Propionic Acid Solutions Research Articles

Insights on physicochemical aspects of chitosan dispersion in aqueous solutions of acetic, glycolic, propionic or lactic acid.

Chitosan is a polysaccharide well-known for its applicability as a biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic material to produce drugs excipients and food coatings. Acidic media are required to disperse chitosan, and aqueous solutions of acetic acid have been typically used for this purpose. However, this acid has several sensory drawbacks. In this study, chitosan was dispersed [0.1 g·(100 mL)-1] in aqueous media containing acetic (AA), glycolic (GA), propionic (PA), or lactic (LA) acid, at 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 mmol·L-1. The increase of acid concentration reduced pH and viscosity of the dispersions, and |ζ potential| of dispersed particles. Conversely, it increased electrical conductivity and density of the dispersions, and hydrodynamic diameter of dispersed particles. At a given concentration, these effects were slightly more pronounced for dispersions formed with GA or LA, compared to AA or PA. FT-IR data suggested more intense attractive interactions of chitosan chains with glycolate and lactate anions, than with acetate and propionate. Chitosan chains interacted more strongly with hydroxylated acids counter-anions than with their non-hydroxylated counterparts, leading to slight quantitative changes of physicochemical properties of these systems. Then, in physicochemical terms, GA, LA or PA are suitable to replace AA when preparing aqueous chitosan dispersions for technological applications.

Understanding the photocatalytic degradation by P25 TiO2 of acetic acid and propionic acid in the pursuit of alkane production

Towards the application of harvesting valuable hydrocarbon products from wastewater and associated fermentation processes, the traditional P25 Degussa TiO2-assisted decarboxylation of simple carboxylic acid substrates - in this case acetic and propionic acids – was re-examined for its alkane production capacity. Avoiding doping or the introduction of other elements into the commercially available TiO2 lattice, we modified other parameters of the reaction not yet explored. Under nitrogen, highly concentrated (50%) and pure (100%) solutions of both acetic acid and propionic acid demonstrated good selectivity for the decarboxylation over any other side reaction or complete mineralization, nearing or exacting a 1:1 hydrocarbon/CO2 ratio in each case. This behaviour proves that the direct reaction of h+ with the acid in either case is the key parameter to favour this selectivity. In the case of acetic acid, methane’s yield was increased significantly by the periodic aeration of the catalyst when exhausted under nitrogen. The modification of solution pH to more physiological and fermentation-compatible levels (pH of 6.0) lead to improve the selectivity and the ethane’ yield in 50% propionic acid degradation and also resulted in virtually no unidentified carbon products. The Photo-Kolbe coupling and dehydration products, meanwhile, were favoured in the less concentrated solutions, suggesting that more dilute solutions may be more promising for deriving longer length hydrocarbons from substrates of smaller size. Mechanistically, these results also implicate that OH° radicals are at the origin of product generation by way of Photo-Kolbe coupling and dehydration. Finally, acetic acid and propionic acid were degraded simultaneously, in which the latter was degraded preferentially or at least initially before the former, along with the appearance of propane as a result of cross-coupling.

