Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 87-89.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Institute of Paper Chemistry, 1955. / Bibliography: leaves 83-85.

A new treatment technology, called Advanced Reduction Process (ARP), was developed by combining UV irradiation with reducing reagents to produce highly reactive species that degrade contaminants rapidly. Vinyl chloride (VC) and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) pose threats to humans and the environment due to their high toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, batch experiments were conducted under anaerobic conditions to investigate the degradations of VC and 1,2-DCA with various ARP that combined UV with dithionite, sulfite, sulfide or ferrous iron. Complete degradation of both target compounds was achieved by all ARP and the reactions were found to follow pseudo-first-order decay kinetics. The effects of pH, sulfite dose, UV light intensity and initial contaminant concentration on the degradation kinetics were investigated in the photochemical degradation of VC and 1,2-DCA by the sulfite/UV ARP. The rate constants were generally promoted by raising the solution pH. The optimal pH conditions for VC and 1,2-DCA degradation were pH 9 and pH 11,respectively. Higher sulfite dose and light intensity were found to increase the rate constants linearly for both target contaminants. A near reciprocal relation between the rate constant and initial concentration of target compounds was observed in the degradation of 1,2-DCA. The rate constant was observed to be generally independent of VC concentration, but with a slight increase at lower concentrations. A degradation mechanism was proposed that described reactions between target contaminants and reactive species such as the sulfite radical and hydrated electron that were produced in the photolysis of sulfite solution. A mechanistic model that described major reactions in the ARP system was developed and explained the dependence of the rate constant on those experimental factors. Chloride ion and chloroethane were detected as the major degradation products at acid and neutral pH. An increase in pH promoted the extent of dechlorination with complete dechlorination being observed at pH 11 for both VC and 1,2-DCA. Due to the rapid degradation kinetics in these ARPs, this new treatment technology may be applied to remove various contaminants in water and wastewater.

Syftet med arbetet var att undersöka hur olika reaktionsbetingelser skulle påverka syrgasdelignifieringen av en sur sulfitmassa. De betingelser som undersöktes var utbyte, slut-pH, viskositet och kappatal. Massan som användes kom från Nordic Paper Seffle och alkalit som användes var magnesiumoxid.  Syrgasdelignifiering av massan gjordes  i autoklaver i ett PEG bad där tid, temperatur och alkalisatser varierades. Resultaten visar att alla utbyten låg mellan 90-97% och att även de mest aggressiva betingelserna bara gav en viskositets reduktion på 260 enheter, motsvarande 19% av den totala viskositeten. Slut-pH för syrgasavluten hamnade mellan 6,5-9,4 beroende på alkalimängd och temperatur under delignifieringen. Slut-pH minskade när mängden alkali hölls konstant men temperaturen varierades mellan 110-140°C. Kappatalet för massan kunde effektivt reduceras från ett startvärde på 23,4 till ett slutvärde på under 5 med en temperatur på 140°C, alkalisats på 10 kg/ODT och en tid på två timmar utan större förluster av vare sig viskositet eller utbyte. En ovanligt resultat som upptäcktes under arbetet var att delignifieringen tappade i effektivitet med ökad alkalimängd och detta samband gällde vid alla betingelser. En teori om detta kan vara att jonstyrkan i lösningen gör att fibrerna i massan drar ihop sig och att syrgasen får svårare att reagera med ligninet. / The purpose of the study was to investigate how different reaction conditions would affect oxygendelignification of an acid sulfite pulp. The conditions being explored were yield, final-pH, viscosity and kappa number. The pulp used in the testing was collected from Nordic Paper Seffle and the active alkali during the delignification was magnesium oxide. The oxygendelignification of the pulp was done with autoclaves suspended in a PEG bath, where they were allowed to rotate, and time, temperature and alkali amount  was varied throughout the testing. Results show that the yield for all pulp samples were between 90-97% for all conditions used in this project while viscosity of the pulps were only decreased by about 260 units for the most severe of conditions. This accounts for a viscosity loss of 19%. Final-pH varied between 6,5-9,4 depedning on temperature and alkali amount chosen. Final-pH levels dropped when the alkali was kept constant but temperature was varied from 110-140°C. The pulps kappa number could effetively be lowered from its starting value of 23,4 to a final value of under 5 when an alkali amount of 10 kg/ODT and a temperature of 140°C was used during 2 hours. This lead to no substantial losses of either viscosity or yield. A strange result that the project also highlighted was that the delignification lost in efficiency when more alkali was added in at a set temperature. This phenomenom was found at all conditions investigated throughout the project. A theory about this is that it might be the increased ionic strength from the magnesium cations in the solution making the fibers shrink and by that lessening the reaction area of the fibres for the oxygen, which will then have a harder time reacting with the lignin.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Microbiology))--Mahidol University, 1984.

