Kinetic model for water/oil absorption of mesquite gum (Prosopis juliflora) and gum arabic (Acacia senegal)

The water and oil uptake of mesquite and arabic gums in powdered form was studied at temperatures of 23, 35 and 45°C. A previously proposed equation to predict osmotic equilibrium was tested using the experimental data with both gums and a good statistical fit was obtained. Mesquite gum showed the highest water and oil absorption at all temperatures studied. Temperature dependence of the reciprocal of the S₁ and WL_∞ were determined using an Arrhenius equation. The activation energy for water and oil absorption for gum arabic was 21.98 and 39.57 kJ mol⁻¹, compared to that of mesquite gum having values of 15.79 and 46.16 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. A second order kinetic model was obtained for water and oil absorption for both gums.     

Development and simulation studies of an unsteady state biofilter model for the treatment of cyclic air emissions of an α‐pinene gas stream

This paper describes the development and simulation of an unsteady state biofilter model used to predict dynamic behaviour of cyclically‐operated biofilters and compares it with experimental results obtained from three, parallel, bench‐scale biofilters treating both periodically fluctuating concentrations and constant concentrations of an α‐pinene‐laden gas stream. The dynamic model, using kinetic parameters estimated from the constant concentration biofilter, was able to predict the performance of cyclic biofilters operating at short cycle periods (ie, in the order of minutes and hours). Steady state kinetic data from a constant concentration biofilter can be used to predict unsteady state biofilter operation. At a 24 h cycle period, the dynamic model compared well with experimental results. For long cycle periods (ie, hours and days), removal efficiency decreased after periods of non‐loading: the longer the period of non‐loading, the poorer the biofilter's performance at the re‐commencement of pollutant loading. At longer time scales the model did not effectively predict transient behaviour, as adsorption and changes in kinetic parameters were not accounted for. Modelling results showed that similar biofiltration performance for the cyclic and constant concentration biofiltration of α‐pinene is expected for biofilters operating solely in the first order kinetics regime. Poorer performance for cyclic biofilters following Monod kinetics spanning the entire kinetics range is expected as the cycle amplitude increases. The most important parameters affecting the performance of a cyclically‐operated biofilter with short cycle periods are: amplitude of cyclic fluctuations, C_{g, max}/C_g, relative value of the half‐saturation constant in the Monod expression, K_s, and effective diffusivity of α‐pinene in the biofilm, D_e. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Growth and optical property of zinc oxide thornballs

A new microstructure, thornball, of zinc oxide (ZnO) was synthesized by a very simple solid vapor deposition process under lead oxide (PbO) atmosphere. The microthornballs consist of numerous needles, which extend outwards in all directions symmetrically. They have dimensions of 120 μm in diameter, while the average diameter of the needles is about 100-200 nm. The needles on the balls grow along the 〈0 0 0 1〉 orientation and have gradient compositions along radial. Control experiments proved that PbO played an important role in the growth. Additionally, photoluminescence property was observed and provided the evidence that PbO did not deteriorate the optical properties of ZnO thornballs. This kind of microstructures has potential applications in the field of photochemical catalysis.     

疲劳裂纹的灰色残差预测

借助灰色理论，建立了预测疲劳裂纹扩展的灰色残差预测模型，并应用此模型预测了某不锈钢构件腐蚀疲劳裂纹的扩展，得到了较高精度的预测结果，为疲劳裂纹预测提供了一种简易而可靠的新途径。     

Kinetic analysis of the crystallization of poly(p-phenylene sulphide)

Growth rates of spherulites were measured in poly(p-phenylene sulphide) crystallized from the melt and the quenched glass over the temperature range 100°C–280°C, possibly the most extensive overall range yet reported for any polymer and, as such, most propitious for study of régime III crystallization. For a medium M.wt. polymer, a régime II → III transition was obtained at 208°C using values of transport parameters common to many polymers ($\text{U1 = 1400}\text{cal mol}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, T_∞ ? T_g = 30°C) together with experimentally determined values of T⁰_m(315°C) and T_g(92°C). Under these conditions, the régime III/II slope ratio was found to be 2.07 (i.e. only 3.5% higher than predicted by régime theory), and reasonable estimates of surface free energies and of the work of chain folding were obtained. Other choices of the transport terms, including WLF and zero values, did not allow successful kinetic analyses. Although a régime I → II transition is predicted to occur at the high-temperature end of our growth-rate data, we found no experimental evidence for it. For a low M.wt. polymer, our analysis showed that régime III kinetics is obeyed at low temperatures, while at higher ones there is a continuous departure from that behaviour without, however, full attainment of régime II kinetics.     

