Laccases of fungi attract considerable attention due to their possible involvement in the transformation of a wide variety of phenolic compounds including the polymeric lignin and humic substances. So far, more than a 100 enzymes have been purified from fungal cultures and characterized in terms of their biochemical and catalytic properties. Most ligninolytic fungal species produce constitutively at least one laccase isoenzyme and laccases are also dominant among ligninolytic enzymes in the soil environment. The fact that they only require molecular oxygen for catalysis makes them suitable for biotechnological applications for the transformation or immobilization of xenobiotic compounds.

Fungal laccases - occurrence and properties.

Microbial decolorization of textile-dye-containing effluents A review

1: Magnetic Particles: Preparation, Properties and Applications: M. Ozaki. 2: Maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3): A Versatile Magnetic Colloidal Material C.J. Serna, M.P. Morales. 3: Dynamics of Adsorption and Oxidation of Organic Molecules on Illuminated Titanium Dioxide Particles Immersed in Water M.A. Blesa, R.J. Candal, S.A. Bilmes. 4: Colloidal Aggregation in Two-Dimensions A. Moncho-Jorda, F. Martinez-Lopez, M.A. Cabrerizo-Vilchez, R. Hidalgo Alvarez, M. Quesada-PMerez. 5: Kinetics of Particle and Protein Adsorption Z. Adamczyk.

Surface and Colloid Science

The article focuses on adsorption of heavy metal ions on soils and soils constituents such as clay minerals, metal (hydr)oxides, and soil organic matter. Empirical and mechanistic model approaches for heavy metal adsorption and parameter determination in such models have been reviewed. Sorption mechanisms in soils, the influence of surface functional groups and surface complexation as well as parameters influencing adsorption are discussed. The individual adsorption behavior of Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn and Co on soils and soil constituents is reviewed.

Adsorption of heavy metal ions on soils and soils constituents

Concentrated solar thermal power generation is becoming a very attractive renewable energy production system among all the different renewable options, as it has have a better potential for dispatchability. This dispatchability is inevitably linked with an efficient and cost-effective thermal storage system. Thus, of all components, thermal storage is a key one. However, it is also one of the less developed. Only a few plants in the world have tested high temperature thermal energy storage systems. In this paper, the different storage concepts are reviewed and classified. All materials considered in literature or plants are listed. And finally, modellization of such systems is reviewed.

State of the art on high temperature thermal energy storage for power generation. Part 1—Concepts, materials and modellization

Black silicon is a synthetic nanomaterial that contains high aspect ratio nanoprotrusions on its surface, produced through a simple reactive-ion etching technique for use in photovoltaic applications Surfaces with high aspect-ratio nanofeatures are also common in the natural world, for example, the wings of the dragonfly Diplacodes bipunctata Here we show that the nanoprotrusions on the surfaces of both black silicon and D bipunctata wings form hierarchical structures through the formation of clusters of adjacent nanoprotrusions These structures generate a mechanical bactericidal effect, independent of chemical composition Both surfaces are highly bactericidal against all tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and endospores, and exhibit estimated average killing rates of up to ∼450,000 cells min -1 cm -2 This represents the first reported physical bactericidal activity of black silicon or indeed for any hydrophilic surface This biomimetic analogue represents an excellent prospect for the development of a new generation of mechano-responsive, antibacterial nanomaterials

https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/31705/1/31705%20Ivanova%20et%20al%202013.pdf

Bactericidal activity of black silicon

Adsorption and coprecipitation of single heavy metal ions onto the hydrated oxides of iron and chromium

Transformation and degradation of the disazo dye Chicago Sky Blue by a purified laccase from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus.

The influence of surfactant adsorption on the surface characterisation of Australian coals

Dielectric measurements on polyimide-oxide nanoparticle composite thin films show a composite dielectric constant (ecomposite) that increased monotonically with increasing oxide content well above the value predicted by Maxwell’s rule for dielectric mixtures below the percolation threshold. Above certain volume fractions, the measured ecomposite values were found to exceed the corresponding nanoparticle e such that epolymer<eparticle<ecomposite contrasted to conventional composites where epolymer<ecomposite<eparticle. The ecomposite was independent of frequency to 10MHz with dielectric loss of <0.005 throughout this range, indicating that the observed enhancement in e does not originate from space-charge related contributions and hence should be due to dipolar contributions. The observed e enhancement (ecomposite−eMaxwell) showed a correlation with the total surface area of the nanoparticles. The dielectric model of Vo and Shi [Microelectron. J. 33, 409 (2002), and references therein] showed that the enhanced dielectric behavior originates from significant interfacial nanoparticle-polymer interactions and the critical role of additional contributions to polarizability through specific physicochemical interactions within the interphase region. An interphase eint considerably higher than that of the nanoparticle and a high interface interaction constant of 3.24 for the nanocomposite suggest a strong interaction between the functional groups of the polymer and the nanoparticle surface. Although modeling suggests a maximum of e∼65vol%, loss in micromechanical stability occurred above 20% due to incomplete polymer wetting films arising from the high nanoparticle surface areas.

David E. Mainwaring

Papers

Bactericidal activity of black silicon

Adsorption and coprecipitation of single heavy metal ions onto the hydrated oxides of iron and chromium

Transformation and degradation of the disazo dye Chicago Sky Blue by a purified laccase from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus.

The influence of surfactant adsorption on the surface characterisation of Australian coals

Dielectric enhancement in polymer-nanoparticle composites through interphase polarizability