An integrated biodesulfurization process,including inoculum preparation,desulfurization and sulfate removal in a single step,for removing sulfur from oils

BACKGROUND: A single‐stage reactor, in which the growth of bacterial culture, induction of desulfurizing enzymes, and desulfurization reaction are carried out in a single step, was adopted to investigate desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) at high cell densities. Rhodococcus erythropolis, IGTS8 was used as the biocatalyst. Optimal conditions for bacterial growth and DBT desulfurization were investigated. RESULTS: Optimization of fermentation conditions was necessary to obtain high cell densities including controlling accumulation of acetate. Under optimal operating conditions, the maximum optical density at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀) was measured to be 26.6 at 118 h of cultivation. When biodesulfurization of DBT in model oil with a high cell density culture of IGTS8 was investigated, accumulation of sulfate was found to limit the extent of desulfurization. A sulfate removal step was added to obtain a single‐stage integrated biodesulfurization process. Sulfate removal was achieved via an aqueous bleed stream and use of a separation unit to recycle the organic phase. CONCLUSION: A proof of principle of a complete system capable of biocatalyst growth, induction, desulfurization and by‐product separation was demonstrated. This system enables simplification of the biodesulfurization process and has potential to lower the operating cost of the bioprocess. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Biosorption of heavy metals by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Effects of nutrient conditions

Studies took place to investigate the effects of different nutrient conditions on the biosorption ability and selectivity of heavy metals by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After having grown in media supplemented with additional glucose, ammonium, phosphate or cysteine, the yeast was exposed to an equimolar solution of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper. Lead removal from a mixed solution was significantly higher than that of copper, followed by zinc and cadmium. Generally, yeasts from cysteine-rich media showed greatest sorption capacity whereas phosphate addition influenced zinc selectivity. In addition, glucose, fructose and sucrose as carbon sources were examined. Cultures grown in glucose had a better uptake than those cultivated with fructose at an incubation time of 30 min.     

利用贫软锰矿制备锰盐的研究

用二氧化硫法处理贫软锰矿，得到含硫酸锰和连二硫酸锰的溶液，继而将该溶液进行净化，除杂，浓缩，结晶处理即得工业级硫酸锰，结晶母液用碳铵沉淀即得碳酸锰产品     

Solubilization of unilamellar liposomes by betaine-type zwitterionic/anionic surfactant systems

The mechanisms governing the solubilizing interactions between zwitterionic/anionic mixed surfactant systems at different molar fractions of the zwitterionic surfactant (X_zwitter) and neutral or electrically charged unilamellar liposomes were investigated. The mixed systems were formed by N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylbetaine and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the presence of piperazine-1,4-bis-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer at pH 7.20. Unilamellar liposomes formed by egg phosphatidylcholine, in some cases together with stearylamine or phosphatidic acid, were used. Solubilization was detected as a decrease in static light-scattering of liposomes. Two parameters were regarded as corresponding to the effective surfactant/lipid molar ratios (Re) at which the surfactant system (i) saturated the liposomes, Re_sat, and (ii) led to a total solubilization of liposomes, Re_sol. From these parameters the bilayer/aqueous medium surfactant partition coefficients for the saturation (K_sat) and complete bilayer solubilization (K_sol) were determined. When X_zwitter was 0.40, The Re and K parameters showed a maximum, whereas the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these systems exhibited a minimum, regardless of the electrical charge of bilayers. Given that the ability of the surfactant systems to saturate or solubilize liposomes is inversely related to the Re_sat and Re_sol parameters, these capacities appear to be directly correlated with the CMC of the mixed systems. The similarity of both K_sat and K_sol (particularly for X_zwitter=0.2–0.8) suggests that a similar partition equilibrium governs both the saturation and the complete solubilization of bilayers, the free surfactant concentration (S_a,S_b), remaining almost constant with similar values to the CMC for each mixed system studied.     

制备低硫可膨胀石墨的研究

研究了以过二硫酸铵作氧化剂低硫可膨胀石墨的制备，找到了在较低温度下，制备低硫可膨胀石墨的最佳条件。即过二硫酸铵和石墨的重量比为１５％；反应温度为５５℃；反应时间为４０ｍｉｎ；硫酸浓度为９８％；硫酸与石墨的重量比为４∶１，草酸和硝酸（浓度为６５％）的重量比为７．５％时，所制得的可膨胀石墨含硫量为０．６５％，膨胀容积为２００ｍＬ／ｇ可膨胀石墨。并且，其终端产品柔性石墨具有优良的力学性能和抗氧化性能。     

