Graphite Oxide and Aromatic Amines: Size Matters

Experimental and theoretical studies are performed in order to illuminate, for first time, the intercalation mechanism of polycyclic aromatic molecules into graphite oxide. Two representative molecules of this family, aniline and naphthalene amine are investigated. After intercalation, aniline molecules prefer to covalently connect to the graphene oxide matrix via chemical grafting, while napthalene amine molecules bind with the graphene oxide surface through π–π interactions. The presence of intercalated aromatic molecules between the graphene oxide layers is demonstrated by X‐ray diffraction, while the type of interaction between graphene oxide and polycyclic organic molecules is elucidated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical calculations describe the intercalation mechanism and the aniline grafting, rationalizing the experimental data. The present work opens new perspectives for the interaction of various aromatic molecules with graphite oxide and the so‐called “intercalation chemistry”.     

Use of conditioning time to investigate the mechanisms of interactions of selected fatty acids on hematite Part II laboratory investigations

It is the aim of this paper to examine the effects of conditioning time on the flotation of hematite using three technical grade fatty acid reagents as providing additional evidence on their mechanism of interaction with the hematite surface. Various mechanisms have been postulated as occurring as conditioning time is increased. Both physical (e.g. conditioning time and power input) and chemical (nature, dispersion and solubility of the adsorbing species) contribute to the mechanisms of attachment of collector. In this paper, the mechanism of attachment of oleate to hematite can be readily explained by chemisorption, but the mechanism of attachment of lauric acid appears to be physical adsorption at neutral pH. The flotation of hematite with a mixture of tallow-type fatty acids (palmitic, stearic and oleic acids) is very sensitive to conditioning time, and suggests that, even though flotation is very effective at short conditioning times, it is very susceptible to the presence of fines and their associated high surface areas. It is therefore obvious that both the physical and chemical conditions contribute to the mechanisms of adsorption of fatty acids on iron-containing oxide minerals and must be understood in order to optimise the flotation of these minerals in an industrial situation.     

Metabolism of Storage Lipids and the Role of Lipid Droplets in the Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Storage lipids, triacylglycerols (TAG), and steryl esters (SE), are predominant constituents of lipid droplets (LD) in fungi. In several yeast species, metabolism of TAG and SE is linked to various cellular processes, including cell division, sporulation, apoptosis, response to stress, and lipotoxicity. In addition, TAG are an important source for the generation of value-added lipids for industrial and biomedical applications. The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a widely used unicellular eukaryotic model organism. It is a powerful tractable system used to study various aspects of eukaryotic cellular and molecular biology. However, the knowledge of S. pombe neutral lipids metabolism is quite limited. In this review, we summarize and discuss the current knowledge of the homeostasis of storage lipids and of the role of LD in the fission yeast S. pombe with the aim to stimulate research of lipid metabolism and its connection with other essential cellular processes. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of fission yeast in lipid biotechnology and recent achievements in the use of S. pombe in the biotechnological production of valuable lipid compounds.     

Content of Vasoactive Amines in Sremski Kulen and Sremska Kobasica Traditional Dry Fermented Sausages From Vojvodina

The aim of this paper was to determine the content of vasoactive biogenic amines in Sremski kulen and Sremska kobasica and to estimate hygienic conditions and good manufacturing practice (GMP) according to proposed criteria. Formation of dansyl chloride derivatizated vasoactive amines were determined using HPLC–DAD. Tryptamine (47.6; 34.2 mg/kg), histamine (16.1; 6.42 mg/kg) and tyramine (95.1; 45.2 mg/kg) were detected in both investigated type of traditional dry fermented sausages while phenylethylamine was not detected. Total content of vasoactive amines did not exceed the sum (200 mg/kg) proposed as a possible indicator of hygienic conditions and GMP in sausage production.     

A comprehensive study of hazelnut oil composition with comparisons to other vegetable oils,particularly olive oil.

Crude and refined hazelnut oils from different countries were characterised by major and minor compounds. Fatty acids, triacylglycerides, waxes, sterols, methyl-sterols, terpenic and aliphatic alcohols, tocopherols, tocotrienols and hydrocarbons were identified and quantified by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The levels of these chemical compounds in hazelnut oils together with the equivalent carbon numbers and triacylglyceride carbon numbers, were compared with the results of analyses of samples of other vegetable oils. The statistical procedure of cluster analysis was used to characterise hazelnut oils versus other edible oils.     

Metathesis as a versatile tool in oleochemistry

Olefin metathesis, awarded with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005 for Chauvin, Grubbs and Schrock, has emerged as a powerful tool for organic as well as polymer chemistry. In oleochemistry, this reaction is well known and has been applied for many decades. Examples include the functionalization of the double bonds of different oleochemicals or the (direct) polymerization of plant oils via metathesis. More recent developments, particularly the development of better and more robust catalysts, allow for highly efficient cross‐metathesis reactions opening new possibilities for the direct introduction of chemical functionalities. Within this contribution, the development of metathesis in oleochemistry will be discussed, covering self‐metathesis as well as more recent developments in the field of cross‐metathesis that lead to desired platform chemicals.     

Long-chain fatty ammonium quaternaries in papermaking

A series of long-chain quaternary ammonium halogen esters (UKK-chemicals), quaternary dimethyl tallow epoxypropyl ammonium halogens (EPK1), quaternary ditallow methyl epoxypropyl ammonium halogens (EPK2), and EPK2 oligomers (EPK2P) were synthesized. At acidic, neutral, or slightly basic conditions, EPK1-, EPK2-, EPK2P-, and UKK-chemicals operate as cationic chemicals. They can be used, for example, as stock sizings, surface sizings, or fixatives. Stock sizing, surface sizing, and fixative experiments indicate that EPK1-, EPK2-, EPK2P-, and UKK-chemicals function at least as well as or better than the corresponding synthetic chemicals used in papermaking.     

Temperature and pressure effects on supercritical CO2 extraction of tomato seed oil

Tomato seed oil was extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide in a semibatch-flow extractor within the temperature range 313–343 K and the pressure range 10.8–24.5MPa. The extraction rates increased with pressure, but decreased with temperature increase because of the variation in solvent density and resultant differences in oil solubility. The fatty acid composition of the extracted oil was similar to that of soybean oil.     

Production of biodiesel from waste fryer grease using mixed methanol/ethanol system

Transesterification of waste fryer grease (WFG) containing 5–6 wt.% free fatty acid (FFA) was carried out with methanol, ethanol, and mixtures of methanol/ethanol maintaining the oil to alcohol molar ratio of 1:6, and initially with KOH as a catalyst. Mixtures of methanol and ethanol were used for transesterification in order to use the better solvent property of ethanol and rapid equilibrium using methanol. Formation of soap by reaction of FFA present in WFG with KOH instigated difficulty in the separation of glycerol from biodiesel ester. To untangle this problem, two-stage (acid and alkali catalyzed) method was used for biodiesel synthesis. More than 90% ester was obtained when two-stage method was used compared to ∼ 50% ester in single stage alkaline catalyst. In the case of mixed alcohol, a relatively smaller amount of ethyl esters was formed along with methyl esters. Acid value, viscosity, and cetane number of all the esters prepared from WFG were within the range of the ASTM standard. Esters obtained from WFG showed good performance as a lubricity additive.