No description available.

he chlorinated methanes carbon tetrachloride (CT), chloroform (CF), dichloromethane (DCM) and chloromethane (CM) are widespread groundwater pollutants that pose risks to human and ecosystem health. Although some progress has been made in elucidating the microbiology contributing to the aerobic degradation of DCM and CM, these efforts have had little impact on bioremediation practices aimed at restoring anoxic aquifers impacted by chlorinated methanes. Remaining knowledge gaps include the lack of understanding of the microbial mechanisms and pathways contributing to chlorinated methane transformations under anoxic conditions. Thus, the major goals of this research effort were to identify microbes that can contribute to the transformation of chlorinated methanes in the absence of oxygen, and to develop monitoring tools to assess anaerobic chlorinated methane bioremediation at contaminated sites. To accomplish these goals, freshwater and estuarine sediment samples from 45 geographically distinct locations, including 3 sites with reported chlorinated-methane contamination, were collected and screened for CT-, CF-, DCM- and/or CM-degrading activity. DCM degradation was observed in microcosms established with sediment materials from 15 locations, and the sediment-free, DCM-degrading enrichment culture RM was obtained from Rio Mameyes sediment. 16S rRNA-gene based community analysis characterized consortium RM, and identified a Dehalobacter sp. involved in DCM fermentation to non-toxic products. Organism- and process-specific monitoring tools were designed that target the 16S rRNA gene of the DCM-fermenting Dehalobacter sp. and the consortium’s specific 13C-DCM enrichment factor, respectively. Treatability studies using site materials that showed no chlorinated methane degradation activity demonstrated the feasibility of using CF- and DCM-degrading consortia for bioaugmentation applications. Collectively, this study expands our understanding of bacteria contributing to chlorinated methane degradation, provides new tools for monitoring anaerobic DCM degradation, and demonstrates that microbial remedies at chlorinated methane contaminated sites are feasible.

The stimuli response of a polymer – metal bilayer architecture was investigated. This solvent activated system showed a dynamic response when exposed to a particular solvent. Polymer wires were fabricated using a glass capillary array (GCA) as a template. The synthesized wires were then sputtered with silver and exposed to dichloromethane (DCM). The solvent activated response results in a number of physical distortions of which the circular deformation was the most predominant. The thicknesses of the metal coating and the direction of the solvent front were studied in an effort to determine their relationship to the observed wired deformations.

The thiolate-alkylating protein (Ada protein) is a zinc protein that repairs the defective DNA by transferring methyl group on to itself. We have used the thiophenylphosphine ligand to provide sulfur-rich environment for model study. In this work, we have accidentally found that this zinc complex can activate CH2Cl2 to generate a methylenated complex (4). Carbon-halide activation is commonly used in organic synthesis. However activation of C-Cl bond is comparatively scarce compared to C-Br or C-I bonds. Varying the degree of deprotonation on the PS3 ligand, a simple zinc dimer (2) can be obtained instead of (4). The dimer (2) can even react with much milder alkyl-reagent, methylphosphotriester. Therefore (2) serves as a successful Ada protein model in this sense. Other related alkyl-transfer reactions using different ligand or zinc complexes were discussed to give insight of the methyl-transfer action of Ada protein.

The main purpose of this research is to design a thermal energy conversion device, which is aimed to collect unused heat produced by nature. In order to achieve high-efficiency conversion, some novel devices will be studied to convert heat energy into mechanical power. A simple heat exchanger as well as heat engine device is proposed in this study. Dichloromethane is used as an important factor due to its physical properties. Finally, the concept of a tubular linear generator will be adopted to generate electric power. The feature of the proposed simple thermal energy conversion device is that we can use unused heat sources as input, such as solar energy and waste heat from car engines. Besides, the system is capable to work under the condition of low-temperature difference

