Biodegradation of exploded cotton stalk by Bacillus sp.

The exploded bast, branch and stem of cotton stalk were degraded by alkalophilic Bacillus NT-19, with weight losses of 24%, 20% and 14%, respectively, after 14 d. Compared with a white-rot fungus (Phanerochaete chrysosporium), Bacillus NT-19 preferentially degraded the non-cellulose components of cotton stem. The relative degree of crystallinity of bast fibers decreased by 8% and the middle lamella was partially removed from the fiber bundle by the Bacillus.     

Reduction of perchlorate by an anaerobic enrichment culture

Summary A mixed bacterial culture capable of reducing perchlorate stoichiometrically to chloride under naerobic conditions was enriched from municipal digester sludge. The reduction of 10 mM perchlorate resulted in oxidation of the medium and cessation of perchlorate reduction. The activity was recovered on addition of a reducing agent. Addition of air to the culture during perchlorate reduction immediately terminated the process and aeration for 12 h permanently destroyed the ability of the culture to reduce perchlorate. The culture also reduced nitrite, nitrate, chlorite, chlorate and sulfate. The presence of 10 mM nitrite or chlorite completely inhibited perchlorate reduction, whereas the same concentration of chlorate decreased the reduction rate. Nitrate or sulfate did not affect perchlorate reduction. Chlorate and chlorite, suspected intermediates in the reduction of perchlorate to chloride, were not detected in any cultures during reduction of perchlorate.     

Enzymes responsible for chlorate reduction by Pseudomonas sp. are different from those used for perchlorate reduction by Azospira sp

Pseudomonas sp. PDA is an unusual bacterium due to its ability to respire using chlorate under aerobic conditions. The chlorate reductase produced by PDA was shown to be intrinsically different from the enzyme responsible for chlorate and perchlorate [(per)chlorate] reduction produced by Azospira sp. KJ based on subunit composition and other enzyme properties. The perchlorate reductase from strain KJ appeared to have two subunits (100 and 40 kDa) while the chlorate reductase from PDA had three subunits (60, 48, and 27 kDa). N-terminal amino acid sequencing of the 100 kDa protein from strain KJ showed a 77% similarity with the perchlorate reductase alpha subunit from another perchlorate-respiring bacterium, Dechloromonas agitata, while the N-terminus amino acid sequence of the 60 kDa protein from strain PDA did not show a similarity to previously isolated chlorate or perchlorate reductases.     

光合菌群发酵玉米秸秆水解液产氢

以玉米秸秆水解液作为产氢底物,研究光合菌群产氢性能。考察了硫酸浓度、固液比、水解时间、水解温度等秸秆水解条件对产氢的影响,确定了最佳水解条件,并对不同脱毒方法进行了对比研究。结果表明,最佳的水解条件为硫酸浓度1%,固液比1:12,水解时间0.5 h,水解温度为110°C。采用Ca(OH)2脱毒方法的产氢效果要优于其他2种脱毒方法;NH4+在一定浓度范围内对该光合菌群产氢有促进作用。     

Uptake of Re(VII) from aqueous solutions by Bacillus sp. GT-83-23

Thirty-eight water samples were collected from various areas of Anzali lagoon, Iran. Initial screening of a total of 100 bacterial isolates, resulted in the selection of one isolate with maximum adsorption capacity. It was tentatively identified as Bacillus sp. and named strain GT-83-23. The optimum pH of the medium was found to be 2.0 for Re(VII) adsorption. Uptakes of Re(VII) increased with increasing Re(VII) concentration and decreased sharply by the presence of increasing concentrations of NaCl. The kinetic of Re(VII) sorption by Bacillus sp. GT-83-23 was fast, reaching more than 62% of the total sorption capacity within 5 min. As the cell concentration increased, the amount of Re(VII) adsorbed by each cell (specific uptake) decreased, whereas the total amount of Re(VII) adsorbed enhanced. Cells immobilized in calcium alginate gel took up 77% of the Re(VII). The binding of Re(VII) on the Bacillus sp. GT-83-23 was studied with micro-PIXE.     

Anaerobic biohydrogen production from wheat stalk by mixed microflora: Kinetic model and particle size influence

This study investigated the influence of particle size on anaerobic biohydrogen production from wheat stalk by mixed microflora. In addition, the kinetic model for the formation of main products was also mentioned. The results demonstrated that all the cumulative productions of hydrogen, acetate and butyrate decreased as the particle size increasing from 1 to 10 mm at a constant TS value of 2%, 5% and 8%, respectively. However, this difference for aqueous products was not very obvious compared with hydrogen. A modified Gompertz equation was able to adequately describe the cumulative production of hydrogen, acetate and butyrate (R² higher than 0.989). The results also indicated that the formation of the main products were all associated with the degradation of cellulose and hemicellulose (R² higher than 0.855).     

