Redox Catalysis over Metallo-Zeolites. Contribution to Environmental Catalysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Wichterlová, Blanka; Sobalík, Zdeněk; Dědeček, Jiří

2003-01-01

Roč. 41, - (2003), s. 97-114 ISSN 0926-3373 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS4040016; GA AV ČR IAA4040007 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4040901 Keywords : metallo-zeolites * Co-beta * Fe-ZSM-5 Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.476, year: 2003

A Forty Year Odyssey in Metallo-Organic Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas, Kenneth M

2015-07-17

In this invited Perspective, I provide a personal account highlighting several of my group's research contributions in metallo-organic chemistry over the past 40 years. Our early work focused primarily in stoichiometric structure/reactivity of transition metal-organic compounds and their use in organic synthesis. More recent efforts have centered on the discovery and development of new metal-catalyzed organic reactions via reactive metal-organic intermediates. The major research findings that are described here include (1) propargyl-cobalt complexes as electrophilic agents for C-C and C-Nu coupling; (2) the activation of carbon dioxide by metal complexes; (3) metal-promoted C-H nitrogenation reactions; (4) oxo-metal catalyzed deoxygenation reactions; and (5) catalyst discovery via dynamic templating with substrate- and transition-state analogues.

Surfactant -- Where Are We in 2003?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JF Lewis

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Surfactant research has progressed over the past several years to the extent that exogenous surfactant administration in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS is now being evaluated. Unfortunately, clinical responses have been variable, and we now need to take a look at how surfactant is altered in this disease so that more effective treatment strategies can be developed. This review briefly discusses the biophysical and host defense properties of surfactant, the impact of mechanical ventilation (MV on the endogenous surfactant system and the most recent clinical data involving exogenous surfactant administration in patients with ARDS. Discussions regarding future directions of surfactant research both in ARDS and diseases other than acute lung injury are included.

Synthesis and characterization of a novel meso-porphyrin and its metallo derivatives

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Paulo Cesar Bega

2014-02-01

Full Text Available There has been a growing interest in the properties of substituted meso-tetraarylporphyrins and metallo porphyrins as catalysts for oxidation of hydrocarbons, oxygen detection, among others. This work describes the synthesis of a new porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-butoxy-3-methoxyphenylporphyrin, and its metallo complexes. Herein it was used a readily available reactant, vanillin, as starting material which was submitted to alkylation with n-bromobutane affording the synthetic precursor. The desired porphyrin was obtained by reacting the O-alkylated aldehyde with pyrrole in the presence of propionic acid (Alder-Longo method. The purified porphyrin was then subjected to the metallation process using iron (II and manganese (II salts. The synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, UV-Vis, NMR and EPR spectroscopy.

MICROBIAL SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES

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T. P. Pirog

2015-08-01

Full Text Available It was shown literature and own experimental data concerning the use of microbial surface active glycolipids (rhamno-, sophoro- and trehalose lipids and lipopeptides for water and soil purification from oil and other hydrocarbons, removing toxic heavy metals (Cu2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, degradation of complex pollution (oil and other hydrocarbons with heavy metals, and the role of microbial surfactants in phytoremediation processes. The factors that limit the use of microbial surfactants in environmental technologies are discussed. Thus, at certain concentrations biosurfactant can exhibit antimicrobial properties and inhibit microorganisms destructing xenobiotics. Microbial biodegradability of surfactants may also reduce the effectiveness of bioremediation. Development of effective technologies using microbial surfactants should include the following steps: monitoring of contaminated sites to determine the nature of pollution and analysis of the autochthonous microbiota; determining the mode of surfactant introduction (exogenous addition of stimulation of surfactant synthesis by autochthonous microbiota; establishing an optimal concentration of surfactant to prevent exhibition of antimicrobial properties and rapid biodegradation; research both in laboratory and field conditions.

Next Generation Surfactants for Improved Chemical Flooding Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laura Wesson; Prapas Lohateeraparp; Jeffrey Harwell; Bor-Jier Shiau

2012-05-31

The principle objective of this project was to characterize and test current and next generation high performance surfactants for improved chemical flooding technology, focused on reservoirs in the Pennsylvanian-aged (Penn) sands. In order to meet this objective the characteristic curvatures (Cc) of twenty-eight anionic surfactants selected for evaluation for use in chemical flooding formulations were determined. The Cc values ranged from -6.90 to 2.55 with the majority having negative values. Crude oil samples from nine Penn sand reservoirs were analyzed for several properties pertinent to surfactant formulation for EOR application. These properties included equivalent alkane carbon numbers, total acid numbers, and viscosity. The brine samples from these same reservoirs were analyzed for several cations and for total dissolved solids. Surfactant formulations were successfully developed for eight reservoirs by the end of the project period. These formulations were comprised of a tertiary mixture of anionic surfactants. The identities of these surfactants are considered proprietary, but suffice to say the surfactants in each mixture were comprised of varying chemical structures. In addition to the successful development of surfactant formulations for EOR, there were also two successful single-well field tests conducted. There are many aspects that must be considered in the development and implementation of effective surfactant formulations. Taking into account these other aspects, there were four additional studies conducted during this project. These studies focused on the effect of the stability of surfactant formulations in the presence of polymers with an associated examination of polymer rheology, the effect of the presence of iron complexes in the brine on surfactant stability, the potential use of sacrificial agents in order to minimize the loss of surfactant to adsorption, and the effect of electrolytes on surfactant adsorption. In these last four studies

Optical-limiting response of rare-earth metallo-phthalocyanine-doped copolymer matrix

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aneeshkumar, B.N.; Gopinath, P.; Vallabhan, C.P.G.; Nampoori, V.P.N.; Radhakrishnan, P.; Thomas, J.

2003-01-01

The nanosecond optical-limiting characteristics (at 532 nm) of some rare-earth metallo-phthalocyanines (Sm(Pc)2, Eu(Pc)2, and LaPc) doped in a copolymer matrix of poly(Me methacrylate) and Me-2-cyanoacrylate were studied for the 1st time to the authors' knowledge. The optical-limiting response is

Metallo-β-lactamase and genetic diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in intensive care units in Campo Grande, MS, Brazil

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Ana Claudia Souza Rodrigues

Full Text Available Infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa has spread worldwide, with limited options for treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate metallo-β-lactamase-producing P. aeruginosa strains and compare their genetic profile using samples collected from patients in intensive care units. Forty P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from two public hospitals in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, from January 1st, 2007 to June 31st, 2008. Profiles of antimicrobial susceptibility were determined using the agar diffusion method. Metallo-β-lactamase was investigated using the double-disk diffusion test and PCR. Molecular typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE. Respiratory and urinary tracts were the most common isolation sites. Of the 40 samples tested, 72.5% (29/40 were resistant to ceftazidime and 92.5% (37/40 to imipenem, whereas 65% (26/40 were resistant to both antimicrobials. Fifteen pan-resistant samples were found. Five percent (2/40 of samples were positive for metallo-β-lactamase on the phenotype test. No metallo-β-lactamase subtype was detected by PCR. Macrorestriction analysis revealed 14 distinct genetic patterns. Based on the superior accuracy of PCR, it can be inferred that P. aeruginosa isolates from the investigated hospitals have alternative mechanisms of carbapenem resistance. The results also suggest clonal spread of P. aeruginosa between the studied hospitals.

High-Resolution Crystal Structure of a Silver(I)-RNA Hybrid Duplex Containing Watson-Crick-like C-Silver(I)-C Metallo-Base Pairs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, Jiro; Tada, Yoshinari; Dairaku, Takenori; Saneyoshi, Hisao; Okamoto, Itaru; Tanaka, Yoshiyuki; Ono, Akira

2015-11-02

Metallo-base pairs have been extensively studied for applications in nucleic acid-based nanodevices and genetic code expansion. Metallo-base pairs composed of natural nucleobases are attractive because nanodevices containing natural metallo-base pairs can be easily prepared from commercially available sources. Previously, we have reported a crystal structure of a DNA duplex containing T-Hg(II)-T base pairs. Herein, we have determined a high-resolution crystal structure of the second natural metallo-base pair between pyrimidine bases C-Ag(I)-C formed in an RNA duplex. One Ag(I) occupies the center between two cytosines and forms a C-Ag(I)-C base pair through N3-Ag(I)-N3 linear coordination. The C-Ag(I)-C base pair formation does not disturb the standard A-form conformation of RNA. Since the C-Ag(I)-C base pair is structurally similar to the canonical Watson-Crick base pairs, it can be a useful building block for structure-based design and fabrication of nucleic acid-based nanodevices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of cost-effective surfactant flooding technology. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pope, G.A.; Sepehrnoori, K.

1996-11-01

Task 1 of this research was the development of a high-resolution, fully implicit, finite-difference, multiphase, multicomponent, compositional simulator for chemical flooding. The major physical phenomena modeled in this simulator are dispersion, heterogeneous permeability and porosity, adsorption, interfacial tension, relative permeability and capillary desaturation, compositional phase viscosity, compositional phase density and gravity effects, capillary pressure, and aqueous-oleic-microemulsion phase behavior. Polymer and its non-Newtonian rheology properties include shear-thinning viscosity, permeability reduction, inaccessible pore volume, and adsorption. Options of constant or variable space grids and time steps, constant-pressure or constant-rate well conditions, horizontal and vertical wells, and multiple slug injections are also available in the simulator. The solution scheme used in this simulator is fully implicit. The pressure equation and the mass-conservation equations are solved simultaneously for the aqueous-phase pressure and the total concentrations of each component. A third-order-in-space, second-order-in-time finite-difference method and a new total-variation-diminishing (TVD) third-order flux limiter are used that greatly reduce numerical dispersion effects. Task 2 was the optimization of surfactant flooding. The code UTCHEM was used to simulate surfactant polymer flooding.

Synthesis and characterization of metallo-supramolecular polymers from thiophene-based unimers bearing pybox ligands

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hladysh, S.; Václavková, D.; Vrbata, D.; Bondarev, D.; Havlíček, D.; Svoboda, Jan; Zedník, J.; Vohlídal, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 18 (2017), s. 10718-10728 ISSN 2046-2069 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : metallo-supramolecular polymers * XPS Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 3.108, year: 2016

Surfactant phosphatidylcholine metabolism and surfactant function in preterm, ventilated lambs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jobe, A.H.; Ikegami, M.; Seidner, S.R.; Pettenazzo, A.; Ruffini, L.

1989-01-01

Preterm lambs were delivered at 138 days gestational age and ventilated for periods up to 24 h in order to study surfactant metabolism and surfactant function. The surfactant-saturated phosphatidylcholine pool in the alveolar wash was 13 +/- 4 mumol/kg and did not change from 10 min to 24 h after birth. Trace amounts of labeled natural sheep surfactant were mixed with fetal lung fluid at birth. By 24 h, 80% of the label had become lung-tissue-associated, yet there was no loss of label from phosphatidylcholine in the lungs when calculated as the sum of the lung tissue plus alveolar wash. De novo synthesized phosphatidylcholine was labeled with choline given by intravascular injection at 1 h of age. Labeled phosphatidylcholine accumulated in the lung tissue linearly to 24 h, and the labeled phosphatidylcholine moved through lamellar body to alveolar pools. The turnover time for alveolar phosphatidylcholine was estimated to be about 13 h, indicating an active metabolic pool. A less surface-active surfactant fraction recovered as a supernatant after centrifugation of the alveolar washes at 40,000 x g increased from birth to 10 min of ventilation, but no subsequent changes in the distribution of surfactant phosphatidylcholine in surfactant fractions occurred. The results were consistent with recycling pathway(s) that maintained surface-active surfactant pools in preterm ventilated lambs

Formation and characterization of zein-propylene glycol alginate-surfactant ternary complexes: Effect of surfactant type.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Lei; Sun, Cuixia; Wei, Yang; Zhan, Xinyu; Mao, Like; Gao, Yanxiang

2018-08-30

In this study, zein, propylene glycol alginate (PGA) and surfactant ternary complexes were fabricated by antisolvent co-precipitation method. Two types of surfactants (rhamnolipid and lecithin) were applied to generate zein-PGA-rhamnolipid (Z-P-R) and zein-PGA-lecithin (Z-P-L) ternary complexes, respectively. Results showed that the surfactant types significantly affected the properties of ternary complexes. The formation of ternary complexes was mainly due to the non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction and hydrophobic interactions among zein, PGA and surfactants. Moreover, the thermal stability of ternary complexes was enhanced with increasing the levels of both surfactants. Notably, ternary complex dispersions exhibited better stability against pH from 2 to 8. Furthermore, a compact network structure was observed in Z-P-R ternary complex, while Z-P-L ternary complex remained the spherical structure. These findings would provide new insights into the development of novel delivery system and expand the options, when zein-based complexes were utilized under different environment conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Persurf, a new method to improve surfactant delivery: a study in surfactant depleted rats.

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Wolfram Burkhardt

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Exogenous surfactant is not very effective in adults with ARDS, since surfactant does not reach atelectatic alveoli. Perfluorocarbons (PFC can recruit atelectatic areas but do not replace impaired endogenous surfactant. A surfactant-PFC-mixture could combine benefits of both therapies. The aim of the proof-of-principal-study was to produce a PFC-in-surfactant emulsion (Persurf and to test in surfactant depleted Wistar rats whether Persurf achieves I. a more homogenous pulmonary distribution and II. a more homogenous recruitment of alveoli when compared with surfactant or PFC alone. METHODS: Three different PFC were mixed with surfactant and phospholipid concentration in the emulsion was measured. After surfactant depletion, animals either received 30 ml/kg of PF5080, 100 mg/kg of stained (green dye Curosurf™ or 30 ml/kg of Persurf. Lungs were fixated after 1 hour of ventilation and alveolar aeration and surfactant distribution was estimated by a stereological approach. RESULTS: Persurf contained 3 mg/ml phospholipids and was stable for more than 48 hours. Persurf-administration improved oxygenation. Histological evaluation revealed a more homogenous surfactant distribution and alveolar inflation when compared with surfactant treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: In surfactant depleted rats administration of PFC-in-surfactant emulsion leads to a more homogenous distribution and aeration of the lung than surfactant alone.

Antioxidant poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles made with α-tocopherol-ascorbic acid surfactant.

Science.gov (United States)

Astete, Carlos E; Dolliver, Debra; Whaley, Meocha; Khachatryan, Lavrent; Sabliov, Cristina M

2011-12-27

The goal of the study was to synthesize a surfactant made of α-tocopherol (vitamin E) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) of antioxidant properties dubbed as EC, and to use this surfactant to make poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. Self-assembled EC nanostructures and PLGA-EC nanoparticles were made by nanoprecipitation, and their physical properties (size, size distribution, morphology) were studied at different salt concentrations, surfactant concentrations, and polymer/surfactant ratios. EC surfactant was shown to form self-assembled nanostructures in water with a size of 22 to 138 nm in the presence of sodium chloride, or 12 to 31 nm when synthesis was carried out in sodium bicarbonate. Polymeric PLGA-EC nanoparticles presented a size of 90 to 126 nm for 40% to 120% mass ratio PLGA to surfactant. For the same mass ratios, the PLGA-Span80 formed particles measured 155 to 216 nm. Span80 formed bilayers, whereas EC formed monolayers at the interfaces. PLGA-EC nanoparticles and EC showed antioxidant activity based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay measurements using UV and EPR techniques, antioxidant activity which is not characteristic to commercially available Span80. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay for lipid peroxidation showed that PLGA nanoparticles with EC performed better as antioxidants than the EC nanoassembly or the free vitamin C. Nanoparticles were readily internalized by HepG2 cells and were localized in the cytoplasm. The newly synthesized EC surfactant was therefore found successful in forming uniform, small size polymeric nanoparticles of intrinsic antioxidant properties.

Physicochemical characteristics of PFC surfactants for dry decontamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Won Jin; Lee, Chi Woo [Korea University, Seoul (Korea)

2001-04-01

Even the trace amount of the used nuclear fuels of high radioactivity are hazardous to the earth and humans. Perfluorocarbons and perfluorocarbon surfactants are emerging to be efficient chemicals in the dry decontamination process of the used fuels of high radioactivity. The theme was undertaken to increase the knowledge on perfluorocarbon surfactants to develop the perfluorocarbon system in the dry decontamination process in Korea. Several cationic and anionic pfc surfactants were synthesized. Effects of pfc surfactants on electrochemical etching of silicon were investigated to form porous silicons. Forces were measured between silicon surfaces and AFM tip in the absence and presence of pfc surfactants. 7 refs., 10 figs. (Author)

Dipicolinic Acid Derivatives as Inhibitors of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Allie Y; Thomas, Pei W; Stewart, Alesha C; Bergstrom, Alexander; Cheng, Zishuo; Miller, Callie; Bethel, Christopher R; Marshall, Steven H; Credille, Cy V; Riley, Christopher L; Page, Richard C; Bonomo, Robert A; Crowder, Michael W; Tierney, David L; Fast, Walter; Cohen, Seth M

2017-09-14

The efficacy of β-lactam antibiotics is threatened by the emergence and global spread of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) mediated resistance, specifically New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1). By utilization of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), a new class of inhibitors for NDM-1 and two related β-lactamases, IMP-1 and VIM-2, was identified. On the basis of 2,6-dipicolinic acid (DPA), several libraries were synthesized for structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis. Inhibitor 36 (IC 50 = 80 nM) was identified to be highly selective for MBLs when compared to other Zn(II) metalloenzymes. While DPA displayed a propensity to chelate metal ions from NDM-1, 36 formed a stable NDM-1:Zn(II):inhibitor ternary complex, as demonstrated by 1 H NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, equilibrium dialysis, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission, and UV-vis spectroscopy. When coadministered with 36 (at concentrations nontoxic to mammalian cells), the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of imipenem against clinical isolates of Eschericia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring NDM-1 were reduced to susceptible levels.

Development Characteristics of Velocity Transports in An Isothermal Heated Drag-Reducing Surfactant Solution Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongxia; Wang, Dezhong; Chen, Hanping; Wang, Yanping

2007-06-01

The development characteristics, turbulence transports for stresses and kinetic energy of a cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC) surfactant solution for a two-dimensional channel flow have been experimentally investigated. Time mean velocity and fluctuating velocity are measured using a Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) at the Reynolds number 1.78×104 and isothermal heated temperature 31°C. Although mean velocity profiles at three cross sections show that the fluid is almost fully developed, the peak location of fluctuating intensity for the CTAC solution is slightly away from the wall downstream from the fluid and the peak location of fluctuating intensity is observed at far away from the wall than that of water. The location where the velocity gradient has its maximum, the fluctuating intensity does not get the high value. The elastic shear stress contribution to the total shear stress is 15 percents to 36 percents and it gets to the maximum near to the wall. The surfactant elastic shear stress is almost a liner function of the height of the channel, which means that the elastic stress contribution of the different cross locations is approximately the same. The fluctuating surfactant stress work is negative and the fluctuating elastic shear stresses produce rather than dissipate kinetic energy.

Simulation on the Effects of Surfactants and Observed Thermocapillary Motion for Laser Melting Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Nourgaliev, Robert; Barney, Rebecca; Weston, Brian; Delplanque, Jean-Pierre; McCallen, Rose

2017-11-01

A newly developed, robust, high-order in space and time, Newton-Krylov based reconstructed discontinuous Galerkin (rDG) method is used to model and analyze thermocapillary convection in melt pools. The application of interest is selective laser melting (SLM) which is an Additive Manufacturing (AM, 3D metal laser printing) process. These surface tension driven flows are influenced by temperature gradients and surfactants (impurities), and are known as the Marangoni flow. They have been experimentally observed in melt pools for welding applications, and are thought to influence the microstructure of the re-solidified material. We study the effects of the laser source configuration (power, beam size and scanning speed), as well as surfactant concentrations. Results indicate that the surfactant concentration influences the critical temperature, which governs the direction of the surface thermocapillary traction. When the surface tension traction changes sign, very complex flow patterns emerge, inducing hydrodynamic instability under certain conditions. These in turn would affect the melt pool size (depth) and shape, influencing the resulting microstructure, properties, and performance of a finished product part produced using 3D metal laser printing technologies. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. Information management release number LLNL-ABS-735908.

Adsorption of ionic surfactants at microscopic air-water interfaces using the micropipette interfacial area-expansion method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kinoshita, Koji; Parra, Elisa; Needham, David

2017-01-01

The dynamic adsorption of ionic surfactants at air-water interfaces have been less-well studied than that of the simpler non-ionics since experimental limitations on dynamic surface tension (DST) measurements create inconsistencies in their kinetic analysis. Using our newly designed "Micropipette...... interfacial area-expansion method", we have measured and evaluated both equilibrium and dynamic adsorption of a well-known anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), in the absence or presence of 100mM NaCl. Our focus was to determine if and to what extent the inclusion of a new correction parameter...... for the "ideal ionic activity", A±i, can renormalize both equilibrium and dynamic surface tension measurements and provide better estimates of the diffusion coefficient of ionic surfactants in aqueous media obtained from electroneutral models, namely extended Frumkin isotherm and Ward-Tordai adsorption models...

Multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae including metallo-β-lactamase producers are predominant pathogens of healthcare-associated infections in an Indian teaching hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J B Sarma

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: A study was carried out in an Indian teaching hospital in 2009 to detect the rate of surgical site infections (SSI and peripheral vascular access site infections. Materials and Methods: The study was a point-prevalence study involving over 300 patients. The presence of infection was determined according to the CDC criteria. Swabs were taken from the infected sites and identification and sensitivity were carried out using VITEK® 2 automated system. Characterisation of β-lactamase was carried out at ARRML, Colindale, London. Results: The rate of SSI was 15% for the clean and clean-contaminated categories while that for the dirty contaminated category was 85% (NNIS risk index 0. Cultures yielded definite or probable pathogens from 64% (9/14 of the patients with SSI. In 1/3 rd of the cultures, Staphylococcus aureus was grown and the rest had Enterobacteriaceae, either extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL producers or Amp-C hyperproducers and, alarmingly, three isolates were positive for newly recognised New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1. In medicine, 87% (n = 99 of the patients had a peripheral IV access device, 55% developed associated phlebitis/infection and, in seven, probable pathogens were isolated (Candida species and Escherichia coli producing ESBL and NDM-1, respectively, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium. All ESBL and metallo-β-lactamase producers were resistant to multiple classes of antimicrobials, the latter being sensitive only to colistin and tigecycline. The study also found that all post-operative patients were on antibiotics, 92% on IV [213 defined daily doses (DDD/100 post-op patients] limited mainly to the third-generation cephalosporins (26% and aminoglycosides (24% and imidazole derivatives (30%. In medicine, 83% (n = 82 were on IV antibiotics (123 DDD/100 bed-days, limited mainly to the third-generation cephalosporins (74%. Conclusion: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics is a major problem

Surfactant-enhanced control of track-etch pore morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apel', P.Yu.; Blonskaya, I.V.; Didyk, A.Yu.; Dmitriev, S.N.; Orelovich, O.L.; Samojlova, L.I.; Vutsadakis, V.A.; Root, D.

2000-01-01

The influence of surfactants on the process of chemical development of ion tracks in polymers is studied. Based on the experimental data, a mechanism of the surfactant effect on the track-etch pore morphology is proposed. In the beginning of etching the surfactant is adsorbed on the surface and creates a layer that is quasi-solid and partially protects the surface from the etching agent. However, some etchant molecules diffuse through the barrier and react with the polymer surface. This results in the formation of a small hole at the entrance to the ion track. After the hole has attained a few annometers in diameter, the surfactant molecules penetrate into the track and cover its walls. Further diffusion of the surfactant into the growing pore is hindered. The adsorbed surfactant layer is not permeable for large molecules. In contrast, small alkali molecules and water molecules diffuse into the track and provide the etching process enlarging the pore. At this stage the transport of the surfactant into the pore channel can proceed only due to the lateral diffusion in the adsorbed layer. The volume inside the pore is free of surfactant molecules and grows at a higher rate than pore entrance. After a more prolonged etching the bottle-like (or 'cigar-like') pore channels are formed. The bottle-like shape of the pore channels depends on the etching conditions such as alkali and surfactant concentration, temperature, and type of the surfactant. The use of surfactants enables one to produce track-etch membranes with improved flow rate characteristics compared with those having cylindrical pores with the same nominal pore diameters

Pulmonary surfactant and lung transplantation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erasmus, Michiel Elardus

1997-01-01

Pulmonary surfactant lowers the surface tension at the air-water interface inside the alveolus. This is achieved by adsorption of surfactant phospholipids at the air-water interface, a process controlled by surfactant-associated proteins, such as SP-A. In this way, surfactant prevents collapse of

Biomimicry of surfactant protein C.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Nathan J; Johansson, Jan; Barron, Annelise E

2008-10-01

Since the widespread use of exogenous lung surfactant to treat neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, premature infant survival and respiratory morbidity have dramatically improved. Despite the effectiveness of the animal-derived surfactant preparations, there still remain some concerns and difficulties associated with their use. This has prompted investigation into the creation of synthetic surfactant preparations. However, to date, no clinically used synthetic formulation is as effective as the natural material. This is largely because the previous synthetic formulations lacked analogues of the hydrophobic proteins of the lung surfactant system, SP-B and SP-C, which are critical functional constituents. As a result, recent investigation has turned toward the development of a new generation of synthetic, biomimetic surfactants that contain synthetic phospholipids along with a mimic of the hydrophobic protein portion of lung surfactant. In this Account, we detail our efforts in creating accurate mimics of SP-C for use in a synthetic surfactant replacement therapy. Despite SP-C's seemingly simple structure, the predominantly helical protein is extraordinarily challenging to work with given its extreme hydrophobicity and structural instability, which greatly complicates the creation of an effective SP-C analogue. Drawing inspiration from Nature, two promising biomimetic approaches have led to the creation of rationally designed biopolymers that recapitulate many of SP-C's molecular features. The first approach utilizes detailed SP-C structure-activity relationships and amino acid folding propensities to create a peptide-based analogue, SP-C33. In SP-C33, the problematic and metastable polyvaline helix is replaced with a structurally stable polyleucine helix and includes a well-placed positive charge to prevent aggregation. SP-C33 is structurally stable and eliminates the association propensity of the native protein. The second approach follows the same design

Microemulsion-based lycopene extraction: Effect of surfactants, co-surfactants and pretreatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Amiri-Rigi, Atefeh; Abbasi, Soleiman

2016-04-15

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that has received extensive attention recently. Due to the challenges encountered with current methods of lycopene extraction using hazardous solvents, industry calls for a greener, safer and more efficient process. The main purpose of present study was application of microemulsion technique to extract lycopene from tomato pomace. In this respect, the effect of eight different surfactants, four different co-surfactants, and ultrasound and enzyme pretreatments on lycopene extraction efficiency was examined. Experimental results revealed that application of combined ultrasound and enzyme pretreatments, saponin as a natural surfactant, and glycerol as a co-surfactant, in the bicontinuous region of microemulsion was the optimal experimental conditions resulting in a microemulsion containing 409.68±0.68 μg/glycopene. The high lycopene concentration achieved, indicates that microemulsion technique, using a low-cost natural surfactant could be promising for a simple and safe separation of lycopene from tomato pomace and possibly from tomato industrial wastes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure of TTHA1623, a novel metallo-β-lactamase superfamily protein from Thermus thermophilus HB8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamura, Akihiro; Okada, Akitoshi; Kameda, Yasuhiro; Ohtsuka, Jun; Nakagawa, Noriko; Ebihara, Akio; Nagata, Koji; Tanokura, Masaru

2009-01-01

The crystal structures of TTHA1623 from T. thermophilus HB8 in an iron-bound and a zinc-bound form have been determined to 2.8 and 2.2 Å resolution, respectively. TTHA1623 is a metallo-β-lactamase superfamily protein from the extremely thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB8. Homologues of TTHA1623 exist in a wide range of bacteria and archaea and one eukaryote, Giardia lamblia, but their function remains unknown. To analyze the structural properties of TTHA1623, the crystal structures of its iron-bound and zinc-bound forms have been determined to 2.8 and 2.2 Å resolution, respectively. TTHA1623 possesses an αββα-fold similar to that of other metallo-β-lactamase superfamily proteins with glyoxalase II-type metal coordination. However, TTHA1623 exhibits a putative substrate-binding pocket with a unique shape

Sizing Performance of the Newly Developed Eddy Current System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Chan Hee; Lee, Hee Jong; Yoo, Hyun Ju; Moon, Gyoon Young; Lee, Tae Hoon [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

This paper describes the comparison results of sizing performance for two systems. The KHNP developed a new eddy current testing system for the inspection of steam generator tubing in domestic nuclear power plants. The equivalency assessment of the newly developed system with the EPRI-qualified system was already carried out. In this paper, the comparisons of depth-sizing performance for the artificial flaws between two systems were performed. The results show that the newly developed system is in good agreement with the qualified system. Therefore, it is expected that the newly developed eddy current system can be used for the inspection of steam generator tubing in nuclear power plants. There are some non-destructive examination (NDE) methods for the inspection of components in nuclear power plants, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, eddy current testing, etc. The eddy current testing is widely used for the inspection of steam generator (SG) tubing because it offers a relatively low cost approach for high speed, large scale testing of metallic materials in high pressure and temperature engineering systems. The Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) developed an eddy current testing system for the inspection of steam generator tubing in nuclear power plants. This system includes not only hardware but software such as the frequency generator and data acquisition-analysis program. The foreign eddy current system developed by ZETEC is currently used for the inspection of steam generator tubing in domestic nuclear power plants. The equivalency assessment between two systems was already carried out in accordance with the EPRI steam generator examination guidelines.

Exfoliation of clays in poly(dimethylsiloxane) rubber using an unexpected couple: a silicone surfactant and water.

Science.gov (United States)

Labruyère, Céline; Monteverde, Fabien; Alexandre, Michaël; Dubois, Philippe

2009-04-01

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/montmorillonite (MMT) composites have been prepared using a newly synthesized omega-ammonium functionalized poly(dimethylsiloxane) compatibilizer coupled with a dispersion technique in water. The organoclay containing the new siloxane surfactant was characterized by TGA and XRD. For the first time, a nanoscopic dispersion of MMT nanoplatelets in the PDMS composite cured by hydrosilylation and a good compatibility between clay layers and matrix were obtained. The beneficial effect of both the surfactant and the water onto clay nanoplatelet dispersion was evaluated by different microscopy techniques and by measuring different properties such as the viscosity of the uncured PDMS/MMT nanodispersions, and the swelling rate and Young's modulus of the cured PDMS/MMT nanocomposites.

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Aeromonas hydrophilia metallo-β-lactamase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Nandini, E-mail: nandini-sharma@merck.com; Toney, Jeffrey H.; Fitzgerald, Paula M. D.

2005-02-01

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the CphA metallo-β-lactamase from A. hydrophilia are described. The crystals belonged to space group P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = 40.75, b = 42.05, c = 128.88 Å, and diffract to 1.8 Å.

Selection and Characterization of Carbon Black and Surfactants for Development of Small Scale Uranium Oxicarbide Kernels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contescu, Cristian I [ORNL

2006-01-01

This report supports the effort for development of small scale fabrication of UCO (a mixture of UO{sub 2} and UC{sub 2}) fuel kernels for the generation IV high temperature gas reactor program. In particular, it is focused on optimization of dispersion conditions of carbon black in the broths from which carbon-containing (UO{sub 2} {center_dot} H{sub 2}O + C) gel spheres are prepared by internal gelation. The broth results from mixing a hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea solution with an acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solution. Carbon black, which is previously added to one or other of the components, must stay dispersed during gelation. The report provides a detailed description of characterization efforts and results, aimed at identification and testing carbon black and surfactant combinations that would produce stable dispersions, with carbon particle sizes below 1 {micro}m, in aqueous HMTA/urea and ADUN solutions. A battery of characterization methods was used to identify the properties affecting the water dispersability of carbon blacks, such as surface area, aggregate morphology, volatile content, and, most importantly, surface chemistry. The report introduces the basic principles for each physical or chemical method of carbon black characterization, lists the results obtained, and underlines cross-correlations between methods. Particular attention is given to a newly developed method for characterization of surface chemical groups on carbons in terms of their acid-base properties (pK{sub a} spectra) based on potentiometric titration. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to confirm the identity of surfactants, both ionic and non-ionic. In addition, background information on carbon black properties and the mechanism by which surfactants disperse carbon black in water is also provided. A list of main physical and chemical properties characterized, samples analyzed, and results obtained, as well as information on the desired trend or

Structure and Conformational Dynamics of DMPC/Dicationic Surfactant and DMPC/Dicationic Surfactant/DNA Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maciej Kozak

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Amphiphilic dicationic surfactants, known as gemini surfactants, are currently studied for gene delivery purposes. The gemini surfactant molecule is composed of two hydrophilic “head” groups attached to hydrophobic chains and connected via molecular linker between them. The influence of different concentrations of 1,5-bis (1-imidazolilo-3-decyloxymethyl pentane chloride (gemini surfactant on the thermotropic phase behaviour of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC bilayers with and without the presence of DNA was investigated using Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR and circular dichroism (CD spectroscopies, small angle scattering of synchrotron radiation and differential scanning calorimetry. With increasing concentration of surfactant in DMPC/DNA systems, a disappearance of pretransition and a decrease in the main phase transition enthalpy and temperature were observed. The increasing intensity of diffraction peaks as a function of surfactant concentration also clearly shows the ability of the surfactant to promote the organisation of lipid bilayers in the multilayer lamellar phase.

Surfactant Membrane Phases Containing Mixtures of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Surfactants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de Campo, Liliana; Warr, G.G.

2005-01-01

Full text: We describe the structure and stability of sponge and lamellar phases comprising mixtures of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon surfactants. Such mixtures can show limited miscibility with each other, forming for example coexisting populations of hydrocarbon rich and fluorocarbon rich micelles under some circumstances. Our system is based on the well-characterised lamellar and sponge phases of cetylpyridinium chloride, hexanol and 0.2M brine, into which the partially fluorinated surfactant N-1H,1H,2H,2H-tridecafluorooctylpyridinium chloride is incorporated. By probing the structures with SAXS (small angle x-ray scattering) and SANS (small angle neutron scattering) using contrast variation, and by characterizing the dynamic properties with dynamic light scattering, we will describe the effect of incorporating the fluorinated surfactant on the phase equilibria and properties of the surfactant membrane structures. (authors)

Biofilm and metallo beta-lactamase production among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bandana Baniya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. are found to be associated with biofilm and metallo-β-lactamase production and are the common causes of serious infections mainly in hospitalized patients. So, the main aims of this study were to determine the rates of biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production (MBL among the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. isolated from hospitalized patients. Methods A total of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates and 50 Acinetobacter spp. isolates isolated from different clinical specimens from patients admitted to Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal from July 2013 to May 2014 were included in this study. The bacterial isolates were identified with the help of biochemical tests. Modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Combined disc diffusion technique was used for the detection of MBL production, while Congo red agar method and tube adherence method were used for detection of biofilm production. Results Around 16.4% of P. aeruginosa isolates and 22% of the strains of Acinetobacter spp. were metallo β-lactamase producers. Out of 85 P. aeruginosa isolates, 23 (27.05% were biofilm producers according to tube adherence test while, only 13 (15.29% were biofilm producers as per Congo red agar method. Similarly, out of 50 Acinetobacter spp. 7 (14% isolates were biofilm producers on the basis of tube adherence test, while only 5 (10% were positive for biofilm production by Congo red agar method. Highest rates of susceptibility of P. aeruginosa as well as Acinetobacter spp. were seen toward colistin. Conclusion In our study, biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production were observed among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. However, no statistically significant association could be established between biofilm production and metallo beta-lactamase production.

Phenotypic Characterization of Multidrug-resistant Escherichia Coli with Special Reference to Extended-spectrum-beta-lactamases and Metallo-beta-lactamases in a Tertiary Care Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, B; Shrestha, S; Mishra, S K; Kattel, H P; Tada, T; Ohara, H; Kirikae, T; Rijal, B P; Sherchand, J B; Pokhrel, B M

2015-01-01

The increasing reports on extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase and metallo-beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli have addressed a potential threat to global health since it is found to be highly resistance to most of the currently available antibiotics including carbapenems. The present study was aimed to determine the antibiogram of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase and metallo-beta-lactamase producing MDR E. coli isolates from various clinical samples. This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of seven months from December 2013 to July 2014 at bacteriology laboratory of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. A total of 250 clinical specimens (urine, pus, sputum, blood, body fluid, bile, tissue and central venous pressure line tip) were processed from inpatients, with multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli infections. Standard microbiological techniques were used for isolation and identification of the isolates. The presence of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase was detected by phenotypic confirmatory test recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and imipenem (IMP) /EDTA combined disc method was performed to detect metallo-beta-lactamase mediated resistance mechanism. We found high level of beta lactamase mediated resistance mechanism as part of multidrug resistance. Among 250 MDR isolates, 60% isolates were extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase producers and 17.2% isolates were metallo-beta-lactamase producers. Co-existence of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase and metallo-beta-lactamase identified in 6.8% isolates. Beta-lactamase mediated resistance mechanisms are accounting very high in the multidrug resistant isolates of E. coli. Therefore, early detection of beta lactamase mediated resistant strains and their current antibiotic susceptibility pattern is necessary to avoid treatment failure and prevent the spread of MDR.

Surfactant-Mediated Growth Revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerheim, H. L.; Sander, D.; Popescu, R.; Pan, W.; Kirschner, J.; Popa, I.

2007-01-01

The x-ray structure analysis of the oxygen-surfactant-mediated growth of Ni on Cu(001) identifies up to 0.15 monolayers of oxygen in subsurface octahedral sites. This questions the validity of the general view that surfactant oxygen floats on top of the growing Ni film. Rather, the surfactant action is ascribed to an oxygen-enriched zone extending over the two topmost layers. Surface stress measurements support this finding. Our results have important implications for the microscopic understanding of surfactant-mediated growth and the change of the magnetic anisotropy of the Ni films

Respiratory Mechanics and Gas Exchange: The Effect of Surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Jbaily, Abdulrahman; Szeri, Andrew J.

2017-11-01

The purpose of the lung is to exchange gases, primarily oxygen and carbon dioxide, between the atmosphere and the circulatory system. To enable this exchange, the airways in the lungs terminate in some 300 million alveoli that provide adequate surface area for transport. During breathing, work must be done to stretch various tissues to accommodate a greater volume of gas. Considerable work must also be done to expand the liquid lining (hypophase) that coats the interior surfaces of the alveoli. This is enabled by a surface active lipo-protein complex, known as pulmonary surfactant, that modifies the surface tension at the hypophase-air interface. Surfactants also serve as physical barriers that modify the rate of gas transfer across interfaces. We develop a mathematical model to study the action of pulmonary surfactant and its determinative contributions to breathing. The model is used to explore the influence of surfactants on alveolar mechanics and on gas exchange: it relates the work of respiration at the level of the alveolus to the gas exchange rate through the changing influence of pulmonary surfactant over the breathing cycle. This work is motivated by a need to develop improved surfactant replacement therapies to treat serious medical conditions.

Production, characterization, and immobilization of partially purified surfactant-detergent and alkali-thermostable protease from newly isolated Aeromonas caviae.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Sumitra; Menon, Gopalakrishnan; Varughese, Bincy

2017-04-21

Proteolytic Aeromonas caviae P-1-1 growing at wide-ranging pH (7.0-11.0) and moderate salinity (0-5% NaCl) was isolated from cattle shed of Thanjavur, India. It produced lipase, gelatinase, and polyhydroxybutyrate. Different culture conditions, incubation time, carbon and nitrogen sources, vitamins, amino acids, surfactants, and metal ions for optimal growth and protease production of P-1-1 were examined. Maximum protease (0.128 U/mL) production was achieved with 1% fructose, 1% yeast extract, 0.1% ammonium sulfate, 3% NaCl, 0.1% CaCl 2  · 2H 2 O, 1% glycine, 0.1% vitamin E, and 0.1% Tween-40 at pH 8.0 after 42 hr of incubation at 37°C. It was active over broad range of pH (7.0-12.0), temperature (15-100°C), and salinity (0-9% NaCl) with optima at pH 10.0, 55°C, and 3% NaCl. It retained 65 and 48% activities at pH 12.0 and 100°C, respectively. Partially purified protease was highly stable (100%) within pH range 7.0-12.0 and salinities of 0-5% NaCl for 48 hr. Cu 2+ , Mn 2+ , Co 2+ , and Ca 2+ did not inhibit its activity. Its stability at extreme pHs, temperatures, and in the presence of surfactants and commercial detergents suggests its possible application in laundry detergents. Partially purified protease was immobilized and reused. This is the first report of alkali-thermotolerant, surfactant-detergent-stable partially purified extracellular protease from A. caviae.

A newly developed snack effective for enhancing bone volume

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Hayashi Hidetaka

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The incidence of primary osteoporosis is higher in Japan than in USA and European countries. Recently, the importance of preventive medicine has been gradually recognized in the field of orthopaedic surgery with a concept that peak bone mass should be increased in childhood as much as possible for the prevention of osteoporosis. Under such background, we have developed a new bean snack with an aim to improve bone volume loss. In this study, we examined the effects of a newly developed snack on bone volume and density in osteoporosis model mice. Methods Orchiectomy (ORX and ovariectomy (OVX were performed for C57BL/6J mice of twelve-week-old (Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbar, ME, USA were used in this experiment. We prepared and given three types of powder diet e.g.: normal calcium diet (NCD, Ca: 0.9%, Clea Japan Co., Tokyo, Japan, low calcium diet (LCD, Ca: 0.63%, Clea Japan Co., and special diet (SCD, Ca: 0.9%. Eighteen weeks after surgery, all the animals were sacrified and prepared for histomorphometric analysis to quantify bone density and bone mineral content. Results As a result of histomorphometric examination, SCD was revealed to enhance bone volume irrespective of age and sex. The bone density was increased significantly in osteoporosis model mice fed the newly developmental snack as compared with the control mice. The bone mineral content was also enhanced significantly. These phenomena were revealed in both sexes. Conclusion It is shown that the newly developed bean snack is highly effective for the improvement of bone volume loss irrespective of sex. We demonstrated that newly developmental snack supplements may be a useful preventive measure for Japanese whose bone mineral density values are less than the ideal condition.

Influence of stability of polymer surfactant on oil displacement mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li; Li, Chengliang; Pi, Yanming; Wu, Di; He, Ying; Geng, Liang

2018-02-01

At present, most of the oilfields of China have entered the late stage of high water-cut development, and three oil recovery technique has become the leading technology for improving oil recovery. With the improvement of three oil recovery techniques, the polymer surfactant flooding technology has been widely promoted in oil fields in recent years. But in the actual field experiment, it has been found that the polymer surfactant has chromatographic separation at the extraction end, which indicates that the property of the polymer surfactant has changed during the displacement process. At present, there was few literature about how the stability of polymer surfactant affects the oil displacement mechanism. This paper used HuaDing-I polymer surfactant to conduct a micro photolithography glass flooding experiment, and then compared the oil displacement law of polymer surfactant before and after static setting. Finally, the influence law of stability of polymer surfactant on the oil displacement mechanism is obtained by comprehensive analysis.

Determination of the critical micelle concentration in simulations of surfactant systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Andrew P.; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z., E-mail: azp@princeton.edu [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544 (United States)

2016-01-28

Alternative methods for determining the critical micelle concentration (cmc) are investigated using canonical and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of a lattice surfactant model. A common measure of the cmc is the “free” (unassociated) surfactant concentration in the presence of micellar aggregates. Many prior simulations of micellizing systems have observed a decrease in the free surfactant concentration with overall surfactant loading for both ionic and nonionic surfactants, contrary to theoretical expectations from mass-action models of aggregation. In the present study, we investigate a simple lattice nonionic surfactant model in implicit solvent, for which highly reproducible simulations are possible in both the canonical (NVT) and grand canonical (μVT) ensembles. We confirm the previously observed decrease of free surfactant concentration at higher overall loadings and propose an algorithm for the precise calculation of the excluded volume and effective concentration of unassociated surfactant molecules in the accessible volume of the solution. We find that the cmc can be obtained by correcting the free surfactant concentration for volume exclusion effects resulting from the presence of micellar aggregates. We also develop an improved method for determination of the cmc based on the maximum in curvature for the osmotic pressure curve determined from μVT simulations. Excellent agreement in cmc and other micellar properties between NVT and μVT simulations of different system sizes is observed. The methodological developments in this work are broadly applicable to simulations of aggregating systems using any type of surfactant model (atomistic/coarse grained) or solvent description (explicit/implicit)

Determination of the critical micelle concentration in simulations of surfactant systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Andrew P; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z

2016-01-28

Alternative methods for determining the critical micelle concentration (cmc) are investigated using canonical and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of a lattice surfactant model. A common measure of the cmc is the "free" (unassociated) surfactant concentration in the presence of micellar aggregates. Many prior simulations of micellizing systems have observed a decrease in the free surfactant concentration with overall surfactant loading for both ionic and nonionic surfactants, contrary to theoretical expectations from mass-action models of aggregation. In the present study, we investigate a simple lattice nonionic surfactant model in implicit solvent, for which highly reproducible simulations are possible in both the canonical (NVT) and grand canonical (μVT) ensembles. We confirm the previously observed decrease of free surfactant concentration at higher overall loadings and propose an algorithm for the precise calculation of the excluded volume and effective concentration of unassociated surfactant molecules in the accessible volume of the solution. We find that the cmc can be obtained by correcting the free surfactant concentration for volume exclusion effects resulting from the presence of micellar aggregates. We also develop an improved method for determination of the cmc based on the maximum in curvature for the osmotic pressure curve determined from μVT simulations. Excellent agreement in cmc and other micellar properties between NVT and μVT simulations of different system sizes is observed. The methodological developments in this work are broadly applicable to simulations of aggregating systems using any type of surfactant model (atomistic/coarse grained) or solvent description (explicit/implicit).

Determination of the critical micelle concentration in simulations of surfactant systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Andrew P.; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.

2016-01-01

Alternative methods for determining the critical micelle concentration (cmc) are investigated using canonical and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of a lattice surfactant model. A common measure of the cmc is the “free” (unassociated) surfactant concentration in the presence of micellar aggregates. Many prior simulations of micellizing systems have observed a decrease in the free surfactant concentration with overall surfactant loading for both ionic and nonionic surfactants, contrary to theoretical expectations from mass-action models of aggregation. In the present study, we investigate a simple lattice nonionic surfactant model in implicit solvent, for which highly reproducible simulations are possible in both the canonical (NVT) and grand canonical (μVT) ensembles. We confirm the previously observed decrease of free surfactant concentration at higher overall loadings and propose an algorithm for the precise calculation of the excluded volume and effective concentration of unassociated surfactant molecules in the accessible volume of the solution. We find that the cmc can be obtained by correcting the free surfactant concentration for volume exclusion effects resulting from the presence of micellar aggregates. We also develop an improved method for determination of the cmc based on the maximum in curvature for the osmotic pressure curve determined from μVT simulations. Excellent agreement in cmc and other micellar properties between NVT and μVT simulations of different system sizes is observed. The methodological developments in this work are broadly applicable to simulations of aggregating systems using any type of surfactant model (atomistic/coarse grained) or solvent description (explicit/implicit)

Surfactant replacement therapy--economic impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Pejaver, R K; al Hifzi, I; Aldussari, S

2001-06-01

Surfactant replacement is an effective treatment for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. (RDS). As widespread use of surfactant is becoming a reality, it is important to assess the economic implications of this new form of therapy. A comparison study was carried out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Northwest Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia. Among 75 infants who received surfactant for RDS and similar number who were managed during time period just before the surfactant was available, but by set criteria would have made them eligible for surfactant. All other management modalities except surfactant were the same for all these babies. Based on the intensity of monitoring and nursing care required by the baby, the level of care was divided as: Level IIIA, IIIB, Level II, Level I. The cost per day per bed for each level was calculated, taking into account the use of hospital immovable equipment, personal salaries of nursing, medical, ancillary staff, overheads and maintenance, depreciation and replacement costs. Medications used, procedures done, TPN, oxygen, were all added to individual patient's total expenditure. 75 infants in the Surfactant group had 62 survivors. They spent a total of 4300 days in hospital. (av 69.35) Out of which 970 d (av 15.65 per patient) were ventilated days. There were 56 survivors in the non-surfactant group of 75. They had spent a total of 5023 days in the hospital (av 89.69/patient) out of which 1490 were ventilated days (av 26.60 d). Including the cost of surfactant (two doses), cost of hospital stay for each infant taking the average figures of stay would be SR 118, 009.75 per surfactant treated baby and SR 164, 070.70 per non-surfactant treated baby. The difference of 46,061 SR is 39.03% more in non-surfactant group. One Saudi rial = 8 Rs (approx at the time study was carried out.) Medical care cost varies from place to place. However, it is definitely cost-effective where surfactant is concerned. Quality adjusted

Thermodynamics of non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100-cationic surfactants mixtures at the cloud point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batigoec, Cigdem; Akbas, Halide; Boz, Mesut

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Non-ionic surfactants are used as emulsifier and solubilizate in such as textile, detergent and cosmetic. → Non-ionic surfactants occur phase separation at temperature as named the cloud point in solution. → Dimeric surfactants have attracted increasing attention due to their superior surface activity. → The positive values of ΔG cp 0 indicate that the process proceeds nonspontaneous. - Abstract: This study investigates the effects of gemini and conventional cationic surfactants on the cloud point (CP) of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100) in aqueous solutions. Instead of visual observation, a spectrophotometer was used for measurement of the cloud point temperatures. The thermodynamic parameters of these mixtures were calculated at different cationic surfactant concentrations. The gemini surfactants of the alkanediyl-α-ω-bis (alkyldimethylammonium) dibromide type, on the one hand, with different alkyl groups containing m carbon atoms and an ethanediyl spacer, referred to as 'm-2-m' (m = 10, 12, and 16) and, on the other hand, with -C 16 alkyl groups and different spacers containing s carbon atoms, referred to as '16-s-16' (s = 6 and 10) were synthesized, purified and characterized. Additions of the cationic surfactants to the TX-100 solution increased the cloud point temperature of the TX-100 solution. It was accepted that the solubility of non-ionic surfactant containing polyoxyethylene (POE) hydrophilic chain was a maximum at the cloud point so that the thermodynamic parameters were calculated at this temperature. The results showed that the standard Gibbs free energy (ΔG cp 0 ), the enthalpy (ΔH cp 0 ) and the entropy (ΔS cp 0 ) of the clouding phenomenon were found positive in all cases. The standard free energy (ΔG cp 0 ) increased with increasing hydrophobic alkyl chain for both gemini and conventional cationic surfactants; however, it decreased with increasing surfactant concentration.

Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wasan, D.T.

1996-05-01

In this report, we present the results of our experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12. 0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, we have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties, (5) investigated the effect of surfactant on the equilibrium and transient interfacial tension, (6) investigated the kinetics of oil removal from a silica surface, and (7) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, accounting for added surfactant. The results of the studies conducted during the course of this project are discussed.

Survey of metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonizing patients in European ICUs and rehabilitation units, 2008-11

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papagiannitsis, C. C.; Izdebski, R.; Baraniak, A.; Fiett, J.; Herda, M.; Hrabak, J.; Derde, L. P. G.; Bonten, M. J. M.; Carmeli, Y.; Goossens, H.; Hryniewicz, W.; Brun-Buisson, C.; Gniadkowski, M.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to perform a multinational survey of patients' colonization by metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, including their molecular characterization. Methods: Patients in 18 hospital units across Europe and Israel (n = 17945) were screened

A novel lignin-based surfactant system for the Salem Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeBons, F.E.; Whittington, L.E.

1991-01-01

Texaco conducted a successful surfactant/polymer flood in a 60-acre [24 ha] portion of the Salem Benoist reservoir in Salem, Illinois, in 1981. This pilot used a brine-tolerant petroleum sulfonate surfactant system blended in injection brine followed by a xanthan mobility control polymer in fresher water. The oil recovery over the seven year life of the flood was 487,050 bbl [77 435 m 3 ]. This represents 45% of the oil remaining in the total thickness of 73% of that from the more permeable lower interval where most of the surfactant flowed. Since this successful project, Texaco has continued to improve enhanced oil recovery surfactant systems. We have developed novel, brine tolerant surfactants based on the renewable resources lignin and tallow amine. This paper describes the laboratory work leading to a surfactant system which has been recommended for field testing. The laboratory work includes blending, interfacial tension measurements, and core floods in Berea and reservoir cores. The type of lignin based surfactant system described in this report has applicability in all fields where conventional petroleum-based surfactants have been used. Their much lower cost means that they can be used economically at lower crude oil prices

Naturally occurring surfactants and their functional design. Seitai yurai safakutanto to kinoka sekkei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishigami, Y [National Inst. of Materials and Chemical Research, Tsukuba (Japan)

1994-04-20

An active use of the natural materials replaced the petroleum chemical products and an attempt for a development of the organism imitation materials are not limited only on the surfactants, but become a great trend also widely over the dyestuff, plastics material, food, cosmetics, agricultural chemicals and so forth. In addition, an institution of the recognition system for an 'eco-mark' is done, and a development of the environment conformity materials (eco-material) is advanced. In Japan since around 1950, a practical application and a research and development of new surfactants have been rapidly progressed making the derivatives originated in a petroleum chemistry as an axis. In this paper, including a viewpoint of the ecotechnology, a chemical structure and function of the surfactant being derived from the organisms, a molecule design and attempt for functional material making of the biomimetic surfactants are described. The author considers the biomimetic surfactants as one of the approaches to develop a new functional surfactant as the new raw materials, and is performing a development of the admixtures for improving a defect the soap has and so forth. 80 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.

Lung surfactant levels are regulated by Ig-Hepta/GPR116 by monitoring surfactant protein D.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taku Fukuzawa

Full Text Available Lung surfactant is a complex mixture of lipids and proteins, which is secreted from the alveolar type II epithelial cell and coats the surface of alveoli as a thin layer. It plays a crucial role in the prevention of alveolar collapse through its ability to reduce surface tension. Under normal conditions, surfactant homeostasis is maintained by balancing its release and the uptake by the type II cell for recycling and the internalization by alveolar macrophages for degradation. Little is known about how the surfactant pool is monitored and regulated. Here we show, by an analysis of gene-targeted mice exhibiting massive accumulation of surfactant, that Ig-Hepta/GPR116, an orphan receptor, is expressed on the type II cell and sensing the amount of surfactant by monitoring one of its protein components, surfactant protein D, and its deletion results in a pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and emphysema-like pathology. By a coexpression experiment with Sp-D and the extracellular region of Ig-Hepta/GPR116 followed by immunoprecipitation, we identified Sp-D as the ligand of Ig-Hepta/GPR116. Analyses of surfactant metabolism in Ig-Hepta(+/+ and Ig-Hepta(-/- mice by using radioactive tracers indicated that the Ig-Hepta/GPR116 signaling system exerts attenuating effects on (i balanced synthesis of surfactant lipids and proteins and (ii surfactant secretion, and (iii a stimulating effect on recycling (uptake in response to elevated levels of Sp-D in alveolar space.

Treatment with exogenous surfactant stimulates endogenous surfactant synthesis in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bunt, JEH; Carnielli, VP; Janssen, DJ; Wattimena, JLD; Hop, WC; Sauer, PJ; Zimmermann, LJI

2000-01-01

Objective: Treatment of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) with exogenous surfactant has greatly improved clinical outcome. Some infants require multiple doses, and it has not been studied whether these large amounts of exogenous surfactant disturb endogenous surfactant

Surfactant nebulisation : lung function, surfactant distribution and pulmonary blood flow distribution in lung lavaged rabbits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, Peter H.; Heikamp, A; Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto

1997-01-01

Objective: Surfactant nebulisation is a promising alternative to surfactant instillation in newborns with the respiratory distress syndrome. Although less surfactant is deposited in the lung, it improves gas exchange, probably due to a superior distribution. We hypothesize that a more uniform

Surfactants from petroleum paraffin wax

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kassem, T.M.; Hussein, M.H.; El Sayed, A.S.

Paraffin wax from Egyptian petroleum was purified and then oxidized to fatty acids which were esterified to form their methyl esters, fractionated and then hydrolysed. The obtained fatty acids were converted into the corresponding primary amines which were converted with ethylene oxide to form nonionic surfactants. The prepared primary amines were also converted into tertiary amines and then converted into cationic surfactants through condensation with benzyl chloride or 1-chloromethylnaphthalene. Also, amine oxide surfactants were prepared by oxidation of the tertiary amines with hydrogen peroxide. The surface active properties of all the prepared surfactants were determined, and the effect of their chemical structure on the surfactant properties are discussed in this paper.

Surfactant therapy in late preterm infants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murat Yurdakök

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Late preterm (LPT neonates are at a high risk for respiratory distress soon after birth due to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, transient tachypnea of the newborn, persistent pulmonary hypertension, and pneumonia along with an increased need for surfactant replacement therapy, continuous positive airway pressure, and ventilator support when compared with the term neonates. In the past, studies on outcomes of infants with respiratory distress have primarily focused on extremely premature infants, leading to a gap in knowledge and understanding of the developmental biology and mechanism of pulmonary diseases in LPT neonates. Surfactant deficiency is the most frequent etiology of RDS in very preterm and moderately preterm infants, while cesarean section and lung infection play major roles in RDS development in LPT infants. The clinical presentation and the response to surfactant therapy in LPT infants may be different than that seen in very preterm infants. Incidence of pneumonia and occurrence of pneumothorax are significantly higher in LPT and term infants. High rates of pneumonia in these infants may result in direct injury to the type II alveolar cells of the lung with decreasing synthesis, release, and processing of surfactant. Increased permeability of the alveolar capillary membrane to both fluid and solutes is known to result in entry of plasma proteins into the alveolar hypophase, further inhibiting the surface properties of surfactant. However, the oxygenation index value do not change dramatically after ventilation or surfactant administration in LPT infants with RDS compared to very preterm infants. These finding may indicate a different pathogenesis of RDS in late preterm and term infants. In conclusion, surfactant therapy may be of significant benefit in LPT infants with serious respiratory failure secondary to a number of insults. However, optimal timing and dose of administration are not so clear in this group. Additional

Acute Pathophysiological Effects of Intratracheal Instillation of Budesonide and Exogenous Surfactant in a Neonatal Surfactant-depleted Piglet Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Feng Yang

2010-08-01

Conclusions: Intratracheal instillation of surfactant or surfactant plus budesonide can improve oxygenation and pulmonary histologic outcome in neonatal surfactant-depleted lungs. The additional use of budesonide does not disturb the function of the exogenous surfactant. Intratracheal administration of a corticosteroid combined with surfactant may be an effective method for alleviating local pulmonary inflammation in severe RDS.

Surfactant flooding of diesel-contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, R.W.; Montemagno, C.D.; Shem, L.; Lewis, B.A.

1991-01-01

At one installation, approximately 60,000 gallons of No. 2 diesel fuel leaked into the subsurface environment, with contamination at depths of 6 to 34 m below the surface. Argonne National Laboratory was contracted to perform treatability studies for site remediation. The treatability studies focused on four separate phases: (1) leachability studies on the various contaminated soil borings, (2) air stripping studies, (3) bioremediation studies, and (4) surfactant screening/surfactant flooding studies. This paper summarizes the fourth phase of this research program after initial surfactant screening of 21 surfactants. Three of the surfactants were used for the surfactant flooding studies; the results from that phase of the research program are described

LOWER COST METHODS FOR IMPROVED OIL RECOVERY (IOR) VIA SURFACTANT FLOODING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William A. Goddard III; Yongchun Tang; Patrick Shuler; Mario Blanco; Seung Soon Jang; Shiang-Tai Lin; Prabal Maiti; Yongfu Wu; Stefan Iglauer; Xiaohang Zhang

2004-09-01

This report provides a summary of the work performed in this 3-year project sponsored by DOE. The overall objective of this project is to identify new, potentially more cost-effective surfactant formulations for improved oil recovery (IOR). The general approach is to use an integrated experimental and computational chemistry effort to improve our understanding of the link between surfactant structure and performance, and from this knowledge, develop improved IOR surfactant formulations. Accomplishments for the project include: (1) completion of a literature review to assemble current and new surfactant IOR ideas, (2) Development of new atomistic-level MD (molecular dynamic) modeling methodologies to calculate IFT (interfacial tension) rigorously from first principles, (3) exploration of less computationally intensive mesoscale methods to estimate IFT, Quantitative Structure Property Relationship (QSPR), and cohesive energy density (CED) calculations, (4) experiments to screen many surfactant structures for desirable low IFT and solid adsorption behavior, and (5) further experimental characterization of the more promising new candidate formulations (based on alkyl polyglycosides (APG) and alkyl propoxy sulfate surfactants). Important findings from this project include: (1) the IFT between two pure substances may be calculated quantitatively from fundamental principles using Molecular Dynamics, the same approach can provide qualitative results for ternary systems containing a surfactant, (2) low concentrations of alkyl polyglycoside surfactants have potential for IOR (Improved Oil Recovery) applications from a technical standpoint (if formulated properly with a cosurfactant, they can create a low IFT at low concentration) and also are viable economically as they are available commercially, and (3) the alkylpropoxy sulfate surfactants have promising IFT performance also, plus these surfactants can have high optimal salinity and so may be attractive for use in higher

Metallo β-lactamases: A perspective and implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabindra N Misra

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The emergence of Carbapenem-resistant organisms from the family Enterobacteriaceae is a major challenge in the intensive care facilities. They produce carbapenemases which inhibit carbapenems belonging to the Ambler classification group B and they depend on heavy metals like Zn ++for hydrolysis of β-lactam ring. Most of the clinically important metallo-β-lactamases (MBL belong to five different families (IMP, VIM, SPM, GIM, and SIM. They are typically transmitted by mobile genetic elements inserted into integrons and spread through Pseudomonas spp, Acinetobacter spp. In a study from New Delhi, 36 out of 56 P. aeruginosa species were MBL positive and from Vellore MBL was detected in 20 out of 61 P. aeruginosa 20 (32%. Inappropriate antibiotic usage, defensive practices by medical practitioners, promotion of antibiotics by pharmaceutical companies are major hurdles in the direction of rational use of antibiotics. Intensified infection control strategy should be adopted to prevent emergence and spread of carbapenemase-producing organisms.

Functional and molecular characterization of a lipopeptide surfactant from the marine sponge-associated eubacteria Bacillus licheniformis NIOT-AMKV06 of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrance, Anburajan; Balakrishnan, Meena; Joseph, Toms Cheriath; Sukumaran, Dheenan Palaiya; Valsalan, Vinithkumar Nambali; Gopal, Dharani; Ramalingam, Kirubagaran

2014-05-15

The production of a lipopeptide surfactant from the sponge-associated eubacteria Bacillus licheniformis NIOT-AMKV06 from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was investigated. The highest production was attained with glucose and yeast extracts as the carbon and nitrogen sources (1.789 mg mL(-1)), respectively. The surfactant was highly stable over a pH range of 5.0-10 and a temperature range of 20-70°C with high NaCl concentrations. Excellent emulsification activity was exhibited by the purified surfactant with crude oil, kerosene, and diesel. A two-fold increase in surfactant production (3.0 mg mL(-1)) was observed using the newly formulated medium in this study. The surfactant biosynthesis gene cluster (sfp, sfpO, and srfA) from B. licheniformis NIOT-AMKV06 was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the production was increased three-fold (11.78 g L(-1)) over the original strain. The results confirm the potential of the surfactant for use in bioremediation of hydrocarbons in a marine environment and for enhanced oil recovery. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the ability of a hydrocarbon degrading B. licheniformis from marine sponges for the biosynthesis of a potent lipopeptide surfactant possessing characteristics of maximum stability, outstanding surfactant activity, and exceptional emulsifying capability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineral-Surfactant Interactions for Minimum Reagents Precipitation and Adsorption for Improved Oil Recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

P. Somasundaran

2008-09-20

Chemical EOR can be an effective method for increasing oil recovery and reducing the amount of produced water; however, reservoir fluids are chemically complex and may react adversely to the polymers and surfactants injected into the reservoir. While a major goal is to alter rock wettability and interfacial tension between oil and water, rock-fluid and fluid-fluid interactions must be understood and controlled to minimize reagent loss, maximize recovery and mitigate costly failures. The overall objective of this project was to elucidate the mechanisms of interactions between polymers/surfactants and the mineral surfaces responsible for determining the chemical loss due to adsorption and precipitation in EOR processes. The role of dissolved inorganic species that are dependent on the mineralogy is investigated with respect to their effects on adsorption. Adsorption, wettability and interfacial tension are studied with the aim to control chemical losses, the ultimate goal being to devise schemes to develop guidelines for surfactant and polymer selection in EOR. The adsorption behavior of mixed polymer/surfactant and surfactant/surfactant systems on typical reservoir minerals (quartz, alumina, calcite, dolomite, kaolinite, gypsum, pyrite, etc.) was correlated to their molecular structures, intermolecular interactions and the solution conditions such as pH and/or salinity. Predictive models as well as general guidelines for the use of polymer/surfactant surfactant/surfactant system in EOR have been developed The following tasks have been completed under the scope of the project: (1) Mineral characterization, in terms of SEM, BET, size, surface charge, and point zero charge. (2) Study of the interactions among typical reservoir minerals (quartz, alumina, calcite, dolomite, kaolinite, gypsum, pyrite, etc.) and surfactants and/or polymers in terms of adsorption properties that include both macroscopic (adsorption density, wettability) and microscopic (orientation

Fluorescent visualization of a spreading surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fallest, David W; Lichtenberger, Adele M; Fox, Christopher J; Daniels, Karen E, E-mail: kdaniel@ncsu.ed [Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States)

2010-07-15

The spreading of surfactants on thin films is an industrially and medically important phenomenon, but the dynamics are highly nonlinear and visualization of the surfactant dynamics has been a long-standing experimental challenge. We perform the first quantitative, spatiotemporally resolved measurements of the spreading of an insoluble surfactant on a thin fluid layer. During the spreading process, we directly observe both the radial height profile of the spreading droplet and the spatial distribution of the fluorescently tagged surfactant. We find that the leading edge of a spreading circular layer of surfactant forms a Marangoni ridge in the underlying fluid, with a trough trailing the ridge as expected. However, several novel features are observed using the fluorescence technique, including a peak in the surfactant concentration that trails the leading edge, and a flat, monolayer-scale spreading film that differs from concentration profiles predicted by current models. Both the Marangoni ridge and the surfactant leading edge can be described to spread as R{approx}t{sup {delta}}. We find spreading exponents {delta}{sub H}{approx}0.30 and {delta}{sub {Gamma}}{approx}0.22 for the ridge peak and surfactant leading edge, respectively, which are in good agreement with theoretical predictions of {delta}=1/4. In addition, we observe that the surfactant leading edge initially leads the peak of the Marangoni ridge, with the peak later catching up to the leading edge.

Surfactant screening of diesel-contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, R.W.; Montemagno, C.D.; Shem, L.; Lewis, B.-A.

1992-01-01

At one installation in California, approximately 60,000 gal of No. 2 diesel fuel leaked into the subsurface environment, resulting in contamination at depths from 6 to 34 m below the surface. Argonne National Laboratory was contracted to perform treatability studies for site remediation. This paper summarizes a surfactant screening/surfactant flooding research program in which 22 surfactants were screened for their effectiveness in mobilizing the organics from the contaminated soil prior to bioremediation. Anionic surfactants resulted in the greatest degree of diesel mobilization. The most promising surfactants will be employed on contaminated soil samples obtained from the site

Nanocomposites of PP and bentonite clay modified with different surfactants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Andre W.B.; Agrawal, Pankaj; Araujo, Edcleide M.; Melo, Tomas J.A.; Ueki, Marcelo M.

2009-01-01

The aim of this work was the development of nano composites of polypropylene (PP) and national bentonite clay modified with different surfactants. The results of X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the organophilization process was effective. The surfactants led to a significant increase in the basal spacing of Brasgel PA clay. XRD results of the mixture PP/Brasgel PA clay modified with Praepagem WB surfactant indicated that a nanocomposite with intercalated structure was formed. When the Brasgel PA clay was modified with Praepagem HY surfactant, DRX results indicated that a micro composite was formed. Screw speed, clay content and PP viscosity had no influence on the XRD pattern of the obtained materials. (author)

Surfactant nebulization versus instillation during high frequency ventilation in surfactant-deficient rabbits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, Peter H.; Heikamp, A; Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto

Surfactant nebulization improves lung function at low alveolar doses of surfactant. However, efficiency of nebulization is low, and lung deposition seems to depend on lung aeration. High frequency ventilation (HFV) has been shown to improve lung aeration. We hypothesize that the combination of HFV

Solubilization of Hydrophobic Dyes in Surfactant Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Reza Tehrani-Bagha

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the use of surfactants for solubilization of hydrophobic organic dyes (mainly solvent and disperse dyes has been reviewed. The effect of parameters such as the chemical structures of the surfactant and the dye, addition of salt and of polyelectrolytes, pH, and temperature on dye solubilization has been discussed. Surfactant self-assemble into micelles in aqueous solution and below the concentration where this occurs—the critical micelle concentration (CMC—there is no solubilization. Above the CMC, the amount of solubilized dye increases linearly with the increase in surfactant concentration. It is demonstrated that different surfactants work best for different dyes. In general, nonionic surfactants have higher solubilization power than anionic and cationic surfactants. It is likely that the reason for the good performance of nonionic surfactants is that they allow dyes to be accommodated not only in the inner, hydrocarbon part of the micelle but also in the headgroup shell. It is demonstrated that the location of a dye in a surfactant micelle can be assessed from the absorption spectrum of the dye-containing micellar solution.

Mapping subsurface in proximity to newly-developed sinkhole along roadway.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-01

MS&T acquired electrical resistivity tomography profiles in immediate proximity to a newly-developed sinkhole in Nixa Missouri : The sinkhole has closed a well-traveled municipal roadway and threatens proximal infrastructure. The intent of this inves...

NMR study of the dynamics of cationic gemini surfactant 14-2-14 in mixed solutions with conventional surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yan; Lu, Xing-Yu; Chen, Hong; Mao, Shi-Zhen; Liu, Mai-Li; Luo, Ping-Ya; Du, You-Ru

2009-06-18

Three kinds of conventional surfactants, namely, two nonionic surfactants [polyethylene glycol (23) lauryl ether (Brij-35) and Triton X-100 (TX-100)], one cationic surfactant [n-tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB)], and an anionic surfactant [sodium n-dodecyl sulfate (SDS)}, were mixed into the quaternary ammonium gemini surfactant [C(14)H(29)N(+)(CH(3))(2)](2)(CH(2))(2).2Br(-) (14-2-14) in aqueous solution. The exchange rate constants between 14-2-14 molecules in the mixed micelles and those in the bulk solution were detected using two nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods: one-dimensional (1D) line shape analysis and two-dimensional (2D) exchange spectroscopy (EXSY). The results obtained from these two methods were consistent. Both showed that mixing a nonionic conventional surfactant, either Brij-35 or TX-100, enhanced the exchange process between the 14-2-14 molecules in the mixed micelles and those in the bulk solution. In contrast, the anionic surfactant SDS and the cationic surfactant TTAB slowed the process slightly.

Evaporation kinetics of surfactant solution droplets on rice (Oryza sativa) leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Li-Dong; Zheng, Li; Xu, Jun; Li, Feng-Min; Huang, Qi-Liang

2017-01-01

The dynamics of evaporating sessile droplets on hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces is widely studied, and many models for these processes have been developed based on experimental evidence. However, few research has been explored on the evaporation of sessile droplets of surfactant or pesticide solutions on target crop leaves. Thus, in this paper the impact of surfactant concentrations on contact angle, contact diameter, droplet height, and evolution of the droplets’ evaporative volume on rice leaf surfaces have been investigated. The results indicate that the evaporation kinetics of surfactant droplets on rice leaves were influenced by both the surfactant concentrations and the hydrophobicity of rice leaf surfaces. When the surfactant concentration is lower than the surfactant CMC (critical micelle concentration), the droplet evaporation time is much longer than that of the high surfactant concentration. This is due to the longer existence time of a narrow wedge region under the lower surfactant concentration, and such narrow wedge region further restricts the droplet evaporation. Besides, our experimental data are shown to roughly collapse onto theoretical curves based on the model presented by Popov. This study could supply theoretical data on the evaporation of the adjuvant or pesticide droplets for practical applications in agriculture. PMID:28472108

Surfactant media for constant-current coulometry. Application for the determination of antioxidants in pharmaceuticals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ziyatdinova, Guzel, E-mail: Ziyatdinovag@mail.ru [Analytical Chemistry Department, A.M. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kremlyevskaya, 18, Kazan 420008 (Russian Federation); Ziganshina, Endzhe; Budnikov, Herman [Analytical Chemistry Department, A.M. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kremlyevskaya, 18, Kazan 420008 (Russian Federation)

2012-09-26

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Applicability of surfactants in constant-current coulometry is shown for the first time. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reactions of antioxidants with electrogenerated titrants in surfactant media are investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Water insoluble antioxidants can be determined in water media with addition of surfactants. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Coulometric determination of antioxidants in pharmaceutical dosage forms using surfactants media is developed. - Abstract: Effect of surfactant presence on electrochemical generation of titrants has been evaluated and discussed for the first time. Cationic (1-dodecylpyridinium and cetylpyridinium bromide), anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and nonionic (Triton X100 and Brij{sup Registered-Sign} 35) surfactants as well as nonionic high molecular weight polymer (PEG 4000) do not react with the electrogenerated bromine, iodine and hexacyanoferrate(III) ions. The electrogenerated chlorine chemically interact with Triton X100 and Brij{sup Registered-Sign} 35. The allowable range of surfactants concentrations providing 100% current yield has been found. Chain-breaking low molecular weight antioxidants (ascorbic acid, rutin, {alpha}-tocopherol and retinol) were determined by reaction with the electrogenerated titrants in surfactant media. Nonionic and cationic surfactants can be used for the determination of antioxidants by reaction with the electrogenerated halogens. On contrary, cationic surfactants gives significantly overstated results of antioxidants determination with electrogenerated hexacyanoferrate(III) ions. The use of surfactants in coulometry of {alpha}-tocopherol and retinol provides their solubilization and allows to perform titration in water media. Simple, express and reliable coulometric approach for determination of {alpha}-tocopherol, rutin and ascorbic acid in pharmaceuticals using surfactant media has been developed. The relative standard deviation of the

Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Final report 1994--1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wasan, D.T.

1995-12-01

In this report, the authors present the results of their experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12.0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, the authors have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil, and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties, (5) investigated the effect of surfactant on the equilibrium and transient interfacial tension, (6) investigated the kinetics of oil removal from a silica surface, and (7) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, accounting for added surfactant. The results of the studies conducted during the course of this project are summarized.

Composition, structure and mechanical properties define performance of pulmonary surfactant membranes and films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ortiz, Elisa Parra; Perez-Gil, Jesús

2015-01-01

of breathing and avoiding alveolar collapse, especially at the end of expiration. The goal of the present review is to summarize current knowledge regarding the structure, lipid-protein interactions and mechanical features of surfactant membranes and films and how these properties correlate with surfactant...... biological function inside the lungs. Surfactant mechanical properties can be severely compromised by different agents, which lead to surfactant inhibition and ultimately contributes to the development of pulmonary disorders and pathologies in newborns, children and adults. A detailed comprehension...

Molecular-thermodynamic theory of micellization of pH-sensitive surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsipe, Arthur; Blankschtein, Daniel

2006-04-11

A predictive, molecular-thermodynamic theory is developed to model the micellization of pH-sensitive surfactants. The theory combines a molecular-thermodynamic description of micellization in binary surfactant mixtures with the protonation equilibrium of the surfactant monomers. The thermodynamic component of the theory models the pH-mediated equilibrium between micelles, surfactant monomers, and counterions. These counterions may originate from the surfactant or from added salt, acid, or base. The molecular component of the theory models the various contributions to the free energy of micellization, which corresponds to the free-energy change associated with forming a mixed micelle from the protonated and deprotonated forms of the surfactant and from the bound counterions. The free energy of micellization includes hydrophobic, interfacial, packing, steric, electrostatic, and entropic contributions, which are all calculated molecularly. The theory also requires knowledge of the surfactant molecular structure and the solution conditions, including the temperature and the amount of any added salt, acid, or base. To account for the pH sensitivity of the surfactant, the theory requires knowledge of the surfactant monomer equilibrium deprotonation constant (pK1), which may be obtained from experimental titration data obtained below the critical micelle concentration (cmc). The theory can be utilized to predict the equilibrium micelle and solution properties, including the cmc, the micelle composition, the micelle shape and aggregation number, the solution pH, and the micelle deprotonation equilibrium constant (pKm). Theoretical predictions of the cmc, the micelle aggregation number, and the pKm compare favorably with the available experimental data for alkyldimethylamine oxide surfactants. This class of pH-sensitive surfactants exhibits a form of self-synergy, which has previously been attributed to hydrogen-bond formation at the micelle interface. Instead, we show that

Inhibiting the VIM-2 Metallo-β-Lactamase by Graphene Oxide and Carbon Nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Po-Jung Jimmy; Pautler, Rachel; Shanmugaraj, Jenitta; Labbé, Geneviève; Liu, Juewen

2015-05-13

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) degrade a broad spectrum of antibiotics including the latest carbapenems. So far, limited success has been achieved in developing its inhibitors using small organic molecules. VIM-2 is one of the most studied and important MBLs. In this work, we screened 10 nanomaterials, covering a diverse range of surface properties including charge, hydrophobicity, and specific chemical bonding. Among these, graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes are the most potent inhibitors, while most other materials do not show much inhibition effect. The inhibition is noncompetitive and is attributed to the hydrophobic interaction with the enzyme. Adsorption of VIM-2 was further probed using protein displacement assays where it cannot displace or be displaced by bovine serum albumin (BSA). This information is useful for rational design inhibitors for MBLs and more specific inhibition might be achieved by further surface modifications on these nanocarbons.

Pulmonary clearance of {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA in experimental surfactant dysfunction treated with surfactant installation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nilsson, K.; John, J.; Lachmann, B.; Robertson, B.; Wollmer, P.

1997-02-01

Background: Breakdown of the alveolo-capillary barrier is a characteristic feature of respiratory distress syndrome. Restoration of alveolo-capillary barrier function may be an important aspect of surfactant replacement therapy. We examined the effect of surfactant installation on alveolo-capillary barrier function in an experimental model of surfactant dysfunction by measuring pulmonary clearance of {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA. Methods: Nineteen rabbits were tracheotomized and mechanically ventilated. Surfactant dysfunction was induced by administration of a synthetic detergent in aerosol form. Detergent was given to 13 rabbits; seven rabbits were then treated with installation of natural surfactant, whereas six rabbits received saline. Six rabbits were used as untreated controls. An aerosol of {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA was administered to all animals and the pulmonary clearance was measured with a gamma camera. Results: {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA cleared from the lungs with a half-life of 71{+-}22 min in the control animals, 21.4{+-}7.4 min in the surfactant-treated animals and 5.8{+-}1.5 min in the saline-treated animals. The difference in half-life between groups was highly significant (P<0.001). There was no change in arterial oxygenation or compliance in controls or in animals treated with saline. In animals treated with surfactant, a small transient reduction in arterial oxygen tension and a more long-standing reduction in compliance were observed. Conclusion: Surfactant treatment thus significantly attenuated the effect of detergent treatment but did not restore alveolo-capillary transfer of {sup 99m}Tc-DTPA to normal. (AU) 26 refs.

Surfactant protein A and surfactant protein D variation in pulmonary disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Grith Lykke; Husby, Steffen; Holmskov, Uffe

2007-01-01

Surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) have been implicated in pulmonary innate immunity. The proteins are host defense lectins, belonging to the collectin family which also includes mannan-binding lectin (MBL). SP-A and SP-D are pattern-recognition molecules with the lectin domains binding...... lavage and blood have indicated associations with a multitude of pulmonary inflammatory diseases. In addition, accumulating evidence in mouse models of infection and inflammation indicates that recombinant forms of the surfactant proteins are biologically active in vivo and may have therapeutic potential...... in controlling pulmonary inflammatory disease. The presence of the surfactant collectins, especially SP-D, in non-pulmonary tissues, such as the gastrointestinal tract and genital organs, suggest additional actions located to other mucosal surfaces. The aim of this review is to summarize studies on genetic...

Adsorption of dimeric surfactants in lamellar silicates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balcerzak, Mateusz; Pietralik, Zuzanna [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Domka, Ludwik [Department of Metalorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Grunwaldzka 6, 60-780 Poznań (Poland); Skrzypczak, Andrzej [Institute of Chemical Technology, Poznań University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965 Poznań (Poland); Kozak, Maciej, E-mail: mkozak@amu.edu.pl [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • The intercalation of dimeric surfactants changed the morphology of MMT samples. • XRD indicated structures formed by surfactant molecules in interlayer space. • The four-step thermal decomposition of dimeric surfactant, confirms intercalation. - Abstract: The adsorption of different types of cationic surfactants in lamellar silicates changes their surface character from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. This study was undertaken to obtain lamellar silicates modified by a series of novel dimeric (gemini) surfactants of different length alkyl chains and to characterise these organophilised materials. Synthetic sodium montmorillonite SOMASIF® ME 100 (M) and enriched bentonite of natural origin (Nanoclay – hydrophilic bentonite®) were organophilised with dimeric (gemini) surfactants (1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis(alkoxymethyl)imidazolium dichlorides). As a result of surfactant molecule adsorption in interlamellar space, the d-spacing (d{sub 001}) increased from 0.97 nm (for the anhydrous structure) to 2.04 nm. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the modified systems reveals bands assigned to the stretching vibrations of the CH{sub 2} and CH{sub 3} groups and the scissoring vibrations of the NH group from the structure of the dimeric surfactants. Thermogravimetric (TG) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) studies imply a four-stage process of surfactant decomposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images provide information on the influence of dimeric surfactant intercalation into the silicate structures. Particles of the modified systems show a tendency toward the formation of irregularly shaped agglomerates.

Switching wormlike micelles of selenium-containing surfactant using redox reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yongmin; Kong, Weiwei; Wang, Cheng; An, Pengyun; Fang, Yun; Feng, Yujun; Qin, Zhirong; Liu, Xuefeng

2015-10-14

A novel redox-switchable wormlike micellar system was developed based on a mixture of selenium-containing zwitterionic surfactant and commercially available anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate, which reversibly and quickly responds to H2O2 and vitamin C, and shows circulatory gel/sol transition, reflecting changes in aggregate morphology from entangled worms to vesicles.

Extraction and Characterization of Surfactants from Atmospheric Aerosols.

Science.gov (United States)

Nozière, Barbara; Gérard, Violaine; Baduel, Christine; Ferronato, Corinne

2017-04-21

Surface-active compounds, or surfactants, present in atmospheric aerosols are expected to play important roles in the formation of liquid water clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, a central process in meteorology, hydrology, and for the climate system. But because specific extraction and characterization of these compounds have been lacking for decades, very little is known on their identity, properties, mode of action and origins, thus preventing the full understanding of cloud formation and its potential links with the Earth's ecosystems. In this paper we present recently developed methods for 1) the targeted extraction of all the surfactants from atmospheric aerosol samples and for the determination of 2) their absolute concentrations in the aerosol phase and 3) their static surface tension curves in water, including their Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). These methods have been validated with 9 references surfactants, including anionic, cationic and non-ionic ones. Examples of results are presented for surfactants found in fine aerosol particles (diameter <1 μm) collected at a coastal site in Croatia and suggestions for future improvements and other characterizations than those presented are discussed.

Crystal structure of metallo DNA duplex containing consecutive Watson-Crick-like T-Hg(II)-T base pairs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, Jiro; Yamada, Tom; Hirose, Chika; Okamoto, Itaru; Tanaka, Yoshiyuki; Ono, Akira

2014-02-24

The metallo DNA duplex containing mercury-mediated T-T base pairs is an attractive biomacromolecular nanomaterial which can be applied to nanodevices such as ion sensors. Reported herein is the first crystal structure of a B-form DNA duplex containing two consecutive T-Hg(II)-T base pairs. The Hg(II) ion occupies the center between two T residues. The N3-Hg(II) bond distance is 2.0 Å. The relatively short Hg(II)-Hg(II) distance (3.3 Å) observed in consecutive T-Hg(II)-T base pairs suggests that the metallophilic attraction could exist between them and may stabilize the B-form double helix. To support this, the DNA duplex is largely distorted and adopts an unusual nonhelical conformation in the absence of Hg(II). The structure of the metallo DNA duplex itself and the Hg(II)-induced structural switching from the nonhelical form to the B-form provide the basis for structure-based design of metal-conjugated nucleic acid nanomaterials. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biodegradation of surfactant bearing wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chitra, S.; Chandran, S.; Sasidhar, P.; Lal, K.B.; Amalraj, R.V.

1991-01-01

In nuclear industry, during decontamination of protective wears and contaminated materials, detergents are employed to bring down the level of radioactive contamination within safe limits. However, the surfactant present in these wastes interferes in the chemical treatment process, reducing the decontamination factor. Biodegradation is an efficient and ecologically safe method for surfactant removal. A surfactant degrading culture was isolated and inoculated separately into simulated effluents containing 1% yeast extract and 5-100 ppm sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and 1% yeast extract and 5-100 ppm of commercial detergent respectively. The growth of the bacterial culture and the degradation characteristics of the surfactant in the above effluents were monitored under both dynamic and static conditions. (author). 6 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Estimation hydrophilic-lipophilic balance number of surfactants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pawignya, Harsa, E-mail: harsa-paw@yahoo.co.id [Chemical Engineering Department Diponegoro University (Indonesia); Chemical Engineering Departement University of Pembangunan Nasional Yogyakarta (Indonesia); Prasetyaningrum, Aji, E-mail: ajiprasetyaningrum@gmail.com; Kusworo, Tutuk D.; Pramudono, Bambang, E-mail: Pramudono2004@yahoo.com [Chemical Engineering Department Diponegoro University (Indonesia); Dyartanti, Endah R. [Chemical Engineering Department Diponegoro University (Indonesia); Chemical Enginering Departement Sebelas Maret University (Indonesia)

2016-02-08

Any type of surfactant has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance number (HLB number) of different. There are several methods for determining the HLB number, with ohysical properties of surfactant (solubility cloud point and interfacial tension), CMC methods and by thermodynamics properties (Free energy Gibbs). This paper proposes to determined HLB numbers from interfelation methods. The result of study indicated that the CMC method described by Hair and Moulik espesially for nonionic surfactant. The application of exess Gibbs free energy and by implication activity coefficient provides the ability to predict the behavior of surfactants in multi component mixtures of different concentration. Determination of HLB number by solubility and cloud point parameter is spesific for anionic and nonionic surfactant but this methods not available for cationic surfactants.

Degradation of surfactants by sono-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashokkumar, M.; Grieser, F.; Vinodgopal, K.

2000-01-01

Full text: The ultrasound induced decomposition of a commercially available polydisperse nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactant (Teric GN9) has been investigated. Nearly 90% mineralization and/or degradation into volatile products of the surfactant is achieved after sonication for 24 hours. Ultrasound has been found to be a useful tool to achieve a number of chemical processes. Linear and branched alkyl benzene sulfonates and alkyl nonylphenol ethoxylates are widely used surfactants which accumulated in the environment and contribute to a well-recognised pollution problem. We have investigated the use of ultrasound in the degradation of both types of surfactants with the aim of understanding the mechanism of degradation in order to optimise the decomposition process. In this presentation, we report on the sonochemical degradation of Teric GN9- polydisperse, a nonylphenol ethoxylate with an average of 9 ethylene oxide units. The ultrasound unit used for the degradation studies of the surfactant solutions was an Allied Signal (ELAC Nautik) RF generator and transducer with a plate diameter of 54.5 mm operated at 363 kHz in continuous wave mode at an intensity of 2 W/cm 2 . Ultrasound induced cavitation events generate primary radicals inside gas/vapour filled bubbles. Due to the extreme conditions (T ∼ 5000 K; P ∼ 100 atm) generated within the collapsing bubble, H and OH radicals are produced by the homolysis of water molecules, if water is the medium of sonication. These primary radicals attack the surfactant molecules adsorbed at the bubble/water interface. The initial rate of reaction of the surfactant was found to be dependent on the monomer concentration in solution below and above the critical micelle concentration of the surfactants. This result strongly suggests that the initial radical attack on the surfactants occurs at the cavitation bubble/solution interface, followed by oxidative decomposition and pyrolysis of volatile fragments of the surfactant within

Poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vacheethasanee, Katanchalee; Wang, Shuwu; Qiu, Yongxing; Marchant, Roger E

2004-01-01

We report on a series of structurally well-defined surfactant polymers that undergo surface-induced self-assembly on hydrophobic biomaterial surfaces. The surfactant polymers consist of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone with poly(ethylene oxide) and hexanal pendant groups. The poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) was synthesized by hydrolysis of poly(N-vinyl formamide) following free radical polymerization of N-vinyl formamide. Hexanal and aldehyde-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were simultaneously attached to PVAm via reductive amination. Surfactant polymers with different PEO:hexanal ratios and hydrophilic/hydrophobic balances were prepared, and characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR and XPS spectroscopies. Surface active properties at the air/water interface were determined by surface tension measurements. Surface activity at a solid surface/water interface was demonstrated by atomic force microscopy, showing epitaxially molecular alignment for surfactant polymers adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. The surfactant polymers described in this report can be adapted for simple non-covalent surface modification of biomaterials and hydrophobic surfaces to provide highly hydrated interfaces.

Surfactant screening of diesel-contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, R.W.; Shem, L.; Montemagno, C.D.; Lewis, B.

1991-01-01

At one installation, approximately 60,000 gal of No. 2 diesel fuel leaked into the subsurface environment, with contamination at depths of 6 to 34 m below the surface. Argonne National Laboratory was contracted to perform treatability studies for site remediation. The treatability studies focused on four separate phases: (1) leachability studies on the various contaminated soil borings, (2) air stripping studies, (3) bioremediation studies, and (4) surfactant screening/surfactant flooding studies. This paper summarizes the fourth phase of the research program in which 21 surfactants were screened for possible use to mobilize the organics from the contaminated soil prior to bioremediation. Anionic surfactants resulted in the greatest degree of diesel mobilization. The most promising surfactants will be employed on actual contaminated soil samples obtained from the site

Structural basis of metallo-β-lactamase, serine-β-lactamase and penicillin-binding protein inhibition by cyclic boronates

Science.gov (United States)

Brem, Jürgen; Cain, Ricky; Cahill, Samuel; McDonough, Michael A.; Clifton, Ian J.; Jiménez-Castellanos, Juan-Carlos; Avison, Matthew B.; Spencer, James; Fishwick, Colin W. G.; Schofield, Christopher J.

2016-08-01

β-Lactamases enable resistance to almost all β-lactam antibiotics. Pioneering work revealed that acyclic boronic acids can act as `transition state analogue' inhibitors of nucleophilic serine enzymes, including serine-β-lactamases. Here we report biochemical and biophysical analyses revealing that cyclic boronates potently inhibit both nucleophilic serine and zinc-dependent β-lactamases by a mechanism involving mimicking of the common tetrahedral intermediate. Cyclic boronates also potently inhibit the non-essential penicillin-binding protein PBP 5 by the same mechanism of action. The results open the way for development of dual action inhibitors effective against both serine- and metallo-β-lactamases, and which could also have antimicrobial activity through inhibition of PBPs.

Dilute Surfactant Methods for Carbonate Formations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kishore K. Mohanty

2006-02-01

There are many fractured carbonate reservoirs in US (and the world) with light oil. Waterflooding is effective in fractured reservoirs, if the formation is water-wet. Many fractured carbonate reservoirs, however, are mixed-wet and recoveries with conventional methods are low (less than 10%). The process of using dilute anionic surfactants in alkaline solutions has been investigated in this work for oil recovery from fractured oil-wet carbonate reservoirs both experimentally and numerically. This process is a surfactant-aided gravity drainage where surfactant diffuses into the matrix, lowers IFT and contact angle, which decrease capillary pressure and increase oil relative permeability enabling gravity to drain the oil up. Anionic surfactants have been identified which at dilute concentration of 0.05 wt% and optimal salinity can lower the interfacial tension and change the wettability of the calcite surface to intermediate/water-wet condition as well or better than the cationic surfactant DTAB with a West Texas crude oil. The force of adhesion in AFM of oil-wet regions changes after anionic surfactant treatment to values similar to those of water-wet regions. The AFM topography images showed that the oil-wetting material was removed from the surface by the anionic surfactant treatment. Adsorption studies indicate that the extent of adsorption for anionic surfactants on calcite minerals decreases with increase in pH and with decrease in salinity. Surfactant adsorption can be minimized in the presence of Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. Laboratory-scale surfactant brine imbibition experiments give high oil recovery (20-42% OOIP in 50 days; up to 60% in 200 days) for initially oil-wet cores through wettability alteration and IFT reduction. Small (<10%) initial gas saturation does not affect significantly the rate of oil recovery in the imbibition process, but larger gas saturation decreases the oil recovery rate. As the core permeability decreases, the rate of oil recovery reduces

Surfactant gene polymorphisms and interstitial lung diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pantelidis Panagiotis

2001-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Pulmonary surfactant is a complex mixture of phospholipids and proteins, which is present in the alveolar lining fluid and is essential for normal lung function. Alterations in surfactant composition have been reported in several interstitial lung diseases (ILDs. Furthermore, a mutation in the surfactant protein C gene that results in complete absence of the protein has been shown to be associated with familial ILD. The role of surfactant in lung disease is therefore drawing increasing attention following the elucidation of the genetic basis underlying its surface expression and the proof of surfactant abnormalities in ILD.

Flow improvers for water injection based on surfactants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oskarsson, H.; Uneback, I.; Hellsten, M.

2006-03-15

In many cases it is desirable to increase the flow of injection water when an oil well deteriorates. It is very costly in offshore operation to lay down an additional water pipe to the injection site. Flow improvers for the injection water will thus be the most cost-effective way to increase the flow rate. During the last years water-soluble polymers have also been applied for this purpose. These drag-reducing polymers are however only slowly biodegraded which has been an incentive for the development of readily biodegradable surfactants as flow improvers for injection water. A combination of a zwitterionic and an anionic surfactant has been tested in a 5.5 inch, 700 m long flow loop containing sulphate brine with salinity similar to sea water. A drag reduction between 75 and 80% was achieved with 119 ppm in solution of the surfactant blend at an average velocity of 1.9 m/s and between 50 and 55% at 2.9 m/s. The surfactants in this formulation were also found to be readily biodegradable in sea water and low bio accumulating which means they have an improved environmental profile compared to the polymers used today. Due to the self-healing properties of the drag-reducing structures formed by surfactants, these may be added before the pump section - contrary to polymers which are permanently destroyed by high shear forces. (Author)

A general reaction mechanism for carbapenem hydrolysis by mononuclear and binuclear metallo-β-lactamases.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisa, María-Natalia; Palacios, Antonela R; Aitha, Mahesh; González, Mariano M; Moreno, Diego M; Crowder, Michael W; Bonomo, Robert A; Spencer, James; Tierney, David L; Llarrull, Leticia I; Vila, Alejandro J

2017-09-14

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae threaten human health, since carbapenems are last resort drugs for infections by such organisms. Metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs) are the main mechanism of resistance against carbapenems. Clinically approved inhibitors of MBLs are currently unavailable as design has been limited by the incomplete knowledge of their mechanism. Here, we report a biochemical and biophysical study of carbapenem hydrolysis by the B1 enzymes NDM-1 and BcII in the bi-Zn(II) form, the mono-Zn(II) B2 Sfh-I and the mono-Zn(II) B3 GOB-18. These MβLs hydrolyse carbapenems via a similar mechanism, with accumulation of the same anionic intermediates. We characterize the Michaelis complex formed by mono-Zn(II) enzymes, and we identify all intermediate species, enabling us to propose a chemical mechanism for mono and binuclear MβLs. This common mechanism open avenues for rationally designed inhibitors of all MβLs, notwithstanding the profound differences between these enzymes' active site structure, β-lactam specificity and metal content.Carbapenem-resistant bacteria pose a major health threat by expressing metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs), enzymes able to hydrolyse these life-saving drugs. Here the authors use biophysical and computational methods and show that different MβLs share the same reaction mechanism, suggesting new strategies for drug design.

Clinical Variants of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase Are Evolving To Overcome Zinc Scarcity.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Alesha C; Bethel, Christopher R; VanPelt, Jamie; Bergstrom, Alex; Cheng, Zishuo; Miller, Callie G; Williams, Cameron; Poth, Robert; Morris, Matthew; Lahey, Olivia; Nix, Jay C; Tierney, David L; Page, Richard C; Crowder, Michael W; Bonomo, Robert A; Fast, Walter

2017-12-08

Use and misuse of antibiotics have driven the evolution of serine β-lactamases to better recognize new generations of β-lactam drugs, but the selective pressures driving evolution of metallo-β-lactamases are less clear. Here, we present evidence that New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) is evolving to overcome the selective pressure of zinc(II) scarcity. Studies of NDM-1, NDM-4 (M154L), and NDM-12 (M154L, G222D) demonstrate that the point mutant M154L, contained in 50% of clinical NDM variants, selectively enhances resistance to the penam ampicillin at low zinc(II) concentrations relevant to infection sites. Each of the clinical variants is shown to be progressively more thermostable and to bind zinc(II) more tightly than NDM-1, but a selective enhancement of penam turnover at low zinc(II) concentrations indicates that most of the improvement derives from catalysis rather than stability. X-ray crystallography of NDM-4 and NDM-12, as well as bioinorganic spectroscopy of dizinc(II), zinc(II)/cobalt(II), and dicobalt(II) metalloforms probe the mechanism of enhanced resistance and reveal perturbations of the dinuclear metal cluster that underlie improved catalysis. These studies support the proposal that zinc(II) scarcity, rather than changes in antibiotic structure, is driving the evolution of new NDM variants in clinical settings.

Remediation using trace element humate surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riddle, Catherine Lynn; Taylor, Steven Cheney; Bruhn, Debra Fox

2016-08-30

A method of remediation at a remediation site having one or more undesirable conditions in which one or more soil characteristics, preferably soil pH and/or elemental concentrations, are measured at a remediation site. A trace element humate surfactant composition is prepared comprising a humate solution, element solution and at least one surfactant. The prepared trace element humate surfactant composition is then dispensed onto the remediation site whereby the trace element humate surfactant composition will reduce the amount of undesirable compounds by promoting growth of native species activity. By promoting native species activity, remediation occurs quickly and environmental impact is minimal.

Synthesis of carbohydrate-based surfactants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pemberton, Jeanne E.; Polt, Robin L.; Maier, Raina M.

2016-11-22

The present invention provides carbohydrate-based surfactants and methods for producing the same. Methods for producing carbohydrate-based surfactants include using a glycosylation promoter to link a carbohydrate or its derivative to a hydrophobic compound.

Simultaneous FTIR/UV-Vis study of reactions over metallo-zeolites. Approach to quantitative in situ studies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sobalík, Zdeněk; Jíša, Kamil; Jirglová, Hana; Bernauer, B.

2007-01-01

Roč. 126, 1-2 (2007), s. 73-80 ISSN 0920-5861 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR 1ET400400413; GA ČR GA104/06/1254; GA ČR GA203/05/2309 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : metallo-zeolites * FTIR/UV-Vis * adsorption * modeling * in-situ Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.764, year: 2007

Small angle neutron scattering study of doxorubicin–surfactant ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The binding affinity of doxorubicin within the micelle carrier is enhanced through complex formation of drug and anionic surfactant, aerosol OT (AOT). Electrostatic binding of doxorubicin with negatively charged surfactants leads to the formation of hydrophobic drug–surfactant complexes. Surfactant-induced partitioning of ...

DNA compaction by azobenzene-containing surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakrevskyy, Yuriy; Kopyshev, Alexey; Lomadze, Nino; Santer, Svetlana; Morozova, Elena; Lysyakova, Ludmila; Kasyanenko, Nina

2011-01-01

We report on the interaction of cationic azobenzene-containing surfactant with DNA investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. The properties of the surfactant can be controlled with light by reversible switching of the azobenzene unit, incorporated into the surfactant tail, between a hydrophobic trans (visible irradiation) and a hydrophilic cis (UV irradiation) configuration. The influence of the trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzene on the compaction process of DNA molecules and the role of both isomers in the formation and colloidal stability of DNA-surfactant complexes is discussed. It is shown that the trans isomer plays a major role in the DNA compaction process. The influence of the cis isomer on the DNA coil configuration is rather small. The construction of a phase diagram of the DNA concentration versus surfactant/DNA charge ratio allows distancing between three major phases: colloidally stable and unstable compacted globules, and extended coil conformation. There is a critical concentration of DNA above which the compacted globules can be hindered from aggregation and precipitation by adding an appropriate amount of the surfactant in the trans configuration. This is because of the compensation of hydrophobicity of the globules with an increasing amount of the surfactant. Below the critical DNA concentration, the compacted globules are colloidally stable and can be reversibly transferred with light to an extended coil state.

Viscosity of the oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer and nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer system

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Tushar; Kumar, G. Suresh; Chon, Bo Hyun; Sangwai, Jitendra S.

2014-11-01

Information on the viscosity of Pickering emulsion is required for their successful application in upstream oil and gas industry to understand their stability at extreme environment. In this work, a novel formulation of oil-in-water (o/w) Pickering emulsion stabilized using nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer (polyacrylamide) system as formulated in our earlier work (Sharma et al., Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2014) is investigated for rheological stability at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) conditions using a controlled-strain rheometer. The nanoparticle (SiO2 and clay) concentration is varied from 1.0 to 5.0 wt%. The results are compared with the rheological behavior of simple o/w emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system. Both the emulsions exhibit non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior. A positive shift in this behavior is observed for surfactant-polymer stabilized emulsion at high pressure conditions. Yield stress is observed to increase with pressure for surfactant-polymer emulsion. In addition, increase in temperature has an adverse effect on the viscosity of emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system. In case of nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer stabilized o/w emulsion system, the viscosity and yield stress are predominantly constant for varying pressure and temperature conditions. The viscosity data for both o/w emulsion systems are fitted by the Herschel-Bulkley model and found to be satisfactory. In general, the study indicates that the Pickering emulsion stabilized by nanoparticle-surfactant-polymer system shows improved and stable rheological properties as compared to conventional emulsion stabilized by surfactant-polymer system indicating their successful application for HPHT environment in upstream oil and gas industry.

Evaluation of a common commercial surfactant in a water recycle system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rector, T.; Jackson, A.; Rainwater, K.; Pickering, S.

2002-01-01

The fate of a common commercial surfactant was investigated in the biological reactors of a water recycle system. A NO 2 - reducing packed-bed bioreactor was employed to evaluate degradation of surfactant present in a typical greywater stream. The research was conducted to determine if an alternative commercial surfactant could be used in a biological water recycle system proposed for space travel in place of the current surfactant. The commercial soap used in the research was Pert Plus for Kids (PPK), which contains sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) as the active surfactant. Experiments included a combination of microcosm studies as well as a continuous-flow packed-bed bioreactor. The hydraulic retention time of the packed-bed bioreactor was varied through changes in flow rate to yield different steady-state values for NO 2 -N, TOC, and COD. Steady-state values will allow the determination of the bacterial kinetic parameters. Initial results suggest that the commercial surfactant may be difficult to treat in the time frame of typical biological systems. NO 2 - reduction was favorable in the packed-bed reactor, but TOC removal rates did not correspond to the NO 2 - removal. It is theorized that, due to its high K oc value (1200), SLES has an affinity to absorb to the media contained in the bed, which in turn allows for adsorption of the surfactant. Future research will include development of an isotherm model to characterize the adsorption rates and correlate them to surfactant removal. (author)

Adsorption of surfactants and polymers at interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas, Orlando Jose

Surface tension and high-resolution laser light scattering experiments were used to investigate the adsorption of isomeric sugar-based surfactants at the air/liquid interface in terms of surfactant surface packing and rheology. Soluble monolayers of submicellar surfactant solutions exhibited a relatively viscous behavior. It was also proved that light scattering of high-frequency thermally-induced capillary waves can be utilized to study surfactant exchange between the surface and the bulk solution. Such analysis revealed the existence of a diffusional relaxation mechanism. A procedure based on XPS was developed for quantification, on an absolute basis, of polymer adsorption on mica and Langmuir-Blodgett cellulose films. The adsorption of cationic polyelectrolytes on negatively-charged solid surfaces was highly dependent on the polymer ionicity. It was found that the adsorption process is driven by electrostatic mechanisms. Charge overcompensation (or charge reversal) of mica occurred after adsorption of polyelectrolytes of ca. 50% charge density, or higher. It was demonstrated that low-charge-density polyelectrolytes adsorb on solid surfaces with an extended configuration dominated by loops and tails. In this case the extent of adsorption is limited by steric constraints. The conformation of the polyelectrolyte in the adsorbed layer is dramatically affected by the presence of salts or surfactants in aqueous solution. The phenomena which occur upon increasing the ionic strength are consistent with the screening of the electrostatic attraction between polyelectrolyte segments and solid surface. This situation leads to polyelectrolyte desorption accompanied by both an increase in the layer thickness and the range of the steric force. Adsorbed polyelectrolytes and oppositely charged surfactants readily associate at the solid/liquid interface. Such association induces polyelectrolyte desorption at a surfactant concentration which depends on the polyelectrolyte charge

Binding of cationic surfactants to humic substances

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ishiguro, M.; Tan, W.; Koopal, L.K.

2007-01-01

Commercial surfactants are introduced into the environment either through waste products or site-specific contamination. The amphiphilic nature of both surfactants and humic substances (HS) leads to their mutual attraction especially when surfactant and HS are oppositely charged. Binding of the

Structural diversity, physicochemical properties and application of imidazolium surfactants: Recent advances.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhadani, Avinash; Misono, Takeshi; Singh, Sukhprit; Sakai, Kenichi; Sakai, Hideki; Abe, Masahiko

2016-05-01

The current review covers recent advances on development and investigation of cationic surfactants containing imidazolium headgroup, which are being extensively investigated for their self-aggregation properties and are currently being utilized in various conventional and non-conventional application areas. These surfactants are being used as: soft template for synthesis of mesoporous/microporous materials, drug and gene delivery agent, stabilizing agent for nanoparticles, dispersants for single/multi walled carbon nanotubes, antimicrobial and antifungal agent, viscosity modifiers, preparing nanocomposite materials, stabilizing microemulsions, corrosion inhibitors and catalyst for organic reactions. Recently several structural derivatives of these surfactants have been developed having many interesting physicochemical properties and they have demonstrated enormous potential in the area of nanotechnology, material science and biomedical science. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tuning metal–carboxylate coordination in crystalline metal–organic frameworks through surfactant media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Junkuo [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Ye, Kaiqi [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); He, Mi [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371 (Singapore); Xiong, Wei-Wei; Cao, Wenfang; Lee, Zhi Yi [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Wang, Yue [State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Wu, Tom [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371 (Singapore); Huo, Fengwei [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Liu, Xiaogang [Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543 (Singapore); Institute of Materials Research Engineering, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 117602 (Singapore); Zhang, Qichun, E-mail: qczhang@ntu.edu.sg [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2013-10-15

Although it has been widely demonstrated that surfactants can efficiently control the size, shape and surface properties of micro/nanocrystals of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) due to the strong interactions between surfactants and crystal facets of MOFs, the use of surfactants as reaction media to grow MOF single crystals is unprecedented. In addition, compared with ionic liquids, surfactants are much cheaper and can have multifunctional properties such as acidic, basic, neutral, cationic, anionic, or even block. These factors strongly motivate us to develop a new synthetic strategy: growing crystalline MOFs in surfactants. In this report, eight new two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) MOFs have been successfully synthesized in an industrially-abundant and environmentally-friendly surfactant: polyethylene glycol-200 (PEG-200). Eight different coordination modes of carboxylates, ranging from monodentate η{sup 1} mode to tetra-donor coordination µ{sub 3}-η{sup 1}:η{sup 2}:η{sup 1} mode, have been founded in our research. The magnetic properties of Co-based MOFs were investigated and MOF NTU-Z6b showed a phase transition with a Curie temperature (T{sub c}) at 5 K. Our strategy of growing crystalline MOFs in surfactant could offer exciting opportunities for preparing novel MOFs with diverse structures and interesting properties. - Graphical abstract: Surfactants have been used as reaction media to grow MOF single crystals for the first time. Eight new two-dimensional or three-dimensional MOFs were successfully synthesized in surfactant polyethylene glycol-200 (PEG-200). Coordination modes of carboxylates up to eight were founded. Our strategy of growing crystalline MOFs in surfactant could offer exciting opportunities for preparing novel MOFs with diverse structures and interesting properties. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Surfactant-thermal synthesis of crystalline metal–organic frameworks. • Eight new 2-D or 3-D metal–organic frameworks

Surfactants tailored by the class Actinobacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Kügler, Johannes H.; Le Roes-Hill, Marilize; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

2015-01-01

Globally the change towards the establishment of a bio-based economy has resulted in an increased need for bio-based applications. This, in turn, has served as a driving force for the discovery and application of novel biosurfactants. The class Actinobacteria represents a vast group of microorganisms with the ability to produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites, including surfactants. Understanding the extensive nature of the biosurfactants produced by actinobacterial strains can assist in finding novel biosurfactants with new potential applications. This review therefore presents a comprehensive overview of the knowledge available on actinobacterial surfactants, the chemical structures that have been completely or partly elucidated, as well as the identity of the biosurfactant-producing strains. Producer strains of not yet elucidated compounds are discussed, as well as the original habitats of all the producer strains, which seems to indicate that biosurfactant production is environmentally driven. Methodology applied in the isolation, purification and structural elucidation of the different types of surface active compounds, as well as surfactant activity tests, are also discussed. Overall, actinobacterial surfactants can be summarized to include the dominantly occurring trehalose-comprising surfactants, other non-trehalose containing glycolipids, lipopeptides and the more rare actinobacterial surfactants. The lack of structural information on a large proportion of actinobacterial surfactants should be considered as a driving force to further explore the abundance and diversity of these compounds. This would allow for a better understanding of actinobacterial surface active compounds and their potential for biotechnological application. PMID:25852670

Surfactants tailored by the class Actinobacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes H Kügler

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Gloablly, the drive towards the establishment of a bio-based economy has resulted in an increased need for bio-based applications. This, in turn, has served as a driving force for the discovery and application of novel biosurfactants. The class Actinobacteria represents a vast group of microorganisms with the ability to produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites, including surfactants. Understanding the extensive nature of the biosurfactants produced by actinobacterial strains can assist in finding novel biosurfactants with new potential applications. This review therefore presents a comprehensive overview of the knowledge available on actinobacterial surfactants, the chemical structures that have been completely or partly elucidated, as well as the identity of the biosurfactant-producing strains. Producer strains of not yet elucidated compounds are discussed, as well as the original habitats of all the producer strains, which seems to indicate that biosurfactant production is environmentally driven. Methodology applied in the isolation, purification and structural elucidation of the different types of surface active compounds, as well as surfactant activity tests, are also discussed. Overall, actinobacterial surfactants can be summarized to include the dominantly occurring trehalose-comprising surfactants, other non-trehalose containing glycolipids, lipopeptides and the more rare actinobacterial surfactants. The lack of structural information on a large proportion of actinobacterial surfactants should be considered as a driving force to further explore the abundance and diversity of these compounds. This would allow for a better understanding of actinobacterial surface active compounds and their potential for biotechnological application.

Dispersion of nanoparticulate suspensions using self-assembled surfactant aggregates

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Pankaj Kumar

The dispersion of particles is critical for several industrial applications such as paints, inks, coatings, and cosmetics. Several emerging applications such as abrasives for precision polishing, and drug delivery systems are increasingly relying on nanoparticulates to achieve the desired performance. In the case of nanoparticles, the dispersion becomes more challenging because of the lack of fundamental understanding of dispersant adsorption and interparticle force prediction. Additionally, many of these processes use severe processing environments such as high normal forces (>100 mN/m), high shear forces (>10,000 s -1), and high ionic strengths (>0.1 M). Under such processing conditions, traditionally used dispersants based on electrostatics, and steric force repulsion mechanism may not be adequate. Hence, the development of optimally performing dispersants requires a fundamental understanding of the dispersion mechanism at the atomic/molecular scale. This study explores the use of self-assembled surfactant aggregates at the solid-liquid interface for dispersing nanoparticles in severe processing environments. Surfactant molecules can provide a feasible alternative to polymeric or inorganic dispersants for stabilizing ultrafine particles. The barrier to aggregation in the presence of surfactant molecules was measured using atomic force microscopy. The barrier heights correlated to suspension stability. To understand the mechanism for nanoparticulate suspension stability in the presence of surfactant films, the interface was characterized using zeta potential, contact angle, adsorption, and FT-IR (adsorbed surfactant film structure measurements). The effect of solution conditions such as pH and ionic strength on the suspension stability, and the self-assembled surfactant films was also investigated. It was determined that a transition from a random to an ordered orientation of the surfactant molecules at the interface was responsible for stability of

Occurrence and characterization of multidrugresistant new delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1- producing bacteria isolated between 2003 and 2010 in Bangladesh

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.S. Islam (Mohammad S.); M.N. Huq (Mohammed); A. Nabi (Ashikun); P.K. Talukdar (Prabhat Kumar); D. Ahmed (Dilruba); K.A. Talukder (Kaisar); A. Cravioto (Alejandro); H.P. Endtz (Hubert)

2013-01-01

textabstractThe purpose of this study was to screen for reduced susceptibility against imipenem and the presence of the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) gene in a collection of Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Shigella spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae) from different surveillance studies

An arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method for interfacial flows with insoluble surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaofeng

Interfacial flows, fluid flows involving two or more fluids that do not mix, are common in many natural and industrial processes such as rain drop formation, crude oil recovery, polymer blending, fuel spray formation, and so on. Surfactants (surface active substances) play an important role in such processes because they significantly change the interfacial dynamics. In this thesis, an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method has been developed to numerically simulate interfacial flows with insoluble surfactants. The interface is captured using a coupled level set and volume of fluid method. To evolve the surfactant concentration, the method directly tracks the surfactant mass and the interfacial area. The surfactant concentration, which determines the local surface tension through an equation of state, is then computed as surfactant mass per interfacial area. By directly tracking the surfactant mass, the method conserves the surfactant mass exactly. To accurately approximate the interfacial area, the fluid interface is reconstructed using piecewise parabolas. The evolution of the level set function, volume fraction, interfacial area, and the surfactant mass is performed using an ALE approach. The fluid flow is governed by Stokes equations, which are solved using a finite element method. The surface forces are included in the momentum equation using a continuum surface stress formulation. To efficiently resolve the complex interfacial dynamics, interfacial regions of high surface curvature, and near contact regions between two interacting interfaces, the grid near the interface is adaptively refined. The method is extendible to axisymmetric and 3D spaces, and can be coupled with other flow solvers, such as Navier-Stokes and viscoelastic flow solvers, as well. The method has been applied to study the effect of surfactants on drop deformation and breakup in an extensional flow. Drop deformation results are compared with available experimental and theoretical

In vitro surfactant structure-toxicity relationships: implications for surfactant use in sexually transmitted infection prophylaxis and contraception.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ângela S Inácio

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The need for woman-controlled, cheap, safe, effective, easy-to-use and easy-to-store topical applications for prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections (STIs makes surfactant-containing formulations an interesting option that requires a more fundamental knowledge concerning surfactant toxicology and structure-activity relationships. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report in vitro effects of surfactant concentration, exposure time and structure on the viability of mammalian cell types typically encountered in the vagina, namely, fully polarized and confluent epithelial cells, confluent but non-polarized epithelial-like cells, dendritic cells, and human sperm. Representatives of the different families of commercially available surfactants--nonionic (Triton X-100 and monolaurin, zwitterionic (DDPS, anionic (SDS, and cationic (C(nTAB (n = 10 to 16, C(12PB, and C(12BZK--were examined. Triton X-100, monolaurin, DDPS and SDS were toxic to all cell types at concentrations around their critical micelle concentration (CMC suggesting a non-selective mode of action involving cell membrane destabilization and/or destruction. All cationic surfactants were toxic at concentrations far below their CMC and showed significant differences in their toxicity toward polarized as compared with non-polarized cells. Their toxicity was also dependent on the chemical nature of the polar head group. Our results suggest an intracellular locus of action for cationic surfactants and show that their structure-activity relationships could be profitably exploited for STI prophylaxis in vaginal gel formulations. The therapeutic indices comparing polarized epithelial cell toxicity to sperm toxicity for all surfactants examined, except C(12PB and C(12BZK, does not justify their use as contraceptive agents. C(12PB and C(12BZK are shown to have a narrow therapeutic index recommending caution in their use in contraceptive formulations. CONCLUSIONS

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Aeromonas hydrophilia metallo-[beta]-lactamase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, N.; Toney, J.H.; Fitzgerald, P.M.D. (Merck)

2010-07-20

The CphA metallo-{beta}-lactamase from Aeromonas hydrophilia has been expressed, purified and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method using ammonium sulfate as the precipitant. The crystals exhibit orthorhombic symmetry (P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2), with unit-cell parameters a = 40.75, b = 42.05, c = 128.88 {angstrom}. There is one monomer in the asymmetric unit and the solvent content is estimated to be 44% by volume. A data set extending to 1.8 {angstrom} has been measured.

