol consumption, it is likely that multiple opioid receptors mediate both behavioral responses.

HIGH PERMEABILITY MEMBRANES FOR THE DEHYDRATION OF LOW WATER CONTENT ETHANOL BY PERVAPORATION

Science.gov (United States)

Energy efficient dehydration of low water content ethanol is a challenge for the sustainable production of fuel-grade ethanol. Pervaporative membrane dehydration using a recently developed hydrophilic polymer membrane formulation consisting of a cross-linked mixture of poly(allyl...

From Ethanol to Salsolinol: Role of Ethanol Metabolites in the Effects of Ethanol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra T. Peana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In spite of the global reputation of ethanol as the psychopharmacologically active ingredient of alcoholic drinks, the neurobiological basis of the central effects of ethanol still presents some dark sides due to a number of unanswered questions related to both its precise mechanism of action and its metabolism. Accordingly, ethanol represents the interesting example of a compound whose actions cannot be explained as simply due to the involvement of a single receptor/neurotransmitter, a scenario further complicated by the robust evidence that two main metabolites, acetaldehyde and salsolinol, exert many effects similar to those of their parent compound. The present review recapitulates, in a perspective manner, the major and most recent advances that in the last decades boosted a significant growth in the understanding on the role of ethanol metabolism, in particular, in the neurobiological basis of its central effects.

Stress tolerance and growth physiology of yeast strains from the Brazilian fuel ethanol industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Della-Bianca, B E; Gombert, A K

2013-12-01

Improved biofuels production requires a better understanding of industrial microorganisms. Some wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, isolated from the fuel ethanol industry in Brazil, present exceptional fermentation performance, persistence and prevalence in the harsh industrial environment. Nevertheless, their physiology has not yet been systematically investigated. Here we present a first systematic evaluation of the widely used industrial strains PE-2, CAT-1, BG-1 and JP1, in terms of their tolerance towards process-related stressors. We also analyzed their growth physiology under heat stress. These strains were evaluated in parallel to laboratory and baker's strains. Whereas the industrial strains performed in general better than the laboratory strains under ethanol or acetic acid stresses and on industrial media, high sugar stress was tolerated equally by all strains. Heat and low pH stresses clearly distinguished fuel ethanol strains from the others, indicating that these conditions might be the ones that mostly exert selective pressure on cells in the industrial environment. During shake-flask cultivations using a synthetic medium at 37 °C, industrial strains presented higher ethanol yields on glucose than the laboratory strains, indicating that they could have been selected for this trait-a response to energy-demanding fermentation conditions. These results might be useful to guide future improvements of large-scale fuel ethanol production via engineering of stress tolerance traits in other strains, and eventually also for promoting the use of these fuel ethanol strains in different industrial bioprocesses.

Weekend ethanol consumption and high-sucrose diet: resveratrol effects on energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, lipid profile, oxidative stress and hepatic energy metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, Katiucha Karolina Honório Ribeiro; Souza, Gisele Aparecida; Seiva, Fábio Rodrigues Ferreira; Ebaid, Geovana Xavier; Novelli, Ethel Lourenzi Barbosa

2011-01-01

The present study analyzed the association between weekend ethanol and high-sucrose diet on oxygen consumption, lipid profile, oxidative stress and hepatic energy metabolism. Because resveratrol (RS, 3,5,4'-trans-trihydroxystilbene) has been implicated as a modulator of alcohol-independent cardiovascular protection attributed to red wine, we also determined whether RS could change the damage done by this lifestyle. Male Wistar 24 rats receiving standard chow were divided into four groups (n = 6/group): (C) water throughout the experimental period; (E) 30% ethanol 3 days/week, water 4 days/week; (ES) a mixture of 30% ethanol and 30% sucrose 3 days/week, drinking 30% sucrose 4 days/week; (ESR) 30% ethanol and 30% sucrose containing 6 mg/l RS 3 days/week, drinking 30% sucrose 4 days/week. After 70 days the body weight was highest in ESR rats. E rats had higher energy expenditure (resting metabolic rate), oxygen consumption (VO(2)), fat oxidation, serum triacylglycerol (TG) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) than C. ES rats normalized calorimetric parameters and enhanced carbohydrate oxidation. ESR ameliorated calorimetric parameters, reduced TG, VLDL and lipid hydroperoxide/total antioxidant substances, as well enhanced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and HDL/TG ratio. Hepatic hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase (OHADH)/citrate synthase ratio was lower in E and ES rats than in C. OHADH was highest in ESR rats. The present study brought new insights on weekend alcohol consumption, demonstrating for the first time, that this pattern of ethanol exposure induced dyslipidemic profile, calorimetric and hepatic metabolic changes which resemble that of the alcoholism. No synergistic effects were found with weekend ethanol and high-sucrose intake. RS was advantageous in weekend drinking and high-sucrose intake condition ameliorating hepatic metabolism and improving risk factors for cardiovascular damage.

High-loading-substrate enzymatic hydrolysis of palm plantation waste followed by unsterilized-mixed-culture fermentation for bio-ethanol production

Science.gov (United States)

Bardant, Teuku Beuna; Winarni, Ina; Sukmana, Hadid

2017-01-01

It was desired to obtain a general formula for producing bio-ethanol from any part of lignocelluloses wastes that came from palm oil industries due to its abundance. Optimum condition that obtained by using RSM for conducting high-loading-substrate enzymatic hydrolysis of palm oil empty fruit bunch was applied to palm oil trunks and then followed by unsterilized fermentation for producing bio-ethanol. From several optimized conditions investigated, the resulted ethanol concentration could reach 7.92 %v by using 36.5 %w of palm oil trunks but the results were averagely 2.46 %v lower than palm oil empty fruit bunch. The results was statistically compared and showed best correlative coefficient at 0.808 (in scale 0-1) which support the conclusion that the optimum condition for empty fruit bunch and trunks are similar. Utilization of mixed-culture yeast was investigated to produce ethanol from unsterilized hydrolysis product but the improvement wasn't significant compares to single culture yeast.

Performance evaluation and optimization of fluidized bed boiler in ethanol plant using irreversibility analysis

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Nugroho Agung Pambudi

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This research aims to evaluate the performance of a fluidized bed boiler in an ethanol production plant through exergy and irreversibility analysis. The study also includes the optimization of the pre-heater and the deaerator in order to improve the system efficiency. Operational data from the ethanol production plant was collected between 2015 and early 2016. The total exergy derived from the fuel was determined to be 7783 kJ/s, while the exergy efficiency of the system was found to be 26.19%, with 2214 kJ/s used in steam production, while 71.55% was lost to component irreversibility and waste heat from the pre-heater. The exergy efficiencies of individual components of the system such as the boiler, deaerator, and pre-heater were found to be 25.82%, 40.13%, and 2.617%, respectively, with the pre-heater having the lowest efficiency. Thus, the pre-heater has the highest potential to significantly improve the efficiency of the boiler system. The optimization of the pre-heater shows that a rise in temperature in the outlet of the pre-heater positively affects the exergy efficiency of the deaerator.

Fuel ethanol discussion paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

In recognition of the potential benefits of ethanol and the merits of encouraging value-added agricultural development, a committee was formed to develop options for the role of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in the further development of the ethanol industry in Ontario. A consultation with interested parties produced a discussion paper which begins with an outline of the role of ethanol as an alternative fuel. Ethanol issues which require industry consideration are presented, including the function of ethanol as a gasoline oxygenate or octane enhancer, environmental impacts, energy impacts, agricultural impacts, trade and fiscal implications, and regulation. The ethanol industry and distribution systems in Ontario are then described. The current industry consists of one ethanol plant and over 30 retail stations. The key issue for expanding the industry is the economics of producing ethanol. At present, production of ethanol in the short term depends on tax incentives amounting to 23.2 cents/l. In the longer term, a significant reduction in feedstock costs and a significant improvement in processing technology, or equally significant gasoline price increases, will be needed to create a sustainable ethanol industry that does not need incentives. Possible roles for the Ministry are identified, such as support for ethanol research and development, financial support for construction of ethanol plants, and active encouragement of market demand for ethanol-blended gasolines

Determination of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix by high performance liquid chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Seung Kwon; Yun, Young Ja; Namgung, Mi Ok

2004-01-01

A high performance liquid chromatographic method was designed for the quantitative analysis of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix. The separation of oxymatrine was performed by reversed-phase chromatography with a C 18 column and a buffered aqueous solution containing acetonitrile, and monitored by UV absorption at 215 nm. Extraction of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix was carried out using various solvents and extraction methods. The optimum extraction efficiency for the crushed Sophora Radix was achieved by reflux at 80 .deg. C in 50% ethanol for five hours. Most extraction methods used to complicate pretreatments. In this study, sublimation was employed for a extraction method without going through complicate pretreatments. Sublimation was carried out under high vacuum (1x10 -3 torr) and at high temperature (200 .deg. C). Extraction efficiency using Sublimation was found to be inferior to other extraction methods

