Thermal Degradation of the Solvent Employed in the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Process and its Effect on the Extraction,Scrubbing, and Stripping of Cesium

As part of the ongoing development of the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (NG-CSSX) process, the thermal stability of its process solvent, the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent (NGS) was investigated and shown to be adequate for industrial application. The solvent was thermally treated at 35°C over a period of 13 months whilst in dynamic contact with each of the aqueous phases of the current NG-CSSX process, namely SRS?15 (a highly caustic waste simulant), sodium hydroxide scrub solution (0.025 M), and boric acid strip solution (0.01 M). The effect of thermal treatment was evaluated by assessing batch extract/scrub/strip performance as a function of time, by monitoring the sodium extraction capacity of the solvent, and by analysis of the solvent using electrospray mass spectrometry. Current studies indicate that the NGS should be thermally robust without replenishment for a period of 7 months in the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU), which has been treating waste using NG-CSSX since early 2014 at the Savannah River Site. The guanidine suppressor appears to be the solvent component most significantly impacted by thermal treatment of the solvent, showing significant degradation over extended operation.     

Spectral confirmation of trans monounsaturated C18 fatty acid positional isomers

The trans octadecenoic acid methyl ester isomers were obtained from a partially hydrogenated soybean oil sample and isolated by silver-ion high-performance liquid chromatography. The double bond configuration was confirmed to be trans by using gas chromatography-direct deposition-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The double bond positions for nine individual trans octadecenoic acid positional isomers were confirmed by gas chromatography-electron ionization mass spectrometry after derivatization to 2-alkenyl-4,4-dimethyloxazoline. These nine trans positional isomers were resolved on either one of the two polar 100% cyanopropylpolysiloxane 100-m capillary columns, SP 2560 and Cp-Sil 88, at an isothermal temperature of 140°C. These nine isomers were confirmed to have double bonds at carbons C-8 through C-16. The pair of trans octadecenoic acid positional isomers with double bonds at C-13 and C-14 are reported for the first time to be resolved by gas chromatography. This work was presented in part at the 87th American Oil Chemists’ Society Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, IN, April 28–May 1, 1996.     

Inhibition of pancreatic cancer growth by the dietary isoprenoids farnesol and geraniol

Fruits and vegetables have protective effects against many human cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Isoprenoids are one class of phytochemicals which have antitumor activity, but little is known about their effects on cancer of the pancreas. We tested the hypothesis that isoprenoids would inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumor cells. Significant (60–90%) inhibition of the anchorage-independent growth of human MIA PaCa2 pancreatic tumor cells was attained with 25 μM farnesol, 25 μM geranylgeraniol, 100 μM perillyl amine, 100 μM geraniol, or 300 μM perillyl alcohol. We then tested the relative in vivo antitumor activities of dietary farnesol, geraniol, and perilyl alcohol against transplanted PC-1 hamster pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Syrian Golden hamsters fed geraniol or farnesol at 20 g/kg diet exhibited complete inhibition of PC-1 pancreatic tumor growth. Both farnesol and geraniol were more potent than perillyl alcohol, which inhibited tumor growth by 50% at 40 g/kg diet. Neither body weights nor plasma cholesterol levels of animals consuming isoprenoid diets were significantly different from those of pair-fed controls. Thus, farnesol, geraniol, and perillyl alcohol suppress pancreatic tumor growth without significantly affecting blood cholesterol levels. These dietary isoprenoids warrant further investigation for pancreatic cancer prevention and treatment.     

Direct measurement of permeabilities at high pressures

A new procedure for measuring the peermeability of a high pressure gas (10.34 MPa) through a polymeric material has been developed. The procedure employs a vacuum system on the low‐pressure side of the material. Although it gives a pressure difference of seven orders of magnitude during testing, the real purpose of the vacuum system is to allow the permeability measurements to be made rapidly for a small amount of transported material. The permeability of several commercial polymers to either natural gas or helium has been measured and is reported.     

A Resilience-Based Methodology for Improved Water Resources Adaptation Planning under Deep Uncertainty with Real World Application

Resilience of a water resource system in terms of water supply meeting future demand under climate change and other uncertainties is a prominent issue worldwide. This paper presents an alternative methodology to the conventional engineering practice in the UK for identifying long-term adaptation planning strategies in the context of resilience. More specifically, a resilience-based multi-objective optimization method is proposed that identifies Pareto optimal future adaptation strategies by maximizing a water supply system’s resilience (calculated as the maximum recorded duration of a water deficit period over a given planning horizon) and minimizing total associated costs, subject to meeting target system robustness to uncertain projections (scenarios) of future supply and demand. The method is applied to a real-world case study for Bristol Water’s water resource zone and the results are compared with those derived using a more conventional engineering practice in the UK, utilizing a least-cost optimization analysis constrained to a target reliability level. The results obtained reveal that the strategy solution derived using the current practice methodology produce a less resilient system than the similar costing solutions identified using the proposed resilience driven methodology. At the same time, resilience driven strategies are only slightly less reliable suggesting that trade-off exists between the two. Further examination of intervention strategies selected shows that the conventional methodology encourages implementation of more lower cost intervention options early in the planning horizon (to achieve higher system reliability) whereas the resilience-based methodology encourages more uniform intervention options sequenced over the planning horizon (to achieve higher system resilience).     

Inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 exposed to pressures in excess of 300 MPa in a high-pressure homogenizer

Homogenization is used widely in the dairy industry to improve product stability and quality. High-pressure homogenization (HPH) of fluid foods up to pressures of 300 MPa has demonstrated excellent potential for microbial inactivation. Microbial inactivation can be enhanced during HPH with the inclusion of antimicrobial compounds. Escherichia coli K-12 cells, grown statically or in chemostat, were exposed to HPH processing pressures of 50 to 350 MPa in the absence or presence of the antimicrobial nisin. Valve temperature was regulated by a water bath and pressure, and temperature data were recorded continuously after process initiation. Survivors were enumerated via plating on nonselective growth media. Pressure and temperature at the valve outlet port exhibited a quadratic relationship (R(2) = 0.9617, P < 0.05). Significant HPH-induced inactivation of the gram-negative microorganism was observed in the range of 100 to 250 MPa. Above 300 MPa, heat was the main factor promoting microbial inactivation, regardless of whether cells were grown in chemostat or statically. Chemostat-grown cells were significantly (P < 0.05) more resistant to HPH processing than were statically grown cells. Data indicate potential synergistic effects of nisin and HPH on the inactivation of bacterial contaminants. This study represents the first report of inactivation of a bacterium with HPH pressures in excess of 300 MPa in the presence and absence of an antimicrobial.     

A field study of sleep and fatigue in a regular rotating 12-h shift system

The aim of this study was to examine a regular rotating 12-h shift system (2D2N4Off) at an Australian Smelter. Sleep behavior, subjective fatigue and neurobehavioral performance were investigated over a 14-day period for 20 employees. Activity monitors, sleep/wake diaries, and 5-min psychomotor vigilance tasks were used. Sleep data showed differences between day and night shifts. While sleep prior to night1 was increased relative to day shifts, a reduced sleep length carried into the period leading to night2. Total wakefulness at the end of shift, and subjective fatigue were increased for night shifts, particularly night1. Decrements in performance data supported these findings. Both prior wakefulness and prior sleep are important in a 12-h shift system. Employees may “sleep in” after day shifts, rather than taking extra sleep prior to night work. Thus, sleep between day and night shifts is based on recovery rather than preparation.