Catalytic oxidation with Al-Ce-Fe-PILC as a post-treatment system for coffee wet processing wastewater

The effluent from the anaerobic biological treatment of coffee wet processing wastewater (CWPW) contains a non-biodegradable compound that must be treated before it is discharged into a water source. In this paper, the wet hydrogen peroxide catalytic oxidation (WHPCO) process using Al-Ce-Fe-PILC catalysts was researched as a post-treatment system for CWPW and tested in a semi-batch reactor at atmospheric pressure and 25 °C. The Al-Ce-Fe-PILC achieved a high conversion rate of total phenolic compounds (70%) and mineralization to CO(2) (50%) after 5 h reaction time. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) of coffee processing wastewater after wet hydrogen peroxide catalytic oxidation was reduced in 66%. The combination of the two treatment methods, biological (developed by Cenicafé) and catalytic oxidation with Al-Ce-Fe-PILC, achieved a 97% reduction of COD in CWPW. Therefore, the WHPCO using Al-Ce-Fe-PILC catalysts is a viable alternative for the post-treatment of coffee processing wastewater.     

Outgrowth inhibition of Clostridium beijerinckii spores by a bacteriocin-producing lactic culture in ovine milk cheese

In the manufacture of model cheeses, ovine milk was deliberately contaminated with spores of Clostridium beijerinckii INIA 63, a wild isolate from Manchego cheese with late blowing defect, and inoculated with nisin- and lacticin 481-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415 as starter, to test its potential to prevent the late blowing defect, or with L. lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415-2, a spontaneous mutant not producing bacteriocins. Cheeses made individually with the lactococcal strains, without clostridial spores, served as controls. Cheese made with clostridial spores and L. lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415-2 showed late blowing defect after 120 days of ripening. Spoilt cheese also showed lower concentrations of lactic acid, and higher levels of acetic, propionic and butyric acids, and of other volatile compounds such as 2-propanol and 1-butanol, than control cheese. In addition, cheese made with the bacteriocin producer did not show any late blowing symptoms, despite its spore counts similar to those of blown cheese, pointing to outgrowth inhibition of C. beijerinckii spores by bacteriocins. Besides, cheese made with the bacteriocin producer showed similar concentrations of lactic acid and volatile compounds than control cheese. Inclusion of L. lactis subsp. lactis INIA 415 in starter cultures seems a feasible method to prevent late blowing defect in cheese without altering its sensory characteristics.     

Prevalence of Clostridium botulinum in food raw materials used in REPFEDs manufactured in France

Food raw materials used in refrigerated processed foods of extended durability (REPFEDs) manufactured in France were surveyed for Clostridium botulinum types A, B and E using PCR-Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA) and mouse bioassay for detection respectively of cells and toxins in enrichment broth. Portions of 25 to 50 g of food were analysed. A total of 8 out of the 102 samples of fish and shellfish, 12 out of the 143 samples of meat and poultry, 1 out of the 62 samples of aroma, sauce and gravy, 4 out of the 25 samples of thickening agents, 3 out of the 26 samples of dehydrated dairy ingredients, and none of the 65 samples of spices, herbs and dehydrated mushroom were positive for C. botulinum in PCR-ELISA, i.e., 6.6% of all the samples tested. The 28 positive samples comprised 10 type A, 10 type B, 4 with both types A and B, and 4 undetermined by PCR typing. No sample positive for type E was detected. Of the 28 samples positive in PCR-ELISA, 15 were also positive in the mouse bioassay. The MPN count was between 1 and 3 C. botulinum/kg of food, which is similar to or in the lower range of values reported in the literature.     

Chemical Ecological Characteristics of Herbivory of Siparuna guianensis Seeds by Buffy-Headed Marmosets (Callithrix flaviceps) in the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil

The buffy-headed marmoset (Callithrix flaviceps) is apparently the only predispersal herbivore of the seeds of Siparuna guianensis at the Caratinga Biological Station in southeastern Brazil. Both the fruit receptacles and the frutioles (seeds) of S. guianensis are relatively rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, but the receptacles contain high concentrations of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. The latter presumably act as a qualitative chemical defense, impeding the access of potential predators to the alkaloid-poor frutioles. However, on ripening, the receptacle splits open, exposing the frutioles, which enables C. flaviceps to avoid the plant's chemical defenses effectively. Taking care to avoid contact with the receptacle, the marmosets pluck out the frutioles and ingest the seeds. Qualitative and quantitative changes (in particular a significant reduction in daily ranging) in the marmosets' behavior during the period when S. guianensis frutioles were accessible indicate that this was a preferred plant resource. This is the first record of the consumption of S. guianensis seeds by callitrichine monkeys (which are not known to be systematic seed eaters), despite the fact that both are widely distributed in the Neotropics. It is thus possible that the behavioral strategy observed here is a unique phenomenon resulting from a specific combination of factors, including the abundance of S. guianensis within the study area. The lack of other records may nevertheless be a result of insufficient sampling effort, in which case, the feeding strategies of callitrichines may have an important influence on the reproductive biology of S. guianensis in many areas.     

A method to evaluate mechanical performance of thin transparent films for flexible displays

Mechanical flexing of plastic substrates coated with thin film permeation barriers causes stress-induced cracks that may lead to device degradation. This phenomenon is of particular importance for organic light emitting diodes, an emerging display technology that can be implemented on flexible substrates but imposes stringent requirements on the barrier performance. We demonstrate a dry-etch-based method to highlight cracks in thin films of transparent materials and make them visible under a conventional optical microscope on samples in a neutral, relaxed position. This approach allows for rapid evaluation of the mechanical performance of thin film barriers on flexible substrates.     

Application of power addition as modelling technique for flow processes: Two case studies

In many of the continuum processes typically found in chemical engineering, the functional dependency of the dependent variable is only known for large and small values of the independent variable. Exact solutions in the transitional regime are often obscure for various reasons (e.g. narrow band within which the transition from one regime to the other occurs, inadequate knowledge of the physics in this area, etc.). An established method for the matching of limiting solutions is reviewed and subsequently applied. The method regards the known solutions as asymptotes and proposes addition to a power of such asymptotes. It yields a single, adjustable correlating equation that is applicable over the entire domain. This procedure circumvents the introduction of ad hoc curve fitting measures for the different regions and subsequent, unwanted discontinuities in piece-wise fitted correlative equations for the dependent variables. Experimental data of two diverse processes, namely flow in a straight-through diaphragm valve and the fluidisation of a packed bed, are analysed as case studies. Empirical results are investigated for possible asymptotic bounds whereafter power addition is applied to the functional dependencies. The outcome is compared to those of the empirical models and the results discussed. The procedure is revealed to be highly useful in the summarising and interpretation of experimental data in an elegant and simplistic manner. It may also, in general, aid the setup of experimental apparatus for investigation of continuum processes.     

Study of propagation phenomena in three-phase form wound machines operating at medium and high frequency

A three-phase model of asynchronous machines operating at medium or high frequencies is presented. It can be used to study the propagation of surge waves along the stator windings of induction form wound machines.The model is derived from an analogy with a three-phase transmission line. The use of time-space Clarke vectors allows the introduction of mutual coupling between phases. The analytical expressions for voltage waves are derived by means of the Laplace approach to the solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations.Some applicative examples confirm the model validity and can underline some aspects of the project of three-phase windings.