Stable Oxygen and Carbon Isotopic Compositions of Lates stappersii Otoliths from Lake Tanganyika,East Africa

In this study, we measured growth trends in oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios in whole sagittal otoliths from three adult centropomid fish (Lates stappersii) from each of three sub-basins of Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. Sampling density was 20 to 50 samples per otolith. Both δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values increase with age. The δ¹⁸O data suggest that otoliths were precipitated near the expected equilibrium with the ambient environment (ca. +3.5‰) and support a migration pattern from surface waters during larval stages to deeper waters (40 to 80 m) for mature fish. Relatively high δ¹⁸O values in the southern sub-basin are consistent with cooler temperatures in the region during seasonal upwelling. The δ13C increase from otolith core to edge is large (up to 4‰) and is interpreted as due to ontogenetic changes in diet and contributions from a decrease in the proportion of respired CO₂ incorporated into otolith carbonate as metabolic rates of the fish dropped with maturity. The data seem to successfully reveal life strategy and migration patterns of L. stappersii, document regional differences in lake conditions, and provide a record of temperature within the water column during which the fish lived. Higher resolution studies and analyses of historical samples could be used to constrain modern and past growth patterns, and to reconstruct past temperature gradients and productivity patterns in the lake.     

The PET18 locus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a complex locus containing multiple genes

The basis of pleiotropy shown by the pet18 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (rho-0,KIL-0 and temperature sensitive growth) was examined by cloning the fragment which complements the defect in growth at 37 degrees C of the pet18 mutants. The cloned DNA could complement the defect in the maintenance of the killer plasmid but did not give the cell the ability to maintain mitochondrial DNA. Sequence analysis of the cloned DNA revealed the presence of four open reading frames, at least two of which are necessary for the complementation activity. By using the cloned DNA as a probe, we found that two independent pet18 mutants have a deletion covering the entire sequence contained in the probe. From these results we predict that the traits of the pet18 mutants that concern temperature sensitivity and killer of the pet18 mutants are controlled by a separate gene(s) from that which participates in the maintenance of mitochondrial DNA.     

Mass transfer kinetics of neodymium(III) extraction by calix[4]arene carboxylic acid using a constant interfacial area cell with laminar flow

BACKGROUND: Thermodynamics and kinetics data are both important to explain the extraction property. In order to develop a novel separation technology superior to current extraction systems, many promising extractants have been developed including calixarene carboxylic acids. The extraction thermodynamics behavior of calix[4]arene carboxylic acids has been reported extensively. In this study, the mass transfer kinetics of neodymium(III) and the interfacial behavior of calix[4]arene carboxylic acid were investigated. RESULTS: The rate constant (K_ao) becomes constant when the stirring speed was controlled between 250 rpm and 400 rpm. The activation energy (E_a) was calculated to be 21·41 kJ mol^?1 or 88·17 kJ mol^?1 (dependent on temperature) from the slope of log K_ao against 1000/T. The linear relationship between the specific area and the extraction rate is the characteristic of an interfacial reaction control. The minimum bulk concentration of the extractant necessary to saturate the interface (C_min) is lower than 4·19 × 10^?4 mol L^?1. CONCLUSION: The effect of stirring speed, temperature, and species concentration on the extraction rate demonstrates that the extraction regime depends on the extraction conditions. The chemical reaction control governs the extraction regime at temperatures below 303 K and a mixed control regime occurs when the temperature is between 303 K and 318 K. The probable locale for the chemical reaction is at the liquid–liquid interface and the rate equation is deduced to be: ? d[Nd³⁺]_(a)/dt = k_f[Nd³⁺]_(a)[H₄A]_(o)^0·727[H⁺]_(a)^?0·978. The rate‐controlling step was suggested by the analysis of the experimental results. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry