Advanced Materials Research Vols. 807-809

Abstract: Microbial desalination cell (MDC) was considered inefficient to desalinate salt water with low salt concentration, therefore, the feasibility of using capacitive deionization (CDI) and membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) as a post-processing technologies for MDC was investigated in this study, as well as the possibility of using MDC as the power supply for CDI and MCDI. The internal resistances of MDC with different salt concentration, the desalination rate and fresh water yield during a typical desalination cycle under initial salt concentration of 35 g/L were investigated in order to find out the deadline salt concentration for the MDC to desalinate effectively. The internal resistance increased from 21.7 to 602 Ω as the concentration of salt water decreased from 35 g/L to 0.1g/L. The salt water volume increased from 42 to 48 ml when the salt concentration decreased from 35 to 15 g/L, then decreased to 38 ml at the end of one desalination cycle when the salt concentration achieved 0.05 g/L due to the salt gradient (osmotic pressure). The maximum desalination rate during one typical desalination cycle in our experiment reached 5.65 mg/h when salt concentration decreased from 27.26 to 26.32 g/L, while the minimum desalination rate was 0.534 mg/h when salt concentration decreased from 0.38 to 0.05 g/L. It was concluded that MDC was not suitable to desalinate salt water with salt concentration less than 1 g/L. When CDI and MCDI were used as the post-processing technologies for MDC, a better performance in term of electrosorption capacity was obtained from MCDI with an influent salt concentration of 1 g/L. The experimental result also showed that the electrosorption capacity of MCDI with MDC as power supply was more than that with potentiostat as power supply at 0.8V, this suggests that MDC could be an alternative power supply for MCDI.

Abstract: In this study, the Microbiological communities wereinvestigated by culture-independent molecular approaches. Four 16S rRNA genelibraries from mineral waterand different groundwater of wells collected from Zhuhai of the South China were constructed and analyzed by amplifiedribosomal DNA restriction analysis technique (ARDRA). The clones of dominantARDRA patterns were selected to sequence. The phylogenetic analysis indicatedthat the sequences from dominant ARDRA patterns belonged to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes，archaea ,Actinobacteria,Planctomycetes, and Candidate division OP3, OP8, OP11 et al. Thepercentages of Proteobacteria isolated from multi-level-well samples D1,D5,D6were respectively 32.3％,34.3%,46.7%;The Bacteroidetes were respectively 5.0％,11.2％,6.5％; and Actinobacteria were respectively 5.4％,6.6％,7.8％. As a background,the seawater clone library, with the majority (32.8%) of the clones clusteringwithin the Proteobacteria, the second most abundant group were Bacteroidetesand Planctomycetes(both 9.3%), The results suggest that microbialcommunity from different vertical layers ofgroundwater in pristine habitats that have been described for the first time inChina.

Abstract: In the current study, two of the most environmentally relevant Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were individually evaluated for toxic effects on rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. The results showed that the life span declined significantly in all treatment groups (0.05mg/L, 0.1mg/L, 0.2mg/L BDE-47 and BDE-209) compared to the control, and BDE-47 caused significant decrease compared to BDE-209 at 0.2mg/L treatment group. Significant increases of intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurred in all treatment groups except for 0.05mg/L BDE-209 treatment group compared to the control, and significant increases were observed in all BDE-47 treatment groups compared to the equivalent treatment groups of BDE-209. Meanwhile significant increases of intracellular calcium levels ([Ca²⁺]_in) occurred in 0.1mg/L, 0.2mg/L BDE-47 and 0.2mg/L BDE-209 treatment groups compared to the control, and BDE-47 cause significant increase compared to BDE-209 at 0.2mg/L treatment group. The present study demonstrated that life span, ROS and Ca²⁺ were involved in PBDEs toxic effects, and toxicities of BDE-47 were higher than BDE-209. Otherwise, the toxic effects in both BDE-47 and BDE-209 were similar, which suggest that the toxic effects of two PBDEs congeners may be caused by the same toxic mechanism of action.