Contribution of acidic components to the total acid number (TAN) of bio-oil

Bio-oil or pyrolysis oil — a product of thermochemical decomposition of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions — holds great potential to be a substitute for nonrenewable fossil fuels. However, its high acidity, which is primarily due to the degradation of hemicelluloses, limits its applications. For the evaluation of bio-oil production and treatment, it is essential to accurately measure the acidity of bio-oil. The total acid number (TAN), which is defined as the amount of potassium hydroxide needed to titrate one gram of a sample and has been established as an ASTM method to measure the acidity of petroleum products, has been employed to investigate the acidity of bio-oil. The TAN values of different concentrations of bio-oil components such as standard solutions of acetic acid, propionic acid, vanillic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, hydroxymethylfurfural, and phenol were analyzed according to the ASTM D664 standard method. This method showed the same linear relationship between the TAN values and the molar concentrations of acetic, propionic, and hydroxybenzoic acids. A different linear relationship was found for vanillic acid, due to the presence of multiple functional groups that can contribute to the TAN value. The influence of the titration solvent on the TAN values has been determined by comparing the TAN values and titration curves obtained from the standard method with results from the TAN analysis in aqueous environment and with equilibrium modeling results. Aqueous bio-oil samples with a known amount of acetic acid added were also analyzed. The additional acetic acid in bio-oil samples caused a proportional increase in the TAN values. The results of this research indicate that the TAN value of a sample with acids acting as monoprotic acids in the titration solvent can be converted to the molar concentration of total acids. For a sample containing acids that act as diprotic and polyprotic acids, however, its TAN value cannot be simply converted to the molar concentration of total acids because these acids have a stronger contribution to the TAN values than the contribution of monoprotic acids.

Oral administration of propionic acid during lactation enhances the colonic barrier function

BackgroundPropionic acid is a three-carbon short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that has various effects on colonic functions. Although several studies have shown the effects of propionic acid on intestinal mucosal barrier function, studies of the promotion effect during pre-weaning are rare in the literature as far as we know.MethodsPre-weaning male Sprague-Dawley rats 7 days after birth were given an oral 0.2 mL/10 g of 200 mM propionic acid solution in the propionic acid group or normal saline solution in the control group by gavage twice a day for ten days. The proximal colonic contents were used for extraction and determination of propionic acid by gas chromatographic analysis; the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of colonic tissue was detected by an Ussing chamber; the alterations of ZO-1, Claudin-1, Claudin-8 and Occludin proteins were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry; and The activity of ERK and p38 MAPK was determined by the phosphorylation status of ERK1/2 and p38 with Western blot.ResultsOur results suggested a higher concentration (23.5 ± 1.9 mmol/kg) of propionic acid compared to the physiological concentration (18.1 ± 0.9 mmol/kg) in colonic contents after oral administration increased the value of TER and the expression of ZO-1, Claudin-1, Claudin-8 and Occludin compared to the control group. Furthermore, the expression levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK were increased in propionic acid group.ConclusionsWe concluded that continuous oral administration of propionic acid during lactation may increase its concentration in the proximal colon and promote epithelial barrier function of proximal colon by enhancing the expression of ZO-1, Claudin-8, Claudin-1 and Occludin via increases in the expression of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK.

A Study on Electrolytic Corrosion of Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes when Decomposing Organic Compounds.

Electrolytic corrosion of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes after applying a high positive potential to decompose organic compounds in aqueous solution was studied. Scanning electron microscopy images, Raman spectra, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy revealed that relatively highly boron-doped domains were primarily corroded and relatively low boron-doped domains remained after electrolysis. The corrosion due to electrolysis was observed especially in aqueous solutions of acetic acid or propionic acid, while it was not observed in other organic compounds such as formic acid, glucose, and methanol. Electron spin resonance measurements after electrolysis in the acetic acid solution revealed the generation of methyl radicals on the BDD electrodes. Here, the possible mechanisms for the corrosion are discussed. Dangling bonds may be formed due to abstraction of OH groups from C-OH functional groups by methyl radicals generated on the surface of the BDD electrodes. As a result, the sp3 diamond structure would be converted to the sp2 carbon structure, which can be easily etched. Furthermore, to prevent electrolytic corrosion during electrolysis, both the current density and the pH condition in the aqueous solution were optimized. At low current densities or high pH, the BDD electrodes were stable without electrolytic corrosion even in the acetic acid aqueous solution.

Postharvest Propionic Acid and Hot Water Treatment for the Control of Black Spot Disease in Chinese Ya Pears

Black spot disease caused by <em>Alternaria alternata</em> (Fr.) is one of the main postharvest diseases of Chinese Ya pears and causes serious economic loss during storage. The fungi-toxicity of postharvest propionic acid and hot water treatment at different concentrations and temperatures was investigated in vitro and directly on Ya pears. The <em>in vitro</em> results showed that <em>A. alternata</em> was susceptible to propionic acid solutions at all tested temperatures. The toxicity of propionic acid increased linearly and the LC 99 decreased from 13.43 to 4.31 g/L with an increase in temperature from 20 to 45°C. The results in Ya pears showed that propionic acid and hot water treatment dramatically controlled black spot disease and 99% inhibition was achieved upon treatment with 9 g/L propionic acid solution for 30 min at 45°C. Furthermore, the treatment inhibited the respiration of fruits and did not cause any adverse effects on other quality parameters; however, slight surface injury was noted at 9 g/L. The safety of propionic acid treatment was further confirmed by residue analysis. The results of this study suggest that postharvest propionic acid and hot water treatment is an alternative method for the control of black spot disease in Ya pears.

Efficacy of propionic acid against Listeria monocytogenes attached to poultry skin during refrigerated storage

This work evaluates the effect of propionic acid dip on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on poultry legs stored at 4 °C for 8 days.Fresh inoculated chicken legs were dipped into either 1% or 2% propionic acid solution (v/v) or distilled water (control). Changes in mesophiles, enterobacteriaceae counts and sensorial characteristics (odour, colour and overall appearance) were also evaluated.The shelf life of the samples washed with propionic acid was extended by at least 2 days over the control samples washed with distilled water. Legs washed with 2% propionic acid showed a significant (p < 0.05) inhibitory effect on L. monocytogenes compared to control legs, with a decrease of about 2.72 log units after 3 days of storage. Sensory quality was not adversely affected by propionic acid.This study demostrates that while propionic acid did reduce growth of L. monocytogenes on meat, it did not completely inactivate the pathogen.

카복실산 용액에서 양극산화에 의해 형성된 나노다공성 금 표면상의 전기화학적 글루코오스 산화

세 가지 종류의 카복실산(포름산, 아세트산, 프로피온산) 용액 하에서 양극산화 반응을 통한 나노 다공성 금(nanoporous gold, NPG) 구조의 형성과 NPG 전극 표면 상의 전기화학적 글루코오스 산화반응을 관찰하였다. 세 가지 카복실산 용액 조건 중에서 포름산 용액 조건하의 양극산화를 통해 형성된 NPG 전극에서 글루코오스의 산화 활성이 가장 우수하였다. 포름산 용액 조건하의 양극산화 과정에서 가장 우수한 글루코오스 산화 활성을 얻기 위한 최적 조건은 인가전위 5.0 V와 반응시간 4시간이었다. 카복실산 용액 하에서 형성된 NPG 상의 전기화학적 글루코오스 산화 활성을 염소이온의 부재 및 존재 하 조건에서 관찰하고, 이를 옥살산 용액 하에서 형성된 NPG 상의 거동과 비교 분석하였다. 포름산 용액 하에서 최적 조건으로 형성된 NPG 전극상에서 글루코오스의 전류법 검출 응용을 제시하였다. We investigate the formation of nanoporous gold (NPG) surfaces by anodization in three carboxylic acid (formic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid) solutions and the electrochemical oxidation of glucose at NPG surfaces. Among three carboxylic acids, formic acid provided the most efficient conditions for NPG formation towards glucose oxidation. The optimized conditions during anodization in formic acid for glucose oxidation were 5.0 V of applied potential and 4 hour of reaction time. Electrocatalytic activities for glucose oxidation at NPG surfaces prepared by anodization in carboxylic acids were examined under the absence and presence of chloride ions, which were compared to those observed at NPG prepared in oxalic acid solutions. The application NPG prepared by optimized anodization conditions in formic acid to the amperometric detection of glucose was demonstrated.

Development and validation of quantitative structure-activity relationship models for compounds acting on serotoninergic receptors.

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) study has been made on 20 compounds with serotonin (5-HT) receptor affinity. Thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) data and physicochemical parameters were applied in this study. RP2 TLC 60F254 plates (silanized) impregnated with solutions of propionic acid, ethylbenzene, 4-ethylphenol, and propionamide (used as analogues of the key receptor amino acids) and their mixtures (denoted as S1–S7 biochromatographic models) were used in two developing phases as a model of drug-5-HT receptor interaction. The semiempirical method AM1 (HyperChem v. 7.0 program) and ACD/Labs v. 8.0 program were employed to calculate a set of physicochemical parameters for the investigated compounds. Correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were used to search for the best QSAR equations. The correlations obtained for the compounds studied represent their interactions with the proposed biochromatographic models. The good multivariate relationships (R 2 = 0.78–0.84) obtained by means of regression analysis can be used for predicting the quantitative effect of biological activity of different compounds with 5-HT receptor affinity. “Leave-one-out” (LOO) and “leave-N-out” (LNO) cross-validation methods were used to judge the predictive power of final regression equations.

Growth and Characterization of La2Zr2O7 Buffer Layers Deposited by Chemical Solution Deposition

Abstract The deposition and characterization of La2Zr2O7 thin films deposited by metal-organic decomposition method on both single crystal SrTiO3 and cube textured Ni-5 at.%W substrates are presented. Metal acetylacetonates in propionic acid solution was used. The results showed that LZO films are epitaxially grown with smooth surface with rms roughness around 2 nm. YBa2Cu3O7-δ films, deposited by pulsed laser deposition technique on LZO buffer layers, showed critical temperature of 90 K and critical current density in self magnetic field Jc = 1.6 and 13 MA/cm2 at 77 K and 4.2 K, respectively. A better Jc retention in magnetic field for YBCO films deposited on LZO/STO than YBCO on bare STO is observed indicating a rather strong vortex pinning as confirmed by microwave measurements.

Transition metal ion-assisted photochemical generation of alkyl halides and hydrocarbons from carboxylic acids

Near-UV photolysis of aqueous solutions of propionic acid and aqueous Fe(3+) in the absence of oxygen generates a mixture of hydrocarbons (ethane, ethylene and butane), carbon dioxide, and Fe(2+). The reaction becomes mildly catalytic (about five turnovers) in the presence of oxygen which converts a portion of alkyl radicals to oxidizing intermediates that reoxidize Fe(2+). The photochemistry in the presence of halide ions (X(-) = Cl(-), Br(-)) generates ethyl halides via halogen atom abstraction from FeX(n)(3-n) by ethyl radicals. Near-quantitative yields of C(2)H(5)X are obtained at ≥0.05 M X(-). Competition experiments with Co(NH(3))(5)Br(2+) provided kinetic data for the reaction of ethyl radicals with FeCl(2+) (k = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10(6) M(-1) s(-1)) and with FeBr(2+) (k = (3.0 ± 0.5) × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1)). Photochemical decarboxylation of propionic acid in the presence of Cu(2+) generates ethylene and Cu(+). Longer-chain acids also yield alpha olefins as exclusive products. These reactions become catalytic under constant purge with oxygen which plays a dual role. It reoxidizes Cu(+) to Cu(2+), and removes gaseous olefins to prevent accumulation of Cu(+)(olefin) complexes and depletion of Cu(2+). The results underscore the profound effect that the choice of metal ions, the medium, and reaction conditions exert on the photochemistry of carboxylic acids.

A systematic study of photocatalytic H2 production from propionic acid solution over Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst

SUMMARY The propionic acid (HPr) is one of the main by-products during fermentative H2 process. To efficiently convert HPr to H2 gas, photocatalytic H2 production from HPr solution with the use of Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst under ultraviolet light has been studied in this research. The Pt/TiO2 photocatalyst has been prepared by the sol–gel method and further characterized by X-ray diffraction, TEM and XPS. Effects of Pt loading amount, HPr concentration, initial pH value on photocatalytic H2 production have been investigated in detail. From practical point of view, the H2 evolution from HPr solution under UV irradiation for prolonged time has been studied as well. The Langmuir model can be able to describe the relationship between HPr concentration with the maximum rate of H2 production. The apparent quantum efficiency and apparent energy conversion efficiency are found to 1.65 and 0.72%, respectively. To better understand the photocatalytic H2 process over Pt/TiO2, a possible mechanism for the degradation of HPr has been proposed as well. Based on our results, an efficient route for hydrogen production from renewable biomass can be established by coupling biological H2 production process with photocatalytic H2 production process. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Methane production from rice straw pretreated by a mixture of acetic–propionic acid

