Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons^™

Mixed Culture Polyhydroxyalkanaotes (Pha) Production Using Crude Glycerol As Carbon Source, Mohamad Fauzi Ainil Hawa

Student Works (2020-2029)

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is a biopolymer that has the prospect of becoming a preferred renewable and environmentally friendly resource with various applications including in manufacturing and medicine. Intensive studies have been carried out to find the most practical and economical method for PHA production because current commercial production of PHA is stringent and extremely costly. The aim of this study is to enrich PHA-accumulators with high PHA production capabilities by evaluating the stability of the enrichment process and by observing the effect of organic loading rate (OLR) on the production potential. In this study, PHA-accumulators were cultivated using activated sludge with …

Preparation, Characterization And Biological Activity Of Novel Schiff Base Complexes Based On La, Er And Yb Metal Ions, Hoda Ahmed, Walaa H. Mahmoud, Islam M. Al-Akraa Dr, Gehad G. Mohamed

Chemical Engineering

The tridentate [HL, (4-[(2-(2-quinolinoimino)-3, 5-dibromobenzyl) amino] cyclohexanol)]Schiff base ligand was prepared from the condensation reaction of 2-quinoline carbaldehyde with the drug ambroxol. The prepared HL ligand was further used in the preparation of some new complexes via the reaction with La(III), Er(III) and Yb(III) metal ions. The geometry of the prepared complexes was proposed from elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, thermal and magnetic susceptibility. 1H NMR showed that the three nitrogen atoms of the ligand were responsible for the complex formation. The thermal analysis technique provided a clear prospect about the decomposition steps of the Schiff base ligand and its …

Effect Of Tio2 Doping On Degradation Rate, Microstructure And Strength Of Borate Bioactive Glass Scaffolds, Romina Shafaghi, Omar Rodriguez, Sunjeev Phull, Emil H. Schemitsch, Paul Zalzal, Stephen D. Waldman, Marcello Papini, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A titanium-containing borate glass series based on the system (52-X) B₂O₃–12CaO–6P₂O₅–14Na₂O–16ZnO-XTiO₂ with X varying from 0, 5 and 15 mol% of TiO2 incorporated, identified as BRT0, BRT1 and BRT3, respectively, were used in this study. Scaffolds (pore sizes, 165–230 μm and porosity, 53.51–69.51%) were prepared using a polymer foam replication technique. BRT3 scaffolds exhibited higher compressive strength (7.16 ± 0.22 MPa) when compared to BRT0 (6.02 ± 0.47 MPa) and BRT1 (5.65 ± 0.28 MPa) scaffolds with lower, or no, TiO₂ content. The solubility of the scaffolds decreased …

Experimental And Computational Tools For Single Cell Analysis In Cancer Diagnostics, Manibarathi Vaithiyanathan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Substantial evidence shows that cellular heterogeneity commonly exists within an isogenic or clonal population. Whether in isolation or caused through a combination of the above events, cellular heterogeneity can dramatically influence cellular decision making and cell fate, however, this can be masked by the average response from a population. One approach to solve this issue is to analyze a population at the individual cell level. The goal of this work is to develop high-throughput experimental and computational platforms to screen and quantify single cancer cells for specific intracellular enzyme activities. An interdisciplinary approach was taken to 1) better understand the …

Emulsion Stability Of Heavy Oil With Surfactants And Nanoparticles, Zainab Abdulmohsein, Baojun Bai, Parthasakha Neogi

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The recovered crude oil is often in form of an emulsion and the recovery is cut off when water to oil ratio exceeds a certain amount. The emulsions vary from water-in-oil to oil-in-water and the step that follows is to coalesce droplets to get two continuous liquids. Difficulties arise when the oil contains emulsifiers. There are naturally occurring surfactants, or the oil recovered is by enhanced oil recovery techniques which have additives that stabilize the droplets. We have considered below a heavy oil (viscosity 650-750 mPa.s) containing one of the three surfactants: a nonionic surfactant or a cationic surfactant or …

