A novel vortex flow reactor for the purification of B-phycoerythrin from Porphyridium cruentum

The purification of B-phycoerythrin from a concentrated extract of disrupted Porphyridium cruentum cells was carried out using a new vortex flow reactor design for protein purification. The reactor behaved as an expanded bed in the laminar vortices flow regime where the Streamline DEAE resin was expanded by the axial flow and stabilized by the vortex flow. After the broth culture was centrifuged and resuspended in the adsorption buffer, the concentrated extract of disrupted cells was directly loaded into the vortex flow reactor. The purification of B-phycoerythrin was carried out in two steps: adsorption in the expanded bed and elution from the settled bed. 142.0 mg of B-phycoerythrin was eluted representing a total recovery yield of 86.6%. Prior to B-phycoerythrin purification, the protein adsorption of the vortex flow reactor was characterized through hydrodynamic studies and a dynamic capacity measurement using a standard protein.

Reactor micromolar fotoquímico

: Reactor micromolar fotoquímico. La aplicación consiste en un sistema que permite irradiar de forma controlada un pequeño volumen de cualquier tipo de sistema químico reactivo (homogéneo o heterogéneo) tanto con lámparas artificiales como con luz solar, disponiendo de espejos calibrados concentradores de la irradiación. El dispositivo dispone de un sistema totalmente automatizado que recoge a través de sensores adecuados diversos parámetros importantes para el control de la reacción en estudio: el tiempo de reacción, la irradiación incidente en función del tiempo y la temperatura. Además permite programar la temperatura en función del tiempo, y la irradiación proveniente de lámparas. Debido a la posibilidad de usar contenedores cerrados adaptables a diversas técnicas analíticas (RMN, UV, IR, Gases- Masas), el equipo permite estudiar reacciones fotoquímicas en tiempo real o muy corto, sin perturbar el medio de reacción y controlando automáticamente todos los parámetros externos que influyen en la reacción.

Reactor de flujo de vórtices para la adsorción y purificación de biomoléculas

La invención consiste en la construcción de un reactor de flujo de vórtices para ser utilizado en la cromatografía de adsorción de biomoléculas en lecho expandido y elución de las mismas, partiendo de un alimento, caldo de cultivo o extracto biológico sin clarificar.

Growth and Characterization of III-V Semiconductor Materials for MOCVD Reactor Qualification and Process Control

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is examined as a technique for growing compound semiconductor structures. Material analysis techniques for characterizing the quality and properties of compound semiconductor material are explained and data from recent commissioning work on a newly installed reactor at the University of Illinois is presented.

Energy requirements for the continuous biohydrogen production from Spirogyra biomass in a sequential batch reactor

The current energy market requires urgent revision for the introduction of renewable, less-polluting and inexpensive energy sources. Biohydrogen (bioH2) is considered to be one of the most appropriate options for this model shift, being easily produced through the anaerobic fermentation of carbohydrate-containing biomass. Ideally, the feedstock should be low-cost, widely available and convertible into a product of interest. Microalgae are considered to possess the referred properties, being also highly valued for their capability to assimilate CO2 [1]. The microalga Spirogyra sp. is able to accumulate high concentrations of intracellular starch, a preferential carbon source for some bioH2 producing bacteria such as Clostridium butyricum [2]. In the present work, Spirogyra biomass was submitted to acid hydrolysis to degrade polymeric components and increase the biomass fermentability. Initial tests of bioH2 production in 120 mL reactors with C. butyricum yielded a maximum volumetric productivity of 141 mL H2/L.h and a H2 production yield of 3.78 mol H2/mol consumed sugars. Subsequently, a sequential batch reactor (SBR) was used for the continuous H2 production from Spirogyra hydrolysate. After 3 consecutive batches, the fermentation achieved a maximum volumetric productivity of 324 mL H2/L.h, higher than most results obtained in similar production systems [3] and a potential H2 production yield of 10.4 L H2/L hydrolysate per day. The H2 yield achieved in the SBR was 2.59 mol H2/mol, a value that is comparable to those attained with several thermophilic microorganisms [3], [4]. In the present work, a detailed energy consumption of the microalgae value-chain is presented and compared with previous results from the literature. The specific energy requirements were determined and the functional unit considered was gH2 and MJH2. It was possible to identify the process stages responsible for the highest energy consumption during bioH2 production from Spirogyra biomass for further optimisation.

Fukushima-derived radionuclides in sediments of the Japanese Pacific Ocean coast and various Japanese water samples (seawater, tap water, and coolant water of Fukushima Daiichi reactor unit 5)

We investigated Ocean sediments and seawater from inside the Fukushima exclusion zone and found radiocesium (134Cs and 137Cs) up to 800 Bq kg-1 as well as 90Sr up to 5.6 Bq kg-1. This is one of the first reports on radiostrontium in sea sediments from the Fukushima exclusion zone. Seawater exhibited contamination levels up to 5.3 Bq kg-1 radiocesium. Tap water from Tokyo from weeks after the accident exhibited detectable but harmless activities of radiocesium (well below the regulatory limit). Analysis of the Unit 5 reactor coolant (finding only 3H and even low 129I) leads to the conclusion that the purification techniques for reactor coolant employed at Fukushima Daiichi are very effective.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Anthracene in Closed System Reactor

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a large class of persistent organic pollutants in an environment of special concern because they have carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. In this paper, we focus on and discuss the effect of different parameters, for instance, initial concentration of Anthracene, temperature, and light intensity, on the degradation rate. These parameters were adjusted at pH 6.8 in the presence of the semiconductor materials (TiO2) as photocatalysts overUVlight. The main product of Anthracene photodegradation is 9,10-Anthraquinone which isidentified and compared with the standard compound by GC-MS. Our results indicate that the optimum conditions for the best rate of degradation are 25 ppm concentration of Anthracene, regulating the reaction vessel at 308.15 K and 2.5 mW/cm(2) of light intensity at 17 5mg/100 mL of titanium dioxide (P25).