Significant Rise In Concentration Research Articles

Influence of Electrolyte Molarity and Applied Voltage on the Purification of Ferronickel by Electrolysis Method

The current advancements in the automotive industry highlight the critical need for electric vehicles, which require a reliable supply of nickel for battery production. A potential nickel source is Ferronickel's local content, which can be used as a secondary resource. However, research on converting smelted Ferronickel into electrolytic nickel is still limited. This study aims to examine the effects of electrolyte molarity and applied voltage during the electrolysis process for refining Ferronickel. The molarities of HCl employed in this research are 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 M for 2 hours. Additionally, the molarities of HCl are set at 2, 3, and 4 M for 6 hours. Further experiments were performed using varying voltages of 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 V while keeping the solution concentration constant at 1 M and maintaining an electrolysis duration of 2 hours. The electrolysis solution was subsequently analyzed using the AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometry) test. The results indicated that higher molarity levels were associated with increased current, resulting in faster reaction rates and greater solubilization of nickel metal. The Ni concentration rose with higher molarity, increasing from 76.50 mg/L in .25 M HCl to 91.88 mg/L in 1 M HCl. In contrast, the Fe concentration remained nearly constant across various molarity levels, ranging from 11.81 mg/L in .25 M HCl to 11.95 mg/L in 1 M HCl, suggesting a minimal influence of molarity below 1 M. Fe exhibited a strong positive correlation with increasing electrolyte molarity, showing a significant rise in concentration from 49.06 g/L at 2 M to 90.17 g/L at 4 M. Ni showed a more modest response to elevated molarity, with concentrations increasing from 11.95 g/L at 2 M to 22.70 g/L at 4 M. The Ni concentration increased with the applied voltage up to 6 V, reaching 95.57 mg/L, but then decreased to 77.67 mg/L at 8 V, indicating that the optimum voltage is 6 V. The Fe concentration displayed slight fluctuations but remained relatively stable across different voltage levels, measuring 11.81 mg/L at 1 V and 12.28 mg/L at 8 V, indicating that the applied voltage does not significantly influence Fe concentration in the solution.

Performance evaluation of a hybrid sequencing batch reactor under saline and hyper saline conditions

Significant rise in concentration of saline wastewater entering the treatment plants has been resulting in many problems in the biological treatment processes. On the other hand, the specific conditions of physicochemical treatment methods for saline and hyper saline wastewater have limited their application on a large-scale. Over the past few decades, Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process has been widely used as an efficient, well-designed and practical approach for treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity. SBR Performance can enhance by providing simultaneous suspended and attached growth of microorganisms which act as a hybrid growth. In this study, a lab-scale Hybrid Sequencing Batch Reactor (HSBR) with 6.4 l working volume was used to examine the effect of salinity (NaCl), increased from 0 to 6.7% (g NaCl/ L wastewater), on the biological treatment. Therefore, COD, MLSS, MLVSS and SVI parameters have been measured over a period of 7 months of operation. The operational parameters namely pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature were 7.5–8.5, 1.5–6.8 mg /L and 20–25 °C respectively during whole experiment. Influent COD of synthetic wastewater was maintained at 650 ± 25 mg/L. The HSBR Cycle time including, influent feeding, React, Settling and effluent discharge were 1/20/1/1 h respectively. Results indicated that by increasing salt concentration from 0 to 67.7 g NaCl/L, the COD removal efficiency reduced from 94.22 to 53.69%. Moreover, as the NaCl concentration increased, MLSS rose up to 69%, while MLVSS almost stayed constant and SVI dropped by 83%. The results indicated that the simultaneous use of suspended and attached growth of microorganisms and gradual increasing of salt content of wastewater could lead to greater biomass concentration and ultimately improvement in the degradation of organic matter. Besides, settling performance and its velocity were noticeably improved by increasing salinity.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from lake Lille Lungegårdsvannet in Bergen, western Norway; appraising pollution sources from the urban history

