Thermogravimetric analysis of water release from wheat flour and wheat bran suspensions

Bran is hygroscopic and competes actively for water with other key components in baked cereal products like starch and gluten. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of flour–water mixtures enriched with bran at different incorporation levels was performed to characterise the release of compartmentalised water. TGA investigations showed that the presence of bran increased compartmentalised water, with the measurement of an increase of total water loss from 58.30 ± 1.93% for flour only systems to 71.80 ± 0.37% in formulations comprising 25% w/w bran. Deconvolution of TGA profiles showed an alteration of the distribution of free and bound water, and its interaction with starch and gluten, within the formulations. TGA profiles showed that water release from bran-enriched flour is a prolonged event with respect to the release from non-enriched flour, which suggests the possibility that bran may interrupt the normal characteristic processes of texture formation that occur in non-enriched products.

The domestication of water: water management in the ancient world and its prehistoric origins in the Jordan Valley

The ancient civilizations were dependent upon sophisticated systems of water management. The hydraulic engineering works found in ancient Angkor (ninth to thirteenth century AD), the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (thirteenth to fifteenth century AD), Byzantine Constantinople (fourth to sixth century AD) and Nabatean Petra (sixth century BC to AD 106) are particularly striking because each of these is in localities of the world that are once again facing a water crisis. Without water management, such ancient cities would never have emerged, nor would the urban communities and towns from which they developed. Indeed, the ‘domestication’ of water marked a key turning point in the cultural trajectory of each region of the world where state societies developed. This is illustrated by examining the prehistory of water management in the Jordan Valley, identifying the later Neolithic (approx. 8300–6500 years ago) as a key period when significant investment in water management occurred, laying the foundation for the development of the first urban communities of the Early Bronze Age.

Absolute high spectral resolution measurements of surface solar radiation for detection of water vapour continuum absorption

Solar-pointing Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers the capability to measure both the fine scale and broadband spectral structure of atmospheric transmission simultaneously across wide spectral regions. It is therefore suited to the study of both water vapour monomer and continuum absorption behaviours. However, in order to properly address this issue, it is necessary to radiatively calibrate the FTIR instrument response. A solar-pointing high-resolution FTIR spectrometer was deployed as part of the ‘Continuum Absorption by Visible and Infrared radiation and its Atmospheric Relevance’ (CAVIAR) consortium project. This paper describes the radiative calibration process using an ultra-high-temperature blackbody and the consideration of the related influence factors. The result is a radiatively calibrated measurement of the solar irradiation at the ground across the IR region from 2000 to 10 000 cm−1 with an uncertainty of between 3.3 and 5.9 per cent. This measurement is shown to be in good general agreement with a radiative-transfer model. The results from the CAVIAR field measurements are being used in ongoing studies of atmospheric absorbers, in particular the water vapour continuum.

Water vapour foreign-continuum absorption in near-infrared windows from laboratory measurements

For a long time, it has been believed that atmospheric absorption of radiation within wavelength regions of relatively high infrared transmittance (so-called ‘windows’) was dominated by the water vapour self-continuum, that is, spectrally smooth absorption caused by H2O−H2O pair interaction. Absorption due to the foreign continuum (i.e. caused mostly by H2O−N2 bimolecular absorption in the Earth's atmosphere) was considered to be negligible in the windows. We report new retrievals of the water vapour foreign continuum from high-resolution laboratory measurements at temperatures between 350 and 430 K in four near-infrared windows between 1.1 and 5 μm (9000–2000 cm−1). Our results indicate that the foreign continuum in these windows has a very weak temperature dependence and is typically between one and two orders of magnitude stronger than that given in representations of the continuum currently used in many climate and weather prediction models. This indicates that absorption owing to the foreign continuum may be comparable to the self-continuum under atmospheric conditions in the investigated windows. The calculated global-average clear-sky atmospheric absorption of solar radiation is increased by approximately 0.46 W m−2 (or 0.6% of the total clear-sky absorption) by using these new measurements when compared with calculations applying the widely used MTCKD (Mlawer–Tobin–Clough–Kneizys–Davies) foreign-continuum model.

