Academic literature on the topic 'Oxidisation'

Abstract The article presents the results of studies concerning the impact of the method of Fe(II) ion oxidisation (dissolved oxygen and potassium manganate (VII)) on the effectiveness of coagulation in the removal of iron and manganese from groundwater with an increased content of organic substances. The efficiencies of two coagulants were compared: aluminium sulphate (VI) and polyaluminium chloride (Flokor 1.2A). Among the used methods of iron (II) oxidisation, the best effects have been achieved by potassium manganate (VII) because one of the oxidation products was manganese oxide (IV) precipitating from water. Better results in purifying the water were obtained with the use of a prehydrolysed coagulant Flokor 1.2 A than aluminium sulphate (VI).

The article presents the results of studies concerning the impact of the method of Fe(II) ion oxidisation on the effectiveness of coagulation in the removal of pollutants from underground water with an increased content of organic substances (TOC up to 5.338mgC/dm3). In order to oxidise the Fe (II) ions before the coagulation process, the underground water was subjected to aeration, or either potassium manganate (VII) or hydrogen peroxide were dosed in the stoichiometric amount in view of the concentration of Fe (II). The efficiencies of three coagulants were compared: that of aluminium sulphate (VI), polyaluminium chloride (PAX XL-60) and iron (III) sulphate (VI) – PIX-112. Coagulant doses expressed in mgal/dm3 or mgfe/dm3 and changed within the range of 1 to 6 mgal(Fe)/dm3. Volume coagulation was performed in 1-dm3 groundwater samples using 1-minute rapid mix (250 rpm) and 25-minute slow mix (30 rpm) followed by 2-hour sedimentation. It has been proven that the type of oxidising agent and coagulant, as well as their dose, co-determines the effectiveness of the removal of the pollutants. Among the used methods of iron (II) oxidisation, the best effects have been achieved by potassium manganate (VII) with regards to the effects of the reduction of colour, turbidity, concentration of manganese and organic substances, and with regards to the extent of total iron removal, oxidisation with dissolved oxygen was the most effective solution. Hydrogen peroxide was the least useful oxidising agent. Regardless of the oxidising agent the best results in the removal of pollutants in the coagulation process were produced by the coagulant: pre-hydrolysed polyaluminium chloride PAX XL-60, and the worst by the iron coagulant: iron (III) sulphate (VI). Analysis of the results of the studies also showed that the effectiveness of pollutant removal from the underground water in the coagulation process was decreased together with an increase in the value of the TOC/Fetot only in the case of water samples which, after aeration, differed in terms of the coefficient of organic substances and total iron (D). Such a relationship was not found when potassium manganate (VII) and hydrogen peroxide were used for oxidisation before the coagulation process.

Alternative materials that can potentially replace Au and Ag in plasmonics and broaden its application potential have been actively investigated over the last decade. Cu and Al have been usually overlooked as plasmonic material candidates because they are prone to oxidisation. In this work the plasmonic performance of Cu and Al is investigated using numerical simulations of different nanostructures (spheres, cubes, rods and particle dimers) and taking into account the presence of oxidisation. It is shown that geometry can play a dominant role over material properties and the performance of Cu and Al becomes comparable to that of Ag and Au for systems of non-spherical particles and strong electromagnetic coupling among particles. This observation is experimentally confirmed by the fabrication and characterisation of Cu and Al metal island films. Optical characterisation of the samples reveals a comparable performance of these metals to that obtained for Ag and Au and suggests that Cu and Al metal island films can offer an efficient low-cost platform for solar energy harvesting, as shown in water vapour generation proof of concept experiments.

The furnace gas resulting from the electrothermal production of yellow phosphorus contains up to 95% CO, 2% O2, 2% H2, and 0.3–4.0% impurities, including phosphine (PH3), yellow phosphorus (P4), and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which are characterized by flammability, explosion hazardousness, corrosiveness, and high toxicity. The presence of toxic impurities does not allow the use of waste gases from phosphorus production, which are mainly composed of valuable carbon monoxide, as chemical raw materials and/or process fuel. The authors propose a method for the purification of furnace gas from the main toxic component, phosphine, by its oxidisation using aqueous copper–ammonia complexes as a catalyst. This approach allows the cleaning process to be conducted under mild conditions. The degree of purification of the model furnace gas from P components is 90–99%, depending on the process conditions.

An ultra- thin Ti film with a thickness of less than 30 nm was deposited on the surface of a silicon wafer by the filtered arc deposition system. A novel technique was adopted to create a height step between the coated area and non-coated area (silicon wafer) during deposition. The surface morphology and thickness of the film was detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM results showed that the deposited film formed a smooth structure on the silicon wafer and the height step between the coating and silicon wafer was clear enough to give the thickness of the deposited film. The composition of the deposited film was detected by a combined use of Ellipsometry and AFM. Natural oxidisation of Ti (TiO2) was found on the top of the Ti film after deposition, and the thickness of TiO2 was determined by ellipsometry to be about 0.6 nm.

A novel diamond transparent electrode is constructed by integrating conductive diamond film and transparent conducting metal oxide to combine the superior electrochemical properties of diamond and the electrical conductivity of transparent metal oxide (TCO). Direct growth of diamond on indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) was explored, but X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement reveals that both substrates cannot survive from the aggressive environment of diamond growth even if the latter is regarded as one of the most stable TCO. As a second route, a diamond membrane in silicon frame was prepared by selective chemical etching, and a diamond optically transparent electrode (OTE) was constructed by assembling the diamond membrane on the top of an ITO-coated substrate. The resulting device exhibits a high optical transparency and quasireversible electrochemical kinetics, which are competitive to other diamond OTEs reported previously. Its application in UV-Vis spectroelectrochemical studies on the oxidisation of 4-aminophenol was demonstrated.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. Strong evidence suggests that OSA is associated with an altered lipid profile including elevated levels of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Intermittent hypoxia; sleep fragmentation; and consequential surges in the sympathetic activity, enhanced oxidative stress and systemic inflammation are the postulated mechanisms leading to metabolic alterations in OSA. Although the exact mechanisms of OSA-associated dyslipidaemia have not been fully elucidated, three main points have been found to be impaired: activated lipolysis in the adipose tissue, decreased lipid clearance from the circulation and accelerated de novo lipid synthesis. This is further complicated by the oxidisation of atherogenic lipoproteins, adipose tissue dysfunction, hormonal changes, and the reduced function of HDL particles in OSA. In this comprehensive review, we summarise and critically evaluate the current evidence about the possible mechanisms involved in OSA-associated dyslipidaemia.

The experiments described in this thesis involve the expression and characterisation of recombinant truncated thioredoxin (tTrx) and the potential involvement that thioredoxin (Trx) has in the cellular responses to oxidative stress. Truncated Trx (80 amino acids) was expressed from a plasmid containing the ORF for tTrx that had been introduced into E.coli BL-21(DE3) cells. The protein was initially extracted using a combination of high concentrations of urea, high pH levels, and multiple sonification steps to remove the tTrx from inclusion bodies formed during expression. This procedure produced a stable solution of tTrx. Purification of tTrx from this protein solution required anion exchange chromatography followed by gel permeation in a HPLC system to obtain fully purified, recombinant tTrx which allowed further characterisation studies to be undertaken. An initial investigation into tTrx was performed to determine some basic physical, biochemical and functional aspects of this hitherto relatively undefined protein. Analysis by sedimentation equilibrium indicated that freshly prepared tTrx forms a single species with a molecular weight of 18.8kDa. This value indicates that recombinant tTrx naturally forms a dimer in solution that was shown to be non-covalent in nature and stable in solution. The capacity of tTrx to reduce protein disulphide bonds was determined using the insulin reduction assay. Results show that tTrx lacks this particular redox ability. The rate of oxidisation at 4 degrees C was analysed using free thiol determination, sedimentation equilibrium and SDS-PAGE patterning. Results indicated a steady rise in the degree of oxidation of tTrx over an eight day period. After six days the oxidated protein consistently displayed the presence of intramolecular disulphide bonds. Covalently-linked disulphide dimers and higher molecular weight oligomers were detectable after eight days oxidation. An investigation of the reducing capacity of the basic Trx system determined that fully oxidised tTrx was unable to act alone as a substrate for thioredoxin reductase (TR). However, when reduced Trx was added to the system, it appeared capable of acting as an electron donor to the oxidised tTrx in order to reduce disulphide groups. Recombinant tTrx was successfully radiolabelled with Trans 35S-methionine/cysteine for use in cell association studies. No evidence was found to indicate the presence of a receptor for tTrx on either MCF-7 or U-937 cells. Findings suggest that a low level of non-specific binding of tTrx to these cell lines rather than a classical ligand-binding mechanism occurs thus suggesting the absence of a cell surface receptor for tTrx. The role that Trx may play in the cellular responses to oxidative stress was also investigated. The chemical oxidants hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and diamide were used to establish an in vitro model of oxidative stress for the choriocarcinoma cytotrophoblast cell line JEG-3. Cellular function was assessed in terms of membrane integrity, metabolic activity and the ability to synthesis new DNA following exposure to these oxidants. Results indicated that both agents were capable of causing cells to undergo oxidative stress without inducing immediate apoptosis or necrosis. Initially, JEG-3 cells exposed to 38μM or 75μM H2O2 or 100μM diamide were shown to display altered cell metabolism and DNA synthesis without loss to cell viability or membrane integrity. Cells were also shown to be capable of some short-term recovery but later lapsed into a more stressed state. Expression levels of Trx were studied to determine whether this type of chemical stress caused a change in intercellular protein levels. Both cELISA and western blotting results indicated that only cells exposed to 100μM diamide displayed any significant increase in Trx protein levels after 6 or 8hrs exposure to the oxidant. Further studies over a longer time-frame were also performed. These found that when JEG-3 cells were exposed to 18μM H2O2 or 200μM diamide over 12-48hrs, a positive correlation between increasing endogenous Trx protein levels and a decline in cell proliferation was observed. Cytotrophoblast cells, which are responsible for implantation and placentation, are susceptible to oxidative stress in vivo and their anti-oxidant capacity is fundamental to the establishment of pregnancy. The findings obtained during these studies suggest that Trx plays a role in this process.

The experiments described in this thesis involve the expression and characterisation of recombinant truncated thioredoxin (tTrx) and the potential involvement that thioredoxin (Trx) has in the cellular responses to oxidative stress. Truncated Trx (80 amino acids) was expressed from a plasmid containing the ORF for tTrx that had been introduced into E.coli BL-21(DE3) cells. The protein was initially extracted using a combination of high concentrations of urea, high pH levels, and multiple sonification steps to remove the tTrx from inclusion bodies formed during expression. This procedure produced a stable solution of tTrx. Purification of tTrx from this protein solution required anion exchange chromatography followed by gel permeation in a HPLC system to obtain fully purified, recombinant tTrx which allowed further characterisation studies to be undertaken. An initial investigation into tTrx was performed to determine some basic physical, biochemical and functional aspects of this hitherto relatively undefined protein. Analysis by sedimentation equilibrium indicated that freshly prepared tTrx forms a single species with a molecular weight of 18.8kDa. This value indicates that recombinant tTrx naturally forms a dimer in solution that was shown to be non-covalent in nature and stable in solution. The capacity of tTrx to reduce protein disulphide bonds was determined using the insulin reduction assay. Results show that tTrx lacks this particular redox ability. The rate of oxidisation at 4 degrees C was analysed using free thiol determination, sedimentation equilibrium and SDS-PAGE patterning. Results indicated a steady rise in the degree of oxidation of tTrx over an eight day period. After six days the oxidated protein consistently displayed the presence of intramolecular disulphide bonds. Covalently-linked disulphide dimers and higher molecular weight oligomers were detectable after eight days oxidation. An investigation of the reducing capacity of the basic Trx system determined that fully oxidised tTrx was unable to act alone as a substrate for thioredoxin reductase (TR). However, when reduced Trx was added to the system, it appeared capable of acting as an electron donor to the oxidised tTrx in order to reduce disulphide groups. Recombinant tTrx was successfully radiolabelled with Trans 35S-methionine/cysteine for use in cell association studies. No evidence was found to indicate the presence of a receptor for tTrx on either MCF-7 or U-937 cells. Findings suggest that a low level of non-specific binding of tTrx to these cell lines rather than a classical ligand-binding mechanism occurs thus suggesting the absence of a cell surface receptor for tTrx. The role that Trx may play in the cellular responses to oxidative stress was also investigated. The chemical oxidants hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and diamide were used to establish an in vitro model of oxidative stress for the choriocarcinoma cytotrophoblast cell line JEG-3. Cellular function was assessed in terms of membrane integrity, metabolic activity and the ability to synthesis new DNA following exposure to these oxidants. Results indicated that both agents were capable of causing cells to undergo oxidative stress without inducing immediate apoptosis or necrosis. Initially, JEG-3 cells exposed to 38μM or 75μM H2O2 or 100μM diamide were shown to display altered cell metabolism and DNA synthesis without loss to cell viability or membrane integrity. Cells were also shown to be capable of some short-term recovery but later lapsed into a more stressed state. Expression levels of Trx were studied to determine whether this type of chemical stress caused a change in intercellular protein levels. Both cELISA and western blotting results indicated that only cells exposed to 100μM diamide displayed any significant increase in Trx protein levels after 6 or 8hrs exposure to the oxidant. Further studies over a longer time-frame were also performed. These found that when JEG-3 cells were exposed to 18μM H2O2 or 200μM diamide over 12-48hrs, a positive correlation between increasing endogenous Trx protein levels and a decline in cell proliferation was observed. Cytotrophoblast cells, which are responsible for implantation and placentation, are susceptible to oxidative stress in vivo and their anti-oxidant capacity is fundamental to the establishment of pregnancy. The findings obtained during these studies suggest that Trx plays a role in this process.
Thesis (Masters)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
School of Health Sciences
Full Text

This article presents a summary of some experimental results obtained on a 1.4 MW CHP engine. Tests concern the effect of H2 and CO addition to the natural gas at the engine inlet. Hydrogen and CO were obtained through the partial oxidation of methane. A honey-comb Platinum based catalyst was used for the partial oxidisation of methane. Part of the natural gas main stream was deviated and mixed with air to supply the catalyst. Catalyst output (mixture of H2, CO, H2O, CO2, N2 and methane) are then mixed with the main stream of natural gas supplying the engine. Two different tests were conducted, the first one is an operation under a constant average combustion chamber temperature and the other one is an operation at a constant NOX level in the exhaust gases. Results showed a decrease of about 10% in NOX emissions when operating under constant combustion chamber temperature (this temperature is the average temperature of the four strokes inside the cylinders); and a slight increase of engine efficiency for a constant NOX emissions level.