Industrial Applications of Enzymes From Extremophiles

Extremophilic microorganisms have developed a variety of molecular tactics to exist in extreme environments. Researchers are fascinated by extremophiles and unearth various enzymes from these fascinating microbes. Extremozymes are astonishing biocatalysts with distinctive properties of catalysis and stability under a multitude of daunting conditions of salt, pH, organic solvents, and temperature, which open up new possibilities for biocatalysis and biotransformation and outcompetes mesophilic counterparts. Biotechnological implications include simple, immobilized, as well as whole-cell applications. Stability in organic solvents adds to the asymmetric catalysis and thereby exemplifies the applicability of extremozymes and in fostering biobased economies. Marine, cold-adapted enzymes, and those that help in the removal of a toxic hazardous substance from the environment are obvious choices for food industries and bioremediation. The major area of application and research emphasis includes textile, detergents, food, dairy, agriculture, and environmental remediation.

Study on the Flame Retardancy and Hazard Evaluation of Poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride) Fibers by the Addition of Antimony-Based Flame Retardants

Antimony oxide (ATO) is used mainly as a flame retardant, but it is classified as a hazardous substance. Therefore, regulations on the use of antimony trioxide (ATO(3)) and antimony pentoxide (ATO(5)) in textile products are being developed. Accordingly, there is a need for alternative flame retardants. In this study, antimony tetroxide (ATO(4)), which has higher thermal stability and resistance to acids and alkalis than ATO(3) or ATO(5), was selected to assess its use as an alternative flame retardant. First, ATO(3) or ATO(4) were added to poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride) (PANVDC), and the film and wet-spun fiber were prepared. The PANVDC film with flame retardants was prepared to evaluate the flame retardancy and the mechanism of action of the flame retardants. Flame retardancy analysis showed that a limiting oxygen index of 31.2% was obtained when ATO(4) was added, which was higher than when ATO(3) was used. Subsequently, PANVDC fibers with antimony oxide were manufactured and showed improved mechanical and thermal properties when ATO(4) was used, compared to when ATO(3) was tested. In addition, migration analysis due to antimony in the fiber confirmed that the elution amount was below the acceptable standard when PANVDC fibers with ATO(4) were added. Therefore, based on these results, the flame-retardant and thermal properties of antimony tetroxide were superior to antimony trioxide, and it was confirmed that ATO(4) could be used as an alternative flame retardant to ATO(3).

HAZARD LABELS. LABEL DESIGN, APPLICATION AND USAGE RULES

One of the distinctive features of today is the presence in our life of substances, by-products that pose a hazard to human health, a threat to the environment, but without which the production process of other goods is impossible and we cannot imagine our existence, that is, electrical energy generation by the use of nuclear fuel, mineral fertilizers, various kinds of substances in the chemical industry from conditionally hazardous to very hazardous. All of these substances need to be transported from production site to the place of use. Therefore, the question arises, i.e., if these dangerous substances are necessary for production of other very necessary and useful goods, how to protect those people who can suffer during their manufacture, transportation and use. It turns out that the answer is almost on the surface. Generating of hazardous substance primarily raises the need to develop measures for protection against their impact, or at least minimize it. This paper analyses the issues of prevention and minimization of the dangerous substances effect on the people, environment while transporting by analyzing classes, sub-classes, categories of dangerous substances categories. The classification of dangerous substances, labels designs, guidance on their application and use are given. Rules and obligations of dangerous cargoes transportation entities are specified. Key words: hazardous substances, classification of hazardous substances, hazard warning signs, methods and means of application, marking rules.

Are You There, Law? It's Me, Semen

Joining a conversation about menstruation and the law, this Essay interprets “law” to mean regulation––a source of burden, constraint, and interference justified by reason. The object of my regulatory agenda is a substance perceived by Western thinkers at least since Aristotle as the superior counterpart to menstrual fluid.1 Traditions that celebrate semen as vital or affirmative, while recoiling from and controlling the other gendered emission that hurts no one, get reality backward. Law as burden, constraint, and interference ought to regulate semen and leave menstrual fluid alone. Contrast the two substances. One of them started out with the potentially useful function of building a uterine lining. That possibility concluded, menstrual fluid is benign. The other effluvium started out with the potentially useful function of launching a pregnancy. Pregnancy is a good thing when it is desired by the person who has to live with the bulk of pregnancy’s detriments. Along with its capacity to do an important job, semen causes quite the array of harms. A statute on point for this purpose, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, regulates material that “may cause substantial personal injury or substantial illness during or as a proximate result of any customary or reasonably foreseeable handling or use.”2 Because semen “has the capacity to produce personal injury or illness to man through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through any body surface,” it also aligns with the definition of “toxic” in the statute.3 Judges, policymakers, litigants, and ordinary people can all learn from well-established legal labels to understand semen as a stark example of an externality. Nothing in this statute impedes the characterization I propose: The FHSA lists substances that lie outside its purview,4 and semen is not among them. Labeling, containment, and emergency protocols—splash protection, if you like—are the hazardous-substance safety impositions I would apply to semen.

