Anaerobic ammonium oxidation improvement via a novel capsule bioreactor.

This study developed a capsule bioreactor made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to entrap anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) bacteria for the removal of nitrogen from synthetic wastewater. Experimental results demonstrate that the ANAMMOX bacteria were entrapped inside the capsule and not washed out from the bioreactor. This method also avoids damaging the ANAMMOX bacteria during immobilization. The proposed bioreactor also has a shorter start-up period. The diffusion rate of ammonium and nitrite from the bulk solution through the capsule determined the rate of the ANAMMOX reaction. The optimal ratio of NO2(-)-N/NH4(+)-N was approximately 1 for the bioreactor. In addition, the capsule protected the ANAMMOX bacteria from nitrite inhibition. The bioreactor achieved a high stable nitrogen removal rate (5.8 Kg-N m(-3) day(-1)) at high nitrite levels (up to 600mg-N L(-1) in the influent). Therefore, the proposed capsule bioreactor has considerable potential for actual nitrogen removal applications.

[Effects on hemolysis of the manually operated portable cardiopulmonary bypass system].

We studied the effects on hemolysis of our manually operated, portable cardiopulmonary bypass system with two self-inflatable reservoir-pumps in parallel by using bovine blood. The blood shed from both the jugular vein and the carotid artery, immediately after slaughter, was divided into three plastic containers, one for the control, one for manual circulation, and the other for conventional circulation with a roller-pump. Small bore catheters were intentionally placed into the inflow and outflow routes of both circulation systems to simulate clinical situations. Free hemoglobin and potassium in plasma were measured every 30 min during the experimental circulation for 120 min. The free hemoglobin in plasma increased gradually under manual circulation, but this increase was statistically insignificant when compared with the variances of those in the conventional circulation and the control blood groups. The values of the potassium in the plasma showed no differences among the three blood groups. Our manually operated, portable cardiopulmonary bypass system will be a valuable adjunct for emergency medicine.