The Molecular Era of Surfactant Biology

OpenAIRE

Whitsett, Jeffrey A.

2014-01-01

Advances in the physiology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology of the pulmonary surfactant system transformed the clinical care and outcome of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. The molecular era of surfactant biology provided genetic insights into the pathogenesis of pulmonary disorders, previously termed “idiopathic” that affect newborn infants, children and adults. Knowledge related to the structure and function of the surfactant proteins and their roles in alveolar ...

High acceptability of a newly developed urological practical skills training program.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vries, A.H. de; Luijk, S.J. van; Scherpbier, A.J.J.A.; Hendrikx, A.J.M.; Koldewijn, E.L.; Wagner, C.; Schout, B.M.A.

2015-01-01

Background: Benefits of simulation training are widely recognized, but its structural implementation into urological curricula remains challenging. This study aims to gain insight into current and ideal urological practical skills training and presents the outline of a newly developed skills

High acceptability of a newly developed urological practical skills training program

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, A.H.; van Luijk, S.J.; Scherpbier, A.J.J.A.; Hendrikx, A.J.M.; Koldewijn, E.L.; Wagner, C.; Schout, B.M.A.

2015-01-01

Background: Benefits of simulation training are widely recognized, but its structural implementation into urological curricula remains challenging. This study aims to gain insight into current and ideal urological practical skills training and presents the outline of a newly developed skills

Nanoparticle-enabled delivery of surfactants in porous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Nourafkan, Ehsan; Hu, Zhongliang; Wen, Dongsheng

2018-06-01

The adsorption of surfactants on the reservoir rocks surface is a serious issue in many energy and environment related areas. Learning from the concept of drug delivery in the nano-medicine field, this work proposes and validates the concept of using nanoparticles to deliver a mixture of surfactants into a porous medium. TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) are used as carriers for a blend of surfactants mixtures including anionic alkyl aryl sulfonic acid (AAS) and nonionic alcohol ethoxylated (EA) at the optimum salinity and composition conditions. The transport of NPs through a core sample of crushed sandstone grains and the adsorption of surfactants are evaluated. By using TiO 2 NPs, the adsorption of surfactant molecules can be significantly reduced, i.e. half of the initial adsorption value. The level of surfactant adsorption reduction is related to the NPs transport capability through the porous medium. An application study shows that comparing to surfactant flooding alone, the total oil recovery can be increased by 7.81% of original oil in place (OOIP) by using nanoparticle bonded surfactants. Such work shows the promise of NP as an effective surfactant carrier for sandstone reservoirs, which could have many potential applications in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and environmental remediation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

IMP-27, a Unique Metallo-β-Lactamase Identified in Geographically Distinct Isolates of Proteus mirabilis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, Nyssa; Fowler, Randal C; Yoshizumi, A; Horiyama, Tsukasa; Ishii, Y; Harrison, Lucas; Geyer, Chelsie N; Moland, Ellen Smith; Thomson, Kenneth; Hanson, Nancy D

2016-10-01

A novel metallo-β-lactamase gene, blaIMP-27, was identified in unrelated Proteus mirabilis isolates from two geographically distinct locations in the United States. Both isolates harbor blaIMP-27 as part of the first gene cassette in a class 2 integron. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicated susceptibility to aztreonam, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ceftazidime but resistance to ertapenem. However, hydrolysis assays indicated that ceftazidime was a substrate for IMP-27. Copyright © 2016 Dixon et al.

Comparison of rSP-C surfactant with natural and synthetic surfactants after late treatment in a rat model of the acute respiratory distress syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Häfner, Dietrich; Germann, Paul-Georg; Hauschke, Dieter

1998-01-01

In a previous paper we showed that an SP-C containing surfactant preparation has similar activity as bovine-derived surfactants in a rat lung lavage model of the adult respiratory distress syndrome. In this study surfactant was given ten minutes after the last lavage (early treatment). In the present investigation we were interested how different surfactant preparations behave when they are administered 1 h after the last lavage (late treatment). Four protein containing surfactants (rSP-C surfactant, bLES, Infasurf and Survanta) were compared with three protein-free surfactants (ALEC, Exosurf and the phospholipid (PL) mixture of the rSP-C surfactant termed PL surfactant) with respect to their ability to improve gas exchange in this more stringent model when surfactant is given one hour after the last lavage. For better comparison of the surfactants the doses were related to phospholipids. The surfactants were given at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg kg−1 body weight. The surfactants were compared to an untreated control group that was only ventilated for the whole experimental period. Tracheotomized rats (8–12 per dose and surfactant) were pressure-controlled ventilated (Siemens Servo Ventilator 900C) with 100% oxygen at a respiratory rate of 30 breaths min−1, inspiration expiration ratio of 1 : 2, peak inspiratory pressure of 28 cmH2O at positive endexpiratory pressure (PEEP) of 8 cmH2O. Animals were ventilated for one hour after the last lavage and thereafter the surfactants were intratracheally instilled. During the whole experimental period the ventilation was not changed. Partial arterial oxygen pressures (PaO2, mmHg) at 30 min and 120 min after treatment were used for statistical comparison. All protein containing surfactants caused a dose-dependent increase of the reduced PaO2 values at 30 min after treatment. The protein-free surfactants showed only weak dose-dependent increase in PaO2 values at this time. This difference between the

Surfactant modified clays’ consistency limits and contact angles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Akbulut

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study was aimed at preparing a surfactant modified clay (SMC and researching the effect of surfactants on clays' contact angles and consistency limits; clay was thus modified by surfactants formodifying their engineering properties. Seven surfactants (trimethylglycine, hydroxyethylcellulose  octyl phenol ethoxylate, linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, cetyl trimethylammonium chloride and quaternised ethoxylated fatty amine were used as surfactants in this study. The experimental results indicated that SMC consistency limits (liquid and plastic limits changedsignificantly compared to those of natural clay. Plasticity index and liquid limit (PI-LL values representing soil class approached the A-line when zwitterion, nonionic, and anionic surfactant percentageincreased. However, cationic SMC became transformed from CH (high plasticity clay to MH (high plasticity silt class soils, according to the unified soil classification system (USCS. Clay modifiedwith cationic and anionic surfactants gave higher and lower contact angles than natural clay, respectively.

Probing dynamics and mechanism of exchange process of quaternary ammonium dimeric surfactants, 14-s-14, in the presence of conventional surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Jiang, Yan; Chen, Hong; Mao, Shi Zhen; Du, You Ru; Liu, Mai Li

2012-12-27

In this Article, we investigated effects of different types of conventional surfactants on exchange dynamics of quaternary ammonium dimeric surfactants, with chemical formula C(14)H(29)N(+)(CH(3))(2)- (CH(2))(s)-N(+)(CH(3))(2)C(14)H(29)·2Br(-), or 14-s-14 for short. Two nonionic surfactants, TritonX-100 (TX-100) and polyethylene glycol (23) laurylether (Brij-35), and one cationic surfactant, n-tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB), and one ionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were chosen as typical conventional surfactants. Exchange rates of 14-s-14 (s = 2, 3, and 4) between the micelle form and monomer in solution were detected by two NMR methods: one-dimensional (1D) line shape analysis and two-dimensional (2D) exchange spectroscopy (EXSY). Results show that the nonionic surfactants (TX-100 and Brij-35), the cationic surfactant (TTAB), and the ionic surfactant (SDS) respectively accelerated, barely influenced, and slowed the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The effect mechanism was investigated by the self-diffusion experiment, relaxation time measurements (T(2)/T(1)), the fluorescence experiment (I(1)/I(3)) and observed chemical shift variations. Results reveal that, nonionic conventional surfactants (TX-100 and Brij-35) loosened the molecule arrangement and decreased hydrophobic interactions in the micelle, and thus accelerated the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The cationic conventional surfactant (TTAB) barely changed the molecule arrangement and thus barely influenced the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The ionic conventional surfactant (SDS) introduced the electrostatic attraction effect, tightened the molecule arrangement, and increased hydrophobic interactions in the micelle, and thus slowed down the exchange rate of 14-s-14. Additionally, the two-step exchange mechanism of 14-s-14 in the mixed solution was revealed through interesting variation tendencies of exchange rates of 14-s-14.

Effects of Surfactant on Geotechnical Characteristics of Silty Soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, Z.A.; Sahibin, A.R.; Lihan, T.; Idris, W.M.R.; Sakina, M.

2013-01-01

Surfactants are often used as a cleaning agent for restoration of oil-contaminated soil. However the effect of surfactant on the geotechnical properties of soil is not clearly understood. In this study, the effects of surfactant on silty soil were investigated for consistency index, compaction, permeability and shear strength. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used in this study to prepare the surfactant-treated soil. Our results showed that the soil with added surfactant exhibited a decrease in liquid and plastic limit values. Maximum dry densities increased and optimum moisture contents decreased as contents of added surfactant were increased. The presence of surfactant assists the soil to achieve maximum density at lower water content. The addition of surfactant decreased the permeability of soil from 6.29 x 10 -4 to 1.15 x 10 -4 ms -1 . The shear strength of soil with added surfactant was examined using the undrained unconsolidated triaxial tests. The results showed that the undrained shear strength, Cu was significantly affected, decreased from 319 kPa to 50 kPa for soil with 20 % of added surfactant. The results of this study showed that the presence of surfactant in soil can modify the mechanical behaviour of the soil. (author)

Open lung ventilation preserves the response to delayed surfactant treatment in surfactant-deficient newborn piglets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Veenendaal, Mariëtte B.; van Kaam, Anton H.; Haitsma, Jack J.; Lutter, René; Lachmann, Burkhard

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Delayed surfactant treatment (>2 hrs after birth) is less effective than early treatment in conventionally ventilated preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. The objective of this study was to evaluate if this time-dependent efficacy of surfactant treatment is also present

Influence of surfactants in forced dynamic dewetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Henrich, Franziska; Fell, Daniela; Truszkowska, Dorota; Weirich, Marcel; Anyfantakis, Manos; Nguyen, Thi-Huong; Wagner, Manfred; Auernhammer, Günter K; Butt, Hans-Jürgen

2016-09-20

In this work we show that the forced dynamic dewetting of surfactant solutions depends sensitively on the surfactant concentration. To measure this effect, a hydrophobic rotating cylinder was horizontally half immersed in aqueous surfactant solutions. Dynamic contact angles were measured optically by extrapolating the contour of the meniscus to the contact line. Anionic (sodium 1-decanesulfonate, S-1DeS), cationic (cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) and nonionic surfactants (C 4 E 1 , C 8 E 3 and C 12 E 5 ) with critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) spanning four orders of magnitude were used. The receding contact angle in water decreased with increasing velocity. This decrease was strongly enhanced when adding surfactant, even at surfactant concentrations of 10% of the critical micelle concentration. Plots of the receding contact angle-versus-velocity almost superimpose when being plotted at the same relative concentration (concentration/CMC). Thus the rescaled concentration is the dominating property for dynamic dewetting. The charge of the surfactants did not play a role, thus excluding electrostatic effects. The change in contact angle can be interpreted by local surface tension gradients, i.e. Marangoni stresses, close to the three-phase contact line. The decrease of dynamic contact angles with velocity follows two regimes. Despite the existence of Marangoni stresses close to the contact line, for a dewetting velocity above 1-10 mm s -1 the hydrodynamic theory is able to describe the experimental results for all surfactant concentrations. At slower velocities an additional steep decrease of the contact angle with velocity was observed. Particle tracking velocimetry showed that the flow profiles do not differ with and without surfactant on a scales >100 μm.

Dimeric Surfactants: Promising Ingredients of Cosmetics and Toiletries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naveen Kumar

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Surfactants are an essential ingredient for cosmetic, toiletries and personal care products for enhancing their performance. Dimeric surfactants demonstrate superiority compared to conventional surfactants in all areas of application. Dimeric surfactants are extremely promising for utilization in various cosmetic formulations viz. shampoo, lotions, creams, conditioners etc. These surfactants possess extremely unique surface properties viz. lower surface tension, unique micellization, low critical micelle concentration (CMC and antimicrobial activity, higher solubilization etc. Dimerics enhance the performances of cosmetics in an extraordinary manner and provide eco-friendly preparations for human epidermis.

Structural study of surfactant-dependent interaction with protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mehan, Sumit; Aswal, Vinod K., E-mail: vkaswal@barc.gov.in [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Kohlbrecher, Joachim [Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 PSI Villigen (Switzerland)

2015-06-24

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the complex structure of anionic BSA protein with three different (cationic DTAB, anionic SDS and non-ionic C12E10) surfactants. These systems form very different surfactant-dependent complexes. We show that the structure of protein-surfactant complex is initiated by the site-specific electrostatic interaction between the components, followed by the hydrophobic interaction at high surfactant concentrations. It is also found that hydrophobic interaction is preferred over the electrostatic interaction in deciding the resultant structure of protein-surfactant complexes.

Effect of double-tailed surfactant architecture on the conformation, self-assembly, and processing in polypeptide-surfactant complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Junnila, Susanna; Hanski, Sirkku; Oakley, Richard J; Nummelin, Sami; Ruokolainen, Janne; Faul, Charl F J; Ikkala, Olli

2009-10-12

This work describes the solid-state conformational and structural properties of self-assembled polypeptide-surfactant complexes with double-tailed surfactants. Poly(L-lysine) was complexed with three dialkyl esters of phosphoric acid (i.e., phosphodiester surfactants), where the surfactant tail branching and length was varied to tune the supramolecular architecture in a facile way. After complexation with the branched surfactant bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate in an aqueous solution, the polypeptide chains adopted an alpha-helical conformation. These rod-like helices self-assembled into cylindrical phases with the amorphous alkyl tails pointing outward. In complexes with dioctyl phosphate and didodecyl phosphate, which have two linear n-octyl or n-dodecyl tails, respectively, the polypeptide formed antiparallel beta-sheets separated by alkyl layers, resulting in well-ordered lamellar self-assemblies. By heating, it was possible to trigger a partial opening of the beta-sheets and disruption of the lamellar phase. After repeated heating/cooling, all of these complexes also showed a glass transition between 37 and 50 degrees C. Organic solvent treatment and plasticization by overstoichiometric amount of surfactant led to structure modification in poly(L-lysine)-dioctyl phosphate complexes, PLL(diC8)(x) (x = 1.0-3.0). Here, the alpha-helical PLL is surrounded by the surfactants and these bottle-brush-like chains self-assemble in a hexagonal cylindrical morphology. As x is increased, the materials are clearly plasticized and the degree of ordering is improved: The stiff alpha-helical backbones in a softened surfactant matrix give rise to thermotropic liquid-crystalline phases. The complexes were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and circular dichroism.

Interactions between Streptomyces coelicolor and Bacillus subtilis: Role of surfactants in raising aerial structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Straight, Paul D; Willey, Joanne M; Kolter, Roberto

2006-07-01

Using mixed-species cultures, we have undertaken a study of interactions between two common spore-forming soil bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Streptomyces coelicolor. Our experiments demonstrate that the development of aerial hyphae and spores by S. coelicolor is inhibited by surfactin, a lipopeptide surfactant produced by B. subtilis. Current models of aerial development by sporulating bacteria and fungi postulate a role for surfactants in reducing surface tension at air-liquid interfaces, thereby removing the major barrier to aerial growth. S. coelicolor produces SapB, an amphipathic peptide that is surface active and required for aerial growth on certain media. Loss of aerial hyphae in developmental mutants can be rescued by addition of purified SapB. While a surfactant from a fungus can substitute for SapB in a mutant that lacks aerial hyphae, not all surfactants have this effect. We show that surfactin is required for formation of aerial structures on the surface of B. subtilis colonies. However, in contrast to this positive role, our experiments reveal that surfactin acts antagonistically by arresting S. coelicolor aerial development and causing altered expression of developmental genes. Our observations support the idea that surfactants function specifically for a given organism regardless of their shared ability to reduce surface tension. Production of surfactants with antagonistic activity could provide a powerful competitive advantage during surface colonization and in competition for resources.

The Biophysical Function of Pulmonary Surfactant

OpenAIRE

Rugonyi, Sandra; Biswas, Samares C.; Hall, Stephen B.

2008-01-01

Pulmonary surfactant lowers surface tension in the lungs. Physiological studies indicate two key aspects of this function: that the surfactant film forms rapidly; and that when compressed by the shrinking alveolar area during exhalation, the film reduces surface tension to very low values. These observations suggest that surfactant vesicles adsorb quickly, and that during compression, the adsorbed film resists the tendency to collapse from the interface to form a three-dimensional bulk phase....

ADSORPTION OF SURFACTANT ON CLAYS

Science.gov (United States)

Surfactants used to enhance remediation of soils by soil washing are often lost in the process. Neither the amount nor the cause of this loss is known. It is assumed that clays present in the soil are responsible for the loss of the surfactant. In this papere, adsorption prope...

The effects of exogenous surfactant administration on ventilation-induced inflammation in mouse models of lung injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Puntorieri, Valeria; Hiansen, Josh Qua; McCaig, Lynda A; Yao, Li-Juan; Veldhuizen, Ruud A W; Lewis, James F

2013-11-20

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is an essential supportive therapy for acute lung injury (ALI); however it can also contribute to systemic inflammation. Since pulmonary surfactant has anti-inflammatory properties, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of exogenous surfactant administration on ventilation-induced systemic inflammation. Mice were randomized to receive an intra-tracheal instillation of a natural exogenous surfactant preparation (bLES, 50 mg/kg) or no treatment as a control. MV was then performed using the isolated and perfused mouse lung (IPML) set up. This model allowed for lung perfusion during MV. In experiment 1, mice were exposed to mechanical ventilation only (tidal volume =20 mL/kg, 2 hours). In experiment 2, hydrochloric acid or air was instilled intra-tracheally four hours before applying exogenous surfactant and ventilation (tidal volume =5 mL/kg, 2 hours). For both experiments, exogenous surfactant administration led to increased total and functional surfactant in the treated groups compared to the controls. Exogenous surfactant administration in mice exposed to MV only did not affect peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), lung IL-6 levels and the development of perfusate inflammation compared to non-treated controls. Acid injured mice exposed to conventional MV showed elevated PIP, lung IL-6 and protein levels and greater perfusate inflammation compared to air instilled controls. Instillation of exogenous surfactant did not influence the development of lung injury. Moreover, exogenous surfactant was not effective in reducing the concentration of inflammatory cytokines in the perfusate. The data indicates that exogenous surfactant did not mitigate ventilation-induced systemic inflammation in our models. Future studies will focus on altering surfactant composition to improve its immuno-modulating activity.

Splash Dynamics of Falling Surfactant-Laden Droplets

Science.gov (United States)

Sulaiman, Nur; Buitrago, Lewis; Pereyra, Eduardo

2017-11-01

Splashing dynamics is a common issue in oil and gas separation technology. In this study, droplet impact of various surfactant concentrations onto solid and liquid surfaces is studied experimentally using a high-speed imaging analysis. Although this area has been widely studied in the past, there is still not a good understanding of the role of surfactant over droplet impact and characterization of resulting splash dynamics. The experiments are conducted using tap water laden with anionic surfactant. The effects of system parameters on a single droplet impingement such as surfactant concentration (no surfactant, below, at and above critical micelle concentration), parent drop diameter (2-5mm), impact velocity and type of impact surface (thin and deep pool) are investigated. Image analysis technique is shown to be an effective technique for identification of coalescence to splashing transition. In addition, daughter droplets size distributions are analyzed qualitatively in the events of splashing. As expected, it is observed that the formation of secondary droplets is affected by the surfactant concentration. A summary of findings will be discussed.

Recovering hydrocarbons with surfactants from lignin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naae, D.G.; Whittington, L.E.; Ledoux, W.A.; Debons, F.E.

1988-11-29

This patent describes a method of recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises: injecting into the formation through an injection well a surfactant slug comprising about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of surfactants produced from lignin, the surfactants produced by placing lignin in contact with water, converting the lignin into low molecular weight lignin phenols by reducing the lignin in the presence of a reducing agent of carbon monoxide or hydrogen creating a reduction reaction mixture comprising oil soluble lignin phenols, the reduction occurring at a temperature greater than about 200/sup 0/C and a pressure greater than about 100 psi, recovering the oil soluble lignin phenols from the reduction mixture, and converting the lignin phenols into lignin surfactants by a reaction selected from the group consisting of alkoxylation, sulfonation, sulfation, aklylation, sulfomethylation, and alkoxysulfation; injecting into the formation through the injection well a drive fluid to push the surfactant slug towards a production well; and recovering hydrocarbons at the production well.

Evaluation of the presence of major anionic surfactants in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantarero, S; Camino-Sánchez, F J; Zafra-Gómez, A; Ballesteros, O; Navalón, A; Vílchez, J L; Verge, C; Reis, M S; Saraiva, P M

2012-03-01

The contamination of aquatic environments has become the focus of increasing regulation and public concern due to their potential and unknown negative effects on the ecosystems. The present work develops a monitoring and statistical study, based on the analysis of variance test (ANOVA) and the multivariable analysis, both for insoluble soap and LAS in order to compare the behavior of different anionic surfactants in this environmental compartment. First, a novel and successfully validated methodology to analyze insoluble soap in these samples is developed. The matrix effect and the comparison of different extraction techniques were also performed. The optimized analytical methodologies were applied to 48 representative samples collected from the Almeria Coast (Spain) and then a statistical analysis to correlate anionic surfactant concentration and several variables associated with marine sediment samples was also developed. The results obtained showed relevant conclusions related to the environmental behavior of anionic surfactants in marine sediments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SCREENING METHODS FOR SELECTION OF SURFACTANT FORMULATIONS FOR IOR FROM FRACTURED CARBONATE RESERVOIRS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William A. Goddard III; Yongchun Tang; Patrick Shuler; Mario Blanco; Yongfu Wu; Seung Soon Jang

2005-07-01

This topical report presents details of the laboratory work performed to complete Task 1 of this project; developing rapid screening methods to assess surfactant performance for IOR (Improved Oil Recovery) from fractured carbonate reservoirs. The desired outcome is to identify surfactant formulations that increase the rate and amount of aqueous phase imbibition into oil-rich, oil-wet carbonate reservoir rock. Changing the wettability from oil-wet to water-wet is one key to enhancing this water-phase imbibition process that in turn recovers additional oil from the matrix portion of a carbonate reservoir. The common laboratory test to evaluate candidate surfactant formulations is to measure directly the aqueous imbibition rate and oil recovery from small outcrop or reservoir cores, but this procedure typically requires several weeks. Two methods are presented here for the rapid screening of candidate surfactant formulations for their potential IOR performance in carbonate reservoirs. One promising surfactant screening protocol is based on the ability of a surfactant solution to remove aged crude oil that coats a clear calcite crystal (Iceland Spar). Good surfactant candidate solutions remove the most oil the quickest from the chips, plus change the apparent contact angle of the remaining oil droplets on the surface that thereby indicate increased water-wetting. The other fast surfactant screening method is based on the flotation behavior of powdered calcite in water. In this test protocol, first the calcite power is pre-treated to make the surface oil-wet. The next step is to add the pre-treated powder to a test tube and add a candidate aqueous surfactant formulation; the greater the percentage of the calcite that now sinks to the bottom rather than floats, the more effective the surfactant is in changing the solids to become now preferentially water-wet. Results from the screening test generally are consistent with surfactant performance reported in the literature.

Influence of metacide - surfactant complexes on agricultural crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orynkul Esimova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The complexes based on surfactants and polyhexamethyleneguanidine hydrochloride (metacide are important for agriculture. This paper considers compositions of known bactericidal metacide with different surfactants: anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulphate (DDSNa and nonionic surfactant Tween 80 (monooleate of oxyethylenated anhydrosorbitols. The effect of individual components and associates of metacide and surfactants on productivity and infection of cereals was studied. According to the study, the highest productivity and infection rate were shown by the associate of metacide and Tween-80. At concentration of Tween-80 in aqueous solution equal to 0.001% in combination with metacide, efficiency was 98% at 0% infection. The surface tension and the wetting of metacide, DDSNa, Tween-80, and associates of metacide with surfactants were studied. In comparison with individual components, metacide-DDSNa and metacide-Tween-80 associates have higher surface activity.

Tunable, antibacterial activity of silicone polyether surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Madiha F; Zepeda-Velazquez, Laura; Brook, Michael A

2015-08-01

Silicone surfactants are used in a variety of applications, however, limited data is available on the relationship between surfactant structure and biological activity. A series of seven nonionic, silicone polyether surfactants with known structures was tested for in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli BL21. The compounds varied in their hydrophobic head, comprised of branched silicone structures with 3-10 siloxane linkages and, in two cases, phenyl substitution, and hydrophilic tail of 8-44 poly(ethylene glycol) units. The surfactants were tested at three concentrations: below, at, and above their Critical Micelle Concentrations (CMC) against 5 concentrations of E. coli BL21 in a three-step assay comprised of a 14-24h turbidometric screen, a live-dead stain and viable colony counts. The bacterial concentration had little effect on antibacterial activity. For most of the surfactants, antibacterial activity was higher at concentrations above the CMC. Surfactants with smaller silicone head groups had as much as 4 times the bioactivity of surfactants with larger groups, with the smallest hydrophobe exhibiting potency equivalent to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Smaller PEG chains were similarly associated with higher potency. These data link lower micelle stability and enhanced permeability of smaller silicone head groups to antibacterial activity. The results demonstrate that simple manipulation of nonionic silicone polyether structure leads to significant changes in antibacterial activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Xuhui; Jiang, Rui; Xiao, Wei; Yu, Jiaguo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The recent advances in use of surfactant for soil remediation are reviewed. • The mechanisms of surfactant-based soil remediation are discussed. • A review on the application of different types of surfactants is made. • The future research direction of surfactant-based technologies is suggested. - Abstract: Due to the great harm caused by soil contamination, there is an increasing interest to apply surfactants to the remediation of a variety of contaminated soils worldwide. This review article summarizes the findings of recent literatures regarding remediation of contaminated soils/sites using surfactants as an enhancing agent. For the surfactant-based remedial technologies, the adsorption behaviors of surfactants onto soil, the solubilizing capability of surfactants, and the toxicity and biocompatibility of surfactants are important considerations. Surfactants can enhance desorption of pollutants from soil, and promote bioremediation of organics by increasing bioavailability of pollutants. The removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from soils involves the mechanisms of dissolution, surfactant-associated complexation, and ionic exchange. In addition to the conventional ionic and nonionic surfactants, gemini surfactants and biosurfactants are also applied to soil remediation due to their benign features like lower critical micelle concentration (CMC) values and better biocompatibility. Mixed surfactant systems and combined use of surfactants with other additives are often adopted to improve the overall performance of soil washing solution for decontamination. Worldwide the field studies and full-scale remediation using surfactant-based technologies are yet limited, however, the already known cases reveal the good prospect of applying surfactant-based technologies to soil remediation

Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mao, Xuhui, E-mail: clab@whu.edu.cn [School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Jiang, Rui; Xiao, Wei [School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Yu, Jiaguo, E-mail: jiaguoyu@yahoo.com [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Material Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

2015-03-21

Highlights: • The recent advances in use of surfactant for soil remediation are reviewed. • The mechanisms of surfactant-based soil remediation are discussed. • A review on the application of different types of surfactants is made. • The future research direction of surfactant-based technologies is suggested. - Abstract: Due to the great harm caused by soil contamination, there is an increasing interest to apply surfactants to the remediation of a variety of contaminated soils worldwide. This review article summarizes the findings of recent literatures regarding remediation of contaminated soils/sites using surfactants as an enhancing agent. For the surfactant-based remedial technologies, the adsorption behaviors of surfactants onto soil, the solubilizing capability of surfactants, and the toxicity and biocompatibility of surfactants are important considerations. Surfactants can enhance desorption of pollutants from soil, and promote bioremediation of organics by increasing bioavailability of pollutants. The removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from soils involves the mechanisms of dissolution, surfactant-associated complexation, and ionic exchange. In addition to the conventional ionic and nonionic surfactants, gemini surfactants and biosurfactants are also applied to soil remediation due to their benign features like lower critical micelle concentration (CMC) values and better biocompatibility. Mixed surfactant systems and combined use of surfactants with other additives are often adopted to improve the overall performance of soil washing solution for decontamination. Worldwide the field studies and full-scale remediation using surfactant-based technologies are yet limited, however, the already known cases reveal the good prospect of applying surfactant-based technologies to soil remediation.

Roentgenographic findings in hyaline membrane disease treated with exogenous surfactant: comparison with control group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sun Kyoung; Lim, Chae Ha; Lim, Woo Young; Kim, Young Sook; Byen, Ju Nam; Oh, Jae Hee; Kim, Young Chul

1997-01-01

To compare, with the use of chest radiographic findings, improvement and complications in newborns treated with exogenous surfactant for hyaline membrane disease (HMD), and an untreated control group. Thirty-six patients with HMD were randomly assigned to a control group (n=18) or surfactant treated group (n=18). As part of an initial evaluation of their pulmonary status, we then performed a retrospective statistical analysis of chest radiographic findings obtained in exogenous surfactant treated and untreated infants within the first 90 minutes of life. Subsequent examinations were performed at less than 24 hours of age. Chest radiograph before treatment showed no significant differences between the two groups, but significant improvement was noted in the surfactant treated group, in contrast to the control group. The most common chest radiographic finding after surfactant administration was uniform (n=15) or disproportionate (n=2) improvement of pulmonary aeration. Patent ductus arteriosus developed in three treated neonates and in four cases in the control group. Air leak occurred in three cases in the treated group and in five cases in the control group. In one treated patient pulmonary hemorrhage developed and intracranial hemorrhage occurred in three treated neonates and in four cases in the control group. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia was developed in 6 cases of treated group and 3 cases of control group. A chest radiograph is considered to be helpful in the evaluation of improvement and complications of HMD in infants treated with surfactant

Investigation of formation constant of complex of a new synthesized tripodal ligand with Cu2+ using rank annihilation factor analysis in surfactant media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Golbedaghi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The complex formation between a newly synthesized tripodal ligand and the cation Cu2+ in water and surfactant media was studied spectrophotometrically using rank annihilation factor analysis (RAFA. According to molar ratio data the stoichiometry of complexation between the ligand and the cation Cu2+ was 1:1. Formation constant of this complex was derived using RAFA on spectrophotometric data. The performance of the method has been evaluated by using synthetic data. Also concentration and spectral profiles of ligand and complex can be obtained by using the stability constant and appropriate equations. The effect of surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB and Triton X-100 on complex formation constant of Cu2+ with the ligand was investigated.

Superconducting Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films from metallo-organic complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruber, H.; Krautz, E.; Fritzer, H.P.; Popitsch, A.

1991-01-01

Thin films in the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system are produced by decomposition of organic precursor compounds containing different metallo-organic complexes. The superconducting phase identified is Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x on (100)-MgO single crystal substrates, polycrystalline Au- and Ag-ribbons and Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10+x on Ag-ribbons. For the 2212-phase a zero resistance temperature of 79 K is found. The 2223-samples on Ag-ribbons show a broad transition at 110 K with a zero resistance at 85 K. SEM and EDX are used for the detection of the microstructure and composition of the prepared films. (orig.)

Vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of pulmonary surfactant-associated proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rannels, S.R.; Gallaher, K.J.; Wallin, R.; Rannels, D.E.

1987-01-01

Rat type II pneumocytes expressed vitamin K-dependent carboxylase activity that incorporated 14 CO 2 into microsomal protein precursors of molecular weights similar to those of surfactant-associated proteins (SAP). Compared to carboxylated precursor proteins present in the liver, these molecules appeared to be unique to the lung. Antibodies raised against purified rat surfactant reacted with SAP resolved by NaDodSO 4 /PAGE and with surfactant-containing lamellar bodies in type II pneumocyte cytoplasm. NaDodSO 4 /PAGE of microsomal proteins, after carboxylase-catalyzed incorporation of 14 CO 2 , demonstrated radiolabeled, immunoreactive products identical to SAP. The presence of γ-carboxyglutamic acid in these proteins was confirmed by HPLC analysis of SAP hydrolysates. Furthermore, lung carboxylase activity and SAP matured over similar time courses during fetal lung development. These results show that SAP are carboxylated by type II cells via a vitamin K-dependent pathway analogous to that for hepatic carboxylation of clotting factors. Further analogy to the clotting system suggest that γ-carboxyglutamic acid residues in SAP polypeptides play a role in Ca 2+ binding and thus in the known requirements for both cation and SAP in the physiological function of pulmonary surfactant

Interactions of structurally modified surfactants with reservoir minerals: Calorimetric, spectroscopic and electrokinetic study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somasundaran, P.; Sivakumar, A.; Xu, Q.

1991-03-01

The objective of this project is to elucidate mechanisms of adsorption of structurally modified surfactants on reservoir minerals and to develop a full understanding of the effect of the surfactant structure on the nature of the adsorbed layers at the molecular level. An additional aim is to study the adsorption of surfactant mixtures on simple well-characterized minerals and on complex minerals representing real conditions. The practical goal of these studies is the identification of the optimum surfactant structures and their combinations for micellar flooding. In this work, the experiments on adsorption were focussed on the position of sulfonate and methyl groups on the aromatic ring of alkyl xylene sulfonates. A multi-pronged approach consisting of calorimetry, electrokinetics, wettability and spectroscopy is planned to elucidate the adsorption mechanism of surfactants and their mixtures on minerals such as alumina and kaolinite. 32 refs., 15 figs., 7 tabs.

Surfactant-Polymer Interaction for Improved Oil Recovery; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabitto, Jorge; Mohanty, Kishore K.

2002-01-01

The goal of this research was to use the interaction between a surfactant and a polymer for efficient displacement of tertiary oil by improving slug integrity, oil solubility in the displacing fluid and mobility control. Surfactant-polymer flooding has been shown to be highly effective in laboratory-scale linear floods. The focus of this proposal is to design an inexpensive surfactant-polymer mixture that can efficiently recover tertiary oil by avoiding surfactant slug degradation and viscous/heterogeneity fingering

Surfactant properties of human meibomian lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudgil, Poonam; Millar, Thomas J

2011-03-25

Human meibomian lipids are the major part of the lipid layer of the tear film. Their surfactant properties enable their spread across the aqueous layer and help maintain a stable tear film. The purpose of this study was to investigate surfactant properties of human meibomian lipids in vitro and to determine effects of different physical conditions such as temperature and increased osmolarity, such as occur in dry eye, on these properties. Human meibomian lipids were spread on an artificial tear solution in a Langmuir trough. The lipid films were compressed and expanded to record the surface pressure-area (Π-A) isocycles. The isocycles were recorded under different physical conditions such as high pressure, increasing concentration and size of divalent cations, increasing osmolarity, and varying temperature. Π-A isocycles of meibomian lipids showed that they form liquid films that are compressible and multilayered. The isocycles were unaffected by increasing concentration or size of divalent cations and increasing osmolarity in the subphase. Temperature had a marked effect on the lipids. Increase in temperature caused lipid films to become fluid, an expected feature, but decrease in temperature unexpectedly caused expansion of lipids and an increase in pressure suggesting enhanced surfactant properties. Human meibomian lipids form highly compressible, non-collapsible, multilayered liquid films. These lipids have surfactants that allow them to spread across an aqueous subphase. Their surfactant properties are unaffected by increasing divalent cations or hyperosmolarity but are sensitive to temperature. Cooling of meibomian lipids enhances their surfactant properties.

Factors affecting responses of infants with respiratory distress syndrome to exogenous surfactant therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, N K

1993-02-01

Approximately 20% to 30% of infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) do not respond to surfactant replacement therapy. Unfortunately there is no uniform definition of 'response' or 'non-response' to surfactant therapy. Response was based on improvement in a/A PO2 and/or mean airway pressure (MAP) by some and on improvement in FIO2 and/or MAP by others. Even the point of time at which evaluation of response was done is different in various reports. There is an urgent need to adopt an uniform definition. Most premature babies are surfactant deficient which is the aetiological factor of RDS. Generally good antenatal care and perinatal management are essential in avoidance of premature birth. Babies with lung hypoplasia and who are extremely premature (less than 24 weeks of gestation) do not respond well to exogenous surfactant replacement because of structural immaturity. Prompt management of asphyxiated birth and shock are necessary as there may be negative response to surfactant replacement. Foetal exposure to glucocorticoids improves responsiveness to postnatal administration of surfactant. Antenatal steroid therapy has become an important part of management of RDS with surfactant replacement. The premature lungs with high alveolar permeability tend to develop pulmonary oedema. With the presence of plasma-derived surfactant inhibitors, the response to exogenous surfactant may be affected. These inhibitors may also be released following ventilator barotrauma. The standard of neonatal intensive care such as ventilatory techniques has an important bearing on the outcome of the RDS babies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Surfactant selection for a liquid foam-bed photobioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Janoska, Agnes; Vázquez, María; Janssen, Marcel; Wijffels, René H; Cuaresma, María; Vílchez, Carlos

2018-02-01

A novel liquid foam-bed photobioreactor has been shown to hold potential as an innovative technology for microalgae production. In this study, a foam stabilizing agent has been selected which fits the requirements of use in a liquid foam-bed photobioreactor. Four criteria were used for an optimal surfactant: the surfactant should have good foaming properties, should not be rapidly biodegradable, should drag up microalgae in the foam formed, and it should not be toxic for microalgae. Ten different surfactants (nonionic, cationic, and anionic) and two microalgae genera (Chlorella and Scenedesmus) were compared on the above-mentioned criteria. The comparison showed the following facts. Firstly, poloxameric surfactants (Pluronic F68 and Pluronic P84) have acceptable foaming properties described by intermediate foam stability and liquid holdup and small bubble size. Secondly, the natural surfactants (BSA and Saponin) and Tween 20 were easily biodegraded by bacteria within 3 days. Thirdly, for all surfactants tested the microalgae concentration is reduced in the foam phase compared to the liquid phase with exception of the cationic surfactant CTAB. Lastly, only BSA, Saponin, Tween 20, and the two Pluronics were not toxic at concentrations of 10 CMC or higher. The findings of this study indicate that the Pluronics (F68 and P84) are the best surfactants regarding the above-mentioned criteria. Since Pluronic F68 performed slightly better, this surfactant is recommended for application in a liquid foam-bed photobioreactor. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2018. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Environmental Safety of the Use of Major Surfactant Classes in North America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cowan-Ellsberry, Christina; Sanderson, Hans; Belanger, Scott

2014-01-01

to the aquatic or sediment environments. This paper also highlights the many years of research that the surfactant and cleaning products industry has supported, as part of their environmental sustainability commitment, to improve environmental tools, approaches, and develop innovative methods appropriate...... to address environmental properties of personal care and cleaning product chemicals, many of which have become approved international standard methods.......This paper brings together over 250 published and unpublished studies on the environmental properties, fate and toxicity of the four major, high volume surfactant classes and relevant feedstocks. The surfactants and feedstocks covered include alcohol sulfate (AS), alcohol ethoxysulfate (AES...

History of surfactant up to 1980.

Science.gov (United States)

Obladen, Michael

2005-01-01

Remarkable insight into disturbed lung mechanics of preterm infants was gained in the 18th and 19th century by the founders of obstetrics and neonatology who not only observed respiratory failure but also designed devices to treat it. Surfactant research followed a splendid and largely logical growth curve. Pathological changes in the immature lung were characterized in Germany by Virchow in 1854 and by Hochheim in 1903. The Swiss physiologist von Neergard fully understood surfactant function in 1929, but his paper was ignored for 25 years. The physical properties of surfactant were recognized in the early 1950s from research on warfare chemicals by Pattle in Britain and by Radford and Clements in the United States. The causal relationship of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and surfactant deficiency was established in the USA by Avery and Mead in 1959. The Australian obstetrician Liggins induced lung maturity with glucocorticoids in 1972, but his discovery was not fully believed for another 20 years. A century of basic research was rewarded when Fujiwara introduced surfactant substitution in Japan in 1980 for treatment and prevention of RDS. Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Theoretical and Simulations-Based Modeling of Micellization in Linear and Branched Surfactant Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mendenhall, Jonathan D.

's and other micellization properties for a variety of linear and branched surfactant chemical architectures which are commonly encountered in practice. Single-component surfactant solutions are investigated, in order to clarify the specific contributions of the surfactant head and tail to the free energy of micellization, a quantity which determines the cmc and all other aspects of micellization. First, a molecular-thermodynamic (MT) theory is presented which makes use of bulk-phase thermodynamics and a phenomenological thought process to describe the energetics related to the formation of a micelle from its constituent surfactant monomers. Second, a combined computer-simulation/molecular-thermodynamic (CSMT) framework is discussed which provides a more detailed quantification of the hydrophobic effect using molecular dynamics simulations. A novel computational strategy to identify surfactant head and tail using an iterative dividing surface approach, along with simulated micelle results, is proposed. Force-field development for novel surfactant structures is also discussed. Third, a statistical-thermodynamic, single-chain, mean-field theory for linear and branched tail packing is formulated, which enables quantification of the specific energetic penalties related to confinement and constraint of surfactant tails within micelles. Finally, these theoretical and simulations-based strategies are used to predict the micellization behavior of 55 linear surfactants and 28 branched surfactants. Critical micelle concentration and optimal micelle properties are reported and compared with experiment, demonstrating good agreement across a range of surfactant head and tail types. In particular, the CSMT framework is found to provide improved agreement with experimental cmc's for the branched surfactants considered. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - docs mit.edu)

Adsorption of anionic surfactants in limestone medium during oil recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Canbolat, Serhat; Bagci, Suat [Middle East Technical Univ., Dept. of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Ankara (Turkey)

2004-07-15

Foam-forming surfactant performance was evaluated by several experimental methods (interfacial tension, foam stability, corefloods) using commercial surfactants. There is considerable interest in the use of foam-forming surfactants for mobility control in water flood. To provide effective mobility control, the injected surfactant must propagate from the injection well toward the production well. One of the important parameters affecting propagation of foam-forming surfactant through the reservoir is the retention of surfactant due to its adsorption on reservoir rock. The determination of the adsorption of foam-forming surfactants in limestone reservoirs is important for the residual oil recovery efficiency. Adsorption measurements, recovery efficiencies, and surfactant and alkaline flooding experiments carried out with the representative of the selected surfactants alkaline solutions, linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid (LABSA), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), and NaOH in a limestone medium. These surfactants were selected with respect to their foaming ability. Calibration curves formed by pH measurements were used to determine the correct adsorption amount of the used surfactants and recovery efficiency of these surfactants compared with base waterflooding. The results showed that LABSA adsorbed more than SLES in limestone reservoirs. The recovery efficiency of SLES was higher than the recovery efficiency of LABSA, and they decreased the recovery efficiency with respect to only the water injection case. (Author)

Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Xuhui; Jiang, Rui; Xiao, Wei; Yu, Jiaguo

2015-03-21

Due to the great harm caused by soil contamination, there is an increasing interest to apply surfactants to the remediation of a variety of contaminated soils worldwide. This review article summarizes the findings of recent literatures regarding remediation of contaminated soils/sites using surfactants as an enhancing agent. For the surfactant-based remedial technologies, the adsorption behaviors of surfactants onto soil, the solubilizing capability of surfactants, and the toxicity and biocompatibility of surfactants are important considerations. Surfactants can enhance desorption of pollutants from soil, and promote bioremediation of organics by increasing bioavailability of pollutants. The removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from soils involves the mechanisms of dissolution, surfactant-associated complexation, and ionic exchange. In addition to the conventional ionic and nonionic surfactants, gemini surfactants and biosurfactants are also applied to soil remediation due to their benign features like lower critical micelle concentration (CMC) values and better biocompatibility. Mixed surfactant systems and combined use of surfactants with other additives are often adopted to improve the overall performance of soil washing solution for decontamination. Worldwide the field studies and full-scale remediation using surfactant-based technologies are yet limited, however, the already known cases reveal the good prospect of applying surfactant-based technologies to soil remediation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Silica micro- and nanoparticles reduce the toxicity of surfactant solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos, Francisco; Fernández-Arteaga, Alejandro; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes; Jurado, Encarnación; Lechuga, Manuela

2018-04-20

In this work, the toxicity of hydrophilic fumed silica micro- and nanoparticles of various sizes (7 nm, 12 nm, and 50 μm) was evaluated using the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri. In addition, the toxicity of an anionic surfactant solution (ether carboxylic acid), a nonionic surfactant solution (alkyl polyglucoside), and a binary (1:1) mixture of these solutions all containing these silica particles was evaluated. Furthermore, this work discusses the adsorption of surfactants onto particle surfaces and evaluates the effects of silica particles on the surface tension and critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these anionic and nonionic surfactants. It was determined that silica particles can be considered as non-toxic and that silica particles reduce the toxicity of surfactant solutions. Nevertheless, the toxicity reduction depends on the ionic character of the surfactants. Differences can be explained by the different adsorption behavior of surfactants onto the particle surface, which is weaker for nonionic surfactants than for anionic surfactants. Regarding the effects on surface tension, it was found that silica particles increased the surface activity of anionic surfactants and considerably reduced their CMC, whereas in the case of nonionic surfactants, the effects were reversed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical and genetic characterization of a novel metallo-β-lactamase from marine bacterium Erythrobacter litoralis HTCC 2594.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Xia-Wei; Cheng, Hong; Huo, Ying-Yi; Xu, Lin; Wu, Yue-Hong; Liu, Wen-Hong; Tao, Fang-Fang; Cui, Xin-Jie; Zheng, Bei-Wen

2018-01-16

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are a group of enzymes that can inactivate most commonly used β-lactam-based antibiotics. Among MBLs, New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) constitutes an urgent threat to public health as evidenced by its success in rapidly disseminating worldwide since its first discovery. Here we report the biochemical and genetic characteristics of a novel MBL, ElBla2, from the marine bacterium Erythrobacter litoralis HTCC 2594. This enzyme has a higher amino acid sequence similarity to NDM-1 (56%) than any previously reported MBL. Enzymatic assays and secondary structure alignment also confirmed the high similarity between these two enzymes. Whole genome comparison of four Erythrobacter species showed that genes located upstream and downstream of elbla2 were highly conserved, which may indicate that elbla2 was lost during evolution. Furthermore, we predicted two prophages, 13 genomic islands and 25 open reading frames related to insertion sequences in the genome of E. litoralis HTCC 2594. However, unlike NDM-1, the chromosome encoded ElBla2 did not locate in or near these mobile genetic elements, indicating that it cannot transfer between strains. Finally, following our phylogenetic analysis, we suggest a reclassification of E. litoralis HTCC 2594 as a novel species: Erythrobacter sp. HTCC 2594.

Evaluation of bacterial growth inhibition by mercaptopropionic acid in metallo-β-lactamase detection on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Letícia Eichstaedt; Hörner, Rosmari; Tizotti, Maisa Kräulich; Martini, Rosiéli; Roehrs, Magda Cristina Souza Marques; Kempfer, Cláudia Barbisan

2012-01-01

Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) has been reported all over the world. The inhibitory effect of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) on bacterial growth was evaluated by comparison between disk diffusion and broth dilution methodology with determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanni strains. MPA significantly inhibited growth of the strains. The use of MPA can affect the results in phenotypic methods of MBL detection.

Synergism and Physicochemical Properties of Anionic/Amphoteric Surfactant Mixtures with Nonionic Surfactant of Amine Oxide Type

Science.gov (United States)

Blagojević, S. M.; Pejić, N. D.; Blagojević, S. N.

2017-12-01

The physicochemical properties of initial formulation, that is anionic/amphoteric surfactants mixture SLES/AOS/CAB (sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), α-olefin sulfonates (AOS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB) at ratio 80 : 15 : 5) with nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type (lauramine oxide (AO)) in various concentration (1-5%) were studied. To characterize the surfactants mixture, the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension (γ), foam volume, biodegradability and irritability were determined. This study showed that adding of AO in those mixtures lowered both γ and CMC as well as enhanced SLES/AOS/CAB foaming properties, but did not significantly affect biodegradability and irritability of initial formulation. Moreover, an increase in AO concentration has a meaningful synergistic effect on the initial formulation properties. All those results indicates that a nonionic surfactant of amine oxide type significantly improves the performance of anionic/amphoteric mixed micelle systems, and because of that anionic/amphoteric/nonionic mixture can be used in considerably lower concentrations as a cleaning formulation.

Synthesis of nanosized (polymerization in miniemulsion employing in situ surfactant formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yi; Zetterlund, Per B

2011-10-18

A novel method for synthesis of ultrafine polymeric nanoparticles of diameters less than 20 nm has been developed. The method is based on miniemulsion polymerization exploiting combination of the in situ surfactant generation approach (whereby the surfactant is formed at the oil-water interface by reaction between an organic acid and a base) and ultrasonication. Conventional radical polymerization and nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of styrene have been conducted in miniemulsion using oleic acid/potassium hydroxide, demonstrating that particles with diameters less than 20 nm can be obtained by this approach at surfactant contents much lower than traditionally required in microemulsion polymerizations. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Trapping and Characterization of a Reaction Intermediate in Carbapenem Hydrolysis by B. cereus Metallo-β-lactamase

Science.gov (United States)

Tioni, Mariana F.; Llarrull, Leticia I.; Poeylaut-Palena, Andrés A.; Martí, Marcelo A.; Saggu, Miguel; Periyannan, Gopal R.; Mata, Ernesto G.; Bennett, Brian; Murgida, Daniel H.; Vila, Alejandro J.

2009-01-01

Metallo-β-lactamases hydrolyze most β-lactam antibiotics. The lack of a successful inhibitor for them is related to the previous failure to characterize a reaction intermediate with a clinically useful substrate. Stopped-flow experiments together with rapid freeze-quench EPR and Raman spectroscopies were used to characterize the reaction of Co(II)-BcII with imipenem. These studies show that Co(II)-BcII is able to hydrolyze imipenem both in the mono- and dinuclear forms. In contrast to the situation met for penicillin, the species that accumulates during turnover is an enzyme-intermediate adduct in which the β-lactam bond has already been cleaved. This intermediate is a metal-bound anionic species, with a novel resonant structure, that is stabilized by the metal ion at the DCH or Zn2 site. This species has been characterized based on its spectroscopic features. This represents a novel, previously unforeseen intermediate, that is related to the chemical nature of carbapenems, as confirmed by the finding of a similar intermediate for meropenem. Since carbapenems are the only substrates cleaved by B1, B2 and B3 lactamases, the identification of this intermediate could be exploited as a first step towards the design of transition state based inhibitors for all three classes of metallo-β-lactamases. PMID:18980308

Alcohol--Induced Polyelectrolyte-Surfactant Complex Coacervate Systems: Characterization and Applications in Enzyme and Protein Extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Nejati Moshtaghin, Mahboubeh

The focus of this thesis is to achieve a better understanding of the newly discovered surfactant-polyelectrolyte complex coacervate (SPCC) systems induced by fluoroalcohol/acid as well as short chain aliphatic alcohol; and to elucidate their applications in extraction and enrichment of proteins and enzyme. We have discovered that fluoroalcohols and --acids induce complex coacervation and phase separation in the aqueous mixtures of oppositely charged anionic polyelectrolytes; specifically, sodium salts of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid and cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) over a broad range of concentrations of mole fractions of the oppositely charged amphiphiles. Accordingly, these new classes of coacervators will significantly broaden the scope and facilitate engineering of new coacervate phases. Toward these goals, we have inspected the formation of surfactant-polyelectrolyte complex coacervates in the presence of fluoroalcohols namely hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and Trifluoroethanol (TFE). Furthermore, the extent of coacervation as a function of concentrations the system components, and charge ratios of the oppositely charged amphiphiles has been investigated. Polyelectrolytes are considered to be milder reagents, as compared to surfactants, regarding proteins denaturation. This highlights the importance of a detailed investigation of the efficiency of our coacervate systems for extraction and preconcentration of proteins and enzymes, especially, when the biological activity of the extracted proteins needs to be maintained based on the objectives mentioned above, the results of the investigations have been organized in four chapters. In Chapter II, the phase behavior of the FA-SPCC will be investigated. The objective is to examine the phase behavior and phase properties with respect to the extent of coacervation in different solution conditions. In particular, the effects of different solution variables such as concentration

Impact of surfactants on the target recognition of Fab-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Patrick J; Perreira, Ines; Ferreira, Daniel; Nestor, Marika; Oliveira, Carla; Granja, Pedro L; Sarmento, Bruno

2018-06-01

Targeted drug delivery with nanoparticles (NPs) requires proper surface ligand presentation and availability. Surfactants are often used as stabilizers in the production of targeted NPs. Here, we evaluated the impact of surfactants on ligand functionalization and downstream molecular recognition. Our model system consisted of fluorescent poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs that were nanoprecipitated in one of a small panel of commonly-used surfactants followed by equivalent washes and conjugation of an engineered Fab antibody fragment. Size, polydispersity index and zeta potential were determined by dynamic light scattering and laser Doppler anemometry, and Fab presence on the NPs was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Most importantly, Fab-decorated NP binding to the cell surface receptor was monitored by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. 2% polyvinyl alcohol, 1% sodium cholate, 0.5% Pluronic F127 (F127) and 2% Tween-80 were initially tested. Of the four surfactants tested, PLGA NPs in 0.5% F127 and 2% Tween-80 had the highest cell binding. These two surfactants were then retested in two different concentrations, 0.5% and 2%. The Fab-decorated PLGA NPs in 2% F127 had the highest cell binding. This study highlights the impact of common surfactants and their concentrations on the downstream targeting of ligand-decorated NPs. Similar principles should be applied in the development of future targeted nanosystems where surfactants are employed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surfactants enhance recovery of poorly soluble drugs during microdialysis sampling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koplin, Sebastian; Kumpugdee-Vollrath, Mont; Bauer-Brandl, Annette

2017-01-01

Aim of this project was to investigate the applicability of a recently developed in vitro microdialysis-sampling approach in connection with a dissolution-/permeation (D/P) system, especially the impact of surfactants within the perfusion fluid. The D/P-system is based on side-by-side chambers...... drug-dissolution (-release) and drug permeation. Furthermore, it should allow quantification of the unbound (free) drug concentration. In the first step, it was assessed, if the addition of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) to the perfusate of the microdialysis system affects...... celecoxib, i.e. the fraction of drug, which is not associated with taurocholate surfactant micelles. In buffer, the measured concentrations matched the overall CXB concentrations. By the use of SDS-containing perfusates microdialysis sampling enabled reliable quantification of minute amounts of free CXB...

Charging and Screening in Nonpolar Solutions of Nonionizable Surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Behrens, Sven

2010-03-01

Nonpolar liquids do not easily accommodate electric charges, but surfactant additives are often found to dramatically increase the solution conductivity and promote surface charging of suspended colloid particles. Such surfactant-mediated electrostatic effects have been associated with equilibrium charge fluctuations among reverse surfactant micelles and in some cases with the statistically rare ionization of individual surfactant molecules. Here we present experimental evidence that even surfactants without any ionizable group can mediate charging and charge screening in nonpolar oils, and that they can do so at surfactant concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Precision conductometry, light scattering, and Karl-Fischer titration of sorbitan oleate solutions in hexane, paired with electrophoretic mobility measurements on suspended polymer particles, reveal a distinctly electrostatic action of the surfactant. We interpret our observations in terms of a charge fluctuation model and argue that the observed charging processes are likely facilitated, but not limited, by the presence of ionizable impurities.

Is surfactant a promising additive drug in ALI/ARDS-patients?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schultz, MJ; Kesecioglu, J

The rationale for surfactant replacement therapy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is to restore the normal composition of the surfactant system, as well as to overcome ongoing inactivation of present surfactant. Indeed, surfactant replacement therapy call normalize the

Is surfactant a promising additive drug in ALI/ARDS-patients?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schultz, Marcus J.; Kesecioglu, Jozef

2004-01-01

The rationale for surfactant replacement therapy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is to restore the normal composition of the surfactant system, as well as to overcome ongoing inactivation of present surfactant. Indeed, surfactant replacement therapy call normalize the

Maintained inspiratory activity during proportional assist ventilation in surfactant-depleted cats early after surfactant instillation: phrenic nerve and pulmonary stretch receptor activity

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Schaller Peter

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inspiratory activity is a prerequisite for successful application of patient triggered ventilation such as proportional assist ventilation (PAV. It has recently been reported that surfactant instillation increases the activity of slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (PSRs followed by a shorter inspiratory time (Sindelar et al, J Appl Physiol, 2005 [Epub ahead of print]. Changes in lung mechanics, as observed in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome and after surfactant treatment, might therefore influence the inspiratory activity when applying PAV early after surfactant treatment. Objective To investigate the regulation of breathing and ventilatory response in surfactant-depleted young cats during PAV and during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP early after surfactant instillation in relation to phrenic nerve activity (PNA and the activity of PSRs. Methods Seven anesthetized, endotracheally intubated young cats were exposed to periods of CPAP and PAV with the same end-expiratory pressure (0.2–0.5 kPa before and after lung lavage and after surfactant instillation. PAV was set to compensate for 75% of the lung elastic recoil. Results Tidal volume and respiratory rate were higher with lower PaCO2 and higher PaO2 during PAV than during CPAP both before and after surfactant instillation (p Conclusion PSR activity and the control of breathing are maintained during PAV in surfactant-depleted cats early after surfactant instillation, with a higher ventilatory response and a lower breathing effort than during CPAP.

