Recovering Gallium with Kelex 100

Kelex 100 offers a high selectivity for the solvent extraction of gallium from sodium aluminate solutions. However, the kinetics of extraction is very slow and is a function of the sodium and aluminum concentrations in the aqueous phase. Aluminum has a negative effect on the solvent extraction of gallium, while sodium has a positive effect up to a certain concentration. Modifiers and diluents also affect gallium extraction, with ketones performing much better than alcohols. Solvent extraction from two industrial solutions was also examined.     

Modelling work distribution mechanisms using Colored Petri Nets

Workflow management systems support business processes and are driven by their models. These models cover different perspectives including the control-flow, resource, and data perspectives. This paper focuses on the resource perspective, i.e., the way the system distributes work based on the structure of the organization and capabilities/qualifications of people. Contemporary workflow management systems offer a wide variety of mechanisms to support the resource perspective. Because the resource perspective is essential for the applicability of such systems, it is important to better understand the mechanisms and their interactions. Our goal is not to evaluate and compare what different systems do, but to understand how they do it. We use Colored Petri Nets (CPNs) to model work distribution mechanisms. First, we provide a basic model that can be seen as a reference model of existing workflow management systems. This model is then extended for three specific systems (Staffware, FileNet, and FLOWer). Moreover, we show how more advanced work distribution mechanisms, referred to as resource patterns, can be modelled and analyzed.     

1D Physical Non-Quasi Static BJT Circuit Model Based on the Equivalent Transmission Line Analysis

We describe a novel physically based non-quasi-static (NQS) bipolar junction transistor (BJT) model derived from theoretical analysis of the equivalent transmission line representing the one-dimensional minority carrier transport trough silicon quasi-neutral regions (QNRs). The NQS BJT model holds for arbitrarily doped BJTs operating at all injection levels. It also incorporates most important high-injection effects (Webster effect, Kirk effect, Early effect) and heavy-doping effects (position-dependant mobility, life-time, and band-gap narrowing). Novel NQS BJT model is compact since it allows the DC, AC and transient circuit analysis to be performed with single BJT model representation. In addition, it includes for the first time the influence of momentum relaxation time term appearing in DD equations. The advantages of the proposed NQS BJT model over the standard quasi-static Gummel-Poon model are demonstrated with simulations of Si BJT and SiGe HBT devices as well as with stability analysis of bipolar differential amplifier.     

Carbon Nanotube–Graphitic Carbon Nitride Hybrid Films for Flavoenzyme‐Catalyzed Photoelectrochemical Cells

In green plants, solar‐powered electrons are transferred through sophistically arranged photosystems and are subsequently channelled into the Calvin cycle to generate chemical energy. Inspired by the natural photosynthetic scheme, a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) is constructed configured with protonated graphitic carbon nitride (p‐g‐C₃N₄) and carbon nanotube hybrid (CNT/p‐g‐C₃N₄) film cathode, and FeOOH‐deposited bismuth vanadate (FeOOH/BiVO₄) photoanode for the production of industrially useful chiral alkanes using an old yellow enzyme homologue from Thermus scotoductus (TsOYE). In the biocatalytic PEC platform, photoexcited electrons provided by the FeOOH/BiVO₄ photoanode are transferred to the robust and self‐standing CNT/p‐g‐C₃N₄ hybrid film that electrocatalytically reduces flavin mononucleotide (FMN) mediator. The p‐g‐C₃N₄ promotes a two‐electron reduction of FMN coupled with an accelerated electron transfer by the conductive CNT network. The reduced FMN subsequently delivers the electrons to TsOYE for the highly enantioselective conversion of ketoisophorone to (R)‐levodione. Under light illumination (>420 nm) and external bias, (R)‐levodione is synthesized with the enantiomeric excess value of above 83%, not influenced by the scale of applied bias, simultaneously exhibiting stable and high current efficiency. The results suggest that the biocatalytic PEC made up of economical materials can selectively synthesize high‐value organic chemicals using water as an electron donor.     

