Recent advances in polysaccharide bio-based flocculants

Natural polysaccharides, derived from biomass feedstocks, marine resources, and microorganisms, have been attracting considerable attention as benign and environmentally friendly substitutes for synthetic polymeric products. Besides many other applications, these biopolymers are rapidly emerging as viable alternatives to harmful synthetic flocculating agents for the removal of contaminants from water and wastewater. In recent years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to improve the production and performance of polysaccharide bio-based flocculants. In this review, current trends in preparation and chemical modification of polysaccharide bio-based flocculants and their flocculation performance are discussed. Aspects including mechanisms of flocculation, biosynthesis, classification, purification and characterization, chemical modification, the effect of physicochemical factors on flocculating activity, and recent applications of polysaccharide bio-based flocculants are summarized and presented.     

Evidence for self-association of prothrombin fragment 1 in the absence of calcium ions. Implications for the interpretation of cooperativity of calcium binding

Sedimentation equilibrium studies have demonstrated that prothrombin fragment 1 from either human or bovine plasma reversibly dimerizes in the absence of Ca2+ with an equilibrium constant of 1,000 M-1. In the presence of 10 mM Ca2+ this association constant increased to 10,000 M-1. A model for preferential binding of Ca2+ to the pre-existing dimer has been found capable of accounting quantitatively for the cooperative Ca2+ binding to this prothrombin fragment, and for the dependence of its sedimentation coefficient on protein concentration in the presence and absence of metal ion. Sedimentation equilibrium studies of intact bovine and human prothrombins have confirmed previous reports that these prothrombins dimerize. For both prothrombins the association constant is 10,000 M-1, both in the absence and presence of Ca2+.     

不同生态环境与播种期下小麦籽粒品质变异规律的研究

选用 6个不同品质类型小麦品种在 4个生态点进行分期播种试验, 系统分析了不同生态环境下小麦籽粒产量与品质的变异特征及其与主要气候生态因子间的关系。结果表明 :生态点、品种以及地点×品种互作对籽粒产量、千粒重、蛋白质、湿面筋和淀粉含量、沉降值与降落值的影响均达到显著水平 ;不同播种期处理对产量与淀粉含量的影响达到极显著水平, 而播种期×品种互作对千粒重、降落值、淀粉含量及沉降值的效应达到显著水平 ;地点×播种期×品种互作仅对产量、湿面筋、淀粉含量与沉降值有显著的影响。在 4个不同生态点中, 南京点的籽粒蛋白质与湿面筋含量最低, 但淀粉含量最高 ;徐州点的产量和千粒重最大 ;泰安点的蛋白质含量与湿面筋含量最高, 沉降值最小 ;保定点的产量、千粒重最小, 但沉降值最大。不同播种期处理下, 适播与晚播的籽粒蛋白质含量、湿面筋含量、淀粉含量、沉降值与降落值都显著高于早播, 而早播期的产量和千粒重最大。各小麦品种在不同地点与播种期下产量与品质性状的变异中以降落值的变异系数为最大, 淀粉的变异为最小。开花至成熟期的日均温与淀粉含量呈线性负相关, 与产量、蛋白质和湿面筋含量及降落值呈二次曲线相关关系 ;日温差与产量和千粒重呈二次曲线相关关系, 籽粒蛋白质和湿面筋含量、沉降值及降落值则随昼温差的增加线性递增 ;开花至成熟期降雨量与产量、千粒重都呈现先升后降的二次曲线相关关系, 而与籽粒蛋白质含量和降落值呈现线性负相关关系 ;籽粒蛋白质和湿面筋含量与降落值随开花至成熟期的累计日照时数呈现线性正相关关系。     

