The Concentration of Ethyl Carbamate in Commercial Ume (Prunus mume) Liqueur Products and a Method of Reducing It

The ethyl carbamate concentration of commercial ume liqueur products was studied, and a method of reducing it was examined from the viewpoint of antioxidation. The average ethyl carbamate concentration across 38 ume liqueur products was 0.12 mg/l (0.02–0.33 mg/l). When potassium metabisulfite was added to a concentration of 0–1,000 ppm during production, the generation of ethyl carbamate was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner, but when the amount of potassium metabisulfite added was below the maximum level allowed under the Japanese Food Sanitation Act, the reduction was only 27%. When ume liqueurs were produced under deoxygenated conditions created using an oxygen absorber, the ethyl carbamate concentration was reduced by up to 47% as compared with the control group, probably due mainly to a reduction in free hydrogen cyanide. When ume liqueur was produced in an oxygen atmosphere, the ethyl carbamate concentration increased by up to 50% as compared with the control group. Thus, oxygen may be involved in the generation of ethyl carbamate in ume liqueur production.     

Lignin is linked to ethyl-carbamate formation in ume (Prunus mume) liqueur

Ethyl carbamate concentrations in oak barrel-aged ume (Prunus mume) liqueurs were measured, and possible explanations for elevated levels were examined. The average concentration was 0.30 mg/L, significantly higher than in ume liqueurs not aged in oak (0.08 mg/L). Oak powder extracts were prepared from both untoasted and toasted oak powder by extraction with aqueous ethanol, and these were used to make ume liqueurs. Relative to a no-oak control, the ethyl carbamate concentrations were 3.8 and 11 times higher in the ume liqueur made with the untoasted and toasted oak powder extracts respectively. The extracts were loaded onto a C18 column, washed with water, and eluted with methanol. The (13)C-NMR spectra for the main constituents of the methanol elution fractions were consistent with those for lignin or fragments thereof. The methanol fractions were added to ume liqueur which was stored for 3 months. Relative to a control, the ethyl carbamate concentrations in the 3-month old liqueurs were found to be 1.2 and 4.6 higher for the untoasted oak-powder and the toasted oak-powder respectively. Ethyl carbamate was formed when lignin was added to a 40% aqueous ethanol solution that contained potassium cyanide. These observations suggest that lignin or fragments thereof promote the formation of ethyl carbamate.     

Comparative study of the effect of ferrocyanide and EDTA on the production of ethyl alcohol from molasses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The effects of potassium ferrocyanide and EDTA on ethyl alcohol production from molasses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated on simulated batch pilotplant-scale conditions for alcoholic fermentation of molasses. Ethyl alcohol production was more sensitive to ferrocyanide than to EDTA. When ferrocyanide was introduced into the cultures at the time of inoculation, there was stimulation of ethyl alcohol production, with 261 ppm ferrocyanide producing the maximum effect, which was 3.0% more than in control cultures. When added during the propagation of the yeast, ferrocyanide depressed ethyl alcohol production by 4.0% maximum whereas EDTA stimulated ethyl alcohol production by 2.0%. Addition of ferrocyanide during the fermentation stage produced no significant effect on alcohol production, whereas over a wide range of EDTA concentration there was a steady increase in alcohol yield.     

Behavior of hydrogen peroxide in electrolyzed anode water

Oxygen electrodes and spectrophotometric analysis have been used to evaluate the contribution of H2O2, in addition to available chlorine, to the high redox potential of electrolyzed anode water (EAW) with potassium chloride as an electrolyte. H2O2 was added externally to EAW, and the reaction between H2O2 and the available chlorine in the water was examined. EAW has a low pH (2.5), a high concentration of dissolved oxygen, and extremely high redox potentials (19 mg/l and 1,319 mV) when the available chlorine is at the concentration of about 580 microM. The addition of H2O2 to EAW led to H2O2 decomposition, and the amount of oxygen produced was equivalent to the amount of available chlorine. Oxygen production was reduced by ascorbic acid, and completely inhibited by 600 microM ascorbate. The rate of oxygen production was much affected by pH, and was slowest at or near pH 5.0. Rates were particularly high in alkaline solution. Absorbance at 235 nm (pH 3.0 and 5.0) and 292 nm (pH 10.0) decreased when H2O2 was added to the EAW at these pHs, and the extent of decrease was similar pH dependency to that of the oxygen production rate. Oxygen was not produced after H2O2 was added to EAW at pH 2.6 when available chlorine was absent, but oxygen was produced after potassium hypochlorite was added to such EAW. The oxygen production rates in EAW without available chlorine at pH 5.0 and 2.0, pH adjustment with KOH and HCl, respectively, were faster than the rate at pH 2.6, and fastest at pH 2.0. These results suggest that H2O2 or hydroxyl radicals derived from Fenton's reaction did not contribute to the high redox potential of EAW prepared with chlorine compounds as an electrolyte, so that the decomposition of H2O2 occurred rapidly with the reactions of chlorine and hypochlorite ions in EAW.     

