Review of Research Methods on Biodiversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi （AMF） are essential functional microbiology in natural ecosystems. It is very important to research community composition and di- versity of AMF for achieving sustainable development of ecosystems. The paper described several methods of researching the diversity of AMF, especially for molecular techniques, reviewed the application status of these methods in AMF research, and pointed out that the effective combination of morphological and molecular methods could better reveal the biodiversity and ecological functions of AMF in natural ecosystems.

Synthesis of visible light responsive ultrafine K_4Ce_2Nb_(10)O_(30) by a stearic acid method

K4Ce2Nb10O30 ultrafine powders were prepared by stearic acid method (SAM). The obtained products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible absorption spectra. XRD patterns revealed that K4Ce2Nb10O30 powders treated at 900 oC for 2 h presented tetragonal structure without the presence of deleterious phases. Furthermore, the K4Ce2Nb10O30 prepared by SAM had considerable activity under visible light irradiation.

Pitfalls of acid leaching method for determining organic and inorganic carbon contents in marine sediments

Organic and inorganic carbon contents of marine sediments are important to reconstruct marine productivity,global carbon cycle, and climate change. A proper method to separate and determine organic and inorganic carbons is thus of great necessity. Although the best method is still disputable, the acid leaching method is widely used in many laboratories because of its ease-of-use and high accuracy. The results of the elemental analysis of sediment trap samples reveal that organic and inorganic carbon contents cannot be obtained using the acid leaching method, causing an infinitely amplified error when the carbon content of the decarbonated sample is 12%±1% according to a mathematical derivation. Acid fumigation and gasometric methods are used for comparison, which indicates that other methods can avoid this problem in organic carbon analysis. For the first time, this study uncovers the pitfalls of the acid leaching method, which limits the implication in practical laboratory measurement, and recommends alternative solutions of organic/inorganic carbon determination in marine sediments.

Extraction Optimization of Polysaccharides from Rhizoma Polygonati by Response Surface Methodology and Content Determination

[Objectives]This study aimed to investigate the water extraction-alcohol precipitation technology and content determination method of polysaccharides in Rhizoma Polygonati.[Methods]Taking the content of polysaccharides in the extract as the indicator,the extraction process was optimized using single-factor tests and Box-Behnken Design.The content of polysaccharides extracted was determined by the anthrone-sulfuric acid method.Among the three factors in the test design,the solid/liquid ratio and extraction time had a significant effect(P<0.05,P<0.01),while the extraction temperature had no effect on the content of polysaccharides extracted(P>0.05).[Results]The optimal extraction process for polysaccharides in Rhizoma Polygonati was as follows:liquid/solid ratio 20∶1(mL/g),extraction time 2 h,and extraction temperature 85℃.Under the optimal extraction process,the content of polysaccharides in the extract reached 12.50%.[Conclusions]The extraction process optimized by response surface methodology for polysaccharides in Rhizoma Polygonati is reliable and has practical value,and can be used to guide production practices.

Quantitative determination of polysaccharide in Curcuma wenyujin, a traditional Chinese medicine, by a phenol-sulfuric acid method

Curcuma wenyujin has been widely used as a traditional medicine in China. In this paper a strategy for the quantitative determination of the polysaccharide by a phenol-sulfuric acid method was described. Involved in three factors, 5% phenol volume, H2SO4 volume, and temperature of water bath, we adopted the L9（3）3 orthogonal array design to gain the optimal colorimetric method. 3.0 ml of polysaccharide solution, 1.0 ml, 5% phenol and 7.0 ml H2SO4 were mixed with constant stirring in a glass vessel, and then kept in a water bath at 40 ℃. After cooling to room temperature for 20 min, the absorbance values were recorded by the UV-2501 PC spectrometer at the wavelength range of 485 nm. The polysaccharide content in Curcuma wenyujin were 3.21%, 3.23%, 3.20%, 3.18~/0, 3.22% and 2.38%, respectively. All results showed that this method was adequate, valid and applicable, may be applied to the determination of other bacterial polysaccharide as well.

Synthesis of piezoelectric nanocrystalline PZT powder by stearic acid gel method

PZT nanocrystalline powder was prepared by a stearic acid gel method. Thecrystallization process from the precursor was monitored by infrared spectroscopy, differentialthermal analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The nano-sized PZT powder was characterized byX-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. It shows that pure single-phase PZT powdercould be obtained at 450 deg C for 1 h, and the particle size is about 20 nm. With an increase inthe calcination temperature, the PZT crystallite size increased.

