• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.8
• /
• pp.1092-1098
• /
• 2013

Cassava constitutes an abundant substrate in tropical regions. The production of butanol in ABE fermentation by Clostridium beijerinckii BA101 using cassava flour (CF) was scaled-up to bioreactor level (5 L). Optimized fermentation conditions were applied; that is, $40^{\circ}C$, 60 g/l CF, and enzymatic pretreatment of the substrate. The batch fermentation profile presented an acidogenic phase for the first 24 h and a solventogenic phase afterwards. An average of 37.01 g/l ABE was produced after 83 h, with a productivity of 0.446 g/l/h. Butanol production was 25.71 g/l with a productivity of 0.310 g/l/h, high or similar to analogous batch processes described for other substrates. Solvent separation by different combinations of fractioned and azeotropic distillation and liquid-liquid separation were assessed to evaluate energetic and economic costs in downstream processing. Results suggest that the use of cassava as a substrate in ABE fermentation could be a cost-effective way of producing butanol in tropical regions.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.76-84
• /
• 2002

On-line conversion estimation of enzymatic esterification reactions in solvent-free media was investigated. In principle, conversion to ester can be determined from the amount of water produced by the reaction, because water is formed as a by-product in a stoichiometric manner. In this study, we estimated the water production rate only from some measurements of relative humidity and water balances without using any analytical methods. In order to test the performance of the on-line conversion estimation, the lipase-catalyzed esterification of n-capric acid and n-decal alcohol in solvent-free media was performed whilst controlling water activity at various values. The reaction conversions estimated on-line were similar to those determined by offline gas chromatographic analysis. However, when the water activity was controlled at higher values, discrepancies between the estimated conversion values and the measured values became significant. The deviation was found to be due to the inaccurate measurement of the water content in the reaction medium during the initial stages of the reaction. Using a digital filter, we were able to improve the accuracy of the on-line conversion estimation method considerably. Despite the simplicity of this method, the on-line estimated conversions were in good agreement with the off-line measured values.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.261-267
• /
• 2014

As a part of ongoing research to elucidate and characterize antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals, solvent-partitioned fractions from Spergularia marina were tested for their ability to scavenge radicals and suppress inflammation. The results of the 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay indicate that solvent-partitioned fractions from S. marina scavenged intracellular radicals in $H_2O_2$-stimulated mouse macrophages. The tested fractions decreased the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inflammation mediators, namely, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin (IL)-6, by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophages, indicating that S. marina decreases inflammation. Among all tested fractions [i.e., $H_2O$, n-buthanol (n-BuOH), 85% aqueous methanol (aq. MeOH), and n-hexane], the 85% aq. MeOH fraction showed the strongest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory response. The 85% aq. MeOH fraction scavenged 80% of the free radicals produced by $H_2O_2$-induced control cells. In addition, NO production was 98% lower in 85% aq. MeOH fraction-treated cells compared to LPS-induced control cells. The mRNA expression of iNOS and IL-6 was also suppressed in 85% aq. MeOH fraction-treated cells. The results of the current study suggest that the phenolic compound components of S. marina are responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.477-482
• /
• 2023

Halloysite nanotube (HNT) has a nanotube structure with the chemical formula of Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄ · nH₂O and is a natural sediment of aluminosilicate. A lot of research has been conducted to improve the mechanical properties of epoxy composites by generating interactions between HNTs and polymers through surface treatment of HNTs, such as exchange of amine group as a terminal functional group. However, most of the surface modification methods are performed under wet conditions, which require a relatively large amount of time, manpower and solvent. In order to save time and simplify complicated procedures, a dry coating machine was designed and used for amine group exchange. Comparing the XPS results, it was found that the results of NH₂-HNT prepared using a dry coating machine and the substitution through the wet method were not significantly different, and it has been confirmed that the amount of solvent used and the time savings can be made.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.38-45
• /
• 2008

In this work, we investigated the variation of physical and chemical characteristics of solvent-insolubles and solvent-solubles in Canada's Athabasca oil sands by solvent-insolubles experiments. N-Heptane, n-Hexane, and n-Pentane were tested for solvents and asphaltenes were separated from maltenes by using a modified ASTM D 3279 method. Elemental analysis, boiling point distribution (SIMDIS), molecular weight distribution, heavy metal contents, API gravity, viscosity and SARA fractions were measured for thorough samples. The asphaltenes-removed maltenes contained less sulfur and heavy metal amounts and had lower molecular weight than the original bitumen. N-Pentane solvent could lower sulfur and heavy metal amounts, molecular weight, and viscosity of maltenes compared to the other solvents. Eventually, we confirmed that the obtained experimental data could be used as basic informations of bitumen upgrading processes for the production of SCO (synthetic crude oil).

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.259-263
• /
• 2001

There are several steps such as slicing, lapping, chemical etching and mechanical polishing in the silicon wafer production process. The chemical etching step is necessary to remove damaged layer caused In the slicing and lapping steps. The typical etching liquor is the acid mixture comprising nitric acid, acetic acid and hydrofluoric acid. At present, the waste acid is treated by a neutralization method with a high alkali cost and balky solid residue. A solvent extraction method is applicable to separate and recover each acid. Acetic acid is first separated from the waste liquor using 2-ethlyhexyl alcohols as an extractant. Then, nitric acid is recovered using TBP(Tri-butyl phosphate) as an extractant. Finally hydrofluoric acid is separated with the TBP solvent extraction. The expected recovered acids in this process are 2㏖/l acetic acid, 6㏖/1 nitric acid and 6㏖/l hydrofluoric acid. The yields of this process are almost 100% for acetic acid and nitric acid. On the other hand, it is important to recover and reuse the metal values contained in various industrial wastes in a viewpoint of environmental preservation. Most of industrial products are made through the processes to separate impurities in raw materials, solid and liquid wastes being necessarily discharged as industrial wastes. Chemical methods such as solvent extraction, ion exchange and membrane, and physical methods such as heavy media separation, magnetic separation and electrostatic separation are considered as the methods for separation and recovery of the metal values from the wastes. Some examples of the application of solvent extraction to the treatment of wastes such as Ni-Co alloy scrap, Sm-Co alloy scrap, fly ash and flue dust, and liquid wastes such as plating solution, the rinse solution, etching solution and pickling solution are introduced.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.339-346
• /
• 2015

