Factors affecting Archaeal Lipid Compositions of the Sulfolobus Species

Science.gov (United States)

He, L.; Han, J.; Wei, Y.; Lin, L.; Wei, Y.; Zhang, C.

2010-12-01

Temperature is the best known variable affecting the distribution of the archaeal glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in marine and freshwater systems. Other variables such as pH, ionic strength, or bicarbonate concentration may also affect archaeal GDGTs in terrestrial systems. Studies of pure cultures can help us pinpoint the specific effects these variables may have on archaeal lipid distribution in natural environments. In this study, three Sulfolobus species (HG4, HB5-2, HB9-6) isolated from Tengchong hot springs (pH 2-3, temperature 73-90°C) in China were used to investigate the effects of temperature, pH, substrate, and type of strain on the composition of GDGTs. Results showed that increase in temperature had negative effects on the relative contents of GDGT-0 (no cyclopentyl rings), GDGT-1 (one cyclopentyl ring), GDGT-2 and GDGT-3 but positive effects on GDGT-4, GDGT-4', GDGT-5 and GDGT-5'. Increase in pH, on the other hand, had negative effects on GDGT-0, GDGT-1, GDGT-4', GDGT-5 and GDGT-5', and positive effects on GDGT-3 and GDGT-4. GDGT-2 remained relatively constant with changing pH. When the HG4 was grown on different substrates, GDGT-5 was five time more abundant in sucrose-grown cultures than in yeast extract- or sulfur- grown cultures, suggesting that carbohydrates may stimulate the production of GDGT-5. For all three species, the ring index (average number of rings) of GDGTs correlated positively with incubation temperature. In HG4, ring index was much lower at optimal pH (3.5) than at other pH values. Ring index of HB5-2 or HB9-6 is higher than that of HG4, suggesting that speciation may affect the degree of cyclization of GDGT of the Sulfolobus. These results indicate that individual archaeal lipids respond differently to changes in environmental variables, which may be also species specific.

Degradation of self-compacting concrete (SCC) due to sulfuric acid attack: Experiment investigation on the effect of high volume fly ash content

Science.gov (United States)

Kristiawan, S. A.; Sunarmasto; Tyas, G. P.

2016-02-01

Concrete is susceptible to a variety of chemical attacks. In the sulfuric acid environment, concrete is subjected to a combination of sulfuric and acid attack. This research is aimed to investigate the degradation of self-compacting concrete (SCC) due to sulfuric acid attack based on measurement of compressive strength loss and diameter change. Since the proportion of SCC contains higher cement than that of normal concrete, the vulnerability of this concrete to sulfuric acid attack could be reduced by partial replacement of cement with fly ash at high volume level. The effect of high volume fly ash at 50-70% cement replacement levels on the extent of degradation owing to sulfuric acid will be assessed in this study. It can be shown that an increase in the utilization of fly ash to partially replace cement tends to reduce the degradation as confirmed by less compressive strength loss and diameter change. The effect of fly ash to reduce the degradation of SCC is more pronounced at a later age.

Replication termination and chromosome dimer resolution in the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.

Science.gov (United States)

Duggin, Iain G; Dubarry, Nelly; Bell, Stephen D

2011-01-05

Archaea of the genus Sulfolobus have a single-circular chromosome with three replication origins. All three origins fire in every cell in every cell cycle. Thus, three pairs of replication forks converge and terminate in each replication cycle. Here, we report 2D gel analyses of the replication fork fusion zones located between origins. These indicate that replication termination involves stochastic fork collision. In bacteria, replication termination is linked to chromosome dimer resolution, a process that requires the XerC and D recombinases, FtsK and the chromosomal dif site. Sulfolobus encodes a single-Xer homologue and its deletion gave rise to cells with aberrant DNA contents and increased volumes. Identification of the chromosomal dif site that binds Xer in vivo, and biochemical characterization of Xer/dif recombination revealed that, in contrast to bacteria, dif is located outside the fork fusion zones. Therefore, it appears that replication termination and dimer resolution are temporally and spatially distinct processes in Sulfolobus.

Thermally induced degradation of sulfur-containing aliphatic glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. italica) and model systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanschen, Franziska S; Platz, Stefanie; Mewis, Inga; Schreiner, Monika; Rohn, Sascha; Kroh, Lothar W

2012-03-07

Processing reduces the glucosinolate (GSL) content of plant food, among other aspects due to thermally induced degradation. Since there is little information about the thermal stability of GSL and formation of corresponding breakdown products, the thermally induced degradation of sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL was studied in broccoli sprouts and with isolated GSL in dry medium at different temperatures as well as in aqueous medium at different pH values. Desulfo-GSL have been analyzed with HPLC-DAD, while breakdown products were estimated using GC-FID. Whereas in the broccoli sprouts structural differences of the GSL with regard to thermal stability exist, the various isolated sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL degraded nearly equally and were in general more stable. In broccoli sprouts, methylsulfanylalkyl GSL were more susceptible to degradation at high temperatures, whereas methylsulfinylalkyl GSL were revealed to be more affected in aqueous medium under alkaline conditions. Besides small amounts of isothiocyanates, the main thermally induced breakdown products of sulfur-containing aliphatic GSL were nitriles. Although they were most rapidly formed at comparatively high temperatures under dry heat conditions, their highest concentrations were found after cooking in acidic medium, conditions being typical for domestic processing.

CRISPR families of the crenarchaeal genus Sulfolobus: bidirectional transcription and dynamic properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lillestøl, Reidun K; Shah, Shiraz Ali; Brügger, Kim

2009-01-01

Summary CRISPRs of Sulfolobus fall into three main families based on their repeats, leader regions, associated cas genes, and putative recognition sequences on viruses and plasmids. Spacer sequence matches to different viruses and plasmids of the Sulfolobales revealed some bias particularly...... for family III CRISPRs. Transcription occurs on both strands of the five repeat-clusters of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and a repeat-cluster of the conjugative plasmid pKEF9. Leader strand transcripts cover whole repeat-clusters and are processed mainly from the 3'-end, within repeats, yielding heterogeneous...

Sugar transport in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albers, Sonja-Verena

2001-01-01

Summary and concluding remarks Introduction The archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is a thermoacidophile preferring growth at around 80oC and a pH of 2.5 to 3.5. As a thermoacidophile S. solfataricus faces two major problems: firstly, the proton permeability of membranes increases with temperature

Sulfur-Doped Carbon Nitride Polymers for Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutant and Reduction of Cr(VI).

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yun; Yu, Zihao; Lin, Feng; Guo, Fangsong; Alamry, Khalid A; Taib, Layla A; Asiri, Abdullah M; Wang, Xinchen

2017-04-01

As a promising conjugated polymer, binary carbon nitride has attracted extensive attention as a metal-free and visible-light-responsive photocatalyst in the area of photon-involving purification of water and air. Herein, we report sulfur-doped polymeric carbon nitride microrods that are synthesized through thermal polymerization based on trithiocyanuric acid and melamine (TM) supramolecular aggregates. By tuning the polymerization temperature, a series of sulfur-doped carbon nitride microrods are prepared. The degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and the reduction of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) are selected as probe reactions to evaluate the photocatalytic activities. Results show that increasing pyrolysis temperature leads to a large specific surface area, strong visible-light absorption, and accelerated electron-hole separation. Compared to bulk carbon nitride, the highly porous sulfur-doped carbon nitride microrods fabricated at 650 °C exhibit remarkably higher photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB and reduction of Cr(VI). This work highlights the importance of self-assembly approach and temperature-control strategy in the synthesis of photoactive materials for environmental remediation.

Acquired thermotolerance and heat shock in the extremely thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus sp. strain B12.

Science.gov (United States)

Trent, J D; Osipiuk, J; Pinkau, T

1990-03-01

The extreme thermophile Sulfolobus sp. strain B12 exhibits an acquired thermotolerance response. Thus, survival of cells from a 70 degrees C culture at the lethal temperature of 92 degrees C was enhanced by as much as 6 orders of magnitude over a 2-h period if the culture was preheated to 88 degrees C for 60 min or longer before being exposed to the lethal temperature. In eubacteria and eucaryotes, acquired thermotolerance correlates with the induced synthesis of a dozen or so proteins known as heat shock proteins. In this Sulfolobus species, it correlates with the preferential synthesis of primarily one major protein (55 kilodaltons) and, to a much lesser extent, two minor proteins (28 and 35 kilodaltons). Since the synthesis of all other proteins was radically reduced and these proteins were apparently not degraded or exported, their relative abundance within the cell increased during the time the cells were becoming thermotolerant. They could not yet be related to known heat shock proteins. In immunoassays, they were not cross-reactive with antibodies against heat shock proteins from Escherichia coli (DnaK and GroE), which are highly conserved between eubacteria and eucaryotes. However, it appears that if acquired thermotolerance depends on the synthesis of protective proteins, then in this extremely thermophilic archaebacterium it depends primarily on one protein.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Sulfolobus solfataricus Membrane Proteins

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pham, T.K.; Sierocinski, P.; Oost, van der J.; Wright, P.C.

2010-01-01

A quantitative proteomic analysis of the membrane of the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 using iTRAQ was successfully demonstrated in this technical note. The estimated number of membrane proteins of this organism is 883 (predicted based on Gravy score), corresponding to 30 % of the total

CrRNA-Protospacer Recognition during CRISPR- Directed DNA Interference Sulfolobus islandicus REY 15A and Structural Studies of CRISPR Binding Proteins (CBP) of Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mousaei, Marzieh

The CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated proteins) is one of the important known immune mechanisms in archaea and bacteria. This adaptive immune system degrades invading genetic elements and protects the cell. Amongst 3 main types I, II and III...... of CRISPR system, two types (I and III) are found in archaea. However, in Sulfolobus species, subtypes IA, I-D, and III-B, III-D and rarely III-A are found. The model organism used for interference and structural studies is S. islandicus REY15A which carries subtypes I-A and III-B (α and β). Besides CRISPR...... ribonucleoprotein complex which is involved directly in defense, there are some less- known parts of the system including CPBs (CRISPR repeat-binding proteins) which are suggested to play a role in transcription. In the first part of my thesis, I provide a brief introduction to archaea and viruses that infect...

Degradation and dielectric properties of sulfur hexafluoride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fluck, Eric

1985-01-01

Sparking potential of sulfur hexafluoride is studied as a function of its decomposition by electrical discharges. The analysis of the gas is performed by mass spectrometry. The quantity of products resulting from spark discharges as a function of charge transported is plotted for SO_2F_2, SiF_4, SOF_4; it shows a linear increase with charge transported. Production rates of fluoride gases strongly increase with quantity of water vapor present at the beginning of the spark discharges. Decomposition of the gas, even at high levels (20%) does not exhibit measurable variations of sparking potential (at constant pressure). Production of SiF_4 by degradation of glass walls by hydrofluoric acid produced by discharges shows the important role played by this acid in the decomposition of the gas. It is necessary to use a gas containing water impurities at a level as small as possible. (author)

Sulfolobus Replication Factor C stimulates the activity of DNA Polymerase B1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xing, Xuanxuan; Zhang, Likui; Guo, Li

2014-01-01

the hyperthermophilic archaea of the genus Sulfolobus physically interacts with DNA polymerase B1 (PolB1) and enhances both the polymerase and 3'-5' exonuclease activities of PolB1 in an ATP-independent manner. Stimulation of the PolB1 activity by RFC is independent of the ability of RFC to bind DNA but is consistent...... with the ability of RFC to facilitate DNA binding by PolB1 through protein-protein interaction. These results suggest that Sulfolobus RFC may play a role in recruiting DNA polymerase for efficient primer extension, in addition to clamp loading, during DNA replication....

Saccharolobus caldissimus gen. nov., sp. nov., a facultatively anaerobic iron-reducing hyperthermophilic archaeon isolated from an acidic terrestrial hot spring, and reclassification of Sulfolobus solfataricus as Saccharolobus solfataricus comb. nov. and Sulfolobus shibatae as Saccharolobus shibatae comb. nov.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Hiroyuki D; Kurosawa, Norio

2018-04-01

A novel hyperthermophilic archaeon of strain HS-3 T , belonging to the family Sulfolobaceae, was isolated from an acidic terrestrial hot spring in Hakone Ohwaku-dani, Japan. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the closest phylogenetic relatives of strain HS-3 T were, first, Sulfolobus solfataricus (96.4 %) and, second, Sulfolobus shibatae (96.2 %), indicating that the strain belongs to the genus Sulfolobus. However, the sequence similarity to the type species of the genus Sulfolobus (Sulfolobus acidocaldarius) was remarkably low (91.8 %). In order to determine whether strain HS-3 T belongs to the genus Sulfolobus, its morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics were examined in parallel with those of S. solfataricus and S. shibatae. Although there were some differences in chemolithotrophic growth between strain HS-3 T , S. solfataricus and S. shibatae, their temperature, pH and facultatively anaerobic characteristics of growth, and their utilization of various sugars were almost identical. In contrast, the utilization of various sugars by S. acidocaldarius was quite different from that of HS-3 T , S. solfataricus and S. shibatae. Phylogenetic evidence based on the 16S and the 23S rRNA gene sequences also clearly distinguished the monophyletic clade composed of strain HS-3 T , S. solfataricus, and S. shibatae from S. acidocaldarius. Based on these results, we propose a new genus and species, Saccharolobus caldissimus gen. nov., sp. nov., for strain HS-3 T , as well as two reclassifications, Saccharolobus solfataricus comb. nov. and Saccharolobus shibatae comb. nov. The type strain of Saccharolobus caldissimus is HS-3 T (=JCM 32116 T and InaCC Ar80 T ). The type species of the genus is Saccharolobus solfataricus.

Alternative Low-Sulfur Diesel Fuel Transition Program for Alaska Final Rule

Science.gov (United States)

This final rule will implement the requirements for sulfur, cetane and aromatics for highway, nonroad, locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced in, imported into, and distributed or used in the rural areas of Alaska.

Sorbic acid interaction with sulfur dioxide in model food systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Namor, O G

1987-01-01

The first chapter deals with the chemistry of sorbic acid and sulfur dioxide. The second chapter describes a study of the degradation products of sorbic acid, in aqueous systems, in the presence of sulfur dioxide and a possible mechanism for the occurrence of these products is proposed. Chapter three deals with the preparation and degradation of 6-(/sup 13/C)sorbic acid in order to find evidence for, or against, the mechanism proposed in chapter two. It also gives details of syntheses attempted in order to obtain 6- (/sup 13/C)sorbic acid. The interaction of sorbic acid and sulfur dioxide in real food systems is the subject of the fourth chapter. The food systems studied were mayonnaise, tomato puree, orange juice and cottage cheese. The effect of packaging on the rate of degradation of sorbic acid was also investigated. The final chapter deals with a microbiological study of two homologues of sorbic acid, 2,4-heptadienoic acid, 2,4-octadienoic acid. The fungicidal activity of these two compounds, towards selected fungi, was analyzed. 4-Oxobut-2-enoic acid, a degradation product of sorbic acid in aqueous systems, was also analyzed as a possible fungistat.

Genetic technologies for extremely thermophilic microorganisms of Sulfolobus, the only genetically tractable genus of crenarchaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Nan; Han, Wenyuan; Li, Yingjun; Liang, Yunxiang; She, Qunxin

2017-04-01

Archaea represents the third domain of life, with the information-processing machineries more closely resembling those of eukaryotes than the machineries of the bacterial counterparts but sharing metabolic pathways with organisms of Bacteria, the sister prokaryotic phylum. Archaeal organisms also possess unique features as revealed by genomics and genome comparisons and by biochemical characterization of prominent enzymes. Nevertheless, diverse genetic tools are required for in vivo experiments to verify these interesting discoveries. Considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of genetic tools for archaea ever since their discovery, and great progress has been made in the creation of archaeal genetic tools in the past decade. Versatile genetic toolboxes are now available for several archaeal models, among which Sulfolobus microorganisms are the only genus representing Crenarchaeota because all the remaining genera are from Euryarchaeota. Nevertheless, genetic tools developed for Sulfolobus are probably the most versatile among all archaeal models, and these include viral and plasmid shuttle vectors, conventional and novel genetic manipulation methods, CRISPR-based gene deletion and mutagenesis, and gene silencing, among which CRISPR tools have been reported only for Sulfolobus thus far. In this review, we summarize recent developments in all these useful genetic tools and discuss their possible application to research into archaeal biology by means of Sulfolobus models.

A New Pepstatin-Insensitive Thermopsin-Like Protease Overproduced in Peptide-Rich Cultures of Sulfolobus solfataricus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Gogliettino

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, we gain insight into the extracellular proteolytic system of Sulfolobus solfataricus grown on proteinaceous substrates, providing further evidence that acidic proteases were specifically produced in response to peptide-rich media. The main proteolytic component was the previously isolated SsMTP (Sulfolobus solfataricus multi-domain thermopsin-like protease, while the less abundant (named SsMTP-1 one was purified, characterized and identified as the sso1175 gene-product. The protein revealed a multi-domain organization shared with the cognate SsMTP with a catalytic domain followed by several tandemly-repeated motifs. Moreover, both enzymes were found spread across the Crenarchaeota phylum and belonging to the thermopsin family, although segregated into diverse phylogenetic clusters. SsMTP-1 showed a 75-kDa molecular mass and was stable in the temperature range 50–90 °C, with optimal activity at 70 °C and pH 2.0. Serine, metallo and aspartic protease inhibitors did not affect the enzyme activity, designating SsMTP-1 as a new member of the pepstatin-insensitive aspartic protease family. The peptide-bond-specificity of SsMTP-1 in the cleavage of the oxidized insulin B chain was uncommon amongst thermopsins, suggesting that it could play a distinct, but cooperative role in the protein degradation machinery. Interestingly, predictions of the transmembrane protein topology of SsMTP and SsMTP-1 strongly suggest a possible contribution in signal-transduction pathways.

Two-step rapid sulfur capture. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-04-01

The primary goal of this program was to test the technical and economic feasibility of a novel dry sorbent injection process called the Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process for several advanced coal utilization systems. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process consists of limestone activation in a high temperature auxiliary burner for short times followed by sorbent quenching in a lower temperature sulfur containing coal combustion gas. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process is based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture process developed by the Energy Technology Office of Textron Defense Systems (ETO/TDS). Based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture studies the range of conditions for optimum sorbent activation were thought to be: activation temperature > 2,200 K for activation times in the range of 10--30 ms. Therefore, the aim of the Two-Step process is to create a very active sorbent (under conditions similar to the bomb reactor) and complete the sulfur reaction under thermodynamically favorable conditions. A flow facility was designed and assembled to simulate the temperature, time, stoichiometry, and sulfur gas concentration prevalent in the advanced coal utilization systems such as gasifiers, fluidized bed combustors, mixed-metal oxide desulfurization systems, diesel engines, and gas turbines.

pTC Plasmids from Sulfolobus Species in the Geothermal Area of Tengchong, China: Genomic Conservation and Naturally-Occurring Variations as a Result of Transposition by Mobile Genetic Elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Xiaoyu; Huang, Xiaoxing; Wang, Haina; Huang, Li

2015-02-12

Plasmids occur frequently in Archaea. A novel plasmid (denoted pTC1) containing typical conjugation functions has been isolated from Sulfolobus tengchongensis RT8-4, a strain obtained from a hot spring in Tengchong, China, and characterized. The plasmid is a circular double-stranded DNA molecule of 20,417 bp. Among a total of 26 predicted pTC1 ORFs, 23 have homologues in other known Sulfolobus conjugative plasmids (CPs). pTC1 resembles other Sulfolobus CPs in genome architecture, and is most highly conserved in the genomic region encoding conjugation functions. However, attempts to demonstrate experimentally the capacity of the plasmid for conjugational transfer were unsuccessful. A survey revealed that pTC1 and its closely related plasmid variants were widespread in the geothermal area of Tengchong. Variations of the plasmids at the target sites for transposition by an insertion sequence (IS) and a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) were readily detected. The IS was efficiently inserted into the pTC1 genome, and the inserted sequence was inactivated and degraded more frequently in an imprecise manner than in a precise manner. These results suggest that the host organism has evolved a strategy to maintain a balance between the insertion and elimination of mobile genetic elements to permit genomic plasticity while inhibiting their fast spreading.

pTC Plasmids from Sulfolobus Species in the Geothermal Area of Tengchong, China: Genomic Conservation and Naturally-Occurring Variations as a Result of Transposition by Mobile Genetic Elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyu Xiang

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Plasmids occur frequently in Archaea. A novel plasmid (denoted pTC1 containing typical conjugation functions has been isolated from Sulfolobus tengchongensis RT8-4, a strain obtained from a hot spring in Tengchong, China, and characterized. The plasmid is a circular double-stranded DNA molecule of 20,417 bp. Among a total of 26 predicted pTC1 ORFs, 23 have homologues in other known Sulfolobus conjugative plasmids (CPs. pTC1 resembles other Sulfolobus CPs in genome architecture, and is most highly conserved in the genomic region encoding conjugation functions. However, attempts to demonstrate experimentally the capacity of the plasmid for conjugational transfer were unsuccessful. A survey revealed that pTC1 and its closely related plasmid variants were widespread in the geothermal area of Tengchong. Variations of the plasmids at the target sites for transposition by an insertion sequence (IS and a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE were readily detected. The IS was efficiently inserted into the pTC1 genome, and the inserted sequence was inactivated and degraded more frequently in an imprecise manner than in a precise manner. These results suggest that the host organism has evolved a strategy to maintain a balance between the insertion and elimination of mobile genetic elements to permit genomic plasticity while inhibiting their fast spreading.

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Sulfur Oxides – Health Criteria (Final Report, Sep 2008)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Sulfur Oxides – Health Criteria final assessment. This report represents a concise synthesis and evaluation of the most policy-relevant science and will ultimately provide the scien...

Degradation of sulfur dioxide using plasma technology; Degradacion de dioxido de azufre empleando tecnologia de plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Estrada M, N.; Garcia E, R. [Instituto Tecnologico de Toluca, Av. Tecnologico s/n, Ex-Rancho La Virgen, 52140 Metepec, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Pacheco P, M.; Valdivia B, R.; Pacheco S, J., E-mail: nadiaemz@yahoo.com.mx [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2013-07-01

This paper presents the electro-chemical study performed for sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) treatment using non thermal plasma coupled to a nano structured fluid bed enhancing the toxic gas removal and the adsorption of acids formed during plasma treatment, more of 80% of removal was obtained. Non thermal plasma was ignited by dielectric barrier discharge (Dbd). The research was developed through an analysis of the chemical kinetics of the process and experimental study of degradation; in each experiment the electrical parameters and the influence of carbon nano structures were monitored to establish the optimal conditions of degradation. We compared the theoretical and experimental results to conclude whether the proposed model is correct for degradation. (Author)

Molecular analysis of the UV-inducible pili operon from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolferen, Marleen van; Ajon, Małgorzata; Driessen, Arnold J.M.; Albers, Sonja-Verena

2013-01-01

Upon ultraviolet (UV) stress, hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus species show a highly induced transcription of a gene cluster responsible for pili biogenesis: the UV-inducible pili operon (ups operon). This operon is involved in UV-induced pili assembly, cellular aggregation, and subsequent DNA exchange

Novel RepA-MCM proteins encoded in plasmids pTAU4, pORA1 and pTIK4 from Sulfolobus neozealandicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, B.; Jensen, S.; Phan, H.

2005-01-01

Three plasmids isolated from the crenarchaeal thermoacidophile Sulfolobus neozealandicus were characterized. Plasmids pTAU4 (7,192 bp), pORA1 (9,689 bp) and pTIK4 (13,638 bp) show unusual properties that distinguish them from previously characterized cryptic plasmids of the genus Sulfolobus. Plas...

Sulfur isotopic fractionation of carbonyl sulfide during degradation by soil bacteria and enzyme

Science.gov (United States)

Kamezaki, Kazuki; Hattori, Shohei; Ogawa, Takahiro; Toyoda, Sakae; Kato, Hiromi; Katayama, Yoko; Yoshida, Naohiro

2017-04-01

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) is an atmospheric trace gas that possess great potential for tracer of carbon cycle (Campbell et al., 2008). COS is taken up by vegetation during photosynthesis like absorption of carbon dioxide but COS can not emit by respiration of vegetation, suggesting possible tracer for gross primary production. However, some studies show the COS-derived GPP is larger than the estimates by using carbon dioxide flux because COS flux by photolysis and soil flux are not distinguished (e.g. Asaf et al., 2013). Isotope analysis is a useful tool to trace sources and transformations of trace gases. Recently our group developed a promising new analytical method for measuring the stable sulfur isotopic compositions of COS using nanomole level samples: the direct isotopic analytical technique of on-line gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) using fragmentation ions S+ enabling us to easily analyze sulfur isotopes in COS (Hattori et al., 2015). Soil is thought to be important as both a source and a sink of COS in the troposphere. In particular, soil has been reported as a large environmental sink for atmospheric COS. Bacteria isolated from various soils actively degrade COS, with various enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase and COSase (Ogawa et al., 2013) involved in COS degradation. However, the mechanism and the magnitude of bacterial contribution in terms of a sink for atmospheric COS is still uncertain. Therefore, it is important to quantitatively evaluate this contribution using COS sulfur isotope analysis. We present isotopic fractionation constants for COS by laboratory incubation experiments during degradation by soil bacteria and COSase. Incubation experiments were conducted using strains belonging to the genera Mycobacterium, Williamsia, Cupriavidus, and Thiobacillus, isolated from natural soil or activated sludge and enzyme purified from a bacteria. As a result, the isotopic compositions of OCS were increased during degradation of

Characterization of the Sulfolobus host-SSV2 virus interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Contursi, P.; Jensen, S.; Aucelli, T.

2006-01-01

The Sulfolobus spindle virus, SSV2, encodes a tyrosine integrase which furthers provirus formation in host chromosomes. Consistently with the prediction made during sequence analysis, integration was found to occur in the downstream half of the tRNAGly (CCC) gene. In this paper we report the find......The Sulfolobus spindle virus, SSV2, encodes a tyrosine integrase which furthers provirus formation in host chromosomes. Consistently with the prediction made during sequence analysis, integration was found to occur in the downstream half of the tRNAGly (CCC) gene. In this paper we report...... during the growth of the natural host REY15/4, the cellular content of SSV2 DNA remains fairly low throughout the incubation of the foreign host. The accumulation of episomal DNA in the former case cannot be traced to decreased packaging activity because of a simultaneous increase in the virus titre...... in the medium. In addition, the interaction between SSV2 and its natural host is characterized by the concurrence of host growth inhibition and the induction of viral DNA replication. When this virus-host interaction was investigated using S. islandicus REY15A, a strain which is closely related to the natural...

Capacity Fade Analysis of Sulfur Cathodes in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jianhua; Liu, Xingbo

2016-01-01

Rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are receiving ever‐increasing attention due to their high theoretical energy density and inexpensive raw sulfur materials. However, their rapid capacity fade has been one of the key barriers for their further improvement. It is well accepted that the major degradation mechanisms of S‐cathodes include low electrical conductivity of S and sulfides, precipitation of nonconductive Li2S2 and Li2S, and poly‐shuttle effects. To determine these degradation factors, a comprehensive study of sulfur cathodes with different amounts of electrolytes is presented here. A survey of the fundamentals of Li–S chemistry with respect to capacity fade is first conducted; then, the parameters obtained through electrochemical performance and characterization are used to determine the key causes of capacity fade in Li–S batteries. It is confirmed that the formation and accumulation of nonconductive Li2S2/Li2S films on sulfur cathode surfaces are the major parameters contributing to the rapid capacity fade of Li–S batteries. PMID:27981001

Genetic manipulation in Sulfolobus islandicus and functional analysis of DNA repair genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Changyi; Tian, Bin; Li, Suming

2013-01-01

Recently, a novel gene-deletion method was developed for the crenarchaeal model Sulfolobus islandicus, which is a suitable tool for addressing gene essentiality in depth. Using this technique, we have investigated functions of putative DNA repair genes by constructing deletion mutants and studying...

Structure of dimeric, recombinant Sulfolobus solfataricus phosphoribosyl diphosphate synthase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Rune W.; Lo Leggio, Leila; Hove-Jensen, Bjarne

2015-01-01

The enzyme 5-phosphoribosyl-1-α-diphosphate (PRPP) synthase (EC 2.7.6.1) catalyses the Mg2+-dependent transfer of a diphosphoryl group from ATP to the C1 hydroxyl group of ribose 5-phosphate resulting in the production of PRPP and AMP. A nucleotide sequence specifying Sulfolobus solfataricus PRPP...

Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus c92 Protein Responsible for the Formation of Pyramid-Like Cellular Lysis Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Snyder, Jamie C; Brumfield, Susan K; Peng, Nan

2011-01-01

Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system desc...... disruption of c92 within STIV demonstrates that c92 is an essential protein for virus replication. Immunolocalization of c92 shows that the protein is localized to the cellular membranes forming the pyramid-like structures.......Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system...... described for DNA bacteriophages. This study investigated the STIV gene products required for pyramid formation in its host Sulfolobus solfataricus. Overexpression of STIV open reading frame (ORF) c92 in S. solfataricus alone is sufficient to produce the pyramid-like lysis structures in cells. Gene...

A Universal Strategy To Prepare Sulfur-Containing Polymer Composites with Desired Morphologies for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Shao-Zhong; Zeng, Xierong; Tu, Wenxuan; Huang, Haitao; Yu, Liang; Yao, Yuechao; Jin, Nengzhi; Zhang, Qi; Zou, Jizhao

2018-06-19

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are probably the most promising candidates for the next-generation batteries owing to their high energy density. However, Li-S batteries face severe technical problems where the dissolution of intermediate polysulfides is the biggest problem because it leads to the degradation of the cathode and the lithium anode, and finally the fast capacity decay. Compared with the composites of elemental sulfur and other matrices, sulfur-containing polymers (SCPs) have strong chemical bonds to sulfur and therefore show low dissolution of polysulfides. Unfortunately, most SCPs have very low electron conductivity and their morphologies can hardly be controlled, which undoubtedly depress the battery performances of SCPs. To overcome these two weaknesses of SCPs, a new strategy was developed for preparing SCP composites with enhanced conductivity and desired morphologies. With this strategy, macroporous SCP composites were successfully prepared from hierarchical porous carbon. The composites displayed discharge/charge capacities up to 1218/1139, 949/922, and 796/785 mA h g -1 at the current rates of 5, 10, and 15 C, respectively. Considering the universality of this strategy and the numerous morphologies of carbon materials, this strategy opens many opportunities for making carbon/SCP composites with novel morphologies.

Behavior of sulfur mustard in sand, concrete, and asphalt matrices: Evaporation, degradation, and decontamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Hyunsook; Choi, Seungki

2017-10-15

The evaporation, degradation, and decontamination of sulfur mustard on environmental matrices including sand, concrete, and asphalt are described. A specially designed wind tunnel and thermal desorber in combination with gas chromatograph (GC) produced profiles of vapor concentration obtained from samples of the chemical agent deposited as a drop on the surfaces of the matrices. The matrices were exposed to the chemical agent at room temperature, and the degradation reactions were monitored and characterized. A vapor emission test was also performed after a decontamination process. The results showed that on sand, the drop of agent spread laterally while evaporating. On concrete, the drop of the agent was absorbed immediately into the matrix while spreading and evaporating. However, the asphalt surface conserved the agent and slowly released parts of the agent over an extended period of time. The degradation reactions of the agent followed pseudo first order behavior on the matrices. Trace amounts of the residual agent present at the surface were also released as vapor after decontamination, posing a threat to the exposed individual and environment.

Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

OpenAIRE

Skórko, R; Osipiuk, J; Stetter, K O

1989-01-01

Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase has been isolated from a crude extract of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius by isopycnic centrifugation in CsCl. Divalent cations (Mn2+ greater than Mg2+) stimulated the reaction. The enzyme does not require the presence of histones for its activity; it is inhibited strongly by phosphate and slightly by fluoride. The protein from the glycogen complex migrated in a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel as a 57-kilodalton protein band; after isoelectric focusing ...

Characterization of different crystal forms of the alpha-glucosidase MalA from Sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ernst, Heidi Asschenfeldt; Willemoës, Martin; Lo Leggio, Leila

2005-01-01

MalA is an alpha-glucosidase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. It belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 31, which includes several medically interesting alpha-glucosidases. MalA and its selenomethionine derivative have been overproduced in Escherichia coli...

Dynamic properties of the Sulfolobus CRISPR/Cas and CRISPR/Cmr systems when challenged with vector-borne viral and plasmid genes and protospacers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guðbergsdóttir, Sóley Ruth; Deng, Ling; Chen, Zhengjun

2011-01-01

The adaptive immune CRISPR/Cas and CRISPR/Cmr systems of the crenarchaeal thermoacidophile Sulfolobus were challenged by a variety of viral and plasmid genes, and protospacers preceded by different dinucleotide motifs. The genes and protospacers were constructed to carry sequences matching...... individual spacers of CRISPR loci, and a range of mismatches were introduced. Constructs were cloned into vectors carrying pyrE/pyrF genes and transformed into uracil auxotrophic hosts derived from Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 or Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A. Most constructs, including those carrying different...... protospacer mismatches, yielded few viable transformants. These were shown to carry either partial deletions of CRISPR loci, covering a broad spectrum of sizes and including the matching spacer, or deletions of whole CRISPR/Cas modules. The deletions occurred independently of whether genes or protospacers...

Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

Science.gov (United States)

Skórko, R; Osipiuk, J; Stetter, K O

1989-09-01

Glycogen-bound polyphosphate kinase has been isolated from a crude extract of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius by isopycnic centrifugation in CsCl. Divalent cations (Mn2+ greater than Mg2+) stimulated the reaction. The enzyme does not require the presence of histones for its activity; it is inhibited strongly by phosphate and slightly by fluoride. The protein from the glycogen complex migrated in a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel as a 57-kilodalton protein band; after isoelectric focusing it separated into several spots in the pH range of 5.6 to 6.7.

C68 from the Sulfolobus islandicus plasmid-virus pSSVx is a novel member of the AbrB-like transcription factor family

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Contursi, Patrizia; D'Ambrosio, Katia; Pirone, Luciano

2011-01-01

The genetic element pSSVx from Sulfolobus islandicus, strain REY15/4, is a hybrid between a plasmid and a fusellovirus. This plasmid-virus hybrid infects several species of the hyperthermophilic acidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus. The open reading frame orfc68 of pSSVx encodes a 7.7 kDa protein...... factors, such as AbrB from Bacillus subtilis. Nevertheless, C68 constitutes a novel representative of this family because it shows several peculiar structural and functional features....

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus c92 protein responsible for the formation of pyramid-like cellular lysis structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Jamie C; Brumfield, Susan K; Peng, Nan; She, Qunxin; Young, Mark J

2011-07-01

Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system described for DNA bacteriophages. This study investigated the STIV gene products required for pyramid formation in its host Sulfolobus solfataricus. Overexpression of STIV open reading frame (ORF) c92 in S. solfataricus alone is sufficient to produce the pyramid-like lysis structures in cells. Gene disruption of c92 within STIV demonstrates that c92 is an essential protein for virus replication. Immunolocalization of c92 shows that the protein is localized to the cellular membranes forming the pyramid-like structures.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of a PaaX-like protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Yi; Lou, Zhiyong; Sun, Yuna; Xue, Fei; Feng, Changzeng; Gong, Xiaocui; Yang, Dongmei; Bartlam, Mark; Meng, Zhaohui; Zhang, Keqin

2009-01-01

In this study, the PaaX-like protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 was successfully crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. PaaX is a global regulator of the phenylacetyl-coenzyme A catabolon that adjusts the expression of different operons to that of the paa-encoded central pathway. In this study, the PaaX-like protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 was successfully crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. Diffraction data were obtained to a resolution of 3.0 Å using synchrotron radiation at the Photon Factory. The crystal belonged to space group P321, with unit-cell parameters a = 86.4, b = 86.4, c = 105.5 Å

Determination of hydride transfer stereospecificity of NADH-dependent alcohol-aldehyde/ketone oxidoreductase from Sulfolobus solfataricus.

Science.gov (United States)

Trincone, A; Lama, L; Rella, R; D'Auria, S; Raia, C A; Nicolaus, B

1990-10-18

This paper describes the determination of stereospecificity of hydride transfer reaction of an alcohol dehydrogenase isolated from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus. The 1H-NMR and EI-MS data indicate that the enzyme transfers the pro-R hydrogen from coenzyme to substrate and is therefore an A-specific dehydrogenase.

Major and minor crRNA annealing sites facilitate low stringency DNA protospacer binding prior to Type I-A CRISPR-Cas interference in Sulfolobus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mousaei, Marzieh; Deng, Ling; She, Qunxin

2016-01-01

The stringency of crRNA-protospacer DNA base pair matching required for effective CRISPR-Cas interference is relatively low in crenarchaeal Sulfolobus species in contrast to that required in some bacteria. To understand its biological significance we studied crRNA-protospacer interactions...... in Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A which carries multiple, and functionally diverse, interference complexes. A range of mismatches were introduced into a vector-borne protospacer that was identical to spacer 1 of CRISPR locus 2, with a cognate CCN PAM sequence. Two important crRNA annealing regions were identified...

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of GTP-binding protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wu Hao,; Sun, L.; Brouns, S.J.J.; Fu, S.; Akerboom, A.P.; Li, X.; Oost, van der J.

2007-01-01

A predicted GTP-binding protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, termed SsGBP, has been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein was crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique in the presence of 0.05 M cadmium sulfate and 0.8

Soil degradation by sulfuric acid disposition on uranium producing sites in south Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atanasov, I.; Gribachev, P.

1997-01-01

This study assesses the damage of soils caused by spills of sulfuric acid solutions used for in situ leaching of uranium at eight uranium producing (by open-cast method) sites (total area of approximately 220 ha) in the region of Momino-Rakovski (South Bulgaria). The upper soil layer is cinnamonic pseudopodzolic ( or Eutric Planosols by FAO Legend, 1974). The results of the investigation show that the sulfuric acid spills caused strong acidification of upper (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-60 cm) soil horizons which is expressed as decreasing of pH (H 2 O) to 2.9-3.5 and increasing of exchangeable H + and Al 3+ to 18 and 32% from CEC. Acid degradation of soils is combined with reducing of organic matter content. The average concentration of the total heavy metal content in the upper soil horizon (in ppm) is: Cd=1.5; Cu=30; Pb=25; Zn=40 and U=8. No significant differences were detected between the upper and subsurface soil layers . The heavy metal concentration did not exceed the Bulgarian standards for heavy metals and uranium content of soils. But the coarse texture of the top soil layers, the lack of carbonates, The low CEC and strong acidity determine a low buffering capacity of the investigated soils and this can be considered as hazardous for plants. This indicates that a future soil monitoring should be carried out in the region together with measures for neutralizing of soil acidity

Sulfur Poisoning of SOFC Anodes: Effect of Overpotential on Long-Term Degradation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauch, Anne; Hagen, Anke; Hjelm, Johan

2014-01-01

characterized during long-term galvanostatic operation in internal reforming gas mixture (CH4/H2O/H2:30/60/10), with 2 ppm H2S exposure to the anode for 500 hours at 850◦C, at different current densities. This work focus on the long-term effect of H2S exposure over a few hundreds of hours; and describes...... and correlates the observed evolution of anode performance, over hundreds of hours, with sulfur exposure at low cell overpotential (low current density) and at high overpotential (high current density) with and without H2S exposure. For tests at low overpotential with H2S exposure only a reversible loss...... in performance was observed and post-mortem SEM analysis showed an intact Ni/YSZ anode microstructure. For tests at high cell overpotential the H2S exposure caused both a reversible loss in performance and an irreversible long-term degradation. Post-mortem SEM analysis of the Ni/YSZ anode from this tests showed...

Selective catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, W.; Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M.; Sarofim, A.F.

1995-06-01

This project has investigated new metal oxide catalysts for the single stage selective reduction of SO{sub 2} to elemental sulfur by a reductant, such as CO. Significant progress in catalyst development has been made during the course of the project. We have found that fluorite oxides, CeO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}, and rare earth zirconates such as Gd{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} are active and stable catalysts for reduction Of SO{sub 2} by CO. More than 95% sulfur yield was achieved at reaction temperatures about 450{degrees}C or higher with the feed gas of stoichiometric composition. Reaction of SO{sub 2} and CO over these catalysts demonstrated a strong correlation of catalytic activity with the catalyst oxygen mobility. Furthermore, the catalytic activity and resistance to H{sub 2}O and CO{sub 2} poisoning of these catalysts were significantly enhanced by adding small amounts of transition metals, such as Co, Ni, Co, etc. The resulting transition metal-fluorite oxide composite catalyst has superior activity and stability, and shows promise in long use for the development of a greatly simplified single-step sulfur recovery process to treat variable and dilute SO{sub 2} concentration gas streams. Among various active composite catalyst systems the Cu-CeO{sub 2} system has been extensively studied. XRD, XPS, and STEM analyses of the used Cu-CeO{sub 2} catalyst found that the fluorite crystal structure of ceria was stable at the present reaction conditions, small amounts of copper was dispersed and stabilized on the ceria matrix, and excess copper oxide particles formed copper sulfide crystals of little contribution to catalytic activity. A working catalyst consisted of partially sulfated cerium oxide surface and partially sulfided copper clusters. The overall reaction kinetics were approximately represented by a first order equation.

Extraction, isolation and NMR data of the tetraether lipid calditoglycerocaldarchaeol (GDNT) from Sulfolobus metallicus harvested from a bioleaching reactor

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Bode, ML

2008-08-01

Full Text Available The successful extraction and isolation of the hydrolysed tetraether lipid calditoglycerocaldarchaeol (GDNT) from Sulfolobus etallicus, a key thermophilic bioleaching archaeon, is described. The archaeal biomasswas recovered directly from a...

Structure of the dimeric form of CTP synthase from Sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritsen, Iben; Willemoës, Martin; Jensen, Kaj Frank

2011-01-01

CTP synthase catalyzes the last committed step in de novo pyrimidine-nucleotide biosynthesis. Active CTP synthase is a tetrameric enzyme composed of a dimer of dimers. The tetramer is favoured in the presence of the substrate nucleotides ATP and UTP; when saturated with nucleotide, the tetramer...... completely dominates the oligomeric state of the enzyme. Furthermore, phosphorylation has been shown to regulate the oligomeric states of the enzymes from yeast and human. The crystal structure of a dimeric form of CTP synthase from Sulfolobus solfataricus has been determined at 2.5 Å resolution...

Structure of the Sulfolobus solfataricus alpha-glucosidase: Implications for domain conservation and substrate recognition in GH31

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ernst, Heidi Asschenfeldt; Lo Leggio, Leila; Willemoes, M.

2006-01-01

The crystal structure of a-glucosidase MalA from Sulfolobus solfataricus has been determined at 2.5 Å resolution. It provides a structural model for enzymes representing the major specificity in glycoside hydrolase family 31 (GH31), including a-glucosidases from higher organisms, involved...

In-test and post-test analyses of sodium-sulfur cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wada, Motoi; Kawamoto, Hiroyuki; Hatoh, Hisamitsu

1986-01-15

Cell life of sodium-sulfur cells is often determined by the degradation of the solid electrolyte. Solid electrolyte degradation will cause an increase of electrolyte resistivity, decrease of faradic efficiency, or even an electrolyte rupture which leads to a cell temperature rise due to direct reaction of reactants. Electrolyte degradation in actual sodium-sulfur cells is believed to be caused by the passage of sodium ion current across the solid electrolyte. The degree of degradation has been reported to be a function of amount of charge passed through the electrolyte, and the breakdown of the solid electrolyte was observed to occur above some threshold. For this reason, the concentration of sodium ion current density is to be avoided to prevent solid electrolyte from premature degradation and rupture, and the electrode structure for a sodium-sulfur cell should be determined with enough care to homogenize the current density distribution on the electrolyte. The longitudinal current density distribution of a sodium-sulfur cell was measured by attaching probing terminals on the electrode container. It was found that the current density distribution of a vertically supported cell was inhomogeneous due to the effect of gravity. This setup can be used as a way to locate the place where the first electrolyte cracking occurs. It was also found that the electrolyte cracking accompanies a fluctuation of cycling cell voltage that starts to appear several cycles before the noticeable break down of the electrolyte.

Conditions for gene disruption by homologous recombination of exogenous DNA into the Sulfolobus solfataricus genome

OpenAIRE

Albers, Sonja-Verena; Driessen, Arnold J. M.

2008-01-01

The construction of directed gene deletion mutants is an essential tool in molecular biology that allows functional studies on the role of genes in their natural environment. For hyperthermophilic archaea, it has been difficult to obtain a reliable system to construct such mutants. However, during the past years, systems have been developed for Thermococcus kodakarensis and two Sulfolobus species, S. ac...

Augmenting the Genetic Toolbox for Sulfolobus islandicus with a Stringent Positive Selectable Marker for Agmatine Prototrophy

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Tara E.; Krause, David J.

2013-01-01

Sulfolobus species have become the model organisms for studying the unique biology of the crenarchaeal division of the archaeal domain. In particular, Sulfolobus islandicus provides a powerful opportunity to explore natural variation via experimental functional genomics. To support these efforts, we further expanded genetic tools for S. islandicus by developing a stringent positive selection for agmatine prototrophs in strains in which the argD gene, encoding arginine decarboxylase, has been deleted. Strains with deletions in argD were shown to be auxotrophic for agmatine even in nutrient-rich medium, but growth could be restored by either supplementation of exogenous agmatine or reintroduction of a functional copy of the argD gene from S. solfataricus P2 into the ΔargD host. Using this stringent selection, a robust targeted gene knockout system was established via an improved next generation of the MID (marker insertion and unmarked target gene deletion) method. Application of this novel system was validated by targeted knockout of the upsEF genes involved in UV-inducible cell aggregation formation. PMID:23835176

Genome Analyses of Icelandic Strains of Sulfolobus islandicus, Model Organisms for Genetic and Virus-Host Interaction Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Li; Brügger, Kim; Liu, Chao

2011-01-01

The genomes of two Sulfolobus islandicus strains obtained from Icelandic solfataras were sequenced and analyzed. Strain REY15A is a host for a versatile genetic toolbox. It exhibits a genome of minimal size, is stable genetically, and is easy to grow and manipulate. Strain HVE10/4 shows a broad h...

Environmental aspects of the combustion of sulfur-bearing fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manowitz, B.; Lipfert, F.W.

1990-01-01

This paper describes the origins of sulfur in fossil fuels and the consequences of its release into the environment after combustion, with emphasis on the United States. Typical sulfur contents of fuels are given, together with fuel uses and the resulting air concentrations of sulfur air pollutants. Atmospheric transformation and pollutant removal processes are described, as they affect the pathways of sulfur through the environment. The environmental effects discussed include impacts on human health, degradation of materials, acidification of ecosystems, and effects on vegetation and atmospheric visibility. The paper concludes with a recommendation for the use of risk assessment to assess the need for regulations which may require the removal of sulfur from fuels or their combustion products

A novel interference mechanism by a type IIIB CRISPR-Cmr module in Sulfolobus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deng, Ling; Garrett, Roger Antony; Shah, Shiraz Ali

2013-01-01

Recent studies on CRISPR-based adaptive immune systems have revealed extensive structural and functional diversity of the interference complexes which often coexist intracellularly. The archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A encodes three interference modules, one of type IA and two of type IIIB...... targeting. A rationale is provided for the intracellular coexistence of the different interference systems in S.¿islandicus REY15A which cooperate functionally by sharing a single Cas6 protein for crRNA processing and utilize crRNA products from identical CRISPR spacers....

The Dichotomy of the Poly(ADP-Ribose Polymerase-Like Thermozyme from Sulfolobus solfataricus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Rosaria Faraone Mennella

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The first evidence of an ADP-ribosylating activity in Archaea was obtained in Sulfolobus solfataricus(strain MT-4 where a poly(ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP-like thermoprotein, defined with the acronymous PARPSso, was found. Similarly to the eukaryotic counterparts PARPSso cleaves beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to synthesize oligomers of ADP-ribose; cross-reacts with polyclonal anti-PARP-1 catalytic site antibodies; binds DNA. The main differences rely on the molecular mass (46.5 kDa and the thermophily of PARPSso which works at 80 °C. Despite the biochemical properties that allow correlating it to PARP enzymes, the N-terminal and partial amino acid sequences available suggest that PARPSso belongs to a different group of enzymes, the DING proteins, an item discussed in detail in this review.This finding makes PARPSso the first example of a DING protein in Archaea and extends the existence of DING proteins into all the biological kingdoms. PARPSsohas a cell peripheral localization, along with the edge of the cell membrane. The ADP-ribosylation reaction is reverted by a poly(ADP-ribose glycohydrolase-like activity, able to use the eukaryotic poly(ADP-ribose as a substrate too. Here we overview the research of (ADP-ribosylation in Sulfolobus solfataricus in the past thirty years and discuss the features of PARPSso common with the canonical poly(ADP-ribose polymerases, and the structure fitting with that of DING proteins.

Structure of the heterotrimeric PCNA from Sulfolobus solfataricus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Gareth J.; Johnson, Kenneth; Rudolf, Jana; McMahon, Stephen A.; Carter, Lester; Oke, Muse; Liu, Huanting; Taylor, Garry L.; White, Malcolm F.; Naismith, James H.

2006-01-01

The structure of the heterotrimeric PCNA complex from S. sulfataricus is reported to 2.3 Å. PCNA is a ring-shaped protein that encircles DNA, providing a platform for the association of a wide variety of DNA-processing enzymes that utilize the PCNA sliding clamp to maintain proximity to their DNA substrates. PCNA is a homotrimer in eukaryotes, but a heterotrimer in crenarchaea such as Sulfolobus solfataricus. The three proteins are SsoPCNA1 (249 residues), SsoPCNA2 (245 residues) and SsoPCNA3 (259 residues). The heterotrimeric protein crystallizes in space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 44.8, b = 78.8, c = 125.6 Å, β = 100.5°. The crystal structure of this heterotrimeric PCNA molecule has been solved using molecular replacement. The resulting structure to 2.3 Å sheds light on the differential stabilities of the interactions observed between the three subunits and the specificity of individual subunits for partner proteins.

Removal of organic and inorganic sulfur from Ohio coal by combined physical and chemical process. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Attia, Y.A.; Zeky, M.El.; Lei, W.W.; Bavarian, F.; Yu, S. [Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

1989-04-28

This project consisted of three sections. In the first part, the physical cleaning of Ohio coal by selective flocculation of ultrafine slurry was considered. In the second part, the mild oxidation process for removal of pyritic and organic sulfur.was investigated. Finally, in-the third part, the combined effects of these processes were studied. The physical cleaning and desulfurization of Ohio coal was achieved using selective flocculation of ultrafine coal slurry in conjunction with froth flotation as flocs separation method. The finely disseminated pyrite particles in Ohio coals, in particular Pittsburgh No.8 seam, make it necessary to use ultrafine ({minus}500 mesh) grinding to liberate the pyrite particles. Experiments were performed to identify the ``optimum`` operating conditions for selective flocculation process. The results indicated that the use of a totally hydrophobic flocculant (FR-7A) yielded the lowest levels of mineral matters and total sulfur contents. The use of a selective dispersant (PAAX) increased the rejection of pyritic sulfur further. In addition, different methods of floc separation techniques were tested. It was found that froth flotation system was the most efficient method for separation of small coal flocs.

Sulfur poisoning of Ni/Gadolinium-doped ceria anodes: A long-term study outlining stable solid oxide fuel cell operation

Science.gov (United States)

Riegraf, Matthias; Zekri, Atef; Knipper, Martin; Costa, Rémi; Schiller, Günter; Friedrich, K. Andreas

2018-03-01

This work presents an analysis of the long-term behavior of nickel/gadolinium-doped ceria (CGO) anode-based solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) under sulfur poisoning conditions. A parameter study of sulfur-induced irreversible long-term degradation of commercial, high-performance single cells was carried out at 900 °C for different H2/N2/H2S fuel gas atmospheres, current densities and Ni/CGO anodes. The poisoning periods of the cells varied from 200 to 1500 h. The possibility of stable long-term Ni/CGO anode operation under sulfur exposure is established and the critical operating regime is outlined. Depending on the operating conditions, two degradation phenomena can be observed. Small degradation of the ohmic resistance was witnessed for sulfur exposure times of approximately 1000 h. Moreover, degradation of the anode charge transfer resistance was observed to be triggered by the combination of a small anodic potential step and high sulfur coverage on Ni. The microstructural evolution of altered Ni/CGO anodes was examined post-mortem by means of SEM and FIB/SEM, and is correlated to the anode performance degradation under critical operating conditions, establishing Ni depletion, porosity increase and a tripe phase boundary density decrease in the anode functional layer. It is shown that short-term sulfur poisoning behavior can be used to assess long-term stability.

Sulfur K-edge absorption spectroscopy on selected biological systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lichtenberg, Henning

2008-07-01

Sulfur is an essential element in organisms. In this thesis investigations of sulfur compounds in selected biological systems by XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) spectroscopy are reported. XANES spectroscopy at the sulfur K-edge provides an excellent tool to gain information about the local environments of sulfur atoms in intact biological samples - no extraction processes are required. Spatially resolved measurements using a Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror focusing system were carried out to investigate the infection of wheat leaves by rust fungi. The results give information about changes in the sulfur metabolism of the host induced by the parasite and about the extension of the infection into visibly uninfected plant tissue. Furthermore, XANES spectra of microbial mats from sulfidic caves were measured. These mats are dominated by microbial groups involved in cycling sulfur. Additionally, the influence of sulfate deprivation and H 2 S exposure on sulfur compounds in onion was investigated. To gain an insight into the thermal degradation of organic material the influence of roasting of sulfur compounds in coffee beans was studied. (orig.)

Redox stress proteins are involved in adaptation response of the hyperthermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus to nickel challenge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scaloni Andrea

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to nickel (Ni and its chemical derivatives has been associated with severe health effects in human. On the contrary, poor knowledge has been acquired on target physiological processes or molecular mechanisms of this metal in model organisms, including Bacteria and Archaea. In this study, we describe an analysis focused at identifying proteins involved in the recovery of the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus strain MT4 from Ni-induced stress. Results To this purpose, Sulfolobus solfataricus was grown in the presence of the highest nickel sulphate concentration still allowing cells to survive; crude extracts from treated and untreated cells were compared at the proteome level by using a bi-dimensional chromatography approach. We identified several proteins specifically repressed or induced as result of Ni treatment. Observed up-regulated proteins were largely endowed with the ability to trigger recovery from oxidative and osmotic stress in other biological systems. It is noteworthy that most of the proteins induced following Ni treatment perform similar functions and a few have eukaryal homologue counterparts. Conclusion These findings suggest a series of preferential gene expression pathways activated in adaptation response to metal challenge.

Expression of Genes Involved in Iron and Sulfur Respiration in a Novel Thermophilic Crenarchaeon Isolated from Acid-Sulfate-Chloride Geothermal Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kozubal, M.; Macur, R.; Inskeep, W. P.

2007-12-01

complex (thiosulfate:quinone oxidoreductase) related to the Acidianus ambivalens DOXAD complex and a sulfur reductase (SRE) complex related to one found in Sulfolobus solfataricus and Acidianus ambivalens. Here we report on the RNA expression of seven gene sequences from each of the above mentioned complexes for Metallosphaera strain MK1 grown aerobically on pyrite, sulfur, Fe(II)-ferrihydrite, and anaerobically with yeast extract and sulfur. In addition, expression studies are also compared to in situ samples collected from the geothermal Fe-mats.

SULFUR POLYMER ENCAPSULATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

KALB, P.

2001-01-01

Sulfur polymer cement (SPC) is a thermoplastic polymer consisting of 95 wt% elemental sulfur and 5 wt% organic modifiers to enhance long-term durability. SPC was originally developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines as an alternative to hydraulic cement for construction applications. Previous attempts to use elemental sulfur as a construction material in the chemical industry failed due to premature degradation. These failures were caused by the internal stresses that result from changes in crystalline structure upon cooling of the material. By reacting elemental sulfur with organic polymers, the Bureau of Mines developed a product that successfully suppresses the solid phase transition and significantly improves the stability of the product. SPC, originally named modified sulfur cement, is produced from readily available, inexpensive waste sulfur derived from desulfurization of both flue gases and petroleum. The commercial production of SPC is licensed in the United States by Martin Resources (Odessa, Texas) and is marketed under the trade name Chement 2000. It is sold in granular form and is relatively inexpensive ((approx)$0.10 to 0.12/lb). Application of SPC for the treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes was initially developed and patented by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the mid-1980s (Kalb and Colombo, 1985; Colombo et al., 1997). The process was subsequently investigated by the Commission of the European Communities (Van Dalen and Rijpkema, 1989), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (Darnell, 1991), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Mattus and Mattus, 1994). SPC has been used primarily in microencapsulation applications but can also be used for macroencapsulation of waste. SPC microencapsulation has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for a wide variety of wastes, including incinerator hearth and fly ash; aqueous concentrates such as sulfates, borates, and chlorides; blowdown solutions; soils; and sludges. It is not

Gene content and organization of a 281-kbp contig from the genome of the extremely thermophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Charlebois, R.; Confalonieri, F.; Curtis, B.; Doolittle, W.F.; Duguet, M.; Erauso, G.; Faguy, D.; Gaasterland, T.; Garrett, R.A.; Gordon, P.; Kozera, C.; Medina, N.; Oost, van der J.; Peng, X.; Ragan, M.; She, Q.; Singh, R.K.

2000-01-01

The sequence of a 281-kbp contig from the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 was determined and analysed. Notable features in this region include 29 ribosomal protein genes, 12 tRNA genes (four of which contain archaeal-type introns), operons encoding enzymes of histidine biosynthesis,

Comparative Study of Pure g-C₃N₄ and Sulfur-Doped g-C₃N₄ Catalyst Performance in Photo-Degradation of Persistent Pollutant Under Visible Light.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guixian; Qiao, Xingdu; Gondal, M A; Liu, Yun; Shen, Kai; Xu, Qingyu

2018-06-01

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and sulfur-doped g-C3N4 were prepared by pyrolysis of melamine and thiourea respectively. Their comparative performance was investigated for photo-degradation of a Rhodamine B (RhB) an organic toxic pollutant. The crystal structure, morphology, microscopic components and properties of the synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, FT-IR, photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy and zeta potential. TG-DTA is a record of the process for pyrolysis of thiourea. Two simplified kinetic models, pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order were applied to predict the adsorption rate constants. Thermodynamic parameters, such as the change in free energy, enthalpy and entropy were also calculated to analyze the process of adsorption. Adsorption isotherms and equilibrium adsorption capacities were established by three well-known isotherm models including Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R). Both samples were investigated for underlining the reaction mechanism during the photodegradation RhB process and then can be assigned to the overall reaction. The photosensitive hole is regarded as main oxidation species for the degradation by sulfur-doped g-C3N4, but not the exclusive way for g-C3N4. It is worth mentioning that the optimum operating condition can be obtained by orthogonal experiments.

