Antibiotic Transport via Runoff and Soil Loss

Research has verified the occurrence of veterinary antibiotics in manure, agricultural fields, and surface water bodies, yet little research has evaluated antibiotic runoff from agricultural fields. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for agricultural runoff to contribute antibiotics to surface water bodies in a worst-case scenario. Our hypothesis was that there would be significant differences in antibiotic concentrations, partitioning of losses between runoff and sediment, and pseudo-partitioning coefficients (ratio of sediment concentration to runoff concentration) among antibiotics. An antibiotic solution including tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), sulfathiazole (STZ), sulfamethazine (SMZ), erythromycin (ERY), tylosin (TYL), and monensin (MNS) was sprayed on the soil surface 1 h before rainfall simulation (average intensity = 60 mm h(-1) for 1 h). Runoff samples were collected continuously and analyzed for aqueous and sediment antibiotic concentrations. MNS had the highest concentration in runoff, resulting in the highest absolute loss, although the amount of loss associated with sediment transport was <10%. ERY had the highest concentrations in sediment and had a relative loss associated with sediment >50%. TYL also had >50% relative loss associated with sediment, and its pseudo-partitioning coefficient (P-PC) was very high. The tetracyclines (TC and CTC) had very low aqueous concentrations and had the lowest absolute losses. If agricultural runoff is proven to result in development of resistance genes or toxicity to aquatic organisms, then erosion control practices could be used to reduce TC, ERY, and TYL losses leaving agricultural fields. Other methods will be needed to reduce transport of other antibiotics.     

Response of antibiotics and resistance genes to high-intensity and low-intensity manure management

The purpose of this study was to determine the response of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) to manure management. A pilot field study was conducted using horse manure containing no antibiotics, into which chlortetracycline (CTC), tylosin (TYL), and monensin (MON) were spiked and compared to unspiked controls. Subsequently, a large-scale field study was conducted comparing manure from a dairy with minimal use of antibiotics and a feedlot with regular subtherapeutic use of antibiotics. The manures were subjected to high-intensity management (HIM) (amending, watering, and turning) and low-intensity management (LIM) (no amending, watering, or turning) and were monitored for antibiotic concentrations and levels of tetracycline ARG [tet(W) and tet(O)] using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. All three antibiotics in the pilot study dissipated more rapidly in HIM manure, with half-lives ranging from 4 to 15 d, compared to LIM manure, with half-lives ranging from 8 to 30 d. Levels of tet(W) were significantly higher after 141 d of treatment, but levels of tet(O) were significantly lower in all treatments. In the large-scale study, the feedlot manure had higher initial concentrations than the dairy manure of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and CTC as well as tet(W) and tet(O). Tetracycline and OTC dissipated more rapidly in HIM manure, with half-lives ranging from 6 to 15 d, compared to LIM manure, with half-lives ranging from 7 to 31 d. After 6 mo of treatment, tet(W) and tet(O) decreased significantly in feedlot manure, whereas dairy manure required only 4 mo of treatment for similar results.     

Contribution of hydrolysis in the abiotic attenuation of RDX and HMX in coastal waters

Sinking of military ships, dumping of munitions during the two World Wars, and military training have resulted in the undersea deposition of numerous unexploded ordnances (UXOs). Leaching of energetic compounds such as hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) from these UXOs may cause adverse ecological effects so that the long-term fate of these chemicals in the sea should be known. The present study assesses the contribution of alkaline hydrolysis into the natural attenuation of RDX and HMX in coastal waters. Alkaline hydrolysis rates were shown to be unaffected by the presence of sodium chloride, the most common component in marine waters. Kinetic parameters (E(a), ln A, k(2)) quantified for the alkaline hydrolysis of RDX and HMX in deionized water (30-50 degrees C, pH 10-12) agreed relatively well with abiotic degradation rates determined in sterilized natural coastal waters (50 and 60 degrees C, variable salinity) even if the latter were generally slightly faster than the former. Furthermore, similar products (HCHO, NO(2)(-), O(2)NNHCH(2)NHCHO) were obtained on alkaline hydrolysis in deionized water and abiotic degradation in coastal waters. These two findings suggested that degradation of nitramines in sterilized natural coastal waters, away from light, was mainly governed by alkaline hydrolysis. Kinetic calculations using the present parameters showed that alkaline hydrolysis of RDX and HMX in marine waters at 10 degrees C would respectively take 112 +/- 10 and 2408 +/- 217 yr to be completed (99.0%). We concluded that under natural conditions hydrolysis should not contribute significantly to the natural attenuation of HMX in coastal waters whereas it could play an active role in the natural attenuation of RDX.     