Effects of Varieties and Cooking Methods on Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cooked Rice

To analyze the effect of different lowland rice varieties and different cooking methods on physical and chemical characteristics of cooked rice. A factorial randomized block design with two factors was used and each combination of the factors was repeated three times. The first factor was rice variety（Ciherang and Ciliwung） and the second factor was the cooking method（stovetop, boiling and steaming, and rice cooker）. Results showed that Ciherang and Ciliwung varieties were classified into slender grain rice type with yellowred color. The amylose content of Ciherang was classified as moderate, while the amylose content of Ciliwung classified as low. The most abundant amino acid contained in Ciherang and Ciliwung varieties was glutamic acid. Statistical analysis showed that cooking method had significant effects on texture, lightness, chroma, hue and moisture content of cooked rice. Rice cooked with liwet method had the lowest texture value, lowest lightness value, highest chroma value, and highest moisture content.

A METHOD OF SYNTHESIS OF PHENYL-LACTIC ACID AND SUBSTITUTED PHENYL LACTIC ACIDS

A method for the conversion of α-acetamido-β-substituted phenyl acrylic acid (αtβSPAA)into substituted phenyl lactic acid(SPLA)is described and an improved Clemmensen reduction reagent is used.

SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF MULTICOMPONENT IN MIXED ACIDS BY MATHEMATICAL METHOD

A new method for the determination of components in mixed acids has been developed.The mathematical model is obtained from samples of known composition and is then used to predict the concentrations of components in unknown sample.The practical utility of this method is demonstrated for simultaneous determination of two systems of ternary mixed acids and the results are satisfactory.

Preparation and electrochemical performance of Li_2Mn_(0.5)Fe_(0.5)SiO_4 cathode material with sol-gel method for lithium ion batteries

Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 material was synthesized by a citric acid-assisted sol-gel method. The influence of the stoichiometric ratio value of n(citric acid) to n(Fe2+-Mn2+) on the electrochemical properties of Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 was studied. The final sample was identified as Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 with a Pmn21 monoclinic structure by X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal phases components and crystal phase structure of the Li2Fe0.5Mn0.4SiO4 material were improved as the increase of the stoichiometric ratio value of n(citric acid) to n(Fe2+-Mn2+). Field-emission scanning electron microscopy verified that the Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 particles are agglomerates of Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 primary particles with a geometric mean diameter of 220 nm. The Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 sample was used as an electrode material for rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and the electrochemical measurements were carried out at room temperature. The Li2Fe0.5Mn0.5SiO4 electrode delivered a first discharge capacity of 230.1 mAh/g at the current density of 10 mA/g in first cycle and about 162 mAh/g after 20 cycles at the current density of 20 mA/g.

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF VERY WEAK ACID AND BASE BY pH-FIXED TITRATION METHOD

pH-fixed titration method for the determination of weak acids and bases has been studied in this paper.It is not necessary to know the ionization constant of weak acid or base and the concentration of titrant. This method had been applied to determine phenol,4-aminoantipyrine and glycine,whose ionization constants range from 10^(-10)to 10^(-12).The results were satisfactory.

A NEW METHOD FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF METHACRYLIC ACID FROM ISOBUTYRALDEHYDE

Isobutyraldehyde was used as starting material via three steps: oxidation, chlorination and dehydro-chlorination to yield methacrylic acid. The total yield of methacrylic acid is 49.7%.

Lithium extraction from hard rock lithium ores(spodumene,lepidolite,zinnwaldite,petalite):Technology,resources,environment and cost

