Effects of CaCl2 on the structure of high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein isolated from rapidly salted separated egg yolk

According to previous research, adding CaCl2 to the salting solution improves the quality of salted separated egg yolk. To further understand the improvement mechanism of CaCl2, this paper investigated the effect of CaCl2 on the structure of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) during the salting process. The results indicated that the addition of CaCl2 can affect the composition of HDL and LDL apolipoproteins, improving the orderliness of the HDL structure and the looseness of the LDL structure. It was discovered by atomic force microscopy (AFM) that adding CaCl2 to the salting solution can weaken the aggregation behavior of HDL. Simultaneously, the addition of CaCl2 decreased the relative content of intermolecular β-sheets in the secondary structure of HDL and LDL, influenced their tertiary conformation, and prevented HDL and LDL from participating in the formation of a three-dimensional gel structure by influencing their hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions.

To analyze or to throw away? On the stability of excitation-emission matrices for different water systems

Fluorescence spectroscopy has numerous applications to characterize natural and human-influenced water bodies regarding dissolved organic matter (DOM) and contamination. Analyzing samples in a timely manner is crucial to gaining valid and reproducible excitation-emission matrices (EEM) but often difficult, specifically in transnational projects with long transport distances. In this study, eight samples of different water sources (tap water, differently polluted rivers, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents) were stored under standardized conditions for 59 days and analyzed regularly. With this data set, the sample and fluorescence spectra stability was evaluated. Established analysis methods such as peak picking and fluorescence metrics were compared over time and benchmarked against dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and a maximal change of 10% in terms of their variability. Additional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data to identify single organic compounds provides insights into these DOM alterations and allows for conclusions about the underlying biological processes. Our results corroborate in a systematic way that the higher the organic or microbial load, the faster the sample must be processed. For all water sources, considerable changes were found between days zero and one, indicating a potential systematic bias between in-situ and laboratory measurements. The absolute signals of individual peaks vary substantially after only a few days. In contrast, relative metrics are robust for a much longer time. For specific metrics, when filtered and stored under cool and dark conditions, tap water may be stored for up to 59 days, non-polluted river water for up to 31-59 days, and WWTP effluents for up to 14-59 days. The storability thus depends both on the specific water source and the analytical plan. By systematizing our understanding of how the specific water source and DOM concentration determine the stability of samples during storage, these conclusions facilitate efforts to establish a standardized protocol.

Bioremediation of landfill leachate by Aspergillus flavus in submerged culture: Evaluation of the process efficiency by physicochemical methods and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy

The present study investigates the ability of Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) for organic and nitrogen matter removal from landfill leachate. Experiments were carried out with different types of leachate, (Young (YL), Intermediate (IL) and Old (OL)) used at different concentrations of the leachate up to 100%. The organic fraction of landfill leachate was measured by biological oxygen demand (BOD₅) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) then it was qualitatively assessed using three dimensional excitation emission matrix (3D-EEM). The nitrogen fraction was measured by ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrate (NO₃^-). The experiments revealed that, BOD₅, COD and NH₄⁺ removal rates after 4 weeks of treatment in flasks were within the ranges of 47.90-81.63%, 12.91-48.50% and 70.84-98.81%, respectively and that affected the reduction of the phytotoxicity in a positive way. A. flavus with 25% concentration of YL recorded the best results in reducing COD and BOD₅ with maximum removal rates of around 48.50% and 81.63%, respectively. However, the highest NH₄⁺ removal rate of 98.81% was found in 25% concentration of OL. The 3D-EEM results showed that the intensities of the fluorescent peaks for the three treated leachates have decreased sharply after treatment. This was confirmed by the increase of the organic matter complexity index for different treatments (from 0.55 to 0.87). Therefore, A. flavus may be potentially useful in the treatment of landfill leachate at a concentration of less than or equal to 50% as it was able to remove organic and nitrogen compounds, particularly in the treatment of YL leachate at a concentration of 25%.

An environmentally friendly surrogate method for measuring the soluble chemical oxygen demand in wastewater: use of three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy in wastewater treatment monitoring

Gaining rapid knowledge of dissolved organic matter (DOM) proves to be decisive for wastewater treatment plant operators in efforts to achieve good treatment efficiency in light of current legislation. DOM can be monitored by application of fluorescence spectroscopy both online and in real time in order to derive an assessment of DOM oxidation potential. This work presents an eco-friendly alternative method for measuring the soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) in raw sewage by means of three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy. A peak-picking approach has been developed based on a previous parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) model dedicated to Paris raw sewage. Fluorescence spectroscopy parameters were used to obtain a good prediction model of soluble COD (r² = 0.799; p < 0.0001; n = 80) for raw sewage. The approach employed in this study serves as a guideline for purposes of implementing online wastewater monitoring and conducting environmentally friendly soluble COD measurements in the laboratory.

