O efeito do tratamento da atapulgita no desenvolvimento de compósito com o polietileno reciclado

The study aimed at the treatment of attapulgite for the development and characterization of composite recycled low density polyethylene - PEBD_rec embedded with natural attapulgite - ATP_NAT, sifted - ATP_PN and attapulgite treated with sulfuric acid - ATP_TR in different compositions (1, 3 and 5%) and compared with the PEBD_rec. The atapulgitas, natural, screened and treated, were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and determining the area specific surface (BET). The composites were characterized by thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Xray diffraction (XRD), torque rheometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and traction. The composite PEBD_rec / ATP (natural, sieved and treated) were produced by mixing in the molten state in a single screw extruder matrix wire with subsequent reprocessing matrix tape. It was found that the screening of attapulgite not reduce the quantity of quartz and the acid treatment completely extracted dolomite aggregate impurities of the channels attapulgite, and increase their surface area. The addition of attapulgite in PEBD_rec acts as a catalyst, reducing the thermal stability of the polymer. The increased concentration of attapulgite, increases resistance and reduces the elongation at break and modulus of elasticity of the composite PEBD_rec / attapulgite

Characterization of Post-Consumer PET after Removal of the Original Surface: Influence of Raw Material

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Computational analysis and physico-chemical characterization of an inclusion compound between praziquantel and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin for use as an alternative in the treatment of schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is still an endemic disease in many regions, with 250 million people infected with Schistosoma and about 500,000 deaths per year. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis treatment, however it is classified as Class II in the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, as its low solubility hinders its performance in biological systems. The use of cyclodextrins is a useful tool to increase the solubility and bioavailability of drugs. The aim of this work was to prepare an inclusion compound of PZQ and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MeCD), perform its physico-chemical characterization, and explore its in vitro cytotoxicity. SEM showed a change of the morphological characteristics of PZQ:MeCD crystals, and IR data supported this finding, with changes after interaction with MeCD including effects on the C-H of the aromatic ring, observed at 758 cm(-1). Differential scanning calorimetry measurements revealed that complexation occurred in a 1:1 molar ratio, as evidenced by the lack of a PZQ transition temperature after inclusion into the MeCD cavity. In solution, the PZQ UV spectrum profile in the presence of MeCD was comparable to the PZQ spectrum in a hydrophobic solvent. Phase solubility diagrams showed that there was a 5.5-fold increase in PZQ solubility, and were indicative of a type A(L) isotherm, that was used to determine an association constant (K(a)) of 140.8 M(-1). No cytotoxicity of the PZQ:MeCD inclusion compound was observed in tests using 3T3 cells. The results suggest that the association of PZQ with MeCD could be a good alternative for the treatment of schistosomiasis.

Crystallization, preliminary X-ray analysis and molecular-replacement solution of haemoglobin-II from the fish matrinxa (Brycon cephalus)

Haemoglobins constitute a set of proteins with interesting structural and functional properties, especially when the two large animal groups reptiles and fishes are focused on. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of haemoglobin-II from the South American fish matrinxa (Brycon cephalus) is reported. X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 3.0 Angstrom resolution using synchrotron radiation (LNLS). Crystals were determined to belong to space group P2(1) and preliminary structural analysis revealed the presence of two tetramers in the asymmetric unit. The structure was determined using the standard molecular-replacement technique.

Simultaneous activity of male and female gonads in intersex hermit crabs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation on the quality of bovine spermatozoa evaluated with computer-assisted semen analysis and fluorescent probes association

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of bovine frozen-thawed sperm cells after Percoll gradient centrifugation. Frozen semen doses were obtained from six bulls of different breeds, including three taurine and three Zebu animals. Four ejaculates per bull were evaluated before and after discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation. Sperm motility was assessed by computer-assisted semen analysis and the integrity of the plasma and acrosomal membranes, as well as mitochondrial function, were evaluated using a combination of fluorescent probes propidium iodide, fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin and 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanine iodide. The procedure of Percoll gradient centrifugation increased the percentage of total and progressive sperm motility, beat frequency, rectilinear motility, linearity and rapidly moving cells. In addition, the percentage of cells with intact plasma membrane and mitochondrial membrane potential was increased in post-centrifugation samples. However, the percentage of sperm cells with intact acrosomal membrane was markedly reduced. The method used selected the motile cells with intact plasma membrane and higher mitochondrial functionality in frozen-thawed bull semen, but processing, centrifugation and/or the Percoll medium caused damage to the acrosomal membrane.

APPLICATION of THE HAZARD ANALYSIS and CRITICAL CONTROL POINT (HACCP) SYSTEM on THE MUSHROOM PROCESSING LINE FOR FRESH CONSUMPTION

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a preventive system that intends to guarantee the safety and harmlessness of food. It improves the quality of products as it eliminates possible defects during the process, and saves costs by practically eliminating final product inspection. This work describes the typical hazards encountered on the mushroom processing line for fresh consumption. Throughout the process, only the reception stage of mushrooms has been considered a critical control point (CCP). The main hazards at this stage were: the presence of unauthorised phytosanitary products; larger doses of such products than those permitted; the presence of pathogenic bacteria or thermo-stable enterotoxins. Putting into practice such knowledge would provide any industry that processes mushrooms for fresh consumption with a self-control HACCP-based system for its own productions.

