Validation of a Method for Quantitation of Soybean Lectin in Commercial Varieties

Soybean agglutinin (SBA) protein, also known as soybean lectin, is regarded as an anti‐nutrient due to its negative effect on the ability of monogastric animals to gain weight following consumption of raw soybean seed. Historically, SBA has been measured using a time‐consuming and cumbersome hemagglutination procedure. The objective of our research was to obtain a validated methodology that is precise and accurate in the measurement of SBA while allowing minimally equipped laboratories to effectively conduct the analysis, thus our focus was on evaluating an existing commercially available ELISA, an enzyme‐linked‐lectin‐assay (ELLA), and a hybrid ELISA/ELLA. A new ELLA technique that can detect and quantify lectins was chosen and modified specifically for the quantitation of SBA in soybean seed. The proposed ELLA methodology is similar to a standard sandwich ELISA, and uses polyacrylamide‐linked N‐acetylgalactosamine (Gal–NAc–PAA) for a capture phase and the biotinylated version (Gal–NAc–PAA–Biotin) for detection. Based upon the validation data, the ELLA method can precisely and accurately determine soybean lectin levels in soybean seed. The validated ELLA method was used to quantify SBA in nine commercial soybean varieties introduced between 1972 and 2008 and demonstrated that the natural variability of SBA is subject to the effects of genotype and environment.     

One‐Pot Lipase Entrapment Within Silica Particles to Prepare a Stable and Reusable Biocatalyst for Transesterification

In order to enhance the reusability, Rhizomucor miehei lipase was entrapped in a single step within silica particles having an oleic acid core (RML@SiO₂). Characterization of RML@SiO₂ by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies supported the lipase immobilization within silica particles. The immobilized enzyme was employed for transesterification of cottonseed oil with methanol and ethanol. Under the optimum reaction conditions of a methanol‐to‐oil molar ratio of 12:1 or ethanol‐to‐oil molar ratio of 15:1, stirring speed of 250 revolutions/min (flask radius = 3 cm), reaction temperature of 40 °C, and biocatalyst concentration of 5 wt% (with respect to oil), more than 98 % alkyl ester yield was achieved in 16 and 24 h of reaction duration in case of methanolysis and ethanolysis, respectively. The immobilized enzyme did not require any buffer solution or organic solvent for optimum activity; hence, the produced biodiesel and glycerol were free from metal ion or organic molecule contamination. The activation energies for the immobilized enzyme‐catalyzed ethanolysis and methanolysis were found to be 34.9 ± 1.6 and 19.7 ± 1.8 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The immobilized enzyme was recovered from the reaction mixture and reused in 12 successive runs without significant loss of activity. Additionally, RML@SiO₂ demonstrated better reusability as well as stability in comparison to the native enzyme as the former did not lose the activity even upon storage at room temperature (25–30 °C) over an 8‐month period.     

Compression and filtration characteristics of yeast-immobilized beads prepared using different calcium concentrations

Yeast cells were immobilized on calcium alginate beads prepared using different calcium concentrations. The compression properties of the immobilized beads (e.g., softness index and retardation time for compression) were strongly affected by the calcium concentration. The effects of the bead properties on filtration characteristics, such as cake porosity, specific cake filtration resistance, cake compression creeping effect and cake compressibility, were analysed using a dead-end filtration system. The filtration curve of yeast-immobilized beads had an “S” shape, similar to that of soft gel particles. The cake compression behaviour and variation in cake properties were directly reflected on the curve trend. The Voigt in the series model was employed to describe variation in cake porosity with time during a compression. The yeast immobilization increased the bead softness; therefore, the porosity of a cake formed by yeast-immobilized beads was lower than that formed by pure calcium alginate beads. The cakes formed by yeast-immobilized beads possessed a high compressibility of approximately 1.0 and a high softness index of approximately 1.5. The beads prepared using lower calcium concentrations had higher softness, shorter retardation times for compression, higher cake compressibility, lower cake porosity and higher specific cake filtration resistance. The results demonstrated that immobilizing yeast cells on calcium alginate beads is beneficial for retaining higher yeast activity than that of freely suspended yeast. However, the activity levels of yeast immobilized using different calcium concentrations were nearly the same after 3 h. Therefore, using high concentrations of calcium for yeast immobilization is beneficial for improving yeast activity and filtration characteristics.     