Abstract: currently, the comprehensive utilization of red mud has been a worldwide challenge. Due to high alkaline level and a serious lack of nutrients, a great amount of red mud has been stocked in the open rather than covered by plantations, which showed harms to the atmosphere, water and soil environment. In order to explore a more effective phytoremediation approach of red mud and screen plants with strong tolerance, the research group applied Pennisetum hybridum as the experiment material for a long term, which is a new energy plant in the field of ecological environmental management and restoring. Through the addition of different types of addictives, his experiment conducted the plantation Pennisetum hybridum based on red mud improvement matrix. Besides, a systematic research of the improvement effects of different ameliorants on red mud was conducted. Concurrently, the growth of Pennisetum hybridum in different groups of the experiment was investigated. Their mutual effect on the improvement effect of red mud was analyzed systematically. Results demonstrated that effective raw materials of red mud improvement include phosphogypsum, wastes of polluted and edible mushrooms. These can significantly reduce the pH and conductivity of red mud. After the improvement, Pennisetum hybridum can grow vigorously in the mixture matrix of red mud, and significantly improve the red mud matrix. Concurrently, considerable biomasses were obtained. The experiment results demonstrated that the addition of necessary nutriments for the plant growth was very important for red mud. The research has laid a solid foundation for the identification of the great potentials of Pennisetum hybridum in red mud phytoremediation, the further exploration of its role of restoring of red mud and the extensive application and promotion in the future.

Abstract: The effects of crystalline structure (Anatase and Rutile) and H₂O₂ addition on TiO₂ visible-light photocatalysis were studied, which used reactive brilliant red X-3B and phenol as model pollutants. The results indicated that reactive brilliant red X-3B could be degradated by the two form TiO₂(anatase or rutile) under visible-irradiation with the assistance of H₂O₂, however, when the surface sites of TiO₂ photocatalysts were preeminently occupied by CO₃^2-, photodecomposition could not be processed. Phenol could also be degradated by the two form TiO₂ under visible-irradiation with the assistance of H₂O₂, rutile TiO₂ exhibited a better photocatalytic activity, and its degradation ratio could be 80% after 120 min of reaction. The concentration of the ring intermediates detected during phenol decomposition was evidently higher when using rutile TiO₂ as photocatalyst, and the presence of hydroxyl radical inhibitor (tert-butyl alcohol or methanol) had great effects on the degradation efficiency of rutile TiO₂, but had less effects on anatase TiO₂. The degradation of phenol occurred mainly in the solution when using rutile TiO₂ as photocatalyst, and in contrast, the degradation occurred mainly at the TiO₂ particles surface when using anatase TiO₂ as photocatalyst.

Abstract: Progesterone was biotransformed by Aspergillus ustus in this paper. Two products were obtained and they were identified as 11α-hydroxyprogesterone and 11α,15β-dihydroxyprogesterone by NMR and MS. The fermentation process of biotransformtion had been studied with HPLC and 11α-hydroxyprogesterone was the main product.

Abstract: Paecilomyces victoriae was selected to transform androstenedione (AD). Two products were obtained and identified as 7α-Hydroxyandrostenedione, 7α-Hydroxy-17α-methyltestosterone, respectively, by MS and NMR.

Abstract: A promising series of biocidals based on imidazolium derivates were synthesized to develop new antiseptics and disinfectants. Biocidal Imidazoliums with hydrophobic alkyl substituents and hydrophilic substituents were prepared, and its antimicrobial activity (AM) was determined by Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs). It was found that the MIC value of the as-synthesized imidazole derivatives increase as the number of alkyl carbons increases up to 12 carbons,and its AM efficiency is relatively high.

Abstract: The results of the anaerobic methane fermentation of cow manure in the temperature range of 35-40°C, pH 5.5-7.5 in the presence of iron and immobilized on a natural polymer humate. Kinetic studies have shown that in the presence of catalysts developed analogues of natural catalysts enzymes in the studied conditions, the rate of methane fermentation of biomass increases three times. Increasing the concentration of iron humate, and a positive effect on the first order constants as in step accumulation of microorganisms during a fermentation step and anaerobic degradation of biomass.

Abstract: The results of research of kinetic of oxidations of phenol by oxygen at presence of nitrogen oxides and complexes of cobalt fixed on polyacrylic acid at 333К are presented in the article. It is established, that at presence of complexes of cobalt fixed on PAA and oxides of nitrogen it is possible to spend oxidation of phenol in soft conditions. Fixation of mononuclear complexes on polyacrylic acid promotes destruction of an aromatic ring, getting of aliphatic aldehydes and ketones while at presence of binuclear complexes of cobalt fixed on PAA process of oxidation comes to an end with formation benzoquinone. The given system works stably.