Generating alternative fuel and bioplastics from medical plastic waste and waste frying oil using microwave co-pyrolysis combined with microbial fermentation

In the present study, microwave co-pyrolysis (MCP) was used to simultaneously convert medical plastic waste (MPW) and waste frying oil (WFO) into liquid oil products. The MCP process demonstrated a faster heating rate (24 °C/min) and shorter process time (20 min) compared to conventional pyrolysis techniques converting MPW and WFO into liquid oil (≥80 wt%). The MCP reduced the oxygen content from 25.7 to 9.82 wt% in liquid oil encompassing light aliphatic hydrocarbons ranging from C10 to C28, generating a novel sustainable liquid fuel. The liquid having a high carbon content (approximately 77.1 wt%) and low carbon to nitrogen ratio (27.9) is a suitable energy feedstock for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production in the form of poly3-hydroxybutyrate [P(3HB)]. The liquid oil acted as an energy source for the growth of Bacillus sp. During microbial fermentation, yielding approximately 11% (w/w) P(3HB). Bioplastics are biodegradable, biocompatible with humans and non-toxic to marine organisms, representing a valuable additive in the production of cosmetics, detergents, and as medical scaffolds for tissue engineering. The results indicate the promising upcycling of waste products by this approach through pyrolytic biorefinery into value-added fuel and bioplastic products, being important for the future sustainable production of renewable resources

The reaction of [60]fullerene with lithium fluorenide: Formation of a novel 1,4-adduct of [60]fullerene

Reaction of fullerene C-60 in THF with lithium fluorenide afforded 1-fluorenyl-1,2-dihyro[60]fullerene 2 after protonation. When the reaction time was extended to 24 h, an unusual adduct 3 was obtained, which had two fluorenyl groups attached at the 1,4-positions of a six-membered ring of C-60. The structure of 3 was confirmed by comparison of its properties with those of corresponding trimethylene-bridged adduct 5. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Lt

The solid-phase reaction of [60]fullerene: Novel addition of organozinc reagents

Reaction of ethyl bromoacetate and zinc with [60]fullerene in the absence. of any solvent, followed by quenching with acid affords 1-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-1,2-dihydro[60]fullerene along with other minor byproducts including 1,4-bis(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-1,4-dihydro[60]fullerene; a detailed reaction mechanism is proposed

Synthesis, properties, and reactions of a stable carbanion derived from alkynyldihydrofullerene: 1-Octynyl-C-60 carbanion

Stable 1-octynyl-C-60 carbanion (2(-)) was generated by the reaction of 1-octynyl-C-60-H with t-BuOK in THF, and its structure was confirmed by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectra. The redox properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry, and were shown to involve a one electron oxidation process affording a dimer of the corresponding radical, in addition to stepwise reduction processes. In accord with the results of semiempirical MO calculations (AM1), the reaction of anion 2(-) with various carbon electrophiles afforded the 1,2- or 1,4-disubstituted dihydrofullerenes. The reaction site was apparently controlled by electron density of anion 2(-) and the steric effects. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Lt

Characterization of the non-volatile organic compounds in the aerosols of Hong Kong - Identification, abundance and origin

The non-volatile solvent-extractable organic compounds (lipids) of biogenic and anthropogenic origins were isolated from total suspended particulates (TSP) samples collected during the winter months of 1993 in Hong Kong. They were characterized and quantified according to the following classes: n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, and biomarkers such as triterpanes. Flash column chromatography technique was used to effectively separate the PAH from the samples and a recovery of better than 90\% was achieved. It was found that almost all samples contained anthropogenic contributions and the levels were relatively high compared to earlier studies carried out in China [Simoneit et al. (1991) Atmospheric Environment 25A, 2111-2129]. The results from the six different sampling stations suggested that mo bile combustion sources constituted 39-63 \% of all the non-volatile solvent-extractable organics. In addition, there is evidence that the contribution of emissions from kitchens is significant due to the characteristic Chinese stir-frying cooking process. The six stations can be divided into three different categories: urban, rural and heavily influenced by traffic. The identification, abundance and source of these organic compounds are also discussed. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Lt

Separation of basic drugs with non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was investigated in non-aqueous media. Efficient, rapid and versatile electrophoretic conditions were obtained with 20 mM ammonium acetate in acetonitrile-methanol-acetic acid (49:50:1). Using this non-aqueous medium, the baseline separation of nine morphine analogues, eleven antihistamines, eleven antipsychotics and ten stimulants could each be achieved in 6 min. The migration order observed was very different from one expected for an aqueous medium. The migration time repeatability for individual components was between 0.8 and 3.7\% R.S.D. The migration time-normalized peak area had a poor precision; however, with one of the components as an internal reference, the quantitative repeatability could be improved to between 2.2 and 9.1\% R.S.D. The precision data appeared to be instrument dependent, as excellent results could be obtained from an instrument with better evaporation and temperature control. Alternatively, much improved speed, efficiency and precision were also achieved with tetra-n-butylammonium tetrafluoroborate as the electrolyte, albeit with reduced selectivity. The effects of the electrolyte, non-aqueous medium and applied voltage on the separation are discussed

Chiral analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. 2. Determination of enantiomeric excess of amino acids

The determination of enantiomeric excess (ee) of amino acids was achieved by investigating the collision-induced dissociation spectra of protonated trimers that were formed by electrospray ionization of amino acids in the presence of one of the following chiral selectors: L- or D-N-tert-butoxy-tert-carbonylphenlalanine, L- or D- N-tert-butoxycarbonylproline, and L- or D-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-O-benzylserine, The protonated trimers were dissociated to form protonated dimers, and the observed dissociation efficiency r (i.e., the intensity ratio of protonated dimers to protonated trimers) for an enantiomeric mixture was found to be related to its ee value by the following equation: r = a + b/(c + ee), where a, b, and c were constants, A linear calibration plot was obtained by plotting r versus 1/(e + ee), where c was calculated with the MATLAB software, or by plotting 1/(r - r(0)) versus 1/ee, where r0 was the r value for the racemic mixture, The latter "two-reciprocal" method was more convenient for application. Another practical method for ee determination was the "three-point" method, whereby the ee of an unknown sample with a measured r value could be derived from the equation ee = 100{1/(r(L) - r(0)) - 1/(r(D) - r(0))}/{2/(r - r(0)) - 1/(r(L) - r(0)) - 1/(r(D) - r(0))}, With r(L) and rD being the r values for the enantiomerically pure Land D-forms of the sample, respectively, A calibration plot was not required. The ee determination was achieved with acceptable precision even for the worst case of acceptable chiral recognition with a particular chiral selector, suggesting that the ee determination of all 19 common amino acids could be achieved by the present method. The ee of a histidine sample was determined both by the two-reciprocal method, giving an error of 0.2\% ee (1.1\% relative error) and consuming only similar to5.3 nmol of sample, and by the three-point method, giving an error of 0.4\% ee and consuming only similar to2.3 nmol of sample, In the latter case, it took 27 min for the mass spectrometric measurements of the three calibration standards and an additional 9 min for the unknown sample. The direct ee determination of more than one amino acid in a mixture was also demonstrated in the study

Chiral recognition of amino acids by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry

Chiral recognition of 19 common amino acids is achieved by investigating the collision-induced dissociation spectra of protonated trimers formed by electrospray ionisation of amino acids in the presence of one of the following chiral selectors: L- and D-N-tert-butoxycarbonylphenylalanine (BPhe), L- and D-N-tert-butoxycarbonylproline (BPro) and L- and D-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-O-benzylserine (BBSer)

Chiral analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. 1. Chiral recognition of 19 common amino acids

Chiral recognition of 19 common amino acids was achieved by investigating the collision-induced dissociation spectra of protonated trimers that were formed from the electrospray ionization of amino acids in the presence of one of the following chiral selectors: L- or D-N-tert-butoxycarbonylphenlalanine L- or D-N-tert-butoxycarbonylproline, and L- or D-N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-O-benzylserine, The protonated trimers were dissociated to protonated dimers, and the intensity ratios of the protonated dimer (product ion) to the protonated trimer (precursor ion), i.e., the observed dissociation efficiency, was found to be strongly dependent on the chirality of the amino acids with respect to that of the chiral selectors. The results showed that the chirality of all 19 common amino acids can be definitely differentiated. The method was demonstrated as rapid, sensitive, precise, robust, and requiring no reference standards and only minimal sample preparation. The chirality of all three amino acids in a mixture was determined without prior separation of the amino acids, consuming only 70 pmol of sample and requiring only similar to 14 min of mass spectrometric measurements. A cyclodipeptide with unknown chirality was determined to be cyclo-(L-Pro-L-leu) by acid hydrolysis followed by the present method, and the results were consistent with the physiochemical properties and NMR data of the compound. This study suggested that ESI-MS/MS can be a promising approach for the chiral recognition of other compounds