Functional properties of protein hydrolysates from pea (Pisum sativum,L) seeds

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of partial enzymatic hydrolysis on functional properties of two different pea protein isolates obtained from two pea genotypes, Maja and L1. Papain and commercial protease (Streptomyces griseus protease) were used for protein modification. Solubility, emulsifying and foaming properties were estimated at four different pH values (3.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 8.0). Papain increased solubility of L1 pea protein isolate at pH 3.0, 5.0 and 8.0, emulsifying properties and foaming capacity at all pH values. Otherwise, papain increased solubility of Maja pea protein isolate only at pH 8.0. This pea protein isolate modified with both enzymes formed emulsions with improved stability at lower pH (3.0, 5.0). The commercial protease‐prepared pea protein isolates showed generally low solubility and different emulsifying and foaming properties. Proper selection of enzyme, conditions of hydrolysis and genotypes could result in production of pea protein isolates with desirable functional properties.     

A rotating disk study of silver dissolution with thiourea in the presence of ferric sulfate

The rotating disk technique was used to study silver dissolution with thiourea as a function of sulfuric acid, ferric sulfate, and thiourea concentrations. The effect of many foreign ions (Mn, Cu, Co, Ca, Na,etc.) and various additives was also examined. The dissolution of silver was zero order with sulfuric acid, first order with ferric sulfate, and second order with thiourea. Among the foreign ions, copper had a dramatically negative effect. The strong oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide and manganese dioxide were also detrimental for silver dissolution. According to the temperature effect studied (5 °C to 35 °C), the activation energy was 22.6 kJ/ mole. Silver does not dissolve with thiourea in the absence of ferric ions. Sulfuric acid does not participate in the dissolution reaction. The most important parameter for silver dissolution is the ferric sulfate/thiourea ratio. In excess ferric sulfate, a solid silver-thiourea complex is formed, which precludes transfer of silver into solution. In excess thiourea, the free thiourea reacts with formed solid silver-thiourea complex, and silver goes into the solution, predominantly as the dimers of AgTU⁺ ₃ complexes. The solid silver-thiourea complex in question was characterized by various spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical analysis techniques. According to chemical composition, it corresponds to Ag₂SO₂·3TUH₂O compound. Formerly Graduate Student, University of Idaho     

Adsorption of gold on activated carbon in bromide solutions

Adsorption of gold on activated carbon from gold bromide solutions was examined as a function of pH, particle size, amount of carbon, initial gold bromide concentration, bromine concentration, temperature, and various cations and anions. The pH did not have any effect on gold adsorption below pH = 6. Above pH = 6, pH had a dramatically negative effect. The adsorption occurred according to a first-order reaction-rate model. The reaction-rate constant was proportional to the inverse of carbon particle radius, the amount of carbon, and independent of the initial gold concentration. Temperature had very little effect on the rate of gold adsorption. Cations (Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Na⁺) and anions (SO ₄ ² , Cl^-, Br^-) did not have any effect on gold adsorption. Free bromine had a very negative effect on gold uptake. Gold bromide is very stable and stays in this form on the carbon surface. Contrary to this, gold chloride is unstable, and elemental gold precipitates on the carbon surface. Loading capacity of carbon depended on the presence of free bromine. In the presence of free bromine, it was further dependent on temperature (increased with increasing temperature). AtT = 25 °C, gold loading was 27 to 64 kg Au/t carbon. In bromine-free solutions, gold loading was 174 to 315 kg Au/t carbon.     

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of bovine milk adulteration in caprine and ovine milks using native-PAGE

Native-PAGE (polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) was used for the simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of bovine milk adulteration in caprine and ovine milk using whole milk samples as well as their whey protein fraction. Quantification was based on measuring band intensity of bovine β-lactoglobulins in all milk mixtures and bovine α-lactalbumin in caprine/bovine milk blends. Linear relationships were established between the band intensity of bovine β-lactoglobulins and α-lactalbumin vs. volume percentage of added bovine milk in all milk analysed, with the correlation coefficient from 0.9950 to 0.9998. These correlations enabling the quantification of bovine milk percentage within the wide range from 3% or 5% to 90% in caprine/bovine and ovine/bovine milk blends, respectively. The differences between the actual percentages of bovine milk present in the adulterated milk samples and those calculated using the regression lines were less than or equal to 5% for all samples. This method offers a rapid determination combined with unequivocal identification of the bovine whey proteins in almost every caprine/bovine or ovine/bovine milk mixtures.