This thesis presents the potential of integrating chemical and biological treatment technologies for the removal of high concentrations of phenol in a bioremediation medium. High concentrations of phenol in wastewater are difficult to remove by purely biological methods. Chemical oxidation is one way to treat high concentrations of phenol but complete oxidation is not always possible or will make the treatment process uneconomical. An experimental design approach, based on central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to evaluate the effects of process parameters on phenol oxidation by Fentons reagent and chlorine dioxide. Performance of the chemical oxidation was evaluated by determining the percentage of phenol oxidized at equilibrium. The reaction mechanism for the oxidation of phenol by Fentons reagent was proposed based on identification of the intermediate compounds.<p> The effects of H₂O₂ concentration (2000 to 5000 mg L^-1) and FeSO₄.7H₂O concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1) were investigated on phenol oxidation and optimal concentrations of H₂O₂ and FeSO₄.7H₂O for complete oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 phenol in medium were found to be 4340 mg L^-1 and 1616 mg L^-1, respectively, at 25°C and pH 3. The main oxidation products were identified as catechol, hydroquinone and maleic acid.<p> In the case of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, the effects of chlorine dioxide concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1), temperature (10 to 40°C) and pH (3 to 7) on the oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol were determined. The optimal concentration of chlorine dioxide to completely oxidize 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol was 2000 mg L^-1. The other parameters did not significantly affect the oxidation over the ranges studied. The main oxidation products were identified as 1,4-benzoquinone and 2-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone.<p> Finally, the biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone, the main oxidation product of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, was studied in batch and continuous systems using Pseudomonas putida 17484 in two dose McKinneys medium. The effects of 1,4-benzoquinone concentration and temperature were studied on biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone in batch reactors. Under optimal conditions, it was found that 150 mg L^-1 1,4-benzoquinone could be successfully biodegraded at 15°C. In a continuous reactor operating at 15°C the highest removal rate with 500 mg L^-1 of 1,4-benzoquinone was found to be 246 mg L^-1 h^-1. The values of µmax, Ks and yield were also determined as 0.74±0.03 h^-1 and 14.17±3.21 mg L^-1 and 2x10¹³ cell mg^-1, respectively.

This thesis presents the potential of integrating chemical and biological treatment technologies for the removal of high concentrations of phenol in a bioremediation medium. High concentrations of phenol in wastewater are difficult to remove by purely biological methods. Chemical oxidation is one way to treat high concentrations of phenol but complete oxidation is not always possible or will make the treatment process uneconomical. An experimental design approach, based on central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to evaluate the effects of process parameters on phenol oxidation by Fentons reagent and chlorine dioxide. Performance of the chemical oxidation was evaluated by determining the percentage of phenol oxidized at equilibrium. The reaction mechanism for the oxidation of phenol by Fentons reagent was proposed based on identification of the intermediate compounds.<p> The effects of H₂O₂ concentration (2000 to 5000 mg L^-1) and FeSO₄.7H₂O concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1) were investigated on phenol oxidation and optimal concentrations of H₂O₂ and FeSO₄.7H₂O for complete oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 phenol in medium were found to be 4340 mg L^-1 and 1616 mg L^-1, respectively, at 25°C and pH 3. The main oxidation products were identified as catechol, hydroquinone and maleic acid.<p> In the case of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, the effects of chlorine dioxide concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1), temperature (10 to 40°C) and pH (3 to 7) on the oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol were determined. The optimal concentration of chlorine dioxide to completely oxidize 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol was 2000 mg L^-1. The other parameters did not significantly affect the oxidation over the ranges studied. The main oxidation products were identified as 1,4-benzoquinone and 2-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone.<p> Finally, the biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone, the main oxidation product of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, was studied in batch and continuous systems using Pseudomonas putida 17484 in two dose McKinneys medium. The effects of 1,4-benzoquinone concentration and temperature were studied on biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone in batch reactors. Under optimal conditions, it was found that 150 mg L^-1 1,4-benzoquinone could be successfully biodegraded at 15°C. In a continuous reactor operating at 15°C the highest removal rate with 500 mg L^-1 of 1,4-benzoquinone was found to be 246 mg L^-1 h^-1. The values of µmax, Ks and yield were also determined as 0.74±0.03 h^-1 and 14.17±3.21 mg L^-1 and 2x10¹³ cell mg^-1, respectively.

O presente trabalho apresenta metodologias utilizando a p-benzoquinona (PBQ) para a determinação de proteínas totais em diversas matrizes. As metodologias propostas foram comparadas com os métodos recomendados ou os mais utilizados, conforme o caso. O método aqui proposto, para determinação de proteínas totais em plasma sangüíneo, foi comparado com o método de biureto, mostrando-se adequado e com sensibilidade dez vezes maior que a do biureto. Para a determinação de proteínas totais em diversos tecidos de rato, o método proposto foi comparado com os métodos de Hartree e FFDW, e apresentou resultados mais próximos do FFDW do que o método de Hartree e, também, mostrou ser mais rápido, barato e de fácil realização. O método desenvolvido para determinação de proteínas totais em leite em pó desnatado foi comparado com os métodos de Kjeldahl e Lowry e cols., sendo mais simples e rápido que as metodologias de Lowry e Kjeldahl. Para determinação de amino grupos livres em síntese de peptídeos em fase sólida, a metodologia proposta foi comparada com o método de Kaiser e cols. O método proposto apresentou diversas vantagens sobre o método de Kaiser, sendo estas: o método é sensível a prolina, não precisa preparar nenhuma solução, não apresenta falso positivo para histidina e é rápido. / The present thesis describes the utilization of p-benzoquinone (PBQ) for assay of total protein in several samples. The methods presented here were compared with those mostly used or recommended depending on the case. For determination of total proteins in the blood plasma, the proposed method was compared with biuret method, and it was 10 times more sensitive than biuret method and convenient method for determination of total proteins in plasma. The assay of total proteins in several rat tissues with the proposed method, was compared with Hartree and FFDW methods, and it shows closer proteins content to FFDW method than Hartree method, besides it was faster, less expensive and easier to be used than Hartree method. The method developed for determination of total proteins in skin milk powder, was compared with Kjeldahl and Lowry methods and showed to be more simple and faster than these methods. For determination of free amino groups in solid phase peptide synthesis, the proposed method was compared with Kaiser method. The proposed method showed several advantages than Kaiser method, such as: it is sensitive for proline, it is not necessary to prepare any solution and it does not show a false positive test for histidine.