Role Of The Adhesion Torque On Spiky Particles Deposition, Kailian Davis

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Comparative Scoping Study Report For The Extraction Of Microalgae Oils From Two Subspecies Of Chlorella Vulgaris, Jasmine Kreft, Eric Moe, Nicholas Garcia, Andrew Ross, Wayne Seames

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The production of microalgae as a fatty acid oil resource for use in biofuels production is a widespread research topic at the lab scale. Microalgae contain a higher lipid content on a dry-weight basis compared to oilseeds such as soybeans. Additionally, the growth and cultivation cycle of microalgae is 15 days, in comparison to soybeans, for which the cycle occurs once or twice annually. However, to date, it has been uneconomical to produce microalgae oils in a world-scale facility due to limitations in cultivating microalgae at commercial scales. Recent developments suggest that the use of heterotrophic microalgae may be economically …

Virus Purification Framework And Enhancement In Aqueous Two-Phase System, Pratik Umesh Joshi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Viral infections regularly pose detrimental health risks to humans. Preventing viral infections through global immunization requires the production of large doses of vaccines. The increasing demand for vaccines, especially during pandemics such as COVID-19, has challenged current manufacturing strategy to develop advanced unit operations with high throughput capability. Over the decade, the upstream processing responsible for synthesizing viral products in cell cultures has shown significant success in yielding high titers of viruses and virus-like particles. The progress in the upstream stage has now shifted the bottleneck to the downstream processing (DSP). Overlooked for decades, the DSP responsible for viral product …

Development Of A Method For Quantification Of Toluene Diisocyanate And Methylenediphenyl Diisocyanate Migration From Polyurethane Foam Sample Surface To Artificial Sweat By Hplc-Uv-Ms, Aleksandra Donchenko, Simon Aubin, Sébastien Gagné, Mark Spence, Livain Breau, Jacques Lesage

Études primaires

The US Environmental protection agency (EPA) has published guidance that includes test procedures for evaluating indoor exposure to chemicals from products. One of the test procedures represents the migration test for evaluating potential dermal exposure from home furniture. Such an evaluation involves the chemical measurement of the sweat which is currently unavailable in the literature. The objective of this project was to develop and validate an analytical method for quantification of migration of 4,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), 2,6-toluene diisocyanate (2,6-TDI) and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (2,4-TDI) from a polyurethane (PU) flexible foam to artificial sweat that meets the recommendations of the EPA test …

Utilizing Virtual High-Throughput Screens To Identify Promising Inhibitors Of Complement Factor C1s, Lyndsey Schmucker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A large study was conducted to identify possible drug candidates to treat various diseases using computer algorithms, virtual high-throughput screens, and experimental validation of activity. Since the algorithm has the capability to screen millions of compounds, it is beneficial to pharmaceutical development as it allows a larger pool of compounds to be considered that would have otherwise been overlooked. As part of this larger study, this project attempts to identify drug candidates to treat human complement factor C1, a protein which causes tissue damage when underregulated¹. A series of designed experiments validate candidates and confirm the performance of …

Using Batman Software To Analyze Metabolic Changes In Type 1 Diabetes-Susceptible Rats, Connor Hall

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of E-Textiles For Lactic Acid Detection, Andrew Laboy, Mallory David

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The overall goal of the project is to develop an e-textile that will be able to determine different characteristics of an athlete's health through multiple sensors. The goal of these sensors is to monitor physiological parameters for health and fitness uses in real time. Building from the existing sodium concentration sensor, these new sensors will detect lactate levels within sweat to monitor instantaneous health which allows customization of workout and overall health regimen.

