Removal and recovery of ammonia from chicken manure.

The feasibility of the conversion of organic nitrogen available in raw chicken manure (CM) into ammonia via hydrolysis and the removal of ammonia from anaerobically digested manure were evaluated in this study. Firstly, the hydrolysis experiments were performed and the effects of temperature, total solids (TS) content and retention time were investigated. The results showed that 90% of the organic nitrogen in CM can be converted into ammonia via biological hydrolysis within 3.6 days at 35 °C and 10-12.5% TS content. In addition to high ammonification efficiency, partial acidification of the CM was also experienced during this period. Secondly, removal of ammonia from anaerobically digested CM was examined by flushing the head space of a vigorously stirred bottle partially filled with digestate. At 35 °C, after 45 hours 77% of the influent ammonia was removed.

Synthesis and investigation of the properties of novel azocalix[4]arenes.

The azocalix[4]arenes molecules such as methylphenylazocalix[4]aren (MPcalix[4]) and methoxyphenylazocalix[4]aren (MOPcalix[4]) have been synthesized and characterized by experimental FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectral analyses. The fundamental vibrational transitions have been addressed by experimental FT-IR (4000-400 cm(-1)) technique and density functional theory (DFT) employing B3LYP level with the 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The (1)H NMR spectra of the studied compounds have been recorded in chloroform, and compared with computed data obtained by using gauge including atomic orbital (GIAO) method. Furthermore, thermodynamic properties (heat capacity, entropy, and enthalpy changes) and frontier molecular orbitals of the molecules in the ground state have been calculated by using the same method and basis sets. The non-linear optical properties such as the first order hyperpolarizability (ß0), related properties (α0 and Δα) are also computed. Information about the charge density distribution of the molecules and its chemical reactivity has been studied by mapping molecular electrostatic potential surface (MEPs). The scaled vibrational frequency values have been compared with experimental FT-IR spectroscopic data. The correlations between the observed and calculated frequencies are in good agreement with each other as well as the correlation of NMR data. The linear polarizability and first hyperpolarizability of the studied molecules indicate that the compounds are a good candidate of nonlinear optical materials.

Synthesis and DFT calculation of a novel 5,17-di(2-antracenylazo)-25,27-di(ethoxycarbonylmethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene.

In this study, 5,17-di(2-antracenylazo)-25,27-di(ethoxycarbonylmethoxy)-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene has been synthesized from 2-aminoantracene and 25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-diethylacetate calix[4]arene. In order to identify the molecular structure and vibrational features of the prepared azocalix[4]arene, FT-IR and (1)H NMR spectral data have been used. FT-IR spectrum of the studied molecule is recorded in the region 4000-400 cm(-1). (1)H NMR spectrum is recorded for 0.1-0.2 M solutions in DMSO-d6 solution. The molecular geometry, infrared spectrum are calculated by the density functional method employing B3LYP level with different basis sets, including 6-31G(d) and LanL2DZ. The chemical shifts calculation for (1)H NMR of the title molecule is calculated by using by Gauge-Invariant Atomic Orbital method by utilizing the same basis sets. The total density of state, the partial density of state and the overlap population density of state diagram analysis are done via GaussSum 3.0 program. Frontier molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) and molecular electrostatic potential surface on the title molecule are carried out for various intramolecular interactions that are responsible for the stabilization of the molecule. The experimental results and theoretical calculations have been compared, and they are found to be in good agreement.

Anaerobic fermentation of organic solid wastes: volatile fatty acid production and separation.

Anaerobic fermentation of organic municipal solid waste was investigated using a leach-bed reactor (LBR) to assess the volatile fatty acid (VFA) production efficiency. The leachate recycle rate in the LBR affected the VFA composition of the leachate. A six-fold increase in the recycle rate resulted in an increase of the acetic acid fraction of leachate from 24.7 to 43.0%. The separation of VFAs via leachate replacement resulted in higher total VFA production. VFA separation from synthetic VFA mix and leachate of a fermented organic waste was assessed via a counter-current flow polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane contactor. Acetic and propionic acid permeation fluxes of 13.12 and 14.21 g/m(2).h were obtained at low feed pH values when a synthetic VFA mix was used as a feed solution. The highest selectivity was obtained for caproic acid compared to that of other VFAs when synthetic VFA mix or leachate was used as a feed solution. High pH values and the presence of suspended solids in the leachate adversely affected the permeation rate.

Synthesis, crystal structure and ab initio/DFT calculations of a derivative of dithiophosphonates.

The compound 2 has been synthesized from the reaction of 2,4-Bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,2,4-dithiadiphosphetane-2,4-disulfide and (R)-1-[3,5-Bis(trifloromethyl)phenyl]ethanol in toluene. The obtained crude dithiophosphonic acid 1 has been treated with the excess of N(C2H5)3 to give rise to 2, [(+HN(C2H5)3][O-CH3CH-C6H3(CF3)2)(CH3OC6H4)PS2(-)]. The compound 2 has been characterized by using the spectroscopic methods such as IR, (1)H, (13)C, (31)P NMR and structural analysing method such as X-ray crystallography. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, whose space group is P212121. It consists of a dithiophosphonate bridged methoxyphenyl and bis(triflorophenylethyl) groups and a triethylammonium moiety linked by N-H⋯S and C-H⋯F hydrogen bonds. In the crystal structure, the C17H14F6O2PS2 molecule is elongated along the b-axis and stacked along the a-axis. The triethylammonium, N(CH2CH3)3, molecule fill in the cavities between the C17H14F6O2PS2 molecule. Moreover, ab initio methods based on Hartree-Fock (HF) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations with the basis set of 6-31G(d) are also carried out to determine the molecular structural properties and to calculate FT-IR and NMR spectrum of the compound 2. The experimental results and theoretical calculations have been compared, and they are found to be in good agreement.

Existence of serotonin and neuropeptides-immunoreactive endocrine cells in the small and large intestines of the mole-rats (Spalax leucodon).

The present study was conducted to clarify the regional distribution and relative frequency of endocrine cells secreting serotonin, substance P (SP), cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neurotensin in the small and large intestine of the mole-rats (Spalax leucodon), by specific immunohistochemical methods. In the small and large intestine of mole-rats (Spalax leucodon), serotonin, SP and VIP were identified with various frequencies, but CCK-8 and neurotensin were not observed. Most of the IR cells in the small and large intestine were located in the intestinal crypt and epithelium however, they were more frequency in the intestinal crypt. Serotonin-IR cells were detected throughout the whole intestinal tract, predominantly in the duodenum and colon. SP-IR cells were demonstrated throughout the whole intestinal tract except for the ileum and rectum with highest frequencies in the cecum. VIP-IR cells were found in all parts of the small intestine except for the large intestine. In conclusion, the general distribution patterns and relative frequency of intestinal endocrine cells of the mole-rats (Spalax leucodon) was similar to those of some rodent species. However, some species-dependent unique distributions and frequencies characteristics of endocrine cells were also observed in the present study.