Using phosphate to increase feeding consumption in termite Coptotermes formosanus

Termites are ecologically significant in positive and negative ways; their role in breaking down debris greatly benefits forest environments, but this activity renders them a pest in domestic environments. This study examines the effect of nutrition on the feeding preference of termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Among 11 nutrition options tested, dipotassium phosphate (DKP) most significantly increased feeding consumption in the multiple feeding choice test. The mean feeding amount of the DKP-treated sample was 2.5-fold higher than that of the deionized water-treated control. This result suggests that termite colonies are deficient in phosphorus, and an additional supply of phosphate can promote feeding. The result of a no-choice feeding test using DKP shows that DKP does not promote feeding in a small number of termites. The results obtained in this study suggest that phosphorus is needed in termite colonies, making DKP especially effective. DKP will help to improve bait technology, because it is inexpensive and safe for both humans and the environment.

Determination of Dissolved CO2 Concentration in Culture Media: Evaluation of pH Value and Mathematical Data

Carbon dioxide is the most influential gas in greenhouse gasses and its amount in the atmosphere reached 412 µmol/mol in August 2020, which increased rapidly, by 48%, from preindustrial levels. A brand-new chemical industry, namely organic chemistry and catalysis science, must be developed with carbon dioxide (CO2) as the source of carbon. Nowadays, many techniques are available for controlling and removing carbon dioxide in different chemical processes. Since the utilization of CO2 as feedstock for a chemical commodity is of relevance today, this study will focus on how to increase CO2 solubility in culture media used for growing microbes. In this work, the CO2 solubility in a different medium was investigated. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and monoethanolamine (MEA) were added to the culture media (3.0 g/L dipotassium phosphate (K2HPO4), 0.2 g/L magnesium chloride (MgCl2), 0.2 g/L calcium chloride (CaCl2), and 1.0 g/L sodium chloride (NaCl)) for growing microbes in order to observe the difference in CO2 solubility. Factors of temperature and pressure were also studied. The determination of CO2 concentration in the solution was measured by gas analyzer. The result obtained from optimization revealed a maximum CO2 concentration of 19.029 mol/L in the culture media with MEA, at a pressure of 136.728 kPa, operating at 20.483 °C.

Resistance against phomopsis leaf blight disease induced by potassium salts in strawberry plants

Background Growing interest of strawberry cultivation in Egypt necessitates more efforts towards its severe phomopsis leaf blight disease caused by Phomopsis obscurans. Synthetic fungicides could control this fungus but due to their critical impact on human beings and the environment, we are in dire need of safe alternatives for its control. Therefore, the leverage of the potassium bicarbonate and dipotassium phosphate on P. obscurans suppression on strawberry plants was examined. Results Full inhibition of the fungal linear growth was achieved at the highest concentration (2%) of the two salts. Under field conditions, 87.5, 81.3, and 81.3% were the best decreases in disease severity gained by the two salts at 2% of both salts and the fungicide Amstar, respectively. Potassium bicarbonate at 1.5% reduced severity by 68.8%. Concentrations 1, 1.5, and 2% of each salt considerably enhanced strawberry yield. The increases were 66.7 and 61.7%, at 2% concentration by the two salts, respectively. Increments by 126.7 and 150% of peroxidase activity in plant leaves and by 140 and 148% of chitinase activity were noted by the two salts, respectively, at 2%. Conclusions The examined bicarbonate and phosphate salts could suppress P. obscurans growth and spread. The more the used salt concentration, the better it suppresses the fungal growth with consequent effect on the plants which apparently promoted their field yield. Potential implications of the two salts on enhancing activities of the two enzymes reflected their role in suppressing the disease. Further research is needed to integrate these salts in management strategies of P. obscurans in Egypt to foster strawberry yield utilizing ecofriendly approaches.

Screening and Selection of Media Components for Protease Production by Bacillus sp. EBTA6 Using Plackett–Burman Design

In this study, effects of medium components and inoculum size on the protease production by Bacillus sp. EBTA6 that was isolated from a home-made Tarhana sample were investigated. The cell-free supernatant of bacterium cultured on a shaking incubator for 24 h was used to test protease activity as the response. With a total number of 11 factors, 12 different experiments were run and the highest experimental protease activity was measured as 2280.4 U/mL. Results were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and the most efficient factors were detected as yeast extract, dipotassium phosphate, casein, and peptone with a contribution of 93.78, 2.19, 1.96, 1.31%, respectively. For validation of the selected factors, a further experiment was performed by using of yeast extract (9.98 g/L), dipotassium phosphate (1.27 g/L), casein (8.69 g/L), and peptone (9.88 g/L) obtained from the design equation. The experimental response was found as 2411.4 U/mL which was only 5.5% higher than the predicted response showing that the model was applicable.

