Algal settling ponds contribute to final effluent quality of integrated algal pond systems for municipal sewage treatment

Appropriate wastewater technologies and sound management are crucial to global water quality and conservation. The integrated algal pond system (IAPS), considered an efficient, passive and low-cost wastewater treatment technology for peri-urban spaces, is perceived to yield a final effluent unsuitable for discharge. Experiments were carried out to challenge the prevailing perception that algal-based wastewater treatment processes and in particular IAPS produce an effluent that does not always meet national and/or regional regulatory standards. Formation of a microalgal–bacterial floc (MaB-flocs) and settleability together with biomass removal from algal settling ponds (ASPs) is shown to reduce total suspended solids (TSS) from >50 to <20 mg L⁻¹. Thus, production of a readily settleable MaB-floc coupled with removal of settled biomass from ASP ensures that final effluent TSS remains below the general limit of 25 mg L⁻¹ and yields an effluent suitable for either irrigation or discharge.     

Digital fault location for high resistance grounded transmissionlines

This paper demonstrates that the presence of multiple load taps cannot be neglected for single-phase-to-ground fault location. A new method has been developed taking this into consideration, that can be applied to correct the location error due to intermediate power sources. Then fault location methods for parallel double-circuit two-terminal transmission lines are discussed. Finally, a new fault location method is proposed for high-resistance grounded double-circuit transmission lines with three terminals     

Correlation of the expansion segments in mammalian rRNA with the fine structure of the 80 S ribosome; a cryoelectron microscopic reconstruction of the rabbit reticulocyte ribosome at 21 A resolution

Samples of 80 S ribosomes from rabbit reticulocytes were subjected to electron cryomicroscopy combined with angular reconstitution. A three-dimensional reconstruction at 21 A resolution was obtained, which was compared with the corresponding (previously published) reconstruction of Escherichia coli 70 S ribosomes carrying tRNAs at the A and P sites. In the region of the intersubunit cavity, the principal features observed in the 70 S ribosome (such as the L1 protuberance, the central protuberance and A site finger in the large subunit) could all be clearly identified in the 80 S particle. On the other hand, significant additional features were observed in the 80 S ribosomes on the solvent sides and lower regions of both subunits. In the case of the small (40 S) subunit, the most prominent additions are two extensions at the base of the particle. By comparing the secondary structure of the rabbit 18 S rRNA with our model for the three-dimensional arrangement of E. coli 16 S rRNA, these two extensions could be correlated with the rabbit expansion segments (each totalling ca 170 bases) in the regions of helix 21, and of helices 8, 9 and 44, respectively. A similar comparison of the secondary structures of mammalian 28 S rRNA and E. coli 23 S rRNA, combined with preliminary modelling studies on the 23 S rRNA within the 50 S subunit, enabled the additional features in the 60 S subunit to be sub-divided into five groups. The first (corresponding to a total of ca 335 extra bases in helices 45, 98 and 101) is located on the solvent side of the 60 S subunit, close to the L7/L12 area. The second (820 bases in helices 25 and 38) is centrally placed on the solvent side of the subunit, whereas the third group (totaling 225 bases in helices 18/19, 27/29, 52 and 54) lies towards the L1 side of the subunit. The fourth feature (80 bases in helices 78 and 79) lies within or close to the L1 protuberance itself, and the fifth (560 bases in helix 63) is located underneath the L1 protuberance on the interface side of the 60 S subunit.     

Comments on "Amplification cross section of the 1.052-µ transition of Nd3+in POCl3-SnCl4-(H2O) system by three different methods"

The apparent omission of a necessary frequency-energy normalization term in the above paper is discussed.     

Optimisation of mild-acidic protein extraction from defatted sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) meal

For protein isolation from defatted sunflower meal, mild-acidic extraction was investigated to minimise concomitant oxidation and polymerisation of phenolic compounds and their irreversible binding to proteins. Because of the impaired solubility of sunflower proteins at low pH, the potential of sodium chloride (NaCl) to improve protein extractability was firstly screened for pH 2–11. Increasing NaCl concentrations of the aqueous solvent (c_NaCl) up to 2.8 mol/L enhanced the relative protein yield to almost 80% at ambient temperature and pH 5.6–7.4. As to improved protein recovery at minimal interactions with phenolic acids, the concerted effects of pH (3.2–7.4), c_NaCl (1–3 mol/L), temperature (T, 15–45 °C), and meal-to-solvent ratio (MSR, 0.03 and 0.05 g/mL) on the protein concentration of the extract (c_PE) and the relative protein yield (RPY) were examined, using response surface methodology (RSM). Aside from the prevailing influence of pH value and salt concentration, elevated temperature slightly enhanced protein extraction, whereas MSR mainly influenced c_PE, but hardly RPY. Calculated models proved suitable for the evaluation of extraction processes and the prediction of optimum conditions in terms of high protein yields at the lowest pH possible. Extraction at pH 6.0 was shown to be an appropriate compromise yielding 76–83% of the meal protein, depending on the constraints given. With elevated NaCl concentrations compensating for unfavourable pH conditions, mild-acidic extraction was found to be suitable for the recovery of high-quality sunflower protein in terms of light-coloured protein isolates.     

Esterification of acrylic acid with methanol by reactive chromatography: Experiments and simulations

The esterification of acrylic acid with methanol using Amberlyst 15 as a stationary phase has been investigated using a chromatographic reactor. Several experimental runs at various operating conditions have been conducted on a batch column. A classical reactive chromatography model including lumped kinetics, a linear driving force transport model and a heterogeneous kinetic model for the catalytic reaction has been developed. The additional dispersion of concentration fronts due to density gradient effects has been accounted for in the model. The model parameters have been determined in a fast and reliable way by directly fitting the batch column experiments. In general, a good agreement between experimental and calculated results is obtained. The evaluation of the covariance of the fitted model parameters reveals important insights about the system behavior.Based on the detailed batch column model, a complete model of a simulated-moving-bed reactor has been implemented and its optimal point of operation for the synthesis of methyl acrylate from acrylic acid has been determined. Particularly when considering the low-operating temperature, we can regard this process as a possible competition for current technologies.     

An Aqueous High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Procedure for the Determination of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in Honey and Other Sugar-containing Materials

ABSTRACT: A new, all aqueous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure for the determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in honey and other sugar-containing materials was developed without harmful chemicals. The method involved dilution of the sample in water and the analysis of the diluent using an HPLC system equipped with an absorbance detector and a 30-mm sulfonated poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) cation exchange column. Water was used as the mobile phase at a high flow rate of 2.00 mL/min Using this high flow rate in conjunction with a column heater set at 55°C, HMF eluted in less than 4 min. Overall precision was less than 1% relative standard deviation, recovery of HMF from spiked samples was approximately 99%, and there were no interferences from similar compounds such as 2-furfural and 5-methylfurfural. Several sugar-containing materials were analyzed by this method where the results compared well with the classic Winkler spectrophotometric procedure, but not as well with a commonly used reverse-phase HPLC technique. In addition, several consumer products were also analyzed for their HMF content.