秸秆汽爆炼制木质素制备酚醛泡沫材料

以木质纤维素为原料的生物炼制不仅需要考虑到纤维素和半纤维素,同时也需要考虑到木质素的利用,以提高木质纤维素炼制的整体经济效益。利用汽爆处理的玉米秸秆为原料,通过优化碱提取的温度以及碱浓度,获得木质素得率较高,糖含量较少的提取液,同时该提取液经过浓缩后直接部分替代苯酚与甲醛反应制备酚醛泡沫。结果表明:当提取温度120℃,碱浓度1%,固液比1∶10,提取时间2 h,木质素的提取率达到79.67%。由该提取液替代苯酚制备的酚醛泡沫随着替代率的增加,其泡沫的密度逐渐增加,其压缩强度相对于纯酚醛泡沫也得到了提高。而木质素的加入并没有显著影响其热导率以及阻燃性能,同时由于其利用较为低廉的可再生资源木质素替代不可再生的苯酚原料,成本低,环保性好,具有更好的市场应用前景。采用木质素提液直接制备酚醛泡沫材料,工艺流程简单;增加了副产物木质素的经济价值,提高了整个木质纤维素炼制的经济性。     

Analysis of the products from enzymatic scouring of cotton

This article discusses the analysis of the hydrolysis products from one-step scouring of cotton using pectinase and two-step scouring of cotton using lipase then cellulase, protease then cellulase, or lipase/protease then cellulase, to improve water absorbency of cotton. UV spectrophotometric analysis indicated that the pectinase scouring process produced approximately 18-fold higher amounts of reducing sugars and galacturonic acid than any of the two-step scouring processes. The production rate of reducing sugars and galacturonic acid from most of the scouring processes showed a decrease with an increase in time. HPLC analysis revealed that the lipase/protease/cellulase scouring processes produced approximately 5-fold higher amounts of 17 amino acids than the pectinase scouring process. GC analysis for 18 fatty acids (C(8)-C(24)) revealed that three major fatty acids, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid, were found on both the scoured and the unscoured fabrics. Scoured fabrics were tested for content of proteins, extractable components, waxes, and anionic components including pectins, and some differences among the fabric scoured with different enzyme combinations were found.     

Binding interactions of the peripheral stalk subunit isoforms from human V-ATPase

The mammalian peripheral stalk subunits of the vacuolar-type H⁺-ATPases (V-ATPases) possess several isoforms (C1, C2, E1, E2, G1, G2, G3, a1, a2, a3, and a4), which may play significant role in regulating ATPase assembly and disassembly in different tissues. To better understand the structure and function of V-ATPase, we expressed and purified several isoforms of the human V-ATPase peripheral stalk: E1G1, E1G2, E1G3, E2G1, E2G2, E2G3, C1, C2, H, a1_NT, and a2_NT. Here, we investigated and characterized the isoforms of the peripheral stalk region of human V-ATPase with respect to their affinity and kinetics in different combination. We found that different isoforms interacted in a similar manner with the isoforms of other subunits. The differences in binding affinities among isoforms were minor from our in vitro studies. However, such minor differences from the binding interaction among isoforms might provide valuable information for the future structural-functional studies of this holoenzyme.     

Molecular analysis of a perchlorate reductase from a perchlorate-respiring bacterium Perc1ace

Perchlorate (ClO₄^–) is a major ground water pollutant of public health concern. ClO₄^– reductase is the key enzyme in the pathway of ClO₄^– breakdown. ClO₄^– reductase from cell-free extracts of the ClO₄^–-respiring bacterium perc1ace was purified 10-fold by ion-exchange and molecular exclusion fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). The ClO₄^– reductase catalyzed the reduction of ClO₄^– at a V_max and K_m of 4.8 U mg protein^–1 and 34.5 M, respectively. ClO₄^– reduction was achieved in the temperature range of 20 to 40C and with optimum activity at 25C to 30C and pH 7.5 to 8.0. Molecular masses of two subunits of ClO₄^– reductase were determined by SDS-PAGE to be 35 kDa and 75 kDa. MALDI-TOF/MS analysis of a trypsin digest of the 35 kDa subunit, revealed several tryptic peptides. Amino acid sequences of 22 tryptic peptides of the 35 kDa ClO₄^– reductase subunit were obtained by electrospray mass spectrometry. GenBank protein Blast analysis of the amino acid sequences revealed relevant similarity to reductases, dehydrogenases and heme proteins. Data obtained are useful towards the identification of the overall genetic determinants of ClO₄^– reduction and specific in situ detection of ClO₄^– as well as NO₃-reducing bacteria in ground water.     

