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PubMed2001

Application of integrated chemical-physical processes modelling to aeration treatment of anaerobic digester liquors.

A three phase (aqueous/solid/gas) mixed weak acid/base kinetic model developed by Musvoto et al. is applied to simulate the physical and chemical processes that occur on aeration of anaerobic digester liquors. Included in the model are the kinetic reactions for (i) weak acid/base dissocations (water, carbonate, ammonium, phosphate, and short-chain fatty acids), (ii) precipitation of struvite, newberyite, amorphous calcium phosphate, calcium and magnesium carbonate, (iii) ion pair formation and (iv) stripping of CO2 and NH3 gases. To generate data for model application, batch aeration tests were conducted on two anaerobic digester liquors from (i) a spent wine upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) digester and (a) a sewage sludge anaerobic digester. In the batch tests pH, Ca, Mg, PO4-P, free and saline ammonia (FSA)H2CO3* alkalinity (from which inorganic carbon is calculated) were measured. After establishing from the lIterature values for (i) weak acid/base equilbrium constants (pKa), (ii) weak add/base kinetic rate constants (K(ra)), and (iii) ion pair stability constants (pK(ST)), and trial and error determination of (iv) mineral solubility products (pK(SP)) (within the range reported in the literature), (v) ion pair kinetic rate constants (K(rIP)), (vi) mineral precipitation rate constants (Kppt) and (vii) gas stripping rates (K(rG)), a good correlation between predicted and measured data was obtained for all the parameters for both liquors. The solubility product values for the minerals that precipitated were the same for both liquors and fall in the range of values quoted in the literature, but the specific precipitation rate constants of the minerals differed for the two liquors.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2003

CANON and Anammox in a gas-lift reactor.

Anoxic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) and Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen removal Over Nitrite (CANON) are new and promising microbial processes to remove ammonia from wastewaters characterized by a low content of organic materials. These two processes were investigated on their feasibility and performance in a gas-lift reactor. The Anammox as well as the CANON process could be maintained easily in a gas-lift reactor, and very high N-conversion rates were achieved. An N-removal rate of 8.9 kg N (m(3) reactor)(-1) day(-1) was achieved for the Anammox process in a gas-lift reactor. N-removal rates of up to 1.5 kg N (m(3) reactor)(-1) day(-1) were achieved when the CANON process was operated. This removal rate was 20 times higher compared to the removal rates achieved in the laboratory previously. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the biomass consisted of bacteria reacting to NEU, a 16S rRNA targeted probe specific for halotolerant and halophilic Nitrosomonads, and of bacteria reacting to Amx820, specific for planctomycetes capable of Anammox.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2006

Inorganic carbon limitations on nitrification: experimental assessment and modelling.

Nitrification is a two-step process that involves two different biomass populations: ammonia oxidising biomass (AOB) and nitrite oxidising biomass (NOB). Both populations are autotrophic (i.e. their carbon source is inorganic). Therefore, a deficit of this substrate should result in a decrease of the process rate. Recent technology advances such as the SHARON process have brought new scenarios in biological nitrogen removal where these limitations should be considered. Hence, this work examines the inorganic carbon limitation using respirometric and titrimetric techniques. For this aim, the nitrification rate was measured at different total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations. The experimental results obtained show that AOB was limited at TIC concentrations lower than 3mmol CL(-1). At the same time, no carbon source limitation for NOB was observed in spite of the low TIC concentrations attained (lower than 0.1mmol CL(-1)). The AOB limitation could be successfully modelled using Monod, Tessier and sigmoidal kinetics. The best fit was obtained with sigmoidal kinetics. However, unexpected biomass activity (oxygen consumption) was observed despite a very low TIC concentration (lower than 0.1mmol CL(-1)).

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1980

Effect of potassium-induced cardioplegia in hypothermia on myocardial energy, ammonium, and intermediary metabolism in man.

