Arthrospira platensis biomass with high protein content cultivated in continuous process using urea as nitrogen source

Aims: Arthrospira platensis has been studied for single-cell protein production because of its biomass composition and its ability of growing in alternative media. This work evaluated the effects of different dilution rates (D) and urea concentrations (N0) on A.similar to platensis continuous culture, in terms of growth, kinetic parameters, biomass composition and nitrogen removal. Methods and results: Arthrospira platensis was continuously cultivated in a glass-made vertical column photobioreactor agitated with Rushton turbines. There were used different dilution rates (0.040.44 day-1) and urea concentrations (0.5 and 5 mmol l-1). With N0 = 5 mmol l-1, the maximum steady-state biomass concentration was1415 mg l-1, achieved with D = 0.04 day-1, but the highest protein content (71.9%) was obtained by applying D = 0.12 day-1, attaining a protein productivity of 106.41 mg l-1 day-1. Nitrogen removal reached 99% on steady-state conditions. Conclusions: The best results were achieved by applying N0 = 5 mmol l-1; however, urea led to inhibitory conditions at D = 0.16 day-1, inducing the system wash-out. The agitation afforded satisfactory mixture and did not harm the trichomes structure. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results can enhance the basis for the continuous removal of nitrogenous wastewater pollutants using cyanobacteria, with an easily assembled photobioreactor.

Spectroscopic and Catalytic Characterization of a Functional (FeFeII)-Fe-III Biomimetic for the Active Site of Uteroferrin and Protein Cleavage

A mixed-valence complex, [Fe(III)Fe(II)L1(mu-OAc)(2)]BF4 center dot H2O, where the ligand H(2)L1 = 2-{[[3-[((bis-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)methyl)-2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzyl](pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]methyl]phenol}, has been studied with a range of techniques, and, where possible, its properties have been compared to those of the corresponding enzyme system purple acid phosphatase. The (FeFeII)-Fe-III and Fe-2(III) oxidized species were studied spectroelectrochemically. The temperature-dependent population of the S = 3/2 spin states of the heterovalent system, observed using magnetic circular dichroism, confirmed that the dinuclear center is weakly antiferromagnetically coupled (H = -2JS(1).S-2, where J = -5.6 cm(-1)) in a frozen solution. The ligand-to-metal charge-transfer transitions are correlated with density functional theory calculations. The (FeFeII)-Fe-III complex is electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-silent, except at very low temperatures (<2 K), because of the broadening caused by the exchange coupling and zero-field-splitting parameters being of comparable magnitude and rapid spin-lattice relaxation. However, a phosphate-bound Fe-2(III) complex showed an EPR spectrum due to population of the S-tot = 3 state (J= -3.5 cm(-1)). The phosphatase activity of the (FeFeII)-Fe-III complex in hydrolysis of bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)phosphate (k(cat.) = 1.88 x 10(-3) s(-1); K-m = 4.63 x 10(-3) mol L-1) is similar to that of other bimetallic heterovalent complexes with the same ligand. Analysis of the kinetic data supports a mechanism where the initiating nucleophile in the phosphatase reaction is a hydroxide, terminally bound to Fe-III. It is interesting to note that aqueous solutions of [Fe(III)Fe(II)L1(mu-OAc)(2)](+) are also capable of protein cleavage, at mild temperature and pH conditions, thus further expanding the scope of this complex's catalytic promiscuity.

The SUCEST-FUN regulatory network database: Designing an energy grass

Modern sugarcane cultivars are complex hybrids resulting from crosses among several Saccharum species. Traditional breeding methods have been employed extensively in different countries over the past decades to develop varieties with increased sucrose yield and resistance to pests and diseases. Conventional variety improvement, however, may be limited by the narrow pool of suitable genes. Thus, molecular genetics is seen as a promising tool to assist in the process of developing improved varieties. The SUCEST-FUN Project (http://sucest-fun.org) aims to associate function with sugarcane genes using a variety of tools, in particular those that enable the study of the sugarcane transcriptome. An extensive analysis has been conducted to characterise, phenotypically, sugarcane genotypes with regard to their sucrose content, biomass and drought responses. Through the analysis of different cultivars, genes associated with sucrose content, yield, lignin and drought have been identified. Currently, tools are being developed to determine signalling and regulatory networks in grasses, and to sequence the sugarcane genome, as well as to identify sugarcane promoters. This is being implemented through the SUCEST-FUN (http://sucest-fun.org) and GRASSIUS databases (http://grassius.org), the cloning of sugarcane promoters, the identification of cis-regulatory elements (CRE) using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and the generation of a comprehensive Signal Transduction and Transcription gene catalogue (SUCAST Catalogue).

