Mn-doped CoSe2 nanosheets as high-efficiency catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.

In this work, we introduce for the first time an aqueous solution method followed by a selenization step to prepare Mn-doped CoSe2 nanosheets supported on nickel foam for the oxygen evolution reaction. These findings provide us highly efficient electrocatalysts instead of noble metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction

Novel anion exchange membranes based on polymerizable imidazolium salt for alkaline fuel cell applications

A new polymerizable imidazolium salt monomer, 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ([VBMI]Cl), has been readily synthesized by reaction of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride with 1-methylimidazole. Novel anion exchange membranes (AEMs) based on the copolymers of [VBMI]Cl and styrene have been prepared and characterized. Excellent thermostability of the membranes is observed through the thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) curves. Water uptake and ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the OH(-) form AEMs range from 26.1% to 61.9% and from 0.95 to 1.45 mmol g(-1), respectively. This type of AEM displays significant ionic conductivities over the order of 10(-2) S cm(-1) in deionized water at room temperature, and the membranes are stable in 10 mol L(-1) NaOH solution at 60 degrees C for 120 h. For the H(2)/air single fuel cell at 30 degrees C with this novel AEM, the peak power density of 33 mW cm(-2) is obtained at a current density of 59 mA cm(-2).High-Tech Research and Development Program of China[2008AA05Z107]; National Nature Science Foundation of China[20876129

The role of fluconazole in the regulation of fatty acid and unsaponifiable matter biosynthesis in Schizochytrium sp. MYA 1381.

BACKGROUND(#br)Schizochytrium has been widely used in industry for synthesizing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, unclear biosynthesis pathway of PUFAs inhibits further production of the Schizochytrium. Unsaponifiable matter (UM) from mevalonate pathway is crucial to cell growth and intracellular metabolism in all higher eukaryotes and microalgae. Therefore, regulation of UM biosynthesis in Schizochytrium may have important effects on fatty acids synthesis. Moreover, it is well known that UMs, such as squalene and β-carotene, are of great commercial value. Thus, regulating UM biosynthesis may also allow for an increased valuation of Schizochytrium.(#br)RESULTS(#br)To investigate the correlation of UM biosynthesis with fatty acids accumulation in Schizochytrium, fluconazole was used to block the sterols pathway. The addition of 60 mg/L fluconazole at 48 h increased the total lipids (TLs) at 96 h by 16% without affecting cell growth, which was accompanied by remarkable changes in UMs and NADPH. Cholesterol content was reduced by 8%, and the squalene content improved by 45% at 72 h, which demonstrated fluconazole’s role in inhibiting squalene flow to cholesterol. As another typical UM with antioxidant capacity, the β-carotene production was increased by 53% at 96 h. The increase of squalene and β-carotene could boost intracellular oxidation resistance to protect fatty acids from oxidation. The NADPH was found to be 33% higher than that of the control at 96 h, which meant that the cells had more reducing power for fatty acid synthesis. Metabolic analysis further confirmed that regulation of sterols was closely related to glucose absorption, pigment biosynthesis and fatty acid production in Schizochytrium.(#br)CONCLUSION(#br)This work first reported the effect of UM biosynthesis on fatty acid accumulation in Schizochytrium. The UM was found to affect fatty acid biosynthesis by changing cell membrane function, intracellular antioxidation and reducing power. We believe that this work provides valuable insights in improving PUFA and other valuable matters in microalgae

Synergistic effect of Trichoderma reesei cellulases on agricultural tea waste for adsorption of heavy metal Cr(VI)

Chinese National Natural Science Foundation [21206141]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [2011121017]; Fujian Provincial Department of Science Technology [2012I0009]This is the first attempt to study the synergistic effect between Trichoderma reesei cellulases and the abundant agricultural tea waste in absorption of heavy metal Cr(VI) as well as its kinetic model development. The properties of tea waste were first analyzed by near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), particle size distribution (PSD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination with EDX for comparison between its original (UN-TW) and cellulase-hydrolyzed (TRCEL-TW) conditions. Then, an advanced kinetic model in the form of -d[Cr(VI)]/dt = A[H+](n)e(-Ea/RT)[Cr(VI)](0)(m), which can successfully predict the time-dependent Cr(VI) concentration of various pHs, initial Cr(VI) concentrations and temperatures was developed. The demonstrated synergistic effects of T. reesei cellulases on tea waste suggested that cellulosic material provides more accessibility area for absorption of heavy metal. This study also provides an alternative approach to remove toxic Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions and extend the utilization of agricultural tea waste. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Functions of Enyolreductase (ER) Domains of PKS Cluster in Lipid Synthesis and Enhancement of PUFAs Accumulation in Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 Using Triclosan as a Regulator of ER

The polyketide synthase (PKS) cluster genes are supposed to synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in S. limacinum. In this study, two enyolreductase (ER) genes located on PKS cluster were knocked out through homologous recombination to explore their functions. The knock-out of OrfB-ER (located on OrfB subunit) decreased lipid content and had obvious decrease on PUFAs content, indicating OrfB-ER domain played a vital role on PUFAs synthesis; the knock-out of OrfC-ER (located on OrfC subunit) decreased SFAs content and increased total lipid content, indicating OrfC-ER domain was likely to be related with SFAs synthesis, and lipid production could be improved by down-regulating OrfC-ER domain expression. Therefore, the addition of triclosan as a reported regulator of ER domain induced the increase of PUFAs production by 51.74% and lipids yield by 47.63%. Metabolic analysis indicated triclosan played its role through inhibiting the expression of OrfC-ER to reduce the feedback inhibition of SFAs and further to enhance NADPH synthesis for lipid production, and by weakening mevalonate pathway and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to shift precursors for lipid and PUFAs synthesis. This research illuminates functions of two ER domains in S. limacinum and provides a potential targets for improving lipid production

Spectroscopic studies on iosorption of Ag+

The biosorptive interaction of Ag+ with resting cell of Lactobacillus sp. strain A09 has been further studied on a molecular level by means of XPS, EDX, UV-Vis and FTIR techniques. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the reductive ratio of the Ag+ to Ag-0 by the A09 biomass reaches to about 54.5% for 3 d. The contain of amino acid residues in dry powder of the biomass such as cysteine, methionine, arginine and lysine, being capable of reducing the Ag+ to Ag-0 are very small in quantity both cysteine and methionine are far less than 0.18%, and both arginine and lysine far less than 0.336%,via the analysis with quantitative energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). The amount of the reducing sugars in the biomass is far larger than 2.71% analyzed by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis). The chemical functional group on cell wass of the biomass such as the carboxylate anion of amino-acid residues seems to be the site for the Ag+ binding and the free aldehyde group of the hemiacetalic hydroxyl from reducing sugars, i.e. the hydrolysates of the polysaccharides from the cell wass, plays a protagonist in serving as the electron donor for reducing the Ag+ to Ag-0, characterized by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry