Morphological, Electrical, and Chemical Characteristics of Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) Coated PVDF Ultrafiltration Membranes after Plasma Treatment.

A commercial ultrafiltration (UF) membrane (HFM-183 de Koch Membrane Systems) made of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), was recovered with a negatively-charged polyelectrolyte (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)) (PSS), and the effects on its electric, chemical, and morphological properties were analyzed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), liquid-liquid displacement porometry, Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the modifications induced by the deposition of PSS on the PVDF positively-charged membrane and after its treatment by a radio frequency Ar-plasma. These techniques confirmed a real deposition and posterior compaction of PSS with increasing roughness and decreasing pore sizes. The evolution of the electric resistances of the membranes confirmed crosslinking and compaction with shielding of the sulfonated groups from PSS. In this way, a membrane with a negatively-charged active layer and a pore size which was 60% lower than the original membrane was obtained. The composition of the additive used by manufacturers to modify PVDF to make it positively charged was obtained by different procedures, all of which depended upon the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, leading to fairly consistent results. This polymer, carrying positive charges, contains quaternary nitrogen, as confirmed by XPS. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy confirmed that PVDF changes from mostly the to the α phase, which is more stable as a substrate for the deposited PSS. The aim of the tested modifications was to increase the retention of divalent anions without reducing permeability.

Influence of pulsed magnetic fields on the morphology of bone cells in early stages of growth.

The effect of electromagnetic fields on living systems has been studied both in vivo and in vitro in a wide range of organisms, cells and tissues. However, the mechanism of action of electromagnetic fields is not yet clearly defined. This paper presents the results of applying a pulsed magnetic field of 70ms width, intensity of 0.65mT at 4Hz in human osteoblasts, during 45min. The magnetic field application was conducted on crops of both 24 and 48h of proliferation. The effect of applying magnetic fields was assessed using parameters such as cell density, protein content, distribution of F-actin fibrils and ß-tubulin and integrity of nuclear structure. The results indicate no alteration in either protein synthesis or nuclear structure, or in the number of cells. However, we observed that exposure to these fields induces changes in the distribution of cytoskeletal proteins of osteoblasts.

Cr(VI) reduction in a chromate-resistant strain of Candida maltosa isolated from the leather industry.

A Cr(VI)-resistant yeast was isolated from tanning liquors from a leather factory in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. Based on morphological and physiological analyses and the D1/D2 domain sequence of the 26S rDNA, the yeast was identified as Candida maltosa. Resistance of the strain to high Cr(VI) concentrations and its ability to chemically reduce chromium was studied. When compared to the three laboratory yeasts Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Yarrowia lipolytica, the C. maltosa strain was found to tolerate chromate concentrations as high as 100 micro g/ml. In addition to this phenotypic trait, the C. maltosa strain showed ability to reduce Cr(VI). Chromate reduction occurred both in intact cells (grown in culture medium or in soil containing chromate) as well as in cell-free extracts. NADH-dependent chromate reductase activity was found associated with soluble protein and, to a lesser extent, with the membrane fraction.