Determination of the activation energies of beef tallow and crude glycerin combustion using thermogravimetry

The present study deals with the determination of the activation energy for the thermal decomposition of two renewable fuels crude glycerin and beef tallow. The activation energies were investigated by using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) in the temperature range of 25-600 degrees C in atmosphere of synthetic air. The TG curves of the thermal decomposition process of both samples were divided into several phases and the second, called PH2, was chosen for the kinetic study because it is associated with the combustion ignition. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) showed an endothermic event at the PH2 region for the crude glycerin corresponding to devolatilization, while for beef tallow, this step presented an exothermic event, called LTO (low-temperature oxidation), which is correlated with devolatilization followed by combustion. For the entire PH2, activation energy values for crude glycerin were between 90 kJ mol(-1) and 42 kJ mol(-1), while for the beef tallow they ranged from 50 kJ mol(-1) to 113 kJ mol (1). The activation energy values obtained at the pre-ignition stage - conversion between 0 and 0.45 - showed that the crude glycerin with higher values requires an additional energetic support at the start of combustion processes and the beef tallow ignites more easily, presenting lower values. According to the Wolfer's equation, a direct relation between the activation energy and the ignition delay is established and the results of this study provides useful data for the development and design of new combustion chambers and engines when non-traditional fuels are used as feedstock. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tillering dynamics in pastures of guinea grass subjected to grazing severities under intermittent stocking

This experiment was carried out to analyze the tillering dynamics of the species Panicum maximum cv. Mombaca subjected to three post-grazing heights: residue of 30 cm (30); residue of 50 cm (50); and residue of 50 cm during spring and summer, lowered to 40 cm in the first fall season grazing and to 30 cm in the following grazing cycle, resuming to 50 cm after the first grazing of the following spring season (50-30). Grazings were initiated whenever the swards intercepted 95% of the incident light. The post-grazing heights were allocated in the experimental units in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The density of basal tillers did not vary between the residual heights evaluated. Swards managed with variable residual height (50-30) presented higher rates of appearance and mortality of basal tillers during the summer of 2007, indicating high tiller renovation. Regardless of the post-grazing height evaluated, lower rates of appearance of basal tillers were found in the spring of 2006. The stability index of guinea grass cv. Mombaca was close to 1.0 throughout the experimental period. Swards managed with variable post-grazing present structural changes able to improve the regrowth vigor, which may be important to maximize the use of the forage species in the production system.

Electrodeposition of catalytic and magnetic gold nanoparticles on dendrimer-carbon nanotube layer-by-layer films

Magnetic and catalytic gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited through potential pulse on dendrimer-carbon nanotube layer-by-layer (LbL) films. A plasmon absorption band at about 550 nm revealed the presence of nanoscale gold in the film. The location of the Au nanoparticles in the film was clearly observed by selecting the magnetic force microscopy mode. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the electrochemical synthesis of magnetic Au nanoparticles. In addition to the magnetic properties, the Au nanoparticles also exhibited high catalytic activity towards ethanol and glycerol oxidation in alkaline medium.

Morphogenesis in guinea grass pastures under rotational grazing strategies

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the morphogenetic and structural characteristics of guinea grass cv. Mombasa under three post-grazing heights (intense - 30 cm, lenient - 50 cm and variable - 50 in spring-summer and 30 cm in autumn-winter) when sward light interception reached 95% during regrowth. Post-grazing heights were allocated to experimental units (0.25 ha) in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Post-grazing heights affected only leaf elongation rate and the number of live leaves. Pastures managed with variable post-grazing height showed higher leaf elongation rate in the summer of 2007. This management strategy also resulted in a higher number of live leaves. During the spring of 2006, plants showed lower leaf elongation rate, leaf appearance rate and number of live leaves, and greater phyllochron and leaf lifespan. In contrast, during the summer of 2007, the leaf appearance rate, leaf elongation rate, number of live leaves, and final leaf length were greater while phyllochron, stem elongation rate, and leaf senescence rate were lower. The management of the guinea grass cv. Mombasa with intense or variable post-grazing height throughout the year seems to represent an interesting management target, in terms of leaf appearance rate and number of live leaves.

