Carotenoids are bioactive compounds with remarkably special properties produced by plants in response to internal and external stresses. In this review paper, we focus on the subject of carotenoid biosynthesis and several factors that have been reported to significantly enhance or reduce carotenoid accumulation in studied plant species. These factors include varietal aspects, location, growing season, and type of stress experienced by a plant. In addition, we propose that there are three stress resistance mechanisms in plants: avoidance, tolerance, and acclimation. Better understanding of the environmental factors affecting carotenoid biosynthesis will help researchers to develop methods for enhancing the production of carotenoids and other pigments to desired concentrations in plant crops.
The mineralisation kinetics of petroleum refinery effluent (PRE) by Fenton oxidation were evaluated. Within the ambit of the experimental data generated, first-order kinetic model (FKM), generalised lumped kinetic model (GLKM), and generalized kinetic model (GKM) were tested. The obtained apparent kinetic rate constants for the initial oxidation step (k'2), their final oxidation step (k'1), and the direct conversion to endproducts step (k3') were 10.12, 3.78, and 0.24 min(-1) for GKM; 0.98, 0.98, and nil min(-1) for GLKM; and nil, nil, and >0.005 min(-1) for FKM. The findings showed that GKM is superior in estimating the mineralization kinetics.
The photodegradation efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles in removal of organic pollutants deteriorates over time as a high percentage of the nanoparticles can be drained away by water during the wastewater treatment. This problem can be solved by growing the ZnO nanorods on stainless steel wire. In this work, ZnO nanorods were successfully grown on stainless steel wire by chemical vapour deposition. The SAED analysis indicates that ZnO nanorod is a single crystal and is preferentially grown in [0001] direction. The deconvoluted O 1s peak at 531.5 eV in XPS analysis is associated with oxygen deficient, revealing that the ZnO nanorods contain many oxygen vacancies. This observation is further supported by the finding of the small I(uv)/I(vis) ratio, that is, ~1 in the photoluminescence analysis. The growth of ZnO nanorods on stainless steel wire was governed by vapour-solid mechanism as there were no Fe particles observed at the tips of the nanorods. The photodegradation of Rhodamine B solution by ZnO nanorods followed the first-order kinetics.
The polyphenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of the water extracts of Barringtonia racemosa shoots (leaves and stems) were explored. Two methods, freeze drying and air drying, for preparation of the shoots, were also compared. Freeze drying was better as air drying caused 5-41% reduction of polyphenols. Three phenolic acids and three flavonoids were identified, using UHPLC. The descending order of polyphenols in the leaves and stems was gallic acid>ellagic acid>quercetin>protocatechuic acid>rutin>kaempferol. In vitro antioxidant analyses were performed using biological samples. In the LDL oxidation assay, B. racemosa leaf extract (IC50=73.0μg/ml) was better than stem extract (IC50=226μg/ml) at inhibiting the formation of TBARS and lipid hydroperoxides. Similar trends were observed for serum and haemoglobin oxidation. B. racemosa leaf extract was better than its stem extract in delaying the time required to oxidise haemoglobin to methaemoglobin. The high polyphenolic content of B. racemosa shoots could have contributed towards their antioxidative effects.
Two types of flow system, free surface flow (FSF) and sub-surface flow (SSF), were examined to select a better way to remove total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) using diesel as a hydrocarbon model in a phytotoxicity test to Scirpus grossus. The removal efficiencies of TPH for the two flow systems were compared. Several wastewater parameters, including temperature (T, °C), dissolved oxygen (DO, mgL(-1)), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP, mV), and pH were recorded during the experimental runs. In addition, overall plant lengths, wet weights, and dry weights were also monitored. The phytotoxicity test using the bulrush plant S. grossus was run for 72 days with different diesel concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%) (Vdiesel/Vwater). A comparison between the two flow systems showed that the SSF system was more efficient than the FSF system in removing TPH from the synthetic wastewater, with average removal efficiencies of 91.5% and 80.2%, respectively. The SSF system was able to tolerate higher diesel concentrations than was the FSF system.
