Submitted by Cláudia Bueno (claudiamoura18@gmail.com) on 2016-03-10T20:32:55Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Anna Paula Santos Almeida Rotta - 2015.pdf: 1241010 bytes, checksum: 9da763a436471dd9f131621df58acc8c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-03-14T15:27:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Anna Paula Santos Almeida Rotta - 2015.pdf: 1241010 bytes, checksum: 9da763a436471dd9f131621df58acc8c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-14T15:27:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Anna Paula Santos Almeida Rotta - 2015.pdf: 1241010 bytes, checksum: 9da763a436471dd9f131621df58acc8c (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-10-14 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás - FAPEG / In recent decades, the growth of industrial activity and agriculture has been responsible for environmental contamination due to the presence of organic and inorganic substances. Phenol and its derivatives are an important class of environmental contaminants by their presence in many industrial effluents. The seeking of biological alternatives to mitigate the environmental pollution has motivated researches to find microorganisms that combine the capacity to degrade phenol with a sustainable focus. Therefore, bacteras capable of degrading xenobiotics are been used in soil, sediment and water treatment. This study has aimed to evaluate the biodegradation of phenol by bacterial isolates isolated from two Brazilian biomes (Cerrado Goiano and Mangrove of Guarapary, ES), whereupon the influence of pre-adaptation of the bacteria was checked, as well as the effects of growth parameters in different concentrations and the tolerance to this chemical compound. One isolated from Cerrado was identified as Staphylococcus aureus (BF 2.5), and the other one as a gram-positive rod (\BF 2.3.2), and the mangrove bacteria were identified as Bacillus circulans (MF-2) and Bacillus sp. (MF-1). All of the isolates consumed phenol in the approximated of 500mg.L-1 when cultivated in liquid Busnell-Hass (BH) medium and 1.500mg.L-1 in Nutrient Agar medium (NA). The consumption of phenol as carbon source by BF-2.5 isolated was 2,78; 4;79 and 0,35% for concentrations of 100, 200 and 300 mg.L-1 of phenol, respectively. The isolated BF-2.3.2 results were 11, 04; 19,13 and 16,02%, respectively. For the mangrove isolated the results were 22,43; 11,52 and 3.33% to 21,54; 20;54 and 28.85% for the MF-1 and MF-2 isolates, respectively in the same phenol concentrations tested. These results suggest a higher phenol consumption capacity of MF-2 isolated from mangrove. / Nas últimas décadas, a crescente atividade industrial e a agropecuária têm sido as responsáveis pela contaminação do meio ambiente devido à presença de substâncias orgânicas e inorgânicas. O fenol e seus derivados constituem uma importante classe de contaminantes ambientais pela sua presença em muitos efluentes industriais. A busca por alternativas biológicas para combater a poluição ambiental tem motivado pesquisas por micro-organismos que aliem a capacidade de degradar o fenol com enfoque sustentável. Nesta vertente, bactérias degradadoras de xenobióticos, estão sendo utilizadas como inóculo nos diversos tipos de tratamento biológico para a minimização de contaminação de águas, solos e sedimentos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a biodegradação do fenol por isolados bacterianos de dois biomas brasileiros (Cerrado Goiano e Manguezal de Guaraparí, ES), no qual, verificou-se a influência da adaptação bacteriana perante as diferentes concentrações de fenol e a tolerância a esse composto químico. Das bactérias de Cerrado uma foi identificada como Staphylococcus aureus (BF 2.5) e a outra somente como bastonete gram-positivo (BF 2.3.2) e entre as bactérias de manguezal uma foi identificada como Bacillus circulans (MF-2) e a outra Bacillus sp. (MF-1) Todos os isolados consumiram fenol na concentração aproximada de 500mg.L-1 quando crescidos em meio de Bushnell-Haas (BH) líquido e em 1.500mg.L-1 quando em meio Ágar Nutriente (AN). Quanto à utilização do fenol como fonte única de carbono observamos que o consumo de fenol pelo isolado BF-2.5 foi de 2,78; 4,79 e 0,35% para as concentrações de 100, 200 e 300mg.L-1 de fenol, respectivamente. Já para o isolado BF-2.3.2 os resultados foram de 11,04; 19,13 e 16,02%, respectivamente. Para os isolados de manguezal os resultados foram 22,43; 11,52 e 3,33% e 21,54; 20,54 e 28,85% para os isolados MF-1 e MF-2, respectivamente nas mesmas concentrações de fenol testadas. Estes isolados sugerem uma maior capacidade de utilização pelo isolados MF-2 de manguezal.