Evaluation of Dry Protonated Calcium Alginate Beads for Biosorption Applications and Studies of Lead Uptake

Alginate polysaccharide is a promising biosorbent for metal uptake. Dry protonated calcium alginate beads for biosorption applications were prepared, briefly characterized and tested for lead uptake. Several advantages of this biosorbent are reported and discussed in comparison with other alginate-based sorbents. The alginate beads contained 4.7 mmol/g of COOH groups, which suffered hydrolysis near pH 4. The Weber and Morris model, applied to kinetic results of lead uptake, showed that intraparticle diffusion was the rate-controlling step in lead sorption by dry alginate beads. Equilibrium experiments were performed and the data were fitted with different isotherm models. The Langmuir equation was the most adequate to model lead sorption. The maximum uptake capacity (q _max) was estimated as 339 mg/g and the Langmuir constant (b) as 0.84 l/mg. These values were compared with that of other sorbents found in the literature, indicating that dry protonated calcium alginate beads are among the best biosorbents for the treatment and recovery of heavy metals from aqueous streams.     

A comparative study of solvent extraction of total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil

Three non-specific methods for the extraction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) from soil into organic solvent were compared. The techniques used for sample preparation were Soxhlet extraction, closed-vessel microwave-assisted extraction, and CEN shake extraction. The total concentrations of extracted compounds in the boiling point range of C10–C40 were determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The best recovery (99%) and repeatability (±3%) from standard oil mixtures were obtained with microwave-assisted extraction. However, the different extraction methods exhibited different behaviour when spiked soil samples were extracted. The best repeatability was obtained with CEN shake extraction (±6%) but the repeatability values for Soxhlet and microwave-assisted methods were quite high (>20%). However, the larger uncertainties of the latter extraction methods does not necessarily limit the applicability of these methods to the determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil, as in the assessment of soil contamination the expanded uncertainty of the result is usually not limited by analytical uncertainty, but rather by the uncertainty of the primary sampling stage. However, distinctive variation found in the chromatographic profiles illustrates that discretion should be obeyed when chromatograms obtained after application of different extraction methods on petroleum contaminated samples are to be used in the fingerprinting or age dating studies. Otherwise, misleading conclusions concerning the age of spillage could be drawn.     

A Novel Stepwise Recovery Strategy of Cellulase Adsorbed to the Residual Substrate after Hydrolysis of Steam Exploded Wheat Straw

Cellulase distribution between residual substrate and supernatant in the process of enzymatic hydrolysis of steam-exploded wheat straw was investigated. Subsequently, a novel stepwise recovery strategy with three successive steps was adopted to recover cellulase adsorbed to the residual substrate. The results showed that cellulase protein in the supernatant increased as the hydrolysis time increased. When hydrolysis ended, the cellulase remaining on the residual substrate accounted for 33–42% of the original added cellulase according to the different cellulase loading. To obtain the maximum cellulase recovery rate, the residual substrate was dealt with in three successive steps: washed with sodium acetate buffer (step 1), shaken with sodium acetate buffer (step 2), and then treated with 0.0015 mol/L, pH 10 Ca(OH)₂ (step 3). The total cellulase protein recovered by the three steps reached 96.70–98.14%. The enzyme activity of cellulase recovered by the first two steps was kept well. The ratios of the specific activity between the recovered cellulase and the original were 89–96%, which was by far higher than that using step 3 (the value was 48% ∼ 56%).     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Property Evaluation of a Hydrophobically Modified Polyacrylamide as Enhanced Oil Recovery Chemical

A novel hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide p(AM/NaA/OP-10-AC/BOAM) was successfully synthesized via an aqueous micellar copolymerization method from acrylamide (AM), sodium acrylate (NaA), octylphenol polyoxyethylene acrylate (OP-10-AC), and small amounts of N-benzyl-N-octylacrylamide (BOAM), with the aim of investigating the copolymer's rheological behaviors under various conditions such as polymer concentration, shearing, temperature, and salinity. The copolymer was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscope. Scanning electron micrographs show large aggregates in solution formed by the association from the hydrophobic groups of the copolymer. Compared with partially hydrolyzed polyacryamide (HPAM), the copolymer shows a much higher thickening capability and a much greater ability to resist shearing, heat, and salts. This good property of the copolymer is attributed to its three-dimensional dimensional network structure. According to the core flooding test, it can be obtained that oil recovery is enhanced about 4.3% by the copolymer flooding contrasted to the HPAM flooding in mid-low permeability cores under conditions of 1500 mg/L of polymers and 45°C. All the results prove that the copolymer has the capability of increasing oil recovery by improving waterflood sweep efficiency in high-salinity reservoirs.     

