Myriam A. Amezcua-Allieri

Study of Chemical and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Material to Obtain Fermentable Sugars

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis using a factorial experimental design (23) in order to obtain fermentable sugars from cellulose-based material (CBM) usually used as pet litter. In assessing chemical hydrolysis, we studied the effect of temperature, in addition to H2SO4 concentration and reaction time, on the production of total sugars, reducing sugars, soluble lignin, carbohydrate profile, furfural (F), and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF). We performed a response surface analysis and found that, at 100°C, 1% acid concentration, and 60 min reaction time, the yields of 0.0033 g reducing sugar/g biomass and 0.0852 g total sugars/g biomass were obtained. Under the above conditions, F is not generated, while HMF is generated in such a concentration that does not inhibit fermentation. We pretreated the CBM with H2SO4, NaOH, CaO, or ozonolysis, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the enzymatic hydrolysis from the pretreated biomass, using an enzymatic cocktail. Results showed that CBM with acid was susceptible to enzymatic attack, obtaining a concentration of 0.1570 g reducing sugars/g biomass and 0.3798 g total sugars/g biomass. We concluded that acid pretreatment was the best to obtain fermentable sugars from CBM.

Joint interpretation of geoelectrical and volatile organic compounds data: a case study in a hydrocarbons contaminated urban site

Abstract As a result of a gasoline spill in an urban area, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Electromagnetic Profiling (EMP) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) methods were used in order to define the contamination plume and to optimize the drilling and soil sampling activities. The VOC anomalies (recent contamination) indicated that a gas station located at the study site is an active contamination source. The mature contaminated zones defined by ERT and EMP methods corresponded with low resistivity anomalies due to degradation process of the hydrocarbons contaminants. The ERT, EMP and VOC results were integrated on a map, allowing the final configuration of contamination plumes and the optimization of drilling and soil/free-product sampling. Laboratory analyses of free-product samples suggest the existence of more than one contamination event in the site, with the presence of recent and degraded-hydrocarbon contaminants classified in the gasoline range. This study shows the advantages of joint application of ERT, EMP and VOC methods in sites with active contamination source, where the existence of recent and mature contaminants in subsoil is assumed.Keywords: Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX), hydrocarbons contamination, volatile organic compounds (VOC), gasoline spill, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), electromagnetic profiling (EMP).

Cell metabolic changes of porphyrins and superoxide anions by anthracene and benzo(a)pyrene

The aim of this work was to evaluate the induction of protoporphyrins IX (PpIX) activity and superoxide anions (SO) in human leukocytes exposed to anthracene (ANT) and benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P). The leukocyte LC(50)s for both hydrocarbons and the PpIX accumulation and SO overproduction were measured. The LC(50)s were 0.35 and 3.23μM for ANT and B(a)P, respectively. A linear relationship (r=0.97, p<0.01) between PpIX and ANT concentration was obtained. The induced accumulation of PpIX was proportional (r=0.63, p<0.01) to B(a)P concentration. SO overproduction showed a linear relationship (r=0.83, p<0.05) with ANT concentrations. The linear regression analysis of the effect of B(a)P on the superoxide anion overproduction showed a good coefficient (r=0.97, p<0.01), showed that ANT and B(a)P exposure induces PpIX accumulation, probably by disruption of the haem biosynthesis. ANT and B(a)P induce SO overproduction, perhaps through a process of redox cycling.