Bioleaching of realgar nanoparticles using the extremophilic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans DLC-5

BACKGROUND: This paper presents micro- and nano-fabrication techniques for leachable realgar using the extremophilic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) DLC-5. RESULTS: Realgar nanoparticles of size ranging from 120 nm to 200 nm were successfully prepared using the highenergy ball mill instrument. A. ferrooxidans DLC-5 was then used to bioleach the particles. The arsenic concentration in the bioleaching system was found to be increased significantly when compared with that in the sterile control. Furthermore, in the comparison with the bioleaching of raw realgar, nanoparticles could achieve the same effect with only one fifth of the consumption. CONCLUSION: Emphasis was placed on improving the dissolvability of arsenic because of the great potential of leachable realgar drug delivery in both laboratory and industrial settings

Properties of realgar bioleaching using an extremely acidophilic bacterium and its antitumor mechanism as an anticancer agent

Realgar is a naturally occurring arsenic sulfide (or Xionghuang, in Chinese). It contains over 90% tetra-arsenic tetrasulfide (As4S4). Currently, realgar has been confirmed the antitumor activities, both in vitro and in vivo, of realgar extracted using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans). Bioleaching, a new technology to greatly improve the use rate of arsenic extraction from realgar using bacteria, is a novel methodology that addressed a limitation of the traditional method for realgar preparation. The present systematic review reports on the research progress in realgar bioleaching and its antitumor mechanism as an anticancer agent. A total of 93 research articles that report on the biological activity of extracts from realgar using bacteria and its preparation were presented in this review. The realgar bioleaching solution (RBS) works by inducing apoptosis when it is used to treat tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. When it is used to treat animal model organisms in vivo, such as mice and Caenorhabditis elegans, tumor tissues grew more slowly, with mass necrosis. Meanwhile, the agent also showed obvious inhibition of tumor cell growth. Bioleaching technology greatly improves the utilization of realgar and is a novel methodology to improve the traditional method.

Treatment of waste gas containing low concentration of dimethyl sulphide in a high performance biotrickling filter.

A bench-scale biotrickling filter was operated in the laboratory for the treatment of dimethyl sulphide (DMS). The biotrickling filter was packed with pre-sterilized polyurethane foam and seeded with biomass developed from garden soil enriched with DMS. The biotrickling filter was operated for the generation of process parameters. The biotrickling filter could remove an average removal efficiency of 40.95 % at an effective bed contact time of 84 sec with an average loading rate of 0.56 mg/m3/h. Evaluation of microbiological status of the biotrickling filter indicated the presence of other bacterial cultures viz. Paenibacillus polymyxa, and Bacillus megaterium, besides Bacillus sphaericus.

Inorganic particle analysis of dental impression elastomers

The aim of this study was to determine quantitatively and qualitatively the inorganic particle fraction of commercially available dental elastomers. The inorganic volumetric fraction of two addition silicones (Reprosil Putty/Fluid and Flexitime Easy Putty/Fluid), three condensation silicones (Clonage Putty/Fluid, Optosil Confort/Xantopren VL and Silon APS Putty/Fluid), one polyether (Impregum Soft Light Body) and one polysulfide (Permlastic Light Body) was accessed by weighing a previously determined mass of each material in water before and after burning samples at 600ºC, during 3 h. Unsettled material samples were soaked in acetone and chloroform for removal of tthe organic portion. The remaining filler particles were sputter-coated with gold evaluation of their morphology and size, under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flexitime Easy Putty was the material with the highest results for volumetric particle fraction, while Impregum Soft had the lowest values. Silon 2 APS Fluid presented the lowest mean filler size values, while Clonage Putty had the highest values. SEM micrographs of the inorganic particles showed several morphologies - lathe-cut, spherical, spherical-like, sticks, and sticks mixed to lathe-cut powder. The results of this study revealed differences in particle characteristics among the elastometic materials that could lead to different results when testing mechanical properties.

O objetivo desse estudo foi determinar quantitativamente e qualitativamente a fração de partículas inorgânicas de elastômeros dentais disponíveis comercialmente. A fração volumétrica de dois silicones por adição (Reprosil Denso/Fluído e Flexitime Denso/Fluído), três silicones por condensação (Clonage Denso/Fluído, Optosil/Xantopren, e Silon 2 APS Denso/Fluído), um poliéter (Impregum Soft Light) e um polissulfeto (Permlastic Light Body) foi determinada pela pesagem prévia de uma determinada massa de cada material em água antes e após a queima das amostras a 600ºC, por 3 h. Amostras de material não polimerizado foram imersas em acetona e clorofórmio para a remoção da parte orgânica. As partículas de carga remanescentes foram cobertas com uma camada de ouro para avaliação da sua morfologia e tamanho, em microscopia eletrônica de varredura. O material Flexitime Denso foi o material com maior fração volumétrica de partículas de carga, enquanto que o Impregum teve menor fração volumétrica. Silon 2 APS Fluído apresentou partículas de carga de menor tamanho, enquanto que o Clonage Denso apresentou as maiores partículas. A observação em MEV. mostrou partículas de carga com vários tipos de morfologia (esféricas, irregulares, semi-esféricas, retangulares e mistura de retangulares/irregulares). Os resultados desse estudo mostraram diferenças nas partículas de carga dos materiais, as quais podem levar a diferentes resultados em suas propriedades mecânicas.

