DETERMINACIÓN DEL POTENCIAL DE BIOMETANIZACIÓN DE LA CODIGESTIÓN ANAEROBIA DE LODOS: RESIDUOS DE ACUICULTURA Y RESIDUOS DE MATADERO A DIFERENTES TEMPERATURAS

El objetivo principal de este proyecto es determinar el potencial de producción de metano de residuos de acuicultura y de matadero mediante la codigestión anaerobia con lodos a distintas temperaturas. Para lograr el objetivo se han realizado dos ensayos de potencial bioquímico de metano (BMP). Un primer ensayo empleando mezclas de diferentes proporciones de lodos de estación depuradora de aguas residuales (EDAR) y residuos de pescado incubadas a diferentes temperaturas (35ºC y 55ºC) y un segundo ensayo utilizando mezclas de diferentes proporciones de lodos y vertidos de matadero incubadas a temperaturas mesofílicas (35ºC). Esto va a permitir seleccionar la mejor proporción de mezcla de sustratos y en el primer ensayo además la mejor temperatura de operación con la que se obtiene un mayor rendimiento de producción de metano. Una vez realizados los ensayos se compara la biodegradabilidad de los sustratos y las distintas mezclas a partir de la caracterización fisicoquímica de éstas al inicio y final del ensayo BMP, se determina el volumen acumulado y el rendimiento de producción de CH4 En el caso del lodo de EDAR y residuo de pescado el mejor resultado se ha obtenido para la proporción 75%:25% en condiciones mesofílicas, con un rendimiento de producción de CH4 115 mL de CH4/gSV mejorando el rendimiento de metano del lodo en un 69%. En el ensayo de codigestión lodo con vertido de matadero se han alcanzado los mejores resultados para la mezcla de 75%:25% en condiciones mesofílicas con un potencial de 2 biometanización de 60 mL de CH4/gSV mejorando el rendimiento de metano del lodo en un 14%. Los objetivos ODS relacionados con este trabajo son 6 (agua limpia y saneamiento), 13 (acción por el clima) 14 (Vida submarina).Plan Propio – UCA 2022-2023Tiene 61 páginas

Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling of Tertiary Amines and Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by Copper Nanoparticles on Zeolite

A wide range of catalysts based on supported copper nanoparticles have been prepared and tested in the cross-dehydrogenative coupling of tertiary amines and terminal alkynes. Copper nanoparticles on zeolite Y were found to be the most effective catalyst in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant. Contrary to the previously reported methodologies involving copper catalysts, reactions have been accomplished without the need of an inert atmosphere and in the absence of solvent, using 1.5 mol% catalyst. A variety of tertiary amines, including aromatic, benzylic and aliphatic ones, have been coupled with both aromatic and aliphatic alkynes to furnish the corresponding propargylamines in moderate-to-excellent yields. The procedure has been successfully scaled-up to 12 mmol with a high conversion (93%). Moreover, the catalyst has been reused in seven cycles maintaining a good performance. Its catalytic activity has been compared with that of an array of commercial copper catalysts, being superior as regards the conversion and minimizing the alkyne homocoupling as a side reaction. The negative filtration test points to a heterogeneous nature of the process. Based on compelling experimental evidence, a novel reaction mechanism has been delineated which outlines the essential role of free radicals and the couple copper(I)/copper(II).This work was generously supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO: CTQ2011-24151). Y. M. acknowledges the Instituto de Síntesis Orgánica (ISO) of the Universidad de Alicante for a grant

Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling of Tertiary Amines and Terminal Alkynes Catalyzed by Copper Nanoparticles on Zeolite

A wide range of catalysts based on supported copper nanoparticles have been prepared and tested in the cross-dehydrogenative coupling of tertiary amines and terminal alkynes. Copper nanoparticles on zeolite Y were found to be the most effective catalyst in the presence of tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant. Contrary to the previously reported methodologies involving copper catalysts, reactions have been accomplished without the need of an inert atmosphere and in the absence of solvent, using 1.5 mol% catalyst. A variety of tertiary amines, including aromatic, benzylic and aliphatic ones, have been coupled with both aromatic and aliphatic alkynes to furnish the corresponding propargylamines in moderate-to-excellent yields. The procedure has been successfully scaled-up to 12 mmol with a high conversion (93%). Moreover, the catalyst has been reused in seven cycles maintaining a good performance. Its catalytic activity has been compared with that of an array of commercial copper catalysts, being superior as regards the conversion and minimizing the alkyne homocoupling as a side reaction. The negative filtration test points to a heterogeneous nature of the process. Based on compelling experimental evidence, a novel reaction mechanism has been delineated which outlines the essential role of free radicals and the couple copper(I)/copper(II).This work was generously supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO: CTQ2011-24151). Y. M. acknowledges the Instituto de Síntesis Orgánica (ISO) of the Universidad de Alicante for a grant

"Magnifección" ¿una solución a la producción de anticuerpos recombinantes en situaciones de epidemia/pandemia?