The synthesis of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) oil is the catalytic hydrogenation of CO to give a range of products, which can be used for the production of high-quality diesel fuel, gasoline and linear chemicals. This studied catalyst was prepared Cobalt-supported alumina and silica by the incipient wet impregnation of the nitrates of cobalt, promoter and organic solvent with supports. Cobalt catalysts were calcined at $350^{\circ}C$ before being loaded into the FT reactors. After the reduction of catalyst has been carried out under $450^{\circ}C$ for 24h, FT reaction of the catalyst has been carried out at GHSV of 4,000/hr under $200^{\circ}C$ and 20atm. From these experimental results, we have obtained the results as following; In case of $SiO_2$ catalysts, the activity of 12wt% $Cobalt-SiO_2$ synthesized by organic solvent was about 2 or 3 times higher than the activity of 12wt% $Cobalt-SiO_2$ catalyst synthesized without organic solvent. In particular, the activity of the $Cobalt-SiO_2$ catalyst prepared in the presence of an organic solvent P was two to three times higher than that of the $Cobalt-SiO_2$ catalyst prepared without the organic solvent. Effect of Cr and Cu metal as a promoter was found little. 200 h long-term activity test was performed with a $Co/SiO_2$ catalyst prepared in the presence of an organic solvent of Glyoxal solution.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.92-96
• /
• 2006

Enzymes in organic media afford many advantages such as chiral synthesis and resolution, modification of fats and oils and production of biodegradable polymers. However, the nature of solvents influences the activity and stability of enzymes, and the presence of organic solvents always constitute a risk of enzyme inactivation. Heat-shock protein Hsp90, one of the molecular chaperone, was applied for understanding of enzyme inactivation and for increasing of enzyme stability in water-miscible organic solvent. Hsp90 showed stabilization effect on HRP in the 30％ of DMSO, in the 30％ and 50％ of dioxane. Hsp90 also showed reactivation effect on the inactivated HRP by water-miscible organic solvent such as dioxane and DMSO. In addition, structural analysis using fluorescence spectrophotometry and circular dichroism showed that exposure of HRP in water-miscible organic solvent caused appreciable conformational changes and enzyme inactivation, and the unfolded HRP by water-miscible organic solvent was refolded by Hsp90.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.1196-1200
• /
• 2007

Eight feeds (mixture of wheat straw and oil seed cakes in 3:1 ratio) were evaluated for methane emission and fermentation pattern with buffalo rumen liquor as inoculum in an in vitro gas production test. The cakes tested were groundnut cake (GNC), soybean cake (SBC), mustard seed cake (MSC), cotton seed cake (CSC), karanj seed cake expeller extracted (KCEE), karanj seed cake solvent extracted (KCSE), caster bean cake expeller extracted (CBCEE) and caster bean cake solvent extracted (CBCSE). The gas production (ml/g dry matter) was significantly higher with SBC and MSC followed by CSC, GNC, KCSE, KCEE, CBCSE and was the lowest with CBCEE. Methane emission was significantly lower with KCEE, KCSE, CBCEE, CBCSE (20.32- 22.43 ml/g DM) than that with SBC, GNC, CSC (27.34-31.14 ml/g DM). Mustard seed cake was in-between the two groups of oil cakes in methane production. In vitro true digestibility was highest with SBC followed by GNC, CSC, MSC, KCSE, KCEE, CBCSE and CECEE. Ammonia nitrogen level was positively correlated with the amount of protein present in the cake. Total holotrich protozoa were significantly higher with SBC, whereas, large spirotrich protozoa tended to be lower than with other cakes. The counts of small spirotrich and total protozoa were similar with all the cakes. Total volatile fatty acid production and acetate to propionate ratio were significantly higher with SBC and significantly lower with KCEE as compared to the other cakes. Among the conventional oil cakes tested in the present experiment (GNC, SBC, MSC and CSC), mustard seed cake-based feed produced the minimum methane without affecting other fermentation characteristics adversely.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.449-456
• /
• 2014

Anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts of ginseng berry (GBE) was investigated through the evaluation of its inhibitory effect on the production of inflammatory meditator, nitric oxide(NO), tumor necrocis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells. GBE was fractionated using n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, buthanol and $H_2O$, sequentially. RAW264.7 cells were induced $100ng/m{\ell}$ of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with 0, 1.6, 8, 40 and $200{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of GBE fractions. LPS-induced NO production on all of GBE fractions was inhibited with increasing added concentration of GBE fractions. Chloroform fraction of GBE was the most effective in inhibiting LPS-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ production. Hexane, chloroform and $H_2O$ fractions of GBE exhibit strong inhibition LPS-induced IL-6 production. Especially, $H_2O$ fractions of GBE was the most effective in inhibiting LPD-induced IL-6 production without significant cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 cells, and reduced the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and IkB phosphorylation. These results indicate that $H_2O$ fractions of GBE exhibits strong anti-inflammatory effects by inhibition of NF-kB by inhibition of p-38 on MAPK and IkB phosphorylation.