Ecotoxicological characterization of polyoxyethylene glycerol ester non-ionic surfactants and their mixtures with anionic and non-ionic surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos, Francisco; Fernández-Arteaga, Alejandro; Lechuga, Manuela; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes

2017-04-01

This paper reports on a study that investigated the aquatic toxicity of new non-ionic surfactants derived from renewable raw materials, polyoxyethylene glycerol ester (PGE), and their binary mixtures with anionic and non-ionic surfactants. Toxicity of pure PGEs was determined using representative organisms from different trophic levels: luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), microalgae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata), and freshwater crustaceans (Daphnia magna). Relationships between toxicity and the structural parameters such as unit of ethylene oxide (EO) and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) were evaluated. Critical micellar concentration (CMC) in the conditions of the toxicity test was also determined. It was found that the toxicity of the aqueous solutions of PGE decreased when the number of EO units in the molecule, HLB, and CMC increased. PGEs showed lower CMC in marine medium, and the toxicity to V. ficheri is lower when the CMC was higher. Given their non-polar nature, narcosis was expected to be the primary mode of toxic action of PGEs. For the mixture of surfactants, we observed that the mixtures with PGE that had the higher numbers of EO units were more toxic than the aqueous solutions of pure surfactants. Moreover, we found that concentration addition was the type of action more likely to occur for mixtures of PGE with lower numbers of EO units with non-ionic surfactants (alkylpolyglucoside and fatty alcohol ethoxylate), whereas for the mixture of PGE with lower EO units and anionic surfactant (ether carboxylic derivative), the most common response type was response addition. In case of mixtures involving amphoteric surfactants and PGEs with the higher numbers of EO units, no clear pattern with regard to the mixture toxicity response type could be observed.

Synthesis and properties evaluation of sulfobetaine surfactant with double hydroxyl

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ming; Luo, Gang; Zhang, Ze; Li, Sisi; Wang, Chengwen

2017-09-01

A series of sulfobetaine surfactants {N-[(3-alkoxy-2-hydroxyl)propoxy] ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyl)propyl sulfonate} ammonium chloride were synthesized with raw materials containing linear saturated alcohol, N,N-dimethylethanolamine, sodium 3-chloro-2-hydroxyl propane sulfonic acid and epichlorohydrin. The molecule structures of sulfobetaine surfactants were characterized by FTIR, 1HNMR and elemental analysis. Surface tension measurements can provide us information about the surface tension at the CMC (γCMC), pC20, Γmax and Amin. The pC20 values of sulfobetaine surfactants increase with the hydrophobic chain length increasing. Amin values of the surfactants decrease with increasing hydrophobic chain length from 10 to 14. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) and surface tension (γCMC) values of the sulfobetaine surfactants decrease with increasing hydrophobic chain length from 10 to 16. The lipophilicity of surfactant was enhanced with the increase of the carbon chain, however, the ability of anti-hard water was weakened. The minimum oil/water interfacial tension of four kinds of sulfobetaine surfactants is 10-2-10-3 mN/m magnitude, which indicates that the synthesized bis-hydroxy sulfobetaine surfactants have a great ability to reduce interfacial tension in the surfactant flooding system. The surface tension (γCMC) values of synthesized surfactants were lower compared with conventional anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfonate.

Surfactant treatment before first breath for respiratory distress syndrome in preterm lambs: comparison of a peptide-containing synthetic lung surfactant with porcine-derived surfactant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Zyl JM

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Johann M van Zyl,1 Johan Smith2 1Division of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa; 2Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa Background: In a recent study utilizing a saline-lavaged adult rabbit model, we described a significant improvement in systemic oxygenation and pulmonary shunt after the instillation of a novel synthetic peptide-containing surfactant, Synsurf. Respiratory distress syndrome in the preterm lamb more closely resembles that of the human infant, as their blood gas, pH values, and lung mechanics deteriorate dramatically from birth despite ventilator support. Moreover, premature lambs have lungs which are mechanically unstable, with the advantage of being able to measure multiple variables over extended periods. Our objective in this study was to investigate if Synsurf leads to improved systemic oxygenation, lung mechanics, and histology in comparison to the commercially available porcine-derived lung surfactant Curosurf® when administered before first breath in a preterm lamb model. Materials and methods: A Cesarean section was performed under general anesthesia on 18 time-dated pregnant Dohne Merino ewes at 129–130 days gestation. The premature lambs were delivered and ventilated with an expiratory tidal volume of 6–8 mL/kg for the first 30 minutes and thereafter at 8–10 mL/kg. In a randomized controlled trial, the two surfactants tested were Synsurf and Curosurf®, both at a dose of 100 mg/kg phospholipids (1,2-dipalmitoyl-L-α-phosphatidylcholine; 90% in Synsurf, 40% in Curosurf®. A control group of animals was treated with normal saline. Measurements of physiological variables, blood gases, and lung mechanics were made before and after surfactant and saline replacement and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180

Surfactant use with nitrate-based bioremediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, B.H.; Hutchins, S.R.; West, C.C.

1995-01-01

This study presents results of an initial survey on the effect of six surfactants on the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in bioremediation applications using nitrate as the electron acceptor. Aquifer material from Park City, Kansas, was used for the study. The three atomic surfactants chosen were Steol CS-330, Dowfax 8390 and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS); the three nonionic surfactants were T-MAZ-60, Triton X-100, and Igepal CO-660. Both Steol CS-330 and T-MAZ-60 biodegraded under denitrifying conditions. The Steol inhibited biodegradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes (BTEXTMB). Only toluene was rapidly degraded in the presence of T-MAZ-60. Biodegradation of all compounds, including toluene, appears to be inhibited by Dowfax 8390 and SDBS. No biodegradation of Dowfax 8390 or SDBS was observed. SDBS inhibited denitrification, but Dowfax 8390 did not. For the microcosms containing Triton X-100 or Igepal CO-660, removal of toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, 1,3,5-TMB, and 1,2,4-TMB were similar to their removals in the no-surfactant treatment. These two surfactants did not biodegrade, did not inhibit biodegradation of the alkylbenzenes, and did not inhibit denitrification. Further studies are continuing with aquifer material from Eglin Air Force Base

Foaming behaviour of polymer-surfactant solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cervantes-MartInez, Alfredo; Maldonado, Amir

2007-01-01

We study the effect of a non-ionic amphiphilic polymer (PEG-100 stearate also called Myrj 59) on the foaming behaviour of aqueous solutions of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate or SDS). The SDS concentration was kept fixed while the Myrj 59 concentration was varied. Measurements of foamability, surface tension and electrical conductivity were carried out. The results show two opposite effects depending on the polymer concentration: foamability is higher when the Myrj 59 concentration is low; however, it decreases considerably when the polymer concentration is increased. This behaviour is due to the polymer adsorption at the air/liquid interface at lower polymer concentrations, and to the formation of a polymer-surfactant complex in the bulk at higher concentrations. The results are confirmed by surface tension and electrical conductivity measurements, which are interpreted in terms of the microstructure of the polymer-surfactant solutions. The observed behaviour is due to the amphiphilic nature of the studied polymer. The increased hydrophobicity of Myrj 59, compared to that of water-soluble polymers like PEG or PEO, increases its 'reactivity' towards SDS, i.e. the strength of its interaction with this anionic surfactant. Our results show that hydrophobically modified polymers have potential applications as additives in order to control the foaming properties of surfactant solutions

Studies on interfacial tension and contact angle of synthesized surfactant and polymeric from castor oil for enhanced oil recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Babu, Keshak; Pal, Nilanjan; Bera, Achinta; Saxena, V. K.; Mandal, Ajay

2015-10-01

New synthesized polymeric surfactants have immensely attracted the researchers for further development of chemical enhanced oil recovery method particularly in surfactant flooding. Contact angle and interfacial tension measurement tests are the effective ways to identify proper chemicals/surfactants for enhanced oil recovery by chemical/surfactant flooding. In the present study a new polymeric surfactant was synthesized from pre-synthesized sodium methyl ester sulfonate (surfactant) and acrylamide for application in chemical enhanced oil recovery. The synthesized surfactant and polymeric surfactant were used to measure interfacial tension between their aqueous phase and crude oil phase to investigate the efficiency of the surfactants in reduction of interfacial tension. The synthesized polymeric surfactant has also ability to control the mobility because of its viscous nature in aqueous solution. Contact angles of solid-crude oil-surfactant interface were also measured to study the effect of the synthesized surfactant and polymeric surfactant on wettability alteration mechanism. Synergistic effect was studied by using NaCl and synthesized surfactants on interfacial tension. Dynamic interfacial tensions of the surfactant and polymeric surfactant solutions with crude oil were measured at different NaCl concentrations. Interfacial tension was found to be lowered up to 10-2 to 10-3 mN/m which is effective for oil recovery. Measurement of contact angle indicates the wettability change of the quartz surface. Comparative studies on efficiencies of synthesized sodium methyl ester sulfonate surfactant and polymeric surfactant were also carried out with respect to interfacial tension reduction and contact angle change.

Surfactant Sensors in Biotechnology; Part 1 – Electrochemical Sensors

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Milan Sak-Bosnar

2004-01-01

Full Text Available An overview on electrochemical surfactant sensors is given with special attention to papers published since 1993. The importance of surfactants in modern biotechnology is stressed out. Electrochemical sensors are usually divided according to the measured physical quantity to potentiometric, amperometric, conductometric and impedimetric surfactant sensors. The last ones are very few. Potentiometric surfactant sensors are the most numerous due to their simplicity and versatility. They can be used either as end-point titration sensors or as direct EMF measurement sensors, in batch or flow-through mode. Some amperometric surfactant sensors are true biosensors that use microorganisms or living cells.

A level-set method for two-phase flows with soluble surfactant

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jian-Jun; Shi, Weidong; Lai, Ming-Chih

2018-01-01

A level-set method is presented for solving two-phase flows with soluble surfactant. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved along with the bulk surfactant and the interfacial surfactant equations. In particular, the convection-diffusion equation for the bulk surfactant on the irregular moving domain is solved by using a level-set based diffusive-domain method. A conservation law for the total surfactant mass is derived, and a re-scaling procedure for the surfactant concentrations is proposed to compensate for the surfactant mass loss due to numerical diffusion. The whole numerical algorithm is easy for implementation. Several numerical simulations in 2D and 3D show the effects of surfactant solubility on drop dynamics under shear flow.

Two Mutations in Surfactant Protein C Gene Associated with Neonatal Respiratory Distress

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Anna Tarocco

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Multiple mutations of surfactant genes causing surfactant dysfunction have been described. Surfactant protein C (SP-C deficiency is associated with variable clinical manifestations ranging from neonatal respiratory distress syndrome to lethal lung disease. We present an extremely low birth weight male infant with an unusual course of respiratory distress syndrome associated with two mutations in the SFTPC gene: C43-7G>A and 12T>A. He required mechanical ventilation for 26 days and was treated with 5 subsequent doses of surfactant with temporary and short-term efficacy. He was discharged at 37 weeks of postconceptional age without any respiratory support. During the first 16 months of life he developed five respiratory infections that did not require hospitalization. Conclusion. This mild course in our patient with two mutations is peculiar because the outcome in patients with a single SFTPC mutation is usually poor.

Performance enhancement of NdFeB nanoflakes prepared by surfactant-assisted ball milling at low temperature by using different surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

An, Xiaoxin; Jin, Kunpeng; Wang, Fang; Fang, Qiuli; Du, Juan; Xia, Weixing; Yan, Aru; Liu, J. Ping; Zhang, Jian

2017-02-01

Hard magnetic NdFeB submicron and nanoflakes were successfully prepared by surfactant-assisted ball milling at room temperature (SABMRT) and low temperature (SABMLT) by using oleic acid (OA), oleylamine (OLA) and trioctylamine (TOA) as surfactant, respectively. Among the surfactants used, OA and OLA have similar effects on the morphology of the NdFeB nanoflakes milled at both room and low temperature. In the case of TOA, irregular micron-sized particles and submirco/nanoflakes were obtained for the NdFeB powders prepared by SABMRT and SABMLT, respectively. Samples prepared by SABMLT show better crystallinity and better degree of grain alignment than that prepared by SABMRT with the same surfactant. Comparing with the samples milled at RT, higher coercivity and larger remanence ratio were achieved in the NdFeB samples prepared at LT. The amounts of residual surfactants in final NdFeB powders were also calculated, which reveals that the final NdFeB powders milled at LT possess lower amount of residual surfactants than those milled at RT. It was found that lowering milling temperature of SABM would be a promising way for fabricating permanent magnetic materials with better hard magnetic properties.

Optimization of Surfactant Mixtures and Their Interfacial Behavior for Advanced Oil Recovery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somasundaran, Prof. P.

2002-03-04

The objective of this project was to develop a knowledge base that is helpful for the design of improved processes for mobilizing and producing oil left untapped using conventional techniques. The main goal was to develop and evaluate mixtures of new or modified surfactants for improved oil recovery. In this regard, interfacial properties of novel biodegradable n-alkyl pyrrolidones and sugar-based surfactants have been studied systematically. Emphasis was on designing cost-effective processes compatible with existing conditions and operations in addition to ensuring minimal reagent loss.

Changing the epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Brazilian teaching hospital: the replacement of São Paulo metallo-β-lactamase-producing isolates

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Felipe Lira de Sá Cavalcanti

2012-05-01

Full Text Available In Brazil, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates are closely related to the São Paulo metallo-β-lactamase (SPM Brazilian clone. In this study, imipenem-resistant isolates were divided in two sets, 2002/2003 and 2008/2009, analysed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and tested for the Ambler class B metallo-β-lactamase (MBL genes blaSPM-1, blaIMP and blaVIM. The results show a prevalence of one clone related to the SPM Brazilian clone in 2002/2003. In 2008/2009, P. aeruginosa isolates were mostly MBL negative, genetically diverse and unrelated to those that had been detected earlier. These findings suggest that the resistance to carbapenems by these recent P. aeruginosa isolates was not due to the spread of MBL-positive SPM-related clones, as often observed in Brazilian hospitals.

The energetics of mesopore formation in zeolites with surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Linares, Noemi; Jardim, Erika de Oliveira; Sachse, Alexander; Serrano, Elena; Garcia-Martinez, Javier

2018-05-02

Mesoporosity can be conveniently introduced in zeolites by treating them in basic surfactant solutions. The apparent activation energy involved in the formation of mesopores in USY via surfactant-templating was obtained through the combination of in situ synchrotron XRD and ex situ gas adsorption. Additionally, techniques such as pH measurements and TG/DTA were employed to determine the OH- evolution and the CTA+ uptake during the development of mesoporosity, providing information about the different steps involved. By combining both in situ and ex situ techniques, we have been able, for the first time, to determine the apparent activation energies of the different processes involved in the mesostructuring of USY zeolites, which are in the same order of magnitude (30 - 65 kJ mol-1) of those involved in the crystallization of zeolites. Hence, important mechanistic insights on the surfactant-templating method were obtained. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Droplet formation in microfluidic T-junction generators operating in the transitional regime. III. Dynamic surfactant effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Glawdel, Tomasz; Ren, Carolyn L

2012-08-01

This study extends our previous work on droplet generation in microfluidic T-junction generators to include dynamic interfacial tension effects created by the presence of surfactants. In Paper I [T. Glawdel, C. Elbuken, and C. L. Ren, Phys. Rev. E 85, 016322 (2012)], we presented experimental findings regarding the formation process in the squeezing-to-transition regime, and in Paper II [T. Glawdel, C. Elbuken, and C. L. Ren, Phys. Rev. E 85, 016323 (2012)] we developed a theoretical model that describes the performance of T-junction generators without surfactants. Here we study dynamic interfacial tension effects for two surfactants, one with a small molecular weight that adsorbs quickly, and the other with a large molecular weight that adsorbs slowly. Using the force balance developed in Paper II we extract the dynamic interfacial tension from high speed videos obtained during experiments. We then develop a theoretical model to predict the dynamic interfacial tension in microfluidic T-junction generators as a function of the surfactant properties, flow conditions, and generator design. This model is then incorporated into the overall model for generator performance to effectively predict the size of droplets produced when surfactants are present.

Development of alkaline/surfactant/polymer (ASP flooding technology for recovery of Karazhanbas oil

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Birzhan Zhappasbaev

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The tertiary oil recovery methods like alkaline, surfactant and polymer (ASP flooding are very perspective in order to achieve the synergetic effect out of the different impacts which are caused by these chemicals, which affect oil and water filtration in the reservoir and increase oil recovery. In this communication, we consider the applicability of hydrophobically modified polyampholyte – poly(hexadecylaminocrotonatebetaine (PHDACB as ASP flooding agent for recovery of oil from Karazhanbas oilfield. As “polysoap”, the aqueous solution of PHDACB dissolved in aqueous KOH was used. This system combines the advantages of alkaline, surfactant and polymer and exhibits the synergistic effect. The laboratory results showed that the ASP flooding considerably increases the oil recovery in addition to water flooding. In perspective, the ASP flooding may substitute the steam injection and other thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR technologies.

Poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant polymers

OpenAIRE

VACHEETHASANEE, KATANCHALEE; WANG, SHUWU; QIU, YONGXING; MARCHANT, ROGER E.

2004-01-01

We report on a series of structurally well-defined surfactant polymers that undergo surface-induced self-assembly on hydrophobic biomaterial surfaces. The surfactant polymers consist of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone with poly(ethylene oxide) and hexanal pendant groups. The poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) was synthesized by hydrolysis of poly(N-vinyl formamide) following free radical polymerization of N-vinyl formamide. Hexanal and aldehyde-terminated poly (ethyleneoxide) (PEO) were simultaneously att...

ASSOCIATION OF BRANCHED POLYETHYLENE IMINE WITH SURFACTANTS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

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Ismael C. Bellettini

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Three polymer-surfactant systems comprised of branched polyethylene imine (PEI with an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylsulfate; SDS, a cationic surfactant (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide; TTAB, and a zwitterionic surfactant (N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate; SB3-14 were studied based on the properties of surface tension, pyrene fluorescence emission, dynamic light scattering, pH, and zeta potential measurements. The critical aggregation concentration (cac and polymer saturation point (psp were determined for all three systems. The effect of these surfactants on the physico-chemical characteristics (diameter and surface charge of the complexes formed was determined. Polymer-surfactant interactions occurred in all of the systems studied, with the strongest interactions, electrostatic in nature, occurring in the SDS-PEI system. After the neutralization of the polymer charges with the addition of the surfactant, the hydrophobic effect started to control the interlacing of the polymer chains. For the PEI-TTAB system, a very dense film was formed at surfactant concentrations above 2.0 mmol L-1. In this case, the bromide counter-ion interacted with both the positively-charged PEI and the head of the surfactant, which is responsible for the formation of double layer coordination complexes. For the system composed of PEI and the zwitterionic surfactant, less cooperative associations occurred in comparison with the other systems.

Metallo-β-Lactamase (MBL)-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in United States Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Logan, Latania K; Bonomo, Robert A

2016-04-01

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are emerging as the most notable resistance determinants in Enterobacteriaceae. In many cases, the genes encoding MBLs are part of complex, mobile genetic elements that carry other resistance determinants. In the United States, there are increasing reports of MBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, with New Delhi MBLs (NDMs) accounting for the majority of transmissible MBL infections. Many infections caused by NDM-producing bacteria are associated with international travel and medical tourism. However, little recognition of the introduction of MBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae into the pediatric community has followed. Reports suggest that this occurred as early as 2002. Here, we reflect on the unwelcome emergence of MBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in US children and the available clinical and molecular data associated with spread. Since 2002, there have been disturbing reports that include the most readily transmissible MBLs, bla IMP, bla VIM, and bla NDM types. In the majority of children with available data, a history of foreign travel is absent.

Analysis of the Efficiency of Surfactant-Mediated Stabilization Reactions of EGaIn Nanodroplets.

Science.gov (United States)

Finkenauer, Lauren R; Lu, Qingyun; Hakem, Ilhem F; Majidi, Carmel; Bockstaller, Michael R

2017-09-26

A methodology based on light scattering and spectrophotometry was developed to evaluate the effect of organic surfactants on the size and yield of eutectic gallium/indium (EGaIn) nanodroplets formed in organic solvents by ultrasonication. The process was subsequently applied to systematically evaluate the role of headgroup chemistry as well as polar/apolar interactions of aliphatic surfactant systems on the efficiency of nanodroplet formation. Ethanol was found to be the most effective solvent medium in promoting the formation and stabilization of EGaIn nanodroplets. For the case of thiol-based surfactants in ethanol, the yield of nanodroplet formation increased with the number of carbon atoms in the aliphatic part. In the case of the most effective surfactant system-octadecanethiol-the nanodroplet yield increased by about 370% as compared to pristine ethanol. The rather low overall efficiency of the reaction process along with the incompatibility of surfactant-stabilized EGaIn nanodroplets in nonpolar organic solvents suggests that the stabilization mechanism differs from the established self-assembled monolayer formation process that has been widely observed in nanoparticle formation.

Surfactants, interfaces and pores : a theoretical study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huinink, H.

1998-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of surfactants in porous media by theoretical means. The influence of curvature of a surface on the adsorption has been studied with a mean field lattice (MFL) model, as developed by Scheutjens and Fleer. An analytical theory has been

COUPLING THE ALKALINE-SURFACTANT-POLYMER TECHNOLOGY AND THE GELATION TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE OIL PRODUCTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qui; Dan Wilson; Phil Dowling

2004-05-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or more efficient areal sweep efficiency those with high permeability contrast ''thief zones''. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more oil than waterflooding in the swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to the naturally fractured reservoirs or those with thief zones because much of the injected solution bypasses the target pore space containing oil. The objective of this work is to investigate whether combining these two technologies could broaden the applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction with different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium--polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 9.2 to 12.9.

Surfactant-enhanced solubilization of residual dodecane in soil columns. 2. Mathematical modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abriola, L.M.; Dekker, T.J.; Pennell, K.D.

1993-01-01

A mathematical model is developed to describe surfactant-enhanced solubilization of nonaqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs) in porous media. The model incorporates aqueous-phase transport equations for organic and surfactant components as well as a mass balance for the organic phase. Rate-limited solubilization and surfactant sorption are represented by a linear driving force expression and a Langmuir isotherm, respectively. The model is implemented in a one-dimensional Galerkin finite element simulator which idealizes the entrapped residual organic as a collection of spherical globules. Soil column data for the solubilization of residual dodecane by an aqueous solution of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate are used to evaluate the conceptual model. Input parameters were obtained, where possible, from independent batch experiments. Calibrated model simulations exhibit good agreement with measured effluent concentrations, supporting the utility of the conceptual modeling approach. Sensitivity analyses explore the influence of surfactant concentration and flushing strategy on NAPL recovery. 45 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

The effect of nanoparticle aggregation on surfactant foam stability.

Science.gov (United States)

AlYousef, Zuhair A; Almobarky, Mohammed A; Schechter, David S

2018-02-01

The combination of nanoparticles (NPs) and surfactant may offer a novel technique of generating stronger foams for gas mobility control. This study evaluates the potential of silica NPs to enhance the foam stability of three nonionic surfactants. Results showed that the concentration of surfactant and NPs is a crucial parameter for foam stability and that there is certain concentrations for strong foam generation. A balance in concentration between the nonionic surfactants and the NPs can enhance the foam stability as a result of forming flocs in solutions. At fixed surfactant concentration, the addition of NPs at low to intermediate concentrations can produce a more stable foam compared to the surfactant. The production of small population of flocs as a result of mixing the surfactant and NPs can enhance the foam stability by providing a barrier between the gas bubbles and delaying the coalescence of bubbles. Moreover, these flocs can increase the solution viscosity and, therefore, slow the drainage rate of thin aqueous film (lamellae). The measurements of foam half-life, bubble size, and mobility tests confirmed this conclusion. However, the addition of more solid particles or surfactant might have a negative impact on foam stability and reduce the maximum capillary pressure of coalescence as a result of forming extensive aggregates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surfactant/detergent titration analysis method and apparatus for machine working fluids, surfactant-containing wastewater and the like

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Douglas D.; Hiller, John M.

1998-01-01

The present invention is an improved method and related apparatus for quantitatively analyzing machine working fluids and other aqueous compositions such as wastewater which contain various mixtures of cationic, neutral, and/or anionic surfactants, soluble soaps, and the like. The method utilizes a single-phase, non-aqueous, reactive titration composition containing water insoluble bismuth nitrate dissolved in glycerol for the titration reactant. The chemical reaction of the bismuth ion and glycerol with the surfactant in the test solutions results in formation of micelles, changes in micelle size, and the formation of insoluble bismuth soaps. These soaps are quantified by physical and chemical changes in the aqueous test solution. Both classical potentiometric analysis and turbidity measurements have been used as sensing techniques to determine the quantity of surfactant present in test solutions. This method is amenable to the analysis of various types of new, in-use, dirty or decomposed surfactants and detergents. It is a quick and efficient method utilizing a single-phase reaction without needing a separate extraction from the aqueous solution. It is adaptable to automated control with simple and reliable sensing methods. The method is applicable to a variety of compositions with concentrations from about 1% to about 10% weight. It is also applicable to the analysis of waste water containing surfactants with appropriate pre-treatments for concentration.

Surfactant/detergent titration analysis method and apparatus for machine working fluids, surfactant-containing wastewater and the like

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, D.D.; Hiller, J.M.

1998-02-24

The present invention is an improved method and related apparatus for quantitatively analyzing machine working fluids and other aqueous compositions such as wastewater which contain various mixtures of cationic, neutral, and/or anionic surfactants, soluble soaps, and the like. The method utilizes a single-phase, non-aqueous, reactive titration composition containing water insoluble bismuth nitrate dissolved in glycerol for the titration reactant. The chemical reaction of the bismuth ion and glycerol with the surfactant in the test solutions results in formation of micelles, changes in micelle size, and the formation of insoluble bismuth soaps. These soaps are quantified by physical and chemical changes in the aqueous test solution. Both classical potentiometric analysis and turbidity measurements have been used as sensing techniques to determine the quantity of surfactant present in test solutions. This method is amenable to the analysis of various types of new, in-use, dirty or decomposed surfactants and detergents. It is a quick and efficient method utilizing a single-phase reaction without needing a separate extraction from the aqueous solution. It is adaptable to automated control with simple and reliable sensing methods. The method is applicable to a variety of compositions with concentrations from about 1% to about 10% weight. It is also applicable to the analysis of waste water containing surfactants with appropriate pre-treatments for concentration. 1 fig.

Evaluation of bacterial growth inhibition by mercaptopropionic acid in metallo-β-lactamase detection on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Letícia Eichstaedt Mayer

2012-04-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL has been reported all over the world. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA on bacterial growth was evaluated by comparison between disk diffusion and broth dilution methodology with determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC for multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanni strains. RESULTS: MPA significantly inhibited growth of the strains. CONCLUSIONS: The use of MPA can affect the results in phenotypic methods of MBL detection.

Atrazine and Diuron partitioning within a soil-water-surfactant system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, P.; Keller, A.

2006-12-01

The interaction between pesticide and soil and water is even more complex in the presence of surfactants. In this study, batch equilibrium was employed to study the sorption of surfactants and the partitioning behaviors of Atrazine and Diuron within a soil-water-surfactant system. Five soils and four surfactants (nonionic Triton- 100, cationic Benzalkonium Chloride (BC), anionic Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS), and anionic Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS)) were used. All surfactant sorption isotherms exhibited an initial linear increase at low surfactant concentrations but reached an asymptotic value as the surfactant concentrations increased. Among the surfactants, BC had the highest sorption onto all soils, followed by Triton-100 and then by LAS and SDS, implying that the nature of the charge significantly influences surfactant sorption. Sorption of either Triton-100 or BC was highly correlated with soil Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) while that of LAS and SDS was complicated by the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the aqueous phase and the CEC sites. Both LAS and SDS formed complexes with Ca2+ and Mg2+, resulting in a significant decrease in the detergency of the surfactants. At high surfactant concentrations and with micelles present in the aqueous phase, the micelles formed a more competitive partitioning site for the pesticides, resulting in less pesticide sorbed to the soil. At low Triton-100 and BC concentration, the sorption of the surfactants first resulted in less Atrazine sorption but more Diuron sorption, implying competition between the surfactants and Atrazine, which serves as an indirect evidence that there is a different sorption mechanism for Atrazine. Atrazine is a weak base and it protonates and becomes positively charged near particle surfaces where the pH is much lower than in the bulk solution. The protonated Atrazine may then be held on the CEC sites via electrostatic attraction. Triton-100, LAS and SDS sorbed on the soil showed similar

Polyelectrolyte surfactant aggregates and their deposition on macroscopic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voisin, David

2002-01-01

Oppositely charged surfactant and polyelectrolyte are present in hair shampoos and conditioners, together with particles (e.g. anti-dandruff agents for scalp) and droplets (e.g. silicone oil for the hair). These are normally formulated at high surfactant concentrations, beyond the flocculation region for the polyelectrolyte concentration used. However, on dilution with water, during application, flocs are formed which carry the particles and droplets to the scalp and hair. The addition of an anionic surfactant to an aqueous solution of cationic polyelectrolyte, at a given concentration, can lead to the formation of polyelectrolyte-surfactant 'particles', in which the surfactant 'binds' to the polyelectrolyte. This occurs from the critical association concentration (CAC), up to the surfactant concentration corresponding to maximum binding. Within this range of surfactant concentrations, the surfactant bound to the polyelectrolyte is thought to associate to form what might be termed 'internal micelles'. Each polyelectrolyte-surfactant particle in the region of the CAC, and just beyond, contains many polyelectrolyte chains, held together essentially by micelle bridges. These particles, however, remain net positively charged, and therefore stable. At the other end of the binding range of the surfactant, so many internal micelles are present that the polymer-surfactant particles are now net negatively charged. Indeed binding stops since no further micelles can be accommodated. Again, the particles are stable. However, there exists a range of surfactant concentrations, lying within the range referred to above, where the net charge is reduced sufficiently that the polymer-surfactant particles will flocculate to form much larger structures. The onset of this second range might be termed the 'critical flocculation concentration' (CFC), and the end, the 'critical stabilisation concentration' (CSC). In this work, the CFC and the CSC have been determined for mixtures of

Organophilization of bentonite clays with non-ionic surfactants aiming their use in drilling fluids base oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, I.A.; Costa, J.M.R.; Neves, G.A.; Ferreira, H.C.; Ferreira, H.S.

2010-01-01

The use of nonionic surfactants has been replacing the traditional ionic surfactants among others by its high potential for resistance to thermal degradation. This work aims at the development of organoclay by the addition of nonionic surfactants for use in drilling fluids for oil wells based oil. The bentonite clay was organophilized and then characterized by X-ray diffraction and swelling Foster, seeking the most appropriate choice of surfactant to liquid organic dispersing media: ester, diesel and paraffin. With the obtained dispersions were measured apparent viscosities and plastic. The results showed that incorporation of surfactants used in the clay interlayer spacing increased significantly and that the dispersions showed rheological properties within the specifications of PETROBRAS, for the use of organophilic clays in drilling fluids in a non-aqueous base. (author)

Severe pulmonary hemorrhage in the premature newborn infant: analysis of presurfactant and surfactant eras.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, K R; Davidson, K M; Henry, M; Nielsen, H C

1999-01-01

We undertook a case-control study of premature infants who developed clinically significant, severe pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) in the presurfactant and surfactant eras to learn more about the cause of severe PH and whether the pathogenesis of severe PH has changed with the advent of surfactant therapy. Severe PH was defined as an acute onset of severe endotracheal bleeding with an acute drop in hematocrit and the development of multilobar infiltrates on chest radiograph. Eleven premature infants from the presurfactant era population and 17 premature infants from the surfactant era population met the criteria for severe PH, all with gestational ages <32 weeks and birth weights <1,500 g (very low birth weight infants). These were each matched by gestational age, date of birth, birth order (for twins), and birth weight to 2 controls. The incidence of severe PH in infants of gestational age <32 weeks was similar in the two eras (1.8% in the presurfactant era and 3.0% in the surfactant era). Severe PH was not associated with maternal characteristics such as drug use or prenatal care, pregnancy complications, evidence of intrauterine anoxia, hyaline membrane disease, frequency of endotracheal suctioning, or patent ductus arteriosus. Premature infants suffering from severe PH in the presurfactant era required more delivery room resuscitation and had more severe early respiratory disease during the first 12 h of life as compared with their controls. However, these differences were not present in the group from the surfactant era. Infants with severe PH were more likely to have birth weights below the third percentile for gestation (severe intrauterine growth restriction). The proportion of infants receiving surfactant, and the number of surfactant doses used, did not differ between severe-PH infants and their controls in the surfactant era group. We conclude that severe intrauterine growth restriction represents a risk factor for severe PH in very low birth weight infants

Acute toxicity of anionic and non-ionic surfactants to aquatic organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lechuga, M; Fernández-Serrano, M; Jurado, E; Núñez-Olea, J; Ríos, F

2016-03-01

The environmental risk of surfactants requires toxicity measurements. As different test organisms have different sensitivity to the toxics, it is necessary to establish the most appropriate organism to classify the surfactant as very toxic, toxic, harmful or safe, in order to establish the maximum permissible concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. We have determined the toxicity values of various anionic surfactants ether carboxylic derivatives using four test organisms: the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna, the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, the microalgae Selenastrum capricornutum (freshwater algae) and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (seawater algae). In addition, in order to compare and classify the different families of surfactants, we have included a compilation of toxicity data of surfactants collected from literature. The results indicated that V. fischeri was more sensitive to the toxic effects of the surfactants than was D. magna or the microalgae, which was the least sensitive. This result shows that the most suitable toxicity assay for surfactants may be the one using V. fischeri. The toxicity data revealed considerable variation in toxicity responses with the structure of the surfactants regardless of the species tested. The toxicity data have been related to the structure of the surfactants, giving a mathematical relationship that helps to predict the toxic potential of a surfactant from its structure. Model-predicted toxicity agreed well with toxicity values reported in the literature for several surfactants previously studied. Predictive models of toxicity is a handy tool for providing a risk assessment that can be useful to establish the toxicity range for each surfactant and the different test organisms in order to select efficient surfactants with a lower impact on the aquatic environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surfactant protein D in newborn infants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Marianne; Juvonen, Pekka Olavi; Holmskov, Uffe

2005-01-01

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a collectin that plays an important role in the innate immune system. The role of SP-D in the metabolism of surfactant is as yet quite unclear. The aims of this study were to establish normal values of SP-D in the umbilical cord blood and capillary blood of mature...

Status of surfactants as penetration enhancers in transdermal drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iti Som

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Surfactants are found in many existing therapeutic, cosmetic, and agro-chemical preparations. In recent years, surfactants have been employed to enhance the permeation rates of several drugs via transdermal route. The application of transdermal route to a wider range of drugs is limited due to significant barrier to penetration across the skin which is associated with the outermost stratum corneum layer. Surfactants have effects on the permeability characteristics of several biological membranes including skin. They have the potential to solubilize lipids within the stratum corneum. The penetration of the surfactant molecule into the lipid lamellae of the stratum corneum is strongly dependent on the partitioning behavior and solubility of surfactant. Surfactants ranging from hydrophobic agents such as oleic acid to hydrophilic sodium lauryl sulfate have been tested as permeation enhancer to improve drug delivery. This article reviews the status of surfactants as permeation enhancer in transdermal drug delivery of various drugs.

Enhanced solubilization of curcumin in mixed surfactant vesicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Arun; Kaur, Gurpreet; Kansal, S K; Chaudhary, Ganga Ram; Mehta, S K

2016-05-15

Self-assemblies of equimolar double and single chain mixed ionic surfactants, with increasing numbers of carbon atoms of double chain surfactant, were analyzed on the basis of fluorescence and conductivity results. Attempts were also made to enhance the solubilization of curcumin in aqueous equimolar mixed surfactant systems. Mixed surfactant assembly was successful in retarding the degradation of curcumin in alkaline media (only 25-28 40% degraded in 10h at pH 13). Fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching methods were employed to predict the binding position and mechanism of curcumin with self-assemblies. Results indicate that the interactions take place according to both dynamic and static quenching mechanisms and curcumin was distributed in a palisade layer of mixed aggregates. Antioxidant activity (using DPPH radical) and biocompatibility (using calf-thymus DNA) of curcumin-loaded mixed surfactant formulations were also evaluated. The prepared systems improved the stability, solubility and antioxidant activity of curcumin and additionally are biocompatible. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FLOTATION DE-INKING OF 50% ONP/ 50% OMG RECOVERED PAPERS MIXTURES USING NONIONIC SURFACTANT, SOAP, AND SURFACTANT/SOAP BLENDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Allix

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A laboratory flotation column equipped with Venturi aerators and an adjustable froth removal system was used to study the effect of calcium soap and a mixture of calcium soap/alkyl phenol ethoxylate surfactant on ink and fibres transfer during flotation de-inking of a 50% old newprint (ONP / 50% old magazines (OMG recovered papers mixture. Mass transport phenomena determining the yield of the flotation process were interpreted using model equations describing particle removal in terms of flotation, entrainment, and drainage in the froth. A decrease in the ink and mineral fillers flotation rate constant, drainage through the froth, and in fibre entrainment was observed when increasing the surfactant concentration. These trends were consistent with the typical dispersing action of the studied nonionic surfactant. An opposite effect on ink and fillers was observed when using calcium soap alone, and the increase in the flotation rate constant and drainage through the froth were consistent with the collecting and defoaming action of the calcium soap. Moreover, fibre entrainment decreased when increasing the soap concentration. The study of the surfactant/soap mixture highlighted the absence of synergy between the calcium soap and the surfactant.

Circulating surfactant protein D is decreased in early rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høgh, Silje Vermedal; Lindegaard, Hanne Merete; Sørensen, Grith Lykke

2008-01-01

Innate immune system abnormalities, e.g., mannan-binding lectin (MBL) genotype variants, have been demonstrated to modify the disease course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Surfactant protein D (SP-D) shares important structural and functional properties with MBL suggesting that SP-D may...... be an additional RA disease modifier. The Met11Thr polymorphism in the N-terminal part of SP-D is an important determinant for the SP-D serum level, but this polymorphism is also essential to the function and assembly into oligomers. We aimed to compare the serum levels of SP-D in a cohort of newly diagnosed...... untreated RA patients with healthy matched controls, and to investigate if there was an association to core measures of disease activity within the first year after disease onset. Secondly, we aimed to investigate whether the Met11Thr polymorphism was associated with RA. Serum SP-D was significantly lower...

Nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy of surfactants at liquid interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miranda, Paulo B. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1998-12-14

Surfactants are widely used to modify physical and chemical properties of interfaces. They play an important role in many technological problems. Surfactant monolayer are also of great scientific interest because they are two-dimensional systems that may exhibit a very rich phase transition behavior and can also be considered as a model system for biological interfaces. In this Thesis, we use a second-order nonlinear optical technique (Sum-Frequency Generation - SFG) to obtain vibrational spectra of surfactant monolayer at Iiquidhapor and solid/liquid interfaces. The technique has several advantages: it is intrinsically surface-specific, can be applied to buried interfaces, has submonolayer sensitivity and is remarkably sensitive to the confirmational order of surfactant monolayers.

The Inhibiting or Accelerating Effect of Different Surfactants on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The course of differential capacity curves of the electric double layer at the mercury electrode/surfactant solution interface was described for three different surfactants from different groups. Using square-wave voltammetry (SWV) it was found that the surfactants had a varying effect on the kinetics of electroreduction of Zn2+ ...

Effect of Gemini-type surfactant on methane hydrate formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, K.E.; Park, J.M.; Kim, C.U.; Chae, H.J.; Jeong, S.Y. [Korea Research Inst. of Chemical Technology, Jang-Dong, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-07-01

Natural gas hydrates are formed from water and natural gas molecules at particular temperatures and pressures that become ice-like inclusion compounds. Gas hydrates offer several benefits such as energy resource potential and high storage capacity of natural gas in the form of hydrates. However, the application of natural gas hydrates has been deterred by its low formation rate and low conversion ratio of water into hydrate resulting in low actual storage capacity. This paper presented an experimental study to determine the effect of adding a novel Gemini-type surfactant on methane hydrate formation. The experimental study was described with reference to the properties of prepared diols and properties of prepared disulfonates. Gemini surfactant is the family of surfactant molecules possessing more than one hydrophobic tail and hydrophilic head group. They generally have better surface-active properties than conventional surfactants of equal chain length. The paper presented the results of the study in terms of the reactions of diols with propane sultone; storage capacity of hydrate formed with and without surfactant; and methane hydrate formation with and without disulfonate. It was concluded that the methane hydrate formation was accelerated by the addition of novel anionic Gemini-type surfactants and that hydrate formation was influenced by the surfactant concentration and alkyl chain length. For a given concentration, the surfactant with the highest chain length demonstrated the highest formation rate and storage capacity. 5 refs., 3 tabs., 4 figs.

Identifying the Imprint of Surfactant Stabilisation in Whitecap Foam Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Callaghan, A. H.; Deane, G. B.; Stokes, D.

2016-02-01

Surfactants are ubiquitous in the world's oceans and can affect climatically-relevant processes such as air-sea gas exchange, sea spray aerosol (SSA) flux, and air-sea momentum transfer. Surfactants are amphiphilic and help form the physically and chemically distinct ocean surface microlayer (SML), however, the spatial distribution, concentration and composition of the SML is not well understood, especially under conditions of vigorous wave breaking. Like the SML, breaking waves also influence physical exchange processes at the air-sea interface, and oceanic whitecap foam coverage is commonly used to quantify bubble-mediated exchange processes. However, surfactants can increase the lifetime of foam over clean water conditions, potentially complicating the use of whitecap coverage to parameterise air-sea gas exchange and SSA production flux. A better understanding of how surfactants affect the evolution of whitecap foam is needed to improve whitecap parameterisations of bubble-mediated processes, and may also provide a remote sensing approach to map the spatial distribution of surfactants at the water surface. Here we present results from a laboratory study that looked at whitecap foam evolution in "clean" and "surfactant-added" seawater regimes. We find that the whitecap foam area growth timescale is largely insensitive to the presence of surfactants, but that surfactant stabilization of whitecap foam becomes important during the whitecap foam area decay phase. The timescale at which this occurs appears to be consistent for breaking waves of different scale and intensity. A simple method is then used to isolate the surfactant signal and derive an equivalent "clean" seawater foam decay time for the whitecaps in the "surfactant-added" regime. The method is applied to oceanic whitecaps and results compared to the laboratory whitecaps from the "clean" and "surfactant-added" regimes.

Effective Surfactants Blend Concentration Determination for O/W Emulsion Stabilization by Two Nonionic Surfactants by Simple Linear Regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, A K

2015-01-01

In this work, O/W emulsion sets were prepared by using different concentrations of two nonionic surfactants. The two surfactants, tween 80(HLB=15.0) and span 80(HLB=4.3) were used in a fixed proportions equal to 0.55:0.45 respectively. HLB value of the surfactants blends were fixed at 10.185. The surfactants blend concentration is starting from 3% up to 19%. For each O/W emulsion set the conductivity was measured at room temperature (25±2°), 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80°. Applying the simple linear regression least squares method statistical analysis to the temperature-conductivity obtained data determines the effective surfactants blend concentration required for preparing the most stable O/W emulsion. These results were confirmed by applying the physical stability centrifugation testing and the phase inversion temperature range measurements. The results indicated that, the relation which represents the most stable O/W emulsion has the strongest direct linear relationship between temperature and conductivity. This relationship is linear up to 80°. This work proves that, the most stable O/W emulsion is determined via the determination of the maximum R² value by applying of the simple linear regression least squares method to the temperature-conductivity obtained data up to 80°, in addition to, the true maximum slope is represented by the equation which has the maximum R² value. Because the conditions would be changed in a more complex formulation, the method of the determination of the effective surfactants blend concentration was verified by applying it for more complex formulations of 2% O/W miconazole nitrate cream and the results indicate its reproducibility.

Polyelectrolyte surfactant aggregates and their deposition on macroscopic surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voisin, David

2002-07-01

Oppositely charged surfactant and polyelectrolyte are present in hair shampoos and conditioners, together with particles (e.g. anti-dandruff agents for scalp) and droplets (e.g. silicone oil for the hair). These are normally formulated at high surfactant concentrations, beyond the flocculation region for the polyelectrolyte concentration used. However, on dilution with water, during application, flocs are formed which carry the particles and droplets to the scalp and hair. The addition of an anionic surfactant to an aqueous solution of cationic polyelectrolyte, at a given concentration, can lead to the formation of polyelectrolyte-surfactant 'particles', in which the surfactant 'binds' to the polyelectrolyte. This occurs from the critical association concentration (CAC), up to the surfactant concentration corresponding to maximum binding. Within this range of surfactant concentrations, the surfactant bound to the polyelectrolyte is thought to associate to form what might be termed 'internal micelles'. Each polyelectrolyte-surfactant particle in the region of the CAC, and just beyond, contains many polyelectrolyte chains, held together essentially by micelle bridges. These particles, however, remain net positively charged, and therefore stable. At the other end of the binding range of the surfactant, so many internal micelles are present that the polymer-surfactant particles are now net negatively charged. Indeed binding stops since no further micelles can be accommodated. Again, the particles are stable. However, there exists a range of surfactant concentrations, lying within the range referred to above, where the net charge is reduced sufficiently that the polymer-surfactant particles will flocculate to form much larger structures. The onset of this second range might be termed the 'critical flocculation concentration' (CFC), and the end, the 'critical stabilisation concentration' (CSC). In this work, the CFC and

A mean-density model of ionic surfactants for the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in aqueous solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Joung, Young Soo

2018-05-01

We propose a new analytical model of ionic surfactants used for the dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous solutions. Although ionic surfactants are commonly used to facilitate the dispersion of CNTs in aqueous solutions, understanding the dispersion process is challenging and time-consuming owing to its complexity and nonlinearity. In this work, we develop a mean-density model of ionic surfactants to simplify the calculation of interaction forces between CNTs stabilized by ionic surfactants. Using this model, we can evaluate various interaction forces between the CNTs and ionic surfactants under different conditions. The dispersion mechanism is investigated by estimating the potential of mean force (PMF) as a function of van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, interfacial tension, and osmotic pressure. To verify the proposed model, we compare the PMFs derived using our method with those derived from molecular dynamics simulations using comparable CNTs and ionic surfactants. Notably, for stable dispersions, the osmotic pressure and interfacial energy are important for long-range and short-range interactions, respectively, in comparison with the effect of electrostatic forces. Our model effectively prescribes specific surfactants and their concentrations to achieve stable aqueous suspensions of CNTs.

Tailor-made surfactants for optimized chemical EOR. Meeting oil reservoir conditions by applied knowledge of structure-performance relationship in extended surfactants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trahan, G.; Sorensen, W. [Sasol North America Inc., Westlake, LA (United States); Jakobs-Sauter, B. [Sasol Germany GmbH (Germany)

2013-08-01

Formulating the surfactant package for chemical EOR is a time consuming and expensive process - the formulation needs to fit the specific reservoir conditions (like oil type, temperature, salinity, etc.) to give optimum performance and the number of formulation variables is virtually endless. This paper studies the impact of surfactant structure on EOR formulation ability and performance and how to adjust the structure of the surfactant molecule to meet a specific reservoir's needs. Data from salinity phase boundary studies of alcohol propoxy sulfates illustrate how changes in alcohol structure as well as in propylene oxide level can shift optimum salinity and temperature to the desired range in a given model oil. From these data the impact of individual structural units was evaluated. Application of the HLD model (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Deviation) shows how to extrapolate from the known data set to actual reservoir conditions. This is illustrated by studies on crude oil samples. Additional tests study how effective the selected surfactants perform. The HLD concept proves to be a valuable tool to select and tailor surfactants to individual reservoir needs, thus simplifying the surfactant screening process for EOR formulations by pre-selection of suitable structures and ultimately reducing cost and effort on the way to the most effective chemical EOR package. (orig.)

COUPLING THE ALKALINE-SURFACTANT-POLYMER TECHNOLOGY AND THE GELATION TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE OIL PRODUCTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

2004-10-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or more efficient areal sweep efficiency for those with high permeability contrast ''thief zones''. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or those with thief zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. A prior fluid-fluid report discussed interaction of different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in the fluid-fluid analyses. Aluminum-polyacrylamide, flowing gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions of either pH 10.5 or 12.9. Chromium acetate-polyacrylamide flowing and rigid flowing gels are stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Rigid flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels maintained permeability reduction better than flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels. Silicate-polyacrylamide gels are not stable with subsequent injection of either a pH 10.5 or a 12.9 alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution. Neither aluminum citrate-polyacrylamide nor silicate-polyacrylamide gel systems produced significant incremental oil in linear corefloods. Both flowing and rigid flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels produced incremental oil with the rigid flowing gel producing the greatest amount. Higher oil recovery could have been due to higher differential pressures across cores. None of

MICROBIAL SURFACTANTS. I. GLYCOLIPIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pirog T. Р.

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The review is devoted to surface-active glycolipids. The general characteristics, the physiological role of the rhamnolipids, trehalose lipids, sophorolipids, mannosylerythritol lipids and their traditional producers — the representatives of the genera Pseudozyma, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus and Candida are given. The detailed analysis of the chemical structure, the stages of the biosynthesis and the regulation of some low molecular glycolipids are done. The own experimental data concerning the synthesis intensification, the physiological role and the practical use of Rhodococcus erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and Nocardia vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants, which are a complex of the glyco-, phospho-, amino- and neutral lipids (glycolipids of all strains are presented by trehalose mycolates are summarized. It was found that R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants have protective, antimicrobial and antiadhesive properties. It was shown that R. erythropolis IMV Ac-5017, A. calcoaceticus IMV B-7241 and N. vaccinii IMV B-7405 surfactants preparation of cultural liquid intensified the degradation of oil in water due to the activation of the natural petroleum-oxidizing microflora.

Serum and sputum surfactants -A and -D in multidrug-resistant and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abnormal production and function of surfactants are associated with pulmonary diseases. Also, pulmonary infections alter surfactant metabolism. Due to lack of information on the levels of surfactants A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) in Nigerian tuberculosis (TB) patients, this study assessed these surfactants in both sputum and ...

New Delhi Metallo-Β-Lactamase-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriacae Isolated From Bronchial Washings.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Cullivan, S

2017-11-01

The prevalence of Carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriacae species is increasing and poses a potential major public health risk. In recent years, several new carbapenemases have been identified, including New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM). A 78-year-old non-smoking female with prior medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and prior coronary artery bypass grafting was referred to our respiratory outpatient service for evaluation of a chronic cough and dyspnoea in 2013. Clinical examination revealed bibasal pulmonary crepitations but was otherwise unremarkable. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated atelectasis of the lingula and right middle lobe. She underwent bronchoscopy, which demonstrated laryngeal mucosa inflammation, consistent with her GERD. There was no growth on bacterial, fungal or mycobacterial bronchial washings cultures.

Photoisomerization of merocyanine 540 in polymer-surfactant ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Photoisomerization of merocyanine 540 (MC540) in a polymer-surfactant aggregate is studied using picosecond time resolved emission spectroscopy. The aggregate consists of the polymer, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and the surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). With increase in the concentration of SDS in an ...

Improving a newly developed patient-reported outcome for thyroid patients, using cognitive interviewing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watt, Torquil; Rasmussen, Ase Krogh; Groenvold, Mogens

2008-01-01

Objective To improve a newly developed patient-reported outcome measure for thyroid patients using cognitive interviewing. Methods Thirty-one interviews using immediate retrospective and expansive probing were conducted among patients with non-toxic goiter (n = 4), nodular toxic goiter (n = 5) Gr...

Newly Developed Ceramic Membranes for Dehydration and Separation of Organic Mixtures by Pervaporation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gemert, van R.W.; Cuperus, F.P.

1995-01-01

Polymeric pervaporation membranes sometimes show great variety in performance when they are alternately used for different solvent mixtures. In addition, membrane stability in time is a problem in case of some solvents. Therefore, newly developed ceramic silica membranes with a 'dense' top layer

Dysfunction of pulmonary surfactant mediated by phospholipid oxidation is cholesterol-dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Saiedy, Mustafa; Pratt, Ryan; Lai, Patrick; Kerek, Evan; Joyce, Heidi; Prenner, Elmar; Green, Francis; Ling, Chang-Chun; Veldhuizen, Ruud; Ghandorah, Salim; Amrein, Matthias

2018-04-01

Pulmonary surfactant forms a cohesive film at the alveolar air-lung interface, lowering surface tension, and thus reducing the work of breathing and preventing atelectasis. Surfactant function becomes impaired during inflammation due to degradation of the surfactant lipids and proteins by free radicals. In this study, we examine the role of reactive nitrogen (RNS) and oxygen (ROS) species on surfactant function with and without physiological cholesterol levels (5-10%). Surface activity was assessed in vitro in a captive bubble surfactometer (CBS). Surfactant chemistry, monolayer fluidity and thermodynamic behavior were also recorded before and after oxidation. We report that physiologic amounts of cholesterol combined with oxidation results in severe impairment of surfactant function. We also show that surfactant polyunsaturated phospholipids are the most susceptible to oxidative alteration. Membrane thermodynamic experiments showed significant surfactant film stiffening after free radical exposure in the presence of cholesterol. These results point to a previously unappreciated role for cholesterol in amplifying defects in surface activity caused by oxidation of pulmonary surfactant, a finding that may have implications for treating several lung diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alkyl-imidazolium glycosides: non-ionic-cationic hybrid surfactants from renewable resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Salman, Abbas Abdulameer; Tabandeh, Mojtaba; Heidelberg, Thorsten; Hussen, Rusnah Syahila Duali; Ali, Hapipah Mohd

2015-08-14

A series of surfactants combining carbohydrate and imidazolium head groups were prepared and investigated on their assembly behavior. The presence of the imidazolium group dominated the interactions of the surfactants, leading to high CMCs and large molecular surface areas, reflected in curved rather than lamellar surfactant assemblies. The carbohydrate, on the other hand, stabilized molecular assemblies slightly and reduced the surface tension of surfactant solutions considerably. A comparative emulsion study discourages the use of pure alkyl imidazolium glycosides owing to reduced assembly stabilities compared with APGs. However, the surfactants are believed to have potential as component in carbohydrate based surfactant mixtures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The toxicity of cationic surfactant HDTMA-Br, desorbed from surfactant modified zeolite, towards faecal indicator and environmental microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeve, Peter J; Fallowfield, Howard J

2017-10-05

Surfactant Modified Zeolite (SMZ) represents a versatile, cost-effective permeable reactive material, capable of treating multiple classes of contaminants. The potential for HDTMA-Br, a cationic surfactant commonly used to modify zeolite, to desorb from the zeolite surface has been identified as a potential issue for the ongoing use of SMZ in water remediation contexts. This paper investigates the toxicity of HDTMA-Br towards enteric virus surrogates, F-RNA bacteriophage MS2 and E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, and soil microflora. The concentration of surfactant desorbing from SMZ was quantified through a bioassay using E. coli. Results showed HDTMA-Br concentrations of ≥10 -5 M were toxic to MS2, ≥10 -4 M were toxic to E. coli and ≥10 -6 M were toxic to B. subtilis. No toxic relationship was established between HDTMA-Br and soil microflora. Desorption of ≥10 -4 M of HDTMA-Br was shown for the two SMZ samples under the mixing conditions used. Effects of this surfactant on total soil microflora were ambiguous since no toxic relationship could be established, however, HDTMA-Br, at concentrations desorbing from SMZ, were shown to impact the soil bacterium B. subtilis. Further research is required to determine the effect of this surfactant on microbial populations and species diversity in soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of dissymmetric cationic gemini surfactants at silica/water interface

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yuhai; Feng, Yujun; Dong, Hongwei; Chen, Zhi

2007-05-01

Adsorption of a series of cationic gemini surfactants 12-2- m ( m = 8, 12, 16) on the surface of silica was investigated. The critical micelle concentrations, cmcs, of cationic gemini surfactants in the initial solutions and in the supernatants were measured by conductometry and tensiometer. The changes in cmc values indicate that the ion exchanges take place between polar groups of gemini surfactants adsorbed and ions bound on the surface of silica. The adsorption isotherms of cationic gemini surfactants were obtained by a solution depletion method. Based on the driving force, the adsorption includes two steps, one of which is ion exchange, and the other is hydrophobic interaction. In each step, the tendency of surfactant molecules in the solution to form aggregates or to be adsorbed on the silica varies with their structures. The maximum adsorption amount of gemini surfactants on the silica, τmax, decreases as increasing in the length of one alkyl chain, m, from 8, 12 to 16. So the results show that the adsorption behaviors of gemini surfactants are closely related to the dissymmetry of gemini molecules.

Effect of fluid velocity, temperature, and concentration of non-ionic surfactants on drag reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Sung-Hwan; Tae, Choon-Seob; Zaheeruddin, M.