Studies on the chemical composition of kohl stone by x-ray diffractometer

Use of Kohl [Surma] creates toxicity or protects eye, is one of the most controversial topic of modern medicines. However, modern researches show that kohl forms a thin film on the eye lens thus avoiding the direct contract of harmful UV radiation and glare of sun with lens. Black and shining particles of galena in kohl shield the eyes from glare and reflection of sun and thus protect them from harmful effect of UV radiation emerging from the sun. Based on these findings and other properties of kohl, it was decided to undertake this study to ascertain it's chemical composition and to correlate these properties scientifically. In the present study, kohl stone obtained from Madina [Saudi Arabia] was analyzed to ascertain it's chemical composition. The chemical analysis and X-ray diffractometer results obtained, showed that the main component of kohl stone is galena [PbS]

Effect of conventional and experimental gingival retraction solutions on the tensile strength and inhibition of polymerization of four types of impression materials

In the present study, two types of tests (tensile strength test and polymerization inhibition test) were performed to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of four impression materials [a polysulfide (Permlastic), a polyether (Impregum), a condensation silicone (Xantopren) and a polyvinylsiloxane (Aquasil) ,3; when polymerized in contact with of one conventional (Hemostop) and two experimental (Vislin and Afrin) gingival retraction solutions. For the tensile strength test, the impression materials were mixed and packed into a steel plate with perforations that had residues of the gingival retraction solutions. After polymerization, the specimens were tested in tensile strength in a universal testing machine. For the polymerization inhibition test, specimens were obtained after taking impressions from a matrix with perforations that contained 1 drop of the gingival retraction solutions. Two independent examiners decided on whether or not impression material remnants remained unpolymerized, indicating interference of the chemical solutions. Based on the analysis of the results of both tests, the following conclusions were reached: 1. The tensile strength of the polysulfide decreased after contact with Hemostop and Afrin. 2. None of the chemical solutions inhibited the polymerization of the polysulfide; 3. The polyether presented lower tensile strength after polymerization in contact with the three gingival retraction agents; 4. The polyether had its polymerization inhibited only by Hemostop; 5. None of the chemical solutions affected the tensile strength of the condensation silicone; 6. Only Hemostop inhibited the polymerization of the condensation silicone; 7. The polyvinylsiloxane specimens polymerized in contact with Hemostop had significantly lower tensile strength; 8. Neither of the chemical solutions (Afrin and Vislin) affected the tensile strength of the polyvinylsiloxane and the condensation silicone; 9. Results of ...

Acetate utilization by sulfate reducing bacteria in an uaff reactor

Industrial development in Egypt, like in many other developing countries in the world, is causing serious environmental problems due to the increasing influence of the disposal of heavy metals and organic wastes in the natural water bodies and on the land. Such pollutants in water, soil and air environments are causing damaging impact on the health of all the living beings. This study was carried out to develop new processes for the treatment of heavy metals and organic wastes, which can be considered as environment friendly, and will cause minimum damage to the environment and human health. The proposed method for the removal of heavy metals and organic matter from the waste stream is based on the use of sulfate reducing bacteria which convert sulfate to sulfide which in turn remove metals as metal sulfide. The sulfate reducing bacteria, SRB, have been used widely for the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters. In this research, it was decided to determine the optimum controlling factors affecting the growth of the SRB utilizing acetate as an organic carbon source in an up flow anaerobic fixed film reactor, UAFFR. A series of continuous flow experiments were carried out to measure the optimum values for these parameters. Substrate, containing acetate as the organic carbon source along with other nutrients such as sulfate, ammonia and phosphates was fed to the experimental units. It was found experimentally that the optimum SRB growth activity occurred with an organic loading rate, OLR, of 6 kg/d/m[3], and the theoretical oxygen demand to sulfate ratio, Th.O.D./SO[4], ranged from 1.5 to 2.0. The optimum hydraulic retention time HRT was found to be equal to or higher than 11 hours. The effect of the reactor's packing material on SRB growth was also studied. Different packing materials with different surface areas were used. It was shown that the SRB growth does not depend on the nature of the packing material of the reactor