Clues to early diagenetic sulfurization processes from mild chemical cleavage of labile sulfur-rich geomacromolecules

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, P.; Schneckenburger, P.; Schaeffer, P.; Albrecht, P.

2000-10-01

Macromolecular fractions, isolated from the solvent extract of sulfur-rich Recent (Siders Pond, USA; Lake Cadagno, Switzerland; Walvis Bay, Namibia) and immature sediments (Gibellina, Messinian of Sicily; Vena del Gesso, Messinian of Italy), were investigated by chemical degradation using sodium ethanethiolate/methyliodide. This mild reagent which cleaves polysulfide bonds to yield methylsulfides has the advantage over other methods of leaving intact other functionalities (like double bonds) and preserving sulfur atoms at their incorporation site. The method is, therefore, well-suited to the molecular level investigation of sulfur-rich macromolecules from Recent sediments containing highly functionalized polysulfide-bound subunits. In Recent anoxic sulfur-rich sediments, the release of various methylthioethers clearly demonstrates that intermolecular sulfurization of organic matter does occur at the earliest stages of diagenesis. Steroids and phytane derivatives are the major sulfurized lipids, a feature also observed in more mature sulfur-rich sediments. Several phytene derivatives, such as cis and trans 1-methylthiophyt-2-enes, as well as methylthiosteroids, including 5α- and 5β-3-(methylthio)-cholest-2-enes, were identified by comparison with synthesized standards. Steroid methylthioenolethers are released from polysulfide-bound steroid enethiols present in the macromolecular fractions. The latter, which correspond to thioketones, can be considered as intermediates in the reductive sulfurization pathway leading from steroid ketones to polysulfide-bound saturated steroid skeletons and are characterized for the first time in the present study. Thus, it could be shown that the major part of the polysulfide-bound lipids occurring in Recent sediments is apparently the result of sulfurization processes affecting carbonyls (aldehydes and ketones). The unsaturated methylthioethers obtained from Recent sediments were not present in more mature evaporitic samples, which

Sulfur dimers adsorbed on Au(111) as building blocks for sulfur octomers formation: A density functional study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Tamargo, Carlos E.; Montero-Alejo, Ana Lilian; Pujals, Daniel Codorniu; Mikosch, Hans; Hernández, Mayra P.

2014-01-01

Experimental scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies have shown for more than two decades rectangular formations when sulfur atoms are deposited on Au(111) surfaces. The precursors have ranged from simple molecules or ions, such as SO 2 gas or sulfide anions, to more complex organosulfur compounds. We investigated, within the framework of the Density Functional Theory, the structure of these rectangular patterns assuming them entirely composed of sulfur atoms as the experimental evidence suggests. The sulfur coverage at which the simulations were carried out (0.67 ML or higher) provoked that the sulfur-sulfur association had to be taken into account for achieving a good agreement between the sets of simulated and experimental STM images. A combination of four sulfur dimers per rectangular formation properly explained the trends obtained by the experimental STM analysis which were related with the rectangles' size and shape fluctuations together with sulfur-sulfur distances within these rectangles. Finally, a projected density of states analysis showed that the dimers were capable of altering the Au(5d) electronic states at the same level as atomic sulfur adsorbed at low coverage. Besides, sulfur dimers states were perfectly distinguished, whose presence near and above the Fermi level can explain both: sulfur-sulfur bond elongation and dimers stability when they stayed adsorbed on the surface at high coverage

Sulfur dimers adsorbed on Au(111) as building blocks for sulfur octomers formation: A density functional study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez-Tamargo, Carlos E.; Montero-Alejo, Ana Lilian [Laboratory of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry (LQCT), Faculty of Chemistry, Havana University, Havana 10400 (Cuba); Pujals, Daniel Codorniu [Higher Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences (InSTEC), Havana 10400 (Cuba); Mikosch, Hans [Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/E164-EC, 1060 Vienna (Austria); Hernández, Mayra P., E-mail: mayrap@imre.oc.uh.cu [Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnologías de Materiales (IMRE), Havana 10400 (Cuba)

2014-07-28

Experimental scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies have shown for more than two decades rectangular formations when sulfur atoms are deposited on Au(111) surfaces. The precursors have ranged from simple molecules or ions, such as SO{sub 2} gas or sulfide anions, to more complex organosulfur compounds. We investigated, within the framework of the Density Functional Theory, the structure of these rectangular patterns assuming them entirely composed of sulfur atoms as the experimental evidence suggests. The sulfur coverage at which the simulations were carried out (0.67 ML or higher) provoked that the sulfur-sulfur association had to be taken into account for achieving a good agreement between the sets of simulated and experimental STM images. A combination of four sulfur dimers per rectangular formation properly explained the trends obtained by the experimental STM analysis which were related with the rectangles' size and shape fluctuations together with sulfur-sulfur distances within these rectangles. Finally, a projected density of states analysis showed that the dimers were capable of altering the Au(5d) electronic states at the same level as atomic sulfur adsorbed at low coverage. Besides, sulfur dimers states were perfectly distinguished, whose presence near and above the Fermi level can explain both: sulfur-sulfur bond elongation and dimers stability when they stayed adsorbed on the surface at high coverage.

In situ tribochemical sulfurization of molybdenum oxide nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez Ripoll, Manel; Tomala, Agnieszka; Gabler, Christoph; DraŽić, Goran; Pirker, Luka; Remškar, Maja

2018-02-15

MoS 2 nanoparticles are typically obtained by high temperature sulfurization of organic and inorganic precursors under a S rich atmosphere and have excellent friction reduction properties. We present a novel approach for making the sulfurization unnecessary for MoO 3 nanotubes during the synthesis process for friction and wear reduction applications while simultaneously achieving a superb tribological performance. To this end, we report the first in situ sulfurization of MoO 3 nanotubes during sliding contact in the presence of sulfur-containing lubricant additives. The sulfurization leads to the tribo-chemical formation of a MoS 2 -rich low-friction tribofilm as verified using Raman spectroscopy and can be achieved both during sliding contact and under extreme pressure conditions. Under sliding contact conditions, MoO 3 nanotubes in synergy with sulfurized olefin polysulfide and pre-formed zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate tribofilms achieve an excellent friction performance. Under these conditions, the tribochemical sulfurization of MoO 3 nanotubes leads to a similar coefficient of friction to the one obtained using a model nanolubricant containing MoS 2 nanotubes. Under extreme pressure conditions, the in situ sulfurization of MoO 3 nanotubes using sulfurized olefin polysulfide results in a superb load carrying capacity capable of outperforming MoS 2 nanotubes. The reason is that while MoO 3 nanotubes are able to continuously sulfurize during sliding contact conditions, MoS 2 nanotubes progressively degrade by oxidation thus losing lubricity.

Acquired thermotolerance and heat shock in the extremely thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus sp. strain B12.

OpenAIRE

Trent, J D; Osipiuk, J; Pinkau, T

1990-01-01

The extreme thermophile Sulfolobus sp. strain B12 exhibits an acquired thermotolerance response. Thus, survival of cells from a 70 degrees C culture at the lethal temperature of 92 degrees C was enhanced by as much as 6 orders of magnitude over a 2-h period if the culture was preheated to 88 degrees C for 60 min or longer before being exposed to the lethal temperature. In eubacteria and eucaryotes, acquired thermotolerance correlates with the induced synthesis of a dozen or so proteins known ...

Carbon/Sulfur Composite Cathodes for Flexible Lithium/Sulfur Batteries: Status and Prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Yan; Zhang, Yongguang; Bakenova, Zagipa; Bakenov, Zhumabay

2015-01-01

High specific energy and low cost flexible lithium/sulfur batteries have attracted significant attention as a promising power source to enable future flexible and wearable electronic devices. Here, we review recent progress in the development of free-standing sulfur composite cathodes, with special emphasis on electrode material selectivity and battery structural design. The mini-review is organized based on the dimensionality of different scaffold materials, namely one-dimensional carbon nanotube (CNT), two-dimensional graphene, and three-dimensional CNT/graphene composite, respectively. Finally, the opportunities and perspectives of the future research directions are discussed.

Influence of C-terminal tail deletion on structure and stability of hyperthermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii RNase HI.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lin; Zhang, Ji-Long; Zheng, Qing-Chuan; Chu, Wen-Ting; Xue, Qiao; Zhang, Hong-Xing; Sun, Chia-Chung

2013-06-01

The C-terminus tail (G144-T149) of the hyperthermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii (Sto-RNase HI) plays an important role in this protein's hyperstabilization and may therefore be a good protein stability tag. Detailed understanding of the structural and dynamic effects of C-terminus tail deletion is required for gaining insights into the thermal stability mechanism of Sto-RNase HI. Focused on Sulfolobus tokodaii RNase HI (Sto-RNase HI) and its derivative lacking the C-terminal tail (ΔC6 Sto-RNase HI) (PDB codes: 2EHG and 3ALY), we applied molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at four different temperatures (300, 375, 475, and 500 K) to examine the effect of the C-terminal tail on the hyperstabilization of Sto-RNase HI and to investigate the unfolding process of Sto-RNase HI and ΔC6 Sto-RNase HI. The simulations suggest that the C-terminal tail has significant impact in hyperstabilization of Sto-RNase HI and the unfolding of these two proteins evolves along dissimilar pathways. Essential dynamics analysis indicates that the essential subspaces of the two proteins at different temperatures are non-overlapping within the trajectories and they exhibit different directions of motion. Our work can give important information to understand the three-state folding mechanism of Sto-RNase HI and to offer alternative strategies to improve the protein stability.

Sulfur problems in Swedish agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johansson, O

1959-01-01

The present paper deals with some aspects of the sulfur situation in Swedish agriculture with special emphasis on the importance of and relationships among various sources of sulfur supply. An inventory of the sulfur content of Swedish soils and hay crops includes 649 soil samples and a corresponding number of hay samples from 59 locations. In a special investigation the samples were found to be representative of normal Swedish farm land. It is concluded that the amount of sulfur compounds in the air is the primary factor which determines the amount of sulfur added to the soil from the atmosphere. Compared with values obtained in other countries, the amount of sulfur added by the precipitation in Sweden is very low. The distribution in air and precipitation of sulfur from an industrial source was studied in a special investigation. An initial reason for the present study was the damage to vegetation caused by smoke from an industrial source. It was concluded that the average conditions in the vicinity of the industrial source with respect to smoke constituents in the air and precipitation were unfavorable only to the plants directly within a very narrow region. Relationships among the sulfur contents of air, of precipitation, of soils and of plants have been subject to special investigations. In the final general discussion and conclusions it is pointed out that the results from these investigations indicate evident differences in the sulfur status of Swedish soils. The present trend toward the use of more highly concentrated fertilizers poor in sulfur may be expected to cause a considerable change in the sulfur situation in Swedish agriculture. 167 references, 40 figures, 44 tables.

Highly durable, coking and sulfur tolerant, fuel-flexible protonic ceramic fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Chuancheng; Kee, Robert J; Zhu, Huayang; Karakaya, Canan; Chen, Yachao; Ricote, Sandrine; Jarry, Angelique; Crumlin, Ethan J; Hook, David; Braun, Robert; Sullivan, Neal P; O'Hayre, Ryan

2018-05-01

Protonic ceramic fuel cells, like their higher-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell counterparts, can directly use both hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels to produce electricity at potentially more than 50 per cent efficiency 1,2 . Most previous direct-hydrocarbon fuel cell research has focused on solid-oxide fuel cells based on oxygen-ion-conducting electrolytes, but carbon deposition (coking) and sulfur poisoning typically occur when such fuel cells are directly operated on hydrocarbon- and/or sulfur-containing fuels, resulting in severe performance degradation over time 3-6 . Despite studies suggesting good performance and anti-coking resistance in hydrocarbon-fuelled protonic ceramic fuel cells 2,7,8 , there have been no systematic studies of long-term durability. Here we present results from long-term testing of protonic ceramic fuel cells using a total of 11 different fuels (hydrogen, methane, domestic natural gas (with and without hydrogen sulfide), propane, n-butane, i-butane, iso-octane, methanol, ethanol and ammonia) at temperatures between 500 and 600 degrees Celsius. Several cells have been tested for over 6,000 hours, and we demonstrate excellent performance and exceptional durability (less than 1.5 per cent degradation per 1,000 hours in most cases) across all fuels without any modifications in the cell composition or architecture. Large fluctuations in temperature are tolerated, and coking is not observed even after thousands of hours of continuous operation. Finally, sulfur, a notorious poison for both low-temperature and high-temperature fuel cells, does not seem to affect the performance of protonic ceramic fuel cells when supplied at levels consistent with commercial fuels. The fuel flexibility and long-term durability demonstrated by the protonic ceramic fuel cell devices highlight the promise of this technology and its potential for commercial application.

Transcription termination in the plasmid/virus hybrid pSSVx from Sulfolobus islandicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Contursi, Patrizia; Cannio, Raffaele; She, Qunxin

2010-01-01

The pSSVx from Sulfolobus islandicus, strain REY15/4, is a hybrid between a plasmid and a fusellovirus. A systematic study previously performed revealed the presence of nine major transcripts, the expression of which was differentially and temporally regulated over the growth cycle of S. islandicus....... In this study, two new transcripts were identified. Then, 3' termini of all the RNAs were mapped using adaptor RT-PCR and RNase protection assays, and termination/arrest positions were identified for each transcript. The majority of the identified ending positions were located in the close vicinity of a T...... and counter-transcripts might be responsible for the transcription termination at these T-track-minus loci in the closely spaced pSSVx genes....

EPR spectroscopy of complex biological iron-sulfur systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagen, Wilfred R

2018-02-21

From the very first discovery of biological iron-sulfur clusters with EPR, the spectroscopy has been used to study not only purified proteins but also complex systems such as respiratory complexes, membrane particles and, later, whole cells. In recent times, the emphasis of iron-sulfur biochemistry has moved from characterization of individual proteins to the systems biology of iron-sulfur biosynthesis, regulation, degradation, and implications for human health. Although this move would suggest a blossoming of System-EPR as a specific, non-invasive monitor of Fe/S (dys)homeostasis in whole cells, a review of the literature reveals limited success possibly due to technical difficulties in adherence to EPR spectroscopic and biochemical standards. In an attempt to boost application of System-EPR the required boundary conditions and their practical applications are explicitly and comprehensively formulated.

Biodesulfurization techniques: Application of selected microorganisms for organic sulfur removal from coals. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elmore, B.B.

1993-08-01

As an alternative to post-combustion desulfurization of coal and pre-combustion desulfurization using physicochemical techniques, the microbial desulfurization of coal may be accomplished through the use of microbial cultures that, in an application of various microbial species, may remove both the pyritic and organic fractions of sulfur found in coal. Organisms have been isolated that readily depyritize coal but often at prohibitively low rates of desulfurization. Microbes have also been isolated that may potentially remove the organic-sulfur fraction present in coal (showing promise when acting on organic sulfur model compounds such as dibenzothiophene). The isolation and study of microorganisms demonstrating a potential for removing organic sulfur from coal has been undertaken in this project. Additionally, the organisms and mechanisms by which coal is microbially depyritized has been investigated. Three cultures were isolated that grew on dibenzothiophene (DBT), a model organic-sulfur compound, as the sole sulfur source. These cultures (UMX3, UMX9, and IGTS8) also grew on coal samples as the sole sulfur source. Numerous techniques for pretreating and ``cotreating`` coal for depyritization were also evaluated for the ability to improve the rate or extent of microbial depyritization. These include prewashing the coal with various solvents and adding surfactants to the culture broth. Using a bituminous coal containing 0.61% (w/w) pyrite washed with organic solvents at low slurry concentrations (2% w/v), the extent of depyritization was increased approximately 25% in two weeks as compared to controls. At slurry concentrations of 20% w/v, a tetrachloroethylene treatment of the coal followed by depyritization with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans increased both the rate and extent of depyritization by approximately 10%.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of PAT, an acetyltransferase from Sulfolobus solfataricus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Ching-Chang; Luo, Ching-Wei; Hsu, Chun-Hua

2008-01-01

PAT, an acetyltransferase from the archaeon S. solfataricus that specifically acetylates the chromatin protein Alba, was expressed, purified and crystallized. PAT is an acetyltransferase from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus that specifically acetylates the chromatin protein Alba. The enzyme was expressed, purified and subsequently crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Native diffraction data were collected to 1.70 Å resolution on the BL13C1 beamline of NSRRC from a flash-frozen crystal at 100 K. The crystals belonged to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 44.30, b = 46.59, c = 68.39 Å

Sulfur metabolism in phototrophic sulfur bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik; Dahl, Christiane

2008-01-01

Phototrophic sulfur bacteria are characterized by oxidizing various inorganic sulfur compounds for use as electron donors in carbon dioxide fixation during anoxygenic photosynthetic growth. These bacteria are divided into the purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) and the green sulfur bacteria (GSB......). They utilize various combinations of sulfide, elemental sulfur, and thiosulfate and sometimes also ferrous iron and hydrogen as electron donors. This review focuses on the dissimilatory and assimilatory metabolism of inorganic sulfur compounds in these bacteria and also briefly discusses these metabolisms...... in other types of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria. The biochemistry and genetics of sulfur compound oxidation in PSB and GSB are described in detail. A variety of enzymes catalyzing sulfur oxidation reactions have been isolated from GSB and PSB (especially Allochromatium vinosum, a representative...

Conditions for gene disruption by homologous recombination of exogenous DNA into the Sulfolobus solfataricus genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Albers, Sonja-Verena; Driessen, Arnold J M

2008-12-01

The construction of directed gene deletion mutants is an essential tool in molecular biology that allows functional studies on the role of genes in their natural environment. For hyperthermophilic archaea, it has been difficult to obtain a reliable system to construct such mutants. However, during the past years, systems have been developed for Thermococcus kodakarensis and two Sulfolobus species, S. acidocaldarius and derivatives of S. solfataricus 98/2. Here we describe an optimization of the method for integration of exogenous DNA into S. solfataricus PBL 2025, an S. solfataricus 98/2 derivative, based on lactose auxotrophy that now allows for routine gene inactivation.

Experimental study for the use of sulfur hexafluoride as dielectric gas in particle accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candanedo y Bernabe, C.

1993-01-01

The sulfur hexafluoride is the better dielectric gas in the world. It is used in particle accelerator, power stations and high voltage transformators. This is a high stable gas, but when is used as dielectric is degraded in toxic and corrosive fluorides this degradation of sulfur hexafluoride is a function of the voltaic arc, crown effect, pressure, temperature and radiation. The purification of the sulfur fluoride permitted to work in safe form and without the risks as contaminant. The objective of the work is the development of a process for the separation of the wastes from the fabrication of sulphur fluoride and the products of degradation. This process used adsorbents when this gas is used as dielectric. The methodology employed was bibliography research, experimental design of the equipment, construction of the experimental equipment, selection and use of adsorbents, installation of the adsorption columns for the experimentation, flow of the sulfur hexafluoride through the adsorbents, searching of the fluoride hexafluoride before and after of the step through the adsorption columns and writing of the results. In base to the results we conclude that the process is good. The work could be advantage using chromatographic techniques with adequate standards. Is possible to extend the study using an additional number of adsorbents. (Author). 34 refs, 7 graphs, 3 tabs

Mutations and Rearrangements in the Genome of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Redder, P.; Garrett, R. A.

2006-01-01

The genome of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 carries a larger number of transposable elements than any other sequenced genome from an archaeon or bacterium and, as a consequence, may be particularly susceptible to rearrangement and change. In order to gain more insight into the natures and frequencies...... of different types of mutation and possible rearrangements that can occur in the genome, the pyrEF locus was examined for mutations that were isolated after selection with 5-fluoroorotic acid. About two-thirds of the 130 mutations resulted from insertions of mobile elements, including insertion sequence (IS...... deletions, insertions, and a duplication, were observed, and about one-fifth of the mutations occurred elsewhere in the genome, possibly in an orotate transporter gene. One mutant exhibited a 5-kb genomic rearrangement at the pyrEF locus involving a two-step IS element-dependent reaction, and its boundaries...

Evaluation of microbially-influenced degradation of massive concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, M.A.; Rogers, R.D.; Zolynski, M.; Veeh, R.

1996-01-01

Many low level waste disposal vaults, both above and below ground, are constructed of concrete. One potential contributing agent to the destruction of concrete structures is microbially-influenced degradation (MID). Three groups of bacteria are known to create conditions that are conducive to destroying concrete integrity. They are sulfur oxidizing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria, and heterotrophic bacteria. Research is being conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to assess the extent of naturally occurring microbially influenced degradation (MID) and its contribution to the deterioration of massive concrete structures. The preliminary steps to understanding the extent of MID, require assessing the microbial communities present on degrading concrete surfaces. Ultimately such information can be used to develop guidelines for preventive or corrective treatments for MID and aid in formulation of new materials to resist corrosion. An environmental study was conducted to determine the presence and activity of potential MID bacteria on degrading concrete surfaces of massive concrete structures. Scanning electron microscopy detected bacteria on the surfaces of concrete structures such as bridges and dams, where corrosion was evident. Enumeration of sulfur oxidizing thiobacilli and nitrogen oxidizing Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp. from surface samples was conducted. Bacterial community composition varied between sampling locations, and generally the presence of either sulfur oxidizers or nitrifiers dominated, although instances of both types of bacteria occurring together were encountered. No clear correlation between bacterial numbers and degree of degradation was exhibited

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

1999-01-01

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

Conversion of sulfur compounds and microbial community in anaerobic treatment of fish and pork waste.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ruo; Yao, Xing-Zhi; Chen, Min; Ma, Ruo-Chan; Li, Hua-Jun; Wang, Chen; Ding, Shen-Hua

2018-04-07

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are not only the main source of malodor in anaerobic treatment of organic waste, but also pose a threat to human health. In this study, VSCs production and microbial community was investigated during the anaerobic degradation of fish and pork waste. The results showed that after the operation of 245 days, 94.5% and 76.2% of sulfur compounds in the fish and pork waste was converted into VSCs. Among the detected VSCs including H 2 S, carbon disulfide, methanethiol, ethanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, methanethiol was the major component with the maximum concentration of 4.54% and 3.28% in the fish and pork waste, respectively. The conversion of sulfur compounds including total sulfur, SO 4 2- -S, S 2- , methionine and cysteine followed the first-order kinetics. Miseq sequencing analysis showed that Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Proteus, Thiobacillus, Hyphomicrobium and Pseudomonas were the main known sulfur-metabolizing microorganisms in the fish and pork waste. The C/N value had most significant influence on the microbial community in the fish and pork waste. A main conversion of sulfur compounds with CH 3 SH as the key intermediate was firstly hypothesized during the anaerobic degradation of fish and pork waste. These findings are helpful to understand the conversion of sulfur compounds and to develop techniques to control ordor pollution in the anaerobic treatment of organic waste. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Characterization of sulfur mustard induced structural modifications in human hemoglobin by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noort, D.; Verheij, E.R.; Hulst, A.G.; Jong, L.P.A. de; Benschop, H.P.

1996-01-01

In this paper we describe the use of tandem mass spectrometry to identify modified sites in human hemoglobin after in vitro exposure to bis(2- chloroethyl) sulfide (sulfur mustard). Globin isolated from human whole blood which had been exposed to sulfur mustard was degraded with trypsin, and the

Conditions for gene disruption by homologous recombination of exogenous DNA into the Sulfolobus solfataricus genome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja-Verena Albers

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The construction of directed gene deletion mutants is an essential tool in molecular biology that allows functional studies on the role of genes in their natural environment. For hyperthermophilic archaea, it has been difficult to obtain a reliable system to construct such mutants. However, during the past years, systems have been developed for Thermococcus kodakarensis and two Sulfolobus species, S. acidocaldarius and derivatives of S. solfataricus 98/2. Here we describe an optimization of the method for integration of exogenous DNA into S. solfataricus PBL 2025, an S. solfataricus 98/2 derivative, based on lactose auxotrophy that now allows for routine gene inactivation.

Improving rubber concrete by waste organic sulfur compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Liang-Hisng; Lin, Chun-Nan; Lu, Chun-Ku; Lee, Cheng-Haw; Lee, Maw-Tien

2010-01-01

In this study, the use of crumb tyres as additives to concrete was investigated. For some time, researchers have been studying the physical properties of concrete to determine why the inclusion of rubber particles causes the concrete to degrade. Several methods have been developed to improve the bonding between rubber particles and cement hydration products (C-S-H) with the hope of creating a product with an improvement in mechanical strength. In this study, the crumb tyres were treated with waste organic sulfur compounds from a petroleum refining factory in order to modify their surface properties. Organic sulfur compounds with amphiphilic properties can enhance the hydrophilic properties of the rubber and increase the intermolecular interaction forces between rubber and C-S-H. In the present study, a colloid probe of C-S-H was prepared to measure these intermolecular interaction forces by utilizing an atomic force microscope. Experimental results showed that rubber particles treated with waste organic sulfur compounds became more hydrophilic. In addition, the intermolecular interaction forces increased with the adsorption of waste organic sulfur compounds on the surface of the rubber particles. The compressive, tensile and flexural strengths of concrete samples that included rubber particles treated with organic sulfur compound also increased significantly.

Microbial degradation of low-level radioactive waste. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1996-06-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission stipulates in 10 CFR 61 that disposed low-level radioactive waste (LLW) be stabilized. To provide guidance to disposal vendors and nuclear station waste generators for implementing those requirements, the NRC developed the Technical Position on Waste Form, Revision 1. That document details a specified set of recommended testing procedures and criteria, including several tests for determining the biodegradation properties of waste forms. Information has been presented by a number of researchers, which indicated that those tests may be inappropriate for examining microbial degradation of cement-solidified LLW. Cement has been widely used to solidify LLW; however, the resulting waste forms are sometimes susceptible to failure due to the actions of waste constituents, stress, and environment. The purpose of this research program was to develop modified microbial degradation test procedures that would be more appropriate than the existing procedures for evaluation of the effects of microbiologically influenced chemical attack on cement-solidified LLW. The procedures that have been developed in this work are presented and discussed. Groups of microorganisms indigenous to LLW disposal sites were employed that can metabolically convert organic and inorganic substrates into organic and mineral acids. Such acids aggressively react with cement and can ultimately lead to structural failure. Results on the application of mechanisms inherent in microbially influenced degradation of cement-based material are the focus of this final report. Data-validated evidence of the potential for microbially influenced deterioration of cement-solidified LLW and subsequent release of radionuclides developed during this study are presented

Transferring the Incremental Capacity Analysis to Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knap, Vaclav; Kalogiannis, Theodoros; Purkayastha, Rajlakshmi

2017-01-01

In order to investigate the battery degradation and to estimate their health, various techniques can be applied. One of them, which is widely used for Lithium-ion batteries, is the incremental capacity analysis (ICA). In this work, we apply the ICA to Lithium-Sulfur batteries, which differ in many...... aspects from Lithium-ion batteries and possess unique behavior. One of the challenges of applying the ICA to Lithium-Sulfur batteries is the representation of the IC curves, as their voltage profiles are often non-monotonic, resulting in more complex IC curves. The ICA is at first applied to charge...

Influence of supplemental vitamin C on postmortem protein degradation and fatty acid profiles of the longissimus thoracis of steers fed varying concentrations of dietary sulfur.

Science.gov (United States)

Pogge, Danielle J; Lonergan, Steven M; Hansen, Stephanie L

2014-02-01

The objective was to examine the effects of supplemental vitamin C (VC) on postmortem protein degradation and fatty acid profiles of cattle receiving varying concentrations of dietary sulfur (S). A longissimus muscle was collected from 120 Angus-cross steers assigned to a 3 × 2 factorial, evaluating three concentrations of dietary S (0.22, 0.34, and 0.55%) and two concentrations of supplemental VC (0 or 10 g h(-1)d(-1)). Increasing dietary S and VC supplementation (Pdegradation (P = 0.07) and protein carbonylation (Pdegradation. © 2013.

Sulfur isotopic analysis of carbonyl sulfide and its application for biogeochemical cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Hattori, Shohei; Kamezaki, Kazuki; Ogawa, Takahiro; Toyoda, Sakae; Katayama, Yoko; Yoshida, Naohiro

2016-04-01

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS or COS) is the most abundant gas containing sulfur in the atmosphere, with an average mixing ratio of 500 p.p.t.v. in the troposphere. OCS is suggested as a sulfur source of the stratospheric sulfate aerosols (SSA) which plays an important role in Earth's radiation budget and ozone depletion. Therefore, OCS budget should be validated for prediction of climate change, but the global OCS budget is imbalance. Recently we developed a promising new analytical method for measuring the stable sulfur isotopic compositions of OCS using nanomole level samples: the direct isotopic analytical technique of on-line gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) using fragmentation ions S+ (Hattori et al., 2015). The first measurement of the δ34S value for atmospheric OCS coupled with isotopic fractionation for OCS sink reactions in the stratosphere (Hattori et al., 2011; Schmidt et al., 2012; Hattori et al., 2012) explains the reported δ34S value for background stratospheric sulfate, suggesting that OCS is a potentially important source for background (nonepisodic or nonvolcanic) stratospheric sulfate aerosols. This new method measuring δ34S values of OCS can be used to investigate OCS sources and sinks in the troposphere to better understand its cycle. It is known that some microorganisms in soil can degrade OCS, but the mechanism and the contribution to the OCS in the air are still uncertain. In order to determine sulfur isotopic enrichment factor of OCS during degradation via microorganisms, incubation experiments were conducted using strains belonging to the genera Mycobacterium, Williamsia and Cupriavidus, isolated from natural soil environments (Kato et al., 2008). As a result, sulfur isotope ratios of OCS were increased during degradation of OCS, indicating that reaction for OC32S is faster than that for OC33S and OC34S. OCS degradation via microorganisms is not mass-independent fractionation (MIF) process, suggesting that this

Atmospheric degradation mechanism of organic sulfur compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benter, T; Arsene, C

2002-02-01

In the present work a detailed product study has been performed on the OH radical initiated oxidation of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl sulphoxide, under different conditions of temperature, partial pressure of oxygen and NO{sub x} concentration, in order to better define the degradation mechanism of the above compounds under conditions which prevail in the atmosphere. (orig.)

Sulfur and iron accumulation in three marine-archaeological shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea: The Ghost, the Crown and the Sword

Science.gov (United States)

Fors, Yvonne; Grudd, Håkan; Rindby, Anders; Jalilehvand, Farideh; Sandström, Magnus; Cato, Ingemar; Bornmalm, Lennart

2014-02-01

Sulfur and iron concentrations in wood from three 17th century shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea, the Ghost wreck, the Crown and the Sword, were obtained by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning. In near anaerobic environments symbiotic microorganisms degrade waterlogged wood, reduce sulfate and promote accumulation of low-valent sulfur compounds, as previously found for the famous wrecks of the Vasa and Mary Rose. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analyses of Ghost wreck wood show that organic thiols and disulfides dominate, together with elemental sulfur probably generated by sulfur-oxidizing Beggiatoa bacteria. Iron sulfides were not detected, consistent with the relatively low iron concentration in the wood. In a museum climate with high atmospheric humidity oxidation processes, especially of iron sulfides formed in the presence of corroding iron, may induce post-conservation wood degradation. Subject to more general confirmation by further analyses no severe conservation concerns are expected for the Ghost wreck wood.

Characterization of the novel dimethyl sulfide-degrading bacterium Alcaligenes sp. SY1 and its biochemical degradation pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Yiming; Qiu, Jiguo; Chen, Dongzhi; Ye, Jiexu; Chen, Jianmeng, E-mail: jchen@zjut.edu.cn

2016-03-05

Highlights: • A novel efficient DMS-degrading bacterium Alcaligenes sp. SY1 was identified. • A RSM was applied to optimize incubation condition of Alcaligenes sp. SY1. • SIP was applied as C{sup 13} labelled DMS to trace intermediates during DMS degradation. • Kinetics of DMS degradation via batch experiment was revealed. • Carbon and sulfur balance were analyzed during DMS degradation process. - Abstract: Recently, the biodegradation of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) has become a burgeoning field, with a growing focus on the reduction of VOSCs. The reduction of VOSCs encompasses both organic emission control and odor control. Herein, Alcaligenes sp. SY1 was isolated from active sludge and found to utilize dimethyl sulfide (DMS) as a growth substrate in a mineral salt medium. Response surface methodology (RSM) analysis was applied to optimize the incubation conditions. The following conditions for optimal degradation were identified: temperature 27.03 °C; pH 7.80; inoculum salinity 0.84%; and initial DMS concentration 1585.39 μM. Under these conditions, approximately 99% of the DMS was degraded within 30 h of incubation. Two metabolic compounds were detected and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS): dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS). The DMS degradation kinetics for different concentrations were evaluated using the Haldane–Andrews model and the pseudo first-order model. The maximum specific growth rate and degradation rate of Alcaligenes sp. SY1 were 0.17 h{sup −1} and 0.63 gs gx{sup −1} h{sup −1}. A possible degradation pathway is proposed, and the results suggest that Alcaligenes sp. SY1 has the potential to control odor emissions under aerobic conditions.

A novel Bacillus pumilus-related strain from tropical landfarm soil is capable of rapid dibenzothiophene degradation and biodesulfurization.

Science.gov (United States)

Buzanello, Elizandra Bruschi; Rezende, Rachel Passos; Sousa, Fernanda Maria Oliveira; Marques, Eric de Lima Silva; Loguercio, Leandro Lopes

2014-10-08

The presence of organic sulfur-containing compounds in the environment is harmful to animals and human health. The combustion of these compounds in fossil fuels tends to release sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere, which leads to acid rain, corrosion, damage to crops, and an array of other problems. The process of biodesulfurization rationally exploits the ability of certain microorganisms in the removal of sulfur prior to fuel burning, without loss of calorific value. In this sense, we hypothesized that bacterial isolates from tropical landfarm soils can demonstrate the ability to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT), the major sulfur-containing compound present in fuels. Nine bacterial isolates previously obtained from a tropical landfarm soil were tested for their ability to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT). An isolate labeled as RR-3 has shown the best performance and was further characterized in the present study. Based on physiological aspects and 16 s rDNA sequencing, this isolate was found to be very closely related to the Bacillus pumillus species. During its growth, high levels of DBT were removed in the first 24 hours, and a rapid DBT degradation within the first hour of incubation was observed when resting cells were used. Detection of 2-hydroxybiphenyl (HBP), a marker for the 4S pathway, suggests this strain has metabolical capability for DBT desulfurization. The presence of MgSO4 in growth medium as an additional sulfur source has interfered with DBT degradation. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that a Bacillus strain can metabolize DBT via the 4S pathway. However, further evidences suggest RR-3 can also use DBT (and/or its derivative metabolites) as carbon/sulfur source through another type of metabolism. Compared to other reported DBT-degrading strains, the RR-3 isolate showed the highest capacity for DBT degradation ever described in quantitative terms. The potential application of this isolate for the biodesulfurization of this sulfur

Genetic Studies on CRISPR-Cas Functions in Invader Defense in Sulfolobus islandicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peng, Wenfang

Archaea and bacteria contain CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-CRISPR-associated) systems that protect themselves against invasion by viruses and plasmids. There are three major types of CRISPR-Cas systems, type I, II and III, that are further divided...... into at least 11 subtypes. I employed Sulfolobus islandicus Rey15A as the model to study CRISPR mechanisms. The model archaeon encodes one subtype I-A (Cascade) and two subtype III-B (Cmr-α and Cmr-β) interference systems with no apparent redundancy in cas genes or in CRISPR systems, which is ideal for genetic...... analysis of cas gene function. Furthermore, a range of genetic tools have been developed for S. islandicus Rey15A in our laboratory and a plasmid interference assay has been successfully developed for testing CRISPR-directed DNA targeting activity, which have provided a solid basis for studying...

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2002-01-01

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

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase from Sulfolobus solfataricus is an enzyme with unusual kinetic properties and a crystal structure that suggests it evolved from a 6-oxopurine phosphoribosyltransferase

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kaj Frank; Hansen, Michael Riis; Jensen, Kristine Steen

2015-01-01

The adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRTase) encoded by the open reading frame SSO2342 of Sulfolobus solfataricus P2, was subjected to crystallographic, kinetic and ligand binding analyses. The enzyme forms dimers in solution and in the crystals, and binds one molecule of the reactants 5...

Sulfur and Moisture Effects on Alumina Scale and TBC Spallation

Science.gov (United States)

Smialek, James L.

2007-01-01

It has been well established that a few ppmw sulfur impurity may segregate to the interface of thermally grown alumina scales and the underlying substrate, resulting in bond degradation and premature spallation. This has been shown for NiAl and NiCrAl-based alloys, bare single crystal superalloys, or coated superalloys. The role of reactive elements (especially Y) has been to getter the sulfur in the bulk and preclude interfacial segregation. Pt additions are also very beneficial, however a similar thermodynamic explanation does not apply. The purpose of the present discussion is to highlight some observations of these effects on Rene'142, Rene'N5, PWA1480, and PWA1484. For PWA1480, we have mapped cyclic oxidation and spallation in terms of potential sulfur interfacial layers and found that a cumulative amount of about one monolayer is sufficient to degrade long term adhesion. Depending on substrate thickness, optimum performance occurs if sulfur is reduced below about 0.2-0.5 ppmw. This is accomplished in the laboratory by hydrogen annealing or commercially by melt-fluxing. Excellent 1150 C cyclic oxidation is thus demonstrated for desulfurized Rene'142, Rene'N5, and PWA1484. Alternatively, a series of N5 alloys provided by GE-AE have shown that as little as 15 ppmw of Y dopant was effective in providing remarkable scale adhesion. In support of a Y-S gettering mechanism, hydrogen annealing was unable to desulfurize these alloys from their initial level of 5 ppmw S. This impurity and critical doping level corresponds closely to YS or Y2S3 stoichiometry. In many cases, Y-doped alloys or alloys with marginal sulfur levels exhibit an oxidative sensitivity to the ambient humidity called Moisture-Induced Delayed Spallation (MIDS). After substantial scale growth, coupled with damage from repeated cycling, cold samples may spall after a period of time, breathing on them, or immersing them in water. While stress corrosion arguments may apply, we propose that the underlying

Graphene-sulfur nanocomposites for rechargeable lithium-sulfur battery electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jun; Lemmon, John P; Yang, Zhenguo; Cao, Yuiliang; Li, Xiaolin

2014-06-17

Rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries having a cathode that includes a graphene-sulfur nanocomposite can exhibit improved characteristics. The graphene-sulfur nanocomposite can be characterized by graphene sheets with particles of sulfur adsorbed to the graphene sheets. The sulfur particles have an average diameter less than 50 nm..

Diesel Emission Control- Sulfur Effects (DECSE) Program- Phase II Summary Report: NOx Adsorber Catalysts; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

None

2000-01-01

The investigations performed in this project demonstrated the ability to develop a NO(sub x) regeneration strategy including both an improved lean/rich modulation cycle and rich engine calibration, which resulted in a high NO(sub x) conversion efficiency over a range of operating temperatures. A high-temperature cycle was developed to desulfurize the NO(sub x) absorber catalyst. The effectiveness of the desulfurization process was demonstrated on catalysts aged using two different sulfur level fuels. The major findings of this project are as follows: (1) The improved lean/rich engine calibration achieved as a part of this test project resulted in NO(sub x) conversion efficiencies exceeding 90% over a catalyst inlet operating temperature window of 300 C-450 C. This performance level was achieved while staying within the 4% fuel economy penalty target defined for the regeneration calibration. (2) The desulfurization procedure developed showed that six catalysts, which had been exposed to fuel sulfur levels of 3-, 16-, and 30-ppm for as long as 250 hours, could be recovered to greater than 85% NO(sub x) conversion efficiency over a catalyst inlet operating temperature window of 300 C-450 C, after a single desulfurization event. This performance level was achieved while staying within the 4% fuel economy penalty target defined for the regeneration calibration. (3) The desulfurization procedure developed has the potential to meet in-service engine operating conditions and provide acceptable driveability conditions. (4) Although aging with 78-ppm sulfur fuel reduced NO(sub x) conversion efficiency more than aging with 3-ppm sulfur fuel as a result of sulfur contamination, the desulfurization events restored the conversion efficiency to nearly the same level of performance. However, repeatedly exposing the catalyst to the desulfurization procedure developed in this program caused a continued decline in the catalyst's desulfurized performance. Additional work will be

Life Cycle Characterization of Sulfolobus Monocaudavirus 1, an Extremophilic Spindle-Shaped Virus with Extracellular Tail Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Uldahl, Kristine B; Jensen, Signe B; Bhoobalan-Chitty, Yuvaraj; Martínez-Álvarez, Laura; Papathanasiou, Pavlos; Peng, Xu

2016-06-15

We provide here, for the first time, insights into the initial infection stages of a large spindle-shaped archaeal virus and explore the following life cycle events. Our observations suggest that Sulfolobus monocaudavirus 1 (SMV1) exhibits a high adsorption rate and that virions adsorb to the host cells via three distinct attachment modes: nosecone association, body association, and body/tail association. In the body/tail association mode, the entire virion, including the tail(s), aligns to the host cell surface and the main body is greatly flattened, suggesting a possible fusion entry mechanism. Upon infection, the intracellular replication cycle lasts about 8 h, at which point the virions are released as spindle-shaped tailless particles. Replication of the virus retarded host growth but did not cause lysis of the host cells. Once released from the host and at temperatures resembling that of its natural habitat, SMV1 starts developing one or two tails. This exceptional property of undergoing a major morphological development outside, and independently of, the host cell has been reported only once before for the related Acidianus two-tailed virus. Here, we show that SMV1 can develop tails of more than 900 nm in length, more than quadrupling the total virion length. Very little is known about the initial life cycle stages of viruses infecting hosts of the third domain of life, Archaea This work describes the first example of an archaeal virus employing three distinct association modes. The virus under study, Sulfolobus monocaudavirus 1, is a representative of the large spindle-shaped viruses that are frequently found in acidic hot springs. The results described here will add valuable knowledge about Archaea, the least studied domain in the virology field. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Mutational analysis of divalent metal ion binding in the active site of class II α-mannosidase from sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Dennis K.; Webb, Helen; Nielsen, Jonas Willum

2015-01-01

Mutational analysis of Sulfolobus solfataricus class II α-mannosidase was focused on side chains that interact with the hydroxyls of the-1 mannosyl of the substrate (Asp-534) or form ligands to the active site divalent metal ion (His-228 and His-533) judged from crystal structures of homologous e......, although less dramatically with some activating metal ions. No major differences in the pH dependence between wild-type and mutant enzymes were found in the presence of different metal ions. The pH optimum was 5, but enzyme instability was observed at pH...

A Bac Library and Paired-PCR Approach to Mapping and Completing the Genome Sequence of Sulfolobus Solfataricus P2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

She, Qunxin; Confalonieri, F.; Zivanovic, Y.

2000-01-01

The original strategy used in the Sulfolobus solfatnricus genome project was to sequence non overlapping, or minimally overlapping, cosmid or lambda inserts without constructing a physical map. However, after only about two thirds of the genome sequence was completed, this approach became counter......-productive because there was a high sequence bias in the cosmid and lambda libraries. Therefore, a new approach was devised for linking the sequenced regions which may be generally applicable. BAC libraries were constructed and terminal sequences of the clones were determined and used for both end mapping and PCR...

Biodesulfurization of Naphthothiophene and Benzothiophene through Selective Cleavage of Carbon-Sulfur Bonds by Rhodococcus sp. Strain WU-K2R

Science.gov (United States)

Kirimura, Kohtaro; Furuya, Toshiki; Sato, Rika; Ishii, Yoshitaka; Kino, Kuniki; Usami, Shoji

2002-01-01

Naphtho[2,1-b]thiophene (NTH) is an asymmetric structural isomer of dibenzothiophene (DBT), and in addition to DBT derivatives, NTH derivatives can also be detected in diesel oil following hydrodesulfurization treatment. Rhodococcus sp. strain WU-K2R was newly isolated from soil for its ability to grow in a medium with NTH as the sole source of sulfur, and growing cells of WU-K2R degraded 0.27 mM NTH within 7 days. WU-K2R could also grow in the medium with NTH sulfone, benzothiophene (BTH), 3-methyl-BTH, or 5-methyl-BTH as the sole source of sulfur but could not utilize DBT, DBT sulfone, or 4,6-dimethyl-DBT. On the other hand, WU-K2R did not utilize NTH or BTH as the sole source of carbon. By gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, desulfurized NTH metabolites were identified as NTH sulfone, 2′-hydroxynaphthylethene, and naphtho[2,1-b]furan. Moreover, since desulfurized BTH metabolites were identified as BTH sulfone, benzo[c][1,2]oxathiin S-oxide, benzo[c][1,2]oxathiin S,S-dioxide, o-hydroxystyrene, 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)ethan-1-al, and benzofuran, it was concluded that WU-K2R desulfurized NTH and BTH through the sulfur-specific degradation pathways with the selective cleavage of carbon-sulfur bonds. Therefore, Rhodococcus sp. strain WU-K2R, which could preferentially desulfurize asymmetric heterocyclic sulfur compounds such as NTH and BTH through the sulfur-specific degradation pathways, is a unique desulfurizing biocatalyst showing properties different from those of DBT-desulfurizing bacteria. PMID:12147483

Experimental Evidence for Abiotic Sulfurization of Marine Dissolved Organic Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anika M. Pohlabeln

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Dissolved organic sulfur (DOS is the largest pool of organic sulfur in the oceans, and as such it is an important component of the global sulfur cycle. DOS in the ocean is resistant against microbial degradation and turns over on a millennium time scale. However, sources and mechanisms behind its stability are largely unknown. Here, we hypothesize that in sulfate-reducing sediments sulfur is abiotically incorporated into dissolved organic matter (DOM and released to the ocean. We exposed natural seawater and the filtrate of a plankton culture to sulfidic conditions. Already after 1-h at 20°C, DOS concentrations had increased 4-fold in these experiments, and 14-fold after 4 weeks at 50°C, indicating that organic matter does not need long residence times in natural sulfidic environments to be affected by sulfurization. Molecular analysis via ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry showed that sulfur was covalently and unselectively bound to DOM. Experimentally produced and natural DOS from sediments were highly similar on a molecular and structural level. By combining our data with published benthic DOC fluxes we estimate that 30–200 Tg DOS are annually transported from anaerobic and sulfate reducing sediments to the oceans. Uncertainties in this first speculative assessment are large. However, this first attempt illustrates that benthic DOS flux is potentially one order of magnitude larger than that via rivers indicating that this could balance the estimated global net removal of refractory DOS.

Sulfur isotope variability of oceanic DMSP generation and its contributions to marine biogenic sulfur emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Oduro, Harry; Van Alstyne, Kathryn L; Farquhar, James

2012-06-05

Oceanic dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is the precursor to dimethylsulfide (DMS), which plays a role in climate regulation through transformation to methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and non-seasalt sulfate (NSS-SO(4)(2-)) aerosols. Here, we report measurements of the abundance and sulfur isotope compositions of DMSP from one phytoplankton species (Prorocentrum minimum) and five intertidal macroalgal species (Ulva lactuca, Ulva linza, Ulvaria obscura, Ulva prolifera, and Polysiphonia hendryi) in marine waters. We show that the sulfur isotope compositions (δ(34)S) of DMSP are depleted in (34)S relative to the source seawater sulfate by ∼1-3‰ and are correlated with the observed intracellular content of methionine, suggesting a link to metabolic pathways of methionine production. We suggest that this variability of δ(34)S is transferred to atmospheric geochemical products of DMSP degradation (DMS, MSA, and NSS-SO(4)(2-)), carrying implications for the interpretation of variability in δ(34)S of MSA and NSS-SO(4)(2-) that links them to changes in growth conditions and populations of DMSP producers rather than to the contributions of DMS and non-DMS sources.

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Sulfur Oxides ...

Science.gov (United States)

This draft document provides EPA’s evaluation and synthesis of the most policy-relevant science related to the health effects of sulfur oxides. When final, it will provide a critical part of the scientific foundation for EPA’s decision regarding the adequacy of the current primary (health-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide. The references considered for inclusion in or cited in the external review draft ISA are available at https://hero.epa.gov/hero/sulfur-oxides. The intent of the ISA, according to the CAA, is to “accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge expected from the presence of [a] pollutant in ambient air” (U.S. Code, 1970a, 1970b). It includes an assessment of scientific research from atmospheric sciences, exposure sciences, dosimetry, mode of action, animal and human toxicology, and epidemiology. Key information and judgments formerly found in the Air Quality Criteria Documents (AQCDs) for sulfur oxides (SOx) are included; Annexes provide additional details supporting the ISA. Together, the ISA and Annexes serve to update and revise the last SOx ISA which was published in 2008.

Epitaxial growth of ReS2(001) thin film via deposited-Re sulfurization

Science.gov (United States)

Urakami, Noriyuki; Okuda, Tetsuya; Hashimoto, Yoshio

2018-02-01

In this paper, we present the formation of large-size rhenium disulfide (ReS2) films via the sulfurization of Re films deposited on sapphire substrates. The effects of sulfurization temperature and pressure on the crystal quality were investigated. A [001]-oriented single crystal of ReS2 films with 6 × 10 mm2 area was realized. By sulfurizing Re films at 1100 °C, ReS2 films with well-defined sharp interfaces to c-plane sapphire substrates could be formed. Below and above the sulfurization temperature of 1100 °C, incomplete sulfurization and film degradation were observed. The twofold symmetry of the monocrystalline in-plane structure composed of Re-Re bonds along with Re-S bonds pointed to a distorted 1T structure, indicating that this structure is the most stable atomic arrangement for ReS2. For a S/Re compositional ratio equal to or slightly lower than 2.0, characteristic Raman vibrational modes with the narrowest line widths were observed. The typical absorption peak of ReS2 can be detected at 1.5 eV.

Sulfur K-edge absorption spectroscopy on selected biological systems; Schwefel-K-Kanten-Absorptionsspektroskopie an ausgewaehlten biologischen Systemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lichtenberg, Henning

2008-07-15

Sulfur is an essential element in organisms. In this thesis investigations of sulfur compounds in selected biological systems by XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) spectroscopy are reported. XANES spectroscopy at the sulfur K-edge provides an excellent tool to gain information about the local environments of sulfur atoms in intact biological samples - no extraction processes are required. Spatially resolved measurements using a Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror focusing system were carried out to investigate the infection of wheat leaves by rust fungi. The results give information about changes in the sulfur metabolism of the host induced by the parasite and about the extension of the infection into visibly uninfected plant tissue. Furthermore, XANES spectra of microbial mats from sulfidic caves were measured. These mats are dominated by microbial groups involved in cycling sulfur. Additionally, the influence of sulfate deprivation and H{sub 2}S exposure on sulfur compounds in onion was investigated. To gain an insight into the thermal degradation of organic material the influence of roasting of sulfur compounds in coffee beans was studied. (orig.)

Biologically produced sulfur

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleinjan, W.E.; Keizer, de A.; Janssen, A.J.H.

2003-01-01

Sulfur compound oxidizing bacteria produce sulfur as an intermediate in the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfate. Sulfur produced by these microorganisms can be stored in sulfur globules, located either inside or outside the cell. Excreted sulfur globules are colloidal particles which are

Functional characterization of the origin of replication of pRN1 from Sulfolobus islandicus REN1H1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chijioke J Joshua

Full Text Available Plasmid pRN1 from Sulfolobus islandicus REN1H1 is believed to replicate by a rolling circle mechanism but its origin and mechanism of replication are not well understood. We sought to create minimal expression vectors based on pRN1 that would be useful for heterologous gene expression in S. acidocaldarius, and in the process improve our understanding of the mechanism of replication. We constructed and transformed shuttle vectors that harbored different contiguous stretches of DNA from pRN1 into S. acidocaldarius E4-39, a uracil auxotroph. A 232-bp region 3' of orf904 was found to be critical for pRN1 replication and is therefore proposed to be the putative origin of replication. This 232-bp region contains a 100-bp stem-loop structure believed to be the double-strand origin of replication. The loop of the 100-bp structure contains a GTG tri-nucleotide motif, a feature that was previously reported to be important for the primase activity of Orf904. This putative origin and the associated orf56 and orf904 were identified as the minimal replicon of pRN1 because transformants of plasmids lacking any of these three features were not recovered. Plasmids lacking orf904 and orf56 but harboring the putative origin were transformable when orf904 and orf56 were provided in-trans; a 75-bp region 5' of the orf904 start codon was found to be essential for this complementation. Detailed knowledge of the pRN1 origin of replication will broaden the application of the plasmid as a genetic tool for Sulfolobus species.

Synergistic capture mechanisms for alkali and sulfur species from combustion. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peterson, T.W.; Shadman, F.; Wendt, J.O.L.; Mwabe, P.O.

1994-02-01

Experimental work was carried out on a 17 kW, 600 cm long, gas laboratory combustor, to investigate the post flame reactive capture of alkali species by kaolinite. Emphasis was on alkali/sorbent interactions occurring in flue gas at temperatures above the alkali dewpoint and on the formation of water insoluble reaction products. Time-temperature studies were carried out by injecting kaolinite at different axial points along the combustor. The effect of chlorine and sulfur on alkali capture was investigated by doping the flame with SO{sub 2} and Cl{sub 2} gases to simulate coal flame environments. Particle time and temperature history was kept as close as possible to that which would ordinarily be found in a practical boiler. Experiments designed to extract apparent initial reaction rates were carried using a narrow range, 1-2 {mu}m modal size sorbent, while, a coarse, multi size sorbent was used to investigate the governing transport mechanisms. The capture reaction has been proposed to be between alkali hydroxide and activated kaolinite, and remains so in the presence of sulfur and chlorine. The presence of sulfur reduces sodium capture by under 10% at 1300{degree}C. Larger reductions at lower temperatures are attributed to the elevated dewpoint of sodium ({approximately}850{degree}C) with subsequent reduction in sorbent residence time in the alkali gas phase domain. Chlorine reduces sodium capture by 30% across the temperature range covered by the present experiments. This result has been linked to thermodynamic equilibria between sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride and water.

Deletion of the topoisomerase III gene in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus results in slow growth and defects in cell cycle control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xiyang; Guo, Li; Deng, Ling

2011-01-01

Topoisomerase III (topo III), a type IA topoisomerase, is widespread in hyperthermophilic archaea. In order to interrogate the in vivo role of archaeal topo III, we constructed and characterized a topo III gene deletion mutant of Sulfolobus islandicus. The mutant was viable but grew more slowly...... results suggest that the enzyme may serve roles in chromosomal segregation and control of the level of supercoiling in the cell....

Identification and sequence analysis of Sulfolobus solfataricus purE and purK genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Iben Schildt; Dandanell, Gert

1997-01-01

From a genomic library of Sulfolobus solfataricus DSM1617 we have isolated and identified the purEK locus. Two open reading frames are identified as homologs of the purE and purK purine biosynthetic genes in Escherichia coli. The C-terminus of purE overlaps with the N-terminus of purK. When either...... of the genes is expressed from an E. coli promoter they can complement the corresponding purE and purK mutations in E. coli. PurE seems to be more closely related to eubacteria than to other archaea and to eukaryotes. Also the purK gene, which has not yet been found in other archaea, is more closely related...

Effect of sulfur content in a sulfur-activated carbon composite on the electrochemical properties of a lithium/sulfur battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jin-Woo; Kim, Changhyeon; Ryu, Ho-Suk; Cho, Gyu-Bong; Cho, Kwon-Koo; Kim, Ki-Won [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Jou-Hyeon [Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju (Korea, Republic of); Wang, Guoxiu [School of Chemistry and Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007 (Australia); Ahn, Jae-Pyeung [Advanced Analysis Center, Research Planning & Coordination Division, KIST, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Hyo-Jun, E-mail: ahj@gnu.ac.kr [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • The content of sulfur in activated carbon was controlled by solution process. • The sulfur electrode with low sulfur content shows the best performance. • The Li/S battery has capacity of 1360 mAh/g at 1 C and 702 mAh/g at 10 C. - Abstract: The content of sulfur in sulfur/activated carbon composite is controlled from 32.37 wt.% to 55.33 wt.% by a one-step solution-based process. When the sulfur content is limited to 41.21 wt.%, it can be loaded into the pores of an activated carbon matrix in a highly dispersed state. On the contrary, when the sulfur content is 55.33 wt.%, crystalline sulfur can be detected on the surface of the activated carbon matrix. The best electrochemical performance can be obtained for a sulfur electrode with the lowest sulfur content. The sulfur/activated carbon composite with 32.37 wt.% sulfur afforded the highest first discharge capacity of 1360 mAh g{sup −1} at 1 C rate and a large reversible capacity of 702 mAh g{sup −1} at 10 C (16.75 A/g)

Modulation of CRISPR locus transcription by the repeat-binding protein Cbp1 in Sulfolobus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deng, Ling; Kenchappa, Chandra Shekar; Peng, Xu

2012-01-01

CRISPR loci are essential components of the adaptive immune system of archaea and bacteria. They consist of long arrays of repeats separated by DNA spacers encoding guide RNAs (crRNA), which target foreign genetic elements. Cbp1 (CRISPR DNA repeat binding protein) binds specifically to the multiple...... direct repeats of CRISPR loci of members of the acidothermophilic, crenarchaeal order Sulfolobales. cbp1 gene deletion from Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A produced a strong reduction in pre-crRNA yields from CRISPR loci but did not inhibit the foreign DNA targeting capacity of the CRISPR/Cas system....... Conversely, overexpression of Cbp1 in S. islandicus generated an increase in pre-crRNA yields while the level of reverse strand transcripts from CRISPR loci remained unchanged. It is proposed that Cbp1 modulates production of longer pre-crRNA transcripts from CRISPR loci. A possible mechanism...

Sulfur-Kβ /sub emission studies on sulfur-bearing heterocycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, D.R.; Andermann, G.G.; Fujiwara, F.

1986-01-01

Sulfur-K/β /sub x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XFS) has been used to study the electronic structure and bonding in sulfur-bearing heterocycles. XFS not only has the capability of experimentally measuring valence electron energies in molecular species, but can also provide intensity data which can help define the nature of the molecular orbitals defined by the electrons. This report discusses the feasibility of using XFS as an analytical tool for the determination of total and specific sulfur heterocycle content in samples. A variety of compounds were studied. These include thiophene, thiophene derivatives, tetranydrothiophene, several more complex saturated and unsaturated sulfur heterocycles, and heterocycles containing both sulfur and nitrogen. The sulfur-K/β /sub spectra were obtained using a double crystal spectrometer which provided an instrumental resolution of about 0.7 eV

Toxicology Studies on Lewisite and Sulfur Mustard Agents: Subchronic Toxicity of Sulfur Mustard (HD) In Rats Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasser, L. B.; Miller, R. A.; Kalkwarf, D, R.; Buschbom, R. L.; Cushing, J. A.