Lithium production in China mainly depends on hard rock lithium ores,which has a defect in resources,environment,and economy compared with extracting lithium from brine.This paper focuses on the research progress of extracting lithium from spodumene,lepidolite,petalite,and zinnwaldite by acid,alkali,salt roasting,and chlorination methods,and analyzes the resource intensity,environmental impact,and production cost of industrial lithium extraction from spodumene and lepidolite.It is found that the sulfuric acid method has a high lithium recovery rate,but with a complicated process and high energy consumption;alkali and chlorination methods can directly react with lithium ores,reducing energy consumption,but need to optimize reaction conditions and safety of equipment and operation;the salt roasting method has large material flux and high energy consumption,so require adjustment of sulfate ratio to increase the lithium yield and reduce production cost.Compared with extracting lithium from brine,extracting lithium from ores,calcination,roasting,purity,and other processes consume more resources and energy;and its environmental impact mainly comes from the pollutants discharged by fossil energy,9.3-60.4 times that of lithium extracted from brine.The processing cost of lithium extraction from lepidolite by sulfate roasting method is higher than that from spodumene by sulfuric acid due to the consumption of high-value sulfate.However,the production costs of both are mainly affected by the price of lithium ores,which is less competitive than that of extracting lithium from brine.Thus,the process of extracting lithium from ores should develop appropriate technology,shorten the process flow,save resources and energy,and increase the recovery rate of related elements to reduce environmental impact and improve the added value of by-products and the economy of the process.

Low-temperature Denitration Mechanism of NH_(3)-SCR over Fe/AC Catalyst

To study the modification mechanism of activated carbon(AC)by Fe and the low-temperature NH_(3)-selective catalytic reduction(SCR)denitration mechanism of Fe/AC catalysts,Fe/AC catalysts were prepared using coconut shell AC activated by nitric acid as the support and iron oxide as the active component.The crystal structure,surface morphology,pore structure,functional groups and valence states of the active components of Fe/AC catalysts were characterised by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,nitrogen adsorption and desorption,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,respectively.The effect of Fe loading and calcination temperature on the low-temperature denitration of NH_(3)-SCR over Fe/AC catalysts was studied using NH_(3)as the reducing gas at low temperature(150℃).The results show that the iron oxide on the Fe/AC catalyst is spherical and uniformly dispersed on the surface of AC,thereby improving the crystallisation performance and increasing the number of active sites and specific surface area on AC in contact with the reaction gas.Hence,a rapid NH_(3)-SCR reaction was realised.When the roasting temperature remains constant,the iron oxide crystals formed by increasing the amount of loading can enter the AC pore structure and accumulate to form more micropores.When the roasting temperature is raised from 400 to 500℃,the iron oxide is mainly transformed fromα-Fe_(2)O_(3)toγ-Fe_(2)O_(3),which improves the iron oxide dispersion and increases its denitration active site,allowing gas adsorption.When the Fe loading amount is 10%,and the roasting temperature is 500℃,the NO removal rate of the Fe/AC catalyst can reach 95%.According to the study,the low-temperature NH_(3)-SCR mechanism of Fe/AC catalyst is proposed,in which the redox reaction between Fe~(2+)and Fe~(3+)will facilitate the formation of reactive oxygen vacancies,which increases the amount of oxygen adsorption on the surface,especially the increase in surface acid sites,and promotes and adsorbs more reaction gases(NH_(3),O_(2),NO).The transformation from the standard SCR reaction to the fast SCR reaction is accelerated.

Purification of Jinggangmycin and Its Content Determination

[ Objective ] In order to get the standard substance of Jinggangmycin used in quality control, Jinggangmycin was purified from its original pesticide and its content was determined, t Method] Mixed solvents were selected to recrystallize Jinggangmycin （content 62% ）. Phenol-sulfuric acid colofirnetric method was adopted to determine its content, and the effects of different determination conditions on the content results were also studied. E Result~ The purity of the samples after re-eryatallization was increased to 97.7%. The optimal conditions for phenol-sulfuric acid colorimetric method to determine the content of Jinggan^nyein were as follows： anhydrous glucose as control sample, 5% phenol, 1.0 ml phenol solution, 5.0 nfl sulfuric acid, stilly placed for20 min after reaction, 490 nm as detec- tion wavelength; the correlation coefficient of glucose standard curve （ R2 ） was 0. 993 9; the average recovery of standard addition was 99.72%, RSD was 0. 362 8%. ~ Conclusion] Re-cryatallization is a good way to refine Jinggan^nycin. Phenol-sulfuric acid colorimetric method can be used to determine the content of Jinggangmycin with simple operation, high accuracy and strong reliability, which can be widely applied in industrial production.

