Sonolytic degradation of volatile pollutants in natural ground water: conclusions from a model study.

In order to evaluate the possibilities of an ultrasound-based cleaning technology, the effects of sonication on pollutants in a contaminated natural ground water were investigated. After the discussion of the results from this model study on the sonolytic degradation of volatile organic compounds, some consequences are reported and the important role of water components is described. Furthermore, the use of sonication as a cleaning technology for polluted water is discussed based on the conclusions from this study.     

Oxygen-induced concurrent ultrasonic degradation of volatile and non-volatile aromatic compounds

Acoustic cavitation, induced by ultrasound, can be used to eliminate organic pollutants from water. This type of ultrasonic treatment of polluted water can be grouped with those generally referred to as advanced oxidative processes since it involves hydroxyl radicals. In this case these highly active species are generated from the dissociation of water and oxygen dissociation caused by cavitation bubble collapse. The cavitation induced degradation rates of organic compounds in water are mainly linked to their vapor pressure and solubility and here we will further explore these links by examining the degradation of a mixture of two materials with different physical properties, chlorobenzene and 4-chlorophenol. The results obtained when a dilute solution of a mixture of these compounds saturated with argon is subjected to sonication at 300 kHz, parallels previous observations achieved in an aerated aqueous medium at 500 kHz. The two compounds exhibit sequential degradation with the more volatile chlorobenzene entering the cavitation bubble and being destroyed first. The 4-chlorophenol degradation occurs subsequently only when the chlorobenzene has been completely destroyed. The two compounds exhibit different behavior when sonicated in water saturated with oxygen. Under these conditions the two compounds are degraded simultaneously, a remarkable result for which two explanations can be proposed, both of which are based on the formation of additional OH radical species: The ability to produce conditions for the simultaneous elimination of two organic compounds by the use of oxygen is of great importance in the developing field of ultrasonic water treatment.     

A critical review on the sonochemical degradation of organic pollutants in urine,seawater, and mineral water

Substances such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, synthetic and natural hormones, plasticizers, and industrial chemicals enter the environment daily. Many of them are a matter of growing concern worldwide. The use of ultrasound to eliminate these compounds arises as an interesting alternative for treating mineral water, seawater, and urine. Thereby, this work presents a systematic and critical review of the literature on the elimination of organic contaminants in these particular matrices, using ultrasound-based processes. The degradation efficiency of the sonochemical systems, the influence of the nature of the pollutant (volatile, hydrophobic, or hydrophilic character), matrix effects (enhancement or detrimental ability compared to pure water), and the role of the contaminant concentration were considered. The combinations of ultrasound with other degradation processes, to overcome the intrinsic limitations of the sonochemical process, were considered. Also, energy consumptions and energy costs associated with pollutants degradation in the target matrices were estimated. Moreover, the gaps that should be developed in future works, on the sonodegradation of organic contaminants in mineral water, seawater, and urine, were discussed.     

Use of ultrasound at a pilot scale to accelerate the ageing of sherry vinegar

In the present work, the accelerated ageing process of sherry vinegar has been studied at pilot scale by means of the joint application of ultrasound, micro-oxygenation and wood chips (American oak, French oak and Spanish oak). The CIELab parameters have been studied as well as the polyphenolic and volatile content of the aged vinegar samples. Vinegars aged with American oak presented different chromatic characteristics to those aged with French and Spanish oak and a lower polyphenolic and volatile content than the latter ones. On the other hand, Spanish oak generated vinegars with a higher content of volatile compounds and an intermediate polyphenolic profile between those obtained using French and American oak. In addition, the use of ultrasound for a period between 4 and 21 days, generated vinegars with similar characteristics to others that were aged in the traditional way for between 2 and 6 months. It has been demonstrated that the use of ultrasound, combined with micro-oxygenation and chip addition, is a technique which can accelerate the ageing process of vinegars at a pilot scale, so it could be a viable alternative to obtain sherry vinegars aged in a shorter time.     

Combining pressurized liquids with ultrasound to improve the extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.)

