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Self-depletion flocculation of tetralin oil-in-water emulsions.

Oil-in-water emulsions of slightly soluble oils such as tetralin prepared by high-pressure homogenization and stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate undergo depletion flocculation induced by an initially polydisperse droplet size distribution. The smaller droplets flocculate the larger ones; the flocculation can be reversed by gentle sonication. After aging, the flocs disappear because the smaller droplets dissolve through Ostwald ripening. These effects were observed by electroacoustic measurements, supplemented by light scattering.

Journal Article↗

Flocculation mechanism induced by cationic polymers investigated by light scattering.

Three cationic polymers with molecular weights and charge densities of 3.0 x 10(5) g/mol and 10%, 1.1 x 10(5) g/mol and 40%, and 1.2 x 10(5) g/mol and 100% were chosen as flocculants to aggregate silica particles (90 nm), under various conditions, including change in polymer dosage, particle concentration, background electrolyte concentration, and shear rate. The size and structure of flocs produced were determined using the static light scattering technique. On the basis of measurements of polymer adsorption and its effect on the zeta potential and floc properties, it has been found that the polymer charge density plays an important role in determining the flocculation mechanism. Polymers with a 10% charge density facilitate bridging, 40% charged polymers bring about either a combination of charge neutralization and bridging or bridging, depending on the polymer dosage, and polymers with the charge density of 100% induce electrostatic patch flocculation mechanism at the optimum polymer dosage and below but bring about bridging mechanism at the polymer dosage approaching the adsorption plateau value. Bridging aggregation can readily be affected by the particle concentration, and an increase in particle concentration results in the formation of larger but looser aggregates, whereas electrostatic patch aggregation is independent of particle concentration. The addition of a background electrolyte aids in bridging aggregation while it is detrimental to electrostatic patch aggregation. It has also been found that the effect of shear rate on the mass fractal dimension depends on polymer charge density.

Journal Article↗

Brownian flocculation of polymer colloids in the presence of a secondary minimum.

Most analyses of Brownian flocculation apply to conditions where London-van der Waals attractive forces cause particles to be strongly bound in a deep interparticle potential well. In this paper, results are reported that show the interaction between primary- and secondary-minimum flocculation when the interparticle potential curve reflects both attractive and electrostatic repulsive forces. The process is highly time-dependent because of transfer of particles from secondary- to primary-minimum flocculation. Essential features of the analysis are corroborated by experiments with 0.80-microm polystyrene spheres suspended in aqueous solutions of NaCl over a range of ionic strengths. In all cases, experiments were restricted to the initial stage of coagulation, where singlets and doublets predominate.

Journal Article↗

Isolation of coated vesicles, plain synaptic vesicles, and flocculent material from a crude synaptosome fraction of guinea pig whole brain.

Two vesicular fractions and one nonvesicular fraction were prepared from crude synaptosomes by differential centrifugation and salting out with ammonium sulfate. Fraction 1 contained a mixture of coated vesicles, material thought to be derived from breakdown of the coats (shell fragments), and plain synaptic vesicles. Fraction 2 contained a mixture of plain synaptic vesicles and flocculent material. Fraction 3 contained flocculent material only. Fractions 1 and 3 were partially purified by passage through a Sephadex column. Fraction 3 contained no shell fragments but contained finer flocculent material which, it is suggested, is composed of unit particles either occurring singly or linked together into chainlike or amorphous aggregates. Each unit particle appears to have four subunits and is here referred to as a tetrasome. Tetrasomes sometimes appear to be attached to the surfaces of the plain synaptic vesicles. Also, it is possible that aggregates of tetrasomes form part of the structure of the presynaptic dense projections.

Animals↗

Mechanical flocculation in flowing fiber suspensions

Non-Brownian fibers commonly flocculate in flowing suspensions. A particle level simulation technique modeling fibers as chains of rods connected by hinges is developed to probe flocculation. Simulations show that flocculation can be induced solely by interfiber friction-attractive forces between fibers are not necessary. Simulated mechanical floc characteristics are consistent with experimental observations. In contrast, simulations of flocs formed by attractive forces behave qualitatively differently.

Journal Article↗

Genetic evidence of a new flocculation suppressor gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The flocculation character in strain IM1-8b of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by a single and dominant gene shown to be allelic to FLO1. Such a gene has been both mitotically and meiotically mapped on the right arm of chromosome I at 4.7 cM from PHO11. The phenotype was suppressed by a single gene of wide distribution among non-flocculent strains (proposed as fsu3) that, however, was unable to suppress other FLO1 genes in other flocculent strains.

Alleles↗

Production of 5' Nucleotide by Using Halophilic Nuclease H Preferentially Adsorbed on Flocculated Cells of the Halophile Micrococcus varians subsp. halophilus.

A bioreactor with a column of flocculated cells of the moderate halophile Micrococcus varians subsp. halophilus which adsorbed the halophilic nuclease H was designed to be used in the production of 5' nucleotides from RNA. A remarkable characteristic of the flocculated cells was that they preferentially adsorbed much exogenous nuclease, excluding adsorbed 5' nucleotidase. Furthermore, desalting treatment of the flocculated cells in the presence of 2% MgSO(4) . 7H(2)O gave rise to selective inactivation of 5' nucleotidase without the loss of nuclease H activity, and 5'-guanylic acid was produced with the bioreactor.

Journal Article↗

Cation-dependent flocculation in a Flavobacterium species predominant in activated sludge.

The predominant bacterium of activated sludge classified as belonging to the genus Flavobacterium showed good flocculent growth in the presence of both calcium and magnesium ions, although capsular material or gelatinous matrix was not detectable in the flocs. The bacterium accumulated a large amount of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate when grown on glucose, but not on peptone, in spite of good flocculent growth on both substrates. When the flocs formed during growth phase were suspended in deionized water and shaken for a few minutes, they disintegrated perfectly, and a uniformly dispersed cell suspension was obtained. Furthermore, when the dispersed cell suspension thus obtained was added with each of various mineral salts and shaken for a few minutes, the cells flocculated again, the resultant supernatant solution being almost clear. Even if the dispersed cells were killed by heat or treated by trypsin, they did not lose the ability to form flocs when added with mineral salts. Since the electric charge of the cell surface was negative, a possible mechanism of floc formation was suggested as follows: negatively charged surfaces of adjacent cells are bridged by ionic bonds intermediated by cations. The bacterium utilized a relatively wide variety of organic compounds and showed high metabolic activity comparable to that of naturally activated sludge. These properties, along with floc-forming ability, were considered to be factors for making the bacterium predominant in activated sludge.

Calcium↗

Serological studies of types A, B, and E botulinal toxins by passive hemagglutination and bentonite flocculation.

Johnson, H. M. (Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio), K. Brenner, R. Angelotti, and H. E. Hall. Serological studies of types A, B, and E botulinal toxins by passive hemagglutination and bentonite flocculation. J. Bacteriol. 91:967-974. 1966.-Formalinized sheep red blood cells (SRBC), sensitized with types A, B, and E botulinal toxoids and toxins by bis-diazotized benzidine (BDB), were tested against A, B, and E antitoxins prepared in horses and rabbits. Type B antitoxin cross-reacted with A toxoid SRBC, but the reciprocal cross-reaction was not observed. E toxin SRBC were specifically agglutinated by E antitoxin. Flocculation of antigen-sensitized bentonite particles was less sensitive in titration of antitoxin than hemagglutination. Also, reciprocal cross-reactions were observed between types A and B antitoxins. Cross-reactions in both serological tests were eliminated by titration of antitoxins in the presence of the heterologous antigens, with no inhibitory effect on the homologous antitoxins. Generally, equine antitoxins were less suitable for agglutinations, especially of antigen-sensitized bentonite particles. Types A, B, and E antitoxins were specifically inhibited by 43, 39, and 245 mouse ld(50) of their respective homologous toxins in the hemagglutination-inhibition test. A, B, and E antitoxins were specifically inhibited by 500, 950, and 1,500 mouse ld(50) of their respective homologous toxins in bentonite flocculation inhibitions. Formalinized SRBC sensitized with rabbit types A and B antitoxins by BDB were respectively clumped by as little as 0.75 to 1.3 mouse ld(50) of A toxin and 2.3 ld(50) of B toxin, whereas bentonite particles sensitized by the same antitoxins were specifically clumped by 150 ld(50) of A toxin and 630 ld(50) of B toxin. E antitoxin sensitization of SRBC or bentonite particles was not successful. Evidence is presented that indicates that the serological procedures are applicable to the detection of botulinal toxins in food.