1989-06-30

Occupational health standards have not been established for sulfur mustard [bis(2- chlorethyl)-sulfide], a strong alkylating agent with known mutagenic properties. Seventytwo Sprague-Dawley rats of each sex, 6-7 weeks old, were divided into six groups (12/group/ sex) and gavaged with either 0, 0.003 , 0.01 , 0.03 , 0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg of sulfur mustard in sesame oil 5 days/week for 13 weeks. No dose-related mortality was observed. A significant decrease (P ( 0.05) in body weight was observed in both sexes of rats only in the 0.3 mg/kg group. Hematological evaluations and clinical chemistry measurements found no consistent treatment-related effects at the doses studied. The only treatment-related lesion associated with gavage exposure upon histopathologic evaluation was epithelial hyperplasia of the forestomach of both sexes at 0.3 mg/kg and males at 0.1 mg/kg. The hyperplastic change was minimal and characterized by cellular disorganization of the basilar layer, an apparent increase in mitotic activity of the basilar epithelial cells, and thickening of the epithelial layer due to the apparent increase in cellularity. The estimated NOEL for HD in this 90-day study is 0.1 mg/kg/day when administered orally.

ADVANCED BYPRODUCT RECOVERY: DIRECT CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF SO2 TO ELEMENTAL SULFUR; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robert S. Weber

1999-01-01

Arthur D. Little, Inc., together with its commercialization partner, Engelhard Corporation, and its university partner Tufts, investigated a single-step process for direct, catalytic reduction of sulfur dioxide from regenerable flue gas desulfurization processes to the more valuable elemental sulfur by-product. This development built on recently demonstrated SO(sub 2)-reduction catalyst performance at Tufts University on a DOE-sponsored program and is, in principle, applicable to processing of regenerator off-gases from all regenerable SO(sub 2)-control processes. In this program, laboratory-scale catalyst optimization work at Tufts was combined with supported catalyst formulation work at Engelhard, bench-scale supported catalyst testing at Arthur D. Little and market assessments, also by Arthur D. Little. Objectives included identification and performance evaluation of a catalyst which is robust and flexible with regard to choice of reducing gas. The catalyst formulation was improved significantly over the course of this work owing to the identification of a number of underlying phenomena that tended to reduce catalyst selectivity. The most promising catalysts discovered in the bench-scale tests at Tufts were transformed into monolith-supported catalysts at Engelhard. These catalyst samples were tested at larger scale at Arthur D. Little, where the laboratory-scale results were confirmed, namely that the catalysts do effectively reduce sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur when operated under appropriate levels of conversion and in conditions that do not contain too much water or hydrogen. Ways to overcome those limitations were suggested by the laboratory results. Nonetheless, at the end of Phase I, the catalysts did not exhibit the very stringent levels of activity or selectivity that would have permitted ready scale-up to pilot or commercial operation. Therefore, we chose not to pursue Phase II of this work which would have included further bench-scale testing

Health Endpoint Attributed to Sulfur Dioxide Air Pollutants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geravandi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas, released from burning of coal, high-sulfur coal,s and diesel fuel. Sulfur dioxide harms human health by reacting with the moisture in the nose, nasal cavity and throat and this is the way by which it destroys the nerves in the respiratory system. Objectives The aim of this study was to focus on identifying the effects associated with sulfur dioxide on health in Ahvaz, Iran. Materials and Methods Data collections were performed by Ahvaz meteorological organization and the department of environment. Sampling was performed for 24 hours in four stations. Methods of sampling and analysis were according to US environmental protection agency (EPA guideline. Afterwards, we processed the raw data including instruction set correction of averaging, coding and filtering by Excel software and then, the impact of meteorological parameters were converted as the input file to the AirQ model. Finally, we calculated the health effects of exposure to sulfur dioxide. Results According to the findings, the concentration of sulfur dioxide in Ahvaz had an annual average of 51 μg/m3. Sum of the numbers of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases attributed to sulfur dioxide was 25 cases in 2012. Approximately, 5% of the total hospital admissions for respiratory disease and respiratory mortality happened when sulfur dioxide concentration was more than 10 mg/m3. Conclusions According to the results of this study, this increase could be due to higher fuel consumption, usage of gasoline in vehicles, oil industry, and steel and heavy industries in Ahwaz. The risk of mortality and morbidity were detected at the current concentrations of air pollutants.

Energy generation and the sulfur-carbon cycles: Final technical report for period March 1981 thru February 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeikus, J.G.

1987-05-01

The aim of this research was to understand the role of anaerobic bacteria in natural and man-influenced carbon cycles in nature. The major goal was to elucidate how sulfur metabolism influenced organic decomposition in aquatic sediments. The research compared these processes in two different anaerobic ecosystems: the sulfate-depleted sediments of Lake Mendota, Wisconsin and the sulfate-saturated sediments of Great Salt Lake, Utah. The approach was both ecological and physiological, and employed both in situ characterization of carbon and sulfur metabolism with radiotracers and laboratory species isolation-characterization studies with pure and defined mixed cultures to demonstrate the prevalent environmental paths of carbon electrons, and sulfur during the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. The significance of this research encompassed fundamental knowledge of the carbon sulfur cycles, applied knowledge on the microbial genesis of flammable gas and oil and extended knowledge on the diversity and metabolic activity of obligately anaerobic bacteria in nature. 13 refs

Graphene-wrapped sulfur nanospheres with ultra-high sulfur loading for high energy density lithium–sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Ya; Guo, Jinxin; Zhang, Jun, E-mail: zhangjun@zjnu.cn; Su, Qingmei; Du, Gaohui, E-mail: gaohuidu@zjnu.edu.cn

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A graphene-wrapped sulfur nanospheres composite with 91 wt% S is prepared. • It shows highly improved electrochemical performance as cathode for Li–S cell. • The PVP coating and conductive graphene minimize polysulfides dissolution. • The flexible coatings with void space accommodate the volume expansion of sulfur. - Abstract: Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery with high theoretical energy density is one of the most promising energy storage systems for electric vehicles and intermittent renewable energy. However, due to the poor conductivity of the active material, considerable weight of the electrode is occupied by the conductive additives. Here we report a graphene-wrapped sulfur nanospheres composite (S-nanosphere@G) with sulfur content up to 91 wt% as the high energy density cathode material for Li–S battery. The sulfur nanospheres with diameter of 400–500 nm are synthesized through a solution-based approach with the existence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Then the sulfur nanospheres are uniformly wrapped by conductive graphene sheets through the electrostatic interaction between graphene oxide and PVP, followed by reducing of graphene oxide with hydrazine. The design of graphene wrapped sulfur nanoarchitecture provides flexible conductive graphene coating with void space to accommodate the volume expansion of sulfur and to minimize polysulfide dissolution. As a result, the S-nanosphere@G nanocomposite with 91 wt% sulfur shows a reversible initial capacity of 970 mA h g{sup −1} and an average columbic efficiency > 96% over 100 cycles at a rate of 0.2 C. Taking the total mass of electrode into account, the S-nanosphere@G composite is a promising cathode material for high energy density Li–S batteries.

Multiple-heteroatom-containing sulfur compounds in a high sulfur coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winans, R.E.; Neill, P.H.

1990-01-01

Flash vacuum pyrolysis of a high sulfur coal has been combined with high resolution mass spectrometry yielding information on aromatic sulfur compounds containing an additional heteroatom. Sulfur emission from coal utilization is a critical problem and in order to devise efficient methods for removing organic sulfur, it is important to know what types of molecules contain sulfur. A high sulfur Illinois No. 6 bituminous coal (Argonne Premium Coal Sample No. 3) was pyrolyzed on a platinum grid using a quartz probe inserted into a modified all glass heated inlet system and the products characterized by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). A significant number of products were observed which contained both sulfur and an additional heteroatom. In some cases two additional heteroatoms were observed. These results are compared to those found in coal extracts and liquefaction products

CRISPR associated diversity within a population of Sulfolobus islandicus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole L Held

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Predator-prey models for virus-host interactions predict that viruses will cause oscillations of microbial host densities due to an arms race between resistance and virulence. A new form of microbial resistance, CRISPRs (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats are a rapidly evolving, sequence-specific immunity mechanism in which a short piece of invading viral DNA is inserted into the host's chromosome, thereby rendering the host resistant to further infection. Few studies have linked this form of resistance to population dynamics in natural microbial populations.We examined sequence diversity in 39 strains of the archeaon Sulfolobus islandicus from a single, isolated hot spring from Kamchatka, Russia to determine the effects of CRISPR immunity on microbial population dynamics. First, multiple housekeeping genetic markers identify a large clonal group of identical genotypes coexisting with a diverse set of rare genotypes. Second, the sequence-specific CRISPR spacer arrays split the large group of isolates into two very different groups and reveal extensive diversity and no evidence for dominance of a single clone within the population.The evenness of resistance genotypes found within this population of S. islandicus is indicative of a lack of strain dominance, in contrast to the prediction for a resistant strain in a simple predator-prey interaction. Based on evidence for the independent acquisition of resistant sequences, we hypothesize that CRISPR mediated clonal interference between resistant strains promotes and maintains diversity in this natural population.

Insight into the loading temperature of sulfur on sulfur/carbon cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, Huan; Yin, Ya-Xia; Guo, Yu-Guo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A cost-effective chemical activation method to prepare porous carbon nanospheres. • Carbon nanospheres with bimodal microporous structure show high specific area and large micropore volume. • The S/C composite cathodes with in-situformed S−C bond exhibit high sulfur activity with a reversible capacity of 1000 mA h g −1 . • S−C bond enables well confinement on sulfur and polysulfides. - Abstract: Lithium–sulfur batteries are highly desired because of their characteristics such as high energy density. However, the applications of Li-S batteries are limited because they exist dissolution of polysulfides into electrolytes. This study reports the preparation of sulfur cathodes by using bimodal microporous (0.5 nm and 0.8 nm to 2.0 nm) carbon spheres with high specific area (1992 m 2 g −1 ) and large micropore volume (1.2 g cm −1 ), as well as the encapsulation of polysulfides via formation of carbon–sulfur bonds in a sealed vacuum glass tube at high temperature. Given that sulfur and polysulfides are well confined by the S−C bond, the shuttle effect is effectively suppressed. The prepared S/C cathodes with a sulfur loading of up to 75% demonstrate high sulfur activity with reversible capacity of 1000 mA h g −1 at the current density of 0.1 A g −1 and good cycling stability (667 mA h g −1 after 100 cycles).

Transcriptome changes in STSV2-infected Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A undergoing continuous CRISPR spacer acquisition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

León-Sobrino, Carlos; Kot, Witold P; Garrett, Roger A

2016-01-01

A transcriptome study was performed on Sulfolobus islandicus REY15A actively undergoing CRISPR spacer acquisition from the crenarchaeal monocaudavirus STSV2 in rich and basal media over a 6 day period. Spacer acquisition preceded strong host growth retardation, altered transcriptional activity...... of four different CRISPR-Cas modules and changes in viral copy numbers, and with significant differences in the two media. Transcript levels of proteins involved in the cell cycle were reduced, while those of DNA replication, DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, and some antitoxin-toxin pairs...... and transposases were unchanged or enhanced. Antisense RNAs were implicated in the transcriptional regulation of adaptation and interference modules of the type I-A CRISPR-Cas system and evidence was found for the occurrence of functional coordination between the single CRISPR-Cas adaptation module...

Improved method for minimizing sulfur loss in analysis of particulate organic sulfur.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Ki-Tae; Lee, Kitack; Shin, Kyoungsoon; Jeong, Hae Jin; Kim, Kwang Young

2014-02-04

The global sulfur cycle depends primarily on the metabolism of marine microorganisms, which release sulfur gas into the atmosphere and thus affect the redistribution of sulfur globally as well as the earth's climate system. To better quantify sulfur release from the ocean, analysis of the production and distribution of organic sulfur in the ocean is necessary. This report describes a wet-based method for accurate analysis of particulate organic sulfur (POS) in the marine environment. The proposed method overcomes the considerable loss of sulfur (up to 80%) that occurs during analysis using conventional methods involving drying. Use of the wet-based POS extraction procedure in conjunction with a sensitive sulfur analyzer enabled accurate measurements of cellular POS. Data obtained using this method will enable accurate assessment of how rapidly sulfur can transfer among pools. Such information will improve understanding of the role of POS in the oceanic sulfur cycle.

Biotransformation and removal of sulfur from dibenzothiophene using improved bio catalytic methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Rotta, C. E; Mora, A.L; Madero, A; Mogollon, L.I

1998-01-01

Three methods for the removal of sulfur from dibenzothiophene were evaluated using bio catalytic processes. The methods were a microbial, an enzymatic and a combined one that involves a previous enzymatic oxidation followed by microbial degradation. The bioconversion was evaluated over the molecular dibenzothiophene model, obtaining higher bioconversion percentages through the combined method. The microorganisms used in this study correspond to several Colombian indigenous strains isolated by direct methods from natural sources, and using a standard strain as positive control. All strains have shown sulfur removal capacity, and organic solvent tolerance. The enzyme used was a hemo protein with peroxidase activity, Cytochrome C, obtained from equine heart

Short stack modeling of degradation in solid oxide fuel cells. Part II. Sensitivity and interaction analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gazzarri, J. I.; Kesler, O.

In the first part of this two-paper series, we presented a numerical model of the impedance behaviour of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) aimed at simulating the change in the impedance spectrum induced by contact degradation at the interconnect-electrode, and at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. The purpose of that investigation was to develop a non-invasive diagnostic technique to identify degradation modes in situ. In the present paper, we appraise the predictive capabilities of the proposed method in terms of its robustness to uncertainties in the input parameters, many of which are very difficult to measure independently. We applied this technique to the degradation modes simulated in Part I, in addition to anode sulfur poisoning. Electrode delamination showed the highest robustness to input parameter variations, followed by interconnect oxidation and interconnect detachment. The most sensitive degradation mode was sulfur poisoning, due to strong parameter interactions. In addition, we simulate several simultaneous two-degradation-mode scenarios, assessing the method's capabilities and limitations for the prediction of electrochemical behaviour of SOFC's undergoing multiple simultaneous degradation modes.

Short stack modeling of degradation in solid oxide fuel cells. Part II. Sensitivity and interaction analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gazzarri, J.I. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2054-6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 (Canada); Kesler, O. [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King' s College Road, Toronto, ON M5S 3G8 (Canada)

2008-01-21

In the first part of this two-paper series, we presented a numerical model of the impedance behaviour of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) aimed at simulating the change in the impedance spectrum induced by contact degradation at the interconnect-electrode, and at the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. The purpose of that investigation was to develop a non-invasive diagnostic technique to identify degradation modes in situ. In the present paper, we appraise the predictive capabilities of the proposed method in terms of its robustness to uncertainties in the input parameters, many of which are very difficult to measure independently. We applied this technique to the degradation modes simulated in Part I, in addition to anode sulfur poisoning. Electrode delamination showed the highest robustness to input parameter variations, followed by interconnect oxidation and interconnect detachment. The most sensitive degradation mode was sulfur poisoning, due to strong parameter interactions. In addition, we simulate several simultaneous two-degradation-mode scenarios, assessing the method's capabilities and limitations for the prediction of electrochemical behaviour of SOFC's undergoing multiple simultaneous degradation modes. (author)

Sulfur isotope studies of biogenic sulfur emissions at Wallops Island, Virginia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hitchcock, D.R.; Black, M.S.; Herbst, R.P.

1978-03-01

This research attempted to determine whether it is possible to measure the stable sulfur isotope distributions of atmospheric particulate and gaseous sulphur, and to use this information together with measurements of the ambient levels of sulfur gases and particulate sulfate and sodium in testing certain hypotheses. Sulfur dioxide and particulate sulfur samples were collected at a coastal marine location and their delta (34)S values were determined. These data were used together with sodium concentrations to determine the presence of biogenic sulfur and the identity of the biological processes producing it. Excess (non-seasalt) sulfate levels ranged from 2 to 26 micrograms/cu m and SO2 from 1 to 9 ppb. Analyses of air mass origins and lead concentrations indicated that some anthropogenic contaminants were present on all days, but the isotope data revealed that most of the atmospheric sulfur originated locally from the metabolism of bacterial sulfate reducers on all days, and that the atmospheric reactions leading to the production of sulfate from this biogenic sulfur source are extremely rapid. Delta 34 S values of atmospheric sulfur dioxide correlated well with those of excess sulfate, and implied little or no sulfur isotope fractionation during the oxidation of sulfur gases to sulfate

Sulfur-Containing Agrochemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Devendar, Ponnam; Yang, Guang-Fu

2017-10-09

Modern agricultural chemistry has to support farmers by providing innovative agrochemicals. In this context, the introduction of sulfur atoms into an active ingredient is still an important tool in modulating the properties of new crop-protection compounds. More than 30% of today's agrochemicals contain at least one sulfur atom, mainly in fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. A number of recently developed sulfur-containing agrochemical candidates represent a novel class of chemical compounds with new modes of action, so we intend to highlight the emerging interest in commercially active sulfur-containing compounds. This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of selected leading sulfur-containing pesticidal chemical families namely: sulfonylureas, sulfonamides, sulfur-containing heterocyclics, thioureas, sulfides, sulfones, sulfoxides and sulfoximines. Also, the most suitable large-scale synthetic methods of the recently launched or provisionally approved sulfur-containing agrochemicals from respective chemical families have been highlighted.

Fenton degradation of Cartap hydrochloride: identification of the main intermediates and the degradation pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Kaixun; Ming, Cuixiang; Dai, Youzhi; Honore Ake, Kouassi Marius

2015-01-01

The advanced oxidation of Cartap hydrochloride (Cartap) promoted by the Fenton system in an aqueous medium was investigated. Based on total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand and high-performance liquid chromatography, the oxidation of Cartap is quite efficient by the Fenton system. Its long chain is easily destroyed, but the reaction does not proceed to complete mineralization. Ion chromatography detection indicated the formation of acetic acid, propionic acid, formic acid, nitrous acid and sulfuric acid in the reaction mixtures. Further evidence of nitrogen monoxide and sulfur dioxide formation was obtained by using a flue gas analyzer. Monitoring by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer demonstrated the formation of oxalic acid, ethanol, carbon dioxide, and L-alanine ethylamide. Based on these experimental results, plausible degradation pathways for Cartap mineralization in an aqueous medium by the Fenton system are proposed.

Oceanic emissions of sulfur: Application of new techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Jodwalis, Clara Mary

Sulfur gases and aerosols are important in the atmosphere because they play major roles in acid rain, arctic haze, air pollution, and climate. Globally, man-made and natural sulfur emissions are comparable in magnitude. The major natural source is dimethyl sulfide (DMS) from the oceans, where it originates from the degradation of dimethysulfonioproprionate (DMSP), a compound produced by marine phytoplankton. Global budgets of natural sulfur emissions are uncertain because of (1) the uncertainty in the traditional method used to estimate DMS sea-to-air flux, and (2) the spatial and temporal variability of DMS sea-to-air flux. We have worked to lessen the uncertainty on both fronts. The commonly used method for estimating DMS sea-to-air flux is certain to a factor of two, at best. We used a novel instrumental technique to measure, for the first time, sulfur gas concentration fluctuations in the marine boundary layer. The measured concentration fluctuations were then used with two established micrometeorological techniques to estimate sea-to-air flux of sulfur. Both methods appear to be more accurate than the commonly used one. The analytical instrument we used in our studies shows potential as a direct flux measurement device. High primary productivity in high-latitude oceans suggests a potentially large DMS source from northern oceans. To begin to investigate this hypothesis, we have measured DMS in the air over northern oceans around Alaska. For integrating and extrapolating field measurements over larger areas and longer time periods, we have developed a model of DMS ocean mixing, biological production, and sea-to-air flux of DMS. The model's main utility is in gaining intuition on which parameters are most important to DMS sea-to-air flux. This information, along with a direct flux measurement capability, are crucial steps toward the long-term goal of remotely sensing DMS flux. A remote sensing approach will mitigate the problems of spatial and temporal

Sulfur analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giner Martínez-Sierra, J.; Galilea San Blas, O.; Marchante Gayón, J.M.; García Alonso, J.I., E-mail: jiga@uniovi.es

2015-06-01

In recent years the number of applications of sulfur (S) analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as detector has increased significantly. In this article we describe in some depth the application of ICP-MS for S analysis with emphasis placed on the sulfur-specific detection by hyphenated techniques such as LC, GC, CE and LA coupled on-line to ICP-MS. The different approaches available for sulfur isotope ratio measurements by ICP-MS are also detailed. Particular attention has been paid to the quantification of peptides/proteins and the analysis of metallopeptides/metalloproteins via sulfur by LC–ICP-MS. Likewise, the speciation analysis of metal-based pharmaceuticals and metallodrugs and non-metal selective detection of pharmaceuticals via S are highlighted. Labeling procedures for metabolic applications are also included. Finally, the measurement of natural variations in S isotope composition with multicollector ICP-MS instruments is also covered in this review. - Highlights: • Emphasis placed on the sulfur-specific detection by chromatographic techniques coupled on-line to ICP-MS. • Different instrumental approaches available for sulfur measurements by ICP-MS. • Quantification of proteins and the analysis of metalloproteins via sulfur by LC-ICP-MS. • Labelling procedures for metabolic applications are also included. • The measurement of natural variations in S isotope composition with multicollector ICP-MS.

Aspects of Degradability and Aging of Natural Rubber Latex Films Obtained by Induced Ionizing Radiation Processes of Latex Vulcanization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parra, D. F.

2006-01-01

This study refers to the degradability of NRLF, natural rubber latex films, obtained by ionizing radiation. Three types of NRLF were prepared: irradiated latex, irradiated latex with about 1% of soy lecithin and sulfur-vulcanized latex, by cold vulcanization process. The films were buried in vases of two different kinds of soil: common soil and common soil with earthworm humus. Fast aging tests in laboratory with exposition to ultraviolet rays were done in irradiated latex films and irradiated latex films with soy lecithin. The results obtained after ten months of tests with buried films agree with the results of the fast aging tests, showing singularities of each type of soil and each kind of latex process. It also shows how weather inclemency can induce the films degradation process. The sulfur-vulcanized films were weakly degraded when buried. The films with lecithin and buried in vase with only common soil showed the biggest mass loss, but the films with lecithin buried in vases with common earthworm humus and soil increased their weigh and dimensions due to fungi formation. The irradiated latex films are more degradable then the sulfur-vulcanized films. The irradiated latex film, unlike the sulfur vulcanized film, showed high fungi colonization when buried. We conclude that the irradiated latex films are more easily biodegradable than the sulfur vulcanized latex films. The biodegradability increases with the addition of small amounts of soy lecithin (∼1%). The mechanical resistance of the buried films decreased related to the non-buried ones, proving that the outdoor aging in soil and the presence of fungi in the films can modify the mechanical properties of the irradiated latex owing to the biodegradation

Evaluation of sulfur hexafluoride and helium for steam generator leak location: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kassen, W.R.

1987-01-01

Since the use of sulfur hexafluoride as a tracer for identifying sources of primary to secondary leakage in PWR steam generators appeared to offer significant sensitivity advantages, the thermal stability of sulfur hexafluoride in water was evaluated at steam generator operating temperature. Significant decomposition was observed after 2 to 4 hours at temperature. Key decomposition products were fluoride and sulfide ions. Based on this observation and these limited test results, the use of SF 6 for PWR steam generator leak location can not be recommended at this time. A survey of 15 utilities was conducted in regard to their application experience with the helium tracer-mass spectroscopy technique for steam generator leak location. Although several successful steam generator integrity programs do not include use of this technique, it has proven to be a useful addition to the inspection program at some plants. No corrosion concerns appear to be associated with this technique

Functional Differentiation of Three Pores for Effective Sulfur Confinement in Li-S Battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qian; Yang, Minghui; Wang, Zhen-Bo; Li, Chao; Gu, Da-Ming

2018-03-01

Shuttle effect of the dissolved intermediates is regarded as the primary cause that leads to fast capacity degradation of Li-S battery. Herein, a microporous carbon-coated sulfur composite with novel rambutan shape (R-S@MPC) is synthesized from microporous carbon-coated rambutan-like zinc sulfide (R-ZnS@MPC), via an in situ oxidation process. The R-ZnS is employed as both template and sulfur precursor. The carbon frame of R-S@MPC composite possesses three kinds of pores that are distinctly separated from each other in space and are endowed with the exclusive functions. The central macropore serves as buffer pool to accommodate the dissolved lithium polysulfides (LPSs) and volumetric variation during cycling. The marginal straight-through mesoporous, connected with the central macropore, takes the responsibility of sulfur storage. The micropores, evenly distributed in the outer carbon shell of the as-synthesized R-S@MPC, enable the blockage of LPSs. These pores are expected to perform their respective single function, and collaborate synergistically to suppress the sulfur loss. Therefore, it delivers an outstanding cycling stability, decay rate of 0.013% cycle -1 after 500 cycles at 1 C, when the sulfur loading is kept at 4 mg cm -2 . © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Catalyst for the reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Y.; Yu, Q.; Chang, S.G.

1996-02-27

The inventive catalysts allow for the reduction of sulfur dioxide to elemental sulfur in smokestack scrubber environments. The catalysts have a very high sulfur yield of over 90% and space velocity of 10,000 h{sup {minus}1}. They also have the capacity to convert waste gases generated during the initial conversion into elemental sulfur. The catalysts have inexpensive components, and are inexpensive to produce. The net impact of the invention is to make this technology practically available to industrial applications. 21 figs.

Species-specific roles of sulfolipid metabolism in acclimation of photosynthetic microbes to sulfur-starvation stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norihiro Sato

Full Text Available Photosynthetic organisms utilize sulfate for the synthesis of sulfur-compounds including proteins and a sulfolipid, sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol. Upon ambient deficiency in sulfate, cells of a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, degrade the chloroplast membrane sulfolipid to ensure an intracellular-sulfur source for necessary protein synthesis. Here, the effects of sulfate-starvation on the sulfolipid stability were investigated in another green alga, Chlorella kessleri, and two cyanobacteria, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The results showed that sulfolipid degradation was induced only in C. kessleri, raising the possibility that this degradation ability was obtained not by cyanobacteria, but by eukaryotic algae during the evolution of photosynthetic organisms. Meanwhile, Synechococcus disruptants concerning sqdB and sqdX genes, which are involved in successive reactions in the sulfolipid synthesis pathway, were respectively characterized in cellular response to sulfate-starvation. Phycobilisome degradation intrinsic to Synechococcus, but not to Synechocystis, and cell growth under sulfate-starved conditions were repressed in the sqdB and sqdX disruptants, respectively, relative to in the wild type. Their distinct phenotypes, despite the common loss of the sulfolipid, inferred specific roles of sqdB and sqdX. This study demonstrated that sulfolipid metabolism might have been developed to enable species- or cyanobacterial-strain dependent processes for acclimation to sulfate-starvation.

Chemistry and preliminary environmental effects of mixtures of triisopropyl phosphite, Bis-(2-ethylexyl)-phosphonate, and sulfur. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cataldo, D.A.; Harvey, S.D.; McVeety, B.D.; Fellows, R.J.; Van Noris, P.

1991-12-01

The present studies were performed to evaluate the reaction chemistry and preliminary biotic impacts of BIS, TIP, and TIPS. Reaction chemistry studies were designed to simulate in-flight mixing characteristics. The binary mixture undergoes rapid and nearly complete reaction. The final products released to the environment are TIPS and excess elemental sulfur. There is an apparent species sensitivity difference in algae for the simulants BIS, TIP, and TIPS, with Chlorella being more sensitive than Selenastrum based on cell number studies. However, the extent of adverse effects was not excessive for either algal species. There was no apparent effect of TIP or TIPS on the electron transport systems of isolated chloroplasts at the concentration tested (10 ppm). In general, it is unlikely that environmental release of these products would have significant or lasting effects, based on the preliminary algal tests and electron transport studies.

Sulfur-binding in recent environments: II. Speciation of sulfur and iron and implications for the occurrence of organo-sulfur compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Hartgers, Walter A.; Lòpez, Jordi F.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Reiss, Christine; Maxwell, James R.; Grimalt, Joan O.

1997-11-01

Speciation of iron and sulfur species was determined for two recent sediments (La Trinitat and Lake Cisó) which were deposited in environments with a high biological productivity and sulfate-reducing activity. In sediments from calcite ponds of La Trinitat an excess of reactive iron species (iron monosulfides, iron hydroxides) results in a depletion of reactive sulfur which is accompanied by a virtual absence of organo-sulfur compounds, both in low (LMW) and high molecular-weight (HMW) fractions. Small amounts of phytanyl and highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) thiophenes in the extract demonstrate that these molecules exhibit a higher reactivity towards reduced sulfur species as compared to detrital iron. Euxinic sediments from Lake Cisó are characterised by an excess of reduced sulfur species which can rapidly trap reactive iron. High concentrations of H 2S results in the formation of organo-sulfur compounds which were encountered in both LMW and HMW fractions. The major part of the organic sulfur is bound to the carbohydrate portion of woody tissues, whose presence was revealed by a specific alkylthiophene distribution in the flash pyrolysate and by Li/EtNH 2 desulfurisation of the kerogen which resulted in the solubilisation of the sulfur-enriched hemicellulose fraction. Relatively high amounts of sulfurised C 25 HBI compounds in the sediment extract of Lake Cisó reflect the incorporation of sulfur into algal derived organic matter upon early diagenesis. The combined approach of the speciation of iron and sulfur species and the molecular analysis of sedimentary fractions demonstrates that abiotic sulfur binding to organic matter occurs at the earliest stages of diagenesis under specific depositional conditions (anoxic, stratified water column) in which an excess of reduced sulfur species relative to the amount of reactive iron is a controlling factor.

Biological effects data: Fluoride and sulfur dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McMechan, K.J. (ed.); Holton, R.L.; Ulbricht, R.J.; Morgan , J.B.

1975-04-01

The Alumax Pacific Aluminum Corporation has proposed construction of an aluminum reduction facility near Youngs Bay at Warrenton, Oregon. This report comprises one part of the final report to Alumax on a research project entitled, Physical, Chemical and Biological Studies of Youngs Bay.'' It presents data pertaining to the potential biological effects of fluoride and sulfur dioxide, two potentially hazardous plant-stack emissions, on selected aquatic species of the area. Companion volumes provide a description of the physical characteristics the geochemistry, and the aquatic animals present in Youngs Bay and adjacent ecosystems. An introductory volume provides general information and maps of the area, and summarizes the conclusions of all four studies. The data from the two phases of the experimental program are included in this report: lethal studies on the effects of selected levels of fluoride and sulfur dioxide on the survival rate of eleven Youngs Bay faunal species from four phyla, and sublethal studies on the effects of fluoride and sulfur dioxide on the rate of primary production of phytoplankton. 44 refs., 18 figs., 38 tabs.

Lithium sulfur batteries and electrolytes and sulfur cathodes thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Visco, Steven J.; Goncharenko, Nikolay; Nimon, Vitaliy; Petrov, Alexei; Nimon, Yevgeniy S.; De Jonghe, Lutgard C.; Katz, Bruce D.; Loginova, Valentina

2017-05-23

Lithium sulfur battery cells that use water as an electrolyte solvent provide significant cost reductions. Electrolytes for the battery cells may include water solvent for maintaining electroactive sulfur species in solution during cell discharge and a sufficient amount of a cycle life-enhancing compound that facilitates charging at the cathode. The combination of these two components enhances one or more of the following cell attributes: energy density, power density and cycle life. For instance, in applications where cost per Watt-Hour (Wh) is paramount, such as grid storage and traction applications, the use of an aqueous electrolyte in combination with inexpensive sulfur as the cathode active material can be a key enabler for the utility and automotive industries, for example, providing a cost effective and compact solution for load leveling, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Sulfur cathodes, and methods of fabricating lithium sulfur cells, in particular for loading lithium sulfide into the cathode structures, provide further advantages.

New method for reduction of burning sulfur of coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyutskanov, L.; Dushanov, D.

1998-01-01

The coal pyrolysis is key phase in the the pyrolysis-combustion cycle as it provides char for combustor. The behaviour of sulfur compounds during coal pyrolysis depends on factors as rank of coal, quantity of sulfur and sulfur forms distribution in the coal, quantity and kind of mineral matter and the process conditions. The mineral content of coal may inhibit or catalyze the formation of volatile sulfur compounds. The pyrolysis itself is a mean of removing inorganic and organic sulfur but anyway a portion of it remains in the char while the other moves into the tar and gas. The aim of this study was to determine an optimal reduction of burning sulfur at the coal pyrolysis by varying parametric conditions. The pyrolysis of different kinds of coal has been studied. The samples with size particles o C at atmospheric pressure and with a heating rate of 6-50 o C min -1 . They were treated with exhaust gas and nitrogen at an addition of steam and air. The char obtained remains up to 10 min at the final temperature. The char samples cool without a contact with air. Two methods of desulfurization-pyrolysis were studied - using 9-vertical tubular reactor and 9-horizontal turning reactor. The results obtained show that at all samples there is a decrease of burning sulfur with maximal removal efficiency 83%. For example at a pyrolysis of Maritsa Iztok lignite coal the burning sulfur is only 16% in comparison with the control sample. The remained is 90% sulfate, 10% organic and pyrite traces when a mixture 'exhaust gas-water stream-air' was used. The method of desulfurization by pyrolysis could be applied at different kinds of coal and different conditions. Char obtained as a clean product can be used for generating electric power. This innovation is in a stage of patenting

Identification of novel non-coding RNAs as potential antisense regulators in the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

tang, T. H.; Polacek, N.; Zywicki, M.

2005-01-01

By generating a specialized cDNA library from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, we have identified 57 novel small non-coding RNA (ncRNA) candidates and confirmed their expression by Northern blot analysis. The majority was found to belong to one of two classes, either antisense or antisense...... elements by inhibiting expression of the transposase mRNA. Surprisingly, the class of antisense RNAs also contained RNAs complementary to tRNAs or sRNAs (small-nucleolar-like RNAs). For the antisense-box ncRNAs, the majority could be assigned to the class of C/D sRNAs, which specify 2'-O-methylation sites...... on rRNAs or tRNAs. Five C/D sRNAs of this group are predicted to target methylation at six sites in 13 different tRNAs, thus pointing to the widespread role of these sRNA species in tRNA modification in Archaea. Another group of antisense-box RNAs, lacking typical C/D sRNA motifs, was predicted...

Unique Optoelectronic Structure and Photoreduction Properties of Sulfur-Doped Lead Chromates Explaining Their Instability in Paintings.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahemi, Vanoushe; Sarmadian, Nasrin; Anaf, Willemien; Janssens, Koen; Lamoen, Dirk; Partoens, Bart; De Wael, Karolien

2017-03-21

Chrome yellow refers to a group of synthetic inorganic pigments that became popular as an artist's material from the second quarter of the 19th century. The color of the pigment, in which the chromate ion acts as a chromophore, is related to its chemical composition (PbCr 1-x S x O 4 , with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) and crystalline structure (monoclinic/orthorhombic). Their shades range from the yellow-orange to the paler yellow tones with increasing sulfate amount. These pigments show remarkable signs of degradation after limited time periods. Pure PbCrO 4 (crocoite in its natural form) has a deep yellow color and is relatively stable, while the coprecipitate with lead sulfate (PbCr 1-x S x O 4 ) has a paler shade and seems to degrade faster. This degradation is assumed to be related to the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). We show that, when the the sulfur(S)-content in chrome yellow increases, the band gap increases. Typically, when increasing the band gap, one might assume that a decrease in photoactivity is the result. However, the photoactivity relative to the Cr content and, thus, Cr reduction of sulfur-rich PbCr 1-x S x O 4 is found to be much higher compared to the sulfur-poor or nondoped lead chromates. This discrepancy can be explained by the evolution of the crystal and electronic structure as a function of the sulfur content: first-principles density functional theory calculations show that both the absorption coefficient and reflection coefficients of the lead chromates change as a result of the sulfate doping in such a way that the generation of electron-hole pairs under illumination relative to the total Cr content increases. These changes in the material properties explain why paler shade yellow colors of this pigment are more prone to discoloration. The electronic structure calculations also demonstrate that lead chromate and its coprecipitates are p-type semiconductors, which explains the observed reduction reaction. Because understanding this phenomenon is

Graphene oxide as a sulfur immobilizer in high performance lithium/sulfur cells

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yuegang; Cairns, Elton J.; Ji, Liwen; Rao, Mumin

2017-06-06

The loss of sulfur cathode material as a result of polysulfide dissolution causes significant capacity fading in rechargeable lithium/sulfur cells. Embodiments of the invention use a chemical approach to immobilize sulfur and lithium polysulfides via the reactive functional groups on graphene oxide. This approach obtains a uniform and thin (.about.tens of nanometers) sulfur coating on graphene oxide sheets by a chemical reaction-deposition strategy and a subsequent low temperature thermal treatment process. Strong interaction between graphene oxide and sulfur or polysulfides demonstrate lithium/sulfur cells with a high reversible capacity of 950-1400 mAh g.sup.-1, and stable cycling for more than 50 deep cycles at 0.1 C.

Graphene oxide as a sulfur immobilizer in high performance lithium/sulfur cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yuegang; Cairns, Elton J.; Ji, Liwen; Rao, Mumin

2017-12-26

The loss of sulfur cathode material as a result of polysulfide dissolution causes significant capacity fading in rechargeable lithium/sulfur cells. Embodiments of the invention use a chemical approach to immobilize sulfur and lithium polysulfides via the reactive functional groups on graphene oxide. This approach obtains a uniform and thin (.about.tens of nanometers) sulfur coating on graphene oxide sheets by a chemical reaction-deposition strategy and a subsequent low temperature thermal treatment process. Strong interaction between graphene oxide and sulfur or polysulfides demonstrate lithium/sulfur cells with a high reversible capacity of 950-1400 mAh g.sup.-1, and stable cycling for more than 50 deep cycles at 0.1 C.

Method of removing and recovering elemental sulfur from highly reducing gas streams containing sulfur gases

Science.gov (United States)

Gangwal, Santosh K.; Nikolopoulos, Apostolos A.; Dorchak, Thomas P.; Dorchak, Mary Anne

2005-11-08

A method is provided for removal of sulfur gases and recovery of elemental sulfur from sulfur gas containing supply streams, such as syngas or coal gas, by contacting the supply stream with a catalyst, that is either an activated carbon or an oxide based catalyst, and an oxidant, such as sulfur dioxide, in a reaction medium such as molten sulfur, to convert the sulfur gases in the supply stream to elemental sulfur, and recovering the elemental sulfur by separation from the reaction medium.

Two DNA polymerase sliding clamps from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus.

Science.gov (United States)

De Felice, M; Sensen, C W; Charlebois, R L; Rossi, M; Pisani, F M

1999-08-06

Herein, we report the identification and characterization of two DNA polymerase processivity factors from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. They, referred to as 039p (244 amino acid residues, 27 kDa) and 048p (249 amino acid residues, 27 kDa), present significant primary structure similarity to eukaryotic proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). We demonstrate that both 039p and 048p form oligomers in solution and are able to substantially activate the synthetic activity of the single-subunit family B DNA polymerase from S. solfataricus (Sso DNA pol B1) on poly(dA)-oligo(dT) as a primer-template. This stimulatory effect is the result of enhanced DNA polymerase processivity, as indicated by the analysis of the elongation products on polyacrylamide gels. Activation of Sso DNA pol B1 synthetic activity was also observed on linear primed single-stranded M13 mp18 DNA as a template. By immunoblot analysis using specific rabbit antisera, 039p and 048p were both detected in the logarithmic and stationary phases of S. solfataricus growth curve. This is the first report of the identification and biochemical characterization of two distinct DNA polymerase processivity factors from the same organism. The significance of these findings for the understanding of the DNA replication process in Archaea is discussed. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Once-through hybrid sulfur process for nuclear hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Y. H.

2008-01-01

Increasing concern about the global climate change spurs the development of low- or zero-carbon energy system. Nuclear hydrogen production by water electrolysis would be the one of the short-term solutions, but low efficiency and high production cost (high energy consumption) is the technical hurdle to be removed. In this paper the once-through sulfur process composed of the desulfurization and the water electrolysis systems is proposed. Electrode potential for the conventional water electrolysis (∼2.0 V) can be reduced significantly by the anode depolarization using sulfur dioxide: down to 0.6 V depending on the current density This depolarized electrolysis is the electrolysis step of the hybrid sulfur process originally proposed by the Westinghouse. However; recycling of sulfur dioxide requires a high temperature heat source and thus put another technical hurdle on the way to nuclear hydrogen production: the development of high temperature nuclear reactors and corresponding sulfuric acid decomposition system. By the once-through use of sulfur dioxide rather than the closed recycle, the hurdle can be removed. For the sulfur feed, the desulfurization system is integrated into the water electrolysis system. Fossil fuels include a few percent of sulfur by weight. During the refinement or energy conversion, most of the sulfur should be separated The separated sulfur can be fed to the water electrolysis system and the final product would be hydrogen and sulfuric acid, which is number one chemical in the world by volume. Lowered electrode potential and additional byproduct, the sulfuric acid, can provide economically affordable hydrogen. In this study, the once-through hybrid sulfur process for hydrogen production was proposed and the process was optimized considering energy consumption in electrolysis and sulfuric acid concentration. Economic feasibility of the proposed process was also discussed. Based on currently available experimental data for the electrode

The life sulfuric: microbial ecology of sulfur cycling in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wasmund, Kenneth; Mußmann, Marc; Loy, Alexander

2017-08-01

Almost the entire seafloor is covered with sediments that can be more than 10 000 m thick and represent a vast microbial ecosystem that is a major component of Earth's element and energy cycles. Notably, a significant proportion of microbial life in marine sediments can exploit energy conserved during transformations of sulfur compounds among different redox states. Sulfur cycling, which is primarily driven by sulfate reduction, is tightly interwoven with other important element cycles (carbon, nitrogen, iron, manganese) and therefore has profound implications for both cellular- and ecosystem-level processes. Sulfur-transforming microorganisms have evolved diverse genetic, metabolic, and in some cases, peculiar phenotypic features to fill an array of ecological niches in marine sediments. Here, we review recent and selected findings on the microbial guilds that are involved in the transformation of different sulfur compounds in marine sediments and emphasise how these are interlinked and have a major influence on ecology and biogeochemistry in the seafloor. Extraordinary discoveries have increased our knowledge on microbial sulfur cycling, mainly in sulfate-rich surface sediments, yet many questions remain regarding how sulfur redox processes may sustain the deep-subsurface biosphere and the impact of organic sulfur compounds on the marine sulfur cycle. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sulfur Removal by Adding Iron During the Digestion Process of High-sulfur Bauxite

Science.gov (United States)

Zhanwei, Liu; Hengwei, Yan; Wenhui, Ma; Keqiang, Xie; Dunyong, Li; Licong, Zheng; Pengfei, Li

2018-04-01

This paper proposes a novel approach to sulfur removal by adding iron during the digestion process. Iron can react with high-valence sulfur (S2O3 2-, SO3 2-, SO4 2-) to generate S2- at digestion temperature, and then S2- enter red mud in the form of Na3FeS3 to be removed. As iron dosage increases, high-valence sulfur concentration decreases, but the concentration of S2- increases; sulfur digestion rate decreases while sulfur content in red mud markedly increases; the alumina digestion rate, conversely, remains fairly stable. So sulfur can be removed completely by adding iron in digestion process, which provide a theoretical basis for the effective removal of sulfur in alumina production process.

Nanostructured sulfur cathodes

KAUST Repository

Yang, Yuan

2013-01-01

Rechargeable Li/S batteries have attracted significant attention lately due to their high specific energy and low cost. They are promising candidates for applications, including portable electronics, electric vehicles and grid-level energy storage. However, poor cycle life and low power capability are major technical obstacles. Various nanostructured sulfur cathodes have been developed to address these issues, as they provide greater resistance to pulverization, faster reaction kinetics and better trapping of soluble polysulfides. In this review, recent developments on nanostructured sulfur cathodes and mechanisms behind their operation are presented and discussed. Moreover, progress on novel characterization of sulfur cathodes is also summarized, as it has deepened the understanding of sulfur cathodes and will guide further rational design of sulfur electrodes. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The complete genome sequence of Staphylothermus marinus reveals differences in sulfur metabolism among heterotrophic Crenarchaeota

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, iain J.; Dharmarajan, Lakshmi; Rodriguez, Jason; Hooper, Sean; Porat, Iris; Ulrich, Luke E.; Elkins, James G.; Mavromatis, Kostas; Sun, Hui; Land, Miriam; Lapidus, Alla; Lucas, Susan; Barry, Kerrie; Huber, Harald; Zhulin, Igor B.; Whitman, William B.; Mukhopadhyay, Biswarup; Woese, Carl; Bristow, James; Kyrpides, Nikos

2008-09-05

Staphylothermus marinus is an anaerobic, sulfur-reducing peptide fermenter of the archaeal phylum Crenarchaeota. It is the third heterotrophic, obligate sulfur reducing crenarchaeote to be sequenced and provides an opportunity for comparative analysis of the three genomes. The 1.57 Mbp genome of the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeote Staphylothermus marinus has been completely sequenced. The main energy generating pathways likely involve 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductases and ADP-forming acetyl-CoA synthases. S. marinus possesses several enzymes not present in other crenarchaeotes including a sodium ion-translocating decarboxylase likely to be involved in amino acid degradation. S. marinus lacks sulfur-reducing enzymes present in the other two sulfur-reducing crenarchaeotes that have been sequenced - Thermofilum pendens and Hyperthermus butylicus. Instead it has three operons similar to the mbh and mbx operons of Pyrococcus furiosus, which may play a role in sulfur reduction and/or hydrogen production. The two marine organisms, S. marinus and H. butylicus, possess more sodium-dependent transporters than T. pendens and use symporters for potassium uptake while T. pendens uses an ATP-dependent potassium transporter. T. pendens has adapted to a nutrient-rich environment while H. butylicus is adapted to a nutrient-poor environment, and S. marinus lies between these two extremes. The three heterotrophic sulfur-reducing crenarchaeotes have adapted to their habitats, terrestrial vs. marine, via their transporter content, and they have also adapted to environments with differing levels of nutrients. Despite the fact that they all use sulfur as an electron acceptor, they are likely to have different pathways for sulfur reduction.

Methodology for Assessing the Lithium-Sulfur Battery Degradation for Practical Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knap, Vaclav; Stroe, Daniel-Ioan; Purkayastha, Rajlakshmi

2017-01-01

-S batteries are driven by different electrochemical processes than commonly used Lithium-ion batteries, which often results in their very different behavior. Therefore, the modelling and testing have to be adjusted to reflect this unique behavior to prevent possible biases. A methodology for a reference......Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) battery is an emerging battery technology receiving growing amount of attention due to its potential high contributions of gravimetric energy density, safety and low production cost. However, there are still some obstacles preventing their swift commercialization. Li...... performance test for the Li-S batteries is proposed in this study to point out the Li-S battery features and provide guidance to users how to deal with them and possible results into standardization....

Sulfur removal from low-sulfur gasoline and diesel fuel by metal-organic frameworks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagen, G.; Haemmerle, M.; Moos, R. [Functional Materials, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth (Germany); Malkowsky, I.M.; Kiener, C. [BASF SE, Ludwigshafen (Germany); Achmann, S.

2010-02-15

Several materials in the class of metal-organic frameworks (MOF) were investigated to determine their sorption characteristics for sulfur compounds from fuels. The materials were tested using different model oils and common fuels such as low-sulfur gasoline or diesel fuel at room temperature and ambient pressure. Thiophene and tetrahydrothiophene (THT) were chosen as model substances. Total-sulfur concentrations in the model oils ranged from 30 mg/kg (S from thiophene) to 9 mg/kg (S from tetrahydrothiophene) as determined by elementary analysis. Initial sulfur contents of 8 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg were identified for low-sulfur gasoline and for diesel fuel, respectively, by analysis of the common liquid fuels. Most of the MOF materials examined were not suitable for use as sulfur adsorbers. However, a high efficiency for sulfur removal from fuels and model oils was noticed for a special copper-containing MOF (copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate, Cu-BTC-MOF). By use of this material, 78 wt % of the sulfur content was removed from thiophene containing model oils and an even higher decrease of up to 86 wt % was obtained for THT-based model oils. Moreover, the sulfur content of low-sulfur gasoline was reduced to 6.5 mg/kg, which represented a decrease of more than 22 %. The sulfur level in diesel fuel was reduced by an extent of 13 wt %. Time-resolved measurements demonstrated that the sulfur-sorption mainly occurs in the first 60 min after contact with the adsorbent, so that the total time span of the desulfurization process can be limited to 1 h. Therefore, this material seems to be highly suitable for sulfur reduction in commercial fuels in order to meet regulatory requirements and demands for automotive exhaust catalysis-systems or exhaust gas sensors. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Crystal Structures of Two Isozymes of Citrate Synthase from Sulfolobus tokodaii Strain 7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Midori Murakami

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii strain 7 has two citrate synthase genes (ST1805-CS and ST0587-CS in the genome with 45% sequence identity. Because they exhibit similar optimal temperatures of catalytic activity and thermal inactivation profiles, we performed structural comparisons between these isozymes to elucidate adaptation mechanisms to high temperatures in thermophilic CSs. The crystal structures of ST1805-CS and ST0587-CS were determined at 2.0 Å and 2.7 Å resolutions, respectively. Structural comparison reveals that both of them are dimeric enzymes composed of two identical subunits, and these dimeric structures are quite similar to those of citrate synthases from archaea and eubacteria. ST0587-CS has, however, 55 ion pairs within whole dimer structure, while having only 36 in ST1805-CS. Although the number and distributions of ion pairs are distinct from each other, intersubunit ion pairs between two domains of each isozyme are identical especially in interterminal region. Because the location and number of ion pairs are in a trend with other CSs from thermophilic microorganisms, the factors responsible for thermal adaptation of ST-CS isozymes are characterized by ion pairs in interterminal region.

Determining total sulfur content in coal by MSC radiometric sulfur meter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czerw, B; Sikora, T; Golebiowski, W

1976-01-01

The MSC radiometric sulfur meter is used to determine total sulfur content in brown and black coals. Sulfur content is determined by measuring intensity of radiation beam which has travelled through a coal sample with the optimum constant surface mass. Construction of the MSC, consisting of a measuring head and the electronic measuring system, is shown in a scheme. AM-241 (with activity of 50 mCi) is the source of radiation. Energy of 25.3 keV (tin disc) is selected as the optimum. The SSU-70 probe with NaJ/Tl crystal is the radiation detector. The black coal sample weighs 10 g and the brown coal sample weighs 18 g. Duration of sulfur determination is 10 min. Error of sulfur determination ranges from plus or minus 0.2% to 0.3%. The results of operational tests of MSC radiometric sulfur meters in black and brown coal mines are discussed. Accuracy of measurement is shown in 5 tables. (8 refs.)

235Cf anti ν discrepancy and the sulfur discrepancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.R.

1979-01-01

The cantankerous discrepancy among measured values of anti ν for 235 Cf appears at last to be nearing a final resolution. A recent review has summarized the progress that has been achieved through revaluation upward by 0.5% of two manganese bath values anti ν and the performance of a new liquid scintillator measurement. A new manganese bath measurement at INEL is in reasonably good agreement with previous manganese bath values of 235 Cf anti ν. It now appears that the manganese bath values could still be systematically low by as much as 0.4% because the BNL-325 thermal absorption cross section for sulfur may be as much as 10% low. There is a bona fide discrepancy between measurements of the sulfur cross section by pile oscillators and the values derived from transmission measurements. The resolution of this discrepancy is a prerequisite to the final resolution of the 235 Cf anti ν discrepancy. 22 references

Isotopically labeled sulfur compounds and synthetic selenium and tellurium analogues to study sulfur metabolism in marine bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson L. Brock

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Members of the marine Roseobacter clade can degrade dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP via competing pathways releasing either methanethiol (MeSH or dimethyl sulfide (DMS. Deuterium-labeled [2H6]DMSP and the synthetic DMSP analogue dimethyltelluriopropionate (DMTeP were used in feeding experiments with the Roseobacter clade members Phaeobacter gallaeciensis DSM 17395 and Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, and their volatile metabolites were analyzed by closed-loop stripping and solid-phase microextraction coupled to GC–MS. Feeding experiments with [2H6]DMSP resulted in the incorporation of a deuterium label into MeSH and DMS. Knockout of relevant genes from the known DMSP demethylation pathway to MeSH showed in both species a residual production of [2H3]MeSH, suggesting that a second demethylation pathway is active. The role of DMSP degradation pathways for MeSH and DMS formation was further investigated by using the synthetic analogue DMTeP as a probe in feeding experiments with the wild-type strain and knockout mutants. Feeding of DMTeP to the R. pomeroyi knockout mutant resulted in a diminished, but not abolished production of demethylation pathway products. These results further corroborated the proposed second demethylation activity in R. pomeroyi. Isotopically labeled [2H3]methionine and 34SO42−, synthesized from elemental 34S8, were tested to identify alternative sulfur sources besides DMSP for the MeSH production in P. gallaeciensis. Methionine proved to be a viable sulfur source for the MeSH volatiles, whereas incorporation of labeling from sulfate was not observed. Moreover, the utilization of selenite and selenate salts by marine alphaproteobacteria for the production of methylated selenium volatiles was explored and resulted in the production of numerous methaneselenol-derived volatiles via reduction and methylation. The pathway of selenate/selenite reduction, however, proved to be strictly separated from sulfate reduction.

Influence of supplementing vitamin C to yearling steers fed a high sulfur diet during the finishing period on meat color, tenderness and protein degradation, and fatty acid profile of the longissimus muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Pogge, Danielle J; Lonergan, Steven M; Hansen, Stephanie L

2014-08-01

The objective was to determine the influence of vitamin C (VC) supplemented for approximately 102 d during the finishing period on color, tenderness, and fatty acid profile of longissimus thoracis (LT; n=136) from steers fed a 0.55% sulfur diet. Treatments included 4 supplemental VC concentrations: 1) 0 (CON), 2) 5 (5VC), 3) 10 (10VC), or 4) 20 (20VC) gVC·h(-1)∙d(-1) in a common diet. Increasing supplemental VC decreased (Pvitamin E and tended to increase (P≤0.07) calcium and iron content of steaks. No VC (P≥0.25) effect was noted for WBSF, calpain-1 autolysis, troponin T degradation, or most fatty acid profiles. A quadratic effect (P≤0.03) was observed for cholesterol and CLA content of LT. Under the conditions of our study, supplementing VC to steers fed a 0.55% sulfur diet late in the finishing period did not influence color or tenderness, but increased the vitamin E content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study and make sulfur dioxide treatment equipment for degradation process of fine silicate zircon ore by sulfuric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Dinh Thanh; Le Xuan Thu; Tran Van Hoa; Pham Kim Thoa

2003-01-01

The against absorbent method was researched by research group to solve the above issue. This method was carried out by adsorbent lime-milk agent on the buffer of porous material with diameter D=9 cm and height H=1.2 m. The main parameters were gained: absorbent effect reached 98% with lime-milk concentration of 14% in water, against air flow speed of 0.7 m/s and lime-milk output of 0.45 liter/minute. Base on the above main researched parameter, the SO 2 treatment equipment system by sulfuric acid was worked out with the scale of 0.5 ton/batch/day; absorbent tower diameter D=0.47 m, buffer height H=3.5 m and expenditure of 33.2 kg CaO/ton of zircon silicate. (author)

Biological removal of sulfur from coal flotation concentrate by culture isolated from coal washery plant tailing dump

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jorjani, E. [Azad University, Tehran (Iran). Mining Engineering Dept.

2005-10-15

A combination of flotation and microbial leaching processes was used to achieve acceptable level of sulfur and ash in Tabas coal sample of Iran. Representative sample of the minus 500 micron size fraction was subjected to flotation separation for the removal of ash and sulfur. The final concentrate with recovery, combustion value and sulfur content of 86.03, 86.45 and 1.35% respectively was achieved at pH 8 and following reagent dosage and operating conditions: collector: diesel oil (1200 g/ton), frother: MIBC (5%) + pine oil (95%) with concentration of 120 (g/ton), depressant: sodium silicate (1000 g/ton), particle size: {lt} 500 {mu} m and pulp density: 7%. Because of fine distribution of sulfur on Tabas coal macerals and lithotypes, high percentage of total sulfur (79.9%) is distributed in flotation concentrate and only 20.1% is yielded in the tails. So microbial leaching using a species isolated from coal washery plant tailing dump was used in batch system to remove sulfur from flotation concentrate. The conditions were optimized for the maximum removal of sulfur. These conditions were found to be pH of 2, particle size less than 0.18 mm; pulp density: 8%, temperature: 30 {sup o}C, shaking rate: 150 rpm conditions. Total sulfur and ash content was reduced by bioleaching from 13.55 and 1.35 in flotation concentrate to 9.47 and 0.55 in the final leached concentrate, a reduction of 35 and 61.9% respectively. Sterilization of coal adversely affects the sulfur reduction. The results suggest that the isolated culture is sufficiently effective for depyritization of Tabas coal flotation concentrate in stirred system.

Genomic Insights into the Sulfur Metabolism of Phototrophic Green Sulfur Bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik; Bryant, Donald A.

2008-01-01

Green sulfur bacteria (GSB) utilize various combinations of sulfide, elemental sulfur, thiosulfate, ferrous iron, and hydrogen for anaerobic photoautotrophic growth. Genome sequence data is currently available for 12 strains of GSB. We present here a genome-based survey of the distribution...... and phylogenies of genes involved in oxidation of sulfur compounds in these strains. Sulfide:quinone reductase, encoded by sqr, is the only known sulfur-oxidizing enzyme found in all strains. All sulfide-utilizing strains contain the dissimilatory sulfite reductase dsrABCEFHLNMKJOPT genes, which appear...... to be involved in elemental sulfur utilization. All thiosulfate-utilizing strains have an identical sox gene cluster (soxJXYZAKBW). The soxCD genes found in certain other thiosulfate-utilizing organisms like Paracoccus pantotrophus are absent from GSB. Genes encoding flavocytochrome c (fccAB), adenosine-5...

Capital cost: high and low sulfur coal plants-1200 MWe. [High sulfur coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-01-01

This Commercial Electric Power Cost Study for 1200 MWe (Nominal) high and low sulfur coal plants consists of three volumes. The high sulfur coal plant is described in Volumes I and II, while Volume III describes the low sulfur coal plant. The design basis and cost estimate for the 1232 MWe high sulfur coal plant is presented in Volume I, and the drawings, equipment list and site description are contained in Volume II. The reference design includes a lime flue gas desulfurization system. A regenerative sulfur dioxide removal system using magnesium oxide is also presented as an alternate in Section 7 Volume II. The design basis, drawings and summary cost estimate for a 1243 MWe low sulfur coal plant are presented in Volume III. This information was developed by redesigning the high sulfur coal plant for burning low sulfur sub-bituminous coal. These coal plants utilize a mechanical draft (wet) cooling tower system for condenser heat removal. Costs of alternate cooling systems are provided in Report No. 7 in this series of studies of costs of commercial electrical power plants.