Ozone-oxidised starches were prepared from the native starches isolated from white and red cocoyam, and white and yellow yam cultivars. The native and oxidised starches were evaluated for functional, thermal and molecular properties. The correlations between the amount of reacted ozone and carbonyl and carboxyl contents of the starches were positive, as ozone generation time (OGT) increased. Significant differences were obtained in terms of swelling power, solubility, pasting properties and textural properties of the native starches upon oxidation. The DSC data showed lower transition temperatures and enthalpies for retrograded gels compared to the gelatinized gels of the same starch types. The native starches showed CB-type XRD patterns while the oxidised starches resembled the CA-type pattern. As amylose content increased, amylopectin contents of the starches decreased upon oxidation. Similarly, an increase in Mw values were observed with a corresponding decrease in Mn values upon oxidation.
The relative oxidative stability of freshly prepared and stored liposomal and nanoliposomal systems of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) were investigated. The effects of organic solvents on the oxidative stability of liposomal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) produced by two methods, the Bangham thin-film hydration (conventional rotary evaporation method and using organic solvents) and Mozafari (direct hydration and without using organic solvents) methods, were compared. The highest physicochemical stability was observed in PUFA liposomes prepared by the Mozafari method, followed by conventional liposomes and bulk PUFAs. There was no significant change in physicochemical stability during 10 months of cold storage (4°C) in the dark. Moreover, the comparison between liposomes (>200 nm) and nanoliposomes (50-200 nm) revealed that the surface charge, physical stability and oxidative stability of liposomal PUFAs increased as the size of the liposomes decreased. The differences in the oxidative stability of PUFAs may be due to the protective effects of aqueous systems, which indicate the advantage of using non-organic solvent (water and CO(2)) techniques in liposome manufacturing.
The mineralisation of remazol black B (RBB) was studied at concentrations ranging from 20-1000 mgL(-1). The work was aimed at investigating the Fenton-like peroxidation of RBB at a concentration typically obtained in Batik cottage industries. Other response parameters were degradation and colour removal efficiencies. The parameters that were measured included total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) as well as absorbance for mineralisation, degradation and colour. To optimise the process, the interaction effects of several controlling variables on the treatment process were examined using dispersion matrix-optimal design and response surface analysis. Four specific variables: initial dye concentration (Dye)o; the molar ratio of oxidant to dye organic strength (H2O2):(COD); the mass ratio of the oxidant to the catalyst (H2O2):(Fe3+) and reaction time (t(r)), were observed. Three reduced empirical models, one for each response, were developed for describing the treatment process. For 20, 510 and 1000 mgL(-1), the optimum %TOC reduction and oxidation times were 44% for 95 min, 52% for 52.5 min and 68% for 10 min corresponding to 67, 81 and 75% COD reduction, respectively. The optimum COD reduction and oxidation times were 89% for 95 min, 91% for 10 min and 84% for 95 min for concentrations of 20, 510 and 1000 mg L(-1), respectively. For all concentrations, total colour removal was achieved. A comparison of the results obtained in this study with literature values for traditional Fenton, photo-Fenton and photo-Fenton-like oxidation indicated that the TOC reduction obtained using the Fenton-like process was satisfactory.
Graphene has attracted much attention from researchers due to its interesting mechanical, electrochemical, and electronic properties. It has many potential applications such as polymer filler, sensor, energy conversion, and energy storage devices. Graphene-based nanocomposites are under an intense spotlight amongst researchers. A large amount of graphene is required for preparation of such samples. Lately, graphene-based materials have been the target for fundamental life science investigations. Despite graphene being a much sought-after raw material, the drawbacks in the preparation of graphene are that it is a challenge amongst researchers to produce this material in a scalable quantity and that there is a concern about its safety. Thus, a simple and efficient method for the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) is greatly desired to address these problems. In this work, one-pot chemical oxidation of graphite was carried out at room temperature for the preparation of large-area GO with ~100% conversion. This high-conversion preparation of large-area GO was achieved using a simplified Hummer's method from large graphite flakes (an average flake size of 500 μm). It was found that a high degree of oxidation of graphite could be realized by stirring graphite in a mixture of acids and potassium permanganate, resulting in GO with large lateral dimension and area, which could reach up to 120 μm and ~8000 μm(2), respectively. The simplified Hummer's method provides a facile approach for the preparation of large-area GO.