2007-01-01

The drag reduction (DR) and heat transfer efficiency reduction (ER) of non-ionic surfactant as a function of fluid velocity, temperature, and surfactant concentration were investigated. Several types of new surfactants, which contain amine-oxide and betaine, were developed. An experimental apparatus consisting of two temperature controlled water storage tanks, pumps, test specimen pipe and the piping network, two flow meters, two pressure gauges, a heat exchanger, and data logging system was built. From the experimental results, it was concluded that existing alkyl ammonium surfactant (CTAC; cethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) had DR of 0.6-0.8 at 1000-2000 ppm concentration with fluid temperature ranging between 50 and 60 o C. However, the DR was very low when the fluid temperature was 70-80 o C. The new amine oxide and betaine surfactant (SAOB; stearyl amine oxide + betaine) had lower DR at fluid temperatures ranging between 50 and 60 o C compared with CTAC. However, with fluid temperature ranging between 70 and 80 o C the DR was 0.6-0.8 when the concentration level was between 1000 and 2000 ppm

Antimicrobial and biophysical properties of surfactant supplemented with an antimicrobial peptide for treatment of bacterial pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Banaschewski, Brandon J H; Veldhuizen, Edwin J A; Keating, Eleonora; Haagsman, Henk P; Zuo, Yi Y; Yamashita, Cory M; Veldhuizen, Ruud A W

2015-01-01

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections represent an emerging health concern in clinical settings, and a lack of novel developments in the pharmaceutical pipeline is creating a "perfect storm" for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been suggested as future therapeutics for these drug-resistant bacteria, since they have potent broad-spectrum activity, with little development of resistance. Due to the unique structure of the lung, bacterial pneumonia has the additional problem of delivering antimicrobials to the site of infection. One potential solution is coadministration of AMPs with exogenous surfactant, allowing for distribution of the peptides to distal airways and opening of collapsed lung regions. The objective of this study was to test various surfactant-AMP mixtures with regard to maintaining pulmonary surfactant biophysical properties and bactericidal functions. We compared the properties of four AMPs (CATH-1, CATH-2, CRAMP, and LL-37) suspended in bovine lipid-extract surfactant (BLES) by assessing surfactant-AMP mixture biophysical and antimicrobial functions. Antimicrobial activity was tested against methillicin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All AMP/surfactant mixtures exhibited an increase of spreading compared to a BLES control. BLES+CATH-2 mixtures had no significantly different minimum surface tension versus the BLES control. Compared to the other cathelicidins, CATH-2 retained the most bactericidal activity in the presence of BLES. The BLES+CATH-2 mixture appears to be an optimal surfactant-AMP mixture based on in vitro assays. Future directions involve investigating the potential of this mixture in animal models of bacterial pneumonia. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Surfactant-Enhanced Benard Convection on an Evaporating Drop

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Van X.; Stebe, Kathleen J.

2001-11-01

Surfactant effects on an evaporating drop are studied experimentally. Using a fluorescent probe, the distribution and surface phase of the surfactant is directly imaged throughout the evaporation process. From these experiments, we identify conditions in which surfactants promote surface tension-driven Benard instabilities in aqueous systems. The drops under study contain finely divided particles, which act as tracers in the flow, and form well-defined patterns after the drop evaporates. Two flow fields have been reported in this system. The first occurs because the contact line becomes pinned by solid particles at the contact line region. In order for the contact line to remain fixed, an outward flow toward the ring results, driving further accumulation at the contact ring. A ‘coffee ring’ of particles is left as residue after the drop evaporates[1]. The second flow is Benard convection, driven by surface tension gradients on the drop[2,3]. In our experiments, an insoluble monolayer of pentadecanoic acid is spread at the interface of a pendant drop. The surface tension is recorded, and the drop is deposited on a well-defined solid substrate. Fluorescent images of the surface phase of the surfactant are recorded as the drop evaporates. The surfactant monolayer assumes a variety of surface states as a function of the area per molecule at the interface: surface gaseous, surface liquid expanded, and surface liquid condensed phases[4]. Depending upon the surface state of the surfactant as the drop evaporates, transitions of residue patterns left by the particles occur, from the coffee ring pattern to Benard cells to irregular patterns, suggesting a strong resistance to outward flow are observed. The occurrence of Benard cells on a surfactant-rich interface occurs when the interface is in LE-LC coexistence. Prior research concerning surfactant effects on this instability predict that surfactants are strongly stabilizing[5]. The mechanisms for this change in behavior

Gemini Surfactant-Modified Activated Carbon for Remediation of Hexavalent Chromium from Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingying Zhou

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Gemini surfactants, with double hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, offer potentially orders of magnitude greater surface activity compared to similar single unit molecules. A cationic Gemini surfactant (Propyl didodecyldimethylammonium Bromide, PDDDAB and a conventional cationic surfactant (Dodecyltrimethylammonium Bromide, DTAB were used to pre-treat and generate activated carbon. The removal efficiency of the surfactant-modified activated carbon through adsorption of chromium(VI was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM were used to investigate the surface changes of surfactant-modified activated carbon. The effect of important parameters such as adsorbent dosage, pH, ionic strength and contact time were also investigated. The chromium(VI was adsorbed more significantly on the Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon than on the conventional surfactant-modified activated carbon. The correlation coefficients show the data best fit the Freundlich model, which confirms the monolayer adsorption of chromium(VI onto Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon. From this assessment, the surfactant-modified (especially Gemini surfactant-modified activated carbon in this study showed promise for practical applications to treat water pollution.

Ultrathin nanofibrous films prepared from cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and anionic surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Xinsheng; Karan, Santanu; Ichinose, Izumi

2009-08-04

We developed a simple fabrication method of ultrathin nanofibrous films from the dispersion of cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and anionic surfactants. The nanostrands were prepared in a dilute aqueous solution of cadmium chloride by using 2-aminoethanol. They were highly positively charged and gave bundlelike fibers upon mixing an aqueous solution of anionic surfactant. The nanostrand/surfactant composite fibers were filtered on an inorganic membrane filter. The resultant nanofibrous film was very uniform in the area of a few centimeters square when the thickness was not less than 60 nm. The films obtained with sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) had a composition close to the electroneutral complex, [Cd37(OH)68(H2O)n] x 6(STS), as confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. They were water-repellent with a contact angle of 117 degrees, and the value slightly decreased with the alkyl chain length of anionic surfactants. Ultrathin nanofibrous films were stable enough to be used for ultrafiltration at pressure difference of 90 kPa. We could effectively separate Au nanoparticles of 40 nm at an extremely high filtration rate of 14000 L/(h m2 bar).

Method of cement-solidification of radioactive liquid wastes containing surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Y; Yusa, H

1979-04-10

Purpose: To provide the subject method comprising the steps of adjusting the concentration of the surfactant to a value less than the predetermined value even when the concentration of the surfactant is high, and rendering the uniaxial compression strength of the cement-solidification body into more than the defined fabrication reference value. Method: To radioactive liquid wastes there are applied means for boiling and heating liquid wastes by addition of sulfuric acid, means for cracking surfactants by the addition of oxidants and means for precipitating and arresting surfactants. After suppressing the hindrance of the cement hydration reaction by surfactants, the radioactive liquid wastes are cement-solidified. (Nakamura, S.).

Development of Drug Loaded Nanoparticles Binding to Hydroxyapatite Based on a Bisphosphonate Modified Nonionic Surfactant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiabin Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at development of drug loaded nanoparticles which could bind to hydroxyapatite (HA to construct drug or growth factor releasing bone graft substitutes. To this end, the terminal hydroxyl group of a nonionic surfactant Brij 78 (polyoxyethylene (20 stearyl ether was first modified with pamidronate (Pa. Using Pa-Brij 78 as both a surfactant and an affinity ligand to HA, three different Pa surface functionalized nanoparticles were prepared, named as solid lipid nanoparticles (Pa-SNPs, nanoemulsions (Pa-NEMs, and PLGA nanoparticles (Pa-PNPs. A model drug curcumin was successfully encapsulated in the three nanoparticles. The sizes of Pa-NEM and Pa-PNP were around 150 nm and the size of Pa-SNP was around 90 nm with polydispersity indexes (PDIs less than 0.20. Drug encapsulation efficiencies of the three nanoparticles were all greater than 85%. Furthermore, the order of binding affinity of the nanoparticles to HA was Pa-PNP>Pa-NEM=Pa-SNP. After lyophilization, the sizes of the three nanoparticles were increased about 0.5–2.0-fold but their binding affinities to HA were almost the same as the fresh prepared nanoparticles. In conclusion, a Pa-modified Brij 78 was synthesized and used for fabrication of a series of drug loaded nanoparticles to construct drug-eluting HA-based bone graft substitutes.

Cost Effective Surfactant Formulations for Improved Oil Recovery in Carbonate Reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William A. Goddard; Yongchun Tang; Patrick Shuler; Mario Blanco; Yongfu Wu

2007-09-30

This report summarizes work during the 30 month time period of this project. This was planned originally for 3-years duration, but due to its financial limitations, DOE halted funding after 2 years. The California Institute of Technology continued working on this project for an additional 6 months based on a no-cost extension granted by DOE. The objective of this project is to improve the performance of aqueous phase formulations that are designed to increase oil recovery from fractured, oil-wet carbonate reservoir rock. This process works by increasing the rate and extent of aqueous phase imbibition into the matrix blocks in the reservoir and thereby displacing crude oil normally not recovered in a conventional waterflood operation. The project had three major components: (1) developing methods for the rapid screening of surfactant formulations towards identifying candidates suitable for more detailed evaluation, (2) more fundamental studies to relate the chemical structure of acid components of an oil and surfactants in aqueous solution as relates to their tendency to wet a carbonate surface by oil or water, and (3) a more applied study where aqueous solutions of different commercial surfactants are examined for their ability to recover a West Texas crude oil from a limestone core via an imbibition process. The first item, regarding rapid screening methods for suitable surfactants has been summarized as a Topical Report. One promising surfactant screening protocol is based on the ability of a surfactant solution to remove aged crude oil that coats a clear calcite crystal (Iceland Spar). Good surfactant candidate solutions remove the most oil the quickest from the surface of these chips, plus change the apparent contact angle of the remaining oil droplets on the surface that thereby indicate increased water-wetting. The other fast surfactant screening method is based on the flotation behavior of powdered calcite in water. In this test protocol, first the calcite

Controlling block copolymer phase behavior using ionic surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, D.; Aswal, V. K. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India E-mail: debes.phys@gmail.com (India)

2016-05-23

The phase behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide-poly(ethylene oxide) PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer [P85 (EO{sub 26}PO{sub 39}EO{sub 26})] in presence of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in aqueous solution as a function of temperature has been studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The measurements have been carried out for fixed concentrations (1 wt%) of block copolymer and surfactants. Each of the individual components (block copolymer and surfactant) and the nanoparticle–surfactant mixed system have been examined at varying temperature. The block copolymer P85 forms spherical micelles at room temperature whereas shows sphere-to-rod like micelle transition at higher temperatures. On the other hand, SDS surfactant forms ellipsoidal micelles over a wide temperature range. Interestingly, it is found that phase behavior of mixed micellar system (P85 + SDS) as a function of temperature is drastically different from that of P85, giving the control over the temperature-dependent phase behavior of block copolymers.

Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. Annual report, 1992--1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wasan, D.T.

1994-08-01

In this report, the authors present the results of experimental and theoretical studies in surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for light oil recovery. The overall objective of this work is to develop a very cost-effective method for formulating a successful surfactant-enhanced alkaline flood by appropriately choosing mixed alkalis which form inexpensive buffers to obtain the desired pH (between 8.5 and 12.0) for ultimate spontaneous emulsification and ultralow interfacial tension. In addition, the authors have (1) developed a theoretical interfacial activity model for determining equilibrium interfacial tension, (2) investigated the mechanisms for spontaneous emulsification, (3) developed a technique to monitor low water content in oil, and (4) developed a technique to study water-in-oil emulsion film properties.

Identification of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1 in Acinetobacter lwoffii of food animal origin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: To investigate the presence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL genes and the genetic environment of the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase gene bla(NDM-1 in bacteria of food animal origin. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Gram-negative bacteria with low susceptibility to imipenem (MIC>8 µg/mL were isolated from swab samples collected from 15 animal farms and one slaughterhouse in eastern China. These bacteria were selected for phenotypic and molecular detection of known MBL genes and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. For the bla(NDM-1 positive isolate, conjugation and transformation experiments were carried out to assess plasmid transfer. Southern blotting was conducted to localize the bla(NDM-1 genes, and DNA sequencing was performed to determine the sequences of bla(NDM-1 and the flanking genes. In total, nine gram-negative bacteria of four different species presented a MBL phenotype. bla(NDM-1 was identified on a mobile plasmid named pAL-01 in an Acinetobacter lwoffii isolate of chicken origin. Transfer of pAL-01 from this isolate to E. coli J53 and JM109 resulted in resistance to multiple β-lactams. Sequence analysis revealed that the bla(NDM-1 gene is attached to an intact insertion element ISAba125, whose right inverted repeat (IR-R overlaps with the promoter sequence of bla(NDM-1. Thus, insertion of ISAba125 likely enhances the expression of bla(NDM-1. CONCLUSION: The identification of a bla(NDM-1- carrying strain of A. lwoffii in chickens suggests the potential for zoonotic transmission of bla(NDM-1 and has important implications for food safety.

Aerobic biodegradation of amphoteric amine-oxide-based surfactants: Effect of molecular structure, initial surfactant concentration and pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos, Francisco; Lechuga, Manuela; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes; Fernández-Arteaga, Alejandro

2017-03-01

The present study was designed to provide information regarding the effect of the molecular structure of amphoteric amine-oxide-based surfactants and the initial surfactant concentration on their ultimate biodegradation. Moreover, given this parameter's pH-dependence, the effect of pH was also investigated. Three amine-oxide-based surfactants with structural differences in their hydrophobic alkyl chain were tested: Lauramine oxide (AO-R 12 ), Myristamine oxide (AO-R 14 ) and Cocamidopropylamine oxide (AO-Cocoamido). We studied the ultimate biodegradation using the Modified OECD Screening Test at initial surfactant concentrations ranged from 5 to 75 mg L -1 and at pH levels from 5 to 7.4. The results demonstrate that at pH 7.4, amine-oxide-based surfactants are readily biodegradable. In this study, we concluded that ω-oxidation can be assumed to be the main biodegradation pathway of amine-oxides and that differences in the biodegradability between them can be explained by the presence of an amide group in the alkyl chain of AO-Cocoamido; the CN fission of the amide group slows down their mineralization process. In addition, the increase in the concentration of the surfactant from 5 to 75 mg L -1 resulted in an increase in the final biodegradation of AO-R 12 and AO-R 14 . However, in the case of AO-Cocoamido, a clear relationship between the concentration and biodegradation cannot be stated. Conversely, the biodegradability of AO-R 12 and AO-R 14 was considerably lower in an acid condition than at a pH of 7.4, whereas AO-Cocoamido reached similar percentages in acid conditions and at a neutral pH. However, microorganisms required more time to acclimate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser-heating-induced displacement of surfactants on the water surface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Backus, E.H.G.; Bonn, D.; Cantin, S.; Roke, S.; Bonn, M.

2012-01-01

We report a combined vibrational sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and ellipsometry study of different surfactants on water as a function of surfactant density. Vibrational SFG spectra of surfactants on the water surface in a Langmuir trough have been

Lactose oleate as new biocompatible surfactant for pharmaceutical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Perinelli, D R; Lucarini, S; Fagioli, L; Campana, R; Vllasaliu, D; Duranti, A; Casettari, L

2018-03-01

Sugar fatty acid esters are an interesting class of non-ionic, biocompatible and biodegradable sugar-based surfactants, recently emerged as a valid alternative to the traditional commonly employed (e.g. polysorbates and polyethylene glycol derivatives). By varying the polar head (carbohydrate moiety) and the hydrophobic tail (fatty acid), surfactants with different physico-chemical characteristics can be easily prepared. While many research papers have focused on sucrose derivatives, relatively few studies have been carried out on lactose-based surfactants. In this work, we present the synthesis and the physico-chemical characterization of lactose oleate. The new derivative was obtained by enzymatic mono-esterification of lactose with oleic acid. Thermal, surface, and aggregation properties of the surfactant were studied in detail and the cytotoxicity profile was investigated by MTS and LDH assays on intestinal Caco-2 monolayers. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements on Caco-2 cells showed a transient and reversible effect on the tight junctions opening, which correlates with the increased permeability of 4 kDa fluorescein-labelled dextran (as model for macromolecular drugs) in a concentration dependent manner. Moreover, lactose oleate displayed a satisfactory antimicrobial activity over a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, the obtained results are promising for a further development of lactose oleate as an intestinal absorption enhancer and/or an alternative biodegradable preservative for pharmaceutical and food applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A multicenter, randomized trial comparing synthetic surfactant with modified bovine surfactant extract in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adams, E; Vollman, J; Giebner, D; Maurer, M; Dreyer, G; Bailey, L; Anderson, M; Mefford, L; Beaumont, E; Sutton, D; Puppala, B; Mangurten, HH; Secrest, J; Lewis, WJ; Carteaux, P; Bednarek, F; Welsberger, S; Gosselin, R; Pantoja, AF; Belenky, A; Campbell, P; Patole, S; Duenas, M; Kelly, M; Alejo, W; Lewallen, P; DeanLieber, S; Hanft, M; Ferlauto, J; Newell, RW; Bagwell, J; Levine, D; Lipp, RW; Harkavy, K; Vasa, R; Birenbaum, H; Broderick, KA; Santos, AQ; Long, BA; Gulrajani, M; Stern, M; Hopgood, G; Hegyi, T; Alba, J; Christmas, L; McQueen, M; Nichols, N; Brown, M; Quissell, BJ; Rusk, C; Marks, K; Gifford, K; Hoehn, G; Pathak, A; Marino, B; Hunt, P; Fox, [No Value; Sharpstein, C; Feldman, B; Johnson, N; Beecham, J; Balcom, R; Helmuth, W; Boylan, D; Frakes, C; Magoon, M; Reese, K; Schwersenski, J; Schutzman, D; Soll, R; Horbar, JD; Leahy, K; Troyer, W; Juzwicki, C; Anderson, P; Dworsky, M; Reynolds, L; Urrutia, J; Gupta, U; Adray, C

Objective. To compare the efficacy of a synthetic surfactant (Exosurf Neonatal, Burroughs-Wellcome Co) and a modified bovine surfactant extract (Survanta, Ross Laboratories) in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Design. Multicenter, randomized trial. Setting. Thirty-eight

Early surfactant therapy and nasal continuous positive airways ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) receiving nasal continuous positive airways ... required FiO2 was allowed to rise above 0.4 before surfactant was administered. ... group received surfactant immediately and the high-threshold group ...

The Development Needs of Newly Appointed Senior School Leaders in the Western Cape South Africa: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelius Jansen van Vuuren

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The essential role that senior school leaders play in school leadership teams to ensure effective strategic leadership in schools has been the subject of intense discussion for many years. Crucial to this debate is the establishment of professional learning and leadership approaches for newly appointed senior school leaders. Recommendations for policy and practice highlight the importance of appropriate, multifaceted, developmental support initiatives for newly appointed school leaders. In many countries, including South Africa, a teaching qualification and, in most cases, extensive teaching experience is the only requirement for being appointed as a senior school leader in a school. This tends to suggest that no further professional development is required for newly appointed school leaders, the problem addressed in this paper. This paper reports on the main findings of the perceived development needs of newly appointed senior school leaders in the Western Cape, South Africa, and suggests that school leaders occupy a unique and specialist role in education, which requires relevant and specific preparation to support effective leadership. The respondents of this study report a lack of contextualised training and support before and after their appointment in their new roles creating unique development needs. This paper, therefore, employs a mixed-method approach to gather data to understand the perceived needs of twenty newly appointed senior school leaders in the Western Cape, South Africa.

A novel biosensor method for surfactant determination based on acetylcholinesterase inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucherenko, I S; Soldatkin, O O; Arkhypova, V M; Dzyadevych, S V; Soldatkin, A P

2012-01-01

A novel enzyme biosensor based on acetylcholinesterase inhibition for the determination of surfactants in aqueous solutions is described. Acetylcholinesterase-based bioselective element was deposited via glutaraldehyde on the surface of conductometric transducers. Different variants of inhibitory analysis of surfactants were tested, and finally surfactant's concentration was evaluated by measuring initial rate of acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Besides, we studied the effect of solution characteristics on working parameters of the biosensor for direct measurement of acetylcholine and for inhibitory determination of surfactants. The biosensor's sensitivity to anionic and cationic surfactants (0.35 mg l −1 ) was tested. The high operational stability of the biosensor during determination of acetylcholine (RSD 2%) and surfactants (RSD 11%) was shown. Finally, we discussed the selectivity of the biosensor toward surfactants and other AChE inhibitors. The proposed biosensor can be used as a component of the multibiosensor for ecological monitoring of toxicants. (paper)

Effect of surfactant types and their concentration on the structural characteristics of nanoclay

Science.gov (United States)

Zawrah, M. F.; Khattab, R. M.; Saad, E. M.; Gado, R. A.

2014-03-01

A series of organo-modified nanoclays was synthesized using three different surfactants having different alkyl chain lengths and concentrations [0.5-5.0 cation exchange capacity (CEC)]. These surfactants were Ethanolamine (EA), Cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) and Tetraoctadecylammoniumbromide (TO). The obtained modified nanoclays were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compared with unmodified nanoclay. The results of XRD analysis indicated that the basal d-spacing has increased with increasing alkyl chain length and surfactant concentration. From the obtained microstructures of these organo-modified nanoclays, the mechanism of surfactant adsorption was proposed. At relatively low loading of surfactant, most of surfactant entered the spacing by an ion-exchange mechanism and is adsorbed onto the interlayer cation sites. When the concentration of the surfactant exceeds the CEC of clay, the surfactant molecules then adhere to the surface adsorbed surfactant. Some surfactants entered the interlayers, whereas the others were attached to the clay surface. When the concentration of surfactant increased further beyond 2.0 CEC, the surfactants might occupy the inter-particle space within the house-of-cards aggregate structure.

Nanoparticle decoration with surfactants: Molecular interactions, assembly, and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Hendrik; Pramanik, Chandrani; Heinz, Ozge; Ding, Yifu; Mishra, Ratan K.; Marchon, Delphine; Flatt, Robert J.; Estrela-Lopis, Irina; Llop, Jordi; Moya, Sergio; Ziolo, Ronald F.

2017-02-01

Nanostructures of diverse chemical nature are used as biomarkers, therapeutics, catalysts, and structural reinforcements. The decoration with surfactants has a long history and is essential to introduce specific functions. The definition of surfactants in this review is very broad, following its lexical meaning ;surface active agents;, and therefore includes traditional alkyl modifiers, biological ligands, polymers, and other surface active molecules. The review systematically covers covalent and non-covalent interactions of such surfactants with various types of nanomaterials, including metals, oxides, layered materials, and polymers as well as their applications. The major themes are (i) molecular recognition and noncovalent assembly mechanisms of surfactants on the nanoparticle and nanocrystal surfaces, (ii) covalent grafting techniques and multi-step surface modification, (iii) dispersion properties and surface reactions, (iv) the use of surfactants to influence crystal growth, as well as (v) the incorporation of biorecognition and other material-targeting functionality. For the diverse materials classes, similarities and differences in surfactant assembly, function, as well as materials performance in specific applications are described in a comparative way. Major factors that lead to differentiation are the surface energy, surface chemistry and pH sensitivity, as well as the degree of surface regularity and defects in the nanoparticle cores and in the surfactant shell. The review covers a broad range of surface modifications and applications in biological recognition and therapeutics, sensors, nanomaterials for catalysis, energy conversion and storage, the dispersion properties of nanoparticles in structural composites and cement, as well as purification systems and classical detergents. Design principles for surfactants to optimize the performance of specific nanostructures are discussed. The review concludes with challenges and opportunities.

Gemini (dimeric) Surfactants

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

is in turn bonded to an identical hydrocarbon tail; alternatively,. ~. Tail spacer ... formed is dependent on surfactant structure, temperature, ionic strength and pH. The models of GS are .... micelle to the air/water interface. Moreover, GS can be ...

Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and The Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson; Phil Dowling; David Stewart; Bill Jones

2005-12-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction with different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in

The impact of alkyl sulfate surfactant geometry and electrolyte on the co-adsorption of anionic surfactants with model perfumes at the air-solution interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradbury, Robert; Penfold, Jeffrey; Thomas, Robert K; Tucker, Ian M; Petkov, Jordan T; Jones, Craig

2013-08-01

The impact of surfactant geometry and electrolyte on the co-adsorption of anionic surfactants and model perfumes at the air-solution interface has been studied by neutron reflectivity. The more hydrophobic perfume linalool, competes more favourably for the surface with sodium dodecylsulfate than was previously reported for the anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl 6-benzenesulfonate. Due to an increase in surface activity of the sodium dodecylsulfate, the addition of electrolyte results in a reduction in the linalool adsorption. Changing the alkyl chain length affects the relative adsorption of linalool and surfactant at the interface. Similar measurements for the different alkyl sulfates and with electrolyte with the more hydrophilic perfume phenyl ethanol, reveal broadly similar trends. Although the relative adsorption of phenyl ethanol with sodium dodecylsulfate is substantially enhanced compared to sodium dodecyl-6-benzenesulfonate the effects are not as significant as was observed with linalool. The variations with alkyl chain geometry show the importance of the hydrophobic interaction between the perfume and surfactant and changes in the packing constraints on the relative adsorption. The results highlight the importance of the specific interaction between the surfactant and perfume, and the surfactant and perfume geometries on the relative adsorption at the interface. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virulence of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain carrying the New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuursted, Kurt; Schøler, Lone; Hansen, Frank

2011-01-01

, and in vitro virulence by assessing various virulence factors. The NDM-1 carrying K. pneumoniae isolate was the most virulent in the murine sepsis model but there was no clear cut correlation to in vitro virulence factors or killing in C. elegans. It is concluded that K. pneumoniae carrying NDM-1 have......The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate virulence in five strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, including an isolate carrying New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1). In vivo virulence was assessed using a murine sepsis model and using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans killing model...

First Survey of Metallo-β-Lactamase Producers in Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa From a Referral Burn Center in Kurdistan Province.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalantar, Enayatollah; Torabi, Vahideh; Salimizand, Heiman; Soheili, Fariborz; Beiranvand, Soheila; Soltan Dallal, Mohammad Mehdi

2012-01-01

Treatment of infectious diseases is becoming more challenging with each passing year. This is especially true for infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen with the ability to rapidly develop resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing strains among multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa strains isolated from burn patients. The isolates were identified, tested for susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents, and screened for the presence of MβLs by using the double-disk synergy test. The minimal inhibitory concentration of imipenem was determined by microplate broth dilution method on Mueller-Hinton agar. To detect VIM, SIM, and GIM MBLs, the isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction. In this study, we identified 100 P. aeruginosa isolates from 176 clinical specimens obtained from burn patients. The isolates showed maximum resistance to ampicillin (100%), ceftazidime (94%), and ceftriaxone (89%). The CLSI-MBL phenotypic test showed that of the 100 P. aeruginosa isolates, 22 (22%) were positive for MBL production in the double-disk synergy test. Of the 22 MBL-positive P. aeruginosa isolates, 8 were resistant to imipenem. PCR analysis showed that 8 isolates were positive for blaVIM1. The other genes blaSIM1 and blaGIM1 were not detected. The study results demonstrate the serious therapeutic threat of the spread of MBL producers among P. aeruginosa populations. Metallo-β-lactamases were detected in 22% of imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. Early detection and infection-control practices are the best antimicrobial strategies for this organism; therefore, systematic surveillance to detect MBL producers is necessary.

Combined use of the modified Hodge test and carbapenemase inhibition test for detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Wonkeun; Hong, Seong Geun; Yong, Dongeun; Jeong, Seok Hoon; Kim, Hyun Soo; Kim, Han-Sung; Kim, Jae-Seok; Bae, Il Kwon

2015-03-01

We evaluated the combined use of the modified Hodge test (MHT) and carbapenemase inhibition test (CIT) using phenylboronic acid (PBA) and EDTA to detect carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) and metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas spp. A total of 49 isolates of CPE (15 Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase [KPC], 5 Guiana extended-spectrum β-lactamase [GES]-5, 9 New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase [NDM]-1, 5 Verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase [VIM]-2, 3 imipenem-hydrolyzing β-lactamase [IMP], and 12 oxacillinase [OXA]-48-like), 25 isolates of MBL-producing Pseudomonas spp. (14 VIM-2 and 11 IMP), and 35 carbapenemase-negative controls were included. The MHT was performed for all isolates as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Enhanced growth of the indicator strain was measured in mm with a ruler. The CIT was performed by directly dripping PBA and EDTA solutions onto carbapenem disks that were placed on Mueller-Hinton agar plates seeded with the test strain. Considering the results of the MHT with the ertapenem disk in Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp., the CIT with the meropenem disk in Enterobacteriaceae, and the imipenem disk in Pseudomonas spp., three combined disk tests, namely MHT-positive plus PBA-positive, EDTA-positive, and MHT-positive plus PBA-negative plus EDTA-negative, had excellent sensitivity and specificity for the detection of KPC- (100% sensitivity and 100% specificity), MBL- (94% sensitivity and 100% specificity), and OXA-48-like-producing isolates (100% sensitivity and 100% specificity), respectively. Combined use of the MHT and CIT with PBA and EDTA, for the detection of CPE and MBL-producing Pseudomonas spp., is effective in detecting and characterizing carbapenemases in routine laboratories.

Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and the Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson; Phil Dowling; David Stewart; Bill Jones

2005-12-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding froin swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction with different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in

Micellar solubilization in strongly interacting binary surfactant systems. [Binary surfactant systems of: dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride + sodium dodecyl sulfate; benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride + tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treiner, C. (Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris (France)); Nortz, M.; Vaution, C. (Faculte de Pharmacie de Paris-sud, Chatenay-Malabry (France))

1990-07-01

The apparent partition coefficient P of barbituric acids between micelles and water has been determined in mixed binary surfactant solutions from solubility measurements in the whole micellar composition range. The binary systems chosen ranged from the strongly interacting system dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride + sodium dodecyl sulfate to weakly interacting systems such as benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride + tetradecyltrimethyammonium chloride. In all cases studied, mixed micelle formation is unfavorable to micellar solubilization. A correlation is found between the unlike surfactants interaction energy, as measured by the regular solution parameter {beta} and the solute partition coefficient change upon surfactant mixing. By use of literature data on micellar solubilization in binary surfactant solutions, it is shown that the change of P for solutes which are solubilized by surface adsorption is generally governed by the sign and amplitude of the interaction parameter {beta}.

Complex phase behavior in solvent-free nonionic surfactants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hillmyer, M.A.; Bates, F.S.; Almdal, K.

1996-01-01

Unsolvated block copolymers and surfactant solutions are ''soft materials'' that share a common set of ordered microstructures, A set of polyethyleneoxide-polyethylethylene (PEG-PEE) block copolymers that are chemically similar to the well-known alkane-oxyethylene (C(n)EO(m)) nonionic surfactants...... was synthesized here. The general phase behavior in these materials resembles that of both higher molecular weight block copolymers and lower molecular weight nonionic surfactant solutions. Two of the block copolymers exhibited thermally induced order-order transitions and were studied in detail by small...

Biodegradability of bacterial surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Tânia M S; Procópio, Lorena C; Brandão, Felipe D; Carvalho, André M X; Tótola, Marcos R; Borges, Arnaldo C

2011-06-01

This work aimed at evaluating the biodegradability of different bacterial surfactants in liquid medium and in soil microcosms. The biodegradability of biosurfactants by pure and mixed bacterial cultures was evaluated through CO(2) evolution. Three bacterial strains, Acinetobacter baumanni LBBMA ES11, Acinetobacter haemolyticus LBBMA 53 and Pseudomonas sp. LBBMA 101B, used the biosurfactants produced by Bacillus sp. LBBMA 111A (mixed lipopeptide), Bacillus subtilis LBBMA 155 (lipopeptide), Flavobacterium sp. LBBMA 168 (mixture of flavolipids), Dietzia Maris LBBMA 191(glycolipid) and Arthrobacter oxydans LBBMA 201(lipopeptide) as carbon sources in minimal medium. The synthetic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was also mineralized by these microorganisms, but at a lower rate. CO(2) emitted by a mixed bacterial culture in soil microcosms with biosurfactants was higher than in the microcosm containing SDS. Biosurfactant mineralization in soil was confirmed by the increase in surface tension of the soil aqueous extracts after incubation with the mixed bacterial culture. It can be concluded that, in terms of biodegradability and environmental security, these compounds are more suitable for applications in remediation technologies in comparison to synthetic surfactants. However, more information is needed on structure of biosurfactants, their interaction with soil and contaminants and scale up and cost for biosurfactant production.

Oxyanion flux characterization using passive flux meters: Development and field testing of surfactant-modified granular activated carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jimi; Rao, P. S. C.; Poyer, Irene C.; Toole, Robyn M.; Annable, M. D.; Hatfield, K.

2007-07-01

We report here on the extension of Passive Flux Meter (PFM) applications for measuring fluxes of oxyanions in groundwater, and present results for laboratory and field studies. Granular activated carbon, with and without impregnated silver (GAC and SI-GAC, respectively), was modified with a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA), to enhance the anion exchange capacity (AEC). Langmuir isotherm sorption maxima for oxyanions measured in batch experiments were in the following order: perchlorate >> chromate > selenate, consistent with their selectivity. Linear sorption isotherms for several alcohols suggest that surfactant modification of GAC and SI-GAC reduced (˜ 30-45%) sorption of alcohols by GAC. Water and oxyanion fluxes (perchlorate and chromate) measured by deploying PFMs packed with surfactant-modified GAC (SM-GAC) or surfactant-modified, silver-impregnated GAC (SM-SI-GAC) in laboratory flow chambers were in close agreement with the imposed fluxes. The use of SM-SI-GAC as a PFM sorbent was evaluated at a field site with perchlorate contamination of a shallow unconfined aquifer. PFMs packed with SM-SI-GAC were deployed in three existing monitoring wells with a perchlorate concentration range of ˜ 2.5 to 190 mg/L. PFM-measured, depth-averaged, groundwater fluxes ranged from 1.8 to 7.6 cm/day, while depth-averaged perchlorate fluxes varied from 0.22 to 1.7 g/m 2/day. Groundwater and perchlorate flux distributions measured in two PFM deployments closely matched each other. Depth-averaged Darcy fluxes measured with PFMs were in line with an estimate from a borehole dilution test, but much smaller than those based on hydraulic conductivity and head gradients; this is likely due to flow divergence caused by well-screen clogging. Flux-averaged perchlorate concentrations measured with PFM deployments matched concentrations in groundwater samples taken from one well, but not in two other wells, pointing to the need for additional field testing. Use of

Single well surfactant test to evaluate surfactant floods using multi tracer method

Science.gov (United States)

Sheely, Clyde Q.

1979-01-01

Data useful for evaluating the effectiveness of or designing an enhanced recovery process said process involving mobilizing and moving hydrocarbons through a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation from an injection well to a production well by injecting a mobilizing fluid into the injection well, comprising (a) determining hydrocarbon saturation in a volume in the formation near a well bore penetrating formation, (b) injecting sufficient mobilizing fluid to mobilize and move hydrocarbons from a volume in the formation near the well bore, and (c) determining the hydrocarbon saturation in a volume including at least a part of the volume of (b) by an improved single well surfactant method comprising injecting 2 or more slugs of water containing the primary tracer separated by water slugs containing no primary tracer. Alternatively, the plurality of ester tracers can be injected in a single slug said tracers penetrating varying distances into the formation wherein the esters have different partition coefficients and essentially equal reaction times. The single well tracer method employed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,842. This method designated the single well surfactant test (SWST) is useful for evaluating the effect of surfactant floods, polymer floods, carbon dioxide floods, micellar floods, caustic floods and the like in subterranean formations in much less time and at much reduced cost compared to conventional multiwell pilot tests.

Pyrene removal from contaminated soil using electrokinetic process combined with surfactant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Enayat Hashemi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Pyrene is one of the stable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that is considered as an important pollutants, because of extensive distribution in the environment and carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Among the various treatment techniques, electrokinetic method is an environmental- friendly process for organic and mineral pollutants adsorbed to soil with fine pore size the same as clay and low hydraulic conductivity soils. For improving the efficiency of pyrene removal from soil, soulobilization of pyrene from soil could be used by surfactants. Materials and Methods : In this study, clay soil was selected as model because of the specific properties. Combined method using surfactant and electrokinetic was applied for pyrene removal from soil. Experiments were designed using response surface methodology (RSM, and effect of three variables includes surfactant concentration, voltage and surfactant type were evaluated for pyrene removal from contaminated soil. Results: Pyrene removal using anionic surfactants(SDS and nonionic surfactants(TX100 as a solubilizing agents has high removal efficiency. In the optimum condition with 95% confidence coefficient, utilizing mixed surfactants of sodium dodecyl sulfate and triton X-100 with the same volume, induced of 18.54 volt and 6.53 percent surfactant concentration have 94.6% pyrene removal efficiency. Conclusion:: Results of this study shows that electrokinetic process combined with surfactant as solubilizing agent could be applied as an efficient method for treating the pyrene-contaminated soils.

Is Less Invasive Surfactant Administration Necessary or "Only" Helpful or Just a Fashion?

Science.gov (United States)

Lista, Gianluca; Bresesti, Ilia; Fabbri, Laura

2018-05-01

In the 1990s, the most relevant pillars in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) have been improvements in ventilation strategies, the introduction of exogenous surfactant replacement therapy, and the use of antenatal steroids. Lately, in addition to the standard INSURE (INtubation-SURfactant administration-Extubation) method to administer surfactant, a new technique has been gaining increasing popularity. It is the so-called less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) method, which has shown promising results in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia development and in reducing mortality in preterm neonates. The rationale behind this technique is to avoid positive pressure ventilation and the endotracheal tube, being surfactant delivered through a thin catheter while the neonate is maintained on continuous positive airway pressure. Given the paucity of large-scale randomized trials on LISA method to prove its effects on short- and long-term outcomes, some questions still remain unanswered. Then, uncertainty regarding the feasibility of this maneuver needs to be better clarified before gaining wide acceptance in routine clinical practice. In our report, we aim at hypothesizing the main mechanisms behind the efficacy of LISA, considering it as a single maneuver in a comprehensive approach for RDS management in the delivery room. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Enhanced Oil Recovery with Surfactant Flooding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandersen, Sara Bülow

, thus reducing the interfacial tension (IFT) to ultra low (0.001 mN/m), which consequently will mobilize the residual oil and result in improved oil recovery. This EOR technology is, however, made challenging by a number of factors, such as the adsorption of surfactant and co-surfactant to the rock...... be resistant to and remain active at reservoir conditions such as high temperatures, pressures and salinities. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of systems that exhibit liquid-liquid equilibrium (e.g. oil-brine systems) at reservoir conditions is an area of increasing interest within EOR. This is true...... studied. The effect of increased pressure became more significant when combined with increasing temperature. The experiments performed on the oil/ seawater systems were similar to the high pressure experiments for the surfactant system discussed above. Oil was contacted with different brine solutions...

First case of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase in Klebsiella pneumoniae from Ecuador: An update for South America

OpenAIRE

Daniel Romero-Alvarez; Jorge Reyes; Viviana Quezada; Carolina Satán; Nelson Cevallos; Sofía Barrera; Gabriel Trueba; Luis E. Escobar; José E. Villacís

2017-01-01

Objectives: To describe a clinical case of Klebsiella pneumoniae harboring a New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) plasmid in Ecuador and to present a map of reports of NDM isolates in South America. Methods: The modified Hodge test, carbapenem inactivation method, imipenemâEDTA disk method (synergy), and Rapidec Carba NP test were used to identify antibiotic resistance mechanisms. The presence of resistance genes was explored with a conjugation assay, and molecular confirmation of NDM was per...

Assessment of surfactant use in preterm infants as a marker of neonatal intensive care unit quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorch Scott A

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Proposed neonatal quality measures have included structural measures such as average daily census, and outcome measures such as mortality and rates of complications of prematurity. However, process measures have remained largely unexamined. The objective of this research was to examine variation in surfactant use as a possible process measure of neonatal quality. Methods We obtained data on infants 30 to 34 weeks gestation admitted with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS within 48 hours of birth to 16 hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database from 2001-2006. Models were developed to describe hospital variation in surfactant use and identify patient and hospital predictors of use. Another cohort of all infants admitted within 24 hours of birth was used to obtain adjusted neonatal intensive care unit (NICU mortality rates. To assess the construct validity of surfactant use as a quality metric, adjusted hospital rates of mortality and surfactant use were compared using Kendall's tau. Results Of 3,633 infants, 46% received surfactant. For individual hospitals, the adjusted odds of surfactant use varied from 2.2 times greater to 5.9 times less than the hospital with the median adjusted odds of surfactant use. Increased annual admissions of extremely low birth weight infants to the NICU were associated with greater surfactant use (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.02-3.19. The correlation between adjusted hospital rates of surfactant use and in-hospital mortality was 0.37 (Kendall's tau p = 0.051. Conclusions Though results were encouraging, efforts to examine surfactant use in infants with RDS as a process measure reflecting quality of care revealed significant challenges. Difficulties related to adequate measurement including defining RDS using administrative data, accounting for care received prior to transfer, and adjusting for severity of illness will need to be addressed to improve the utility of this

The effect of surfactant on pollutant biosorption of Trametes versicolor

Science.gov (United States)

Gül, Ülküye Dudu; Silah, Hülya; Akbaş, Halide; Has, Merve

2016-04-01

The major problem concerning industrial wastewater is treatment of dye and heavy metal containing effluents. Industrial effluents are also contained surfactants that are used as levelling, dispersing and wetting agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of surfactant on textile dye biosorption properties of a white rot fungus named Trametes versicolor. Reactive dyes are commonly used in textile industry because of their advantages such as brightness and excellent color fastness. A recative textile dye, called Everzol Black, was used in this study. The low-cost mollasses medium is used for fungal growth. The usage of mollases, the sugar refinery effluent as a source of energy and nutrients, gained importance because of reducing the cost and also reusing another waste. In biosorption process the effect of surfactant on dye removal properties of T. versicolor was examined as a function of pH, dye consentration and surfactant concentration. The results of this study showed that the surfactant enhanced the dye removal capacity of Trametes versicolor. The dye and surfactant molecules were interacted electrostatically and these electrostatic interactions improved dye removal properties of filamentous fungus T. versicolor. The results of this study recommended the use of surfactants as an inducer in textile wastewater treatment technologies.

Surfactant-enhanced recovery of dissolved hydrocarbons at petroleum production facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, J.T.; Mayes, M.; Wassmuth, F.; Taylor, K.; Rae, W.; Kuipers, F.

1997-01-01

The feasibility and cost effectiveness of surfactant-enhanced pumping to reduce source concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soils was discussed. Light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL) hydrocarbons are present beneath many petroleum production processing facilities in western Canada. Complete removal of LNAPLs from geologic materials is difficult and expensive. Treatment technologies include costly ex-situ methods such as excavation and in-situ methods such as physical extraction by soil venting and pumping, bioremediation, and combination methods such as bioventing, bioslurping or air sparging. Surfactant-aided pumping can reduce source hydrocarbon concentrations when used in conjunction with traditional pump and treat, or deep well injection. This study involved the selection of an appropriate surfactant from a wide variety of commercially available products. A site contaminated by hydrocarbons in Turner Valley, Alberta, was used for field scale testing. One of the major problems was quantifying the increase in the dissolved hydrocarbon concentrations in the recovered water once a surfactant was added. From the 30 surfactants screened in a series of washing and oil solubilization tests, two surfactants, Brij 97 and Tween 80, were selected for further evaluation. Increased hydrocarbon recovery was observed within 10 days of the introduction of the first surfactant. 2 refs., 7 figs

Contribution of Seawater Surfactants to Generated Primary Marine Aerosol Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Frossard, A. A.; Gerard, V.; Duplessis, P.; Kinsey, J. D.; Lu, X.; Zhu, Y.; Bisgrove, J.; Maben, J. R.; Long, M. S.; Chang, R.; Beaupre, S. R.; Kieber, D. J.; Keene, W. C.; Noziere, B.; Cohen, R. C.

2017-12-01

Surfactants account for minor fractions of total organic carbon in the ocean but may have major impacts on the surface tension of bursting bubbles at the sea surface that drive the production of primary marine aerosol particles (PMA). Surfactants associated with marine aerosol may also significantly reduce the surface tension of water thereby increasing the potential for cloud droplet activation and growth. During September and October 2016, PMA were produced from bursting bubbles in seawater using a high capacity generator at two biologically productive and two oligotrophic stations in the western North Atlantic, as part of a cruise on the R/V Endeavor. Surfactants were extracted from paired PMA and seawater samples, and their ionic compositions, total concentrations, and critical micelle concentrations (CMC) were quantified and compared for the four hydrographic stations. Higher surfactant concentrations were determined in the aerosol produced from biologically productive seawater compared to oligotrophic seawater, and the surfactants extracted from productive seawater were stronger (had lower CMCs) than those in the oligotrophic seawater. Surfactants associated with PMA and seawater in productive regions also varied over diel cycles, whereas those in the oligotrophic regions did not. This work demonstrates a direct link between surfactants in seawater and those in PMA.

Nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy of surfactants at liquid interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Paulo Barbeitas

Surfactants are widely used to modify physical and chemical properties of interfaces. They play an important role in many technological problems. Surfactant monolayers are also of great scientific interest because they are two-dimensional systems that may exhibit a very rich phase transition behavior and can also be considered as a model system for biological interfaces. In this Thesis, we use a second-order nonlinear optical technique (Sum-Frequency Generation - SFG) to obtain vibrational spectra of surfactant monolayers at liquid/vapor and solid/liquid interfaces. The technique has several advantages: it is intrinsically surface-specific, can be applied to buried interfaces, has submonolayer sensitivity and is remarkably sensitive to the conformational order of surfactant monolayers. The first part of the Thesis is concerned with surfactant monolayers at the air/water interface (Langmuir films). Surface crystallization of an alcohol Langmuir film and of liquid alkanes are studied and their phase transition behaviors are found to be of different nature, although driven by similar intermolecular interactions. The effect of crystalline order of Langmuir monolayers on the interfacial water structure is also investigated. It is shown that water forms a well-ordered hydrogen-bonded network underneath an alcohol monolayer, in contrast to a fatty acid monolayer which induces a more disordered structure. In the latter case, ionization of the monolayer becomes more significant with increase of the water pH value, leading to an electric-field-induced ordering of interfacial water molecules. We also show that the orientation and conformation of fairly complicated molecules in a Langmuir monolayer can be completely mapped out using a combination of SFG and second harmonic generation (SHG). For a quantitative analysis of molecular orientation at an interface, local-field corrections must be included. The second part is a study of self-assembled surfactant monolayers at the

Validating self-reported mobile phone use in adults using a newly developed smartphone application

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goedhart, Geertje; Kromhout, Hans; Wiart, Joe; Vermeulen, Roel

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Interpretation of epidemiological studies on health effects from mobile phone use is hindered by uncertainties in the exposure assessment. We used a newly developed smartphone application (app) to validate self-reported mobile phone use and behaviour among adults. METHODS: 107

Interfacial behaviour between oil/water systems using ionic surfactants from regional vegetable industry and animal pet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, Francisco Klebson G.; Alves, Juan V.A.; Dantas, Tereza N. Castro; Dutra Junior, Tarcilio V.; Barros Neto, Eduardo L. [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil)

2008-07-01

Interfacial tension (IFT) is one of the most important physical properties in the study of fluid-fluid interfaces. In this research the surfactants - saponified coconut oil, saponified castor oil, saponified soybean oil, saponified sunflower oil and basis soap - were synthesized in laboratory, using carboxylic acids from regional industry and animal fat (bovine fat). This study focuses on the search of a high-efficient, low-cost, and safe for the environment flooding system to be applied in enhanced oil recovery. The principal aim of this work is the obtaining of interfacial tensions between oil/water systems, using the developed ionic surfactants. Results showed that the studied surfactants are able to reduce the IFT between oil and brine. The surfactant that was more effective in reducing the IFT value was the one from animal fat. The composition, as well as the kind of the bond, as saturated or unsaturated, of the surfactants has influence in the IFT value. The ionic surfactants from regional industry and animal fat besides presenting low cost propitiate very low interfacial tensions between oil and brine, favoring the interactions with residual oil and thus increasing oil recovery. (author)

Surfactant-aided recovery/in situ bioremediation for oil-contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducreaux, J.; Baviere, M.; Seabra, P.; Razakarisoa, O.; Shaefer, G.; Arnaud, C.

1995-01-01

Bioremediation has been the most commonly used method way for in situ cleaning of soils contaminated with low-volatility petroleum products such as diesel oil. However, whatever the process (bioventing, bioleaching, etc.), it is a time-consuming technique that may be efficiency limited by both accessibility and too high concentrations of contaminants. A currently developed process aims at quickly recovering part of the residual oil in the vadose and capillary zones by surfactant flushing, then activating in situ biodegradation of the remaining oil in the presence of the same or other surfactants. The process has been tested in laboratory columns and in an experimental pool, located at the Institut Franco-Allemand de Recherche sur l'Environnement (IFARE) in Strasbourg, France. Laboratory column studies were carried out to fit physico-chemical and hydraulic parameters of the process to the field conditions. The possibility of recovering more than 80% of the oil in the flushing step was shown. For the biodegradation step, forced aeration as a mode of oxygen supply, coupled with nutrient injection aided by surfactants, was tested

Desorption of hydrocarbon chains by association with ionic and nonionic surfactants under flow as a mechanism for enhanced oil recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Terrón-Mejía, Ketzasmin A; López-Rendón, Roberto; Goicochea, Armando Gama

2017-08-29

The need to extract oil from wells where it is embedded on the surfaces of rocks has led to the development of new and improved enhanced oil recovery techniques. One of those is the injection of surfactants with water vapor, which promotes desorption of oil that can then be extracted using pumps, as the surfactants encapsulate the oil in foams. However, the mechanisms that lead to the optimal desorption of oil and the best type of surfactants to carry out desorption are not well known yet, which warrants the need to carry out basic research on this topic. In this work, we report non equilibrium dissipative particle dynamics simulations of model surfactants and oil molecules adsorbed on surfaces, with the purpose of studying the efficiency of the surfactants to desorb hydrocarbon chains, that are found adsorbed over flat surfaces. The model surfactants studied correspond to nonionic and cationic surfactants, and the hydrocarbon desorption is studied as a function of surfactant concentration under increasing Poiseuille flow. We obtain various hydrocarbon desorption isotherms for every model of surfactant proposed, under flow. Nonionic surfactants are found to be the most effective to desorb oil and the mechanisms that lead to this phenomenon are presented and discussed.

Role of adsorbed surfactant in the reaction of aryl diazonium salts with single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilmer, Andrew J; McNicholas, Thomas P; Lin, Shangchao; Zhang, Jingqing; Wang, Qing Hua; Mendenhall, Jonathan D; Song, Changsik; Heller, Daniel A; Barone, Paul W; Blankschtein, Daniel; Strano, Michael S

2012-01-17

Because covalent chemistry can diminish the optical and electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), there is significant interest in developing methods of controllably functionalizing the nanotube sidewall. To date, most attempts at obtaining such control have focused on reaction stoichiometry or strength of oxidative treatment. Here, we examine the role of surfactants in the chemical modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes with aryl diazonium salts. The adsorbed surfactant layer is shown to affect the diazonium derivatization of carbon nanotubes in several ways, including electrostatic attraction or repulsion, steric exclusion, and direct chemical modification of the diazonium reactant. Electrostatic effects are most pronounced in the cases of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, where differences in surfactant charge can significantly affect the ability of the diazonium ion to access the SWCNT surface. For bile salt surfactants, with the exception of sodium cholate, we find that the surfactant wraps tightly enough such that exclusion effects are dominant. Here, sodium taurocholate exhibits almost no reactivity under the explored reaction conditions, while for sodium deoxycholate and sodium taurodeoxycholate, we show that the greatest extent of reaction is observed among a small population of nanotube species, with diameters between 0.88 and 0.92 nm. The anomalous reaction of nanotubes in this diameter range seems to imply that the surfactant is less effective at coating these species, resulting in a reduced surface coverage on the nanotube. Contrary to the other bile salts studied, sodium cholate enables high selectivity toward metallic species and small band gap semiconductors, which is attributed to surfactant-diazonium coupling to form highly reactive diazoesters. Further, it is found that the rigidity of anionic surfactants can significantly influence the ability of the surfactant layer to

Marangoni flows induced by non-uniform surfactant distributions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hanyak, M.

2012-01-01

The spreading dynamics of surfactants is of crucial importance for numerous technological applications ranging from printing and coating processes, pulmonary drug delivery to crude oil recovery. In the area of inkjet printing surfactants are necessary for lowering surface tension of water-based ink

Polymeric surfactants for enhanced oil recovery : A review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raffa, Patrizio; Broekhuis, Antonius A.; Picchioni, Francesco

Chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is surely a topic of interest, as conventional oil resources become more scarce and the necessity of exploiting heavy and unconventional oils increases. EOR methods based on polymer flooding, surfactant-polymer flooding and alkali-surfactant-polymer flooding are

Reaction limited aggregation in surfactant-mediated epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Liu, Bang-Gui; Zhang, Zhenyu; Wang, E. G.

2000-05-01

A theoretical model for reaction limited aggregation (RLA) is introduced to study the effect of a monolayer of surfactant on the formation of two-dimensional islands in heteroepitaxial and homoepitaxial growth. In this model the basic atomic processes are considered as follows. A stable island consists of the adatoms that have exchanged positions with the surfactant atoms beneath them. Movable active adatoms may (a) diffuse on the surfactant terrace, (b) exchange positions with the surfactant atoms beneath them and become island seeds (seed exchange), or (c) stick to stable islands and become stuck but still active adatoms. The rate-limiting step for the formation of a stable island is the seed exchange. Furthermore, a stuck but still active adatom must overcome a sizable potential-energy barrier to exchange positions with the surfactant atom beneath it and become a member of the stable island (aided exchange). The seed exchange process can occur with an adatom or collectively with an addimer. In the case of dimer exchange, the diffusing adatoms on the surfactant terrace can meet and (after exchanging) form stable dimers, which can then become island seeds. Systematic kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and rate-equation analysis of the model are carried out. The key finding of these simulations is that a counterintuitive fractal-to-compact island shape transition can be induced either by increasing deposition flux or by decreasing growth temperature. This major qualitative conclusion is valid for both the monomer and the dimer seed exchanges and for two different substrate lattices (square and triangular, respectively), although there are some quantitative differences in the flux and temperature dependence of the island density. The shape transition observed is contrary to the prediction of the classic diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) theory, but in excellent qualitative agreement with recent experiments. In rationalizing the main finding, it is crucial to realize

Partitioning of hydrophobic pesticides within a soil-water-anionic surfactant system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Keller, Arturo A

2009-02-01

Surfactants can be added to pesticide-contaminated soils to enhance the treatment efficiency of soil washing. Our results showed that pesticide (atrazine and diuron) partitioning and desorbability within a soil-water-anionic surfactant system is soil particle-size dependent and is significantly influenced by the presence of anionic surfactant. Anionic surfactant (linear alkylbenzene sulphonate, LAS) sorption was influenced by its complexation with both the soluble and exchangeable divalent cations in soils (e.g. Ca2+, Mg2+). In this study, we propose a new concept: soil system hardness which defines the total amount of soluble and exchangeable divalent cations associated with a soil. Our results showed that anionic surfactant works better with soils having lower soil system hardness. It was also found that the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) sorbed onto the LAS-divalent cation precipitate, resulting in a significant decrease in the aqueous concentration of HOC. Our results showed that the effect of exchangeable cations and sorption of HOC onto the surfactant precipitates needs to be considered to accurately predict HOC behavior within soil-water-anionic surfactant systems.

Micro-computed tomography newly developed for in vivo small animal imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Yoshinori; Ninomiya, Tadashi; Kato, Takafumi; Masuda, Yuji

2005-01-01

The aim of this paper is to report a newly developed micro-computed tomography system for in vivo use. The system was composed of a micro-focus X-ray tube and an image intensifier (I.I.), both of which rotated around the object stage. A guinea pig and a rat were examined. The anesthetized animal was set on the secure object stage. Images of the head of the guinea pig and the tibia knee joint of the rat were taken. In addition, an image of the rat's tail was taken. The reconstruction and the image viewing were carried out using I-View software. The voxel matrix was 512 x 512 x 384. The voxel sizes ranged from 10 x 10 x 10 μm to 100 x 100 x 100 μm. The exposure time was 17 s, and the reconstruction time was 150 s. The head of the guinea pig and the tibia/knee joint of the rat were observed clearly under 100-μm and 30μm voxels, respectively. The trabecular bone of the tail was also observed clearly under a 10 μm voxel. The newly developed micro-computed tomography system makes it possible to obtain images of anesthetized animals set on a secure object stage. Clear bone images of the small animals could be obtained within a short time. (author)

Physicochemical treatments of anionic surfactants wastewater: Effect on aerobic biodegradability.

Science.gov (United States)

Aloui, Fathi; Kchaou, Sonia; Sayadi, Sami

2009-05-15

The effect of different physicochemical treatments on the aerobic biodegradability of an industrial wastewater resulting from a cosmetic industry has been investigated. This industrial wastewater contains 11423 and 3148mgL(-1) of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and anionic surfactants, respectively. The concentration of COD and anionic surfactants were followed throughout the diverse physicochemical treatments and biodegradation experiments. Different pretreatments of this industrial wastewater using chemical flocculation process with lime and aluminium sulphate (alum), and also advanced oxidation process (electro-coagulation (Fe and Al) and electro-Fenton) led to important COD and anionic surfactants removals. The best results were obtained using electro-Fenton process, exceeding 98 and 80% of anionic surfactants and COD removals, respectively. The biological treatment by an isolated strain Citrobacter braakii of the surfactant wastewater, as well as the pretreated wastewater by the various physicochemical processes used in this study showed that the best results were obtained with electro-Fenton pretreated wastewater. The characterization of the treated surfactant wastewater by the integrated process (electro-coagulation or electro-Fenton)-biological showed that it respects Tunisian discharge standards.