Distribution constants and group increments of organic substances in the extraction systems of water saline–hexane

In the extraction systems of hexane–aqueous solutions of potassium carbonate, ammonium sulfate and sodium chloride, the distribution of a number of organic compounds (benzyl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran, phenol, aniline, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, n-butylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, benzylamine) was studied. It was shown that sodium chloride, the most frequently used as a salting out agent, is noticeably inferior in salting ability to potassium carbonate, dipotassium phosphate and ammonium sulfate, since it contains singly charged ions with a relatively low charge density. Using the method of group increments on the example of aliphatic alcohols, the salting out ability of a number of mineral salts with singly charged ions was evaluated. By the value of this ability, the salts studied are arranged in the following order: NaNO2 > NaCl > KCl ~ NaBr > NaClO4 > KJ > NH4NO3 > NH4SCN. At the same time, the salting out effect of the last four salts from the above series is small. Based on the usage of the group increment method, the nature of the salting out effect is additionally confirmed, which consists, first of all, in strengthening the structure of the saline solution and increasing the increment of the methylene group (ICH2) with increasing the salt concentration.

Optimization of heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella sp. HS2 using screening, statistical assessment, and validation

The heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae has a number of notable advantages, which include allowing high culture density levels as well as enabling the production of biomass in consistent and predictable quantities. In this study, the full potential of Chlorella sp. HS2 is explored through optimization of the parameters for its heterotrophic cultivation. First, carbon and nitrogen sources were screened in PhotobioBox. Initial screening using the Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was then adopted and the concentrations of the major nutrients (glucose, sodium nitrate, and dipotassium phosphate) were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD). Upon validation of the model via flask-scale cultivation, the optimized BG11 medium was found to result in a three-fold improvement in biomass amounts, from 5.85 to 18.13 g/L, in comparison to a non-optimized BG11 medium containing 72 g/L glucose. Scaling up the cultivation to a 5-L fermenter resulted in a greatly improved biomass concentration of 35.3 g/L owing to more efficient oxygenation of the culture. In addition, phosphorus feeding fermentation was employed in an effort to address early depletion of phosphate, and a maximum biomass concentration of 42.95 g/L was achieved, with biomass productivity of 5.37 g/L/D.

Sodium glycerophosphate and prescribed calcium concentrations in pediatric parenteral nutrition: a retrospective observational study and economic evaluation

Background The risk of precipitation limits calcium and phosphate concentrations that can be administered parenterally to pediatric patients. As an alternative to dipotassium phosphate, sodium glycerophosphate (NaGlyP) is claimed to reduce the risk of precipitation in solutions for parenteral administration. Objectives To determine the calcium concentrations, NaGlyP, and dipotassium phosphate prescribed in pediatric parenteral nutrition orders and the cost–benefit of the organic phosphate. Methods We retrospectively collected cross-sectional data for parenteral nutrition orders from September 2014 to August 2015 for pediatric patients including neonates and children aged <18 years who were admitted to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Calcium concentration, calcium concentration adjustments, and costs of phosphate used per bag were analyzed. Results Of 2,192 parenteral nutrition orders, NaGlyP was used in 2,128 (97.1%) with calcium concentrations in the range of 0.84–139.91 mmol/L, which were significantly higher than calcium concentrations used with dipotassium phosphate (0.00–12.21 mmol/L, P < 0.001). There was no report of visible precipitation. Median costs of NaGlyP and dipotassium phosphate used per unit bag were not significantly different (35.88 and 41.25 Thai baht [THB] or 1.04 and 1.20 USD per bag, respectively, P>0.99; (1 USD equivalent to 34.241 THB U.S. Federal Reserve Bank G5.A annual average rate 2015). Conclusions Higher calcium concentrations could be achieved without increasing the direct cost per unit bag significantly as a result of using NaGlyP, an alternative to dipotassium phosphate as a source of phosphate for patients who require high amounts of calcium in parenteral nutrition.

Extraction of organic non-electrolytes with n-hexane from aqueous solutions of dipotassium phosphate and potassium acetate

At a temperature of 20 ± 1 °C, the distribution of model substances of various classes of organic non-electrolytes in n-hexane – aqueous solutions of dipotassium phosphate and potassium acetate was studied. The increments of the methylene and functional groups of organic non-electrolytes are calculated. It has been shown that in case of dipotassium phosphate, the nature of the salting out effect is enhancing the structure of the salt solution and the growth of the methylene group increment. For potassium acetate, the increment of the methylene group slightly increases with increasing salt concentration, and for most functional groups it increases significantly. An explanation of the dependences of the increment values on the nature and composition of the salt solution is given.