Catalyst Recovery and Recycling Facilitated by Magnetic Separation: Iridium and Other Metal Nanoparticles

The immobilization of metal nanoparticles in magnetic responsive solids allows the easy, fast, and clean separation of catalysts; however, the efficiency of this separation process depends on a strong metalsupport interaction. This interaction can be enhanced by functionalizing the support surface with amino groups. Our catalyst support contains an inner core of magnetite that enables the magnetic separation from liquid systems and an external surface of silica suitable for further modification with organosilanes. We report herein that a magnetically recoverable amino-functionalized support captured iridium species from liquid solutions and produced a highly active hydrogenation catalyst with negligible metal leaching. An analogous Ir0 catalyst prepared with use of a nonfunctionalized support shows a higher degree of metal leaching into the liquid products. The catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of alkenes is compared with that of Rh and Pt catalysts.

Stock of biomass and carbon in the montane mixes shade forest, Parana

The aim of this study was to estimate the stock of biomass and organic carbon in a montane mixed shade forest located near General Carneiro, PR. 20 plots of 12 m x 12 m were installed, in which all trees with a CBH (Circumference at Breast Height) >= 31.4 cm were felled. From these the following information was obtained: total height, commercial height (agreed as being the morphological inversion point in the natural forest and the height of the first live branch), CBH, identification and collection of herbarium specimens. For the quantification of biomass in the understory and roots, three subunits 1 m x 1 m in each sampling unit were installed (12 m x 12 m) arranged in the lower left corner, center and diagonal upper right corner. To quantify accumulated litter at random, eight samples in each sampling unit were collected (12 m x 12 m), using a metal device measuring 0.25 m x 0.25 m. The montane mixed shade forest has more than 85% of its total biomass and total organic carbon stored in above ground plant structures. The total stock of organic carbon found in this study (104.7 Mg ha(-1)) demonstrates the importance of maintaining and preserving natural ecosystems as a way of maintaining this stock of organic carbon fixed in plant biomass.

Synthesis of supported metal nanoparticle catalysts using ligand assisted methods

The synthesis and characterization methods of metal nanoparticles (NPs) have advanced greatly in the last few decades, allowing an increasing understanding of structure-property-performance relationships. However, the role played by the ligands used as stabilizers for metal NPs synthesis or for NPs immobilization on solid supports has been underestimated. Here, we highlight some recent progress in the preparation of supported metal NPs with the assistance of ligands in solution or grafted on solid supports, a modified deposition-reduction method, with special attention to the effects on NPs size, metal-support interactions and, more importantly, catalytic activities. After presenting the general strategies in metal NP synthesis assisted by ligands grafted on solid supports, we highlight some recent progress in the deposition of pre-formed colloidal NPs on functionalized solids. Another important aspect that will be reviewed is related to the separation and recovery of NPs. Finally, we will outline our personal understanding and perspectives on the use of supported metal NPs prepared through ligand-assisted methods.

Rehabilitation with forage grasses of an area degraded by urban solid waste deposits

Dry matter yield and chemical composition of forage grasses harvested from an area degraded by urban solid waste deposits were evaluated. A split-plot scheme in a randomized block design with four replicates was used, with five grasses in the plots and three harvests in the subplots. The mineral content and extraction and heavy metal concentration were evaluated in the second cut, using a randomized block design with five grasses and four replicates. The grasses were Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and cv. Xaraés, and Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia, cut at 42 days of regrowth. The dry matter yield per cut reached 1,480 kg ha-1; the minimum crude protein content was 9.5% and the average neutral detergent fiber content was 62.3%. The dry matter yield of grasses was satisfactory, and may be an alternative for rehabilitating areas degraded by solid waste deposits. The concentration of heavy metals in the plants was below toxicity levels; the chemical composition was appropriate, except for phosphorus. The rehabilitated areas may therefore be used for grazing.