Autoshaping of ethanol drinking in rats: effects of ethanol concentration and trial spacing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomie, Arthur; Wong, Karlvin; Apor, Khristine; Patterson-Buckendahl, Patricia; Pohorecky, Larissa A

2003-11-01

In two studies, we evaluated the effects of ethanol concentration and trial spacing on Pavlovian autoshaping of ethanol drinking in rats. In these studies, the brief insertion of an ethanol sipper conditioned stimulus (CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food unconditioned stimulus (US), inducing sipper CS-directed drinking conditioned responses (CRs) in all rats. In Experiment 1, the ethanol concentration in the sipper CS [0%-16% volume/volume (vol./vol.), in increments of 1%] was systematically increased within subjects across autoshaping sessions. Groups of rats received sipper CS-food US pairings (Paired/Ethanol), a CS-US random procedure (Random/Ethanol), or water sipper CS paired with food US (Paired/Water). In Experiment 2, saccharin-fading procedures were used to initiate, in the Ethanol group, drinking of 6% (vol./vol.) ethanol in 0.1% saccharin or, in the Water group, drinking of tap water in 0.1% saccharin. After elimination of saccharin, and across days, the duration of access to the sipper CS during each autoshaping trial was increased (5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20 s), and subsequently, across days, the duration of the mean intertrial interval (ITI) was increased (60, 90, 120, and 150 s). In Experiment 1, Paired/Ethanol and Random/Ethanol groups showed higher intake of ethanol, in terms of grams per kilogram of body weight, at higher ethanol concentrations, with more ethanol intake recorded in the Paired/Ethanol group. In Experiment 2, the Ethanol group drank more than was consumed by the Water group, and, for both groups, fluid intake increased with longer ITIs. Results support the suggestion that autoshaping contributes to sipper CS-directed ethanol drinking.

Yield and properties of ethanol biofuel produced from different whole cassava flours.

Science.gov (United States)

Ademiluyi, F T; Mepba, H D

2013-01-01

The yield and properties of ethanol biofuel produced from five different whole cassava flours were investigated. Ethanol was produced from five different whole cassava flours. The effect of quantity of yeast on ethanol yield, effect of whole cassava flour to acid and mineralized media ratio on the yield of ethanol produced, and the physical properties of ethanol produced from different cassava were investigated. Physical properties such as distillation range, density, viscosity, and flash point of ethanol produced differ slightly for different cultivars, while the yield of ethanol and electrical conductivity of ethanol from the different cassava cultivars varies significantly. The variation in mineral composition of the different whole cassava flours could also lead to variation in the electrical conductivity of ethanol produced from the different cassava cultivars. The differences in ethanol yield are attributed to differences in starch content, protein content, and dry matter of cassava cultivars. High yield of ethanol from whole cassava flour is best produced from cultivars with high starch content, low protein content, and low fiber.

The Effect of Using Ethanol-Gasoline Blends on the Mechanical, Energy and Environmental Performance of In-Use Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan E. Tibaquirá

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The use of ethanol in gasoline has become a worldwide tendency as an alternative to reduce net CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, increasing gasoline octane rating and reducing dependence on petroleum products. However, recently environmental authorities in large urban centers have expressed their concerns on the true effect of using ethanol blends of up to 20% v/v in in-use vehicles without any modification in the setup of the engine control unit (ECU, and on the variations of these effects along the years of operation of these vehicles. Their main concern is the potential increase in the emissions of volatile organic compounds with high ozone formation potential. To address these concerns, we developed analytical and experimental work testing engines under steady-conditions. We also tested carbureted and fuel-injected vehicles every 10,000 km during their first 100,000 km of operation. We measured the effect of using ethanol-gasoline blends on the power and torque generated, the fuel consumption and CO2, CO, NOx and unburned hydrocarbon emissions, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene and 1,3-butadiene which are considered important ozone precursors. The obtained results showed statistically no significant differences in these variables when vehicles operate with a blend of 20% v/v ethanol and 80% v/v gasoline (E20 instead of gasoline. Those results remained unchanged during the first 100,000 km of operation of the vehicles. We also observed that when the vehicles operated with E20 at high engine loads, they showed a tendency to operate with greater values of λ (ratio of the actual air-fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio when compared to their operation with gasoline. According to the Eco-Indicator-99, these results represent a minor reduction (<1.3% on the impact to human health, and on the deterioration of the ecosystem. However, it implies a 12.9% deterioration of the natural

Improved performance of a shielded torch using ethanol in inductively coupled plasma–sector field mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Tao [State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Hu, Zhaochu, E-mail: zchu@vip.sina.com [State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China); Liu, Shenghua [Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, CAGS, Shijiazhuang 050061 (China); Liu, Yongsheng; Gao, Shan; Li, Ming; Zong, Keqing; Chen, Haihong; Hu, Shenghong [State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2015-04-01

To improve the accuracy and precision of trace element analysis, higher analytical sensitivity and lower interference are required. In this study, we investigated the effects of the addition of ethanol in combination with a shielded torch on the signal intensities of elements from {sup 7}Li to {sup 238}U, oxide yields, doubly charged ion yields, isobaric interferences and ion distributions in inductively coupled plasma–sector field mass spectrometry (ICP–SFMS). For the 39 investigated elements in this study, using the shielded torch increases the sensitivity by a factor of 17–58. The well-known drawback of using a shielded torch is that it will increase the oxide yield. In this study, the CeO{sup +}/Ce{sup +} ratio is increased by a factor of 3.3 in the GE-on mode compared to that in the GE-off mode at normal conditions (without ethanol). In the GE-on mode, the addition of 4% ethanol in ICP–SFMS is found not only to decrease the CeO{sup +}/Ce{sup +} ratio by a factor of 4 but also to suppress the Ce{sup 2+}/Ce{sup +} ratio by a factor of 4.2. In large contrast, the effect of 2–6% ethanol on the oxide yield and doubly charged ratio is minimal in the GE-off mode. Except for As, Se, Sb, Te and Au, for which the signal intensities are increased by a factor of 1.4–3.7 in the presence of 2–6% ethanol, an increased concentration of ethanol suppresses intensities of other elements. In the GE-off mode, the suppression of the analyte signal due to increased ethanol concentration is more significant than that in the GE-on mode. Compared to the spatial profiles of the ion distributions in the normal mode (without ethanol), the addition of 2–4% ethanol leads to significantly wider axial and radial profiles. The significantly wider axial and radial ion distribution had a dilution effect on the ion densities, which subsequently reduced the ion signal intensities. The addition of 4% ethanol was also found to suppress the interferences of Xe by a factor of 2.8 and

Based on a new support for synthesis of highly efficient palladium/hydroxyapatite catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Qian; Chao, Shujun; Bai, Zhengyu; Yan, Huiying; Wang, Kui; Yang, Lin

2014-01-01

Based on a new support, hydroxyapatite (HAP), a facile and low–cost preparation of palladium/hydroxyapatite catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation is introduced in this paper through a solvothermal reaction without additives. HAP was employed as the catalyst support for its hydroxyl–rich surface in order to increase the stability and utilization ratio of catalyst. According to transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X–ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the as–prepared Pd nanoparticles with face–centered cubic crystal structure were evenly deposited on the surface of HAP. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry tests demonstrated that the Pd/HAP catalyst possessed a much higher current density (246 mA cm −2 ) than the Pd/C catalyst (109 mA cm −2 ) towards ethanol electrooxidation, and better stability as well. In the direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) test, Pd/HAP catalyst gives better performance than that with Pd/C in terms of both open-circuit voltage (OCV) and power density. These results indicate that the HAP is a better support and the catalyst developed in this study may be a better candidate for DEFCs. A possible mechanism consistent with the experimental is also proposed

Breeding and fermentation characterization of Pachysolen Tannophilus mutant with high ethanol productivity from xylose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Lijun; Chu Kaiqing; Yang Peizhou

2011-01-01

Currently, few strains can utilize xylose to produce ethanol with very low productivity. By the method of mutation breeding to these strains the rate of lignocellulosic utilization could be improved. In this study, the initial Pachysolen tannophilus As 2.1585 was treated by N + ions implantation of 15 keV. The survival curve showed a saddle model. Considering the survival rate and range of positive mutation, the N + ions implantation of 12.5 × 10 14 ions/cm for mutation breeding of Pachysolen tannophilus was selected. A Pachysolen tannophilus mutant mut-54, which had perfect genetic stability of producing ethanol was screened out after continuous 7 passages. The mut-54 had a higher xylose consumption rate, biomass accumulation and ability of ethanol-resistant than the parent strain. Compared with the parent strain, the ethanol concentration fermented by the mut-54 for 72 h increased by 12.74%, which was more suitable for producing ethanol from xylose than the parent strain. (authors)

Improvement of performance in low temperature solid oxide fuel cells operated on ethanol and air mixtures using Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst layer

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, M.; Espiell, F.; Segarra, M.

