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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Flocculation of diatomite by methylated egg albumin.

A common and inexpensive protein, egg albumin, was applied to the solid-liquid separation or flocculation of diatomite. Egg albumin was methylated in a 0.05 M HCl methyl alcohol solution at room temperature. About 90% of the carboxylic groups of egg albumin could be methylated within 24 h. The adsorption of egg albumin onto diatomite at pH 6.8 was remarkably enhanced by methylation. The adsorption constant of methylated egg albumin to diatomite at 30 degrees C was about 100-fold larger than that of native egg albumin; however, the adsorption constant of methylated egg albumin decreased to about 1/100 with temperature decreasing from 30 to 6 degrees C. The saturated adsorption amount of egg albumin was also increased by the methylation. The flocculating ability of methylated egg albumin was examined with a diatomite suspension at 6 and 30 degrees C in the pH range from pH 2 to 11. The diatomite suspension was effectively flocculated by the addition of small amounts of methylated egg albumin (only 0.5-1 wt% against diatomite) over a wide pH range from pH 3 to 10.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2001

Experimental analysis of centrifugal dewatering process of polyelectrolyte flocculated waste activated sludge.

The study experimentally investigated the centrifugal separation of moisture from activated sludge subject to cationic polyelectrolyte flocculation. An arm-suspended centrifuge was employed which allowed in-situ detection on all positions of interfaces of centrifuged sludge as functions of time. Experimental results revealed that, sludge flocculation would yield a significant sedimentation effect at the first phase of centrifugation. Therefore, not as suggested in conventional centrifugal-filtration models, the most significant moisture-removal stages included filtrate to flow through a wet cake. Moreover, an optimal rotational speed exists at which the moisture-removal rate reaches a maximum value. New theories/correlations are required to describe centrifugation dewatering of polyelectrolyte flocculated sludge.

Centrifugation↗

PubMed2002

Laboratory study of ballasted flocculation.

Ballasted flocculation is applied successfully in the water treatment industry, but the concept has not yet been subject to extended experimental studies. The use of a microsand and a polymer together to increase the weight of the flocs and the rate at which they settle is radically changing the coagulation flocculation-settling methodology. The objective of this research is to study ballasted flocculation in the laboratory by means of a modified jar-test procedure. The first tests, conducted using a statistical approach, enabled us to identify those parameters that have a significant influence on the quality of settled water. The principal treatment parameters considered in this study were the chemical dosage, the contact times in the different basins, the pH of coagulation and the dosage of microsand. The parameters used to evaluate the quality of the settled water, and hence treatment performances, were turbidity, UV absorbance, TOC and membrane filterability. The results showed that the coagulant dosage and the coagulation pH have a preponderant effect on the variability of the quality of the settled water. By contrast, filterability as measured by the laboratory filter tests, was found to be more sensitive to coagulant and microsand dosages. It was dependent on the ratio of microsand to polymer dosage, and improved when this ratio increased.

Absorption↗

PubMed2002

"Weak" ultrasonic pre-treatment on anaerobic digestion of flocculated activated biosolids.

This study examined how "weak" ultrasonic pre-treatment affects anaerobic digestion of waste biosolids, treated with a cationic polyelectrolyte flocculant. In relation to pre-treatment, the term "weak" used refers to the fact that the total ultrasonic energy input to biosolids is insufficient to fully disrupt its floc structure or the cell walls, as described in the literature. Methane production potential, floc characteristics (size, morphology and zeta-potential) and process parameters (chemical oxygen demands and oxidative-reductive potentials) were monitored, as the digestion was tested. The presence of polyelectrolyte flocculants enhanced methane production within 6 days of digestion (phase I), but inhibited the digestion thereafter (phase II). Following pre-treatment by sonication (0.33 W/mL, 20 min), the methane productions of both original and flocculated biosolids significantly increased. The underlying mechanisms of weak ultrasonic pre-treatment are discussed.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2003

Microscopic observation of particle reduction in slaughterhouse wastewater by coagulation-flocculation using ferric sulphate as coagulant and different coagulant aids.

A coagulation-flocculation treatment has been applied to a slaughterhouse liquid effluent, using ferric sulphate as coagulant and activated silica, powdered activated carbon, cationic polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid and anionic polyacrylamide as coagulant aids in order to improve the settling time. Once the optimal conditions had been established (speed and time of stirring during flocculation step, pH, coagulant and coagulant aid doses), the efficiency of the coagulation-flocculation process was studied by comparing the particle size distribution before and after the addition of the coagulant. When ferric sulphate was used without the coagulant aids, particle removal efficiency varied with size, although overall efficiency was quite substantial (87%). The use of coagulant aids improved the removal efficiency, except in the case of activated silica, when it fell to 78%. In all other cases removal efficiency values between 93% (for polyvinyl alcohol) and 99% (for anionic polyacrylamide) were reached.