Optimization And Validation Of The Neurolux Wireless Optoelectronics System For Optogenetics, Karis Courey, Su Hyun Lee Ph.D., Adam Smith Ph.D., Nicholas Cilz Ph.D., Sarah K. Williams Avram Ph.D., Adi Cymerblit-Sabba Ph.D., June Song, Nicholas Leipzig Ph.D., W. Scott Young M.D., Ph.D.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Utilizing light and genetic engineering, optogenetics permits the manipulation of events within cells via light using the light-sensitive properties of single-component microbial opsins. Microbial opsins are activated by a light source, such as lasers, light-emitting diodes, and incandescent sources that deliver light to the region of interest either directly or indirectly, such as through fiberoptics. In classical in vivo optogenetics, the wiring of optic fibers necessitates tethering of animals by the optic fiber to the light source. The novel NeuroLux wireless optoelectronic system for optogenetics circumvents issues pertaining to classical optogenetics by utilizing near-field power transfer via magnetic coil antennae …

Innovative Sustainable Wood Preservatives From Pulp And Paper Industry Byproduct, Raisa Carmen Andeme Ela

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In the modern forest industry, the need for bio-based, renewable, and environmentally-benign wood preservatives is increasing. Preservatives are used to prevent or limit decay and there has been an increasing interest in developing wood preservatives from renewable materials. To support the need for bio-based, environmentally-friendly preservatives, this work employed kraft lignin as a raw material to produce a novel bio-based wood preservative.

For the first project, a statistical design of experiments approach in Minitab® was used to study how fractionation process variables during acid precipitation of lignin influence the lignin mass yield and characteristics. After precipitating lignin from black liquor, …

Next Generation Of Applications Of Metal-Organic Frameworks For Energy And Environmental Sustainability, Qian Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My PhD work aimed at using Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for mitigating the environmental issues and energy crisis associated with anthropogenic activities. Specifically, we developed robust platforms and/ or systems using MOF as “scaffolds” to allow for model pollutant detection and CO₂ sequestration and benign transformation respectively.

First, I detailed how photocatalytic properties of 2,5-furandicarbocylic acid (FDCA) in its alone and its MOF- integrated form (MIL-160) were used for the first time for the reduction of Ag⁺ at room conditions. Such photocatalytic activities could then be used in user-designed hybrids (i.e., Ag/MIL-160) to form sensorial platforms for prevalent phenol …

Review Of Established And Emergent Methods For The Production Of C4 Olefins, James Matthew Koval

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current production of C₄ olefins is dominated by naphtha cracking and butane dehydrogenation, but significant research interest is developing in alternate feedstocks due to an abundance of inexpensive natural gas and bioethanol. The current C₄ olefin production methods are costly, make use of already-depleted petroleum resources, and are often hazardous to workers, which forms the impetus for investigation into alternative methods and assessment of their viability as a future means of olefin production. Methods of natural gas conversion to higher order hydrocarbons are discussed, including Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and oxidative methane coupling, each of which could form the first …

Elucidating The Properties And Mechanism For Cellulose Dissolution In Tetrabutylphosphonium-Based Ionic Liquids Using High Concentrations Of Water, Brad Crawford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The structural, transport, and thermodynamic properties related to cellulose dissolution by tetrabutylphosphonium chloride (TBPCl) and tetrabutylphosphonium hydroxide (TBPH)-water mixtures have been calculated via molecular dynamics simulations. For both ionic liquid (IL)-water solutions, water veins begin to form between the TBPs interlocking arms at 80 mol % water, opening a pathway for the diffusion of the anions, cations, and water. The water veins allow for a diffusion regime shift in the concentration region from 80 to 92.5 mol % water, providing a higher probability of solvent interaction with the dissolving cellulose strand. The hydrogen bonding was compared between small and large …

A Framework For Heterologous Biosynthesis Of Natural Products In Mammalian Cells Via Polymer-Mediated Transfections, Logan Warriner

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

With the promise to treat a multi-faceted list of serious inherited and acquired diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases, and inherited genetic indications, gene therapy has continued to push the boundaries of traditional medicine since its earliest implementation. While much progress has been made, clinical success has largely remained elusive. Immunogenicity, difficulty producing commercially relevant quantities, and having a limited genetic payload still limits the ability of viruses to act as directed delivery agents for genetic material. As such, researchers have turned to cationic synthetic materials as a means of delivering nucleic acids, which can circumvent the immune …