A Hamiltonian weak-wave model for shallow-water flow

A reduced dynamical model is derived which describes the interaction of weak inertia–gravity waves with nonlinear vortical motion in the context of rotating shallow–water flow. The formal scaling assumptions are (i) that there is a separation in timescales between the vortical motion and the inertia–gravity waves, and (ii) that the divergence is weak compared to the vorticity. The model is Hamiltonian, and possesses conservation laws analogous to those in the shallow–water equations. Unlike the shallow–water equations, the energy invariant is quadratic. Nonlinear stability theorems are derived for this system, and its linear eigenvalue properties are investigated in the context of some simple basic flows.

Cost effectiveness of mitigation measures for water security and water quality in the River Thames catchment: impacts of changing climate, land use and water scarcity

The catchment of the River Thames, the principal river system in southern England, provides the main water supply for London but is highly vulnerable to changes in climate, land use and population. The river is eutrophic with significant algal blooms with phosphorus assumed to be the primary chemical indicator of ecosystem health. In the Thames Basin, phosphorus is available from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and from diffuse sources such as agriculture. In order to predict vulnerability to future change, the integrated catchments model for phosphorus (INCA-P) has been applied to the river basin and used to assess the cost-effectiveness of a range of mitigation and adaptation strategies. It is shown that scenarios of future climate and land-use change will exacerbate the water quality problems, but a range of mitigation measures can improve the situation. A cost-effectiveness study has been undertaken to compare the economic benefits of each mitigation measure and to assess the phosphorus reductions achieved. The most effective strategy is to reduce fertilizer use by 20% together with the treatment of effluent to a high standard. Such measures will reduce the instream phosphorus concentrations to close to the EU Water Framework Directive target for the Thames.

Liquid-liquid equilibria for systems composed of refined soybean oil, free fatty acids, ethanol, and water at different temperatures

Soybean oil can be deacidified by liquid-liquid extraction with ethanol. In the present paper, the liquid-liquid equilibria of systems composed of refined soybean oil, commercial linoleic acid, ethanol and water were investigated at 298.2 K. The experimental data set obtained from the present study (at 298.2 K) and the results of Mohsen-Nia et al. [1] (at 303.2 K) and Rodrigues et al. [2] (at 323.2 K) were correlated by applying the non-random two liquid (NRTL) model. The results of the present study indicated that the mutual solubility of the compounds decreased with an increase in the water content of the solvent and a decrease in the temperature of the solution. Among variables, the water content of the solvent had the strongest effect on the solubility of the components. The maximum deviation and average variance between the experimental and calculated compositions were 1.60% and 0.89%, indicating that the model could accurately predict the behavior of the compounds at different temperatures and degrees of hydration. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of chemical treatment on the mechanical properties, water vapour permeability and sorption isotherms of gelatin-based films

Proteins contain hydrophilic groups, which can bind to water molecules through hydrogen bridges, resulting in water vapour adsorption. An increase in the degree of cross-linking can be a method to improve the cohesiveness force and functional properties of protein-based films. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of chemical treatment of gelatin with formaldehyde and glyoxal on the mechanical properties, water vapour permeability (WVP) and water vapour sorption characteristics of gelatin-based films. Films were produced using gelatin, with and without chemical treatment. The formaldehyde treatments caused a significant increase in the tensile strength and a reduction in the WVP of films. The Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer and Halsey models could be used to model the sorption isotherms of films. It was observed that an increase in temperature produced a decrease in water sorption, and the chemical modifications did not affect the monolayer moisture content. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The energy and water balance of a Eucalyptus plantation in southeast Brazil

