In Silico Investigation of Potential Applications of Gamma Carbonic Anhydrases as Catalysts of CO2 Biomineralization Processes: A Visit to the Thermophilic Bacteria Persephonella hydrogeniphila,Persephonella marina,Thermosulfidibacter takaii,and Thermus thermophilus

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have been identified as ideal catalysts for CO₂ sequestration. Here, we report the sequence and structural analyses as well as the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of four γ-CAs from thermophilic bacteria. Three of these, Persephonella marina, Persephonella hydrogeniphila, and Thermosulfidibacter takaii originate from hydrothermal vents and one, Thermus thermophilus HB8, from hot springs. Protein sequences were retrieved and aligned with previously characterized γ-CAs, revealing differences in the catalytic pocket residues. Further analysis of the structures following homology modeling revealed a hydrophobic patch in the catalytic pocket, presumed important for CO₂ binding. Monitoring of proton shuttling residue His69 (P. marina γ-CA numbering) during MD simulations of P. hydrogeniphila and P. marina’s γ-CAs (γ-PhCA and γ-PmCA), showed a different behavior to that observed in the γ-CA of Escherichia coli, which periodically coordinates Zn²⁺. This work also involved the search for hotspot residues that contribute to interface stability. Some of these residues were further identified as key in protein communication via betweenness centrality metric of dynamic residue network analysis. T. takaii’s γ-CA showed marginally lower thermostability compared to the other three γ-CA proteins with an increase in conformations visited at high temperatures being observed. Hydrogen bond analysis revealed important interactions, some unique and others common in all γ-CAs, which contribute to interface formation and thermostability. The seemingly thermostable γ-CA from T. thermophilus strangely showed increased unsynchronized residue motions at 423 K. γ-PhCA and γ-PmCA were, however, preliminarily considered suitable as prospective thermostable CO₂ sequestration agents.     

Ferulic acid and EGCG alter the structural characteristics of ovalbumin and its application in mineral loading

This study aims to fabricate mineral-loading nanocarriers using natural materials. The interaction patterns between ovalbumin (OVA) and four water-soluble polyphenols, namely ferulic acid (FA), (-)-Epigallo-catechin 3-gallate (EGCG), gallic acid (GA) and epicatechin (EC), were investigated. Results showed that the optimised conditions for preparing stable OVA–polyphenol complexes are at the OVA–polyphenol ratio of 4:1 at pH 6, under which OVA–FA and OVA–EGCG showed the highest stability and mineral-loading capacity among four OVA–polyphenol complexes. The fluorescence results indicated that the addition of EGCG and FA induced a significant fluorescence quenching to OVA. The interaction between OVA and polyphenols involved hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis suggested that both FA and EGCG enhanced the stability and orderliness of the structure of OVA. The transmission electron microscopy images also exhibited the spherical structure of OVA after the addition of FA and EGCG. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectrum results suggested that OVA–FA and OVA–EGCG complexes were better mineral carriers than OVA–GA and OVA–EC. This study may serve as the theoretical support for the promising application of OVA in the fabrication of mineral-loading nanocarriers in functional food and pharmaceutic.     

天然黏土矿物在靛蓝染色废水电絮凝中的应用

为提高靛蓝染色废水电絮凝处理效率,以天然黏土矿物为协同吸附剂,采用电絮凝-吸附联合工艺处理靛蓝染色废水。探究黏土类型对絮体沉降速率和Zeta电位的影响,通过废水色度、浊度、脱色率和化学需氧量(COD)去除率评价絮凝处理效果。确定最佳黏土矿物种类并结合絮体显微观察,进一步分析黏土矿物与电絮凝的协同作用机制。结果表明:黏土矿物加入可降低Zeta电位绝对值;硅藻土与电絮凝协同的主要絮凝机制为网捕卷扫,同时兼具一定的电荷中和与吸附架桥作用;电絮凝反应结束后,仅需加入1 g/L硅藻土反应3 min,Zeta电位绝对值可达到最低,为15.585 mV,废水脱色率提升至94.08%。     

岩石矿物分析中微波能分解法的运用研究

岩石矿物中的各种化学成分和元素含量的分析方法,既为开采矿山提供了相应的理论依据,也给矿山的开采工作提供了相当大的助力。笔者通过解释微波能分解试样反应原理以及微波能加热的特点,并分析微波能加热过程中会出现的问题以及其在化学分析中的应用前景等问题,以期为相关工作者提供帮助。     

云南红河铜镍硫化矿混合浮选研究

云南红河铜镍硫化矿,含Cu 1.45%、Ni 2.8%、S 35.37%,极具经济潜力。采用混合浮选,研究了磨矿细度、药剂种类及用量等对各矿物回收的影响。试验研究结果表明,当磨矿细度为-74μm占80%,石灰用量为3 000g/t时,获得品位和回收率均较高的铜镍混合粗精矿产品,含Cu 4.99%,Cu回收率95.54%,含Ni 8.08%,Ni回收率87.52%,混合粗精矿中的铜镍矿物均实现了较高的回收率。本研究为铜镍硫化矿的有效回收提供了一种可借鉴的方法。     

