The utility of Bacillus subtilis as a bioflocculant for fine coal

The application of Bacillus subtilis as a flocculant for fine coal has been reported here. Zeta-potential measurements showed that both the coal and bacteria had similar surface charge as a function of pH. Surface free energy calculations showed that the coal was hydrophobic while the bacterium was hydrophilic. The adhesion of the bacteria to coal and subsequent settling was studied in detail. Adhesion of bacteria to coal surface and subsequent settling of coal was found to be quick. Both adhesion and settling were found to be independent of pH, which makes the process very attractive for field applications. The presence of an electrolyte along with the bacterium was found to not only enhance adhesion of bacteria, but also produce a clear supernatant. Further, the settled fraction was more compact than with bacteria alone. Interaction energy calculations using the extended DLVO theory showed that the electrical forces along with the acid–base interaction energy play a dominant role in the lower pH range. Above pH 7, the acid–base interaction energy is the predominant attractive force and is sufficient enough to overcome the repulsive forces due to electrical charges to bring about adhesion and thus settling of fine coal. With increase in electrolyte concentration, the change in total interaction energy with pH is minimal which probably leads to better adhesion and hence settling.     

Purification and some properties of three serine carboxypeptidases from Aspergillus niger

Three enzymes exhibiting peptidyl-L-amino acid hydrolase and esterase activities have been purified by immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. The three enzymes were entirely free of the acid protease activity that normally exists along with them in the crude culture filtrates of Aspergillus niger. Although all three exo-peptidases possessed nearly identical molecular weights (ca. 140,000), isoelectric points (ca. 5.0) and other properties, their affinities for the two substrates tested, carbobenzoxy-L-Glu-L-Tyr and benzoyl L-arginine ethyl ester, differed. All three peptidases were inhibited by phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride, indicating that they are serine carboxypeptidases. They were also inhibited by tosyl phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, suggesting the presence of a histidyl residue in their active sites. The differences in the number of accessible histidyl residues on the enzyme surfaces could explain the differences in their retentions on Cu2+-iminodiacetate-Sepharose 6B.     

Synthesis and characterization of sol–gel derived glass-ceramic and its corrosion protection on 316L SS

Glass-ceramic was prepared by sol–gel method using Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O and P₂O₅ as Ca and P precursors, respectively. In order to improve the bioactivity of the implant material, glass-ceramic (β-Ca₂P₂O₇) coating was developed on 316L SS substrate by spin coating method. Coating was annealed at different temperatures and its corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical polarization and impedance analysis using Ringer’s solution as electrolyte. The results from the present study, show excellent corrosion resistance for coated 316L SS, corroborated by the high values of charge transfer resistance from impedance analysis and higher breakdown and repassivation potential with the corresponding lower current density from polarization measurements. Based on the results, the glass-ceramic coating on 316L SS can be considered as a corrosion resistant material.     

Catalytic and DNA-Hydrolyzing Activities of Purified Immunoglobulins IgG from Patients Sera with Autoimmune Disease by Pseudobiospecific Chromatography Using Histidyl-Aminohexyl-Sepharose

Catalytic autoimmune antibodies from patients with antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies were purified using histidyl-aminohexyl-sepharose gel. The sera were loaded on the columns equilibrated with 25 mM MOPS buffer pH 7.4 and the absorbed proteins were eluted by adding 0.2 M NaCl in the equilibrating buffer. Antibodies purity was evaluated by SDS-PAGE. The purified immunoglobulins G from patients with (aPL) sera by histidyl-aminohexyl-sepharose show DNA-degrading activity of the plasmid pUC19 DNA and catalytic activity in hydrolyzing the peptide substrate Pro-Phe-Arg-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin.     

Separation of immunoglobulin G by high-performance pseudo-bioaffinity chromatography with immobilized histidine. I. Preliminary report on the influence of the silica support and the coupling mode.

High-performance liquid affinity chromatography with immobilized histidine as a pseudo-biospecific ligand has been used for the fractionation of human immunoglobulin G (IgG). Histidine was immobilized onto silica in two different modes: directly onto silica after epoxy activation or using an intermediate amino derivatization of silica and then coupling histidine using water-soluble carbodiimide. The behaviours and capacities of the obtained affinity supports as well as the influence of pH, silica type, pore diameter and coupling mode have been studied. IgG was effectively separated from human plasma and high maximal binding capacities were obtained.     

SYNTHESIS AND SPECTRAL STUDIES OF SOME NEW [(ALKOXYCARBONYLVINYL)ARYL- AND BENZYLSULFONYLMETHYL] SULFONES

Abstract

Some new 1,1,2-trisubstituted ethylenic sulfones have been prepared by the condensation of aryl- and benzylsulfonylmethylsulfonylacetic acid esters with araldehydes.     

REACTION OF THIOPHOSPHORYL FLUORIDE AND THIOPHOSPHORYL CHLORIDE WITH DIMETHYL SULPHOXIDE

Abstract

Solid complexes of thiophosphoryl fluoride and thiophosphoryl chloride with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) have been prepared and characterized.