• Membrane Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.252-260
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• 2009

The effects of the treatment of an acidic solution at pH 2 on polyacrylonitrile ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were investigated using a circular cross-flow filtration bench with a membrane module. A substantial reduction in the membrane permeability was observed after 80 hours' treatment of the acidic solution. In addition, the analyses of the sample solutions by ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which were taken from the feed tank as a function of the treatment time, showed that a new organic compound was produced in the course of the treatment. From a thorough search of the mass spectral library we presumed the new compound to be 1,6-dioxacyclododecane-7,12-dione (DCD), one of the well-known additives for polyurethane. Based on further experimental results, including the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and the solid-state NMR spectra of the membranes used for the treatment of the acidic solution, we suggested that the decrease of the permeate flux resulted not from the deformation of the membranes, but from the fouling by DCD eluted from the polyurethane tubes in the filtration bench during the treatment. Those results imply that the reactivity to an acidic solution of the parts comprising the filtration bench is as important as that of the membranes themselves for effective treatments of acidic solutions, for efficient chemical cleaning by strong acids, and also in determining the pH limit of the solutions that can be treated by the membranes.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.255-264
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• 2009

To evaluate the effects of chemical pretreatments of lignocellulosic biomass on enzymatic hydrolysis process, Populus euramericana was pretreated for 1 hr with 1% sulfuric acid ($H_2SO_4$) at $150^{\circ}C$ and 1% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at $160^{\circ}C$, respectively. Before the enzymatic hydrolysis, each pretreated sample was subjected to drying process and thus finally divided into four subgroups; dried or non-dried acid pretreated samples and dried or non-dried alkali pretreated samples and chemical and physical properties of them were analyzed. Biomass degradation by acid pretreatment was determined to 6% higher compared to alkali pretreatment. By the action of acid ca. 24.5% of biomass was dissolved into solution, while alkali degraded ca. 18.6% of biomass. However, reverse results were observed in delignification rates, in which alkali pretreatment released 2% more lignin fragment from biomass to the solution than acid pretreatment. Unexpectedly, samples after both pretreatments were determined to somewhat higher crystallinity than untreated samples. This result may be explained by selective disrupture of amorphous region in cellulose during pretreatments, thus the cellulose crystallinity seems to be accumulated in the pretreated samples. SEM images revealed that pretreated samples showed relative rough and partly cracked surfaces due to the decomposition of components, but the image of acid pretreated samples which were dried was similar to that of the control. In pore size distribution, dried acid pretreated samples were similar to the control, while that in alkali pretreated samples was gradually increased as pore diameter increased. The pore volume which increased by acid pretreatment rapidly decreased by drying process. Alkali pretreatment was much more effective on enzymatic digestibility than acid pretreatment. The sample after alkali pretreatment was enzymatically hydrolyzed up to 45.8%, while only 26.9% of acid pretreated sample was digested at the same condition. The high digestibility of the sample was also influenced to the yields of monomeric sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, drying process of pretreated samples affected detrimentally not only to digestibility but also to the yields of monomeric sugars.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.554-563
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• 2013

The changes in quality properties and nutritional components for two mugworts, namely, Artemisia capillaris Thumberg Artemisiae asiaticae Nakai fermented by Bacillus strains were characterized followed by rapid pattern analysis of volatile flavor compounds through the SAW-based electronic nose sensor in the GC system. After fermentation, the pH has remarkably decreased from 6.0~6.4 to 4.6~5.1 and there has been a slight change in the total soluble solids. The L (lightness) and b (yellowness) values in the Hunter's color system significantly decreased, whilst the a (redness) value increased via fermentation. The HPLC analysis demonstrated that the total amino acids increased in quantity and the essential amino acids were higher in the A. asiaticae Nakai than in the A. capillaris Thumberg, specially with high contents of glutamic and aspartic acid. After fermentation, the monounsaturated fatty acid increased in the A. asiaticae Nakai and the polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in the A. capillaris Thumberg. While the total polyphenol contents have not been affected by fermentation, the total sugar contents have dramatically decreased. Scopoletin, which is one of the most important index components in mugworts, was highly abundant in the A. capillaris Thumberg; however, it was not detected in the A. asiaticae Nakai. Small pieces of plant tissue in the surface microstructure were found in the fermented mugworts through the use of the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Volatile flavor compounds via electronic nose showed that the intensity of several peaks has increased and additional seven flavor peaks have been produced after fermentation. The VaporPrintTM images demonstrated a notable difference in flavors between the A. asiaticae Nakai and A. capillaris Thumberg, and the fermentation enabled the mugworts to produce subtle differences in flavor.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.872-879
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• 2010

Layered copper hydroxides [LCHs, $Cu_2(OH)_3{\cdot}NO_3$] has the agricultural potentials as a fungicide because of its high crystallinity, excellent anion exchange capacity, and its regular layered particle size. The study, for the first time, has synthesized LCHs in highly concentrated solution and evaluated its physicochemical properties including the crystallinity and suspension stability. Optimal synthetic condition of LCHs was determined by crystallinity and stability of suspension as follow; 1) concentrations of $Cu(NO_3)_2$ and NaOH solutions were 3.0 M respectively, 2) reaction temperature and solution pH were $25^{\circ}C$ and 6.0, respectively, and 3) aging time after reaction was 2hr. Crystallinity of LCHs enhanced with increase in pH up to 9.0. Whereas, stability of suspension was decrease by increase in crystal size. Especially, increase in reaction temperature decreased stability of suspension. XRD patterns and SEM images exhibited that LCHs had regular layered particle size with 0.2~0.8 ${\mu}m$ and high crystallinity in optimal synthetic condition. The particle size was increased with increase in reaction temperature and pH. These results showed that LCHs synthesized in highly concentrated solution exhibited high stability of suspension as well as high crystallinity suitable to their potential as a fungicide.