Characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles using aqueous two-phase systems

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)causes considerable economic losses in the commercial poultry industry worldwide.The principal way to control IBD virus(IBDV),the causative agent of IBD,is still through vaccination programs.Virus-like particles(VLPs)are recognised as a safe and potent recombinant vaccine platform.This research work explores the characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles(IBD-VLPs)from crude feedstock.Various characteristics were studied with highperformance size-exclusion chromatography(HP-SEC),sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)analyses.Subsequently,the separation of IBD-VLPs using polyethylene glycol(PEG)/sodium citrate-based aqueous two-phase systems(ATPSs)was conducted and optimised.Moreover,a scale-up study of the best ATPS constituted of 15%PEG 6000,11%sodium citrate and 10%crude feedstock was performed to compare the separation performance of IBD-VLPs with and without centrifugation-assisted.The results indicated that the optimised ATPS with centrifugation-assisted for both 5 g and 50 g systems showed good recovery of IBDVLPs of>97%in the interphase between the PEG-rich top and salt-rich bottom phases.These optimised systems also showed high removal efficiencies of impurities of>95%.The results demonstrated that aqueous two-phase extraction could be a promising technology for efficient VLPs separation.

Efficient Separation of Butyric Acid by an Aqueous Two-phase System with Calcium Chloride

One of the bottlenecks for bioproduction of butyric acid as bulk chemical is the difficulty in separating butyric acid from the fermentation broth,compared with the petroleum-based chemical synthesis method.In the present work,a novel separation methodology was developed based on an aqueous two-phase system with inor-ganic salts.Calcium chloride was screened out for effective separation of butyric acid from butyric acid-water-salt systems.Within appropriate concentration range of butyric acid and salt,butyric acid was enriched in the upper phase and most of calcium ions remained in the lower phase.This"salting out"effect is very efficient to separate butyric acid from the simulated butyrate fermentation broth,which consists of butyric acid and acetic acid with concentration ratio of 4︰1,so that the final ratio of butyric acid/acetic acid in the upper phase is improved to 9.87. The aqueous two-phase system was used to separate butyric acid from the actual fermentation broth with satisfac-tory result.

Selective separation and enrichment of proteins in aqueous two-phase extraction system

A simple aqueous two-phase extraction system （ATPS） of PEG/phosphate was proposed for selective separation and enrichment of proteins. The combination of ATPE with HPLC was applied to identify the partition of proteins in two phases. Five proteins （bovine serum albumin, Cytochrome C, lysozyme, myoglobin, and trypsin） were used as model proteins to study the effect of phosphate concentration and pH on proteins partition. The PEG/phosphate system was firstly applied to real human saliva and plasma samples, some proteins showed obviously different partition in two phases. The primary results manifest the selective separation and enrichment of proteins in ATPS provided the potential for high abundance proteins depletion in proteomics. ~ 2009 Feng Qu. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Non-Isothermal Separation Process of Two-Phase Mixture Water/Ultra-Viscous Heavy Oil by Hydrocyclone

Environmental agencies do not allow effluents, from the petroleum productions, which contain oil concentrations that exceed the amounts permitted by the regulations. In recent time heavy oil operating petroleum industries are generating oil/water mixture by products, which are difficult to separate. Industrially, hydrocyclone is generally used to separate oil from an oil/water mixture. This is due to its high performance of separation, low cost of installation and maintenance. In the present work, therefore, the thermal fluid dynamics of water/ultra-viscous heavy oil separation process in a hydrocyclone has been studied. A steady state mathematical model which simulates the performance of a non-isothermal separation process is presented. The Eulerian-Eulerian approach for the interface of the phases involved (water/ultra-viscous heavy-oil) is used and the two-phase flow is considered as incompressible, viscous and turbulent. For carrying out numerical solutions of the governing equations the CFX11? commercial code was used. Results of the behavior of the two-fluid flow inside the hydrocyclone and separation efficiency are presented and analyzed. The role of the average temperature of the fluid, oil droplet diameter and the fluid mixture inlet velocity on the separation efficiency of the hydrocyclone are verified.