Mercury removal from aqueous solution by dried biomass of indigenous Vibrio parahaemolyticus PG02: Kinetic,equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies

In this study, for the first time the potential use of dried Vibrio parahaemolyticus PG02 to remove mercury from synthetic effluent was investigated by considering equilibrium, kinetic, and thermodynamic aspects. The results indicated that Hg²⁺ biosorption was best described by the pseudo-second order model. In addition, it was found that intraparticle diffusion was not the sole rate-limiting step. The ion-exchange mechanism was a predominant biosorption mechanism in the first 15 min of contact. The Langmuir isotherm better described the equilibrium data of Hg²⁺ biosorption than the Freundlich isotherm. According to this model, the maximum biosorption capacity was found to be 9.63 × 10⁻⁴ mol g⁻¹ at optimum conditions (pH = 6.0 and temperature =35 °C).     

土壤添加玉米秸秆对小麦Pb毒害缓解效应

采用室内盆栽和网室盆栽的方法研究了Pb污染土壤上玉米秸秆对小麦幼苗生物效应、成熟期籽粒Pb含量和蛋白质含量以及产量性状的影响,探讨了玉米秸秆缓解Pb毒害小麦的生理机制.结果表明,添加3g/kg和6g/kg的玉米秸秆对Pb污染土壤上小麦幼苗生长有明显的促进作用,能有效缓解Pb对小麦的毒害.具体表现为,与对照相比,小麦幼苗根长、芽长、植株干重增大,叶绿素含量和根系活力升高,过氧化物酶(POD)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)同工酶活性以及丙二醛(MDA)含量下降,小麦成熟期籽粒Pb含量降低,蛋白质含量以及生物产量升高.     

Removal of lead from aqueous solutions by Penicillium biomass

The removal of lead ions from aqueous solutions by adsorption on nonliving Penicillium chrysogenum biomass was studied. Biosorption of the Pb(+2) ion was strongly affected by pH. Within a pH range of 4 to 5, the saturated sorption uptake of Pb(+2) was 116 mg/g dry biomass, higher than that of activated charcoal and some other microorganisms. At pH 4.5, P. chrysogenum biomass exhibited selectivity for Pb(+2) over other metal ions such as Cd(+2), Cu(+2), Zn(+2), and As(+3) Sorption preference for metals decreased in the following order: Pb > Cd > Cu > Zn > As. The sorption uptake of Pb(+2) remained unchanged in the presence of Cu(+2) and As(+3), it decreased in the presence of Zn(+2), and increased in the presence of Cd(+2). (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Adsorption of Basic violet 16 from aqueous solutions by waste sugar beet pulp: kinetic,thermodynamic, and equilibrium isotherm studies

Waste sugar beet pulp has been used as adsorbent for the removal of a hazardous cationic dye, Basic violet 16, from its aqueous solution. Adsorption of the dye was studied as function of time, pH of the solution, dosage of the adsorbent, sieve size of the particles, concentration of the dye, and temperature. The initial pH of the dye solution did not affect the chemistry of the dye molecule and the surface of beet pulp. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were successfully employed, and on the basis of these models, the thermodynamic parameters were evaluated. Adsorption of Basic violet 16 on beet pulp was found to be an exothermic reaction. Time contact studies showed that more than 80% adsorption of the dye is achieved in less than 1 h. Kinetics investigations confirmed both pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order behaviors; on the other hand, it shows that the intraparticle diffusion step is not the only rate-controlling step in all concentrations.     

Uptake of Cr3+ from aqueous solution by lignite-based humic acids

Humic acid (HA) produced from brown coal, a relatively abundant and inexpensive material is currently being investigated as an adsorbent to remove toxic metals from aqueous solution. The influence of five parameters (contact time, solution pH, initial metal concentration, temperature and amount of adsorbent) on the removal at 20+/-1 degrees C was studied. HAs were prepared from lignites by using alkaline extraction, sedimentation and acidic precipitation. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved in about 60 min for Cr3+ ion. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm was used to describe observed sorption phenomena. The maximum adsorption capacity of 0.17 mmol for Ilgin (HA1), 0.29 mmol for Beysehir (HA2) and 0.18 mmol Ermenek (HA3) and 0.17 mmol of Cr3+/g for activated carbon (AC) was achieved, respectively at pH of 4.1. More than 84% of Cr3+ was removed by HA2, 54% by HA3 and 51% by HA1 and 50% by AC from aqueous solution. The adsorption was strongly dependent on pH but independent of ionic strength and metal ions. The adsorption of Cr3+ was higher between pH 4.1 and 5.1 for all HAs and maximum sorption was observed at pH 4.1. The rise in temperature caused a slight decrease in the value of the equilibrium constant (Kc) for the sorption of Cr3+ ion. Complex mechanisms including ion exchange, complexation and adsorption and size exclusion are possible for sorption of Cr3+ ion on HAs.     