Filtration technology for beer and beer yeast treatment

Solid-liquid filtration processes are crucial for the production of beer. Clarification of the green beer generates a clear and bright product with extended colloidal and microbiological shelf live. Conventionally, clear filtration is based on pre-coat filtration using filter aids, such as diatomaceous earth (Kieselguhr). However, the application of Kieselguhr requires strict adherence to occupational safety and health protection, as it is classified as a hazardous substance by the World Health Organisation and can lead to lung diseases. Furthermore, significant amounts of waste filter aids are generated. An alternative to pre-coat filtration is microfiltration that avoids the generation of hazardous wastes. Microfiltration can also be applied in beer yeast treatment. This article highlights major concepts and restriction of the filtration processes.

Research on Green Habitat Design Based on Field Wireless Sensing Hazardous Substance Detection

Field wireless sensor network is the current global engineering field research hotspot for structural health monitoring wireless sensor network that is one of the important branches to real-time monitoring of the safety status of the upper wood engineering structure to avoid the occurrence of many safety accidents caused by major structural and equipment damage and to guide the maintenance of major structures; the establishment of a wireless sensor network system is one of the current research priorities. This paper researches and designs a wireless sensor network system level scheme for structural health monitoring that is divided into two parts based on the hardware platform design and software development based on the system that focuses on the time synchronization protocol and synchronous acquisition method featuring synchronous acquisition start time scheme, time separation method, and flexible optimization model of time information. The method applies to high-frequency acquisition to guarantee the time of sampling points in structural environmental measurement. The accuracy of the information and the reliability of the field diagnosis, for the detection of harmful substances, as well as leading to the construction of green habitat environment have a qualitative leap, for the design of green habitat environment that has enough progress.

Biological monitoring — as a method of hygienic assessment of the effects of pesticides on workers

Introduction. When conducting registration tests of the active substances of pesticides, it is essential to assess the risk for workers using these pesticide preparations in field experiments, where there is a direct human interaction with a potentially hazardous substance. The use of personal protective equipment and strict adherence to the regulations for the use of pesticide preparations cannot guarantee complete protection against contact with aggressive components. Biomonitoring occupies a special place in studies on the assessment of exposure of workers with pesticides, which makes it possible to assess the actual, rather than potential, absorption of a biologically active substance. Purpose of the work. Study of biomaterial (urine) of employees participating in field experiments when working with drugs based on active substances of the neonicotinoid group to determine their trace amounts by high performance liquid chromatography with a mass detector and risk assessment for those working with these pesticides. Materials and methods. Preparation of urine samples and their subsequent analysis for the content of residual amounts of acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and its metabolite clothianidin were performed in accordance with the certified method “Measurement of the concentration of active substances of pesticides of the neonicotinoid class in urine”. The measurements were carried out using a method based on a tandem high performance liquid chromatography with a triple quadrupole mass detector, which makes it possible to estimate the minimum levels of active substances by two transitions of the parent ions (for quantitative calculation and confirmation by the ionic ratio). Electrostatic sputtering was used as a source of ionization; measurements were carried out in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Results. The detected levels of imidacloprid in the urine of the researchers correspond to the data on the exposure assessment obtained from the results of measuring the concentration of this active substance in the air of the working area, as well as in washes from the skin of workers in agriculture. The maximum content of imidacloprid was revealed during the sowing of the etched seed material. Conclusion. Based on the data obtained, it was concluded that biomonitoring is the preferred method in a production environment due to its simplicity and sufficient information content.

E-Waste Recycling and Resource Recovery: A Review on Technologies, Barriers and Enablers with a Focus on Oceania

Electronic e-waste (e-waste) is a growing problem worldwide. In 2019, total global production reached 53.6 million tons, and is estimated to increase to 74.7 million tons by 2030. This rapid increase is largely fuelled by higher consumption rates of electrical and electronic goods, shorter life cycles and fewer repair options. E-waste is classed as a hazardous substance, and if not collected and recycled properly, can have adverse environmental impacts. The recoverable material in e-waste represents significant economic value, with the total value of e-waste generated in 2019 estimated to be US $57 billion. Despite the inherent value of this waste, only 17.4% of e-waste was recycled globally in 2019, which highlights the need to establish proper recycling processes at a regional level. This review provides an overview of global e-waste production and current technologies for recycling e-waste and recovery of valuable material such as glass, plastic and metals. The paper also discusses the barriers and enablers influencing e-waste recycling with a specific focus on Oceania.