Animals↗

Structure of exocellular polymers and their relationship to bacterial flocculation.

Several gram-negative, polarly flagellated rods were isolated on the basis of their flocculent growth habit. Some of the isolates possessed a capsular matrix which is composed of exocellular fibrils. Other isolates did not appear to have a capsular matrix when examined with a bright-field microscope with or without the aid of stains. However, these latter type isolates did possess exocellular material which can be demonstrated by adsorption of a fluorescent dye under an ultraviolet microscope. Electron microscopic examination demonstrated that the exocellular material around all isolates examined is fibrillar. The fibrils were susceptible to cellulase although all fibrils did not appear to be identical. It is postulated that the exocellular polymers were responsible for the flocculent growth habit of the bacteria, and that the process of bacterial flocculation produced by synthetic polyelectrolytes was essentially the same as that caused by naturally produced exopolymers.

Bacteria↗

Measurement of ATP synthesis and flocculent matrix densities in mitochondria as a function of 'in vitro' ischemia in the heart and liver of rats.

We intended to determine the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis at the time when mitochondria ultrastructurally show flocculent densities in the matrix space. For this purpose, mitochondria were isolated from rat heart and rat liver after the tissues have been maintained under controlled ischemic conditions in vitro at 37 degrees C for intervals of 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180, and 240 (heart) min. The isolated mitochondria were tested for new ATP synthesis by luciferin/luciferase luminescence in the presence of substrate and adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP). The luminescence peaks were standardized and related to an external measure by measuring absorbance of ATP at 259 nm where the extinction coefficient is 15,400. Mitochondrial yield was monitored by measuring succinate dehydrogenase activity in the first homogenate and in the final mitochondrial pellet. Alternatively, cytochrome oxidase activity was used and the protein in the mitochondrial pellet was also determined. We found that the yield of mitochondria was above 53-54% in both liver and heart at 2 h of ischemia. Longer intervals were accompanied by lower yields. The ability to synthesize new ATP declined at different time intervals in ischemia of the heart compared to the liver. After 30 min ischemia, the synthesis in heart mitochondria is 18% of control, while the synthesis of liver mitochondria reaches 16% of control after 45 min of in vitro ischemia. Flocculent densities in heart mitochondria appeared at 45 min ischemia in vitro and in vivo, and at 60 min in liver mitochondria. We conclude that the decline of ATP synthesis is a significant early change in mitochondria and antedates the appearance of flocculent densities.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Proposals for wastewater treatment by applying flocculating activity of cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid.

Cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid (C-L gamma-PGA) markedly purified polluted water collected from rivers and ponds by flocculation and precipitation. This effect of C-L gamma-PGA occasionally required pretreatment with polyaluminum chloride (PAC). Components of polluted water in rivers or ponds are generally thought to be clay minerals, microorganisms and chemical compounds. In this study, the flocculating activities of C-L gamma-PGA against suspensions of bentonite, diatomaceous earth, Escherichia coli and Mycrocystis aeruginosa, and against solutions of crystal violet and bisphenol A were investigated. The mode of action of C-L gamma-PGA is thought to be based on electrostatic interaction between flocculants, C-L gamma-PGA and PAC, and the surface of polluted water components, which may lead to neutralization of the zeta-potential of those components.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Transformation of a flocculating Saccharomyces cerevisiae using lithium acetate and pYAC4.

A flocculating yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ura3 was transformed by the method based on treatment of intact cells with lithium acetate plus single-stranded carrier DNA using the shuttle vector pYAC4. The transformation efficiency was above 10(3) transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA which is similar to other described yeast transformation systems. Under selective pressure, the transformed cells were stable and maintained the flocculation ability. Thus, this simple transformation system can be used for gene expression studies in flocculating yeasts, overcoming disadvantages of conventional methods such as the spheroplast one.

Acetates↗

Polysalt flocculates as a physicochemical approach in the development of controlled-release oral pharmaceuticals.

In the field of pharmaceutical formulation, polysalt flocculates have received relatively little attention in the literature. Accordingly this investigation could be considered an approach towards the development of oral controlled release dosage forms by polysalt flocculates. The polymer selected for this study was sodium carboxymethylcellulose. This was based on the fact that it forms an insoluble complex with aluminium sulphate, which could be of value in controlling the liberation of the entrapped drug. Drug entrapment was effected by polymeric flocculation, induced by the addition of a physiologically inert electrolyte. Results of this study indicated that this approach provided a physicochemical method for controlling drug release from oral pharmaceuticals, that could be claimed to replace the earlier empirical mechanical methods.

