The Kinetics of Interesterfication on Waste Cooking Oil (Sunflower Oil) for the Production of Fatty Acid Alkyl Esters using a Whole Cell Biocatalyst (Rhizopus oryzae) and Pure Lipase Enzyme

Recent research and technology have provided promising outcomes to rely on biodiesel as the alternative and conventional source of fuel. The use of renewable sources constitutes the main stream of research. Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) was used for biodiesel production in this study. Lipase enzyme producing fungi Rhizopus oryzae 262 and commercially available pure lipase enzyme were used for comparative study in the production of FAAE. The whole cell biocatalyst and pure enzyme were immobilized using calcium alginate beads. It was prepared by optimizing with different molar ratios of calcium chloride and different percent sodium alginate. Entrapment immobilization was done for whole cell biocatalyst. PE was also immobilized by entrapment for the transesterification reaction. Four different solvents methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol were used as the acyl acceptors. The reaction parameters like temperature, molar ratio, reaction time, and amount of enzyme to be used were also optimized for methanol alone. The same parameters were adopted for the other acyl acceptors too. Among the different acyl acceptors, methanol whose reaction parameters were optimized showed maximum conversion of triglycerides to FAAE - 94% with PE and 84% with WCB. On the whole, PE showed better catalytic converting ability with all the acyl acceptor compared to WCB, further study, it was observed that three consecutive and reversible reactions occurred in the interesterification of triglycerides. So, a kinetic model based on Michaelis-Menten equation with competitive substrate inhibition was used to find the maximum reaction rate V_i for the four solvents using pure enzyme and WCB.     

连续流动法测定沉积物中的酸挥发性硫化物

优化沉积物中酸挥发性硫化物(Acid Volatile Sulfide,AVS)的提取方法并采用连续流动分析法检测提取液中的硫化物.研究了吸收液的种类、氮气流量与吹气的时间和反应温度对AVS提取效果的影响以优化提取方法.结果表明,与传统的氢氧化钠或硫酸镉-氢氧化钠吸收液相比,以氯化锌-羧甲基纤维素钠溶液为吸收液吸附效率好,稳定性高且无毒.用连续流动分析法检测提取液中的AVS快速、准确、稳定性好.     

Response of Fish and Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Indices to Water Chemistry in a Mined Appalachian Watershed

Multimetric indices based on fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages are commonly used to assess the biological integrity of aquatic ecosystems. However, their response to specific stressors is rarely known. We quantified the response of a fish-based index (Mid-Atlantic Highlands Index of Biotic Integrity, MAH-IBI) and a benthic invertebrate-based index (West Virginia Stream Condition Index, WV-SCI) to acid mine drainage (AMD)-related stressors in 46 stream sites within the Cheat River watershed, West Virginia. We also identified specific stressor concentrations at which biological impairment was always or never observed. Water chemistry was extremely variable among tributaries of the Cheat River, and the WV-SCI was highly responsive across a range of AMD stressor levels. Furthermore, impairment to macroinvertebrate communities was observed at relatively low stressor concentrations, especially when compared to state water quality standards. In contrast to the WV-SCI, we found that the MAH-IBI was significantly less responsive to local water quality conditions. Low fish diversity was observed in several streams that possessed relatively good water quality. This pattern was especially pronounced in highly degraded subwatersheds, suggesting that regional conditions may have a strong influence on fish assemblages in this system. Our results indicate that biomonitoring programs in mined watersheds should include both benthic invertebrates, which are consistent indicators of local conditions, and fishes, which may be indicators of regional conditions. In addition, remediation programs must address the full suite of chemical constituents in AMD and focus on improving linkages among streams within drainage networks to ensure recovery of invertebrate and fish assemblages. Future research should identify the precise chemical conditions necessary to maintain biological integrity in mined Appalachian watersheds.     

Life cycle assessment analysis of active and passive acid mine drainage treatment technologies

Acid mine drainage (AMD), resulting from open-cast coal mining, is currently one of the largest environmental challenges facing the mining industry. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of different AMD treatment options typically employed. LCA is a well-reported tool but is not documented for AMD treatment systems despite their ubiquitous implementation worldwide. This study conducted detailed LCA analysis for various passive and active AMD treatment approaches implemented or considered at a major coal mine in New Zealand using a comparative functional unit of kg acidity removed per day for each treatment option. Eight treatment scenarios were assessed including active limestone and hydrated lime treatments, and compared to passive treatments using limestone and waste materials such as mussel shells. Both midpoint and endpoint LCA impact categories were assessed. Generally, the active treatment scenarios demonstrated greater LCA impacts compared to an equivalent level of treatment for the passive treatment approaches. Lime slaking had the greatest LCA impacts, while passive treatment approaches incurred consistently less impacts except for one passive treatment with a purchased energy scenario. A 50% reduction in transportation distances resulted in the lowest LCA impacts for all scenarios. This study highlights the importance of evaluating the environmental and social impacts of AMD treatment for the mining industry.     