Physical adsorption and photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in magnetic separable beads were investigated. In order to elucidate the kinetics of photocatalytic process, operating parameters such as catalyst dosage and the initial concentration were examined in detail. It was observed that the reduction rate of Cr(VI) increased with an increase in the catalyst loading, as this translated into an increase in the number of available active sites. Critical scrutiny of the percentage of the initial reduction rate versus time at various initial concentration of Cr(VI) revealed that the rate of substrate conversion decreased as the initial concentration increased. The kinetic analysis of the photoreduction showed that the removal of Cr(VI) satisfactory obeyed the pseudo first-order kinetic according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) model and the absorption of Cr(VI) on the magnetic beads surfaces was the controlling step in the entire reduction process. Furthermore, desorption experiments by elution of the loaded gels with sodium hydroxide indicated that the magnetic photocatalyst beads could be reused without significant losses of their initial properties even after 3 adsorption-desorption cycles.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of Fenton's technique for the treatment of semi-aerobic landfill leachate collected from Pulau Burung Landfill Site (PBLS), Penang, Malaysia. The Fe2+ or Fe3+ as catalyst and H2O2 as oxidizing agent are commonly used for the classical Fenton's reaction. In present study, the effect of operating conditions such as pH, reaction time, molar ratio, agitation rate, feeding mode and Fenton reagent concentrations which are important parameters that affect the removal efficiencies of Fenton method were investigated. Under the most favorable conditions, the highest removals of 58.1 and 78.3% were observed for COD and color, respectively. In general, the best operating conditions were pH = 3, Fe = 560 mg L(-1), H2O2 = 1020 mg L(-1), H2O2/Fe2+ molar ratio = 3, agitation rate = 400 rpm and reaction time = 120 minutes. The results highlighted that stepwise addition of Fenton's reagent was more effective than adding the entire volume in a single step. Excessive hydrogen peroxide and iron have shown scavenging effects on hydroxyl radicals and reduced degradation of refractory organics in the landfill leachate.
In this work we report on the isolation of a local molybdenum-reducing bacterium. The bacterium reduced molybdate or Mo(6+) to molybdenum blue (oxidation states between 5+ to 6+). Electron donors that supported cellular growth were sucrose, maltose, mannitol, fructose, glucose and starch (in decreasing order) with sucrose supporting formation of the highest amount of molybdenum blue at 10 g/l after 24 hours of static incubation. The optimum molybdate and phosphate concentrations that supported molybdate reduction were 20 and 5 mM, respectively. Molybdate reduction was optimal at 37 degrees C. The molybdenum blue produced from cellular reduction exhibited a unique absorption spectrum with a maximum peak at 865 nm and a shoulder at 700 nm. The isolate was tentatively identified as S. marcescens strain Dr.Y9 based on carbon utilization profiles using Biolog GN plates and partial 16S rDNA molecular phylogeny. No inhibition of molybdenum-reducing activity was seen using electron transport system (ETS) inhibitors such as antimycin A, 1HQNO (Hydroxyquinoline-N-Oxide), sodium azide and cyanide suggesting that the ETS of this bacterium is not the site of molybdate reduction.
