Decolorization kinetics of the azo dye drimaren blue X3LR by laccase

Summary An extracellular Drimaren Blue X3LR decolorizing enzymatic activity was found in the crude filtrate of Funalia trogii grown by solid-state fermentation using wheat bran and soya bean waste. Decolorization of the azo dye Drimaren Blue X3LR by the crude filtrate and partially purified enzyme of Funalia trogii were investigated and compared. In the absence of additional redox mediator, maximum decolorization ratios of 81.33 % and 77.4 % were observed for Drimaren Blue X3LR using crude filtrate and partially purified enzyme respectively. Decolorization yield was found to be higher with crude enzyme preparations. Na₂S₂O₅ inhibited laccase and dye decolorizing enzyme activities but a significant peroxidase activity inhibition was not observed. Since the reaction was catalyzed in the absence of H₂O₂ as co-substrate, it could be concluded that this enzyme is not a peroxidase but may be a laccase.. The kinetic parameters of decolorization were calculated according to Michaelis constant (Km of 1.700 x 10^-5 mol dm^-3 and W_max = 8.02 x10^-7 mol dm^-3 sec^-1).     

Use of surfactants to remove solvent-based inks from plastic films

There is substantial economic and environmental incentive to remove the ink (deink) from heavily printed plastic films so that the plastic can be reused to produce clear films. In this study, polyethylene films printed with solvent-based ink were deinked using surfactants under a variety of conditions. Water without surfactant does not deink the solvent-based ink from plastic films over a pH range of 3 to 12. In common with earlier studies of water-based inks, it is found that solutions of cationic surfactants are the most effective for deinking of solvent-based ink but a pH of at least 11 is required. Presoaking of plastic film in aqueous solution of cationic surfactant increases the level of deinking. Limited studies performed with a pilot-size paper deinking apparatus on solvent-based ink removal indicates that the deinking of plastic film using surfactant solutions is technically feasible.     

Sampling hazelnuts for aflatoxin: effect of sample size and accept/reject limit on reducing the risk of misclassifying lots

About 100 countries have established regulatory limits for aflatoxin in food and feeds. Because these limits vary widely among regulating countries, the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants began work in 2004 to harmonize aflatoxin limits and sampling plans for aflatoxin in almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts. Studies were developed to measure the uncertainty and distribution among replicated sample aflatoxin test results taken from aflatoxin-contaminated treenut lots. The uncertainty and distribution information is used to develop a model that can evaluate the performance (risk of misclassifying lots) of aflatoxin sampling plan designs for treenuts. Once the performance of aflatoxin sampling plans can be predicted, they can be designed to reduce the risks of misclassifying lots traded in either the domestic or export markets. A method was developed to evaluate the performance of sampling plans designed to detect aflatoxin in hazelnuts lots. Twenty hazelnut lots with varying levels of contamination were sampled according to an experimental protocol where 16 test samples were taken from each lot. The observed aflatoxin distribution among the 16 aflatoxin sample test results was compared to lognormal, compound gamma, and negative binomial distributions. The negative binomial distribution was selected to model aflatoxin distribution among sample test results because it gave acceptable fits to observed distributions among sample test results taken from a wide range of lot concentrations. Using the negative binomial distribution, computer models were developed to calculate operating characteristic curves for specific aflatoxin sampling plan designs. The effect of sample size and accept/reject limits on the chances of rejecting good lots (sellers' risk) and accepting bad lots (buyers' risk) was demonstrated for various sampling plan designs.     

Detailed studies on the reduction of aliphatic 3-, 4-, 6-, and 13-oximino esters: Synthesis of novel isomeric amino esters,oximino alcohols,and amino alcohols

The preparation of novel 3-, 4-, 6-, and 13-amino-tetradecanoic acid methyl esters (2a–d) obtained by the reduction of 3-, 4-, 6-, and 13-oximino-tetradecanoic acid methyl esters (1a–d), was investigated. Oximino esters were reduced to afford the corresponding amino esters using NaBH₄–ZrCl₄ reducing system with good yields (58–82%). However, the reduction of oximino esters with LiAlH₄ and BH₃. Tetrahydrofuran gave the corresponding novel 3-, 4-, 6-, and 13-oximino alcohols (3a–d), and 3-, 4-, 6-, and 13-amino alcohols (4a–d) respectively with good chemical yields.     

