Effect of Acetic Acid on Saccharomyces Carlsbergensis ATCC 6269 Batch Ethanol Production Monitored by Flow Cytometry

Bioethanol produced from lignocellulosic materials has been considered a sustainable alternative fuel. Such type of raw materials have a huge potential, but their hydrolysis into mono-sugars releases toxic compounds such as weak acids, which affect the microorganisms' physiology, inhibiting the growth and ethanol production. Acetic acid (HAc) is the most abundant weak acid in the lignocellulosic materials hydrolysates. In order to understand the physiological changes of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis when fermenting in the presence of different acetic acid (HAc) concentrations, the yeast growth was monitored by multi-parameter flow cytometry at same time that the ethanol production was assessed. The membrane potential stain DiOC₆(3) fluorescence intensity decreased as the HAc concentration increased, which was attributed to the plasmic membrane potential reduction as a result of the toxic effect of the HAc undissociated form. Nevertheless, the proportion of cells with permeabilized membrane did not increase with the HAc concentration increase. Fermentations ending at lower external pH and higher ethanol concentrations depicted the highest proportions of permeabilized cells and cells with increased reactive oxygen species levels. Flow cytometry allowed monitoring, near real time (at-line), the physiological states of the yeast during the fermentations. The information obtained can be used to optimize culture conditions to improve bioethanol production.     

Using Multi-parameter Flow Cytometry to Monitor the Yeast <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodotorula glutinis</Emphasis> CCMI 145 Batch Growth and Oil Production Towards Biodiesel

Multi-parameter flow cytometry was used to monitor cell intrinsic light scatter, viability, and lipid content of Rhodotorula glutinis CCMI 145 cells grown in shake flasks. Changes in the side light scatter and forward light scatter were detected during the yeast batch growth, which were attributed to the different yeast growth phases. A progressive increase in the proportion of cells stained with PI (cells with permeabilized cytoplasmic membrane) was observed during the yeast growth, attaining 79% at the end of the fermentation. A high correlation between the Nile Red fluorescence intensity measured by flow cytometry and total lipid content assayed by the traditional gravimetric lipid analysis was found for this yeast, making this method a suitable and quick technique for the screening of yeast strains for lipid production and optimization of biofuel production bioprocesses. Medium growth optimization for enhancement of the yeast oil production is now in progress.     

Using Flow Cytometry to Evaluate the Stress Physiological Response of the Yeast <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces carlsbergensis</Emphasis> ATCC 6269 to the Presence of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural During Ethanol Fermentations

Lignocellulosic materials have been considered low-cost effective substrates for bioethanol production. However, lignocellulosic pretreatment releases toxic compounds such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) that is known to inhibit the yeast growth and ethanol production. In this work, flow cytometry was used to monitor the physiological response of the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis ATCC 6269 in the presence of different initial HMF concentrations within the range of 0–15 g/L, in terms of cell membrane integrity, potential, and intracellular lipids. It was observed that the HMF presence affected more significantly the yeast growth than the ethanol production. At 15 g/L HMF, the yeast growth and fermentation ability were completely inhibited. The cell membrane integrity and potential decreased as the initial HMF concentration increased. At the end of the fermentation process with 10 g/L HMF, the yeast culture contained 45 % of cells with depolarized plasma membrane, 52 % of cells with permeabilized plasma membrane, and 53 % of cells with increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Using the Nile Red stain, it was observed that intracellular polar lipids were more affected by the initial HMF concentration than the neutral lipids, probably due to the extensive membrane damage.     

Pd-Catalyzed Reduction of Aldehydes to Alcohols Using Formic Acid as the Hydrogen Donor

Facile and selective reduction of aromatic aldehydes as well as aliphatic aldehydes to alcohols was achieved using formic acid as the hydrogen donor in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)₂ and Cy₃P. It was found that both hydrogen atoms in the formic acid molecule can serve as the hydride source.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® for the following free supplemental resource(s): Full experimental and spectral details.]     

Formic Acid as a Potential Pretreatment Agent for the Conversion of Sugarcane Bagasse to Bioethanol

In recent years, growing attention has been focused on the use of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for the production of ethanol, a possible renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Several pretreatment processes have been developed for decreasing the biomass recalcitrance, but only a few of them seem to be promising. In this study, effect of various organic solvents and organic acids on the pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse was studied. Among the different organic acids and organic solvents tested, formic acid was found to be effective. Optimization of process parameters for formic acid pretreatment was carried out. The structural changes before and after pretreatment was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The X-ray diffraction profile showed that the degree of crystallinity was more for pretreated biomass than that of untreated. The FTIR spectra shown at the stretching of hydrogen bonds of pretreated sugarcane bagasse arose at higher number. It also revealed that the cellulose content in the solid residue increased because the hemicelluloses fraction in raw materials was released by acid hydrolytic reaction.     

