Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1967. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-81).

The research pursued relates to the establishment of interrelationship between various factors affecting chitin extraction, and combination of optimum levels of factors required to maximize the yield of chitin extraction. Optimization of chitin extraction was carried out using crab, lobster, and shrimp solid wastes. The study was divided into two stages: (a) optimization of chitin extractability with respect to particle size; (b) optimization of demineralization and deproteinization stages in lobster chitin extraction using Response Surface Methodology. Particle size had a significant effect on crab and lobster chitin extractability; a particle size of 2.0mm gave the highest yield in chitin extraction. The mean yield of chitin from crab and lobster at particle size of 2.0mm were 28.8% and 23.2%, respectively. Shrimp chitin extractability was not affected by particle size with the mean yield being 25.2%. Response Surface Methodology was used to determine simultaneous effects of (a) concentration of extractant; (b) shell:extractant ratio; (c) temperature of extraction; and (d) time of extraction on deproteinization and demineralization stages of chitin extraction and hence yield of chitin. All variables had an effect on demineralization and deproteinization yields. Maximum demineralization was predictable by a multi-factor model consisting of a combination of concentration of HCl, shell:extractant ratio, temperature and time of extraction. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The research undertaken in this thesis includes microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), synthesis, and the investigation of the scale-up of the microwave-assisted processes with the numerical aid. / The main goal of this research is to study the various problems associated with the scale-up of the microwave-assisted extraction and synthesis processes. Laboratory studies were carried out to investigate the microwave-assisted extraction of known components from peppermint leaves and American ginseng. Various factors that influence the extraction processes were studied. Microwave-assisted extraction method was compared with conventional heating and room temperature extraction methods on the extraction of ginsenosides from American ginseng. Microwave-assisted extraction method was determined to have higher extraction rate than both room temperature extraction and reflux temperature extraction using hotplate heating indicating that there is acceleration factor in enhancing the extraction rate beyond the temperature influence. / In the study of synthesizing n-butyl paraben, microwave-assisted synthesis was observed to greatly increase the yield of n-butyl paraben in much shorter period of time compared to the classic synthesis method. A transition state theory was proposed to explain this rate enhancement. The study of the synthesis of parabens with different alcohol and the influencing factors on the synthesis of n-butyl paraben yield were also studied. / A visualization method was developed to determine the microwave distribution in a domestic microwave cavity. The method uses gypsum plate as carrier and cobalt chloride as indictor. A simulation program was developed using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) approach and written in C programming language. The program was proved to be very versatile in different type of cavity simulation. Not only cavities with different dimensions and geometrical designs can be simulated, multiple magnetrons and various ways of magnetron placement can also be integrated into the simulation program. The detailed power distribution can be visualized in a 3-D plot, and the power distribution in each layer can be analyzed using the simulation result. The power distribution information will be very useful and necessary before any real equipment development.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Carleton University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 98-104). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.SC.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-93). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Marine brown algae (seaweeds) are a rich source of fucoxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid that is naturally, an accessory pigment in the process of photosynthesis of sea vegetation such as Sargassum incisifolium. Fucoxanthin has been exploited by nutraceutical companies for its anti-obesity effects that has resulted in an increase of seaweed slimming preparations such as FucoThin™. The field is getting widespread consumer attention as interest in fucoxanthin has also transcended to its widespread biological potential which include cytotoxicity, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-plasmodium effects. We therefore wanted to identify a reliable source(s) of fucoxanthin from diverse samples of South African marine brown algae in order to explore our medicinal chemistry interests around the cytotoxicity and anti-malarial potential of fucoxanthin. A known source, Sargassum incisifolium, was used to isolate (maceration in CH₂Cl₂/MeOH at 35 °C followed by a hexane/EtOAc step gradient silica column of the crude extract and reversed phase semi-prep HPLC) and characterize (1D and 2D NMR) fucoxanthin (reference standard) in order to develop an analytical method for its determination in selected diverse brown algae commonly found in South Africa. The HPLC [Column: Phenomenex® Synergi™ (250 x 3.0 mm i.d); Mobile phase: ACN/H2O (95:5)] method developed for this analysis was validated according the guidelines set by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). Fifteen species were then assessed for fucoxanthin content (μg/g of dried weight) using the developed method. Stability studies on fucoxanthin were also carried out to assess photo- and pH degradation of fucoxanthin. Zonaria subarticulata (KOS130226-18) from Kenton-On-Sea beach and Sargassum incisifolium (PA130427-1) from Port Alfred beach were found to be the highest producers of fucoxanthin with 0.50 mg/g and 0.45 mg/g dried weight respectively. Fucoxanthin was found to be both photo-labile and sensitive to both acidic and basic pH environments. However, the pigment was more photostable in pure as opposed to extract form and also showed to be more stable at pH 10.0. Our findings show that Z. subarticulata and S. incisifolium could be reliable sources of fucoxanthin and can be considered as the algae to use in optimized extraction procedures in further studies. Also, when working with fucoxanthin, it is important to protect it from light. Any consideration of taking fucoxanthin preparation orally (as a nutraceutical) should consider protecting the active from the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Any upscale production of fucoxanthin from seaweed should consider variations such as geographical, seasonal, lifecycle stage, etc. of identified algae as these may be important factors in obtaining effective concentrations of fucoxanthin.

