Integrated biological hydrogen production

Biological systems offer a variety of ways by which to generate renewable energy. Among them, unicellular green algae have the ability to capture the visible portion of sunlight and store the energy as hydrogen (H₂). They hold promise in generating a renewable fuel from nature's most plentiful resources, sunlight and water. Anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria have the ability of capturing the near infrared emission of sunlight to produce hydrogen while consuming small organic acids. Dark anaerobic fermentative bacteria consume carbohydrates, thus generating H₂ and small organic acids. Whereas efforts are under way to develop each of these individual systems, little effort has been undertaken to combine and integrate these various processes for increased efficiency and greater yields. This work addresses the development of an integrated biological hydrogen production process based on unicellular green algae, which are driven by the visible portion of the solar spectrum, coupled with purple photosynthetic bacteria, which are driven by the near infrared portion of the spectrum. Specific methods have been tested for the cocultivation and production of H₂ by the two different biological systems. Thus, a two-dimensional integration of photobiological H₂ production has been achieved, resulting in better solar irradiance utilization (visible and infrared) and integration of nutrient utilization for the cost-effective production of substantial amounts of hydrogen gas. Approaches are discussed for the cocultivation and coproduction of hydrogen in green algae and purple photosynthetic bacteria entailing broad utilization of the solar spectrum. The possibility to improve efficiency even further is discussed, with dark anaerobic fermentations of the photosynthetic biomass, enhancing the H₂ production process and providing a recursive link in the system to regenerate some of the original nutrients.     

One-pot synthesis of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fluorescent carbon dots using deep eutectic solvents as designer reaction media

Carbon dots are often synthesized in the presence of a carbon source and passivating agents in which they are crucial for an enhanced fluorescence. The solvent choice and/or combination to be used in the synthesis of these nanoparticles can influence their surface chemical composition, morphology, and fluorescence properties. In this study, highly fluorescent carbon dots were synthesized using deep eutectic solvents of different compositions as green solvent media and doping agent. Resulting carbon dots were then separated by their hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity using a three-phase solvent system (water/acetone/chloroform) and compared with traditional centrifugation-based separation method. Carbon dots with a size below 20 nm and quantum yield reaching 50% were obtained. Many properties of them including surface functional groups, optical, fluorescence, and electric properties were shown to be determined by the deep eutectic solvent composition.     

Effect of radical grafting of tetramethylpentadecane and polypropylene on carbon nanotubes' dispersibility in various solvents and polypropylene matrix

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been functionalized by tetramethylpentadecane (TMP), 1-dodecanethiol (DT) and polypropylene (PP) through radical addition onto MWCNTs' surface using dicumyl peroxide as hydrogen abstractor. Surface functionalized MWCNTs were characterized by Raman, IR spectroscopy, elementary analysis (EA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). We studied the effect of temperature, peroxide concentration and solvent on TMP grafting densities and it was found that this surface treatment lead to a fair solubility in various solvents. TMP-functionalized MWCNTs were also imaged by transmission electronic microscopy showing single long functionalized MWCNTs distinct from the starting pristine bundles. For the first time, PP was then grafted onto MWCNTs through a radical grafting reaction. However, scanning electronic microscopy images of PP-functionalized MWCNTs/PP composites did not show a significant improvement in MWCNTs dispersion within the PP matrix.     

Regulation of the 24-hour rhythm of body temperature in menstrual cycles with spontaneous and gonadotropin-induced ovulation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between gonadal steroids and the 24-hour body temperature rhythm. PATIENT(S): Nineteen normally cycling women. DESIGN: Controlled clinical study in volunteer women. SETTING: Clinical hospital. INTERVENTION(S): Eleven women were studied in the early follicular and luteal menstrual phases of cycles with spontaneous ovulation, and 8 women were studied in the early follicular, preovulatory, and luteal phases of cycles with multiple follicular development. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Starting at 5:00 P.M., intravaginal body temperature was monitored continuously for 24 hours and its values were related to E2 and P levels. RESULT(S): Twenty-four-hour body temperature rhythm parameters were related to the P:E2 ratio. Very low P:E2 ratios in the preovulatory phase were associated with a reduced 24-hour mean and an elevated body temperature rhythm amplitude. The progressive increase in the P:E2 ratio in the early follicular and luteal phases was associated with an increase in the 24-hour mean body temperature and a decrease in the rhythm amplitude. Body temperature differences between the luteal and early follicular phases were less pronounced in cycles with multiple follicular development. CONCLUSION(S): A woman's body temperature is related to her P:E2 ratio. Even in the presence of elevated P values, alterations of this ratio may influence negatively the postovulatory rise in body temperature.