Effects of Propionic Acid and pH on Ethanol Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Cassava Mash

The effects of propionic acid on ethanol and glycerol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in cassava mash were examined along with the influence of pH (4.0, 5.0, and 6.0) and of dissolved solids content (22%, 25%, and 27%). Inhibition by propionic acid increased as solids content increased and medium pH declined. Complete inhibition of ethanol fermentation was observed in mashes at pH 4.0 (60 mM propionic acid for 22% solids and 45 mM for 25% and 27%). Glycerol production linearly decreased with increased undissociated propionic acid concentration in all mashes at all pH levels, which partly contributed to increased final ethanol production when propionic acid concentration in mashes was low (≤ 30 mM).     

泡沫铜负载硫化亚铜电极高效电催化还原二氧化碳制备甲酸

电催化还原二氧化碳制备甲酸是备受关注的热点问题。而电极材料是决定还原效率的重要因素。本文通过电沉积方法在泡沫铜上直接制备纳米结构硫化亚铜薄膜,并采用扫描电镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)对其结构性能进行了系统研究。以硫化亚铜作为阴极电催化材料、0.5 mol·L^-1 1-丁基-3-甲基咪唑四氟硼酸盐的乙腈溶液为电解液,在该体系中可高效催化转化二氧化碳为甲酸。结果表明,这一电解体系可有效实现电化学反应,甲酸的法拉第效率(FE_HCOOH)可以达到85%,同时甲酸还原电流密度可达到5.3 mA·cm^-2。     

微流控芯片用于流式细胞术的基础研究

自行设计并加工了玻璃微流控芯片,并将其与流式细胞术相结合,采用羟丙基甲基纤维素(HPMC)的磷酸盐溶液为缓冲体系和鞘液,解决了微粒在微芯片中流动的若干问题,使其状态可以得到更有效的控制.采用自行组装的激光诱导荧光装置并结合动电聚焦技术,实现了对荧光微球的计数,并可通过荧光倒置显微镜实时观察到微通道内微球的实际流动情况.方法简单,操作方便,并且具有仪器体积小、试剂及样品用量少和分析速度快等优点.     

甲酸在Pt-Ru/GC电极上氧化的SERS研究

采用循环伏安(CV)法、计时电流法和电化学原位表面增强拉曼散射光谱(SERS)技术研究了甲酸在Pt-Ru/GC电极上的氧化行为, 发现甲酸在Pt-Ru/GC电极上与在粗糙Pt电极上一样, 也能自发解离出强吸附中间体CO和活性中间体—COO－. 从分子水平证实钌的加入有利于提高电极对甲酸的电催化氧化活性, 当镀液中Pt：Ru的摩尔比从10∶1变化到1∶1, CO的氧化峰电位从0.41 V负移至0.35 V, 约负移了60 mV. Pt-Ru/GC(1∶1)电极与粗糙Pt电极相比, CO在电极表面氧化完毕的电位亦负移了约200 mV. 该研究结果表明, 电化学原位表面增强拉曼散射光谱技术可望成为研究电催化反应机理的普适谱学工具.     

Electrochemical Sensing of Dissolved Hydrogen in Aqueous Solutions as a Tool to Monitor Magnesium Alloy Corrosion

Magnesium and its alloys have been the focus of the development of biodegradable metallic implant materials for years. Since water is reduced to form hydrogen gas during their corrosion, the amount and rate of hydrogen evolution, and therefore the dissolved hydrogen, could be used as an indicator to monitor and compare the corrosion. Here we report on a commercially available Clark‐Type amperometric microsensor and a simple potentiometric sensor for hydrogen to monitor the corrosion of a magnesium alloy in aqueous solutions. The sensors were compared using rare‐earth containing Mg alloy discs (Mg with 4 % Y, 2 % Nd, 0.5 % Ga, 0.5 % Dy) immersed in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) and 3.5 % NaCl.     

炭载Pd-Ni合金纳米粒子对甲酸的电催化氧化

通过液相还原法制备了具有不同原子比例的Pd-Ni/C催化剂,并且使用X射线衍射（XRD）、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS) 等表征手段对制备的催化剂进行了表征,总结了Ni的掺杂对Pd-Ni合金纳米粒子的尺寸及晶体结构的影响。电化学测试结果表明：适量的Ni的掺杂不但能够增强催化剂对甲酸催化氧化的活性,而且还能够提高催化剂的稳定性。因此,Pd-Ni/C催化剂是一类具有潜在应用前景的直接甲酸燃料电池阳极催化剂     

Hydride Pinning Pathway in the Hydrogenation of CO2 to Formic Acid on Dimeric Tin Dioxide