2015-10-01

Anode-supported single-chamber solid oxide fuel cells with and without Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst layers deposited on the anode support have been operated on ethanol and air mixtures. The cells consist of gadolinia-doped ceria electrolyte, Ni-doped ceria anode, and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ-doped ceria cathode. Catalyst layers with different Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 ratios are deposited and sintered at several temperatures. Since the performance of single-chamber fuel cells strongly depends on catalytic properties of electrodes for partial oxidation of ethanol, the cells are electrochemically characterized as a function of the temperature, ethanol-air molar ratio and gas flow rate. In addition, catalytic activities of supported anode, catalytic layer-supported anode and cathode for partial oxidation of ethanol are analysed. Afterwards, the effect of composition and sintering temperature of catalyst layer on the cell performance are determined. The results indicate that the cell performance can be significantly enhanced using catalyst layers of 30:35:35 and 40:30:30 wt.% Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 sintered at 1100 °C, achieving power densities above 50 mW cm-2 under 0.45 ethanol-air ratio at temperatures as low as 450 °C. After testing for 15 h, all cells present a gradual loss of power density, without carbon deposition, which is mainly attributed to the partial re-oxidation of Ni at the anode.

Photocatalytic Ethanol Oxidative Dehydrogenation over Pt/TiO2: Effect of the Addition of Blue Phosphors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. J. Murcia

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Ethanol oxidative dehydrogenation over Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst, in the presence and absence of blue phosphors, was performed. The catalyst was prepared by photodeposition of Pt on sulphated TiO2. This material was tested in a gas-solid photocatalytic fluidized bed reactor at high illumination efficiency. The effect of the addition of blue phosphors into the fluidized bed has been evaluated. The synthesized catalysts were extensively characterized by different techniques. Pt/TiO2 with a loading of 0.5 wt% of Pt appeared to be an active photocatalyst in the selective partial oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde improving its activity and selectivity compared to pure TiO2. In the same way, a notable enhancement of ethanol conversion in the presence of the blue phosphors has been obtained. The blue phosphors produced an increase in the level of ethanol conversion over the Pt/TiO2 catalyst, keeping at the same time the high selectivity to acetaldehyde.

Pt-Richcore/Sn-Richsubsurface/Ptskin Nanocubes As Highly Active and Stable Electrocatalysts for the Ethanol Oxidation Reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizo, Rubén; Arán-Ais, Rosa M; Padgett, Elliot; Muller, David A; Lázaro, Ma Jesús; Solla-Gullón, José; Feliu, Juan M; Pastor, Elena; Abruña, Héctor D

2018-03-14

Direct ethanol fuel cells are one of the most promising electrochemical energy conversion devices for portable, mobile and stationary power applications. However, more efficient and stable and less expensive electrocatalysts are still required. Interestingly, the electrochemical performance of the electrocatalysts toward the ethanol oxidation reaction can be remarkably enhanced by exploiting the benefits of structural and compositional sensitivity and control. Here, we describe the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical behavior of cubic Pt-Sn nanoparticles. The electrochemical activity of the cubic Pt-Sn nanoparticles was found to be about three times higher than that obtained with unshaped Pt-Sn nanoparticles and six times higher than that of Pt nanocubes. In addition, stability tests indicated the electrocatalyst preserves its morphology and remains well-dispersed on the carbon support after 5000 potential cycles, while a cubic (pure) Pt catalyst exhibited severe agglomeration of the nanoparticles after a similar stability testing protocol. A detailed analysis of the elemental distribution in the nanoparticles by STEM-EELS indicated that Sn dissolves from the outer part of the shell after potential cycling, forming a ∼0.5 nm Pt skin. This particular atomic composition profile having a Pt-rich core, a Sn-rich subsurface layer, and a Pt-skin surface structure is responsible for the high activity and stability.

Experimental and theoretical study on spray behaviors of modified bio-ethanol fuel employing direct injection system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghahremani Amirreza

2017-01-01

Full Text Available One of the key solutions to improve engine performance and reduce exhaust emissions of internal combustion engines is direct injection of bio-fuels. A new modified bio-ethanol is produced to be substituted by fossil fuels in gasoline direct injection engines. The key advantages of modified bio-ethanol fuel as an alternative fuel are higher octane number and oxygen content, a long-chain hydro-carbon fuel, and lower emissions compared to fossil fuels. In the present study spray properties of a modified bio-ethanol and its atomization behaviors have been studied experimentally and theoretically. Based on atomization physics of droplets dimensional analysis has been performed to develop a new non-dimensional number namely atomization index. This number determines the atomization level of the spray. Applying quasi-steady jet theory, air entrainment and fuel-air mixing studies have been performed. The spray atomization behaviors such as atomization index number, Ohnesorge number, and Sauter mean diameter have been investigated employing atomization model. The influences of injection and ambient conditions on spray properties of different blends of modified bio-ethanol and gasoline fuels have been investigated performing high-speed visualization technique. Results indicate that decreasing the difference of injection and ambient pressures increases spray cone angle and projected area, and decreases spray tip penetration length. As expected, increasing injection pressure improves atomization behaviors of the spray. Increasing percentage of modified bio-ethanol in the blend, increases spray tip penetration and decreases the projected area as well.

Anaerobic biodegradation of dissolved ethanol in a pilot-scale sand aquifer: Variability in plume (redox) biogeochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Heather C.; Roy, James W.; Slater, Gregory F.; Smith, James E.

2018-01-01

The use of ethanol in alternative fuels has led to contamination of groundwater with high concentrations of this easily biodegradable organic compound. Previous laboratory and field studies have shown vigorous biodegradation of ethanol plumes, with prevalence of reducing conditions and methanogenesis. The objective of this study was to further our understanding of the dynamic biogeochemistry processes, especially dissolved gas production, that may occur in developing and aging plume cores at sites with ethanol or other organic contamination of groundwater. The experiment performed involved highly-detailed spatial and temporal monitoring of ethanol biodegradation in a 2-dimensional (175 cm high × 525 cm long) sand aquifer tank for 330 days, with a vertical shift in plume position and increased nutrient inputs occurring at Day 100. Rapid onset of fermentation, denitrification, sulphate-reduction and iron(III)-reduction occurred following dissolved ethanol addition, with the eventual widespread development of methanogenesis. The detailed observations also demonstrate a redox zonation that supports the plume fringe concept, secondary reactions resulting from a changing/moving plume, and time lags for the various biodegradation processes. Additional highlights include: i) the highest dissolved H2 concentrations yet reported for groundwater, possibly linked to vigorous fermentation in the absence of common terminal electron-acceptors (i.e., dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and sulphate, and iron(III)-minerals) and methanogenesis; ii) evidence of phosphorus nutrient limitation, which stalled ethanol biodegradation and perhaps delayed the onset of methanogenesis; and iii) the occurrence of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, which has not been reported for ethanol biodegradation to date.

Monodispersed porous flowerlike PtAu nanocrystals as effective electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shumin; Xu, Hui; Xiong, Zhiping; Zhang, Ke; Wang, Caiqin; Yan, Bo; Guo, Jun; Du, Yukou

2017-11-01

Designing and tuning the bimetallic nanoparticles with desirable morphology and structure can embody them with greatly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability towards liquid fuel oxidation. We herein reported a facile one-pot method for the controlled synthesis of monodispersed binary PtAu nanoflowers with abundant exposed surface area. Owing to its fantastic structure, synergistic and electronic effect, such as-prepared PtAu nanoflowers exhibited outstandingly high electrocatalytic activity with the mass activity of 6482 mA mg-1 towards ethanol oxidation, which is 28.3 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (227 mA mg-1). More interesting, the present PtAu nanoflower catalysts are more stable for the ethanol oxidation reaction in the alkaline with lower current density decay and retained a much higher current density after successive CVs of 500 cycles than that of commercial Pt/C. This work may open a new way for maximizing the catalytic performance of electrocatalysts towards ethanol oxidation by synthesizing shape-controlled alloy nanoparticles with more surface active sites to enhance the performances of direct fuel cells reaction, chemical conversion, and beyond.

Thermophilic, lignocellulolytic bacteria for ethanol production: current state and perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chang, Tinghong; Yao, Shuo

2011-01-01

of cellulolytic and saccharolytic thermophilic bacteria for lignocellulosic ethanol production because of their unique properties. First of all, thermophilic bacteria possess unique cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic systems and are considered as potential sources of highly active and thermostable enzymes...... for efficient biomass hydrolysis. Secondly, thermophilic bacteria ferment a broad range of carbohydrates into ethanol, and some of them display potential for ethanologenic fermentation at high yield. Thirdly, the establishment of the genetic tools for thermophilic bacteria has allowed metabolic engineering......, in particular with emphasis on improving ethanol yield, and this facilitates their employment for ethanol production. Finally, different processes for second-generation ethanol production based on thermophilic bacteria have been proposed with the aim to achieve cost-competitive processes. However, thermophilic...

Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure in early adolescent and adult male rats: effects on tolerance, social behavior, and ethanol intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Broadwater, Margaret; Varlinskaya, Elena I; Spear, Linda P

2011-08-01

Given the prevalence of alcohol use in adolescence, it is important to understand the consequences of chronic ethanol exposure during this critical period in development. The purpose of this study was to assess possible age-related differences in susceptibility to tolerance development to ethanol-induced sedation and withdrawal-related anxiety, as well as voluntary ethanol intake after chronic exposure to relatively high doses of ethanol during adolescence or adulthood. Juvenile/adolescent and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of five 10-day exposure conditions: chronic ethanol (4 g/kg every 48 hours), chronic saline (equivalent volume every 24 hours), chronic saline/acutely challenged with ethanol (4 g/kg on day 10), nonmanipulated/acutely challenged with ethanol (4 g/kg on day 10), or nonmanipulated. For assessment of tolerance development, duration of the loss of righting reflex (LORR) and blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) upon regaining of righting reflex (RORR) were tested on the first and last ethanol exposure days in the chronic ethanol group, with both saline and nonmanipulated animals likewise challenged on the last exposure day. Withdrawal-induced anxiety was indexed in a social interaction test 24 hours after the last ethanol exposure, with ethanol-naïve chronic saline and nonmanipulated animals serving as controls. Voluntary intake was assessed 48 hours after the chronic exposure period in chronic ethanol, chronic saline and nonmanipulated animals using an 8-day 2 bottle choice, limited-access ethanol intake procedure. In general, adolescent animals showed shorter durations of LORR and higher BECs upon RORR than adults on the first and last ethanol exposure days, regardless of chronic exposure condition. Adults, but not adolescents, developed chronic tolerance to the sedative effects of ethanol, tolerance that appeared to be metabolic in nature. Social deficits were observed after chronic ethanol in both adolescents and adults

Ethanol, saccharin, and quinine: early ontogeny of taste responsiveness and intake.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlov, Andrey P; Varlinskaya, Elena I; Spear, Norman E

2008-02-01

Rat pups demonstrate high levels of immediate acceptance of ethanol during the first 2 weeks of postnatal life. Given that the taste of ethanol is most likely perceived by infant rats as a combination of sweet and bitter, high intake of ethanol early in ontogeny may be associated with age-related enhanced responsiveness to the sweet component of ethanol taste, as well as with ontogenetic decreases in sensitivity to its bitter component. Therefore, the present study compared responsiveness to ethanol and solutions with bitter (quinine) and sweet (saccharin) taste in terms of intake and palatability across the first 2 weeks of postnatal life. Characteristic patterns of responsiveness to 10% (v/v) ethanol, 0.1% saccharin, 0.2% quinine, and water in terms of taste reactivity and fluid intake were assessed in rat pups tested on postnatal day (P) 4, 9, or 12 using a new technique of on-line monitoring of fluid flow through a two-channel intraoral cannula. Taste reactivity included analysis of ingestive and aversive responses following six intraoral infusions of the test fluids. This taste reactivity probe was followed by the intake test, in which animals were allowed to voluntarily ingest fluids from an intraoral cannula. Pups of all ages showed more appetitive responses to saccharin and ethanol than to water or quinine. No age-related differences were apparent in taste responsiveness to saccharin and ethanol. However, the age-related pattern of ethanol intake drastically differed from that of saccharin. Intake of saccharin increased from P4 to P9 and decreased substantially by P12, whereas intake of ethanol gradually increased from P4 to P12. Intake of ethanol was significantly lower than intake of saccharin on P9, whereas P12 pups took in more ethanol than saccharin. The findings of the present study indicate ontogenetic dissociations between taste reactivity to ethanol and saccharin and intake of these solutions, and suggest that high acceptance of ethanol early in

Taste-aversion-prone (TAP) rats and taste-aversion-resistant (TAR) rats differ in ethanol self-administration, but not in ethanol clearance or general consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, T Edward; Whitford-Stoddard, Jennifer L; Elkins, Ralph L

2004-05-01

Taste-aversion (TA)-prone (TAP) rats and TA-resistant (TAR) rats have been developed by means of bidirectional selective breeding on the basis of their behavioral responses to a TA conditioning paradigm. The TA conditioning involved the pairing of an emetic-class agent (cyclophosphamide) with a novel saccharin solution as the conditioned stimulus. Despite the absence of ethanol in the selective breeding process, these rat lines differ widely in ethanol self-administration. In the current study, blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) were determined after 9 days of limited (2 h per day) access to a simultaneous, two-bottle choice of a 10% ethanol in water solution [volume/volume (vol./vol.)] or plain water. The BACs correlated highly with ethanol intake among TAR rats, but an insufficient number of TAP rats yielded measurable BACs to make the same comparison within this rat line. The same rats were subsequently exposed to 24-h access of a two-bottle choice (10% ethanol or plain water) for 8 days. Ethanol consumption during the 24-h access period correlated highly with that seen during limited access. Subsequent TA conditioning with these rats yielded line-typical differences in saccharin preferences. In a separate group of rats, ethanol clearance was determined by measuring BACs at 1, 4, and 7 h after injection of a 2.5-g/kg dose of ethanol. Ethanol clearance was not different between the two lines. Furthermore, the lines did not differ with respect to food and water consumption. Therefore, the TAP rat-TAR rat differences in ethanol consumption cannot be attributed to line differences in ethanol metabolism or in general consummatory behavior. The findings support our contention that the line differences in ethanol consumption are mediated by differences in TA-related mechanisms. The findings are discussed with respect to genetically based differences in the subjective experience of ethanol.

Biological conversion of forage sorghum biomass to ethanol by steam explosion pretreatment and simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation at high solid content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manzanares, Paloma; Ballesteros, Ignacio; Negro, Maria Jose; Oliva, Jose Miguel; Gonzalez, Alberto; Ballesteros, Mercedes [Renewable Energy Department-CIEMAT, Biofuels Unit, Madrid (Spain)

2012-06-15

In this work, forage sorghum biomass was studied as feedstock for ethanol production by a biological conversion process comprising the steps of hydrothermal steam explosion pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis with commercial enzymes, and fermentation with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Steam explosion conditions were optimized using a response surface methodology considering temperature (180-230 C) and time (2-10 min). Sugar recovery in the pretreatment and the enzymatic digestibility of the pretreated solid were used to determine the optimum conditions, i.e., 220 C and 7 min. At these conditions, saccharification efficiency attained 89 % of the theoretical and the recovery of xylose in the prehydrolyzate accounted for 35 % of the amount of xylose present in raw material. Then, a simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation (SSF) process was tested at laboratory scale on the solid fraction of forage sorghum pretreated at optimum condition, in order to evaluate ethanol production. The effect of the enzyme dose and the supplementation with xylanase enzyme of the cellulolytic enzyme cocktail was studied at increasing solid concentration up to 18 % (w/w) in SSF media. Results show good performance of SSF in all consistencies tested with a significant effect of increasing enzyme load in SSF yield and final ethanol concentration. Xylanase supplementation allows increasing solid concentration up to 18 % (w/w) with good SSF performance and final ethanol content of 55 g/l after 4-5 days. Based on this result, about 190 l of ethanol could be obtained from 1 t of untreated forage sorghum, which means a transformation yield of 85 % of the glucose contained in the feedstock. (orig.)

Chemical and biological characterization of exhaust emissions from ethanol and ethanol blended diesel fuels in comparison with neat diesel fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westerholm, R.; Christensen, Anders [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Analytical Chemistry; Toernqvist, M. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Environmental Chemistry; Ehrenberg, L. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Radiobiology; Haupt, D. [Luleaa Univ. of Technology (Sweden)

1997-12-01

This report presents results from a project with the aim of investigating the potential environmental and health impact of emissions from ethanol, ethanol blended diesel fuels and to compare these with neat diesel fuels. The exhaust emissions were characterized regarding regulated exhaust components, particulate and semivolatile Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PAC) and with bioassays. The bioassays were mutagenicity and TCDD receptor affinity tests. Results: Neat ethanol fuels are `low emission` fuels, while European diesel fuel quality (EDF) and an ethanol blended EDF are `high emission` fuels. Other fuels, such as Swedish Environmental Class one (MK1) and an ethanol blended MK1, are `intermediate` fuels regarding emissions. When using an oxidizing catalyst exhaust after-treatment device a reduction of harmful substances in the exhaust emissions with respect to determined exhaust parameters was found. The relatively low emission of PAH from ethanol fuelled engines would indicate a lower cancer risk from ethanol than from diesel fuels due to this class of compounds. However, the data presented emphasize the importance of considering the PAH profile 27 refs, 3 figs, 19 tabs

Performance and selectivity of PtxSn/C electro-catalysts for ethanol oxidation prepared by reduction with different formic acid concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zignani, Sabrina C.; Baglio, Vincenzo; Linares, José J.; Monforte, Giuseppe; Gonzalez, Ernesto R.; Aricò, Antonino S.