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2001. / Adviser: David M. Gute. Submitted to the Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-123). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Magister Scientiae - MSc (Chemistry) / Global climate change and geographical differences are two major parameters known to have, either, direct or indirect influence on the production of secondary metabolites in plants, which in-turn may affect the quality and/or quantity of the overall metabolites. The primary purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the phytochemistry of the whole leaf of Aloe succotrina Lam. spp. - a South African native plant - through a chromatographic spectroscopic approach-against available data accumulated for the cultivated population. Preliminary screening of the crude extracts i.e. HEX, DCM and EtOAc on TLC aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60 F254 followed by various chromatographic separation, led to the isolation of five known compounds: ?-sitosterol (1) and two anthrone-C-glycosides (2 and 5), including two coumarin derivatives-the aglycone (3) and glycoside derivative (4). Notably, apart from 5 and 2, the accumulation of 1, 3 and 4 in A. succotrina Lam. spp. is reported for the first time. Structural elucidation of the individual compounds was achieved by extensive spectroscopic analysis i.e. MS, IR, 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and in some cases comparison to the literature. A comparative HPLC chromatogram of the crude MeOH extract of the leaves of A. succotrina Lam. was developed for qualitative (and quantitative) identification of the active metabolites, which could be realized by VWD with detection at 290 nm.

Volatile chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,2 dichloroethane (1,2 DCA), and perchloroethylene (PCE) have been identified in the indoor air of residences located near Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah. These vapors can originate from either volatilization of contaminates from shallow contaminated groundwater and transport into residences or from sources within the residence. The focus of the thesis was the development of a testing strategy for determining sources of TCE, 1,2 DCA, and PCE in the indoor air of residences near Hill AFB. Eight residences were selected for this study by Hill AFB based on prior detections of TCE, 1,2 DCA, and PCE in indoor air. Residents were asked to turn off the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and keep windows and doors closed for at least 3 hours prior to the sampling visit to reduce mixing of residence air. Indoor air samples were collected on Tenax© sorbent tubes from various locations within the residences to determine the location of the potential source(s). Sampling tubes were analyzed by thermal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results from a tracer experiment using sulfur hexafluoride gas confirmed the effectiveness of sampling approach. In cases where elevated levels of chlorinated solvents were found, the suspected source materials(s) were removed and the room air was re-sampled. If removal of the materials reduced or eliminated indoor air contamination, an emission chamber was used to determine contaminant emission from the materials. Sources were identified in three of the sampled residences. Sampling in two of the residences was discontinued due to scheduling problems. Sources were not located in the remaining residences. The emission of contaminants from items identified as sources in two of the residences was measured using an emission chamber developed for this project. An ornament from residence U8-8452 emitted 36.4 ng/min/cm2 of 1,2 DCA. The emission of 1,2 DCA from a wedding dress located at residence U8-8211 was below the method detection limit of 1.99 pg/min/cm2 but the emission of PCE was 18.9 ng/min/cm2 and decreased by a factor of 7 during repeated measurements.

Dichloromethane is one solvent that is used widely in laboratory. It is so stable that it seldom reacts with other materials. There are only a few reports that involves dichloromehane as a reactant. Previous in our laboratory, we discovered a dichloromethane activation product. To study the details of the methylene insertion prouct, [(SCH2S)PS]2Zn form (Et4N)2 (PS3Zn)2, we used monodentate thiols in different condition as models to understand what condition thiols may react with dichloro methane. We found out thiols can react with dichloromethane under strong base. When there is aromatic ring in a thiol, that thiol will react with dichloromethane easily. Adding zinc salts showed that zinc ion is an inhibitor in thiolate/dichloromethane reactions. We synthesized Tris(3-trimethylsilyl-2-thiophenyl)phosphine [H3SiPS3] and SiPS3Zn complex to study the parallel effect of adding bulky silyl substitaents on PS3 ligand towards reaction with dichloromethane. Most conclusion are similar to that of monodentate thiols. There is one thing that differs from the results of monedentate thiols: the SiPS3Zn complex does react with dichloromethane.