Cardiac muscle biopsy specimens were obtained from 33 patients undergoing open-heart surgery under K+-induced ischemic arrest in hypothermia (cardioplegic right atrial and right ventricular muscles) or under hypothermic ischemic arrest without K+-cardioplegia (noncardioplegia right atrial muscle), and sequential patterns of changes in the myocardial metabolism were studied by standard enzymatic techniques. The concentrations of the high energy phosphates were not only adequately preserved but actually exceeded the initial values in the cardioplegic muscles during the 40-min period of the ischemic arrest. In addition, elevated ammonia levels were neutralized by these muscles, and excessive variations in the myocardial intermediary metabolism were prevented. The levels of ATP were also adequately preserved by the noncardioplegic right atrial muscle during the 12-min period of ischemic arrest. But this protection was achieved at the expense of a 20% reduction in the myocardial creatine phosphate levels and other associated severe intracellular metabolic derangements. Changes in the myocardial intermediary metabolism, at the end of 12 min of ischemic arrest and at the end of 40 min of K+-cardioplegic arrest, were almost identical. The results of these studies suggest that, in contrast to the hypothermic arrest alone, K+-cardioplegia in hypothermia offers a superior myocardial metabolic preservation over an extended period of time.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2004

Influence of soil moisture on linear alkylbenzene sulfonate-induced toxicity in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.

Moisture affects bioavailability and fate of pollutants in soil, but very little is known about moisture-induced effects on pollutant toxicity. We here report on a modifying effect of moisture on degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LASs) and on their toxicity towards ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in agricultural soil. In soil spiked with two LAS levels (250 or 1,000 mg/kg) and incubated at four different moisture levels (9-100% of water-holding capacity), degradation was strongly affected by both soil moisture and initial LAS concentration, resulting in degradation half-lives ranging from 13 to more than 160 d. Toxicity towards AOB assessed by a novel Nitrosomonas europaea luxAB-reporter assay was correlated to total LAS concentration, indicating that LAS remained bioavailable over time without accumulation of toxic intermediates. Toxicity towards indigenous AOB increased with increasing soil moisture. The results indicate that dry soil conditions inhibit LAS degradation and provide protection against toxicity within the indigenous AOB, thus allowing for a rapid recovery of this population when LAS degradation is resumed and completed after rewetting. We propose that the protection of microbial populations against toxicity in dry soil may be a general phenomenon caused primarily by limited diffusion and thus a low bioavailability of the toxicant.

Alkanesulfonic Acids↗
PubMed2004

Hydroxylamine assimilation by Rhodobacter capsulatus E1F1. requirement of the hcp gene (hybrid cluster protein) located in the nitrate assimilation nas gene region for hydroxylamine reduction.

Rhodobacter capsulatus E1F1 grows phototrophically with nitrate as nitrogen source. Using primers designed for conserved motifs in bacterial assimilatory nitrate reductases, a 450-bp DNA was amplified by PCR and used for the screening of a genomic library. A cosmid carrying an insert with four SalI fragments of 2.8, 4.1, 4.5, and 5.8 kb was isolated, and DNA sequencing revealed that it contains a nitrate assimilation (nas) gene region, including the hcp gene coding for a hybrid cluster protein (HCP). Expression of hcp is probably regulated by a nitrite-sensitive repressor encoded by the adjacent nsrR gene. A His(6)-HCP was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified. HCP contained about 6 iron and 4 labile sulfide atoms per molecule, in agreement with the presence of both [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-2S-2O] clusters, and showed hydroxylamine reductase activity, forming ammonia in vitro with methyl viologen as reductant. The apparent K(m) values for NH(2)OH and methyl viologen were 1 mM and 7 microM, respectively, at the pH and temperature optima (9.3 and 40 degrees C). The activity was oxygen-sensitive and was inhibited by sulfide and iron reagents. R. capsulatus E1F1 grew phototrophically, but not heterotrophically, with 1 mM NH(2)OH as nitrogen source, and up to 10 mM NH(2)OH was taken up by anaerobic resting cells. Ammonium was transiently accumulated in the media, and its assimilation was prevented by L-methionine-D,L-sulfoximine, a glutamine synthetase inhibitor. In addition, hydroxylamine- or nitrite-grown cells showed the higher hydroxylamine reductase activities. However, R. capsulatus B10S, a strain lacking the whole hcp-nas region, did not grow with 1 mM NH(2)OH. Also, E. coli cells overproducing HCP tolerate hydroxyl-amine better during anaerobic growth. These results suggest that HCP is involved in assimilation of NH(2)OH, a toxic product that could be formed during nitrate assimilation, probably in the nitrite reduction step.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Ammonium transporter C of Dictyostelium discoideum is required for correct prestalk gene expression and for regulating the choice between slug migration and culmination.

