Thermodynamics of the conversion of aqueous glucose to fructose

The thermodynamics of the conversion of aqueous glucose to fructose has been investigated using both heat conduction microcalorimetry and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The reaction was carried out in both aqueous Tris/HCl buffer and in aqueous phosphate buffer in the pH range 7–8 using the enzyme glucose isomerase and the cofactors CoCl₂ and MgSO₄. The temperature range over which this reaction was investigated was 298.15–358.15 K. We have found that the enthalpy of reaction is independent of pH over the range investigated. A combined analysis of both the HPLC and microcalorimetric data leads to the following results at 298 15 K:ΔG° = 349 ± 53 J mol^-1, ΔH° = 2.78 ± 0.20 kJ mol^-1, and ΔC _p ^° = 76 ± 30 J mol^-1 K^-1. The stated uncertainties are based upon an analysis of both the random and systematic errors inherent in the measurements. Comparisons are made with literature data. The percent conversion of glucose to fructose has been calculated for the temperature range 300–373.15 K.     

Maximizing the xylitol production from sugar cane bagasse hydrolysate by controlling the aeration rate

Batch fermentations of sugar cane bagasse hemicellulosic hydrolysate treated for removing the inhibitors of the fermentation were performed byCandida guilliermondii FTI20037 for xylitol production. The fermentative parameters agitation and aeration rate were studied aiming the maximization of xylitol production from this agroindustrial residue. The maximal xylitol volumetric productivity (0.87 g/L h) and yield (0.67 g/g) were attained at 400/min and 0.45 v.v.m. (K_La 27/h). According to the results, a suitable control of the oxygen input permitting the xylitol formation from sugar cane bagasse hydrolysate is required for the development of an efficient fermentation process for large-scale applications.     

Interaction of adenine and thymine with aqueous sugar solutions

The solubility of the nucleic acid bases, adenine and thymine, in aqueous erythritol, xylose, glucose, and sucrose solutions has been studied. The solubility of adenine increases linearly with glucose and sucrose concentration, whereas with the other reagents a nonlinear increase is observed. Below 1.5M reagent concentration, the solubility of adenine increases in the order erythritol < robose, xylose < glucose < sucrose. The solubility of thymine in these solutions, on the other hand, decreases, increases, or does not change depending upon the reagent. The effect of temperature on the solubility of adenine and thymine in sugar solution indicates that the transfer of these molecules from water to sugar solution is exothermic.Presented in part at the VIIth All-India Symposium in Biophysics held at Visva Bharati University during October 1976.     

Xylan hydrolysis in zinc chloride solution

Xylan is the major component of hemicellulose, which consists of up to one-third of the lignocellulosic biomass. When the zinc chloride solution was used as a pretreatment agent to facilitate cellulose hydrolysis, hemicellulose was hydrolyzed during the pretreatment stage. In this study, xylan was used as a model to study the hydrolysis of hemicellulose in zinc chloride solution. The degradation of xylose that is released from xylan was reduced by the formation of zinc-xylose complex. The xylose yield was >90% (w/w) at 70°C. The yield and rate of hydrolysis were a function of temperature and the concentration of zinc chloride. The ratio of zinc chloride can be decreased from 9 to 1.3 (w/w). At this ratio, 76% of xylose yield was obtained. When wheat straw was pretreated with a concentrated zinc chloride solution, the hemicellulose hydrolysate contained only xylose and trace amounts of arabinose and oligosaccharides. With this approach, the hemicellulose hydrolysate can be separated from cellulose residue, which would be hydrolyzed subsequently to glucose by acid or enzymes to produce glucose. This production scheme provided a method to produce glucose and xylose in different streams, which can be fermented in separated fermenters.     

Characterization of xylitol dehydrogenase from debaryomyces hansenii

The xylitol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.9) from xylose-grown cells ofDebaryomyces hansenii was partially purified in two Chromatographic steps, and characterization studies were carried out in order to inves tigate the role of the xylitol dehydrogenase-catalyzed step in the regu lation of D-xylose metabolism. The enzyme was most active at pH 9.0–9.5, and exhibited a broad polyol specificity. The Michaelis con stants for xylitol and NAD⁺ were 16.5 and 0.55 mM, respectively. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺ did not affect the enzyme activity. Conversely, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Co²⁺ strongly inhibited the enzyme activity. It was concluded that NAD⁺-xylitol dehydrogenase from D.hansenii has similarities with other xylose-fermenting yeasts in respect to optimal pH, substrate specificity, and K_m value for xylitol, and therefore should be named L-iditol:NAD⁺-5-oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.14). The reason D.hansenii is a good xylitol producer is not because of its value of K_m for xylitol, which is low enough to assure its fast oxidation by NAD⁺ xylitol dehydrogenase. However, a higher K_m value of xylitol dehydro genase for NAD⁺ compared to theK _m values of other xylose-ferment ing yeasts may be responsible for the higher xylitol yields.     

Spacer effect on triazole-linked sugar-based surfactants

A series of alkyl triazole glycoside surfactants, ATGs, differing in the length of the alkyl linker between the sugar and the triazole, was synthesized and investigated on their surfactant properties and phase behavior in water. The results indicate no significant impact of the linker on surface and interphase properties, whereas the phase behavior is affected. Higher affinity for the bicontinuous cubic phase potentially favors methylene-linked ATGs over higher homologs for drug-delivery applications. A comparison of glucose and xylose reveals a tendency for high Krafft points for propargyl xyloside based ATGs. This disfavors these surfactants with respect to both glucose analogs and higher homologs.     

Manufacture of xylose-based fermentation media from corncobs by posthydrolysis of autohydrolysis liquors

Milled corncob samples were mixed with water and heated to obtain a liquid phase containing oligosaccharides, sugars, and acetic acid as main reaction products (autohydrolysis reaction). To hydrolyze the sugar oligomers to the correspondent monomers, sulfuric acid was added to the autohydrolysis liquors to reach 0.5–2 wt% of solution, and the reaction media were heated at 101.5–135°C. With this operational procedure, sugar solutions suitable as fermentation media (containing xylose as the major component) were obtained. The kinetics of the posthydrolysis step was characterized on the basis of experimental data concerning the time courses of the concentrations of xylooligosaccharides, xylose, furfural, and acetic acid. The concentrations of other reaction byproducts (glucose or arabinose) were also measured.     

木糖-软模板水热法制备硼掺杂分级多孔炭球及其电化学性能

以D-木糖为炭源,月桂酸钠为模板剂,硼酸为掺杂剂,通过水热炭化方法制得硼掺杂分级多孔炭球（BPC_S）。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、N₂吸附-脱附测试、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）、顺磁共振波谱（EPR）、傅里叶红外光谱（FT-IR）、拉曼光谱（Raman）、X射线粉末衍射（XRD）、热重（TG）分析对样品进行表征。结果表明：月桂酸钠作为介孔造孔剂的同时,通过与D-木糖间的氢键作用使有机-有机自组装过程自发进行并形成窄尺寸分布（2~5 μm）规整炭球;硼酸在水热中催化炭源脱水降解,并以BC₃、BCO₂和BC₂O的形式掺杂在炭球上,掺硼后炭球与水表面接触角降低,润湿性提高。经CO₂活化、月桂酸钠高温分解以及胶质炭球的堆积分别产生微孔（0.5~1.2 nm）、介孔（3.14~35.00 nm）和大孔（60~146 nm）并形成分级结构。当硼酸加入量为0.927 5 g时多孔炭球（BPC_S-1）的电化学性能最佳,在6 mol·L^-1 KOH三电极体系中电流密度为0.5 A·g^-1时,比电容达287.12 F·g^-1;两电极体系中电流密度为0.5 A·g^-1时比电容达151.34 F·g^-1,能量密度达5.3 Wh·kg^-1;电流密度为5 A·g^-1时进行1 000次充放电循环,电容保持率仍达96.43%。     

柱前衍生化-高效液相色谱法分析木糖结晶母液的单糖组成

采用1-苯基-甲基-吡唑啉酮(PMP)柱前衍生化-反相高效液相色谱(HPLC)法建立了8种常见单糖的分离模式,并用于木糖结晶母液单糖组成的定量分析.结果表明:木糖结晶母液至少由甘露糖、鼠李糖、纤维二糖、葡萄糖、半乳糖、木糖、阿拉伯糖及岩藻糖8种单糖组成,其中以葡萄糖、半乳糖、木糖和阿拉伯糖为主.以峰高定量,8种单糖的浓...