2012-01-01

Carbon supported Pt–Sn catalysts were prepared by reduction of Pt and Sn precursors with formic acid and characterized in terms of structure, morphology and surface properties. The electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation was studied in a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 70 °C and 90 °C. Electrochemical and physico-chemical data indicated that a proper balance of Pt and Sn species in the near surface region was necessary to maximize the reaction rate. The best atomic surface composition, in terms of electrochemical performance, was Pt:Sn 65:35 corresponding to a bulk composition 75:25 namely Pt 3 Sn 1 /C. The reaction products of ethanol electro-oxidation in single cell and their distribution as a function of the nature of catalyst were determined. Essentially, acetaldehyde and acetic acid were detected as the main reaction products; whereas, a lower content of CO 2 was formed. The selectivity toward acetic acid vs. acetaldehyde increased with the increase of the Sn content and decreased by decreasing the concentration of the reducing agent used in the catalyst preparation. According to the recent literature, these results have been interpreted on the basis of ethanol adsorption characteristics and ligand effects occurring for Sn-rich electrocatalysts.

Full chain energy analysis of fuel ethanol from cane molasses in Thailand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Thu Lan T.; Gheewala, Shabbir H.; Garivait, Savitri [The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok (Thailand)

2008-08-15

An analysis of energy performance and supply potential was performed to evaluate molasses utilization for fuel ethanol in Thailand. The Thai government recently has set up a production target of 1.925 million litres a day of sugar-based ethanol. The molasses-based ethanol (MoE) system involves three main segments: sugar cane cultivation, molasses generation, and ethanol conversion. Negative net energy value found for MoE is a consequence of not utilizing system co-products (e.g. stillage and cane trash) for energy. Taking into account only fossil fuel or petroleum inputs in the production cycle, the energy analysis provides results in favour of ethanol. A positive net energy of 5.95 MJ/L which corresponds to 39% energy gain shows that MoE is efficient as far as its potential to replace fossil fuels is concerned. Another encouraging result is that each MJ of petroleum inputs can produce 6.12 MJ of ethanol fuel. Regarding supply potential, if only the surplus molasses is utilized for ethanol, a shift of 8-10% sugar cane produce to fuel ethanol from its current use in sugar industry could be a probable solution. (author)

Countercurrent chromatography separation of saponins by skeleton type from Ampelozizyphus amazonicus for off-line ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/high resolution accurate mass spectrometry analysis and characterisation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Figueiredo, Fabiana; Celano, Rita; de Sousa Silva, Danila; das Neves Costa, Fernanda; Hewitson, Peter; Ignatova, Svetlana; Piccinelli, Anna Lisa; Rastrelli, Luca; Guimarães Leitão, Suzana; Guimarães Leitão, Gilda

2017-01-20

Ampelozizyphus amazonicus Ducke (Rhamnaceae), a medicinal plant used to prevent malaria, is a climbing shrub, native to the Amazonian region, with jujubogenin glycoside saponins as main compounds. The crude extract of this plant is too complex for any kind of structural identification, and HPLC separation was not sufficient to resolve this issue. Therefore, the aim of this work was to obtain saponin enriched fractions from the bark ethanol extract by countercurrent chromatography (CCC) for further isolation and identification/characterisation of the major saponins by HPLC and MS. The butanol extract was fractionated by CCC with hexane - ethyl acetate - butanol - ethanol - water (1:6:1:1:6; v/v) solvent system yielding 4 group fractions. The collected fractions were analysed by UHPLC-HRMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/high resolution accurate mass spectrometry) and MS n . Group 1 presented mainly oleane type saponins, and group 3 showed mainly jujubogenin glycosides, keto-dammarane type triterpene saponins and saponins with C 31 skeleton. Thus, CCC separated saponins from the butanol-rich extract by skeleton type. A further purification of group 3 by CCC (ethyl acetate - ethanol - water (1:0.2:1; v/v)) and HPLC-RI was performed in order to obtain these unusual aglycones in pure form. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental aspects of eucalyptus based ethanol production and use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González-García, Sara; Moreira, Ma. Teresa; Feijoo, Gumersindo

2012-01-01

A renewable biofuel economy is projected as a pathway to decrease dependence on fossil fuels as well as to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Ethanol produced on large-scale from lignocellulosic materials is considered the automotive fuel with the highest potential. In this paper, a life cycle assessment (LCA) study was developed to evaluate the environmental implications of the production of ethanol from a fast-growing short rotation crop (SRC): eucalyptus as well as its use in a flexi-fuel vehicle (FFV). The aim of the analysis was to assess the environmental performance of three ethanol based formulations: E10, E85 and E100, in comparison with conventional gasoline. The standard framework of LCA from International Standards Organization was followed and the system boundaries included the cultivation of the eucalyptus biomass, the processing to ethanol conversion, the blending with gasoline (when required) and the final use of fuels. The environmental results show reductions in all impact categories under assessment when shifting to ethanol based fuels, excluding photochemical oxidant formation, eutrophication as well as terrestrial and marine ecotoxicity which were considerably influenced by upstream activities related to ethanol manufacture. The LCA study remarked those stages where the researchers and technicians need to work to improve the environmental performance. Special attention must be paid on ethanol production related activities, such as on-site energy generation and distillation, as well as forest activities oriented to the biomass production. The use of forest machinery with higher efficiency levels, reduction of fertilizers dose and the control of diffuse emissions from the conversion plant would improve the environmental profile. -- Highlights: ► The identification of the environmental implications of the production and use of eucalyptus based ethanol was carried out. ► Eucalyptus is a Spanish common and abundant fast-growing short

Sodium citrate assisted facile synthesis of AuPd alloy networks for ethanol electrooxidation with high activity and durability

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Yanling; Zhu, Zhijun; Lu, Xiaolin; Zhou, H. Susan

2016-10-01

The direct ethanol fuel cell is an emerging energy conversion device for which palladium is considered as the one of the most effective components for anode catalyst, however, its widespread application has been still limited by the activity and durability of the anode catalyst. In this work, AuPd alloy networks (NWs) are synthesized using H2PdCl4 and HAuCl4 as precursors reduced by NaBH4 in the presence of sodium citrate (SC). The results reveal that SC plays significant role in network structure, resulting in the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of the catalyst. This self-supported AuPd NWs catalyst exhibits much higher electrochemical catalytic activity than commercial Pd/C catalyst toward ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline solution. Significantly, AuPd NWs catalyst shows extremely high durability at the beginning of the chronoamperometry test, and as high as 49% of the mass current density (1.41 A/mgPd) remains after 4000 s current-time test at -0.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in N2-saturated KOH-ethanol solution. This strategy provides a facile method for the preparation of alloy networks with high electrochemical activity, and can be potentially expanded to a variety of electrochemical applications.

Enhanced ethanol production by fermentation of Gelidium amansii hydrolysate using a detoxification process and yeasts acclimated to high-salt concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Ra, Chae Hun; Jung, Jang Hyun; Sunwoo, In Yung; Jeong, Gwi-Taek; Kim, Sung-Koo

2015-06-01

A total monosaccharide concentration of 59.0 g/L, representing 80.1 % conversion of 73.6 g/L total fermentable sugars from 160 g dw/L G. amansii slurry was obtained by thermal acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. Subsequent adsorption treatment using 5 % activated carbon with an adsorption time of 2 min was used to prevent the inhibitory effect of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) >5 g/L in the medium. Ethanol production decreased with increasing salt concentration using C. tropicalis KCTC 7212 non-acclimated or acclimated to a high concentration of salt. Salt concentration of 90 psu was the maximum concentration for cell growth and ethanol production. The levels of ethanol production by C. tropicalis non-acclimated or acclimated to 90 psu high-salt concentration were 13.8 g/L with a yield (YEtOH) of 0.23, and 26.7 g/L with YEtOH of 0.45, respectively.