Characterization of desulfurization, denitrogenation and process sulfur transfer during hydropyrolysis of Chinese high sulfur coals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun Chenggong; Li Baoqing [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan (China). State Key Lab. of Coal Conversion; Snape, C.E. [Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow (United Kingdom). Dept. of Pure and Applied Chemistry

1997-12-31

The process desulphurization and denitrogenation of Chinese high sulfur coals and the characteristics of sulfur transformation during non-catalytic hydropyrolysis were investigated by a 10 g fixed-bed reactor and a small-scaled reactor with online spectrometry respectively. It was indicated that more than 70% of the total sulfur of the two high sulfur coals and almost all pyritic sulfur are removed as H{sub 2}S, leaving the char and tar products with much less sulfur distribution. The liability of sulfur transformation to tar products is closely related to the thiophenic structure forms rather than sulfidic forms. At the same time, the formation of trace amount of sulfur dioxide indicates the presence of inherent sulfur oxidation reactions inside coal frame structures even under H{sub 2} pressure. (orig.)

Joint project final report, Task II: Sulfur chemistry, Task III: Nitrogen Chemistry[Straw fired power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glarborg, P.; Lans, R. van der; Weigang, L.; Arendt Jensen, P.; Degn Jensen, A.; Dam-Johansen, K.

2001-09-01

It is the aim of the project to promote the use of biomass in the production of power and heat in Denmark as well as enhancing the technology base of the Danish industry within this area. The project involves, the following task areas: 1) Deposit Build-up; 2) Sulfur Chemistry; 3) Nitrogen Chemistry; and 4) Furnace Modeling. The present report covers the activities in task 2 and 3, which are carried out at Department of Chemical Engineering, DTU. Task 2: Sulfur chemistry: The lab-scale results show that the amount of sulfur released into the gas-phase increases at high temperatures. Other process parameters such as oxygen concentration have less impact. Little sulfur is apparently released during char oxidation. The experiments show that about 40% of the sulfur is released during pyrolysis at 400 {sup d}eg{sup .}C. At combustion conditions it was found that about 50% of the sulfur is released at 500{sup d}eg.{sup C}; above this temperature an almost linear correlation is found beteen sulfur release and combustion temperature up to 80-85% release at 950{sup d}eg.{sup C}. The experiments are in agreement with results from full scale straw fired grate boilers, indicating that only a small amount of fuel-sulfur is fixed in the bottom ash under typical operating conditions. The results are important in order to understand the varying emission levels observed in full-scala systems and provide guidelines for low SO{sub 2} operation. Task 3: Nitrogen chemistry: In the nitgrogen chemistry submodel volatile-N is released as NH{sub 3} and N{sub 2}. The ammonia can react further to N{sub 2} or NO. Char nitrogen is oxidized to NO, and the char bed acts as a catalyst for the reduction of NO to N{sub 2}. Predictions with the bed-model including the NO submodel indicate that when all volatile nitrogen is converted to NH{sub 3}, the concentrations og NH{sub 3} are significantly overpredicted. This means that either the NH{sub 3} reaction rates are underpredicted or that a smaller

In-situ sulfuration synthesis of sandwiched spherical tin sulfide/sulfur-doped graphene composite with ultra-low sulfur content

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bing; Yang, Yaqing; Wang, Zhixuan; Huang, Shoushuang; Wang, Yanyan; Wang, Shanshan; Chen, Zhiwen; Jiang, Yong

2018-02-01

SnS is widely studied as anode materials since of its superior structural stability and physicochemical property comparing with other Sn-based composites. Nevertheless, the inconvenience of phase morphology control and excessive consumption of sulfur sources during synthesis hinder the scalable application of SnS nanocomposites. Herein, we report a facile in-situ sulfuration strategy to synthesize sandwiched spherical SnS/sulfur-doped graphene (SnS/S-SG) composite. An ultra-low sulfur content with approximately stoichiometric ratio of Sn:S can effectively promote the sulfuration reaction of SnO2 to SnS and simultaneous sulfur-doping of graphene. The as-prepared SnS/S-SG composite shows a three-dimensional interconnected spherical structure as a whole, in which SnS nanoparticles are sandwiched between the multilayers of graphene sheets forming a hollow sphere. The sandwiched sphere structure and high S doping amount can improve the binding force between SnS and graphene, as well as the structural stability and electrical conductivity of the composite. Thus, a high reversibility of conversion reaction, promising specific capacity (772 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 C) and excellent rate performance (705 and 411 mAh g-1 at 1 C and 10 C, respectively) are exhibited in the SnS/S-SG electrode, which are much higher than that of the SnS/spherical graphene synthesized by traditional post-sulfuration method.

ADVANCED SULFUR CONTROL CONCEPTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Apostolos A. Nikolopoulos; Santosh K. Gangwal; William J. McMichael; Jeffrey W. Portzer

2003-01-01

Conventional sulfur removal in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants involves numerous steps: COS (carbonyl sulfide) hydrolysis, amine scrubbing/regeneration, Claus process, and tail-gas treatment. Advanced sulfur removal in IGCC systems involves typically the use of zinc oxide-based sorbents. The sulfides sorbent is regenerated using dilute air to produce a dilute SO{sub 2} (sulfur dioxide) tail gas. Under previous contracts the highly effective first generation Direct Sulfur Recovery Process (DSRP) for catalytic reduction of this SO{sub 2} tail gas to elemental sulfur was developed. This process is currently undergoing field-testing. In this project, advanced concepts were evaluated to reduce the number of unit operations in sulfur removal and recovery. Substantial effort was directed towards developing sorbents that could be directly regenerated to elemental sulfur in an Advanced Hot Gas Process (AHGP). Development of this process has been described in detail in Appendices A-F. RTI began the development of the Single-step Sulfur Recovery Process (SSRP) to eliminate the use of sorbents and multiple reactors in sulfur removal and recovery. This process showed promising preliminary results and thus further process development of AHGP was abandoned in favor of SSRP. The SSRP is a direct Claus process that consists of injecting SO{sub 2} directly into the quenched coal gas from a coal gasifier, and reacting the H{sub 2}S-SO{sub 2} mixture over a selective catalyst to both remove and recover sulfur in a single step. The process is conducted at gasifier pressure and 125 to 160 C. The proposed commercial embodiment of the SSRP involves a liquid phase of molten sulfur with dispersed catalyst in a slurry bubble-column reactor (SBCR).

The significance of elemental sulfur dissolution in liquid electrolyte lithium sulfur batteries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harks, Peter Paul R.M.L.; Robledo, Carla B.; Verhallen, Tomas W.; Notten, Peter H.L.; Mulder, Fokko M.

2017-01-01

It is shown that the dissolution of elemental sulfur into, and its diffusion through, the electrolyte allows cycling of lithium–sulfur batteries in which the sulfur is initially far removed and electrically insulated from the current collector. These findings help to understand why liquid

Bioreactor microbial ecosystems for thiocyanate and cyanide degradation unravelled with genome-resolved metagenomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kantor, Rose S; van Zyl, A Wynand; van Hille, Robert P; Thomas, Brian C; Harrison, Susan T L; Banfield, Jillian F

2015-12-01

Gold ore processing uses cyanide (CN(-) ), which often results in large volumes of thiocyanate- (SCN(-) ) contaminated wastewater requiring treatment. Microbial communities can degrade SCN(-) and CN(-) , but little is known about their membership and metabolic potential. Microbial-based remediation strategies will benefit from an ecological understanding of organisms involved in the breakdown of SCN(-) and CN(-) into sulfur, carbon and nitrogen compounds. We performed metagenomic analysis of samples from two laboratory-scale bioreactors used to study SCN(-) and CN(-) degradation. Community analysis revealed the dominance of Thiobacillus spp., whose genomes harbour a previously unreported operon for SCN(-) degradation. Genome-based metabolic predictions suggest that a large portion of each bioreactor community is autotrophic, relying not on molasses in reactor feed but using energy gained from oxidation of sulfur compounds produced during SCN(-) degradation. Heterotrophs, including a bacterium from a previously uncharacterized phylum, compose a smaller portion of the reactor community. Predation by phage and eukaryotes is predicted to affect community dynamics. Genes for ammonium oxidation and denitrification were detected, indicating the potential for nitrogen removal, as required for complete remediation of wastewater. These findings suggest optimization strategies for reactor design, such as improved aerobic/anaerobic partitioning and elimination of organic carbon from reactor feed. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Allosteric regulation of the GTP activated and CTP inhibited uracil phosphoribosyltransferase from the thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kaj Frank; Arent, Susan; Larsen, Sine

2005-01-01

The upp gene, encoding uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRTase) from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity. It behaved as a tetramer in solution and showed optimal activity at pH 5.5 when...... assayed at 60 °C. Enzyme activity was strongly stimulated by GTP and inhibited by CTP. GTP caused an approximately 20-fold increase in the turnover number kcat and raised the Km values for 5-phosphoribosyl-1-diphosphate (PRPP) and uracil by two- and >10-fold, respectively. The inhibition by CTP...... was complex as it depended on the presence of the reaction product UMP. Neither CTP nor UMP were strong inhibitors of the enzyme, but when present in combination their inhibition was extremely powerful. Ligand binding analyses showed that GTP and PRPP bind cooperatively to the enzyme and that the inhibitors...

Self-assembled peptides for coating of active sulfur nanoparticles in lithium–sulfur battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jewel, Yead; Yoo, Kisoo; Liu, Jin; Dutta, Prashanta

2016-01-01

Development of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is hindered by poor cyclability due to the loss of sulfur, although Li–S battery can provide high energy density. Coating of sulfur nanoparticles can help maintain active sulfur in the cathode of Li–S battery, and hence increase the cyclability. Among myriad of coating materials, synthetic peptides are very attractive because of their spontaneous self-assembly as well as electrical conductive characteristics. In this study, we explored the use of various synthetic peptides as a coating material for sulfur nanoparticles. Atomistic simulations were carried out to identify optimal peptide structure and density for coating sulfur nanoparticles. Three different peptide models, poly-proline, poly(leucine–lysine) and poly-histidine, are selected for this study based on their peptide–peptide and peptide-sulfur interactions. Simulation results show that both poly-proline and poly(leucine–lysine) can form self-assembled coating on sulfur nanoparticles (2–20 nm) in pyrrolidinone, a commonly used solvent for cathode slurry. We also studied the structural integrity of these synthetic peptides in organic [dioxolane (DOL) and dimethoxyethane (DME)] electrolyte used in Li–S battery. Both peptides show stable structures in organic electrolyte (DOL/DME) used in Li–S battery. Furthermore, the dissolution of sulfur molecules in organic electrolyte is investigated in the absence and presence of these peptide coatings. It was found that only poly(leucine–lysine)-based peptide can most effectively suppress the sulfur loss in electrolyte, suggesting its potential applications in Li–S battery as a coating material.Graphical abstract

Fact Sheet: Alternative Low-Sulfur Diesel Fuel Transition Program for Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

This fact sheet summarizes EPA's final rule modifying the diesel fuel regulations to apply an effective date of 6-1-2010 for 15 ppm sulfur requirements for highway, nonroad, locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced/imported for, distributed

Sulfur-carbon nanocomposites and their application as cathode materials in lithium-sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Chengdu; Dudney, Nancy J.; Howe, Jane Y.

2017-08-01

The invention is directed in a first aspect to a sulfur-carbon composite material comprising: (i) a bimodal porous carbon component containing therein a first mode of pores which are mesopores, and a second mode of pores which are micropores; and (ii) elemental sulfur contained in at least a portion of said micropores. The invention is also directed to the aforesaid sulfur-carbon composite as a layer on a current collector material; a lithium ion battery containing the sulfur-carbon composite in a cathode therein; as well as a method for preparing the sulfur-composite material.

Sulfurized carbon: a class of cathode materials for high performance lithium/sulfur batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng S. Zhang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Liquid electrolyte lithium/sulfur (Li/S batteries cannot come into practical applications because of many problems such as low energy efficiency, short cycle life, and fast self-discharge. All these problems are related to the dissolution of lithium polysulfide, a series of sulfur reduction intermediates, in the liquid electrolyte, and resulting parasitic reactions with the Li anode. Covalently binding sulfur onto carbon surface is a solution to completely eliminate the dissolution of lithium polysulfide and make the Li/S battery viable for practical applications. This can be achieved by replacing elemental sulfur with sulfurized carbon as the cathode material. This article reviews the current efforts on this subject and discusses the syntheses, electrochemical properties, and prospects of the sulfurized carbon as a cathode material in the rechargeable Li/S batteries.

Effect of different sulfur levels from various sources on brassica napus growth and soil sulfur fractions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid, R.; Khan, K.S.; Islam, M.; Yousaf, M.; Shabbir, G.

2012-01-01

A two year field study was conducted at two different locations in northern rain fed Punjab, Pakistan to assess the effect of different rates of sulfur application from various sources on soil sulfur fractions and growth of Brassica napus. The treatments included three sulfur sources i. e., single super phosphate, ammonium sulfate and gypsum each applied at five different rates (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg S ha/sup -1/ ). Sulfur application had a significant positive effect on the growth and yield parameters of Brassica napus. Among the sulfur sources ammonium sulfate resulted in maximum increase in plant growth and yield parameters, followed by single super phosphate. Sulfur content and uptake by crop plants was significantly higher with ammonium sulfate application as compared to other two sulfur sources. Sulfur application also exerted a significant positive effect on different S fractions in the soils. On an average, 18.0% of the applied sulfur got incorporated into CaCl/sub 2/ extractable sulfur fraction, while 15.6% and 35.5% entered into adsorbed and organic sulfur fractions in the soils, respectively. The value cost ratio increased significantly by sulfur application up to 30 kg ha/sup -1/. Among sulfur sources, ammonium sulfate performed best giving the highest net return. (author)

Reference Performance Test Methodology for Degradation Assessment of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knap, Vaclav; Stroe, Daniel-Ioan; Purkayastha, Rajlakshmi

2018-01-01

Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) is an emerging battery technology receiving a growing amount of attention due to its potentially high gravimetric energy density, safety, and low production cost. However, there are still some obstacles preventing its swift commercialization. Li-S batteries are driven...... by different electrochemical processes than commonly used Lithium-ion batteries, which often results in very different behavior. Therefore, the testing and modeling of these systems have to be adjusted to reflect their unique behavior and to prevent possible bias. A methodology for a Reference Performance Test...... (RPT) for the Li-S batteries is proposed in this study to point out Li-S battery features and provide guidance to users how to deal with them and possible results into standardization. The proposed test methodology is demonstrated for 3.4 Ah Li-S cells aged under different conditions....

Sulfur nanocrystals anchored graphene composite with highly improved electrochemical performance for lithium-sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jun; Dong, Zimin; Wang, Xiuli; Zhao, Xuyang; Tu, Jiangping; Su, Qingmei; Du, Gaohui

2014-12-01

Two kinds of graphene-sulfur composites with 50 wt% of sulfur are prepared using hydrothermal method and thermal mixing, respectively. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectra mapping show that sulfur nanocrystals with size of ∼5 nm dispersed on graphene sheets homogeneously for the sample prepared by hydrothermal method (NanoS@G). While for the thermal mixed graphene-sulfur composite (S-G mixture), sulfur shows larger and uneven size (50-200 nm). X-ray Photoelectron Spectra (XPS) reveals the strong chemical bonding between the sulfur nanocrystals and graphene. Comparing with the S-G mixture, the NanoS@G composite shows highly improved electrochemical performance as cathode for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery. The NanoS@G composite delivers an initial capacity of 1400 mAh g-1 with the sulfur utilization of 83.7% at a current density of 335 mA g-1. The capacity keeps above 720 mAh g-1 over 100 cycles. The strong adherence of the sulfur nanocrystals on graphene immobilizes sulfur and polysulfides species and suppressed the "shuttle effect", resulting higher coulombic efficiency and better capacity retention. Electrochemical impedance also suggests that the strong bonding enabled rapid electronic/ionic transport and improved electrochemical kinetics, therefore good rate capability is obtained. These results demonstrate that the NanoS@G composite is a very promising candidate for high-performance Li-S batteries.

SMV1 virus-induced CRISPR spacer acquisition from the conjugative plasmid pMGB1 in Sulfolobus solfataricus P2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Erdmann, Susanne; Shah, Shiraz Ali; Garrett, Roger Antony

2013-01-01

Organisms of the crenarchaeal order Sulfolobales carry complex CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) adaptive immune systems. These systems are modular and show extensive structural and functional diversity, especially in their interference complexes. The primary...... targets are an exceptional range of diverse viruses, many of which propagate stably within cells and follow lytic life cycles without producing cell lysis. These properties are consistent with the difficulty of activating CRISPR spacer uptake in the laboratory, but appear to conflict with the high...... complexity and diversity of the CRISPR immune systems that are found among the Sulfolobales. In the present article, we re-examine the first successful induction of archaeal spacer acquisition in our laboratory that occurred exclusively for the conjugative plasmid pMGB1 in Sulfolobus solfataricus P2...

Volatile sulfur compounds in tropical fruits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert J. Cannon

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Global production and demand for tropical fruits continues to grow each year as consumers are enticed by the exotic flavors and potential health benefits that these fruits possess. Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs are often responsible for the juicy, fresh aroma of tropical fruits. This poses a challenge for analytical chemists to identify these compounds as most often VSCs are found at low concentrations in most tropical fruits. The aim of this review is to discuss the extraction methods, enrichment techniques, and instrumentation utilized to identify and quantify VSCs in natural products. This will be followed by a discussion of the VSCs reported in tropical and subtropical fruits, with particular attention to the odor and taste attributes of each compound. Finally, the biogenesis and enzymatic formation of specific VSCs in tropical fruits will be highlighted along with the contribution each possesses to the aroma of their respective fruit. Keywords: Tropical fruits, Volatile sulfur compounds, Extraction methods

CRADA Final Report For CRADA NO. CR-12-006 [Operation and Testing of an SO2-depolarized Electrolyzer (SDE) for the Purpose of Hydrogen and Sulfuric Acid Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summers, W. A.; Colon-Mercado, H. R.; Steimke, J. L.; Zahn, Steffen

2014-01-01

electrode assembly (MEA) was fabricated and installed in the single cell electrolyzer (60 cm 2 active cell area). Shakedown testing was conducted, and several modifications were made to the test facility equipment. Seven different MEAs were used during testing. Beginning on May 20, 2013, SRNL was able to test the SDE continuously for 1200 hours, including 1000 hours under power to generate hydrogen at an average rate of 10.8 liters per hour. The SDE was not removed or repaired during the 50-day test and was successfully restarted after each shutdown. The test was intentionally stopped after 1200 hours (1000 hours of hydrogen production) due to funding constraints. Post-test examination of the MEA using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis (EDAX) showed no elemental sulfur deposits or sulfur layer inside the cell, thus successfully achieving the test goals. The results demonstrated that the SDE could be operated for extended periods without major performance degradation or the buildup of sulfur inside the MEA. Air Products conducted an assessment of the economic viability of the SDE based on the ''as tested'' design. The results indicated that the SDE faces significant economic obstacles in its current state. Further development and scale-up are necessary before the SDE is ready for commercialization

The Sso7d protein of Sulfolobus solfataricus: in vitro relationship among different activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annamaria Guagliardi

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The physiological role of the nonspecific DNA-binding protein Sso7d from the crenarchaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus is unknown. In vitro studies have shown that Sso7d promotes annealing of complementary DNA strands (Guagliardi et al. 1997, induces negative supercoiling (Lopez-Garcia et al. 1998, and chaperones the disassembly and renaturation of protein aggregates in an ATP hydrolysis-dependent manner (Guagliardi et al. 2000. In this study, we examined the relationships among the binding of Sso7d to double-stranded DNA, its interaction with protein aggregates, and its ATPase activity. Experiments with 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid as probe demonstrated that exposed hydrophobic surfaces in Sso7d are responsible for interactions with protein aggregates and double-stranded DNA, whereas the site of ATPase activity has a non-hydrophobic character. The interactions of Sso7d with double-stranded DNA and with protein aggregates are mutually exclusive events, suggesting that the disassembly activity and the DNA-related activities of Sso7d may be competitive in vivo. In contrast, the hydrolysis of ATP by Sso7d is independent of the binding of Sso7d to double-stranded DNA or protein aggregates.

Degradation of ethyl mercaptan and its major intermediate diethyl disulfide by Pseudomonas sp. strain WL2.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiangqian; Wu, Chao; Liu, Nan; Li, Sujing; Li, Wei; Chen, Jianmeng; Chen, Dongzhi

2015-04-01

A Pseudomonas sp. strain WL2 that is able to efficiently metabolize ethyl mercaptan (EM) into diethyl disulfide (DEDS) through enzymatic oxidation was isolated from the activated sludge of a pharmaceutical wastewater plant. One hundred percent removal of 113.5 mg L(-1) EM and 110.3 mg L(-1) DEDS were obtained within 14 and 32 h, respectively. A putative EM degradation pathway that involved the catabolism via DEDS was proposed, which indicated DEDS were further mineralized into carbon dioxide (CO2), bacterial cells, and sulfate (SO4 (2-)) through the transformation of element sulfur and ethyl aldehyde. Degradation kinetics for EM and DEDS with different initial concentrations by strain WL2 were evaluated using Haldane-Andrews model with maximum specific degradation rates of 3.13 and 1.33 g g(-1) h(-1), respectively, and maximum degradation rate constants of 0.522 and 0.175 h(-1) using pseudo-first-order kinetic model were obtained. Results obtained that aerobic degradation of EM by strain WL2 was more efficient than those from previous studies. Substrate range studies of strain WL2 demonstrated its ability to degrade several mercaptans, disulfides, aldehydes, and methanol. All the results obtained highlight the potential of strain WL2 for the use in the biodegradation of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs).

Sodium sulfur electric vehicle battery engineering program final report, September 2, 1986--June 15, 1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-06-01

In September 1986 a contract was signed between Chloride Silent Power Limited (CSPL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) entitled ``Sodium Sulfur Electric Vehicle Battery Engineering Program``. The aim of the cost shared program was to advance the state of the art of sodium sulfur batteries for electric vehicle propulsion. Initially, the work statement was non-specific in regard to the vehicle to be used as the design and test platform. Under a separate contract with the DOE, Ford Motor Company was designing an advanced electric vehicle drive system. This program, called the ETX II, used a modified Aerostar van for its platform. In 1987, the ETX II vehicle was adopted for the purposes of this contract. This report details the development and testing of a series of battery designs and concepts which led to the testing, in the US, of three substantial battery deliverables.

Extractive de-sulfurization and de-ashing of high sulfur coals by oxidation with ionic liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saikia, Binoy K.; Khound, Kakoli; Baruah, Bimala P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Extractive de-sulfurization and de-ashing process for cleaning high sulfur coals. • The process removes inorganic as well as organic sulfur components from high sulfur coals. • The process has less risk to chemists and other surroundings. - Abstract: The environmental consequences of energy production from coals are well known, and are driving the development of desulfurization technologies. In this investigation, ionic liquids were examined for extractive desulfurization and de-ashing in industrially important high sulfur sub-bituminous Indian coals. The ionic liquids, namely, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (IL1) and 1-n-butyl 3-methylimidazolium chloride (IL2) were employed for desulfurization of a few Indian coal samples in presence of HCOOH/H 2 O 2 and V 2 O 5 . Results show the maximum removal of 50.20% of the total sulfur, 48.00% of the organic sulfur, and 70.37 wt% of the ash in this process. The ionic liquids were recovered and subsequently used for further desulfurization. FT-IR spectra reveal the transformation of organic sulfur functionalities into the sulfoxides (S=O) and sulfones (-SO 2 ) due to the oxidative reactions. The sulfate, pyrite and sulfides (aryls) signals in the near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of the oxidized coal samples showed sulfur transformation during the desulfurization process. The study demonstrates the removal of significant amount of inorganic as well as organic sulfur (aryls) components from the original high sulfur coal samples to make them cleaner

Conductive framework of inverse opal structure for sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Lu; Huang, Xiaopeng; Zeng, Guobo; Wu, Hua; Morbidelli, Massimo

2016-09-07

As a promising cathode inheritor for lithium-ion batteries, the sulfur cathode exhibits very high theoretical volumetric capacity and energy density. In its practical applications, one has to solve the insulating properties of sulfur and the shuttle effect that deteriorates cycling stability. The state-of-the-art approaches are to confine sulfur in a conductive matrix. In this work, we utilize monodisperse polystyrene nanoparticles as sacrificial templates to build polypyrrole (PPy) framework of an inverse opal structure to accommodate (encapsulate) sulfur through a combined in situ polymerization and melting infiltration approach. In the design, the interconnected conductive PPy provides open channels for sulfur infiltration, improves electrical and ionic conductivity of the embedded sulfur, and reduces polysulfide dissolution in the electrolyte through physical and chemical adsorption. The flexibility of PPy and partial filling of the inverse opal structure endure possible expansion and deformation during long-term cycling. It is found that the long cycling stability of the cells using the prepared material as the cathode can be substantially improved. The result demonstrates the possibility of constructing a pure conductive polymer framework to accommodate insulate sulfur in ion battery applications.

Equipment and obtention process of phosphorus-32 starting from sulfur-32

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alanis M, J.

2004-12-01

In the National Institute of Nuclear Research, it is the Radioisotopes Production plant, which covers in the area of the medicine 70% approximately of the national market and it exports to some countries of Latin America (Technetium-99, iodine-131, Sm-153 among other). At the moment the plant has modern facilities and certified with the ISO-9001-2000 standard, this, gives trust to the clients as for the quality of its products. Besides the production of radioisotopes dedicated for the medical area, the work of the plant tends to be more enlarged every time, producing new radioisotopes not only but with medical purposes but also industrial and agricultural ones, such it is the case of the production of Phosphorus-32 ( 32 P) that has applications with medical, industrial and in the agriculture purposes. The investigation studies from the prime matter (sulfur-32), sulfur purification, sulfur irradiation in the nuclear reactor and the obtaining process of 32 P in a prototype, its took us to design and to build the obtaining process from 32 P to more high level, which is presented in this work. To be able to select the obtaining method of 32 P that is presented it was necessary to study the methods that have been developed in the world, later on it was selected the way that is presented. In that way the physical and chemical properties of the sulfur were studied which is used as prime matter, the interest nuclear reaction was also studied to carry out the production of 32 P by means of the realization of mathematical calculations of irradiation of the sulfur in TRIGA Mark lll nuclear reactor. Once the sulfur is irradiated, it is necessary to carry out the radiochemical separation of the 32 P produced from the sulfur, for this, it was necessary to carry out experimental tests of this separation, later on it was developed a prototype where it was carried out this separation and finally it was developed the final equipment of production of 32 P mainly composed of three

Sulfur poisoning in cattle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Julian, R J; Harrison, K B

1975-01-01

A case of sulfur poisoning is described in which 12 of 20 cattle died following the feeding of sulfur. Respiratory distress and abdominal pain were the prominent signs. Examination of one animal revealed vasculitis and necrosis of the rumen and abomasal wall. The possible toxic effects of sulfur are discussed.

Sulfur Earth

Science.gov (United States)

de Jong, B. H.

2007-12-01

Variations in surface tension affect the buoyancy of objects floating in a liquid. Thus an object floating in water will sink deeper in the presence of dishwater fluid. This is a very minor but measurable effect. It causes for instance ducks to drown in aqueous solutions with added surfactant. The surface tension of liquid iron is very strongly affected by the presence of sulfur which acts as a surfactant in this system varying between 1.9 and 0.4 N/m at 10 mass percent Sulfur (Lee & Morita (2002), This last value is inferred to be the maximum value for Sulfur inferred to be present in the liquid outer core. Venting of Sulfur from the liquid core manifests itself on the Earth surface by the 105 to 106 ton of sulfur vented into the atmosphere annually (Wedepohl, 1984). Inspection of surface Sulfur emission indicates that venting is non-homogeneously distributed over the Earth's surface. The implication of such large variation in surface tension in the liquid outer core are that at locally low Sulfur concentration, the liquid outer core does not wet the predominantly MgSiO3 matrix with which it is in contact. However at a local high in Sulfur, the liquid outer core wets this matrix which in the fluid state has a surface tension of 0.4 N/m (Bansal & Doremus, 1986), couples with it, and causes it to sink. This differential and diapiric movement is transmitted through the essentially brittle mantle (1024 Pa.s, Lambeck & Johnson, 1998; the maximum value for ice being about 1030 Pa.s at 0 K, in all likely hood representing an upper bound of viscosity for all materials) and manifests itself on the surface by the roughly 20 km differentiation, about 0.1 % of the total mantle thickness, between topographical heights and lows with concomitant lateral movement in the crust and upper mantle resulting in thin skin tectonics. The brittle nature of the medium though which this movement is transmitted suggests that the extremes in topography of the D" layer are similar in range to

Effects of sulfur dioxide pollution on bark epiphytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coker, P D

1967-01-01

The destructive effects of sulfur dioxide pollution on epiphytic bryophytes is seen to be due to chlorophyll degradation and the impairment of cell structure and function through plasmolysis. Morphological changes noted by Pearson and Skye (1965) in lichens were not seen, although stunting and infertility are evident in epiphyte remnants in polluted areas. The investigation of the ion exchange and buffer capacities of sycamore bark indicates a loss of both in approximate proportion to the degree of pollution. Smoke and aerosol particles are not considered to be of particular importance at the present time although they may well have been important in the past.

Biogenic sulfur compounds and the global sulfur cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aneja, V.P.; Aneja, A.P.; Adams, D.F.

1982-01-01

Field measurements of biogenic sulfur compounds shows a great variation in concentrations and emission rates for H 2 S, DMS, CS 2 and COS. Measurements by the chamber method and estimates from micrometeorological sampling are employed to determine the earth-atmosphere flux of these gases. Much of the variation can be attributed to differences of climate and surface conditions, with marshes being a large source of biogenic sulfur (mean contribution 4 x 10 to the 6th ton/year maximum contribution 142 x 10 to the 6th ton/year). Considering that the estimated biogenic contribution needed to balance the global sulfur cycle ranges from 40- 230 x 10 to the 6th tons/year, the mean values are not sufficient to balance this cycle. Further experimental investigations are suggested in order to characterize the biogenic processes adequately

Final Report - Management of High Sulfur HLW, VSL-13R2920-1, Rev. 0, dated 10/31/2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kruger, Albert A.; Gan, H.; Pegg, I. L.; Feng, Z.; Gan, H; Joseph, I.; Matlack, K. S.

2013-11-13

The present report describes results from a series of small-scale crucible tests to determine the extent of corrosion associated with sulfur containing HLW glasses and to develop a glass composition for a sulfur-rich HLW waste stream, which was then subjected to small-scale melter testing to determine the maximum acceptable sulfate loadings. In the present work, a new glass formulation was developed and tested for a projected Hanford HLW composition with sulfate concentrations high enough to limit waste loading. Testing was then performed on the DM10 melter system at successively higher waste loadings to determine the maximum waste loading without the formation of a separate sulfate salt phase. Small scale corrosion testing was also conducted using the glass developed in the present work, the glass developed in the initial phase of this work [26], and a high iron composition, all at maximum sulfur concentrations determined from melter testing, in order to assess the extent of Inconel 690 and MA758 corrosion at elevated sulfate contents.

Effects of mix ratio, moisture content and aeration rate on sulfur odor emissions during pig manure composting.

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Bing; Li, Shuyan; Michel, Frederick; Li, Guoxue; Luo, Yuan; Zhang, Difang; Li, Yangyang

2016-10-01

Sulfur compounds in swine manure can cause odor emissions during composting if conditions are not conducive to their rapid oxidation and degradation. In this study, the effects of controllable composting process variables on sulfur odor emissions were investigated. These included pig manure to corn stalk mix ratio (0.7:1, 1.5:1 and 2.2:1dw basis), initial moisture content (60%, 65%, 70% and 75%) and aeration rate (1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0m(3)m(-3)h(-1)). The compounds measured were carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptan, diethyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfide (Me2S) and dimethyl disulfide (Me2SS). The results showed that total sulfur losses ranged from 3.9% to 18.3% after 26days of composting. Me2S and Me2SS were the primary (>59.61%) sulfur compounds released during this period. After turning, emission rates of both Me2S and Me2SS increased. Emissions of the other six sulfur compounds were low and inconsistent during composting. Within the compost, feedstock mix ratio significantly influenced the concentration of Me2SS, while aeration rate significantly affected Me2S concentration (pMoisture content did not have a significant effect on the concentrations of either of these two compounds. Concentrations of sulfur odor compounds were the lowest at the highest aeration rate. Therefore, high aeration rates during the thermophilic phase, especially after turning, are recommended to minimize sulfur odors produced during swine manure composting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genomic and Evolutionary Perspectives on Sulfur Metabolism in Green Sulfur Bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik; Bryant, Donald A.

2008-01-01

Green sulfur bacteria (GSB) are anaerobic photoautotrophs that oxidize sulfide, elemental sulfur, thiosulfate, ferrous iron, and hydrogen for growth. We present here an analysis of the distribution and evolution of enzymes involved in oxidation of sulfur compounds in GSB based on genome sequence......, in combination with phylogenetic analyses, suggests that the Dsr system in GSB could be a recent acquisition, which was obtained by lateral gene transfer in part from sulfideoxidizing bacteria and in part from sulfate-reducing bacteria. All thiosulfate-utilizing GSB strains have an identical sox gene cluster...

Acidithiobacillus caldus sulfur oxidation model based on transcriptome analysis between the wild type and sulfur oxygenase reductase defective mutant.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linxu Chen

Full Text Available Acidithiobacillus caldus (A. caldus is widely used in bio-leaching. It gains energy and electrons from oxidation of elemental sulfur and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds (RISCs for carbon dioxide fixation and growth. Genomic analyses suggest that its sulfur oxidation system involves a truncated sulfur oxidation (Sox system (omitting SoxCD, non-Sox sulfur oxidation system similar to the sulfur oxidation in A. ferrooxidans, and sulfur oxygenase reductase (SOR. The complexity of the sulfur oxidation system of A. caldus generates a big obstacle on the research of its sulfur oxidation mechanism. However, the development of genetic manipulation method for A. caldus in recent years provides powerful tools for constructing genetic mutants to study the sulfur oxidation system.An A. caldus mutant lacking the sulfur oxygenase reductase gene (sor was created and its growth abilities were measured in media using elemental sulfur (S(0 and tetrathionate (K(2S(4O(6 as the substrates, respectively. Then, comparative transcriptome analysis (microarrays and real-time quantitative PCR of the wild type and the Δsor mutant in S(0 and K(2S(4O(6 media were employed to detect the differentially expressed genes involved in sulfur oxidation. SOR was concluded to oxidize the cytoplasmic elemental sulfur, but could not couple the sulfur oxidation with the electron transfer chain or substrate-level phosphorylation. Other elemental sulfur oxidation pathways including sulfur diooxygenase (SDO and heterodisulfide reductase (HDR, the truncated Sox pathway, and the S(4I pathway for hydrolysis of tetrathionate and oxidation of thiosulfate in A. caldus are proposed according to expression patterns of sulfur oxidation genes and growth abilities of the wild type and the mutant in different substrates media.An integrated sulfur oxidation model with various sulfur oxidation pathways of A. caldus is proposed and the features of this model are summarized.

Facile synthesis, spectral properties and formation mechanism of sulfur nanorods in PEG-200

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Xin-yuan; Li, Li-yun; Zheng, Pu-sheng; Zheng, Wen-jie; Bai, Yan; Cheng, Tian-feng; Liu, Jie

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Homogeneous rod-like structure of sulfur with a typical diameter of about 80 nm and an average aspect ratio of about 6–8 was obtained. The sulfur nanoparticles could self-assemble from spherical particles to nanorods in PEG-200. During the self-assembling process, the absorption band showed a red shift which was due to the production of nanorods. Highlights: ► A novel, facile and greener method to synthesize sulfur nanorods by the solubilizing and templating effect of PEG-200 was reported. ► S 0 nanoparticles could self assemble in PEG-200 and finally form monodisperse and homogeneous rod-like structure with an average diameter of about 80 nm, the length ca. 600 nm. ► The absorption band showed a red shift and the RRS intensity enhanced continuously during the self-assembling process. ► PEG-200 induced the oriented attachment of sulfur nanoparticles by the terminal hydroxyl groups. -- Abstract: The synthesis of nano-sulfur sol by dissolving sublimed sulfur in a green solvent-PEG-200 was studied. Homogeneous rod-like structure of sulfur with a typical diameter of about 80 nm and an average aspect ratio of 6–8 was obtained. The structure, morphology, size, and stability of the products were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The spectral properties of the products were investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) absorption and resonance Rayleigh scattering spectroscopy (RRS). The results showed that the spherical sulfur nanoparticles could self-assemble into nanorods in PEG-200. During the self-assembling process, the absorption band showed a red shift and the RRS intensity enhanced continuously. There was physical cross-linking between PEG and sulfur nanoparticles. PEG-200 induced the oriented attachment of sulfur nanoparticles by the

Identification and characterisation of a novel acylpeptide hydrolase from Sulfolobus solfataricus: structural and functional insights.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Gogliettino

Full Text Available A novel acylpeptide hydrolase, named APEH-3(Ss, was isolated from the hypertermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. APEH is a member of the prolyl oligopeptidase family which catalyzes the removal of acetylated amino acid residues from the N terminus of oligopeptides. The purified enzyme shows a homotrimeric structure, unique among the associate partners of the APEH cluster and, in contrast to the archaeal APEHs which show both exo/endo peptidase activities, it appears to be a "true" aminopeptidase as exemplified by its mammalian counterparts, with which it shares a similar substrate specificity. Furthermore, a comparative study on the regulation of apeh gene expression, revealed a significant but divergent alteration in the expression pattern of apeh-3(Ss and apeh(Ss (the gene encoding the previously identified APEH(Ss from S. solfataricus, which is induced in response to various stressful growth conditions. Hence, both APEH enzymes can be defined as stress-regulated proteins which play a complementary role in enabling the survival of S. solfataricus cells under different conditions. These results provide new structural and functional insights into S. solfataricus APEH, offering a possible explanation for the multiplicity of this enzyme in Archaea.

Reverse gyrase functions in genome integrity maintenance by protecting DNA breaks in vivo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Han, Wenyuan; Feng, Xu; She, Qunxin

2017-01-01

Reverse gyrase introduces positive supercoils to circular DNA and is implicated in genome stability maintenance in thermophiles. The extremely thermophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus encodes two reverse gyrase proteins, TopR1 (topoisomerase reverse gyrase 1) and TopR2, whose functions in thermophilic...... and subsequent DNA degradation. The former occurred immediately after drug treatment, leading to chromosomal DNA degradation that concurred with TopR1 degradation, followed by chromatin protein degradation and DNA-less cell formation. To gain a further insight into TopR1 function, the expression of the enzyme...

Use of probabilistic safety analysis for design of emergency mitigation systems in hydrogen producer plant with sulfur-iodine technology, Section II: sulfuric acid decomposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendoza A, A.; Nelson E, P. F.; Francois L, J. L.

2009-10-01

sulfuric acid and finally washing the same; later some scenarios and modifications were analyzed to determine their impact on the likelihood of failure system and provide feedback design with the information produced in the probabilistic safety analysis. (Author)

Fabrication and Characterization of CZTS Thin Films Prepared by the Sulfurization of RF-Sputtered Stacked Metal Precursors

Science.gov (United States)

Abusnina, Mohamed; Moutinho, Helio; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; DeHart, Clay; Matin, Mohammed

2014-09-01

In this work, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were prepared by the sulfurization of metal precursors deposited sequentially via radio frequency magnetron sputtering on Mo-coated soda-lime glass. The stack order of the precursors was Mo/Zn/Sn/Cu. Sputtered precursors were annealed in sulfur atmosphere with nine different conditions to study the impact of sulfurization time and substrate temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the final CZTS films. X-ray fluorescence was used to determine the elemental composition ratio of the metal precursors. Final CZTS films were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). XRD and EDS were combined to investigate the films' structure and to identify the presence of secondary phases. XRD analysis indicated an improvement in film crystallinity with an increase of the substrate temperature and annealing times. Also indicated was the minimization and/or elimination of secondary phases when the films experienced longer annealing time. EDS revealed slight Sn loss in films sulfurized at 550°C; however, an increase of the sulfurization temperature to 600°C did not confirm these results. SEM study showed that films treated with higher temperatures exhibited dense morphology, indicating the completion of the sulfurization process. The estimated absorption coefficient was on the order of 104 cm-1 for all CZTS films, and the values obtained for the optical bandgap energy of the films were between 1.33 eV and 1.52 eV.

Performance of a pilot-scale packed bed reactor for perchlorate reduction using a sulfur oxidizing bacterial consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Boles, Amber R; Conneely, Teresa; McKeever, Robert; Nixon, Paul; Nüsslein, Klaus R; Ergas, Sarina J

2012-03-01

A novel sulfur-utilizing perchlorate reducing bacterial consortium successfully treated perchlorate (ClO₄⁻) in prior batch and bench-scale packed bed reactor (PBR) studies. This study examined the scale up of this process for treatment of water from a ClO ₄⁻ and RDX contaminated aquifer in Cape Cod Massachusetts. A pilot-scale upflow PBR (∼250-L) was constructed with elemental sulfur and crushed oyster shell packing media. The reactor was inoculated with sulfur oxidizing ClO₄⁻ reducing cultures enriched from a wastewater seed. Sodium sulfite provided a good method of dissolved oxygen removal in batch cultures, but was found to promote the growth of bacteria that carry out sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction, which inhibited ClO₄⁻ reduction in the pilot system. After terminating sulfite addition, the PBR successfully removed 96% of the influent ClO₄⁻ in the groundwater at an empty bed contact time (EBCT) of 12 h (effluent ClO₄⁻ of 4.2 µg L(-1)). Simultaneous ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ reduction was observed in the lower half of the reactor before reactions shifted to sulfur disproportionation and sulfate reduction. Analyses of water quality profiles were supported by molecular analysis, which showed distinct groupings of ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻ degrading organisms at the inlet of the PBR, while sulfur disproportionation was the primary biological process occurring in the top potion of the reactor. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CRADA Final Report For CRADA NO. CR-12-006 [Operation and Testing of an SO₂-depolarized Electrolyzer (SDE) for the Purpose of Hydrogen and Sulfuric Acid Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Summers, W. A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Colon-Mercado, H. R. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Steimke, J. L. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Zahn, Steffen [Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (United States)

2014-02-24

continuous operation. A new membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was fabricated and installed in the single cell electrolyzer (60 cm² active cell area). Shakedown testing was conducted, and several modifications were made to the test facility equipment. Seven different MEAs were used during testing. Beginning on May 20, 2013, SRNL was able to test the SDE continuously for 1200 hours, including 1000 hours under power to generate hydrogen at an average rate of 10.8 liters per hour. The SDE was not removed or repaired during the 50-day test and was successfully restarted after each shutdown. The test was intentionally stopped after 1200 hours (1000 hours of hydrogen production) due to funding constraints. Post-test examination of the MEA using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis (EDAX) showed no elemental sulfur deposits or sulfur layer inside the cell, thus successfully achieving the test goals. The results demonstrated that the SDE could be operated for extended periods without major performance degradation or the buildup of sulfur inside the MEA. Air Products conducted an assessment of the economic viability of the SDE based on the “as tested” design. The results indicated that the SDE faces significant economic obstacles in its current state. Further development and scale-up are necessary before the SDE is ready for commercialization.

Biomimetic Ant-Nest Electrode Structures for High Sulfur Ratio Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Guo; Dai, Yiling; Mao, Wenfeng; Zhao, Hui; Fu, Yanbao; Song, Xiangyun; En, Yunfei; Battaglia, Vincent S; Srinivasan, Venkat; Liu, Gao

2016-09-14

The lithium-sulfur (Li-S) rechargeable battery has the benefit of high gravimetric energy density and low cost. Significant research currently focuses on increasing the sulfur loading and sulfur/inactive-materials ratio, to improve life and capacity. Inspired by nature's ant-nest structure, this research results in a novel Li-S electrode that is designed to meet both goals. With only three simple manufacturing-friendly steps, which include slurry ball-milling, doctor-blade-based laminate casting, and the use of the sacrificial method with water to dissolve away table salt, the ant-nest design has been successfully recreated in an Li-S electrode. The efficient capabilities of the ant-nest structure are adopted to facilitate fast ion transportation, sustain polysulfide dissolution, and assist efficient precipitation. High cycling stability in the Li-S batteries, for practical applications, has been achieved with up to 3 mg·cm(-2) sulfur loading. Li-S electrodes with up to a 85% sulfur ratio have also been achieved for the efficient design of this novel ant-nest structure.

Sulfur contents and sulfur-isotope compositions of thiotrophic symbioses in bivalve molluscs and vestimentiferan worms

Science.gov (United States)

Vetter, R.D.; Fry, B.

1998-01-01

Total sulfur (S(TOT)), elemental sulfur (S??) and sulfur-isotope compositions (??34S) of marine animals were analyzed to determine whether these chemical characteristics could help distinguish animals with a sulfur-based, thiotrophic nutrition from animals whose nutrition is based on methanotrophy or on more normal consumption of phytoplankton-derived organic matter. The presence of S??was almost entirely confined to the symbiont-containing tissues of thiotrophs, but was sometimes undetectable in thiotrophic species where sulfide availability was probably low. When S??contents were subtracted, the remaining tissue-sulfur concentrations were similar for all nutritional groups. ??34S values were typically lower for thiotrophs than for other groups, although there was overlap in methanotroph and thiotroph values at some sites. Field evidence supported the existence of small to moderate (1 to 10???)34S fractionations in the uptake of sulfides and metabolism of thiosulfate. In general, a total sulfur content of >3% dry weight, the presence of elemental sulfur, and ??34S values less than + 5??? can be used to infer a thiotrophic mode of nutrition.

Layered sulfur/PEDOT:PSS nano composite electrodes for lithium sulfur cell applications

Science.gov (United States)

Anilkumar, K. M.; Jinisha, B.; Manoj, M.; Pradeep, V. S.; Jayalekshmi, S.

2018-06-01

Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) cells are emerging as the next generation energy storage devices owing to their impressive electrochemical properties with high theoretical specific capacity of 1675 mAh/g. Lack of electronic conductivity of sulfur, its volume expansion during high lithium intake and the shuttling effect due to the formation of soluble polysulfides are the main limitations, delaying the commercialization of this technology. To address these challenges, in the present work, the conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS is used as the covering matrix over the sulfur particles to improve their Li storage properties. The sulfur/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite is synthesised using the hydrothermal process and its formation with the polymer coating over sulfur nanoparticles is established from the XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FE-SEM and TEM studies. The electrochemical studies show that the cells assembled using the sulfur/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite as the cathode, with the components taken in the weight ratio of 9:1, offer a reversible capacity of 1191 mAh g-1 at 0.1C rate. These cells display stable electrochemical capacities over 200 cycles at gradually increasing current rates. The polymer layer facilitates electronic conduction and suppresses the polysulfide formation and the volume expansion of sulfur. A reversible capacity of 664 mAh g-1 is observed after 200 cycles at 1C rate with the capacity retention of 75 % of the initial stable capacity. The highlight of the present work is the possibility to achieve high discharge capacities at high C rates and the retention of a good percentage of the initial capacity over 200 cycles, for these Li-S cells.

Demand outlook for sulfur and high-sulfur petroleum coke

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koshkarov, V.Ya.; Danil' yan, P.G.; Feotov, V.E.; Gimaev, R.N.; Koshkarova, M.E.; Sadykova, S.R.; Vodovichenko, N.S.

1980-01-01

The feasibility of using sulfur and high-sulfur petroleum coke fines in pyrometallurgical processes and also in the chemical and coal-tar chemical industry is examined. Results of industrial tests on briquetting fines of petroleum coke with a petroleum binder are presented. The feasibility of using the obtained briquets in shaft furnace smelting of oxidized nickel ores, production of anode stock, and also in the chemical industry are demonstrated.

Confine sulfur in mesoporous metal–organic framework @ reduced graphene oxide for lithium sulfur battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao, Weizhai; Zhang, Zhian; Qu, Yaohui; Zhou, Chengkun; Wang, Xiwen; Li, Jie

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Metal organic framework @ reduced graphene oxide was applied for sulfur cathode. • MIL-101(Cr)@rGO/S composites are synthesized by a facile two-step liquid method. • Cycling stability of MIL-101(Cr)@rGO/S sulfur cathode was improved. -- Abstract: Mesoporous metal organic framework @ reduced graphene oxide (MIL-101(Cr)@rGO) materials have been used as a host material to prepare the multi-composite sulfur cathode through a facile and effective two-step liquid phase method successfully, which is different from the simple MIL-101(Cr)/S mixed preparation method. The successful reduced graphene oxide coating in the MIL-101(Cr)@rGO improve the electronic conductivity of meso-MOFs effectively. The discharge capacity and capacity retention rate of MIL-101(Cr)@rGO/S composite sulfur cathode are as high as 650 mAh g −1 and 66.6% at the 50th cycle at the current density of 335 mA g −1 . While the discharge capacity and capacity retention rate of MIL-101(Cr)/S mixed sulfur cathode is 458 mAh g −1 and 37.3%. Test results indicate that the MIL-101(Cr)@rGO is a promising host material for the sulfur cathode in the lithium–sulfur battery applications

Final Report Inspection of Aged/Degraded Containments Program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naus, Dan J [ORNL; Ellingwood, B R [Georgia Institute of Technology; Oland, C Barry [ORNL

2005-09-01

The Inspection of Aged/Degraded Containments Program had primary objectives of (1) understanding the significant factors relating corrosion occurrence, efficacy of inspection, and structural capacity reduction of steel containments and liners of reinforced concrete containments; (2) providing the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) reviewers a means of establishing current structural capacity margins or estimating future residual structural capacity margins for steel containments, and concrete containments as limited by liner integrity; (3) providing recommendations, as appropriate, on information to be requested of licensees for guidance that could be utilized by USNRC reviewers in assessing the seriousness of reported incidences of containment degradation; and (4) providing technical assistance to the USNRC (as requested) related to concrete technology. Primary program accomplishments have included development of a degradation assessment methodology; reviews of techniques and methods for inspection and repair of containment metallic pressure boundaries; evaluation of high-frequency acoustic imaging, magnetostrictive sensor, electromagnetic acoustic transducer, and multimode guided plate wave technologies for inspection of inaccessible regions of containment metallic pressure boundaries; development of a continuum damage mechanics-based approach for structural deterioration; establishment of a methodology for reliability-based condition assessments of steel containments and liners; and fragility assessments of steel containments with localized corrosion. In addition, data and information assembled under this program has been transferred to the technical community through review meetings and briefings, national and international conference participation, technical committee involvement, and publications of reports and journal articles. Appendix A provides a listing of program reports, papers, and publications; and Appendix B contains a listing of

Stability of sulfur slopes on Io

Science.gov (United States)

Clow, G. D.; Carr, M. H.

1980-01-01

The mechanical properties of elemental sulfur are such that the upper crust of Io cannot be primarily sulfur. For heat flows in the range 100-1000 ergs/sq cm sec sulfur becomes ductile within several hundred meters of the surface and would prevent the formation of calderas with depths greater than this. However, the one caldera for which precise depth data are available is 2 km deep, and this value may be typical. A study of the mechanical equilibrium of simple slopes shows that the depth to the zone of rapid ductile flow strongly controls the maximum heights for sulfur slopes. Sulfur scarps with heights greater than 1 km will fail for all heat flows greater than 180 ergs/sq cm sec and slope angles greater than 22.5 deg. The observed relief on Io is inconsistent with that anticipated for a predominantly sulfur crust. However, a silicate crust with several percent sulfur included satisfies both the mechanical constraints and the observed presence of sulfur on Io.

40 CFR 52.1881 - Control strategy: Sulfur oxides (sulfur dioxide).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

....0 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million BTU actual heat input for the coal-fired boiler and 0.4... BTU actual heat input for coal-fired boiler C exiting through stack 5. (3) 2.24 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million BTU acutal heat input for coal-fired boiler D exiting through stack 6. (E) In lieu of...

Solvent extraction of elemental sulfur from coal and a determination of its source using stable sulfur isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Hackley, Keith C.; Buchanan, D.H.; Coombs, K.; Chaven, C.; Kruse, C.W.

1990-01-01

Hot tetrachloroethene (perchloroethylene, PCE) extracts significant amounts of elemental sulfur (So) from weathered coals but not from pristine coals. The objective of this study was to determine whether So extracted by PCE is an oxidation product of pyrite or whether it originates in some way from unstable, organically-bound sulfur. The isotopic composition of the PCE-extracted So was compared to the isotopic compositions of the pyritic and the organic sulfur in a coal. The So was shown to have an isotopic signature similar to the pyritic sulfur. Additionally, the isotopic differences observed between the pyritic, So and sulfatic sulfur were consistent with bacterial mediated oxidation of sulfide sulfur (pyrite) as the source of both the sulfatic and elemental sulfur. ?? 1990.

Genus-specific protein binding to the large clusters of DNA repeats (short regularly spaced repeats) present in Sulfolobus genomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peng, Xu; Brügger, Kim; Shen, Biao

2003-01-01

terminally modified and corresponds to SSO454, an open reading frame of previously unassigned function. It binds specifically to DNA fragments carrying double and single repeat sequences, binding on one side of the repeat structure, and producing an opening of the opposite side of the DNA structure. It also...... recognizes both main families of repeat sequences in S. solfataricus. The recombinant protein, expressed in Escherichia coli, showed the same binding properties to the SRSR repeat as the native one. The SSO454 protein exhibits a tripartite internal repeat structure which yields a good sequence match...... with a helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif. Although this putative motif is shared by other archaeal proteins, orthologs of SSO454 were only detected in species within the Sulfolobus genus and in the closely related Acidianus genus. We infer that the genus-specific protein induces an opening of the structure...

Process for removing sulfur from sulfur-containing gases: high calcium fly-ash

Science.gov (United States)

Rochelle, Gary T.; Chang, John C. S.

1991-01-01

The present disclosure relates to improved processes for treating hot sulfur-containing flue gas to remove sulfur therefrom. Processes in accordance with the present invention include preparing an aqueous slurry composed of a calcium alkali source and a source of reactive silica and/or alumina, heating the slurry to above-ambient temperatures for a period of time in order to facilitate the formation of sulfur-absorbing calcium silicates or aluminates, and treating the gas with the heat-treated slurry components. Examples disclosed herein demonstrate the utility of these processes in achieving improved sulfur-absorbing capabilities. Additionally, disclosure is provided which illustrates preferred configurations for employing the present processes both as a dry sorbent injection and for use in conjunction with a spray dryer and/or bagfilter. Retrofit application to existing systems is also addressed.

Solvent extraction of elemental sulfur from coal and a determination of its source using stable sulfur isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hackley, K.C.; Buchanan, D.H.; Coombs, K.; Chaven, C.; Kruse, C.W. (Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL (USA). Chemistry Dept.)

1990-01-01

Hot tetrachloroethene (perchloroethylen PCE) extracts significant amounts of elemental sulfur (S{sup o}) from weathered coals but not from pristine coals. The objective of this study was to determine whether S{sup o} extracted by PCE is an oxidation product of pyrite or whether it originates in some way from unstable, organically-bound sulfur. The isotopic composition of the PCE-extracted S{sup o} was compared to the isotopic compositions of the pyritic and the organic sulfur in a coal. The S{sup o} was shown to have an isotopic signature similar to the pyritic sulfur. Additionally, the isotopic differences observed between the pyritic, S{sup o} and sulfatic sulfur were consistent with bacterial mediated oxidation of sulfide sulfur (pyrite) as the source of both the sulfatic and elemental sulfur. 21 refs., 2 tabs.

Preparation and electrochemical performance of sulfur-alumina cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Kang; Wang, Shengping; Zhang, Hanyu; Wu, Jinping

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Micron-sized alumina was synthesized as adsorbent for lithium-sulfur batteries. ► Sulfur-alumina material was synthesized via crystallizing nucleation. ► The Al 2 O 3 can provide surface area for the deposition of Li 2 S and Li 2 S 2 . ► The discharge capacity of the battery is improved during the first several cycles. - Abstract: Nano-sized sulfur particles exhibiting good adhesion with conducting acetylene black and alumina composite materials were synthesized by means of an evaporated solvent and a concentrated crystallization method for use as the cathodes of lithium-sulfur batteries. The composites were characterized and examined by X-ray diffraction, environmental scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry, electrical impedance spectroscopy and charge–discharge tests. Micron-sized flaky alumina was employed as an adsorbent for the cathode material. The initial discharge capacity of the cathode with the added alumina was 1171 mAh g −1 , and the remaining capacity was 585 mAh g −1 after 50 cycles at 0.25 mA cm −2 . Compared with bare sulfur electrodes, the electrodes containing alumina showed an obviously superior cycle performance, confirming that alumina can contribute to reducing the dissolution of polysulfides into electrolytes during the sulfur charge–discharge process

Sulfur-centered reactive intermediates derived from the oxidation of sulfur compounds of biological interest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abedinzadeh, Z. [Lab. de Chimie Physique, UMR, Univ. Rene Descartes, Paris (France)

2001-02-01

Sulphur compounds play a central role in the structure and activity of many vital systems. In the living cell, sulfur constitutes an essential part of the defense against oxidative damage and is transformed into a variety of sulfur free radical species. Many studies of the chemistry of sulfur-centered radicals using pulse radiolysis and photolysis techniques to detect and measure the kinetics of these radicals have been published and reviewed. This paper discusses the present state of research on the formation and reactivity of certain sulfur-centered radicals [RS{sup .}, RSS{sup .}, RS{sup .+}, (RSSR){sup .+}] and their implications for biological systems. (author)

Sulfur-centered reactive intermediates derived from the oxidation of sulfur compounds of biological interest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abedinzadeh, Z.

2001-01-01

Sulphur compounds play a central role in the structure and activity of many vital systems. In the living cell, sulfur constitutes an essential part of the defense against oxidative damage and is transformed into a variety of sulfur free radical species. Many studies of the chemistry of sulfur-centered radicals using pulse radiolysis and photolysis techniques to detect and measure the kinetics of these radicals have been published and reviewed. This paper discusses the present state of research on the formation and reactivity of certain sulfur-centered radicals [RS . , RSS . , RS .+ , (RSSR) .+ ] and their implications for biological systems. (author)

Danburite decomposition by sulfuric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirsaidov, U.; Mamatov, E.D.; Ashurov, N.A.

2011-01-01

Present article is devoted to decomposition of danburite of Ak-Arkhar Deposit of Tajikistan by sulfuric acid. The process of decomposition of danburite concentrate by sulfuric acid was studied. The chemical nature of decomposition process of boron containing ore was determined. The influence of temperature on the rate of extraction of boron and iron oxides was defined. The dependence of decomposition of boron and iron oxides on process duration, dosage of H 2 SO 4 , acid concentration and size of danburite particles was determined. The kinetics of danburite decomposition by sulfuric acid was studied as well. The apparent activation energy of the process of danburite decomposition by sulfuric acid was calculated. The flowsheet of danburite processing by sulfuric acid was elaborated.

Sulfur polymer cement concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, H.H.; McBee, W.C.