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Atualmente, a dengue à considerada a arbovirose mais importante do mundo, emergindo em paÃses onde a doenÃa parecia erradicada e ressurgindo em paÃses onde antes estava sob controle. Apesar de todos os esforÃos de pesquisa empreendidos na produÃÃo e desenvolvimento de uma vacina contra a doenÃa, ainda nÃo se dispÃe de uma terapia preventiva eficaz; a Ãnica alternativa de manejo nos dias atuais se dà atravÃs do combate ao Ãnico elo vulnerÃvel, o mosquito vetor Aedes aegypti. Apesar dos programas de manejo das populaÃÃes de vetores disporem de vÃrias opÃÃes de inseticidas sintÃticos, o surgimento de populaÃÃes resistentes apresenta-se como um entrave no controle desse mosquito vetor. AlÃm do monitoramento dessas populaÃÃes resistentes, tornou-se evidente que estudos moleculares podem ser a chave para o manejo sustentÃvel desses vetores. Assim, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as alteraÃÃes na expressÃo proteica de larvas de Ae. aegypti tratadas com o larvicida orgÃnico m-pentadecadienil-fenol, um lipÃdeo fenÃlico isolado de sementes de Myracrodruon urundeuva a fim de elucidar os possÃveis mecanismos de detoxificaÃÃo e resposta molecular a esse composto. Para isso foi realizada eletroforese bidimensional (focalizaÃÃo isoelÃtrica seguida de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida em condiÃÃes desnaturantes - SDS-PAGE) de larvas de terceiro estÃdio tratadas com m-pentadecadienil-fenol, em concentraÃÃes subletais (CL50 10,16 Âg.mL-1), em comparaÃÃo com um grupo controle nÃo tratado. Treze spots foram identificados como diferencialmente expressos, e doze foram identificados consistentemente em bancos de dados apÃs anÃlise dos espectros obtidos por espectrometria de massas (ESI-Q-ToF). ApÃs a anÃlise das vias nas quais essas proteÃnas estÃo envolvidas, foi proposto que o larvicida m-pentadecadienil-fenol elicita a superexpressÃo de proteÃnas que promovem a formaÃÃo de barreiras mais eficientes, e que uma vez dentro das cÃlulas promove um estresse oxidativo que leva ao aumento do metabolismo de degradaÃÃo lipÃdica, desestabilizaÃÃo da membrana lisossomal, aumento do metabolismo em resposta ao estresse tÃxico e possivelmente resulta em morte celular programada (apoptose). / Currently, dengue fever is considered the most important arboviral disease in the world, emerging in countries where the disease seemed eradicated and reappearing in countries where before was under control. Despite all the efforts to produce and develop a vaccine against the disease, there is not a preventive therapy. Nowadays, the disease management is through the eradication of the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. Despite the several options of synthetic insecticides available for management programs of vector populations, the emergence of resistant populations is presented as an obstacle in mosquito control vector. In addition to monitoring these resistant populations, it became evident that molecular studies may be the key to the sustainable management of these vectors. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the changes in protein expression of Ae. aegypti larvae treated with the organic larvicide m-pentadecadienil-phenol, a phenolic lipid isolated from Myracrodruon urundeuva seeds to elucidate the putative mechanisms of detoxification and molecular response to this compound. For this, two-dimensional electrophoresis (isoelectric focusing followed by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel under denaturing conditions - SDS-PAGE) of third-instar larvae treated with m-pentadecadienil-phenol, at sublethal concentrations (LC50 10.16 microg.mL-1) was performed. The results were compared to a non-treated group. Thirteen spots were identified as differentially expressed, and twelve were consistently identified in databases analysis of the spectra obtained by mass spectrometry (ESI-Q-ToF). After analysis of the pathways in which these proteins are involved, it was proposed that the larvicide m-pentadecadienil-phenol elicits the overexpression of proteins that promote the formation of more efficient barriers and that once inside the cells, it promotes oxidative stress which leads to increased lipid degradation metabolism, destabilization of lysosomal membrane, increased metabolism in response to stress due to the moleculeâs toxicity and possibly results in programmed cell death (apoptosis).