固定化脱氮菌在低污染水处理中的应用研究

随着水体氮素污染日趋严重,脱氮技术的改进及强化方法成为研究热点。固定化微生物技术因具有微生物密度大、处理效率高、反应速度快、适应能力强等优点而备受关注。综述了不同固定化载体及方法对生物脱氮的强化效果,分析了固定化作用对微生物的影响,总结了固定化技术脱氮应用的最新研究进展,并对该领域今后的发展进行探讨。     

内聚甲醇固定化硫酸盐还原菌小球去除硫酸盐和铬

Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)对生态环境构成严重威胁,制备内聚甲醇为营养源的固定化硫酸盐还原菌小球处理初始Cr~(6+)浓度为100 mg·L-1和初始SO_4~(2-)浓度为200 mg·L-1的废水,探讨内聚甲醇固定化硫酸盐还原菌小球处理含Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)的效果。结果表明,内聚甲醇为营养源的固定化硫酸盐还原菌小球对废水中Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)具有较好的去除效果,对Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)的最大去除量分别达到301.20μg·g-1和1 284.89μg·g-1。SEM分析表明,硫酸盐还原和吸附在其中发挥了重要作用,Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)去除率最高达99.40%和97.49%。内聚甲醇的固定化硫酸盐还原菌小球是一种良好的处理含Cr~(6+)和SO_4~(2-)废水的新型生物吸附剂。     

离子液体的固载化及其在甘油醚化中的性能

将实验室自制的离子液体[BMIM]BF_4固载在活性炭上作为催化剂,研究其在甘油与叔丁醇醚化反应中的催化性能,并利用单因素实验考察反应温度、反应时间、n(叔丁醇)∶n(甘油)和催化剂离子液体负载量对甘油转化率以及醚化产物选择性的影响。结果表明,在无需额外添加溶剂、n(叔丁醇)∶n(甘油)=4∶1和离子液体负载量为甘油质量的9%条件下,在85℃,以150 r·min~(-1)速率反应10 h,甘油羟基转化率最高可达73%,甘油二醚和甘油三醚选择性分别为32.67%和16.81%。     

微生物固定化吸附剂吸附Pd(II)的研究

微生物法在吸附处理重金属污染和回收贵金属方面具有广阔的发展前景。利用载体A固定化大肠杆菌开发了一种高效微生物固定化吸附剂,研究其对Pd(II)的吸附特性,构建其对Pd(II)的动态吸附模型,并开展了循环再生实验。结果表明,吸附柱的穿透时间和耗竭时间与大肠杆菌的浓度、微生物固定化吸附剂的填充量成正相关,与溶液流速成负相关;载体A:粘结剂:大肠杆菌的质量比为4:1:3,固定化吸附剂添加量为15 g、溶液流速3 mL/min时,吸附柱对Pd(II)有较好的吸附效率,穿透时间和耗竭时间分别为60 min和360 min;使用2 mol/L的HCl对负载Pd(II)后吸附剂进行解吸处理,解吸率达到99.32%;吸附-解吸循环5次后,固定化吸附剂对Pd(II)的吸附量基本保持不变。     

碳酸酐酶和甲酸脱氢酶的稳定性研究进展

化石燃料的大量燃烧使温室气体CO₂的排放量不断增加,对环境造成恶劣影响,将CO₂捕集并转化为高附加值化学品是实现节能减排和变废为宝的一种双赢策略。酶催化CO₂捕集和转化具有高效、高选择性、反应条件温和、环境友好等优点。碳酸酐酶（CA）可大大加速CO₂水合反应,而甲酸脱氢酶（FDH）可催化CO₂还原为甲酸,二者协同可增强CO₂还原动力学。但酶促反应的工业化应用过程中,酶所处环境的温度、酸碱度以及其他离子的种类和浓度等因素均可能导致酶失活,因此,酶的稳定性研究至关重要。本文从热稳定性、酸碱稳定性和离子稳定性的角度,综述了CA和FDH的稳定性研究进展。改善酶稳定性的手段包括使用极端微生物、酶分子设计与改造、固定化等,重点讨论了固定化对酶稳定性的提升效果,为未来的工业化应用提供参考。