Chemopreventive effect of N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin on carcinogenesis by ethyl carbamate in mice

Because of abnormalities of metabolism of homocysteine thiolactone and methionine in malignant cells, and because of the chemopreventive activity of N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamide against chemical carcinogenesis by ethyl carbamate in mice, the cobalamin derivative of this retinamide was prepared and tested for chemopreventive activity. The substance, N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin, was found to have a different UV-visible absorption spectrum from that of 5'-deoxyadenosyl cobalamin or N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamide. Spectral analysis suggests a ratio of 2 mol of retinamide/mol of cobalamin within the molecule. To demonstrate chemopreventive activity, ethyl carbamate was given in a dose of 2 mg/animal to A/J mice (15-18 g) weekly over a period of 10 weeks to induce pulmonary tumors. A total dose of N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin of 60 mg/kg, given for a total of 16 weeks, decreased by one fourth (P less than 0.05) the number of pulmonary tumors induced by ethyl carbamate. An equimolar dose of 5'-deoxyadenosyl cobalamin (40 mg/kg) increased the number of tumors by one third (P less than 0.001), and an equimolar dose of N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamide (20 mg/kg) had no effect on the number of pulmonary tumors. No mortality was observed in the experiment. When the ethyl carbamate was given in a single dose of 20 mg/animal, all three substances produced significant mortality in doses of 0.75-30 mg/kg. In the survivors of this experiment, doses of 0.75-30 mg/kg of N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin decreased the number of pulmonary tumors induced by ethyl carbamate to 52-82% of controls (P less than 0.01). The results show that N-homocysteine thiolactonyl retinamido cobalamin has chemopreventive activity against chemical carcinogenesis by ethyl carbamate in mice.     

Decomposition of ethylene,a flower-senescence hormone,with electrolyzed anode water

Electrolyzed anode water (EAW) markedly extended the vase life of cut carnation flowers. Therefore, a flower-senescence hormone involving ethylene decomposition by EAW with potassium chloride as an electrolyte was investigated. Ethylene was added externally to EAW, and the reaction between ethylen and the available chlorine in EAW was examined. EAW had a low pH value (2.5), a high concentration of dissolved oxygen, and extremely high redox potential (19.2 mg/l and 1323 mV, respectively) when available chlorine was at a concentration of about 620 microns. The addition of ethylene to EAW led to ethylene decomposition, and an equimolar amount of ethylene chlorohydrine with available chlorine was produced. The ethylene chlorohydrine production was greatly affected by the pH value (pH 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 were tested), and was faster in an acidic solution. Ethylene chlorohydrine was not produced after ethylene had been added to EAW at pH 2.6 when available chlorine was absent, but was produced after potassium hypochlorite had been added to such EAW. The effect of the pH value of EAW on the vase life of cut carnations was compatible with the decomposition rate of ethylene in EAW of the same pH value. These results suggest that the effect of EAW on the vase life of cut carnations was due to the decomposition of ethylene to ethylene chlorohydrine by chlorine from chlorine compounds.     

