Ethanol production from rice straw using optimized aqueous-ammonia soaking pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation processes

Rice straw was pretreated using aqueous-ammonia solution at moderate temperatures to enable production of the maximum amount of fermentable sugars from enzymatic hydrolysis. The effects of various operating variables including pretreatment temperature, pretreatment time, the concentration of ammonia and the solid-to-liquid ratio on the degree of lignin removal and the enzymatic digestibility were optimized using response surface methodology. The optimal reaction conditions, which resulted in an enzymatic digestibility of 71.1%, were found to be 69 °C, 10 h and an ammonia concentration of 21% (w/w). The effects of different commercial cellulases and the additional effect of a non-cellulolytic enzyme, xylanase, were also evaluated. Additionally, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was conducted with rice straw to assess the ethanol production yield and productivity.     

Mud-puddling in the yellow-spined bamboo locust, Ceracris kiangsu (Oedipodidae: Orthoptera): Does it detect and prefer salts or nitrogenous compounds from human urine?

C. kiangsu adults were observed visiting human urine, especially on hot summer days. The main chemicals in fresh human urine include inorganic salts and CO(NH₂)_2. When human urine was incubated, NH₄HCO₃ became the richest nitrogenous compound. The phagostimulants, repellents and attractants in urine were identified here. On the filter papers treated with fresh or incubated urine samples, the 5th instar nymphs and the adults started and continued gnawing around the edges, in contrast to the 3rd and the 4th instar nymphs. The consumed areas were dramatically greater on the filters treated with the urine samples incubated for 3-6 days. The feedings of both male and female adults were also stimulated by several urine-borne components such as NaCl, NaH₂PO₄, Na₂SO₄, KCl, NH₄Cl and NH₄HCO₃ but not by CO(NH₂)₂. Among them NaCl was the most powerful phagostimulant. The repelling, or attractive/arresting effects of CO(NH₂)₂ and NH₄HCO₃ were also evaluated by a two-choice test. When exposed to water- and CO(NH₂)₂ solution-immersed filters simultaneously, the adults prefer to stay on water-immersed filter. In contrast, when provided water- and NH₄HCO₃ solution-treated filters, the adults prefer to stay on NH₄HCO₃ solution-treated filter. This demonstrated that CO(NH₂)₂ acted as a repellent and NH₄HCO₃ as an attractant/arrestant. In the bamboo forest, similar feeding behavior was also elicited by NaCl, NH₄HCO₃ but not by CO(NH₂)₂. Comparing to NaCl solution, a mixed solution of NaCl and CO(NH₂)₂ (1:1) significantly decreased the consumed area of the treated filters whereas a mixed solution of NaCl and NH₄HCO₃ (1:1) dramatically increased the consumed area. These results demonstrated that the phagostimulatory effect by NaCl was reduced by CO(NH₂)₂ in fresh urine and was enhanced by NH₄HCO₃ in incubated urine.     

Brain monoamine oxidase A in hyperammonemia is regulated by NMDA receptors

Mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) generates hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and is up-regulated by Ca²⁺ and presumably by ammonia. We hypothesized that MAO-A may be under the control of NMDA receptors in hyperammonemia. In this work, the in vivo effects of single dosing with ammonia and NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 and the in vitro effect of Ca²⁺ on MAO-A activity in isolated rat brain mitochondria were studied employing enzymatic procedure. Intraperitoneal injection of rats with ammonia led to an increase in MAO-A activity in mitochondria indicating excessive H₂O₂ generation. Calcium added to isolated mitochondria stimulated MAO-A activity by as much as 84%. MK-801 prevented the in vivo effect of ammonia, implying that MAO-A activation in hyperammonemia is mediated by NMDA receptors. These data support the conclusion that brain mitochondrial MAO-A is regulated by the function of NMDA receptors. The enzyme can contribute to the oxidative stress associated with hyperammonemic conditions such as encephalopathy and Alzheimer’s disease. The attenuation of the oxidative stress highlights MAO-A inactivation and NMDA receptor antagonists as sources of novel avenues in the treatment of mental disorders.     

Detection of Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea in Fish Processing Effluent Treatment Plants

Ammonia oxidation is the rate limiting step in nitrification and thus have an important role in removal of ammonia in natural and engineered systems with participation of both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). However, their relative distribution and activity in fish processing effluent treatment plants (FPETPs) though significant, is hitherto unreported. Presence of AOA in sludge samples obtained from FPETPs was studied by amplification and sequencing of thaumarchaeal ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (AOA-amoA) gene. Different primer sets targeting 16S rRNA and AOA-amoA gene were used for the detection of AOA in FPETPs. Phylogenetic analysis of the gene revealed that the AOA was affiliated with thaumarchaeal group 1.1a lineage (marine cluster). Quantitative real time PCR of amoA gene was used to study the copy number of AOA and AOB in FPETPs. The AOA-amoA and AOB-amoA gene copy numbers of sludge samples ranged from 2.2 × 10⁶ to 4.2 × 10⁸ and 1.1 × 10⁷ to 8.5 × 10⁸ mg⁻¹ sludge respectively. Primer sets Arch-amoAF/Arch-amoAR and 340F/1000R were found to be useful for the sensitive detection of AOA-amoA and Archaeal 16S rRNA genes respectively in FPETPs. Their presence suggests the widespread occurrence and possible usefulness in removing ammonia from FPETPs which is in line with reports from other waste water treatment plants.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12088-014-0484-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Comparative phylogeny of the ammonia monooxygenase subunit A and 16S rRNA genes of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria

A fragment of the ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) from 31 strains of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) was sequenced and analysed phylogenetically. The results were compared with the phylogeny of 16S rDNA from AOB. For most groups of AOB we found a high consistency between the phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rDNA and amoA sequences. Although it is not a phylogenetic marker, using the amoA as a probe when studying microbial diversity will probably reduce the amount of non-AOB detected, compared to using rDNA based probes. The data presented in this paper extend and improve the basis for application of amoA in studies of AOB in the environment.     

七个中药复方对小鼠止咳化痰作用的对比实验

目的为了筛选出防治猪呼吸道疾病综合征(PRDC)有效的中药复方制剂,对七个具有止咳化痰作用的中药复方制剂进行了对比实验。方法以小鼠为实验动物,用右美沙芬、氯化铵作阳性药,生理盐水作空白对照,采用浓氨水引咳法和气管段酚红分泌法,对七个中药复方制剂的止咳化痰作用进行了观测。结果方7、方5可显著延长小鼠的咳嗽潜伏期(P0.05),减少5 min内的咳嗽次数(P0.05),除方4组外,其他中药组的气管酚红排泌量显著低于对照组(P0.05),并且方7、方5和氯化铵组小鼠的酚红排泌量显著低于其他处理组(P0.05)。结论七个中药复方组中,方5、方7的止咳化痰作用最显著,可在进一步实验研究后,作为PRDC的治疗药物。     

抑氨菌筛选鉴定、培养条件优化及在鸡粪除臭中的应用

目的筛选能抑制鸡粪中恶臭气体NH3释放的亚硝化、硝化细菌菌株。方法以亚硝化、硝化细菌培养基为筛选培养基筛选菌株,然后将菌株分别以10%(v/m,下同)的接种量接种到鸡粪中,测定其对鸡粪中NH3释放量的影响,从中筛选出可减少NH3释放的菌株。根据菌株的形态特征和16S rDNA序列分析对其进行鉴定。通过自动发酵系统对菌株培养温度、pH、通气量及转速四个因素进行正交优化。结果通过筛选得到两株细菌YF1和YS2,经鉴定分别为假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)和中华根瘤菌属(Sinorhizobium sp.)。菌株YF1最适培养条件为温度28℃,pH 7.0,通气量5 L/min,转速200 r/min;菌株YS2最适培养条件为温度30℃,pH6.5,通气量5 L/min,转速300 r/min。温度、pH、接种量和通气量对YF1、YS2影响均极显著(P0.01)。YF1和YS2单独按10%剂量接种分别使鸡粪中NH3的释放量降低26.0%和28.4%,而两菌1∶1混合接种可使NH3释放量降低75.6%。结论 YF1和YS2是抑制鸡粪中NH3释放的优良菌株。     

生物过滤法处理城市污水处理厂臭气

对某城市污水处理厂沉砂池的臭气进行了生物过滤处理。生物过滤池滤料层高1.5m,滤料体积55m³,臭气处理量为12000m³·h^-1。对除臭效果120d的监测和研究结果表明,进气中H₂S浓度在1.96～4.63mg·m^-3之间,NH₃的浓度为2.21～5.68mg·m^-3。处理后,出气中H₂S的浓度在0.03～0.97mg·m^-3间,去除率均达80%以上,NH₃浓度最高值仅为0.46mg·m^-3,低于1.0mg·m^-3的一级排放标准。生物除臭复合微生物主要包括细菌、酵母和霉菌,其中细菌含量最高,每克干滤料细菌含量达1.8～3.1×10⁸CFU。菌种鉴定结果表明,除臭菌主要有芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)、动胶菌属(Zoogloea)、不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter)、硫杆菌属(Thiobacillus)、酵母属(Saceharomyces)、假丝酵母属(Candida)、曲霉属(Aspergillus)、青霉属(Penicillium)、根霉属(Rhizopus)等种属的微生物。     

稻田氮肥的氨挥发损失与稻季大气氮的湿沉降

通过田间小区与大田试验,对稻季期间氮肥的氨挥发损失和大气氮湿沉降状况进行了收集和监测。结果表明,每次施肥后的1～3日内氨挥发损失达到最大值,氨挥发损失受当地气候条件(如光照、温度、湿度、风速、降雨量)、施肥时期以及田面水的NH4^+-N浓度等因素的影响,大气氮湿沉降与施肥量和降雨量有关,稻季内由湿沉降带入土壤或地表水中的氮为7．51kg·hm^-2。其中,NH4^+-N的比例为39．8％～73.2％,平均为55．5％;稻季中总氨挥发量与湿沉降的NH4^+-N平均浓度和总沉降量的相关系数分别达到0．988和0．996,呈显著相关性。