Conversion of Soybean oil to Biodiesel Fuel with Immobilized Candida Lipase on Textile Cloth

The characteristic of biodiesel fuel production from transesterification of soybean oil is studied. The reactant solution is the mixture of soybean oil, methanol, and solvent. A new lipase immobilization method, textile cloth immobilization, was developed in this study. Immobilized Candida lipase sp. 99-125 was applied as the enzyme catalyst. The effect of flow rate of reaction liquid, solvents, reaction time, and water content on the biodiesel yield is investigated. Products analysis shows that the main components in biodiesel are methyl sterate, methyl hexadecanoate, methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, and methyl linolenate. The test results indicate that the maximum yield of biodiesel of 92% was obtained at the conditions of hexane being the solvent, water content being 20 wt%, and reaction time being 24 h.

Calibration of alkenone unsaturation index with growth temperature for a lacustrine species, Chrysotila lamellosa (Haptophyceae)

Although long chain alkenones (LCKs) occur widely in lacustrine sediments, their origin is not clear. Here, we report a lacustrine source, the non-calcifying species Chrysotila lamellosa Anand (Haptophyceae), collected and isolated from an inland saline water body, Lake Xiarinur (Inner Mongolia, China). Its alketione pattern is similar to those of coastal marine strains of C lamellosa,but the relationship between U-37(K') index and culture temperature for the lacustrine species is quite different from that of the coastal species. A significant feature of the alkenones in this strain of C lamellosa is a lack of C-38 methyl alkenones, which might be used to distinguish the species from the marine haptophyte species Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica. The higher C-38 tetraunsaturated compound abundance might be another important feature for distinguishing the C lamellosa alkenone producer from the coastal species Isochrysis galbana. This alkenone distribution pattern has been detected in many lakes, which suggests that C lamellosa or a closely related species might be a very common alkenone precursor in lacustrine systems. We examined U-37(K') and U-37(K) values for C lamellosa as a function of culture temperature in a batch culture experiment. The calibration for U-37(K') vs. culture temperature (T) was U-37(K') = 0.0011 x T-2 - 0.0157 x T + 0.1057(n = 14, r(2) = 0.99) from 10 degrees C to 22 degrees C or U-37(K') = 0.0257 x T - 0.2608(n = 9, r(2) = 0.97) from 14 degrees C to 22 degrees C. U-37(K) vs. culture temperature was U-37(K) = 0 0377 x T - 0.5992(n = 14, r(2) = 0.98) from 10 degrees C to 22 degrees C. Our experiments show that the alkenone unsaturation index (U-37(K')) is strongly controlled by culture temperature and can be used for palaeoclimate reconstruction. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of salinity on food intake, growth, and survival of pufferfish (Fugu obscurus)

The food intake, growth, food conversion ratio and survival of yearling pufferfish, Fugu obscurus Abe, were investigated under different water salinity conditions over a 54-day period. Within the salinity regimes of 0 (freshwater), 8, 18, and 35parts per thousand, the food intake levels were 0.97%, 1.43%, 1.19% and 1.01%, respectively; food conversion ratios were 1.31, 1.93, 1.61 and 1.36, respectively; and specific growth rates were 0.41%, 1.15%, 0.84%, and 0.35%, respectively. The three data series were reduced with increasing salinity. However, the survival rates did not show the same tendencies, which were 80%, 100%, 100%, and 67%, respectively. There were significant differences among the treatments. In conclusion, the yearling pufferfish optimum culture salinity condition was about 8parts per thousand.

玉米冠层对喷灌水量的再分配

通过喷灌玉米田间试验,研究了喷灌水经玉米冠层再分配后的分布状况。结果表明:在玉米全生育期,茎秆下流水量占灌水量的均值为44%左右,棵间穿透水量占灌水量的均值为48%左右,冠层截留量在0.8￣2.9mm之间变化。一次灌水中,喷灌水在地表的分布很不均匀,43.2%的灌水量经茎秆下流到根区,在距离茎秆7cm,15cm,25cm和32.5cm处,地表接收的水量占总灌水量的比例分别为18.9%、43.5%、66.9%和84.5%。灌水量、种植密度、株高和叶面积指数等都影响着喷灌水在地表的分布。

Restructuring of a zooplankton community by perturbation from a wind-forced coastal jet

The impact of transient wind events on an established zooplankton community was observed during a, field survey in a, coastal region off northern Norway in May 2002. A transient wind event induced a coastal jet/filament intrusion of warm, saline water into our survey area where a semi-permanent eddy was present. There was an abrupt change in zooplankton community structure within 4-7 days of the wind event, with a change in the size structure, an increase in lower size classes less than 1 mm in equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and a decrease in larger size classes greater than 1.5 mm in ESD. The slope of zooplankton biovolume spectra changed from -0.6 to -0.8, consistent with the size shifting towards smaller size classes. This study shows that even well established zooplankton communities are susceptible to restructuring during transient wind events, and in particular when wind forcing induces horizontal currents or filaments.

关中盆地东部浅层地下水水化学与CFC年龄研究

Hydrochemistry, isotope and CFCs were used to determine groundwater transport in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Basin. In this paper, we systematically collected water samples and measured major ions, 2H-18O and CFCs in surface water and shallow groundwater. Groundwater in this region can be divided into three categories based on total dissolved solids (TDS): fresh water with TDS < 1g/L, brackish water with TDS between 1～3g/L, and saline water with TDS > 3g/L. Saline water is mainly located in the north of the Wei River, and saline groundwater is not in the south. Tributaries in the south of the Wei River and underlain groundwater had similar 2H-18O values, indicating a close hydraulic connection between them. Tributaries in the north of the Wei River characterized certain extent of evaporation, and 2H-18O values deviated to a differing extent between surface water and groundwater, indicating that surface water in the north bank of the Wei River has little hydraulic connection with underlain groundwater. The CFCs age of groundwater from the piedmont recharge area was young, and became older toward the Wei River valley. Vertically, the CFCs age of groundwater increased with well depth. The shallow groundwater is mainly composed of young water with ages < 60 years and old water with ages > 60 years. Young water is in a larger proportion. The NO3-N concentration positively correlates with the CFC-12 concentration in the groundwater, which indicates that young water is subjected to be contaminated. Keyword: Guanzhong Basin , shallow groundwater, isotope, CFC