1990-01-01

Sulfur-based composite materials formulated using sulfur polymer cement (SPC) and mineral aggregates are described and compared with conventional portland cement based materials. Materials characteristics presented include mechanical strength, chemical resistance, impact resistance, moisture permeation, and linear shrinkage during placement and curing. Examples of preparation and placement of sulfur polymer cement concrete (SC) are described using commercial scale equipment. SC applications presented are focused into hostile chemical environments where severe portland cement concrete (PCC) failure has occurred

High Temperature Corrosion Problem of Boiler Components in presence of Sulfur and Alkali based Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Debashis; Mitra, Swapan Kumar

2011-04-01

Material degradation and ageing is of particular concern for fossil fuel fired power plant components. New techniques/approaches have been explored in recent years for Residual Life assessment of aged components and material degradation due to different damage mechanism like creep, fatigue, corrosion and erosion etc. Apart from the creep, the high temperature corrosion problem in a fossil fuel fired boiler is a matter of great concern if the fuel contains sulfur, chlorine sodium, potassium and vanadium etc. This paper discusses the material degradation due to high temperature corrosion in different critical components of boiler like water wall, superheater and reheater tubes and also remedial measures to avoid the premature failure. This paper also high lights the Residual Life Assessment (RLA) methodology of the components based on high temperature fireside corrosion. of different critical components of boiler.

The role of crystallization-driven exsolution on the sulfur mass balance in volcanic arc magmas

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yanqing; Huber, Christian; Bachmann, Olivier; Zajacz, Zoltán; Wright, Heather M.; Vazquez, Jorge A.

2016-01-01

vapor migration in sulfur mass balance but rather points out that second boiling (in situ exsolution) can provide the necessary yield to drive the excess sulfur to the levels observed for crystal-rich systems. In contrast, in crystal-poor systems, magma recharge that releases sulfur-rich bubbles is necessary and most likely the primary contributor to sulfur mass balance. Finally, we apply our model to account for the effect of sulfur partitioning during second boiling and its impact on sulfur released during the Cerro Galan supereruption in Argentina (2.08 Ma) and show the potential importance of second boiling in releasing a large amount of sulfur to the atmosphere during the eruption of large crystal-rich ignimbrites.

Removal of sulfur compounds from diesel using ArF laser and oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Gondal, M A; Siddiqui, M N; Al-Hooshani, K

2013-01-01

A laser-based technique for deep desulfurization of diesel and other hydrocarbon fuels by removal of dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT), a persistent sulfur contaminant in fuel oils has been developed. We report a selective laser excitation of DMDBT in diesel and model compounds such as n-hexane in a reaction chamber under oxygen environment where oxidative reactions can take place. ArF laser emitting at 193 nm was employed for excitation of oxygen and DMDBT, while for process optimization, the laser energy was varied from 50 to 200 mJ/cm(2). The laser-irradiated DMDBT solution under continuous oxygen flow was analyzed by UV absorption spectrometer to determine the photochemical oxidative degradation of DMDBT. In just 5 min of laser irradiation time, almost 95% DMDBT was depleted in a diesel containing 200 ppm of DMDBT. This article provides a new method for the removal of sulfur compounds from diesel by laser based photochemical process.

Sulfur cathode integrated with multileveled carbon nanoflake-nanosphere networks for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, S.H.; Wang, X.H.; Xia, X.H.; Wang, Y.D.; Wang, X.L.; Tu, J.P.

2017-01-01

Tailored design/construction of high-quality sulfur/carbon composite cathode is critical for development of advanced lithium-sulfur batteries. We report a powerful strategy for integrated fabrication of sulfur impregnated into three-dimensional (3D) multileveled carbon nanoflake-nanosphere networks (CNNNs) by means of sacrificial ZnO template plus glucose carbonization. The multileveled CNNNs are not only utilized as large-area host/backbone for sulfur forming an integrated S/CNNNs composite electrode, but also serve as multiple carbon blocking barriers (nanoflake infrastructure andnanosphere superstructure) to physically confine polysulfides at the cathode. The designedself-supported S/CNNNs composite cathodes exhibit superior electrochemical performances with high capacities (1395 mAh g −1 at 0.1C, and 769 mAh g −1 at 5.0C after 200 cycles) and noticeable cycling performance (81.6% retention after 200 cycles). Our results build a new bridge between sulfur and carbon networks with multiple blocking effects for polysulfides, and provide references for construction of other high-performance sulfur cathodes.

Formation of CuxS Layers on Polypropylene Sulfurized by Molten Sulfur

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasa ALABURDAITĖ

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The processes of formation of electrically conductive layers of copper sulfides CuxS by the sorption-diffusion method on polypropylene (PP using molten sulfur as sulfurizing agent was investigated. The amount of sorbed sulfur increased with the increase of the duration of treatment. Copper sulfide layers were formed on the surface of polypropylene after the treatment of sulfurized polymer with Cu(II/I salt solution. The amount of copper sulfide in layer increased with the increase of treatment duration in copper salt solution. XRD spectra of PP films treated for 3 min with molten sulfur and then with Cu(II/I salt solution for the different time showed that the copper sulfide phases, mostly digenite, Cu2-xS and a-chalcocite, Cu2S were formed in the layers. Electromotive force measurement results confirmed the composition of formed CuxS layers on PP. The phase composition of layers also changed after the annealing. The value of electrical resistance of copper sulfide layers on PP varied from 20 W/cm2 to 80 W/cm2 and after annealing at 80 °C - in the interval of 10 W/cm2 - 60 W/cm2.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.17.4.776

Removal of sulfur from process streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brignac, D.G.

1984-01-01

A process wherein water is added to a non-reactive gas stream, preferably a hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gas stream, sufficient to raise the water level thereof to from about 0.2 percent to about 50 percent, based on the total volume of the process gas stream, and the said moist gas stream is contacted, at elevated temperature, with a particulate mass of a sulfur-bearing metal alumina spinel characterized by the formula MAl 2 O 4 , wherein M is chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, cadmium, mercury, or zinc to desorb sulfur thereon. In the sulfur sorption cycle, due to the simultaneous adsorption of water and sulfur, the useful life of the metal alumina spinel for sulfur adsorption can be extended, and the sorbent made more easily regenerable after contact with a sulfur-bearing gas stream, notably sulfur-bearing wet hydrogen or wet hydrogen-rich gas streams

Analysis of sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle for solar hydrogen production. Part 1: decomposition of sulfuric acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Cunping; T-Raissi, Ali [Central Florida Univ., Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL (United States)

2005-05-01

The sulfur-iodine (S-I) thermochemical water splitting cycle is one of the most studied cycles for hydrogen (H{sub 2}) production. S-I cycle consists of four sections: (I) acid production and separation and oxygen purification, (II) sulfuric acid concentration and decomposition, (III) hydroiodic acid (HI) concentration, and (IV) HI decomposition and H{sub 2} purification. Section II of the cycle is an endothermic reaction driven by the heat input from a high temperature source. Analysis of the S-I cycle in the past thirty years have been focused mostly on the utilization of nuclear power as the high temperature heat source for the sulfuric acid decomposition step. Thermodynamic as well as kinetic considerations indicate that both the extent and rate of sulfuric acid decomposition can be improved at very high temperatures (in excess of 1000 deg C) available only from solar concentrators. The beneficial effect of high temperature solar heat for decomposition of sulfuric acid in the S-I cycle is described in this paper. We used Aspen Technologies' HYSYS chemical process simulator (CPS) to develop flowsheets for sulfuric acid (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) decomposition that include all mass and heat balances. Based on the HYSYS analyses, two new process flowsheets were developed. These new sulfuric acid decomposition processes are simpler and more stable than previous processes and yield higher conversion efficiencies for the sulfuric acid decomposition and sulfur dioxide and oxygen formation. (Author)

High Mass-Loading of Sulfur-Based Cathode Composites and Polysulfides Stabilization for Rechargeable Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hara, Toru; Konarov, Aishuak; Mentbayeva, Almagul; Kurmanbayeva, Indira; Bakenov, Zhumabay

2015-01-01

Although sulfur has a high theoretical gravimetric capacity, 1672 mAh/g, its insulating nature requires a large amount of conducting additives: this tends to result in a low mass-loading of active material (sulfur), and thereby, a lower capacity than expected. Therefore, an optimal choice of conducting agents and of the method for sulfur/conducting-agent integration is critically important. In this paper, we report that the areal capacity of 4.9 mAh/cm 2 was achieved at sulfur mass loading of 4.1 mg/cm 2 by casting sulfur/polyacrylonitrile/ketjenblack (S/PAN/KB) cathode composite into carbon fiber paper. This is the highest value among published/reported ones even though it does not contain expensive nanosized carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, or graphene derivatives, and competitive enough with the conventional LiCoO 2 -based cathodes (e.g., LiCoO 2 , <20 mg/cm 2 corresponding to <2.8 mAh/cm 2 ). Furthermore, the combination of sulfur/PAN-based composite and PAN-based carbon fiber paper enabled the sulfur-based composite to be used even in carbonate-based electrolyte solution that many lithium/sulfur battery researchers avoid the use of it because of severer irreversible active material loss than in electrolyte solutions without carbonate-based solutions, and even at the highest mass-loading ever reported (the more sulfur is loaded, the more decomposed sulfides deposit at an anode surface).

Developing porous carbon with dihydrogen phosphate groups as sulfur host for high performance lithium sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yanhui; Zhang, Qi; Wu, Junwei; Liang, Xiao; Baker, Andrew P.; Qu, Deyang; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Huayu; Zhang, Xinhe

2018-02-01

Carbon matrix (CM) derived from biomass is low cost and easily mass produced, showing great potential as sulfur host for lithium sulfur batteries. In this paper we report on a dihydrogen phosphate modified CM (PCM-650) prepared from luffa sponge (luffa acutangula) by phosphoric acid treatment. The phosphoric acid not only increases the surface area of the PCM-650, but also introduces dihydrogen phosphate onto PCM-650 (2.28 at% P). Sulfur impregnated (63.6 wt%) PCM-650/S, in comparison with samples with less dihydrogen phosphate LPCM-650/S, shows a significant performance improvement. XPS analysis is conducted for sulfur at different stages, including sulfur (undischarged), polysulfides (discharge to 2.1 V) and short chain sulfides (discharge to 1.7 V). The results consistently show chemical shifts for S2p in PCM-650, suggesting an enhanced adsorption effect. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations is used to clarify the molecular binding: carbon/sulfur (0.86 eV), carbon/Li2S (0.3 eV), CH3-O-PO3H2/sulfur (1.24 eV), and CH3-O-PO3H2/Li2S (1.81 eV). It shows that dihydrogen phosphate group can significantly enhance the binding with sulfur and sulfide, consistent with XPS results. Consequently a CM functionalised with dihydrogen phosphate shows great potential as the sulfur host in a Li-S battery.

Effect of commercial activated carbons in sulfur cathodes on the electrochemical properties of lithium/sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jin-Woo; Kim, Icpyo [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ki-Won; Nam, Tae-Hyun; Cho, Kwon-Koo; Ahn, Jou-Hyeon [Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828 (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Ho-Suk [Department of Material and Energy Engineering, Gyeongwoon University, 730, Gangdong-ro, Sandong-myeon, Gumi, Gyeongbuk, 39160 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Hyo-Jun, E-mail: ahj@gnu.ac.kr [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju, Gyeongnam 52828 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • The sulfur/activated carbon composite is fabricated using commercial activated carbons. • The sulfur/activated carbon composite with coal shows the best performance. • The Li/S battery has capacities of 1240 mAh g{sup −1} at 1 C and 567 mAh g{sup −1} at 10 C. - Abstract: We prepared sulfur/active carbon composites via a simple solution-based process using the following commercial activated carbon-based materials: coal, coconut shells, and sawdust. Although elemental sulfur was not detected in any of the sulfur/activated carbon composites based on Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results confirmed its presence in the activated carbon. These results indicate that sulfur was successfully impregnated in the activated carbon and that all of the activated carbons acted as sulfur reservoirs. The sulfur/activated carbon composite cathode using coal exhibited the highest discharge capacity and best rate capability. The first discharge capacity at 1 C (1.672 A g{sup −1}) was 1240 mAh g{sup −1}, and a large reversible capacity of 567 mAh g{sup −1} was observed at 10 C (16.72 A g{sup −1}).

Sulfur isotope in nature. Determination of sulfur isotope ratios in coal and petroleum by mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derda, M.

1999-01-01

Elementary sulfur or in chemical compounds is one of the elements widespread in the earth's crust and biosphere. Its participation in earth's crust amounts to 0.26 % by weight. Measurement of isotope composition of natural samples can deliver many information about origin, creation and transformation ranges of rocks and minerals. Sulfur isotope ratio contained in minerals is variable and for this reason investigation of isotope sulfur composition can deliver useful information about the geochemistry of each component. Therefore in the investigated sample it is necessary to determine not only the content of sulfur but also the isotope composition of each component. Differentiation of contents of sulfur-34 in natural sulfur compounds can reach up to 110 per mile. So large divergences can be explained by a kinetic effect or by bacterial reduction of sulphates. In this report a wide review of the results of investigations of isotope sulfur compositions in coal and petroleum are presented as well as the methods for the preparation of samples for mass spectrometry analysis are proposed. (author)

Study of the degradation of liquid-organic radioactive wastes by electrochemical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez A, J. I.

2015-01-01

In this study degradation studies were performed on blank samples, in which two electrochemical cells with different electrodes were used, the first is constituted by mesh electrodes Ti/Ir-Ta/Ti and the second by rod electrodes Ti/Ddb, using as reference an electrolytic medium of scintillation liquid and scintillation liquid more water, applying different potentials ranging from 1 to 25 V. After obtaining the benchmarks, the treatment was applied to samples containing organic liquid radioactive waste, in this case a short half-life radioisotope as Sulfur-35, the degradation characterization of organic compounds was performed in infrared spectrometry. (Author)

Advanced Sulfur Cathode Enabled by Highly Crumpled Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Sheets for High-Energy-Density Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jiangxuan; Yu, Zhaoxin; Gordin, Mikhail L; Wang, Donghai

2016-02-10

Herein, we report a synthesis of highly crumpled nitrogen-doped graphene sheets with ultrahigh pore volume (5.4 cm(3)/g) via a simple thermally induced expansion strategy in absence of any templates. The wrinkled graphene sheets are interwoven rather than stacked, enabling rich nitrogen-containing active sites. Benefiting from the unique pore structure and nitrogen-doping induced strong polysulfide adsorption ability, lithium-sulfur battery cells using these wrinkled graphene sheets as both sulfur host and interlayer achieved a high capacity of ∼1000 mAh/g and exceptional cycling stability even at high sulfur content (≥80 wt %) and sulfur loading (5 mg sulfur/cm(2)). The high specific capacity together with the high sulfur loading push the areal capacity of sulfur cathodes to ∼5 mAh/cm(2), which is outstanding compared to other recently developed sulfur cathodes and ideal for practical applications.

Protein Changes in Sulfur Mustard Exposure: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, P.; Jin, X.; Ray, R.

2007-01-01

Laminin-5, a heterotrimer of laminin α3, β3, and γ2 subunits, is a component of the skin basal epithelium. Laminin-5 functions as a ligand of the α3β1 and α6β4 integrins in epidermal keratinocytes to regulate cell adhesion, migration, morphogenesis, and assembly of basement membranes; thus it is essential for a stable attachment of the epidermis to the dermis and recovery of damaged skin. Sulfur mustard (SM), also known as mustard gas, is a vesicant chemical warfare and terrorism agent. Skin exposure to SM results in fluid-filled blisters; proposed mechanisms are inflammation, protease stimulation, basal cell death, and separation of the epidermis from the dermis apparently due to the degradation of attachment proteins like laminin-5. Therefore, we investigated the effects of SM exposure on the degradation of laminin-5 by exposing normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) to SM (0-300 μM, 1-24 hours). We found that SM degraded laminin-5 and its two subunits β3 and γ2, but not α3. Preincubation of cells with a serine protease inhibitor (PMSF), or a metalloprotease inhibitor (1, 10-phenanthroline) prior to SM exposure partially prevented SM-induced degradation of laminin-5 subunits, β3 and γ2. Regarding specificity, laminin-5 γ2 was degraded due to a bifunctional mustard compound like SM, but not due to the other alkylating agents tested. Our results support that laminin-5 degradation is an important mechanism of SM injury as well as a useful biomarker of SM exposure. This knowledge of the mechanism of laminin-5 degradation due to SM has potential application in developing cutaneous therapeutics against SM.(author)

Preparation and electrochemical performance of sulfur-alumina cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Kang [Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, 430074 Wuhan (China); Wang, Shengping, E-mail: spwang@cug.edu.cn [Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, 430074 Wuhan (China); Zhang, Hanyu; Wu, Jinping [Faculty of Material Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, 430074 Wuhan (China)

2013-06-01

Highlights: ► Micron-sized alumina was synthesized as adsorbent for lithium-sulfur batteries. ► Sulfur-alumina material was synthesized via crystallizing nucleation. ► The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} can provide surface area for the deposition of Li{sub 2}S and Li{sub 2}S{sub 2}. ► The discharge capacity of the battery is improved during the first several cycles. - Abstract: Nano-sized sulfur particles exhibiting good adhesion with conducting acetylene black and alumina composite materials were synthesized by means of an evaporated solvent and a concentrated crystallization method for use as the cathodes of lithium-sulfur batteries. The composites were characterized and examined by X-ray diffraction, environmental scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry, electrical impedance spectroscopy and charge–discharge tests. Micron-sized flaky alumina was employed as an adsorbent for the cathode material. The initial discharge capacity of the cathode with the added alumina was 1171 mAh g{sup −1}, and the remaining capacity was 585 mAh g{sup −1} after 50 cycles at 0.25 mA cm{sup −2}. Compared with bare sulfur electrodes, the electrodes containing alumina showed an obviously superior cycle performance, confirming that alumina can contribute to reducing the dissolution of polysulfides into electrolytes during the sulfur charge–discharge process.

Dealing with the sulfur part of cysteine: four enzymatic steps degrade l-cysteine to pyruvate and thiosulfate in Arabidopsis mitochondria.

Science.gov (United States)

Höfler, Saskia; Lorenz, Christin; Busch, Tjorven; Brinkkötter, Mascha; Tohge, Takayuki; Fernie, Alisdair R; Braun, Hans-Peter; Hildebrandt, Tatjana M

2016-07-01

Amino acid catabolism is essential for adjusting pool sizes of free amino acids and takes part in energy production as well as nutrient remobilization. The carbon skeletons are generally converted to precursors or intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In the case of cysteine, the reduced sulfur derived from the thiol group also has to be oxidized in order to prevent accumulation to toxic concentrations. Here we present a mitochondrial sulfur catabolic pathway catalyzing the complete oxidation of l-cysteine to pyruvate and thiosulfate. After transamination to 3-mercaptopyruvate, the sulfhydryl group from l-cysteine is transferred to glutathione by sulfurtransferase 1 and oxidized to sulfite by the sulfur dioxygenase ETHE1. Sulfite is then converted to thiosulfate by addition of a second persulfide group by sulfurtransferase 1. This pathway is most relevant during early embryo development and for vegetative growth under light-limiting conditions. Characterization of a double mutant produced from Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA insertion lines for ETHE1 and sulfurtransferase 1 revealed that an intermediate of the ETHE1 dependent pathway, most likely a persulfide, interferes with amino acid catabolism and induces early senescence. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Risk-based decision analysis of atmospheric emission alternatives to reduce ground water degradation on the European scale

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wladis, D.; Rosen, L.; Kros, H.

1999-01-01

Environmental degradation due to emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrate oxides, and ammonia from diffuse sources amounts to substantial costs to society and so do the alternatives to protect and restore the environment. Damage to ground water includes acidification, aluminum leaching, elevated

Structure-Based Mutagenesis of Sulfolobus Turreted Icosahedral Virus B204 Reveals Essential Residues in the Virion-Associated DNA-Packaging ATPase.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellas, Nikki; Snyder, Jamie C; Dills, Michael; Nicolay, Sheena J; Kerchner, Keshia M; Brumfield, Susan K; Lawrence, C Martin; Young, Mark J

2015-12-23

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV), an archaeal virus that infects the hyperthermoacidophile Sulfolobus solfataricus, is one of the most well-studied viruses of the domain Archaea. STIV shares structural, morphological, and sequence similarities with viruses from other domains of life, all of which are thought to belong to the same viral lineage. Several of these common features include a conserved coat protein fold, an internal lipid membrane, and a DNA-packaging ATPase. B204 is the ATPase encoded by STIV and is thought to drive packaging of viral DNA during the replication process. Here, we report the crystal structure of B204 along with the biochemical analysis of B204 mutants chosen based on structural information and sequence conservation patterns observed among members of the same viral lineage and the larger FtsK/HerA superfamily to which B204 belongs. Both in vitro ATPase activity assays and transfection assays with mutant forms of B204 confirmed the essentiality of conserved and nonconserved positions. We also have identified two distinct particle morphologies during an STIV infection that differ in the presence or absence of the B204 protein. The biochemical and structural data presented here are not only informative for the STIV replication process but also can be useful in deciphering DNA-packaging mechanisms for other viruses belonging to this lineage. STIV is a virus that infects a host from the domain Archaea that replicates in high-temperature, acidic environments. While STIV has many unique features, there exist several striking similarities between this virus and others that replicate in different environments and infect a broad range of hosts from Bacteria and Eukarya. Aside from structural features shared by viruses from this lineage, there exists a significant level of sequence similarity between the ATPase genes carried by these different viruses; this gene encodes an enzyme thought to provide energy that drives DNA packaging into

Sulfur equilibrium desulfurization of sulfur containing products of combustion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woodroffe, J.A.; Abichandani, J.S.

1990-01-01

This patent describes the method for the combustion of a carbon- and sulfur-containing fuel for substantially reducing emission of gaseous sulfur compounds formed during combustion of the fuel in a combustion zone. The zone having one or more fuel inlets and one or more oxidizer inlets, and having a combustion products outlet spaced therefrom, and having one or more inorganic sorbent inlets downstream of the fuel inlet(s) and oxidizer inlet(s) and upstream of the combustion products outlet

A sulfur host based on titanium monoxide@carbon hollow spheres for advanced lithium-sulfur batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhen; Zhang, Jintao; Guan, Buyuan; Wang, Da; Liu, Li-Min; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2016-10-20

Lithium-sulfur batteries show advantages for next-generation electrical energy storage due to their high energy density and cost effectiveness. Enhancing the conductivity of the sulfur cathode and moderating the dissolution of lithium polysulfides are two key factors for the success of lithium-sulfur batteries. Here we report a sulfur host that overcomes both obstacles at once. With inherent metallic conductivity and strong adsorption capability for lithium-polysulfides, titanium monoxide@carbon hollow nanospheres can not only generate sufficient electrical contact to the insulating sulfur for high capacity, but also effectively confine lithium-polysulfides for prolonged cycle life. Additionally, the designed composite cathode further maximizes the lithium-polysulfide restriction capability by using the polar shells to prevent their outward diffusion, which avoids the need for chemically bonding all lithium-polysulfides on the surfaces of polar particles.

Global sulfur emissions from 1850 to 2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, David I

2005-01-01

The ASL database provides continuous time-series of sulfur emissions for most countries in the World from 1850 to 1990, but academic and official estimates for the 1990s either do not cover all years or countries. This paper develops continuous time series of sulfur emissions by country for the period 1850-2000 with a particular focus on developments in the 1990s. Global estimates for 1996-2000 are the first that are based on actual observed data. Raw estimates are obtained in two ways. For countries and years with existing published data I compile and integrate that data. Previously published data covers the majority of emissions and almost all countries have published emissions for at least 1995. For the remaining countries and for missing years for countries with some published data, I interpolate or extrapolate estimates using either an econometric emissions frontier model, an environmental Kuznets curve model, or a simple extrapolation, depending on the availability of data. Finally, I discuss the main movements in global and regional emissions in the 1990s and earlier decades and compare the results to other studies. Global emissions peaked in 1989 and declined rapidly thereafter. The locus of emissions shifted towards East and South Asia, but even this region peaked in 1996. My estimates for the 1990s show a much more rapid decline than other global studies, reflecting the view that technological progress in reducing sulfur based pollution has been rapid and is beginning to diffuse worldwide.

Study on ionizing radiation effects in diesel and crude oil: organic compounds, hydrocarbon, sulfur and nitrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Luana dos Santos

2014-01-01

Petroleum is the most important energy and pollution source in the world, nowadays. New technologies in petrochemical industry aim to minimize energy spending at the process and to reduce pollution products. Sulfur and nitrogen compounds generate environmental problems; the most relevant is air pollution that affects the population health directly. The nuclear technology has been used in environmental protection through pollutants removal by free radicals produced at action of the radiation in water molecule. The objective of this study is to evaluate the radiation effects on oil and diesel, mainly in the hydrocarbons, organic sulfur, and nitrogen compounds. It was studied a molecule model of sulfur, named benzothiophene, diesel and crude oil samples. The samples were irradiated using a Co-60 source, Gammacell type. The total sulfur concentration in the samples was determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and organic compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The study of molecular model showed that 95% was degraded at 20 kGy dose rate. Irradiation at 15 kGy of absorbed dose showed some cracking in petrol hydrocarbons, however with higher doses it was observed polymerization and low efficiency of cracking. It was observed that the sulfur compounds from diesel and petroleum was efficiently reduced. The applied doses of 15 kGy and 30 kGy were the most efficient on desulfurization of petroleum, and for diesel the highest variation was observed with 30 kGy and 50 kGy of absorbed dose. The distillation and chromatographic separation using an open column with palladium chloride as stationary phase showed a preferential separation of organic sulfur compounds in petroleum. (author)

A composite of hollow carbon nanospheres and sulfur-rich polymers for lithium-sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Shao-Zhong; Yao, Yuechao; Zeng, Xierong; He, Qianjun; Zheng, Xianfeng; Chen, Shuangshuang; Tu, Wenxuan; Zou, Jizhao

2017-07-01

Lithium-sulfur batteries are the most promising candidates for future high-energy applications because of the unparalleled capacity of sulfur (1675 mAh g-1). However, lithium-sulfur batteries have limited cycle life and rate capability due to the dissolution of polysulfides and the extremely low electronic conductivity of sulfur. To solve these issues, various porous carbons including hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNs) have been used for improving the conductivity. However, these methods still suffer from polysulfides dissolution/loss owing to their weak physical adsorption to polysulfides. Herein, we introduced a covalent grafting route to composite the HCNs and the vulcanized trithiocyanuric acid (TTCA). The composite exhibits a high loading of the vulcanized TTCA by the HCNs with high surface area and large pore volume, and covalent bonds to sulfur, effectively depressing the dissolution of polysulfides. The first discharge capacity of the composite reaches 1430 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and 1227 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C.

Aircraft exhaust sulfur emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, R C; Anderson, M R; Miake-Lye, R C; Kolb, C E [Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States). Center for Chemical and Environmental Physics; Sorokin, A A; Buriko, Y I [Scientific Research Center ` Ecolen` , Moscow (Russian Federation)

1998-12-31

The extent to which fuel sulfur is converted to SO{sub 3} during combustion and the subsequent turbine flow in supersonic and subsonic aircraft engines is estimated numerically. The analysis is based on: a flamelet model with non-equilibrium sulfur chemistry for the combustor, and a one-dimensional, two-stream model with finite rate chemical kinetics for the turbine. The results indicate that between 2% and 10% of the fuel sulfur is emitted as SO{sub 3}. It is also shown that, for a high fuel sulfur mass loading, conversion in the turbine is limited by the level of atomic oxygen at the combustor exit, leading to higher SO{sub 2} oxidation efficiency at lower fuel sulfur loadings. While SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} are the primary oxidation products, the model results further indicate H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} levels on the order of 0.1 ppm for supersonic expansions through a divergent nozzle. This source of fully oxidized S(6) (SO{sub 3} + H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) exceeds previously calculated S(6) levels due to oxidation of SO{sub 2} by OH in the exhaust plume outside the engine nozzle. (author) 26 refs.

Aircraft exhaust sulfur emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, R.C.; Anderson, M.R.; Miake-Lye, R.C.; Kolb, C.E. [Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States). Center for Chemical and Environmental Physics; Sorokin, A.A.; Buriko, Y.I. [Scientific Research Center `Ecolen`, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

The extent to which fuel sulfur is converted to SO{sub 3} during combustion and the subsequent turbine flow in supersonic and subsonic aircraft engines is estimated numerically. The analysis is based on: a flamelet model with non-equilibrium sulfur chemistry for the combustor, and a one-dimensional, two-stream model with finite rate chemical kinetics for the turbine. The results indicate that between 2% and 10% of the fuel sulfur is emitted as SO{sub 3}. It is also shown that, for a high fuel sulfur mass loading, conversion in the turbine is limited by the level of atomic oxygen at the combustor exit, leading to higher SO{sub 2} oxidation efficiency at lower fuel sulfur loadings. While SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} are the primary oxidation products, the model results further indicate H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} levels on the order of 0.1 ppm for supersonic expansions through a divergent nozzle. This source of fully oxidized S(6) (SO{sub 3} + H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) exceeds previously calculated S(6) levels due to oxidation of SO{sub 2} by OH in the exhaust plume outside the engine nozzle. (author) 26 refs.

Uracil phosphoribosyltransferase from the extreme thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus shibatae is an allosteric enzyme, activated by GTP and inhibited by CTP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linde, Lise; Jensen, Kaj Frank

1996-01-01

Uracil phosphoribosyltransferase, which catalyses the formation of UMP and pyrophosphate from uracil and 5-phosphoribosyl a-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP), was partly purified from the extreme thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus shibatae. The enzyme required divalent metal ions for activity...... and it showed the highest activity at pH 6.4. The specific activity of the enzyme was 50-times higher at 95°C than at 37°C, but the functional half-life was short at 95°C. The activity of uracil phosphoribosyltransferase was strongly activated by GTP, which increased Vmax of the reaction by approximately 20......-fold without much effect on Km for the substrates. The concentration of GTP required for half-maximal activation was about 80 µM. CTP was a strong inhibitor and acted by raising the concentration of GTP needed for half-maximal activation of the enzyme. We conclude that uracil phosphoribosyltransferase...

[Promotion effects of vitamin B12 on the degradation of 2, 4, 4'-trichlorobiphenyl by Nostoc PD-2].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jia-Yu; Xiao, Wen-Feng; Lu, Li-Ping; Zhang, Hang-Jun

2014-08-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls are typical persistent chlorinated organic compounds in the environment. Bioremediation of PCB-contaminated environment has become one of the hot issues. In this study, vitamin B12 (VB12) and chlorine-free culture medium were applied to study the effects of VB12 on the degradation of 2,4,4'-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB28) by Nostoc PD-2 and the gene expression during the PCB-degradation process. Results showed that addition of different concentrations of vitamin B12 could improve the PCB-biodegradation rates by Nostoc PD-2. Compared with the control group, the 7-day degradation rate in 10 microg x L(-1), 100 microg x L(-1), and 1 000 microg x L(-1) VB12-treated groups increased by 11.0%, 19.7%, and 21.9% , respectively. The degradation half-time decreased from 5.53 days (treated with 10 microg x L(-1) VB12) to 3.08 days (treated with 100 microg x L(-1) VB12). The expression of cytochrome b6f complex iron-sulfur protein gene and dioxygenase gene showed significant correlation with PCB28-degradation by Nostoc PD-2. While the expression of iron-sulfur protein gene showed more significant correlation with PCB28-degradation. Results in this study indicated that adding VB12 could promote PCB28-degradation by Nostoc PD-2. Moreover, VB12 addition improved the PCB-degradation activity of Nostoc PD-2 at the gene level. The above conclusions could provide a new choice for developing efficient bioremediation technology for PCB-contaminated environment and a new insight into the PCB-biodegradation mechanism by Nostoc PD-2.

Oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds in acidophilic prokaryotes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rohwerder, T.; Sand, W. [Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Biofilm Centre, Aquatic Biotechnology, Duisburg (Germany)

2007-07-15

The oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds to sulfuric acid is of great importance for biohydrometallurgical technologies as well as the formation of acidic (below pH 3) and often heavy metal-contaminated environments. The use of elemental sulfur as an electron donor is the predominant energy-yielding process in acidic natural sulfur-rich biotopes but also at mining sites containing sulfidic ores. Contrary to its significant role in the global sulfur cycle and its biotechnological importance, the microbial fundamentals of acidophilic sulfur oxidation are only incompletely understood. Besides giving an overview of sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles, this review describes the so far known enzymatic reactions related to elemental sulfur oxidation in acidophilic bacteria and archaea. Although generally similar reactions are employed in both prokaryotic groups, the stoichiometry of the key enzymes is different. Bacteria oxidize elemental sulfur by a sulfur dioxygenase to sulfite whereas in archaea, a sulfur oxygenase reductase is used forming equal amounts of sulfide and sulfite. In both cases, the activation mechanism of elemental sulfur is not known but highly reactive linear sulfur forms are assumed to be the actual substrate. Inhibition as well as promotion of these biochemical steps is highly relevant in bioleaching operations. An efficient oxidation can prevent the formation of passivating sulfur layers. In other cases, a specific inhibition of sulfur biooxidation may be beneficial for reducing cooling and neutralization costs. In conclusion, the demand for a better knowledge of the biochemistry of sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles is underlined. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Sandwich-like graphene-mesoporous carbon as sulfur host for enhanced lithium-sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Ting; Li, Bin; Zhu, Mengqi; Liu, Jianhua; Li, Songmei

2017-10-01

Graphene-mesoporous carbon/sulfur composites (G-MPC/S) were constructed by melt-infiltration of sulfur into graphene-mesoporous carbon which was synthesized by soft template method. The SEM and BET results of the graphene-mesoporous carbon show that the as-prepared sandwich-like G-MPC composites with a unique microporous-mesoporous structure had a high specific surface area of 554.164 m2 · g-1 and an average pore size of about 13 nm. The XRD analysis presents the existence of orthorhombic sulfur in the G-MPC/S composite, which indicates the complete infiltration of sulfur into the pores of the G-MPC. When the graphene-mesoporous carbon/surfur composites (G-MPC/S) with 53.9 wt.% sulfur loading were used as the cathode for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, it exhibited an outstanding electrochemical performance including excellent initial discharge specific capacity of 1393 mAh · g-1 at 0.1 °C, high cycle stability (731 mAh · g-1 at 200 cycles) and good rate performance (1038 mAh · g-1, 770 mAh · g-1, 518 mAh · g-1 and 377 mAh · g-1 at 0.1 °C, 0.2 °C, 0.5 °C and 1 °C, respectively), which suggested the important role of the G-MPC composite in providing more electrons and ions channels, in addition, the shuttle effect caused by the dissolved polysulfide was also suppressed.

Release of sulfur- and oxygen-bound components from a sulfur-rich kerogen during simulated maturation by hydrous pyrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Putschew, A.; Schaeffer-Reiss, C.; Schaeffer, P.; Koopmans, M.P.; De Leeuw, J. W.; Lewan, M.D.; Sinninghe, Damste J.S.; Maxwell, J.R.

1998-01-01

An immature sulfur-rich marl from the Gessosso-solfifera Formation of the Vena del Gesso Basin (Messinian, Italy) has been subjected to hydrous pyrolysis (160 to 330??C) to simulate maturation under natural conditions. The kerogen of the unheated and heated samples was isolated and the hydrocarbons released by selective chemical degradation (Li/EtNH2 and HI/LiAIH4) were analysed to allow a study of the fate of sulfur- and oxygen-bound species with increasing temperature. The residues from the chemical treatments were also subjected to pyrolysis-GC to follow structural changes in the kerogens. In general, with increasing hydrous pyrolysis temperature, the amounts of sulfide- and ether-bound components in the kerogen decreased significantly. At the temperature at which the generation of expelled oil began (260??C), almost all of the bound components initially present in the unheated sample were released from the kerogen. Comparison with an earlier study of the extractable organic matter using a similar approach and the same samples provides molecular evidence that, with increasing maturation, solvent-soluble macromolecular material was initially released from the kerogen, notably as a result of thermal cleavage of weak Carbon-heteroatom bonds (sulfide, ester, ether) even at temperatures as low as 220??C. This solvent-soluble macromolecular material then underwent thermal cleavage to generate hydrocarbons at higher temperatures. This early generation of bitumen may explain the presence of unusually high amounts of extractable organic matter of macromolecular nature in very immature S-rich sediments.

Sodium-sulfur battery development. Phase VB final report, October 1, 1981--February 28, 1985

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1985-04-01

This report describes the technical progress made under Contract No. DE-AM04-79CH10012 between the U.S. Department of Energy, Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporations and Ford Motor Company, for the period 1 October 1981 through 28 February 1985, which is designated as Phase VB of the Sodium-Sulfur Battery Development Program. During this period, Ford Aerospace held prime technical responsibility and Ford Motor Company carried out supporting research. Ceramatec, Inc., was a major subcontractor to Ford Aerospace for electrolyte development and production.

Effective sulfur and energy recovery from hydrogen sulfide through incorporating an air-cathode fuel cell into chelated-iron process.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Min; Song, Wei; Zhai, Lin-Feng; Cui, Yu-Zhi

2013-12-15

The chelated-iron process is among the most promising techniques for the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removal due to its double advantage of waste minimization and resource recovery. However, this technology has encountered the problem of chelate degradation which made it difficult to ensure reliable and economical operation. This work aims to develop a novel fuel-cell-assisted chelated-iron process which employs an air-cathode fuel cell for the catalyst regeneration. By using such a process, sulfur and electricity were effectively recovered from H2S and the problem of chelate degradation was well controlled. Experiment on a synthetic sulfide solution showed the fuel-cell-assisted chelated-iron process could maintain high sulfur recovery efficiencies generally above 90.0%. The EDTA was preferable to NTA as the chelating agent for electricity generation, given the Coulombic efficiencies (CEs) of 17.8 ± 0.5% to 75.1 ± 0.5% for the EDTA-chelated process versus 9.6 ± 0.8% to 51.1 ± 2.7% for the NTA-chelated process in the pH range of 4.0-10.0. The Fe (III)/S(2-) ratio exhibited notable influence on the electricity generation, with the CEs improved by more than 25% as the Fe (III)/S(2-) molar ratio increased from 2.5:1 to 3.5:1. Application of this novel process in treating a H2S-containing biogas stream achieved 99% of H2S removal efficiency, 78% of sulfur recovery efficiency, and 78.6% of energy recovery efficiency, suggesting the fuel-cell-assisted chelated-iron process was effective to remove the H2S from gas streams with favorable sulfur and energy recovery efficiencies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parameters Influencing Sulfur Speciation in Environmental Samples Using Sulfur K-Edge X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siwatt Pongpiachan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to enhance the credibility of applying the sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy as an innovative “fingerprint” for characterizing environmental samples. The sensitivities of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra of ten sulfur compound standards detected by two different detectors, namely, Lytle detector (LyD and Germanium detector (GeD, were studied and compared. Further investigation on “self-absorption” effect revealed that the maximum sensitivities of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra were achieved when diluting sulfur compound standards with boron nitride (BN at the mixing ratio of 0.1%. The “particle-size” effect on sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum sensitivities was examined by comparing signal-to-noise ratios of total suspended particles (TSP and particulate matter of less than 10 millionths of a meter (PM10 collected at three major cities of Thailand. The analytical results have demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratios of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra were positively correlated with sulfate content in aerosols and negatively connected with particle sizes. The combination of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA and principal component analysis (PCA has proved that sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum can be used to characterize German terrestrial soils and Andaman coastal sediments. In addition, this study highlighted the capability of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra as an innovative “fingerprint” to distinguish tsunami backwash deposits (TBD from typical marine sediments (TMS.

Segregated Planktonic and Bottom-Dwelling Archaeal Communities in High-Temperature Acidic/Sulfuric Ponds of the Tatun Volcano Group, Northern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ting-Wen Cheng

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Geothermal environments are characterized by dynamic redox and temperature fluctuations inherited from the exposure of deeply-sourced, hot, reducing fluids to low-temperature, oxidizing ambient environments. To investigate whether microbial assemblages shifted in response to the changes of a redox state within acidic hot ponds, we collected three paired water and sediment samples from the Tatun Volcano Group, assessed metabolic roles of community members, and correlated their functional capabilities with geochemical factors along depth. Molecular analyses revealed that Sulfolobus spp., Acidianus spp. and Vulcanisaeta spp. capable of respiring elemental sulfur under oxic and/or low-oxygen conditions were the major archaeal members in planktonic communities. In contrast, obligate anaerobic Caldisphaera spp. dominated over others in bottom-dwelling communities. Bacteria were only detected in one locality wherein the majority was affiliated with microaerophilic Hydrogenobaculum spp. Cluster analyses indicated that archaeal communities associated with sediments tended to cluster together and branch off those with water. In addition, the quantities of dissolved oxygen within the water column were substantially less than those in equilibrium with atmospheric oxygen, indicating a net oxygen consumption most likely catalyzed by microbial processes. These lines of evidence suggest that the segregation of planktonic from bottom-dwelling archaeal assemblages could be accounted for by the oxygen affinities inherited in individual archaeal members. Community assemblages in geothermal ecosystems would be often underrepresented without cautious sampling of both water and sediments.

Radioactive methionine: determination, and distribution of radioactivity in the sulfur, methyl and 4-carbon moieties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovanelli, J.; Mudd, S.H.

1985-01-01

A simple and inexpensive method is described for isolation and determination of [ 14 C]methionine in the non-protein fraction of tissues extensively labeled with 14 C. The effectiveness of the method was demonstrated by isolation of non-protein [ 14 C]methionine (as the carboxymethylsulfonium salt) of proven radiopurity from the plant Lemna which had been grown for a number of generations on (U- 14 C]sucrose and contained a 2000-fold excess of 14 C in undefined non-protein compounds. An advantage is that the isolated methioninecarboxymethlysulfonium salt is readily degraded to permit separate determination of radioactivity in the 4-carbon, methyl and sulfur moieties of methionine. During this work, a facile labilization of 3 H attached to the (carboxy)methylene carbon of methioninecarboxymethylsulfonium salt was observed. This labilization is ascribed to formation of a sulfur ylid. (Auth.)

Effect of sulfur dioxide partial pressure on the reaction of iodine, sulfur dioxide and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Hayato; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Kasahara, Seiji; Kubo, Shinji; Onuki, Kaoru

2007-01-01

Effect of sulfur dioxide partial pressure on the reaction of iodine, sulfur dioxide and water, which is a unit reaction in the IS process for thermochemical hydrogen production, was studied experimentally at 323 K under iodine saturation. Quasi-equilibrium state was observed in the presence of sulfur dioxide gas at constant pressure. The composition of the poly-hydriodic acid solution formed was discussed assuming an ideal desulfurization by the reverse reaction of the Bunsen reaction. The value of HI/(HI+H 2 O) of the desulfurized solution was large at high sulfur dioxide pressure and reached the maximum of 15.7 ± 0.3 mol%. (author)

Flow injection gas chromatography with sulfur chemiluminescence detection for the analysis of total sulfur in complex hydrocarbon matrixes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hua, Yujuan; Hawryluk, Myron; Gras, Ronda; Shearer, Randall; Luong, Jim

2018-01-01

A fast and reliable analytical technique for the determination of total sulfur levels in complex hydrocarbon matrices is introduced. The method employed flow injection technique using a gas chromatograph as a sample introduction device and a gas phase dual-plasma sulfur chemiluminescence detector for sulfur quantification. Using the technique described, total sulfur measurement in challenging hydrocarbon matrices can be achieved in less than 10 s with sample-to-sample time ideal for fast analysis or trace sulfur analysis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A primer on sulfur for the planetary geologist

Science.gov (United States)

Theilig, E.

1982-01-01

Sulfur has been proposed as the dominant composition for the volcanic material on Io. Sulfur is a complex element which forms many intramolecular and intermolecular allotropes exhibiting a variety of physical properties. Cyclo-S8 sulfur is the most abundant and stable molecular form. The important molecular species within liquid sulfur change in concentration with temperature. Concentrations of the allotropes control the physical properties of the melt. Discontinuities in density, viscosity, and thermal properties reflect the polymerization process within liquid sulfur. Variations in the melting point are related to autodissociation of the liquid. Many solids forms of sulfur have been identified but only orthorhombic alpha and monoclinic beta sulfur, both composed of cyclo-S8 sulfur, are stable under terrestrial conditions. Physical properties of solid sulfur are dependent on the allotrope and, in some cases, the thermal history. Three natural terrestrial sulfur flows are described: (1) Siretoko-Iosan, Japan; (2) Volcan Azufre, Galapagos Islands; and (3) Mauna Loa, Hawaii. All of the flows are associated with fumarolic areas and are considered to have formed by the melting and mobilization of sulfur deposits. Surface textures of the flows indicate a behavior of molten sulfur similar to that of silicate lava. Channels, rivulets, and lobate edges were described for the flows. The solidification of man-made sulfur flows formed as part of the Frasch mining process by which sulfur is removed from the subsurface in a liquid state is described.

Mercury adsorption properties of sulfur-impregnated adsorbents

Science.gov (United States)

Hsi, N.-C.; Rood, M.J.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Chen, S.; Chang, R.

2002-01-01

Carbonaceous and noncarbonaceous adsorbents were impregnated with elemental sulfur to evaluate the chemical and physical properties of the adsorbents and their equilibrium mercury adsorption capacities. Simulated coal combustion flue gas conditions were used to determine the equilibrium adsorption capacities for Hg0 and HgCl2 gases to better understand how to remove mercury from gas streams generated by coal-fired utility power plants. Sulfur was deposited onto the adsorbents by monolayer surface deposition or volume pore filling. Sulfur impregnation increased the total sulfur content and decreased the total and micropore surface areas and pore volumes for all of the adsorbents tested. Adsorbents with sufficient amounts of active adsorption sites and sufficient microporous structure had mercury adsorption capacities up to 4,509 ??g Hg/g adsorbent. Elemental sulfur, organic sulfur, and sulfate were formed on the adsorbents during sulfur impregnation. Correlations were established with R2>0.92 between the equilibrium Hg0/HgCl2 adsorption capacities and the mass concentrations of elemental and organic sulfur. This result indicates that elemental and organic sulfur are important active adsorption sites for Hg0 and HgCl2.

Comparative analysis of the mechanisms of sulfur anion oxidation and reduction by dsr operon to maintain environmental sulfur balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Semanti; Bagchi, Angshuman

2015-12-01

Sulfur metabolism is one of the oldest known redox geochemical cycles in our atmosphere. These redox processes utilize different sulfur anions and the reactions are performed by the gene products of dsr operon from phylogenetically diverse sets of microorganisms. The operon is involved in the maintenance of environmental sulfur balance. Interestingly, the dsr operon is found to be present in both sulfur anion oxidizing and reducing microorganisms and in both types of organisms DsrAB protein complex plays a vital role. Though there are various reports regarding the genetics of dsr operon there are practically no reports dealing with the structural aspects of sulfur metabolism by dsr operon. In our present study, we tried to compare the mechanisms of sulfur anion oxidation and reduction by Allochromatium vinosum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris respectively through DsrAB protein complex. We analyzed the modes of bindings of sulfur anions to the DsrAB protein complex and observed that for sulfur anion oxidizers, sulfide and thiosulfate are the best substrates whereas for reducers sulfate and sulfite have the best binding abilities. We analyzed the binding interaction pattern of the DsrA and DsrB proteins while forming the DsrAB protein complexes in Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Allochromatium vinosum. To our knowledge this is the first report that analyzes the differences in binding patterns of sulfur substrates with DsrAB protein from these two microorganisms. This study would therefore be essential to predict the biochemical mechanism of sulfur anion oxidation and reduction by these two microorganisms i.e., Desulfovibrio vulgaris (sulfur anion reducer) and Allochromatium vinosum (sulfur anion oxidizer). Our observations also highlight the mechanism of sulfur geochemical cycle which has important implications in future study of sulfur metabolism as it has a huge application in waste remediation and production of industrial bio-products viz. vitamins, bio-polyesters and bio

Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of Arabidopsis seeds: molecular evidence for successive processing of seed proteins and its implication in the stress response to sulfur nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Higashi, Yasuhiro; Hirai, Masami Yokota; Fujiwara, Toru; Naito, Satoshi; Noji, Masaaki; Saito, Kazuki

2006-11-01

Seed storage proteins are synthesized as sources of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur for the next generation of plants. Their composition changes according to nutritional conditions. Here, we report the precise molecular identification of seed proteins by proteomic analysis of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and methionine-over-accumulating mutant mto1-1 plants. The identities of 50 protein spots were determined in the protein extract of mature Arabidopsis seeds by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and subsequent mass spectrometric analysis. Of these protein spots, 42 were identified as derived from 12S globulins or 2S albumins. These results indicate that approximately 84% of protein species in Arabidopsis seeds are derived from a few genes coding for 12S globulins and 2S albumins. Extensive mass spectrometric analysis of the 42 spots revealed that successive C-terminal degradation occurred on the 12S globulins. The feasibility of this C-terminal processing was rationalized by molecular modeling of the three-dimensional structure of 12S globulins. The C-terminal degradation at glutamic acid residues of the 12S globulin subunits was repressed under sulfur-deficient conditions. Transcriptome analysis was combined with proteomic analysis to elucidate the mechanism of changes in seed protein composition in response to sulfur deficiency. The results suggest that seed storage proteins in Arabidopsis undergo multi-layer regulation, with emphasis on post-translational modifications that enable the plant to respond to sulfur deficiency.

Biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants during coking wastewater treatment: Correspondence of performance to microbial community functional structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Dev Raj; Zhang, Yu; Gao, Yinxin; Liu, Yuan; Yang, Min

2017-09-15

Although coking wastewater is generally considered to contain high concentration of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants, the biotransformation processes of these compounds have not been well understood. Herein, a high throughput functional gene array (GeoChip 5.0) in combination with Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were used to identify microbial functional traits and their role in biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds in a bench-scale aerobic coking wastewater treatment system operated for 488 days. Biotransformation of nitrogen and sulfur-containing pollutants deteriorated when pH of the bioreactor was increased to >8.0, and the microbial community functional structure was significantly associated with pH (Mantels test, P functional microbial community structure (P functional genes for biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants. Functional characterization of taxa and network analysis suggested that Burkholderiales, Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, Pseudomonadales, and Hydrogenophiliales (Thiobacillus) were key functional taxa. Variance partitioning analysis showed that pH and influent ammonia nitrogen jointly explained 25.9% and 35.5% of variation in organic pollutant degrading genes and microbial community structure, respectively. This study revealed a linkage between microbial community functional structure and the likely biotransformation of nitrogen- and sulfur-containing pollutants, along with a suitable range of pH (7.0-7.5) for stability of the biological system treating coking wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 151.50-21 - Sulfuric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Sulfuric acid. 151.50-21 Section 151.50-21 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-21 Sulfuric acid. (a) How sulfuric acid may be carried. (1) Sulfuric acid of concentration of 77.5 percent (1.7019 specific gravity) (59.8...

46 CFR 153.1046 - Sulfuric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Sulfuric acid. 153.1046 Section 153.1046 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SHIPS CARRYING BULK....1046 Sulfuric acid. No person may liquefy frozen or congealed sulfuric acid other than by external tank...

Thermal degradation of organo-soluble polyimides

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

黄俐研; 史燚; 金熹高

1999-01-01

The thermal degradation behavior of two organo-soluble polyimides was investigated by high resolution pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The pyrolyzates of the polymers at various temperatures were identified and characterized quantitatively. The relationship between the polymer structure and pyrolyzate distribution was discussed. The kinetic parameters of the thermal degradation were calculated based on thermogravimetric measurements. Finally, the thermal degradation mechanism for the polymers was suggested.

Sensing sulfur oxides and other sulfur bearing pollutants with solid electrolyte pellets. I. Gas concentration cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chamberland, A M; Gauthier, J M

1977-01-01

A new sensing technique using a solid electrolyte has been demonstrated for sulfur-bearing pollutants. Based on potentiometric measurements across a pellet of potassium sulfate, this sensor allows concentrations of sulfur dioxides, sulfur trioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and carbonyl sulfide in air to be measured with accuracy. Its operational concentration range at the present time is 0.1 ppM up to at least 10,000 ppM. The presence of other common pollutants such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide does not interfere with the measurement of air samples containing sulfur-bearing pollutants.

Specificities and pH profiles of adenine and hypoxanthine-guanine-xanthine phosphoribosyltransferases (nucleotide synthases) of the thermoacidophile archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Michael Riis; Jensen, Kristine Steen; Rasmussen, Mads Skytte

2014-01-01

Two open reading frames in the genome of Sulfolobus solfataricus (SSO2341 and SSO2424) were cloned and expressed in E. coli. The protein products were purified and their enzymatic activity characterized. Although SSO2341 was annotated as a gene (gpT-1) encoding a 6-oxopurine...... phosphoribosyltransferase (PRTase), the protein product turned out to be a PRTase highly specific for adenine and we suggest that the reading frame should be renamed apT. The other reading frame SSO2424 (gpT-2) proved to be a true 6-oxopurine PRTase active with hypoxanthine, xanthine and guanine as substrates, and we.......5, while maximal activity with xanthine was observed at pH 7.5. We discuss likely reasons why SSO2341 in S. solfataricus and similar open reading frames in other Crenarchaeota could not be identified as genes encoding APRTase....

Materials Degradation and Detection (MD2): Deep Dive Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCloy, John S.; Montgomery, Robert O.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Meyer, Ryan M.; Hu, Shenyang Y.; Li, Yulan; Henager, Charles H.; Johnson, Bradley R.

2013-02-01

An effort is underway at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to develop a fundamental and general framework to foster the science and technology needed to support real-time monitoring of early degradation in materials used in the production of nuclear power. The development of such a capability would represent a timely solution to the mounting issues operators face with materials degradation in nuclear power plants. The envisioned framework consists of three primary and interconnected “thrust” areas including 1) microstructural science, 2) behavior assessment, and 3) monitoring and predictive capabilities. A brief state-of-the-art assessment for each of these core technology areas is discussed in the paper.

21 CFR 582.1095 - Sulfuric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sulfuric acid. 582.1095 Section 582.1095 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS....1095 Sulfuric acid. (a) Product. Sulfuric acid. (b) Conditions of use. This substance is generally...

Io's theothermal (sulfur) - Lithosphere cycle inferred from sulfur solubility modeling of Pele's magma supply

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, Steven M.; Stewart, Michael A.; Kieffer, Susan W.

2014-06-01

Surface deposits of volatile compounds such as water (Earth) or sulfur (Io) on volcanically active bodies suggest that a magmatic distillation process works to concentrate volatiles in surface reservoirs. On Earth, this is the combined hydrologic and tectonic cycle. On Io, sulfurous compounds are transferred from the interior to the surface reservoirs through a combination of a mantle-sourced magmatic system, vertical cycling of the lithosphere, and a sulfur-dominated crustal thermal system that we here call the "theothermal" system. We present a geochemical analysis of this process using previously inferred temperature and oxygen fugacity constraints of Pele's basaltic magma to determine the behavior of sulfur in the ionian magmas. Sulfate to sulfide ratios of Pele's magma are -4.084 ± 0.6 and -6.442 ± 0.7 log10 units, comparable to or lower than those of mid-ocean ridge basalts. This reflects the similarity of Io's oxidation state with Earth's depleted mantle as previously suggested by Zolotov and Fegley (Zolotov, M.Y., Fegley, B. [2000]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 27, 2789-2792). Our calculated limits of sulfur solubility in melts from Pele's patera (˜1100-1140 ppm) are also comparable to terrestrial mid-ocean ridge basalts, reflecting a compositional similarity of mantle sources. We propose that the excess sulfur obvious on Io's surface comes from two sources: (1) an insoluble sulfide liquid phase in the magma and (2) theothermal near-surface recycling.

Quantification of Discrete Oxide and Sulfur Layers on Sulfur-Passivated InAs by XPS

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Petrovykh, D. Y; Sullivan, J. M; Whitman, L. J

2005-01-01

.... The S-passivated InAs(001) surface can be modeled as a sulfur-indium-arsenic layer-cake structure, such that characterization requires quantification of both arsenic oxide and sulfur layers that are at most a few monolayers thick...

Sulfur and Oxygen Isotope Fractionation During Bacterial Sulfur Disproportionation Under Anaerobic Haloalkaline Conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poser, Alexander; Vogt, Carsten; Knöller, Kay; Sorokin, Dimitry Y.; Finster, Kai W.; Richnow, Hans H.

2016-01-01

Sulfur and oxygen isotope fractionation of elemental sulfur disproportionation at anaerobic haloalkaline conditions was evaluated for the first time. Isotope enrichment factors of the strains Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus and Dethiobacter alkaliphilus growing at pH 9 or 10 were −0.9‰ to −1‰ for

Air Quality Criteria for Sulfur Oxides.

Science.gov (United States)

National Air Pollution Control Administration (DHEW), Washington, DC.

Included is a literature review which comprehensively discusses knowledge of the sulfur oxides commonly found in the atmosphere. The subject content is represented by the 10 chapter titles: Physical and Chemical Properties and the Atmospheric Reactions of the Oxides of Sulfur; Sources and Methods of Measurements of Sulfur Oxides in the Atmosphere;…

Model Prebiotic Iron-Sulfur Peptides

Science.gov (United States)

Bonfio, C.; Scintilla, S.; Shah, S.; Evans, D. J.; Jin, L.; Szostak, J. W.; Sasselov, D. D.; Sutherland, J. D.; Mansy, S. S.

2017-07-01

Iron-sulfur clusters form easily in aqueous solution in the presence of thiolates and iron ions. Polymerization of short, iron-sulfur binding tripeptide sequences leads to ferredoxin-like ligand spacing and activity.

Thermophilic archaeal community succession and function change associated with the leaching rate in bioleaching of chalcopyrite.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wei; Xia, Jin-lan; Yang, Yi; Nie, Zhen-yuan; Peng, An-an; Liu, Hong-chang; Qiu, Guan-zhou

2013-04-01

The community succession and function change of thermophilic archaea Acidianus brierleyi, Metallosphaera sedula, Acidianus manzaensis and Sulfolobus metallicus were studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of amplifying 16S rRNA genes fragments and real-time qPCR analysis of amplifying sulfur-oxidizing soxB gene associated with chalcopyrite bioleaching rate at different temperatures and initial pH values. The analysis results of the community succession indicated that temperature and initial pH value had a significant effect on the consortium, and S. metallicus was most sensitive to the environmental change, A. brierleyi showed the best adaptability and sulfur oxidation ability and predominated in various leaching systems. Meanwhile, the leaching rate of chalcopyrite closely related to the consortium function embodied by soxB gene, which could prove a desirable way for revealing microbial sulfur oxidation difference and tracking the function change of the consortium, and for optimizing the leaching parameters and improving the recovery of valuable metals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cell Concepts of Metal-Sulfur Batteries (Metal = Li, Na, K, Mg): Strategies for Using Sulfur in Energy Storage Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Medenbach, Lukas; Adelhelm, Philipp

2017-09-29

There is great interest in using sulfur as active component in rechargeable batteries thanks to its low cost and high specific charge (1672 mAh/g). The electrochemistry of sulfur, however, is complex and cell concepts are required, which differ from conventional designs. This review summarizes different strategies for utilizing sulfur in rechargeable batteries among membrane concepts, polysulfide concepts, all-solid-state concepts as well as high-temperature systems. Among the more popular lithium-sulfur and sodium-sulfur batteries, we also comment on recent results on potassium-sulfur and magnesium-sulfur batteries. Moreover, specific properties related to the type of light metal are discussed.