Surfactant induced complex formation and their effects on the interfacial properties of seawater.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán, Eduardo; Santini, Eva; Benedetti, Alessandro; Ravera, Francesca; Ferrari, Michele; Liggieri, Libero

2014-11-01

The effect of a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), on the interfacial properties of seawater has been studied by dynamic and equilibrium surface tension and by dilational rheology essays. Important modifications of the surface tension and dilational rheology response have been observed already at the very low CTAB concentrations, where the effects due to the high ionic strength are negligible. The comparison with the effects of CTAB in different seawater models, or in natural seawater fractions, points out the establishment of strong interactions between the surfactant molecules and the lipophilic fraction of organic material dispersed/dissolved in seawater, affecting the interfacial activity of the molecules. Considering the biochemical richness of seawater, these results can be explained assuming interaction mechanisms and adsorption schemes similar to those speculated for protein and other macromolecules in the presence of surfactants, which in fact show similar features. Thus already at the low concentrations the surfactant molecules form highly surface-active complexes with part of the organic fraction of seawater. At the larger surfactant concentrations these complexes compete for adsorption with an excess of free CTAB molecules which, according to the thermodynamic conditions, are most favoured to occupy the liquid interface. The results of this study underline the important role of the sea organic content in enhancing the surface-activity of surfactants, which is relevant for a deeper understand of the direct and indirect effects of these types of pollutants on the physico-chemical environment in the sea coastal areas and develop mitigation strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adsorption and intercalation of anionic surfactants onto layered ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) with brucite like structure was modified with various anionic surfactants containing sulfonate, carboxyl, phosphonate and sulfate end group through ion-exchange method. XRD reports indicated that the sulfonate group containing surfactants led to an adsorption process whereas the sulfate ...

Surfactant mediated liquid phase exfoliation of graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Rekha; Kim, Sang Ouk

2015-10-01

Commercialization of graphene based applications inevitably requires cost effective mass production. From the early days of research on graphene, direct liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite has been considered as the most promising strategy to produce high-quality mono or few-layer graphene sheets in solvent dispersion forms. Substantial success has been achieved thus far in the LPE of graphene employing numerous solvent systems and suitable surfactants. This invited review article principally showcase the recent research progress as well as shortcomings of surfactant assisted LPE of graphene. In particular, a comprehensive assessment of the quality and yield of the graphene sheets produced by different categories of the surfactants are summarized. Future direction of LPE methods is also proposed for the eventual success of commercial applications.

Fullerene surfactants and their use in polymer solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Jen, Kwan-Yue; Yip, Hin-Lap; Li, Chang-Zhi

2015-12-15

Fullerene surfactant compounds useful as interfacial layer in polymer solar cells to enhance solar cell efficiency. Polymer solar cell including a fullerene surfactant-containing interfacial layer intermediate cathode and active layer.

Assessing College Students' Perceptions of a Case Teacher's Pedagogical Content Knowledge Using a Newly Developed Instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Syh-Jong

2011-01-01

Ongoing professional development for college teachers has been much emphasized. However, previous research on learning environments has seldom addressed college students' perceptions of teachers' PCK. This study aimed to evaluate college students' perceptions of a physics teacher's PCK development using a newly developed instrument and workshop…

Surfactant Ligand Removal and Rational Fabrication of Inorganically Connected Quantum Dots

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Haitao; Hu, Bo; Sun, Liangfeng; Hovden, Robert; Wise, Frank W.; Muller, David A.; Robinson, Richard D.

2011-01-01

in that no new surfactant ligands are introduced and the post-treated NC surfaces are nearly bare. The detailed mechanism study shows that the high reactivity between (NH 4) 2S and metal-surfactant ligand complexes enables the complete removal of surfactant

Mutagenicity of diesel exhaust soot dispersed in phospholipid surfactants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, W.; Keane, M.; Xing, S.; Harrison, J.; Gautam, M.; Ong, T.

1994-06-01

Organics extractable from respirable diesel exhaust soot particles by organic solvents have been known for some time to be direct acting frameshift mutagens in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium histidine reversion assay. Upon deposition in a pulmonary alveolus or respiratory bronchiole, respirable diesel soot particles will contact first the hypophase which is coated by and laden with surfactants. To model interactions of soot and pulmonary surfactant, the authors dispersed soots in vitro in the primary phospholipid pulmonary surfactant dipalmitoyl glycerophosphorylcholine (lecithin) (DPL) in physiological saline. They have shown that diesel soots dispersed in lecithin surfactant can express mutagenic activity, in the Ames assay system using S. typhimurium TA98, comparable to that expressed by equal amounts of soot extracted by dichloromethane/dimethylsulfoxide (DCM/DMSO). Here the authors report additional data on the same system using additional exhaust soots and also using two other phospholipids, dipalmitoyl glycerophosphoryl ethanolamine (DPPE), and dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (DPPA), with different ionic character hydrophilic moieties. A preliminary study of the surfactant dispersed soot in an eucaryotic cell test system also is reported.

Surface rheology of surfactant solutions close to equilibrium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baets, P.J.M.; Stein, H.N.

1994-01-01

In this paper the authors present surface rheol. measurements of various surfactant solns. close to equil. in a Langmuir trough. The authors find that the storage modulus is, in the systems investigated, higher than the loss modulus. The rheol. behavior depends strongly on the surfactant concn.,

Phenotypic detection of the cfiA metallo-β-lactamase in Bacteroides fragilis with the meropenem-EDTA double-ended Etest and the ROSCO KPC/MBL Confirm Kit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferløv-Schwensen, Simon Andreas; Acar, Ziyap; Sydenham, Thomas V

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the performance of the meropenem and imipenem double-ended Etest ± EDTA and the tablet-based (meropenem and meropenem + dipicolinic acid) KPC/MBL Confirm Kit to detect cfiA metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) in Bacteroides fragilis. METHODS: Well-characterized B. fragilis isolates...

Applicability of newly developed 610MPa class heavy thickness high strength steel to boiler pressure vessel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katayama, Norihiko; Kaihara, Shoichiro; Ishii, Jun [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Corp., Yokohama (Japan); Kajigaya, Ichiro [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Totsuka, Takehiro; Miyazaki, Takashi [Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Corp., Aioi (Japan)

1995-11-01

Construction of a 350 MW Class PFBC (Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion) boiler plant is under planning in Japan. Design temperature and pressure of the vessel are maximum 350 C and 1.69 MPa, respectively. As the plate thickness of the vessel exceeds over 100 mm, high strength steel plate of good weldability and less susceptible to reheat cracking was required and developed. The steel was aimed to satisfy the tensile strength over 610 MPa at 350 C after postweld heat treatment (PWHT), with good notch toughness. The authors investigated the welding performances of the newly developed steel by using 150 mm-thick plate welded by pulsed-MAG and SAW methods. It was confirmed that the newly developed steel and its welds possess sufficient strength and toughness after PWHT, and applicable to the actual pressure vessel.

Phase transitions in surfactant monolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casson, B.D.

1998-01-01

Two-dimensional phase transitions have been studied in surfactant monolayers at the air/water interface by sum-frequency spectroscopy and ellipsometry. In equilibrium monolayers of medium-chain alcohols C n H 2n+1 OH (n = 9-14) a transition from a two-dimensional crystalline phase to a liquid was observed at temperatures above the bulk melting point. The small population of gauche defects in the solid phase increased only slightly at the phase transition. A model of the hydrocarbon chains as freely rotating rigid rods allowed the area per molecule and chain tilt in the liquid phase to be determined. The area per molecule, chain tilt and density of the liquid phase all increased with increasing chain length, but for each chain length the density was higher than in a bulk liquid hydrocarbon. In a monolayer of decanol adsorbed at the air/water interface a transition from a two-dimensional liquid to a gas was observed. A clear discontinuity in the coefficient of ellipticity as a function of temperature showed that the transition is first-order. This result suggests that liquid-gas phase transitions in surfactant monolayers may be more widespread than once thought. A solid-liquid phase transition has also been studied in mixed monolayers of dodecanol with an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) and with a homologous series of cationic surfactants (alkyltrimethylammonium bromides: C n TABs, n = 12, 14, 16). The composition and structure of the mixed monolayers was studied above and below the phase transition. At low temperatures the mixed monolayers were as densely packed as a monolayer of pure dodecanol in its solid phase. At a fixed temperature the monolayers under-went a first-order phase transition to form a phase that was less dense and more conformationally disordered. The proportion of ionic surfactant in the mixed monolayer was greatest in the high temperature phase. As the chain length of the C n TAB increased the number of conformational defects

Fundamental Characteristics of the Newly Developed ATA™ Membrane Dialyzer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunohara, Takashi; Masuda, Toshiaki

2017-01-01

Dialysis membranes are often made from synthetic polymers, such as polysulfone. However, membranes made from cellulose triacetate have superior biocompatibility and have been used since the 1980s. On-line hemodiafiltration treatment accompanied by massive fluid replacement is increasingly being used in Europe and Japan, but cellulose triacetate is not suitable for this treatment. Our newly developed asymmetric triacetate membrane, the ATA™ membrane, substantially improved the filtration properties and blood compatibility because of the asymmetric structure and smooth surface of this cellulose acetate membrane. Key Message: The ATA membrane maintains its high permeability even after massive filtration and shows less temporal variation in its permeation performance, lower protein adsorption, and superior biocompatibility compared with conventional membranes. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Surfactant nebulisation prevents the adverse effects of surfactant therapy on blood pressure and cerebral blood flow in rabbits with severe respiratory failure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, Peter H.; Heikamp, A; Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto

1997-01-01

Objective: Surfactant replacement therapy for the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome has shown beneficial effects on lung function and survival. Recently, rapid fluctuations of haemodynamics and cerebral perfusion following surfactant instillation have beer, described and an association with the

(Cationic + nonionic) mixed surfactant aggregates for solubilisation of curcumin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Arun; Kaur, Gurpreet; Kansal, S.K.; Chaudhary, G.R.; Mehta, S.K.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Critical micelle concentration of mixed surfactant has been measured. • Aqueous solubility and alkaline stability of curcumin has been significantly improved. • Location of curcumin within micelles has been evaluated. • Scavenging activity of curcumin has been improved. • Non-intercalative binding with ct-DNA has been observed. - Abstract: Curcumin is a potential drug for variety of diseases. Major limitations of curcumin are low water solubility, rapid hydrolytic degradation in alkaline medium and poor bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, highly potential mixed micellar system has been prepared. In order to reduce inter ionic repulsion and precipitation of surfactants, (cationic + non-ionic) mixed system have been chosen that directly influence its applicability. Hydrophobic chain of non-ionic surfactant significantly influences the cmc of mixed surfactant system as indicated by fluorescence and conductivity data. UV–visible spectroscopy analyses show that solubility, stability and antioxidant property of the curcumin is remarkably improved depending on cmc and aggregation number (N_a_g_g) of mixed surfactants, where N_a_g_g plays crucial role. Generally, curcumin undergoes complete degradation in slight basic medium, but stability has been maintained up to 8 h at pH-13 using formulated mixed micelles (only (20 to 25)% degraded). Location of curcumin which is monitored using emission spectroscopy, fluorescence quenching and "1H NMR spectroscopy techniques play the most important role. Observed results show that the major population of curcumin is located at the polar region and some are in hydrophobic region of the mixed micelles. To ensure the effect of mixed surfactants and curcumin loaded mixed surfactants on DNA, the interaction parameter indicates non-interclative interactions.

Significant enhancement of room temperature ferromagnetism in surfactant coated polycrystalline Mn doped ZnO particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jayakumar, O.D. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Gopalakrishnan, I.K. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)]. E-mail: ikgopal@barc.gov.in; Sudakar, C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201 (United States); Kadam, R.M. [Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Kulshreshtha, S.K. [Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India)

2007-07-12

We report a surfactant assisted synthesis of Mn doped ZnO polycrystalline samples showing robust room temperature ferromagnetism as characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance and DC magnetization measurements. This surfactant assisted synthesis method, developed by us, is found to be highly reproducible. Further, it can also be extended to the synthesis of other transition metal doped ZnO.

Impact of cationic surfactant on the self-assembly of sodium caseinate.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinceković, Marko; Curlin, Marija; Jurašin, Darija

2014-08-27

The impact of a cationic surfactant, dodecylammonium chloride (DDACl), on the self-assembly of sodium caseinate (SC) has been investigated by light scattering, zeta potential, and rheological measurements as well as by microscopy (transmission electron and confocal laser scanning microscopy). In SC dilute solutions concentration-dependent self-assembly proceeds through the formation of spherical associates and their aggregation into elongated structures composed of connected spheres. DDACl interacts with SC via its hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, inducing changes in SC self-assembled structures. These changes strongly depend on the surfactant aggregation states (monomeric or micellar) as well as concentration ratio of both components, leading to the formation of soluble and insoluble complexes of nano- to microdimensions. DDACl monomers interact with SC self-assembled entities in a different way compared to their micelles. Surfactant monomers form soluble complexes (similar to surfactant mixed micelles) at lower SC concentration but insoluble gelatinous complexes at higher SC concentration. At surfactant micellar concentration soluble complexes with casein chains wrapped around surfactant micelles are formed. This study suggests that the use of proper cationic surfactant concentration will allow modification and control of structural changes of SC self-assembled entities.

A Molecular Dynamics Study of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) Dispersed in Bile Salt Surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Phelan, Frederick, Jr.; Sun, Huai

2014-03-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNCTs) are materials with structural, electronic and optical properties that make them attractive for a myriad of advanced technology applications. A practical barrier to their use is that SWCNT synthesis techniques produce heterogeneous mixtures of varying lengths and chirality, whereas applications generally require tubes with narrow size distributions and individual type. Most separation techniques currently in use to obtain monodisperse tube fractions rely on dispersion of these materials in aqueous solution using surfactants. The dispersion process results in a mixture of colloidal structures in which individual tubes are dispersed and contained in a surfactant shell. Understanding the structure and properties of the SWCNT-surfactant complex at the molecular level, and how this is affected by chirality, is key to understanding and improving separations processes. In this study, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the structure and properties of SWCNT-surfactant colloidal complexes. We tested a number of methods and protocols in order to build an accurate model for simulating SWCNT systems for a variety of bile salt surfactants as well as anionic co-surfactants, components that are widely used and important in experimental separation studies at NIST. The custom force field parameters used here will be stored in WebFF, a Web-hosted smart force-field repository for polymeric and organic materials being developed at NIST for the Materials Genome Initiative.

Separation of oil and grease from oil sludge using surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainon Abdul Aziz; Syed Hakimi Sakuma Syed Ahmad; Zalina Laili

2005-01-01

The objective of the experiments was to observe the efficiency of the surfactant to remove oil and grease from oil sludges using various surfactant concentration ranging from 10 %, 15 %, 20 % and 30 %. The surfactant solution consists of two mixtures of Aqua 2000 and D Bond. The oil sludge were subjected to heating and surfactant treatment process. Remaining oil and grease concentration were observed on the oil sludges after treatment. Small scale experiments were conducted by heating process, without heating process and heating process with addition of sodium chloride. Surfactant solution was added in each process. Results shows that there is separation of oil and grease from the oil sludges. There were formation of mini emulsions (oil in water). The higher the concentration of surfactant used, the higher the concentrations of mini emulsion formed as observed. Solid remains after the treatment process were found to contain lesser oil concentration with presence of bitumen, sediment, organic and inorganic materials. After a washing process using distilled water, the solid was still black but less oily than before the treatment. There is no separation of oil occurred in aqueous solution for the control experiment. (Author)

Biochemical Characterization of CPS-1, a Subclass B3 Metallo-β-Lactamase from a Chryseobacterium piscium Soil Isolate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudeta, Dereje Dadi; Pollini, Simona; Docquier, Jean-Denis

2016-01-01

CPS-1 is a subclass B3 metallo-β-lactamase from a Chryseobacterium piscium isolated from soil, showing 68 % amino acid identity to GOB-1 enzyme. CPS-1 was overproduced in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3), purified by chromatography and biochemically characterized. This enzyme exhibits a broad spect...... spectrum substrate profile including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems, which overall resembles those of L1, GOB-1 and acquired subclass B3 enzymes AIM-1 and SMB-1....

New gluconamide-type cationic surfactants: Interactions with DNA and lipid membranes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Misiak, P.; Wilk, K. A.; Kral, Teresa; Wozniak, E.; Pruchnik, H.; Frackowiak, R.; Hof, Martin; Rózycka-Roszak, B.

180-181, OCT-NOV (2013), s. 44-54 ISSN 0301-4622 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP208/12/G016 Institutional support: RVO:61388955 Keywords : Glucose-derived surfactant * Soft surfactant * Cationic surfactant Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.319, year: 2013

Use of surfactants in cleaning paraffin from oil wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liebold, G; Rehberg, W

1969-05-01

The use of surfactants is described especially oxethylated alkylphenols, in the cleaning of oil wells from paraffin. Aqueous 1 or 10% solutions of the surfactant were injected into the well through the annulus, partially in combination with demulsifiers (for example Separol-brands of BASF). Injection was accomplished continuously or in intervals; in the beginning of 50 ppm surfactant, afterward 15 to 30 ppm as related to the wet crude was necessary. Efficiency of the treatment could be proved by the decrease of pressure in the pipes, the loosening of paraffin shells, and considerably prolonged operation periods in wells which otherwise would have come to a standstill. In quite a number of wells, treatment with hot oil and electric heating could be completely replaced by injection of surfactants. (11 refs.)

Pulmonary Surfactants for Acute and Chronic Lung Diseases (Part II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. A. Rozenberg

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Part 2 of the review considers the problem of surfactant therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS in adults and young and old children. It gives information on the results of surfactant therapy and prevention of ARDS in patients with severe concurrent trauma, inhalation injuries, complications due to complex expanded chest surgery, or severe pneumonias, including bilateral pneumonia in the presence of A/H1N1 influenza. There are data on the use of a surfactant in obstetric care and prevention of primary graft dysfunction during lung transplantation. The results of longterm use of surfactant therapy in Russia, suggesting that death rates from ARDS may be substantially reduced (to 20% are discussed. Examples of surfactant therapy for other noncritical lung diseases, such as permanent athelectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and asthma, as well tuberculosis, are also considered.

Structure-function relationships in pulmonary surfactant membranes: from biophysics to therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Rodriguez, Elena; Pérez-Gil, Jesús

2014-06-01

Pulmonary surfactant is an essential lipid-protein complex to maintain an operative respiratory surface at the mammalian lungs. It reduces surface tension at the alveolar air-liquid interface to stabilise the lungs against physical forces operating along the compression-expansion breathing cycles. At the same time, surfactant integrates elements establishing a primary barrier against the entry of pathogens. Lack or deficiencies of the surfactant system are associated with respiratory pathologies, which treatment often includes supplementation with exogenous materials. The present review summarises current models on the molecular mechanisms of surfactant function, with particular emphasis in its biophysical properties to stabilise the lungs and the molecular alterations connecting impaired surfactant with diseased organs. It also provides a perspective on the current surfactant-based strategies to treat respiratory pathologies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Structure and Function: Relevance in the Cell's Physiology, Pathology and Therapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phase-assisted synthesis and DNA unpacking evaluation of biologically inspired metallo nanocomplexes using peptide as unique building block.

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Raman, N; Sudharsan, S

2011-12-01

The goal of nanomaterials' surface modification using a biomaterial is to preserve the materials' bulk properties while modifying only their surface to possess desired recognition and specificity. Here, we have developed a phase-assisted, modified Brust-Schiffrin methodological synthesis of metallo nanocomplexes anchored by a peptide, N,N'-(1,3-propylene)-bis-hippuricamide. The spectral, thermal and morphological characterizations assure the formation of nanocomplexes. Therapeutic behavior of all the nanocomplexes has been well sighted by evaluating their DNA unpacking skills. In addition, we demonstrate their biological inspiration by targeting few bacterial and fungal strains. The in vitro antimicrobial investigation reports that all the nanocomplexes disrupt microbial cell walls/membranes efficiently and inhibit the growth of microbes. These sorts of nanocomplexes synthesized in large quantities and at low cost, deliver versatile biomedical applications, and can be used to treat various diseases which may often cause high mortality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular dynamics simulations of surfactant and nanoparticle self-assembly at liquid-liquid interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo Mingxiang; Dai, Lenore L [Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 (United States)

2007-09-19

We have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate self-assembly at water-trichloroethylene (TCE) interfaces with the emphasis on systems containing modified hydrocarbon nanoparticles (1.2 nm in diameter) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants. The nanoparticles and surfactants were first distributed randomly in the water phase. The MD simulations have clearly shown the progress of migration and final equilibrium of the SDS molecules at the water-TCE interfaces with the nanoparticles either at or in the vicinity of the interfaces. One unique feature is the 'attachment' of surfactant molecules to the nanoparticle clusters in the water phase followed by the 'detachment' at the water-TCE interfaces. At low concentrations of surfactants, the surfactants and nanoparticles co-equilibrate at the interfaces. However, the surfactants, at high concentrations, competitively dominate the interfaces and deplete nanoparticles away from the interfaces. The interfacial properties, such as interfacial thickness and interfacial tension, are significantly influenced by the presence of the surfactants, but not the nanoparticles. The order of the surfactants at the interfaces increases with increasing surfactant concentration, but is independent of nanoparticle concentration. Finally, the simulation has shown that surfactants can aggregate along the water-TCE interfaces, with and without the presence of nanoparticles.

Assessment the performance and morphological structures of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study, an asymmetric PES/surfactant based nanofiltration membrane was prepared via simple dry/wet phase inversion technique. A newly dope formulations consisting of different surfactants and polymer concentrations ranging from 17wt% to 21wt% were developed. The effect of these parameters on dyes ...

Phenotypic Characterization of Multidrug-resistant Escherichia Coli with Special Reference to Extended-spectrum-beta-lactamases and Metallo-beta-lactamases in a Tertiary Care Center

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Basudha Shrestha

2015-06-01

Conclusions: Beta-lactamase mediated resistance mechanisms are accounting very high in the multidrug resistant isolates of E. coli. Therefore, early detection of beta lactamase mediated resistant strains and their current antibiotic susceptibility pattern is necessary to avoid treatment failure and prevent the spread of MDR. Keywords: e. coli; extended-spectrum-β-lactamase; metallo-β-lactamase; multidrug-resistance.

Preparation of nanocrystalline MgO by surfactant assisted precipitation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezaei, Mehran; Khajenoori, Majid; Nematollahi, Behzad

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Nanocrystalline magnesium oxide with high surface area. → MgO prepared with surfactant showed different morphologies compared with the sample prepared without surfactant. → MgO prepared with surfactant showed a plate-like shape. → Refluxing temperature and time and the surfactant to metal molar ratio affect the textural properties of MgO. -- Abstract: Nanocrystalline magnesium oxide with high surface area was prepared by a simple precipitation method using pluronic P123 triblock copolymer (Poly (ethylene glycol)-block, Poly (propylene glycol)-block, Poly (ethylene glycol)) as surfactant and under refluxing conditions. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption (BET) and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). The obtained results revealed that the refluxing time and temperature and the molar ratio of surfactant to metal affect the structural properties of MgO, because of the changes in the rate and extent of P123 adsorption on the prepared samples. The results showed that the addition of surfactant is effective to prepare magnesium oxide with high surface area and affects the morphology of the prepared samples. With increasing the P123/MgO molar ratio to 0.05 the pore size distribution was shifted to larger size. The sample prepared with addition of surfactant showed a plate-like shape which was completely different with the morphology of the sample prepared without surfactant. The formation of nanoplate-like MgO was related to higher surface density of Mg ions on the (0 0 1) plane than that on the other planes of the Mg(OH) 2 crystal. The (0 0 1) plane would be blocked preferentially by the adsorbed P123 molecules during the growing process of Mg(OH) 2 nanoentities and the growth on the (0 0 1) plane would be markedly restricted, and the consequence is the generation of nanoplate-like MgO. In addition, increase in refluxing temperature and time increased the specific surface area

Preparation of nanocrystalline MgO by surfactant assisted precipitation method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rezaei, Mehran, E-mail: rezaei@kashanu.ac.ir [Catalyst and Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kashan, Kashan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khajenoori, Majid; Nematollahi, Behzad [Catalyst and Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-10-15

Highlights: {yields} Nanocrystalline magnesium oxide with high surface area. {yields} MgO prepared with surfactant showed different morphologies compared with the sample prepared without surfactant. {yields} MgO prepared with surfactant showed a plate-like shape. {yields} Refluxing temperature and time and the surfactant to metal molar ratio affect the textural properties of MgO. -- Abstract: Nanocrystalline magnesium oxide with high surface area was prepared by a simple precipitation method using pluronic P123 triblock copolymer (Poly (ethylene glycol)-block, Poly (propylene glycol)-block, Poly (ethylene glycol)) as surfactant and under refluxing conditions. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N{sub 2} adsorption (BET) and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). The obtained results revealed that the refluxing time and temperature and the molar ratio of surfactant to metal affect the structural properties of MgO, because of the changes in the rate and extent of P123 adsorption on the prepared samples. The results showed that the addition of surfactant is effective to prepare magnesium oxide with high surface area and affects the morphology of the prepared samples. With increasing the P123/MgO molar ratio to 0.05 the pore size distribution was shifted to larger size. The sample prepared with addition of surfactant showed a plate-like shape which was completely different with the morphology of the sample prepared without surfactant. The formation of nanoplate-like MgO was related to higher surface density of Mg ions on the (0 0 1) plane than that on the other planes of the Mg(OH){sub 2} crystal. The (0 0 1) plane would be blocked preferentially by the adsorbed P123 molecules during the growing process of Mg(OH){sub 2} nanoentities and the growth on the (0 0 1) plane would be markedly restricted, and the consequence is the generation of nanoplate-like MgO. In addition, increase in refluxing temperature and time

Exogenous surfactant application in a rat lung ischemia reperfusion injury model: effects on edema formation and alveolar type II cells

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Richter Joachim

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prophylactic exogenous surfactant therapy is a promising way to attenuate the ischemia and reperfusion (I/R injury associated with lung transplantation and thereby to decrease the clinical occurrence of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, there is little information on the mode by which exogenous surfactant attenuates I/R injury of the lung. We hypothesized that exogenous surfactant may act by limiting pulmonary edema formation and by enhancing alveolar type II cell and lamellar body preservation. Therefore, we investigated the effect of exogenous surfactant therapy on the formation of pulmonary edema in different lung compartments and on the ultrastructure of the surfactant producing alveolar epithelial type II cells. Methods Rats were randomly assigned to a control, Celsior (CE or Celsior + surfactant (CE+S group (n = 5 each. In both Celsior groups, the lungs were flush-perfused with Celsior and subsequently exposed to 4 h of extracorporeal ischemia at 4°C and 50 min of reperfusion at 37°C. The CE+S group received an intratracheal bolus of a modified natural bovine surfactant at a dosage of 50 mg/kg body weight before flush perfusion. After reperfusion (Celsior groups or immediately after sacrifice (Control, the lungs were fixed by vascular perfusion and processed for light and electron microscopy. Stereology was used to quantify edematous changes as well as alterations of the alveolar epithelial type II cells. Results Surfactant treatment decreased the intraalveolar edema formation (mean (coefficient of variation: CE: 160 mm3 (0.61 vs. CE+S: 4 mm3 (0.75; p 3 (0.90 vs. CE+S: 0 mm3; p 3 (0.39 vs. CE+S: 268 mm3 (0.43; p 3(0.10 and CE+S (481 μm3(0.10 compared with controls (323 μm3(0.07; p Conclusion Intratracheal surfactant application before I/R significantly reduces the intraalveolar edema formation and development of atelectases but leads to an increased development of

Adsorption at the biocompatible α-pinene-water interface and emulsifying properties of two eco-friendly surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Trujillo-Cayado, Luis Alfonso; Ramírez, Pablo; Alfaro, María Carmen; Ruíz, Manuela; Muñoz, José

2014-10-01

In this contribution, we provide an accurate characterization at the α-pinene/water interface of two commercial polyoxytheylene glycerol ester surfactants which differ in the number of ethylene oxide (EO) groups, comprising a systematic analysis of interfacial pressure isotherms, dynamic curves, interfacial rheology and emulsifying properties. Polyoxyethylene glycerol esters derived from cocoa oil are non-ionic surfactants obtained from a renewable source which fulfill the environmental and toxicological requirements to be used as eco-friendly emulsifying agents. α-Pinene is a renewable biosolvent completely insoluble in water, which could find numerous applications. Interfacial rheology and equilibrium interfacial pressure data fitted a rigorous reorientation model that assumes that the surfactant molecules, when adsorbed at the interface, can acquire two orientations. The surfactant with the highest number of EO groups (Levenol C201) turned out to be more surface active at the α-pinene/water interface. In addition, the surfactant with the lowest number of EO groups (Levenol H&B) is solubilized into the adjacent oil phase. Slightly concentrated α-pinene emulsions were obtained using both surfactants. Nevertheless, more stable α-pinene emulsions with smaller droplet sizes and lower polidispersity were obtained when Levenol C201 was used as emulsifier instead of Levenol H&B. The systematic characterization presented in this work provides important new findings on the interfacial and emulsifying properties of polyoxytheylene glycerol ester surfactants, which can be applied in the rational development of new biocompatible products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigations into surfactant/gas hydrate relationship

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogers, Rudy; Zhang, Guochang; Dearman, Jennifer; Woods, Charles [Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762 (United States)

2007-03-15

Gas hydrates have unique physical properties portending useful industrial applications of gas storage, gas separation, or water desalination. When gas hydrates were found in the early 1990s to occur naturally and abundantly in seafloors, three other primary interests and concerns emerged: potential new energy source, climate threat from their greenhouse gases, and seafloor instabilities. This paper presents research showing how anionic synthetic surfactants helped develop an industrial gas hydrate storage process for natural gas and how naturally-occurring in-situ anionic biosurfactants influence the formation and placement of gas hydrates in ocean sediments. The catalytic effects, mechanisms, and surface specificities imparted by synthetic surfactants in the gas storage process and imparted by biosurfactants in porous media are discussed. The Bacillus subtilis bacterium that is indigenous to gas hydrate mounds in the Gulf of Mexico was cultured in the laboratory. Its biosurfactant was separated and found to catalyze gas hydrates in porous media. The experiments indicate that seafloor-biosurfactants can be produced rapidly in-situ to achieve threshold concentrations whereby hydrates are promoted. The biosurfactants accumulate and promote hydrate formation on specific mineral surfaces such as sodium montmorillonite. (author)

A simplified treatment of surfactant effects on cloud drop activation

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T. Raatikainen

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Dissolved surface active species, or surfactants, have a tendency to partition to solution surface and thereby decrease solution surface tension. Activating cloud droplets have large surface-to-volume ratios, and the amount of surfactant molecules in them is limited. Therefore, unlike with macroscopic solutions, partitioning to the surface can effectively deplete the droplet interior of surfactant molecules.

Surfactant partitioning equilibrium for activating cloud droplets has so far been solved numerically from a group of non-linear equations containing the Gibbs adsorption equation coupled with a surface tension model and an optional activity coefficient model. This can be a problem when surfactant effects are examined by using large-scale cloud models. Namely, computing time increases significantly due to the partitioning calculations done in the lowest levels of nested iterations.

Our purpose is to reduce the group of non-linear equations to simple polynomial equations with well known analytical solutions. In order to do that, we describe surface tension lowering using the Szyskowski equation, and ignore all droplet solution non-idealities. It is assumed that there is only one surfactant exhibiting bulk-surface partitioning, but the number of non-surfactant solutes is unlimited. It is shown that the simplifications cause only minor errors to predicted bulk solution concentrations and cloud droplet activation. In addition, computing time is decreased at least by an order of magnitude when using the analytical solutions.

Efficacy of Calcium-EDTA as an Inhibitor for Metallo-β-Lactamase in a Mouse Model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia▿

OpenAIRE

Aoki, Nobumasa; Ishii, Yoshikazu; Tateda, Kazuhiro; Saga, Tomoo; Kimura, Soichiro; Kikuchi, Yoshiaki; Kobayashi, Tetsuo; Tanabe, Yoshinari; Tsukada, Hiroki; Gejyo, Fumitake; Yamaguchi, Keizo

2010-01-01

In this study, we have evaluated the efficacy of calcium-EDTA (Ca-EDTA) as an inhibitor of bacterial metalloenzymes, such as metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) and other proteases, in a mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. The simultaneous presence of Ca-EDTA (32 μg/ml) reduced the MICs of imipenem (IPM) in all MBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolates (IMP-1, -2, -7, and -10 and VIM-2) but not non-MBL-producing strains. In the pneumonia model, mice were intranasally infected with MBL-producing...

Synthesis of mesoporous nano-hydroxyapatite by using zwitterions surfactant

Science.gov (United States)

Mesoporous nano-hydroxyapatite (mn-HAP) was successfully synthesized via a novel micelle-templating method using lauryl dimethylaminoacetic acid as zwitterionic surfactant. The systematic use of such a surfactant in combination with microwave energy inputenables the precise contr...

Effects of concentration, head group, and structure of surfactants on the degradation of phenanthrene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Danyue; Jiang Xia; Jing Xin; Ou Ziqing

2007-01-01

The effects of concentration, polar/ionic head group, and structure of surfactants on the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the aqueous phase, as well as their effects on the bacterial activity were investigated. The toxicity ranking of studied surfactants is: non-ionic surfactants (Tween 80, Brij30, 10LE and Brij35) -1 ) served the sole carbon and energy resource. However, the degradation of 14 C-phenanthrene showed either a decrease or no obvious change with the surfactants present at all tested concentrations (5-40 mg L -1 ). Thus, the surfactant addition is not beneficial to the removal of phenanthrene or other PAH contaminants due presumably to the preferential utilization of surfactants at low levels as the non-toxic nutrient resource and to the high toxicity of the surfactants at high levels to the microorganism activity. Biodegradation of phenanthrene was also influenced by the surfactant concentration, head group type, and structure. Much more research has yet to be completed on the use of surfactants for soil remediation due to the surfactant toxicity or biodegradation effect

Systems of mechanized and reactive droplets powered by multi-responsive surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhijie; Wei, Jingjing; Sobolev, Yaroslav I.; Grzybowski, Bartosz A.

2018-01-01

Although ‘active’ surfactants, which are responsive to individual external stimuli such as temperature, electric or magnetic fields, light, redox processes or chemical agents, are well known, it would be interesting to combine several of these properties within one surfactant species. Such multi-responsive surfactants could provide ways of manipulating individual droplets and possibly assembling them into larger systems of dynamic reactors. Here we describe surfactants based on functionalized nanoparticle dimers that combine all of these and several other characteristics. These surfactants and therefore the droplets that they cover are simultaneously addressable by magnetic, optical and electric fields. As a result, the surfactant-covered droplets can be assembled into various hierarchical structures, including dynamic ones, in which light powers the rapid rotation of the droplets. Such rotating droplets can transfer mechanical torques to their non-nearest neighbours, thus acting like systems of mechanical gears. Furthermore, droplets of different types can be merged by applying electric fields and, owing to interfacial jamming, can form complex, non-spherical, ‘patchy’ structures with different surface regions covered with different surfactants. In systems of droplets that carry different chemicals, combinations of multiple stimuli can be used to control the orientations of the droplets, inter-droplet transport, mixing of contents and, ultimately, sequences of chemical reactions. Overall, the multi-responsive active surfactants that we describe provide an unprecedented level of flexibility with which liquid droplets can be manipulated, assembled and reacted.

Numerical approach for enhanced oil recovery with surfactant flooding

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Sadegh Keshtkar

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The remained oil in the reservoir after conventional water-flooding processes, forms a dispersed phase in the form of oil drops which is trapped by capillary forces and is almost about 70% of the original oil in the place (OOIP. To reduce oil residual saturation in laboratory experiments and field projects, surfactant flooding is effective via decreasing the interfacial tension mobility ratio between oil and water phases. Estimation of the role of design variables, like chemical concentrations, partition coefficient and injection rate in different performance quantities, considering a heterogeneous and multiphase oil reservoir is a critical stage for optimal design. Increasing demand for oil production from water-flooded reservoirs has caused an increasing interest in surfactant-polymer (SP and alkali-surfactant-polymer (ASP. Modeling minimizes the risk of high cost of chemicals by improving our insight of process. In the present paper, a surfactant compositional flood model for a three-component (water, petroleum and surfactant, two phase (aqueous and oleic system is studied. A homogeneous, two-dimensional, isothermal reservoir with no free gas or alkali is assumed. The governing equations are in three categories: the continuity equations for the transport of each component, Darcy's equation for the transport of each phase and other auxiliary equations. The equations are solved by finite-differences using a procedure implicit in pressure and explicit in saturation. The validation of the model is achieved through comparing the modeling results with CMG simulators and Buckley–Leverett theory. The results of modeling showed good agreement with CMG results, and the comparison with Buckley–Leverett theory is explained according to different assumptions. After validation of the model, in order to investigate sensitivity analysis, the effects of system variables (partition coefficient, surface tension, oil viscosity and surface injection

Performance improvement of ionic surfactant flooding in carbonate rock samples by use of nanoparticles

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Mohammad Ali Ahmadi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Various surfactants have been used in upstream petroleum processes like chemical flooding. Ultimately, the performance of these surfactants depends on their ability to reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water. The surfactant concentration in the aqueous solution decreases owing to the loss of the surfactant on the rock surface in the injection process. The main objective of this paper is to inhibit the surfactant loss by means of adding nanoparticles. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and silica nanoparticles were used as ionic surfactant and nanoparticles in our experiments, respectively. AEROSIL® 816 and AEROSIL® 200 are hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanoparticles. To determine the adsorption loss of the surfactant onto rock samples, a conductivity approach was used. Real carbonate rock samples were used as the solid phase in adsorption experiments. It should be noted that the rock samples were water wet. This paper describes how equilibrium adsorption was investigated by examining adsorption behavior in a system of carbonate sample (solid phase and surfactant solution (aqueous phase. The initial surfactant and nanoparticle concentrations were 500–5000 and 500–2000 ppm, respectively. The rate of surfactant losses was extremely dependent on the concentration of the surfactant in the system, and the adsorption of the surfactant decreased with an increase in the nanoparticle concentration. Also, the hydrophilic nanoparticles are more effective than the hydrophobic nanoparticles.

Nonlinear dynamics in experimental devices with compressed/expanded surfactant monolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higuera, M; Perales, J M; Vega, J M

2014-01-01

A theory is provided for a common experimental set up that is used to measure surface properties in surfactant monolayers. The set up consists of a surfactant monolayer (over a shallow liquid layer) that is compressed/expanded in a periodic fashion by moving in counter-phase two parallel, slightly immersed solid barriers, which vary the free surface area and thus the surfactant concentration. The simplest theory ignores the fluid dynamics in the bulk fluid, assuming spatially uniform surfactant concentration, which requires quite small forcing frequencies and provides reversible dynamics in the compression/expansion cycles. In this paper, we present a long-wave theory for not so slow oscillations that assumes local equilibrium but takes the fluid dynamics into account. This simple theory uncovers the physical mechanisms involved in the surfactant behavior and allows for extracting more information from each experimental run. The conclusion is that the fluid dynamics cannot be ignored, and that some irreversible dynamics could well have a fluid dynamic origin. (paper)

The interactions between ionic surfactants and phosphatidylcholine vesicles: Conductometry

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, Heng-Kwong; Tseng, Wen Liang

2001-11-01

The interaction between ionic surfactants and phosphatidylcholine vesicles, which are prepared without addition of buffer and salt, is investigated by conductivity measurements. On the basis of the vesicle acting as a trap of charge carriers, the bilayer/aqueous phase partition coefficient K and the surfactant/lipid molar ratio Re of nine surfactants are determined. The thermodynamic consistency is satisfied by the measured parameters. The effects of the alkyl chain length (C10-C16) and ionic head group are then studied. The inverse partition coefficient K-1 is linearly related to the critical micelle concentration. The solubilizing ability Reb is a consequence of the competition between the surfactant incorporation into the bilayer and the formation of micelles. Consequently, the K parameter rises whereas the Reb parameter declines as the chain length is increased. The influence due to addition of salt is also discussed.

Practical Considerations and Challenges Involved in Surfactant Enhanced Bioremediation of Oil

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Sagarika Mohanty

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Surfactant enhanced bioremediation (SEB of oil is an approach adopted to overcome the bioavailability constraints encountered in biotransformation of nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL pollutants. Fuel oils contain n-alkanes and other aliphatic hydrocarbons, monoaromatics, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs. Although hydrocarbon degrading cultures are abundant in nature, complete biodegradation of oil is rarely achieved even under favorable environmental conditions due to the structural complexity of oil and culture specificities. Moreover, the interaction among cultures in a consortium, substrate interaction effects during the degradation and ability of specific cultures to alter the bioavailability of oil invariably affect the process. Although SEB has the potential to increase the degradation rate of oil and its constituents, there are numerous challenges in the successful application of this technology. Success is dependent on the choice of appropriate surfactant type and dose since the surfactant-hydrocarbon-microorganism interaction may be unique to each scenario. Surfactants not only enhance the uptake of constituents through micellar solubilization and emulsification but can also alter microbial cell surface characteristics. Moreover, hydrocarbons partitioned in micelles may not be readily bioavailable depending on the microorganism-surfactant interactions. Surfactant toxicity and inherent biodegradability of surfactants may pose additional challenges as discussed in this review.

Practical Considerations and Challenges Involved in Surfactant Enhanced Bioremediation of Oil

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Sagarika; Jasmine, Jublee

2013-01-01

Surfactant enhanced bioremediation (SEB) of oil is an approach adopted to overcome the bioavailability constraints encountered in biotransformation of nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pollutants. Fuel oils contain n-alkanes and other aliphatic hydrocarbons, monoaromatics, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although hydrocarbon degrading cultures are abundant in nature, complete biodegradation of oil is rarely achieved even under favorable environmental conditions due to the structural complexity of oil and culture specificities. Moreover, the interaction among cultures in a consortium, substrate interaction effects during the degradation and ability of specific cultures to alter the bioavailability of oil invariably affect the process. Although SEB has the potential to increase the degradation rate of oil and its constituents, there are numerous challenges in the successful application of this technology. Success is dependent on the choice of appropriate surfactant type and dose since the surfactant-hydrocarbon-microorganism interaction may be unique to each scenario. Surfactants not only enhance the uptake of constituents through micellar solubilization and emulsification but can also alter microbial cell surface characteristics. Moreover, hydrocarbons partitioned in micelles may not be readily bioavailable depending on the microorganism-surfactant interactions. Surfactant toxicity and inherent biodegradability of surfactants may pose additional challenges as discussed in this review. PMID:24350261

Factors controlling leaching of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock using nonionic surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akinlua, Akinsehinwa [Obafemi Awolowo Univ., Ile-Ife (Nigeria). Fossil Fuels and Environmental Geochemistry Group; Jochmann, Maik A.; Qian, Yuan; Schmidt, Torsten C. [Duisburg-Essen Univ., Essen (Germany). Instrumental Analytical Chemistry; Sulkowski, Martin [Duisburg-Essen Univ., Essen (Germany). Inst. of Environmental Analytical Chemistry

2012-03-15

The extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from petroleum source rock by nonionic surfactants with the assistance of microwave irradiation was investigated and the conditions for maximum yield were determined. The results showed that the extraction temperatures and type of surfactant have significant effects on extraction yields of PAHs. Factors such as surfactant concentration, irradiation power, sample/solvent ratio and mixing surfactants (i.e., mixture of surfactant at specific ratio) also influence the extraction efficiencies for these compounds. The optimum temperature for microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction of PAHs from petroleum source rock was 120 C and the best suited surfactant was Brij 35. The new method showed extraction efficiencies comparable to those afforded by the Soxhlet extraction method, but a reduction of the extraction times and environmentally friendliness of the new nonionic surfactant extraction system are clear advantages. The results also show that microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction is a good and efficient green analytical preparatory technique for geochemical evaluation of petroleum source rock. (orig.)

Effect of Surfactants on Mechanical, Thermal, and Photostability of a Monoclonal Antibody.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarkhed, Meera; O'Dell, Courtney; Hsieh, Ming-Ching; Zhang, Jingming; Goldstein, Joel; Srivastava, Arvind

2018-01-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of commonly used surfactants (at 0.01% w/v concentration) on mechanical, thermal, and photostability of a monoclonal antibody (MAb1) of IgG1 sub-class and to evaluate the minimum concentration of surfactant (Polysorbate 80) required in protecting MAb1 from mechanical stress. Surfactants evaluated were non-ionic surfactants, Polysorbate 80, Polysorbate 20, Pluronic F-68 (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block polymer), Brij 35 (polyoxyethylene lauryl ether), Triton X-100, and an anionic surfactant, Caprylic acid (1-Heptanecarboxylic acid). After evaluating effect of surfactants and determining stabilizing effect of Polysorbate 80 against mechanical stress without compromising thermal and photostability of MAb1, the minimum concentration of Polysorbate 80 required for mechanical stability was further examined. Polysorbate 80 concentration was varied from 0 to 0.02%. Mechanical stability was evaluated by agitation of MAb1 at 300 rotations per minute at room temperature for 72 h. Samples were analyzed for purity by SEC-HPLC, turbidity by absorbance at 350 nm, visible particles by visual inspection, and sub-visible particles by light obscuration technique on a particle analyzer. All non-ionic surfactants tested showed a similar effect in protecting against mechanical stress and did not exhibit any significant negative effect on thermal and photostability. However, Caprylic acid had a slightly negative effect on mechanical and photostability when compared to the non-ionic surfactants or sample without surfactant. This work demonstrated that polysorbate 80 is better than other surfactants tested and that a concentration of at least 0.005% (w/v) Polysorbate 80 is needed to protect MAb1 against mechanical stress.

Molecular dynamics simulations of phase separation in the presence of surfactants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laradji, Mohamed; Mouritsen, Ole G.; Toxvaerd, Søren

1994-01-01

The dynamics of phase separation in two-dimensional binary mixtures diluted by surfactants is studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. In contrast to pure binary systems, characterized by an algebraic time dependence of the average domain size, we find that systems containing surfactants...... not fully phase separate, we observe a dynamical scaling which is independent of the surfactant concentration. The results of these simulations are in general in agreement with previous Langevin simulations [Laradji, Guo, Grant, and Zuckermann, J. Phys. A 44, L629 (1991)] and a theory of Ostwald ripening...... exhibit nonalgebraic, slow dynamics. The average domain size eventually saturates at a value inversely proportional to the surfactant concentration. We also find that phase separation in systems with different surfactant concentrations follow a crossover scaling form. Finally, although these systems do...

Marine toxicity and persistence of surfactants used in the petroleum producing industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maddin, C.M.

1991-01-01

This paper presents a survey of marine toxicity and biodegradability data for surfactants used in the petroleum industry. Surfactants are key chemicals in the formulation of products such as emulsifiers, demulsifiers, dispersants and inhibitors. They are also used directly as foaming and defoaming agents. Because they function at low concentrations, below 1%, and have a tendency to adsorb on solid surfaces, their long-term environmental effects are minimal. In applications such as cementing, surfactants cannot migrate into the environment and, thus, have no bioavailability. The possibility of environmental contamination has caused well operators and regulatory agencies to require fish toxicity and persistence data for products used in servicing wells. This data has been organized for nonionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants. Nonionic surfactants are toxic to fish at concentrations below 10 mg/L to over 2500 mg/L depending on their chemical compositions. Anionic surfactants are toxic to fish at concentrations under 1 mg/L to several hundred mg/L depending on their chemical compositions. cationic and amphoteric surfactants are generally toxic to fish at concentrations below 50 mg/L. Overall efforts are aimed at low toxicity and high biodegradability with the least compromise in product efficiency. This requires the continual testing and environmental evaluation of surfactants summarized herein

Ion-pair hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction of the quaternary ammonium surfactant dicocodimethylammonium chloride.

Science.gov (United States)

Hultgren, Sofie; Larsson, Niklas; Nilsson, Bo F; Jönsson, Jan Ake

2009-02-01

A two-phase hollow-fiber (HF) liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) method was developed for determination of a quaternary ammonium compound surfactant, dicocodimethylammonium chloride, in aqueous samples. The porous HF was fixed on a metal rod support and was impregnated with approximately 6.6 microL of organic extractant, which was immobilized in the HF pores. Surfactant extraction was facilitated by addition of carboxylic acid to the sample forming neutral ion pairs with the quaternary ammonium compound. After extraction, the analyte was transferred from the organic extractant in the fiber pores by dissolving the 1-octanol into 100 microL methanol. The methanol extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method was optimized (with optimized parameters in brackets) with regard to type of organic extractant (1-octanol), fiber length (2 cm), choice and concentration of anionic carrier (600 microg L(-1) octanoate), procedure of transfer to methanol (15-min sonication), sample volume (250 mL), extraction time (17 h), pH (10), and ionic strength (50 mM carbonate). Aspects influencing repeatability in LPME of (quaternary ammonium) surfactants are discussed. The enrichment factor achieved in 250-mL carbonate buffer was around 400. Due to matrix effects, the enrichment factors achieved when industrial process water was analyzed were 120 or about 30% of that in carbonate buffer. Detection limits of 0.3 microg L(-1) in carbonate buffer and 0.9 microg L(-1) in industrial process water were obtained. If the studied compound is seen as a model substance representing quaternary dialkylated dimethylated ammonium surfactants in general, the developed method may be applied to other quaternary ammonium surfactants.

Numerical Study of Surfactant Dynamics during Emulsification in a T-Junction Microchannel.

Science.gov (United States)

Riaud, Antoine; Zhang, Hao; Wang, Xueying; Wang, Kai; Luo, Guangsheng

2018-04-18

Microchannel emulsification requires large amounts of surfactant to prevent coalescence and improve emulsions lifetime. However, most numerical studies have considered surfactant-free mixtures as models for droplet formation in microchannels, without taking into account the distribution of surfactant on the droplet surface. In this paper, we investigate the effects of nonuniform surfactant coverage on the microfluidic flow pattern using an extended lattice-Boltzmann model. This numerical study, supported by micro-particle image velocimetry experiments, reveals the likelihood of uneven distribution of surfactant during the droplet formation and the appearance of a stagnant cap. The Marangoni effect affects the droplet breakup by increasing the shear rate. According to our results, surfactant-free and surfactant-rich droplet formation processes are qualitatively different, such that both the capillary number and the Damköhler number should be considered when modeling the droplet generation in microfluidic devices. The limitations of traditional volume and pressure estimation methods for determining the dynamic interfacial tension are also discussed on the basis of the simulation results.

Comprehensive study of tartrazine/cationic surfactant interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahir, Afshin Asadzadeh; Javadian, Soheila; Razavizadeh, Bi Bi Marzieh; Gharibi, Hussein

2011-12-15

Interaction of a food dye, tartrazine, with some cationic conventional and gemini surfactants, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB), N,N'-ditetradecyl-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-N,N'-butanediyl-diammonium dibromide (14,4,14), and N,N'-didodecyl-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-N,N'-butanediyl-diammonium dibromide (12,4,12), were first investigated comprehensively employing conductometry, tensiometry, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Tartrazine was found to behave in the same manner as aromatic counterions. The formation of ion pairs reflected as a considerable increase of the surfactant efficiency in tensiometry plots and their stoichiometry were determined by Job's method of continuous variations. For the tartrazine/TTAB system, nonionic DS(3), ionic DS(2-), and/or DS(2)(-) ion pairs, their small premicelles, and tartrazine-rich micelles were constituted as well as dye-containing TTAB-rich micelles. Insoluble J-aggregates of DS(-) ion pairs and cylindrical surfactant-rich micelles were also formed in tartrazine/gemini surfactant systems and recognized by transmission electron microscopy. The zeta potential and the size of the aggregates were determined using dynamic light scattering and confirmed the suggested models for the processes happening in each system. Cyclic voltammetry was applied successfully to track all of these species using tartrazine's own reduction peak current for the first time.

Use of functionalized surfactants in flame atomic analysis: Final technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, D.W.

1987-01-01

Research results in the following areas are briefly summarized: basic properties of surfactants, micelles, and cyclodextrins as they relate to chemical analysis; use of functionalized surfactants, micelles, and cyclodextrins in spectroscopic analysis; macromolecular separation theory and mechanism; use of functionalized surfactants and cyclodextrins in separations; capillary work for future coupling of spectroscopic and LC projects

Poloxamer-Decorated Polymer Nanoparticles for Lung Surfactant Compatibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beck-Broichsitter, Moritz; Bohr, Adam; Ruge, Christian A

2017-01-01

Lung-delivered polymer nanoparticles provoked dysfunction of the essential lung surfactant system. A steric shielding of the nanoparticle surface with poloxamers could minimize the unwanted interference of polymer nanoparticles with the biophysical function of lung surfactant. The extent of poly......(styrene) and poly(lactide) nanoparticle-induced lung surfactant inhibition could be related to the type and content of the applied poloxamer. Escalations of the adsorbed coating layer thickness (>3 nm) as well as concentration (brush- rather than mushroom-like conformation of poly(ethylene glycol), chain......-associated proteins. Poloxamer-modified polymer nanoparticles represent a promising nanomedicine platform intended for respiratory delivery revealing negligible effects on the biophysical functionality of the lining layer present in the deep lungs....

Surfactant therapy for maternal blood aspiration: an unusual cause of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Celik, Istemi Han; Demirel, Gamze; Canpolat, Fuat Emre; Erdeve, Omer; Dilmen, Ugur

2012-10-01

Surfactant replacement therapy is the main treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. However, surfactant therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of other diseases causing neonatal respiratory diseases such as pulmonary hemorrhage, meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia/sepsis, pulmonary edema or acute lung injury resulting a secondary surfactant deficiency (SSD). Rarely, as like as in the present patient, exogenous blood aspiration such as breast milk or formula aspiration may lead to SSD. Blood in alveolus leads to a significant biochemical and functional disturbance of the surfactant system and inhibits surfactant production. Here, the authors report a preterm infant of 33 wk gestational age with secondary surfactant deficiency due to maternal blood aspiration because of abruptio placentae. She was received two courses of beractant, a natural bovine surfactant, therapy in 24 h. She was extubated on second day and did not require oxygen on 4(th) day. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of SSD due to maternal blood aspiration treated with surfactant. In conditions such as abruptio placentae, infant should be protected from blood aspiration and if respiratory distress occurs, surfactant inhibition and need for surfactant administration should be considered.

The Accelerated Late Adsorption of Pulmonary Surfactant

OpenAIRE

Loney, Ryan W.; Anyan, Walter R.; Biswas, Samares C.; Rananavare, Shankar B.; Hall, Stephen B.

2011-01-01

Adsorption of pulmonary surfactant to an air−water interface lowers surface tension (γ) at rates that initially decrease progressively, but which then accelerate close to the equilibrium γ. The studies here tested a series of hypotheses concerning mechanisms that might cause the late accelerated drop in γ. Experiments used captive bubbles and a Wilhelmy plate to measure γ during adsorption of vesicles containing constituents from extracted calf surfactant. The faster fall in γ reflects faster...

Binding of alkylpyridinium chloride surfactants to sodium polystyrene sulfonate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ishiguro, M.; Koopal, L.K.

2009-01-01

Binding of cationic surfactants to anionic polymers is well studied. However, the surfactant binding characteristics at very low concentration near the start of binding and at high concentration, where charge compensation may Occur. are less well known. Therefore, the binding characteristics of

PHL10/460: Cancerfacts.com - Vertical Portal with Newly Developed Health Profiler

OpenAIRE

Lenz, C; Brucksch, M

1999-01-01

Introduction Unlike general health portals such as WebMD and Drkoop.com that cover everything from the flu to heart disease, Silicon Valley-based cancerfacts.com is a so-called vertical portal. It covers only one small vertical niche of health care: cancer, and in particular, prostate cancer. As a value-added proprietary technology, the company offers its newly developed profile engine to health information retrievers. Methods Users are enabled to insert their specific medical information - r...

Use of in vitro methods to rank surfactants for irritation potential in support of new product development.

Science.gov (United States)

Casterton, P L; Potts, L F; Klein, B D

1994-08-01

11 surfactant raw materials with potential applications in light-duty liquid cleaning products were evaluated in vitro using a human skin analogue (ATS SKIN(2) Model ZK1100) for predicting cytotoxicity (MTT reduction) and inflammation [prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) release]. Two of the 11 raw materials, both in the same compound family, were selected to be individually combined with each of the other nine in a 90:10 (raw:selected raw) mixture. Selection criteria were based on desired performance characteristics and low irritation potential as suggested from the individual surfactant assay data. To determine whether irritation potential was mitigated, MTT and PGE(2) scores were again determined for each of the 18 combinations with the resulting data being compared with the untreated raw material data. A plot of the data indicated that one of two selected materials may have an 'anti-irritant' effect. For raw materials with intrinsic MTT scores of less than 50 mug/ml and with the original data corrected for possible dilution effects, a statistical comparison between individual raw materials and the two sets of combinations was done using a one-sample analysis. Both cytotoxicity (MTT) and inflammation (PGE(2)) were significantly decreased by the milder of the two selected raw materials. By factoring the data into future new product decisions, this methodology has become a useful and practical tool for Amway product development.

Release of surfactant cargo from interfacially-active halloysite clay nanotubes for oil spill remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Owoseni, Olasehinde; Nyankson, Emmanuel; Zhang, Yueheng; Adams, Samantha J; He, Jibao; McPherson, Gary L; Bose, Arijit; Gupta, Ram B; John, Vijay T

2014-11-18

Naturally occurring halloysite clay nanotubes are effective in stabilizing oil-in-water emulsions and can serve as interfacially-active vehicles for delivering oil spill treating agents. Halloysite nanotubes adsorb at the oil-water interface and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions that are stable for months. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) imaging of the oil-in-water emulsions shows that these nanotubes assemble in a side-on orientation at the oil-water interface and form networks on the interface through end-to-end linkages. For application in the treatment of marine oil spills, halloysite nanotubes were successfully loaded with surfactants and utilized as an interfacially-active vehicle for the delivery of surfactant cargo. The adsorption of surfactant molecules at the interface serves to lower the interfacial tension while the adsorption of particles provides a steric barrier to drop coalescence. Pendant drop tensiometry was used to characterize the dynamic reduction in interfacial tension resulting from the release of dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt (DOSS) from halloysite nanotubes. At appropriate surfactant compositions and loadings in halloysite nanotubes, the crude oil-saline water interfacial tension is effectively lowered to levels appropriate for the dispersion of oil. This work indicates a novel concept of integrating particle stabilization of emulsions together with the release of chemical surfactants from the particles for the development of an alternative, cheaper, and environmentally-benign technology for oil spill remediation.