Towards a better control of the wastewater treatment process: excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy of dissolved organic matter as a predictive tool of soluble BOD5 in influents of six Parisian wastewater treatment plants

The online monitoring of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in raw sewage water is expected to better control wastewater treatment processes. Fluorescence spectroscopy offers one possibility for both the online and real-time monitoring of DOM, especially as regards the DOM biodegradability assessment. In this study, three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy combined with a parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) has been investigated as a predictive tool of the soluble biological oxygen demand in 5 days (BOD₅) for raw sewage water. Six PARAFAC components were highlighted in 69 raw sewage water samples: C2, C5, and C6 related to humic-like compounds, along with C1, C3, and C4 related to protein-like compounds. Since the PARAFAC methodology is not available for online monitoring, a peak-picking approach based on maximum excitation-emission (Ex-Em) localization of the PARAFAC components identified in this study has been used. A good predictive model of soluble BOD₅ using fluorescence spectroscopy parameters was obtained (r² = 0.846, adjusted r² = 0.839, p < 0.0001). This model is quite straightforward, easy to automate, and applicable to the operational field of wastewater treatment for online monitoring purposes.

Tracking oil and gas wastewater-derived organic matter in a hybrid biofilter membrane treatment system: A multi-analytical approach

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) present in oil and gas (O&G) produced water and fracturing flowback was characterized and quantified by multiple analytical techniques throughout a hybrid biological-physical treatment process. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of DOM by liquid chromatography - organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy, demonstrated increasing removal of all groups of DOM throughout the treatment train, with most removal occurring during biological pretreatment and some subsequent removal achieved during membrane treatment. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) further validated these results and identified five fluorescent components, including DOM described as humic acids, fulvic acids, proteins, and aromatics. Tryptophan-like compounds bound by complexation to humics/fulvics were most difficult to remove biologically, while aromatics (particularly low molecular weight neutrals) were more challenging to remove with membranes. Strong correlation among PARAFAC, LC-OCD, LC-HRMS, and GC-MS suggests that PARAFAC can be a quick, affordable, and accurate tool for evaluating the presence or removal of specific DOM groups in O&G wastewater.

Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals accompanying occurrence of ammonium with fulvic acid-like organic matter in a fluvio-lacustrine aquifer of Jianhan Plain

This study is the first to investigate the simultaneous presence of NH4 (+) and fluorescent organic matter components (FOCs) from a fluvio-lacustrine aquifer in Central Jianghan Plain. Sediment, groundwater, and surface water samples were collected for the sediment organic matter extraction, 3D fluorescence spectroscopy characterization, and/or hydrochemical analysis. NH4 (+) and dissolved organic carbon was ubiquitous in the groundwater. The fluorescence spectroscopy revealed good relationships between NH4 (+) and fulvic acid-like components (FALCs) in the groundwater and sediment-extracted organic matter (SEOM) solutions. NH4 (+) also exhibited significant positive correlation with protein-like component (PLC) (p < 0.001), with the stronger in the SEOM solutions than that in groundwater. Comparisons of spectroscopic indices [e.g., humification index (HIX), biological index (BIX), spectra slope (S275-295), and specific UV absorbance (SUVA254)] between the groundwater and SEOM solutions revealed more labile properties of SEOM. This result indicates that the decreasing NH4 (+)-FOCs correlations of groundwater relative to sediments may be attributed to microbial degradation. Factor analysis identifies important factors that cause NH4 (+) occurrence in the groundwater. The accompanying increase of FALC (C1) and NH4-N with the mole concentration of the normalized HCO3 (-)/(Ca(2+)+Mg(2+)) and [H(+)] suggests that couple effects of various biodegradations simultaneously occur in the aquifer, promoting the occurrence of NH4-DOMs.

Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sludge organic matter pools as a driving force of their fate during anaerobic digestion

The fate of organic matter during anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge was studied in batch systems thanks to a sequential chemical fractionation of the particulate phase coupled to fluorescence spectroscopy. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) distribution within the organic pools was characterized from their analysis in the residual fraction after each extraction. Both methods were combined to understand the link between PAHs presence in organic pools and their spectral characterization after extraction. Two batch systems (sludge and inoculum mixture) were set up to study the impact of PAHs spiking on their fate and distribution. The sequential fractionation allowed us to extract and characterize about 50% of total Chemical Oxygen Demand. Moreover, fluorescence spectroscopy helped us to understand the organic pools evolution: the most easily extracted pools composed of protein-like molecules were highly degraded meaning that chemical accessibility mimics the bioaccessibility to degrading microorganisms. PAHs were present in all pools of organic matter but native PAHs were mainly present in low accessible (hardly extractable) fractions and during anaerobic digestion, they accumulated in the non-accessible (non extractable) fraction. Spiked PAHs were more dissipated during anaerobic digestion since spiking made them present in more accessible fractions. During the anaerobic digestion, contrary to native PAHs, spiked ones relocated toward less accessible organic fractions confirming the ageing phenomenon. PCA analysis showed that, in spiked mixture, PAHs presence in organic pools is linked to both PAHs physical-chemical properties and quality/quantity of the associated organic pools.