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At least 217 records · Page 12

Heterogeneous interactions of chlorine nitrate, hydrogen chloride, and nitric acid with sulfuric acid surfaces at stratospheric temperatures

The heterogeneous interactions of ClONO2, HCl, and HNO3 with sulfuric acid surfaces were studied using a Knudsen cell flow reactor. The surfaces studied, chosen to simulate global stratospheric particulate, were composed of 65-75 percent H2SO4 solutions at temperatures in the range -63 to -43 C. Heterogeneous loss, but not reaction, of HNO3 and HCl occurred on these surfaces; the measured sticking coefficients are reported. Chlorine nitrate reacted on the cold sulfuric acid surfaces, producing gas-phase HOCl and condensed HNO3. CLONO2 also reacted with HCl dissolved in the 65-percent H2SO4 solution at -63 C, forming gaseous Cl2. In all cases studied, the sticking and/or reaction coefficients were much larger for the 65-percent H2SO4 solution at -63 C than for the 75-percent solution at -43 C.

Tolbert, Margaret A.↗

Transport of the two natural auxins, indole-3-butyric acid and indole-3-acetic acid, in Arabidopsis

Polar transport of the natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is important in a number of plant developmental processes. However, few studies have investigated the polar transport of other endogenous auxins, such as indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), in Arabidopsis. This study details the similarities and differences between IBA and IAA transport in several tissues of Arabidopsis. In the inflorescence axis, no significant IBA movement was detected, whereas IAA is transported in a basipetal direction from the meristem tip. In young seedlings, both IBA and IAA were transported only in a basipetal direction in the hypocotyl. In roots, both auxins moved in two distinct polarities and in specific tissues. The kinetics of IBA and IAA transport appear similar, with transport rates of 8 to 10 mm per hour. In addition, IBA transport, like IAA transport, is saturable at high concentrations of auxin, suggesting that IBA transport is protein mediated. Interestingly, IAA efflux inhibitors and mutations in genes encoding putative IAA transport proteins reduce IAA transport but do not alter IBA movement, suggesting that different auxin transport protein complexes are likely to mediate IBA and IAA transport. Finally, the physiological effects of IBA and IAA on hypocotyl elongation under several light conditions were examined and analyzed in the context of the differences in IBA and IAA transport. Together, these results present a detailed picture of IBA transport and provide the basis for a better understanding of the transport of these two endogenous auxins.

Non-NASA Center↗

The pH profile for acid-induced elongation of coleoptile and epicotyl sections is consistent with the acid-growth theory

The acid-growth theory predicts that a solution with a pH identical to that of the apoplast of auxin-treated tissues (4.5.-5.0) should induce elongation at a rate comparable to that of auxin. Different pH profiles for elongation have been obtained, however, depending on the type of pretreatment between harvest of the sections and the start of the pH-incubations. To determine the acid sensitivity under in vivo conditions, oat (Avena sativa L.) coleoptile, maize (Zea mays L.) coleoptile and pea (Pisum sativum L.) epicotyl sections were abraded so that exogenous buffers could penetrate the free space, and placed in buffered solutions of pH 3.5-6.5 without any preincubation. The extension, without auxin, was measured over the first 3 h. Experiments conducted in three laboratories produced similar results. For all three species, sections placed in buffer without pretreatment elongated at least threefold faster at pH 5.0 than at 6.0 or 6.5, and the rate elongation at pH 5.0 was comparable to that induced by auxin. Pretreatment of abraded sections with pH-6.5 buffer or distilled water adjusted to pH 6.5 or above gave similar results. We conclude that the pH present in the apoplast of auxin-treated coleoptile and stems is sufficiently low to account for the initial growth response to auxin.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

Studies on the growth and indole-3-acetic acid and abscisic acid content of Zea mays seedlings grown in microgravity