Harvesting of microalgae by bio-flocculation

The high-energy input for harvesting biomass makes current commercial microalgal biodiesel production economically unfeasible. A novel harvesting method is presented as a cost and energy efficient alternative: the bio-flocculation by using one flocculating microalga to concentrate the non-flocculating microalga of interest. Three flocculating microalgae, tested for harvesting of microalgae from different habitats, improved the sedimentation rate of the accompanying microalga and increased the recovery of biomass. The advantages of this method are that no addition of chemical flocculants is required and that similar cultivation conditions can be used for the flocculating microalgae as for the microalgae of interest that accumulate lipids. This method is as easy and effective as chemical flocculation which is applied at industrial scale, however in contrast it is sustainable and cost-effective as no costs are involved for pre-treatment of the biomass for oil extraction and for pre-treatment of the medium before it can be re-used.     

Active enzyme sedimentation, sedimentation velocity, and sedimentation equilibrium studies of succinyl-CoA synthetases of porcine heart and Escherichia coli

Succinyl-CoA synthetases from Escherichia coli and porcine heart muscle have been viewed as prototypes of two classes of the enzyme. The bacterial enzyme has been reported to be an alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer, with many suggestions in the literature for cooperative interactions between active sites that may contribute to its catalytic efficacy. In contrast, gel filtration experiments of others have indicated that the heart enzyme is a simple alpha beta dimer, with no evidence of dimerization or interaction between like sites. All previous estimates of molecular size of these enzymes have been carried out at concentrations that are much higher than those that are used during activity measurements. The present study was carried out to confirm the differences in the quaternary structures of these two species of succinyl-CoA synthetase and to extend our knowledge of these structures to very low concentrations to enable correlation of their subunit structures with their catalytic properties. Conventional sedimentation velocity centrifugation with both enzymes indicates behavior typical of noninteracting globular proteins with no evidence of size heterogeneity. The sedimentation coefficients at infinite dilution (s20,w) have been determined to be 7.04 S and 4.55 S for the E. coli and porcine heart enzymes, respectively. Sedimentation velocity measurements have been extended to very low enzyme concentrations (typical of those used in activity measurements) by active enzyme centrifugation experiments, in which we have determined the rate of sedimentation of a zone of active enzyme through a chromogenic substrate solution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Plastid sedimentation kinetics in roots of wild-type and starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis.

Sedimentation and movement of plastids in columella cells of the root cap were measured in seedlings of wild-type, a reduced starch mutant, and a starchless mutant of Arabidopsis. To assay for sedimentation, we used both linear measurements and the change of angle from the cell center as indices in vertical and reoriented plants with the aid of computer-assisted image analysis. Seedlings were fixed at short periods after reorientation, and plastid sedimentation correlated with starch content in the three strains of Arabidopsis. Amyloplasts of wild-type seedlings showed the greatest sedimentation, whereas plastids of the starchless mutant showed no significant sedimentation in the vertically grown and reoriented seedlings. Because previous research has shown that a full complement of starch is needed for full gravitropic sensitivity, this study correlates increased sensitivity with plastid sedimentation. However, although plastid sedimentation contributed to gravisensitivity, it was not required, because the gravitropic starchless mutant had plastids that did not sediment. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to measure plastid sedimentation in Arabidopsis roots after reorientation of seedlings. Taken together, the results of this study are consistent with the classic plastid-based and protoplast-based models of graviperception and suggest that multiple systems of perception exist in plant cells.     

新合成复合絮凝剂HECES絮凝性能研究

以元机铝盐和天然高分子玉米淀粉为原料,合成一种生态安全型复合高效絮凝剂HECES．结果表明,在一定范围里适当提高淀粉／铝盐比例,有利于HECES絮凝性能的提高;处理模拟废水时,3．0mg·L^-1的HECES相当于4．5mg·L^-2PAC和1．0mg·L^-1PAM复合投加效果;对生活污水、市政污水的最佳投加量分别为8．0mg·L^-1和4．0mg·L^-1,相当于PAC用量的50％和40％,浊度去除率高达95％和99％．研究还证实絮凝效果与模拟浊度废水的浓度、供试污水的组成成分有关,HECES对高浓度废水处理效果更佳．HECES在PH＝4．0-9.5范围内絮凝效果最佳。其生态安全特点体现在投加量少,具有较大生态毒性的游离态铝离子残留量低。     

