Methane conversion to higher value-added product and energy co-generation using anodes OF PdCu/C in a solid electrolyte reactor: alkaline fuel cell type monitored by differential mass spectroscopy

Research on Chemical Intermediates - PdxCuy/C catalysts combinations were employed to CH4 partial oxidation in mild condition using a solid electrolyte reactor—alkaline fuel cell type. The...     

TG and DSC analyses of eucalyptus black liquor as alternative methods to estimate solids content

As a consequence of the continuous increase in the production rate of pulp and paper mills around the world, a great quantity of black liquor, a by-product of the wood digestion process, is produced. This by-product has a great potential as biomass, but needs to be concentrated to higher solids content to be burned as fuel in a recovery boiler. This is necessary to make the pulping process economically feasible, incinerating black liquor to produce high pressure steam, recycling inorganic chemicals to the process. The greater the solids content in black liquor, the better the combustion process in the boiler. Nevertheless, concentration of solids in black liquor above 75 mass/%, causes scaling formation on the heat transfer surfaces of evaporators and concentrators, due to the precipitation of sodium salts, reducing the overall efficiency of this equipment. The aim of this work is to evaluate the use of thermal analyses techniques, TG and DSC, as alternative methods to estimate solids content in eucalyptus black liquor samples since this information is essential to understand scaling formation process, allowing actions to reduce this industrial problem. Traditional techniques applied to determine solids content use gravimetric methods, which are simple, fine, but take a lot of time to be executed. Thermal analyses have proved to be very accurate and have the advantage to be faster than the traditional techniques. On the other hand, the cost-benefit relationship of the traditional technique is much greater and the final decision which one should be used depends on the conditions available.     

Evaluation of antioxidants on the thermo-oxidative stability of soybean biodiesel

This work shows the evaluation of three antioxidants (2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT)—synthetic antioxidant, hydrogenated cardanol (HC), and alkyl hydrogenated cardanol (AHC)—both derived from cashew nut shell liquid) on the thermo-oxidative stability of the soybean biodiesel. The antioxidants were added at concentrations of 200, 300, and 400 ppm, and the oxidative stability of the biofuel with and without antioxidants were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG and IPDT) and Metrohm 743 Rancimat per the EN 14112 method. The results showed that all antioxidants contributed for the thermo-oxidative stability of the soybean biodiesel as follows: soybean biodiesel < soybean biodiesel + BHT < soybean biodiesel + HC < soybean biodiesel + AHC. In the Rancimat method, the results showed that the antioxidants influenced the biodiesel stability with an increase of at least 71 %.     

Adsorption of silanes bearing nitrogenated Lewis bases on SiO2/Si (100) model surfaces

The present paper describes the one-pot procedure for the formation of self-assembled thin films of two silanes on the model oxidized silicon wafer, SiO2/Si. SiO2/Si is a model system for other surfaces, such as glass, quartz, aerosol, and silica gel. MALDI-TOF MS with and without a matrix, XPS, and AFM have confirmed the formation of self-assembled thin films of both 3-imidazolylpropyltrimethoxysilane (3-IPTS) and 4-(N-propyltriethoxysilane-imino)pyridine (4-PTSIP) on the SiO2/Si surface after 30 min. Longer adsorption times lead to the deposition of nonreacted 3-IPTS precursors and the formation of agglomerates on the 3-IPTS monolayer. The formation of 4-PTSIP self-assembled layers on SiO2/Si is also demonstrated. The present results for the flat SiO2/Si surface can lead to a better understanding of the formation of a stationary phase for affinity chromatography as well as transition-metal-supported catalysts on silica and their relationship with surface roughness and ordering. The 3-IPTS and 4-PTSIP modified SiO2/Si wafers can also be envisaged as possible built-on-silicon thin-layer chromatography (TLC) extraction devices for metal determination or N-heterocycle analytes, such as histidine and histamine, with "on-spot" MALDI-TOF MS detection.     

Trapping H- bound to the nitrogenase FeMo-cofactor active site during H2 evolution: characterization by ENDOR spectroscopy

We here show that the iron-molybdenum (FeMo)-cofactor of the nitrogenase alpha-70(Ile) molybdenum-iron (MoFe) protein variant accumulates a novel S = (1)/(2) state that can be trapped during the reduction of protons to H(2). (1,2)H-ENDOR measurements disclose the presence of two protons/hydrides (H(+/)(-)) whose hyperfine tensors have been determined from two-dimensional field-frequency (1)H ENDOR plots. The two H(+/)(-) have large isotropic hyperfine couplings, A(iso)( )() approximately 23 MHz, which shows they are bound to the cofactor. The favored analysis for these plots indicates that the two H(+/)(-) have the same principal values, which indicates that they are chemically equivalent. The tensors are further related to each other by a permutation of the tensor components, which indicates an underlying symmetry of binding relative to the cofactor. At present, no model for the structure of the iron-molybdenum (FeMo)-cofactor in the S = (1)/(2) state trapped during the reduction of H(+) can be shown unequivocally to satisfy all of the constraints generated by the ENDOR analysis. The data disfavors any model that involves protonation of sulfides, and thus suggests that the intermediate instead contains two chemically equivalent bound hydrides; it appears unlikely that these are terminal monohydrides.     

Sequential injection methodology for carbon speciation in bathing waters

A sequential injection method (SIA) for carbon speciation in inland bathing waters was developed comprising, in a single manifold, the determination of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), free dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂), total carbon (TC), dissolved organic carbon and alkalinity. The determination of DIC, CO₂ and TC was based on colour change of bromothymol blue (660 nm) after CO₂ diffusion through a hydrophobic membrane placed in a gas diffusion unit (GDU). For the DIC determination, an in-line acidification prior to the GDU was performed and, for the TC determination, an in-line UV photo-oxidation of the sample prior to GDU ensured the conversion of all carbon forms into CO₂. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was determined by subtracting the obtained DIC value from the TC obtained value. The determination of alkalinity was based on the spectrophotometric measurement of bromocresol green colour change (611 nm) after reaction with acetic acid. The developed SIA method enabled the determination of DIC (0.24–3.5 mg C L⁻¹), CO₂ (1.0–10 mg C L⁻¹), TC (0.50–4.0 mg C L⁻¹) and alkalinity (1.2–4.7 mg C L⁻¹ and 4.7–19 mg C L⁻¹) with limits of detection of: 9.5 μg C L⁻¹, 20 μg C L⁻¹, 0.21 mg C L⁻¹, 0.32 mg C L⁻¹, respectively. The SIA system was effectively applied to inland bathing waters and the results showed good agreement with reference procedures.     

Affinity Matrices of Cratylia mollis Seed Lectins for Isolation of Glycoproteins from Complex Protein Mixtures

This work reports the use of matrices containing Cratylia mollis lectins (Cramoll 1,2,3-Sepharose and Cramoll 3-Sepharose) for isolation of glycoproteins from fetal bovine serum, human colostrum, hen egg white, and human blood plasma. Cramoll 1,2,3-Sepharose was able to bind a glycoprotein from fetal bovine serum which showed the same fetuin electrophoretic profile. The data indicate that this protein adsorbed to the matrix by interaction with Cramoll 3. Cramoll 1,2,3-Sepharose was not efficient to retain glycoproteins from human colostrum or commercial ovalbumin. Cramoll 3-Sepharose bound ovalbumin, and the support retained protein from hen egg white. Protein peaks eluted from the column with 1.0 M NaCl or 0.3 M galactose showed apparent molecular mass of ovalbumin. Two main proteins from blood plasma with apparent molecular mass 67 (similar to albumin) and 50 kDa (similar to fetuin) adsorbed on Cramoll 3-Sepharose and were eluted with 1.0 M NaCl as a single peak. Elution of adsorbed plasma proteins with 0.3 M galactose was less selective than with 1.0 M NaCl as revealed by SDS-PAGE. In conclusion, the Cramoll 1,2,3-Sepharose and Cramoll 3-Sepharose matrices were useful to separate glycoproteins from complex protein mixtures, and the adsorption phenomena was a carbohydrate-dependent event.     

Comparative study of the oxidative and thermal stability of vegetable oils to be used as lubricant bases

Demand for lubricating oils is increasing in the growing Brazilian economy. The use of vegetable bases in exchange of minerals can bring socio-economic and environmental benefits for Brazil. The purpose of this study is to compare the thermal and oxidative stability of vegetable oils related to the bases commonly used as lubricants. In this study, thermogravimetric analysis of castor oil, cotton oil, macauba’s almond oil, passion oil, paraffinic mineral oil, naphthenic oil (NH-140) and synthetic oil (Etro) was performed in inert and oxidative atmosphere to study the thermal and oxidative degradation of the vegetable oils related to the most common lubricants’ oils base. These oils’ oxidation stability were determined by standard procedures (ISO 6886). The use of mineral oil’s additives in these vegetable oils was tested to verify the viability of these additives to improve the oxidative stability of the vegetable oils. The castor oil and the cotton oil presented results of thermal analysis similar to the mineral and synthetic bases values. The castor oil was the only vegetable oil that showed a great oxidative stability. All other vegetable oils had their oxidative stability significantly increased by the additives.     

Photoelectrochemical platform for sensing propyl gallate in edible oil samples based on CdTe quantum dots and poly(D-glucosamine)

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - This paper reports the development of a photoelectrochemical platform based on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode modified with carboxyl-functionalized...