Measurements were made of the fresh weight, dry weight, dry weight-fresh weight ratio, free and conjugated indole-3-acetic acid, and free and conjugated abscisic acid in seedlings of Zea mays grown in darkness in microgravity and on earth. Imbibition of the dry kernels was 17 h prior to launch. Growth was for 5 d at ambient orbiter temperature and at a chronic accelerational force of the order of 3 x 10(-5) times earth gravity. Weights and hormone content of the microgravity seedlings were, with minor exceptions, not statistically different from seedlings grown in normal gravity. The tissues of the shuttle-grown plants appeared normal and the seedlings differed only in the lack of orientation of roots and shoots. These findings, based upon 5 d of growth in microgravity, cannot be extrapolated to growth in microgravity for weeks, months, and years, as might occur on a space station. Nonetheless, it is encouraging, for prospects of bioregeneration of the atmosphere and food production in a space station, that no pronounced differences in the parameters measured were apparent during the 5 d of plant seedling growth in microgravity.

manned↗

Growth and graviresponsiveness of primary roots of Zea mays seedlings deficient in abscisic acid and gibberellic acid

The objective of this research was to determine if gibberellic acid (GA) and/or abscisic acid (ABA) are necessary for graviresponsiveness by primary roots of Zea mays. To accomplish this objective we measured the growth and graviresponsiveness of primary roots of seedlings in which the synthesis of ABA and GA was inhibited collectively and individually by genetic and chemical means. Roots of seedlings treated with Fluridone (an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis) and Ancymidol (an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis) were characterized by slower growth rates but not significantly different gravicultures as compared to untreated controls. Gravicurvatures of primary roots of d-5 mutants (having undetectable levels of GA) and vp-9 mutants (having undectable levels of ABA) were not significantly different from those of wild-type seedlings. Roots of seedlings in which the biosynthesis of ABA and GA was collectively inhibited were characterized by gravicurvatures not significantly different for those of controls. These results (1) indicate that drastic reductions in the amount of ABA and GA in Z. mays seedlings do not significantly alter root graviresponsiveness, (2) suggest that neither ABA nor GA is necessary for root gravicurvature, and (3) indicate that root gravicurvature is not necessarily proportional to root elongation.

Zea mays/drug effects/growth & development/metabol↗

Isotopically Tracking Nitrogen Oxides, Nitrous Acid, And Nitric Acid, Particulate Nitrate from Wildfire During FIREX-AQ

Wildfires are an important source of reactive nitrogen species including nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) and nitrous acid (HONO), as well as products such as nitric acid (HNO3) and particulate nitrate (p-NO3-). These species have strongly influence air quality and climate. In summer of 2019 (July 25 —August 21), as part of the FIREX-AQ ground mission, we drove ~3000 miles and sampled smoke of different ages in both daytime and nighttime from 5 different wildfires in the western US. Using recently developed methods that have been validated in both laboratory and field settings, we conducted high time resolution collection of NOx, NO2, HONO, HNO3, and p-NO3- for off-line characterization of isotopic composition δ15N, δ18O and Δ17O (=δ17O−0.52 δ18O). δ15N serves as a potential tracer for tracking sources and reactive nitrogen cycling pathways, δ18O and Δ17O provide key information about oxidation pathways (i.e. O3 versus RO2). Our measured δ15N for HONO ranges from -4.9‰ to +5.2‰ and -8‰ to +5.2‰ respectively, in the majority overlapping with our prior lab controlled burning results, which suggests the capability of δ15N for tracing the biomass burning emissions against other sources including vehicular emissions and soil emissions. In addition, our measurements show δ18O and Δ17O for NO2 and HONO vary significantly day vs night, as well as in young smoke vs aged smoke, likely reflecting different oxidizing mechanisms under different smoke conditions. Preliminary results of isotopic signatures of all the above reactive nitrogen species will be presented, and their relationships will be explored to identify wildfire derived reactive nitrogen source signatures and to constrain atmospheric processing pathways (e.g. secondary formation of HONO) for different fires under various smoke conditions depending on fuel types, fire conditions and meteorological conditions.