Oxytetracycline sorption to organic matter by metal-bridging

The sorption of oxytetracycline to metal-loaded ion exchange resin and to natural organic matter by the formation of ternary complexes between polyvalent metal cations and sorbent- and sorbate ligand groups was investigated. Oxytetracycline (OTC) sorption to Ca- and Cu-loaded Chelex-100 resin increased with increasing metal/sorbate ratio at pH 7.6 (OTC speciation: 55% zwitterion, 45% anion). Greater sorption to Cu- than Ca-loaded resin was observed, consistent with the greater stability constants of Cu with both the resin sites and with OTC. Oxytetracycline sorption to organic matter was measured at pH 5.5 (OTC speciation: 1% cation, 98% zwitterion, 1% anion). No detectable sorption was measured for cellulose or lignin sorbents that contain few metal-complexing ligand groups. Sorption to Aldrich humic acid increased from "clean" < "dirty" (no cation exchange pretreatment) < Al-amended < Fe(III)-amended clean humic acid with K(d) values of 5500, 32000, 48000, and 250000 L kg(-1) C, respectively. Calcium amendments of clean humic acid suggested that a portion of the sorbed OTC was interacting by cation exchange. Oxytetracycline sorption coefficients for all humic acid sorbents were well-correlated with the total sorbed Al-plus-Fe(III) concentrations (r(2) = 0.87, log-log plot), suggesting that sorption by ternary complex formation with humic acid is important. Results of this research indicate that organic matter may be an important sorbent phase in soils and sediments for pharmaceutical compounds that can complex metals by the formation of ternary complexes between organic matter ligand groups and pharmaceutical ligand groups.     

Photocatalytic degradation of disperse blue 1 using UV/TiO2/H2O2 process

The photocatalytic degradation of a dye derivative, C.I. disperse blue 1 (1), has been investigated under UV light irradiation in the presence of TiO2 and H2O2 under a variety of conditions. The degradation was studied by monitoring the change in substrate concentration employing UV spectroscopic technique as a function of irradiation time. The degradation was studied under different conditions such as different types of TiO2, reaction pH, catalyst and substrate concentration containing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), besides molecular oxygen in the presence of TiO2. The degradation of dye was also investigated under sunlight and the efficiency of degradation was compared with that of the artificial light source. The degradation rates were found to be strongly influenced by all the above parameters. The photocatalyst Degussa P25 was found to be more efficient for the degradation of the dye.     

Heterogeneous photocatalysed degradation of two selected pesticide derivatives, triclopyr and daminozid in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide

Heterogeneous photocatalysed degradation of two selected pesticide derivatives, triclopyr (1) and daminozid (2), has been investigated in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide by monitoring the change in substrate concentration employing the UV Spectroscopic analysis technique and depletion of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content as a function of irradiation time. The degradation kinetics were studied under different conditions such as reaction pH, substrate and catalyst concentration, different types of TiO2 and in the presence of electron acceptors such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium bromate (KBrO3) and ammonium persulphate (NH4)2S2O8 in addition to molecular oxygen. The degradation rates were found to be strongly influenced by all the above parameters. The photocatalyst Degussa P25 was found to be more efficient as compared with other photocatalysts. The pesticide derivative triclopyr (1) was found to degrade faster as compared to daminozid (2). An attempt was also made to identify the intermediate products formed during the photooxidation process using GC/MS analysis. Probable pathways for the formation of products have been proposed.     

