Combined photooxidation/photoreduction using TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts to treat organic/inorganic metal-laden wastewaters

Titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) colloids prepared from titanium chloride (TiCl{sub 4}) were used as photocatalysts in the experiments. Cysteine was selected as the model derivative for the surface modification of the TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Testing of TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts conducted in the absence of organic compounds demonstrated that adsorption of lead ions occurred in the system with either untreated (virgin) or treated (modified using cysteine) TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts. Adsorption rates of the metal ions in the systems that used treated TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts were about three times faster than those where untreated TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts were used. Lead ion concentrations in the irradiated solutions decreased as the UV irradiation time increased; greater metal removals were achieved at longer irradiation times. The rate of decreasing lead ion concentrations in the system that used treated TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts was about two to three times faster than that in the system using untreated TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts. Experiments were also performed in which organic compounds (naphthalene or phenol) and heavy metals (Pb{sup 2+}) were simultaneously treated with TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts. The presence of lead ions did not interfere with the photo-degradation of the selected organic compounds from solution. The presence of phenol compound appeared not to affect the photoreduction of lead ions, while addition of naphthalene compound resulted in a lag-time effect on the photoreduction of lead ions from solution. All of the experimental results showed that the cysteine-modified TiO{sub 2} resulted in faster and more effective removal than that for the untreated TiO{sub 2} system. This technique has resulted in the simultaneous photocatalytic removal/recovery of organic and inorganic compounds in the system

Intracellular localization of titanium dioxide-biomolecule nanocomposites.

Emerging areas of nanotechnology hold the promise of overcoming the limitations of existing technology for intracellular manipulation. These new developments include the creation of nanocomposites that can be introduced into the cells, targeted to specific subcellular sites, and subsequently used as platforms for initiation of intracellular processes dependent on or aided by locally high concentrations of specific molecules delivered as components of the nanocomposites. Nanocomposites that combine functional properties of biomolecules with the functional properties of inorganic components could provide new tools for biology, medicine, chemistry and material sciences. Here we describe how we introduced TiO{sub 2}-DNA nanocomposites into cells, and localized titanium in the cells by mapping the Ti K{alpha} X-ray fluorescence induced at the 2-ID-E microprobe of the SRI-CAT at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory

Strangeness nuclear physics: a critical review on selected topics

Selected topics in strangeness nuclear physics are critically reviewed. This includes production, structure and weak decay of $\Lambda$--Hypernuclei, the $\bar K$ nuclear interaction and the possible existence of $\bar K$ bound states in nuclei. Perspectives for future studies on these issues are also outlined.Comment: 63 pages, 51 figures, accepted for publication on European Physical Journal

Observation of the solid-state photo-CIDNP effect in entire cells of cyanobacteria Synechocystis

Cyanobacteria are widely used as model organism of oxygenic photosynthesis due to being the simplest photosynthetic organisms containing both photosystem I and II (PSI and PSII). Photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (photo-CIDNP) 13C magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR is a powerful tool in understanding the photosynthesis machinery down to atomic level. Combined with selective isotope enrichment this technique has now opened the door to study primary charge separation in whole living cells. Here, we present the first photo-CIDNP observed in whole cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis

Basic Research Needs for Countering Terrorism

To identify connections between technology needs for countering terrorism and underlying science issues and to recommend investment strategies to increase the impact of basic research on efforts to counter terroris

Single-bunch synchrotron shutter

An apparatus for selecting a single synchrotron pulse from the millions of pulses provided per second from a synchrotron source includes a rotating spindle located in the path of the synchrotron pulses. The spindle has multiple faces of a highly reflective surface, and having a frequency of rotation f. A shutter is spaced from the spindle by a radius r, and has an open position and a closed position. The pulses from the synchrotron are reflected off the spindle to the shutter such that the speed s of the pulses at the shutter is governed by: s=4 {times} {pi} {times} r {times} such that a single pulse is selected for transmission through an open position of the shutter

Use of cysteine-modified TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst for treatment of combined organic/inorganic wastewaters

The utilization of semiconductor-based photocatalysts, such as titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}), for carrying out photochemical reactions to treat water contaminated with organic and inorganic compounds has received considerable attention in recent years. The authors strategy for optimizing the process of photocatalytic reduction of heavy metals on TiO{sub 2} colloids involves modifying the colloid surface. Specific project objectives included: (1) identification and development of potential biomimetic photocatalysts for simultaneous heavy metal recovery and organic destruction; (2) identification of treatment conditions that minimize the residual metal concentration(s) contained in the effluent, even in the presence of complexants and interferences, and development of appropriate scale-up criteria; and (3) determination of system performance, including an economic analysis for comparison with conventional technologies (such as pump-and-treat using metal hydroxide precipitation of ion exchange). The experimental results indicate that simultaneous removal of organic compounds (such as naphthalene) and inorganic compounds (such as lead ions) in aqueous solution can be achieved using a TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst system with UV light. The removal rates of organic and inorganic compounds can be enhanced through surface modification of the TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst using an organic substance such as cysteine. The cysteine-modified TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst enhanced the oxidation rates of organics as well as the reduction rates of heavy metals in the irradiated solution, resulting in improved treatment efficiencies for combined organic/inorganic wastestreams