This study aims to determine the temporal character and concentration variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) during the last 5400years in urban lake sediments through a combination of dating and chemo-stratigraphical correlation. We investigate the chemical history of the city of Bergen and determine the effect of specific point sources, as well as diffuse sources, and also help assess the risk of remediation plans. By using several organic compounds, metals and cyanide, we demonstrate the more accurate timing of sedimentation.The PAH results display very low concentrations in pre-industrial times, followed by a general increase that is punctuated by a few significant concentration increases. These most probably correspond to urban fires, domestic heating, gaswork activity and most recently due to traffic pollution. At the same depth as a significant rise in concentration from background levels occurred, the high relative occurrence of low-molecular-weight PAH-compounds, such as naphthalene, were replaced by heavier compounds, thus indicating a permanent change in source. The general observation, using ratios, is that the sources have shifted from pre-industrial pure wood and coal combustion towards mixed and petrogenic sources in more recent times.The 14C dating provides evidence that the sedimentation rate stayed more-or-less constant for 4500years (from 7200 to 2700 calibrated years before present (calyr BP)), before isostatic uplift isolated the water body and the sedimentation rate decreased or sediments were eroded. The sediment input increased again when habitation and industrial activities encroached on the lake. The 14C dating does not provide consistent data in that period, possibly due to the fact that the lake has been used as a waste site throughout the history of Bergen city. Therefore, results from 14C dating from anthropogenically influenced sediments should be used with caution.

S81 Primary type II alveolar epithelial cells respond differentially to bacterial virulence factors

Introduction and objectivesThe pathogens most commonly implicated in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Although a florid inflammatory response characteristically occurs in the alveolar space in VAP,...

Antibody Response to Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccines after Nonmyeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

After allogeneic stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning regimens (allo-RIST) patients are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections for a period that may last several years. The efficacy of the recommended vaccination schedules, in terms of induction of a protective antibody response, is unknown. In this study, the reconstitution of humoral immunity after allo-RIST is determined by measuring the vaccination-induced antibody response against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and tetanus toxoid (TT) 1 year posttransplantation. Patients who underwent allo-RIST were vaccinated according to a schedule starting at 12 months following transplantation with conjugated vaccines against S. pneumoniae, Hib, and TT. Of twenty-six patients both pre- and postvaccination sera were available. Patients were required to be off immunosuppression at the time of vaccination, and, therefore, 9 of the 26 patients did not start vaccination at 12 months post-stem cell transplantation but rather at a median range of 15 (12-36 months) posttransplantation. Except for pneumococcal serotype 6B, more than 73% of the patients developed antibody levels >or=0.35 microg/mL for all pneumococcal serotypes included in the vaccine. For Hib and TT, protective antibody levels were found in 77% and 96% of the patients, respectively. Vaccination of patients at a median of 15 months post-allo-RIST leads to significant rise in concentrations of pneumococcal, Hib, and TT antibodies in the majority of patients.

Effect of supplementation of vitamin C and E on oxidative stress in osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis encompasses a wide spectrum of conditions associated with imbalance of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activities. The increased activity of osteoclasts leads to increased free radical formation and hence lipid peroxidation. Present study probes into the role of antioxidants as a palliative treatment for osteoporosis. It involved 50 healthy controls and 75 clinically diagnosed osteoporosis patients. Both the groups underwent baseline assessment of biochemical markers viz. osteoblastic markers: serum Alkaline phosphatase. Free or ionic calcium and Inorganic phosphorus, osteoclastic markers: serum Tartarate resistant acid phosphatase and Malondialdehyde and the antioxidant status: serum Superoxide dismutase and Erythrocyte reduced glutathione. The osteoporotic group was then divided into groups A (Vitamin E-Evinal 400 mg), B (Vitamin C-Celin 500 mg), C (Vitamin E+C-Evinal+Celin) for antioxidant supplementation for a period of 90 days. The results reveal that there is significant fall in concentration of serum MDA (p<0.001), TrACP (p<0.01). Improvement in antioxidant status is reflected by significant rise in concentration of serum SOD (p<0.001) and erythrocyte GSH (p<0.001) after 90 days of antioxidant supplementation in osteoporosis. The findings indicate that on the whole bone status improved with prolonged antioxidant vitamin supplementation, which can be used as a palliative treatment for osteoporosis. The efficacy is not affected whether the vitamins are administered singly or conjointly.