Hidroquinona (HQ) é um dos metabólitos do benzeno responsáveis pelos efeitos tóxicos da exposição ao solvente, além de ser componente da dieta, medicamentos, cigarro e poluente do meio ambiente. Considerando a imunotoxicidade desta substância, o grupo de pesquisa do laboratório investiga o papel da exposição à HQ por período prolongado de tempo sobre respostas inflamatórias agudas (RIA). Neste contexto, o presente trabalho avaliou os efeitos desta exposição sobre os mecanismos vasculares e celulares da RIA de diferentes doses diárias de HQ (5, 10 ou 50 mg/kg) em ratos Wistar machos, via i.p., por 17 ou 22 dias, uma vez ao dia, com intervalos de 2 dias a cada 5 doses. Animais controles receberam o veículo (salina com 5% etanol). A resposta inflamatória aguda inata foi induzida pela administração de glicogênio de ostra (1% em PBS, 5 mL) na bolsa subcutânea dorsal ou pela instilação de lipopolissacarídeo de Salmonella abortus (LPS; 100 µL de solução 100 µg/mL); A resposta inflamatória aguda adquirida foi provocada pela inalação de ovalbumina (10 mL de solução de OA 1% PBS, 15 min) em animais previamente sensibilizados (10 µ/100mg AI(OH)3 no décimo dia de exposição). Os resultados obtidos mostraram que: 1) o aumento do número de leucócitos na bolsa dorsal de animais expostos a 50 mg/kg de HQ é dependente, pelo menos em parte, da maior interação de leucócitos circulantes à parede vascular da microcirculação, mas não é decorrente de alterações na reatividade microvascular; o aumento de expressão de moléculas de adesão (β2 integrina), que pode ser a responsável pelo aumento de interaçãoleucócito-endotélio e migração celular; 2) a redução da migração de leucócitos para o pulmão inflamado pelo LPS em animais expostos a HQ, nas menores doses, não foi decorrente de modificações na interação leucócito-endotélio, nem da expressão de moléculas de adesão nos leucócitos circulantes ou na célula endotelial do tecido pulmonar; 3) a redução da migração celular para o pulmão durante a RIA alérgica em animais expostos a 5, 10 ou 50 mglkg de HQ é dependente, pelo menos em parte, da menor concentração de anticorpos anafiláticos circulantes e conseqüentemente da desgranulação reduzida de mastócitos teciduais, visualizados no leito mesentérico após desafio in situ pela OA. A menor produção de anticorpos anafiláticos pode ser decorrente da ação da HQ em diferentes tipos celulares, uma vez que foi observada expressão reduzida de moléculas co-estimulatórias em linfócitos do baço (CD45R e CD6), menor atividade microbicida de macrófagos peritoniais frente a Candida albicans e menor secreção de interferon-γ por células do peritônio. Em conjunto, os resultados apresentados mostram os mecanismos da HQ sobre a resposta do organismo ao trauma de diferentes origens, interferindo com tipos celulares distintos envolvidos nas reações. / Hydroquinone (HQ) is one of the metabolites of benzene responsible for the toxic effects of exposure to solvent, as well as being part of the diet, medicines, tobacco and polluting the environment. Considering the immunotoxicity of this substance, our laboratory has investigated the role of exposure to HQ by prolonged period of time on acute inflammatory responses (AIR). In this context, this study evaluated the effects of this exposure on the vascular and cellular mechanisms of AIR of different daily doses of HQ (5, 10 or 50 mg/kg) in male rats, via ip, for 17 or 22 days, a once a day, with intervals of 2 days every 5 doses. Control animais received the vehicle (saline with 5% ethanol). Innate AIR was induced by the administration of oysters glycogen (1% in PBS, 5 mL) into subcutaneous back pouch or by instillation of lipopolysaccharide of Salmonella aborius (LPS, 100 µL of solução100 µg/mL); Allergic AIR gained was caused by inhalation of ovalbumin (10 mL solution of 1% OA in PBS, 15 min) in previously sensitized animal (10 µ/100mg AI (OH)3 on the tenth day of exposure). Results showed that: 1) the increased number of white blood cells back into the pouch of animais exposed to 50 mg/kg of HQ is dependent, at least in part, of higher interaction of circulating leukocytes to the