Thermodynamic Study on the Dissociation and Complexation of Coumarinic Acid with Neodymium(III) and Dioxouranium(VI) in Aqueous Media

In the frame of a systematic study on the sequestering ability of natural antioxidants towards metal cations, the complexation of coumarin-3-carboxilic acid (HCCA) with neodymium(III) and dioxouranium(VI) (uranyl, UO22+), and overall stability constants of the resulting complexes, were evaluated from the pH-potentiometric titration data at 37 °C and in an aqueous solution (i.e., 0.16 mol/L NaClO4). The graphic representation of the complex’s concentration curves is given by the distribution diagrams, which provide a depiction of all the species present in the solution in the selected pH ranges. The protonation constant of HCCA was also determined to evaluate the competition of the ligand for the metal cations and H+. The ligand-to-metal concentration ratio was varied between 1 and 10, and the hydrogen ion concentration was decreased stepwise until the incipient precipitation of a basic salt of the metal, which occurred at different values depending on the specific metal cation and the ligand to metal ratio. Speciation profiles obtained by potentiometric titrations and supported by UV-Vis data show that a complexation occurs at a ligand-to-Nd(III) and to –UO22+ ratio of 1:1 and 2:1, with different degrees of deprotonation: Nd(OH)(CCA)+, UO2(OH)(CCA), UO2(OH)2(CCA)−, and Nd(OH)(CCA)2, UO2(CCA)2 and (UO2)2(OH)2(CCA)2.

Influence of aluminum and iron on zinc deposition from highly concentrated solutions.

The paper presents the results of experimental and thermodynamic modeling of the interaction of magnesium oxide with zinc sulfate solutions, including in the presence of iron and aluminum. It has been shown that depending on the conditions, zinc is deposited as anoxide, carbonate, hydroxide, and basic salt. Iron and aluminum have a significant influence on the deposition of zinc.

Isolation and Identification of Resistant Microorganisms from Automotive Paint Sludge

Background: Paint coating systems are widely implemented on different surfaces for both aspects of decoration and protection against corrosion. Due to the presence of organic compounds, the growth of microorganisms is more likely to take place in paints, such as automotive paint. In the process of automotive painting, 20% - 60% of the paint does not expose to the automotive body, which is washed using water and would lead to the painting sludge formation. Paint sludge is considered one of the hazardous wastes from the automotive industry, which is finally landfilled or incinerated. Objectives: Despite the presence of inhibiting compounds in paint sludge, such as heavy metals and biocides, the objective of this study was to isolate and identify microorganisms in the sludge culture. Methods: The microorganisms were isolated using serial dilutions, direct cultivation, and enrichment methods in basic salt cultivation media. Then, their biochemical and molecular specifications were investigated. Results: The number of microorganisms counted in paint sludge was approximately around 1 × 104 CFU/mL, and six isolated colonies were finally obtained. Conclusions: The main isolated microbial consortium from paint sludge included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Micrococcus yunnanensis, Rothia amarae, Gordonia terrae, and Brevibacillus agri. Nearly 83% of the isolated strains were Gram-positive.

Responses of H. vulgare L. Seedlings to Basic Salt and Drought under Freeze-thaw Condition

Background Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is known for characteristics of high altitude, low rainfall and varying temperature, and the crops in this area are susceptible to abiotic stresses such as drought, basic salt and freeze-thaw that caused damages in different perspectives such as the permeability of biological membrane, osmotic adjustment, and antioxidant enzyme system. Hordeum vulgare L. is an indispensable crop in plateau and plays an important role in agricultural ecosystem as well.Result In this experiment, H. vulgare L. was used as experimental material and the physiological characteristics soluble protein (SP) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, antioxidant enzyme activity and relative water content (RWC) of seedlings were examined under freeze-thaw condition combined with drought and alkali stress.Conclusion Research results indicated that under the combined stresses of basic salt and drought, H. vulgare L. seedlings were damaged by lipid peroxidation, weakened superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities, while enhanced osmotic adjustment ability in plants cell. It was suggested that, in agricultural management, the simultaneous occurrence of two stresses, basic salt and drought, should be avoided in the early stage of H. vulgare L. planting to reduce the physiological stress on plants.

Isolation and characterization of the novel oil-degrading strain Kosakonia cowanii IUMR B67 and expression of the degradation enzyme

Oils in food waste can pollute the environment and negatively affect human health. Biodegradation is a promising method for disposing of waste edible oils. In this study, an oil-degrading bacterium was isolated from kitchen waste for efficient degradation of edible oils. Its growth and oil degradation characteristics were investigated in basic salt medium with edible oils as the sole carbon and energy source; the triacylglycerol lipase gene (EC 3.1.1.3) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. A novel oil-degrading bacterium assigned as IUMR B67 was successfully isolated. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed that strain IUMR B67 belongs to Kosakonia cowanii. After 144 h of incubation, the oil degradation rate at 37°C was 95.80%. Optimal conditions for IUMR B67 were recorded at 37°C and 0.1% NaCl with 0.1% ammonium sulfate supplementation. The lipase gene of strain IUMR B67 was determined to be 912 base pairs, and the lipase activity of the expressed protein was 3.02 U/mL, which was significantly higher than the control (P < 0.05). Overall, Kosakonia cowanii IUMR B67 is a novel edible oil-degrading strain that can hydrolyze oil via its lipase activity, which may be useful in the disposal of oils and oily food waste.

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO EVALUATING BEER AND NON-ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS SHELF LIFE

The article discusses the relevance of developing methodological approaches to the beer and soft drinks accelerated aging method in the market. The controlled indicators selection principles, mainly affecting the quality of the finished product, and the basic equation describing the dependence of changes in indicators on the main temperature factor are given. Studies of the influence of various physical factors (temperatures in the range of 50–60 °C, UV-radiation), both individually and jointly, on the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of packaged water for various experimental versions did not show statistically significant changes in the normalized parameters of the basic salt and microelement composition investigated water during storage. The optimal mode of accelerated «aging» of packaged water at an elevated temperature (up to 60 °C) and UV-radiation was established. In the case of soft drinks, thermostating was used when changing the temperature regimes (heat 50 ± 2 °C / cold 6 ± 2 °C) at an exposure time of 30 days, which made it possible to observe a decrease in taste and aroma compared with the control, as well as a decrease in sweetness and the appearance of a slight plastic taste for non-carbonated drink. The influence a temperature regime change on brewing products, which cannot be estimated using the existing method due to the high turbidity, is shown.