The combination of ultrasound and pressurized liquid extraction (UAPLE) was evaluated for the extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peels (Punica granatum L.). The influence of several variables of the process on extraction yield, including solvent type (water, ethanol + water 30, 50 and 70% v:v), temperature (50–100 °C), ultrasound power (0–800 W at the generator, or 0–38.5 W at the tip of the probe), mean particle size (0.68 and 1.05 mm), and number of cycles (1–5), were analyzed according to the yield of 20 different phenolic compounds. The most suitable temperatures for the extraction of phenolic compounds using water were from 70 to 80 °C. In general, 100 °C was not adequate since the lowest extraction yields were observed. Results suggested that ultrasound had a greater impact on extraction yields using large particles and that intermediate ultrasound power (480–640 W at the generator, or 23.1–30.8 W at the tip of the probe) produced the best results. Using small particles (0.68 mm) or large particles (1.05 mm), extraction with ultrasound was 1 cycle faster. Ultrasound may have offset the negative effect of the use of large particles, however, did not increase the yield of phenolic compounds in any of the cases studied after five cycles. Additionally, the continuous clogging problems observed with small particles were avoided with the use of large particles, which combined with ultrasound allowed consistent operation with good intra and inter-day reproducibility (>95%). Using samples with large particle size, the best extraction conditions were achieved with water extraction solvent, 70 °C extraction temperature, ultrasound power at 480 W, and 3 cycles, yielding 61.72 ± 7.70 mg/g. UAPLE demonstrated to be a clean, efficient and a green alternative for the extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peels. These findings indicate that UAPLE has a great potential to improve the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural products.     

Effect of sugars on liquid-vapour partition of volatile compounds in ready-to-drink coffee beverages

The effect of sugars (sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, 10%w/v) on the liquid-vapour partition of selected volatile compounds of coffee beverages has been investigated in espresso coffee and ready-to-drink (RTD) canned coffee prepared and obtained by using the same Arabica roasted coffee beans blend. Aroma composition of coffee beverages has been preliminary investigated by headspace-gas chromatography (HS-GC) and solid phase microextraction-HS-GC-mass spectrometry to characterize the volatile pattern of the systems and to evaluate the effects of sugars on the aroma release/retention. Then, the liquid-vapour partition coefficient (k) of 4 selected key aroma compounds (diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, ethylpyrazine, hexanal) was determined in water, sugars solutions as well as RTD coffee brews added with the same sugars (10%w/v). Sugars added in coffee beverages affected the release of the volatiles and thus its aroma profile with differences due to the type of added sugar and coffee brew type. The k values of the selected volatile compounds resulted different depending on the model system composition (water, coffee brew) and sugar type added. In particular, melanoidins as well as other non-volatile components (lipids, acids, carbohydrates) in the RTD coffee brews could be implied in the change of k of the volatile compounds in respect to that observed in water. The effects of the sugar type on the release/retention of the four key coffee aroma compounds were partly explained in terms of 'salting out' especially for the more polar volatile compounds and in the sucrose-added model systems. The change of chemical and physico-chemical properties of the water and brews induced by the sugars as well as the occurrence of interactions between volatile compounds and non-volatile components may be implied in the reduction of the vapour partition of the aroma compounds. Copyright ? 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of particles on sonochemical reactions in aqueous solutions

Numerous publications deal with the possible application of ultrasound for elimination of organic pollutants as a tool for water pollution abatement. Most of the experiments were performed in pure water under laboratory conditions. For developing technologies that hold promise it is necessary to investigate the effect of ultrasound in natural systems or waste water where particulate matter could play an important role. In this paper the influence of quartz particles (2-25 microm) on the chemical effects of ultrasound in aqueous system using a high power ultrasound generator (68-1028 kHz, 100 W, reactor volume 500 ml) is reported. In pure water in dependence on particle size, concentration and frequency the formation rate of hydrogen peroxide under Ar/O2 (4:1) shows a maximum using 206 kHz in presence of 3-5 microm quartz particles (4-8 g/l). Under these conditions the yield of peroxide is higher than without quartz. Additionally under N2/O2 (4:1) besides hydrogen peroxide the formation of nitrite/nitrate was measured. Compared to pure water quartz particle depressed the formation of nitrite/nitrate up to 10-fold but not the formation of H2O2. According to the results of H2O2 formation the elimination of organic compounds by sonolysis (206 kHz) and the influence of quartz particles were investigated. As organic compounds salicylic acid, 2-chlorobenzoic acid and p-toluenesulfonic acid were used. The influence of quartz on the oxidation of organic compounds (206 kHz) is similar to that on the formation of H2O2.     