The eddy covariance method was used to measure energy and water balance of a plantation of Eucalyptus (grandis x urophylla) hybrids over a 2 year period. The average daily evaporation rates were 5.4 (+/- 2.0) mm day(-1) in summer, but fell to 1.2 (+/- 0.3) mm day(-1) in winter. In contrast, the sensible heat flux was relatively low in summer but dominated the energy balance in winter. Evaporation accounted for 80% and 26% of the available energy, in summer and winter respectively. The annual evaporation was 82% (1124 mm) and 96% (1235 mm) of the annual rainfall recorded during the first and second year, respectively. Daily average canopy and aerodynamic conductance to water vapour were in the summer 51.9 (+/- 38.4) mm s(-1) 84.1 (+/- 25.6) mm s(-1), respectively; and in the winter 6.0 (+/- 10.5) mm s(-1) and 111.6 (+/- 24.6) mm s(-1), respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Satellite Rainfall Estimates Over South America - Possible Applicability to the Water Management of Large Watersheds1

This work analyzes high-resolution precipitation data from satellite-derived rainfall estimates over South America, especially over the Amazon Basin. The goal is to examine whether satellite-derived precipitation estimates can be used in hydrology and in the management of larger watersheds of South America. High spatial-temporal resolution precipitation estimates obtained with the CMORPH method serve this purpose while providing an additional hydrometeorological perspective on the convective regime over South America and its predictability. CMORPH rainfall estimates at 8-km spatial resolution for 2003 and 2004 were compared with available rain gauge measurements at daily, monthly, and yearly accumulation time scales. The results show the correlation between satellite-derived and gauge-measured precipitation increases with accumulation period from daily to monthly, especially during the rainy season. Time-longitude diagrams of CMORPH hourly rainfall show the genesis, strength, longevity, and phase speed of convective systems. Hourly rainfall analyses indicate that convection over the Amazon region is often more organized than previously thought, thus inferring that basin scale predictions of rainfall for hydrological and water management purposes have the potential to become more skillful. Flow estimates based on CMORPH and the rain gauge network are compared to long-term observed average flow. The results suggest this satellite-based rainfall estimation technique has considerable utility. Other statistics for monthly accumulations also suggest CMORPH can be an important source of rainfall information at smaller spatial scales where in situ observations are lacking.

Comparison between cold water immersion therapy (CWIT) and light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) in short-term skeletal muscle recovery after high-intensity exercise in athletes-preliminary results

In the last years, phototherapy has becoming a promising tool to improve skeletal muscle recovery after exercise, however, it was not compared with other modalities commonly used with this aim. In the present study we compared the short-term effects of cold water immersion therapy (CWIT) and light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) with placebo LEDT on biochemical markers related to skeletal muscle recovery after high-intensity exercise. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial was performed with six male young futsal athletes. They were treated with CWIT (5A degrees C of temperature [SD +/- 1A degrees]), active LEDT (69 LEDs with wavelengths 660/850 nm, 10/30 mW of output power, 30 s of irradiation time per point, and 41.7 J of total energy irradiated per point, total of ten points irradiated) or an identical placebo LEDT 5 min after each of three Wingate cycle tests. Pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-treatment measurements were taken of blood lactate levels, creatine kinase (CK) activity, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. There were no significant differences in the work performed during the three Wingate tests (p > 0.05). All biochemical parameters increased from baseline values (p < 0.05) after the three exercise tests, but only active LEDT decreased blood lactate levels (p = 0.0065) and CK activity (p = 0.0044) significantly after treatment. There were no significant differences in CRP values after treatments. We concluded that treating the leg muscles with LEDT 5 min after the Wingate cycle test seemed to inhibit the expected post-exercise increase in blood lactate levels and CK activity. This suggests that LEDT has better potential than 5 min of CWIT for improving short-term post-exercise recovery.