Effect of Enzymes in Buccal Mucous Membrane on Buccal Absorption of Insulin

To evaluate the effect of proteolytic enzymes on the absorption of insulin in the buccal mucosa, the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) method was used to estimate the degradation of insulin under different conditions in the buccal mucosal homogenates. In vivo experiments estimating the enhancement of hypoglycaemic effect by enzyme inhibitors were also conducted. The results showed that proteolytic enzymes in the buccal mucosa were less active than in the intestine. Bacitracin, aprotinin and sodium deoxycholate could inhibit the degradation of insulin in the buccal mucosal homogenates. The degradation of insulin in buccal mucosal homogenates of normal hamsters was smaller than that of diabetic hamsters. In vivo experiments of hypoglycaemia supported the in vitro results. When given buccally, bacitracin, aprotinin and sodium deoxycholate could increase the relative pharmacological bioavailability of insulin. When co-administered with aprotinin(0.1%), bacitracin(0.5%) and sodium deoxycholate(5%), the relative pharmacological bioavailabilities of insulin were 4.84%, 6.60% and 14.95% respectively. The in vitro and in vivo results suggest that proteolytic enzymes are present in the buccal mucosa, which limit absorption of insulin. Co-administration with some enzyme inhibitors can improve the bioavailability of insulin via buccal delivery and sodium deoxycholte is more efficient than some enzyme inhibitors used for improving buccal absorption.

Optimization of acidic extraction of astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma

Optimization of a process for extracting astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma by acidic method was investigated, regarding several extraction factors such as acids, organic solvents, temperature and time. Fractional factorial design, central composite design and response surface methodology were used to derive a statistically optimal model, which corresponded to the following optimal condition： concentration of lactic acid at 5.55 mol/L, ratio of ethanol to yeast dry weight at 20.25 ml/g, temperature for cell-disruption at 30 ℃, and extraction time for 3 min. Under this condition, astaxanthin and the total carotenoids could be extracted in amounts of 1294.7 μg/g and 1516.0 μg/g, respectively. This acidic method has advantages such as high extraction efficiency, low chemical toxicity and no special requirement of instruments. Therefore, it might be a more feasible and practical method for industrial practice.

Effect of sulfate erosion on strength and leaching characteristic of stabilized heavy metal contaminated red clay

Solidification/stabilization(S/S)technology has been widely used for remediation of the heavy metal contaminated soils.The heavy metal ions will be leached from the stabilized contaminated soil under sulfate erosion conditions,which gives rise tosecondary contamination to the areas around the mine sites.The commonly used Portland cement,fly ash and quicklime were takenas binder raw materials with various mix proportions.And then,the sulphuric acid and nitric acid method was used to investigate theleaching characteristic of stabilized heavy metal contaminated soils.The effects of binder types and binder contents,sulfateconcentrations(1.5,3.0and6.0g/L)and erosion time(0,7,14and28d)on leached concentrations of heavy metal ions fromcontaminated soils were studied.Moreover,a parameter named immobilization percentage(IP)was introduced to evaluate theinfluence of erosion time and sulfate concentration on immobilization effectiveness for heavy metal ions.The results showed that,theleached heavy metal concentrations increased with sulfate concentration and erosion time.Comparatively speaking,the compositebinders that had calcium oxide in it exhibited the worst solidification effectiveness and the lowest immobilization percentage,withthe largest leached heavy metal concentration.

Preparation of boric acid from low-grade ascharite and recovery of magnesium sulfate

Boric acid and kieserite were prepared from low-grade ascharite by sulfuric acid method.This method results in the recovery of 71.06%and 45.03%for boric acid and kieserite,respectively.Meanwhile,the boric acid was precipitated from the filtrate at low temperature and the solution was recycled without discharging waste liquid in the whole process.The influence of amount of sulfuric acid,mass fraction of sulfuric acid,reaction temperature and reaction time on the leaching rate of boric acid were studied. The results show that the leaching rate of boric acid reaches 93.80%under the following conditions:the amount of sulfuric acid is 85%of theoretical dosage;the mass fraction of sulfuric acid is 25%;reaction temperature is 95℃;and the reaction time is 100 min. Meanwhile,the effects of mass fraction of magnesium sulfate,crystallization temperature and crystallization time on the crystallization of kieserite were investigated and the optimal crystallization conditions are obtained:the mass fraction of magnesium sulfate is 28%;the crystallization temperature is 180℃and the crystallization time is 4h.