O presente trabalho apresenta metodologias utilizando a p-benzoquinona (PBQ) para a determinação de proteínas totais em diversas matrizes. As metodologias propostas foram comparadas com os métodos recomendados ou os mais utilizados, conforme o caso. O método aqui proposto, para determinação de proteínas totais em plasma sangüíneo, foi comparado com o método de biureto, mostrando-se adequado e com sensibilidade dez vezes maior que a do biureto. Para a determinação de proteínas totais em diversos tecidos de rato, o método proposto foi comparado com os métodos de Hartree e FFDW, e apresentou resultados mais próximos do FFDW do que o método de Hartree e, também, mostrou ser mais rápido, barato e de fácil realização. O método desenvolvido para determinação de proteínas totais em leite em pó desnatado foi comparado com os métodos de Kjeldahl e Lowry e cols., sendo mais simples e rápido que as metodologias de Lowry e Kjeldahl. Para determinação de amino grupos livres em síntese de peptídeos em fase sólida, a metodologia proposta foi comparada com o método de Kaiser e cols. O método proposto apresentou diversas vantagens sobre o método de Kaiser, sendo estas: o método é sensível a prolina, não precisa preparar nenhuma solução, não apresenta falso positivo para histidina e é rápido. / The present thesis describes the utilization of p-benzoquinone (PBQ) for assay of total protein in several samples. The methods presented here were compared with those mostly used or recommended depending on the case. For determination of total proteins in the blood plasma, the proposed method was compared with biuret method, and it was 10 times more sensitive than biuret method and convenient method for determination of total proteins in plasma. The assay of total proteins in several rat tissues with the proposed method, was compared with Hartree and FFDW methods, and it shows closer proteins content to FFDW method than Hartree method, besides it was faster, less expensive and easier to be used than Hartree method. The method developed for determination of total proteins in skin milk powder, was compared with Kjeldahl and Lowry methods and showed to be more simple and faster than these methods. For determination of free amino groups in solid phase peptide synthesis, the proposed method was compared with Kaiser method. The proposed method showed several advantages than Kaiser method, such as: it is sensitive for proline, it is not necessary to prepare any solution and it does not show a false positive test for histidine.

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA) and MSRB are responsible for the repairing of methionine-R-sulfoxide (Met-S-SO) and methionine-S-sulfoxide (Met-R-SO) back to me-thionine, respectively. Five MSRA isoforms and four MSRB isoforms are discovered in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Whether high light regulates CrMSR ex-pression via photosynthetic electron transport (PET) was examined. By checking the se-quence of PCR product of each isoform, quantitative real-time primers were designed for discrimination of isoform expression. Light ≥ 300 £gE m-2 s-1 and PET inhibitors inhibited PSII activity (Fv/Fm, Fv&#x00B4;/Fm&#x00B4;) and photosynthetic O2 evolution rate, particularly 1,000 £gE m-2 s-1, in which it did not recover after 3 h. A transfer to dark decreased CrMSRA2, CrMSRA3, CrMSRB1.1, CrMSRB1.2, CrMSRB2.1 mRNA levels but increased CrMSRA4 mRNA levels. When exposed to 50, 300, 600, or 1,000 £gE m-2 s-1, CrMSRA2, CrMSRA3, CrMSRA5, CrMSRB1.1, CrMSRB2.1 and CrMSRB2.2 mRNA levels increased as light ≥ 300 £gE m-2 s-1, and concomitantly CrMSRA4 mRNA level decreased. Changes in mRNA levels increased as light intensity increased. The treatment of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) in 1,000 £gE m-2 s-1 inhibited high light effect, and the treatment of 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6- isopropyl-p- benzoquinone (DBMIB) in 50 £gE m-2 s-1 increased CrMSRA3, CrMSRA5 and CrMSRB2.2 mRNA levels but decreased CrMSRA4 mRNA level. The application of phena-zine methosulfate (PMS), an electron donor to P700+ that promotes cyclic electron transport, in 300 £gE m-2 s-1 enhanced the increase of CrMSRA3 and CrMSRA5 mRNA levels by high light but inhibited the decrease of CrMSRA4 mRNA level, reflecting a role of cyclic PET. The above results let us to draw a conclusion that plastoquinone as reduced status mediates the expression of CrMSRA3, CrMSRA4, CrMSRA5 and CrMSRB2.2 by high light. The im-plication of linear electron transport and cyclic electron transport on the regulation of CrMSR gene expression will be discussed.We speculated that the high light up-regulation of CrMSR mRNA expression offers the resistance of Chlamydomonas to photooxidative stress.