Low-frequency ultrasonic energy was utilized in an attempt to induce visible mutations in the parasitoid wasp Mormoniella vitripennis. This study demonstrates that low frequency ultrasound may be used as an effective mutagenic agent in this organism, and suggests that it may have applications to other genetic systems.

abstract: Water desalination has become one of the viable solutions to provide drinking water in regions with limited natural resources. This is particularly true in small communities in arid regions, which suffer from low rainfall, declining surface water and increasing salinity of groundwater. Yet, current desalination methods are difficult to be implemented in these areas due to their centralized large-scale design. In addition, these methods require intensive maintenance, and sometimes do not operate in high salinity feedwater. Membrane distillation (MD) is one technology that can potentially overcome these challenges and has received increasing attention in the last 15 years. The driving force of MD is the difference in vapor pressure across a microporous hydrophobic membrane. Compared to conventional membrane-based technologies, MD can treat high concentration feedwater, does not need intensive pretreatment, and has better fouling resistance. More importantly, MD operates at low feed temperatures and so it can utilize low–grade heat sources such as solar energy for its operation. While the integration of solar energy and MD was conventionally indirect (i.e. by having two separate systems: a solar collector and an MD module), recent efforts were focused on direct integration where the membrane itself is integrated within a solar collector aiming to have a more compact, standalone design suitable for small-scale applications. In this dissertation, a comprehensive review of these efforts is discussed in Chapter ‎2. Two novel direct solar-powered MD systems were proposed and investigated experimentally: firstly, a direct contact MD (DCMD) system was designed by placing capillary membranes within an evacuated tube solar collector (ETC) (Chapter ‎3), and secondly, a submerged vacuum MD (S-VMD) system that uses circulation and aeration as agitation techniques was investigated (Chapter ‎4). A maximum water production per absorbing area of 0.96 kg·m–2·h–1 and a thermal efficiency of 0.51 were achieved. A final study was conducted to investigate the effect of ultrasound in an S-VMD unit (Chapter ‎5), which significantly enhanced the permeate flux (up to 24%) and reduced the specific energy consumption (up to 14%). The results add substantially to the understanding of integrating ultrasound with different MD processes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2020

The objective of this study was to develop a new method for co-crystal preparation which adhered to green chemistry principles, and provided advantages over conventional methods. A novel, solvent-free, high-power ultrasound (US) technique, for preparing co-crystals from binary systems, was chosen as the technology which could fulfil these aims. The application of this technology for solid state co-crystal preparation was explored for ibuprofen-nicotinamide (IBU-NIC), carbamazepine-nicotinamide (CBZ-NIC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) co-crystals. The effect of different additives and processing parameters such as power level, temperature and sonication time on co-crystallisation was investigated. Characterisation was carried out using DSC, PXRD, FTIR, Raman and HPLC. In addition, an NIR prediction model was developed and combined with multivariate analysis (PLS) and chemometric pre-treatments. It was found to be a robust, reliable and rapid method for the determination of co-crystal purity for the IBU-NIC and CBZ-NIC pairs. Co-crystal quantification of US samples helped to optimise the US method. Finally, a model formulation of paracetamol containing 5% and 10% PEG 8000 was ultrasonicated at maximum power with different exposure times. A comparison of technological and physicochemical properties of the resulting tablets with those of the tablets obtained using the pressing method evidenced significant differences. This suggested that US energy dissipation (mechanical and thermal effects) was the main mechanism which caused the PAR form I tabletability to improve. It was found that the ultrasound–compacted tablets released the drug at a slower rate compared to pure PAR. This technique was shown to be useful for improving tabletability for low-compressible drugs without the need to use a conventional tabletting machine.