Jiajue Chai↗

Microorganisms and methods for the production of fatty acids and fatty acid derived products

This invention relates to metabolically engineered microorganism strains, such as bacterial strains, in which there is an increased utilization of malonyl-CoA for production of a fatty acid or fatty acid derived product, wherein the modified microorganism produces fatty acyl-CoA intermediates via a malonyl-CoA dependent but malonyl-ACP independent mechanism.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Organic acid solution having at least one ionic salt and at least one organic acid which is used for rare earth extraction

One or more embodiments relates to a process for extracting Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal. In at least one embodiment the process includes contacting the REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal with an Organic Acid Solution (OAS) comprising at least one organic acid and at least one ionic salt at a predetermined ambient temperature and predetermined pH; and separating the REE from the REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal, forming REE+Yttrium (REY) concentrate.

Verba, Circe↗

Electron Spin-Polarization Dependent Damage to Chiral Amino Acid l-Histidine

The damage of approximately monolayer films of L-histidine by low-energy spin-polarized electrons (SPE) ejected from a magnetized cobalt substrate has been probed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Average damage cross sections for N-containing motifs of L-histidine are 25-30 and 2-5 Mb for zwitterions and neutral molecules, respectively. Here, the magnetization direction of the substrate, which controls the ejected SPE helicity, was reversed in situ, and statistically significant differences in the damage cross sections of 10-30% were measured between positive and negative electron helicities. This is the first measurement of spin dichroism (SD) in an amino acid. The differential cross sections suggest that inelastic scattering of SPE with chiral molecules could contribute to the persistence of one enantiomer vs the other under certain irradiation conditions, particularly for the zwitterionic species.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Effects of Surface Hydrophobicity on Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Styrene with Formic Acid in a Biphasic Mixture

Transfer hydrogenation (TH) of unsaturated hydrocarbons with formic acid (FA) is an attractive processing pathway for the reduction of lignocellulosic pyrolysis oils. The low solubility of hydrophobic bio-oil species in water and FA in oil necessitates the use of a biphasic system as the reaction environment. Here, we report the effects of Pd/silica catalyst surface wettability on the TH reaction rate. Modification of the surface with short chain (C1–C4) alkyl silanes resulted in an increase in the reaction rate as compared to the unmodified catalyst. In contrast, modification of the surface with sulfonate (hydrophilic) and C18 alkyl silanes (hydrophobic) resulted in a decrease in the reaction rate as compared to the unmodified catalyst. Here, the results are discussed in terms of the catalyst interfacial activity and relative affinity of the reagents to the Pd active sites. An observed change in the apparent reaction order in styrene for a hydrophilic catalyst suggests that changing catalyst surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic resulted in a switch from a transport-limited to a kinetic-limited reaction regime.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Role of Hydrogen-bonded Bimolecular Formic Acid–Formate Complexes for Formic Acid Decomposition on Copper: A Combined First-Principles and Microkinetic Modeling Study

Hydrogen bonding interactions alter the nanoscale reaction mechanisms of many chemistries. Yet, it remains unclear how they affect heterogeneously catalyzed decomposition of formic acid (FA), a reaction of intense interest since FA is a promising hydrogen carrier. In this work, we elucidate how hydrogen bonding affects the reaction mechanisms for FA decomposition on Cu(111) by combining first-principles density functional theory calculations to calculate reaction energetics, Latin-hypercube sampling to elucidate stable high-coverage adsorbate configurations, and coverage self-consistent mean-field microkinetic models to predict reaction kinetics. We demonstrate that hydrogen-bonded complexes of FA with formate (bimolecular FA–HCOO complexes) can play a dominant role in FA decomposition. Specifically, our first-principles calculations show that hydrogen bonding of FA with HCOO may stabilize the crucial monodentate HCOO intermediate and the transition states for HCOO decomposition, especially at low coverages. We predict that, depending on the reaction conditions, 40–80% of the reaction flux goes through pathways involving the bimolecular FA–HCOO complexes. Additionally, the active site for FA decomposition on Cu(111) involves a high coverage (~0.4 monolayers (ML)) of these complexes, which unexpectedly stabilize intermediates and transition states via van der Waals interactions. Our work provides molecular insights consistent with previous experimental observations on supported Cu/Al 2 O 3 catalysts. This paves the way toward the development of novel catalysts for FA decomposition as well as for other industrially important chemistries with intermediates capable of hydrogen bonding, such as ammonia electrooxidation and CO 2 hydrogenation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