Ammonium transporter C (AmtC) is one of three transporters in Dictyostelium that have been proposed to regulate entry and exit of ammonia in a cell type dependent manner and to mediate ammonia signaling. Previous work demonstrated that disruption of the amtC gene results in a slugger phenotype in which the cells remain as migrating slugs when they should form fruiting bodies. More detailed studies on the null strain revealed that differentiation of prestalk cell types was delayed and maintenance of prestalk cell gene expression was defective. There was little or no expression of ecmB, a marker for the initiation of culmination. Normal expression of CudA, a nuclear protein required for culmination, was absent in the anterior prestalk zone. The absence of CudA within the tip region was attributable to the lack of nuclear localization of the transcription factor STATa, despite expression of adenylyl cyclase A mRNA in the slug tips. Disruption of the histidine kinase gene dhkC in the amtC null strain restored STATa and CudA expression and the ability to culminate. The results suggest that the lack of nuclear translocation of STATa results from low cAMP due to a misregulated and overactive DhkC phosphorelay in the amtC null strain.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Regulative influence of o-aminobenzoic acid on the biosynthesis of nourseothricin in cultures of Streptomyces noursei JA 3890b. IV. Bistability of metabolism and the mechanism of action of aminobenzoic acids.

Using the semi-continuous cultivation technique we could establish that specifically in Streptomyces noursei JA 3890b during growth on a medium supplied with D,L-alanine, NH4+, and maize starch there are two different phenotypes of the organism and stationary states of metabolism, respectively. The expression of either the metabolic state I with an enhanced capacity to oxidative deamination of alanine via the NAD+-dependent alanaine dehydrogenase or the metabolic state 2 which may be characterized by the preferred use of ammonium ions via the NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase was shown to depend strongly on the conditions of inoculum cultivation. When the amino acid permeases were derepressed by cultivating the inoculum cells on amino acid media, probably due to the defective mechanism of negative feedback control of amino acid influx in this strain an abnormously high uptake of alanine was observed that, consequently, was correlated to the enhanced oxidation of this amino acid as well as to the intensive production of ammonia within the cell. This overproduction of cellular NH4+ seems to bring about the subsequent repression of biosynthetic glutamate dehydrogenase and so on the accumulation of ammonia autocatalytically may rise up (metabolic state I). On the other hand, if the influx of alanine was kept low and the NADH oxidation was less efficient, respectively, or when there was high cellular activity of glutamate dehydrogenase the level of ammonia never did exceed the respressory limit and, accordingly, the expression of the metabolic state 2 was observed. Switching-over of metabolic flux from the state 2 towards the state 1 can be brought about either by increasing the level of nitrogen sources in the medium or by adding buffers pH greater than 7.5. In contrast, decrease of cellular level of NH4+ was shown to induce the transition of metabolic state 1 into the state 2. This can be achieved not only by limitation of nitrogen source but also by adding different aminobenzoic acids and, alternatively, effectors of membrane function (short-chain alcohols), inhibitors of cytochrome oxidases (sodium azide, potassium cyanide), heavy metal (Fe++)-chelating agents (catechol, 2,5'-dipyridyl, o-phenanthroline), beta-alanine, and buffers pH less than 7. This suggests that these effectors are capable of preventing the abnormously high influx of amino acids as well as its wasteful catabolism within the cell of S. noursei JA 3890b. Therefore, it seems likely that by this way the aminobenzoic acids and similar effectors can diminish the catabolite repression or inhibition of secondary metabolism by cellular excess of some nitrogen compounds in good agreement with its well-known stimulatory action on the biosynthesis of the antibiotic nourseothricin in this strain.