Ciertas situaciones de emergencia, como la provocada por el último brote epidémico del virus del Ébola, crean la necesidad de producir, rápidamente y a gran escala, antígenos y anticuerpos útiles en la elaboración de vacunas. La Biotecnología cuenta con varios sistemas de producción de proteínas recombinantes, pero no todos son capaces de responder eficientemente a ese tipo de demandas. Una buena alternativa es el empleo de las plantas como biofactorías. Existen varios métodos para lograr la expresión heteróloga de proteínas en plantas, desde los utilizados para obtener plantas transgénicas, hasta la infección con vectores virales que da lugar a elevados niveles de expresión transitoria. Uno de ellos es la “magnifección”, que combina el uso de vectores virales deconstruidos, y clonados entre los bordes derecho e izquierdo del T-ADN de una cepa de Agrobacterium , con la agroinfiltración realizada a escala industrial en plantas cultivadas en invernadero. Proporciona rendimientos de producción de hasta 5 g de proteína recombinante por kg de biomasa en solo 4-10 días. La metodología se ha aplicado para obtener los anticuerpos de “ZMapp”, el suero que ha dado buenos resultados en el tratamiento de infecciones por el virus del Ébola en humanos, asícomootras proteínas de interés terapéutico

Abatement of the Stimulatory Effect of Copper Nanoparticles Supported on Titania on Ovarian Cell Functions by Some Plants and Phytochemicals

The application of nanoparticles has experienced a vertiginous growth, but their interaction with food and medicinal plants in organisms, especially in the control of reproduction, remains unresolved. We examined the influence of copper nanoparticles supported on titania (CuNPs/TiO2), plant extracts (buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)), phytochemicals (rutin and apigenin), and their combination with CuNPs/TiO2 on ovarian cell functions, using cultured porcine ovarian granulosa cells. Cell viability, proliferation (PCNA accumulation), apoptosis (accumulation of bax), and hormones release (progesterone, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol) were analyzed by the Trypan blue test, quantitative immunocytochemistry, and ELISA, respectively. CuNPs/TiO2 increased cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and testosterone but not progesterone release, and reduced the 17β-estradiol output. Plant extracts and components have similar stimulatory action on ovarian cell functions as CuNPs/TiO2, but abated the majority of the CuNPs/TiO2 effects. This study concludes that (1) CuNPs/TiO2 can directly stimulate ovarian cell functions, promoting ovarian cell proliferation, apoptosis, turnover, viability, and steroid hormones release; (2) the plants buckwheat and vitex, as well as rutin and apigenin, can promote some of these ovarian functions too; and (3) these plant additives mitigate the CuNPs/TiO2’s activity, something that must be considered when applied together.This research was funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV; project no. APVV-15-0296), the Slovak Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, the Slovak Academy of Science (VEGA; project no. VEGA 1/0392/17), the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU; project no. CTQ2017-88171-P), the Generalitat Valenciana (GV; project no. AICO/2017/007) and the Universidad de Alicante (grant no. VIGROB-285/19)

Сopper nanoparticles supported on charcoal and betacellulin – Two novel stimulators of ovarian granulosa cell functions and their functional interrelationships

The present experiments are aimed to examine the effect of copper nanoparticles supported on charcoal (CuNPs/ C), growth factor betacellulin (BTC) and their interrelationships in the control of ovarian cell functions. Porcine ovarian granulosa cells were cultured in the presence of CuNPs/C (0, 1, 10 or 100 ng/ml), BTC (100 ng/ml) and the combination of both, CuNPs/C + BTC. Markers of cell proliferation (BrDU incorporation), of the S-phase (PCNA) and G-phase cyclin B1) of the cell cycle, markers of extrinsic (nuclear DNA fragmentation) and cytoplasmic/mitochondrial apoptosis (bax and caspase 3), and the release of progesterone and estradiol were assessed by BrDU test, TUNEL, quantitative immunocytochemistry and ELISA. Both CuNPs/C and BTC, when added alone, increased the expression of all the markers of cell proliferation, reduced the expression of all apoptosis markers and stimulated progesterone and estradiol release. Moreover, BTC was able to promote the CuNPs/C action on the accumulation of PCNA, cyclin B1, bax and estradiol output. These observations demonstrate the stimulatory action of both CuNPs/C and BTC on ovarian cell functions, as well as the ability of BTC to promote the action of CuNPs/C on ovarian cell functions.This research was financially supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport of the Slovak Republic (VEGA) (project no. VEGA 1/0680/22), by the King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Researchers Supporting Project no. RSP2023R17) and by the Generalitat Valenciana, Spain (GV; grant no. CIAICO/2022/017)

Valorization of CO2 through the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates Catalyzed by ZIFs