Distribution of endotracheally instilled surfactant protein SP-C in lung-lavaged rabbits.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto; de Leij, Louis; Curstedt, T; ter Haar, J G; Schoots, Coenraad; Wildevuur, Charles; Okken, Albert

In lung-lavaged surfactant-deficient rabbits (n = 6) requiring artificial ventilation, porcine surfactant was instilled endotracheally. This resulted in improvement of lung function so that the animals could be weaned off artificial ventilation. The animals were killed 4 1/2 h after surfactant

The effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on pulmonary surfactant function and ultrastructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braun Armin

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pulmonary surfactant reduces surface tension and is present at the air-liquid interface in the alveoli where inhaled nanoparticles preferentially deposit. We investigated the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanosized particles (NSP and microsized particles (MSP on biophysical surfactant function after direct particle contact and after surface area cycling in vitro. In addition, TiO2 effects on surfactant ultrastructure were visualized. Methods A natural porcine surfactant preparation was incubated with increasing concentrations (50-500 μg/ml of TiO2 NSP or MSP, respectively. Biophysical surfactant function was measured in a pulsating bubble surfactometer before and after surface area cycling. Furthermore, surfactant ultrastructure was evaluated with a transmission electron microscope. Results TiO2 NSP, but not MSP, induced a surfactant dysfunction. For TiO2 NSP, adsorption surface tension (γads increased in a dose-dependent manner from 28.2 ± 2.3 mN/m to 33.2 ± 2.3 mN/m (p min slightly increased from 4.8 ± 0.5 mN/m up to 8.4 ± 1.3 mN/m (p 2 NSP concentrations. Presence of NSP during surface area cycling caused large and significant increases in both γads (63.6 ± 0.4 mN/m and γmin (21.1 ± 0.4 mN/m. Interestingly, TiO2 NSP induced aberrations in the surfactant ultrastructure. Lamellar body like structures were deformed and decreased in size. In addition, unilamellar vesicles were formed. Particle aggregates were found between single lamellae. Conclusion TiO2 nanosized particles can alter the structure and function of pulmonary surfactant. Particle size and surface area respectively play a critical role for the biophysical surfactant response in the lung.

Inhaled Surfactant Therapy in Newborns in Artificial Lung Ventilation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Perepelitsa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of inhaled surfactant therapy in neonatal infants with respiratory failure.Subjects and methods. The trial enrolled 13 premature neonatal infants; their mean gestational age was 31.8±2.8 weeks and the birth weight was 1825±600.9 g. They had a oneminute Apgar score of 4.3±1.4. All the neonates needed mechanical ventilation (MV atbirth because the leading clinical sign was respiratory failure caused by acute intranatal hypoxia, neonatal amniotic fluid aspiration, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, and cerebral ischemia. Curosurf was injected in a dose of 174.7±21 mg/kg in the infants with neonatal RDS at 35 minutes of life. All the babies included in the study were noted to have severe disease and prolonged MV. After stabilization of their status, the neonates received combination therapy involving surfactantBL inhalation to reduce the duration of MV. The dose of the agent was 75 mg. Results. After surfactantBL inhalation, effective spontaneous respiration occurred in 69.2% of the newborn infants; successful extubation was carried out. The median duration ofMV after surfactant BL inhalation was 22 hours (4—68 hours. There were no reintubated cases after inhalation therapy. Following surfactantBL inhalation, 4 (30.8% patients remained to be on MV as a control regimen; 3 of them had highfre quency MV. SurfactantBL inhalation made it possible to change the respiratory support regimen and to reduce MV parame ters in these babies. 

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

Science.gov (United States)

Singla, Ritu; Grieser, Franz; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian

2009-03-26

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

Surfactant-Enhanced Size-Excluded Transport of Bacteria Through Unsaturated Porous Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, J.

2017-12-01

US domestic waste water is rich in surfactants because of the intensive usage of surfactants-containing household product. It results in a surfactants presence environment when this untreated waste water released into subsurface. It was reported that surfactants enhance the colloidal transport in porous media, which have significant effect on issues such as subsurface pathogens contamination and biodegradation. In this study, soil column experiments were conducted. The soil column was remained unsaturated and with a steady flow passing through it. Escherichia coli K-12 transported in the soil column and its breakthrough data was collected in presence of surfactant anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) concentration range over 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 2 times Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). It was found that the increase in LAS concentration greatly increases breakthrough concentration C/C0 and decreases breakthrough time tb until LAS concentration reaches 1 xCMC. Numerical models were built simulating and investigating this phenomenon. The goodness of model fitting was greatly improved by adding exclusion factor into the model, which indicated that the presence of surfactant might enhance the exclusion effect. The relationships between LAS concentration and the two coefficients, deposition rate coefficient k and exclusion effect coefficient θim, were found can be fitted by a quasi-Langmuir equation. And the model validation with observed data showed that the model has an acceptable reliability.

Seasonal evolution of anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactant concentrations in coastal aerosols from Askö, Sweden

Science.gov (United States)

Gérard, Violaine; Nozière, Barbara; Baduel, Christine

2015-04-01

Surfactants present in atmospheric aerosols are expected to enhance the activation into cloud droplets by acting on one of the two key parameters of the Köhler equation: the surface tension, σ. But because the magnitude of this effect and its regional and temporal variability are still highly uncertain [1,2], various approaches have been developed to evidence it directly in the atmosphere. This work presents the analysis of surfactants present in PM2.5 aerosol fractions collected at the coastal site of Askö, Sweden (58° 49.5' N, 17° 39' E) from July to October 2010. The total surfactant fraction was extracted from the samples using an improved double extraction technique. Surface tension measurements performed with the pendant drop technique [3] indicated the presence of very strong surfactants (σ ~ 30 - 35 mN/m) in these aerosols. In addition, these extractions were combined with colorimetric methods to determine the anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactant concentrations [4,5], and provided for the first time interference-free surfactant concentrations in atmospheric aerosols. At this site, the total surfactant concentration in the PM2.5 samples varied between 7 to 150 mM and was dominated by anionic and non-ionic ones. The absolute surface tension curves obtained for total surfactant fraction displayed Critical Micelle Concentrations (CMC) in the range 50 - 400 uM, strongly suggesting a biological origin for the surfactants. The seasonal evolution of these concentrations and their relationships with environmental or meteorological parameters at the site will be discussed. [1] Ekström, S., Nozière, B. et al., Biogeosciences, 2010, 7, 387 [2] Baduel, C., Nozière, B., Jaffrezo, J.-L., Atmos. Environ., 2012, 47, 413 [3] Nozière, B., Baduel, C., Jaffrezo, J.-L., Nat. Commun., 2014, 5, 1 [4] Latif, M. T.; Brimblecombe, P. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2004, 38, 6501 [5] Pacheco e Silva et al., Method to measure surfactant in fluid, 2013, US 2013/0337568 A1

Cis-acting sequences from a human surfactant protein gene confer pulmonary-specific gene expression in transgenic mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korfhagen, T.R.; Glasser, S.W.; Wert, S.E.; Bruno, M.D.; Daugherty, C.C.; McNeish, J.D.; Stock, J.L.; Potter, S.S.; Whitsett, J.A. (Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH (USA))

1990-08-01

Pulmonary surfactant is produced in late gestation by developing type II epithelial cells lining the alveolar epithelium of the lung. Lack of surfactant at birth is associated with respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants. Surfactant protein C (SP-C) is a highly hydrophobic peptide isolated from pulmonary tissue that enhances the biophysical activity of surfactant phospholipids. Like surfactant phospholipid, SP-C is produced by epithelial cells in the distal respiratory epithelium, and its expression increases during the latter part of gestation. A chimeric gene containing 3.6 kilobases of the promoter and 5{prime}-flanking sequences of the human SP-C gene was used to express diphtheria toxin A. The SP-C-diphtheria toxin A fusion gene was injected into fertilized mouse eggs to produce transgenic mice. Affected mice developed respiratory failure in the immediate postnatal period. Morphologic analysis of lungs from affected pups showed variable but severe cellular injury confined to pulmonary tissues. Ultrastructural changes consistent with cell death and injury were prominent in the distal respiratory epithelium. Proximal components of the tracheobronchial tree were not severely affected. Transgenic animals were of normal size at birth, and structural abnormalities were not detected in nonpulmonary tissues. Lung-specific diphtheria toxin A expression controlled by the human SP-C gene injured type II epithelial cells and caused extensive necrosis of the distal respiratory epithelium. The absence of type I epithelial cells in the most severely affected transgenic animals supports the concept that developing type II cells serve as precursors to type I epithelial cells.

Biomimetic Fluorocarbon Surfactant Polymers Reduce Platelet Adhesion on PTFE/ePTFE Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuwu; Gupta, Anirban Sen; Sagnella, Sharon; Barendt, Pamela M.; Kottke-Marchant, Kandice; Marchant, Roger E.

2010-01-01

We describe a series of fluorocarbon surfactant polymers designed as surface-modifying agents for improving the thrombogenicity of ePTFE vascular graft materials by the reduction of platelet adhesion. The surfactant polymers consist of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone with pendent dextran and perfluoroundecanoyl branches. Surface modification is accomplished by a simple dip-coating process in which surfactant polymers undergo spontaneous surface-induced adsorption and assembly on PTFE/ePTFE surface. The adhesion stability of the surfactant polymer on PTFE was examined under dynamic shear conditions in PBS and human whole blood with a rotating disk system. Fluorocarbon surfactant polymer coatings with three different dextran to perfluorocarbon ratios (1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:2) were compared in the context of platelet adhesion on PTFE/ePTFE surface under dynamic flow conditions. Suppression of platelet adhesion was achieved for all three coated surfaces over the shear-stress range of 0–75 dyn/cm2 in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or human whole blood. The effectiveness depended on the surfactant polymer composition such that platelet adhesion on coated surfaces decreased significantly with increasing fluorocarbon branch density at 0 dyn/cm2. Our results suggest that fluorocarbon surfactant polymers can effectively suppress platelet adhesion and demonstrate the potential application of the fluorocarbon surfactant polymers as non-thrombogenic coatings for ePTFE vascular grafts. PMID:19323880

Alpha-1-antitrypsin studies: canine serum and canine surfactant protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuttle, W.C.; Slauson, D.O.; Dahlstrom, M.; Gorman, C.

1974-01-01

Canine serum alpha-1-antitrypsin was isolated by gel filtration and affinity chromatography and characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis. Measurement of the trypsin inhibitory capacity of the separated protein indicated a ninefold concentration of functional trypsin inhibitor during the isolation procedure. Electrophoresis demonstrated the presence of a single protein with alpha-globulin mobility and a molecular weight near that of human alpha-1-antitrypsin. The trypsin inhibitory capacity of pulmonary surfactant protein from five Beagle dogs was measured, related to total surfactant protein concentration, and compared with similar measurements on whole serum from the same animals. Results indicated a variable concentration of trypsin inhibitor in the canine pulmonary surfactant protein. However, the concentration in the surfactant protein was always significantly higher than that in the corresponding serum sample. Preliminary experiments designed to separate the trypsin inhibitory fraction(s) from the other surfactant proteins by gel filtration chromatography indicated that the trypsin inhibitor was probably a single protein with a molecular weight near that of alpha-1-antitrypsin. (U.S.)

Surfactant Effect on the Average Flow Generation Near Curved Interface

Science.gov (United States)

Klimenko, Lyudmila; Lyubimov, Dmitry

2018-02-01

The present work is devoted to the average flow generation near curved interface with a surfactant adsorbed on the surface layer. The investigation was carried out for a liquid drop embedded in a viscous liquid with a different density. The liquid flows inside and outside the drop are generated by small amplitude and high frequency vibrations. Surfactant exchange between the drop surface and the surrounding liquid is limited by the process of adsorption-desorption. It was assumed that the surfactant is soluble in the surrounding liquid, but not soluble in the liquid drop. Surrounding liquid and the liquid in the drop are considered incompressible. Normal and shear viscous stresses balance at the interface is performed under the condition that the film thickness of the adsorbed surfactant is negligible. The problem is solved under assumption that the shape of the drop in the presence of adsorbed surfactant remains spherical symmetry. The effective boundary conditions for the tangential velocity jump and shear stress jump, describing the above generation have been obtained by matched asymptotic expansions method. The conditions under which the drop surface can be considered as a quasi-solid are determined. It is shown that in the case of the significant effect of surfactant on the surface tension, the dominant mechanism for the generation is the Schlichting mechanisms under vibrations.

Induction of virulence gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus by pulmonary surfactant.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Kenichi; Adachi, Tatsuo; Yasukawa, Jyunichiro; Suzuki, Yutaka; Hamamoto, Hiroshi; Sekimizu, Kazuhisa

2014-04-01

We performed a genomewide analysis using a next-generation sequencer to investigate the effect of pulmonary surfactant on gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus, a clinically important opportunistic pathogen. RNA sequence (RNA-seq) analysis of bacterial transcripts at late log phase revealed 142 genes that were upregulated >2-fold following the addition of pulmonary surfactant to the culture medium. Among these genes, we confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis that mRNA amounts for genes encoding ESAT-6 secretion system C (EssC), an unknown hypothetical protein (NWMN_0246; also called pulmonary surfactant-inducible factor A [PsiA] in this study), and hemolysin gamma subunit B (HlgB) were increased 3- to 10-fold by the surfactant treatment. Among the major constituents of pulmonary surfactant, i.e., phospholipids and palmitate, only palmitate, which is the most abundant fatty acid in the pulmonary surfactant and a known antibacterial substance, stimulated the expression of these three genes. Moreover, these genes were also induced by supplementing the culture with detergents. The induction of gene expression by surfactant or palmitate was not observed in a disruption mutant of the sigB gene, which encodes an alternative sigma factor involved in bacterial stress responses. Furthermore, each disruption mutant of the essC, psiA, and hlgB genes showed attenuation of both survival in the lung and host-killing ability in a murine pneumonia model. These findings suggest that S. aureus resists membrane stress caused by free fatty acids present in the pulmonary surfactant through the regulation of virulence gene expression, which contributes to its pathogenesis within the lungs of the host animal.

Membrane-surfactant interactions. The role of surfactant in mitochondrial complex III-phospholipid-Triton X-100 mixed micelles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valpuesta, J.M.; Arrondo, J.L.; Barbero, M.C.; Pons, M.; Goni, F.M.

1986-01-01

Complex III (ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase) was purified from beef heart mitochondria in the form of protein-phospholipid-Triton X-100 mixed micelles (about 1:80:100 molar ratio). Detergent may be totally removed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and the resulting lipoprotein complexes retain full enzyme activity. In order to understand the role of surfactant in the mixed micelles, and the interaction of Triton X-100 with integral membrane proteins and phospholipid bilayers, both the protein-lipid-surfactant mixed micelles and the detergent-free lipoprotein system were examined from the point of view of particle size and ultrastructure, enzyme activity, tryptophan fluorescence quenching, 31P NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The NMR and IR spectroscopic studies show that surfactant withdrawal induces a profound change in phospholipid architecture, from a micellar to a lamellar-like phase. However, electron microscopic observations fail to reveal the existence of lipid bilayers in the absence of detergent. We suggest that, under these conditions, the lipid:protein molar ratio (80:1) is too low to permit the formation of lipid bilayer planes, but the relative orientation and mobility of phospholipids with respect to proteins is similar to that of the lamellar phase. Protein conformational changes are also detected as a consequence of surfactant removal. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicates an increase of peptide beta-structure in the absence of Triton X-100; changes in the amide II/amide I intensity ratio are also detected, although the precise meaning of these observations is unclear

Optimization of surfactant-aided remediation of industrially contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, M.M.; Lee, S.

1996-01-01

Soil matrices contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) abound at the sites of coke-oven gas plants, refineries, and many other major chemical industries. The removal of PAHs from soil using pure water, via soil washing (ex situ) or soil flushing (in situ), is quite ineffective due to their low solubility and hydrophobicity. However, addition of suitable surfactant(s) has been shown to increase the removal efficiency several fold. For the present work, the removal of PAHs occurring in industrially contaminated soil was studied. The objective was to use a nonionic surfactant solution for in situ soil flushing and to evaluate the optimal range of process parameters that can significantly increase the removal efficiency. The process parameters chosen were surfactant concentration, ratio of washing solution volume to soil weight, and temperature of washing solution. These parameters were found to have a significant effect on PAH removal from the contaminated soil and an optimal range was determined for each parameter under given washing conditions

Mechanisms of dynamic wetting failure in the presence of soluble surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Satish; Liu, Chen-Yu; Carvalho, Marcio S.

2017-11-01

A hydrodynamic model and flow visualization experiments are used to understand the mechanisms through which soluble surfactants can influence the onset of dynamic wetting failure. In the model, a Newtonian liquid displaces air in a rectangular channel in the absence of inertia. A Navier-slip boundary condition and constant contact angle are used to describe the dynamic contact line, and surfactants are allowed to adsorb to the interface and moving channel wall (substrate). The Galerkin finite element method is used to calculate steady states and identify the critical capillary number Cacrit at which wetting failure occurs. It is found that surfactant solubility weakens the influence of Marangoni stresses, which tend to promote the onset of wetting failure. The experiments indicate that Cacrit increases with surfactant concentration. For the more viscous solutions used, this behaviour can largely be explained by accounting for changes to the mean surface tension and static contact angle produced by surfactants. For the lowest-viscosity solution used, comparison between the model predictions and experimental observations suggests that other surfactant-induced phenomena such as Marangoni stresses may play a more important role.

Synthesis, surface properties and antimicrobial activity of some germanium nonionic surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaki, Mohamed F; Tawfik, Salah M

2014-01-01

Esterification reaction between different fatty acid namely; lauric, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids and polyethylene glycol-400 were performed. The produced polyethylene glycol ester were reacted with p-amine benzoic acid followed by condensation reaction with germanium dioxide in presence of sodium carbonate to form desired germinate surfactants. The chemical structures of the synthesized surfactants were determined using different spectra tools. The surface parameter including: the critical micelle concentration (CMC), effectiveness (π(cmc)), efficiency (Pc20), maximum surface excess (Γ(max)) and minimum surface area (A(min)), were calculated from the surface tension measurements. The synthesized surfactants showed higher surface activity. The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption and micellization processes are spontaneous. It is clear that the synthesized nonionic surfactants showed their tendency towards adsorption at the interfaces and also micellization in the bulk of their solutions. The synthesized surfactants were tested against different strain of bacteria using inhibition zone diameters. The synthesized surfactants showed good antimicrobial activities against the tested microorganisms including Gram positive, Gram negative as well as fungi. The promising inhibition efficiency of these compounds against the sulfate reducing bacteria facilitates them to be applicable as new categories of sulfate reducing bacteria biocides.

Mechanisms of polyelectrolyte enhanced surfactant adsorption at the air-water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenger, Patrick C; Palazoglu, Omer A; Zasadzinski, Joseph A

2009-05-01

Chitosan, a naturally occurring cationic polyelectrolyte, restores the adsorption of the clinical lung surfactant Survanta to the air-water interface in the presence of albumin at much lower concentrations than uncharged polymers such as polyethylene glycol. This is consistent with the positively charged chitosan forming ion pairs with negative charges on the albumin and lung surfactant particles, reducing the net charge in the double-layer, and decreasing the electrostatic energy barrier to adsorption to the air-water interface. However, chitosan, like other polyelectrolytes, cannot perfectly match the charge distribution on the surfactant, which leads to patches of positive and negative charge at net neutrality. Increasing the chitosan concentration further leads to a reduction in the rate of surfactant adsorption consistent with an over-compensation of the negative charge on the surfactant and albumin surfaces, which creates a new repulsive electrostatic potential between the now cationic surfaces. This charge neutralization followed by charge inversion explains the window of polyelectrolyte concentration that enhances surfactant adsorption; the same physical mechanism is observed in flocculation and re-stabilization of anionic colloids by chitosan and in alternate layer deposition of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes on charged colloids.

Influence of surfactants on the sorption of two chloroacetanilide in an Romanian chernozem soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Coroi, I G; De Wilde, T; Cara, M S; Jitareanu, G; Steurbaut, W

2011-01-01

Pesticides have been extensively used in modern agriculture. Due to the prevalent use, there have been serious problems generated by pesticides wastes which could eventually endanger water resources and human health. The development of technologies for the decontamination of soils and waters polluted by hydrophobic organic compounds has encouraged research into the use of non-ionic surfactants as potential agents for the enhanced solubilization and removal of contaminants from soils and sediments. Sorption of two chloroacetanilide herbicides, acetochlor and metolachlor was studied on a representative chernozem soil of the Main Agricultural Research Station Ezareni belonging to the "Ion Ionescu de la Brad" University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine lasi, Romania, in the presence and absence of surfactants. Three different non-ionic surfactants were selected: Tween-20, Synperonic 91/5 and Silwet L-77, to verify the influence of their presence on herbicide sorption at different concentrations. Our results showed that the sorption of the studied herbicides within the soil-water-non-ionic surfactant system was influenced by the presence of non-ionic surfactants. The n values obtained were lower than 1 for all pesticide-surfactant combinations, which indicates that the amount of acetochor and metolachlor sorbed decreased with an increase in pesticide concentration. The sorption of acetochlor increased in the following order: Acetochlor+Synperonic 91/5 < Acetochlor < Acetochlor+Tween-20 < Acetochlor+Silwet L-77. In the case of metolachlor+Synperonic and metolachlor+Silwet L-77, the Kf values were significantly higher than the Kf value of metolachlor+Tween-20 on soil, where a lower Kf value could be observed with however a higher n value which indicate a higher sorption capacity at higher concentrations.

Rapid visual detection of quaternary ammonium surfactants using citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) based on hydrophobic effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Li-Qing; Yu, Xiao-Dong; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

2014-01-01

In this work, a rapid, sensitive and low-cost colorimetric method for detection of quaternary ammonium surfactants using citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was developed. The quaternary ammonium surfactants induce the aggregation of Ag NPs through the hydrophobic effect, which is a novel aggregation mechanism of Ag NPs. The addition of cationic surfactant results in color change of Ag NPs solution from yellow to red and finally to colorless, which is due to the broadening of the surface plasmon band. The color change was monitored using a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The LOD of different cationic surfactants was in the range of 0.5-5 µM. More importantly, this detection method was successfully utilized to the disinfectant residual sample. Crown Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the imprint of surfactant-driven stabilization of laboratory breaking wave foam with comparison to oceanic whitecaps

Science.gov (United States)

Callaghan, A. H.; Deane, G. B.; Stokes, M. D.

2017-08-01

Surfactants are ubiquitous in the global oceans: they help form the materially-distinct sea surface microlayer (SML) across which global ocean-atmosphere exchanges take place, and they reside on the surfaces of bubbles and whitecap foam cells prolonging their lifetime thus altering ocean albedo. Despite their importance, the occurrence, spatial distribution, and composition of surfactants within the upper ocean and the SML remains under-characterized during conditions of vigorous wave breaking when in-situ sampling methods are difficult to implement. Additionally, no quantitative framework exists to evaluate the importance of surfactant activity on ocean whitecap foam coverage estimates. Here we use individual laboratory breaking waves generated in filtered seawater and seawater with added soluble surfactant to identify the imprint of surfactant activity in whitecap foam evolution. The data show a distinct surfactant imprint in the decay phase of foam evolution. The area-time-integral of foam evolution is used to develop a time-varying stabilization function, ϕ>(t>) and a stabilization factor, Θ, which can be used to identify and quantify the extent of this surfactant imprint for individual breaking waves. The approach is then applied to wind-driven oceanic whitecaps, and the laboratory and ocean Θ distributions overlap. It is proposed that whitecap foam evolution may be used to determine the occurrence and extent of oceanic surfactant activity to complement traditional in-situ techniques and extend measurement capabilities to more severe sea states occurring at wind speeds in excess of about 10 m/s. The analysis procedure also provides a framework to assess surfactant-driven variability within and between whitecap coverage data sets.Plain Language SummaryThe foam patches made by breaking waves, also known as "whitecaps", are an important source of marine sea spray, which impacts weather and climate through the formation of cloud drops and ice. Sea spray

Magnetic surfactants as molecular based-magnets with spin glass-like properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Paul; Hatton, T Alan; Smith, Gregory N; Hernández, Eduardo Padrón; James, Craig; Eastoe, Julian; Nunes, Wallace C; Settens, Charles M; Baker, Peter J

2016-01-01

This paper reports the use of muon spin relaxation spectroscopy to study how the aggregation behavior of magnetic surfactants containing lanthanide counterions may be exploited to create spin glass-like materials. Surfactants provide a unique approach to building in randomness, frustration and competing interactions into magnetic materials without requiring a lattice of ordered magnetic species or intervening ligands and elements. We demonstrate that this magnetic behavior may also be manipulated via formation of micelles rather than simple dilution, as well as via design of surfactant molecular architecture. This somewhat unexpected result indicates the potential of using novel magnetic surfactants for the generation and tuning of molecular magnets. (paper)

Surfactants: behavior and some of their applications in the petroleum industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivas, Hercilio; Gutierrez, Xiomara

1999-01-01

The most important theoretical aspect related to the behavior of surfactants in solution and the mechanism which govern the processes of their adsorption at the liquid - liquid, liquid- gas and liquid - solid interfaces are discussed in this paper. The basic principles, which characterize the phase behavior of surfactants in solution are described, and the procedures for stablishing the condition under which surfactants ca be successfully used in basic and applied research activities are given. Finally, the most important aspect of the different processes carried out in the oil industry, with special mention to those in exploration and production, where the surfactants play a very important role, are briefly discussed

Polymer⁻Surfactant System Based Amorphous Solid Dispersion: Precipitation Inhibition and Bioavailability Enhancement of Itraconazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Disang; Peng, Tingting; Huang, Zhengwei; Singh, Vikramjeet; Shi, Yin; Wen, Ting; Lu, Ming; Quan, Guilan; Pan, Xin; Wu, Chuanbin

2018-04-24

The rapid release of poorly water-soluble drugs from amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is often associated with the generation of supersaturated solution, which provides a strong driving force for precipitation and results in reduced absorption. Precipitation inhibitors, such as polymers and surfactants, are usually used to stabilize the supersaturated solution by blocking the way of kinetic or thermodynamic crystal growth. To evaluate the combined effect of polymers and surfactants on maintaining the supersaturated state of itraconazole (ITZ), various surfactants were integrated with enteric polymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMC AS) to develop polymer⁻surfactant based solid dispersion. The supersaturation stability was investigated by in vitro supersaturation dissolution test and nucleation induction time measurement. Compared to the ASD prepared with HPMC AS alone, the addition of d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) exhibited a synergistic effect on precipitation inhibition. The results indicated that the TPGS not only significantly reduced the degree of supersaturation which is the driving force for precipitation, but also provided steric hindrance to delay crystal growth by absorbing onto the surface of small particles. Subsequently, the formulations were evaluated in vivo in beagle dogs. Compared with commercial product Sporanox ® , the formulation prepared with HPMC AS/TPGS exhibited a 1.8-fold increase in the AUC (0⁻24 h) of ITZ and a 1.43-fold increase of hydroxyitraconazole (OH-ITZ) in the plasma. Similarly, the extent of absorption was increased by more than 40% when compared to the formulation prepared with HPMC AS alone. The results of this study demonstrated that the ASD based on polymer⁻surfactant system could obviously inhibit drug precipitation in vitro and in vivo, which provides a new access for the development of ASD for poorly water-soluble drug.

Rhamnolipids--next generation surfactants?

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Markus Michael; Kügler, Johannes H; Henkel, Marius; Gerlitzki, Melanie; Hörmann, Barbara; Pöhnlein, Martin; Syldatk, Christoph; Hausmann, Rudolf

2012-12-31

combine a holistic X-omics strategy with metabolic engineering to achieve the next step in rhamnolipid production based on non-food renewable resources. This review discusses different approaches towards optimization of rhamnolipid production and enhancement of product spectra. The optimization of rhamnolipid production with P. aeruginosa strains, screening methods for new non-pathogenic natural rhamnolipid producers and recombinant rhamnolipid production are examined. Finally, biocatalysis with rhamnolipids for the synthesis of l-rhamnose, β-hydroxyfatty acids, and tailor-made surfactants is discussed. Biosurfactants are still in the phase of initial commercialization. However, for next generation development of rhamnolipid production processes and next generation biosurfactants there are still considerable obstacles to be surmounted, which are discussed here. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of nanoparticle surfactant polarization on trapping depth of vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jian, E-mail: lijian@cqu.edu.cn; Du, Bin; Wang, Feipeng; Yao, Wei; Yao, Shuhan

2016-02-05

Nanoparticles can generate charge carrier trapping and reduce the velocity of streamer development in insulating oils ultimately leading to an enhancement of the breakdown voltage of insulating oils. Vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids with three sizes of monodispersed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were prepared and their trapping depths were measured by thermally stimulated method (TSC). It is found that the nanoparticle surfactant polarization can significantly influence the trapping depth of vegetable insulating oil-based nanofluids. A nanoparticle polarization model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids at different nanoparticle sizes and surfactant thicknesses. The results show the calculated values of the model are in a fairly good agreement with the experimental values. - Highlights: • Three different sized Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} vegetable-oil based nanofluids was successfully prepared. • The trapping depth of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanofluids was investigated. • A new model considering surfactant polarization was proposed to calculate the trapping depth of the nanofluids.

Newly developed semi-empirical formulas for (p, α) at 17.9 MeV and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics; Volume 74; Issue 6. Newly developed semi-empirical formulas for (, ) at 17.9 MeV and (, ) at 22.3 MeV reaction cross-sections. Eyyup Tel Abdullah Aydin E Gamze Aydin Abdullah Kaplan Ömer Yavaş İskender A Reyhancan. Research Articles Volume 74 Issue 6 June ...

Inactivation of pulmonary surfactant due to serum-inhibited adsorption and reversal by hydrophilic polymers: experimental

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taeusch, H William; de la Serna, Jorge Bernardino; Perez-Gil, Jesus

2005-01-01

adsorption of surface active serum proteins. Aqueous suspensions of native porcine surfactant, organic extracts of native surfactant, and the clinical surfactants Curosurf, Infasurf, and Survanta spread on buffered subphases increase the surface pressure, pi, to approximately 40 mN/m within 2 min....... The variation with concentration, temperature, and mode of spreading confirmed Brewster angle microscopy observations that subphase to surface adsorption of surfactant is the dominant form of surfactant transport to the interface. However (with the exception of native porcine surfactant), similar rapid...... increases in pi did not occur when surfactants were applied to subphases containing serum. Components of serum are surface active and adsorb reversibly to the interface increasing pi up to a concentration-dependent saturation value, pi(max). When surfactants were applied to subphases containing serum...

Evaluation of soy-based surface active copolymers as surfactant ingredients in model shampoo formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Popadyuk, A; Kalita, H; Chisholm, B J; Voronov, A

2014-12-01

A new non-toxic soybean oil-based polymeric surfactant (SBPS) for personal-care products was developed and extensively characterized, including an evaluation of the polymeric surfactant performance in model shampoo formulations. To experimentally assure applicability of the soy-based macromolecules in shampoos, either in combination with common anionic surfactants (in this study, sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS) or as a single surface-active ingredient, the testing of SBPS physicochemical properties, performance and visual assessment of SBPS-based model shampoos was carried out. The results obtained, including foaming and cleaning ability of model formulations, were compared to those with only SLS as a surfactant as well as to SLS-free shampoos. Overall, the results show that the presence of SBPS improves cleaning, foaming, and conditioning of model formulations. SBPS-based formulations meet major requirements of multifunctional shampoos - mild detergency, foaming, good conditioning, and aesthetic appeal, which are comparable to commercially available shampoos. In addition, examination of SBPS/SLS mixtures in model shampoos showed that the presence of the SBPS enables the concentration of SLS to be significantly reduced without sacrificing shampoo performance. © 2014 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Application of surfactant enhanced permanganate oxidation and bidegradation of trichloroethylene in groundwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsai, T.T.; Kao, C.M. [Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China); Yeh, T.Y. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: tyyeh@nuk.edu.tw; Liang, S.H.; Chien, H.Y. [Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China)

2009-01-15

The industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) is among the most ubiquitous chlorinated solvents found in groundwater contamination. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of using non-ionic surfactant Simple Green{sup TM} (SG) to enhance the oxidative dechlorination of TCE by potassium permanganate (KMnO{sub 4}) employing a continuous stir batch reactor system (CSBR) and column experiments. The effect of using surfactant SG to enhance the biodegradation of TCE via aerobic cometabolism was also examined. Results from CSBR experiments revealed that combination of KMnO{sub 4} with surfactant SG significantly enhanced contaminant removal, particularly when the surfactant SG concentrated at its CMC. TCE degradation rates ranged from 74.1% to 85.7% without addition of surfactant SG while TCE degradation rates increased to ranging from 83.8% to 96.3% with presence of 0.1 wt% SG. Furthermore, results from column experiments showed that TCE was degraded from 38.1 {mu}M to 6.2 {mu}M in equivalent to 83.7% of TCE oxidation during first 560 min reaction. This study has also demonstrated that the addition of surfactant SG is a feasible method to enhance bioremediation efficiency for TCE contaminated groundwater. The complete TCE degradation was detected after 75 days of incubation with both 0.01 and 0.1 wt% of surfactant SG addition. Results revealed that surfactant enhanced chemical oxidation and bioremediation technology is one of feasible approaches to clean up TCE contaminated groundwater.

Flavonoid-surfactant interactions: A detailed physicochemical study

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Onkar; Kaur, Rajwinder; Mahajan, Rakesh Kumar

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to study the interactions between flavonoids and surfactants with attention of finding the probable location of flavonoids in micellar media that can be used for controlling their antioxidant behavior. In present study, the micellar and interfacial behavior of twin tailed anionic surfactants viz. sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (NaDEHP) in the presence of two flavonoids, namely quercetin (QUE) and kaempferol (KFL) have been studied by surface tension measurements. UV-visible, fluorescence and differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) measurements have been employed to predict the probable location of flavonoids (QUE/KFL) within surfactant (AOT/NaDEHP) aggregates. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements further confirmed the solubilization of QUE/KFL in AOT/NaDEHP aggregates deduced from increased hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) of aggregates in the presence of flavonoids. Both radical scavenging activity (RSA) and degradation rate constant (k) of flavonoids are found to be higher in NaDEHP micelles as compared to AOT micelles.

Systematic Investigation of the Role of Surfactant Composition and Choice of oil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Signe Tandrup; Neustrup, Malene Aaby; Harloff-Helleberg, Stine

2017-01-01

humoral and CMI responses. METHODS: The influence of emulsion composition was analyzed using a systematic approach. Three factors were varied: i) saturation of the oil phase, ii) type and saturation of the applied surfactant mixture, and iii) surfactant mixture net charge. RESULTS: The emulsions were...... colloidally stable with a droplet diameter of 150-250 nm, and the zeta-potential correlated closely with the net charge of the surfactant mixture. Only cationic emulsions containing the unsaturated surfactant mixture induced concomitant humoral and CMI responses upon immunization of mice with a Ct antigen...

Interaction of biocompatible natural rosin-based surfactants with human serum albumin: A biophysical study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishtikhar, Mohd; Ali, Mohd Sajid; Atta, Ayman M.; Al-Lohedan, H.A.; Nigam, Lokesh; Subbarao, Naidu; Hasan Khan, Rizwan

2015-01-01

Biophysical insight into interaction of biocompatible rosin-based surfactants with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied at physiological conditions using various spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular docking approaches. The binding constant (K b ), enthalpy (ΔH 0 ), entropy (ΔS 0 ) and Gibbs free energy change (ΔG 0 ) were calculated by spectroscopic and calorimetric method. We have also calculated the probability of energy transfer by FRET analysis. The circular dichroism study showed that the cationic surfactant QRMAE significantly altered the secondary structure of HSA as compared to the nonionic rosin surfactants. The thermodynamic study was performed by ITC to determine binding constant as well as change in enthalpy of HSA in presence of rosin surfactants. It clearly showed that hydrogen binding and hydrophobic interaction play an important role in the binding of HSA to rosin surfactants. We have also performed molecular docking studies to locate the binding site on HSA and to visualize the mode of interaction. The present study provides a significant insight into HSA–rosin surfactants interaction, which also improves our understanding of the possible effect of rosin surfactants on human health. - Highlights: • RMPEG 750 has the highest Kb, Kq and Ksv value as compared to other rosin surfactants. • The probability of energy transfer from HSA to rosin surfactants was maximum in the case of RMPEG 750. • Cationic surfactant QRMAE significantly altered the secondary structure of the HSA as compared to other rosin surfactants. • Molecular docking and ITC experiment studies, to locate the binding site on HSA and to investigate the mode of interaction

Surfactant-thermal method to prepare two new cobalt metal-organic frameworks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Xianglin [School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430074 (China); Toh, Yong Siang [School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Zhao, Jun [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for New Energy Microgrid, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002 (China); Nie, Lina [School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Ye, Kaiqi; Wang, Yue [State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Li, Dongsheng [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for New Energy Microgrid, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002 (China); Zhang, Qichun, E-mail: qczhang@ntu.edu.sg [School of Materials Science and Engineering and School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371 (Singapore)

2015-12-15

Employing surfactants as reaction media, two new metal-organic frameworks (MOFs):(HTEA){sub 3}[Co{sub 3}(BTC){sub 3}] (NTU-Z33) and (HTEA)[Co{sub 3}(HBTC){sub 2}(BTC)] (NTU-Z34) (H{sub 3}BTC=1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, TEA=trimethylamine, and NTU=Nanyang Technological University), have been successfully synthesized and fully characterized. Note that NTU-Z33 has an unusual trimeric [Co{sub 3}(COO){sub 9}] secondary building unit (SBU). Magnetic characterization suggests that both compounds have weak antiferromagnetic behaviors. Our success in preparing new crystalline Co-BTC based MOFs under different surfactant media could provide a new road to prepare new diverse MOFs through various combinations of surfactants. - Graphical abstract: Employing surfactants as reaction media, two new metal-organic frame-works (MOFs) have been successfully synthesized and magnetic study suggests that both compounds have weak antiferromagnetic behaviors. - Highlights: • Two novel metal-organic frame-works (MOFs). • Synthesis through surfactant-thermal condition. • weak antiferromagnetic behaviors for both compounds.

Surfactant-thermal method to prepare two new cobalt metal-organic frameworks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Xianglin; Toh, Yong Siang; Zhao, Jun; Nie, Lina; Ye, Kaiqi; Wang, Yue; Li, Dongsheng; Zhang, Qichun

2015-01-01

Employing surfactants as reaction media, two new metal-organic frameworks (MOFs):(HTEA)_3[Co_3(BTC)_3] (NTU-Z33) and (HTEA)[Co_3(HBTC)_2(BTC)] (NTU-Z34) (H_3BTC=1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, TEA=trimethylamine, and NTU=Nanyang Technological University), have been successfully synthesized and fully characterized. Note that NTU-Z33 has an unusual trimeric [Co_3(COO)_9] secondary building unit (SBU). Magnetic characterization suggests that both compounds have weak antiferromagnetic behaviors. Our success in preparing new crystalline Co-BTC based MOFs under different surfactant media could provide a new road to prepare new diverse MOFs through various combinations of surfactants. - Graphical abstract: Employing surfactants as reaction media, two new metal-organic frame-works (MOFs) have been successfully synthesized and magnetic study suggests that both compounds have weak antiferromagnetic behaviors. - Highlights: • Two novel metal-organic frame-works (MOFs). • Synthesis through surfactant-thermal condition. • weak antiferromagnetic behaviors for both compounds.

The newly developed Toyota plug-in hybrid system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takaoka, Toshifumi; Ichinose, Hiroki [Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)

2010-07-01

Toyota has been introducing several hybrid vehicles (HV) as a countermeasure to the automobile's concerns, like CO2 reduction, energy security, and emission reduction in urban areas. A next step towards an even more effective solution for these concerns is a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV). This vehicle combines the advantages of electric vehicles (EV), which use clean electric energy, and HV, with it's high environmental potential and user- friendliness comparable to conventional vehicles, such as a long cruising range. This paper describes a newly developed plug-in hybrid system and its vehicle performance. This system uses a Li-ion battery with high energy density and has an affordable EV range without sacrificing cabin space. The vehicle achieves a CO2 emission of 59g/km and meets the most stringent emission regulations in the world. The new PHV is a forerunner of the large-scale mass production PHV two years later. PHVs have the potential to become popular as a realistic solution towards sustainable mobility by renewable electricity usage in the future. (orig.)

Study on the surfactants present in atmospheric aerosols collected in the Okinawa Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Kamegawa, A.; Kasaba, T.; Shimabukuro, W.; Arakaki, T.

2017-12-01

The main constituent of atmospheric aerosols is organic substances, which occupy 20 to 70% of the mass. Organic matters in the aerosols contain organic acids, protein and humic acid, which behave similar to surfactants. Since surfactants contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional groups in the molecule, they can play important roles in cloud formation and can affect climate change, but detailed mechanisms and magnitude are not well understood. In addition, surfactants can cause asthma, allergy, dry eye and so on. In this study, our aim is to characterize surfactants in the aerosols collected in different seasons in Okinawa, Japan. Atmospheric aerosols were collected at Cape Hedo Atmosphere and Aerosol Monitoring Station (CHAAMS) during Sep. 2013 and July 2014. Surfactants in the environment are comprised of artificially synthesized compounds and naturally derived organics so we only differentiate them into anionic and cationic surfactants. Colorimetric methods were used to determine the concentrations of anionic surfactants as methylene blue active substance (MBAS). Cationic surfactants were also measured by colorimetric method as disulfine blue active substance (DBAS) and showed always below detection limit. Thus, we only discuss anionic surfactants measured as MBAS. Water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and metal concentrations were also measured for the same aerosol samples. Concentrations of MBAS in the studied samples were 2-3 times higher in spring, fall and winter than those collected in summer. MBAS concentration in the aerosols showed strong correlation with sulfate ion and WSOC, and slightly weaker correlation with nss-sulfate ion. Among the metals, only sodium ion showed a relatively strong correlation with MBAS concentrations. It is suggested that the anionic surfactants in the studied aerosols are mainly derived from marine sources.

Control of stain geometry by drop evaporation of surfactant containing dispersions.

Science.gov (United States)

Erbil, H Yildirim

2015-08-01

Control of stain geometry by drop evaporation of surfactant containing dispersions is an important topic of interest because it plays a crucial role in many applications such as forming templates on solid surfaces, in ink-jet printing, spraying of pesticides, micro/nano material fabrication, thin film coatings, biochemical assays, deposition of DNA/RNA micro-arrays, and manufacture of novel optical and electronic materials. This paper presents a review of the published articles on the diffusive drop evaporation of pure liquids (water), the surfactant stains obtained from evaporating drops that do not contain dispersed particles and deposits obtained from drops containing polymer colloids and carbon based particles such as carbon nanotubes, graphite and fullerenes. Experimental results of specific systems and modeling attempts are discussed. This review also has some special subtopics such as suppression of coffee-rings by surfactant addition and "stick-slip" behavior of evaporating nanosuspension drops. In general, the drop evaporation process of a surfactant/particle/substrate system is very complex since dissolved surfactants adsorb on both the insoluble organic/inorganic micro/nanoparticles in the drop, on the air/solution interface and on the substrate surface in different extends. Meanwhile, surfactant adsorbed particles interact with the substrate giving a specific contact angle, and free surfactants create a solutal Marangoni flow in the drop which controls the location of the particle deposition together with the rate of evaporation. In some cases, the presence of a surfactant monolayer at the air/solution interface alters the rate of evaporation. At present, the magnitude of each effect cannot be predicted adequately in advance and consequently they should be carefully studied for any system in order to control the shape and size of the final deposit. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New thermo-sensitive chelating surfactants for selective solvent-free extraction of uranyl nitrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prevost, S.; Larpent, C.; Testard, F.; Coulombeau, H.; Baczko, K.; Berthon, L.; Desvaux, H.; Madic, C.; Zemb, T.

2004-01-01

Functional surfactants were synthesised by grafting a chelating group (amino-acid residue) to the tip of a poly-ethoxylated nonionic surfactant chain (C i E j : C i H 2i +1(OCH 2 CH 2 ) j OH)) or in a branched position. C i E j nonionic surfactants are known to be thermo-reversible and to exhibit a clouding phenomenon associated to phase separation of micelles. The functional surfactants retain both surface-active properties, characteristic thermo-reversible behaviour and have efficient complexing properties toward uranyl. In the presence of uranyl nitrate, small micelles are formed at ambient temperature and the de-mixing leads to a separation of the target ion trapped by the functional surfactant (cloud point extraction). Those surfactants are more efficient than mixture of classical C i E j and complexing agent solubilized in the micelles. This reveals a synergistic effect of the covalent bond between the chelating group and the nonionic surfactant C i E j . This paper presents a systematic study of the extraction and aggregation properties and the influence of the nature of the ions. (authors)

Inhibitor discovery of full-length New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bingzheng Shen

Full Text Available New Delhi metallo-β-lactmase-1 (NDM-1 has recently attracted extensive attention for its biological activities to catalyze the hydrolysis of almost all of β-lactam antibiotics. To study the catalytic property of NDM-1, the steady-kinetic parameters of NDM-1 toward several kinds of β-lactam antibiotics have been detected. It could effectively hydrolyze most β-lactams (k cat/K m ratios between 0.03 to 1.28 µmol⁻¹.s⁻¹, except aztreonam. We also found that thiophene-carboxylic acid derivatives could inhibit NDM-1 and have shown synergistic antibacterial activity in combination with meropenem. Flexible docking and quantum mechanics (QM study revealed electrostatic interactions between the sulfur atom of thiophene-carboxylic acid derivatives and the zinc ion of NDM-1, along with hydrogen bond between inhibitor and His189 of NDM-1. The interaction models proposed here can be used in rational design of NDM-1 inhibitors.

The influence of nonionic surfactant Brij 30 on biodegradation of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ONOS

2010-09-06

Sep 6, 2010 ... polluted air stream using biological process is highly efficient and has low ... Brij 30 was the most biodegradable surfactant among Brij 30, Tween 80 and ... The filter material contained surfactants that would enhance the ...

Hydrogen-surfactant-assisted coherent growth of GaN on ZnO substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jingzhao; Zhang, Yiou; Tse, Kinfai; Zhu, Junyi

2018-01-01

Heterostructures of wurtzite based devices have attracted great research interest because of the tremendous success of GaN in light emitting diodes (LED) industry. High-quality GaN thin films on inexpensive and lattice matched ZnO substrates are both commercially and technologically desirable. Intrinsic wetting conditions, however, forbid such heterostructures as the energy of ZnO polar surfaces is much lower than that of GaN polar surfaces, resulting in 3D growth mode and poor crystal quality. Based on first-principles calculations, we propose the use of surfactant hydrogen to dramatically alter the growth mode of the heterostructures. Stable H-involved surface configurations and interfaces are investigated with the help of our newly developed modelling techniques. The temperature and chemical potential dependence of our proposed strategy, which is critical in experiments, is predicted by applying the experimental Gibbs free energy of H2. Our thermodynamic wetting condition analysis is a crucial step for the growth of GaN on ZnO, and we find that introducing H will not degrade the stability of ZnO substrate. This approach will allow the growth of high-quality GaN thin films on ZnO substrates. We believe that our new strategy may reduce the manufactory cost, improve the crystal quality, and improve the efficiency of GaN-based devices.

Surfactant from neonatal to pediatric ICU: bench and bedside evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Boet, A; Brat, R; Aguilera, S S; Tissieres, P; De Luca, D

2014-12-01

Surfactant is a cornerstone of neonatal critical care for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome of preterm babies. However, other indications have been studied for various clinical conditions both in term neonates and in children beyond neonatal age. A high degree of evidence is not yet available in some cases and this is due to the complex and not yet totally understood physiopathology of the different types of pediatric and neonatal lung injury. We here summarise the state of the art of the bench and bedside knowledge about surfactant use for the respiratory conditions usually cared for in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. Future research direction will also be presented. On the whole, surfactant is able to improve oxygenation in infection related respiratory failure, pulmonary hemorrhage and meconium aspiration syndrome. Bronchoalveolar lavage with surfactant solution is currently the only means to reduce mortality or need for extracorporeal life support in neonates with meconium aspiration. While surfactant bolus or lavage only improves the oxygenation and ventilatory requirements in other types of postneonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), there seems to be a reduction in the mortality of small infants with RSV-related ARDS.

Activated carbon oxygen content influence on water and surfactant adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Pendleton, Phillip; Wu, Sophie Hua; Badalyan, Alexander

2002-02-15

This research investigates the adsorption properties of three activated carbons (AC) derived from coconut, coal, and wood origin. Each carbon demonstrates different levels of resistance to 2 M NaOH treatment. The coconut AC offers the greatest and wood AC the least resistance. The influence of base treatment is mapped in terms of its effects on specific surface area, micropore volume, water adsorption, and dodecanoic acid adsorption from both water and 2 M NaOH solution. A linear relationship exists between the number of water molecules adsorbed at the B-point of the water adsorption isotherm and the oxygen content determined from elemental analysis. Surfactant adsorption isotherms from water and 2 M NaOH indicate that the AC oxygen content effects a greater dependence on affinity for surfactant than specific surface area and micropore volume. We show a linear relationship between the plateau amount of surfactant adsorbed and the AC oxygen content in both water and NaOH phases. The higher the AC oxygen content, the lower the amount of surfactant adsorbed. In contrast, no obvious relationship could be drawn between the surfactant amount adsorbed and the surface area.

Interactions of a zwitterionic thiophene-based conjugated polymer with surfactants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, Telma; De Azevedo, Diego; Stewart, Beverly

2015-01-01

In this paper we investigate the optical and structural properties of a zwitterionic poly[3-(N-(4-sulfonato-1-butyl)-N,N-diethylammonium)hexyl-2,5-thiophene] (P3SBDEAHT) conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) and its interaction in water with surfactants, using absorption, photoluminescence (PL......), electrical conductivity, molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Different surfactants were studied to evaluate the effect of the head group and chain length on the self-assembly. PL data emphasize the importance of polymer-surfactant electrostatic interactions...... in the formation of complexes. Nevertheless, conductivity and MDS data have shown that nonspecific interactions also play an important role. These seem to be responsible for the spatial position of the surfactant tail in the complex and, eventually, for breaking-up P3SBDEAHT aggregates. SAXS measurements on P3...

Effect of alkyl length of cationic surfactants on desorption of Cs from contaminated clay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Bo Hyun; Park, Chan Woo; Yang, Hee Man; Seo, Bum Kyoung; Lee, Kune Woo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, So Jin [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

In this study, desorption characteristics of Cs from clay according to the hydrophobic alkyl chain length of the cationic surfactant were investigated. Alkyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as a cationic surfactant, and the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain of the cationic surfactant was varied from –octyl to –cetyl. The adsorbed amount of the cationic surfactant on montmorillonite increased with the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain, and intercalation of the cationic surfactant into the clay interlayer increased the interlayer distances. The Cs removal efficiency was also enhanced with increasing alkyl chain length, and the cationic surfactant with the cetyl group showed a maximum Cs removal efficiency of 99±2.9%.

(Surfactant + polymer) interaction parameter studied by (liquid + liquid) equilibrium data of quaternary aqueous solution containing surfactant, polymer, and salt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foroutan, Masumeh [Physical Chemistry Department, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, 14155-6455 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: foroutan@khayam.ut.ac.ir; Heidari, Nosrat; Mohammadlou, Maryam [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Uremia University, Uremia (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sojahrood, Amin Jafari [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Uremia University, Uremia (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2009-02-15

(Liquid + liquid) equilibrium (LLE) data of quaternary aqueous system containing polyoxyethylene (20) cetyl ether (with abbreviation name Brij 58, non-ionic surfactant), diammonium hydrogen phosphate, and poly ethylene glycol (PEG) with three molar masses {l_brace}M{sub W} = (1000, 6000, and 35,000) g . mol{sup -1}{r_brace} have been determined experimentally at T = 313.15 K. Furthermore, the Flory-Huggins theory with two electrostatic terms (Debye-Hueckel and Pitzer-Debye-Hueckel equations) have been used to calculate the phase behavior of the quaternary systems and (surfactant + polymer) interaction parameter as well as interaction parameters between other species. Temperature dependency of the parameters of the Flory-Huggins theory has been obtained. Also an effort have been done to show that addition of PEG as well as increasing the temperature can shift the binodal curves of the ternary aqueous system containing surfactant and salt to lower mole fraction of salt. Also the effect of polymer molar mass on the binodal diagram displacement has been discussed.

How Schools Can Promote Healthy Development for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Adolescents: Research Priorities

Science.gov (United States)

McNeely, Clea A.; Morland, Lyn; Doty, S. Benjamin; Meschke, Laurie L.; Awad, Summer; Husain, Altaf; Nashwan, Ayat

2017-01-01

Background: The US education system must find creative and effective ways to foster the healthy development of the approximately 2 million newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents, many of whom contend with language barriers, limited prior education, trauma, and discrimination. We identify research priorities for promoting the school…

The Effect of Surfactants on Gas-Liquid Pipe Flows

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Nimwegen, A.T.

2015-01-01

Liquid loading is a major problem in the natural gas industry, in which gas production is limited by the accumulation of liquids in the well tubing. Liquid loading can be prevented by the injection of surfactants at the bottom of the well. The surfactants cause the liquid in the well to foam,

Surfactant-nanotube interactions in water and nanotube separation by diameter: atomistic simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, E. J. F.; Dos Santos, M. C.

2010-05-01

A non-destructive sorting method to separate single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by diameter was recently proposed. By this method, SWNTs are suspended in water by surfactant encapsulation and the separation is carried out by ultracentrifugation in a density gradient. SWNTs of different diameters are distributed according to their densities along the centrifuge tube. A mixture of two anionic surfactants, namely sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and sodium cholate (SC), presented the best performance in discriminating nanotubes by diameter. Unexpectedly, small diameter nanotubes are found at the low density part of the centrifuge tube. We present molecular dynamics studies of the water-surfactant-SWNT system to investigate the role of surfactants in the sorting process. We found that surfactants can actually be attracted towards the interior of the nanotube cage, depending on the relationship between the surfactant radius of gyration and the nanotube diameter. The dynamics at room temperature showed that, as the amphiphile moves to the hollow cage, water molecules are dragged together, thereby promoting the nanotube filling. The resulting densities of filled SWNT are in agreement with measured densities.

Microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akinlua, A., E-mail: geochemresearch@yahoo.com [Fossil Fuels and Environmental Geochemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (Nigeria); Jochmann, M.A.; Laaks, J.; Ewert, A.; Schmidt, T.C. [Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr, 5, 45141 Essen (Germany)

2011-04-08

The extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock using nonionic surfactants with the assistance of microwave was investigated and the conditions for maximum yield were determined. The results showed that the extraction temperatures and kinetic rates have significant effects on extraction yields of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The optimum temperature for microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock was 105 deg. C. The optimum extraction time for the aliphatic hydrocarbons was at 50 min. Concentration of the nonionic surfactant solution and irradiation power had significant effect on the yields of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The yields of the analytes were much higher using microwave assisted nonionic surfactant extraction than with Soxhlet extraction. The recoveries of the n-alkanes and acyclic isoprenoid hydrocarbons for GC-MS analysis from the extractant nonionic surfactant solution by in-tube extraction (ITEX 2) with a TENAX TA adsorbent were found to be efficient. The results show that microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction (MANSE) is a good and efficient green analytical preparatory technique for geochemical evaluation of petroleum source rock.

Microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akinlua, A.; Jochmann, M.A.; Laaks, J.; Ewert, A.; Schmidt, T.C.

2011-01-01

The extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock using nonionic surfactants with the assistance of microwave was investigated and the conditions for maximum yield were determined. The results showed that the extraction temperatures and kinetic rates have significant effects on extraction yields of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The optimum temperature for microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum source rock was 105 deg. C. The optimum extraction time for the aliphatic hydrocarbons was at 50 min. Concentration of the nonionic surfactant solution and irradiation power had significant effect on the yields of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The yields of the analytes were much higher using microwave assisted nonionic surfactant extraction than with Soxhlet extraction. The recoveries of the n-alkanes and acyclic isoprenoid hydrocarbons for GC-MS analysis from the extractant nonionic surfactant solution by in-tube extraction (ITEX 2) with a TENAX TA adsorbent were found to be efficient. The results show that microwave-assisted nonionic surfactant extraction (MANSE) is a good and efficient green analytical preparatory technique for geochemical evaluation of petroleum source rock.

Surfactive stabilization of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersions with dissolved humic substances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chappell, Mark A. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States)], E-mail: mark.a.chappell@usace.army.mil; George, Aaron J.; Dontsova, Katerina M.; Porter, Beth E. [SpecPro, Inc., 4815 Bradford Drive, Suite 201, Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States); Price, Cynthia L. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States); Zhou Pingheng; Morikawa, Eizi [J. Bennett Johnston Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, 6980 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (United States); Kennedy, Alan J.; Steevens, Jeffery A. [Environmental Laboratory, Engineering Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180 (United States)

2009-04-15

Soil humic substances (HS) stabilize carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions, a mechanism we hypothesized arose from the surfactive nature of HS. Experiments dispersing multi-walled CNT in solutions of dissolved Aldrich humic acid (HA) or water-extractable Catlin soil HS demonstrated enhanced stability at 150 and 300 mg L{sup -1} added Aldrich HA and Catlin HS, respectively, corresponding with decreased CNT mean particle diameter (MPD) and polydispersivity (PD) of 250 nm and 0.3 for Aldrich HA and 450 nm and 0.35 for Catlin HS. Analogous trends in MPD and PD were observed with addition of the surfactants Brij 35, Triton X-405, and SDS, corresponding to surfactant sorption maximum. NEXAFS characterization showed that Aldrich HA contained highly surfactive domains while Catlin soil possessed a mostly carbohydrate-based structure. This work demonstrates that the chemical structure of humic materials in natural waters is directly linked to their surfactive ability to disperse CNT released into the environment. - Suspensions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are stabilized by relatively low concentrations of dissolved humic substances in solution through surfactive mechanisms.