Effects of environmental factors on 1,3-dichloropropene hydrolysis in water and soil

Hydrolysis is the major pathway for fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) degradation in water and soil, yet the process is not well understood. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of various environmental factors on the rate of 1,3-D hydrolysis. Cis-, trans-1,3-D and their isomeric mixture were spiked into water and Arlington soil (coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic Haplic Durixeralfs) and incubated under different conditions. The rate of 1,3-D hydrolysis in water and soil were evaluated based on its residual amount and Cl- release, respectively. 1,3-D hydrolyzed rapidly in deionized water, with a half-life of 9.8 d at 20 degrees C. The hydrolysis was pH dependent, with low pH inhibiting and high pH favoring the reaction. Other factors such as isomeric differences, photo irradiation, suspended particles, and small amounts of co-solutes had little effect on the reaction. In soil, 1,3-D hydrolyzed following pseudo first-order kinetics. The hydrolysis rate constant increased with soil moisture content and decreased with the initial 1,3-D concentration. At 20 degrees C, > 60% of the 1,3-D applied at < 0.61 g kg(-1) in 10% moisturized soil hydrolyzed within 30 d. The soil particle size and mineralogy had little effect on the reaction rate. Organic matter promoted 1,3-D degradation via direct substitution reactions, and the trans-isomer showed preference over the cis- to react with certain organic molecules. Microbial contributions were initially insignificant, and became important as soil microorganisms adapted to the fumigant. The results suggest that to accelerate 1,3-D degradation, pH, soil moisture, and organic amendment should be considered.     

Environmental fate of triasulfuron in soils amended with municipal waste compost

The amendment of soil with compost may significantly influence the mobility and persistence of pesticides and thus affect their environmental fate. Factors like adsorption, kinetics, and rate of degradation of pesticides could be altered in amended soils. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the addition of compost made from source-separated municipal waste and green waste, on the fate of triasulfuron [(2-(2-chloroethoxy)-N-[[4-methoxy-6-methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]benzenesulfonamide], a sulfonylurea herbicide used in postemergence treatment of cereals. Two native soils with low organic matter content were used. A series of analyses was performed to evaluate the adsorption and degradation of the herbicide in soil and in solution after the addition of compost and compost-extracted organic fractions, namely humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and hydrophobic dissolved organic matter (HoDOM). Results have shown that the adsorption of triasulfuron to soil increases in the presence of compost, and that the HA and HoDOM fractions are mainly responsible for this increase. Hydrophobic dissolved organic matter applied to the soils underwent sorption reactions with the soils, and in the sorbed state, served to increase the adsorption capacity of the soil for triasulfuron. The rate of hydrolysis of triasulfuron in solution was significantly higher at acidic pH and the presence of organic matter fractions extracted from compost also slightly increased the rate of hydrolysis. The rate of degradation in amended and nonamended soils is explained by a two-stage degradation kinetics. During the initial phase, although triasulfuron degradation was rapid with a half-life of approximately 30 d, the presence of compost and HoDOM was found to slightly reduce the rate of degradation with respect to that in nonamended soil.     

Heterogeneous photocatalysed degradation of a herbicide derivative, isoproturon in aqueous suspension of titanium dioxide

Heterogeneous photocatalysed degradation of a herbicide derivative, N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N',N'-dimethylurea (Isoproturon, 1) was investigated in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide by monitoring the change in absorption intensity and depletion in Total Organic Carbon content as a function of irradiation time. The degradation kinetics was studied under different conditions such as pH, catalyst concentration, substrate concentration, different types of TiO(2) and in the presence of electron acceptors such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), potassium bromate (KBrO(3)) and potassium persulphate (K(2)S(2)O(8)) besides molecular oxygen. The degradation rates were found to be strongly influenced by all the above parameters. The photocatalyst Degussa P25 was found to be more efficient as compared with other photocatalysts. An attempt was made to identify the degradation product through GC-MS analysis technique.     

Comparative mobility of sulfonamides and bromide tracer in three soils

In animal agriculture, sulfonamides are one of the routinely used groups of antimicrobials for therapeutic and sub-therapeutic purposes. It is observed that, the animals when administered the antimicrobials, often do not completely metabolize them; and excrete the partially metabolized forms into the environment. Due to the continued use of antimicrobials and disposal of untreated waste, widespread occurrence of partially metabolized antimicrobials in aquatic and terrestrial environments has been reported in various scientific journals. In this research, the mobility of two sulfonamides - sulfamethazine (SMN), sulfathiazole (STZ) and a conservative bromide tracer was investigated in three soils collected from regions in the United States with large number of concentrated animal-feed operations. Results of a series of column studies indicate that the mobility of these two sulfonamides was dependent on pH, soil charge density, and contact time. At low pH and high charge density, substantial retention of sulfonamides was observed in all three soils investigated, due to the increased fraction of cationic and neutral forms of the sulfonamides. Conversely, enhanced mobility was observed at high pH, where the sulfonamides are predominantly in the anionic form. The results indicate that when both SMN and STZ are predominantly in anionic forms, their mobility approximates the mobility of a conservative bromide tracer. This observation is consistent for the mobility of both SMN and STZ individually, and also in the presence of several other antimicrobials in all three soils investigated. Higher contact time indicates lower mobility due to increased interaction with soil material.     