Characteristics of a bioflocculant produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus mucilaginosus</Emphasis> and its use in starch wastewater treatment

A bioflocculant, MBFA9, was produced from a strain of bioflocculant-producing bacteria isolated from a soil sample and identified as Bacillus mucilaginosus. MBFA9 had a good flocculating capability and could achieve a flocculating rate of 99.6% for kaolin suspension at a dosage of only 0.1 ml/l. The major component of MBFA9 was found to be polysaccharide composed mainly of uronic acid (19.1%), neutral sugar (47.4%) and amino sugar (2.7%). Infrared spectrum analysis showed the presence of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups in the bioflocculant. MBFA9 is nontoxic and can be used in food industries for suspended solids (SS) recovery. When applied to starch wastewater treatment, MBFA9 greatly accelerated the formation of flocs and the settling of organic particles in the presence of Ca(2+) salt. After 5 min of settling, the removal rate of SS and chemical oxygen demand were up to 85.5% and 68.5%, respectively, which is better than traditional chemical flocculants.     

Purification and properties of citrate lyase from Streptococcus diacetilactis.

Citrate lyase from Streptococcus diacetilactis has been purified to yield a protein that was homogeneous as judged by sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium experiments. The enzyme's sedimentation coefficient is 16.8 S and its molecular weight is around 585,000. It contains three nonidentical subunits of about 53,000, 34,000, and 10,000 daltons. The enzyme in its active form contains an acetyl group which turns over during the citrate cleavage reaction. Removal of the acetyl group inactivates the enzyme. The deacetyl enzyme can be partially reactivated by acetylation with acetic anhydride. The enzyme undergoes slow "reaction-inactivation." The rate of inactivation is first order and the rate constant of inactivation is much lower than that for a similar inactivation process of the citrate lyase from Klebsiella aerogenes. Like the latter enzyme it contains stoichiometric amounts of phosphopantothenate. The enzyme is inactivated at pH greater than 8.1 and the presence of citrate provides protection against this inactivation. Sedimentation studies of the enzyme at pH 8.7 indicate that the enzyme is dissociated, which may account for the inactivation. The enzyme is immunologically different from citrate lyases of K. aerogenes and Escherichia coli.     

Recent advances in extracellular biopolymer flocculants

Extracellular biopolymer flocculants (EBFs) are flocculating substances, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, which are secreted in the culture broth by many microorganisms. Some of EBFs have attracted much attention as biodegradable and nontoxic substitutes for conventional chemical flocculants. This paper reviews the recent development of EBFs. Aspects discussed include an introduction to conventional chemical flocculants and EBFs, isolation of novel bioflocculant-producing microorganisms, culture conditions, chemical structure and molecular weight of EBFs, the physico-chemical factors affecting flocculating activity, fermentation process design and recent and emerging application fields of EBFs.     

SEDIMENTATION IN THE ANGLE CENTRIFUGE

1. Using hemocyanin from Limulus polyphemus as a test material, the process of sedimentation in the angle centrifuge, operating both in vacuum and in the open air, has been investigated. 2. Sedimentation in a given field of force was found less efficient when centrifugation was conducted in the open air, because of thermal convection. 3. Correlations have been made with results obtained in the analytical ultracentrifuge, and a theory of sedimentation in inclined tubes has been presented to explain the experimental results. 4. It has been shown that under proper conditions the angle centrifuge may be used for approximate determinations of particle size. 5. Recommendations, based mostly on experimental evidence, have been made for improving sedimentation and interpreting results. 6. To counteract convective disturbances of either thermal or inertial origin, a satisfactory method has been developed which consists of furnishing the fluid under study with a synthetic density gradient, formed with sucrose or some other non-sedimentable material.     