Different pituitary. beta. -endorphin and adrenal cortisol response to ethanol in individuals with high and low risk for future development of alcoholism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gianoulakis, C.G.; Beliveau, D.; Angelogianni, P.; Meaney, M.; Thavundayil, J.; Tawar, V.; Dumas, M. (McGill Univ., Quebec (Canada))

1989-01-01

The purpose of the present studies was to investigate the activity of the adrenal gland and the pituitary {beta}-endorphin system in individuals from families with a 3 generation history of alcoholism, High Risk group, or from families without history of alcoholism, Low Risk group. On the day of testing, blood sample was taken at 9:00 a.m., then the subject drank a placebo drink or an ethanol solution. Additional blood samples were taken at 15, 45 and 120 minutes post-drink. Results indicated that individuals of the High Risk group had lower basal levels of {beta}-endorphin like immunoreactivity ({beta}-EPLIR) than individuals of the Low Risk group. The dose of 0.5 g ethanol/kg B.Wt. induced an induce an increase in the plasma content of {beta}-EPLIR of the High Risk group, but not of the Low Risk group. In the Low Risk group ethanol did not induce an increase above the 9:00 a.m. levels, however, it attenuated the {beta}-endorphin decrease overtime, observed following the placebo drink. Analysis of {beta}-endorphin-like peptides in the plasma of the High Risk group, with Sephadex G-75 chromatography indicated that the major component of the plasma {beta}-EPLIR was {beta}-lipotropin. Plasma cortisol levels, following ethanol intake, presented a small increase in the High Risk group but not in the Low Risk group.

Ethanol production using whole plant biomass of Jerusalem artichoke by Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS1555.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seonghun; Park, Jang Min; Kim, Chul Ho

2013-03-01

Jerusalem artichoke is a low-requirement sugar crop containing cellulose and hemicellulose in the stalk and a high content of inulin in the tuber. However, the lignocellulosic component in Jerusalem artichoke stalk reduces the fermentability of the whole plant for efficient bioethanol production. In this study, Jerusalem artichoke stalk was pretreated sequentially with dilute acid and alkali, and then hydrolyzed enzymatically. During enzymatic hydrolysis, approximately 88 % of the glucan and xylan were converted to glucose and xylose, respectively. Batch and fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of both pretreated stalk and tuber by Kluyveromyces marxianus CBS1555 were effectively performed, yielding 29.1 and 70.2 g/L ethanol, respectively. In fed-batch fermentation, ethanol productivity was 0.255 g ethanol per gram of dry Jerusalem artichoke biomass, or 0.361 g ethanol per gram of glucose, with a 0.924 g/L/h ethanol productivity. These results show that combining the tuber and the stalk hydrolysate is a useful strategy for whole biomass utilization in effective bioethanol fermentation from Jerusalem artichoke.

Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformations with a Dominant Outflow Vein: Results of Ethanol Embolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Sung Ki; Do, Young Soo; Kim, Dong Ik; Kim, Young Wook; Shin, Sung Wook; Park, Kwang Bo; Ko, Justin Sang; Lee, Ae Ryoung; Choo, Sung Wook; Choo, In Wook

2008-01-01

To assess retrospectively the treatment results of ethanol embolization of peripheral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) with a dominant outflow vein (DOV). Nineteen patients who had peripheral AVMs with a DOV were enrolled in this study (mean age, 29.7 years; range, 15 42 years). Fifty-one ethanol embolizations (mean, 2.7; range, 1 8) were performed by direct puncture (n = 29), the transarterial approach (n = 13), the transvenous approach (n = 5), or a combination of methods (n = 4) under general anesthesia. Coil and/or core-removed guide wire embolization of the DOV or another flow occlusion technique (i.e., use of an external pneumatic pressure cuff) to achieve vascular stasis were required in all patients during ethanol embolization. Clinical follow-up (mean, 22.2 months; range, 1 53 months) was performed for all patients, and imaging follow-up (mean, 22.1 months; range, 2 53 months) from the last treatment session was performed for 14 patients. The therapeutic outcome (cure, improvement, no change, or aggravation) was assessed according to the clinical response and the degree of devascularization at angiography. Ethanol embolization was considered as an effective procedure in all patients. Thirteen (68%) of 19 patients were cured and six displayed improvement. Three of six patients with improvement needed further treatment sessions for residual AVMs. Four patients (21%) experienced a total of eight complications. Five complications (three events of a distal embolism and one event each of a urinary bladder necrosis and a brain infarct related to the accidental cannulation of the common carotid artery during insertion of the Swan-Ganz catheter) were major and three complications (skin necrosis) were minor. Peripheral AVMs with a DOV can be effectively treated with a high cure rate by the use of ethanol embolization alone or in conjunction with the use of coil and/or core-removed guide wire embolization

Adapting to alcohol: Dwarf hamster (Phodopus campbelli) ethanol consumption, sensitivity, and hoard fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lupfer, Gwen; Murphy, Eric S; Merculieff, Zoe; Radcliffe, Kori; Duddleston, Khrystyne N

2015-06-01

Ethanol consumption and sensitivity in many species are influenced by the frequency with which ethanol is encountered in their niches. In Experiment 1, dwarf hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) with ad libitum access to food and water consumed high amounts of unsweetened alcohol solutions. Their consumption of 15%, but not 30%, ethanol was reduced when they were fed a high-fat diet; a high carbohydrate diet did not affect ethanol consumption. In Experiment 2, intraperitoneal injections of ethanol caused significant dose-related motor impairment. Much larger doses administered orally, however, had no effect. In Experiment 3, ryegrass seeds, a common food source for wild dwarf hamsters, supported ethanol fermentation. Results of these experiments suggest that dwarf hamsters may have adapted to consume foods in which ethanol production naturally occurs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heavy Chronic Ethanol Exposure From Adolescence to Adulthood Induces Cerebellar Neuronal Loss and Motor Function Damage in Female Rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando B. R. da Silva

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Over the last years, heavy ethanol consumption by teenagers/younger adults has increased considerably among females. However, few studies have addressed the long-term impact on brain structures’ morphology and function of chronic exposure to high ethanol doses from adolescence to adulthood in females. In line with this idea, in the current study we investigated whether heavy chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence to adulthood may induce motor impairments and morphological and cellular alterations in the cerebellum of female rats. Adolescent female Wistar rats (35 days old were treated with distilled water or ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v during 55 days by gavage. At 90 days of age, motor function of animals was assessed using open field (OF, pole, beam walking and rotarod tests. Following completion of behavioral tests, morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of the cerebellum were performed. Chronic ethanol exposure impaired significantly motor performance of female rats, inducing spontaneous locomotor activity deficits, bradykinesia, incoordination and motor learning disruption. Moreover, histological analysis revealed that ethanol exposure induced atrophy and neuronal loss in the cerebellum. These findings indicate that heavy ethanol exposure during adolescence is associated with long-lasting cerebellar degeneration and motor impairments in female rats.

Pavlovian conditioning with ethanol: sign-tracking (autoshaping), conditioned incentive, and ethanol self-administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Krank, Marvin D

2003-10-01

Conditioned incentive theories of addictive behavior propose that cues signaling a drug's reinforcing effects activate a central motivational state. Incentive motivation enhances drug-taking and drug-seeking behavior. We investigated the behavioral response to cues associated with ethanol and their interaction with operant self-administration of ethanol. In two experiments, rats received operant training to press a lever for a sweetened ethanol solution. After operant training, the animals were given Pavlovian pairings of a brief and localized cue light with the sweetened ethanol solution (no lever present). Lever pressing for ethanol was then re-established, and the behavioral effects of the cue light were tested during an ethanol self-administration session. The conditioned responses resulting from pairing cue lights with the opportunity to ingest ethanol had three main effects: (1) induction of operant behavior reinforced by ethanol, (2) stimulation of ethanol-seeking behavior (magazine entries), and (3) signal-directed behavior (i.e., autoshaping, or sign-tracking). Signal-directed behavior interacted with the other two effects in a manner predicted by the location of the cue light. These conditioned responses interact with operant responding for ethanol reinforcement. These findings demonstrate the importance of Pavlovian conditioning effects on ethanol self-administration and are consistent with conditioned incentive theories of addictive behavior.