Abattoirs↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Experimental collision efficiencies of polymer-flocculated animal cells.

The determination of particle collision kinetics is useful to decouple the effects of process parameters on individual events in flocculation. This paper discusses the effects of flocculation conditions on the collision efficiency of ATCC strain CRL 1606 hybridomas flocculated with poly-L-histidine. Experimental determinations of the collision efficiency of cells in Couette flow are presented over a range of experimental conditions. The collision efficiency correlates with the cell zeta potential to the -2.4 power at high surface coverage, consistent with literature results in latex systems. At low coverage, accounting for the distribution of polymer on the cells corrects for deviation from the high-coverage behavior. Collision is dependent on the hydrodynamic environment as well. At high surface coverage, collision efficiency is weakly dependent on hydrodynamic conditions and follows a dependency on the shear rate and viscosity to the -0.32 power. This is consistent with ionic coagulation theory. At low surface coverage, the collision efficiency is strongly dependent on the viscous fluid forces. The results versus both dose and shear rate over the entire range of surface coverages are consistent with weak intercell bonding. Collision kinetics in the presence of high molecular weight dextrans show steric hindrance to cell collision.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Biosorption of milk substrates onto anaerobic flocculent and granular sludge.

Experiments were performed for adsorption of milk-based substrates onto anaerobic biomass at 35 degrees C. The influence of two parameters was studied, namely, the type of biomass (flocculent or granular) and the sludge adaptation to the substrate. It was found that flocculent sludge presented an adsorption capacity roughly 3 times higher than that of granular sludge. The adsorption data fit well with the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. Apparently, short-term sludge adaptation is not influential on the adsorption behavior. On the other hand, long-term adapted sludge showed a higher adsorption capacity than nonadapted sludge, which probably is an indirect effect of different microbial populations. These results suggest that the role of adsorption in the anaerobic treatment of complex substrates containing fat cannot be overlooked, especially for flocculent sludge systems, since organic matter accumulation could cause process failure due to biomass washout.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2004

Charge-driven flocculation of poly(L-lysine)-gold nanoparticle assemblies leading to hollow microspheres.

An unusual aggregation phenomenon that involves positively charged poly(L-lysine) (PLL) and negatively charged gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is reported. Discrete, submicrometer-sized spherical aggregates are found to form immediately upon combining a PLL solution with gold sol (diameter approximately 14 nm). These PLL-Au NP assemblies grow in size with time, according to light scattering experiments, which indicates a dynamic flocculation process. Water-filled, silica hollow microspheres (outer diameter approximately microns) are obtained upon the addition of negatively charged SiO2 NPs (diameter approximately 13 nm) to a suspension of the PLL-Au NP assemblies, around which the SiO2 NPs form a shell. Structural analysis through confocal microscopy indicates the PLL (tagged with a fluorescent dye) is located in the interior of the hollow sphere, and mostly within the silica shell wall. The hollow spheres are theorized to form through flocculation, in which the charge-driven aggregation of Au NPs by PLL provides the critical first step in the two-step synthesis process ("flocculation assembly"). The SiO2 shell can be removed and re-formed by decreasing and increasing the suspension pH about the point-of-zero charge of SiO2, respectively.

Flocculation↗

PubMed2005

Flocculation with poly(ethylene oxide)/tyrosine-rich polypeptide complexes.

New insights into the mechanism for the flocculation of aqueous colloids by the sequential addition of a water-borne phenolic polymer, called cofactor, followed by very high molecular poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) are presented. It is proposed that PEO/cofactor complexes form in the aqueous phase and adsorb onto the surfaces of the target colloidal particles. Flocculation will occur if PEO/cofactor complex on one particle will bind to adsorbed complex on a second particle; i.e., if the complexes are sticky. The proposed mechanism was illustrated by flocculation experiments with precipitated calcium carbonate, very high molecular weight PEO, and a polypeptide cofactor called PEY1 which was a 1:1 random copolymer of l-glycine and l-tyrosine. Independent measurements of the PEO/PEY1 complex properties, in the absence of calcium carbonate, were used to support the mechanism. In order for PEO/PEY1 complexes to be sticky, they must simultaneously have unbound PEY1 and polymer segments. With time the complexes deactivate (i.e., lose their stickiness) by a reconfiguration process which results in elimination of either unbound PEY1 or PEO segments.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of droplet flocculation in hexadecane oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by beta-lactoglobulin at pH 3 and 7.

