Correlation between the sorption of dissolved oxygen onto chitosan and its antimicrobial activity against Esherichia coli.

The ability of chitosan to adsorb dissolved oxygen from solution depends on its physical shape and is related to the surface area. Depending on conditions chitosan is capable of adsorbing or releasing oxygen. Chitosan, modificated by the substances possessing antimicrobial activity, such as succinic acid, Pd(II) ions, metallic Pd or Ag, distinctly increases the ability to adsorb the dissolved oxygen. The additional treatment of chitosan with air oxygen or electrochemically produced oxygen also increases the uptake of dissolved oxygen by chitosan. A strong correlation between the amount of oxygen adsorbed onto chitosan and its antimicrobial activity against Esherichia coli has been observed. This finding suggests that one of the sources of antimicrobial activity of chitosan is the ability to sorb dissolved oxygen, along with other well-known factors such as physical state and chemical composition.

Decontamination of solutions containing Cu(II) and ligands tartrate, glycine and quadrol using metallic iron.

Decontamination of solutions containing Cu(II) complexes with tartrate, glycine and quadrol (N,N,N'N'-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine) using metallic iron depends on pH and proceeds best in mildly acidic solutions. Cu(II) is completely removed from all solutions containing the ligands investigated. The degree of ligand removal from solutions considerably differs. Tartrate is relatively rapidly and completely removed from solutions. A complete removal of glycine is prolonged. The removal of quadrol from solutions using metallic iron is negligible. Electrochemical investigations showed that tartrate and glycine have inhibitory influence on anodic dissolution of iron at pH 2 and enhance it at pH 4. Quadrol does not exhibit any significant influence on iron dissolution. Chemical analysis and FT-IR investigations have shown that the content of organic compounds is the greatest in the precipitate formed in solutions containing tartrate, while it is considerably lower in glycine containing solutions. The precipitate formed in quadrol-containing solutions during the treatment with metallic iron contains only negligible amount of organics.

Sorption of Cu(II) complexes with ligands tartrate, glycine and quadrol by chitosan.

The sorption by chitosan in Cu(II) solutions containing tartrate, glycine (amino acetic acid) and quadrol (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine) as ligands has been investigated. The degree of sorbate removal strongly depends on pH. In solutions containing tartrate almost complete sorption of both Cu(II) and tartrate proceeds in mildly acidic and neutral solutions. The sorption of Cu(II) is also complete in alkaline solutions containing glycine; meanwhile a substantial sorption of glycine proceeds at pH approximately 6. The Cu(II) sorption in solutions containing quadrol is insignificant. Any sorption of quadrol does not proceed in the whole range of pH investigated. The investigations under equilibrium conditions showed that the Cu(II) sorption from tartrate containing solutions obeys Freundlich equation and in solutions containing glycine and quadrol it fits Langmuir equation. Supposedly, Cu(II) sorption onto chitosan proceeds with formation of amino complexes onto the surface of chitosan; the sorption of tartrate proceeds as electrostatic as well as with formation of amide bonds. Applying of electrolysis enables a complete removal of sorbed Cu(II) and ligands without changes in physical and chemical properties of chitosan. This is confirmed by sorption ability of regenerated chitosan, measurements of its molecular weight, the deacetylation degree and FT-IR spectra.

Decontamination of solutions containing EDTA using metallic iron.

EDTA removal from solutions using metallic iron was carried out at different values of pH, iron load and concentrations at free access of air and in closed vessels. The EDTA destruction was investigated using chemical and capillary electrophoresis analysis. Fe corrosion was studied voltammetrically and the composition of the precipitate formed was investigated using FT-IR spectroscopy and chemical analysis. The EDTA decomposition is remarkably enhanced by the addition of Cu(II) to the EDTA solutions and access of air. The precipitation of the derivatives of insoluble Fe with EDTA or its decomposition products proceeds along with the destruction of EDTA. In closed systems the main EDTA removal reaction is precipitation with iron ions.

Removal of free and complexed heavy-metal ions by sorbents produced from fly (Musca domestica) larva shells.

Fly larva shells (FLS) are formed as a side product in the biological treatment of organic wastes, and chitin and chitosan produced from the FLS have been used as sorbents for heavy-metal ions. Sorbents are characterised by FT-IR measurements and pH-potentiometric titration and by determination of their surface area, and the content of main elements (C, N, P, S) and ashes. Free metal ions are sorbed best (up to 0.5-0.8 mmol g(-1)) onto chitin and chitosan. The sorption ability for free metal ions of chitin decreases in the order Fe(III) > Cu(II) (Pb(II) > Zn(II). > Ni(II) > Mn(II) and that of chitosan decreases in the order Cu(II) > Mn(II) > Ni(II) > Zn(II) > Pb(II) > Fe(III). The complexed metal ions are sorbed by the FLS up to 0.2-0.4mmol g(-1). The sorption ability for metal ions and ligands depends on pH, concentration of complexed metal ions and the ligand species in the solution. Glycine has the retarding effect on the sorption of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions, and EDTA enhances the Cu(II) ion sorption. Ni(II) and glycine sorption obeyed the Langmuir isotherm. The observed sorption data show the promising potentialities of the FLS for the heavy-metal removal from the solutions, containing strong complexing agents. Mechanisms for the removal of free and complexed metal ions by chitin, chitosan and the FLS have been discussed.