Brandenburgische Techn. University, Diss., 2001--Cottbus.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / This dissertation presents the electrochemical study of modified electrode with a ruthenium oxide hexacyanoferrate film aiming the selective and sensitive detection and quantification of sulfite in juice samples. First, electrochemical studies of the growth of ruthenium oxide hexacyanoferrate film on a glassy carbon electrode (working electrode) by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance were performed. The electrochemical behavior of sulfite at the modified electrode was investigated and it was found that the electrochemical reduction of the molecule occurred at low potential (near to 0.0 V vs. Ag / AgCl / 3 mol L-1 KCl), which did not occurs at the unmodified electrode or even at a Prussian-blue modified electrode (iron hexacyanoferrate), which is indicative of classic electrocatalysis by the film and then it could be applied as a selective sensor for sulfite. Studies of the mechanism of mass transport of sulfite during the process of reduction at the modified electrode were conducted and the results indicate mixed processes for mass transport, in addition to the diffusional transport of sulfite from the bulk solution, it was found sulfite trapping inside the electrode film modifier. Thus, the electrochemical reduction of sulfite inside of the film is the likely cause of the decrease of the potential values close to 0.0 V. The modified electrode was applied for the amperometric monitoring at constant potential of -0.2 V using a batch system under constant stirring. This system provided a sensitivity of 41.5 nA L / mol (R = 0.996), a detection limit of 20 mmol L-1 and was free of interference from ascorbic acid, citrate, fructose and glucose. Subsequently, the same electrode was adapted into an electrochemical cell of \"wall-jet\" type for flow injection analysis (FIA), applying the constant potential of -0.2 V, for the determination of sulfite in concentrated juice samples. Also in the FIA system, it was evaluated the multiple pulse amperometry technique for the simultaneous determination of sulfite and ascorbic acid. A sequence of potential pulses was optimized (+0.4 V / 300 ms: oxidation of ascorbic acid; 0.0 V / 60 ms: electrochemical cleaning or maintenance of the electrode surface; -0.2 V / 60 ms: reduction of sulfite) was used for the simultaneous and selective determination of sulfite and ascorbic acid. The FIA method presented satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation for ascorbic acid and sulfite were 2.9% and 2.7%, respectively) and high analytical frequency (120 injections h-1). The analytical curve of both analytes presented acceptable correlation coefficient values (R = 0.998) and low limits of detection and quantification (2.9 and 9.6 μmol L-1 for sulfite and 7.6 and 25 μmol L-1 for AA, respectively). / Esta dissertação apresenta o estudo eletroquímico de eletrodo modificado com filme de hexacianoferrato de óxido de rutênio visando à detecção e quantificação seletiva e sensível de sulfito em amostra de sucos. Primeiramente, estudos eletroquímicos do crescimento do filme de hexacianoferrato de óxido de rutênio em um eletrodo de carbono vítreo (eletrodo de trabalho) por voltametria cíclica e microbalança eletroquímica de cristal de quartzo foram realizados. O comportamento eletroquímico de sulfito no eletrodo modificado foi investigado e verificou-se que a redução eletroquímica da molécula ocorreu em baixos potenciais (próximo de 0,0 V vs Ag/AgCl/KCl 3 mol L-1), o que não ocorreu em eletrodo não modificado ou mesmo modificado com azul da Prússia (hexacianoferrato de ferro), sendo este um indicativo clássico de eletrocatálise do filme podendo ser aplicado como sensor seletivo para sulfito. Estudos do mecanismo de transporte de massa de sulfito durante o processo de redução no eletrodo modificado foram realizados e os resultados apontam para processos mistos de transporte de massa, ou seja, além do transporte difusional do seio da solução, verificou-se o aprisionamento de sulfito no interior do filme modificador do eletrodo. Desta forma, a redução eletroquímica de sulfito no interior do filme é a causa provável da diminuição dos valores de potenciais para valores próximos de 0,0 V. O eletrodo modificado foi aplicado para o monitoramento amperométrico em potencial constante