Capture of CO₂ and its conversion into organic feedstocks are increasingly needed as society moves towards a renewable energy economy. Here, a hydride-assisted selective reduction pathway is proposed for the conversion of CO₂ to formic acid (FA) over SnO₂ monomers and dimers. Our density functional theory calculations infer a strong chemisorption of CO₂ on SnO₂ clusters forming a carbonate structure, whereas heterolytic cleavage of H₂ provides a new pathway for the selective reduction of CO₂ to formic acid at low overpotential. Among the two investigated pathways for reduction of CO₂ to HCOOH, the hydride pinning pathway is found promising with a unique selectivity for HCOOH. The negatively-charged hydride forms on the cluster during the dissociation of H₂ and facilitates the formation of a formate intermediate, which determines the selectivity for FA over the alternative CO and H₂ evolution reaction. It is confirmed that SnO₂ clusters exhibit a different catalytic behaviour from their surface equivalents, thus offering promise for future work investigating the reduction of CO₂ to FA via a hydride pinning pathway at low overpotential and CO₂ capturing.     

Kinetics of the Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Acetic Acid to Ethanol

The ruthanium-catalyzed hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol was conducted at 140–230° under hydrogen pressure of 40.8–81.6 atm with a catalyst loading of 4 g/L. The best rate expression to fit the experimental results is Kinetic data at 230° were obtained with an average error of 7%. It is concluded that the rate limiting step is the first addition of hydrogen to acetic acid to produce aldehyde and water as the intermediates. The activation energy is 12.7 kcal/mole.     

Oxidative Conversion of Glucose to Formic Acid as a Renewable Hydrogen Source Using an Abundant Solid Base Catalyst

Formic acid is one of the most desirable liquid hydrogen carriers. The selective production of formic acid from monosaccharides in water under mild reaction conditions using solid catalysts was investigated. Calcium oxide, an abundant solid base catalyst available from seashell or limestone by thermal decomposition, was found to be the most active of the simple oxides tested, with formic acid yields of 50 % and 66 % from glucose and xylose, respectively, in 1.4 % H₂O₂ aqueous solution at 343 K for 30 min. The main reaction pathway is a sequential formation of formic acid from glucose by C−C bond cleavage involving aldehyde groups in the acyclic form. The reaction also involves base-catalyzed aldose-ketose isomerization and retroaldol reaction, resulting in the formation of fructose and trioses including glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone. These intermediates were further decomposed into formic acid or glycolic acid. The catalytic activity remained unchanged for further reuse by a simple post-calcination.     

Ab initio Mechanism Study on the Reaction of Chlorine Atom with Formic Acid

The potential energy surface(PES) for the reaction of Cl atom with HCOOH is predicted using ab initio molecular orbital calculation methods at UQCIDS(T,full)6-311 G(3df,2p)//UMP2(full)/6-311 G(d,P) level of theory with zero-point vibrational energy (ZPVE) correction.The calculated results show that the reaction mechanism of Cl atom with formic acid is a C-site hydrogen abstraction reaction from cis-HOC(H)O molecule by Cl atom with a 3.73kJ/mol reaction barrier height,leading to the formation of cis-HOCO radical which will reacts with Cl atom or other molecules in such a reaction system.Because the reaction barrier height of O-site hydrogen abstraction reaction from cis-HOC(H)O molecule by Cl atom which leads to the formation of HCO2 radical is 67.95kJ/mol,it is a secondary reaction channel in experiment,This is in good agreement with the prediction based on the previous experiments.     

Pt电极上甲酸电催化氧化机理研究进展

本文综述了甲酸在铂电极上电催化氧化机理的实验和理论研究进展. 铂电极甲酸的电化学氧化主要有两种途径：1）间接途径,甲酸经由CO中间物氧化为最终产物CO₂,室温下该途径对总电流贡献不超过1%;2）直接途径,甲酸直接氧化生成CO₂. 作者课题组对文献中桥式吸附甲酸根是否是甲酸氧化反应直接途径的反应中间物的争论进行了详细的分析和探讨,认为桥式吸附的甲酸根不是间接途径中生成CO的前驱体,也不是甲酸直接氧化途径的中间物. 作者课题组还指出了支持甲酸根是甲酸直接氧化途径的反应中间物的推论的问题所在.     

Use of Formic Acid as a CO Surrogate for the Reduction of Nitroarenes in the Presence of Dienes: A Two-Step Synthesis of N-Arylpyrroles via 1,2-Oxazines

Formic acid, activated by acetic anhydride and a base, was employed as a CO surrogate to deoxygenate nitroarenes to nitrosoarenes, a reaction catalyzed by a palladium/phenanthroline complex in the homogeneous phase. Nitrosoarenes were trapped by conjugated dienes to give 3,6-dihydro-2H-[1,2]-oxazines. The latter were then transformed into N-arylpyrroles employing CuCl as the catalyst. The reaction was designed to give the best results for pyrroles lacking any substituent in the 2 and 5 positions, which are difficult to produce employing most pyrrole syntheses.