Behavior of cinosulfuron in paddy surface waters, sediments, and ground water

Cinosulfuron (3-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-1-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)-phenylsulfonyl]-urea) is a sulfonylurea herbicide used to control a wide range of broadleaf weeds in rice (Oryza sativa L.). A 2-yr field study was conducted in northwest Italy to determine the effect of cinosulfuron on surface and subsoil waters in rice paddies. Cinosulfuron was applied at 70 g a.i. ha(-1) on 35 ha of flooded rice. After the treatment, the change in herbicide concentration over time was studied by analyzing water and sediment samples in a test paddy field (2.16 ha, located in the treated area), water in a spring and a pond (both located near the test paddy), two wells (up- and downhill to the treated area), and two piezometers (along the test paddy levee). To better understand some of the field study results, cinosulfuron degradation was also evaluated in the laboratory in solutions buffered to different pH values. Two weeks after the treatment, the cinosulfuron concentration in the paddy water decreased by about 60%. No cinosulfuron was detected at about 2.5 mo after the treatment. The concentration in the sediment gradually increased after the treatment, reaching the highest value (13.53 microg kg(-1)) 3 wk later. The maximum cinosulfuron content in the spring and pond were 0.91 and 0.29 microg L(-1), respectively, and these were detected 60 to 90 days after treatment (DAT). The water collected in the piezometers reached the highest concentration (0.99 microg L(-1)) 29 DAT. Cinosulfuron was never detected in the wells. In the degradation study at different pH values, cinosulfuron degraded rapidly at low pH values.     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of organic phosphorus in swine manure and soil

Organic phosphorus (Po) exists in many chemical forms that differ in their susceptibility to hydrolysis and, therefore, bioavailability to plants and microorganisms. Identification and quantification of these forms may significantly contribute to effective agricultural P management. Phosphatases catalyze reactions that release orthophosphate (Pi) from Po compounds. Alkaline phosphatase in tris-HCl buffer (pH 9.0), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) phytase in potassium acetate buffer (pH 5.0), and nuclease P1 in potassium acetate buffer (pH 5.0) can be used to classify and quantify Po in animal manure. Background error associated with different pH and buffer systems is observed. In this study, we improved the enzymatic hydrolysis approach and tested its applicability for investigating Po in soils, recognizing that soil and manure differ in numerous physicochemical properties. We applied (i) acid phosphatase from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), (ii) acid phosphatases from both potato and wheat germ, and (iii) both enzymes plus nuclease P1 to identify and quantify simple labile monoester P, phytate (myo-inositol hexakis phosphate)-like P, and DNA-like P, respectively, in a single pH/buffer system (100 mM sodium acetate, pH 5.0). This hydrolysis procedure released Po in sequentially extracted H2O, NaHCO3, and NaOH fractions of swine (Sus scrofa) manure, and of three sandy loam soils. Further refinement of the approach may provide a universal tool for evaluating hydrolyzable Po from a wide range of sources.     

Formaldehyde degradation in the presence of methanol by photo-Fenton process

In this study, the photo-Fenton process for the degradation of formaldehyde was investigated in lab-scale experiments. Results showed that methanol, the additive chemical in a commercial product of formaldehyde, was also decomposed during the formaldehyde oxidation reaction. The oxidation reaction was in three-stages. The first stage was the Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2) reaction in which both formaldehyde and methanol were swiftly decomposed. The second and the third stages exerted a somewhat less rapid degradation of both chemicals. The first stage of the oxidation reaction can be discussed by means of the initial average rate and the third stage or Fe(3+)/H(2)O(2) stage was found to follow the first order reaction rate. The reaction was influenced by the initial pH, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the amount of ferrous ions. The initial pH at 2.6 provided the highest removal efficiencies in this system. In addition, the competition between formaldehyde and methanol was investigated and described as r(m)/r(f), where r(m) and r(f) were the initial rates of methanol and formaldehyde, respectively. The addition of methanol exhibited a competitive effect on formaldehyde degradation. The removal of formaldehyde decreased with increasing methanol concentration. At the high concentrations of methanol, the oxidation reaction of formaldehyde was repressed. It appears that all values of r(m)/r(f) obtained from the experiments are lower than the theoretical values.     

常用氧化剂性能研究

用四种常用的氧化剂:高锰酸钾、漂白粉、NaClO和H2O2/Fe2+对大港油田港深11井酸化废水进行了处理。考察了氧化剂的投加量、氧化时间和pH值对酸化废水色度和COD去除率的影响。实验结果表明,在最佳条件下,H2O2/Fe2+对酸化废水的色度和COD的去除率最高;用高锰酸钾处理废水,其COD去除率较高,但脱色效果差;而漂白粉和NaClO的脱色率较高,但其氧化能力有限。建议油田用氧化法处理废水时应采用H2O2/Fe2+催化氧化体系。     

Adsorption and degradation of the weak acid mesotrione in soil and environmental fate implications

The ability of soils to adsorb and degrade pesticides strongly influences their environmental fate. This paper examines the adsorption and degradation of a weak acid, a new herbicide mesotrione 12-[4-(methylsulfonyl)-2-nitrobenzoyl]-1,3-cyclohexanedione], in 15 different soils from Europe and the USA. Experiments were conducted to understand the influence of soil properties, covering a wide range of soil textures, soil pH values (4.4 to 7.5), and organic carbon contents (0.6 to 3.35%). Mesotrione adsorption (Kd values ranged from 0.13 to 5.0 L/kg) was primarily related to soil pH, and to a lesser extent by percent organic carbon (%OC). As soil pH rose. mesotrione Kd values got smaller as mesotrione dissociated from the molecular to anionic form. Mesotrione degradation (half-lives ranged from 4.5 to 32 d) was also related to soil pH, getting shorter as soil pH rose. Simple regression of mesotrione adsorption against soil pH and %OC and against degradation provided a close fit to the data. The correlation between mesotrione adsorption and degradation means that Kd and half-life values are only relevant for use in environmental fate assessment if these values are "paired" for the same soil pH and %OC. The implications were as illustrated for leaching, raising important issues about combining pesticide adsorption and degradation behavior in environmental fate assessments.     

Adsorption and clay-catalyzed degradation of erythromycin A on homoionic clays

Erythromycin has been widely used in food-producing animals and in humans, and is frequently detected as an organic pollutant in U.S. streams. In batch experiments with homoionic clays, the Freundlich isotherms were determined at 10 and 25 degrees C. The adsorption of erythromycin A was strongly influenced by clay type, exchanged cations, the pH of the bulk solutions, and the acidity of clay surfaces. The formation of clay-erythromycin A complexes was thermodynamically favorable except for K+- and Fe3+-exchanged montmorillonites, since the reactions were exothermic (deltaH(o) > 0) and the systems became stable (deltaS(o) > 0). Clays catalyzed the erythromycin A degradation by the hydrolysis of the neutral sugar and the multiple dehydrations. The surface acidity of clay surface enhanced the rate of clay-catalyzed degradation of erythromycin A. In addition, the Fe3+-exchanged clay minerals seemed to have an electrostatic interaction with the erythromycin A molecule, by which the hydrolysis of the neutral sugar was influenced.     

Stimulated rhizodegradation of atrazine by selected plant species

The efficacy of vegetative buffer strips (VBS) in removing herbicides deposited from surface runoff is related to the ability of plant species to promote rapid herbicide degradation. A growth chamber study was conducted to compare C-atrazine (ATR) degradation profiles in soil rhizospheres from different forage grasses and correlate ATR degradation rates and profiles with microbial activity using three soil enzymes. The plant treatments included: (i) orchardgrass ( L.), (ii) smooth bromegrass ( Leyss.), (iii) tall fescue ( Schreb.), (iv) Illinois bundle flower (), (v) perennial ryegrass ( L.), (vi) switchgrass ( L.), and (vii) eastern gamagrass (). Soil without plants was used as the control. The results suggested that all plant species significantly enhanced ATR degradation by 84 to 260% compared with the control, but eastern gamagrass showed the highest capability for promoting biodegradation of ATR in the rhizosphere. More than 90% of ATR was degraded in the eastern gamagrass rhizosphere compared with 24% in the control. Dealkylation of atrazine strongly correlated with increased enzymatic activities of β-glucosidase (GLU) ( = 0.96), dehydrogenase (DHG) ( = 0.842), and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis ( = 0.702). The incorporation of forage species, particularly eastern gamagrass, into VBS designs will significantly promote the degradation of ATR transported into the VBS by surface runoff. Microbial parameters widely used for assessment of soil quality, e.g., DHG and GLU activities, are promising tools for evaluating the overall degradation potential of various vegetative buffer designs for ATR remediation.     