SiO2对CaO-Fe2O3熔体结晶矿物组成及显微结构的影响

摘要：由于近年来低品位铁矿石的使用量增加，导致烧结过程中SiO2含量升高。SiO2是烧结矿中主要的脉石成分，其含量的变化与烧结矿最终质量密切相关。运用X射线衍射、光学显微镜和SEM-EDS方法研究了SiO2对CaO-Fe2O3熔体结晶矿物组成及显微结构的影响。研究结果表明，随着SiO2含量的增加，CaO-Fe2O3-SiO2熔体结晶产物中CaFe2O4(CF)含量减少而富铁铁酸钙(SFC)含量增加，CaFe2O4和SFC分别以块状和板条状析出，SFC的晶体结构随着SiO2含量的增加从Ca36Fe144O25-2向SFCA-I转变；当SiO2的质量分数超过3.0%时，椭圆状的Ca2SiO4（C2S）从熔体中结晶，其含量随SiO2含量的增加而增加，另有大量圆点状玻璃相分布于铁酸钙基体表面。     

老矿山残矿资源回收方案设计中三维探测及建模技术的应用

目前我国绝大多数中小型老矿山残矿回收面临一系列问题，包括资料缺失无法准确判定老采空区及剩余资源位置，无法准确掌握剩余资源形态及可回收量，回收方案设计与实际资源相差较大等。通过将三维探测及建模技术应用于老矿山残矿资源精准定位及回收方案设计中，有助于解决以上问题。以福建浦城屏峰硫铅锌矿为例，通过对老采空区采用三维激光扫描构建采空区三维模型，结合三维建模计算，构建了目前可回收的剩余资源三维模型。通过模型划分及切割，按照矿体实际形态，在三维模型中布设采切及穿孔工程，并将其导入平面施工图中，不仅可以减少设计工作量，而且能够精准匹配矿体，减少设计偏差。由于周边存在大量老采空区，为保障安全，在采空区及剩余资源精准三维模型的基础上，制定了采空区稳定性监测方案，布设了监测传感器，保障了资源回收安全。     

Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOSH/MOAH) in Edible Oils and Possible Minimization by Deodorization Through the Example of Cocoa Butter

Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) are present in many fats and oils as well as foods prepared thereof. A survey of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in different types of vegetable fats and oils is reported. Contents of MOSH/MOAH were quantified using liquid chromatography online‐coupled to gas chromatography with flame‐ionization detection (LC‐GC‐FID). Cocoa butter (n = 142) showed levels from <LOQ (2.5 mg kg^?1) to 162 mg kg^?1 ΣMOSH (sum of C10–C50) and <LOQ to 55 mg kg^?1 ΣMOAH, in palm oil (n = 21) ΣMOSH were quantified from <LOQ to 124 mg kg^?1 and ΣMOAH from <LOQ to 39 mg kg^?1. Sunflower oil showed lower levels: ΣMOSH were determined in the range of <LOQ to 17 mg kg^?1 and MOAH were not observed at all. A possible influence of deodorization and a subsequent minimization of MOSH/MOAH was investigated. Systematic model‐experiments were performed on laboratory scale using spiked cocoa butter. Significant minimization of volatile MOH subfractions ≤C24 were observed at a deodorization temperature of 210 °C. Deodorization can be considered as an important processing step to reduce or even remove volatile MOSH/MOAH ≤C24. Practical Applications: Regardless of their possible entry routes into the food chain, volatile fractions of MOSH/MOAH can be removed by deodorizing vegetable fats and oils. This model‐study identifies the temperatures of deodorization that provide a significant improvement toward minimization of undesired MOSH/MOAH.     

浸泡及萌动对芝麻及芝麻酱品质的影响

研究一定温度和湿度条件下不同浸泡和萌动处理对芝麻及芝麻酱基本组分质量分数、功能性成分、矿物质含量及脂肪酸组成的影响。结果显示:未经萌动处理的芝麻浸泡2、5 h时,粗脂肪、粗蛋白质量分数降低;不同浸泡时间芝麻中灰分质量分数均有所降低,粗纤维质量分数显著增加(P0.05),总糖质量分数先升高后降低。随萌动时间的延长,萌动处理后芝麻酱中粗脂肪、总糖和粗纤维质量分数与芝麻中变化一致,粗蛋白质量分数呈先减后增趋势,草酸质量分数逐渐降低,酸价呈波动变化,甾醇含量逐渐增加。萌动处理后的芝麻酱中VE含量均高于对照组芝麻酱,在浸泡20 min、萌动14 h时VE含量达到最大值(49.96 mg/100 g),比对照组增加49.36%;萌动24 h时,萌动处理后的芝麻酱中芝麻酚的含量均明显高于未经萌动处理芝麻酱;萌动处理后芝麻酱中的Ca含量明显增加,K含量下降。通过主成分分析,发现影响萌动处理后芝麻酱品质的主要指标为粗脂肪质量分数、VE含量等。经过浸泡和萌动处理的芝麻酱中花生酸不再存在。结果表明萌动处理是制备低脂肪质量分数、高VE含量芝麻酱的一种新途径。     

Investigation of the energy-size reduction and mineral liberation of raw coal in the Hardgrove mill

Raw coal was ground in a Hardgrove mill, and mineral liberation from coal was investigated by float-sink test and electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA). Based on EPMA, associated conditions of mineral were determined. Analyses of energy-size reduction show that energy efficiency decreases with time. For +0.074 mm progenies, yields of particles in ?1.5 g.cm^?3 decrease with the increase of size and time, and products in +1.8 g.cm^?3 show the opposite trend. EPMA of 0.25–0.125 mm, 1.5–1.8 g.cm^?3 products ground for 10 min indicates that only part of minerals are liberated. For ?0.074 mm products, the yield of particles in ?1.5 g.cm^?3 decreases by 23.36% in last several minutes, but ash content of +1.8 g.cm^?3 also decreases by 13.18%. Since breakage of raw coal in last 9 min does not reduce particle size obviously, and liberation degree cannot be improved dramatically, closed grinding of 10 min in Hardgrove mill is proper to balance the size reduction and mineral liberation.