Heart Tissue Reconstruction By Light-Controlled Cell Adhesion, Patterning And Alignment On Decellularized Scaffolds, Cong Li

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

There is an urgent demand for engineered tissues and organs because of extremely limited donor tissues available for transplant. The challenge of tissue rejection has motivated many researchers to try to remove all of the cells from a heart and then add back in patient matched cells. These recellularized hearts are a promising avenue towards a functional bioartifical heart that is less likely to be rejected. Decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds generated from animal hearts do not have the cellular components that elicit immune rejection in patient, and they also preserve the native heart tissue structure. While decellularization techniques are …

In Situ Image Processing And Data Binning Strategy For Particle Engineering Applications, Toufic El Arnaout, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

Crystallization control can be improved through real-time monitoring technologies. Here, a workflow is demonstrated on rapid batch cooling crystallization of L-glutamic acid. First, in situ images were generated using video microscopy sensors and analyzed, by employing a single, rapid macro code to extract particle data descriptors. A binning procedure (over time) was performed, where every data point represented the counts of particles within a specific size or shape range per 100 images. This binning method was found more informative in tracking of the populations compared to whole image averages or individual particle datapoints. This study provides a step-by-step guide towards …

Property Estimation Of Palmitoylethanolamide And Sucrose Palmitate For Process Design From Methyl Palmitate, Janetiya Wongprathed

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Methyl palmitate is the primary component of palm oil-based biodiesel. It is a saturated fatty acid methyl ester which has a high melting point that results in low cold flow properties of biodiesel. Besides, lack of government support may affect the revenue of biodiesel business. For that reason, the producers turn attention to using biodiesel as a raw material for the production of value-added chemicals. Initially, we selected the studied products based on the gross profit margin, production process, market demand and application. This work simulated the production of palmitoylethanolamide, sucrose palmitate and normal alkanes from methyl palmitate using Aspen …

Higher Tensile Forces Across Cellular Junctions And An Intact Nuclear Linc Complex Is Required For Epithelial Function And Stability, Fnu Vani Narayanan

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems have provided key insights into the understanding of biochemical and physiological states of native tissue. A significant progress in the field of mechanobiology involves measuring cellular traction forces in a more native 3D environment. However, the effects of mechanical forces exerted across cellular junctions and the nuclear LINC complex, in an organized 3D system has not been investigated thus far. Epithelial cells spontaneously form acini (also known as cysts or spheroids) with a single, fluid-filled central lumen, when grown in 3D matrices. The size of the lumen is dependent on apical secretion …

Reaction Profiling Of Extracellular Protein Phosphorylation Through A Microfluidic Reactor Coupled With Raman Spectroscopy, Abigail Casey

Theses and Dissertations

Diseases and disorders in the human body are considered abnormalities of proper cellular function. Understanding the signal transduction mechanisms that cause these abnormalities is crucial to developing earlier detection methods, better treatment options and effective cures. While current diagnostic procedures are powerful tools in diagnosing diseases, they are ineffective in informing physicians on the real-time behavior of the signal transduction mechanisms associated with diseases and disorders. Currently, disease progression is monitored over time through routine patient visits and testing by one or more of the above techniques. By developing an approach that can monitor structural and conformational changes of proteins …

Systems Analysis For Sustainability Assessment Of Biogas And Bio-Ch4 Production From Food Waste And Dairy Manure Mixtures In The Us, Sharath Kumar Ankathi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The purpose of the dissertation is to relate systems analysis for bioenergy to identify optimum configurations for improved scenarios and to make better decisions in a systems perspective.

Chapter 1 is a review of the literature to identify the state of the knowledge in terms of systems analysis for anaerobic digestion (AD) bioenergy systems. The key outcomes from this review showed that anaerobic digestion of mixtures of food waste and animal manure has great potential to achieve economic and environmental benefits compared to other treatments of organic waste materials, such as landfilling or conventional manure management.