Alanine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perfusion of medium with supplemented growth factors changes metabolic activities and cell morphology of hepatocyte-nonparenchymal cell coculture.

To develop a feasible perfusion-type bioartificial liver device, perfusion of hepatocyte-nonparenchymal cell (NPC) cocultures with medium supplemented with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) was carried out. On day 1 of culture, perfusion at a constant shear stress of 1.3 dyn/cm2 enhanced ammonia metabolic and urea synthetic activities of hepatocytes. These enhanced activities were sustained up to day 7 only when growth factors were present. In contrast, no beneficial effects of growth factors on these activities were observed in static cultures. In perfusion cultures, three-dimensional cell aggregates were formed. On the surface of these aggregates, flattened cell layers composed mainly of NPCs were found, and the central cluster of cell aggregates was composed of round-shaped hepatocytes and reticulin fibrils. These observations strongly suggested that the reconstruction of different types of liver cells and connective tissues formed tissue-mimicking cell aggregates in the perfusion culture that was able to modulate the liver-specific functions of hepatocytes. Thus, perfusion culture conditions of the hepatocyte--NPC coculture system should be appropriately designed to induce suitable reconstruction of the cultured cells for use as a bioartificial liver device.

Albumins↗
PubMed2003

Using ammonium-tolerant yeast isolates: Candida halophila and Rhodotorula glutinis to treat high strength fermentative wastewater.

Two ammonium-tolerant yeast strains were isolated from sludge samples contaminated with monosodium glutamate manufacturing wastewater and were identified as Candida haplophila and Rhodotorula glutinis. The tolerance of the two yeast isolates to ammonia and their chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal perfomances were evaluated under batch and bench-scale conditions. The mixture of the two isolates was found to grow well in an artificial medium containing 25% (NH4)2SO4 and could effectively remove COD from monosodium glutamate wastewater even when the concentrations of NH4+-N and free NH3-N reached as high as 18,977 and 879 mg l(-1) respectively. A fixed-bed yeast reactor, which was initially inoculated with the yeast mixture, permitted a constant COD removal rate of over 80% during a period of near 2-month continuous running even when the influent COD was increased from 8,000 to 25,000 mg l(-1). The effluent was accompanied with suspended solids (SS) of over 4,500 mg l(-1), which was mainly composed of yeast cells and could be considered as a source of animal forage additive. The residual COD of effluents from the yeast reactor could be further reduced to under 500 mg l(-1) by a combination process of activated sludge treatment and coagulation technologies.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2002

Ammonia recovery from high strength agro industry effluents.

The aim of the study was to investigate ammonia recovery from high strength agro industry effluents involving significant amounts of ammonia, by applying magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) precipitation technology. Two types of industrial effluents have been tested in the study. The first plant was an opium alkaloid processing industry and the second one was a baker's yeast industry. High chemical oxygen demand (COD), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and unacceptable dark brown color characterized effluents from both industries. Effluents from the biologically treated opium alkaloid and baker's yeast industries were both applied at the stoichiometric ratio (Mg:NH4:PO4 = 1:1:1) and above the stoichiometric ratio (Mg:NH4:PO4 = 1.1:1:1.1) to MAP precipitation. NH4 removals of 61-80% were achieved at the pH of 9.2 at the stoichiometric ratio, whereas 83% NH4 removal was obtained at the pH of 9.2 above the stoichiometric ratio. Experimental studies performed on both anaerobically and/or aerobically treated baker's yeast and opium alkaloid industry effluents have clearly indicated that MAP precipitation was an appropriate treatment option for NH4 removal or struvite recovery from high ammonia content agro industry effluents. Additional ammonia recovery studies were conducted on ozonated and Fenton's oxidation applied effluents and these have also indicated that the amounts of struvite and the quality of MAP precipitate was increased significantly. In this framework, MAP sludge recovered from combined biological and Fenton's oxidation treatment effluents were considered as a more valuable slow release fertilizer for agricultural use.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Changes in some nitrogenous compounds in the blood and tissues of freshwater pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) during salinity acclimation.

