Efeito das condições de atmosfera controlada sobre a ocorrência de degenerescência em maçã 'Fuji'

The main aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of temperatures and oxygen concentrations in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on the quality, conservation and breakdown of 'Fuji' apples, during storage. Fruits used had already been stored in cold storage during 72 days, and exhibited 17% of internal breakdown. Afterwards they were stored at two different temperatures (1 °C and 2 °C) and in different CA conditions: 0%CO2/1%O2, 0%CO2/ 1.5%O2 and 0%CO2/2%O2. After a six months storage, fruits at 1 °C and at lower oxygen concentrations (0%CO2/ 1%O2 and 0%CO2/1.5%O2) showed less internal and external breakdown and had higher firmness than fruits that had been stored at 2°C or at higher oxygen concentrations (0%CO/2%O2). Tritatable acidity, however, was higher at 2 °C. Soluble solids were higher at 2°C with 1.5 and 2.0% of oxygen.O trabalho foi conduzido durante o ano de 1993, com objetivo avaliar o efeito das temperaturas e concentrações de oxigênio nas câmaras de atmosfera controlada (AC), sobre a manifestação da degenerescência e conservação da qualidade dos frutos da maçã 'Fuji', durante o armazenamento. Os frutos utilizados já haviam sido armazenados em câmaras de atmosfera normal (AN) durante 72 dias, quando então já apresentavam 17% de degenerescência interna. Foram então armazenados em duas temperaturas (1 °C e 2 °C), UR de 97% e diferentes condições de AC: AC>;0%CO2/ 1%O2, 0%CO2/1,5%O2 e 0%C2/2%O2. Após 6 meses de armazenamento, a temperatura de 1 °C e concentrações de oxigênio mais baixas (0%CO2/1%O2 e 0%CO2/1,5%O2) proporcionaram os menores percentuais de degenerescência interna e externa, mantendo a firmeza da polpa mais elevada. No entanto, a acidez titulável manteve-se mais elevada na temperatura de 2 °C. Os teores de sólidos solúveis totais foram mais elevados na temperatura de 2 °C na presença de 1,5 e 2,0% de O2

Quantitative picosecond laser-induced fluorescence measurements of nitric oxide in flames

Quantitative concentrations measurements using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence have been demonstrated for nitric oxide (NO) in flame. Fluorescence lifetimes measured using a picosecond Nd:YAG laser and optical parametric amplifier system have been used to directly compensate the measured signal for collisional quenching and evaluate NO concentration. The full evaluation also includes the spectral overlap between the ∼15cm-1 broad laser pulse and multiple NO absorption lines as well as the populations of the probed energy levels. Effective fluorescence lifetimes of 1.2 and 1.5ns were measured in prepared NO/N2/O2 mixtures at ambient pressure and temperature and in a premixed NH3-seeded CH4/N2/O2 flame, respectively. Concentrations evaluated from measurements in NO/N2/O2 mixtures with NO concentrations of 100-600ppm were in agreement with set values within 3% at higher concentrations. An accuracy of 13% was estimated by analysis of experimental uncertainties. An NO profile measured in the flame showed concentrations of ∼1000ppm in the post-flame region and is in good agreement with NO concentrations predicted by a chemical mechanism for NH3 combustion. An accuracy of 16% was estimated for the flame measurements. The direct concentration evaluation from time-resolved fluorescence allows for quantitative measurements in flames where the composition of major species and their collisional quenching on the probed species is unknown. In particular, this is valid for non-stationary turbulent combustion and implementation of the presented approach for measurements under such conditions is discussed

Qualidade de maçãs 'Royal Gala' submetidas ao dano mecânico por impacto e aplicação de 1-Metilciclopropeno em dois sistemas comerciais de armazenamento.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do dano mecânico por impacto e da aplicação de 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP) sobre a qualidade de maçãs ?Royal Gala? mantidas em armazenamento refrigerado (AR) e em atmosfera controlada (AC). Os tratamentos avaliados foram dano mecânico (sem e com dano por impacto) combinado com a aplicação de 1-MCP (0 e 625 nL L-1). Os frutos foram armazenados durante quatro meses em armazenamento refrigerado (AR; 0 ºC ± 1 ºC e 92 ± 2 % de UR) (experimento 1) e durante oito meses em atmosfera controlada (AC; 1,2 kPa de O2 + 2,0 kPa de CO2; 0 ºC ± 0,1 ºC e 96 ± 2 % de UR) (experimento 2). Em AR, os frutos tratados com 1-MCP apresentaram maior firmeza de polpa, além de maior área escurecida no local danificado, na saída da câmara. Nesta condição de armazenamento, após sete dias em condição ambiente, os frutos tratados com 1-MCP apresentaram acidez titulável mais elevada, maior escurecimento da epiderme e menor profundidade de escurecimento da polpa no local danificado. Em AC, a aplicação do 1-MCP proporcionou, após a saída da câmara, frutos com menor teor de sólidos solúveis e maior escurecimento da epiderme no local danificado, sendo que, após sete dias em condição ambiente, os frutos apresentaram maior profundidade de escurecimento do tecido da polpa no local danificado. O dano por impacto ocasionou escurecimento da polpa de maçãs ?Royal Gala?. O 1-MCP não inibiu os efeitos do dano, mas preservou a qualidade dos frutos, especialmente em AR

Strategy for improved NH2 detection in combustion environments using an Alexandrite laser

A new scheme for NH2 detection by means of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) with excitation around wavelength 385 nm, accessible using the second harmonic of a solid-state Alexandrite laser, is presented. Detection of NH2 was confirmed by identification of corresponding lines in fluorescence excitation spectra measured in premixed NH3-air flames and on NH2 radicals generated through NH3 photolysis in a nonreactive flow at ambient conditions. Moreover, spectral simulations allow for tentative NH2 line identification. Dispersed fluorescence emission spectra measured in flames and photolysis experiments showed lines attributed to vibrational bands of the NH2 A2A1 ← X2B1 transition but also a continuous structure, which in flame was observed to be dependent on nitrogen added to the fuel, apparently also generated by NH2. A general conclusion was that fluorescence interferences need to be carefully considered for NH2 diagnostics in this spectral region. Excitation for laser irradiances up to 0.2 GW/cm2 did not result in NH2 fluorescence saturation and allowed for efficient utilization of the available laser power without indication of laser-induced photochemistry. Compared with a previously employed excitation/detection scheme for NH2 at around 630 nm, excitation at 385.7 nm showed a factor of ~ 15 higher NH2 signal. The improved signal allowed for single-shot NH2 LIF imaging on centimeter scale in flame with signal-to-noise ratio of 3 for concentrations around 1000 ppm, suggesting a detection limit around 700 ppm. Thus, the presented approach for NH2 detection provides enhanced possibilities for characterization of fuel-nitrogen combustion chemistry

Effects of synthesis parameters on the properties and photocatalytic activity of the magnetic catalyst TiO2/CoFe2O4 applied to selenium photoreduction

intake to human health. Heterogeneous photocatalysis can be successfully applied to remove selenium ions from water, but the photocatalyst recovery in the end of the process still needs improvement. The application of a magnetic photocatalyst (TiO2/CoFe2O4) in the Se(IV) photoreduction was investigated, with emphasis in the catalyst magnetic separation. The photocatalyst was synthetized via a simple sol-gel method and a central composite design was considered to evaluate the effects of titanium isopropoxide mass ratio used in the synthesis, calcination temperature and pH on Se(IV) reduction. Calcination temperature showed a strong influence in the photocatalytic activity, and the catalyst calcined at 381 ◦C presented the best performance. In the bests test, at pH 2.61, it was possible to remove >99% selenium after 2 min of exposure to radiation. Photocatalysts containing great amounts of rutile phase produced the lowest removal results. The TiO2/CoFe2O4 photocatalyst was magnetically separable, however its saturation magnetization (2.7 emu g 1) was considerably smaller than pure CoFe2O4 (84.6 emu g 1) and the photocatalyst magnetic separation from the aqueous medium was about 11 times slower in comparison to pure cobalt ferrite. The synthetized photocatalyst was able to satisfactorily photoreduce Se(IV) (96.5%) even after five cycles of photocatalysis