A new protocol for isolation of mitochondrial DNA from cotton seedlings

A procedure to isolate mtDNA from cotton seedlings G. hirsutum and G. barbadense has been developed. The new protocol allows for the isolation of cotton mtDNA of high purity, yield and digestibility by restriction endonucleases. The success of the protocol is based on critical adjustments in the ionic strength of the homogenizing medium and washing buffer, the speed of grinding during homogenization, and the methods used for lysis of the mitochondria.     

Characterization of cotton fabric scouring by FT-IR ATR spectroscopy

FT-IR attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectroscopy has been used for the fast characterization of cotton fabric scouring process. The greige and the scoured cotton fabrics showed very similar FT-IR spectrum in transmission mode because the bulk composition of the fabrics are similar. However, FT-IR ATR spectroscopy can provide information about the surface of a fabric. By examination of C–H stretching region at 2800–3000 cm⁻¹, the amount of waxes left on the fabric can be estimated. The presence of pectins and/or waxes can also be probed by observation of carbonyl peak induced by the HCl vapor treatment on the fabric. Based on these changes of FT-IR ATR spectra, the scouring process has been characterized.     

Surfactant modified barley straw for removal of acid and reactive dyes from aqueous solution

A barley straw was modified by a surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride, and used as an adsorbent for acid (acid blue 40) and reactive dye (reactive black 5) adsorption in aqueous solution. Characterization of the modified barley straw was performed using N₂ adsorption, titration, and FT-IR analysis. It was found that the surfactant modified barley straw exhibits higher adsorption to acid blue 40 than reactive black 5 and adsorption of the dyes is influenced by several parameters such as dye initial concentration, adsorbent dosage, solution pH, and adsorption temperature. Adsorption isotherms show that maximum adsorption of acid blue 40 and reactive black 5 is 1.02 × 10⁻⁴ and 2.54 × 10⁻⁵ mol/g, respectively. Desorption studies show that both dyes are strongly bounded with the adsorbent and exhibit low desorption.     

Removal of cytokines from HAS-containing solutions by adsorption onto silica

Septic shock syndrome is a potentially fatal medical condition that is associated with elevated blood levels of low molecular weight proteins known as cytokines. Adsorption was investigated as a potential method for removing cytokines from blood. Saline with 50 mg/mL human serum albumin (HAS) spiked with pathological concentrations (ng-pg/mL) of radiolabeled cytokine was used to study cytokine adsorption. Adsorption isotherms were linear in the pathological concentration range, with adsorption constants ranging from 33.0 mL/g to 173 mL/g for tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-8 (IL-8),interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C3a. Adsorption constants were also determined for interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), IL-1beta, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The adsorption of cytokines by several different silica adsorbents was investigated. Increased concentrations of NaCl reduced cytokine adsorption, but did not completely eliminate adsorption even at high concentrations, suggesting that adsorption wads not entirely electrostatic in nature. Possible mechanisms of cytokine adsorption are discussed. Data for batch adsorption for TNF-alpha was used to estimate the minimum amount of silica required to treat septic shock. It was concluded that a silica adsorbent has a sufficiently high capacity to be used for hemoperfusion. Adsorption of myoglobin and cytochrome c was also investigated as possible marker proteins for future dynamic adsorption studies in hemoperfusion devices. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

ATP synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: location of subunit h in the peripheral stalk region

Subunit h is a component of the peripheral stalk region of ATP synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is weakly homologous to subunit F6 in the bovine enzyme, and F6 can replace the function of subunit h in a yeast strain from which the gene for subunit h has been deleted. The removal of subunit h (or F6) uncouples ATP synthesis from the proton motive force. A biotinylation signal has been introduced following the C terminus of subunit h. It becomes biotinylated in vivo, and allows avidin to be bound quantitatively to the purified enzyme complex in vitro. By electron microscopy of the ATP synthase-avidin complex in negative stain and by subsequent image analysis, the C terminus of subunit h has been located in a region of the peripheral stalk that is close to the Fo membrane domain of ATP synthase. Models of the peripheral stalk are proposed that are consistent with this location and with reconstitution experiments conducted with isolated peripheral stalk subunits.