The effects of oxidation by ozone gas on some physicochemical and functional properties of starch (corn, sago, and tapioca) were investigated. Starch in dry powder form was exposed to ozone for 10 min at different ozone generation times (OGTs). Carboxyl and carbonyl contents increased markedly in all starches with increasing OGTs. Oxidation significantly decreased the swelling power of oxidized sago and tapioca starches but increased that of oxidized corn starch. The solubility of tapioca starch decreased and sago starch increased after oxidation. However, there was an insignificant changed in the solubility of oxidized corn starch. Intrinsic viscosity [eta] of all oxidized starches decreased significantly, except for tapioca starch oxidized at 5 min OGT. Pasting properties of the oxidized starches followed different trends as OGTs increased. These results show that under similar conditions of ozone treatment, the extent of starch oxidation varies among different types of starch.
The low concentration and high flow rate of air-borne butyl acetate (BA) could be effectively removed using combined adsorption-catalytic oxidation system. Ag-Y (Si/Al=80) dual-function adsorbent was investigated for the adsorption step of 1000 ppm of butyl acetate at gas hourly space velocity of 13,000 h(-1) at ambient temperature under dry and humid feeds. A central composite design (CCD) coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to obtain the optimum process conditions and the interactions between process variables were demonstrated and elucidated. Humidity and increasing organic concentration shortened the adsorption service time. The effect of moisture was more pronounced at low BA concentration. The interactions between the BA concentration and humidity were statistically significant at 95% confidence level. The optimum conditions were found to be at 4500 ppm of BA with 37 min saturation time to give 58 mg BA/g as adsorption capacity. The simulated data fitted the experimental data satisfactorily. The simulated data also correctly demonstrated the overall behaviors of the adsorption process.
Oxidative stress has been implicated as an important pathogenic factor in the pathophysiology of various life-threatening diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. It occurs when the production of free radicals (generated during aerobic metabolism, inflammation, and infections) overcome the antioxidant defences in the body. Although previous studies have implied that oxidative stress is present in serum of patients with parasitic infection there have been no studies confirming oxidative stress levels in the Malaysian population infected with intestinal parasites. Three biochemical assays namely hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (LP) and advanced oxidative protein product (AOPP) assays were carried out to measure oxidative stress levels in the urine of human subjects whose stools were infected with parasites such as Blastocystis hominis, Ascaris, Trichuris, hookworm and microsporidia. The levels of H2O2, AOPP and LP were significantly higher (P<0.001, P<0.05 and P<0.05 respectively) in the parasite-infected subjects (n=75) compared to the controls (n=95). In conclusion, the study provides evidence that oxidative stress is elevated in humans infected by intestinal parasites. This study may influence future researchers to consider free radical-related pathways to be a target in the interventions of new drugs against parasitic infection and related diseases.
Molybdenum-reducing activity in the heterotrophic bacteria is a phenomenon that has been reported for more than 100 years. In the presence of molybdenum in the growth media, bacterial colonies turn to blue. The enzyme(s) responsible for the reduction of molybdenum to molybdenum blue in these bacteria has never been purified. In our quest to purify the molybdenum-reducing enzyme, we have devised a better substrate for the enzyme activity using laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate instead of the commercial 12-phosphomolybdate we developed previously. Using laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate, the highest activity is given by 10:4-phosphomolybdate. The apparent Michaelis constant, Km for the laboratory-prepared 10:4-phosphomolybdate is 2.56 +/- 0.25 mM (arbitrary concentration), whereas the apparent V(max) is 99.4 +/- 2.85 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-1) protein. The apparent Michaelis constant or Km for NADH as the electron donor is 1.38 +/- 0.09 mM, whereas the apparent V(max) is 102.6 +/- 1.73 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-l) protein. The apparent Km and V(max) for another electron donor, NADPH, is 1.43 +/- 0.10 mM and 57.16 +/- 1.01 nmol Mo-blue min(-1) mg(-1) protein, respectively, using the same batch of molybdenum-reducing enzyme. The apparent V(max) obtained for NADH and 10:4-phosphomolybdate is approximately 13 times better than 12-phoshomolybdate using the same batch of enzyme, and hence, the laboratory-prepared phosphomolybdate is a much better substrate than 12-phoshomolybdate. In addition, 10:4-phosphomolybdate can be routinely prepared from phosphate and molybdate, two common chemicals in the laboratory.