vascular wall of the microcirculation, but is not due to changes in microvascular reactivity; an increase of expression of molecules of accession (β2 integrin), which may be responsible for the enhanced interaction of leukocyteendothelial and cell migration 2) the reduced migration of leukocytes into the lung inflamed by LPS in animals exposed to 5 or 10 mg/kg was not due to changes in the interactions of leukocyte to endothelium, either the expression of adhesion molecules in circulating white blood cells or in cell endothelial lung tissue, 3) the reduced cell migration to the lungs during the AIR allergic to animais exposed to HQ, in lower doses, is dependent on lower concentration of· circulating anaphylactics antibodies which may be responsible for the mast cell desgranulation. The lower amount of anaphylatic antibodies in the circulation may be due to action of HQ in different cells, as reduced expression of co-stimulatory molecules by Iymphocytes (CD45R and CD6), lower microbicide activity of macrophages and reduced secretion of interferon-γ by peritoneal cells were detected. Together, the results show the toxicity of HQ on the body\'s response to trauma from different sources, interfering with different cell types involved in the reactions.

<p>The filters used today to purify water are often expensive and the need to find new filter materials is substantial. Studies of pine bark have shown that this is a material that may be used as an alternative to conventional filter materials, such as activated carbon. However, the study of pine bark has shown that a leakage of phenolic compounds may occur when using the material for water purification. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to investigate the release of phenols from pine bark, in order to evaluate the use of pine bark as a filter material. Another assignment is to investigate the amount of metals adsorbed by the filter material. The studies were carried out through three leaching experiments. As leachates, double deionised water and storm water were used. The phenol concentration in the leachate was determined for both double deionised water and storm water. The degree of metal sorption was measured only for the storm water. The measured phenol concentration in the double deionised water was 4.40 mg/L and in the storm water 4.81 mg/L. These concentrations exceed the Canadian guideline value, of 4.0 μg/L, more than a 1000 times. No metal sorption occurred as the metal content of the storm water was too low. Instead a release of metals from the pine bark into the eluate of the storm water occurred. The leaching attempts also resulted in a decline of the pH-values of the two different waters. The pH-values for the double deionised water and the storm water decreased from 7.0 to 4.3 and from 6.0 to 4.2 respectively. A release of phenols was ascertained with a significant difference in concentrations between double deionised water and storm water. Therefore it is not advisable to use pine bark filters for purification of water with low concentrations of metals, as the filter material may release metals into the water under such conditions.</p><p>Keywords: pine bark, phenol, filter materials, leaching, metal sorption, toxicity</p><p>Nyckelord: furubarksflis, fenol, filtermaterial, lakning, metallsorption, toxicitet</p>

<p>Adsorption of organic molecules at a surface of titanium dioxide (101) anatase is studied using quantum-chemical density functional theory. Anatase can be used in solar cells. For the clean anatase surface the band gap is so large that only UV-light can excite electrons. Different groups with conjugated systems are attached to obtain a more suitable band gap. </p><p>Phenol was attached in different positions to a cluster of anatase and geometry optimized using the B3LYP-functional. The geometry that was energetically most favorable was used to put in phenylmethanol, phenylethanol, naphthol, 2-phenanthrol, 1-pyrol and 2-perylol. To give a more realistic model of phenol at anatase, a study of a two- dimensional periodic anatase surface was also made. </p><p>Molecular orbitals were calculated to study the overlap between HOMO and LUMO orbitals. The calculation shows that phenol will remain as a molecule and will not dissociate. The band gap gets smaller when molecules are attached at the cluster and with 2-perylol it reaches the energy of visible light. </p><p>The molecular orbitals for HOMO, LUMO and LUMO of the adsorbed molecule were investigated. HOMO was localized at the molecule, LUMO at the cluster and LUMO of the adsorbed molecule move closer to the energy of LUMO when the number of rings increases.</p>