The effect of ambient salinity changes (0.9, 6 and 12 psu) on the levels of dissolved ammonia (DA), ninhydrin positive substances (NPS), trimethylamine (TMA) and trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) in the blood and tissue of medium-acclimated Sander lucioperca L. (also Stizostedion lucioperca) were investigated. In freshwater, blood and tissue total free amino acid levels (measured as NPS) were 3.62 mM and 60.61 mM, respectively. The NPS content increased significantly (P<0.05) in the tissue and blood on acclimation to 6 and 12 psu salinities. The mass-specific tissue TMAO concentration of pikeperch acclimated to normal freshwater was 0.413+/-0.084 micromol TMAO g(-1). Results reveal that TMAO levels are positively influenced by the external salinity medium where significant differences in mean levels occurred between the groups (P<0.05). The calculated p[NH(3)] and [NH(4)(+)] gradients reveal that the [NH(3)] gradient was consistently low (cf. the [NH(4)(+)] gradient). The gradient of p[NH(3)] decreased with the medium increased salinities. The results suggest that freshwater pikeperch may be able to resist salinity changes by manipulation of nitrogen metabolism. Free amino acids and TMAO are involved in mediating response to salinity exposure in freshwater pikeperch.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Controlled struvite crystallisation for removing phosphorus from anaerobic digester sidestreams.

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal wastewater treatment plants that use anaerobic digesters for sludge treatment, have high phosphorus concentrations in the sidestreams from their sludge dewatering equipment. To remove phosphorus from such sidestreams controlled struvite crystallisation can be used. Struvite (or MAP) is a naturally occurring crystal of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate. We present operational results obtained with a continuously operated pilot-scale MAP reactor. The pilot-scale reactor (143 l) was an air agitated column reactor with a reaction and a settling zone, based on the Phosnix process of Unitika Ltd., Japan. The influent to the MAP reactor was centrate from the centrifuge that dewaters anaerobically digested sludge at the Oxley Creek wastewater treatment plant in Brisbane. We used a 60% magnesium hydroxide slurry to add the required magnesium to the process and to obtain the alkaline pH value required. The pilot-scale MAP process achieved an ortho-P removal ratio of 94% from an average influent ortho-P concentration of 61 mg/l. The reactor was operated at a pH of around 8.5. Insufficient dosing of magnesium reduced the P removal performance. There was no influence of the hydraulic residence time on the process in the range of 1-8 h. The dry MAP product had cadmium, lead and mercury concentrations well below the legal limits for fertilisers in Queensland, Australia and can be reused as a valuable slow-release fertiliser.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2006

On the effects of Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat and wheat chaff on nutrient utilisation and turnover of deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in vitro (Rusitec).