Quality characteristics of white wine: The short- and long-term impact of high power ultrasound processing

This research aimed to analyze the effects of ultrasound on the quality characteristics of white wine when processed by two different systems, i.e., ultrasonic bath and ultrasonic probe. In this regard, the multivariate statistical analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques were used. Additionally, the efficiency of high power ultrasound (HPU) combined with sulfite and glutathione (GSH) treatments was explored during 18 months of bottle storage. Regarding ultrasonic bath experiment, the higher bath temperature caused the degradation of volatile compounds, precisely esters and higher alcohols, while the ultrasound effect on phenolic composition was much less pronounced. Interestingly, a combination of larger probe diameter and higher ultrasound amplitude showed a milder effect on phenolic and volatile composition in ultrasonic probe experiment. Both, ultrasonic bath and probe experiments did not cause great changes in the color properties. Moreover, implemented ANN models for flavan-3-ols, higher alcohols and esters resulted in the highest prediction values. HPU processing after 18 months of storage did not affect wine color. However, it modified phenolic and volatile composition, with greater effect in wines with lower concentration of antioxidants. In addition, there was no significant difference in the phenolic and volatile composition among sonicated low-sulfite-GSH wine and the one with standard-sulfite content. Therefore, a combined HPU and low-sulfite-GSH treatment might be a promising method for production of low-sulfite wines.     

Study on the influences of ultrasound on the flavor profile of unsmoked bacon and its underlying metabolic mechanism by using HS-GC-IMS

For exploring the influence of ultrasound on the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon, sensory evaluation combined with E-nose and headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) were performed to analyze the overall flavor profile and specific volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), respectively. Furthermore, the metabolic pathway of VFCs affected by ultrasound was also investigated. Results demonstrated that ultrasound improved the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon by raising the levels of nonanal, heptanal, octanal, 3-methylbutanal n-hexyl acetate and n-propyl acetate. Enzymatic oxidation was found to be an important metabolic pathway responsible for the development of flavor characteristic after ultrasound treatment, which could be attributed to the increased activities of lipases and lipoxygenase and the higher concentration of polyunsaturated free fatty acids. The increased level of lipid oxidation after ultrasound treatment was also confirmed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Consequently, ultrasound is an effective approach to enhance the flavor characteristic of unsmoked bacon.     

Enhancement of convective drying by application of airborne ultrasound – A response surface approach

Drying is one of the oldest and most commonly used processes in the food manufacturing industry. The conventional way of drying is by forced convection at elevated temperatures. However, this process step often requires a very long treatment time, is highly energy consuming and detrimental to the product quality. Therefore, an investigation of whether the drying time and temperature can be reduced with the assistance of an airborne ultrasound intervention is of interest.Previous studies have shown that contact ultrasound can accelerate the drying process. It is assumed that mechanical vibrations, creating micro channels in the food matrix or keeping these channels from collapsing upon drying, are responsible for the faster water removal. In food samples, due to their natural origin, drying is also influenced by fluctuations in tissue structure, varying between different trials. For this reason, a model food system with thermo-physical properties and composition (water, cellulose, starch, fructose) similar to those of plant-based foods has been used in this study.The main objective was, therefore, to investigate the influence of airborne ultrasound conditions on the drying behaviour of the model food. The impact of airborne ultrasound at various power levels, drying temperature, relative humidity of the drying air, and the air speed was analysed. To examine possible interactions between these parameters, the experiments were designed with a Response Surface Method using Minitab 16 Statistical Software (Minitab Inc., State College, PA, USA). In addition, a first attempt at improving the process conditions and performance for better suitability and applicability in industrial scale processing was undertaken by non-continuous/intermittent sonication.     

Ultrasound-assisted desolventizing of fragrant oil from red pepper seed by subcritical propane extraction

In the present study, ultrasound was used to remove the residual solvent from the fragrant oil of red pepper seed obtained by subcritical propane extraction. The physical and chemical characteristics, particularly the volatile flavor compounds present of the oil before and after ultrasound-assisted desolventizing were comprehensively analyzed to determine the effect of the desolventizing process on product quality. The results showed that the maximum loss of residual solvent was achieved at a temperature of 90 °C maintained for 70 min with ultrasound applied during the entire process. After this treatment only a small amount of solvent (2.3% based on the total residual solvent originally present) remained in the oil. Although it was hypothesized that ultrasound treatment could result in the loss of volatile components, the analytical results showed no obvious reduction in the components associated with the typical aroma of the oil. After ultrasonic treatment, the oil also had good oxidation stability and quality. Additionally, after ultrasonic desolventizing, the oil samples were more suitable for cooking because they could more effectively minimize oxidation. Thus, these results demonstrate that this new ultrasonic technique is an effective and efficient method for removing the solvent remaining in fragrant oil after subcritical propane extraction.     