One way to exploit CO2 is to use it as a feedstock for the production of cyclic carbonates via its reaction with organic epoxides. As far as we know, there is still no heterogeneous catalyst that accelerates the reaction in a selective, efficient and industrially usable way. Cobalt and zinc-based zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIFs) have been explored as heterogeneous catalysts for this reaction. In particular, we have prepared ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 catalysts, which have been modified by partial replacement of 2-methylimidazole by 1,2,4-triazole, in order to introduce uncoordinated nitrogen groups with the metal. The catalysts have shown very good catalytic performance, within the best of the heterogeneous catalysts tested in the cycloaddition of CO2 with epichlorohydrin. The catalytic activity is due ultimately to defects on the outer surface of the crystal, and varies in the order of ZIF-67-m > ZIF-67 > ZiF-8-m = ZIF-8. Notably, reactions take place under mild reaction conditions and without the use of co-catalysts.The authors acknowledge financial support by MINECO (Spain) through the projects MAT2017-86992-R and CTQ2017-88171-P, “Ministerio de Ciencia e innovación” (PID2020-116998RB-I00), Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional (PRX21/00407), and Conselleria de Innovacion, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital (CIPROM/2021/022, MFA/2022/048)

Catalyst- and solvent-free hydrophosphination and multicomponent hydrothiophosphination of alkenes and alkynes

The hydrophosphination of carbon–carbon multiple bonds has been generally performed under acid, base or metal catalysis in different solvents. Herein, alkyl and alkenyl tertiary phosphines are obtained by the addition of diphenylphosphine to alkenes and alkynes, respectively, in the absence of a solvent and a catalyst. In the presence of elemental sulfur, the corresponding alkyl and alkenyl tertiary phosphine sulfides are synthesized in a three-component process. These simple methods, which meet most of the principles of Green Chemistry, are highly regioselective towards the anti-Markovnikov products and diastereoselective towards the Z alkenyl phosphines. The mechanistic aspects of the reactions are also tackled and the efficiency of the latter is compared with that of the catalytic methods.This work was generously supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO; CTQ2011-24151). Y. M. and I. M.-G. acknowledge the Instituto de Síntesis Orgánica (ISO) of the Universidad de Alicante for the grants. M. J. G.-S. Thanks the ISO and the Generalitat Valenciana (grant no. APOTIP/2015/014) for financial support

Control of quality and silo storage of sunflower seeds using near infrared technology

En este trabajo se evalúa la espectroscopía de infrarrojo cercano para su uso en el control de calidad y almacenamiento de semillas de girasol. Los resultados indican que el método analítico empleado puede utilizarse como método de determinación rápida de humedad, grasa y contenidos altos/bajos de ácido oleico. Los rangos de aplicación son comparables con los valores que se han determinado mediante métodos clásicos de análisis, encontrándose entre 4.6-21.4% la humedad, 38.4-49.6% la grasa y 60.0- 93.1% de ácido oleico del total de los ácidos grasos. Además se ha utilizado un análisis discriminarte lineal por pasos determinando las longitudes de onda más adecuadas para la clasificación de semillas de girasol en los grupos alto/bajo oleico. El modelo generado permitió la clasificación de semillas de girasol en los grupos alto y bajo oleico con unos porcentajes de muestras correctamente clasificadas de un 90.5% en validación interna y de un 89.4% en validación cruzadaThis work assesses the application of near infrared spectroscopy technology for the quality control of sunflower seeds direct from farmers and from a storage silo. The results show that the analytical method employing near infrared spectroscopy can be used as a rapid and non-destructive tool for the determination of moisture, fat and high/low oleic acid contents in samples of sunflower seeds. The ranges obtained were comparable to those reported for classic chemical methods, and were between 4.6-21.4% for moisture; 38.4-49.6% for fat, and 60.0-93.1% for oleic acid expressed as percentage of total fatty acids. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed to determine the most useful wavelengths for classifying sunflower seeds in terms of their (high/low) oleic acid composition. The discriminant model allows the classification of sunflower seeds with high or low oleicacid contents, with a prediction rate of 90.5% for internal validation and of 89.4% for cross-validatio

Formation of C–C, C–S and C–N bonds catalysed by supported copper nanoparticles

Transition-metal catalysed cross-coupling reactions are still dominated by palladium chemistry. Within the recent past, copper has gained ground against palladium by virtue of its cheaper price and equivalent function in certain reactions. Four catalysts consisting of copper nanoparticles on zeolite, titania, montmorillonite and activated carbon have been tested in three palladium- and ligand-free cross-coupling reactions to form carbon–carbon, carbon–sulfur and carbon–nitrogen bonds. CuNPs/zeolite has been found to be the best one in the Sonogashira reaction of aryl iodides and arylacetylenes, as well as in the coupling of aryl halides with aryl and alkyl thiols, being reusable in both cases. However, the arylation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles (imidazole, pyrazole, benzimidazole and indole) has been better accomplished with CuNPs/titania, albeit CuNPs/activated carbon showed better recycling properties. The catalytic activity of the nanostructured catalysts has been compared with that of twelve commercial copper catalysts, with the former outperforming the latter in the three types of reactions studied.I. P. Beletskaya thanks the Russian Science Foundation (RSF, grant no. 14-23-00186 P) and A. Yu. Mitrofanov thanks the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant no. 16-33-60207) for their financial support. This work was also generously supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO; grant no. CTQ-2015-66624-P) and the Institute of Organic Synthesis (ISO). I. M.-G. thanks the ISO and the Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia del Conocimiento of the Universidad de Alicante for predoctoral grants (no. UAFPU2016-034)