Morphogenetic and structural characteristics of guinea grass tillers at different ages under intermittent stocking

The objective of this research was to assess morphogenetic and structural characteristics of tillers of guinea grass cv. Tanzania at different ages. The pastures of guinea grass were managed in six pasture conditions related to the combination of three frequencies (90, 95, and 99% light interception) and two post-grazing heights (25 and 50 cm). In these six pastures conditions, three tiller ages were evaluated (young, mature, and old). The design was of completely randomized block with three replications. Young tillers exhibited higher leaf appearance rate and leaf elongation rate and, consequently, higher final leaf length and number of live leaves than mature and old tillers, regardless of the pasture condition. On pastures managed with 90 or 95% light interception associated with a post-grazing height of 25 cm, old tillers presented longer leaf lifespan than young and mature ones. There is a progressive reduction in the vigor of growth of pastures of guinea grass cv. Tanzania with advancing tiller age.

Intracellular biosynthesis and removal of copper nanoparticles by dead biomass of yeast isolated from the wastewater of a mine in the brazilian Amazonia

In this study was developed a natural process using a biological system for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) and possible removal of copper from wastewater by dead biomass of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Dead and live biomass of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was used to analyze the equilibrium and kinetics of copper biosorption by the yeast in function of the initial metal concentration, contact time, pH, temperature, agitation and inoculum volume. Dead biomass exhibited the highest biosorption capacity of copper, 26.2 mg g(-1), which was achieved within 60 min of contact, at pH 5.0, temperature of 30°C, and agitation speed of 150 rpm. The equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm and Kinetic analysis indicated a pseudo-second-order model. The average size, morphology and location of NPs biosynthesized by the yeast were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The shape of the intracellularly synthesized NPs was mainly spherical, with an average size of 10.5 nm. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the copper NPs confirmed the formation of metallic copper. The dead biomass of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa may be considered an efficiently bioprocess, being fast and low-cost to production of copper nanoparticles and also a probably nano-adsorbent of this metal ion in wastewater in bioremediation process

Structural and vibrational study of 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone: a potential metal-protein attenuating compound (MPAC) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

A comprehensive structural and vibrational study of the potential metal-protein attenuating compound 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone is reported. X-ray diffraction data, as well as FT-IR and Raman frequencies, were compared with the respective theoretical values obtained from DFT calculations. Theory agrees well with experiment. In this context, an attempt of total assignment concerning the FT-IR and Raman spectra of the title compound was performed, shedding new light on previous partial assignments published elsewhere.