Free surface entrainment of oxide particles and their role in ultrasonic treatment performance of aluminum alloys

Although the ultrasonic treatment of molten aluminum has been studied for long period, there is still much to be revealed for this process. Many studies have focused on the investigation of acoustic cavitation and streaming under the horn tip and their effects on the treatment efficiency. However, to the best of our knowledge, no attempt has been done to explain phenomena occurring near or on the melt free surface. Thus, the goal of this study is to investigate phenomena occurring at the free surface during ultrasound irradiation and clarify their possible influence on the ultrasound treatment performance. The results of high temperature and water model experiments reveal that ultrasound irradiation significantly promotes the formation of alumina particles on the melt free surface around sonotrode, and part of these particles can be entrained into aluminum melts. Furthermore, TEM observation results suggested that the entrained alumina inclusions can serve as nucleation sites for the primary Al₃Zr compounds. Most importantly, the oxidation and entrainment of particles from free surface are likely to be controllable by the immersion depth of sonotrode into molten aluminum.     

Influence of bleaching by ultrasound on fatty acids and minor compounds of olive oil. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile compounds (by SPME coupled to GC/MS)

The effects of bleaching using high power ultrasound (20 kHz) on the quality of olive oil were considered in this study, in order to verify the modifications that can occur in fatty acid composition and minor compounds. During the treatment of olive oil under ultrasonic waves, a rancid odour has been detected. Treated olive oils show no significant changes in their chemical composition but the presence of some volatile compounds, due to ultrasonic treatment. Some off-flavour compounds (hexanal, hept-2-enal and 2(E),4(E)-decadienal) resulting from the sonodegradation of olive oil have been identified. A wide variety of analytical techniques (GLC, HPLC and GC/MS) were used to follow the quality of bleached olive oils with ultrasonic waves by the determination of the amounts of certain minor compounds such as sterols and tocopherols. Steradienes, resulting from the dehydration of sterols, were detected with small quantities especially in severe conditions of sonication. Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography was known to be a sensitive technique to follow changes in the oxidative state of vegetable oils by measuring the amount of volatile materials produced during the refining process.     

Analysis of spectral response of vegetation leaf biochemical components

Based on the leaf spectra data measured with LOPEX'93, the authors analyzed the relationship between leaf spectra and leaf biochemical components including leaf chlorophyll and leaf water content. It was showed that leaf chlorophyll was highly correlated with the second derivation of leaf reflectance at wavelengths 700, 670, 600, 500, 490, 440, and 410 nm; similarly, it was also showed that leaf water content was highly correlated with the continuum removed leaf reflectance at wavelengths 2350, 2180, 2130, 2120, 1870, and 1820 nm, which correspond to the absorption features of water in shortwave infrared bands. In addition, the authors found that ND (Normalized Difference) has a higher response to chlorophyll than other spectral indexes and the correlation coefficient is 0.618; Ratio975 has a very high response to water content and the correlation coefficient is up to 0.996. Based on the above evidences, the authors built a model to retrieve leaf chlorophyll and leaf water content through ground measured leaf spectra data and the simulated leaf chlorophyll and leaf water content are very accurate as compared to the ground measurements.     

Extraction of natural products using supercritical fluids and pressurized liquids assisted by ultrasound: Current status and trends

Natural products are a source of a wide range of chemical compounds, from pigments to bioactive compounds, which can be extracted and used in different applications. Due to consumer awareness, the interest in natural compounds significantly increased in the last decades, prompting the search for more efficient and environmentally friendly extraction techniques and methods. Pressurized liquids and fluids (sub and supercritical) are being explored to extract natural compounds within the green process concept. The combination of these techniques with ultrasound has emerged as an alternative to intensify the extraction process efficiently. In this context, this work presents a comprehensive review and current insights into the use of high-pressure systems, specifically supercritical fluid extraction and pressurized liquid extraction assisted by ultrasound, as emerging technologies for extracting bioactive compounds from natural products. The extraction mechanisms, applications, and the influence of operational parameters in the process are addressed, in addition to an analysis of the main challenges to be overcome for widespread application.     