Rice straw was treated with a mixed solution of acetic acid and propionic acid to enhance its biodegradability. The effect of acid concentration, pretreatment time, and the ratio of solid to liquid on the delignification performance of rice straw were investigated. It was found that the optimal conditions for hydrolysis were 0.75 mol/L acid concentration, 2 h pretreatment time and 1:20 solid to liquid ratio. Batch methane fermentation of untreated rice straw, pretreated rice straw, and the hydrolysates (the liquid fraction) of pretreatment were conducted at 35 °C for 30 days, and the results indicated that methane production of rice straw can be enhanced by dilute organic acid pretreatment. Moreover, most of the acid in hydrolysates can also be converted into methane gas.

Electric conductivity of concentrated aqueous solutions of propionic acid, sodium propionate and their mixtures

Specific electric conductivity (EC) of concentrated aqueous solutions of propionic acid (PA), sodium propionate (SP), and water/PA/SP mixtures is measured in the temperature range of 15–90°C. Specific EC passes a maximum at the increase in the electrolyte concentration in the mixtures of water/PA, water/SP, and water/PA/SP containing a similar PA concentration. The maximum EC value of the aqueous PA solution at the given temperature is used as the generalizing term. It is shown that the values of reduced EC (ratio of EC and its maximum value at the given temperature) fall on a single curve in the whole studied range of temperatures and concentrations of the water/PA mixture. The EC activation energy is calculated for all the studied solutions. It is found that the EC activation energy of these solutions decreases at the temperature increase and grows at the increase of the concentration of electrolyte.

NMR spectroscopic elucidation of the structure and stereochemistry of tricyclic 3‐styrylpyrazolines

Diastereomeric mixtures of tricyclic 3-styrylpyrazolines have been prepared by the reaction of 3-cynnamylidenechroman-4-ones and their 1-thio analogs with hydrazine in hot acetic acid or propionic acid solutions. The diastereomeric mixtures were separated by column chromatography to obtain the pure diastereomers. The elucidation of their structure and stereochemistry and complete (1)H and (13)C assignments have been performed by a combination of various one- and two-dimensional NMR experiments.

New Method for the Preparation and Stabilization of Nanoparticulate t‐ZrO2 by a Combined Sol–Gel and Solvothermal Process

Nonstabilized and silica‐stabilized zirconia (ZrO2) crystallites with sizes between 3 and 4 nm were synthesized by a novel combined sol–gel and solvothermal process. After adding zirconium n‐propoxide to a solution of isobutanol, propionic acid, and water, a transparent nanoparticulate sol was synthesized by a sol–gel process. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the amorphous ZrO2 nanoparticles was approximately 5 nm. A following solvothermal process led to a crystalline fraction of the powder consisting of 31 wt% tetragonal (t) phase ZrO2. This fraction was doubled to 61 wt% by adding 10 mol% 3‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTS) and increased to 96 wt% by a subsequent calcination at 800°C. The crystallite sizes were also confirmed by means of Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy.