Evaluation of Moringa oleifera seed flour as a flocculating agent for potential biodiesel producer microalgae

Microalgal biofuel alternatives have been hindered by their cost and energy intensive production. In the microalgal harvesting process, the intermediate step of flocculation shows potential in drastically reducing the need for costly centrifugation processes. Moringa oleifera seeds, which have been used for water treatment due to their high flocculation potential, low cost and low toxicity, are presented in this paper as strong candidate for flocculating Chlorella vulgaris, a microalgae with high biodiesel production potential. Early results of our group showed a very high flocculation (around 85% of biomass recovery). The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of Moringa oleifera seed flour concentration, sedimentation time and pH on the flocculation efficiency. Cell suspensions treated with Moringa seed flour (1 g L^-1) had their flocculation significantly increased with the rise of pH, reaching 89% of flocculation in 120 min at pH 9.2. Sedimentation time of 120 min and a concentration of 0.6 g L^-1 proved to be ample for substantial flocculation efficiency. In spite of the need for more research to ensure the economic viability and sustainability of this process, these results corroborate Moringa oleifera seeds as a strong candidate as a bioflocculant for Chlorella vulgaris cells and indicate optimal pH range of its action.     

Harvesting the microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum with polyaluminum chloride, aluminium sulphate, chitosan and alkalinity-induced flocculation

The purpose of this study was to explore efficient methods of harvesting the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Natural sedimentation experiments, performed at different light and temperature conditions, did not yield significant improvements in efficiency even after 1?week. When alkalinity-induced flocculation was performed, both the flocculation efficiency and the concentration factor dramatically improved at pH?=?9.75 (0.5–0.7 units over the original pH of the culture) after 10?min settling time. Sedimentation rates are documented at pH ranging between pH?9.75 and 11.0. The results of the application of two conventional flocculants used in wastewater treatment, polyaluminium chloride and aluminium sulphate, are also presented. Chitosan was also used as a natural flocculating agent to improve possible contamination problems in the downstream process. pH was adjusted in order to determine optimum flocculation efficiency of chitosan in combination with a high concentration factor. Satisfactory results were found with chitosan at an adjusted pH of 9.9 using concentrations as low as 20?mg?L^?1, after testing a flocculant range of 5–200?mg?L^?1.     

一株絮凝剂产生菌的筛选及其絮凝特性研究

目的:筛选并研究对有毒物质有一定耐受性的絮凝剂产生菌。方法:利用含苯酚、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯和Pb2(SO4)3的分离培养基从土壤和活性污泥中分离筛选絮凝剂产生菌,对所得的菌种进行摇瓶发酵试验,分别考察其产絮凝剂的周期、絮凝活性分布以及对有毒物质的耐受性等特征,通过提取絮凝剂,将其絮凝活性与其它絮凝剂进行比较。结果:得到一株对苯酚具有一定耐受性的絮凝剂产生菌B2(Serratiasp.),其产絮凝剂的最佳培养时间为48h,絮凝率高于80%。苯酚浓度达0.6g/L时,B2菌的絮凝活性仍高于70%。其90%的絮凝物质集中于菌体,且热稳定性好,对多种悬浊液的絮凝活性高于硫酸铝、PAC。结论:新型絮凝剂产生菌B2对苯酚耐受性强,且絮凝剂提取简便,具有重要的研究价值。     

Palau’s taro fields and mangroves protect the coral reefs by trapping eroded fine sediment