The objective of this study was to develop a new method for co-crystal preparation which adhered to green chemistry principles, and provided advantages over conventional methods. A novel, solvent-free, high-power ultrasound (US) technique, for preparing co-crystals from binary systems, was chosen as the technology which could fulfil these aims. The application of this technology for solid state co-crystal preparation was explored for ibuprofen-nicotinamide (IBU-NIC), carbamazepine-nicotinamide (CBZ-NIC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) co-crystals. The effect of different additives and processing parameters such as power level, temperature and sonication time on co-crystallisation was investigated. Characterisation was carried out using DSC, PXRD, FTIR, Raman and HPLC. In addition, an NIR prediction model was developed and combined with multivariate analysis (PLS) and chemometric pre-treatments. It was found to be a robust, reliable and rapid method for the determination of co-crystal purity for the IBU-NIC and CBZ-NIC pairs. Co-crystal quantification of US samples helped to optimise the US method. Finally, a model formulation of paracetamol containing 5% and 10% PEG 8000 was ultrasonicated at maximum power with different exposure times. A comparison of technological and physicochemical properties of the resulting tablets with those of the tablets obtained using the pressing method evidenced significant differences. This suggested that US energy dissipation (mechanical and thermal effects) was the main mechanism which caused the PAR form I tabletability to improve. It was found that the ultrasound–compacted tablets released the drug at a slower rate compared to pure PAR. This technique was shown to be useful for improving tabletability for low-compressible drugs without the need to use a conventional tabletting machine.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:53:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 2002178 bytes, checksum: 450398c6ba4c66a1f6ccf49cb4302576 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-07 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / During the analytical execution, the water dispersible clay (WDC) determination is preceded by physical dispersion, without addition of chemical dispersant and, usually fast shaking procedure. Recently, slow shaking and ultrasonic dispersion has been suggested as alternatives procedures to determine WDC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the WDC content obtained by three methods of physical dispersion, fast and slow shaking and, ultrasonic dispersion. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design, representing a 4 x 9 factorial with four replicates. The factors evaluated in the study were four mineralogy contrasting soils (Xantic Kandiudox; Plintaquox; Typic Hapludox and Rhodic Hapludox) and the three methods of physical dispersion indicated. The ultrasonic dispersion procedure were evaluated at three ultrasonic energy levels (55, 110 and 220 J mL-1) and, the slow shaking procedure at five volumes of suspension (50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mL) in 500 mL containers. The WDC content and dispersion index (DI) were quantified for the different treatments. Samples of the WDC to all treatments were used to identify minerals and the proportion of kaolinite, gibbsite, goethite and hematite and, pH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+ and remaining P measurements. In all treatments were verified lower dispersion of clay in soils with a higher proportion of oxides (Plintaquox, Typic Hapludox and Rhodic Hapludox), compared to kaolinitic soils (Xantic Kandiudox), probably due to greater microaggregates stability observed in oxide rich soils. There was greater clay dispersion with slow shaking and ultrasonic dispersion. For the slow shaking, there was generally, an inverse relationship between the volume of suspension and WDC content and DI. This differentiation was associated with increased friction between particles and aggregates and increasing vigor of shaking in smaller volumes of suspension. In the Xantic Kandiudox, Plintaquox and Typic Hapludox was found generally, significant and negative correlation between WDC content and exchangeable cations amount. It is suggested that with increasing WDC by higher energy dispersion (by decreasing the volume of suspension), higher proportions of oxides were released with reduced kaolinite amount. / Durante a execução analítica, a determinação de argila dispersa em água (ADA) é precedida da dispersão física, sem acréscimo de dispersante químico. Nesse procedimento, o mais tradicional é a adoção da agitação rápida. Recentemente a agitação lenta tem sido sugerida para a determinação da ADA. A dispersão física por ultrassom é outro procedimento a considerar como alternativa na determinação da ADA. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar os teores de ADA obtidos por três métodos de dispersão física: agitação rápida, lenta e ultrassom, sendo os dois últimos em diferentes condições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos segundo um delineamento em blocos casualizados, correspondendo a um fatorial 4 x 9, com quatro repetições. Os fatores em estudo foram quatro solos de mineralogias contrastantes (Latossolo Amarelo, LA; Plintossolo Háplico, FX; Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, LVA; e Latossolo Vermelho acriférrico, LV) e os três métodos de dispersão física indicados. Na dispersão por ultrassom, foram avaliadas três energias ultrassônicas (55, 110 e 220 J mL-1), e na dispersão por agitação lenta, cinco volumes de suspensão (50, 100, 200, 300 e 400 mL) em recipientes de 500 mL. Os teores de ADA e índice de dispersão (ID) foram quantificados nos diferentes tratamentos. Amostras da ADA de todos os tratamentos foram utilizadas na identificação e quantificação dos teores de caulinita, gibbsita, goethita e hematita, além da determinação de pH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+ e P remanescente. Para todos os tratamentos, nos solos com maior proporção de óxidos (FX, LVA e LV) foi verificada maior dificuldade de dispersão em conseqüência da maior estabilidade de seus microagregados, frente ao mais caulinítico (LA). Verificou-se maior dispersão de argila com a agitação lenta e ultrassônica. Na agitação lenta, observou-se, no geral, relação inversa entre o volume de suspensão e o teor de ADA e ID. Essa diferenciação foi associada ao maior atrito entre agregados e partículas e maior vigor de agitação nos menores volumes de suspensão. Nos solos LA, FX e LVA verificou-se, em geral, correlação significativa e negativa entre a ADA e os cátions trocáveis. Sugere-se que, com incremento da ADA pelo aumento da energia de dispersão (por diminuição do volume de suspensão), maiores proporções de óxidos foram liberados, com redução dos teores relativos de caulinita.