Kinetics of the precipitation of palladium dimethylglyoximate from homogeneous solution.
The kinetics of formation of palladium dimethylglyoximate in the post-nucleation and pre-nucleation stages, and the effect of palladium on the reaction of biacetyl and hydroxylamine, have been studied.
Co-precipitation of metal dimethylglyoximates generated from biacetyl monoxime or biacetyl and hydroxylamine.
A study has been made of some aspects of the co-precipitation of gold and platinum(II) and (IV) with palladium(II) precipitated from homogeneous solution initially containing biacetyl and hydroxylamine in 0.3M hydrochloric acid. The co-precipitation of nickel(II) with palladium(II) and vice versa from near neutral solutions initially containing biacetyl and hydroxylamine was also explored; the solid is enriched in the minor constituent in both cases. As with biacetyl monoxime-hydroxylamine systems, both nickel(II) and palladium(II) promote formation of dimethylglyoxime from such solutions between pH 7 and 8. Factors leading to this unusual behaviour in co-precipitation are discussed and a qualitative explanation tentatively advanced. The co-precipitation of nickel and palladium(II) is different when biacetyl monoxime solutions are used; the former comes out of solution faster than the latter irrespective of their concentration ratio. This disparity in the reaction rates can be used to separate nickel directly from palladium(II) by precipitation or extraction of the dimethylglyoximate into chloroform.
Toluene degradation via a unique metabolic route in indigenous bacterial species
Tanneries are the primary source of toluene pollution in the environment and toluene due to its hazardous effects has been categorized as persistent organic pollutant. Present study was initiated to trace out metabolic fingerprints of three toluene-degrading bacteria isolated from tannery effluents of Southern Punjab. Using selective enrichment and serial dilution methods followed by biochemical, molecular and antibiotic resistance analysis, isolated bacteria were subjected to metabolomics analysis. GC–MS/LC–MS analysis of bacterial metabolites helped to identify toluene transformation products and underlying pathways. Three toluene-metabolizing bacteria identified as Bacillus paralicheniformis strain KJ-16 (IUBT4 and IUBT24) and Brevibacillus agri strain NBRC 15538 (IUBT19) were found tolerant to toluene and capable of degrading toluene. Toluene-degrading potential of these isolates was detected to be IUBT4 (10.35 ± 0.084 mg/h), IUBT19 (14.07 ± 3.14 mg/h) and IUBT24 (11.1 ± 0.282 mg/h). Results of GC–MS analysis revealed that biotransformation of toluene is accomplished not only through known metabolic routes such as toluene 3-monooxygenase (T3MO), toluene 2-monooxygenase (T2MO), toluene 4-monooxygenase (T4MO), toluene methyl monooxygenase (TOL), toluene dioxygenase (Tod), meta- and ortho-ring fission pathways. But additionally, confirmed existence of a unique metabolic pathway that involved conversion of toluene into intermediates such as cyclohexene, cyclohexane, cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. LC–MS analysis indicated the presence of fatty acid amides, stigmine, emmotin A and 2, 2-dinitropropanol in supernatants of bacterial cultures. As the isolated bacteria transformed toluene into relatively less toxic molecules and thus can be preferably exploited for the eco-friendly remediation of toluene.