Reducing sludge production and the domination of Comamonadaceae by reducing the oxygen supply in the wastewater treatment procedure of a food-processing factory

Sludge production was reduced remarkably by reducing the dissolved oxygen supply to less than 1 mg/l in the conventional wastewater treatment procedure of a food-processing factory that produced 180 m(3) of wastewater of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of about 1,000 mg/l daily. DNA was extracted from the sludge and subjected to PCR amplification. The PCR product was cloned into a plasmid and sequenced. Estimation of the resident bacterial distribution by 16S rDNA sequences before and after improvement of the system suggested a remarkable gradual change in the major bacterial population from Anaerolinaeceae (15.6%) to Comamonadaceae (52.3%), members of denitrifying bacteria of Proteobacteria. Although we did not directly confirm the ability of denitrification of the resulting sludge, a change in the major final electron acceptors from oxygen to nitrate might explain the reduction in sludge production in a conventional activated sludge process when the oxygen supply was limitted.     

兔胰mRNA的制备与有胰岛素免疫活性多肽的体外翻译

本文报道从兔胰组织中提取出总RNA后,经oligo(dT)纤维素柱层析纯化,得到兔胰mRNA。研究了此mRNA在麦胚无细胞体系中的翻译。不同的pH和不同浓度的乙酸钾对兔胰mRNA的翻译活性有不同程度的影响。当麦胚体系中镁离子低到1.5mM时,精脒的浓度对兔胰mRNA的翻译也有重要的作用。 利用放射免疫的方法,在麦胚无细胞体系所翻译的混合产物中,测出了胰岛素的免疫活性,大约每50微升中含有2.5微单位。     

Operational parameters affecting the performannce of a mediator-less microbial fuel cell

A mediator-less microbial fuel cell was optimized in terms of various operating conditions. Current generation was dependent on several factors such as pH, resistance, electrolyte used, and dissolved oxygen concentration in the cathode compartment. The highest current was generated at pH 7. Under the operating conditions, the resistance was the rate-determining factor at over 500 omega. With resistance lower than 500 omega, proton transfer and dissolved oxygen (DO) supply limited the cathode reaction. A high strength buffer reduced the proton limitation to some extent. The DO concentration was around 6 mg l(-1) at the DO limited condition. The fact that oxygen limitation was observed at high DO concentration is believed to be due to the poor oxygen reducing activity of the electrode used, graphite. The current showed linear relationship with the fuel added at low concentration, and the electronic charge was well correlated with substrate concentration from up to 400 mg l(-1) of COD(cr). The microbial fuel cell might be used as a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor.     

Production of Acetic Acid and Other Volatile Compounds by Leuconostoc citrovorum and Leuconostoc dextranicum

Single-strain milk cultures of Leuconostoc dextranicum are capable of reducing added acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and butanone to the corresponding alcohols at 30 C. L. dextranicum and L. citrovorum reduced propionaldehyde to n-propanol quantitatively in 30 hr, and the reduction of this compound paralleled culture growth. Under unagitated conditions, these organisms produced large amounts of acetic acid and ethyl alcohol. The yield of acetic acid increased when cultures were agitated during growth. This increase in acetic acid production was accompanied by a 20- to 70-fold decrease in ethyl alcohol. The addition of acetaldehyde to the fermentation caused a reduction in the final concentration of acetic acid.     

Electricity generation from bio-treatment of sewage sludge with microbial fuel cell

A two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) with potassium ferricyanide as its electron acceptor was utilized to degrade excess sewage sludge and to generate electricity. Stable electrical power was produced continuously during operation for 250 h. Total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) of sludge was reduced by 46.4% when an initial TCOD was 10,850 mg/l. The MFC power output did not significantly depend on process parameters such as substrate concentration, cathode catholyte concentration, and anodic pH. However, the MFC produced power was in close correlation with the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) of sludge. Furthermore, ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge accelerated organic matter dissolution and, hence, TCOD removal rate in the MFC was increased, but power output was insignificantly enhanced. This study demonstrates that this MFC can generate electricity from sewage sludge over a wide range of process parameters.     