Measurment of gas-liquid two-phase slug flow with a Venturi meter based on blind source separation

We propose a novel flow measurement method for gas–liquid two-phase slug flow by using the blind source separation technique. The flow measurement model is established based on the fluctuation characteristics of differential pressure(DP) signals measured from a Venturi meter. It is demonstrated that DP signals of two-phase flow are a linear mixture of DP signals of single phase fluids. The measurement model is a combination of throttle relationship and blind source separation model. In addition, we estimate the mixture matrix using the independent component analysis(ICA) technique. The mixture matrix could be described using the variances of two DP signals acquired from two Venturi meters. The validity of the proposed model was tested in the gas–liquid twophase flow loop facility. Experimental results showed that for most slug flow the relative error is within 10%.We also find that the mixture matrix is beneficial to investigate the flow mechanism of gas–liquid two-phase flow.

Study on an improved rotating microchannel separator in the intensification for demulsification and separation process

An improved rotating microchannel(IRM) separator was further explored in the intensification for demulsification and separation process. Oil-in-water(O/W) emulsion system of 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid-2-ethylhexyl ester(P507)–water without emulsifier was employed to evaluate the performance of the new equipment. In this experiment, the influence on demulsification separation process was explored by changing the geometrical structure and channel height of the microchannel and combining the liquid–liquid two-phase flow pattern, and the correlation general graph between demulsification efficiency and dimensionless parameters was established. The total demulsification effect of the IRM and the separation capacity of the clear organic phase recovered from demulsification are significantly improved. In addition, the liquid–liquid two-phase flow pattern of the clear organic phase after demulsification and the remaining emulsion in the IRM are observed and recorded by high-speed photography. The separation ability of organic phase from the upper outlet can be significantly improved when the total demulsification rate of IRM is up to 90%. There are 3 types and 6 kinds of flow patterns observed. The results demonstrated that the suitable demulsification performance is obtained when the liquid–liquid two-phase inside the IRM is in a parallel pattern. Finally, the relation map between total demulsification efficiency and the universal flow is drawn, which provides a basis for the accurate control of the IRM device.

Aqueous Two-Phase Interfacial Assembly of COF Membranes for Water Desalination

Aqueous two-phase system features with ultralow interfacial tension and thick interfacial region,affording unique confined space for membrane assembly.Here,for the first time,an aqueous two-phase interfacial assembly method is proposed to fabricate covalent organic framework(COF)membranes.The aqueous solution containing polyethylene glycol and dextran undergoes segregated phase separation into two water-rich phases.By respectively distributing aldehyde and amine monomers into two aqueous phases,a series of COF membranes are fabricated at water-water interface.The resultant membranes exhibit high NaCl rejection of 93.0-93.6% and water permeance reaching 1.7-3.7 L m^(−2) h^(−1) bar^(−1),superior to most water desalination membranes.Interestingly,the interfacial tension is found to have pronounced effect on membrane structures.The appropriate interfacial tension range(0.1-1.0 mN m^(−1))leads to the tight and intact COF membranes.Furthermore,the method is extended to the fabrication of other COF and metal-organic polymer membranes.This work is the first exploitation of fabricating membranes in all-aqueous system,confering a green and generic method for advanced membrane manufacturing.

Recovery of Dyestuffs from Dilute Solution with Two-phase Electrophoresis

Two-phase electrophoresis was used to separate the dyestuffs from their dilute solutions. Several dyestuffs (naphthol green B, acid-chrome blue K, methyl blue and direct fast torquoise blue GL, and n-butanol) were treated in a self-designed experimental setup and the mass transfer characteristics in this process were studied. The results confirm the potential of this technique for recovering dyestuffs from their dilute solutions.