Degradation of soil fumigants as affected by initial concentration and temperature

Soil fumigation using shank injection creates high fumigant concentration gradients in soil from the injection point to the soil surface. A temperature gradient also exists along the soil profile. We studied the degradation of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) in an Arlington sandy loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, thermic Haplic Durixeralf) at four temperatures and four initial concentrations. We then tested the applicability of first-order, half-order, and second-order kinetics, and the Michaelis-Menten model for describing fumigant degradation as affected by temperature and initial concentration. Overall, none of the models adequately described the degradation of MITC and 1,3-D isomers over the range of the initial concentrations. First-order and half-order kinetics adequately described the degradation of MITC and 1,3-D isomers at each initial concentration, with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.78 (r2> 0.78). However, the derived rate constant was dependent on the initial concentration. The first-order rate constants varied between 6 and 10x for MITC for the concentration range of 3 to 140 mg kg(-1), and between 1.5 and 4x for 1,3-D isomers for the concentration range of 0.6 to 60 mg kg(-1), depending on temperature. For the same initial concentration range, the variation in the half-order rate constants was between 1.4 and 1.7x for MITC and between 3.1 and 6.1x for 1,3-D isomers, depending on temperature. Second-order kinetics and the Michaelis-Menten model did not satisfactorily describe the degradation at all initial concentrations. The degradation of MITC and 1,3-D was primarily biodegradation, which was affected by temperature between 20 and 40 degrees C, following the Arrhenius equation (r2 > 0.74).     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of banana stems (Musa acuminata): Optimization of process parameters and inhibition characterization

In current work, an optimum solid loading (solid: liquid = 1:20), pH (4.8), temperature (50°C), and enzyme dosing of 20 filter paper unit (amount of enzyme required to release 1 µmol of glucose as reducing sugar from filter paper in per mL per minute) were enumerated for enzymatic hydrolysis of banana stem using cellulase from Trichoderma reesei. Further, inhibition study on enzymatic hydrolysis of banana stem was investigated by the supplementation of monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, mannose, xylose, and arabinose), disaccharide (cellobiose), and inhibitors (acetic acid and furfural obtained from pre-enzymatic hydrolysis steps). Glucose and cellobiose showed inhibitory effect on enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated banana stem at or above 8 g/L while galactose, mannose, and xylose showed a significant inhibitory effect at or above 4 g/L. Instead of inhibition, arabinose enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis with increase in total reducing sugars. Acetic acid did not show any significant inhibition while furfural inhibited the system at a comparative low concentration of 2 g/L. Further, scanning electron microscopy analysis was performed to investigate the difference in ultra-structural morphology of raw biomass, pretreated biomass, and biomass obtained after enzymatic hydrolysis.     

Carbon dioxide capture with concentrated,aqueous piperazine

Concentrated, aqueous piperazine (PZ) has been investigated as a novel amine solvent for carbon dioxide (CO₂) absorption. The CO₂ absorption rate of aqueous PZ is more than double that of 7 m MEA and the amine volatility at 40 °C ranges from 11 to 21 ppm. Thermal degradation is negligible in concentrated, aqueous PZ up to a temperature of 150 °C, a significant advantage over MEA systems. Oxidation of concentrated, aqueous PZ is appreciable in the presence of copper (4 mM), but negligible in the presence of chromium (0.6 mM), nickel (0.25 mM), iron (0.25 mM), and vanadium (0.1 mM). Initial system modeling suggests that 8 m PZ will use 10–20% less energy than 7 m MEA. The fast mass transfer and low degradation rates suggest that concentrated, aqueous PZ has the potential to be a preferred solvent for CO₂ capture.