Detection of high fructose- and other syrups in honey using high-pressure liquid chromatography

Summary A highly sensitive method was developed for the detection of conventional syrups and high fructose syrups in honey at a level as low as 1 % of the total mixture. Hydrolysates from corn, potato, wheat and rice starch were analysed. Higher saccharides, which do not occur in honey but are found in low concentrations in syrups, were concentrated by medium-pressure liquid chromatography using a charcoal/celite mixture. These sugars were measured by a refractometer connected to reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography equipment. Compared with other methods, the described procedure allows for a rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of adulterants in honey.

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Nachweis von Hochfructose- und anderen Syrupen in Honig mit HPLC

Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine höchst sensitive Methode entwickelt, die es erlaubt, konventionelle Sirupe oder Hochfructosesirupe noch in der Konzentration von 1 Gewichts-% im natürlichen Honig nachzuweisen. Es wurden Hydrolysate aus Mais-, Kartoffel-, Weizen-und Reisstärke untersucht. Höhere Oligosaccharide, die nicht in Honigen, aber in Sirupen in geringer Konzentration vorliegen, werden durch Mitteldruckflüssigchromatographie (MPLC) über eine Aktivkohle/Kieselgur-Mischung angereichert. Die Messung dieser Zucker erfolgt mittels Refraktometer, gekoppelt mit einer Umkehr-Hochdruckflüssigchromatographie-Anlage (RP-HPLC). Im Vergleich zu anderen Methoden ermöglicht die hier vorgestellte eine schnelle, sensitive und quantitative Erfassung von Honigverfälschungen.

     

Stand der Texaco-Kohlevergasung in der Ruhrchemie/Ruhrkohle-Variante

Ruhrchemie/Ruhrkohle variant of the Texaco coal gasification process – a status report . In pilot operation since January 1978, the Ruhrkohle/Ruhrchemie variant of the Texaco coal gasification process has produced a total of 20 million m of synthesis gas having an average composition of 46% CO, 34% H₂, 19% CO₂, 0.3% H₂S, 0.6% N₂, and 0.1% CH₄ from ca. 12 000 tonnes of coal. As the first of the ?second generation”? coal gasification processes, the Texaco process has proved itself capable of gasifying pulverized coal of all grades at high temperatures and pressures. The next goal is an increase in capacity from that of the demonstration plant at Oberhausen-Holten (12 000 m/h) to ca. 100 000 m/h.     

Applications of tensor functions to the formulation of constitutive equations involving damage and initial anisotropy

In this paper some results of the tensor function theory are applied to the formulation of constitutive equations of isotropic and anisotropic materials in the secondary and tertiary creep stage. The creep process, in its tertiary phase, is characterized by a damage tensor. Because of its microscopic nature, damage has, in general, an anisotropic character even in cases where the material was originally isotropic, i.e. isotropic in its virgin state. Fissure orientation and length cause anisotropic macroscopic behaviour. In the first part of the paper some possible ways of representing constitutive equations involving (initial) anisotropy of the material (e.g. from rolling) and involving anisotropic creep-damage are dealt with. The formulations of such equations are based upon theorems concerning tensor-valued functions. Furthermore, some simplified constitutive equations for more practical use are discussed. The main problem of this part is: to find an irreducible set of tensor generators. Besides the problem of finding such tensor generators it is very important to determine the scalar coefficients in constitutive equations as functions of the invariants and experimental data. The second part of the paper is concerned with the determination of the scalar functions. This can be done by using tensorial interpolation methods as pointed out in detail.     

Physiological cost of horizontal materials handling while seated

Experiments were carried out in the course of which during seated work a load of 2 kg had to be lifted repeatedly 24 times per minute from 3 different beginning points within the outward reach over a distance of 38 cm to a fixed point near the body. In order to measure the physiological cost strictly due to unweighted movements, identical tasks had been performed by handling an almost weightless article (i.e. 0 kg). Besides oxygen consumption and heart rate as integral measures for stress and strain, electromyographic activity (EA) of 7 muscle groups was registered continuously from each of 11 subjects participating in the test sessions. EA was standardized with the help of EA-values obtained from preceding maximum voluntary contractions (MVC).