de -0,2 V usando sistema em batelada sob agitação constante. Este sistema apresentou sensibilidade de 41,5 nA L / μmol (R = 0,996), limite de detecção de 20 μmol L-1 e mostrou-se livre de interferências de ácido ascórbico, citrato, frutose e glicose. Posteriormente, o mesmo eletrodo foi adaptado em célula eletroquímica do tipo wall-jet para análises por injeção em fluxo (FIA), aplicando o potencial constante de -0,2 V, para a determinação de sulfito em amostras de suco concentrado. Também em sistema FIA, avaliou-se a técnica de amperometria de múltiplos pulsos para a determinação simultânea de sulfito e ácido ascórbico. Uma sequência de pulsos de potencial foi otimizada (+0,4 V / 300 ms: oxidação do ácido ascórbico, 0,0 V / 60 ms: limpeza eletroquímica ou manutenção da superfície do eletrodo, -0,2 V / 60 ms: redução do sulfito) para determinação simultânea de sulfito e ácido ascórbico de forma seletiva. O método FIA apresentou repetibilidade satisfatória (desvio padrão relativo para ácido ascórbico e sulfito de 2,9% e 2,7%, respectivamente) e elevada frequência analítica (120 injeções h-1). A curva analítica de ambos analitos apresentaram aceitáveis valores de coeficientes de correlação (R = 0,998) e baixos limites de detecção e quantificação (para o sulfito de 2,9 e 9,6 μmol L-1 e para ácido ascórbico de 7,6 e 25 μmol L-1, respectivamente). / Mestre em Química

Fermentation of sulfite spent liquor with Propionibacterium freudenreichii was done to produce volatile acids (acetic and propionic) and Vitamin B₁₂. It was found that in addition to producing these compounds some reduction in the pollution potential (COD) of this waste product was achieved. Better growth resulted if the spent liquor was first treated to remove lignin and calcium compounds. An existing spectrophotometry assay technique for measuring Vitamin B₁₂ content was modified for use in the presence of sulfite spent liquor. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Methanogens are a group of microorganisms that utilize simple compounds such as H₂ + CO₂, acetate and methanol for the production of methane, an end-product of their metabolism.  These obligate anaerobes belonging to the archaeal domain inhabit diverse anoxic environments such as rice paddy fields, human guts, rumen of ruminants, and hydrothermal vents.  In these habitats, methanogens are often exposed to O₂ and previous studies have shown that many methanogens are able to tolerate O2 exposure.  Hence, methanogens must have developed survival strategies to be able to live under oxidative stress conditions.  The anaerobic species that lived on Earth during the early oxygenation event were first to face oxidative stress.  Presumably some of the strategies employed by extant methanogens for combating oxidative stress were developed on early Earth.   Our laboratory is interested in studying the mechanism underlying the oxygen tolerance and oxidative stress responses in methanogenic archaea, which are obligate anaerobe.  Our research concerns two aspects of oxidative stress.  (i) Responses toward extracellular toxic species such as SO32-, that forms as a result of reactions of O₂ with reduced compounds in the environment.  These species are mostly seen in anaerobic environments upon O₂ exposure due to the abundance of reduced components therein.  (ii) Responses toward intracellular toxic species such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide that are generated upon entry of O₂ and subsequent reaction of O₂ with reduced component inside the cell.  Aerobic microorganisms experience the second problem.  Since a large number of microorganisms of Earth are anaerobes and the oxidative defense mechanisms of anaerobes are relatively less studied, the research in our laboratory has focused on this area.  My thesis research covers two studies that fall in the above-mentioned two focus areas. In 2005-2007 our laboratory discovered that certain methanogens use an unusual sulfite reductase, named F420-dependent sulfite reductase (Fsr), for the detoxification of SO32- that is produced outside the cell from a reaction between oxygen and sulfide.  This reaction occurred during early oxygenation of Earth and continues to occur in deep-sea hydrothermal vents.  Fsr, a flavoprotein, carries out a 6-electron reduction of SO32- to S2-.  