Sedimentation is one of the biggest threats facing coral reefs, not only in Palau, but everywhere in the world where there are reefs within reach of river plumes. Due to Palau’s largest island of Babeldaob’s steep topography, high rainfall, and highly erodible volcanic soil, erosion has been exacerbated by recent increases in land-use. Studies have documented the negative impacts of the resulting sedimentation on coral reefs around Babeldaob. Similar studies have shown that mangroves can trap about 30 % of the fine eroded sediment from land. This paper documents the filtering effects of cultivated wetland, namely that of taro (Colocasia esculenta) fields, which are natural wetlands used to grow taro, a source of starch for the population. A 4-month long field study was conducted to quantify the sediment accumulation rate for three different types of taro fields and to determine their sediment trapping efficiency. The results showed that the taro fields have the capacity to trap up to 90 % of sediments. We suggest that the sediment trapping capacity of mangroves and taro fields mitigated the negative impacts of soil runoff on coral reefs around Babeldaob while the island was being inhabited by early Palauans for many generations.     

Evaluation of Slurry Wall Construction Using Paper Clay for Containment of Contaminated Groundwater

Slurry walls have been used widely as passive vertical barriers to control the horizontal flow of groundwater and contaminants and therefore limit the migration of contaminants through the subsurface. The material used as slurry to reduce contaminant transport is expected to form a filter cake with low permeability along the sides of the trench wall/excavation face. In this article, paper mill sludge (hereafter referred to as paper clay) is investigated as a possible slurry. Previous research by Moo Young et al. (2000) has shown that paper clay has several properties that make its use in vertical barriers very promising. It can be compacted to low permeability values (10^?7?cm/s to 10^?9?cm/s) and has a high organic content that may act as a potential carbon source for microbial growth and sorption sites for heavy metal attenuation. To determine the feasibility of paper clay in a slurry, column testing to determine the dispersion coefficient for transport modeling, slump testing, and filter cake formation tests were performed. It is shown that the coefficient of hydrodynamic dispersion within paper clay is in the order of 10^?7?cm²/ s. It is also shown that paper clay can achieve the required slump of between 5.08 and 15.24?cm (2 and 6 in) similar to that of a workable soil-bentonite backfill. Furthermore, it is shown that the filter cakes that are formed have permeability values similar to those of soil-bentonite filter cakes.     

Nano clay reinforced PCL/starch blends obtained by high energy ball milling

Sodium montmorillonite was incorporated into a poly(ε-caprolactone)–starch blend by means of a ball mill. The structural organization and physical (mechanical, thermal and barrier) properties were analyzed and correlated with the milling conditions. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray characterization show that the milling process can improve the compatibilization between the PCL and the starch phases, while promotes the dispersion of clay minerals at nanometric level. The milling time strongly influences the mechanical and barrier properties. In particular, the best results in terms of elastic modulus and permeability coefficient were achieved with a complete delamination of the pristine clay structure. In summary, the milling process not only has demonstrated to be a promising compatibilization method for immiscible PCL–starch blends, but it can be also used to improve the dispersion of nanoparticles into the polymer blends.     

絮凝法预处理透明质酸发酵液的研究

目的:提高透明质酸的纯度。方法:研究了絮凝预处理发酵液对醇沉法提取透明质酸的影响,并通过正交试验对预处理条件进行了优化。结果:明矾可作为最佳絮凝剂,正交实验最佳絮凝条件为:絮凝剂添加量1 000mg/L、絮凝温度30℃、絮凝转速60r/min、絮凝时间20min。在该条件下处理的HA发酵液相对于未经过处理的对照组,菌体去除率可提高42.6%,蛋白去除率可提高5.9%。     

The flocculation of bacteria using cationic synthetic flocculants and chitosan

Summary Bacteria are flocculated with high molecular weight cationic synthetic flocculants and chitosan. High charge density polymers are the most effective of the synthetic flocculants. Only chitosan is effective in flocculating the E. coli and B. subtilis cultures in complex broth. The difference in effectiveness between the synthetic flocculants and chitosan for flocculating E. coli, B. subtilis and Z. mobilis may be attributed to hydrogen bonding between the polysaccharide flocculant and cell surface polymers in addition to electrostatic interactions, and, in complex media, complexation of synthetic polymers with anionic polyelectrolytes.