CFD studies on the separation performance of a new combined gas–solid separator used in TMSR-SF

In order to comply with discharge standards, a gas–solid separator is used to remove solid particles from the thorium molten salt reactor-solid fuel (TMSR-SF) system. As a key component, it directly determines system energy efficiency. However, current gas–solid separators, based on activated carbon adsorption technology, result in high pressure drops and increased maintenance costs. In the present study, a new combined gas–solid separator was developed for the TMSR-SF. Based on a simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, the gas–solid twophase flow and the motion trajectory of solid particles were simulated for this new separator using commercial ANSYS 16.0 software. The flow and separation mechanism for this structure were also been discussed in terms of their velocity effects and pressure field distributions, and then the structure was optimized based on the influence of key structural parameters on pressure and separation efficiency. The results showed that the standard k–ε model could be achieved and accurately simulated the new combined separator. In this new combined gas–solid separator, coarse particles are separated in the first stage using rotating centrifugal motion, and then fine particles are filtered in the second stage, giving a separation efficiency of up to 96.11%. The optimum blade inclination angle and numbers were calculated to be 45° and four, respectively. It implicated that the combined separator could be of great significance in a wide variety of applications.

Numerical Study of Oil/Water Separation by Ceramic Membranes in the Presence of Turbulent Flow

Disposal of produced water during petroleum extraction causes serious environmental damage, hence the need to complete the water treatment before being disposed to environment within the criteria set established by environmental agencies in the countries. Ceramics membranes have been highlighted as a good device for separating oil/water. These act as a barrier to oil in the aqueous stream, because their essential properties for filtration, such as chemical inertness, biological stability and resistance to high temperatures. The limitation of the separation process is the decay of permeate flux during operation, due to concentration polarization and fouling. In this sense, this paper aims to evaluate numerically the feasibility of the process of separating oil/water by means of ceramic membranes in the presence of a turbulent flow induced by a tangential inlet. The results of the velocity, pressure and volumetric fraction distributions for the simulations different by varying the mass flow rate inlet and different geometric characteristics of the membrane are presented and analyzed.

A comparative study on environmental surveillance of enterovirus:Using a two-phase separation method and a filtration method with a mixed cellulose ester(MCE)membrane

This study aimed to compare the sensitivity of two-phase separation and the filtration method using a mixed cellulose ester(MCE)membrane to detect enteroviruses in sewage samples.From December 2015 to July 2016,four domestic sewage samples(1 L/sample)were collected monthly from the Guangzhou Liede Sewage Treatment Plant,and each sewage sample was divided into two aliquots(500 mL).The sewage sample was concentrated using the two-phase separation and the filtration method using an MCE membrane,and the treated solutions were inoculated into cells for enterovirus isolation.Polymerase chain reaction amplification,VP1 sequencing,and enterovirus molecular typing were performed on the positive isolates.The detection rates of poliovirus(PV)and non-polio enterovirus(NPEV)obtained using the filtration method using an MCE membrane were higher than those using the two-phase separation method.McNemar's test showed that the detection rates of PV,NPEV,type 1 Sabin-like(SL1),type 2 Sabin-like(SL2),and type 3 Sabin-like(SL3)strain were not statistically significant(P>0.05).In Guangdong Province,China,the detection rates for PV and NPEV were 53.13%and 62.50%(20/32),respectively.Twenty-seven PVs were isolated,three highly variable strains of the type 1 vaccine,with seven nucleotide substitutions in the VP1 region,compared with the type 1 Sabin strains.Eighty-seven strains of NPEV were isolated and nine serotypes were identified,among which coxsackievirus B3(CVB3),echovirus 6(E6),and echovirus 11(E11)were the dominant strains.The filtration method using an MCE membrane is more sensitive than two-phase separation and can be used as a robust,sensitive,and cost-effective method to isolate enteroviruses from sewage.