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat and wheat chaff (mycotoxin diet) on nutrient degradability and the metabolism of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) using the rumen simulations technique (Rusitec). A 6 day application period with control wheat and wheat chaff (control diet) was followed by an 8 day sampling phase. During this time three fermenters received the mycotoxin diet (64.9 mg DON/kg dry matter (DM) and 500 microg ZON/kg DM) and the remaining fermenters served as the controls (1.0mg DON/kg DM and 6 microg ZON/kg DM). Feed residues of the bags and samples of the effluent liquids were pooled per fermenter during the last 8 days of the experiment. Additionally, effluents of the mycotoxin fermenters were taken 6, 12 and 24h after the morning feeding on the first day of the sampling phase. The degradation of organic matter (OM; P<0.05), neutral detergent fibre (NDF; P<0.01) and protein (P<0.001) were increased by administration the Fusarium contaminated diet which was accompanied by an increased ammonia concentration (P<0.01) and increased butyrate (P<0.01), isobutyrate (P<0.01) and isovalerate (P<0.05) values of the mycotoxin effluents in relation to the controls. High proportions of ingested DON of 90% (85-93%) and ingested ZON of 93% (80-104%) were recovered at the pooled feed residues and effluents in form of DON and de-epoxy DON, and ZON and alpha-ZOL after administering the Fusarium toxin contaminated feed. While adsorption of DON as DON and de-epoxy DON in the feed particles was only minor (5%), a higher amount of 38% of ingested ZON was recovered as ZON and alpha-ZOL at the feed residues. The total recovery of DON plus de-epoxy DON in effluents as a percentage of DON intake reached 8%, 9% and 22% of ingested DON at 6, 12 and 24h after application of the contaminated diet the first time, whereby the recovery of de-epoxy DON as percentage of DON intake was only 5% at 24h. Concentrations of ZON and metabolites were lower than detection limits in the time dependent effluent samples.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2006

Performance of a stratified sand filter in removal of chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and ammonia nitrogen from high-strength wastewaters.

A stratified sand filter column, operated in recirculation mode and treating synthetic effluent resembling high-strength dairy wastewaters was studied over a 342-d duration. The aim of this paper was to examine the organic, total suspended solids (TSS) and nutrient removal rates of the sand filter, operated in recirculation mode, under incrementally increasing hydraulic and organic loading rates and to propose a field filter-sizing criterion. Best performance was obtained at a system hydraulic loading rate of 10 L m(-2) d(-1); a higher system hydraulic loading rate (of 13.4 L m(-2) d(-1)) caused surface ponding. The system hydraulic loading rate of 10 L m(-2) d(-1) gave a filter chemical oxygen demand (COD), TSS, and total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) loading rate of 14, 3.7, and 2.1 g m(-2) d(-1), respectively, and produced consistent COD and TSS removals of greater than 99%, and an effluent NO(3)-N concentration of 42 mg L(-1) (accounting for an 86% reduction in total nitrogen (Tot-N)). As the proportional surface area requirement for the sand filter described in this study is less than the recommended surface area requirement of a free-water surface (FWS) wetland treating an effluent of similar quality, it could provide an economic and sustainable alternative to conventional wetland treatment.

Dairying↗
PubMed2005

Impact of animal waste application on runoff water quality in field experimental plots.

Animal waste from dairy and poultry operations is an economical and commonly used fertilizer in the state of Louisiana. The application of animal waste to pasture lands not only is a source of fertilizer, but also allows for a convenient method of waste disposal. The disposal of animal wastes on land is a potential nonpoint source of water degradation. Water degradation and human health is a major concern when considering the disposal of large quantities of animal waste. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of animal waste application on biological (fecal coliform, Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli) and physical/chemical (temperature, pH, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, phosphate, copper, zinc, and sulfate) characteristics of runoff water in experimental plots. The effects of the application of animal waste have been evaluated by utilizing experimental plots and simulated rainfall events. Samples of runoff water were collected and analyzed for fecal coliforms. Fecal coliforms isolated from these samples were identified to the species level. Chemical analysis was performed following standard test protocols. An analysis of temperature, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, iron, copper, phosphate, potassium, sulfate, zinc and bacterial levels was performed following standard test protocols as presented in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater [1]. In the experimental plots, less time was required in the tilled broiler litter plots for the measured chemicals to decrease below the initial pre-treatment levels. A decrease of over 50% was noted between the first and second rainfall events for sulfate levels. This decrease was seen after only four simulated rainfall events in tilled broiler litter plots whereas broiler litter plots required eight simulated rainfall events to show this same type of reduction. A reverse trend was seen in the broiler litter plots and the tilled broiler plots for potassium. Bacteria numbers present after the simulated rainfall events were above 200/100 ml of sample water. It can be concluded that: 1) non-point source pollution has a significant effect on bacterial and nutrients levels in runoff water and in water resources; 2) land application of animal waste for soil fertilization makes a significant contribution to water pollution; 3) the use of tilling can significantly reduce the amount of nutrients available in runoff water.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Tests for the evaluation of ammonium attenuation in MSW landfill leachate by adsorption into bentonite in a landfill liner.