Modeling of Shape Memory Induction and Recovery in Heat‐Shrinkable Polymers

Summary: A mechanical model was developed to describe qualitatively and quantitatively the stress‐strain‐time behavior of a prepared shape memory crosslinked polyethylene during hot stretching, stress relaxation under 200% strain at high temperature and strain recovery of the heat shrinkable polymer. The stress‐strain, the stress relaxation and the irrecoverable strain behavior of the model were established by driving the constitutive equation, which could qualitatively represent the behavior of the real material. By choosing significant values for the parameters of the proposed model, an excellent fit was obtained between the experimental behavior of the polymer and that predicted by the model. It was also revealed that the main source responsible for the imperfect recovery of the induced strain observed was the stress relaxation occurring during the stretch holding‐cooling time step.

Stress relaxation of crosslinked polyethylene under 200% strain at 160 °C.     

实验室废液的回收及效果评价——以“铬废液回收及评价”为例

This paper introduces an experiment about waste liquid recovery and effect evaluation in laboratory. Through this experiment, the basic operations of crystal preparation, chemical analysis and instrumental analysis are further consolidated. At the same time, it allows students to experience a series of possible problems of condition selection and control in the process of waste liquid treatment. We hope to improve the students' ability to analyze and solve problems, enhance their interest in learning, and strengthen their humanistic education.     

取代苯体系的二阶非线性光学性质:动力学李代数方法

提出了一种动力学李代数方法来研究取代苯体系的非线性光学性质. 对于给定的PPP模型(Pariser-Parr-Pople)哈密顿量, 生成了一个动力学李代数. 依据这些代数元构造出演化算子作为群参数的函数, 通过求解一组非线性微分方程能够得到这些群参数. 再按照统计力学中的密度算子公式给出取代苯分子体系偶极矩的统计平均值. 于是导出二阶极化率的表达式. 与其他量子力学计算结果比较, 表明这种动力学李代数方法在预言有机共轭分子的非线性光学性质上同样有用.     

Structural Studies of Transition Metal Compounds

A historical overview will be given on the structural studies on transition metal compounds and their interaction with other fields of coordination chemistry. About three decades have passed away since the structure and absolute configuration of tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) complex ion were determined. At present accumulation of the structural data for isomers has enabled us to understand structural principles of chelate complexes in considerable detail. The energy minimization calculations can predict the detailed geometries of the complexes. Differences in thermodynamic properties between different conformers are well reproduced. Aspherical distribution of 3d electrons in transition metal complexes was detected for the first time in crystals of [Co(NH3)₆][Co(CN)₆] in 1973. Such an accurate electron density study provides important information on the d electrons placed in a ligand field. The high-spin and low-spin states can be distinguished unequivocally. In spite of a very small valence/total electron ratio, the asphericity of 4d and 5d electrons in a ligand field can be detected. The crystal structures of a series of dimeric copper(II) carboxylate adducts of the general formula [Cu(RCOO)₂L]₂ have been determined or redetermined as accurately as possible. The temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of these crystals indicated that the isolated pairs of Cu(II) ions interact strongly through exchange forces. Molecular orbital calculations revealed that the electron population in the carbon atom of the bridging OCO group plays an important role in determining the strength of the spin superexchange interaction. In the crystals of some cobaloxime complexes, racemization of chiral groups bonded to Co proceeds on X-ray exposure without degradation of crystallinity. Several intermediate stages could be determined by X-ray analysis. Various reaction pathways were recognized and the reaction rate could be correlated with the atomic arrangement in the crystal.     

Evaluation of PTMSP membranes in achieving enhanced ethanol removal from fermentations by pervaporation

The use of membrane processes for the recovery of fermentation products has been gaining increased acceptance in recent years. Pervaporation has been studied in the past as a process for simultaneous fermentation and recovery of volatile products such as ethanol and butanol. However, membrane fouling and low permeate fluxes have imposed limitations on the effectiveness of the process. In this study, we characterize the performance of a substituted polyacetylene membrane, poly[(l-trimethylsilyl)-l-propyne] (PTMSP), in the recovery of ethanol from aqueous mixtures and fermentation broths. Pervaporation using PTMSP membranes shows a distinct advantage over conventional poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) membranes in ethanol removal. The flux with PTMSP is about threefold higher and the concentration factor is about twofold higher than the corresponding performance achieved with PDMS under similar conditions. The performance of PTMSP with fermentation broths shows a reduction in both flux and concentration factor relative to ethanol-water mixtures. However, the PTMSP membranes indicate initial promise of increased fouling resistance in operation with cell-containing fermentation broths.     

聚氨酯(PU)/聚乙烯醇(PVA)共混体系的有关性能及其模型研究

本文研究了聚氨酯(PU)-聚乙烯醇(PVA)共混体系的动态力学性质、相逆转现象和透气性能.发现当PVA重量含量为30-50％时,共混体系发生了连续相与分散相的逆转.进一步,通过力学模型描述了该共混体系的模量-组成关系、动态力学温度谱以及透气系数与PVA含量的关系曲线.所有实验数据都落在理论预测的范围内,并分别与改进的Kerner模型和组合Kerner模型相符合.