Behavior of microbial communities developed in the presence/reduced level of soluble microbial products

Soluble microbial products (SMP) are organics produced by microorganisms as they degrade substrates. The available literature does not reveal how SMP affect and regulate microbial activities. In this study, we monitored variations in pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, soluble biological and chemical oxygen demands (sBOD₅ and sCOD) as a measure of microbial activity in synthetic wastewater. Aerobic degradation tests were carried out under the following conditions: aeration, 1,500 cm³ /min; initial sBOD₅, 515±5 mg/l; initial sCOD, 859±6 mg/l; initial biomass concentration (defined as mixed liquor suspended solids), 1,200±25 mg/l; sludge retention time, 24 h; and temperature, 20±1°C. The study involved non-acclimated biomass (R0 flora), biomass developed in the presence of SMP (R1 flora), and biomass developed in reduced level of SMP (R2 flora). We also determined which of these flora produced more refractory SMP. The results showed that R2 flora utilized the synthetic feed more quickly, and produced less refractory organic matter than R0 and R1 flora. The production of more refractory organics by R0 and R1 flora shows that not all the biomass was active. R1 flora degraded the substrates irregularly, suggesting that some microbes were dependent on the metabolic products of those that could utilize the feed components. These results show that production of SMP also depends on the prior substrates and on the ability of the flora to respond to changes in substrate composition.     

Coproporphyrin production by Rhodobacter sphaeroides under aerobic in the dark and dissolved-oxygen-controlled conditions

Porphyrin production under aerobic in the dark condition was carried out using the photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides IFO12203 and its mutant, CR 386 which can produce 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) under aerobic in the dark conditions. IFO12203 produced about 1.0 mg/l of porphyrin even if 2.0 mg of ALA/l was added to the glucose–glutamate–yeast extract (GGY2) medium. However, CR 386 produced 15.0 mg/l of porphyrin after 55 h culture with the addition of 2.0 g of ALA/l and sufficient oxygen supply (dissolved oxygen, DO > 7.0 mg/l). The porphyrin produced by CR 386 consisted only of coproporphyrin III. Under conditions of strict DO control (DO = 2.0 ± 0.2 mg/l), the maximum porphyrin production attained 56.3 mg/l. Low DO (1.0 ± 0.2 mg/l) and high DO control (3.0 ± 0.2 mg/l) did not enhance porphyrin production. It is suggested that oxygen supply seems to control the step(s) of porphyrin biosynthesis of CR 386 in the stages after ALA synthase in the Shemin pathway.     

解淀粉芽孢杆菌诱变育种及其突变株在降低酱油中氨基甲酸乙酯的应用

【目的】通过诱变育种提高解淀粉芽孢杆菌JY06利用精氨酸的能力,并将其用于降低酱油中的氨基甲酸乙酯及前体,从而提高酿造酱油的安全性。【方法】采用等离子诱变和紫外诱变两种诱变育种方法对解淀粉芽孢杆菌JY06进行突变,应用高通量筛选手段获得具有高精氨酸利用能力的突变株,验证突变株降低酱油中氨基甲酸乙酯的能力。【结果】获得了12株精氨酸利用能力提高的突变株,与出发菌株JY06相比,突变株C12和E6可使酱油中瓜氨酸含量分别降低了15.6%和14.7%,EC的含量分别降低了19.3%和13.1%。【结论】通过等离子诱变和紫外诱变进一步提高了解淀粉芽孢杆菌JY06降低酱油中EC及其前体瓜氨酸的能力,具有控制或减少酱油中生物危害物的应用潜力。     

An improved method for determination of ethyl carbamate in Korean traditional rice wine

An improved extraction method for ethyl carbamate, a genotoxic and carcinogenic compound found in various fermented foods and beverages, was investigated for its determination in the two most typical Korean traditional rice wines, takju and yakju. When the rice wines were extracted twice with chloroform at 30°C for 60 min, the recovery of ethyl carbamate was less than 16%. When they were saturated with NaCl before extraction, the recovery of ethyl carbamate increased to 24.4% in takju and 67.2% in yakju. Adjustment of pH to 9.0 after NaCl saturation in takju resulted in a dramatic increase of recovery to 81.2%, but not in yakju. When the contents of ethyl carbamate and its precursor, urea, in various Korean traditional rice wines were determined, there was no correlation between the two contents. This is due to the fact that storage time is more important than urea content in the formation of ethyl carbamate in rice wine. In addition, its storage at high temperature resulted in a dramatic increase in ethyl carbamate content according to the prolonged storage time, suggesting that storage time and temperature play a key role in the formation of ethyl carbamate in Korean traditional rice wine. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2001) 26, 363–368. Received 10 January 2001/ Accepted in revised form 17 March 2001     

Effects of ammonia nitrogen of H2 and CH4 production during anaerobic digestion of dairy cattle manure