Phase behavior of the orange essential oil/sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate/water system

The ternary phase diagram for the orange essential oil (OEO)/sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/water system was constructed at 25 degrees C. It indicates a large single phase region, comprising an isotropic water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion (ME) phase (L(2)), a liquid crystal (LC) (lamellar or hexagonal) and a large unstable emulsion phase that separates in two phases of normal and reverse micelles (L(1) and L(2)). In this communication the properties of the ME are investigated by viscosity, electric conductivity and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) indicating that the isotropic ME phase exhibits different behaviors depending on composition. At low water content low viscous ""dry"" surfactant structures are formed, whereas at higher water content higher viscous water droplets are formed. The experimental data allow the determination of the transition from ""dry"" to the water droplet structures within the L(2) phase. SAXS analyses have also been performed for selected LC samples. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inactivation kinetics of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in green coconut water by microwave processing

The inactivation kinetics of enzymes polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) was studied for the batch (discontinuous) microwave treatment of green coconut water. Inactivation of commercial PPO and POD added to sterile coconut water was also investigated. The complete time-temperature profiles of the experimental runs were used for determination of the kinetic parameters D-value and z-value: PPO (D(92.20 degrees C) = 52 s and z = 17.6 degrees C); POD (D(92.92 degrees C) = 16 s and z = 11.5 degrees C); PPO/sterile coconut water: (D(84.45 degrees C) = 43 s and z = 39.5 degrees C) and POD/sterile coconut water: (D(86.54 degrees C) = 20 s and z = 19.3 degrees C). All data were well fitted by a first order kinetic model. The enzymes naturally present in coconut water showed a higher resistance when compared to those added to the sterilized medium or other simulated solutions reported in the literature. The thermal inactivation of PPO and POD during microwave processing of green coconut water was significantly faster in comparison with conventional processes reported in the literature. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

La(2-x)Ce(x)Cu(1-y)Zn(y)O(4) perovskites for high temperature water-gas shift reaction

The performance of La(2-x)Ce(x)Cu(1-y)Zn(y)O(4) perovskites as catalysts for the high temperature water-gas shift reaction (H T-W G S R) was investigated. The catalysts were characterized by EDS, XRD, BET surface area, TPR, and XANES. The results showed that all the perovskites exhibited the La(2)CuO(4) orthorhombic structure, so the Pechini method is suitable for the preparation of pure perovskite. However, the La(1.90)Ce(0.10)CuO(4) perovskite alone, when calcined at 350/700 degrees C, also showed a (La(0.935)Ce(0.065))(2)CuO(4) perovskite with tetragonal structure, which produced a surface area higher than the other perovskites. The perovskites that exhibited the best catalytic performance were those calcined at 350/700 degrees C and, among these, La(1.90)Ce(0.10)CuO(4) was outstanding, probably because of the high surface area associated with the presence of the (La(0.935)Ce(0.065))(2)CuO(4) perovskite with tetragonal structure and orthorhombic La(2)CuO(4) phase.

Effects of the partial replacement of La by M (M=Ce, Ca and Sr) in La(2-x)M(x)CuO(4) perovskites on catalysis of the water-gas shift reaction

The performance of La(2-x)M(x)CuO(4) perovskites (where M = Ce, Ca or Sr) as catalysts for the water-gas shift reaction was investigated at 290 degrees C and 360 degrees C. The catalysts were characterized by EDS, XRD, N(2) adsorption-desorption, XPS and XANES. The XRD results showed that all the perovskites exhibited a single phase (the presence of perovskite structure), suggesting the incorporation of metals in the perovskite structure. The XPS and XANES results showed the presence of Cu(2+) on the surface. The perovskites that exhibited the best catalytic performance were La(2-x)Ce(x)CuO(4) perovslcites, with CO conversions of 85%-90%. Moreover, these perovskites have higher surface areas and larger amounts of Cu on the surface. And Ce has a higher filled energy level than the other metals, increasing the energy of the valence band of Ce and providing more electrons for the reaction. Besides, the La(1.80)Ca(0.20)CuO(4) perovskite showed a good catalytic performance.