Synthesis of asymmetrical tridendate Schiff bases and metal complexes and investigation of anticarcinogen effects on human colon and cervical cancers

The metal complexes of Zn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) with asymmetrical Schiff bases were synthesized. The asymmetrical Schiff base was obtained through the condensation of 1,2-phenylenediamine, 4-methyl-1,2-phenylenediamine, 2-hydroxy-1-napthaldehyde and biphenyl-4-carbaldehyde. The new Schiff base ligands (L₁' and L₂') and their metal complexes were characterized by TG/DTG, FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, UV–Vis, ESR, powder XRD, elemental analysis, magnetic moment and fluorescence studies. The powder XRD studies indicate that Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes are amorphous, while Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes are crystalline. The anticarcinogenic effects of L₁' and L₂' were also investigated against colon (SW-620) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines and compound L₂' was found to possess the highest anticarcinogenic potential, with 16.7 µM and 27.5 µM of IC₅₀ values for HeLa and SW620 cells, respectively.     

Star polymers by photoinduced copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry

Well‐defined star polymers consisting of tri‐, tetra‐, or octa‐arms have been prepared via coupling‐onto strategy using photoinduced copper(I)‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition click reaction. An azide end‐functionalized polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate), and an alkyne end‐functionalized poly(ε‐caprolactone) as the integrating arms of the star polymers are prepared by the combination of controlled polymerization and nucleophilic substitution reactions; whereas, multifunctional cores containing either azide or alkyne functionalities were synthesized in quantitatively via etherification and ring‐opening reactions. By using photoinduced copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction, reactive linear polymers are simply attached onto multifunctional cores to form corresponding star polymers via coupling‐onto methodology. The chromatographic, spectroscopic, and thermal analyses have clearly demonstrated that successful star formations can be obtained via photoinduced CuAAC click reaction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 1687–1695     

The impact of [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]-benzo[1,2,3]triazole structure on the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers

Two novel conjugated near-infrared (NIR) absorbing donor–acceptor type copolymers comprising benzodithiophene as the donor and [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]-benzo[1,2,3]triazole derivatives as the acceptors, spaced with thiophene as the π-bridge, were designed and synthesized via Stille polycondensation reaction. The effect of acceptor strength on optoelectronic properties was targeted and investigated. Branched alkyl chains (the extended 2-octyl-1-dodecyl alkyl chain;  C₈C₁₂) were introduced to 5H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4′,5′:4,5]benzo[1,2-c][1,2,5]thiadiazole and 5H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4′,5′:4,5]benzo[1,2-c][1,2,5]selenadiazole for enhanced solubility of polymers which ease the processability hence device constructions. The strongly electron-withdrawing units lead to a substantial change in the absorption properties via promotion of the intramolecular charge transfer band alongside the π–π* transition. The resultant soluble polymers were characterized via cyclic voltammetry to determine highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels as −5.00 and −3.92 eV for PSBT and −4.86 and −4.04 eV for PSeBT, respectively. Electronic band gaps of the copolymers were calculated as 1.08 eV for PSBT and 0.82 eV for PSeBT, respectively. NIR absorbing copolymers were used to construct electrochromic devices.     

Novel plastoquinone analogs containing benzocaine and its analogs: structure‐based design,synthesis, and structural characterization

Introducing new biologically active organic molecules or their analogs into the pharmaceutically important molecules significantly enables the discovery and development of the medicines that improve the health of patients. Chemical synthesis has a key role in pharmaceutical research and development, aiming to design and build molecules with the essential biological activity needed in drugs. For that reason, herein, three series of novel PQ analogs (the nonhalogenated (PQ1-6) and the halogenated PQ analogs (BrPQ1-6 and ClPQ1-6)) containing benzocaine and its analogs were designed and synthesized starting from the commercially available dimethylhydroquinone (1) with benzocaine and its analogs. The structures of all synthesized analogs were characterized by using spectroscopic methods. The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated for the PQ analogs.