Bioremediation of PAHs - Limitations and soultions

Introduction 1.1 Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the environment Worldwide industrial and agricultural developments have released a large number of natural and synthetic hazardous compounds into the environment due to careless waste disposal, illegal waste dumping and accidental spills. As a result, there are numerous sites in the world that require cleanup of soils and groundwater. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the major groups of these contaminants (Da Silva et al., 2003). PAHs constitute a diverse class of organic compounds consisting of two or more aromatic rings with various structural configurations (Prabhu and Phale, 2003). Being a derivative of benzene, PAHs are thermodynamically stable. In addition, these chemicals tend to adhere to particle surfaces, such as soils, because of their low water solubility and strong hydrophobicity, and this results in greater persistence under natural conditions. This persistence coupled with their potential carcinogenicity makes PAHs problematic environmental contaminants (Cerniglia, 1992; Sutherland, 1992). PAHs are widely found in high concentrations at many industrial sites, particularly those associated with petroleum, gas production and wood preserving industries (Wilson and Jones, 1993). 1.2 Remediation technologies Conventional techniques used for the remediation of soil polluted with organic contaminants include excavation of the contaminated soil and disposal to a landfill or capping - containment - of the contaminated areas of a site. These methods have some drawbacks. The first method simply moves the contamination elsewhere and may create significant risks in the excavation, handling and transport of hazardous material. Additionally, it is very difficult and increasingly expensive to find new landfill sites for the final disposal of the material. The cap and containment method is only an interim solution since the contamination remains on site, requiring monitoring and maintenance of the isolation barriers long into the future, with all the associated costs and potential liability. A better approach than these traditional methods is to completely destroy the pollutants, if possible, or transform them into harmless substances. Some technologies that have been used are high-temperature incineration and various types of chemical decomposition (for example, base-catalyzed dechlorination, UV oxidation). However, these methods have significant disadvantages, principally their technological complexity, high cost , and the lack of public acceptance. Bioremediation, on the contrast, is a promising option for the complete removal and destruction of contaminants. 1.3 Bioremediation of PAH contaminated soil & groundwater Bioremediation is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade or detoxify hazardous wastes into harmless substances such as carbon dioxide, water and cell biomass Most PAHs are biodegradable unter natural conditions (Da Silva et al., 2003; Meysami and Baheri, 2003) and bioremediation for cleanup of PAH wastes has been extensively studied at both laboratory and commercial levels- It has been implemented at a number of contaminated sites, including the cleanup of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1989, the Mega Borg spill off the Texas coast in 1990 and the Burgan Oil Field, Kuwait in 1994 (Purwaningsih, 2002). Different strategies for PAH bioremediation, such as in situ , ex situ or on site bioremediation were developed in recent years. In situ bioremediation is a technique that is applied to soil and groundwater at the site without removing the contaminated soil or groundwater, based on the provision of optimum conditions for microbiological contaminant breakdown.. Ex situ bioremediation of PAHs, on the other hand, is a technique applied to soil and groundwater which has been removed from the site via excavation (soil) or pumping (water). Hazardous contaminants are converted in controlled bioreactors into harmless compounds in an efficient manner. 1.4 Bioavailability of PAH in the subsurface Frequently, PAH contamination in the environment is occurs as contaminants that are sorbed onto soilparticles rather than in phase (NAPL, non aqueous phase liquids). It is known that the biodegradation rate of most PAHs sorbed onto soil is far lower than rates measured in solution cultures of microorganisms with pure solid pollutants (Alexander and Scow, 1989; Hamaker, 1972). It is generally believed that only that fraction of PAHs dissolved in the solution can be metabolized by microorganisms in soil. The amount of contaminant that can be readily taken up and degraded by microorganisms is defined as bioavailability (Bosma et al., 1997; Maier, 2000). Two phenomena have been suggested to cause the low bioavailability of PAHs in soil (Danielsson, 2000). The first one is strong adsorption of the contaminants to the soil constituents which then leads to very slow release rates of contaminants to the aqueous phase. Sorption is often well correlated with soil organic matter content (Means, 1980) and significantly reduces biodegradation (Manilal and Alexander, 1991). The second phenomenon is slow mass transfer of pollutants, such as pore diffusion in the soil aggregates or diffusion in the organic matter in the soil. The complex set of these physical, chemical and biological processes is schematically illustrated in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, biodegradation processes are taking place in the soil solution while diffusion processes occur in the narrow pores in and between soil aggregates (Danielsson, 2000). Seemingly contradictory studies can be found in the literature that indicate the rate and final extent of metabolism may be either lower or higher for sorbed PAHs by soil than those for pure PAHs (Van Loosdrecht et al., 1990). These contrasting results demonstrate that the bioavailability of organic contaminants sorbed onto soil is far from being well understood. Besides bioavailability, there are several other factors influencing the rate and extent of biodegradation of PAHs in soil including microbial population characteristics, physical and chemical properties of PAHs and environmental factors (temperature, moisture, pH, degree of contamination). Figure 1: Schematic diagram showing possible rate-limiting processes during bioremediation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in a contaminated soil-water system (not to scale) (Danielsson, 2000). 1.5 Increasing the bioavailability of PAH in soil Attempts to improve the biodegradation of PAHs in soil by increasing their bioavailability include the use of surfactants , solvents or solubility enhancers.. However, introduction of synthetic surfactant may result in the addition of one more pollutant. (Wang and Brusseau, 1993).A study conducted by Mulder et al. showed that the introduction of hydropropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HPCD), a well-known PAH solubility enhancer, significantly increased the solubilization of PAHs although it did not improve the biodegradation rate of PAHs (Mulder et al., 1998), indicating that further research is required in order to develop a feasible and efficient remediation method. Enhancing the extent of PAHs mass transfer from the soil phase to the liquid might prove an efficient and environmentally low-risk alternative way of addressing the problem of slow PAH biodegradation in soil.