Sintering of gadolinia-doped ceria prepared by mechanochemical synthesis

Gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) ceramics were prepared by mechanochemical synthesis of ceria and gadolinia (10 mol.%) powders with subsequent uniaxial pressing and pressureless sintering. The mechanochemical synthesis was conducted in an attritor with different dispersion media: neutral (distilled water), basic (aqueous solution of ammonia), acidic (aqueous solution of propionic acid), and non-polar medium (xylene with stearic acid). The effect of suspension composition and attritor milling time on the sintering behaviour and ionic conductivity of GDC was studied. An attritor milling time of 3–6 h was evaluated as the optimum milling time from the viewpoint of further sintering behaviour. Longer milling times resulted in nanometre-sized powders, whose sintering behaviour deteriorated due to powder agglomeration. The appearance of agglomerates in the non-polar medium was reduced. The ionic conductivity of the samples was evaluated by impedance spectroscopy and correlated with their microstructure.

Fused heterocycles 11.1 Synthesis of tricyclic fused pyrazolines by the reaction of 3-arylidenechromanones and 3-arylidene-1-thiochromanones with hydrazine

New tricyclic fused pyrazolines 8-21 have been synthesized by the reaction of 3arylidenechromanones 1-4 and 3-arylidene-1-thiochromanones 5-7 with hydrazine in hot acetic acid or propionic acid solution. Structures of all new compounds have been elucidated by microanalyses, Hand C-NMR, IR and mass spectroscopic measurements.

A structure–activity relationship study of compounds with antihistamine activity

A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-antihistamine activity was carried out and chromatographic data of 2-[2-(phenylamino)thiazol-4-yl]ethanamine, 2-(2-benzyl-4-thiazolyl)ethanamine, 2-(2-benzhydrylthiazol4-yl)ethanamine, 2-(1-piperazinyl- and 2-(hexahydro-1H-1,4-diazepin-1-yl)benzothiazole, 2-(1-piperazinyl)benzothiazole, 2-[4-(1-alkyl)piperidinyl]benzothiazole, 2-(N,N',N'-dimethylalkyl-1,2-ethanediamino)benzothiazole, 2[1-(4-aminopiperidinyl)]benzothiazole, 2-[2-phenyl-4-thiazolyl]ethanamine derivatives and selected H(1)- and H(2)-antihistamine drugs were obtained. NP TLC and RP2 TLC plates (silica gel NP 60F(254) and silica gel RP2 60F(254) silanized precoated), impregnated with a solution of aspartic acid (L-Asp) and a solution of an analogue of aspartic acid (propionic acid), were used in two developing solvents as H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-antihistaminic interaction models. The lipophilicity data of the examined compounds were obtained and used in the SAR assay. Biochromatographic tests using TLC plates impregnated with solutions of asparic acid or propionic acid were found to be a source of useful data for the qualitative analysis of compounds with different structures, demonstrating activity to histamine H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-receptors. The four presented discriminant models based on biochromatographic studies are an efficient tool in the SAR analysis for initial prediction of compound activity direction within histamine receptors.

Efficacy of hot water, hypochlorite, organic acids and natamycin in the control of post-harvest fungal infection of chestnuts

SummaryA study was undertaken on the efficacy of hot water treatment (70°, 80° and 90°C for 5 and 10 min), chlorination (100 and 150 mg l–1 available (free) chlorine for 15, 30 and 45 min), organic acids (sorbic and propionic acid solutions at 1, 2 and 3% (w/v) for 1 min) and natamycin (50, 100, 150 and 200 mg l–1 for 1 min) in suppressing fungal growth on harvested chestnuts. After treatment, the nuts were enclosed in plastic bags and incubated at 25° ± 1°C for 20 d. Results were expressed as the proportion (%) of infected chestnuts (infection incidence). Hot water at 70° and 80°C did not control fungal growth. However, treatment at 90°C for 10 min reduced the infection level by 95%. Chlorination with sodium hypochlorite solution reduced the incidence of infection. The best treatments were 150 mg l–1 for 30 and 45 min, which reduced infection by 65% and 68%, respectively. Sorbic and propionic acids were very effective in suppressing fungal growth, even at the lowest concentration applied (1% (w/v) for 1 min), with sorbic acid having greater efficacy that propionic acid. Natamycin was the best treatment, completely controlling fungal infection even at the lowest concentration of 50 mg l–1.