The thesis explored the use of different sorbent materials in solid phase extraction method development. The methods included the use of the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa solid phase extraction and electrospun polymer-silica composite sorbents for clean-up and preconcentration. Sample clean-up for alkaloids (hydrastine and berberine) in goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) in Ginkgo biloba was achieved using Bond Elut Plexa SPE sorbent. Clean-up of flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba was also achieved using electrospun polymer-silica composite (polystyrene-silica, polyacrylonitrile-silica and nylon 6-silica) sorbents. All analysis of flavonoids and alkaloids was carried out using an Agilent 1200 Series HPLC coupled with a diode array detector. Good peak separation was achieved in less than 6 min employing an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 x 75 mm, 3.5 μm) at 35⁰C. The mobile phases employed were 0.1% phosphoric acid/methanol gradient and 0.5% phosphoric acid/methanol (40:60) for alkaloids and flavonoids respectively. The calibration curves exhibited linearity up to 120 μg mL⁻¹ with correlation coefficients of more than 0.9980. The recoveries ranged from 73-109% with relative standard deviation of less than 5% for all analytes. Agilent Chem Elut supported liquid extraction was employed for the development of a sample preparation method for the determination of 24 banned aromatic amines from azo dyes in textile following the EU standard method EN 14362-1:2003 (E) and the Chinese standard method GB/T 17592-2006. The supported liquid extraction was effective in the extraction of the aromatic amines from textile (cotton, wool and polyester/cotton [80%:20%]). Most of the recoveries obtained were conforming to the minimum requirements set in the EN 14362-1:2003 (E) standard method and the relative standard deviations were less than 15%. Good peak separation was obtained within 70 min run time using the Agilent Zorbax SB-Phenyl column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5-micron) or the Agilent DB-35 MS (J & W) (30 m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm film thickness. It was demonstrated that the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa, electrospun nanofibers and diatomaceous earth were effective in extraction of alkaloids, flavonoids and aromatic amines in different matrices. The developed methods were simple, rapid and reproducible.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-10-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:29:16Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 braos_bb_me_jabo.pdf: 225900 bytes, checksum: 240a4157783dce6d5a507bc0eb6ece89 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O uso de métodos químicos para avaliar o N do solo, potencialmente disponível para as plantas, não é uma prática comum no Brasil. Contudo, esta ferramenta, associada a outras, pode auxiliar na utilização mais eficiente de resíduos e adubos nitrogenados. Com o presente trabalho foram testados métodos químicos para extração de N potencialmente disponível. Amostras de 17 solos representativos do Planalto Ocidental do Estado de São Paulo foram coletadas e submetidas à avaliação do N disponível, empregando-se métodos de extração moderada (ISNT-Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test) e branda (água e soluções de KCl 2 mol L-1 e CaCl2 0,01 mol L-1, todas com aquecimento). Os teores de N potencialmente disponível obtidos com os métodos químicos foram correlacionados com dados de matéria seca (MS) e N absorvido (Nabs) por plantas de milho, obtidos em experimento em casa de vegetação, conduzido com os mesmos 17 solos. O ISNT foi o método que apresentou a maior capacidade de extração do N e, a água quente, a menor capacidade, mas muito semelhante à da solução de CaCl2 0,01 mol L-1 a quente. Apesar da diferença na quantidade de N extraída, todos os métodos correlacionaram entre si e com a produção de MS e o Nabs. O ISNT foi o método que apresentou as menores correlações (rMS=0,67** e rNabs=0,81**). A extração com aquecimento por 8 h usando água, 16 h usando solução de CaCl2 0,01 mol L-1 e 4 h empregando KCl 2 mol L-1 resultaram em valores de r com MS e Nabs muito semelhantes e, deste modo, levando em consideração o menor tempo de extração, o método do KCl a quente pode ser indicado como melhor índice para N disponível (rMS=0,82** and rNabs=0,90**) / The use of chemical methods to evaluate the potentially available N to plants is not a common practice in Brazil. However, this tool, associated with others, can help in a more efficient use of wastes and nitrogen fertilizers. With the present paper it was tested chemical methods to extract the potentially available N. Samples of 17 soils representative of the Western Plateau of the State of São Paulo were collected and submitted to evaluation of the available N using methods of moderate extraction (ISNT-Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test) and mild (water and solutions of 2 mol L-1 KCl and 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2, all heated). The levels of potentially available N obtained with these chemical methods were correlated with dry matter (DM) and N uptake (Nup) by maize plants, obtained in a greenhouse experiment conducted with the same 17 soil samples. The ISNT was the method which presented the highest capacity of extraction of the available N and, the hot water, the lowest capacity, but very similar to the hot 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2. Despite the difference in the quantity of available N extracted, all the methods correlated with each other and with DM and Nup.The ISNT was the method that presented the lowest correlations (rMS=0,67** and rNupe=0,81**). The hot extraction by 8h using water, 16h using 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 and 4h using 2 mol L-1 KCl have shown similar r values with DM and Nup and, thereby, taking into account the lowest extraction delay, the hot KCl method can be indicated as the best index to available soil N (rDM=0,82** and rNup=0,90**)