Surfactive stabilization of multi-walled carbon nanotube dispersions with dissolved humic substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chappell, Mark A.; George, Aaron J.; Dontsova, Katerina M.; Porter, Beth E.; Price, Cynthia L.; Zhou Pingheng; Morikawa, Eizi; Kennedy, Alan J.; Steevens, Jeffery A.

2009-01-01

Soil humic substances (HS) stabilize carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersions, a mechanism we hypothesized arose from the surfactive nature of HS. Experiments dispersing multi-walled CNT in solutions of dissolved Aldrich humic acid (HA) or water-extractable Catlin soil HS demonstrated enhanced stability at 150 and 300 mg L -1 added Aldrich HA and Catlin HS, respectively, corresponding with decreased CNT mean particle diameter (MPD) and polydispersivity (PD) of 250 nm and 0.3 for Aldrich HA and 450 nm and 0.35 for Catlin HS. Analogous trends in MPD and PD were observed with addition of the surfactants Brij 35, Triton X-405, and SDS, corresponding to surfactant sorption maximum. NEXAFS characterization showed that Aldrich HA contained highly surfactive domains while Catlin soil possessed a mostly carbohydrate-based structure. This work demonstrates that the chemical structure of humic materials in natural waters is directly linked to their surfactive ability to disperse CNT released into the environment. - Suspensions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes are stabilized by relatively low concentrations of dissolved humic substances in solution through surfactive mechanisms

A computer literacy scale for newly enrolled nursing college students: development and validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tung-Cheng

2011-12-01

Increasing application and use of information systems and mobile technologies in the healthcare industry require increasing nurse competency in computer use. Computer literacy is defined as basic computer skills, whereas computer competency is defined as the computer skills necessary to accomplish job tasks. Inadequate attention has been paid to computer literacy and computer competency scale validity. This study developed a computer literacy scale with good reliability and validity and investigated the current computer literacy of newly enrolled students to develop computer courses appropriate to students' skill levels and needs. This study referenced Hinkin's process to develop a computer literacy scale. Participants were newly enrolled first-year undergraduate students, with nursing or nursing-related backgrounds, currently attending a course entitled Information Literacy and Internet Applications. Researchers examined reliability and validity using confirmatory factor analysis. The final version of the developed computer literacy scale included six constructs (software, hardware, multimedia, networks, information ethics, and information security) and 22 measurement items. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale possessed good content validity, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. This study also found that participants earned the highest scores for the network domain and the lowest score for the hardware domain. With increasing use of information technology applications, courses related to hardware topic should be increased to improve nurse problem-solving abilities. This study recommends that emphases on word processing and network-related topics may be reduced in favor of an increased emphasis on database, statistical software, hospital information systems, and information ethics.

Molecular perspective on diazonium adsorption for controllable functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes in aqueous surfactant solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shangchao; Hilmer, Andrew J; Mendenhall, Jonathan D; Strano, Michael S; Blankschtein, Daniel

2012-05-16

Functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) using diazonium salts allows modification of their optical and electronic properties for a variety of applications, ranging from drug-delivery vehicles to molecular sensors. However, control of the functionalization process remains a challenge, requiring molecular-level understanding of the adsorption of diazonium ions onto heterogeneous, charge-mobile SWCNT surfaces, which are typically decorated with surfactants. In this paper, we combine molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, experiments, and equilibrium reaction modeling to understand and model the extent of diazonium functionalization of SWCNTs coated with various surfactants (sodium cholate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide). We show that the free energy of diazonium adsorption, determined using simulations, can be used to rank surfactants in terms of the extent of functionalization attained following their adsorption on the nanotube surface. The difference in binding affinities between linear and rigid surfactants is attributed to the synergistic binding of the diazonium ion to the local "hot/cold spots" formed by the charged surfactant heads. A combined simulation-modeling framework is developed to provide guidance for controlling the various sensitive experimental conditions needed to achieve the desired extent of SWCNT functionalization.

Newly developed chitosan-silver hybrid nanoparticles: biosafety and apoptosis induction in HepG2 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Sherbiny, Ibrahim M.; Salih, Ehab; Yassin, Abdelrahman M.; Hafez, Elsayed E.

2016-01-01

The present study reports the biosafety assessment, the exact molecular effects, and apoptosis induction of newly developed chitosan-silver hybrid nanoparticles (Cs–Ag NPs) in HepG2 cells. The investigated hybrid NPs were green synthesized using Cs/grape leaves aqueous extract (Cs/GLE) or Cs/GLE NPs as reducing and stabilizing agents. The successful formation of Cs/GLE NPs and Cs–Ag hybrid NPs has been confirmed by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, and HRTEM. From the TEM analysis, the prepared Cs/GLE NPs are uniform and spherical with an average size of 150 nm, and the AgNPs (5–10 nm) were formed mainly on their surface. The UV–Vis spectra of Cs–Ag NPs showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at about 450 nm confirming their formation. The synthesized Cs–Ag NPs were found to be crystalline as shown by XRD patterns with fcc phase oriented along the (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes. The cytotoxicity patterns, the antiproliferative activities, and the possible mechanisms of anticancer activity at molecular level of the newly developed Cs–Ag hybrid NPs were investigated. Cytotoxicity patterns of all the preparations demonstrated that the nontoxic treatment concentrations are ranged from 0.39 to 50 %, and many of the newly prepared Cs–Ag hybrid NPs showed high anticancer activities against HpG2 cells, and induced cellular apoptosis by downregulating BCL2 gene and upregulating P53.Graphical Abstract

Newly developed chitosan-silver hybrid nanoparticles: biosafety and apoptosis induction in HepG2 cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Sherbiny, Ibrahim M., E-mail: ielsherbiny@Zewailcity.edu.eg; Salih, Ehab [Zewail City of Science and Technology, Center for Materials Science (Egypt); Yassin, Abdelrahman M. [Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technology Applications, Biopharmaceutical Product Research Department (Egypt); Hafez, Elsayed E. [City of Scientific Research and Technology Applications, Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis Department (Egypt)

2016-07-15

The present study reports the biosafety assessment, the exact molecular effects, and apoptosis induction of newly developed chitosan-silver hybrid nanoparticles (Cs–Ag NPs) in HepG2 cells. The investigated hybrid NPs were green synthesized using Cs/grape leaves aqueous extract (Cs/GLE) or Cs/GLE NPs as reducing and stabilizing agents. The successful formation of Cs/GLE NPs and Cs–Ag hybrid NPs has been confirmed by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, and HRTEM. From the TEM analysis, the prepared Cs/GLE NPs are uniform and spherical with an average size of 150 nm, and the AgNPs (5–10 nm) were formed mainly on their surface. The UV–Vis spectra of Cs–Ag NPs showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at about 450 nm confirming their formation. The synthesized Cs–Ag NPs were found to be crystalline as shown by XRD patterns with fcc phase oriented along the (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes. The cytotoxicity patterns, the antiproliferative activities, and the possible mechanisms of anticancer activity at molecular level of the newly developed Cs–Ag hybrid NPs were investigated. Cytotoxicity patterns of all the preparations demonstrated that the nontoxic treatment concentrations are ranged from 0.39 to 50 %, and many of the newly prepared Cs–Ag hybrid NPs showed high anticancer activities against HpG2 cells, and induced cellular apoptosis by downregulating BCL2 gene and upregulating P53.Graphical Abstract.

Increased drop formation frequency via reduction of surfactant interactions in flow-focusing microfluidic devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Josephides, Dimitris N; Sajjadi, Shahriar

2015-01-27

Glass capillary based microfluidic devices are able to create extremely uniform droplets, when formed under the dripping regime, at low setup costs due to their ease of manufacture. However, as they are rarely parallelized, simple methods to increase droplet production from a single device are sought. Surfactants used to stabilize drops in such systems often limit the maximum flow rate that highly uniform drops can be produced due to the lowering interfacial tension causing jetting. In this paper we show that by simple design changes we can limit the interactions of surfactants and maximize uniform droplet production. Three flow-focused configurations are explored: a standard glass capillary device (consisting of a single round capillary inserted into a square capillary), a nozzle fed device, and a surfactant shielding device (both consisting of two round capillaries inserted into either end of a square capillary). In principle, the maximum productivity of uniform droplets is achieved if surfactants are not present. It was found that surfactants in the standard device greatly inhibit droplet production by means of interfacial tension lowering and tip-streaming phenomena. In the nozzle fed configuration, surfactant interactions were greatly limited, yielding flow rates comparable to, but lower than, a surfactant-free system. In the surfactant shielding configuration, flow rates were equal to that of a surfactant-free system and could make uniform droplets at rates an order of magnitude above the standard surfactant system.

Expanding the Repertoire of Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing Metallo-ß-Lactamases by Functional Metagenomic Analysis of Soil Microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gudeta, Dereje D.; Bortolaia, Valeria; Pollini, Simona

2016-01-01

as metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs), were identified in six soil samples, including two subclass B1 (GRD23-1 and SPN79-1) and seven subclass B3 (CRD3-1, PEDO-1, GRD33-1, ESP-2, ALG6-1, ALG11-1, and DHT2-1). Except PEDO-1 and ESP-2, these enzymes were distantly related to any previously described MBLs (33 to 59......% identity). RAIphy analysis indicated that six enzymes (CRD3-1, GRD23-1, DHT2-1, SPN79-1, ALG6-1, and ALG11-1) originated from Proteobacteria, two (PEDO-1 and ESP-2) from Bacteroidetes and one (GRD33-1) from Gemmatimonadetes. All MBLs detected in soil microbiota were functional when expressed in E. coli...

Screening and Optimization of Bio surfactant Production by the Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainon Hamzah; Noramiza Sabturani; Shahidan Radiman

2013-01-01

Bio surfactants are amphiphilic compounds produced by microorganisms as secondary metabolite. The unique properties of bio surfactants make them possible to replace or to be added to synthetic surfactants which are mainly used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries and in environmental applications. In this study twenty hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were screened for bio surfactant production. All of the bacterial isolates were grown in mineral salt medium (MSM) with addition of 1 % (v/v) Tapis crude oil as carbon source. The presence of bio surfactant was determined by the drop-collapse test, microplate analysis, oil spreading technique, emulsification index (%EI24) and surface tension measurement. Only one isolate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa UKMP14T, was found to be positive for all the qualitative tests and reducing the surface tension of the medium to 49.5 dynes/ with emulsification index of 25.29 %. This isolate produced bio surfactant optimally at pH 9.0 and incubation temperature of 37 degree Celsius. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa UKMP14T when grown in MSM with addition of 1 % (v/v) glycerol and 1.3 g/ L ammonium sulphate with C/N ratio 14:1 produced bio surfactant with percentage of surface tension reduction at 55 % or 30.6 dynes/ cm with %EI24 of 43 %. This percentage of surface tension reduction represents an increasing reduction in surface tension of medium by 39 % over the value before optimization. This study showed that P. aeruginosa UKMP14T has the ability to biodegrade hydrocarbon and concurrently produce bio surfactant. (author)

Study of surfactant-free microemulsions and microemulsions with fatty acid salts

OpenAIRE

Marcus, Julien

2016-01-01

This thesis deals with the study of microemulsions and is composed of two main parts. In the first part, surfactant-free microemulsions are studied, whereas in the second part microemulsions with surfactants and cosurfactants are investigated. Over the last few years, surfactant-free microemulsions became a major topic at our institute and were thoroughly studied using the reference system water/ethanol/1-octanol. As explained later in the Fundamentals part (see section 1.2), fluctuating ...

Photo-catalytic degradation of surfactants hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride in aqueous medium - a kinetic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soomro, S.A.; Aziz, S.; Memon, A.R.

2011-01-01

Surfactants in the environment are a prerequisite for the sustainable development of human health and ecosystems. Surfactants are important in daily life in households as well as in industrial cleansing processes. It is important to have a detailed knowledge about their lifetime in the environment, their biodegradability in wastewater treatment plants and in natural waters, and their eco toxicity. Most of the issues on environmental acceptability focus on the effects on the environment associated with the use and disposal of these surfactants. These effects are taken into account by a risk assessment. The first step in a risk assessment is to estimate the concentrations of surfactants in the environmental compartment of interest, such as wastewater treatment plant effluents, surface waters, sediments, and soils. This estimate is generated either by actual measurement or by prediction via modelling. The measured or predicted concentrations are then compared to the concentrations of surfactant known to be toxic to organisms living in these environmental compartments. There are many situations where industry is producing both heavy metals ions and organic pollutants. Successful treatment of effluents of this type to achieve legislative compliance will depend on whether the heavy metals effect the process of degradation of the organic species and whether the presence of organic molecules hinder the process of removal of heavy metals. Degradation of cationic surfactant was studied with a photolytic cell system. Compressed air was used as oxidant and the temperature was maintained at 25-30 deg. C. Effect of UV source, hydrogen peroxide (H/sub 2/O/sub 2/) and titanium (TiO/sub 2/) on Hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride (C/sub 19/H/sub 42/NCl) were recorded. HPLC and IR were used to analyse the rate of degradation of Hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride (C/sub 19/H/sub 42/NCl).

Determination of anionic surfactants during wastewater recycling process by ion pair chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, L. H.; Judkins, J. E.; Garland, J. L.; Sager, J. C. (Principal Investigator)

2000-01-01

A direct approach utilizing ion pairing reversed-phase chromatography coupled with suppressed conductivity detection was developed to monitor biodegradation of anionic surfactants during wastewater recycling through hydroponic plant growth systems and fixed-film bioreactors. Samples of hydroponic nutrient solution and bioreactor effluent with high concentrations (up to 120 mS electrical conductance) of inorganic ions can be analyzed without pretreatment or interference. The presence of non-ionic surfactants did not significantly affect the analysis. Dynamic linear ranges for tested surfactants [Igepon TC-42, ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and sodium alkyl (C10-C16) ether sulfate] were 2 to approximately 500, 1 to approximately 500, 2.5 to approximately 550 and 3.0 to approximately 630 microg/ml, respectively.

Interaction of biocompatible natural rosin-based surfactants with human serum albumin: A biophysical study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishtikhar, Mohd [Protein Biophysics Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Ali, Mohd Sajid [Surfactant Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, King Saud University, P.O. Box-2455, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Atta, Ayman M. [Surfactant Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, King Saud University, P.O. Box-2455, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Petroleum Application department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Ahmad Elzomor St., Nasr city, Cairo-11727 (Egypt); Al-Lohedan, H.A. [Surfactant Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, King Saud University, P.O. Box-2455, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Nigam, Lokesh; Subbarao, Naidu [Centre for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067 (India); Hasan Khan, Rizwan, E-mail: rizwanhkhan@hotmail.com [Protein Biophysics Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India)

2015-11-15

Biophysical insight into interaction of biocompatible rosin-based surfactants with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied at physiological conditions using various spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular docking approaches. The binding constant (K{sub b}), enthalpy (ΔH{sup 0}), entropy (ΔS{sup 0}) and Gibbs free energy change (ΔG{sup 0}) were calculated by spectroscopic and calorimetric method. We have also calculated the probability of energy transfer by FRET analysis. The circular dichroism study showed that the cationic surfactant QRMAE significantly altered the secondary structure of HSA as compared to the nonionic rosin surfactants. The thermodynamic study was performed by ITC to determine binding constant as well as change in enthalpy of HSA in presence of rosin surfactants. It clearly showed that hydrogen binding and hydrophobic interaction play an important role in the binding of HSA to rosin surfactants. We have also performed molecular docking studies to locate the binding site on HSA and to visualize the mode of interaction. The present study provides a significant insight into HSA–rosin surfactants interaction, which also improves our understanding of the possible effect of rosin surfactants on human health. - Highlights: • RMPEG 750 has the highest Kb, Kq and Ksv value as compared to other rosin surfactants. • The probability of energy transfer from HSA to rosin surfactants was maximum in the case of RMPEG 750. • Cationic surfactant QRMAE significantly altered the secondary structure of the HSA as compared to other rosin surfactants. • Molecular docking and ITC experiment studies, to locate the binding site on HSA and to investigate the mode of interaction.

Surfactant Apoprotein D in Preterm Neonates with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Perepelitsa

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study the production of surfactant apoprotein D in preterm neonates with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS during artificial ventilation (AV. Subjects and methods. The paper presents the results of studying the production of surfactant protein D (SP-D in various biological fluids in 44 preterm neonates. Two groups of newborn infants were identified according to the clinical manifestations of ARDS. The study group comprised 25 infants with the severe course of the disease, in this connection the preventive administration of the exogenous surfactant Curosurf and AV were made in all the neonates at birth. The control group included 19 preterm babies without signs of ARDS. Results. The study has demonstrated that in parturients and preterm neonatal infants, surfactant apoprotein D is detectable in various biological fluids: amniotic fluid, the gastric aspirate obtained just after birth, residual umbilical cord blood, serum following 8 hours of birth, and bronchoalveolar fluid. Despite the low gestational age of the neonates, the lung surfactant system is able to produce SP-D, as evidenced by its high content in the amniotic fluid and residual umbilical cord blood of preterm neonates. The production of apoprotein D in preterm neonates considerably reduces in the next few hours after birth. Conclusion. The findings suggest that fetal tissues generate SP-D, which improves pulmonary gas exchange in preterm neonates in the first hours after birth and that alveolar-capillary membrane dysfunctions are transient in the neonates on AV. Key words: preterm neonates, acute respiratory distress syndrome, surfactant, surfactant apoprotein D.

The effect of pressure on the phase behavior of surfactant systems: An experimental study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandersen, Sara Bülow; Stenby, Erling Halfdan; von Solms, Nicolas

2012-01-01

Enhanced oil recovery is employed in many mature oil reservoirs to maintain or increase the reservoir recovery factor. In this context, surfactant flooding has recently gained interest again. Surfactant flooding is the injection of surfactants (and co-surfactants) into the reservoir, in order...... to create microemulsions at the interface between crude oil and water, thus obtaining very low interfacial tension, which consequently helps mobilize the trapped oil.In this work a surfactant system, which has been thoroughly described at atmospheric pressure, is examined at elevated pressure. The effect...

Process for the conversion of sugars to lactic acid and 2-hydroxy-3-butenoic acid or esters thereof comprising a metallo-silicate material and a metal ion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

A process for the preparation of lactic acid and 2-hydroxy- 3-butenoic acid or esters thereof from a sugar in the presence of a metallo-silicate material, a metal ion and a solvent, wherein the metal ion is selected from one or more of the group consisting of potassium ions, sodium ions, lithium...

Adsorption of surfactants on sand surface in enhanced oil recovery: Isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamic studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bera, Achinta; Kumar, T.; Ojha, Keka; Mandal, Ajay, E-mail: mandal_ajay@hotmail.com

2013-11-01

Adsorption of surfactants onto reservoir rock surface may result in the loss and reduction of their concentrations in surfactant flooding, which may render them less efficient or ineffective in practical applications of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques. Surfactant flooding for EOR received attraction due to its ability to increase the displacement efficiency by lowering the interfacial tension between oil and water and mobilizing the residual oil. This article highlights the adsorption of surfactants onto sand surface with variation of different influencing factors. It has been experimentally found that adsorption of cationic surfactant on sand surface is more and less for anionic surfactant, while non-ionic surfactant shows intermediate behaviour. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study of clean sand particles has been made to determine the main component present in the sand particles. The interaction between sand particles and surfactant has been studied by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy of the sand particles before and after aging with surfactant. Salinity plays an important role in adsorption of anionic surfactant. Batch experiments were also performed to understand the effects of pH and adsorbent dose on the sorption efficiency. The sand particles exhibited high adsorption efficiency at low pH for anionic and nonionic surfactants. But opposite trend was found for cationic surfactant. Adsorption data were analyzed by fitting with Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Sips isotherm models. Results show that the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetics models suit the equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption on sand surface. Thermodynamics feasibility of the adsorption process was also studied to verify the spontaneity of the process.

Evaluation of bacterial surfactant toxicity towards petroleum degrading microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Tânia M S; Procópio, Lorena C; Brandão, Felipe D; Leão, Bruna A; Tótola, Marcos R; Borges, Arnaldo C

2011-02-01

The acute toxicity of bacterial surfactants LBBMA111A, LBBMA155, LBBMA168, LBBMA191 and LBBMA201 and the synthetic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the bioluminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri was evaluated by measuring the reduction of light emission (EC(20)) by this microorganism when exposed to different surfactant concentrations. Moreover, the toxic effects of different concentrations of biological and synthetic surfactants on the growth of pure cultures of isolates Acinetobacter baumannii LBBMA04, Acinetobacter junni LBBMA36, Pseudomonas sp. LBBMA101B and Acinetobacter baumanni LBBMAES11 were evaluated in mineral medium supplemented with glucose. The EC(20) values obtained confirmed that the biosurfactants have a significantly lower toxicity to V. fischeri than the SDS. After 30 min of exposure, bacterial luminescence was almost completely inhibited by SDS at a concentration of 4710 mg L(-1). Growth reduction of pure bacterial cultures caused by the addition of biosurfactants to the growth medium was lower than that caused by SDS. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth Mechanism of Gold Nanorods in Binary Surfactant System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Bo-Mi; Seo, Sun-Hwa; Joe, Ara; Shim, Kyu-Dong; Jang, Eue-Soon [Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

In order to reveal the growth mechanism of gold nanorods (GNRs) in a binary surfactant system, we synthesized various GNRs by changing the concentration of the surfactants, AgNO{sub 3}, and HBr in the growth solution. We found that the benzyldime thylhexadecylammoniumchloride surfactant had weak interaction with the gold ions, but it could reduce the membrane fluidity. In addition, we could dramatically decrease the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide concentration required for GNR growth by adding an HBr solution. Notably, Ag{sup +} ions were necessary to break the symmetry of the seed crystals for GNR growth, but increasing the concentration of Ag{sup +} and Br{sup -} ions caused a decrease in the template size.

Atomistic simulations of surfactant adsorption kinetics at interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Iskrenova, Eugeniya; Patnaik, Soumya

2014-03-01

Heat transfer control and enhancement is an important and challenging problem in a variety of industrial and technological applications including aircraft thermal management. The role of additives in nucleate boiling and phase change in general has long been recognized and studied experimentally and modeled theoretically but in-depth description and atomistic understanding of the multiscale processes involved are still needed for better prediction and control of the heat transfer efficiency. Surfactant additives have been experimentally observed to either enhance or inhibit the boiling heat transfer depending on the surfactant concentration and chemistry and, on a molecular level, their addition leads to dynamic surface tension and changes in interfacial and transfer properties, thus contributing to the complexity of the problem. We present our atomistic modeling study of the interfacial adsorption kinetics of aqueous surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate) systems at a range of concentrations at room and boiling temperatures. Classical molecular dynamics and Umbrella Sampling simulations were used to study the surfactant transport properties and estimate the adsorption and desorption rates at liquid-vacuum and liquid-solid interfaces. The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from AFOSR Thermal Science Program and the Air Force Research Laboratory DoD Supercomputing Resource Center for computing time and resources.

Severe adverse effects related to dermal exposure to a glyphosate-surfactant herbicide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mariager, T P; Madsen, P V; Ebbehøj, N E

2013-01-01

This is a case of severe chemical burns following prolonged accidental exposure to a glyphosate-surfactant herbicide. The patient developed local swelling, bullae and exuding wounds. Neurological impairment followed affecting finger flexion and sensation with reduced nerve conduction. Imaging rev...

Effect of Surfactants on Plasmid DNA Stability and Release from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of surfactants on plasmid DNA during preparation and release from polylactic glycolide (PLGA) microspheres. Methods: Various surfactants, both ionic and non-ionic (Span, Tween, Triton X100, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulphate), were added during the ...

Spectral behaviour of eosin Y in different solvents and aqueous surfactant media

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Moumita; Panda, Amiya Kumar

2011-10-01

Photophysical behaviour of the anionic xanthene dye, eosin Y (EY) was investigated in solvents of different polarities as well as in the presence of aqueous cationic surfactants. From the correlation between ET(30) and Kosower Z values of EY in different solvents, subsequent parameters for EY were determined in the presence of surfactants. A red shift, both in the absorption and emission spectra of EY, was observed with decreasing solvent polarity. Dimerisation of EY was found to be dependent on solvent polarity. Cationic surfactants retarded the process of dimerisation, which were evident from the lower dimerisation constant ( KD) values, compared to that of in pure water. Dye-surfactant interaction constants were determined at different temperatures (298-318 K) and subsequently the thermodynamic parameters, viz., Δ G°, Δ H° and Δ S° were evaluated using the interaction constant values. The fluorescence spectra of EY followed the same trend as in the absorption spectra, although with lesser extents. Stokes shifts were calculated and correlated with the polarity of the medium. Fluorescence of EY was initially quenched by the cationic surfactants in their pre-micellar region, which then followed a red shift with intensity enhancement. Fluorescence quenching was found to be of Stern-Volmer type where the excited state lifetime of EY remained unchanged in different surfactant media. However, the anisotropy value of EY was changed in the post micellar region of surfactants.

Mathematical Modelling of Surfactant Self-assembly at Interfaces

KAUST Repository

Morgan, C. E.

2015-01-01

© 2015 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. We present a mathematical model to describe the distribution of surfactant pairs in a multilayer structure beneath an adsorbed monolayer. A mesoscopic model comprising a set of ordinary differential equations that couple the rearrangement of surfactant within the multilayer to the surface adsorption kinetics is first derived. This model is then extended to the macroscopic scale by taking the continuum limit that exploits the typically large number of surfactant layers, which results in a novel third-order partial differential equation. The model is generalized to allow for the presence of two adsorbing boundaries, which results in an implicit free-boundary problem. The system predicts physically observed features in multilayer systems such as the initial formation of smaller lamellar structures and the typical number of layers that form in equilibrium.

Molecular self assembly of mixed comb-like dextran surfactant polymers for SPR virus detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Mai-Ngam, Katanchalee; Kiatpathomchai, Wansika; Arunrut, Narong; Sansatsadeekul, Jitlada

2014-11-04

The synthesis of two comb-like dextran surfactant polymers, that are different in their dextran molecular weight (MW) distribution and the presence of carboxylic groups, and their characterization are reported. A bimodal carboxylic dextran surfactant polymer consists of poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) backbone with carboxyl higher MW dextran, non-functionalized lower MW dextran and hydrophobic hexyl branches; while a monomodal dextran surfactant polymer is PVAm grafted with non-functionalized lower MW dextran and hexyl branches. Layer formation of non-covalently attached dextran chains with bimodal MW distributions on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) chip was investigated from the perspective of mixed physisorption of the bimodal and monomodal surfactant polymers. Separation distances between the carboxylic longer dextran side chains within the bimodal surfactant polymer and between the whole bimodal surfactant molecules on the chip surface could be well-controlled. SPR analysis of shrimp yellow head virus using our mixed surfactant chips showed dependence on synergetic adjustment of these separation distances. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small-angle neutron scattering studies of nonionic surfactant: Effect

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Micellar solution of nonionic surfactant -dodecyloligo ethyleneoxide surfactant, decaoxyethylene monododecyl ether [CH3(CH2)11(OCH2CH2)10OH], C12E10 in D2O solution have been analysed by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) at different temperatures (30, 45 and 60°C) both in the presence and absence of ...

Removal of cationic surfactant (CTAB from aqueous solution on to activated carbon obtained from corncob.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Yakout

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Direct and indirect releases of large quantities of surfactants to the environment may result in serious health and environmental problems. Therefore, surfactants should be removed from water before water is released to the environment or delivered for public use. Using powdered activated carbon (PAC as adsorbent may be an effective technique to remove surfactants. In this study, the removal of surfactants by PAC was investigated and the influencesof the operating parameters on the effectiveness on adsorption rate were studied. Cationic surfactant, Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB was selected for the experiments. A series of batch experiments were performed to determine the sorption isotherms of surfactants to PAC. The results showed that carbon structure affect mainly on the surfactant adsorption. Surfactant equilibrium data fitted very well to the binary langmuir model. The pseudo first-,second- order and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models were applied. Both, the external mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion mechanisms involve in CTAB sorption.

Dicationic alkylammonium bromide gemini surfactants. Membrane perturbation and skin irritation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João A S Almeida

Full Text Available Dicationic alkylammonium bromide gemini surfactants represent a class of amphiphiles potentially effective as skin permeation enhancers. However, only a limited number of studies has been dedicated to the evaluation of the respective cytotoxicity, and none directed to skin irritation endpoints. Supported on a cell viability study, the cytotoxicity of gemini surfactants of variable tail and spacer length was assessed. For this purpose, keratinocyte cells from human skin (NCTC 2544 cell line, frequently used as a model for skin irritation, were employed. The impact of the different gemini surfactants on the permeability and morphology of model vesicles was additionally investigated by measuring the leakage of calcein fluorescent dye and analyzing the NMR spectra of ³¹P, respectively. Detail on the interaction of gemini molecules with model membranes was also provided by a systematic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and molecular dynamics (MD simulation. An irreversible impact on the viability of the NCTC 2544 cell line was observed for gemini concentrations higher than 25 mM, while no cytotoxicity was found for any of the surfactants in a concentration range up to 10 mM. A higher cytotoxicity was also found for gemini surfactants presenting longer spacer and shorter tails. The same trend was obtained in the calorimetric and permeability studies, with the gemini of longest spacer promoting the highest degree of membrane destabilization. Additional structural and dynamical characterization of the various systems, obtained by ³¹P NMR and MD, provide some insight on the relationship between the architecture of gemini surfactants and the respective perturbation mechanism.

Effect of selected non-ionic surfactants on the flow behavior of aqueous veegum suspensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Ross A; Kennedy, Michelle L

2007-03-30

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of some non-ionic surfactants, Tween 80 and Brij 98, on the viscosity and flow behavior of a commercial montmorillonite clay, Veegum Granules. The effect of different concentrations of the surfactants on the shear stress-shear rate rheograms of hydrated concentrated clay suspensions was determined by shear viscometry. The addition of either surfactant increased the plastic viscosity and the yield stress of the suspensions. Furthermore, both surfactants altered the thixotropy of the suspensions to an extent that depended on both the surfactant concentration and the time of equilibration of the surfactant and Veegum. Brij 98 had a greater and more rapid effect. It is proposed that the surfactant polar head-groups anchor at the tetrahedral sheet surface, leaving the alkyl chains extending away from the edges and faces. Consequently, the alkyl chains undergo hydrophobic interactions that facilitate the association between the platelets and increase the physical structure within the suspension. Stereochemical differences between the polar groups may lead to differences in the way the surfactants associate with the tetrahedral sheet and hence their ultimate effect on the rheological behavior. There is a significant interaction between these surfactants and montmorillonite clays, and the rheological changes that occur could have a major impact on any pharmaceutical formulation that uses these ingredients.

A novel viscoelastic surfactant suitable for use in high temperature carbonate reservoirs for diverted acidizing stimulation treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holt, Stuart; Zhou, Jian; Gadberry, Fred [AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry, Forth Worth, TX (United States); Nasr-El-Din, Hisham; Wang, Guanqun [Texas A and M University, College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering

2012-07-01

Due to the low permeability of many carbonate hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs, it is difficult to achieve economic hydrocarbon recovery from a well without secondary stimulation. Bullheading of strong acids, such as HCl is practiced in low temperature reservoirs, but as the bottom hole temperature (BHT) rises, the acid becomes increasingly corrosive, causing facial dissolution and sub-optimal wormhole network development. In the last decade, viscoelastic surfactants (VES) have been added to HCl acid systems to improve the stimulation of HT carbonate reservoirs. The VES form 'living polymers' or worm-like micelles as electrolyte concentration rises in the acid due to reaction with the reservoir. This leads to viscosification of the stimulation fluid. The viscosification slows further acid reaction in the region already contacted by the acid, and forces the acid to take an alternate path into the rock, leading to diversion of the acids further down the well to the harder to access toe or lower permeability zones. Until recently, the maximum BHT that such VES-based diverting systems could be used was up to about 250 deg F/120 deg C. Above that temperature, all viscous properties of the fluid are lost, destroying the mechanism of acid diversion. A recently developed novel viscoelastic surfactant provides nearly 100 deg F/55 deg C extension in the BHT range in which diverted acid treatments can be used. These fluids are able to maintain both viscosity up to about 375 deg F/190 deg C, with the elastic modulus predominating up to 350 deg F/175 deg C. It is the elasticity which is particularly important in acid diversion. These fluids can have their viscosity readily broken by in-situ hydrocarbons, dilution with water or by using a mutual solvent. The broken fluids are readily removed from the near-well bore, leaving the newly created wormhole network to produce the target hydrocarbons. The new VES is significantly more environmentally benign compared with current

Contrast media inhibit exogenous surfactant therapy in rats with acute respiratory distress syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kesecioglu, Jozef; Haitsma, Jack J.; Schultz, Marcus J.; den Heeten, Gerard J.; Lachmann, Burkhard

2006-01-01

AIM: To test the effects of various contrast media on the pulmonary surfactant system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a rat model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by lung lavage, the effects of surfactant suspended in saline were compared with surfactant suspended in the contrast

Essential Regulation of Lung Surfactant Homeostasis by the Orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor GPR116

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi Young Yang

2013-05-01

Full Text Available GPR116 is an orphan seven-pass transmembrane receptor whose function has been unclear. Global disruption of the Gpr116 gene in mice revealed an unexpected, critical role for this receptor in lung surfactant homeostasis, resulting in progressive accumulation of surfactant lipids and proteins in the alveolar space, labored breathing, and a reduced lifespan. GPR116 expression analysis, bone marrow transplantation studies, and characterization of conditional knockout mice revealed that GPR116 expression in ATII cells is required for maintaining normal surfactant levels. Aberrant packaging of surfactant proteins with lipids in the Gpr116 mutant mice resulted in compromised surfactant structure, function, uptake, and processing. Thus, GPR116 plays an indispensable role in lung surfactant homeostasis with important ramifications for the understanding and treatment of lung surfactant disorders.

Enhanced oil recovery with surfactant flooding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buelow Sandersen, S.

2012-05-15

Understanding the underlying mechanisms of systems that exhibit liquid-liquid equilibrium (e.g. oil-brine systems) at reservoir conditions is an area of increasing interest within EOR. This is true both for complex surfactant systems as well as for oil and brine systems. It is widely accepted that an increase in oil recovery can be obtained through flooding, whether it is simple waterflooding, waterflooding where the salinity has been modified by the addition or removal of specific ions (socalled ''smart'' waterflooding) or surfactant flooding. High pressure experiments have been carried out in this work on a surfactant system (surfactant/ oil/ brine) and on oil/ seawater systems (oil/ brine). The high pressure experiments were carried out on a DBR JEFRI PVT cell, where a glass window allows observation of the phase behavior of the different systems at various temperatures and pressures inside the high pressure cell. Phase volumes can also be measured visually through the glass window using precision equipment. The surfactant system for which an experimental study was carried out consisted of the mixture heptane, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/ 1-butanol/ NaCl/ water. This system has previously been examined at ambient pressures and temperatures but this has been extended here to pressures up to 400 bar and to slightly higher temperatures (40 deg. C, 45 deg. C and 50 deg. C). Experiments were performed at constant salinity (6.56 %), constant surfactant-alcohol ratio (SAR) but with varying water-oil ratios (WOR). At all temperatures it was very clear that the effect of pressure was significant. The system changed from the two phase region, Winsor II, to the three phase region, Winsor III, as pressure increased. Increasing pressures also caused a shift from the three phase region (Winsor III), to a different two phase region, (Winsor I). These changes in equilibrium phase behavior were also dependent on the composition of the system. A number of

Effect of surfactant for magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haracz, S. [Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89B, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Hilgendorff, M. [Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Physik, Arnimalle 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Rybka, J.D. [Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89B, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Giersig, M. [Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89B, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Physik, Arnimalle 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • Dynamic behavior of magnetic nanoparticles. • Synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles. • Effect of surfactant for magnetic properties. - Abstract: For different medical applications nanoparticles (NPs) with well-defined magnetic properties have to be used. Coating ligand can change the magnetic moment on the surface of nanostructures and therefore the magnetic behavior of the system. Here we investigated magnetic NPs in a size of 13 nm conjugated with four different kinds of surfactants. The surface anisotropy and the magnetic moment of the system were changed due to the presence of the surfactant on the surface of iron oxide NPs.

Interactions of short chain phenylalkanoic acids within ionic surfactant micelles in aqueous media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naeem Kashif

2012-01-01

Full Text Available % SDS KR nema Solubilization and interactions of phenylalkanoic acids induced by cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB and an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS was investigated spectrophotometrically at 25.0°C. The UV spectra of the additives (acids were measured with and without surfactant above and below critical micelle concentration (cmc of the surfactant. The presence of alkyl chain in phenylalkanoic acids is responsible for hydrophobic interaction resulting in shift of the spectra towards longer wavelength (red shift. The value of partition coefficient (Kx between the bulk water and surfactant micelles and in turn standard free energy change of solubilization (ΔGpº were also estimated by measuring the differential absorbance (ΔA of the additives in micellar solutions.

Investigations of the kinetics of surfactant-assisted growth of cobalt/copper multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Brennan Lovelace

Surfactants---a term given to a broad family of surface additives used in thin film growth---provide a potentially useful tool for the deposition engineer. A long history of work on the field has produced a sometimes conflicting view of what surfactants do, and while their efficacy in improving magnetic films is well established, the attendant structural changes remain unclear. Early work on surfactant-assisted growth was generally confined to deposition at near equilibrium conditions: high temperature and very slow deposition rates on very smooth (single crystal) substrates. In the case of low temperature sputter deposition, the kinetic phenomena differ greatly from the near-equilibrium case: high rate, more interlayer diffusive pathways, high grain boundary density, and few well defined atomic steps. There are two major ideas which underlie and explain the use of surfactants. First, they are used to alter growth kinetics of a single material by changing the diffusion barriers on the growing surface. Second, surfactants alter the initial nucleation parameters in heteroepitaxial growth, which is often explained with reference to changes in the surface energy, gamma. Changes to these parameters result, in turn, to variations of the roughness and conformality of thin films grown with the assistance of surfactants. Finally, the roughness and conformality are critical for determining the performance of modern thin film magnetic sensors. As surfactants offer a way to alter the nucleation and growth kinetics, they offer tremendous potential benefits. However, before surfactants are trustworthy deposition tool, a better understanding of their structural effects and underlying surface energy and kinetic changes is necessary. In order to investigate these phenomena, DC magnetron sputtered [Co/Cu] multilayers were deposited on Si/SiO2 substrates using O2 , Ag, Pb, and In as surfactants. Oxygen was introduced during growth at partial pressures ranging from 10-9 to 10-6 Torr

Planar CoB18- Cluster: a New Motif for - and Metallo-Borophenes

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Teng-Teng; Jian, Tian; Lopez, Gary; Li, Wan-Lu; Chen, Xin; Li, Jun; Wang, Lai-Sheng

2016-06-01

-centered-2-electron (19c-2e) π bond, 10 π electrons in total. This perfectly planar structure reveals the viability of creating a new class of hetero-borophenes and metallo-borophenes by doping metal atoms into the plane of monolayer boron atoms. This gives a new approach to design perspective hetero-borophenes and metallo-borophenes materials with tunable chemical, magnetic and optical properties.

A newly development RIA for thyroid hormone autoantibodies (THAAb)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Fengying; Gu Liqiong; Chen Xiayin; Jin Yan; Chen Shuxian; Zhang Qun; Qiu Hongxia; Yang Jingren; Zhao Yongju; Chen Mingdao

2004-01-01

Objective: To report a newly developed RIA for THAAb from this laboratory. Methods: The tested serum samples were cultured with labelled thyroid hormone analogous ( 125 I T 3 , 125 I T 4 ) for 16 hours. Antigen-antibody complex was precipitated with anti-human IgG (immune precipitation method) and radio-activity determined. Results: The mean positive rate of THAAb in healthy euthyroid controls (n=186) was only 1.07%. The mean positive rate in patients with thyroid disorders was 14.4% (mean rate 13.5% in hyperthyroid subjects, n=118 and mean rate 15.2% in hypothyroid subjects, n=72). The serum THAAb titer could be markedly lowered after adding non-labelled thyroid hormones (P 3 and FT 4 would be significantly lowered (P 3 , FT 4 levels. In patients with positive THAAb (about 14.4% in patients with all thyroid disorders), the FT 3 , FT 4 levels were best determined after PEG precipitation. (authors)

Desorption of organophosphorous pesticides from soil with wastewater and surfactant solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Soriano, M. C.; Mingorance, M. D.; Pena, A.

2009-01-01

Surfactants can be introduced in the environment by wastewater discharge, point-charge pollution or deliberate action, e. g. to remediate contaminated soil or groundwater. The irrigation of soil with wastewater containing surfactants may modify pesticide desorption from soil, thus affecting their affecting their environmental fate. Desorption from soil of the plain of Granada (South-eastern Spain) of two organophosphorous pesticides, diazinon and dimethoate, differing in solubility and hydrophobicity, has been evaluated in the presence of different surfactant aqueous solutions and municipal wastewater. (Author)

Summer/winter variability of the surfactants in aerosols from Grenoble, France

Science.gov (United States)

Baduel, Christine; Nozière, Barbara; Jaffrezo, Jean-Luc

2012-02-01

Many atmospheric aerosols seem to contain strong organic surfactants likely to enhance their cloud-forming properties. Yet, few techniques allow for the identification and characterization of these compounds. Recently, we introduced a double extraction method to isolate the surfactant fraction of atmospheric aerosol samples, and evidenced their very low surface tension (≤30 mN m -1). In this work, this analytical procedure was further optimized. In addition to an optimized extraction and a reduction of the analytical time, the improved method led to a high reproducibility in the surface tension curves obtained (shapes and minimal values), illustrated by the low uncertainties on the values, ±10% or less. The improved method was applied to PM 10 aerosols from the urban area of Grenoble, France collected from June 2009 to January 2010. Significant variability was observed between the samples. The minimum surface tension obtained from the summer samples was systematically lower (30 mN m -1) than that of the winter samples (35-45 mN m -1). Sharp transitions in the curves together with the very low surface tensions suggested that the dominating surfactants in the summer samples were biosurfactants, which would be consistent with the high biogenic activity in that season. One group of samples from the winter also displayed sharp transitions, which, together with the slightly higher surface tension, suggested the presence of weaker, possibly man-made, surfactants. A second group of curves from the winter did not display any clear transition but were similar to those of macromolecular surfactants such as polysaccharides or humic substances from wood burning. These surfactants are thus likely to originate from wood burning, the dominating source for aerosols in Grenoble in winter. These observations thus confirm the presence of surfactants from combustion processes in urban aerosols reported by other groups and illustrates the ability of our method to distinguish between

Nanosheets of Nonlayered Aluminum Metal-Organic Frameworks through a Surfactant-Assisted Method

KAUST Repository

Pustovarenko, Alexey

2018-05-18

During the last decade, the synthesis and application of metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets has received growing interest, showing unique performances for different technological applications. Despite the potential of this type of nanolamellar materials, the synthetic routes developed so far are restricted to MOFs possessing layered structures, limiting further development in this field. Here, a bottom-up surfactant-assisted synthetic approach is presented for the fabrication of nanosheets of various nonlayered MOFs, broadening the scope of MOF nanosheets application. Surfactant-assisted preorganization of the metallic precursor prior to MOF synthesis enables the manufacture of nonlayered Al-containing MOF lamellae. These MOF nanosheets are shown to exhibit a superior performance over other crystal morphologies for both chemical sensing and gas separation. As revealed by electron microscopy and diffraction, this superior performance arises from the shorter diffusion pathway in the MOF nanosheets, whose 1D channels are oriented along the shortest particle dimension.

Micelle formation of nonionic surfactants in a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate: surfactant chain length dependence of the critical micelle concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Tohru; Yamakawa, Haruka

2011-04-15

Micellization behavior was investigated for polyoxyethylene-type nonionic surfactants with varying chain length (C(n)E(m)) in a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)). Critical micelle concentration (cmc) was determined from the variation of (1)H NMR chemical shift with the surfactant concentration. The logarithmic value of cmc decreased linearly with the number of carbon atoms in the surfactant hydrocarbon chain, similarly to the case observed in aqueous surfactant solutions. However, the slope of the straight line is much smaller in bmimBF(4) than in aqueous solution. Thermodynamic parameters for micelle formation estimated from the temperature dependence of cmc showed that the micellization in bmimBF(4) is an entropy-driven process around room temperature. This behavior is also similar to the case in aqueous solution. However, the magnitude of the entropic contribution to the overall micellization free energy in bmimBF(4) is much smaller compared with that in aqueous solution. These results suggest that the micellization in bmimBF(4) proceeds through a mechanism similar to the hydrophobic interaction in aqueous surfactant solutions, although the solvophobic effect in bmimBF(4) is much weaker than the hydrophobic effect. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exogenous surfactant therapy in 2013: what is next? who, when and how should we treat newborn infants in the future?

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Surfactant therapy is one of the few treatments that have dramatically changed clinical practice in neonatology. In addition to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), surfactant deficiency is observed in many other clinical situations in term and preterm infants, raising several questions regarding the use of surfactant therapy. Objectives This review focuses on several points of interest, including some controversial or confusing topics being faced by clinicians together with emerging or innovative concepts and techniques, according to the state of the art and the published literature as of 2013. Surfactant therapy has primarily focused on RDS in the preterm newborn. However, whether this treatment would be of benefit to a more heterogeneous population of infants with lung diseases other than RDS needs to be determined. Early trials have highlighted the benefits of prophylactic surfactant administration to newborns judged to be at risk of developing RDS. In preterm newborns that have undergone prenatal lung maturation with steroids and early treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the criteria for surfactant administration, including the optimal time and the severity of RDS, are still under discussion. Tracheal intubation is no longer systematically done for surfactant administration to newborns. Alternative modes of surfactant administration, including minimally-invasive and aerosolized delivery, could thus allow this treatment to be used in cases of RDS in unstable preterm newborns, in whom the tracheal intubation procedure still poses an ethical and medical challenge. Conclusion The optimization of the uses and methods of surfactant administration will be one of the most important challenges in neonatal intensive care in the years to come. PMID:24112693

Surfactant effect on functionalized carbon nanotube coated snowman-like particles and their electro-responsive characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Ke; Liu, Ying Dan [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Hyoung Jin, E-mail: hjchoi@inha.ac.kr [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

The core–shell structured snowman-like (SL) microparticles coated by functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) were prepared in the presence of different surfactants including cationic surfactant-cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and anionic surfactant-sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS). The effect of surfactants on adsorption onto SL particles was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and conductivity. The cationic surfactant is found to be more effective than anionic surfactant for helping nanotube adsorbed onto microparticle due to the presence of electrostatic interaction between the functionalized MWNT and the surfactant. Furthermore, the MWNT/SL particles dispersed in silicone oil exhibited a typical fibril structure of the electrorheological characteristics under an applied electric field observed by an optical microscope (OM), in which the state of nanotubes wrapped on the particles strongly affects their electro-responsive characteristics.

Surfactant effect on functionalized carbon nanotube coated snowman-like particles and their electro-responsive characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ke; Liu, Ying Dan; Choi, Hyoung Jin

2012-01-01

The core–shell structured snowman-like (SL) microparticles coated by functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) were prepared in the presence of different surfactants including cationic surfactant-cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and anionic surfactant-sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS). The effect of surfactants on adsorption onto SL particles was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and conductivity. The cationic surfactant is found to be more effective than anionic surfactant for helping nanotube adsorbed onto microparticle due to the presence of electrostatic interaction between the functionalized MWNT and the surfactant. Furthermore, the MWNT/SL particles dispersed in silicone oil exhibited a typical fibril structure of the electrorheological characteristics under an applied electric field observed by an optical microscope (OM), in which the state of nanotubes wrapped on the particles strongly affects their electro-responsive characteristics.

Surfactant Ligand Removal and Rational Fabrication of Inorganically Connected Quantum Dots

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Haitao

2011-12-14

A novel method is reported to create inorganically connected nanocrystal (NC) assemblies for both II-VI and IV-VI semiconductors by removing surfactant ligands using (NH 4) 2S. This surface modification process differs from ligand exchange methods in that no new surfactant ligands are introduced and the post-treated NC surfaces are nearly bare. The detailed mechanism study shows that the high reactivity between (NH 4) 2S and metal-surfactant ligand complexes enables the complete removal of surfactant ligands in seconds and converts the NC metal-rich shells into metal sulfides. The post-treated NCs are connected through metal-sulfide bonding and form a larger NCs film assembly, while still maintaining quantum confinement. Such "connected but confined" NC assemblies are promising new materials for electronic and optoelectronic devices. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Adsorption of hydrophobic organic compounds onto a hydrophobic carbonaceous geosorbent in the presence of surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Peng; Keller, Arturo A

2008-06-01

The adsorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs; atrazine and diuron) onto lampblack was studied in the presence of nonionic, cationic, and anionic surfactants (Triton(R) X-100), benzalkonium chloride [BC], and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate [LAS]) to determine the effect of the surfactant on HOC adsorption onto a hydrophobic carbonaceous geosorbent. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate showed an adsorption capacity higher than that of BC but similar to that of Triton X-100, implying the charge property of a surfactant is not a useful indicator for predicting the surfactant's adsorption onto a hydrophobic medium. The results also indicated that the octanol-water partition coefficient (K(OW)) of a surfactant is not a good predictor of that surfactant's sorption onto a hydrophobic medium. Under subsaturation adsorption conditions (i.e., before sorption saturation is reached), surfactant adsorption reduced HOC adsorption to a significant extent, with the reduction in HOC adsorption increasing monotonically with the amount of surfactant adsorbed. Among the three surfactants, Triton X-100 was the most effective in reducing HOC adsorption, whereas BC and LAS showed similar effectiveness in this regard. Under the same amount of the surfactant sorbed, the reduction in atrazine adsorption was consistently greater than that for diuron because of atrazine's lower hydrophobicity. No significant difference was observed in the amount of the HOC adsorbed under different adsorption sequences. Our results showed that the presence of surfactant can significantly decrease HOC adsorption onto hydrophobic environmental media and, thus, is important in predicting HOC fate and transport in the environment.

Band structure of magneto-metallo-dielectric photonic crystals with hybrid one- and two-dimensional periodicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes-Ayona, E. [Instituto de Fisica, Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Apartado Postal J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico); Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica, Apartado Postal 51, Puebla 72000 (Mexico); Halevi, P. [Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica Optica y Electronica, Apartado Postal 51, Puebla 72000 (Mexico)

2012-06-15

We calculate the band structure of a magneto-metallo-dielectric photonic crystal (PC) with hybrid one- and two-dimensional periodicity. Namely, the permittivity (permeability) is periodic in a plane (single direction). The metallic and magnetic properties are described, respectively, by means of the Drude model and a specific permeability model for Barium-M ferrite. Because of the dispersion of both the permeability and the permittivity, we obtain a non-standard eigenvalue problem which is possible to solve by means of a linearization technique. We found that the first band of this PC is very sensitive to the filling fraction of the magnetic component: by changing this fraction from 0.20 to 0.16 the slope - and effective index of refraction - changes from positive to negative. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Surfactant loss control in chemical flooding: Spectroscopic and calorimetric study of adsorption and precipitation on reservoir minerals. Annual report, September 30, 1992--September 30, 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Somasundaran, P.

1994-07-01

The aim of this research project is to investigate mechanisms underlying adsorption and surface precipitation of flooding surfactants on reservoir minerals. Effects of surfactant structure, surfactant combinations, various inorganic and polymeric species, and solids mineralogy will be determined. A multi-pronged approach consisting of micro & nano spectroscopy, microcalorimetry, electrokinetics, surface tension and wettability; is used in this study. The results obtained should help in controlling surfactant loss in chemical flooding and in developing optimum structures and conditions for efficient chemical flooding processes. During the first year of this three year contract, adsorption of single surfactants and select surfactant mixtures was studied at the solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces. Surfactants studied include alkyl xylene sulfonates, polyethoxylated alkyl phenols, octaethylene glycol mono n-decyl ether, and tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride. Adsorption of surfactant mixtures of varying composition was also investigated. The microstructure of the adsorbed layer was characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy. Changes interfacial properties such as wettability, electrokinetics and stability of reservoir minerals were correlated with the amount of reagent adsorbed. Strong effects of the structure of the surfactant and position of functional groups were revealed.

Muscle Attenuation Is Associated With Newly Developed Hypertension in Men of African Ancestry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Qian; Zmuda, Joseph M; Kuipers, Allison L; Bunker, Clareann H; Patrick, Alan L; Youk, Ada O; Miljkovic, Iva

2017-05-01

Increased ectopic adipose tissue infiltration in skeletal muscle is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. We evaluated whether change in skeletal muscle adiposity predicts subsequent development of hypertension in men of African ancestry, a population sample understudied in previous studies. In the Tobago Health Study, a prospective longitudinal study among men of African ancestry (age range 40-91 years), calf intermuscular adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle attenuation were measured with computed tomography. Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or receiving antihypertensive medications. Logistic regression was performed with adjustment for age, insulin resistance, baseline and 6-year change in body mass index, baseline and 6-year change in waist circumference, and other potential confounding factors. Among 746 normotensive men at baseline, 321 (43%) developed hypertension during the mean 6.2 years of follow-up. Decreased skeletal muscle attenuation was associated with newly developed hypertension after adjustment for baseline and 6-year change of body mass index (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] per SD, 1.3 [1.0-1.6]) or baseline and 6-year change of waist circumference (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] per SD, 1.3 [1.0-1.6]). No association was observed between increased intermuscular adipose tissue and hypertension. Our novel findings show that decreased muscle attenuation is associated with newly developed hypertension among men of African ancestry, independent of general and central adiposity and insulin resistance. Further studies are needed to adjust for inflammation, visceral and other ectopic adipose tissue depots, and to confirm our findings in other population samples. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Early CPAP versus surfactant in extremely preterm infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Finer, Neil N; Carlo, Waldemar A; Walsh, Michele C; Rich, Wade; Gantz, Marie G; Laptook, Abbot R; Yoder, Bradley A; Faix, Roger G; Das, Abhik; Poole, W Kenneth; Donovan, Edward F; Newman, Nancy S; Ambalavanan, Namasivayam; Frantz, Ivan D; Buchter, Susie; Sánchez, Pablo J; Kennedy, Kathleen A; Laroia, Nirupama; Poindexter, Brenda B; Cotten, C Michael; Van Meurs, Krisa P; Duara, Shahnaz; Narendran, Vivek; Sood, Beena G; O'Shea, T Michael; Bell, Edward F; Bhandari, Vineet; Watterberg, Kristi L; Higgins, Rosemary D

2010-05-27

There are limited data to inform the choice between early treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and early surfactant treatment as the initial support for extremely-low-birth-weight infants. We performed a randomized, multicenter trial, with a 2-by-2 factorial design, involving infants who were born between 24 weeks 0 days and 27 weeks 6 days of gestation. Infants were randomly assigned to intubation and surfactant treatment (within 1 hour after birth) or to CPAP treatment initiated in the delivery room, with subsequent use of a protocol-driven limited ventilation strategy. Infants were also randomly assigned to one of two target ranges of oxygen saturation. The primary outcome was death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia as defined by the requirement for supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks (with an attempt at withdrawal of supplemental oxygen in neonates who were receiving less than 30% oxygen). A total of 1316 infants were enrolled in the study. The rates of the primary outcome did not differ significantly between the CPAP group and the surfactant group (47.8% and 51.0%, respectively; relative risk with CPAP, 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85 to 1.05) after adjustment for gestational age, center, and familial clustering. The results were similar when bronchopulmonary dysplasia was defined according to the need for any supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks (rates of primary outcome, 48.7% and 54.1%, respectively; relative risk with CPAP, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.01). Infants who received CPAP treatment, as compared with infants who received surfactant treatment, less frequently required intubation or postnatal corticosteroids for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (Pneonatal outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups. The results of this study support consideration of CPAP as an alternative to intubation and surfactant in preterm infants. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00233324.) 2010 Massachusetts Medical Society

Surfactant loss control in chemical flooding spectroscopic and calorimetric study of adsorption and precipitation on reservoir minerals. Annual report, September 30, 1992--September 30 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casteel, J. [Bartlesville Project Office, OK (United States)

1996-07-01

The aim of this research project was to investigate mechanisms governing adsorption and surface precipitation of flooding surfactants on reservoir minerals. Effects of surfactant structure, surfactant combinations, various inorganic and polymeric species, and solids mineralogy have been determined. A multi-pronged approach consisting of micro & nano spectroscopy, electrokinetics, surface tension and wettability is used in this study. The results obtained should help in controlling surfactant loss in chemical flooding and in developing optimum structures and conditions for efficient chemical flooding processes. During the three years contract period, adsorption of single surfactants and select surfactant mixtures was studied at the solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces. Alkyl xylene sulfonates, polyethoxylated alkyl phenols, octaethylene glycol mono n-decyl ether, and tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride were the surfactants studied. Adsorption of surfactant mixtures of varying composition was also investigated. The microstructure of the adsorbed layer was characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy. Changes in interfacial properties such as wettability, electrokinetics and stability of reservoir minerals were correlated with the amounts of reagent adsorbed. Strong effects of the structure of the surfactant and position of functional groups were revealed. Changes of microstructure upon dilution (desorption) were also studied. Presence of the nonionic surfactants in mixed aggregate leads to shielding of the charge of ionic surfactants which in turn promotes aggregation but reduced electrostatic attraction between the charged surfactant and the mineral surface. Strong consequences of surfactant interactions in solution on adsorption as well as correlations between monomer concentration in mixtures and adsorption were revealed.

Surfactant-Modified Ultrafine Gold Nanoparticles with Magnetic Responsiveness for Reversible Convergence and Release of Biomacromolecules.