Extraction of Tetracycline via Ionic Liquid Two-phase System

A new method to extract and separate tetracycline（TC） in a new aqueous tyro-phase system（ATPS） consisting of hydrophilic [Bmim]BF4 and NaH2PO4 was investigated. The effects of the amount of salt, ionic liquid as well as tetracycline on extraction efficiency were studied systematically. The results show that ionic liquid-ATPS exhibited the highest extraction efficiency higher than 90%. When the concentration of NaH2PO4 was 33.3%--38.5% （mass fraction）, the amounts of ionic liquid and TC were 1.0--2.0 mL and 1.8 mL, respectively, and ionic liquid could be re-used.

Selective separation of protein and saccharides by ionic liquids aqueous two-phase systems

In the present work,it was found that aqueous solution of a hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL),1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([C4mim][N(CN)2]),could be separated into an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) by inorganic salts such as K2HPO4 and K3PO4.The top phase is IL-rich,while the bottom phase is phosphate-rich.It was shown that 82.7%-100% bovine serum albumin (BSA) could be enriched into the top phase and almost quantitative saccharides (arabinose,glucose,sucrose,raffinose or dextran) were preferentially extracted into the bottom phase in a single-step extraction by [C4mim][N(CN)2] + K2HPO4 ATPS.The extraction efficiency of BSA from the aqueous saccharide solutions was influenced by the molecular structure of saccharides.The conductivity,dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were combined to investigate the microstructure of the IL-rich top phase and the possible mechanism for the selective separation.It is suggested that the formation of the IL aggregate and the IL aggregate-BSA complex plays a significant role in the separation of BSA from aqueous saccharide solutions.This is the first example for the selective separation by ILs-based ATPSs.It is expected that these findings would have potential applications in bio-analysis,separation,and IL recycle.

Research on Performance of U Separator in Sand and Dust Test System

Sand/dust test is one of the key projects to examine the environmental adaptability of ordnance equipment.In order to decrease the abrasion of test facility caused by the sand/dust particles,the particles contained in the airflowneed to be reclaimed effectively.Amathematical model of Useparator is established.The flowfield and the trajectories of particles inside the separator are obtained using a numerical simulation method,and the separation efficiency and pressure drop of separator with different rows of separate components are also obtained at various flowvelocities.The simulation results indicate that the efficiency of U inertia separator is affected by the flowvelocity evidently,and a reasonably designed separator can meet the requirement of the separation efficiency in particular situation.The results can be use as reference for the design and test of sand/dust separate systems.

Experimental investigation on separation characteristics of axial cyclone separator

Axial cyclone separator has been widely applied in chemical production as an efficient gas-liquid separation device.In this study,a new axial cyclone separator with integrated swirler and exhaust pipe is designed to achieve the development goal of compact structure for advanced engine,and the distribution characteristics of swirling flow patterns as well as the variation in separation characteristics are investigated under slug flow pattern.Based on flow visualizations and fluctuation characteristics of pressure signals,three typical flow patterns,namely,slug flow,swirling intermittent flow,and swirling annular flow,in the horizontal swirling separation flow are characterized.It is investigated how the inlet conditions affect the separation characteristic parameters.The separation purity and extreme points of the air separation efficiency are independent of the inlet liquid flow rate.The separation pressure drop is quadratically related to the inlet air flow rate.Based on the drift-flux model and other methods,the prediction methods for the air separation efficiency and pressure drop are proposed,and the prediction accuracy is within±20%,which may provide instructions for the practical application of axial cyclone separator.