硫酸盐含量对全固废材料固化盐渍土抗压强度的影响

为探讨硫酸盐含量对全固废材料固化盐渍土抗压强度及微观结构的影响,采用击实试验和无侧限抗压强度试验,并结合扫描电镜、EDS、X射线衍射和热重分析等微观测试结果,从固化盐渍土的火山灰反应产物及其数量等角度分析含盐量对固化盐渍土抗压强度变化的影响。结果表明:硫酸盐含量低于2.7%时,固化盐渍土抗压强度随含盐量的增加呈先增大后减小,抗压强度峰值对应的含盐量为1.8%;固化盐渍土的火山灰反应产物主要为C-S-H和AFt,硫酸盐含量从0.3%增至1.8%时,反应产物明显增多,致使固化土抗压强度增大;但当硫酸盐含量从1.8%增至2.7%时,膨胀性AFt将试件内部孔隙完全填充并产生胀裂破坏,造成抗压强度降低。研究成果为全固废材料固化硫酸盐渍土的工程应用奠定了基础,对环境保护也有积极贡献。     

Single amino acid substitutions can further increase the stability of a thermophilic L-lactate dehydrogenase

Lactate dehydrogenases are of considerable interest as stereospecificcatalysts in the chemical preparation of enantiomerically pure-hydroxyacid synthons. For such applications in synthetic organicchemistry it would be desirable to have enzymes which tolerateelevated temperatures for prolonged reaction times, to increaseproductivity and to extend then applicability to poor substrates.Here, two examples are reported of significant thermostabilizations,induced by sitedirected mutagenesis, of an already thermostableprotein, the L-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27 [EC] , 35 kDa permonomer subunit) from Bacillus stearothermophilus. Thermal inactivationof this enzyme is accompanied by irreversible unfolding of thenative protein structure. The replacement of Argl71 by Tyr stabilizesthe enzyme against thermal inactivation and unfolding. Thisstabilizing effect appears to be based on improved interactionsbetween the subunits in the core of the active dimeric or tetramericforms of the enzyme. The thermal stability of L-lactate dehydrogenasevariants with an active site Arg residue, either in the 171(wild-type) or in the 102 position, is further increased bysulfate ions. The two stabilizing effects are additive, as foundfor the Argl71Tyr/ Gln1O2Arg double mutant, for which the stabilityof the protein in 100 mM sulfate solution reaches that of L-lactatedehydrogenases from extreme thermophiles. All mutant proteinsretain significant catalytic activity, both in the presenceand absence of stnhilfoing salts, and are viable catalysts inpreparative scale reactions.     

NH4SCN从ROH-CTMAB-C12H26载金有机相中反萃金

研究了硫氰酸铵（NH4SCN）从混合醇（ROH）－十六烷基三甲基溴化铵（CTMAB）－正十二烷（C12H26）载金有机相中反萃金，考察了平衡时间，PH值，反萃剂浓度，温度等因素对反萃率的影响及有机相的循环使用，绘制了反萃等温曲线，结果表明，NH4SCN对金具有较高反萃率，可顺利实现金的反萃。     

Effects of SO2 and SO3 on the Na2SO4 induced corrosion of nickel

The effects of SO₂ and SO₃ in the environment on the hot corrosion behavior of Ni in the temperature range 750–950°C has been studied. Below the melting point of Na₂SO₄ (884°C), rapid corrosion takes place by formation of a Na₂SO₄-NiSO₄ melt, which can penetrate the porous oxide scale and give rise to sulfide information by coming in contact with the metal. The distribution of the sulfides depends on the SO₂ level in the ambient gas. Continued corrosion occurs by a sulfidation-oxidation mechanism. At temperatures above the melting point of Na₂SO₄, accelerated degradation occurs via dissolution of the surface scale, followed by reprecipitation of the oxide in a nonprotective form.Deceased     

Calcium carbonate and ammonium polyphosphate flame retardant additives formulated to protect ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer against fire: Hydrated or carbonated calcium?

In this study, the effect of the chemical nature of different calcium (Ca)-based minerals as flame retardant additives in combination with ammonium polyphosphate (APP), in 1:1 proportions, on the flame retardancy behavior and performance of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer was discussed. Combining APP with partly and completely hydrated calcium oxide led to superior flame-retardant function detected in mass loss calorimeter measurements with respect to the corresponding system containing carbonated calcium. This privileged character was attributed to the higher reactivity of hydrated Ca-based fillers toward APP in comparison with Ca carbonate, which induced the formation of an intumescent residue. The difference between reactivity potential of hydrated and dry Ca was demonstrated by the newly formed thermally stable species, and further evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis performed on APP/fillers blends. Moreover, the presence of more crystalline domains in the Ca/phosphorus-based compounds was evidenced by XRD analysis of the mass loss calorimeter test residues. The results of this work highlight the role of blend additive systems on the performance of flame retardancy of polymer materials.