The influence of surface and thermal denaturation of adsorbed beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg) on the flocculation of hydrocarbon oil droplets was measured at pH 3 and compared with that at pH 7. Oil-in-water emulsions (5 wt % n-hexadecane, 0.5 wt % beta-Lg, pH 3.0) were prepared that contained different levels of salt (0-150 mM NaCl) added immediately after homogenization. The mean particle diameter (d43) and particle size distribution of diluted emulsions were measured by laser diffraction when they were either (i) stored at 30 degrees C for 48 h or (ii) subjected to different thermal treatments (30-95 degrees C for 20 min). In the absence of salt, little droplet flocculation was observed at pH 3 or 7 because of the strong electrostatic repulsion between the droplets. In the presence of 150 mM NaCl, a progressive increase in mean particle size with time was observed in pH 7 emulsions during storage at 30 degrees C, but no significant change in mean particle diameter with time (d43 approximately 1.4 +/- 0.2 microm) was observed in the pH 3 emulsions. Droplet aggregation became more extensive in pH 7 emulsions containing salt (added before thermal processing) when they were heated above 70 degrees C, which was attributed to thermal denaturation of adsorbed beta-Lg leading to interdroplet disulfide bond formation. In contrast, the mean particle size decreased and the creaming stability improved when pH 3 emulsions were heated above 70 degrees C. These results suggest that the droplets in the pH 3 emulsions were weakly flocculated at temperatures below the thermal denaturation temperature of beta-Lg (T < 70 degrees C) but that flocs did not form so readily above this temperature, which was attributed to a reduction in droplet surface hydrophobicity due to protein conformational changes. The most likely explanation for the difference in behavior of the emulsions is that disulfide bond formation occurs much more readily at pH 7 than at pH 3.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2000

A novel oxylipin-associated 'ghosting' phenomenon in yeast flocculation.

Research on the distribution of oxylipins (3-hydroxy fatty acids) in flocculant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae led to the uncovering of a novel 'ghosting' phenomenon observed during assumed lectin-mediated aggregation. We found that intracellular oxylipin-containing osmiophilic layers migrate through yeast cell walls in a 'ghostlike' fashion without visually affecting the cell wall structure or the layers. This migration resulted in the binding of these layers to cell walls of adjacent cells. Consequently, 'ghosting' seems a prerequisite for flocculation to occur. However, 'ghosting' alone may not be sufficient to ensure flocculation.

Cell Wall↗

PubMed1995

Physicochemical characterization of parenteral lipid emulsion: influence of cosurfactants on flocculation and coalescence.

PURPOSE: The stability of lipid emulsions (LE) containing various cosurfactants (oleic acid, cholesterol, Tween 80, or HCO-60) was evaluated using the maximum total interaction energy, Vtmax and the energy barrier for coalescence, W. METHODS: The Vtmax and W were calculated from the zeta potential and the rate of increase in LE particle size, respectively. RESULTS: The Vtmax and W of LE containing the oleic acid were 0.598 x 10(-19) J and 3.03 x 10(-19) J, respectively, while those of LE without the cosurfactant were 0.141 x 10(-19) J and 1.36 x 10(-19) J. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that oleic acid prevents the flocculation and coalescence of LE. The Vtmax and W of LE containing the cholesterol were 0.435 x 10(-19) J and 0.63 x 10(-19) J, respectively, suggesting that the cholesterol prevents the flocculation of LE but does not affect the coalescence. Analysis of the stability of LE was performed by the separate considerations of the flocculation and coalescence.

Castor Oil↗

PubMed2003

[Coagulation-flocculation performances for cuttlefish effluents treatment].

Coagulation-flocculation of the colloids particles present in the cuttlefish effluents was investigated using a coagulation step with aluminium sulphate (SA), followed by a flocculation step with starch, SiO2 or MgO and then poly dimethyl ammonium chloride (PDMAC), in order to reduce the turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Kinetic aspects, adsorption equilibrium, pH and conductivity were studied in order to determine the optimum coagulation conditions and SA quantities. The addition of organic polymer as a flocculant agent gave a better performance than the use of salt alone with a reduction of 50% of the SA consumption. Polymer molecular weight of PDMAC and charge density of starch have been also investigated. The best result, which is 90% of removal rate in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and a turbidity value of 7 NTU was obtained with the combination using 165.5 mg l(-1) of aluminium sulphate, 750 mg l(-1) of MgO and 35 mg l(-1) of PDMAC 400000.

Alum Compounds↗

PubMed2001

Improvement of water treatment performance by using polyamine flocculants.

In this study, polyamine flocculants were synthesized and applied to Nak-dong river raw water in Korea to examine their efficiency in reducing turbidity, total organic carbon (TOC) and UV254. Synthesized polyamines were effective as flocculants for water treatment and the addition of organic polymer caused a reduction of 50-80% of the consumption of polyaluminium chloride (PAC). The effects of polyamine on the removal of turbidity, TOC and UV254 were investigated via both jar and pilot tests. The adsorption and separation mechanisms for the removal of turbidity and TOC by using the polymer flocculants were also observed.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2002

Pilot testing of dissolved air flotation (DAF) in a highly effective coagulation-flocculation integrated (FRD) system.

Factors of pretreatment coagulation/flocculation units were studied using raw water of low temperature and low turbidity. Aluminum sulfate (AS) and selected polyaluminium chlorides (PACls) were all effective in the DAF process when used under favorable conditions of coagulant addition, coagulation, flocculation and flotation units. Compared with the AS coagulant, PACls, at lower dosage, could give the same effective performance even with shorter coagulation/flocculation time or lower recycle ratio during the treatment of cold water. This is attributed to the higher-charged polymeric Al species, and the lower hydrophilic and more compact flocculated flocs of PACl coagulant. Based on results of pilot experiments, the goal of FRD system can be achieved by combining a DAF heterocoagulation reactor with PACl coagulant (F), an efficient flocculation reactor (R), as well as an economical auto-dosing system (D).

Air↗

PubMed2002

Construction of yeast strains with high cell surface lipase activity by using novel display systems based on the Flo1p flocculation functional domain.

We constructed a novel cell-surface display system, using as a new type of cell-wall anchor 3,297 or 4,341 bp of the 3' region of the FLO1 gene (FS or FL gene, respectively), which encodes the flocculation functional domain of Flo1p. In this system, the N terminus of the target protein was fused to the FS or FL protein and the fusion proteins were expressed under the control of the inducible promoter UPR-ICL (5' upstream region of the isocitrate lyase of Candida tropicalis). Using this new system, recombinant lipase with a pro sequence from Rhizopus oryzae (rProROL), which has its active site near the C terminus, was displayed on the cell surface. Cell-surface display of the FSProROL and FLProROL fusion proteins was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoblotting. Lipase activity reached 145 IU/liter (61.3 IU/g [dry cell weight]) on the surface of the yeast cells, which successfully catalyzed the methanolysis reaction. Using these whole-cell biocatalysts, methylesters synthesized from triglyceride and methanol reached 78.3% after 72 h of reaction. To our knowledge, this is the first example of cell-surface display of lipase with high activity. Interestingly, the yeast cells displaying the FLProROL protein showed strong flocculation, even though the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment signal and cell-membrane-anchoring region of Flo1p had been deleted from this gene. The cell-surface display system based on FL thus endows the yeast strain with both novel enzyme display and strong flocculation ability.

Flocculation↗

PubMed1984

Flocculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae tup1 mutants.

Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae carrying a mutation in the TUP1 locus exhibited calcium-dependent flocculation. The flocculation had none of the characteristics of sexual agglutination. The flocculation differed from that exhibited by a FLO1 strain in the effect of pH on cation dependence and sensitivity to chemical inactivation.

Calcium↗

PubMed1985

Flocculation in Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum lipoferum: exopolysaccharides and cyst formation.

The phenomena of flocculation and floc formation by Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 (ATCC 29145) and Azospirillum lipoferum Sp59b (ATCC 29707) were studied in aerobic liquid cultures. Carbon sources representative of various entry pathways in combination with various nitrogen sources induced flocculation in both species of azospirilla. Noticeably, the combination of fructose and nitrate was the most effective in terms of floc yields. Phase-contrast microscopic observations revealed a transition in cell morphology from freely motile, vibrioid cells to nonmotile, highly refractile encysting forms during the formation of flocs. The nonmotile forms in flocs appeared to be entangled within a fibrillar matrix, and the cells were highly resistant to desiccation. Dried flocs kept for almost 6 months still maintained the highly refractile encysting forms, and their viability was confirmed by pellicle formation and acetylene reduction in semisolid malate medium. Electron microscopic observations of the desiccated flocs revealed the presence of cell forms containing abundant poly beta-hydroxybutyrate granules within a central body and surrounded by a thick layer of exopolysaccharides. The latter were characterized by alkali and acid digestion, crude cellulase hydrolysis, and calcofluor staining. It was concluded that the overproduction of exocellular polymers induces the flocculent growth and is associated with the concomitant transformation of vegetative cells to the desiccation-resistant encysting forms under limiting cultural conditions.

Aerobiosis↗