Biomass Productivities in Wild Type and Pigment Mutant of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyclotella</Emphasis> sp. (Diatom)

Microalgae are expected to play a significant role in greenhouse gas mitigation because they can utilize CO₂ from power plant flue gases directly while producing a variety of renewable carbon-neutral biofuels. In order for such a microalgal climate change mitigation strategy to become economically feasible, it will be necessary to significantly improve biomass productivities. One approach to achieve this objective is to reduce, via mutagenesis, the number of light-harvesting pigments, which, according to theory, should significantly improve the light utilization efficiency, primarily by increasing the light intensity at which photosynthesis saturates (I _s). Employing chemical (ethylmethylsulfonate) and UV mutagenesis of a wild-type strain of the diatom Cyclotella, approximately 10,000 pigment mutants were generated, and two of the most promising ones (CM1 and CM1-1) were subjected to further testing in both laboratory cultures and outdoor ponds. Measurements of photosynthetic oxygen production rates as a function of light intensity (i.e., P–I curves) of samples taken from laboratory batch cultures during the exponential and linear growth phase indicated that the light intensity at which photosynthesis saturates (I _s) was two to three times greater in the pigment mutant CM1-1 than in the wild type, i.e., 355–443 versus 116–169 μmol/m² s, respectively. While theory, i.e., the Bush equation, predicts that such a significant gain in I _s should increase light utilization efficiencies and thus biomass productivities, particularly at high light intensities, no improvements in biomass productivities were observed in either semi-continuous laboratory cultures or outdoor ponds. In fact, the maximum biomass productivity in semi-continuous laboratory culture was always greater in the wild type than in the mutant, namely 883 versus 725 mg/L day, respectively, at low light intensity (200 μmol/m² s) and 1,229 versus 1,043 mg/L day, respectively, at high light intensity (1,000 μmol/m² s). Similarly, the biomass productivities measured in outdoor ponds were significantly lower for the mutant than for the wild type. Given that these mutants have not been completely characterized in these initial studies, the exact reasons for their poor performance are not known. Most likely, it is possible that the mutation procedure affected other photosynthetic or metabolic processes. This hypothesis was partially validated by the observation that the pigment mutant had a longer lag period following inoculation, a lower maximum specific growth rate, and poorer stability than the wild type.     

HPLC determination of organic acids, sugars, phenolic compositions and antioxidant capacity of orange juice and orange wine made from a Turkish cv. Kozan

Organic acids, sugars, phenolic compositions and antioxidant capacities of orange juice and orange wine obtained from the cv. Kozan of Turkey were determined. High-performance liquid chromatographic methods were used to identify and quantify of these compounds. Three organic acids (citric, malic and ascorbic acids) and three sugars (sucrose, glucose and fructose) were determined. The major organic acid was found as citric acid. With regard to sugars, sucrose was present in the largest amounts for orange juice and wine. A total of 13 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in orange juice and wine, including hydroxybenzoic acids (2), hydroxycinnamic acids (5), and flavanones (6). Hesperidin, narirutin and ferulic acid were the most abundant phenolic compounds in orange juice and wine. Antioxidant activities of orange juice and wine were measured using the DPPH^• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay, and the antioxidant capacity of orange juice was found to be higher than that of orange wine.     

Determination of pK a of benzoic acid- and p-aminobenzoic acid-modified platinum surfaces by electrochemical and contact angle measurements

Acidity constant values of benzoic acid (BA)-modified platinum electrode (Pt-BA) and p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA)-modified platinum electrode (Pt-NHBA) surfaces were determined using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and contact angle measurements (CAM). Diazonium tetrafluoroborate salt reduction and pABA oxidation reactions were used to prepare (Pt-BA) and (Pt-NHBA) surfaces, respectively. Both surfaces exhibited pH dependence with [Fe(CN)₆]^3?/4? redox probe solutions at different pH; this allowed us to estimate the surface pK _a values. Acidity constants for Pt-BA surface were found to be pK _a (3.09 ± 0.25), (4.89 ± 0.11), and (3.91 ± 0.54) by CV, EIS, and CAM techniques, respectively, while the values for Pt-NHBA surface were pK _a (3.16 ± 0.45), (4.24 ± 0.40), and (5.64 ± 0.12). The Pt-BA surface pK _a values were lower in CV and CAM measurements relative to the bulk solution of BA, while a higher value was observed in EIS for Pt-BA surface. The pK _a values determined for Pt-NHBA surface via both CV and EIS were lower than the bulk value; however, the result obtained from CAM was one unit higher than pK _a of bulk pABA.     

Ruthenium(II) complexes bearing pyridine‐based tridentate and bidentate ligands: catalytic activity for transfer hydrogenation of aryl ketones