A comparative study of oxidative decomposition behavior of a wide range of vegetable oils and its correlation to iodine value (IV) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was described. The oxidative decomposition of saturated fatty acids shows weight loss before 385 degrees C while oxidative decomposition of unsaturated fatty acids shows lower rate of weight loss (dWt/dt) compared to saturated fatty acids due to the oxidation process ('up taking ' of oxygen) involving breaking down of double bond to form primary and secondary oxidation products, which leads to some weight gain in the sample before being decomposed. The relative differences in the dWt/dt (%/min) of the both fatty acids give different decomposition steps in TGA thermogram, enabling IV to be determined through the percentage weight loss of saturated fatty acids per 100% of total sample weight (excluding weight loss from moisture and volatile compounds). Therefore, TGA method can be used as an alternative method for IV determination with no sample pre-dilution and solvent consumption. Using the TGA methods, good correlation (r = 0.9889) with standard AOCS method was achieved.
The performance of silver-loaded zeolite (HY and HZSM-5) catalysts in the oxidation of butyl acetate as a model volatile organic compound (VOC) was studied. The objective was to find a catalyst with superior activity, selectivity towards deep oxidation product and stability. The catalyst activity was measured under excess oxygen condition in a packed bed reactor operated at gas hourly space velocity (GHSV)=15,000-32,000 h(-1), reaction temperature between 150 and 500 degrees C and butyl acetate inlet concentration of 1000-4000 ppm. Both AgY and AgZSM-5 catalysts exhibited high activity in the oxidation of butyl acetate. Despite lower silver content, AgY showed better activity, attributed to better metal dispersion, surface characteristics and acidity, and its pore system. Total conversion of butyl acetate was achieved at above 400 degrees C. The oxidation of butyl acetate followed a simple power law model. The reaction orders, n and m were evaluated under differential mode by varying the VOC partial pressure between 0.004 and 0.018 atm and partial pressure of oxygen between 0.05 and 0.20 atm. The reaction rate was independent of oxygen concentration and single order with respect to VOC concentration. The activation energies were 19.78 kJ/mol for AgY and 32.26 kJ/mol for AgZSM-5, respectively.
In this study, advanced oxidation process utilizing Fenton's reagent was investigated for degradation of malachite green (MG). The effects of different reaction parameters such as the initial MG concentration, initial pH, the initial hydrogen peroxide concentration, the initial ferrous concentration and the reaction temperature on the oxidative degradation of MG have been investigated. The optimal reacting conditions were experimentally found to be pH 3.40, initial hydrogen peroxide concentration=0.50mM and initial ferrous concentration=0.10mM for initial MG concentration of 20mg/L at 30 degrees C. Under optimal conditions, 99.25% degradation efficiency of dye in aqueous solution was achieved after 60 min of reaction.
The oxidation of ferrous to ferric ions due to ionizing radiation has been used for chemical dosimetry since 1927. The introduction of metal indicator dye xylenol orange (XO) sensitises the measurement of ferric ion yield. A ferrous sulphate- agarose- xylenol orange (FAX) gel was prepared and the gel then exposed to dose ranging from 0.2 to 10 Gy using various high energy photon and electron beams from a linear accelerator. Some general characteristics of FAX such as energy dependence, optical density (OD)-dose relationship, reproducibility and auto-oxidation of ferrous ions were analysed. The radiation yield G of the gel was calculated for gels prepared in oxygen and in air and the values were 46.3 +/- 2.1 and 40.9 +/- 1.4 Fe3+ per 100 eV for photons respectively. However for stock gel which was kept for 5 days pre-irradiation the G value decreased to 36.6 +/- 1.1. The gel shows linearity in OD-dose relationship, energy independence and reproducibility over the dose range investigated. Auto-oxidation of ferrous ions resulted in optical density changes of less than 1.5% per day.