Chapter 2 focuses on …

Mechanisms Of Pathogen Inactivation In Wastewater And Pharmaceutical Applications, Christa L. Meingast

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Infectious diseases are a significant threat to public health. Though society enacts practices to prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases, challenges remain. Therefore, continual advancements in treatment and prevention are required. Wastewater treatment and viral clearance in pharmaceutical applications are two key health measures that prevent the spread of infections.

A low-cost, low-technology biosolids treatment process was developed to improve wastewater treatment by collecting key information on storage temperature, ammonia, volatile solids, moisture content, pH, and pathogen inactivation in biosolids over long-term storage at two wastewater treatment plants located in northern climates of the United States. Inactivation of pathogens …

Detection And Thermal Stabilization Of Virus Based On Surface Properties, Xue Mi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Viral diseases take the lives of millions of people each year. The most effective methods to prevent viral disease outbreak are viral detection to reduce contact with viral pathogens and vaccines to prevent disease. To reduce the costs of the detection of viruses and improve vaccine formulation, we explored viral surface properties. The properties we have focused on are viral hydrophobicity and surface charge using chemical force microscopy (CFM). CFM is a single-particle technique that measures the adhesion force of a functionalized atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe, and in this study, a virus covalently bound to a surface. The non-enveloped …

Continuous Viral Vaccine Manufacturing And Viral Detection Strategies, Dylan G. Turpeinen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Viruses are responsible for many human diseases that lead to suffering and death. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), influenza, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have claimed the lives of millions of people. Two methods have been created to reduce the suffering caused by these diseases. The first is the manufacturing of vaccines that prevent disease and the second is the development of virus detection tests that lead to treatment. The work summarized in this dissertation discusses the development of a continuous virus purification process using an aqueous two-phase system for use in vaccine manufacturing. Additionally, two novel virus detection methods were …

A New Interpretation Of The √7×√7 R19.1° Structure For P Adsorbed On A Ni(111) Surface, Elizabeth Barrow, Grant S. Seuser, Hiroko Ariga-Miwa, Donna A. Chen, Jochen A. Lauterbach, Kiyotaka Asakura

Faculty Publications

We have studied P adsorption on Ni(111), a system which shows complex adsorbate structures. We determined the phase diagram of the surface P adsorbed on Ni(111). At low coverage, amorphous P was observed. At temperatures between 373 and 673 K and coverages above 0.1 monolayer, we found a √7×√7 R19.1° structure, but above 673 K, other complex structures were created. These structures seemed to correlate with each other and we reinterpret a √7×√7 R19.1° structure of P adsorbed on Ni(111) based on the similarities of these surface structures. The new rectangular structure for the √7×√7 19.1° is discussed in relation …

A New Interpretation Of The √7×√7 R19.1° Structure For P Adsorbed On A Ni(111) Surface, Elizabeth Barrow, Grant S. Seuser, Hiroko Ariga-Miwa, Donna A. Chen, Jochen A. Lauterbach, Kiyotaka Asakura

Faculty Publications

We have studied P adsorption on Ni(111), a system which shows complex adsorbate structures. We determined the phase diagram of the surface P adsorbed on Ni(111). At low coverage, amorphous P was observed. At temperatures between 373 and 673 K and coverages above 0.1 monolayer, we found a √7×√7 R19.1° structure, but above 673 K, other complex structures were created. These structures seemed to correlate with each other and we reinterpret a √7×√7 R19.1° structure of P adsorbed on Ni(111) based on the similarities of these surface structures. The new rectangular structure for the √7×√7 19.1° is discussed in relation …

The Potentials Of Faecal Sludge Treatment Using Local Conditioners In Tanzania: A Review, Doglas Benjamin1

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Worldwide, every day human beings generate millions of tons of Faecal Sludge (FS), which is rich in water, nutrients, energy, and organic compounds. Yet FS is not being managed in a way that permits us to derive value from its reuse, while at the same time, millions of farmers struggle with depleted soils and lack of water. In most of the developing countries, energy for cooking is mainly derived from cutting of trees, either as wood or charcoal. Resource recovery and reuse from FS can create livelihoods, enhance food security, support green economies, reduce waste and contribute to cost recovery …