Improved Cyclability of Liquid Electrolyte Lithium/Sulfur Batteries by Optimizing Electrolyte/Sulfur Ratio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheng S. Zhang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A liquid electrolyte lithium/sulfur (Li/S cell is a liquid electrochemical system. In discharge, sulfur is first reduced to highly soluble Li2S8, which dissolves into the organic electrolyte and serves as the liquid cathode. In solution, lithium polysulfide (PS undergoes a series of complicated disproportionations, whose chemical equilibriums vary with the PS concentration and affect the cell’s performance. Since the PS concentration relates to a certain electrolyte/sulfur (E/S ratio, there is an optimized E/S ratio for the cyclability of each Li/S cell system. In this work, we study the optimized E/S ratio by measuring the cycling performance of Li/S cells, and propose an empirical method for determination of the optimized E/S ratio. By employing an electrolyte of 0.25 m LiSO3CF3-0.25 m LiNO3 dissolved in a 1:1 (wt:wt mixture of dimethyl ether (DME and 1,3-dioxolane (DOL in an optimized E/S ratio, we show that the Li/S cell with a cathode containing 72% sulfur and 2 mg cm−2 sulfur loading is able to retain a specific capacity of 780 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.5 mA cm−2 between 1.7 V and 2.8 V.

Antibotulinal efficacy of sulfur dioxide in meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Tompkin, R B; Christiansen, L N; Shaparis, A B

1980-01-01

The addition of sodium metabisulfite as a source of sulfur dioxide delayed botulinal outgrowth in perishable canned comminuted pork when it was temperature abused at 27 degree C. The degree of inhibition was directly related to the level of sulfur dioxide. Levels greater than 100 microgram of sulfur dioxide per g were necessary to achieve significant inhibition when a target level of 100 botulinal spores per g was used. Sodium nitrite partially reduced the efficacy of the sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide offers a new option for the control of botulinal outgrowth in cured or noncured meat and poultry products. PMID:6996613

21 CFR 184.1095 - Sulfuric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Sulfuric acid. 184.1095 Section 184.1095 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1095 Sulfuric acid. (a) Sulfuric acid (H2SO4, CAS Reg. No. 7664-93-9), also...

Dew point of gases with low sulfuric acid content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fieg, J.

1981-07-01

Discusses control of air pollution caused by sulfur compounds in solid fuels during combustion. Excessive amount of oxygen during combustion leads to formation of sulfur trioxide. Sulfur trioxide reacts with water vapor and forms sulfuric acid. Chemical reactions which lead to formation of sulfuric acid are described. Conditions for sulfuric acid condensation are analyzed. Several methods for determining dew point of flue gases with low sulfuric acid content are reviewed: methods based on determination of electric conductivity of condensed sulfuric acid (Francis, Cheney, Kiyoure), method based on determination of sulfuric acid concentration in the gaseous phase and in the liquid phase after cooling (Lee, Lisle and Sensenbaugh, Ross and Goksoyr). (26 refs.) (In Polish)

Effects of Sulfurization Temperature on Properties of CZTS Films by Vacuum Evaporation and Sulfurization Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Copper zinc tin sulfur (CZTS thin films have been extensively studied in recent years for their advantages of low cost, high absorption coefficient (≥104 cm−1, appropriate band gap (~1.5 eV, and nontoxicity. CZTS thin films are promising materials of solar cells like copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS. In this work, CZTS thin films were prepared on glass substrates by vacuum evaporation and sulfurization method. Sn/Cu/ZnS (CZT precursors were deposited by thermal evaporation and then sulfurized in N2 + H2S atmosphere at temperatures of 360–560°C to produce polycrystalline CZTS thin films. It is found that there are some impurity phases in the thin films with the sulfurization temperature less than 500°C, and the crystallite size of CZTS is quite small. With the further increase of the sulfurization temperature, the obtained thin films exhibit preferred (112 orientation with larger crystallite size and higher density. When the sulfurization temperature is 500°C, the band gap energy, resistivity, carrier concentration, and mobility of the CZTS thin films are 1.49 eV, 9.37 Ω · cm, 1.714×1017 cm−3, and 3.89 cm2/(V · s, respectively. Therefore, the prepared CZTS thin films are suitable for absorbers of solar cells.

Sulfur activation in Hiroshima

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, G.D.; Pace, J.V. III.

1987-01-01

In 1979, we attempted to establish the validity of source terms for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs using experimental data on sulfur activation. Close agreement was observed between measured and calculated values for test firings of Nagasaki-type bombs. The calculated values were based on source terms developed by W.E. Preeg at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). A discrepancy was found, however, when we compared calculated values for the two bombs because a 1956 report by R.R. Wilson stated that sulfur acitvation by fast neutrons in Hiroshima was approximately three times greater than in Nagasaki. Our calculations based on Preeg's source-term data predicted about equal sulfur activation in the two cities

Determination of sulfur content in fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daucik, P.; Zidek, Z.; Kalab, P.

1998-01-01

The sulfur content in fuels, Diesel fuels, and in the solutions of dibutylsulfide in a white oil was determined by various methods. The results obtained by elemental analysis have shown that the method is not advisable for the determination of sulfur in fuels. A good agreement was found by comparing the results in the determination of the sulfur by Grote-Krekeler's and Hermann-Moritz's methods and by the energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis. The last method is the modern, comfortable, and timesaving method enabling the fast and precise determination of sulfur contents in the various types of samples. (authors)

Molecular Characterization of Copper and Cadmium Resistance Determinants in the Biomining Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus metallicus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alvaro Orell

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Sulfolobus metallicus is a thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon used in high-temperature bioleaching processes that is able to grow under stressing conditions such as high concentrations of heavy metals. Nevertheless, the genetic and biochemical mechanisms responsible for heavy metal resistance in S. metallicus remain uncharacterized. Proteomic analysis of S. metallicus cells exposed to 100 mM Cu revealed that 18 out of 30 upregulated proteins are related to the production and conversion of energy, amino acids biosynthesis, and stress responses. Ten of these last proteins were also up-regulated in S. metallicus treated in the presence of 1 mM Cd suggesting that at least in part, a common general response to these two heavy metals. The S. metallicus genome contained two complete cop gene clusters, each encoding a metallochaperone (CopM, a Cu-exporting ATPase (CopA, and a transcriptional regulator (CopT. Transcriptional expression analysis revealed that copM and copA from each cop gene cluster were cotranscribed and their transcript levels increased when S. metallicus was grown either in the presence of Cu or using chalcopyrite (CuFeS2 as oxidizable substrate. This study shows for the first time the presence of a duplicated version of the cop gene cluster in Archaea and characterizes some of the Cu and Cd resistance determinants in a thermophilic archaeon employed for industrial biomining.

Role of tryptophan 95 in substrate specificity and structural stability of Sulfolobus solfataricus alcohol dehydrogenase.

Science.gov (United States)

Pennacchio, Angela; Esposito, Luciana; Zagari, Adriana; Rossi, Mosè; Raia, Carlo A

2009-09-01

A mutant of the thermostable NAD(+)-dependent (S)-stereospecific alcohol dehydrogenase from Sulfolobus solfataricus (SsADH) which has a single substitution, Trp95Leu, located at the substrate binding pocket, was fully characterized to ascertain the role of Trp95 in discriminating between chiral secondary alcohols suggested by the wild-type SsADH crystallographic structure. The Trp95Leu mutant displays no apparent activity with short-chain primary and secondary alcohols and poor activity with aromatic substrates and coenzyme. Moreover, the Trp --> Leu substitution affects the structural stability of the archaeal ADH, decreasing its thermal stability without relevant changes in secondary structure. The double mutant Trp95Leu/Asn249Tyr was also purified to assist in crystallographic analysis. This mutant exhibits higher activity but decreased affinity toward aliphatic alcohols, aldehydes as well as NAD(+) and NADH compared to the wild-type enzyme. The crystal structure of the Trp95Leu/Asn249Tyr mutant apo form, determined at 2.0 A resolution, reveals a large local rearrangement of the substrate site with dramatic consequences. The Leu95 side-chain conformation points away from the catalytic metal center and the widening of the substrate site is partially counteracted by a concomitant change of Trp117 side chain conformation. Structural changes at the active site are consistent with the reduced activity on substrates and decreased coenzyme binding.

Synthesis of three-dimensionally interconnected sulfur-rich polymers for cathode materials of high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hoon; Lee, Joungphil; Ahn, Hyungmin; Kim, Onnuri; Park, Moon Jeong

2015-06-01

Elemental sulfur is one of the most attractive cathode active materials in lithium batteries because of its high theoretical specific capacity. Despite the positive aspect, lithium-sulfur batteries have suffered from severe capacity fading and limited rate capability. Here we report facile large-scale synthesis of a class of organosulfur compounds that could open a new chapter in designing cathode materials to advance lithium-sulfur battery technologies. Porous trithiocyanuric acid crystals are synthesized for use as a soft template, where the ring-opening polymerization of elemental sulfur takes place along the thiol surfaces to create three-dimensionally interconnected sulfur-rich phases. Our lithium-sulfur cells display discharge capacity of 945 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C with high-capacity retention of 92%, as well as lifetimes of 450 cycles. Particularly, the organized amine groups in the crystals increase Li+-ion transfer rate, affording a rate performance of 1210, mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and 730 mAh g-1 at 5 C.

Synthesis of three-dimensionally interconnected sulfur-rich polymers for cathode materials of high-rate lithium–sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hoon; Lee, Joungphil; Ahn, Hyungmin; Kim, Onnuri; Park, Moon Jeong

2015-01-01

Elemental sulfur is one of the most attractive cathode active materials in lithium batteries because of its high theoretical specific capacity. Despite the positive aspect, lithium–sulfur batteries have suffered from severe capacity fading and limited rate capability. Here we report facile large-scale synthesis of a class of organosulfur compounds that could open a new chapter in designing cathode materials to advance lithium–sulfur battery technologies. Porous trithiocyanuric acid crystals are synthesized for use as a soft template, where the ring-opening polymerization of elemental sulfur takes place along the thiol surfaces to create three-dimensionally interconnected sulfur-rich phases. Our lithium–sulfur cells display discharge capacity of 945 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C with high-capacity retention of 92%, as well as lifetimes of 450 cycles. Particularly, the organized amine groups in the crystals increase Li+-ion transfer rate, affording a rate performance of 1210, mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and 730 mAh g−1 at 5 C. PMID:26065407

Cometabolic Degradation of Dibenzofuran and Dibenzothiophene by a Naphthalene-Degrading Comamonas sp. JB.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiangyu; Xu, Jing; Ning, Shuxiang; Li, Nan; Tan, Liang; Shi, Shengnan

2017-12-01

Comamonas sp. JB was used to investigate the cometabolic degradation of dibenzofuran (DBF) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) with naphthalene as the primary substrate. Dehydrogenase and ATPase activity of the growing system with the presence of DBF and DBT were decreased when compared to only naphthalene in the growing system, indicating that the presence of DBF and DBT inhibited the metabolic activity of strain JB. The pathways and enzymes involved in the cometabolic degradation were tested. Examination of metabolites elucidated that strain JB cometabolically degraded DBF to 1,2-dihydroxydibenzofuran, subsequently to 2-hydroxy-4-(3'-oxo-3'H-benzofuran-2'-yliden)but-2-enoic acid, and finally to catechol. Meanwhile, strain JB cometabolically degraded DBT to 1,2-dihydroxydibenzothiophene and subsequently to the ring cleavage product. A series of naphthalene-degrading enzymes including naphthalene dioxygenase, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase, salicylate hydroxylase, and catechol 2,3-oxygenase have been detected, confirming that naphthalene was the real inducer of expression the degradation enzymes and metabolic pathways were controlled by naphthalene-degrading enzymes.

Effects of sulfur dioxide on vegetation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whitby, G S

1939-11-11

A discussion is presented on the effects of sulfur dioxide on vegetation as observed at Trail, British Columbia. The investigation was carried out over a period of eight years, 1929 to 1937. The concentration of sulfur dioxide at the United States border was carefully determined throughout the crop season at a point 16 miles from the source of sulfur dioxide. Maximum and average concentrations in part per million are given. The sulfur content of vegetation was determined and was found to diminish as the distance from the smelter increased. It was determined that the sulfur content may rise to four times the normal amount without injurious effect. This is particularly so with prolonged low concentration. The effect on the soil was determined by measuring soluble sulfate, pH and exchangeable bases. The soil near the plant was affected, but this fell off rapidly with increase in distance so that eight miles from the smelter the soil was substantially normal. No effect on water supplies was found. An appreciable retardation in growth, as determined by annular rings, was noted for trees exposed to the sulfur dioxide. This effect was lost following installation of sulfur dioxide control at Trail. Conifers were found more susceptible during periods of active growth than when dormant. Also, transplanted conifers were more severly affected than native trees. Seedlings were less resistant that older trees.

Influence of sulfurous oxide on plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schroeder, J

1872-01-01

It has been determined that of the trees living in an atmosphere containing sulfurous oxide, the conifers suffer more injuries than ordinary foliaged trees. Experiments were conducted to find the causes of injuries and their relation in these two kinds of plants. Pine and alder were chosen as test plants. It was found that 1000 square centimeters of pine leaves had absorbed 1.6 c.c. of sulfurous oxide and the same surface area of alder leaves had accumulated 7.9 c.c. of sulfurous oxide. Experiments were also conducted to determine the effects of sulfurous oxide on transpiration in plants. Two similar twigs of a sycamore were arranged so that the water transpired could be weighed. Results indicate that the ratio between the total amount of water transpired by the leaves not acted on by the sulfurous oxide and those under its influence was 3.8:1. The author concludes that the amount of sulfurous oxide absorbed by pine leaves is smaller than that absorbed by trees with ordinary foliage for equal surfaces. Since its effect on transpiration is less in the case of pine, the cause of the greater injury to pine trees in nature must be due to the accumulation of sulfur. In trees annual leaves the damage to one year's foliage would have only an indirect influence on that of the following year.

Sulfur metabolism in the extreme acidophile Acidithiobacillus caldus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie eMangold

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Given the challenges to life at low pH, an analysis of inorganic sulfur compound oxidation was initiated in the chemolithoautotrophic extremophile Acidithiobacillus caldus. A. caldus is able to metabolize elemental sulfur and a broad range of inorganic sulfur compounds. It has been implicated in the production of environmentally damaging acidic solutions as well as participating in industrial bioleaching operations where it forms part of microbial consortia used for the recovery of metal ions. Based upon the recently published A. caldus type strain genome sequence, a bioinformatic reconstruction of elemental sulfur and inorganic sulfur compound metabolism predicted genes included: sulfide quinone reductase (sqr, tetrathionate hydrolase (tth, two sox gene clusters potentially involved in thiosulfate oxidation (soxABXYZ, sulfur oxygenase reductase (sor, and various electron transport components. RNA transcript profiles by semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR suggested up-regulation of sox genes in the presence of tetrathionate. Extensive gel based proteomic comparisons of total soluble and membrane enriched protein fractions during growth on elemental sulfur and tetrathionate identified differential protein levels from the two Sox clusters as well as several chaperone and stress proteins up-regulated in the presence of elemental sulfur. Proteomics results also suggested the involvement of heterodisulfide reductase (HdrABC in A. caldus inorganic sulfur compound metabolism. A putative new function of Hdr in acidophiles is discussed. Additional proteomic analysis evaluated protein expression differences between cells grown attached to solid, elemental sulfur versus planktonic cells. This study has provided insights into sulfur metabolism of this acidophilic chemolithotroph and gene expression during attachment to solid elemental sulfur.

Sulfur Isotope Exchange between S-35 Labeled Inorganic Sulfur-Compounds in Anoxic Marine-Sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

FOSSING, H.; THODEANDERSEN, S.; JØRGENSEN, BB

1992-01-01

of isotope exchange, specific radioactivities of the reduced sulfur pools were poorly defined and could not be used to calculate their rates of formation. Such isotope exchange reactions between the reduced inorganic sulfur compounds will affect the stable isotope distribution and are expected to decrease...

Graphene-wrapped sulfur/metal organic framework-derived microporous carbon composite for lithium sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Renjie, E-mail: kx210@cam.ac.uk, E-mail: chenrj@bit.edu.cn; Zhao, Teng [Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Environment, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Tian, Tian; Fairen-Jimenez, David [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3RA (United Kingdom); Cao, Shuai; Coxon, Paul R.; Xi, Kai, E-mail: kx210@cam.ac.uk, E-mail: chenrj@bit.edu.cn; Vasant Kumar, R.; Cheetham, Anthony K. [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom)

2014-12-01

A three-dimensional hierarchical sandwich-type graphene sheet-sulfur/carbon (GS-S/C{sub ZIF8-D}) composite for use in a cathode for a lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery has been prepared by an ultrasonic method. The microporous carbon host was prepared by a one-step pyrolysis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), a typical zinc-containing metal organic framework (MOF), which offers a tunable porous structure into which electro-active sulfur can be diffused. The thin graphene sheet, wrapped around the sulfur/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 derived carbon (S/C{sub ZIF8-D}) composite, has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility, thus facilitating rapid electron transport and accommodating the changes in volume of the sulfur electrode. Compared with the S/C{sub ZIF8-D} sample, Li-S batteries with the GS-S/C{sub ZIF8-D} composite cathode showed enhanced capacity, improved electrochemical stability, and relatively high columbic efficiency by taking advantage of the synergistic effects of the microporous carbon from ZIF-8 and a highly interconnected graphene network. Our results demonstrate that a porous MOF-derived scaffold with a wrapped graphene conductive network structure is a potentially efficient design for a battery electrode that can meet the challenge arising from low conductivity and volume change.

Graphene-wrapped sulfur/metal organic framework-derived microporous carbon composite for lithium sulfur batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renjie Chen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A three-dimensional hierarchical sandwich-type graphene sheet-sulfur/carbon (GS-S/CZIF8-D composite for use in a cathode for a lithium sulfur (Li-S battery has been prepared by an ultrasonic method. The microporous carbon host was prepared by a one-step pyrolysis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8, a typical zinc-containing metal organic framework (MOF, which offers a tunable porous structure into which electro-active sulfur can be diffused. The thin graphene sheet, wrapped around the sulfur/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 derived carbon (S/CZIF8-D composite, has excellent electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility, thus facilitating rapid electron transport and accommodating the changes in volume of the sulfur electrode. Compared with the S/CZIF8-D sample, Li-S batteries with the GS-S/CZIF8-D composite cathode showed enhanced capacity, improved electrochemical stability, and relatively high columbic efficiency by taking advantage of the synergistic effects of the microporous carbon from ZIF-8 and a highly interconnected graphene network. Our results demonstrate that a porous MOF-derived scaffold with a wrapped graphene conductive network structure is a potentially efficient design for a battery electrode that can meet the challenge arising from low conductivity and volume change.

Multiple sulfur isotopes monitor fluid evolution of an Archean orogenic gold deposit

Science.gov (United States)

LaFlamme, Crystal; Sugiono, Dennis; Thébaud, Nicolas; Caruso, Stefano; Fiorentini, Marco; Selvaraja, Vikraman; Jeon, Heejin; Voute, François; Martin, Laure

2018-02-01

The evolution of a gold-bearing hydrothermal fluid from its source to the locus of gold deposition is complex as it experiences rapid changes in thermochemical conditions during ascent through the crust. Although it is well established that orogenic gold deposits are generated during time periods of abundant crustal growth and/or reworking, the source of fluid and the thermochemical processes that control gold precipitation remain poorly understood. In situ analyses of multiple sulfur isotopes offer a new window into the relationship between source reservoirs of Au-bearing fluids and the thermochemical processes that occur along their pathway to the final site of mineralisation. Whereas δ34S is able to track changes in the evolution of the thermodynamic conditions of ore-forming fluids, Δ33S is virtually indelible and can uniquely fingerprint an Archean sedimentary reservoir that has undergone mass independent fractionation of sulfur (MIF-S). We combine these two tracers (δ34S and Δ33S) to characterise a gold-bearing laminated quartz breccia ore zone and its sulfide-bearing alteration halo in the (+6 Moz Au) structurally-controlled Archean Waroonga deposit located in the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. Over 250 analyses of gold-associated sulfides yield a δ34S shift from what is interpreted as an early pre-mineralisation phase, with chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite (δ34S = +0.7‰ to +2.9‰) and arsenopyrite cores (δ34S = ∼-0.5‰), to a syn-mineralisation stage, reflected in Au-bearing arsenopyrite rims (δ34S = -7.6‰ to +1.5‰). This shift coincides with an unchanging Δ33S value (Δ33S = +0.3‰), both temporally throughout the Au-hosting hydrothermal sulfide paragenesis and spatially across the Au ore zone. These results indicate that sulfur is at least partially recycled from MIF-S-bearing Archean sediments. Further, the invariant nature of the observed MIF-S signature demonstrates that sulfur is derived from a

Do the organic sulfur compounds DMSP and DMS drive coral microbial associations?

Science.gov (United States)

Raina, Jean-Baptiste; Dinsdale, Elizabeth A; Willis, Bette L; Bourne, David G

2010-03-01

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) are key compounds in the global sulfur cycle. Moreover, DMS is particularly important in climate regulation owing to its role in cloud formation. Reef building corals are major contributors to the production of these two compounds and also form diverse and complex associations with bacteria, which are known to play a crucial role in the degradation of DMSP and DMS. Here, we highlight an extensive overlap between bacterial species implicated in DMSP/DMS degradation and those associated with corals, leading to the hypothesis that these two compounds play a major role in structuring coral-associated bacterial communities, with important consequences for coral health and the resilience of coral reefs. We also explore the publically available metagenome databases and show that genes implicated in DMSP metabolism are abundant in the viral component of coral-reef-derived metagenomes, indicating that viruses can act as a reservoir for such genes.

Honeycomb-like Nitrogen and Sulfur Dual-Doped Hierarchical Porous Biomass-Derived Carbon for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Manfang; Jiang, Shouxin; Huang, Cheng; Wang, Xianyou; Cai, Siyu; Xiang, Kaixiong; Zhang, Yapeng; Xue, Jiaxi

2017-04-22

Honeycomb-like nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped hierarchical porous biomass-derived carbon/sulfur composites (NSHPC/S) are successfully fabricated for high energy density lithium-sulfur batteries. The effects of nitrogen, sulfur dual-doping on the structures and properties of the NSHPC/S composites are investigated in detail by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and charge/discharge tests. The results show that N, S dual-doping not only introduces strong chemical adsorption and provides more active sites but also significantly enhances the electronic conductivity and hydrophilic properties of hierarchical porous biomass-derived carbon, thereby significantly enhancing the utilization of sulfur and immobilizing the notorious polysulfide shuttle effect. Especially, the as-synthesized NSHPC-7/S exhibits high initial discharge capacity of 1204 mA h g -1 at 1.0 C and large reversible capacity of 952 mA h g -1 after 300 cycles at 0.5 C with an ultralow capacity fading rate of 0.08 % per cycle even at high sulfur content (85 wt %) and high active material areal mass loading (2.8 mg cm -2 ) for the application of high energy density Li-S batteries. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of Elemental Sulfur and Sulfide on the Corrosion Behavior of Cr-Mo Low Alloy Steel for Tubing and Tubular Components in Oil and Gas Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Khaksar, Ladan; Shirokoff, John

2017-04-20

The chemical degradation of alloy components in sulfur-containing environments is a major concern in oil and gas production. This paper discusses the effect of elemental sulfur and its simplest anion, sulfide, on the corrosion of Cr-Mo alloy steel at pH 2 and 5 during 10, 20 and 30 h immersion in two different solutions. 4130 Cr-Mo alloy steel is widely used as tubing and tubular components in sour services. According to the previous research in aqueous conditions, contact of solid sulfur with alloy steel can initiate catastrophic corrosion problems. The corrosion behavior was monitored by the potentiodynamic polarization technique during the experiments. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been applied to characterize the corrosion product layers after each experiment. The results show that under the same experimental conditions, the corrosion resistance of Cr-Mo alloy in the presence of elemental sulfur is significantly lower than its resistance in the presence of sulfide ions.

The effective synthesis of Insoluble sulfur using electron beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Daejin; Yu, Kookhyun [Dongguk Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2013-07-01

Vulcanization is process that formed crosslinking by Insoluble sulfur between linear structure of rubber polymer. Recently, Synthesis of Insoluble sulfur is used Thermal polymerization using about 250 {approx} 300 .deg. C and extraction process is used carbon disulfide(CS2) for separation between soluble sulfur and insoluble sulfur. But this process isn't environmental, economical and safety. This research was focus on developing of insoluble sulfur synthesis process using electron beam. This new process is using under the 140 .deg. C. Because of that, explosion risk is decrease, environmental and economical factor is increased. The sulfur can be melt by increase temperature or made solution using carbon disulfide. And electron beam is irradiated melting sulfur or sulfur solution. After irradiation, The high purity insoluble sulfur can be obtained by separation with carbon disulfide.

A novel Sulfolobus non-conjugative extrachromosomal genetic element capable of integration into the host genome and spreading in the presence of a fusellovirus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Ying; Duan, Zhenhong; Zhu, Haojun

2007-01-01

An integrative non-conjugative extrachromosomal genetic element, denoted as pSSVi, has been isolated from a Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 strain and was characterized. This genetic element is a double-stranded DNA of 5740 bp in size and contains eight open reading frames (ORFs). It resembles members....... Interestingly, pSSVi encodes an SSV-type integrase which probably catalyzes the integration of its genome into a specific site (a tRNA(Arg) gene) in the S. solfataricus P2 genome. Like pSSVx, pSSVi can be packaged into a spindle-like viral particle and spread with the help of SSV1 or SSV2. In addition, both SSV......1 and SSV2 appeared to replicate more efficiently in the presence of pSSVi. Given the versatile genetic abilities, pSSVi appears to be well suited for a role in horizontal gene transfer....

Efficient Electrolytes for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angulakshmi, Natarajan; Stephan, Arul Manuel

2015-01-01

This review article mainly encompasses on the state-of-the-art electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries. Different strategies have been employed to address the issues of lithium–sulfur batteries across the world. One among them is identification of electrolytes and optimization of their properties for the applications in lithium–sulfur batteries. The electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries are broadly classified as (i) non-aqueous liquid electrolytes, (ii) ionic liquids, (iii) solid polymer, and (iv) glass-ceramic electrolytes. This article presents the properties, advantages, and limitations of each type of electrolytes. Also, the importance of electrolyte additives on the electrochemical performance of Li–S cells is discussed.

Efficient Electrolytes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natarajan eAngulakshmi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This review article mainly encompasses on the state-of-the-art electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries. Different strategies have been employed to address the issues of lithium-sulfur batteries across the world. One among them is identification of electrolytes and optimization of their properties for the applications in lithium-sulfur batteries. The electrolytes for lithium-sulfur batteries are broadly classified as (i non-aqueous liquid electrolytes, (ii ionic liquids, (iii solid polymer and (iv glass-ceramic electrolytes. This article presents the properties, advantages and limitations of each type of electrolytes. Also the importance of electrolyte additives on the electrochemical performance of Li-S cells is discussed.

Efficient Electrolytes for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Angulakshmi, Natarajan [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Stephan, Arul Manuel, E-mail: arulmanuel@gmail.com [Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI), Karaikudi (India)

2015-05-21

This review article mainly encompasses on the state-of-the-art electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries. Different strategies have been employed to address the issues of lithium–sulfur batteries across the world. One among them is identification of electrolytes and optimization of their properties for the applications in lithium–sulfur batteries. The electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries are broadly classified as (i) non-aqueous liquid electrolytes, (ii) ionic liquids, (iii) solid polymer, and (iv) glass-ceramic electrolytes. This article presents the properties, advantages, and limitations of each type of electrolytes. Also, the importance of electrolyte additives on the electrochemical performance of Li–S cells is discussed.

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous graphene aerogels/sulfur nanocrystals for lithium–sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Yong; Lu, Mengna; Ling, Xuetao; Jiao, Zheng; Chen, Lingli; Chen, Lu; Hu, Pengfei; Zhao, Bing

2015-01-01

Highlights: • 3D porous GA/S nanocrystals are prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. • The structure is affected by hydrothermal temperature and liquid sulfur’s viscosity. • The hybrid delivers a capacity of 716.2 mA h g −1 after 50 cycles at 100 mA g −1 . • The nanosized S, strong adsorbability and intimate contact of GNS are main factors. - Abstract: Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are receiving significant attention as a new energy source because of its high theoretical capacity and specific energy. However, the low sulfur loading and large particles (usually in submicron dimension) in the cathode greatly offset its advantage in high energy density and lead to the instability of the cathode and rapid capacity decay. Herein, we introduce a one-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous graphene aerogels/sulfur nanocrystals to suppress the rapid fading of sulfur electrode. It is found that the hydrothermal temperature and viscosity of liquid sulfur have significant effects on particle size and loading mass of sulfur nanocrystals, graphitization degree of graphene and chemical bonding between sulfur and oxygen-containing groups of graphene. The hybrid could deliver a specific capacity of 716.2 mA h g −1 after 50 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g −1 and reversible capacity of 517.9 mA h g −1 at 1 A g −1 . The performance we demonstrate herein suggests that Li–S battery may provide an opportunity for development of rechargeable battery systems

Micro-Spherical Sulfur/Graphene Oxide Composite via Spray Drying for High Performance Lithium Sulfur Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yuan; Sun, Zhenghao; Zhang, Yongguang; Yin, Fuxing

2018-01-01

An efficient, industry-accepted spray drying method was used to synthesize micro-spherical sulfur/graphene oxide (S/GO) composites as cathode materials within lithium sulfur batteries. The as-designed wrapping of the sulfur-nanoparticles, with wrinkled GO composites, was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The unique morphological design of this material enabled superior discharge capacity and cycling performance, demonstrating a high initial discharge capacity of 1400 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C. The discharge capacity remained at 828 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance indicates that the S/GO composite improves electrical conductivity and alleviates the shuttle effect. This study represents the first time such a facile spray drying method has been adopted for lithium sulfur batteries and used in the fabrication of S/GO composites. PMID:29346303

Contribution of sulfuric acid and oxidized organic compounds to particle formation and growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Riccobono

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Lack of knowledge about the mechanisms underlying new particle formation and their subsequent growth is one of the main causes for the large uncertainty in estimating the radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols in global models. We performed chamber experiments designed to study the contributions of sulfuric acid and organic vapors to the formation and early growth of nucleated particles. Distinct experiments in the presence of two different organic precursors (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and α-pinene showed the ability of these compounds to reproduce the formation rates observed in the low troposphere. These results were obtained measuring the sulfuric acid concentrations with two chemical ionization mass spectrometers confirming the results of a previous study which modeled the sulfuric acid concentrations in presence of 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene.

New analysis methods were applied to the data collected with a condensation particle counter battery and a scanning mobility particle sizer, allowing the assessment of the size resolved growth rates of freshly nucleated particles. The effect of organic vapors on particle growth was investigated by means of the growth rate enhancement factor (Γ, defined as the ratio between the measured growth rate in the presence of α-pinene and the kinetically limited growth rate of the sulfuric acid and water system. The observed Γ values indicate that the growth is already dominated by organic compounds at particle diameters of 2 nm. Both the absolute growth rates and Γ showed a strong dependence on particle size, supporting the nano-Köhler theory. Moreover, the separation of the contributions from sulfuric acid and organic compounds to particle growth reveals that the organic contribution seems to be enhanced by the sulfuric acid concentration. Finally, the size resolved growth analysis indicates that both condensation of oxidized organic compounds and reactive uptake contribute to particle growth.

Sulfur isotopes in coal constrain the evolution of the Phanerozoic sulfur cycle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Canfield, Donald Eugene

2013-01-01

Sulfate is the second most abundant anion (behind chloride) in modern seawater, and its cycling is intimately coupled to the cycling of organic matter and oxygen at the Earth’s surface. For example, the reduction of sulfide by microbes oxidizes vast amounts of organic carbon and the subsequent......, these compositions do not deviate substantially from the modern surface-water input to the oceans. When applied to mass balance models, these results support previous interpretations of sulfur cycle operation and counter recent suggestions that sulfate has been a minor player in sulfur cycling through...... reaction of sulfide with iron produces pyrite whose burial in sediments is an important oxygen source to the atmosphere. The concentrations of seawater sulfate and the operation of sulfur cycle have experienced dynamic changes through Earth’s history, and our understanding of this history is based mainly...

Porous-Shell Vanadium Nitride Nanobubbles with Ultrahigh Areal Sulfur Loading for High-Capacity and Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Lianbo; Yuan, Hao; Zhang, Wenjun; Zhu, Guoyin; Wang, Yanrong; Hu, Yi; Zhao, Peiyang; Chen, Renpeng; Chen, Tao; Liu, Jie; Hu, Zheng; Jin, Zhong

2017-12-13

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries hold great promise for the applications of high energy density storage. However, the performances of Li-S batteries are restricted by the low electrical conductivity of sulfur and shuttle effect of intermediate polysulfides. Moreover, the areal loading weights of sulfur in previous studies are usually low (around 1-3 mg cm -2 ) and thus cannot fulfill the requirement for practical deployment. Herein, we report that porous-shell vanadium nitride nanobubbles (VN-NBs) can serve as an efficient sulfur host in Li-S batteries, exhibiting remarkable electrochemical performances even with ultrahigh areal sulfur loading weights (5.4-6.8 mg cm -2 ). The large inner space of VN-NBs can afford a high sulfur content and accommodate the volume expansion, and the high electrical conductivity of VN-NBs ensures the effective utilization and fast redox kinetics of polysulfides. Moreover, VN-NBs present strong chemical affinity/adsorption with polysulfides and thus can efficiently suppress the shuttle effect via both capillary confinement and chemical binding, and promote the fast conversion of polysulfides. Benefiting from the above merits, the Li-S batteries based on sulfur-filled VN-NBs cathodes with 5.4 mg cm -2 sulfur exhibit impressively high areal/specific capacity (5.81 mAh cm -2 ), superior rate capability (632 mAh g -1 at 5.0 C), and long cycling stability.

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous graphene aerogels/sulfur nanocrystals for lithium–sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Yong; Lu, Mengna; Ling, Xuetao; Jiao, Zheng; Chen, Lingli; Chen, Lu [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Hu, Pengfei [Instrumental Analysis and Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Zhao, Bing, E-mail: bzhao@shu.edu.cn [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China)

2015-10-05

Highlights: • 3D porous GA/S nanocrystals are prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. • The structure is affected by hydrothermal temperature and liquid sulfur’s viscosity. • The hybrid delivers a capacity of 716.2 mA h g{sup −1} after 50 cycles at 100 mA g{sup −1}. • The nanosized S, strong adsorbability and intimate contact of GNS are main factors. - Abstract: Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are receiving significant attention as a new energy source because of its high theoretical capacity and specific energy. However, the low sulfur loading and large particles (usually in submicron dimension) in the cathode greatly offset its advantage in high energy density and lead to the instability of the cathode and rapid capacity decay. Herein, we introduce a one-step hydrothermal synthesis of three-dimensional porous graphene aerogels/sulfur nanocrystals to suppress the rapid fading of sulfur electrode. It is found that the hydrothermal temperature and viscosity of liquid sulfur have significant effects on particle size and loading mass of sulfur nanocrystals, graphitization degree of graphene and chemical bonding between sulfur and oxygen-containing groups of graphene. The hybrid could deliver a specific capacity of 716.2 mA h g{sup −1} after 50 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g{sup −1} and reversible capacity of 517.9 mA h g{sup −1} at 1 A g{sup −1}. The performance we demonstrate herein suggests that Li–S battery may provide an opportunity for development of rechargeable battery systems.

Sulfur impregnated in tunable porous N-doped carbon as sulfur cathode: effect of pore size distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Sha; Zhao, Zhenxia; Xu, Hui; Deng, Yuanfu; Li, Zhong; Chen, Guohua

2015-01-01

Highlights: •Effects of pore size were investigated on electrochemistry for S cathode. •Activation energy of sulfur desorption from the PDA-C was estimated. •Strong interaction was formed between sulfur and porous N-doped carbon. •PDA-C@S showed good cycling performance of 608 mA h g −1 at 2 C over 300 cycles. •PDA-C@S showed good rate stability and high rate capacity. -- Abstract: A novel porous N-doped carbon microsphere (polymer-dopamine derived carbon, PDA-C) with high specific surface area was synthesized as sulfur host for high performance of lithium-sulfur batteries. We used KOH to adjust the pore size and surface area of the PDA-C materials, and then impregnated sulfur into the PDA-C samples by vapor-melting diffusion method. Effects of pore size of the PDA-C samples on the electrochemical performance of the PDA-C@sulfur cathodes were systematically investigated. Raman spectra indicated an enhanced trend of the degree of graphitization of the PDA-C samples with increasing calcination temperature. The surface area of the PDA-C samples increases with amount of the KOH in the pore-creating process. The graphitized porous N-doped carbon provides the high electronic conductive network. Meanwhile, the PDA-C with high surface area and uniform micropores ensures a high interaction toward sulfur as well as the high dispersion of nanoscale sulfur layer on it. The microporous PDA-C@S cathode material exhibits the excellent high rate discharge capability (636 mA h g −1 at 2.0 C) and good low/high-rate cycling stability (893 mA h g −1 (0.5 C) and 608 mA h g −1 (2.0 C) over 100 and 300 cycles). Cyclic voltammogram curves and electrochemical impedance plots show that both the impedance and polarization of the cells increase with decreasing pore size

Developments of Electrolyte Systems for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Gaoran; Li, Zhoupeng; Zhang, Bin; Lin, Zhan

2015-01-01

With a theoretical specific energy five times higher than that of lithium–ion batteries (2,600 vs. ~500 Wh kg −1 ), lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have been considered as one of the most promising energy storage systems for the electrification of vehicles. However, both the polysulfide shuttle effects of the sulfur cathode and dendrite formation of the lithium anode are still key limitations to practical use of traditional Li–S batteries. In this review, we focus on the recent developments in electrolyte systems. First, we start with a brief discussion on fundamentals of Li–S batteries and key challenges associated with traditional liquid cells. We then introduce the most recent progresses in liquid systems, including ether-based, carbonate-based, and ionic liquid-based electrolytes. And then we move on to the advances in solid systems, including polymer and non-polymer electrolytes. Finally, the opportunities and perspectives for future research in both the liquid and solid Li–S batteries are presented.

Developments of Electrolyte Systems for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Gaoran; Li, Zhoupeng [College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang (China); Zhang, Bin [Anhui Academy for Environmental Science Research, Hefei, Anhui (China); Lin, Zhan, E-mail: zhanlin@zju.edu.cn [College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang (China)

2015-02-11

With a theoretical specific energy five times higher than that of lithium–ion batteries (2,600 vs. ~500 Wh kg{sup −1}), lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have been considered as one of the most promising energy storage systems for the electrification of vehicles. However, both the polysulfide shuttle effects of the sulfur cathode and dendrite formation of the lithium anode are still key limitations to practical use of traditional Li–S batteries. In this review, we focus on the recent developments in electrolyte systems. First, we start with a brief discussion on fundamentals of Li–S batteries and key challenges associated with traditional liquid cells. We then introduce the most recent progresses in liquid systems, including ether-based, carbonate-based, and ionic liquid-based electrolytes. And then we move on to the advances in solid systems, including polymer and non-polymer electrolytes. Finally, the opportunities and perspectives for future research in both the liquid and solid Li–S batteries are presented.

Developments of Electrolyte Systems for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhan eLin

2015-02-01

Full Text Available With a theoretical specific energy 5 times higher than that of lithium-ion (Li-ion batteries (2,600 vs. ~500 Wh kg-1, lithium-sulfur (Li-S batteries have been considered as one of the most promising energy storage systems for the electrification of vehicles. However, both the polysulfide shuttle effects of the sulfur cathode and dendrite formation of the lithium anode are still key limitations to practical use of traditional Li-S batteries. In this review, we focus on the recent developments in electrolyte systems. First we start with a brief discussion on fundamentals of Li-S batteries and key challenges associated with traditional liquid cells. We then introduce the most recent progresses in liquid systems, including ether-based, carbonate-based, and ionic liquid-based electrolytes. And then we move on to the advances in solid systems, including polymer and non-polymer electrolytes. Finally, the opportunities and perspectives for future research in both the liquid and solid Li-S batteries are presented.

Sulfur containing nanoporous materials, nanoparticles, methods and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, Lynden A.; Navaneedhakrishnan, Jayaprakash

2018-01-30

Sulfur containing nanoparticles that may be used within cathode electrodes within lithium ion batteries include in a first instance porous carbon shape materials (i.e., either nanoparticle shapes or "bulk" shapes that are subsequently ground to nanoparticle shapes) that are infused with a sulfur material. A synthetic route to these carbon and sulfur containing nanoparticles may use a template nanoparticle to form a hollow carbon shape shell, and subsequent dissolution of the template nanoparticle prior to infusion of the hollow carbon shape shell with a sulfur material. Sulfur infusion into other porous carbon shapes that are not hollow is also contemplated. A second type of sulfur containing nanoparticle includes a metal oxide material core upon which is located a shell layer that includes a vulcanized polymultiene polymer material and ion conducting polymer material. The foregoing sulfur containing nanoparticle materials provide the electrodes and lithium ion batteries with enhanced performance.

Peatland Acidobacteria with a dissimilatory sulfur metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hausmann, Bela; Pelikan, Claus; Herbold, Craig W; Köstlbacher, Stephan; Albertsen, Mads; Eichorst, Stephanie A; Glavina Del Rio, Tijana; Huemer, Martin; Nielsen, Per H; Rattei, Thomas; Stingl, Ulrich; Tringe, Susannah G; Trojan, Daniela; Wentrup, Cecilia; Woebken, Dagmar; Pester, Michael; Loy, Alexander

2018-02-23

Sulfur-cycling microorganisms impact organic matter decomposition in wetlands and consequently greenhouse gas emissions from these globally relevant environments. However, their identities and physiological properties are largely unknown. By applying a functional metagenomics approach to an acidic peatland, we recovered draft genomes of seven novel Acidobacteria species with the potential for dissimilatory sulfite (dsrAB, dsrC, dsrD, dsrN, dsrT, dsrMKJOP) or sulfate respiration (sat, aprBA, qmoABC plus dsr genes). Surprisingly, the genomes also encoded DsrL, which so far was only found in sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms. Metatranscriptome analysis demonstrated expression of acidobacterial sulfur-metabolism genes in native peat soil and their upregulation in diverse anoxic microcosms. This indicated an active sulfate respiration pathway, which, however, might also operate in reverse for dissimilatory sulfur oxidation or disproportionation as proposed for the sulfur-oxidizing Desulfurivibrio alkaliphilus. Acidobacteria that only harbored genes for sulfite reduction additionally encoded enzymes that liberate sulfite from organosulfonates, which suggested organic sulfur compounds as complementary energy sources. Further metabolic potentials included polysaccharide hydrolysis and sugar utilization, aerobic respiration, several fermentative capabilities, and hydrogen oxidation. Our findings extend both, the known physiological and genetic properties of Acidobacteria and the known taxonomic diversity of microorganisms with a DsrAB-based sulfur metabolism, and highlight new fundamental niches for facultative anaerobic Acidobacteria in wetlands based on exploitation of inorganic and organic sulfur molecules for energy conservation.

Development of in vitro transposon assisted signal sequence trapping and its use in screening Bacillus halodurans C125 and Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 gene libraries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Becker, F.; Schnorr, K.; Wilting, R.

2004-01-01

To identify genes encoding extracytosolic proteins, a minitransposon, TnSig, containing a signal-less beta-lactamase ('bla) as reporter gene, was constructed and used for in vitro transposition of genomic libraries made in Escherichia coli. The 'bla gene was cloned into a bacteriophage MU...... minitransposon enabling translational fusions between 'bla and target genes. Fusion of TnSig in the correct reading frame to a protein carrying transmembrane domains or signal peptides resulted in ampicillin resistance of the corresponding clone. Prokaryotic gene libraries from the alkaliphilic bacterium...... Bacillus halodurans C125 and the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2 were tagged with TnSig. The genomic sequences, which are publicly available (EMBL BA000004 and EMBL AE006641), were used for rapid open reading frame (ORF) identification and prediction of protein localisation...

Sulfurized activated carbon for high energy density supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yunxia; Candelaria, Stephanie L.; Li, Yanwei; Li, Zhimin; Tian, Jianjun; Zhang, Lili; Cao, Guozhong

2014-04-01

Sulfurized activated carbon (SAC), made by coating the pore surface with thiophenic sulfur functional groups from the pyrolysis of sulfur flakes, were characterized and tested for supercapacitor applications. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the sulfur content in the SAC was found to be 2.7 at%. Electrochemical properties from potentiostatic and galvanostatic measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to evaluate the effect of sulfur on porous carbon electrodes. The SAC electrode exhibits better conductivity, and an obvious increase in specific capacitance that is almost 40% higher than plain activated carbons (ACs) electrode at a high current density of 1.4 A g-1. The proposed mechanism for improved conductivity and capacitive performance due to the sulfur functional groups on ACs will be discussed.

Pyrobaculum Yellowstonensis Strain WP30 Respires On Elemental Sulfur And/or Arsenate in Circumneutral Sulfidic Sediments of Yellowstone National Park

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jay, Z.; Beam, Jake; Dohnalkova, Alice; Lohmayer, R.; Bodle, B.; Planer-Friedrich, B.; Romine, Margaret F.; Inskeep, William

2015-09-15

Thermoproteales populations (phylum Crenarchaeota) are abundant in high-25 temperature (>70° C) environments of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and are important in mediating biogeochemical cycles of sulfur, arsenic and carbon. The objectives of this study were to determine specific physiological attributes of the isolate Pyrobaculum yellowstonensis strain WP30, which was obtained from an elemental sulfur sediment (Joseph’s Coat Hot Spring [JCHS]; 80 °C; pH 6.1), and relate this organism to geochemical processes occurring in situ. Strain WP30 is a chemoheterotroph that utilizes organic carbon as a source of carbon and electrons and requires elemental sulfur and/or arsenic as electron acceptors. Growth in the presence of elemental sulfur and arsenate resulted in the production of thioarsenates and polysulfides relative to sterile controls. The complete genome of this organism was sequenced (1.99 Mb, 58 % G+C) and revealed numerous metabolic pathways for the degradation of carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids, multiple dimethylsulfoxide molybdopterin (DMSO-MPT) oxidoreductase genes, which are implicated in the reduction of sulfur and arsenic, and pathways for the de novo synthesis of nearly all required cofactors and metabolites. Comparative genomics of P. yellowstonensis versus assembled metagenome sequence from JCHS showed that this organisms is highly-related (~95% average nucleotide identity) to in situ populations. The physiological attributes and metabolic capabilities of P. yellowstonensis provide importanat information towards understanding the distribution and function of these populations in YNP.

Doubling Power Output of Starch Biobattery Treated by the Most Thermostable Isoamylase from an Archaeon Sulfolobus tokodaii.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Kun; Zhang, Fei; Sun, Fangfang; Chen, Hongge; Percival Zhang, Y-H

2015-08-20

Biobattery, a kind of enzymatic fuel cells, can convert organic compounds (e.g., glucose, starch) to electricity in a closed system without moving parts. Inspired by natural starch metabolism catalyzed by starch phosphorylase, isoamylase is essential to debranch alpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds of starch, yielding linear amylodextrin - the best fuel for sugar-powered biobattery. However, there is no thermostable isoamylase stable enough for simultaneous starch gelatinization and enzymatic hydrolysis, different from the case of thermostable alpha-amylase. A putative isoamylase gene was mined from megagenomic database. The open reading frame ST0928 from a hyperthermophilic archaeron Sulfolobus tokodaii was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant protein was easily purified by heat precipitation at 80 (o)C for 30 min. This enzyme was characterized and required Mg(2+) as an activator. This enzyme was the most stable isoamylase reported with a half lifetime of 200 min at 90 (o)C in the presence of 0.5 mM MgCl2, suitable for simultaneous starch gelatinization and isoamylase hydrolysis. The cuvett-based air-breathing biobattery powered by isoamylase-treated starch exhibited nearly doubled power outputs than that powered by the same concentration starch solution, suggesting more glucose 1-phosphate generated.

Self-degradable Cementitious Sealing Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugama, T.; Butcher, T., Lance Brothers, Bour, D.

2010-10-01

A self-degradable alkali-activated cementitious material consisting of a sodium silicate activator, slag, Class C fly ash, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) additive was formulated as one dry mix component, and we evaluated its potential in laboratory for use as a temporary sealing material for Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) wells. The self-degradation of alkali-activated cementitious material (AACM) occurred, when AACM heated at temperatures of {ge}200 C came in contact with water. We interpreted the mechanism of this water-initiated self-degradation as resulting from the in-situ exothermic reactions between the reactants yielded from the dissolution of the non-reacted or partially reacted sodium silicate activator and the thermal degradation of the CMC. The magnitude of self-degradation depended on the CMC content; its effective content in promoting degradation was {ge}0.7%. In contrast, no self-degradation was observed from CMC-modified Class G well cement. For 200 C-autoclaved AACMs without CMC, followed by heating at temperatures up to 300 C, they had a compressive strength ranging from 5982 to 4945 psi, which is {approx}3.5-fold higher than that of the commercial Class G well cement; the initial- and final-setting times of this AACM slurry at 85 C were {approx}60 and {approx}90 min. Two well-formed crystalline hydration phases, 1.1 nm tobermorite and calcium silicate hydrate (I), were responsible for developing this excellent high compressive strength. Although CMC is an attractive, as a degradation-promoting additive, its addition to both the AACM and the Class G well cement altered some properties of original cementitious materials; among those were an extending their setting times, an increasing their porosity, and lowering their compressive strength. Nevertheless, a 0.7% CMC-modified AACM as self-degradable cementitious material displayed the following properties before its breakdown by water; {approx}120 min initial- and {approx}180 min final

Replacing Nitrogen by Sulfur: From Structurally Disordered Eumelanins to Regioregular Thiomelanin Polymers

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Mariagrazia Iacomino

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The oxidative polymerization of 5,6-dihydroxybenzothiophene (DHBT, the sulfur analog of the key eumelanin building block 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI, was investigated to probe the role of nitrogen in eumelanin build-up and properties. Unlike DHI, which gives a typical black insoluble eumelanin polymer on oxidation, DHBT is converted to a grayish amorphous solid (referred to as thiomelanin with visible absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance properties different from those of DHI melanin. Mass spectrometry experiments revealed gradational mixtures of oligomers up to the decamer level. Quite unexpectedly, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR analysis of the early oligomer fractions indicated linear, 4-, and 7-linked structures in marked contrast with DHI, which gives highly complex mixtures of partially degraded oligomers. Density functional theory (DFT calculations supported the tendency of DHBT to couple via the 4- and 7-positions. These results uncover the role of nitrogen as a major determinant of the structural diversity generated by the polymerization of DHI, and point to replacement by sulfur as a viable entry to regioregular eumelanin-type materials for potential applications for surface functionalization by dip coating.

PWR degraded core analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gittus, J.H.

1982-04-01

A review is presented of the various phenomena involved in degraded core accidents and the ensuing transport of fission products from the fuel to the primary circuit and the containment. The dominant accident sequences found in the PWR risk studies published to date are briefly described. Then chapters deal with the following topics: the condition and behaviour of water reactor fuel during normal operation and at the commencement of degraded core accidents; the generation of hydrogen from the Zircaloy-steam and the steel-steam reactions; the way in which the core deforms and finally melts following loss of coolant; debris relocation analysis; containment integrity; fission product behaviour during a degraded core accident. (U.K.)

Biomedical tracers: technetium-99 m complexing sulfur polydentate ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendennoune, A.

1994-01-01

Cyclic and acyclic tetra sulfur ligands have been synthesized and some of them have been labelled with technetium-99m. These works have two different aims: 1- Development of methods permitting to obtain easily potential technetium complexing sulfur polydentate chelates. 2- Research of positive and neutral complexes of this metal likely to replace thalium-201 in the coronary flow estimation and [TcO-HMPAO] sup 0 complex in the cerebral scintigraphy, respectively. In this work, first, different ways for obtaining dithioetherdithiols and cyclic tetrathioethers containing functional groups have been carried out, then complexation of the core of nitrutechnetium (TcN) sup 2+ at tracers scale, by dithioetherdithiols, using exchange reaction with [sup 9 sup 9 sup m TcNCl sub 4 ] sup - ion complex or sup 99 sup m TcN Cl sub 2 [P(CH sub 2 CH sub 2 CN) sub 3 ] sub 2 has been studied. Finally, biological distribution in swiss mouse of these technetiated complexes has been studied. 135 refs., 30 figs., 13 tabs. (F.M.)

Biologically removing sulfur from dilute gas flows

Science.gov (United States)

Ruitenberg, R.; Dijkman, H.; Buisman, C. J. N.

1999-05-01

A biological process has been developed to clean off-gases containing sulfur dioxide from industrial installations. The sulfur dioxide is converted into hydrogen sulfide, which can then be oxidized to elemental sulfur if not used on-site. The process produces no waste products that require disposal and has a low reagent consumption.

Formation and degradation of PCDD/F in waste incineration ashes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lundin, Lisa

2007-11-01

The disposal of combustible wastes by incineration is a controversial issue that is strongly debated by both scientists and environmental activists due to the resulting emissions of noxious compounds, including (inter alia) polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), heavy metals and acid gases like sulfur dioxide. Currently available air pollution control devices are capable of effectively cleaning flue gases, and PCDD/F emissions to air from modern municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators are low. However, the PCDD and PCDF end up in ash fractions that, in Sweden, are usually deposited in landfills. The European Union has recently set a maximum permitted total concentration of 15 μg TEQ/kg for PCDD/F species in waste. Fly ash from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration containing PCDD/Fs at concentrations above this limit will have to be remediated to avoid disposing of them in landfills; an expensive and environmentally unfriendly option. Therefore, effective, reliable and cost-effective methods for degrading PCDD/F in fly ash are required, and a better understanding of the behavior of PCDDs and PCDFs during thermal treatment will be needed to develop them. In the studies this thesis is based upon both the formation and degradation of PCDDs and PCDFs in ashes from MSW incineration were studied. The main findings of the investigations regarding PCCD/F formation were: The concentrations of PCDD and PCDF in fly ash increased with reductions in the temperature in the post-combustion zone. The homologue profile in the ash changed when the temperature in the post-combustion zone changed. The final amounts of PCDD and PCDF present were affected by their rates of both formation and degradation, and the mechanisms involved differ between PCDDs and PCDFs. The main findings from the degradation studies were: The chemical composition of ash has a major impact on the degradation potential of PCDD and PCDF. The presence of oxygen during thermal

Effect of sulfur loading on the desulfation chemistry of a commercial lean NOx trap catalyst

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Do Heui; Yezerets, Aleksey; Li, Junhui; Currier, Neal; Chen, Haiying; Hess, Howard ..; Engelhard, Mark H.; Muntean, George G.; Peden, Charles HF

2012-12-15

We investigate the effects of initial sulfur loadings on the desulfation chemistry and the subsequent final activity of a commercial LNT catalyst. Identical total amounts of SO2 are applied to the samples, albeit with the frequency of desulfation varied. The results indicate that performance is better with less frequent desulfations. The greater the amount of sulfur deposited before desulfation, the more amount of SO2 evolution before H2S is observed during desulfation, which can be explained by two sequential reactions; initial conversion of sulfate to SO2, followed by the reduction of SO2 to H2S. After completing all sulfation/desulfation steps, the sample with only a single desulfation results in a fairly uniform sulfur distribution along the z-axis inside of the monolith. We expect that the results obtained in this study will provide useful information for optimizing regeneration strategies in vehicles that utilize the LNT technology.

Sulfur-induced structural motifs on copper and gold surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walen, Holly [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2016-01-01

The interaction of sulfur with copper and gold surfaces plays a fundamental role in important phenomena that include coarsening of surface nanostructures, and self-assembly of alkanethiols. Here, we identify and analyze unique sulfur-induced structural motifs observed on the low-index surfaces of these two metals. We seek out these structures in an effort to better understand the fundamental interactions between these metals and sulfur that lends to the stability and favorability of metal-sulfur complexes vs. chemisorbed atomic sulfur. The experimental observations presented here—made under identical conditions—together with extensive DFT analyses, allow comparisons and insights into factors that favor the existence of metal-sulfur complexes, vs. chemisorbed atomic sulfur, on metal terraces. We believe this data will be instrumental in better understanding the complex phenomena occurring between the surfaces of coinage metals and sulfur.

Reduced graphene oxide encapsulated sulfur spheres for the lithium-sulfur battery cathode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feiyan Liu

Full Text Available Reduced graphene oxide (rGO encapsulated sulfur spheres for the Li-S batteries were prepared via the redox reaction between sodium polysulfide. XRD spectra showed that the diffraction peak of graphite oxide (GO at 10° disappeared, while the relatively weak diffraction peak at 27° belongs to graphene emerged. FT-IR spectra showed that the vibrations of the functional groups of GO, such as 3603 cm−1, 1723 cm−1and 1619 cm−1 which contributed from OH, COC and CO respectively, disappeared when compared to the spectra of GSC. SEM observations indicated that the optimum experimental condition followed as: mass ratio of GO and S was 1:1, 10% NaOH was used to adjust the pH. EDX analysis showed that the sulfur content reached at 68.8% of the composite material. The resultant electric resistance was nearly less than GO’s resistance in three orders of magnitude under same condition. Further electrochemical performance tests showed a coulombic efficiency was 96% from the first cycle capacity was 827 mAh g−1, to 388 mAh g−1 in the 100 cycles. This study carries substantial significance to the development of Li-S battery cathode materials. Keywords: Lithium-sulfur battery, Graphene, Sulfur spheres, Cathode material

Microbial Desulfurization of a Crude Oil Middle-Distillate Fraction: Analysis of the Extent of Sulfur Removal and the Effect of Removal on Remaining Sulfur

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, M. J.; Lee, M. K.; Prince, R. C.; Garrett, K. K.; George, G. N.; Pickering, I. J.

1999-01-01

Rhodococcus sp. strain ECRD-1 was evaluated for its ability to desulfurize a 232 to 343°C middle-distillate (diesel range) fraction of Oregon basin (OB) crude oil. OB oil was provided as the sole source of sulfur in batch cultures, and the extent of desulfurization and the chemical fate of the residual sulfur in the oil after treatment were determined. Gas chromatography (GC), flame ionization detection, and GC sulfur chemiluminesce detection analysis were used to qualitatively evaluate the effect of Rhodococcus sp. strain ECRD-1 treatment on the hydrocarbon and sulfur content of the oil, respectively. Total sulfur was determined by combustion of samples and measurement of released sulfur dioxide by infrared absorption. Up to 30% of the total sulfur in the middle distillate cut was removed, and compounds across the entire boiling range of the oil were affected. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption-edge spectroscopy was used to examine the chemical state of the sulfur remaining in the treated OB oil. Approximately equal amounts of thiophenic and sulfidic sulfur compounds were removed by ECRD-1 treatment, and over 50% of the sulfur remaining after treatment was in an oxidized form. The presence of partially oxidized sulfur compounds indicates that these compounds were en route to desulfurization. Overall, more than two-thirds of the sulfur had been removed or oxidized by the microbial treatment. PMID:9872778

Study on the Influence of Sulfur Fumigation on Chemical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To study the influence of different sulfur fumigation time and ... after sulfur fumigation though sulfur fumigation time and dosage were at low levels – 2 h ... Conclusion: Sulfur fumigation is not a desirable method for field processing of ...

Nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets/sulfur composite as lithium–sulfur batteries cathode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, Yong [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, 10555 W. Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33174 (United States); Li, Xifei; Sun, Xueliang [Nanomaterials and Energy Lab, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 5B9 (Canada); Energy and Materials Engineering Centre, College of Physics and Materials Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Wang, Chunlei, E-mail: wangc@fiu.edu [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, 10555 W. Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33174 (United States)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • NGNSs are synthesized with amino-N and pyridine-N-oxide groups. • NGNSs provide a matrix with high surface area and conductivity. • N groups facilitate immobilization of polysulfides for Li–S batteries. - Abstract: Lithium–sulfur batteries have been receiving unprecedented attentions in recent years due to their exceptional high theoretical capacity and energy density, low cost and environmental friendliness. Yet their practical applications are still hindered by short cycle life, low efficiency and poor conductivity which are mainly caused by the insulating nature of sulfur and dissolution of polysulfides. Here, a nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets/sulfur (NGNSs/S) composite was synthesized via a facile chemical reaction deposition. In this composite, NGNSs was employed as a conductive host to entrap S/polysulfides in the cathode part. The NGNSs/S composite delivered an initial discharge capacity of 856.7 mAh g{sup −1} and a reversible capacity of 319.3 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.1 C with good recoverable rate capability.

Development of the Multiple Gene Knockout System with One-Step PCR in Thermoacidophilic Crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoji Suzuki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Multiple gene knockout systems developed in the thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius are powerful genetic tools. However, plasmid construction typically requires several steps. Alternatively, PCR tailing for high-throughput gene disruption was also developed in S. acidocaldarius, but repeated gene knockout based on PCR tailing has been limited due to lack of a genetic marker system. In this study, we demonstrated efficient homologous recombination frequency (2.8 × 104 ± 6.9 × 103 colonies/μg DNA by optimizing the transformation conditions. This optimized protocol allowed to develop reliable gene knockout via double crossover using short homologous arms and to establish the multiple gene knockout system with one-step PCR (MONSTER. In the MONSTER, a multiple gene knockout cassette was simply and rapidly constructed by one-step PCR without plasmid construction, and the PCR product can be immediately used for target gene deletion. As an example of the applications of this strategy, we successfully made a DNA photolyase- (phr- and arginine decarboxylase- (argD- deficient strain of S. acidocaldarius. In addition, an agmatine selection system consisting of an agmatine-auxotrophic strain and argD marker was also established. The MONSTER provides an alternative strategy that enables the very simple construction of multiple gene knockout cassettes for genetic studies in S. acidocaldarius.

Quadruple sulfur isotope constraints on the origin and cycling of volatile organic sulfur compounds in a stratified sulfidic lake

Science.gov (United States)

Oduro, Harry; Kamyshny, Alexey; Zerkle, Aubrey L.; Li, Yue; Farquhar, James

2013-11-01

We have quantified the major forms of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) distributed in the water column of stratified freshwater Fayetteville Green Lake (FGL), to evaluate the biogeochemical pathways involved in their production. The lake's anoxic deep waters contain high concentrations of sulfate (12-16 mmol L-1) and sulfide (0.12 μmol L-1 to 1.5 mmol L-1) with relatively low VOSC concentrations, ranging from 0.1 nmol L-1 to 2.8 μmol L-1. Sulfur isotope measurements of combined volatile organic sulfur compounds demonstrate that VOSC species are formed primarily from reduced sulfur (H2S/HS-) and zero-valent sulfur (ZVS), with little input from sulfate. Thedata support a role of a combination of biological and abiotic processes in formation of carbon-sulfur bonds between reactive sulfur species and methyl groups of lignin components. These processes are responsible for very fast turnover of VOSC species, maintaining their low levels in FGL. No dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) was detected by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) in the lake water column or in planktonic extracts. These observations indicate a pathway distinct from oceanic and coastal marine environments, where dimethylsulfide (DMS) and other VOSC species are principally produced via the breakdown of DMSP by plankton species.

Biochemical characterization of a recombinant short-chain NAD(H)-dependent dehydrogenase/reductase from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

Science.gov (United States)

Pennacchio, Angela; Giordano, Assunta; Pucci, Biagio; Rossi, Mosè; Raia, Carlo A

2010-03-01

The gene encoding a novel alcohol dehydrogenase that belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs) superfamily was identified in the aerobic thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius strain DSM 639. The saadh gene was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the protein (SaADH) was purified to homogeneity and characterized. SaADH is a tetrameric enzyme consisting of identical 28,978-Da subunits, each composed of 264 amino acids. The enzyme has remarkable thermophilicity and thermal stability, displaying activity at temperatures up to 75 degrees C and a 30-min half-inactivation temperature of ~90 degrees C, and shows good tolerance to common organic solvents. SaADH has a strict requirement for NAD(H) as the coenzyme, and displays a preference for the reduction of alicyclic, bicyclic and aromatic ketones and alpha-keto esters, but is poorly active on aliphatic, cyclic and aromatic alcohols, and shows no activity on aldehydes. The enzyme catalyses the reduction of alpha-methyl and alpha-ethyl benzoylformate, and methyl o-chlorobenzoylformate with 100% conversion to methyl (S)-mandelate [17% enantiomeric excess (ee)], ethyl (R)-mandelate (50% ee), and methyl (R)-o-chloromandelate (72% ee), respectively, with an efficient in situ NADH-recycling system which involves glucose and a thermophilic glucose dehydrogenase. This study provides further evidence supporting the critical role of the D37 residue in discriminating NAD(H) from NAD(P)H in members of the SDR superfamily.

Microbial electricity generation enhances decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209 degradation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yonggang Yang

Full Text Available Due to environmental persistence and biotoxicity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, it is urgent to develop potential technologies to remediate PBDEs. Introducing electrodes for microbial electricity generation to stimulate the anaerobic degradation of organic pollutants is highly promising for bioremediation. However, it is still not clear whether the degradation of PBDEs could be promoted by this strategy. In this study, we hypothesized that the degradation of PBDEs (e.g., BDE-209 would be enhanced under microbial electricity generation condition. The functional compositions and structures of microbial communities in closed-circuit microbial fuel cell (c-MFC and open-circuit microbial fuel cell (o-MFC systems for BDE-209 degradation were detected by a comprehensive functional gene array, GeoChip 4.0, and linked with PBDE degradations. The results indicated that distinctly different microbial community structures were formed between c-MFCs and o-MFCs, and that lower concentrations of BDE-209 and the resulting lower brominated PBDE products were detected in c-MFCs after 70-day performance. The diversity and abundance of a variety of functional genes in c-MFCs were significantly higher than those in o-MFCs. Most genes involved in chlorinated solvent reductive dechlorination, hydroxylation, methoxylation and aromatic hydrocarbon degradation were highly enriched in c-MFCs and significantly positively correlated with the removal of PBDEs. Various other microbial functional genes for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycling, as well as energy transformation process, were also significantly increased in c-MFCs. Together, these results suggest that PBDE degradation could be enhanced by introducing the electrodes for microbial electricity generation and by specifically stimulating microbial functional genes.

Cobalt and sulfur co-doped nano-size TiO2 for photodegradation of various dyes and phenol

KAUST Repository

Siddiqa, Asima; Masih, Dilshad; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Siddiq, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Various compositions of cobalt and sulfur co-doped titania nano-photocatalyst are synthesized via sol–gel method. A number of techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman, N2 sorption, electron microscopy are used to examine composition, crystalline phase, morphology, distribution of dopants, surface area and optical properties of synthesized materials. The synthesized materials consisted of quasispherical nanoparticles of anatase phase exhibiting a high surface area and homogeneous distribution of dopants. Cobalt and sulfur co-doped titania demonstrated remarkable structural and optical properties leading to an efficient photocatalytic activity for degradation of dyes and phenol under visible light irradiations. Moreover, the effect of dye concentration, catalyst dose and pH on photodegradation behavior of environmental pollutants and recyclability of the catalyst is also examined to optimize the activity of nano-photocatalyst and gain a better understanding of the process.

Cobalt and sulfur co-doped nano-size TiO2 for photodegradation of various dyes and phenol

KAUST Repository

Siddiqa, Asima

2015-11-01

Various compositions of cobalt and sulfur co-doped titania nano-photocatalyst are synthesized via sol–gel method. A number of techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman, N2 sorption, electron microscopy are used to examine composition, crystalline phase, morphology, distribution of dopants, surface area and optical properties of synthesized materials. The synthesized materials consisted of quasispherical nanoparticles of anatase phase exhibiting a high surface area and homogeneous distribution of dopants. Cobalt and sulfur co-doped titania demonstrated remarkable structural and optical properties leading to an efficient photocatalytic activity for degradation of dyes and phenol under visible light irradiations. Moreover, the effect of dye concentration, catalyst dose and pH on photodegradation behavior of environmental pollutants and recyclability of the catalyst is also examined to optimize the activity of nano-photocatalyst and gain a better understanding of the process.

Sulfur turnover and emissions during storage of cattle slurry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksen, Jørgen; Andersen, Astrid J; Poulsen, Henrik Vestergaard

2012-01-01

Slurry acidification using sulfuric acid reduces ammonia emissions but also affects sulfur (S) cycling. Emission of sulfur is a source of malodor and reduces the sulfur fertilizer value of the slurry. We investigated the effect of sulfate and methionine amendments, alone or in combination...

Efficacy and role of inulin in mitigation of enteric sulfur-containing odor in pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yuan-Fan; Liu, Yuan-Yuan; Zhang, Yi-Tao; Wang, Yan; Liang, Juan-Boo; Tufarelli, Vincenzo; Laudadio, Vito; Liao, Xin-Di

2017-06-01

The efficacy and role of inulin in the mitigation of enteric sulfur-containing odor gases hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and methyl mercaptan (CH 3 SH) in pigs were examined in this study. Twelve Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire male finisher pigs (60.7 ± 1.9 kg), housed individually in open-circuit respiration chambers, were randomly assigned to two dietary groups, namely basal diet (control) and basal diet supplemented with 1% (w/w) inulin. At the end of the 45 day experiment, pigs were slaughtered and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, sulfate radical (SO 4 2 - ) concentration, population of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and expression of methionine gamma-lyase (MGL) gene were determined in contents from the caecum, colon (two segments) and rectum. Metabonomic analysis was used to compare differences in biochemical composition, and the Illumina MiSeq procedure to investigate differences in bacterial components, in the different parts of the large intestine between inulin-supplemented and inulin-free (control) groups. Inulin decreased (P inulin treatment, whereas valerate concentration and MGL mRNA expression decreased (P inulin-supplemented pigs, suggesting that inulin mitigates H 2 S generation from the SO 4 2 - reduction pathway by reducing the growth of SRB. The results showed that inulin mitigates CH 3 SH generation via three methionine degradation metabolic pathways and H 2 S generation from two cysteine degradation metabolic pathways, thus resulting in increased synthesis of these two sulfur-containing amino acids in the pig large intestine. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transformation of sulfur during pyrolysis and hydropyrolysis of coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, H.; Li, B.; Yang, J.; Zhang, B. [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan (China). Inst. of Coal Chemistry

1998-05-01

It is reported that the transformation of sulfur during pyrolysis (Py) under nitrogen and hydropyrolysis (HyPy) of Chinese Yanzhou high sulfur bituminous coal and Hongmiao lignite was studied in a fixed-bed reactor. The volatile sulfur-containing products were determined by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The sulfur in initial coal and char (mainly aliphatic and thiophenic sulfur forms) was quantitatively analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The desulfurization yield was calculated by elemental analysis. The main volatile sulfur-containing gas was H{sub 2}S in both Py and HyPy. Both the elemental analysis and XPS results indicated that more sulfur was removed in HyPy than in Py under nitrogen. Thiophenic sulfur can be partially hydrogenated and removed in HyPy. Pyrite can be reduced to a ferrous sulfide completely even as low as 400{degree}C in HyPy while in Py the reduction reaction continues up to 650{degree}C. Mineral matter can not only fix H{sub 2}S produced in Py and HyPy to form higher sulfur content chars but also catalyses the desulfurization reactions to form lower sulfur content tars in HyPy. 24 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.

Properties of sulfur-extended asphalt concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladkikh Vitaliy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, increased functional reliability of asphalt concrete coatings associated with various modifying additives that improve the durability of pavements. Promising builder is a technical sulfur. Asphalt concrete, made using a complex binder consisting of petroleum bitumen and technical sulfur, were calledsSulfur-Extended Asphalt Concrete. Such asphalt concrete, due to changes in the chemical composition of particulate and bitumen, changes the intensity of the interaction at the interface have increased rates of physical and mechanical properties. There was a lack of essential knowledge concerning mechanical properties of the sulfur-bituminous concrete with such an admixture; therefore, we had carried out the necessary examination. It is revealed that a new material satisfies local regulations in terms of compressive and tensile strength, shear resistance, and internal friction.

Properties of nanocellulose isolated from corncob residue using sulfuric acid, formic acid, oxidative and mechanical methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chao; Li, Bin; Du, Haishun; Lv, Dong; Zhang, Yuedong; Yu, Guang; Mu, Xindong; Peng, Hui

2016-10-20

In this work, nanocellulose was extracted from bleached corncob residue (CCR), an underutilized lignocellulose waste from furfural industry, using four different methods (i.e. sulfuric acid hydrolysis, formic acid (FA) hydrolysis, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation, and pulp refining, respectively). The self-assembled structure, morphology, dimension, crystallinity, chemical structure and thermal stability of prepared nanocellulose were investigated. FA hydrolysis produced longer cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) than the one obtained by sulfuric acid hydrolysis, and resulted in high crystallinity and thermal stability due to its preferential degradation of amorphous cellulose and lignin. The cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with fine and individualized structure could be isolated by TEMPO-mediated oxidation. In comparison with other nanocellulose products, the intensive pulp refining led to the CNFs with the longest length and the thickest diameter. This comparative study can help to provide an insight into the utilization of CCR as a potential source for nanocellulose production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A binder-free sulfur/reduced graphene oxide aerogel as high performance electrode materials for lithium sulfur batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Nitze, Florian; Agostini, Marco; Lundin, Filippa; Palmqvist, Anders E. C.; Matic, Aleksandar

2016-12-01

Societies’ increasing need for energy storage makes it necessary to explore new concepts beyond the traditional lithium ion battery. A promising candidate is the lithium-sulfur technology with the potential to increase the energy density of the battery by a factor of 3-5. However, so far the many problems with the lithium-sulfur system have not been solved satisfactory. Here we report on a new approach utilizing a self-standing reduced graphene oxide based aerogel directly as electrodes, i.e. without further processing and without the addition of binder or conducting agents. We can thereby disrupt the common paradigm of “no battery without binder” and can pave the way to a lithium-sulfur battery with a high practical energy density. The aerogels are synthesized via a one-pot method and consist of more than 2/3 sulfur, contained inside a porous few-layered reduced graphene oxide matrix. By combining the graphene-based aerogel cathode with an electrolyte and a lithium metal anode, we demonstrate a lithium-sulfur cell with high areal capacity (more than 3 mAh/cm2 after 75 cycles), excellent capacity retention over 200 cycles and good sulfur utilization. Based on this performance we estimate that the energy density of this concept-cell can significantly exceed the Department of Energy (DEO) 2020-target set for transport applications.

Electronic and magnetic properties of MoS2 nanoribbons with sulfur line vacancy defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Yang; Zhou, Jian; Dong, Jinming

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We performed DFT calculations on Sulfur line defects embedded MoS 2 . • The defects induced bond strains are larger in the zigzag (ZZ) edge ones. • The ZZ ones are metals, having two degenerate ground states FM and AFM. • The armchair ones are nonmagnetic semiconductors. • The defects can induce some defect states in the electronic structures. - Abstract: Motivated by the recent experimental result that single sulfur vacancies in monolayer MoS 2 are mobile under the electron beam and easily agglomerate into the sulfur line vacancy defects [Physical Review B 88, 035301(2013)] , the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of one dimensional zigzag (ZZ) and armchair (AC) edge MoS 2 nanoribbons with single or double staggered sulfur line vacancy defects (hereafter, abbreviated as SV or DV, respectively), parallel to their edges, have been investigated systematically by density functional theory calculations. It is very interesting to find that the bond strains induced by the sulfur line vacancy defect can cause a much larger out-of plane distortions in the ZZ edge MoS 2 nanoribbon than in the AC edge counterpart. Besides, the defective ZZ edge MoS 2 nanoribbons with SV or DV are both metals, having their two respective degenerate ground states with the same energy, among which one is ferromagnetic (FM “ + +”) and the other is antiferromagnetic (AFM “ + −”). But the AC edge MoS 2 nanoribbons with SV or DV are both nonmagnetic semiconductors, having very different gap values. Finally, the sulfur line vacancy defects would induce some defect states in the electronic structures of the defective MoS 2 nanoribbons. All these important results could provide a new route of tuning the electronic properties of MoS 2 nanoribbons and its derivatives for their promising applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics

Preservation of peptide moieties in three Spanish sulfur-rich Tertiary kerogens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rio, J.C. del [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Seville (Spain). Inst. de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiologia; Olivella, M.A.; Heras, F.X.D. de las [Escola Universitaria Politecnica de Manresa, Catalonia (Spain); Knicker, H. [Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany). Lehrstuhl fuer Bodenkunde

2004-09-01

Thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and solid-state {sup 15}N NMR were utilized for the characterization of refractory organic nitrogen in Tertiary Spanish kerogens. The samples included sulfur-rich oil shales from the Ribesalbes (Serravallian), Libros (Tortonian) and Cerdanya (Tortonian) basins. Analysis using solid state {sup 15}N NMR showed that part of the refractory nitrogen in the kerogens corresponds to amide groups. Moreover, the release of amino acid derivatives after pyrolysis in the presence of TMAH indicated that this amide-N arose from peptide moieties. The amino acids released from the kerogens were dominated by high amounts of glycine and alanine. Minor amounts of aspartic acid, serine, {alpha}-aminobutyric acid and other unidentified amino acids were also detected. Because proteinaceous structures, including small peptides, are generally considered as being highly sensitive to diagenetic degradation, encapsulation of labile peptide material into aliphatic structures in S-rich kerogens (probably via lipid sulfurization) has been proposed to explain the survival of these moieties. Substantial amounts of fatty acids (as methyl esters) were also released from all the kerogens after pyrolysis/TMAH, indicating their highly aliphatic character. The production of both fatty acids and amino acids from the kerogens supports the encapsulation process. (author)

Complete Oxidation of Propionate, Valerate, Succinate, and Other Organic Compounds by Newly Isolated Types of Marine, Anaerobic, Mesophilic, Gram-Negative, Sulfur-Reducing Eubacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Finster, Kai; Bak, Friedhelm

1993-01-01

Anaerobic enrichment cultures with either propionate, succinate, lactate, or valerate and elemental sulfur and inocula from shallow marine or deep-sea sediments were dominated by rod-shaped motile bacteria after three transfers. By application of deep-agar dilutions, five eubacterial strains were obtained in pure culture and designated Kyprop, Gyprop, Kysw2, Gylac, and Kyval. All strains were gram negative and grew by complete oxidation of the electron donors and concomitant stoichiometric reduction of elemental sulfur to hydrogen sulfide. The isolates used acetate, propionate, succinate, lactate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, maleate, glutamate, alanine, aspartate, and yeast extract. All isolates, except strain Gylac, used citrate as an electron donor but valerate was oxidized only by strain Kyval. Fumarate and malate were degraded by all strains without an additional electron donor or acceptor. Kyprop, Gyprop, and Gylac utilized elemental sulfur as the sole inorganic electron acceptor, while Kysw2 and Kyval also utilized nitrate, dimethyl sulfoxide, or Fe(III)-citrate as an electron acceptor. Images PMID:16348934

Preparation of sulfur/multiple pore size porous carbon composite via gas-phase loading method for lithium-sulfur batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Long-Yan; Chen, Yan-Xiao; Guo, Xiao-Dong; Zhong, Ben-He; Zhong, Yan-Jun

2014-01-01

A porous carbon with multiple pore size distribution was synthesized, and regarded as a carrier to obtain the sulfur/carbon (S/C) composite via a gas-phase loading method. We proposed this novel gas-phase loading method by using a specially designed fluid-bed reactor to encapsulate and sequester gas-phase sulfur molecules into the porous carbon in current study. The nitrogen Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) characterizations were investigated on both the porous carbon and the sulfur/carbon composite. The results show that the gas-phase loading method contributes to the combination of sulfur molecules and matrix porous carbon. Furthermore, the sulfur/multiple pore size distribution carbon composite based on the gas-phase loading method demonstrate an excellent electrochemical property. The initial specific discharge capacity is 795.0 mAh g −1 at 800 mA g −1 , with a capacity retention of 86.3% after 100 cycles

Sulfur Mustard

Science.gov (United States)

... in of the vapors can cause chronic respiratory disease, repeated respiratory infections, or death. Extensive eye exposure can cause permanent blindness. Exposure to sulfur mustard may increase a person’s risk for lung and respiratory cancer. ...

Method of distillation of sulfurous bituminous shales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallback, A J.S.; Bergh, S V

1918-04-22

A method of distillation of sulfur-containing bituminous shales is characterized by passing the hot sulfur-containing and oil-containing gases and vapors formed during the distillation through burned shale containing iron oxide, so that when these gases and vapors are thereafter cooled they will be, as far as possible, free from sulfur compounds. The patent contains six more claims.

Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Zhou; Li, Ping; Jiang, Dawei; Dai, Xinyue; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Yanhong; Wang, Yanxin

2016-01-01

Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73-0.86). Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation), Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation), Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation). Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41-95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.

Annotated bibliography of methods for determining sulfur and forms of sulfur in coal and coal-related materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chriswell, C.D.; Norton, G.A.; Akhtar, S.S.; Straszheim, W.E.; Markuszewski, R.

1993-01-01

Over 400 published papers, presentations at scientific meetings, and reports relating to the determination of sulfur and sulfur forms in coal-related materials have been accumulated, classified, and an evaluation made of their content.

Relationship between corrosion and the biological sulfur cycle: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Little, B.J.; Ray, R.I.; Pope, R.K.

2000-04-01

Sulfur and sulfur compounds can produce pitting, crevice corrosion, dealloying, stress corrosion cracking, and stress-oriented hydrogen-induced cracking of susceptible metals and alloys. Even though the metabolic by-products of the biological sulfur cycle are extremely corrosive, there are no correlations between numbers and types of sulfur-related organisms and the probability or rate of corrosion, Determination of specific mechanisms for corrosion caused by microbiologically mediated oxidation and reduction of sulfur and sulfur compounds is complicated by the variety of potential metabolic-energy sources and by-products; the coexistence of reduced and oxidized sulfur species; competing reactions with inorganic and organic compounds; and the versatility and adaptability of microorganisms in biofilms. The microbial ecology of sulfur-rich environments is poorly understood because of the association of aerobes and anaerobes and the mutualism or succession of heterotrophs to autotrophs. The physical scale over which the sulfur cycle influences corrosion varies with the environment. The complete sulfur cycle of oxidation and reduction reactions can take place in macroenvironments, including sewers and polluted harbors, or within the microenvironment of biofilms. In this review, reactions of sulfur and sulfur compounds resulting in corrosion were discussed in the context of environmental processes important to corrosion.

Effect of pH buffering capacity and sources of dietary sulfur on rumen fermentation, sulfide production, methane production, sulfate reducing bacteria, and total Archaea in in vitro rumen cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Hao; Meng, Qingxiang; Yu, Zhongtang

2015-06-01

The effects of three types of dietary sulfur on in vitro fermentation characteristics, sulfide production, methane production, and microbial populations at two different buffer capacities were examined using in vitro rumen cultures. Addition of dry distilled grain with soluble (DDGS) generally decreased total gas production, degradation of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber, and concentration of total volatile fatty acids, while increasing ammonia concentration. High buffering capacity alleviated these adverse effects on fermentation. Increased sulfur content resulted in decreased methane emission, but total Archaea population was not changed significantly. The population of sulfate reducing bacteria was increased in a sulfur type-dependent manner. These results suggest that types of dietary sulfur and buffering capacity can affect rumen fermentation and sulfide production. Diet buffering capacity, and probably alkalinity, may be increased to alleviate some of the adverse effects associated with feeding DDGS at high levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Byproduct Recovery: Direct Catalytic Reduction of Sulfur Dioxide to Elemental Sulfur.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

More than 170 wet scrubber systems applied, to 72,000 MW of U.S., coal-fired, utility boilers are in operation or under construction. In these systems, the sulfur dioxide removed from the boiler flue gas is permanently bound to a sorbent material, such as lime or limestone. The sulfated sorbent must be disposed of as a waste product or, in some cases, sold as a byproduct (e.g. gypsum). Due to the abundance and low cost of naturally occurring gypsum, and the costs associated with producing an industrial quality product, less than 7% of these scrubbers are configured to produce usable gypsum (and only 1% of all units actually sell the byproduct). The disposal of solid waste from each of these scrubbers requires a landfill area of approximately 200 to 400 acres. In the U.S., a total of 19 million tons of disposable FGD byproduct are produced, transported and disposed of in landfills annually. The use of regenerable sorbent technologies has the potential to reduce or eliminate solid waste production, transportation and disposal. In a regenerable sorbent system, the sulfur dioxide in the boiler flue gas is removed by the sorbent in an adsorber. The S0{sub 2}s subsequently released, in higher concentration, in a regenerator. All regenerable systems produce an off-gas stream from the regenerator that must be processed further in order to obtain a salable byproduct, such as elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid or liquid S0{sub 2}.

A dual coaxial nanocable sulfur composite for high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhen; Yuan, Lixia; Yi, Ziqi; Liu, Yang; Xin, Ying; Zhang, Zhaoliang; Huang, Yunhui

2014-01-01

Lithium-sulfur batteries have great potential for some high energy applications such as in electric vehicles and smart grids due to their high capacity, natural abundance, low cost and environmental friendliness. But they suffer from rapid capacity decay and poor rate capability. The problems are mainly related to the dissolution of the intermediate polysulfides in the electrolyte, and to the poor conductivity of sulfur and the discharge products. In this work, we propose a novel dual coaxial nanocable sulfur composite fabricated with multi-walled nanotubes (MWCNT), nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), i.e. MWCNTs@S/NPC@PEG nanocable, as a cathode material for Li-S batteries. In such a coaxial structure, the middle N-doped carbon with hierarchical porous structure provides a nanosized capsule to contain and hold the sulfur particles; the inner MWCNTs and the outer PEG layer can further ensure the fast electronic transport and prevent the dissolution of the polysulfides into the electrolyte, respectively. The as-designed MWCNT@S/NPC@PEG composite shows good cycling stability and excellent rate capability. The capacity is retained at 527 mA h g(-1) at 1 C after 100 cycles, and 791 mA h g(-1) at 0.5 C and 551 mA h g(-1) at 2 C after 50 cycles. Especially, the high-rate capability is outstanding with 400 mA h g(-1) at 5 C.

The S-Layer Glycoprotein of the Crenarchaeote Sulfolobus acidocaldarius Is Glycosylated at Multiple Sites with Chitobiose-Linked N-Glycans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elham Peyfoon

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Glycosylation of the S-layer of the crenarchaea Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been investigated using glycoproteomic methodologies. The mature protein is predicted to contain 31 N-glycosylation consensus sites with approximately one third being found in the C-terminal domain spanning residues L1004-Q1395. Since this domain is rich in Lys and Arg and therefore relatively tractable to glycoproteomic analysis, this study has focused on mapping its N-glycosylation. Our analysis identified nine of the 11 consensus sequence sites, and all were found to be glycosylated. This constitutes a remarkably high glycosylation density in the C-terminal domain averaging one site for each stretch of 30–40 residues. Each of the glycosylation sites observed was shown to be modified with a heterogeneous family of glycans, with the largest having a composition Glc1Man2GlcNAc2 plus 6-sulfoquinovose (QuiS, consistent with the tribranched hexasaccharide previously reported in the cytochrome b558/566 of S. acidocaldarius. S. acidocaldarius is the only archaeal species whose N-glycans are known to be linked via the chitobiose core disaccharide that characterises the N-linked glycans of Eukarya.

Sulfur isotope signatures in New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cainey, J.

2001-01-01

The role of sulfur in cloud formation makes it a crucial ingredient in the global climate change debate. So it is important to be able to measure sulfur in the atmosphere and identify where it came from. (author)

Membrane Assisted Simultaneous Extraction and Derivatization with Triphenylphosphine of Elemental Sulfur in Arabian Crude Samples by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Al-Zahrani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Determination of trace level elemental sulfur from crude oil samples is a tedious task. Recently, several gas chromatographic methods were reported in which selective triphenylphosphine derivatization of sulfur was used to form triphenylphosphine sulfide. Direct quantitation of elemental sulfur from crude oil requires an efficient sample preparation method. This paper describes how simultaneous extraction derivatization of elemental sulfur was performed for the first time using porous hollow fiber membrane. A thick (0.25 um pore size; 1550 μm wall thickness; and 5500 μm inner diameter hollow fiber membrane filled with triphenylphosphine (dissolved N-methylpyrrolidone is used as a solvent bar. The solvent bar is tumbled freely in the crude oil sample; the elemental sulfur was extracted and derivatized. Finally, the derivatized sulfur was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Various experimental conditions of solvent bar microextraction (SBME were optimized to achieve higher extraction. The linear range was established between 1 and 50 μg/mL, while a squared regression coefficient was found to be 0.9959 μg/mL. Relative standard deviation (RSD was below 10%. Relative recoveries were calculated for SBME in crude oil samples and were in the range between 98.2% and 101.2%.

Partial substitution of asphalt pavement with modified sulfur

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.R. Souaya

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The use of sulfur in pavement laying was developed in 1980 but it was restricted in the late 19th century due to its environmental problems and its high reactivity toward oxidation processes which give sulfuric acid products that are capable of destroying the asphalt mixture. The study involved the conversion of elemental sulfur to a more stable modified one using a combination of byproducts of olefin hydrocarbons that were obtained from petroleum fractional distillates and cyclic hydrocarbon bituminous residue at 145 °C. The changes in the structural characteristics and morphology of prepared modified sulfur were studied using XRD and SEM respectively. Also DSC curves help us to elucidate the changes in sulfur phases from α-orthorhombic to β-mono clinic structure. The technique of nanoindentation helps us to compare the mechanical properties of modified and pure sulfur including modulus of elasticity and hardness. The hot mixture asphalt designs were prepared according to the Marshall Method in which the asphalt binder content was partially substituted with 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% modified sulfur. The mechanical properties were measured including Marshall Stability, flow, air voids, and Marshall Stiffness. From the overall study, the results indicated that asphalt could partially be substituted with modified sulfur with no significant deleterious effect on performance and durability of hot mixed asphalt.

Sulfur cycle

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

LokaBharathi, P.A.

Microbes, especially bacteria, play an important role in oxidative and reductive cycle of sulfur. The oxidative part of the cycle is mediated by photosynthetic bacteria in the presence of light energy and chemosynthetic forms in the absence of light...

Halophilic and haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sorokin, D.Y.; Banciu, H.; Robertson, L.A.; Kuenen, J.G.; Muntyan, M.S.; Muyzer, G.; Rosenberg, E.; DeLong, F.; Delong, E.; Lory, S.; Stackebrandt, E.; Thompson, F.

2013-01-01

Chemotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) represent an important functional group of microorganisms responsible for the dark oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds generated by sulfidogens. Until recently, only a single genus of halophilic SOB (Halothiobacillus) has been described, and nothing was

Sulfurized limonite as material for fast decomposition of organic compounds by heterogeneous Fenton reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toda, Kei; Tanaka, Toshinori; Tsuda, Yutaka; Ban, Masahiro; Koveke, Edwin P.; Koinuma, Michio; Ohira, Shin-Ichi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Used limonite degrades organic compounds by heterogeneous Fenton reaction. • Sulfurized limonite removes methylene blue color in seconds. • Recycled limonite can be used for biogas purification and wastewater treatment. - Abstract: Rapid decomposition of wastewater contaminants using sulfurized limonite (S-limonite) was investigated. Limonite is used for desulfurization of biogases, and S-limonite is obtained from desulfurization plants as solid waste. In this work, the profitable use of S-limonite in water treatment was examined. The divalent Fe in S-limonite was expected to produce OH radicals, as Fe 2+ ions and limonite thermally treated with H 2 do. Methylene blue was used for batch-wise monitoring of the decomposition performance. The decomposition rate was fast and the methylene blue solution color disappeared in only 10 s when a small amount of H 2 O 2 was added (1 mM in the sample solution) in the presence of S-limonite. The OH radicals were formed by a heterogeneous reaction on the S-limonite surface and Fenton reaction with dissolved Fe 2+ . The decomposition of pentachlorophenol was also examined; it was successfully decomposed in batch-wise tests. The surfaces of limonite before sulfurization, S-limonite, and S-limonite after use for water treatment were performed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that S-limonite reverted to limonite after being used for water treatment

Sulfurized limonite as material for fast decomposition of organic compounds by heterogeneous Fenton reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toda, Kei, E-mail: todakei@sci.kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Tanaka, Toshinori; Tsuda, Yutaka; Ban, Masahiro; Koveke, Edwin P. [Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Koinuma, Michio [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan); Ohira, Shin-Ichi [Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555 (Japan)

2014-08-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Used limonite degrades organic compounds by heterogeneous Fenton reaction. • Sulfurized limonite removes methylene blue color in seconds. • Recycled limonite can be used for biogas purification and wastewater treatment. - Abstract: Rapid decomposition of wastewater contaminants using sulfurized limonite (S-limonite) was investigated. Limonite is used for desulfurization of biogases, and S-limonite is obtained from desulfurization plants as solid waste. In this work, the profitable use of S-limonite in water treatment was examined. The divalent Fe in S-limonite was expected to produce OH radicals, as Fe{sup 2+} ions and limonite thermally treated with H{sub 2} do. Methylene blue was used for batch-wise monitoring of the decomposition performance. The decomposition rate was fast and the methylene blue solution color disappeared in only 10 s when a small amount of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} was added (1 mM in the sample solution) in the presence of S-limonite. The OH radicals were formed by a heterogeneous reaction on the S-limonite surface and Fenton reaction with dissolved Fe{sup 2+}. The decomposition of pentachlorophenol was also examined; it was successfully decomposed in batch-wise tests. The surfaces of limonite before sulfurization, S-limonite, and S-limonite after use for water treatment were performed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that S-limonite reverted to limonite after being used for water treatment.

Isolation of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Biofilms of the Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

Science.gov (United States)

Jachlewski, Silke; Jachlewski, Witold D; Linne, Uwe; Bräsen, Christopher; Wingender, Jost; Siebers, Bettina

2015-01-01

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are the major structural and functional components of microbial biofilms. The aim of this study was to establish a method for EPS isolation from biofilms of the thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, as a basis for EPS analysis. Biofilms of S. acidocaldarius were cultivated on the surface of gellan gum-solidified Brock medium at 78°C for 4 days. Five EPS extraction methods were compared, including shaking of biofilm suspensions in phosphate buffer, cation-exchange resin (CER) extraction, and stirring with addition of EDTA, crown ether, or NaOH. With respect to EPS yield, impact on cell viability, and compatibility with subsequent biochemical analysis, the CER extraction method was found to be the best suited isolation procedure resulting in the detection of carbohydrates and proteins as the major constituents and DNA as a minor component of the EPS. Culturability of CER-treated cells was not impaired. Analysis of the extracellular proteome using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resulted in the detection of several hundreds of protein spots, mainly with molecular masses of 25-116 kDa and pI values of 5-8. Identification of proteins suggested a cytoplasmic origin for many of these proteins, possibly released via membrane vesicles or biofilm-inherent cell lysis during biofilm maturation. Functional analysis of EPS proteins, using fluorogenic substrates as well as zymography, demonstrated the activity of diverse enzyme classes, such as proteases, lipases, esterases, phosphatases, and glucosidases. In conclusion, the CER extraction method, as previously applied to bacterial biofilms, also represents a suitable method for isolation of water soluble EPS from the archaeal biofilms of S. acidocaldarius, allowing the investigation of composition and function of EPS components in these types of biofilms.

Isolation of extracellular polymeric substances from biofilms of the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silke eJachlewski

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS are the major structural and functional components of microbial biofilms. The aim of this study was to establish a method for EPS isolation from biofilms of the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius as a basis for EPS analysis. Biofilms of S. acidocaldarius were cultivated on the surface of gellan gum-solidified Brock medium at 78 °C for 4 days. Five EPS extraction methods were compared, including shaking of biofilm suspensions in phosphate buffer, cation-exchange resin (CER extraction and stirring with addition of EDTA, crown ether or NaOH. With respect to EPS yield, impact on cell viability and compatibility with subsequent biochemical analysis, the CER extraction method was found to be the best suited isolation procedure resulting in the detection of carbohydrates and proteins as the major constituents and DNA as a minor component of the EPS. Culturability of CER-treated cells was not impaired. Analysis of the extracellular proteome using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resulted in the detection of several hundredshundred of protein spots, mainly with molecular masses of 25 kDa to 116 kDa and pI values of 5 to 8. Identification of proteins suggested a cytoplasmic origin for many of these proteins, possibly released via membrane vesicles or biofilm-inherent cell lysis during biofilm maturation. Functional analysis of EPS proteins, using fluorogenic substrates as well as zymography, demonstrated the activity of diverse groups of enzymes such as proteases, lipases, esterases, phosphatases and glucosidases. In conclusion, the CER extraction method, as previously applied to bacterial biofilms, also represents a suitable method for isolation of water soluble EPS from the archaeal biofilms of S. acidocaldarius, allowing the investigation of composition and function of EPS components in these types of biofilms.

Contribution to the study of sulfur trioxide formation and determination of the sulfuric acid dew point in boiler plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, H.

1983-11-01

This paper analyzes chemical reaction kinetics of the formation of sulfur trioxide and sulfuric acid in combustion air and flue gas of steam generators. Formulae for sulfuric acid equilibrium reactions according to Wahnschaffe (W. Grimm, 1972) and R. Hasse, H.W. Borgmann (1962) are presented. Theoretical acid dew point, combustion parameters with influence on the dew point temperature and formation of sulfates are further discussed. Sulfur trioxide formation at temperatures above 1,000 C as a non-equilibrium reaction is outlined as another variant of chemical reactions. A graphic evaluation is made of dew point conditions in brown coal dust fired, and heating oil fired steam generators. (11 refs.)

The oxidative degradation by pyrolusite of p-nitrophenol wastewater ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

aminophenol was degraded into H2O and CO2 finally. The degradation mechanism of wastewater from pretreatment by pyrolusite has been further investigated based on previous work. International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, Vol.

Use of sulfur concrete for radioecological problems solution in Kazakhstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takibaev, Zh.; Belyashov, D.; Vagin, S.

2001-01-01

At present during intensive development of oil and gas fields in Kazakhstan a lot amount of sulfur is extracting. The problem of sulfur utilization demands its immediate solution. One of the perspective trends of sulfur utilization is use it in production of sulfur polymer concrete. It is well known, that encapsulation of low level radioactive and toxic wastes in sulfur polymer concrete and design from it radiation protection facilities have good perspectives for solution of radioecological problems. Sulfur concrete has high corrosion and radiation stability, improved mechanical and chemical properties. Unique properties of sulfur concrete allow to use it in materials ensuring protection from external irradiation

Sulfur and Its Role In Modern Materials Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Darryl A

2016-12-12

Although well-known and studied for centuries, sulfur continues to be at the center of an extensive array of scientific research topics. As one of the most abundant elements in the Universe, a major by-product of oil refinery processes, and as a common reaction site within biological systems, research involving sulfur is both broad in scope and incredibly important to our daily lives. Indeed, there has been renewed interest in sulfur-based reactions in just the past ten years. Sulfur research spans the spectrum of topics within the physical sciences including research on improving energy efficiency, environmentally friendly uses for oil refinery waste products, development of polymers with unique optical and mechanical properties, and materials produced for biological applications. This Review focuses on some of the latest exciting ways in which sulfur and sulfur-based reactions are being utilized to produce materials for application in energy, environmental, and other practical areas. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Microbiological disproportionation of inorganic sulfur compounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finster, Kai

2008-01-01

The disproportionation of inorganic sulfur intermediates at moderate temperatures (0-80 °C) is a microbiologically catalyzed chemolithotrophic process in which compounds like elemental sulfur, thiosulfate, and sulfite serve as both electron donor and acceptor, and generate hydrogen sulfide and su...

Microbial contributions to coupled arsenic and sulfur cycling in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool, New Zealand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin eHug

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Acid-sulfide hot springs are analogs of early Earth geothermal systems where microbial metal(loid resistance likely first evolved. Arsenic is a metalloid enriched in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool (Waiotapu, New Zealand. Arsenic speciation in Champagne Pool follows reaction paths not yet fully understood with respect to biotic contributions and coupling to biogeochemical sulfur cycling. Here we present quantitative arsenic speciation from Champagne Pool, finding arsenite dominant in the pool, rim and outflow channel (55-75% total arsenic, and dithio- and trithioarsenates ubiquitously present as 18-25% total arsenic. In the outflow channel, dimethylmonothioarsenate comprised ≤9% total arsenic, while on the outflow terrace thioarsenates were present at 55% total arsenic. We also quantified sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfate and elemental sulfur, finding sulfide and sulfate as major species in the pool and outflow terrace, respectively. Elemental sulfur reached a maximum at the terrace. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes from metagenomic sequencing revealed the dominance of Sulfurihydrogenibium at all sites and an increased archaeal population at the rim and outflow channel. Several phylotypes were found closely related to known sulfur- and sulfide-oxidizers, as well as sulfur- and sulfate-reducers. Bioinformatic analysis revealed genes underpinning sulfur redox transformations, consistent with sulfur speciation data, and illustrating a microbial role in sulfur-dependent transformation of arsenite to thioarsenate. Metagenomic analysis also revealed genes encoding for arsenate reductase at all sites, reflecting the ubiquity of thioarsenate and a need for microbial arsenate resistance despite anoxic conditions. Absence of the arsenite oxidase gene, aio, at all sites suggests prioritization of arsenite detoxification over coupling to energy conservation. Finally, detection of methyl arsenic in the outflow channel, in conjunction with

Acidophilic sulfur disproportionation

Science.gov (United States)

Hardisty, Dalton S.; Olyphant, Greg A.; Bell, Jonathan B.; Johnson, Adam P.; Pratt, Lisa M.

2013-07-01

Bacterial disproportionation of elemental sulfur (S0) is a well-studied metabolism and is not previously reported to occur at pH values less than 4.5. In this study, a sediment core from an abandoned-coal-mine-waste deposit in Southwest Indiana revealed sulfur isotope fractionations between S0 and pyrite (Δ34Ses-py) of up to -35‰, inferred to indicate intense recycling of S0 via bacterial disproportionation and sulfide oxidation. Additionally, the chemistry of seasonally collected pore-water profiles were found to vary, with pore-water pH ranging from 2.2 to 3.8 and observed seasonal redox shifts expressed as abrupt transitions from Fe(III) to Fe(II) dominated conditions, often controlled by fluctuating water table depths. S0 is a common product during the oxidation of pyrite, a process known to generate acidic waters during weathering and production of acid mine drainage. The H2S product of S0 disproportionation, fractionated by up to -8.6‰, is rapidly oxidized to S0 near redox gradients via reaction with Fe(III) allowing for the accumulation of isotopically light S0 that can then become subject to further sulfur disproportionation. A mass-balance model for S0 incorporating pyrite oxidation, S0 disproportionation, and S0 oxidation readily explains the range of observed Δ34Ses-py and emphasizes the necessity of seasonally varying pyrite weathering and metabolic rates, as indicated by the pore water chemistry. The findings of this research suggest that S0 disproportionation is potentially a common microbial process at a pH < 4.5 and can create large sulfur isotope fractionations, even in the absence of sulfate reduction.

Synthesis of l-cysteine derivatives containing stable sulfur isotopes and application of this synthesis to reactive sulfur metabolome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Katsuhiko; Jung, Minkyung; Zhang, Tianli; Tsutsuki, Hiroyasu; Sezaki, Hiroshi; Ihara, Hideshi; Wei, Fan-Yan; Tomizawa, Kazuhito; Akaike, Takaaki; Sawa, Tomohiro

2017-05-01

Cysteine persulfide is an L-cysteine derivative having one additional sulfur atom bound to a cysteinyl thiol group, and it serves as a reactive sulfur species that regulates redox homeostasis in cells. Here, we describe a rapid and efficient method of synthesis of L-cysteine derivatives containing isotopic sulfur atoms and application of this method to a reactive sulfur metabolome. We used bacterial cysteine syntheses to incorporate isotopic sulfur atoms into the sulfhydryl moiety of L-cysteine. We cloned three cysteine synthases-CysE, CysK, and CysM-from the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2, and we generated their recombinant enzymes. We synthesized 34 S-labeled L-cysteine from O-acetyl-L-serine and 34 S-labeled sodium sulfide as substrates for the CysK or CysM reactions. Isotopic labeling of L-cysteine at both sulfur ( 34 S) and nitrogen ( 15 N) atoms was also achieved by performing enzyme reactions with 15 N-labeled L-serine, acetyl-CoA, and 34 S-labeled sodium sulfide in the presence of CysE and CysK. The present enzyme systems can be applied to syntheses of a series of L-cysteine derivatives including L-cystine, L-cystine persulfide, S-sulfo-L-cysteine, L-cysteine sulfonate, and L-selenocystine. We also prepared 34 S-labeled N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) by incubating 34 S-labeled L-cysteine with acetyl coenzyme A in test tubes. Tandem mass spectrometric identification of low-molecular-weight thiols after monobromobimane derivatization revealed the endogenous occurrence of NAC in the cultured mammalian cells such as HeLa cells and J774.1 cells. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated, by using 34 S-labeled NAC, metabolic conversion of NAC to glutathione and its persulfide, via intermediate formation of L-cysteine, in the cells. The approach using isotopic sulfur labeling combined with mass spectrometry may thus contribute to greater understanding of reactive sulfur metabolome and redox biology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc

Electronic and magnetic properties of MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons with sulfur line vacancy defects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Yang [Group of Computational Condensed Matter Physics, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhou, Jian [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Dong, Jinming, E-mail: jdong@nju.edu.cn [Group of Computational Condensed Matter Physics, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • We performed DFT calculations on Sulfur line defects embedded MoS{sub 2}. • The defects induced bond strains are larger in the zigzag (ZZ) edge ones. • The ZZ ones are metals, having two degenerate ground states FM and AFM. • The armchair ones are nonmagnetic semiconductors. • The defects can induce some defect states in the electronic structures. - Abstract: Motivated by the recent experimental result that single sulfur vacancies in monolayer MoS{sub 2} are mobile under the electron beam and easily agglomerate into the sulfur line vacancy defects [Physical Review B 88, 035301(2013)] , the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of one dimensional zigzag (ZZ) and armchair (AC) edge MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons with single or double staggered sulfur line vacancy defects (hereafter, abbreviated as SV or DV, respectively), parallel to their edges, have been investigated systematically by density functional theory calculations. It is very interesting to find that the bond strains induced by the sulfur line vacancy defect can cause a much larger out-of plane distortions in the ZZ edge MoS{sub 2} nanoribbon than in the AC edge counterpart. Besides, the defective ZZ edge MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons with SV or DV are both metals, having their two respective degenerate ground states with the same energy, among which one is ferromagnetic (FM “ + +”) and the other is antiferromagnetic (AFM “ + −”). But the AC edge MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons with SV or DV are both nonmagnetic semiconductors, having very different gap values. Finally, the sulfur line vacancy defects would induce some defect states in the electronic structures of the defective MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons. All these important results could provide a new route of tuning the electronic properties of MoS{sub 2} nanoribbons and its derivatives for their promising applications in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

Bioenergetic studies of coal sulfur oxidation by extremely thermophilic bacteria. Final report, September 15, 1992--August 31, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, R.M.; Han, C.J.

1997-12-31

Thermoacidophilic microorganisms have been considered for inorganic sulfur removal from coal because of expected improvements in rates of both biotic and abiotic sulfur oxidation reactions with increasing temperature. In this study, the bioenergetic response of the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon, Metallosphaera sedula, to environmental changes have been examined in relation to its capacity to catalyze pyrite oxidation in coal. Given an appropriate bioenergetic challenge, the metabolic response was to utilize additional amounts of energy sources (i.e., pyrite) to survive. Of particular interest were the consequences of exposing the organism to various forms of stress (chemical, nutritional, thermal, pH) in the presence of coal pyrite. Several approaches to take advantage of stress response to accelerate pyrite oxidation by this organism were examined, including attempts to promote acquired thermal tolerance to extend its functional range, exposure to chemical uncouplers and decouplers, and manipulation of heterotrophic and chemolithotrophic tendencies to optimize biomass concentration and biocatalytic activity. Promising strategies were investigated in a continuous culture system. This study identified environmental conditions that promote better coupling of biotic and abiotic oxidation reactions to improve biosulfurization rates of thermoacidophilic microorganisms.

Dynamic fluorescence studies of beta-glycosidase mutants from Sulfolobus solfataricus: effects of single mutations on protein thermostability.

Science.gov (United States)

Bismuto, Ettore; Febbraio, Ferdinando; Limongelli, Simona; Briante, Raffaella; Nucci, Roberto

2003-04-01

Multiple sequence alignment on 73 proteins belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 1 reveals the occurrence of a segment (83-124) in the enzyme sequences from hyperthermophilic archaea bacteria, which is absent in all the mesophilic members of the family. The alignment of the known three-dimensional structures of hyperthermophilic glycosidases with the known ones from mesophilic organisms shows a similar spatial organizations of beta-glycosidases except for this sequence segment whose structure is located on the external surface of each of four identical subunits, where it overlaps two alpha-helices. Site-directed mutagenesis substituting N97 or S101 with a cysteine residue in the sequence of beta-glycosidase from hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus caused some changes in the structural and dynamic properties as observed by circular dichroism in far- and near-UV light, as well as by frequency domain fluorometry, with a simultaneous loss of thermostability. The results led us to hypothesize an important role of the sequence segment present only in hyperthermophilic beta-glycosidases, in the thermal adaptation of archaea beta-glycosidases. The thermostabilization mechanism could occur as a consequence of numerous favorable ionic interactions of the 83-124 sequence with the other part of protein matrix that becomes more rigid and less accessible to the insult of thermal-activated solvent molecules. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sulfur in zircons: A new window into melt chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, H.; Bell, E. A.; Boehnke, P.; Barboni, M.; Harrison, T. M.

2017-12-01

The abundance and isotopic composition of sulfur are important tools for exploring the photochemistry of the atmosphere, the thermal history of mantle and igneous rocks, and ancient metabolic processes on the early Earth. Because the oldest terrestrial samples are zircons, we developed a new in-situ procedure to analyze the sulfur content of zircons using the CAMECA ims 1290 at UCLA. We analyzed zircons from three metaluminous/I-type granites (reduced and oxidized Peninsular range and Elba), which exhibit low sulfur abundance with the average of 0.5ppm, and one peraluminous/S-type zircon (Strathbogie Range), which shows an elevated sulfur level with the average of 1.5ppm. Additionally, we found that sulfur content ranges between 0.4 and 2.3 ppm in young volcanic zircons (St. Lucia). Our analyses of zircons from the Jack Hills, Western Australia, whose ages range between 3.4 and 4.1 Ga, show a variety of sulfur contents. Three out of the ten zircons are consistent with the sulfur contents of S-type zircons; the rest have low sulfur contents, which are similar to those of I-type zircons. The high sulfur content in some of these Jack Hills zircons can be interpreted as indicating their origin in either a S-type granite or a volcanic reservoir. We favor the former interpretation since the Ti-in-zircon temperatures of our Jack Hills zircons is lower than those of volcanic zircons. Future work will be undertaken to develop a systematic understanding of the relationship between melt volatile content, melt chemistry, and zircon sulfur content.

Investigations of solvents and various sulfur sources influence on the shape-controlled synthesis of CuInS2 nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruszynska, Marta; Borchert, Holger; Parisi, Jürgen; Kolny-Olesiak, Joanna

2011-01-01

CuInS 2 (CIS) nanocrystals were successfully synthesized through a hot-injection technique employing a reaction of copper (I) acetate and indium (III) acetate with tert-dodecanethiol as a source of sulfur, and trioctylphosphine oxide and 1-dodecanethiol were used as ligands. The reaction medium was a mixture of two solvents: oleylamine and 1-octadecene. Varying the ratio between both solvents leads to the formation of wurtzite CuInS 2 particles with shapes ranging from triangular to rod-shaped with length up to 50 nm. Oleylamine turned out to influence the reaction condition in two opposite ways: by leading to monomer depletion before the injection of the sulfur precursor, and at the same time increasing the activity of the monomers remaining in solution. By changing the sulfur source from tert-dodecanethiol to sulfur dissolved in oleylamine, triangular particles with zinc blend structure and a smaller size (∼5 nm) were synthesized. The final materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis).

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-07-01

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

Microbial contributions to coupled arsenic and sulfur cycling in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool, New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Hug, Katrin; Maher, William A; Stott, Matthew B; Krikowa, Frank; Foster, Simon; Moreau, John W

2014-01-01

Acid-sulfide hot springs are analogs of early Earth geothermal systems where microbial metal(loid) resistance likely first evolved. Arsenic is a metalloid enriched in the acid-sulfide hot spring Champagne Pool (Waiotapu, New Zealand). Arsenic speciation in Champagne Pool follows reaction paths not yet fully understood with respect to biotic contributions and coupling to biogeochemical sulfur cycling. Here we present quantitative arsenic speciation from Champagne Pool, finding arsenite dominant in the pool, rim and outflow channel (55-75% total arsenic), and dithio- and trithioarsenates ubiquitously present as 18-25% total arsenic. In the outflow channel, dimethylmonothioarsenate comprised ≤9% total arsenic, while on the outflow terrace thioarsenates were present at 55% total arsenic. We also quantified sulfide, thiosulfate, sulfate and elemental sulfur, finding sulfide and sulfate as major species in the pool and outflow terrace, respectively. Elemental sulfur concentration reached a maximum at the terrace. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes from metagenomic sequencing revealed the dominance of Sulfurihydrogenibium at all sites and an increased archaeal population at the rim and outflow channel. Several phylotypes were found closely related to known sulfur- and sulfide-oxidizers, as well as sulfur- and sulfate-reducers. Bioinformatic analysis revealed genes underpinning sulfur redox transformations, consistent with sulfur speciation data, and illustrating a microbial role in sulfur-dependent transformation of arsenite to thioarsenate. Metagenomic analysis also revealed genes encoding for arsenate reductase at all sites, reflecting the ubiquity of thioarsenate and a need for microbial arsenate resistance despite anoxic conditions. Absence of the arsenite oxidase gene, aio, at all sites suggests prioritization of arsenite detoxification over coupling to energy conservation. Finally, detection of methyl arsenic in the outflow channel, in conjunction with

Selective Sulfidation of Lead Smelter Slag with Sulfur

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Junwei; Liu, Wei; Wang, Dawei; Jiao, Fen; Qin, Wenqing

2016-02-01

The selective sulfidation of lead smelter slag with sulfur was studied. The effects of temperature, sulfur dosage, carbon, and Na salts additions were investigated based on thermodynamic calculation. The results indicated that more than 96 pct of zinc in the slag could be converted into sulfides. Increasing temperature, sulfur dosage, or Na salts dosage was conducive to the sulfidation of the zinc oxides in the slag. High temperature and excess Na salts would result in the more consumption of carbon and sulfur. Carbon addition not only promoted the selective sulfidation but reduced the sulfur dosage and eliminated the generation of SO2. Iron oxides had a buffering role on the sulfur efficient utilization. The transformation of sphalerite to wurtzite was feasible under reducing condition at high temperature, especially above 1273 K (1000 °C). The growth of ZnS particles largely depended upon the roasting temperature. They were significantly increased when the temperature was above 1273 K (1000 °C), which was attributed to the formation of a liquid phase.

Graphene derived carbon confined sulfur cathodes for lithium-sulfur batteries: Electrochemical impedance studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, Aswathi; Varzi, Alberto; Passerini, Stefano; Shaijumon, Manikoth M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Graphene-derived carbon (GDC) with distinctive porosity characteristics are prepared. • Effect of micro-/mesoporosity of GDC for improved Li-S battery performance is studied. • Impedance studies reveal insights into Li-S redox reactions and capacity fading phenomena. - Abstract: Sulfur nanocomposites are prepared by using graphene derived carbon (GDC), with controlled porosity characteristics, as confining matrix and are studied as efficient cathodes for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. To understand the effect of micro-/mesoporosity in porous carbon for the effective encapsulation of sulfur and polysulfides towards improved Li-S battery performance, two different GDC samples with controlled porosity characteristics, one with predominantly micropores (GDC-1) and a surface area of 1970 m 2 g −1 and the other with a surface area of 3239 m 2 g −1 , having more or less equal contribution of micro- and mesopores (GDC-2), are used to synthesize nanocomposite sulfur electrodes following melt diffusion process. Electrochemical studies are carried out by using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS spectra collected at different depth of discharge (DOD) in the first cycle as well as upon cycling give valuable insights into the Li-S redox reactions and capacity fading phenomena in these electrodes. The impedance response of GDC-S electrodes suggests a detrimental effect of the mesopores, where insoluble reaction products can easily accumulate, resulting in the loss of active material leading to capacity fading of Li-S cells.

Effect of sulfur dioxide on proteins of the vegetable organism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reckendorfer, P; Beran, F

1931-01-01

Experiments were performed to determine the effects of sulfur dioxide on red clover in a controlled environment. An increase in the concentration of sulfur dioxide caused a significant decrease in the digestible protein. However, after the sulfur dioxide was discontinued, there was a decrease in the indigestible protein. The leaves showed an increase in spotting with an increase in sulfur dioxide concentration. Chemical analysis of the soil revealed a higher sulfur content in these experiments.

Sulfur, selenium, tellurium and polonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, F.J.

1987-01-01

This chapter on the coordination compounds of sulfur, selenium, tellurium and polonium starts with an introduction to the bonding, valence and geometry of the elements. Complexes of the group VIB elements are discussed with particular reference to the halo and pseudohalide complexes, oxo acid complexes, oxygen and nitrogen donor complexes and sulfur and selenium donor complexes. There is a section on the biological properties of the complexes discussed. (UK)

Mercury chemisorption by sulfur adsorbed in porous materials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steijns, M.; Peppelenbos, A.; Mars, P.