It is a chimeric protein where N- and C-terminal halves (Fsr-N and Fsr-C) are homologs of F420H2 dehydrogenase and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (Dsr), respectively.  We hypothesized that Fsr was developed in a methanogen from pre-existing parts.  To begin testing this hypothesis we have carried out bioinformatics analyses of methanogen genomes and found that both Fsr-N homologs and Fsr-C homologs are abundant in methanogens.  We called the Fsr-C homolog dissimilatory sulfite reductase-like protein (Dsr-LP).  Thus, Fsr was likely assembled from freestanding Fsr-N homologs and Dsr-like proteins (Dsr-LP) in methanogens.  During the course of this study, we also identified two new putative F420H2-dependent enzymes, namely F420H2-dependent glutamate synthase and assimilatory sulfite reductase. Another aspect of my research concerns the reactivation of proteins that are deactivated by the entry of oxygen inside the cell.  Here I focused specifically on the role of thioredoxin (Trx) in methanogens.  Trx, a small redox regulatory protein, is ubiquitous in all living cells.  In bacteria and eukarya, Trx regulates a wide variety of cellular processes including cell divison, biosynthesis and oxidative stress response.  Though some Trxs of methanogens have been structurally and biochemically characterized, their physiological roles in these organisms are unknown.  Our bioinformatics analysis suggested that Trx is ubiquitous in methanogens and the pattern of its distribution in various phylogenetic classes paralleled the respective evolutionary histories and metabolic versatilities.  Using a proteomics approach, we have identified 155 Trx targets in a hyperthermophilic phylogenetically deeply-rooted methanogen, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii.  Our analysis of two of these targets employing biochemical assays suggested that Trx is needed for reactivation of oxidatively deactivated enzymes in M. jannaschii.  To our knowledge, this is the first report on the role of Trx in an organism from the archaeal domain. During the course of our work on methanogen Trxs, we investigated the evolutionary histories of different Trx systems that are composed of Trxs and cognate Trx reductases.  In collaboration with other laboratories, we conducted bioinformatics analysis for the distribution of one of such systems, ferredoxin-dependent thioredoxin reductase (FTR), in all organisms.  We found that FTR was most likely originated in the phylogenetically deeply-rooted microaerophilic bacteria where it regulates CO₂ fixation via the reverse citric acid cycle. / Ph. D.

Para diminuir o consumo dos combustíveis fósseis, que são os principais agentes intensificadores do efeito estufa, muitas pesquisas estão sendo realizadas para aumentar a produção de etanol, com ênfase no etanol produzido a partir de materiais lignocelulósicos. Dentre as etapas necessárias para esse processo, uma delas é a hidrólise enzimática da celulose a monômeros solúveis. No entanto, a parede celular das plantas é recalcitrante e de difícil acesso às enzimas. Diante disto, neste trabalho propôs-se tratar bagaços de cana-de-açúcar com diferentes concentrações de solução sulfito em meio alcalino, para solubilizar lignina e hemicelulose e favorecer o acesso das enzimas ao substrato. As amostras, obtidas de cultivares de cana-de-açúcar com teores reduzidos de lignina e de uma variedade comercial, foram submetidas ao processo quimio-mecânico por 2 horas, a 121oC, com soluções de hidróxido de sódio (2,5%, 3,75% e 5% m/m) e sulfito de sódio (5%, 7,5% e 10% m/m), combinadas na proporção de 1:2, respectivamente. Análises físico-químicas dos materiais pré-tratados, como quantificação dos grupos sulfônicos e capacidade de retenção de água (WRV), também foram realizadas. Conforme se empregou maior concentração de reagentes no pré-tratamento, mais eficientes foram as remoções de lignina e hemicelulose, favorecendo maiores conversões enzimáticas. A remoção de lignina, embora contribua para o acesso das enzimas ao substrato, não foi o único fator necessário para se alcançar os maiores rendimentos de açúcares. Nesse caso, o efeito da sulfonação foi essencial para melhores conversões. Os resultados de WRV não apresentaram correlação com os níveis de hidrólise, pois é provável que as fibras pré-tratadas tenham atingido seu ponto de saturação. O maior rendimento de hidrólise da celulose foi de 92% para o cultivar 58 (após 96 horas de reação), que