Microorganism population in two-phase anaerobic fermentation of separated liquid of dairy manure

In order to reduce incomplete fermentation caused by high substrate viscosity and low mass transfer efficiency during fermentation process,batch and two-phase anaerobic fermentation experiments were conducted in this study.Dairy manure was separated by using solid-liquid separator firstly.Separated liquid(SL)and diluted dairy manure(DDM)as raw materials were evaluated in terms of gas production performance for both batch and two-phase anaerobic fermentation.The microorganism population was characterized by scanning electron microscope(SEM)and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis(DGGE).The results showed that Volatile Solid(VS)methane yield of SL was 124.51 L/kg VS,which was 2.09 times higher than that of DDM(59.50 L/kg VS)in batch anaerobic fermentation.The Bacteroides and Veillonella with higher activity were the majority microorganism population in acidogenic phase,whereas the Firmicutes and Corynebacterium with methanogenic properties became the predominant microorganism population in methanogenic phase.This study achieved the phase separation and improved the gas production performance.

OIL-WATER TWO-PHASE FLOW INSIDE T-JUNCTION

The oil / water two-phase flow inside T-junctions was numerically simulated with a 3-D two-fluid model, and the turbulence was described using the mixture k- ε model. Some experiments of oil / water flow inside a single T-junction were conducted in the laboratory. The results show that the separating performance of T-junction largely depends on the inlet volumetric fraction and flow patterns. A reasonable agreement is reached between the numerical simulation and the experiments for both the oil fraction distribution and the separation efficiency.

Application of Electrical Capacitance Tomography to the Concentration Measurement in a Cyclone Dipleg

Accurate solid concentration measurement plays a key role in the process industry. Measurements analyzed offline can be used to estimate process efficiencies, to identify problems in a flow, and to validate computational models. Online measurements can be used for active control. Electrical capacitance tomography （ECT） is a unique measuring technique with great potential in multiphase flow measurement. Experimental studies are carried out on a solid concentration measurement in a cyclone separator dipleg, using ECT. In this experiment eight electrodes are selected for the ECT sensor that is placed on the straight tube of the dipleg. The fluctuating characteristics according to the screw feeder and the effect of the airflow rate from the top of the cyclone are analyzed. The feasibility andreliability of the method are verified by the experimental results.

Recovery of natural active molecules using aqueous two-phase systems comprising of ionic liquids/deep eutectic solvents

Due to environmental protection requirements,extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials using environment-friendly green solvents has always been a research hotspot.And great efforts of scholars have been made in this direction,as well as environment-friendly solvents have been used to develop many innovative extraction techniques.Ionic liquids(ILs)and deep eutectic solvents(DESs)are two kinds of typical designable green solvents,which are potential replacements for traditional volatile organic solvents used for extracting.Under the substances action of inorganic salts or polymers,ILs/DESs can form an aqueous two-phase system(ATPS),which has obvious advantages for separating natural products.This paper discussed the phase separation principle of ILs/DESs-based ATPSs and reviewed the applications in the extraction of natural active molecules in recent years,as well as to promote the development of separation of the active constituents in Chinese materia medica.

Bench-top aqueous two-phase extraction of isolated individual single-walled carbon nanotubes

Isolation and purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes （SWCNTs） are prerequisites for their implementation in various applications. In this work, we present a fast （-5 min）, low-cost, and easily scalable bench-top approach to the extraction of high-quality isolated SWCNTs from bundles and impurities in an aqueous dispersion. The extraction procedure, based on aqueous two-phase （ATP） separation, is widely applicable to any SWCNT source （tested on samples up to 1.7 nm in diameter） and independent of defect density, purity, diameter, and length. The extracted dispersions demonstrate that the removal of large aggregates, small bundles, and impurities is comparable to that by density gradient ultracentrifugation, but without the need for high-end instrumentation. Raman and fluorescence-excitation spectroscopy, single-nanotube fluorescence imaging, atomic force and transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis all confirm the high purity of the isolated SWCNTs. By predispersing the SWCNTs without sonication （only gentle stirring）, full-length, pristine SWCNTs can be isolated （tested up to 20 μm）. Hence, this simple ATP method will find immediate application in the generation of SWCNT materials for all levels of nanotube research and applications, from fundamental studies to high-performance devices.