The results show extensive and consistent reactions of the global and local indicators of strain. Dependent on direction, even manual movements without external load induced strain, elucidated in significant minimum values of all parameters at 30° (measured from the frontal plane of the subjects). The local strain of the 7 monitored muscles shows a more or less distinct dependence of the direction. Almost only the dynamic component is influenced, yet to a degree which is much higher than the reaction of the integral physiological parameters. Correlations between EA-values and those of the oxygen consumption as well as the work pulses indicate that electromyography is an efficient method for determining local muscular strain, which can be assessed very precisely. Furthermore, multi-channel electromyography proved to enable detection of bottle-necks in muscular strain.     

Antimicrobial activity of transition metal acid MoO3 prevents microbial growth on material surfaces

Serious infectious complications of patients in healthcare settings are often transmitted by materials and devices colonised by microorganisms (nosocomial infections). Current strategies to generate material surfaces with an antimicrobial activity suffer from the consumption of the antimicrobial agent and emerging multidrug-resistant pathogens amongst others. Consequently, materials surfaces exhibiting a permanent antimicrobial activity without the risk of generating resistant microorganisms are desirable. This publication reports on the extraordinary efficient antimicrobial properties of transition metal acids such as molybdic acid (H₂MoO₄), which is based on molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃). The modification of various materials (e.g. polymers, metals) with MoO₃ particles or sol-gel derived coatings showed that the modified materials surfaces were practically free of microorganisms six hours after contamination with infectious agents. The antimicrobial activity is based on the formation of an acidic surface deteriorating cell growth and proliferation. The application of transition metal acids as antimicrobial surface agents is an innovative approach to prevent the dissemination of microorganisms in healthcare units and public environments.     

Empfehlungen des Arbeitskreises 6.1 “Geotechnik der Deponiebauwerke” der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geotechnik e.V. (DGGT)

Der Arbeitskreis Geotechnik der Deponiebauwerke hat in fünf Themengruppen bisher 76 Empfehlungen zur Planung, zum Bau und zur Qualitätsüberwachung von Abfalldeponien veröffentlicht. In diesem Bericht werden zwei überarbeitungen vorgestellt, eine grundsätzliche Neubarbeitung der E 2‐4, Oberflächenabdichtungssysteme und die an neuere Erfahrungen angepasste E 2‐33, Kapillarsperren in Oberflächenabdichtungen. Recommendations of the DGGT Committee “Geotechnics of Landfill Structures”. The Technical Committee ”Geotechnics of Landfill Structures” of the German Geotechnical Society published up to now 76 recommendations (GDA‐Geotechnical Landfill Recommendations) structured in 5 main issues. This paper introduces two new editions of currently important recommendations, the fundamentally reviewed E 2‐4, Capping Systems, and a new edition of E 2‐33, Capillary Barriers in Landfill Capping Systems.     

Standsicherheitsnachweis für Oberflächenabdichtungssysteme von Deponien

Verification of slope stability of surface sealing systems of landfill structures. According to national and european standards slope stability of capping systems should be verified with the concept of partial safety factors. The revised german recommendation E 2‐7 “Analysis of planar surface failure in lining systems” of the TC “Geotechnics of Landfill Structures” requires design approach 3, where actions are treated as geotechnical actions and partial safety factors are applied to the shear resistance of the soil in the potential slip surfaces. The tension force of a geogrid in case of reinforcement should be designed according to this approach. The paper describes the different failure modes of rupture and excessive deformations, the fundamentals of the verification procedure with partial safety factors, the limit state conditions in infinite slope analysis of stratified final capping systems as well as the design of reinforced structures. Hence, central point of the analysis is less the method of calculation as rather the determination of the effective shear parameters, which can be mobilised for a long period of time considering changing conditions and material ageing effects in the contact plane of the system.