Ethanol embolization of auricular arteriovenous malformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Xindong; Zheng Lianzhou; Yi Hongying; Su Lixin; Zheng Jiawei

2009-01-01

Objective: To present the authors' initial experience of treating auricular arteriovenous malformations(AVMs) with ethanol embolization and to assess the clinical effectiveness of this therapeutic method. Methods: Twenty-two patients with AVMs were enrolled in this study. Through local puncturing or super-selective catheterization the absolute ethanol,or diluted alcohol (based on the pattern of the AVMs), was manually injected into the abnormal vascular plexus of the auricular lesion. The clinical results were estimated with physical examination or angiography at intervals of 3-4 month, and telephone questionnaire was made at monthly intervals for all patients. Results: Thirty-eight ethanol embolization procedures were performed, the amount of ethanol used during the procedure ranged from 4 ml to 65 ml. After the treatment the clinical symptoms were improved, which were manifested as healing of the ulceration, stop of bleeding, disappearing or alleviation of tinnitus. Angiographic examination showed that the abnormal vascular lesion was completely vanished in 9 cases, decreased by 50%-75% in 8 cases and decreased less than 50% in remaining 5 cases. The common complications included irreversible local necrosis and vesiculation. Conclusion: For the treatment of auricular AVMs ethanol embolization is an effective and safe method,which might become the therapy of first choice. (authors)

Ethanol embolization of auricular arteriovenous malformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xindong, Fan; Lianzhou, Zheng [Department of Interventional Radiology, the Ninth People' s Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong Univ., Shanghai (China); Hongying, Yi; Lixin, Su; Jiawei, Zheng

2009-11-15

Objective: To present the authors' initial experience of treating auricular arteriovenous malformations(AVMs) with ethanol embolization and to assess the clinical effectiveness of this therapeutic method. Methods: Twenty-two patients with AVMs were enrolled in this study. Through local puncturing or super-selective catheterization the absolute ethanol,or diluted alcohol (based on the pattern of the AVMs), was manually injected into the abnormal vascular plexus of the auricular lesion. The clinical results were estimated with physical examination or angiography at intervals of 3-4 month, and telephone questionnaire was made at monthly intervals for all patients. Results: Thirty-eight ethanol embolization procedures were performed, the amount of ethanol used during the procedure ranged from 4 ml to 65 ml. After the treatment the clinical symptoms were improved, which were manifested as healing of the ulceration, stop of bleeding, disappearing or alleviation of tinnitus. Angiographic examination showed that the abnormal vascular lesion was completely vanished in 9 cases, decreased by 50%-75% in 8 cases and decreased less than 50% in remaining 5 cases. The common complications included irreversible local necrosis and vesiculation. Conclusion: For the treatment of auricular AVMs ethanol embolization is an effective and safe method,which might become the therapy of first choice. (authors)

Life?cycle impacts of ethanol production from spruce wood chips under high-gravity conditions

OpenAIRE

Janssen, Matty; Xiros, Charilaos; Tillman, Anne-Marie

2016-01-01

Background Development of more sustainable biofuel production processes is ongoing, and technology to run these processes at a high dry matter content, also called high-gravity conditions, is one option. This paper presents the results of a life?cycle assessment (LCA) of such a technology currently in development for the production of bio-ethanol from spruce wood chips. Results The cradle-to-gate LCA used lab results from a set of 30 experiments (or process configurations) in which the main p...

Chronic ethanol consumption impairs learning and memory after cessation of ethanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Farr, Susan A; Scherrer, Jeffrey F; Banks, William A; Flood, James F; Morley, John E

2005-06-01

Acute consumption of ethanol results in reversible changes in learning and memory whereas chronic ethanol consumption of six or more months produces permanent deficits and neural damage in rodents. The goal of the current paper was determine whether shorter durations of chronic ethanol ingestion in mice would produce long-term deficits in learning and memory after the cessation of ethanol. We first examined the effects of four and eight weeks of 20% ethanol followed by a three week withdrawal period on learning and memory in mice. We determined that three weeks after eight, but not four, weeks of 20% ethanol consumption resulted in deficits in learning and long-term memory (seven days) in T-maze footshock avoidance and Greek Cross brightness discrimination, step-down passive avoidance and shuttlebox active avoidance. Short-term memory (1 hr) was not affected. The deficit was not related to changes in thiamine status, caloric intake, or nonmnemonic factors, such as, activity or footshock sensitivity. Lastly, we examined if the mice recovered after longer durations of withdrawal. After eight weeks of ethanol, we compared mice after three and 12 weeks of withdrawal. Mice that had been off ethanol for both three and 12 weeks were impaired in T-maze footshock avoidance compared to the controls. The current results indicate that a duration of ethanol consumption as short as eight weeks produces deficits in learning and memory that are present 12 weeks after withdrawal.

T1r3 taste receptor involvement in gustatory neural responses to ethanol and oral ethanol preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Brasser, Susan M; Norman, Meghan B; Lemon, Christian H

2010-05-01

Elevated alcohol consumption is associated with enhanced preference for sweet substances across species and may be mediated by oral alcohol-induced activation of neurobiological substrates for sweet taste. Here, we directly examined the contribution of the T1r3 receptor protein, important for sweet taste detection in mammals, to ethanol intake and preference and the neural processing of ethanol taste by measuring behavioral and central neurophysiological responses to oral alcohol in T1r3 receptor-deficient mice and their C57BL/6J background strain. T1r3 knockout and wild-type mice were tested in behavioral preference assays for long-term voluntary intake of a broad concentration range of ethanol, sucrose, and quinine. For neurophysiological experiments, separate groups of mice of each genotype were anesthetized, and taste responses to ethanol and stimuli of different taste qualities were electrophysiologically recorded from gustatory neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract. Mice lacking the T1r3 receptor were behaviorally indifferent to alcohol (i.e., ∼50% preference values) at concentrations typically preferred by wild-type mice (5-15%). Central neural taste responses to ethanol in T1r3-deficient mice were significantly lower compared with C57BL/6J controls, a strain for which oral ethanol stimulation produced a concentration-dependent activation of sweet-responsive NTS gustatory neurons. An attenuated difference in ethanol preference between knockouts and controls at concentrations >15% indicated that other sensory and/or postingestive effects of ethanol compete with sweet taste input at high concentrations. As expected, T1r3 knockouts exhibited strongly suppressed behavioral and neural taste responses to sweeteners but did not differ from wild-type mice in responses to prototypic salt, acid, or bitter stimuli. These data implicate the T1r3 receptor in the sensory detection and transduction of ethanol taste.

Electrocatalytic activity and operational stability of electrodeposited Pd-Co films towards ethanol oxidation in alkaline electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Tsui, Lok-kun; Zafferoni, Claudio; Lavacchi, Alessandro; Innocenti, Massimo; Vizza, Francesco; Zangari, Giovanni

2015-10-01

Direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are usually run with Pd anodic catalysts, but their performance can be improved by utilizing alloys of Pd and Co. The oxyphilic Co serves to supply ample -OH to the ethanol oxidation reaction, accelerating the rate limiting step at low overpotential under alkaline conditions. Pd-Co films with compositions between 20 and 80 at% Co can be prepared by electrodeposition from a NH3 complexing electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry studies show that the ethanol oxidation peak exhibits increasing current density with increasing Co content, reaching a maximum at 77% Co. In contrast, potentiostatic measurements under conditions closer to fuel cell operating conditions show that a 50 at% Co alloy has the highest performance. Importantly, the Co-Pd film is also found to undergo phase and morphological transformations during ethanol oxidation, resulting in a change from a compact film to high surface area flake-like structures containing Co3O4 and CoOOH; such a transformation instead is not observed when operating at a constant potential of 0.7 VRHE.

Catalytic dehydration of ethanol to ethylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Ying; Jin, Zhaosheng; Shen, Wei [SINOPEC Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Shanghai (China)

2011-07-01

The different routes of ethylene production were briefly introduced and the advantage of ethanol to ethylene (ETE) route was explained. Followed by that, the upgraded catalyst applied in this route developed by SINOPEC Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology (SRIPT) was introduced together with the development of the ethanol to ethylene process. The core technologies involved in this process development were discussed, such as isothermal fixed-bed reactor, water scrubber and alkaline wash column, two columns of low-temperature separation as well as process heat integration. Furthermore, the performance of one of ethanol industrial plants licensed by SRIPT was reviewed. It is as follows, conversion of ethanol reaches 99% while selectivity of ethylene is over 96% at the reaction temperature of 350{approx}450 C, the liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV)of 0.5{approx}1.0 h{sup -1} and atmosphere pressure. Meanwhile, the catalyst shows its life time of one year. This route is considered not only as an economical and practical process but also as an environmentfriendly path to ethylene production. (orig.)

High Activity of Ce1-xNixO2-y for H2 Production through Ethanol Steam Reforming: Tuning Catalytic Performance through Metal-Oxide Interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G Zhou; L Barrio; S Agnoli; S Senanayake; J Evans; A Kubacka; M Estrella; J Hanson; A Martinez-Arias; et al.

2011-12-31

The importance of the oxide: Ce{sub 0.8}Ni{sub 0.2}O{sub 2-y} is an excellent catalyst for ethanol steam reforming. Metal-oxide interactions perturb the electronic properties of the small particles of metallic nickel present in the catalyst under the reaction conditions and thus suppress any methanation activity. The nickel embedded in ceria induces the formation of O vacancies, which facilitate cleavage of the OH bonds in ethanol and water.