A number of researchers have verified the inhibitory effects of elevated H2 concentrations on various anaerobic fermentation processes. The objective of this work was to investigate the potential for using hydrogen gas production to predict upsets in anaerobic digesters operating on dairy cattle manure. In an ammonia nitrogen overload experiment, urea was added to the experimental digesters to obtain increased ammonia concentrations (600, 1,500, or 3,000 mg N/l). An increase in urea concentration resulted in an initial cessation of H2 production followed by an increase in H2 formation. Additions of 600, 1,500, or 3,000 mg N/l initially resulted in the reduction of biogas H2 concentrations. After 24 h, the H2 concentration increased in the 600 and 1,500 mg N/l digesters, but production remained inhibited in the 3,000 mg N/l digesters. Both methane and total biogas production decreased following urea addition. Volatile solids reduction also decreased during these periods. The digester effluent pH and alkalinity increased due to the increased NH4 formed with added urea. Based on these results, changes in H2 concentration could be a useful parameter for monitoring changes due to increased NH3 in dairy cattle manure anaerobic digesters.     

A comparison of the enantioselective reduction potential of five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae towards a selected ketone

The enantioselectivity potential of five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied for the reduction of ethyl N-{2-{4-[(2-oxocyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl} carbamate (1), an insect juvenile hormone bioanalog. The products of the reaction, the cis and trans isomers of ethyl N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl} carbamate (2 and 3), were obtained in 45–49% (w/w) chemical yields and with 79 to > 99% enantiomeric purity values. The absolute configurations of the major products were assigned as ethyl (1S,2S)-N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl} carbamate (2) and ethyl (1S,2R)-N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl} carbamate (3). The products 2 and 3 belong to the series of the chiral insect juvenile hormone analogs.     

Microbial conversion of distillery waste to bioenergy: Effects of media enrichment with low chain fatty acids and Candida sp.

During microbial methanogensis of diluted distillery waste or spent wash (initial COD 25,000 mg/l) in the presence of sodium acetate, sodium propionate, or sodium butyrate at the concentration of 2000 mg/l, biogas containing 22.0% to 39.4% methane was produced in 20 days in a semicontinuous fermentation system. The analysis of the volatile fatty acid spectrum of the effluent showed accumulation of 46.3% branched chain fatty acids. When the fermentation medium was supplemented with modified Smith and Mah (SM) medium containing electrolytes and 1% sodium acetate, production of methane went up to 59.0% in 18 days. With the addition of a strain of Candida sp. the coculture produced about the same volume of methane (61%) but the time required was reduced (14 days). COD (16600.8 mg/l) was reduced and the effluent contained only 3% branched chain fatty acids adn 96% straight chain fatty acids. Fortification with the sodium salts of three branched-chain fatty acids as sources of carbon in SM medium (alone) reduced methane production. Only 0.0% to 14.2% methane was recorded. By combining these acids with straight chain fatty acids in SM medium, methane production increased significantly (about 4-fold) in proportion to the concentration of straight chain fatty acids added.     

Stereoselective reduction of 2-substituted cyclohexanones by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A comparative study of two modifications of enzymic reduction of ethyl N-{2-{4-[(2-oxo-cyclohexyl)methyl]phe- noxy}ethyl} carbamate (1), an insect juvenile hormone bioanalog, was performed using Saccharomyces cerevisiae in two bioreactors of different size, 250-ml shake-flask and 1-l fermenter. The two major products of this reduction were obtained in 45–49% (w/w) yields but with > 99% enantiomeric purity. Their absolute configurations were assigned as ethyl (1S,2S)-N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl}carbamate (2a) and ethyl (1R,2S)-N-{2-{4-[(2-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl]phenoxy}ethyl}carbamate (3a).     

Biochemical oxygen demands of potential cellulose ethanol waste streams

Summary The effects of potential waste streams resulting from ethanol production by the simultaneous saccharification fermentation (SSF) of cellulose were determined by measuring the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). A worst-case analysis of BOD from ethanol-containing SSF beer showed an initial value of 1670 mg/l BOD, which is 29% of the expected initial BOD. When ethanol was reduced to 0.1–0.2% w/v, BOD levels were 605 mg/l in the mash and 250 mg/l in the beer. Both values were well below the projected discharge levels.