Uncontrolled leachate emissions are one of the key factors in the environmental impact of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The concentration of ammonium, given the anaerobic conditions in traditional landfills, can remain significantly high for a very long period of time, as degradation does not take place and volatilisation is not significant (the pH is not high enough to considerably shift the equilibrium towards un-ionised ammonia). Recent years have witnessed a continuous enhancement of landfill technology in order to minimize uncontrolled emissions into the environment; bottom lining systems have been improved and more attention has been devoted to the study of the attenuation of the different chemicals in leachate in case of migration through the mineral barrier. Different natural materials have been considered for use as components of landfill liners in the last years and tested in order to evaluate the performance of the different alternatives. Among those materials, bentonite is often used, coupled with other materials in two different ways: in addition to in situ soil or in geocomposite clay liner (GCL). A lab-scale test was carried out in order to further investigate the influence of bentonite on the attenuation of ammonium in leachate passing through a landfill liner. Two different tests were conducted: a standardized batch test with pulverized bentonite and a batch test with compacted bentonite. The latter was proposed in order to better simulate the real conditions in a landfill liner. The two tests produced values for the partition coefficient K(d) higher than the average measured for other natural materials usually utilized as components of landfill liners. Moreover, the two tests showed similar results, thus providing a further validation of the suitability of the standard batch test with pulverized bentonite. A thorough knowledge of attenuation processes of ammonium in landfill liners is the basis for the application of risk analysis models for the evaluation of the failure of bottom liners or their components.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1978

Effects of ammonia and norvaline on lactate metabolism by hepatocytes from starved rats. The use of 14C-labelled lactate in studies of hepatic gluconeogenesis.

1. Hepatocytes from starved rats were incubated with l-lactate and NH(4)Cl or norvaline, and the rates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and of gluconeogenesis were calculated from changes in metabolite concentrations or from radioisotopic data from incubations with labelled lactate or propionate. 2. Gluconeogenesis was stimulated by the addition of 10mm-NH(4)Cl, 5mm-norvaline or 1mm-oleate by 27, 45 and 59% respectively. NH(4)Cl or norvaline also increased lactate uptake. Norvaline inhibited urea synthesis from NH(4)Cl by 85%. 3. The effects of NH(4)Cl and norvaline were not additive. However, NH(4)Cl inhibited and norvaline was without effect on gluconeogenesis from pyruvate, indicating that the two compounds act by different mechanisms. 4. The tricarboxylic acid-cycle flux was increased 80% by lactate, and NH(4)Cl caused a further 25% stimulation. Norvaline had no effect on the tricarboxylic acid-cycle flux. NH(4)Cl and norvaline tripled and doubled, respectively, flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase. 5. Total ATP formation was calculated to range from 470 to 830mumol/h per 100mg of protein, of which the basic metabolic activity accounted for 400-450mumol/h per 100mg of protein. ATP formation does not seem to be rate-limiting for gluconeogenesis. 6. Pyruvate recycling was estimated from the (14)C yield from [1-(14)C]propionate in lactate and glucose to be 10-30% of the flux of phosphoenolpyruvate to glucose. The further addition of NH(4)Cl more than doubled the recycling of pyruvate. 7. [1,4-(14)C]Succinate was rapidly metabolized by hepatocytes. About 20% of the radioactivity was recovered in glucose, indicating that succinate is also metabolized by intact (non-damaged) hepatocytes. 8. It is concluded that the metabolism of lactate by the liver is too complex to allow simple rate measurements with labelled compounds.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