Administration, Oral↗

[The use of flocculation sludge in poultry feed. Chemical and microbiological composition].

For the purpose of making inventories, the chemical and microbiological composition of samples of flocculated sludge of poultry, pig and cattle-stock slaughter-houses were examined. This was required to study the possibilities of using flocculated sludge as raw material in animal feed. Chemical studies showed that the dry matter (dm) levels of the various specimens of sludge varied markedly. (Broiler sludge 7.1% of dm, pig sludge 7.5%, cattle-stock sludge 5.5% and laying-hen sludge 13.3%). Broiler- and laying-hen sludge contained more crude fat than did the other samples of sludge. Measured by the concentrations of lysine, methionine and cystine, the sludge product was most similar to the protein of meal-and-bone meal and soy-bean meal. The iron content of almost all samples examined was very high. In view of the current standards for concentrations of metal in complete animal feeds, the concentrations of iron and lead will have to be taken into account in using this sludge product. The proportion of total polymers in the fat fractions of samples of sludge varied from 2.4% to 39.2%, less than 10% only being observed in two samples. The microbiological composition of broiler and pig sludge did not differ. Both the total aerobic bacterial count and the number of Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli and Salmonella were found to be high. Species of Campylobacter were not isolated; however, a number of samples were found to be positive for adenovirus. Prior to deciding to use flocculated sludge in livestock feeding, the product will have to undergo thorough decontamination.

Animal Feed↗

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF THE LATEX FLOCCULATION TEST FOR PREGNANCY.

Simultaneous pregnancy tests were run on duplicate specimens of urine by the Friedman method and the latex flocculation method on 329 patients. Clinical correlation was available in 245 of these patients. The latex test had a sensitivity of 77 per cent and a specificity of 92 per cent in the overall diagnosis of pregnancy. The Friedman test had corresponding values of 93 per cent and 97 per cent, respectively. Not until the second month of pregnancy did the latex test become sensitive enough for practical use. The Friedman test, which takes 48 hours, is more sensitive and specific for the determination of pregnancy than the in vitro latex flocculation test, the results of which are known in four hours.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗

Apatite growth on calcium adsorbed surface of wet flocculated silica particles immersed in a modified simulated body fluid.

An alternative method for the calcium phosphate apatite formation onto the surface of flocculated pure silica particles is reported, in an attempt to understand the possible mechanism for the apatite formation. A stable silica sol was flocculated by adding calcium ions in aqueous solution. The wet flocks were resuspended in a basic aqueous solution containing a calcium salt, trying to allow the absorption of calcium ions onto the silica surface through a hydrogen ion exchange. The as-prepared materials were immersed in a modified simulated body fluid at different temperatures (37 and 90 degrees C) and silica concentrations. It was found that these factors have a strong influence on the apatite formation. The apatite formation was confirmed by (31)P MAS-NMR, FT-Raman, XRD, and TEM.

Adsorption↗

Two parameters account for the flocculated growth of microbes in biodegradation assays.

Microbes in activated sludge tanks mostly occur in flocs rather than in cell suspensions. Flocculation results in a limited supply of substrate to the bacteria inside the flocs, which reduces the biodegradation rate of organic compounds by several orders of magnitude. This article presents a simple two-parameter extension of growth models for cell suspensions to account for the ensuing reduction of the degradation rate. The additional parameters represent floc size at division and diffusion length. The biomass of small flocs initially increases exponentially at a rate equal to that of cell suspensions. After this first phase, the growth rate gradually decreases and finally the radius becomes a linear function of time. At this time flocs are large and have a kernel of dead biomass. This kernel arises when the substrate concentration decreases below the threshold level at which cells are just able to pay their maintenance costs. We deduce an explicit approximative expression for the interdivision time of flocs, and thereby for the growth of flocculated microbial biomass at constant substrate concentrations. The model reveals that the effect of stirring on degradation rates occurs through a reduction of the floc size at division. The results can be applied in realistic biodegradation quantifications in activated sludge tanks as long as substrate concentrations change slowly.

Bioreactors↗