Physiochemical analysis and centesimal composition of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom grown in residues from the Amazon

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a composição nutricional dos cogumelos produzidos em substratos alternativos à base de resíduos agrícolas e agroindustriais da Amazônia. Determinou-se C, N, pH, umidade, sólidos solúveis, proteína, lipídios, fibra total, cinzas, carboidratos e energia. Os substratos foram formulados a partir de serragem de Simarouba amara Aubl. (marupá), Ochroma piramidale Cav. ex. Lam. (pau de balsa) e do estipe de Bactris gasipaes Kunth (pupunheira) e de Saccharum officinarum (cana-de-açúcar). Os resultados demonstraram que: a composição nutricional do P. ostreatus variou com o substrato de cultivo e; O P. ostreatus pode ser considerado um importante alimento devido suas características nutricionais: altos teores de proteínas, carboidratos metabolizáveis e fibras; baixos teores de lipídios e de calorias.

Bio-óleo e biogás da degradação termoquímica de lodo de esgoto doméstico em cilindro rotativo

The objective of this study was to produce biofuels (bio-oil and gas) from the thermal treatment of sewage sludge in rotating cylinder, aiming industrial applications. The biomass was characterized by immediate and instrumental analysis (elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy - SEM, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and ICP-OES). A kinetic study on non-stationary regime was done to calculate the activation energy by Thermal Gravimetric Analysis evaluating thermochemical and thermocatalytic process of sludge, the latter being in the presence of USY zeolite. As expected, the activation energy evaluated by the mathematical model "Model-free kinetics" applying techniques isoconversionais was lowest for the catalytic tests (57.9 to 108.9 kJ/mol in the range of biomass conversion of 40 to 80%). The pyrolytic plant at a laboratory scale reactor consists of a rotating cylinder whose length is 100 cm with capable of processing up to 1 kg biomass/h. In the process of pyrolysis thermochemical were studied following parameters: temperature of reaction (500 to 600 ° C), flow rate of carrier gas (50 to 200 mL/min), frequency of rotation of centrifugation for condensation of bio-oil (20 to 30 Hz) and flow of biomass (4 and 22 g/min). Products obtained during the process (pyrolytic liquid, coal and gas) were characterized by classical and instrumental analytical techniques. The maximum yield of liquid pyrolytic was approximately 10.5% obtained in the conditions of temperature of 500 °C, centrifugation speed of 20 Hz, an inert gas flow of 200 mL/min and feeding of biomass 22 g/min. The highest yield obtained for the gas phase was 23.3% for the temperature of 600 °C, flow rate of 200 mL/min inert, frequency of rotation of the column of vapor condensation 30 Hz and flow of biomass of 22 g/min. The non-oxygenated aliphatic hydrocarbons were found in greater proportion in the bio-oil (55%) followed by aliphatic oxygenated (27%). The bio-oil had the following characteristics: pH 6.81, density between 1.05 and 1.09 g/mL, viscosity between 2.5 and 3.1 cSt and highest heating value between 16.91 and 17.85 MJ/ kg. The main components in the gas phase were: H2, CO, CO2 and CH4. Hydrogen was the main constituent of the gas mixture, with a yield of about 46.2% for a temperature of 600 ° C. Among the hydrocarbons formed, methane was found in higher yield (16.6%) for the temperature 520 oC. The solid phase obtained showed a high ash content (70%) due to the abundant presence of metals in coal, in particular iron, which was also present in bio-oil with a rate of 0.068% in the test performed at a temperature of 500 oC.

Estudo da influência de tratamentos químicos da fibra de sisal nas propriedades de compósitos com borracha nitrílica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Self-assembling of phenothiazine compounds investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) have been carried out to investigate the structure of the self-aggregates of two phenothiazine drugs, chlorpromazine (CPZ) and trifluoperazine (TFP), in aqueous solution. In the SAXS studies, drug solutions of 20 and 60 mM, at pH 4.0 and 7.0, were investigated and the best data fittings were achieved assuming several different particle form factors with a homogeneous electron density distribution in respect to the water environment. Because of the limitation of scattering intensity in the q range above 0.15 angstrom(-1), precise determination of the aggregate shape was not possible and all of the tested models for ellipsoids, cylinders, or parallelepipeds fitted the experimental data equally well. The SAXS data allows inferring, however, that CPZ molecules might self-assemble in a basis set of an orthorhombic cell, remaining as nanocrystallites in solution. Such nanocrystals are composed of a small number of unit cells (up to 10, in c-direction), with CPZ aggregation numbers of 60-80. EPR spectra of 5- and 16-doxyl stearic acids bound to the aggregates were analyzed through simulation, and the dynamic and magnetic parameters were obtained. The phenothiazine concentration in EPR experiments was in the range of 5-60 mM. Critical aggregation concentration of TFP is lower than that for CPZ, consistent with a higher hydrophobicity of TFP. At acidic pH 4.0 a significant residual motion of the nitroxide relative to the aggregate is observed, and the EPR spectra and corresponding parameters are similar to those reported for aqueous surfactant micelles. However, at pH 6.5 a significant motional restriction is observed, and the nitroxide rotational correlation times correlate very well with those estimated for the whole aggregated particle from SAXS data. This implies that the aggregate is densely packed at this pH and that the nitroxide is tightly bound to it producing a strongly immobilized EPR spectrum. Besides that, at pH 6.5 the differences in motional restriction observed between 5- and 16-DSA are small, which is different from that observed for aqueous surfactant micelles.

Rare earth centers properties and electron trapping in SnO2 thin films produced by sol-gel route

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)