Adsorption of organic molecules at a surface of titanium dioxide (101) anatase is studied using quantum-chemical density functional theory. Anatase can be used in solar cells. For the clean anatase surface the band gap is so large that only UV-light can excite electrons. Different groups with conjugated systems are attached to obtain a more suitable band gap. Phenol was attached in different positions to a cluster of anatase and geometry optimized using the B3LYP-functional. The geometry that was energetically most favorable was used to put in phenylmethanol, phenylethanol, naphthol, 2-phenanthrol, 1-pyrol and 2-perylol. To give a more realistic model of phenol at anatase, a study of a two- dimensional periodic anatase surface was also made. Molecular orbitals were calculated to study the overlap between HOMO and LUMO orbitals. The calculation shows that phenol will remain as a molecule and will not dissociate. The band gap gets smaller when molecules are attached at the cluster and with 2-perylol it reaches the energy of visible light. The molecular orbitals for HOMO, LUMO and LUMO of the adsorbed molecule were investigated. HOMO was localized at the molecule, LUMO at the cluster and LUMO of the adsorbed molecule move closer to the energy of LUMO when the number of rings increases.

Wastewater treatment and re-use of industrial process water is a critical issue for the suitable development of human activities. The need for effective water recycling has reinforced the research on tailored low cost pollution abatement since the existing solutions are not longer universal. In particular, the emerging Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation (CWAO) process is one of the most promising technologies for the remediation of moderately concentrated and/or biotoxic water pollutants, when a stable and active catalyst can be provided. To this purpose, the catalytic activity and stability of active carbon was tested in the CWAO of the target compound, phenol, at mild conditions of temperature and pressure. The active carbon, which is a relatively inexpensive catalytic material is shown to be stable and to yield higher phenol destruction and less toxic partial mineralisation products, compared to a widely used copper oxide catalyst. During the CWAO of phenol, numerous partial oxidation products appeared and the knowledge of the kinetics that control their oxidation process is fundamental for the design, modelling and scale up of CWAO pilot plant or industrial units. Complex kinetic modelling was undertaken using both the classical gradient based method and a stochastic algorithm termed Simulated Annealing (SA). SA was shown to perform better in the identification of multiparameter kinetic reaction schemes, allowing to improve the kinetic modelling of CWAO beyond the actual state of art in this field. Detailed kinetic analysis of CWAO is scarce in the literature and the same situation holds for engineering studies. There is a clear need for the simultaneous development of process chemistry and engineering aspects. Consequently, we parallely focused on the state of art modelling of a Trickle Bed Reactor (TBR), being the priority candidate of best performing CWAO reactor. First, the ability of TBR in CWAO was affirmed by appropriate experimental comparison of batch slurry reactor and continuous fixed bed reactors operating either in the cocurrent downflow mode (TBR), or upflow mode (FBR) of the gas and liquid flow. A phenomenological transport-reaction model of the TBR was then developed and programmed. The TBR model implements the previously obtained