1976-01-01

The sorption of mercury vapor by adsorbed sulfur in the zeolites CaA (= 5A) and NaX (=13X) and two types of active carbon has been measured at a temperature of 50°C. With increasing degree of micropore filling by sulfur the fraction of sulfur accessible to mercury atoms decreased for CaA and NaX.

Dual-shell hollow polyaniline/sulfur-core/polyaniline composites improving the capacity and cycle performance of lithium–sulfur batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, Yanling; Wei, Pan; Fan, Meiqiang, E-mail: fanmeiqiang@126.com; Chen, Da; Chen, Haichao; Ju, QiangJian; Tian, Guanglei; Shu, Kangying

2016-07-01

Highlights: • A dual core-shell hPANI/S/PANI composite was prepared in situ synthesis. • Cycle performance of the hPANI/S/PANI composite was enhanced. • The improvement was due to fine sulfur particles wrapped by two PANI films. • Some positive effects were elaborated. - Abstract: In this study, a dual-shell hollow polyaniline/sulfur-core/polyaniline (hPANI/S/PANI) composite was prepared by successively depositing PANI, S, and PANI on the surface of a template silicon sphere. The electrochemical properties of this composite were evaluated using a lithium plate as an anode in lithium/sulfur cells. The hPANI/S/PANI composite showed a discharge capacity of 572.2 mAh g{sup −1} after 214 cycles at 0.1 C, and the Coulombic efficiency was above 87% in the whole charge/discharge cycle. The improved cycle property of the hPANI/S/PANI composite can be ascribed to the fine sulfur particles homogeneously deposited on the PANI surface and sprawled inside the two PANI layers during the charge/discharge cycle. This behavior stabilized the nanostructure of sulfur and enhanced its conductivity.

Room-Temperature, Ambient-Pressure Chemical Synthesis of Amine-Functionalized Hierarchical Carbon-Sulfur Composites for Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Changju; Kim, Jinmin; Kim, Ju Young; Ji, Seulgi; Lee, Sun Sook; Kang, Yongku; Choi, Youngmin; Suk, Jungdon; Jeong, Sunho

2018-02-07

Recently, the achievement of newly designed carbon-sulfur composite materials has attracted a tremendous amount of attention as high-performance cathode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries. To date, sulfur materials have been generally synthesized by a sublimation technique in sealed containers. This is a well-developed technique for the synthesizing of well-ordered sulfur materials, but it is limited when used to scale up synthetic procedures for practical applications. In this study, we suggest an easily scalable, room-temperature/ambient-pressure chemical pathway for the synthesis of highly functioning cathode materials using electrostatically assembled, amine-terminated carbon materials. It is demonstrated that stable cycling performance outcomes are achievable with a capacity of 730 mAhg -1 at a current density of 1 C with good cycling stability by a virtue of the characteristic chemical/physical properties (a high conductivity for efficient charge conduction and the presence of a number of amine groups that can interact with sulfur atoms during electrochemical reactions) of composite materials. The critical roles of conductive carbon moieties and amine functional groups inside composite materials are clarified with combinatorial analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Sulfur sources in protein supplements for ruminants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cássio José da Silva

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The present study evaluates the efficiency of different sulfur sources for ruminant nutrition. The fiber digestibility and the amino acid profile were analyzed in the duodenal digesta of crossbred steers fed Brachiaria dictyoneurahay. The sources utilized were elemental sulfur (ES70S, elemental sulfur (ES98S; calcium sulfate in hydrated (HCS, CaSO4.2H2O, and anhydrous (ACS, CaSO4, forms; and ammonium sulfate (AS, (NH42SO4, keeping a nitrogen:sulfur ratio of 11:1. The iso-protein supplements had 50% of protein in the total dry matter (DM. Five Holstein × Zebu steers, which were fistulated in the rumen and abomasum, were distributed in a 5 × 5 Latin square. The different sulfur sources in the supplement did not affect any of the evaluated nutritional factors, such as intake of hay dry matter and protein supplement, crude protein (CP, neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDFap, organic matter (OM, non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC, ether extract (EE, total digestible nutrients (TDN, NDFap and CP digestibility coefficients, ruminal pH, and ruminal ammonia concentration. The concentrations of amino acids available in the abomasal digesta did not differ significantly in the tested diets. The sulfur sources evaluated in the present study are suitable as supplement for cattle, and their employment may be important to avoid environmental contaminations.

Sub-aqueous sulfur volcanos at Waiotapu, New Zealand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grimes, S.; Rickard, D. [University of Wales, Cardiff (United Kingdom). Dept. of Earth Sciences; Browne, P.; Simmons, S. [University of Auckland (New Zealand). Geothermal Institute and Geology Dept.; Jull, T. [University of Arizona, Tucson (United States). AMS Facility

1999-12-01

Exhumed, sub-aqueous sulfur mounds occur in the Waiotapu geothermal area, New Zealand. The extinct mounds are < 2 m high and composed of small (< 0.5 cm) hollow spheres, and occasional teardrop-shaped globules. They are located within a drained valley that until recently was connected to Lake Whangioterangi. They were formed a maximum of 820 {+-} 80 years BP as a result of the rapid sub-aqueous deposition of sulfur globules, formed when fumarolic gases discharged through molten sulfur pools. Similar globules are now being formed by the discharge of fumarolic gases through a sub-aqueous molten sulfur pool in Lake Whangioterangi. (author)

MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF THE INTERACTIONS AMONG CYANOBACTERIA, PURPLE SULFUR BACTERIA AND CHEMOTROPIC SULFUR BACTERIA IN MICROBIAL MAT COMMUNITIES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DEWIT, R; VANDENENDE, FP; VANGEMERDEN, H

A deterministic one-dimensional reaction diffusion model was constructed to simulate benthic stratification patterns and population dynamics of cyanobacteria, purple and colorless sulfur bacteria as found in marine microbial mats. The model involves the major biogeochemical processes of the sulfur

SULFUR ABUNDANCES IN THE ORION ASSOCIATION B STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daflon, Simone; Cunha, Katia; De la Reza, Ramiro; Holtzman, Jon; Chiappini, Cristina

2009-01-01

Sulfur abundances are derived for a sample of 10 B main-sequence star members of the Orion association. The analysis is based on LTE plane-parallel model atmospheres and non-LTE line formation theory by means of a self-consistent spectrum synthesis analysis of lines from two ionization states of sulfur, S II and S III. The observations are high-resolution spectra obtained with the ARCES spectrograph at the Apache Point Observatory. The abundance distribution obtained for the Orion targets is homogeneous within the expected errors in the analysis: A(S) = 7.15 ± 0.05. This average abundance result is in agreement with the recommended solar value (both from modeling of the photospheres in one-dimensional and three-dimensional, and meteorites) and indicates that little, if any, chemical evolution of sulfur has taken place in the last ∼4.5 billion years. The sulfur abundances of the young stars in Orion are found to agree well with results for the Orion Nebulae, and place strong constraints on the amount of sulfur depletion onto grains as being very modest or nonexistent. The sulfur abundances for Orion are consistent with other measurements at a similar galactocentric radius: combined with previous results for other OB-type stars produce a relatively shallow sulfur abundance gradient with a slope of -0.037 ± 0.012 dex kpc -1 .

Electrochemical reduction of sulfur dioxide in sulfolane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vorob' ev, A.S.; Gavrilova, A.A.; Kolosnitsyn, V.S.; Nikitin, Yu.E.

1985-09-01

Solutions of sulfur dioxide in aproptic media are promising electrolyte oxidizing agents for chemical current sources with anodes of active metals. This work describes the electrochemical reduction of sulfur dioxide in sulfolane in a lithium halide supporting electrolyte which was investigated by the methods of voltamperometry and chronopotentiometry. The dependence of the current of the cathodic peak on the concentration of the supporting electrolyte salts, sulfur dioxide and water, was studied. On the basis of the data obtained, a hypothesis was advanced on the nature of the limiting step. The investigation showed that at low polarizing current densities, a substantial influence on the reduction of sulfur dioxide in sulfolane in a lithium halide supporting electrolyte is exerted by blockage of the electrode surface by sparingly soluble reaction products.

Environmental behavior and analysis of agricultural sulfur.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, Corey M; Woodrow, James E; Seiber, James N

2015-11-01

Sulfur has been widely used for centuries as a staple for pest and disease management in agriculture. Presently, it is the largest-volume pesticide in use worldwide. This review describes the sources and recovery methods for sulfur, its allotropic forms and properties and its agricultural uses, including development and potential advantages of nanosulfur as a fungicide. Chemical and microbial reactivity, interactions in soil and water and analytical methods for determination in environmental samples and foodstuffs, including inexpensive analytical methods for sulfur residues in wine, beer and other food/beverage substrates, will be reviewed. The toxicology of sulfur towards humans and agriculturally important fungi is included, with some restrictions on use to promote safety. The review concludes with areas for which more research is warranted. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physiology of alkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from soda lakes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Banciu, H.L.

2004-01-01

The inorganic sulfur oxidation by obligate haloalkaliphilic chemolithoautotrophs was only recently discovered and investigated. These autotrophic sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB), capable of oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds at moderate to high salt concentration and at high pH, can be divided

For sale: Sulfur emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heiderscheit, J.

1992-01-01

The allowance trading market has started a slow march to maturity. Competitive developers should understand the risks and opportunities now presented. The marketplace for sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions allowances - the centerpiece of Title 4's acid rain reduction program - remains enigmatic 19 months after the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990 were passed. Yet it is increasingly clear that the emission allowance market will likely confound the gloom and doom of its doubters. The recently-announced $10 million dollar Wisconsin Power and Light allowance sales to Duquesne Light and the Tennessee Valley Authority are among the latest indications of momentum toward a stabilizing market. This trend puts additional pressure on independent developers to finalize their allowance strategies. Developers who understand what the allowance trading program is and what it is not, know the key players, and grasp the unresolved regulatory issues will have a new competitive advantage. The topics addressed in this article include the allowance marketplace, marketplace characteristics, the regulatory front, forward-looking strategies, and increasing marketplace activity

COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FOR THE HYBRID SULFUR ELECTROLYZER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hobbs, D; Hector Colon-Mercado, H; Mark Elvington, M

2008-05-30

Fiscal year 2008 studies in electrolyzer component development have focused on the characterization of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) after performance tests in the single cell electrolyzer, evaluation of electrocatalysts and membranes using a small scale electrolyzer and evaluating the contribution of individual cell components to the overall electrochemical performance. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of samples taken from MEAs testing in the SRNL single cell electrolyzer test station indicates a sulfur-rich layer forms between the cathode catalyst layer and the membrane. Based on a review of operating conditions for each of the MEAs evaluated, we conclude that the formation of the layer results from the reduction of sulfur dioxide as it passes through the MEA and reaches the catalyst layer at the cathode-membrane interface. Formation of the sulfur rich layer results in partial delamination of the cathode catalyst layer leading to diminished performance. Furthermore we believe that operating the electrolyzer at elevated pressure significantly increases the rate of formation due to increased adsorption of hydrogen on the internal catalyst surface. Thus, identification of a membrane that exhibits much lower transport of sulfur dioxide is needed to reduce the quantity of sulfur dioxide that reaches the cathode catalyst and is reduced to produce the sulfur-rich layer. Three candidate membranes are currently being evaluated that have shown promise from preliminary studies, (1) modified Nafion{reg_sign}, (2) polybenzimidazole (PBI), and (3) sulfonated Diels Alder polyphenylene (SDAPP). Testing examined the activity for the sulfur dioxide oxidation of platinum (Pt) and platinum-alloy catalysts in 30 wt% sulfuric acid solution. Linear sweep voltammetry showed an increase in activity when catalysts in which Pt is alloyed with non-noble transition metals such as cobalt and chromium. However when Pt is alloyed with noble metals, such as iridium or ruthenium

Characterization of cysteine-degrading and H2S-releasing enzymes of higher plants - from the field to the test tube and back.

Science.gov (United States)

Papenbrock, J; Riemenschneider, A; Kamp, A; Schulz-Vogt, H N; Schmidt, A

2007-09-01

Due to the clean air acts and subsequent reduction of emission of gaseous sulfur compounds sulfur deficiency became one of the major nutrient disorders in Northern Europe. Typical sulfur deficiency symptoms can be diagnosed. Especially plants of the Cruciferae family are more susceptible against pathogen attack. Sulfur fertilization can in part recover or even increase resistance against pathogens in comparison to sulfur-deficient plants. The term sulfur-induced resistance (SIR) was introduced, however, the molecular basis for SIR is largely unknown. There are several sulfur-containing compounds in plants which might be involved in SIR, such as high levels of thiols, glucosinolates, cysteine-rich proteins, phytoalexins, elemental sulfur, or H2S. Probably more than one strategy is used by plants. Species- or even variety-dependent differences in the development of SIR are probably used. Our research focussed mainly on the release of H2S as defence strategy. In field experiments using different BRASSICA NAPUS genotypes it was shown that the genetic differences among BRASSICA genotypes lead to differences in sulfur content and L-cysteine desulfhydrase activity. Another field experiment demonstrated that sulfur supply and infection with PYRENOPEZIZA BRASSICA influenced L-cysteine desulfhydrase activity in BRASSICA NAPUS. Cysteine-degrading enzymes such as cysteine desulfhydrases are hypothesized to be involved in H2S release. Several L- and D-cysteine-specific desulfhydrase candidates have been isolated and partially analyzed from the model plant ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA. However, it cannot be excluded that H2S is also released in a partial back reaction of O-acetyl-L-serine(thiol)lyase or enzymes not yet characterized. For the exact determination of the H2S concentration in the cell a H2S-specific microsensor was used the first time for plant cells. The transfer of the results obtained for application back on BRASSICA was initiated.

Volcanogenic Sulfur on Earth and Io: Composition and Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kargel, J.S.; Delmelle, P.; Nash, D.B.

1999-01-01

The causes of Io's variegated surface, especially the roles of sulfur, and the geochemical history of sulfur compounds on Io are not well understood. Suspecting that minor impurities in sulfur might be important, we have investigated the major and trace element chemistry and spectroscopic reflectance of natural sulfur from a variety of terrestrial volcanic-hydrothermal environments. Evidence suggests that Io may be substantially coated with impure sulfur. On Earth, a few tenths of a percent to a few percent of chalcophile trace elements (e.g., As and Se) comonly occur in sulfur and appear to stabilize material of yellow, brown, orange, and red hues, which may persist even at low temperatures. Percentage levels of chalcophile impurities are reasonably expected to occur on Io in vapor sublimate deposits and flows derived from such deposits. Such impurities join a host of other mechanisms that might explain Io's reds and yellows. Two-tenths to two percent opaque crystalline impurities, particularly pyrite (FeS2), commonly produces green, gray, and black volcanic sulfur on Earth and might explain areas of Io having deposits of these colors. Pyrite produces a broad absorption near 1 ??m that gradually diminishes out to 1.6 ??m - similar but not identical to the spectrum of Io seen in Galileo NIMS data. Percentage amounts of carbonaceous impurities and tens of percent SiO2 (as silicates) also strongly affect the spectral properties of Earth's sulfur. Io's broad absorption between 0.52 and 0.64 ??m remains unexplained by these data but could be due to sodium sulfides, as suggested previously by others, or to As, Se, or other impurities. These impurities and others, such as P and Cl (which could exist on Io's surface in amounts over 1% that of sulfur), greatly alter the molecular structure of molten and solid sulfur. Minor impurities could impact Io's geology, such as the morphology of sulfur lava flows and the ability of sulfur to sustain high relief. We have not found

Accidents with sulfuric acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajković Miloš B.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Sulfuric acid is an important industrial and strategic raw material, the production of which is developing on all continents, in many factories in the world and with an annual production of over 160 million tons. On the other hand, the production, transport and usage are very dangerous and demand measures of precaution because the consequences could be catastrophic, and not only at the local level where the accident would happen. Accidents that have been publicly recorded during the last eighteen years (from 1988 till the beginning of 2006 are analyzed in this paper. It is very alarming data that, according to all the recorded accidents, over 1.6 million tons of sulfuric acid were exuded. Although water transport is the safest (only 16.38% of the total amount of accidents in that way 98.88% of the total amount of sulfuric acid was exuded into the environment. Human factor was the common factor in all the accidents, whether there was enough control of the production process, of reservoirs or transportation tanks or the transport was done by inadequate (old tanks, or the accidents arose from human factor (inadequate speed, lock of caution etc. The fact is that huge energy, sacrifice and courage were involved in the recovery from accidents where rescue teams and fire brigades showed great courage to prevent real environmental catastrophes and very often they lost their lives during the events. So, the phrase that sulfuric acid is a real "environmental bomb" has become clearer.

Characterization of cysteine-degrading and H2S-releasing enzymes of higher plants - From the field to the test tube and back

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jutta, Papenbrock; Anja, Riemenschneider; Kamp, Anja

2007-01-01

focussed mainly on the release of H2S as defence strategy. In field experiments using different Brassica napus genotypes it was shown that the genetic differ- ences among Brassica genotypes lead to differences in sulfur content and L-cysteine desulfhydrase activity. Another field ex- periment demonstrated...... that sulfur supply and infection with Pyrenopeziza brassica influenced L-cysteine desulfhydrase activity in Brassica napus. Cysteine-degrading enzymes such as cysteine desulfhydrases are hypothesized to be involved in H2S release. Several L- and D-cysteine-specific desulfhydrase candidates have been isolated...... in plants which might be involved in SIR, such as high levels of thiols, glucosinolates, cysteine-rich proteins, phytoalexins, elemental sulfur, or H2S. Probably more than one strategy is used by plants. Species- or even variety-dependent differences in the development of SIR are probably used. Our research...

SMV1, an extremely stable thermophilic virus platform for nanoparticle trafficking in the mammalian GI tract

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uldahl, Kristine Buch; Walk, S. T.; Olshefsky, S. C.

2017-01-01

undetectable inflammatory response. Finally, we used human intestinal organoids (HIOs) to show that labelled SMV1 did not invade or otherwise perturb the human GI tract epithelium. Conclusion: Sulfolobus monocaudavirus 1 appeared stable and safe during passage though the mammalian GI tract. Significance...

New uses of sulfur - update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almond, K.P.

1995-07-01

An update to an extensive bibliography on alternate uses of sulfur was presented. Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd., previously compiled a bibliography in volume 24 of this quarterly bulletin. This update provides an additional 44 new publications. The information regarding current research focusses on topics regarding the use of sulfur in oil and gas applications, mining and metallurgy, concretes and other structural materials, waste management, rubber and textile products, asphalts and other paving and highway applications.

Behavior of sulfur species in steam generator conditions of PWRs - towards an update of the secondary side corrosion cracking model based on laboratory tests in sulfate environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansour, C.; Legras, L.; Catalette, H.; Lefevre, G.; Fedoroff, M.; Pavageau, E.-M.

2007-01-01

Secondary side corrosion cracking affects Mill Annealed Alloy 600 steam generator (SG) tubes of PWRs in flow restricted areas where pollutants, such as sulfate, can concentrate and form various aggressive local environments. The 'sulfate model', based on laboratory tests in sulfate environments, was developed to predict the degradation of SG tubes. Such prediction is aimed to be done after having evaluated the chemistry in the flow restricted areas where the degradation occurs. For such purpose, a better knowledge of the behavior of sulfur species in SG conditions is needed. After a brief description of the sulfate model, this paper focuses on the latest experimental results that have been obtained : sorption of sulfur species over magnetite in SG temperature conditions, thermodynamical calculations as well as transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy observations of magnetite after sorption and C-Ring specimens tested in sulfate environments. Then, all these results are discussed in order to contribute to a better understanding of the secondary side corrosion cracking of SG tubes. (author)

The Quantitation of Sulfur Mustard By-Products, Sulfur-Containing Herbicides, and Organophosphonates in Soil and Concrete

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomkins, B.A., Sega, G.A. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)], Macnaughton, S.J. [Microbial Insights, Inc., Rockford, TN (United States)

1997-12-31

Over the past fifty years, the facilities at Rocky Mountain Arsenal have been used for the manufacturing, bottling, and shipping sulfur- containing herbicides, sulfur mustard, and Sarin. There is a need for analytical methods capable of determining these constituents quickly to determine exactly how specific waste structural materials should be handled, treated, and landfilled.These species are extracted rapidly from heated samples of soil or crushed concrete using acetonitrile at elevated pressure, then analyzed using a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame photometric detector. Thiodiglycol, the major hydrolysis product of sulfur mustard, must be converted to a silylated derivative prior to quantitation. Detection limits, calculated using two statistically-unbiased protocols, ranged between 2-13 micrograms analyte/g soil or concrete.

Ultra Low Sulfur Home Heating Oil Demonstration Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batey, John E. [Energy Research Center, Inc., Easton, CT (United States); McDonald, Roger [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2015-09-30

This Ultra Low Sulfur (ULS) Home Heating Oil Demonstration Project was funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and has successfully quantified the environmental and economic benefits of switching to ULS (15 PPM sulfur) heating oil. It advances a prior field study of Low Sulfur (500 ppm sulfur) heating oil funded by NYSERDA and laboratory research conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Canadian researchers. The sulfur oxide and particulate matter (PM) emissions are greatly reduced as are boiler cleaning costs through extending cleaning intervals. Both the sulfur oxide and PM emission rates are directly related to the fuel oil sulfur content. The sulfur oxide and PM emission rates approach near-zero levels by switching heating equipment to ULS fuel oil, and these emissions become comparable to heating equipment fired by natural gas. This demonstration project included an in-depth review and analysis of service records for both the ULS and control groups to determine any difference in the service needs for the two groups. The detailed service records for both groups were collected and analyzed and the results were entered into two spreadsheets that enabled a quantitative side-by-side comparison of equipment service for the entire duration of the ULS test project. The service frequency for the ULS and control group were very similar and did indicate increased service frequency for the ULS group. In fact, the service frequency with the ULS group was slightly less (7.5 percent) than the control group. The only exception was that three burner fuel pump required replacement for the ULS group and none were required for the control group.

Effects of elemental sulfur and sulfur-containing waste on nutrient ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-09-15

Sep 15, 2009 ... grown twice on the same soils to determine initial and residual effects of applied S. Results showed that applications of ... Key words: Calcareous soil, plant growth, plant nutrition, sulfur application. ...... Colombia. Can. J. Soil ...

Tandem sulfur chemiluminescence and flame ionization detection with planar microfluidic devices for the characterization of sulfur compounds in hydrocarbon matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Luong, J; Gras, R; Shellie, R A; Cortes, H J

2013-07-05

The detection of sulfur compounds in different hydrocarbon matrices, from light hydrocarbon feedstocks to medium synthetic crude oil feeds provides meaningful information for optimization of refining processes as well as demonstration of compliance with petroleum product specifications. With the incorporation of planar microfluidic devices in a novel chromatographic configuration, sulfur compounds from hydrogen sulfide to alkyl dibenzothiophenes and heavier distributions of sulfur compounds over a wide range of matrices spanning across a boiling point range of more than 650°C can be characterized, using one single analytical configuration in less than 25min. In tandem with a sulfur chemiluminescence detector for sulfur analysis is a flame ionization detector. The flame ionization detector can be used to establish the boiling point range of the sulfur compounds in various hydrocarbon fractions for elemental specific simulated distillation analysis as well as profiling the hydrocarbon matrices for process optimization. Repeatability of less than 3% RSD (n=20) over a range of 0.5-1000 parts per million (v/v) was obtained with a limit of detection of 50 parts per billion and a linear range of 0.5-1000 parts per million with a correlation co-efficient of 0.998. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional and Proteomic Profiling of Aspergillus flavipes in Response to Sulfur Starvation.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sayed, Ashraf S A; Yassin, Marwa A; Ali, Gul Shad

2015-01-01

Aspergillus flavipes has received considerable interest due to its potential to produce therapeutic enzymes involved in sulfur amino acid metabolism. In natural habitats, A. flavipes survives under sulfur limitations by mobilizing endogenous and exogenous sulfur to operate diverse cellular processes. Sulfur limitation affects virulence and pathogenicity, and modulates proteome of sulfur assimilating enzymes of several fungi. However, there are no previous reports aimed at exploring effects of sulfur limitation on the regulation of A. flavipes sulfur metabolism enzymes at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional and proteomic levels. In this report, we show that sulfur limitation affects morphological and physiological responses of A. flavipes. Transcription and enzymatic activities of several key sulfur metabolism genes, ATP-sulfurylase, sulfite reductase, methionine permease, cysteine synthase, cystathionine β- and γ-lyase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were increased under sulfur starvation conditions. A 50 kDa protein band was strongly induced by sulfur starvation, and the proteomic analyses of this protein band using LC-MS/MS revealed similarity to many proteins involved in the sulfur metabolism pathway.

Digestion of Bangka monazite with sulfuric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riesna Prassanti

2012-01-01

Technology of Bangka monazite processing with alkaline method has been mastered by PPGN BATAN with the product in the form of RE (Rare Earth) which is contain U < 2 ppm and Th 12 - 16 ppm. Hence, as comparator, the research of Bangka monazite processing with acid method using sulfuric acid has been done. The aim of this research is to obtain the optimal condition of Bangka monazite's digestion using sulfuric acid so that all elements contained in the monazite that are U, Th, RE, PO 4 dissolved as much as possible. The research parameter's arc monazite particle's size, sulfuric acid consumption (weight ratio of monazite ore : sulfuric acid), digestion temperature, digestion time and consumption of wash water. The results showed that the optimal conditions of digestion are 250+ 325 mesh of monazite particle's size, 1 : 2.5 of weight ratio of monazite ore: sulfuric acid, 190°C of digestion temperature, 3 hours of digestion time and 8 times of weight monazite's feed of wash water with the recovery of digested U = 99.90 %, Th = 99.44 %, RE = 98.64 % and PO 4 = 99.88 %. (author)

Anode Improvement in Rechargeable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Tao; Lu, Shengguo; Fan, Ye; Lei, Weiwei; Huang, Shaoming; Chen, Ying

2017-12-01

Owing to their theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg -1 , lithium-sulfur batteries represent a promising future energy storage device to power electric vehicles. However, the practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries suffer from poor cycle life and low Coulombic efficiency, which is attributed, in part, to the polysulfide shuttle and Li dendrite formation. Suppressing Li dendrite growth, blocking the unfavorable reaction between soluble polysulfides and Li, and improving the safety of Li-S batteries have become very important for the development of high-performance lithium sulfur batteries. A comprehensive review of various strategies is presented for enhancing the stability of the anode of lithium sulfur batteries, including inserting an interlayer, modifying the separator and electrolytes, employing artificial protection layers, and alternative anodes to replace the Li metal anode. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparative Genomics of Green Sulfur Bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ussery, David; Davenport, C; Tümmler, B

2010-01-01

Eleven completely sequenced Chlorobi genomes were compared in oligonucleotide usage, gene contents, and synteny. The green sulfur bacteria (GSB) are equipped with a core genome that sustains their anoxygenic phototrophic lifestyle by photosynthesis, sulfur oxidation, and CO(2) fixation. Whole...... weight of 10(6), and are probably instrumental for the bacteria to generate their own intimate (micro)environment....

Diesel Emission Control -- Sulfur Effects (DECSE) Program; Phase I Interim Date Report No. 3: Diesel Fuel Sulfur Effects on Particulate Matter Emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DOE; ORNL; NREL; EMA; MECA

1999-11-15

The Diesel Emission Control-Sulfur Effects (DECSE) is a joint government/industry program to determine the impact of diesel fuel sulfur levels on emission control systems whose use could lower emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) and particulate matter (PM) from on-highway trucks in the 2002--2004 model years. Phase 1 of the program was developed with the following objectives in mind: (1) evaluate the effects of varying the level of sulfur content in the fuel on the emission reduction performance of four emission control technologies; and (2) measure and compare the effects of up to 250 hours of aging on selected devices for multiple levels of fuel sulfur content. This interim report covers the effects of diesel fuel sulfur level on particulate matter emissions for four technologies.

Sulfur recirculation for increased electricity production in Waste-to-Energy plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Sven; Blomqvist, Evalena W; Bäfver, Linda; Jones, Frida; Davidsson, Kent; Froitzheim, Jan; Karlsson, Martin; Larsson, Erik; Liske, Jesper

2014-01-01

Sulfur recirculation is a new technology for reducing boiler corrosion and dioxin formation. It was demonstrated in full-scale tests at a Waste to Energy plant in Göteborg (Sweden) during nearly two months of operation. Sulfur was recirculated as sulfuric acid from the flue gas cleaning back to the boiler, thus creating a sulfur loop. The new technology was evaluated by extensive measurement campaigns during operation under normal conditions (reference case) and operation with sulfur recirculation. The chlorine content of both fly ash and boiler ash decreased and the sulfur content increased during the sulfur recirculation tests. The deposit growth and the particle concentration decreased with sulfur recirculation and the dioxin concentration (I-TEQ) of the flue gas was reduced by approximately 25%. Sulfuric acid dew point measurements showed that the sulfuric acid dosage did not lead to elevated SO3 concentrations, which may otherwise induce low temperature corrosion. In the sulfur recirculation corrosion probe exposures, the corrosion rate decreased for all tested materials (16Mo3, Sanicro 28 and Inconel 625) and material temperatures (450 °C and 525 °C) compared to the reference exposure. The corrosion rates were reduced by 60-90%. Sulfur recirculation prevented the formation of transition metal chlorides at the metal/oxide interface, formation of chromate and reduced the presence of zinc in the corrosion products. Furthermore, measured corrosion rates at 525 °C with sulfur recirculation in operation were similar or lower compared to those measured at 450 °C material temperature in reference conditions, which corresponds to normal operation at normal steam temperatures. This implies that sulfur recirculation allows for higher steam data and electricity production without increasing corrosion. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Design and cost of the sulfuric acid decomposition reactor for the sulfur based hydrogen processes - HTR2008-58009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, T. Y.; Connolly, S. M.; Lahoda, E. J.; Kriel, W.

2008-01-01

The key interface component between the reactor and chemical systems for the sulfuric acid based processes to make hydrogen is the sulfuric acid decomposition reactor. The materials issues for the decomposition reactor are severe since sulfuric acid must be heated, vaporized and decomposed. SiC has been identified and proven by others to be an acceptable material. However, SiC has a significant design issue when it must be interfaced with metals for connection to the remainder of the process. Westinghouse has developed a design utilizing SiC for the high temperature portions of the reactor that are in contact with the sulfuric acid and polymeric coated steel for low temperature portions. This design is expected to have a reasonable cost for an operating lifetime of 20 years. It can be readily maintained in the field, and is transportable by truck (maximum OD is 4.5 meters). This paper summarizes the detailed engineering design of the Westinghouse Decomposition Reactor and the decomposition reactor's capital cost. (authors)

Hot melt extrusion versus spray drying: hot melt extrusion degrades albendazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Hengsawas Surasarang, Soraya; Keen, Justin M; Huang, Siyuan; Zhang, Feng; McGinity, James W; Williams, Robert O

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to enhance the dissolution properties of albendazole (ABZ) by the use of amorphous solid dispersions. Phase diagrams of ABZ-polymer binary mixtures generated from Flory-Huggins theory were used to assess miscibility and processability. Forced degradation studies showed that ABZ degraded upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide and 1 N NaOH at 80 °C for 5 min, and the degradants were albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSX), and ABZ impurity A, respectively. ABZ was chemically stable following exposure to 1 N HCl at 80 °C for one hour. Thermal degradation profiles show that ABZ, with and without Kollidon ® VA 64, degraded at 180 °C and 140 °C, respectively, which indicated that ABZ could likely be processed by thermal processing. Following hot melt extrusion, ABZ degraded up to 97.4%, while the amorphous ABZ solid dispersion was successfully prepared by spray drying. Spray-dried ABZ formulations using various types of acids (methanesulfonic acid, sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid) and polymers (Kollidon ® VA 64, Soluplus ® and Eudragit ® E PO) were studied. The spray-dried ABZ with methanesulfonic acid and Kollidon ® VA 64 substantially improved non-sink dissolution in acidic media as compared to bulk ABZ (8-fold), physical mixture of ABZ:Kollidon ® VA 64 (5.6-fold) and ABZ mesylate salt (1.6-fold). No degradation was observed in the spray-dried product for up to six months and less than 5% after one-year storage. In conclusion, amorphous ABZ solid dispersions in combination with an acid and polymer can be prepared by spray drying to enhance dissolution and shelf-stability, whereas those made by melt extrusion are degraded.

40 CFR 180.444 - Sulfur dioxide; tolerances for residues.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... § 180.444 Sulfur dioxide; tolerances for residues. A tolerance is established as follows for sulfite residues of the fungicide sulfur dioxide (determined as (SO2)) in or on the following raw agricultural... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sulfur dioxide; tolerances for...

Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in an Acid Vapor-Formed Spring in Tengchong Geothermal Area, China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhou Jiang

Full Text Available Arsenic biogeochemistry has been studied extensively in acid sulfate-chloride hot springs, but not in acid sulfate hot springs with low chloride. In this study, Zhenzhuquan in Tengchong geothermal area, a representative acid sulfate hot spring with low chloride, was chosen to study arsenic geochemistry and microbial community structure using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Over 0.3 million 16S rRNA sequence reads were obtained from 6-paired parallel water and sediment samples along its outflow channel. Arsenic oxidation occurred in the Zhenxhuquan pool, with distinctly high ratios of arsenate to total dissolved arsenic (0.73-0.86. Coupled with iron and sulfur oxidation along the outflow channel, arsenic accumulated in downstream sediments with concentrations up to 16.44 g/kg and appeared to significantly constrain their microbial community diversity. These oxidations might be correlated with the appearance of some putative functional microbial populations, such as Aquificae and Pseudomonas (arsenic oxidation, Sulfolobus (sulfur and iron oxidation, Metallosphaera and Acidicaldus (iron oxidation. Temperature, total organic carbon and dissolved oxygen significantly shaped the microbial community structure of upstream and downstream samples. In the upstream outflow channel region, most microbial populations were microaerophilic/anaerobic thermophiles and hyperthermophiles, such as Sulfolobus, Nocardia, Fervidicoccus, Delftia, and Ralstonia. In the downstream region, aerobic heterotrophic mesophiles and thermophiles were identified, including Ktedonobacteria, Acidicaldus, Chthonomonas and Sphingobacteria. A total of 72.41-95.91% unassigned-genus sequences were derived from the downstream high arsenic sediments 16S rRNA clone libraries. This study could enable us to achieve an integrated understanding on arsenic biogeochemistry in acid hot springs.

Radiation induced sulfur dioxide removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chmielewski, A.G.

2000-01-01

The biggest source of air pollution is the combustion of fossil fuels, were pollutants such as particulate, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) are emitted. Among these pollutants, sulfur dioxide plays the main role in acidification of the environment. The mechanism of sulfur dioxide transformation in the environment is partly photochemical. This is not direct photooxidation, however, but oxidation through formed radicals. Heterogenic reactions play an important role in this transformation as well; therefore, observations from environmental chemistry can be used in air pollution control engineering. One of the most promising technologies for desulfurization of the flue gases (and simultaneous denitrification) is radiation technology with an electron accelerator application. Contrary to the nitrogen oxides (NO x ) removal processes, which is based on pure radiation induced reactions, sulfur dioxide removal depends on two pathways: a thermochemical reaction in the presence of ammonia/water vapor and a radiation set of radiochemical reactions. The mechanism of these reactions and the consequent technological parameters of the process are discussed in this paper. The industrial application of this radiation technology is being implemented in an industrial pilot plant operated by INCT at EPS Kaweczyn. A full-scale industrial plant is currently in operation in China, and two others are under development in Japan and Poland. (author)

Sulfur dioxide emissions and sectorial contributions to sulfur deposition in Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, Richard L.; Carmichael, Gregory R.; Streets, David G.; Bhatti, Neeloo

Anthropogenic and volcanic emissions of SO 2 in Asia for 1987-1988 are estimated on a 1° × 1° grid. Anthropogenic sources are estimated to be 31.6 Tg of SO 2 with the regions' volcanoes emitting an additional 3.8 Tg. For Southeast Asia and the Indian sub-continent, the emissions are further partitioned into biomass, industrial, utilities, and non-specific sources. In these regions emissions from biomass, utilities and industrial sources account for 16.7, 21.7, and 12.2%, respectively. In Bangladesh, ˜ 90% of the SO 2 emissions result from biomass burning and nearly 20% of India's 5 Tg of SO 2 emissions are due to biomass burning. Malaysia and Singapore's emissions are dominated by the utilities with 42 and 62% of their respective emissions coming from that sector. The spatial distribution of sulfur deposition resulting from these emissions is calculated using an atmospheric transport and deposition model. Sulfur deposition in excess of 2 g m -2 yr -1 is predicted in vast regions of east Asia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia with deposition in excess of 5 g m -2 yr -1 predicted in southern China. For the Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia the contribution of biomass burning, industrial activities, and utilities to total sulfur emissions and deposition patterns are evaluated. Biomass burning is found to be a major source of sulfur deposition throughout southeast Asia. Deposition in Bangladesh and northern India is dominated by this emissions sector. Deposition in Thailand, the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra is heavily influenced by emissions from utilities. The ecological impact of the deposition, in 1988 and in the year 2020, is also estimated using critical loads data developed in the RAINS-ASIA projects. Much of eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Thailand, and large regions of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and sections of Vietnam are at risk due to deposition in excess of their

Physiology and genetics of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, C G

1998-01-01

Reduced inorganic sulfur compounds are oxidized by members of the domains Archaea and Bacteria. These compounds are used as electron donors for anaerobic phototrophic and aerobic chemotrophic growth, and are mostly oxidized to sulfate. Different enzymes mediate the conversion of various reduced sulfur compounds. Their physiological function in sulfur oxidation is considered (i) mostly from the biochemical characterization of the enzymatic reaction, (ii) rarely from the regulation of their formation, and (iii) only in a few cases from the mutational gene inactivation and characterization of the resulting mutant phenotype. In this review the sulfur-metabolizing reactions of selected phototrophic and of chemotrophic prokaryotes are discussed. These comprise an archaeon, a cyanobacterium, green sulfur bacteria, and selected phototrophic and chemotrophic proteobacteria. The genetic systems are summarized which are presently available for these organisms, and which can be used to study the molecular basis of their dissimilatory sulfur metabolism. Two groups of thiobacteria can be distinguished: those able to grow with tetrathionate and other reduced sulfur compounds, and those unable to do so. This distinction can be made irrespective of their phototrophic or chemotrophic metabolism, neutrophilic or acidophilic nature, and may indicate a mechanism different from that of thiosulfate oxidation. However, the core enzyme for tetrathionate oxidation has not been identified so far. Several phototrophic bacteria utilize hydrogen sulfide, which is considered to be oxidized by flavocytochrome c owing to its in vitro activity. However, the function of flavocytochrome c in vivo may be different, because it is missing in other hydrogen sulfide-oxidizing bacteria, but is present in most thiosulfate-oxidizing bacteria. A possible function of flavocytochrome c is discussed based on biophysical studies, and the identification of a flavocytochrome in the operon encoding enzymes involved

Comparison of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with sulfur-chemiluminescence detector to standard methods for speciation of sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Guerrero, Rosario; Vendeuvre, Colombe; Thiébaut, Didier; Bertoncini, Fabrice; Espinat, Didier

2006-10-01

The monitoring of total sulfur content and speciation of individual sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates is required for efficient catalyst selection and for a better understanding of the kinetics of the reactions involved in hydrotreament processes. Owing to higher resolution power and enhanced sensitivity, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) hyphenated to sulfur chemiluminescence detection (SCD) has recently evolved as a powerful tool for improving characterization and identification of sulfur compounds. The aim of this paper is to compare quantitatively GCxGC-SCD and various other methods commonly employed in the petroleum industry, such as X-ray fluorescence, conventional GC-SCD, and high-resolution mass spectrometry, for total sulfur content determination and speciation analysis. Different samples of middle distillates have been analyzed to demonstrate the high potential and important advantages of GCxGC-SCD for innovative and quantitative analysis of sulfur-containing compounds. More accurate and detailed results for benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes are presented, showing that GCxGC-SCD should become, in the future, an essential tool for sulfur speciation analysis.

Ecosystemic approaches to land degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Puigdefabregas, J.; Barrio, G. del; Hill, J.

2009-07-01

Land degradation is recognized as the main outcome of desertification. However available procedures for its assessment are still unsatisfactory because are often too costly for surveying large areas and rely on specific components of the degradation process without being able to integrate them in a unique process. One of the objectives of De Survey project is designing and implementing operational procedures for desertification surveillance, including land degradation. A strategic report was compiled and reproduced here for selecting the most appropriate approaches to the project conditions. The report focuses on using attributes of ecosystem maturity as a natural way to integrate the different drivers of land degradation in simple indices. The review surveys different families of attributes concerned with water and energy fluxes through the ecosystem, its capacity to sustain biomass and net primary productivity, and its capacity to structure the space. Finally, some conclusions are presented about the choice criteria of the different approaches in the framne of operational applications. (Author) 20 refs.

Ecosystemic approaches to land degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puigdefabregas, J.; Barrio, G. del; Hill, J.

2009-01-01

Land degradation is recognized as the main outcome of desertification. However available procedures for its assessment are still unsatisfactory because are often too costly for surveying large areas and rely on specific components of the degradation process without being able to integrate them in a unique process. One of the objectives of De Survey project is designing and implementing operational procedures for desertification surveillance, including land degradation. A strategic report was compiled and reproduced here for selecting the most appropriate approaches to the project conditions. The report focuses on using attributes of ecosystem maturity as a natural way to integrate the different drivers of land degradation in simple indices. The review surveys different families of attributes concerned with water and energy fluxes through the ecosystem, its capacity to sustain biomass and net primary productivity, and its capacity to structure the space. Finally, some conclusions are presented about the choice criteria of the different approaches in the framne of operational applications. (Author) 20 refs.

To control and to be controlled – understanding the Arabidopsis SLIM1 function in sulfur deficiency through comprehensive investigation of the EIL protein family.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna eWawrzyńska

2014-10-01

Full Text Available SSLIM1, a member of the EIN3-like (EIL family of transcription factors in Arabidopsis, is the regulator of many sulfur-deficiency responsive genes. Among the five other proteins of the family, three regulate ethylene responses and two have unassigned functions. Contrary to the well-defined ethylene signaling, the pathway leading from sensing sulfate status to the activation of its acquisition via SLIM1 is completely unknown. SLIM1 binds to the 20 nt-long specific UPE-box sequence; however, it also recognizes the shorter TEIL sequence, unique for the whole EIL family. SLIM1 takes part in the upregulation and downregulation of various sulfur metabolism genes, but also it controls the degradation of glucosinolates under sulfur deficient conditions. Besides facilitating the increased flux through the sulfate assimilation pathway, SLIM1 induces microRNA395, specifically targeting ATP sulfurylases and a low-affinity sulfate transporter, SULTR2;1, thus affecting sulfate translocation to the shoot. Here, we briefly review the identification, structural characteristics and molecular function of SLIM1 from the perspective of the whole EIL protein family.

Mechanisms and evolution of oxidative sulfur metabolism in green sulfur bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gregersen, Lea Haarup; Bryant, Donald A.; Frigaard, Niels-Ulrik

2011-01-01

Green sulfur bacteria (GSB) constitute a closely related group of photoautotrophic and thiotrophic bacteria with limited phenotypic variation. They typically oxidize sulfide and thiosulfate to sulfate with sulfur globules as an intermediate. Based on genome sequence information from 15 strains...... product is further oxidized to sulfite by the dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DSR) system. This system consists of components horizontally acquired partly from sulfide-oxidizing and partly from sulfate-reducing bacteria. Depending on the strain, the sulfite is probably oxidized to sulfate by one of two...... in sulfate formation in other bacteria has been replaced by the DSR system in GSB. Sequence analyses suggested that the conserved soxJXYZAKBW gene cluster was horizontally acquired by Chlorobium phaeovibrioides DSM 265 from the Chlorobaculum lineage and that this acquisition was mediated by a mobile genetic...

Sulfur cathodes with hydrogen reduced titanium dioxide inverse opal structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Zheng; Zheng, Guangyuan; Li, Weiyang; Seh, Zhi Wei; Yao, Hongbin; Yan, Kai; Kong, Desheng; Cui, Yi

2014-05-27

Sulfur is a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries with a high specific capacity of 1675 mAh/g. The rapid capacity fading, however, presents a significant challenge for the practical application of sulfur cathodes. Two major approaches that have been developed to improve the sulfur cathode performance include (a) fabricating nanostructured conductive matrix to physically encapsulate sulfur and (b) engineering chemical modification to enhance binding with polysulfides and, thus, to reduce their dissolution. Here, we report a three-dimensional (3D) electrode structure to achieve both sulfur physical encapsulation and polysulfides binding simultaneously. The electrode is based on hydrogen reduced TiO2 with an inverse opal structure that is highly conductive and robust toward electrochemical cycling. The relatively enclosed 3D structure provides an ideal architecture for sulfur and polysulfides confinement. The openings at the top surface allow sulfur infusion into the inverse opal structure. In addition, chemical tuning of the TiO2 composition through hydrogen reduction was shown to enhance the specific capacity and cyclability of the cathode. With such TiO2 encapsulated sulfur structure, the sulfur cathode could deliver a high specific capacity of ∼1100 mAh/g in the beginning, with a reversible capacity of ∼890 mAh/g after 200 cycles of charge/discharge at a C/5 rate. The Coulombic efficiency was also maintained at around 99.5% during cycling. The results showed that inverse opal structure of hydrogen reduced TiO2 represents an effective strategy in improving lithium sulfur batteries performance.

The analysis of thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composite

Science.gov (United States)

Książek, Mariusz

2017-01-01

Specific chemical environments step out in the industry objects. Portland cement composites (concrete and mortar) were impregnated by using the special polymerized sulfur and technical soot as a filler (polymer sulfur composite). Sulfur and technical soot was applied as the industrial waste. Portland cement composites were made of the same aggregate, cement and water. The process of special polymer sulfur composite applied as the industrial waste is a thermal treatment process in the temperature of about 150-155°C. The result of such treatment is special polymer sulfur composite in a liquid state. This paper presents the plastic constants and coefficients of thermal expansion of special polymer sulfur composites, with isotropic porous matrix, reinforced by disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions with orthotropic symmetry of the thermoplastic properties. The investigations are based on the stochastic differential equations of solid mechanics. A model and algorithm for calculating the effective characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites are suggested. The effective thermoplastic characteristics of special polymer sulfur composites, with disoriented ellipsoidal inclusions, are calculated in two stages: First, the properties of materials with oriented inclusions are determined, and then effective constants of a composite with disoriented inclusions are determined on the basis of the Voigt or Rice scheme. A brief summary of new products related to special polymer sulfur composites is given as follows: Impregnation, repair, overlays and precast polymer concrete will be presented. Special polymer sulfur as polymer coating impregnation, which has received little attention in recent years, currently has some very interesting applications.

Plutonium oxides analysis. Sulfur potentiometric analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

Total sulfur determination (sulfur, sulfates, sulfides ...) in plutonium oxides, suitable for sulfate ion content between 0.003 percent to 0.2 percent, by dissolution in nitric hydrofluoric acid, nitrates elimination, addition of hydrochloric acid and reduction in hydrogen sulfide which is carried by an inert gas and neutralized by sodium hydroxide. Sodium sulfide is titrated with mercuric acetate by constant intensity potentiometry [fr

Extreme Mutation Tolerance: Nearly Half of the Archaeal Fusellovirus Sulfolobus Spindle-Shaped Virus 1 Genes Are Not Required for Virus Function, Including the Minor Capsid Protein Gene vp3.

Science.gov (United States)

Iverson, Eric A; Goodman, David A; Gorchels, Madeline E; Stedman, Kenneth M

2017-05-15

Viruses infecting the Archaea harbor a tremendous amount of genetic diversity. This is especially true for the spindle-shaped viruses of the family Fuselloviridae , where >90% of the viral genes do not have detectable homologs in public databases. This significantly limits our ability to elucidate the role of viral proteins in the infection cycle. To address this, we have developed genetic techniques to study the well-characterized fusellovirus Sulfolobus spindle-shaped virus 1 (SSV1), which infects Sulfolobus solfataricus in volcanic hot springs at 80°C and pH 3. Here, we present a new comparative genome analysis and a thorough genetic analysis of SSV1 using both specific and random mutagenesis and thereby generate mutations in all open reading frames. We demonstrate that almost half of the SSV1 genes are not essential for infectivity, and the requirement for a particular gene correlates well with its degree of conservation within the Fuselloviridae The major capsid gene vp1 is essential for SSV1 infectivity. However, the universally conserved minor capsid gene vp3 could be deleted without a loss in infectivity and results in virions with abnormal morphology. IMPORTANCE Most of the putative genes in the spindle-shaped archaeal hyperthermophile fuselloviruses have no sequences that are clearly similar to characterized genes. In order to determine which of these SSV genes are important for function, we disrupted all of the putative genes in the prototypical fusellovirus, SSV1. Surprisingly, about half of the genes could be disrupted without destroying virus function. Even deletions of one of the known structural protein genes that is present in all known fuselloviruses, vp3 , allows the production of infectious viruses. However, viruses lacking vp3 have abnormal shapes, indicating that the vp3 gene is important for virus structure. Identification of essential genes will allow focused research on minimal SSV genomes and further understanding of the structure of

Anaerobic Copper Toxicity and Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis in Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Guoqiang; Yang, Jing; Li, Tang; Zhao, Jin; Sun, Shujuan; Li, Xiaokang; Lin, Chuxian; Li, Jianghui; Zhou, Huaibin; Lyu, Jianxin; Ding, Huangen

2017-08-15

While copper is an essential trace element in biology, pollution of groundwater from copper has become a threat to all living organisms. Cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity, however, are still not fully understood. Previous studies have shown that iron-sulfur proteins are among the primary targets of copper toxicity in Escherichia coli under aerobic conditions. Here, we report that, under anaerobic conditions, iron-sulfur proteins in E. coli cells are even more susceptible to copper in medium. Whereas addition of 0.2 mM copper(II) chloride to LB (Luria-Bertani) medium has very little or no effect on iron-sulfur proteins in wild-type E. coli cells under aerobic conditions, the same copper treatment largely inactivates iron-sulfur proteins by blocking iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis in the cells under anaerobic conditions. Importantly, proteins that do not have iron-sulfur clusters (e.g., fumarase C and cysteine desulfurase) in E. coli cells are not significantly affected by copper treatment under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, indicating that copper may specifically target iron-sulfur proteins in cells. Additional studies revealed that E. coli cells accumulate more intracellular copper under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions and that the elevated copper content binds to the iron-sulfur cluster assembly proteins IscU and IscA, which effectively inhibits iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. The results suggest that the copper-mediated inhibition of iron-sulfur proteins does not require oxygen and that iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis is the primary target of anaerobic copper toxicity in cells. IMPORTANCE Copper contamination in groundwater has become a threat to all living organisms. However, cellular mechanisms underlying copper toxicity have not been fully understood up to now. The work described here reveals that iron-sulfur proteins in Escherichia coli cells are much more susceptible to copper in medium under anaerobic conditions than they

Estimation of sulfur in coal by fast neutron activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, G.C.; Bhattacharyya, P.K.

1995-01-01

A simple method is described for estimation of sulfur in coal using fast neutron activation of sulfur, i.e. 32 S(n,p) 32 P and subsequent measurement of 32 P β-activity (1.72 MeV) by a Geiger-Mueller counter. Since the sulfur content of Indian coal ranges from 0.25 to 3%, simulated samples of coal containing sulfur in the range from 0.25 to 3% and common impurities like oxides of aluminium, calcium, iron and silicon have been used to establish the method. (author). 6 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Experiments on contrail formation from fuels with different sulfur content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busen, R; Kuhn, M; Petzold, A; Schroeder, F; Schumann, U [Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany); Baumgardner, D [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Borrmann, S [Mainz Univ. (Germany); Hagen, D; Whitefield, Ph [Missouri Univ., Rolla, MO (United States). Bureau of Mines; Stroem, J [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden)

1998-12-31

A series of both flight tests and ground experiments has been performed to evaluate the role of the sulfur contained in kerosene in condensation trail (contrail) formation processes. The results of the first experiments are compiled briefly. The last SULFUR 4 experiment dealing with the influence of the fuel sulfur content and different appertaining conditions is described in detail. Different sulfur mass fractions lead to different particle size spectra. The number of ice particles in the contrail increases by about a factor of 2 for 3000 ppm instead of 6 ppm sulfur fuel content. (author) 10 refs.

Experiments on contrail formation from fuels with different sulfur content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busen, R.; Kuhn, M.; Petzold, A.; Schroeder, F.; Schumann, U. [Deutsche Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany); Baumgardner, D. [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Borrmann, S. [Mainz Univ. (Germany); Hagen, D.; Whitefield, Ph. [Missouri Univ., Rolla, MO (United States). Bureau of Mines; Stroem, J. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden)

1997-12-31

A series of both flight tests and ground experiments has been performed to evaluate the role of the sulfur contained in kerosene in condensation trail (contrail) formation processes. The results of the first experiments are compiled briefly. The last SULFUR 4 experiment dealing with the influence of the fuel sulfur content and different appertaining conditions is described in detail. Different sulfur mass fractions lead to different particle size spectra. The number of ice particles in the contrail increases by about a factor of 2 for 3000 ppm instead of 6 ppm sulfur fuel content. (author) 10 refs.

Energy Efficient Catalytic Activation of Hydrogen peroxide for Green Chemical Processes: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, Terrence J.; Horwitz, Colin

2004-11-12

A new, highly energy efficient approach for using catalytic oxidation chemistry in multiple fields of technology has been pursued. The new catalysts, called TAML® activators, catalyze the reactions of hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants for the exceptionally rapid decontamination of noninfectious simulants (B. atrophaeus) of anthrax spores, for the energy efficient decontamination of thiophosphate pesticides, for the facile, low temperature removal of color and organochlorines from pulp and paper mill effluent, for the bleaching of dyes from textile mill effluents, and for the removal of recalcitrant dibenzothiophene compounds from diesel and gasoline fuels. Highlights include the following: 1) A 7-log kill of Bacillus atrophaeus spores has been achieved unambiguously in water under ambient conditions within 15 minutes. 2) The rapid total degradation under ambient conditions of four thiophosphate pesticides and phosphonate degradation intermediates has been achieved on treatment with TAML/peroxide, opening up potential applications of the decontamination system for phosphonate structured chemical warfare agents, for inexpensive, easy to perform degradation of stored and aged pesticide stocks (especially in Africa and Asia), for remediation of polluted sites and water bodies, and for the destruction of chemical warfare agent stockpiles. 3) A mill trial conducted in a Pennsylvanian bleached kraft pulp mill has established that TAML catalyst injected into an alkaline peroxide bleach tower can significantly lower color from the effluent stream promising a new, more cost effective, energy-saving approach for color remediation adding further evidence of the value and diverse engineering capacity of the approach to other field trials conducted on effluent streams as they exit the bleach plant. 4) Dibenzothiophenes (DBTs), including 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene, the most recalcitrant sulfur compounds in diesel and gasoline, can be completely removed from model gasoline

Viscosity of liquid sulfur under high pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terasaki, Hidenori; Kato, T; Funakoshi, K; Suzuki, A; Urakawa, S

2004-01-01

The viscosity of liquid sulfur up to 9.7 GPa and 1067 K was measured using the in situ x-ray radiography falling sphere method. The viscosity coefficients were found to range from 0.11 to 0.69 Pa s, and decreased continuously with increasing pressure under approximately constant homologous temperature conditions. The observed viscosity variation suggests that a gradual structural change occurs in liquid sulfur with pressure up to 10 GPa. The L-L' transition in liquid sulfur proposed by Brazhkin et al (1991 Phys. Lett. A 154 413) from thermobaric measurements has not been confirmed by the present viscometry

Yolk-Shelled C@Fe3 O4 Nanoboxes as Efficient Sulfur Hosts for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jiarui; Luo, Liu; Chen, Yuanfu; Manthiram, Arumugam

2017-09-01

Owing to the high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mA h g -1 ) and low cost, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries offer advantages for next-generation energy storage. However, the polysulfide dissolution and low electronic conductivity of sulfur cathodes limit the practical application of Li-S batteries. To address such issues, well-designed yolk-shelled carbon@Fe 3 O 4 (YSC@Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoboxes as highly efficient sulfur hosts for Li-S batteries are reported here. With both physical entrapment by carbon shells and strong chemical interaction with Fe 3 O 4 cores, this unique architecture immobilizes the active material and inhibits diffusion of the polysulfide intermediates. Moreover, due to their high conductivity, the carbon shells and the polar Fe 3 O 4 cores facilitate fast electron/ion transport and promote continuous reactivation of the active material during the charge/discharge process, resulting in improved electrochemical utilization and reversibility. With these merits, the S/YSC@Fe 3 O 4 cathodes support high sulfur content (80 wt%) and loading (5.5 mg cm -2 ) and deliver high specific capacity, excellent rate capacity, and long cycling stability. This work provides a new perspective to design a carbon/metal-oxide-based yolk-shelled framework as a high sulfur-loading host for advanced Li-S batteries with superior electrochemical properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Research on the Composition and Distribution of Organic Sulfur in Coal.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lanjun; Li, Zenghua; Yang, Yongliang; Zhou, Yinbo; Li, Jinhu; Si, Leilei; Kong, Biao

2016-05-13

The structure and distribution of organic sulfur in coals of different rank and different sulfur content were studied by combining mild organic solvent extraction with XPS technology. The XPS results have shown that the distribution of organic sulfur in coal is related to the degree of metamorphism of coal. Namely, thiophenic sulfur content is reduced with decreasing metamorphic degree; sulfonic acid content rises with decreasing metamorphic degree; the contents of sulfate sulfur, sulfoxide and sulfone are rarely related with metamorphic degree. The solvent extraction and GC/MS test results have also shown that the composition and structure of free and soluble organic sulfur small molecules in coal is closely related to the metamorphic degree of coal. The free organic sulfur small molecules in coal of low metamorphic degree are mainly composed of aliphatic sulfides, while those in coal of medium and high metamorphic degree are mainly composed of thiophenes. Besides, the degree of aromatization of organic sulfur small molecules rises with increasing degree of coalification.

Standard practice for preparing sulfur prints for macrostructural evaluation

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2008-01-01

1.1 This practice provides information required to prepare sulfur prints (also referred to as Baumann Prints) of most ferrous alloys to reveal the distribution of sulfide inclusions. 1.2 The sulfur print reveals the distribution of sulfides in steels with bulk sulfur contents between about 0.010 and 0.40 weight percent. 1.3 Certain steels contain complex sulfides that do not respond to the test solutions, for example, steels containing titanium sulfides or chromium sulfides. 1.4 The sulfur print test is a qualitative test. The density of the print image should not be used to assess the sulfur content of a steel. Under carefully controlled conditions, it is possible to compare print image intensities if the images are formed only by manganese sulfides. 1.5 The sulfur print image will reveal details of the solidification pattern or metal flow from hot or cold working on appropriately chosen and prepared test specimens. 1.6 This practice does not address acceptance criteria based on the use of the method. ...