Circulating cytokines and hormones with immunosuppressive but neutrophil-priming potentials rise after endurance exercise in humans.

To investigate the mechanisms of exercise-induced immune perturbations, we measured promising immunomodulatory hormones and cytokines in plasma of 16 male marathon runners before and after a competitive 42.195-km race. Interleukin 1-beta (IL-1beta) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) concentrations remained unchanged after the marathon. The cytokines IL-12, IFN-alpha and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) could not be detected even using highly sensitive specific immunoassays, indicating at least that overshooting responses of these cytokines had not occurred after exercise. As mechanisms for the small changes in these cytokines, we demonstrated for the first time a significant rise in concentrations of inhibitory cytokine IL-10 in addition to the immunosuppressive hormone cortisol, although concentrations of IL-4 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) were unaffected by the race. Furthermore, concentrations of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and IL-6, which are negative-feedback inhibitors of cytokine production, increased by more than 100 times. As for humoral mediators of neutrophil mobilization, concentrations of growth hormone (GH), cortisol and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) increased significantly. In addition, concentrations of neutrophil-priming substances (IL-6, IL-8, G-CSF, GH and prolactin) also increased significantly and the induction of IL-8 and G-CSF with exercise was demonstrated for the first time in the present study. In contrast, IL-2 concentration decreased, by 32%, and this was correlated with the induction of nitric oxide (NO) production. Muscle damage, monitored using changes in concentrations of creatine kinase and myoglobin, was also observed. These results suggested that exercise-induced pathogenesis including previously reported immunosuppression and neutrophil hyper-reactivity might be attributed, at least partly, to the systemic dynamics of the above bioactive substances.

A quantitative study of the pregnancy zone protein in sera of women taking oral contraceptives

By means of a single radial immunodiffusion the concentration of “the pregnancy zone protein” (PZ) was measured in sera from women taking oral contraceptive drugs. Women taking only 0.3 mg. of norethisterone were found not to induce measurable amounts of PZ, whereas women taking combined contraceptive drugs showed a significant rise in concentration of PZ. After six months' treatment, 1 mg. of norethisterone and 0.1 mg. of meastranol daily were found to give an average concentration of PZ amounting to 59 mg. per 100 ml., that is, approximately half of the concentration of PZ in sera from women during the last trimester of pregnancy. Different combined contraceptive pills gave rise to different concentrations of PZ.

Quantitative histochemical distribution of free and bound pantothenate in the rat adrenal and the response to ACTH.

A microbiological assay with Lactobacillus arabinosis, previously developed, was used to study the quantitative histological distribution of free and bound (mainly coenzyme A) pantothenate in the rat adrenal. Concentrations were expressed as pantothenic acid per unit protein-nitrogen. Less than 20% of the total pantothenate in microtome sections of the cortex was found to be free, and this smaller fraction was rather uniformly distributed among the cortical zones but it occurred in higher concentration in medulla. ACTH treatment of the rats (25 mg./kg. injected subcutaneously 3 hours before sacrifice) reduced the concentration of free pantothenate in all zones to about the same degree. Bound pantothenate was evenly distributed throughout the gland, and the ACTH treatment elicited a significant rise in concentration only in fasciculata. This elevation was greater than the fall in concentration of free pantothenate, indicating a mobilization of Co A in this zone in addition to direct synthesis from the free...

Effect of growth hormone on plasma unesterified fatty acid levels of pypophysectomized rats.

SummaryInjection of growth hormone into hypophysectomized rats causes a significant rise in concentration of plasma unesterified fatty acids after an 8 hour interval. This rise in unesterified fatty acids is not associated with a concomitant rise in esterified fatty acid. Injection of inactivated growth hormone does not cause an increase in plasma unesterified fatty acid levels. It is postulated that this rise in unesterified fatty acids may provide an important source of energy for the known protein anabolic effect of growth hormone.