固相微萃取气相色谱-质谱法测定自来水中的挥发性卤代烃

采用固相微萃取技术萃取水中的挥发性有机物,用气相色谱-质谱仪检测。     

Effect of ultrasonic treatment on the activity of sugar metabolism relative enzymes and quality of coconut water

In this study, tender coconuts were treated with high-intensity ultrasound (US) for 20 min at a frequency of 20 kHz and a power of 2400 W. Compared with control group, US treated coconut water had a higher content of total soluble solid and sugar/acid ratio along with a lower pH value and conductivity, and the contents of sucrose, fructose and glucose were also higher. Results from HS-SPME/GC–MS showed that there was no significant difference in the content of volatile compounds in coconut water before and after US treatment. The activities of sugar metabolism enzymes such as sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase, acid invertase (AI) and neutral invertase were inhibited by US, of which AI had the strongest inactivation. Circular dichroism and fluorescence spectra showed that the secondary and tertiary structure of AI molecule were destroyed with the increase of US intensity and time, which was confirmed by the change of particle size distribution pattern and scanning electron microscopy. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics showed that US treatment prevented the recognition and binding of sucrose and AI molecules, thereby inhibiting the decomposition of sucrose. In conclusion, our results indicate that US can inhibit the activity of AI and maintain the sugar content to increase the quality as well as extend the shelflife of coconut water, which will bring more commercial value.     

Effects of ultrasound treatment on muscle structure,volatile compounds,and small molecule metabolites of salted Culter alburnus fish

This study investigated the effects of ultrasound treatment on the quality of salted Culter alburnus fish. The results showed that with the increasing ultrasound power, the structural degradation of muscle fibers was intensified, and the conformation of myofibrillar protein was significantly changed. The high-power ultrasound treatment group (300 W) had relatively higher thiobarbiturate reactive substance content (0.37 mg malondialdehyde eq/kg) and peroxidation value (0.63 mmol/kg). A total of 66 volatile compounds were identified with obvious differences among groups. The 200 W ultrasound group exhibited fewer fishy substances (Hexanal, 1-Pentene-3-ol, and 1-Octane-3-ol). Compared with control group, ultrasound groups (200, 300 W) contained more umami taste-related amino peptides such as γ-Glu-Met, γ-Glu-Ala, and Asn-pro. In the ultrasound treatment group, L-isoleucine and L-methionine, which may be used as flavor precursors, were significantly down-regulated, while carbohydrates and its metabolites were up-regulated. Amino acid, carbohydrate, and FA (fatty acyls) metabolism products in salted fish were enriched by ultrasound treatment, and those products might ultimately be related to the taste and flavor of salted fish.     

Problems of moving ultrasound penetrative devices in a dispersion medium during drilling of the Moon’s regolith

The paper considers the problem of drilling the regolith of the Moon’s South Pole: the influence of water ice on the elastic properties of the regolith and the movement of an ultrasound penetrative device in a dispersion medium. It is shown that low-frequency vibration action can aid in controlling the viscosity of dispersion systems. The hydrodynamics of the penetrative device’s movement in a dispersion medium is calculated. Estimates are made for the drilling speed at different depths and drilling conditions to ensure the retention of volatile regolith components.     

Direct contact ultrasound for fouling control and flux enhancement in air-gap membrane distillation

Air Gap Membrane distillation (AGMD) is a thermally driven separation process capable of treating challenging water types, but its low productivity is a major drawback. Membrane fouling is a common problem in many membrane treatment systems, which exacerbates AGMD’s low overall productivity. In this study, we investigated the direct application of low-power ultrasound (8–23 W), as an in-line cleaning and performance boosting technique for AGMD. Two different highly saline feedwaters, namely natural groundwater (3970 μS/cm) and RO reject stream water (12760 μS/cm) were treated using Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. Theoretical calculations and experimental investigations are presented, showing that the applied ultrasonic power range only produced acoustic streaming effects that enhanced cleaning and mass transfer. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) analysis showed that ultrasound was capable of effectively removing silica and calcium scaling. Ultrasound application on a fouled membrane resulted in a 100% increase in the permeate flux. Cleaning effects accounted for around 30–50% of this increase and the remainder was attributed to mass transfer improvements. Contaminant rejection percentages were consistently high for all treatments (>99%), indicating that ultrasound did not deteriorate the membrane structure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis of the membrane surface was used to confirm this observation. The images of the membrane surface demonstrated that ultrasound successfully cleaned the previously fouled membrane, with no signs of structural damage. The results of this study highlight the efficient and effective application of direct low power ultrasound for improving AGMD performance.