Ru(II) complexes of the general formula [RuCl₂(′′)(L)] (1: ′N = N_b, L = MeOH; 2: ′N = N_b, L = CH₃CN; 3: ′N = N_d, L = CH₃CN; 4: ′N = N_p, L = CH₃CN), [Ru(p‐cymene)(_a–b)Cl]Cl (5a: N N_a = 2,2′‐bipyridine; 5b: N N_b = 4,4′‐dimethyl–2,2′‐bipyridine), [Ru(′′)(_a–b)Cl]Cl (6a: ′N = N_b, _a = 2,2′‐bipyridine; 6b: ′N = N_b, _b = 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine; 7a: ′N = N_d, _a = 2,2′‐bipyridine; 7b: ′N = N_d, _b = 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine; 8a: ′N = N_p, _a = 2,2′‐bipyridine; 8b: ′N = N_p, _b = 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) and [Ru(′′)(_a)Cl]BF₄ (9a: ′N = N_b; _a = 2,2′‐bipyridine) were synthesized from the corresponding [RuCl₂(p‐cymene)]₂ dimer, ′′ and _a–b ligands. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR. Complex 9a was studied by X‐ray diffraction, confirming its cationic‐mononuclear [RuCl(_bb)(_a)]⁺ nature. The synthesized Ru(II) complexes (1–8) were employed as catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones to secondary alcohols in the presence of KOH using 2‐propanol as a hydrogen source at 82°C. The rates of the transfer hydrogenation reactions strongly depended on the type of and ancillary ligands. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Taylor collocation method for the numerical solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation using quintic B-spline basis

In this study, we construct a Taylor collocation method for the numerical solution of the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation. We use suitable initial and boundary conditions. Taylor series expansion is used for time discretization. The cubic B-spline collocation method is applied to spatial discretization. Test problems concerning the single soliton motion, interaction of two colliding solitons, and the formation and bound states of solitons of the NLS equation are studied to evaluate the method. The L ₂ and L _∞ error norms are calculated to improve the accuracy of the numerical results.     

Immobilization of novel the semicarbazone derivatives of calix[4]arene onto magnetite nanoparticles for removal of Cr(VI) ion

A series of novel the semicarbazone derivatives of calix[4]arene have been synthesized and then immobilized onto amino functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were prepared by the chemical co-precipitation of Fe(III) and Fe(II) ions and the nanoparticles were modified directly by 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APTES) to introduce reactive amine groups onto the particles’ surface. The characterization of the prepared compounds was made by FT-IR, elemental analysis, TGA/DTG and NMR techniques. The sorption properties of the new calix[4]arene based magnetic sorbents toward Cr(VI) ion were also studied. The results showed that the prepared magnetic nanoparticles were effective sorbents for the removal of Cr(VI) ion. Also, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied for Cr(VI) ion sorption by using MN-C2 and it was found that the experimental data confirmed to Langmiur isotherm model.     

Symmetries of boundary layer equations of power-law fluids of second grade

A modified power-law fluid of second grade is considered. The model is a combination of power-law and second grade fluid in which the fluid may exhibit normal stresses, shear thinning or shear thickening behaviors. The equations of motion are derived for two dimensional incompressible flows, and from which the boundary layer equations are derived. Symmetries of the boundary layer equations are found by using Lie group theory, and then group classification with respect to power-law index is performed. By using one of the symmetries, namely the scaling symmetry, the partial differential system is transformed into an ordinary differential system, which is numerically integrated under the classical boundary layer conditions. Effects of power-law index and second grade coefficient on the boundary layers are shown and solutions are contrasted with the usual second grade fluid solutions.     

Synthesis and characterization of fully aromatic thermotropic liquid‐crystalline copolyesters containing m‐hydroxybenzoic acid units

A series of fully aromatic copolyesters based on p‐acetoxybenzoic acid (p‐ABA), hydroquinone diacetate (HQDA), terephthalic acid (TPA), and m‐acetoxybenzoic acid (m‐ABA) were prepared by a modified melt‐polycondensation reaction. The copolyesters were characterized by DSC, thermogravimetric analysis, ¹H NMR, polarized optical microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and intrinsic viscosity measurements. The copolyesters exhibited nematic liquid‐crystalline phases in a broad temperature range of about 150 °C, when the content of linear (p‐ABA, HQDA, and TPA) units was over 67 mol %. DSC analysis of the anisotropic copolyesters revealed broad endotherms associated with the nematic phases, and the melting or flow temperatures were found to be in the processable region. The flow temperatures and crystal‐to‐nematic and nematic‐to‐isotropic transitions depend on the type of linear monomer units, and these transitions increased as the content of the p‐ABA units increased, as compared to the HQDA/TPA units. When the content of the p‐ABA units increased, as compared to other linear units (HQDA and TPA), the intrinsic viscosity and degree of crystallinity of the copolyesters also increased, implying a higher reactivity for p‐ABA in the p‐ABA/HQDA/TPA/m‐ABA polymer system. The aromatic region in the ¹H NMR spectra of the copolyesters containing equal molar compositions of p‐ABA, HQDA, and TPA units were sensitive to the sequence distribution of aromatic rings. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 3263–3277, 2001     

Entropy analysis for third grade fluid flow with Vogel model viscosity in annular pipe

The steady-state flow of a third grade fluid between concentric circular cylinders is considered and entropy generation due to fluid friction and heat transfer in the annular pipe is examined. Depending upon the fluid viscosity, entropy generation in the flow system varies. The third grade fluid is employed to account for the non-Newtonian effect while Vogel model is accommodated for temperature-dependent viscosity. The analysis is based on perturbation technique. The closed form solutions for velocity, temperature and entropy fields are presented. Entropy generation due to fluid friction and heat transfer in the flow system is formulated. The influence of viscosity parameters A and B on the entropy generation number is investigated. It is found that entropy generation number reduces with increasing viscosity parameter A, which is more pronounced in the region close to the annular pipe inner wall and opposite is true for increasing viscosity parameter B.