associou o efeito da deslignificação (53,5%) com alta incorporação de sulfito (600 mmol/Kg de lignina). Todos os bagaços com menor conteúdo inicial de lignina apresentaram maiores velocidades iniciais de hidrólise, quando comparados com a variedade comercial. Dessas amostras, destacou-se o cultivar 146, que necessitou apenas de 8 horas de reação para estabelecer o patamar de conversão de celulose de 75%. Todos os cultivares foram mais eficientes que a variedade comercial, demandando menor concentração de reagentes químicos para atingir 50% de conversão de celulose, em 24 horas. Foi avaliada a diminuição de quatro vezes na carga de SO32- no pré-tratamento do cultivar 58, em que se empregou 2,5% de sulfito e 5% de NaOH, em tempos de cozimento correspondentes a 30, 60 e 120 minutos. Nesse sentido, observou-se que a maior proporção de íons OH- no meio reacional não resultou em rendimentos satisfatórios de hidrólise, devido à maior perda de hemicelulose e menor remoção de lignina, quando comparado ao mesmo processo utilizando 10% de sulfito. Para o maior tempo de pré-tratamento foi possível obter maiores rendimentos de hidrólise, pois a incorporação de sulfito e remoção de componentes aumentou com o tempo. Portanto, o efeito da sulfonação, em 2 horas de pré-tratamento, foi mais importante que a deslignificação total das amostras na conversão dos polissacarídeos do bagaço em açúcares fermentescíveis. / In order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, which are the main cause of the greenhouse effect, many studies are being undertaken to increase ethanol production through the use of lignocellulosic material. One of the steps in this process is enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose into monomers. However, the plant cell walls are recalcitrant and inaccessible to the enzymes. Thus, this study aims to treat sugar cane bagasse with different sulfite alkaline concentrations in order to dissolve lignin and hemicellulose and enable the enzymes access to the substrate. The samples, obtained from sugar cane hybrids with reduced lignin content along with a commercial variety, were submitted to a chemical-mechanical process for 2 hours at 121°C, with sodium hydroxide solutions (2.5%, 3.75% and 5% m/m) and sodium sulfite (5%, 7.5% and 10% m/m), combined in a 1:2 ratio, respectively. Furthermore, physical and chemical analyses, such as water retention value and sulfonic group measurement, were carried out. The greater reactants concentration in the pretreatment, the more efficient the lignin and hemicelullose removal was, therefore enabling greater enzymatic conversions. Although lignin removal augments enzyme access to the substrate, this was not the only factor necessary to reach better conversion rates. In this case, the effect of sulfonation was essential for better conversions. The water retention value did not present correlation with the hydrolysis levels, suggesting that the pre-treated fibers had already reached their saturation point. The greatest cellulose hydrolysis yield was 92% for hybrid 58 (after 96 hours of reaction), which is associated with the effect of delignification (53.5%) with high sulfite incorporation (600 mmol/Kg of lignin). All of the bagasse varieties with less initial lignin content presented greater initial hydrolysis velocities when compared to the commercial variety. Of these samples, the hybrid 146 stood out, since only 8 hours was needed to reach the cellulosic conversion plateau of 75%. All of the hybrids were more efficient than the commercial variety, as they required less chemical reactants to reach 50% cellulosic conversions in 24 hours. The charge of SO32- was reduced 75% for the pretreatment using 2.5% sulfite and 5% NaOH with hybrid 58 for reaction times of 30, 60 and 120 minutes. It was observed that a greater proportion of OH- ions did not lead to satisfactory hydrolysis yields due to the greater loss in hemicellulose and the great lignin removal when compared to the same treatment utilizing 10% sulfite. The greater hydrolysis yield was obtained through the longest period of pretreatment, because in this condition the sulfite incorporation and removal of components increased. Thus, the effect of sulfonation, in 2 hours of pretreatment was more important in the conversion of the bagasse polysacharides in fermentable sugars than the total delignification of the samples.