oxidation kinetics and emphasis on important aspects of TBR, namely catalyst wetting, and mass transfer between the phases. Non-isothermal operation is also accounted for to face the need for autothermal operation, lowering the global process costs. The validation of the model was successfully done with the available experimental data from the laboratory TBR and thus provided a reliable tool for the scale up study of the CWAO process. The outcomings of this model aided scale up, allow to give recommendation on the design and operation of industrial units, thereby making more reliable the implementation of CWAO units on an industrial level. / El tratamiento y el reciclaje de afluentes acuosos son de máximo interés para conseguir un desarrollo sostenible de las actividades humanas. La necesidad de aprovechar en un futuro cercano las aguas residuales de procesos industriales de un modo eficaz ha reforzado la investigación sobre métodos de bajo coste para su recuperación, dado que las tecnologías existentes ya no son universalmente aplicables. La oxidación catalítica por vía húmeda (CWAO) es uno de los procesos emergentes más prometedores particularmente para el tratamiento de aguas contaminadas con materia orgánica, en concentraciones medio altas, y/o biotóxica. Sin embargo, la implementación del método es adecuada siempre que se use un catalizador activo y estable. Con este propósito, la actividad catalítica y la estabilidad del carbón activo se ha comprobado en la CWAO usando como compuesto modelo el fenol. En condiciones de temperatura y presión moderadas el carbón activo ha demostrado ser un material catalítico barato, que a la vez, es estable, mas activo en la conversión de fenol, además produciendo menor cantidad de productos de oxidación parcial tóxicos que los catalizadores soportados convencionales. Durante la CWAO del fenol, numerosos productos intermedios se forman, por lo que el conocimiento de la cinética de su oxidación es fundamental para el diseño, modelización y escalado fiable del proceso a escala de planta piloto o incluso industrial. Debido a la insuficiencia de los clásicos métodos de optimización para llevar acabo la estimación de parámetros en modelos de alta complejidad, el uso de algoritmos estocásticos se ha probado con éxito, permitiendo el desarrollo de modelos cinéticos más avanzados que los que se implementan actualmente en el campo de la CWAO. El desarrollo de modelos cinéticos complejos es escaso en la literatura actual, así como los estudios que tratan los aspectos químicos y de ingeniería del proceso de la CWAO. Sin embargo, hay una necesidad clara para el desarrollo simultaneo de los aspectos químicos y de ingeniería de la tecnología. Consecuentemente, en paralelo se ha enfocado en la modelización de un reactor de goteo (TBR), según el estado de arte actual en el campo de estos reactores. Es demostrado que estos reactores son más adecuados que los reactores agitados con catalizador en suspención para la CWAO de compuestos orgánicos que tienden a reacciones de polimerización en fase liquida. Además se han probado dos distintos modos de operación, con flujo de gas y liquido cocorriente descendiente o ascendiente, y se ha demostrado que la primera forma de operación es la mas adecuada para este sistema. A continuación un modelo fenomenológico para el TBR ha sido desarrollado y programado. El modelo implementa la cinética previamente obtenida, y además se ha puesto énfasis en la incorporación de los efectos de mojado, y de transferencia de materia. La operación no isotérmica se ha estudiado también para investigar la posibilidad de operar de modo autotérmico, disminuyendo así los costes de operación del proceso. La validación del modelo fenomenológico con los datos experimentales obtenidos en el TBR del laboratorio ha sido favorable. Posteriormente, este modelo ha sido utilizado como una herramienta fiable para el escalado del proceso. Los resultados obtenidos de la modelización del escalado permiten la extracción de recomendaciones sobre el diseño y la operación de unidades industriales, haciendo más fiable la aplicación del método a escala industrial.