Rapid decolorization of Acid Orange II aqueous solution by amorphous zero-valent iron

Some problems including low treatment capacity, agglomeration and clogging phenomena, and short working life, limit the application of pre-treatment methods involving zero-valent iron (ZVI). In this article, ZVI was frozen in an amorphous state through a melt-spinning technique, and the decolorization effect of amorphous ZVI on Acid Orange II solution was investigated under varied conditions of experimental variables such as reaction temperature, ribbon dosage, and initial pH. Batch experiments suggested that the decolorization rate was enhanced with the increase of reaction temperature and ribbon dosage, but decreased with increasing initial solution pH. Kinetic analyses indicated that the decolorization process followed a first order exponential kinetic model, and the surface-normalized decolorization rate could reach 2.09 L/(m². min) at room temperature, which was about ten times larger than any previously reported under similar conditions. Recycling experiments also proved that the ribbons could be reused at least four times without obvious decay of decolorization rate and efficiency. This study suggests a tremendous application potential for amorphous ZVI in remediation of groundwater or wastewater contaminated with azo dyes.     

利用脂肪酶提高鱼油中多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFAs)甘油酯

利用脂肪酶选择性的水解作用研究提高鱼油中多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFAs)甘油酯的含量.通过对5种不同来源脂肪酶的筛选,以来源于米曲霉脂肪酶为最佳酶种;同时研究该酶水解鱼油的最佳工艺条件:反应温度、加酶量、反应转速、添加剂影响;最后确定最佳的富集PUFAs甘油酯时间.在此工艺条件下,鱼油中EPA由3.0%提高到9.0%,DHA由4.3%提高到16.5%,EPA DHA由7.3%提高到25.5%.图3表1参8     

Application of a coupled ecosystem-chemical equilibrium model, DayCent-Chem, to stream and soil chemistry in a Rocky Mountain watershed

Atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen species have the potential to acidify terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, but nitrate and ammonium are also critical nutrients for plant and microbial productivity. Both the ecological response and the hydrochemical response to atmospheric deposition are of interest to regulatory and land management agencies. We developed a non-spatial biogeochemical model to simulate soil and surface water chemistry by linking the daily version of the CENTURY ecosystem model (DayCent) with a low temperature aqueous geochemical model, PHREEQC. The coupled model, DayCent-Chem, simulates the daily dynamics of plant production, soil organic matter, cation exchange, mineral weathering, elution, stream discharge, and solute concentrations in soil water and stream flow. By aerially weighting the contributions of separate bedrock/talus and tundra simulations, the model was able to replicate the measured seasonal and annual stream chemistry for most solutes for Andrews Creek in Loch Vale watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park. Simulated soil chemistry, net primary production, live biomass, and soil organic matter for forest and tundra matched well with measurements. This model is appropriate for accurately describing ecosystem and surface water chemical response to atmospheric deposition and climate change.     

沙地云杉生态型同工酶研究

沙地云杉是内蒙古地区特有树种,只分布于浑善达克沙地东部边缘;由于长期适应干旱生态条件,分化出3种土壤生态型,即紫果型、红果型和绿果型沙地云杉,并在很多生态、生理特征上表现出明显的差异.本文采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,分析了3种生态型沙地云杉的过氧化物同工酶和酯酶同工酶的酶谱特征.结果表明:不管是过氧化物同工酶还是酯酶同工酶,紫果型沙地云杉的酶带条数最多,红果型其次,绿果型酶带条数最少.在酶带强度方面也有类似的结果,紫果型沙地云杉具有较多的强、次强、中带,红果型其次,绿果型最少.这在一定程度上表明,在干旱条件下产生的3种不同生态型沙地云杉,以紫果型对干旱抗性最强,绿果型最弱,红果型居于二者之间,这一结论将为沙地云杉的经营管理及品种选择提供科学依据. 图2参21     

植物SOD活性变化与其抗污能力的关系

研究了模拟酸雨、ＳＯ２单独与复合污染对水杉、杉木、龙柏３种抗污能力不同的植物ＳＯＤ活性、细胞汁酸度、细胞膜透性的影响。结果表明，ＳＯＤ的活性经污染后变化规律在不同植物有所不同，而这种变化与其抗污能力有关。ＳＯＤ活性升高者，其抗污能力强，反之则弱，与本底值大小无关。     

酸性媒介黄GG生物降解性能的试验研究

通过试验研究酸性媒介黄GG染料在厌氧、好氧条件下的生物降解机理、降解能力及共代谢降解效果.试验结果表明,厌氧菌能够通过葡萄糖共代谢作用很快降解酸性媒介黄GG;而好氧条件下经驯化活性污泥不能降解酸性媒介黄GG,经过较长时间驯化活性污泥能降解酸性媒介黄GG,但降解效果很差.葡萄糖浓度的升高对提高酸性媒介黄GG厌氧生物降解率有利,当葡萄糖浓度为2000 mg/L时,40mg/L酸性媒介黄GG的12和60 h厌氧生物降解率分别达到81.5%和93.5%.酸性媒介黄GG浓度对厌氧菌的生物降解能力也有影响.当葡萄糖浓度为2000 mg/L,酸性媒介黄GG(浓度为20～100 mg/L)的厌氧降解率最好,降解效率达到了94%,说明厌氧菌对酸性媒介黄GG的降解能力较好.