Market penetration of biodiesel and ethanol

Science.gov (United States)

Szulczyk, Kenneth Ray

This dissertation examines the influence that economic and technological factors have on the penetration of biodiesel and ethanol into the transportation fuels market. This dissertation focuses on four aspects. The first involves the influence of fossil fuel prices, because biofuels are substitutes and have to compete in price. The second involves biofuel manufacturing technology, principally the feedstock-to-biofuel conversion rates, and the biofuel manufacturing costs. The third involves prices for greenhouse gas offsets. The fourth involves the agricultural commodity markets for feedstocks, and biofuel byproducts. This dissertation uses the Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model-Greenhouse Gas (FASOM-GHG) to quantitatively examine these issues and calculates equilibrium prices and quantities, given market interactions, fossil fuel prices, carbon dioxide equivalent prices, government biofuel subsidies, technological improvement, and crop yield gains. The results indicate that for the ranges studied, gasoline prices have a major impact on aggregate ethanol production but only at low prices. At higher prices, one runs into a capacity constraint that limits expansion on the capacity of ethanol production. Aggregate biodiesel production is highly responsive to gasoline prices and increases over time. (Diesel fuel price is proportional to the gasoline price). Carbon dioxide equivalent prices expand the biodiesel industry, but have no impact on ethanol aggregate production when gasoline prices are high again because of refinery capacity expansion. Improvement of crop yields shows a similar pattern, expanding ethanol production when the gasoline price is low and expanding biodiesel. Technological improvement, where biorefinery production costs decrease over time, had minimal impact on aggregate ethanol and biodiesel production. Finally, U.S. government subsidies have a large expansionary impact on aggregate biodiesel production. Finally, U.S. government

Experimental studies on fumigation of ethanol in a small capacity Diesel engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauhan, Bhupendra Singh; Kumar, Naveen; Pal, Shyam Sunder; Du Jun, Yong

2011-01-01

To diversify the mix of domestic energy resources and to reduce dependence on imported oil, ethanol is widely investigated for applying in combination with Diesel fuel to reduce pollutants, including smoke and NO x . Present work aims at developing a fumigation system for introduction of ethanol in a small capacity Diesel engine and to determine its effects on emission. Fumigation was achieved by using a constant volume carburetor. Different percentages of ethanol fumes with air were then introduced in the Diesel engine, under various load conditions. Ethanol is an oxygenated fuel and lead to smooth and efficient combustion. Atomization of ethanol also results in lower combustion temperature. During the present study, gaseous emission has been found to be decreasing with ethanol fumigation. Results from the experiment suggest that ethanol fumigation can be effectively employed in existing compression ignition engine to achieve substantial saving of the limited Diesel oil. Results show that fumigated Diesel engine exhibit better engine performance with lower NOx, CO, CO 2 and exhaust temperature. Ethanol fumigation has resulted in increase of unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emission in the entire load range. Considering the parameters, the optimum percentage was found as 15% for ethanol fumigation. -- Research highlights: → To diversify energy resources and to reduce dependence on imported oil, ethanol is used in Diesel engine to reduce pollutants. → Developing a fumigation system to inject ethanol in a small capacity Diesel engine, to determine its effects on emissions. → Different percentages of ethanol fumes with air were introduced in Diesel engine, under various load conditions by using a constant volume carburetor. → Results show that fumigated Diesel engine exhibits better engine performance with lower NOx, CO, CO 2 and exhaust temperature. → Results show increase of unburned hydrocarbon emission in entire load range. Optimum percentage found as 15% for

The metabolic costs of improving ethanol yield by reducing glycerol formation capacity under anaerobic conditions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagliardini, Julien; Hubmann, Georg; Alfenore, Sandrine; Nevoigt, Elke; Bideaux, Carine; Guillouet, Stephane E

2013-03-28

Finely regulating the carbon flux through the glycerol pathway by regulating the expression of the rate controlling enzyme, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), has been a promising approach to redirect carbon from glycerol to ethanol and thereby increasing the ethanol yield in ethanol production. Here, strains engineered in the promoter of GPD1 and deleted in GPD2 were used to investigate the possibility of reducing glycerol production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae without jeopardising its ability to cope with process stress during ethanol production. For this purpose, the mutant strains TEFmut7 and TEFmut2 with different GPD1 residual expression were studied in Very High Ethanol Performance (VHEP) fed-batch process under anaerobic conditions. Both strains showed a drastic reduction of the glycerol yield by 44 and 61% while the ethanol yield improved by 2 and 7% respectively. TEFmut2 strain showing the highest ethanol yield was accompanied by a 28% reduction of the biomass yield. The modulation of the glycerol formation led to profound redox and energetic changes resulting in a reduction of the ATP yield (YATP) and a modulation of the production of organic acids (acetate, pyruvate and succinate). Those metabolic rearrangements resulted in a loss of ethanol and stress tolerance of the mutants, contrarily to what was previously observed under aerobiosis. This work demonstrates the potential of fine-tuned pathway engineering, particularly when a compromise has to be found between high product yield on one hand and acceptable growth, productivity and stress resistance on the other hand. Previous study showed that, contrarily to anaerobiosis, the resulting gain in ethanol yield was accompanied with no loss of ethanol tolerance under aerobiosis. Moreover those mutants were still able to produce up to 90 gl-1 ethanol in an anaerobic SSF process. Fine tuning metabolic strategy may then open encouraging possibilities for further developing robust strains with improved

Chronic administration of ethanol with high vitamin A supplementation in a liquid diet to rats does not cause liver fibrosis. 2. Biochemical observations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Seifert, W. F.; Bosma, A.; Hendriks, H. F.; Blaner, W. S.; van Leeuwen, R. E.; van Thiel-de Ruiter, G. C.; Wilson, J. H.; Knook, D. L.; Brouwer, A.

1991-01-01

The inability of the 'ethanol/high vitamin A Lieber-DeCarli diet' to induce liver fibrosis in two different rat strains was further evaluated by determining changes in parameters of liver cell damage and of retinoid and lipid metabolism. In the ethanol/vitamin A-treated group, slight but constant

IMPROVEMENT OF BIOFUEL ETHANOL RECOVERY USING THE PERVAPORATION SEPARATION TECHNIQUE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nilufer Durmaz Hilmioglu [Kocaeli University Chemical Engineering Department Veziroglu Campus, Kocaeli (Turkey)

2008-09-30

The climatic impact of carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels have become a major problem. The production of renewable biofuels from biomass has received increasing attention. Because of the economic and environmental benefits of fuel ethanol's use it is considered one of the most important renewable fuels. In ethanol fermentations inhibition of the microorganism by ethanol limits the amount of substrate in the feed that can be converted. In a process high feed concentrations are desirable to minimize the flows. Such high feed concentrations can be realized in integrated processes in which ethanol is recovered by pervaporation from the fermentation broth as it is formed. The hybrid process is an attractive process to increase ethanol production economics and to decrease environmental pollution. The separaiton of alcohol from mixtures with ethanol produced by fermentation is usually carried out by distillation and the energy consumption is very high when azeotropic concentration is reached, which corresponds to 5% water in ethanol/water mixture. The pervaporation process provides an economical alternative to the existing distillation technique. A continous recovery of alcohol could be achieved by using the pervaporation process during fermentation, making the process more energy efficient. In this work, for the purposes of membrane material development for pervaporation; zeolite filled and unfilled cellulose acetate membranes were prepared. Zeolite types were 4A, 13X. The effect of incorporation of nano-sized zeolites prepared in a colloidal form in membranes was also investigated. From the sorption tests it is concluded that, ethanol/water azeotropy can be breaked by pervaporation.

Electrochemical kinetic and mass transfer model for direct ethanol alkaline fuel cell (DEAFC)

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, S.; Kamarudin, S. K.; Hasran, U. A.; Masdar, M. S.; Daud, W. R. W.

2016-07-01

A mathematical model is developed for a liquid-feed DEAFC incorporating an alkaline anion-exchange membrane. The one-dimensional mass transport of chemical species is modelled using isothermal, single-phase and steady-state assumptions. The anode and cathode electrochemical reactions use the Tafel kinetics approach, with two limiting cases, for the reaction order. The model fully accounts for the mixed potential effects of ethanol oxidation at the cathode due to ethanol crossover via an alkaline anion-exchange membrane. In contrast to a polymer electrolyte membrane model, the current model considers the flux of ethanol at the membrane as the difference between diffusive and electroosmotic effects. The model is used to investigate the effects of the ethanol and alkali inlet feed concentrations at the anode. The model predicts that the cell performance is almost identical for different ethanol concentrations at a low current density. Moreover, the model results show that feeding the DEAFC with 5 M NaOH and 3 M ethanol at specific operating conditions yields a better performance at a higher current density. Furthermore, the model indicates that crossover effects on the DEAFC performance are significant. The cell performance decrease from its theoretical value when a parasitic current is enabled in the model.

The NILE Project - Advances in the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Materials into Ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monot, F.; Margeot, A.; Hahn-Haegerdal, B.; Lindstedt, J.; Slade, R.

2013-01-01

conditions as well as the suitability of lignin residues as fuels. The ethanol cost and the greenhouse gas emissions were highly dependent on the supply chain but the best performing supply chains showed environmental and economic benefits. From a global standpoint, the results showed the necessity for an optimal integration of the process to co-develop all the steps of the process and to test the improvements in a flexible pilot plant, thus allowing the comparison of various configurations and their economic and environmental impacts to be determined. (authors)

Solving ethanol production problems with genetically modified yeast strains