Healthcare facility wastewaters are a potentially important and under characterized source of pharmaceuticals and personal care products to the environment. In this study the composition and magnitude of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) released into a single municipality’s wastewater system from a hospital, a nursing care facility, an assisted living facility and an independent living facility are presented for 54 pharmaceuticals, 8 hormones and 31 Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs). Chemical oxidation using molecular ozone and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) (UV-hydrogen peroxide, Fenton’s Reagent, and Photo – Fenton’s Reagent) were screened and evaluated as potential treatment technologies for removal of APEOs in water and wastewater. In this research, APEOs were found to be dominant PPCP class out of 94 individual analytes measured, accounting for more than 65% of the total mass loading observed leaving the healthcare facility wastewater. Seventy one out of the total measured PPCPs were detected in wastewater from at least one of the facilities. Healthcare facility wastewater are the source of PPCPs to the environment; however, their contribution to the total magnitude of PPCPs in municipal wastewater and the surrounding environment will be determined by the relative flow contribution of wastewater released from the facility to the municipal sewer network. Molecular ozone and advanced oxidation processes were observed to remove APEOs from analyzed water matrices; however, understanding the product formation during the oxidation process is important before concluding a suitable treatment process. Molecular ozone reacted selectively with the double bond in the APEO while AOPs reaction was non selective oxidation. During the AOPs, OH· formation rate and scavenging rate constant of wastewater was found to be the factors governing the oxidation process. Thus, the research carried out informs a risk management decisions concerning the prevalence of PPCPs in the wastewater and use of oxidation systems as a treatment technologies for removal of PPCPs.

The aim of current research is to analyze the effect of microfluidization on the stability and some quality characteristics of orange juice with respect to treatment pressure and cycle. Orange juice was microfluidized with four different pressures (34, 69, 103 and 138 MPa) and three different cycles (1, 2 and 3) at 18 &plusmn / 2 0C. Physical and chemical properties of microfluidized juices were compared with non-microfluidized freshly squeezed orange juice. Microfluidization made orange juice brighter and decreased redness and yellowness. There was a huge difference between non-microfluidized juice and microfluidized juice in terms of particle size. Microfluidization decreased the volume weighted mean (VWM) of orange juice between 90 % and 97 %. The results of total phenol content and antioxidant activity experiments showed that treatment pressure affected them positively / however cycle had not a significant effect on total phenol content and antioxidant property of orange juice (p&lt / 0.05). Our current research also includes effect of microfluidization on stability of orange juice. The broken down of aggregated structure and reduction in particle size due to treatment were observed by the scanning electron and light microscopes. Therefore, it was observed that treated orange juice could be homogeneous and opaque for 14 days at 4 0C. Cloud stability of juice showed that both pressure and cycle had important effect on the cloud stability (p&lt / 0.05). Microfluidization made the juice very stable but increase in pressure and cycle resulted in less stable juice. It was also measured that pectin methyl esterase activity was increased due to treatment of microfluidization.

Metabolically versatile bacteria have evolved diverse strategies to adapt to different environmental niches and respond to fluctuating physico-chemical parameters. In order to survive in soil and water habitats, they employ specific and global regulatory circuits to integrate external and internal signals to counteract stress and optimise their energy status. One strategic endurance mechanism is the ability to choose the most energetically favourable carbon source amongst a number on offer. Pseudomonas putida strains possess large genomes that underlie much of their ability to use diverse carbon sources as growth substrates. Their metabolic potential is frequently expanded by possession of catabolic plasmids to include the ability to grow at the expense of seemingly obnoxious carbon sources such as phenols. However, this ability comes with a metabolic price tag. Carbon source repression is one of the main regulatory networks employed to subvert use of these expensive pathways in favour of alternative sources that provide a higher metabolic gain. This thesis identifies some of the key regulatory elements and factors used by P. putida to supress expression of plasmid-encoded enzymes for degradation of phenols until they are beneficial. I first present evidence for a newly identified DNA and RNA motif within the regulatory region of the gene encoding the master regulator of phenol catabolism – DmpR. The former of these motifs functions to decrease the number of transcripts originating from the dmpR promoter, while the latter mediates a regulatory checkpoint for translational repression by Crc – the carbon repression control protein of P. putida. The ability of Crc to form repressive riboprotein complexes with RNA is shown to be dependent on the RNA chaperone protein Hfq – a co-partnership demonstrated to be required for many previously identified Crc-targets implicated in hierarchical assimilation of different carbon sources in P. putida. Finally, I present evidence for a model in which Crc and Hfq co-target multiple RNA motifs to bring about a two-tiered regulation to subvert catabolism of phenols in the face of preferred substrates – one at the level of the regulator DmpR and another at the level of translation of the catabolic enzymes.