TY - JOUR A1 - Hager, Jonathan A1 - Hentschke, Reinhard A1 - Hojdis, Nils A1 - Karimi-Varzaneh, Hossein Ali T1 - Computer Simulation of Particle–Particle Interaction in a Model Polymer Nanocomposite JF - Macromolecules Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01864 SN - 1520-5835 VL - 48 IS - 24 SP - 9039 EP - 9049 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Waller, Mark P. A1 - Braun, Heiko A1 - Hojdis, Nils A1 - Bühl, Michael T1 - Geometries of Second-Row Transition-Metal Complexes from Density-Functional Theory JF - Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation Y1 - 2007 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/ct700178y SN - 1549-9626 VL - 3 IS - 6 SP - 2234 EP - 2242 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Svaneborg, Carsten A1 - Karimi-Varzaneh, Hossein Ali A1 - Hojdis, Nils A1 - Fleck, Franz A1 - Everaers, Ralf T1 - Kremer-Grest Models for Universal Properties of Specific Common Polymer Species JF - Soft Condensed Matter N2 - The Kremer-Grest (KG) bead-spring model is a near standard in Molecular Dynamic simulations of generic polymer properties. It owes its popularity to its computational efficiency, rather than its ability to represent specific polymer species and conditions. Here we investigate how to adapt the model to match the universal properties of a wide range of chemical polymers species. For this purpose we vary a single parameter originally introduced by Faller and Müller-Plathe, the chain stiffness. Examples include polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, cis-polyisoprene, polydimethylsiloxane, polyethyleneoxide and styrene-butadiene rubber. We do this by matching the number of Kuhn segments per chain and the number of Kuhn segments per cubic Kuhn volume for the polymer species and for the Kremer-Grest model. We also derive mapping relations for converting KG model units back to physical units, in particular we obtain the entanglement time for the KG model as function of stiffness allowing for a time mapping. To test these relations, we generate large equilibrated well entangled polymer melts, and measure the entanglement moduli using a static primitive-path analysis of the entangled melt structure as well as by simulations of step-strain deformation of the model melts. The obtained moduli for our model polymer melts are in good agreement with the experimentally expected moduli. Y1 - 2018 IS - 1606.05008 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mayer, Jan A1 - Hentschke, Reinhard A1 - Hager, Jonathan A1 - Hojdis, Nils A1 - Karimi-Varnaneh, Hossein Ali T1 - A Nano-Mechanical Instability as Primary Contribution to Rolling Resistance JF - Scientific Reports Y1 - 2017 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 7 IS - Article number 11275 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Engel, Mareike A1 - Holtmann, Dirk A1 - Ulber, Roland A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Increased Biobutanol Production by Mediator‐Less Electro‐Fermentation JF - Biotechnology Journal N2 - A future bio-economy should not only be based on renewable raw materials but also in the raise of carbon yields of existing production routes. Microbial electrochemical technologies are gaining increased attention for this purpose. In this study, the electro-fermentative production of biobutanol with C. acetobutylicum without the use of exogenous mediators is investigated regarding the medium composition and the reactor design. It is shown that the use of an optimized synthetic culture medium allows higher product concentrations, increased biofilm formation, and higher conductivities compared to a synthetic medium supplemented with yeast extract. Moreover, the optimization of the reactor system results in a doubling of the maximum product concentrations for fermentation products. When a working electrode is polarized at −600 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, a shift from butyrate to acetone and butanol production is induced. This leads to an increased final solvent yield of Yᴀᴃᴇ = 0.202 gg⁻¹ (control 0.103 gg⁻¹), which is also reflected in a higher carbon efficiency of 37.6% compared to 23.3% (control) as well as a fourfold decrease in simplified E-factor to 0.43. The results are promising for further development of biobutanol production in bioelectrochemical systems in order to fulfil the principles of Green Chemistry. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/biot.201800514 SN - 1860-7314 VL - 14 IS - 4 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eckert, Alexander A1 - Abbasi, Mozhdeh A1 - Mang, Thomas A1 - Saalwächter, Kay A1 - Walther, Andreas T1 - Structure, Mechanical Properties, and Dynamics of Polyethylenoxide/Nanoclay Nacre-Mimetic Nanocomposites JF - Macromolecules N2 - Nacre-mimetic nanocomposites based on high fractions of synthetic high-aspect-ratio nanoclays in combination with polymers are continuously pushing boundaries for advanced material properties, such as high barrier against oxygen, extraordinary mechanical behavior, fire shielding, and glass-like transparency. Additionally, they provide interesting model systems to study polymers under nanoconfinement due to the well-defined layered nanocomposite arrangement. Although the general behavior in terms of forming such layered nanocomposite materials using evaporative self-assembly and controlling the nanoclay gallery spacing by the nanoclay/polymer ratio is understood, some combinations of polymer matrices and nanoclay reinforcement do not comply with the established models. Here, we demonstrate a thorough characterization and analysis of such an unusual polymer/nanoclay pair that falls outside of the general behavior. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and sodium fluorohectorite form nacre-mimetic, lamellar nanocomposites that are completely transparent and show high mechanical stiffness and high gas barrier, but there is only limited expansion of the nanoclay gallery spacing when adding increasing amounts of polymer. This behavior is maintained for molecular weights of PEO varied over four orders of magnitude and can be traced back to depletion forces. By careful investigation via X-ray diffraction and proton low-resolution solid-state NMR, we are able to quantify the amount of mobile and immobilized polymer species in between the nanoclay galleries and around proposed tactoid stacks embedded in a PEO matrix. We further elucidate the unusual confined polymer dynamics, indicating a relevant role of specific surface interactions. Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01931 SN - 1520-5835 VL - 53 IS - 5 SP - 1716 EP - 1725 PB - ACS Publications CY - Washington, DC ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bergs, Michel A1 - Monakhova, Yulia A1 - Diehl, Bernd W. A1 - Konow, Christopher A1 - Völkering, Georg A1 - Pude, Ralf A1 - Schulze, Margit T1 - Lignins isolated via catalyst-free organosolv pulping from Miscanthus x giganteus, M. sinensis, M. robustus and M. nagara: a comparative study JF - Molecules N2 - As a low-input crop, Miscanthus offers numerous advantages that, in addition to agricultural applications, permits its exploitation for energy, fuel, and material production. Depending on the Miscanthus genotype, season, and harvest time as well as plant component (leaf versus stem), correlations between structure and properties of the corresponding isolated lignins differ. Here, a comparative study is presented between lignins isolated from M. x giganteus, M. sinensis, M. robustus and M. nagara using a catalyst-free organosolv pulping process. The lignins from different plant constituents are also compared regarding their similarities and differences regarding monolignol ratio and important linkages. Results showed that the plant genotype has the weakest influence on monolignol content and interunit linkages. In contrast, structural differences are more significant among lignins of different harvest time and/or season. Analyses were performed using fast and simple methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Data was assigned to four different linkages (A: β-O-4 linkage, B: phenylcoumaran, C: resinol, D: β-unsaturated ester). In conclusion, A content is particularly high in leaf-derived lignins at just under 70% and significantly lower in stem and mixture lignins at around 60% and almost 65%. The second most common linkage pattern is D in all isolated lignins, the proportion of which is also strongly dependent on the crop portion. Both stem and mixture lignins, have a relatively high share of approximately 20% or more (maximum is M. sinensis Sin2 with over 30%). In the leaf-derived lignins, the proportions are significantly lower on average. Stem samples should be chosen if the highest possible lignin content is desired, specifically from the M. x giganteus genotype, which revealed lignin contents up to 27%. Due to the better frost resistance and higher stem stability, M. nagara offers some advantages compared to M. x giganteus. Miscanthus crops are shown to be very attractive lignocellulose feedstock (LCF) for second generation biorefineries and lignin generation in Europe. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26040842 SN - 1420-3049 N1 - Special Issue Lignin – A Natural Resource with Huge Potential https://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules/special_issues/lignin_natural VL - 26 IS - 4 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jablonski, Melanie A1 - Münstermann, Felix A1 - Nork, Jasmina A1 - Molinnus, Denise A1 - Muschallik, Lukas A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Wagner, Torsten A1 - Keusgen, Michael A1 - Siegert, Petra A1 - Schöning, Michael Josef T1 - Capacitive field‐effect biosensor applied for the detection of acetoin in alcoholic beverages and fermentation broths JF - physica status solidi (a) applications and materials science N2 - An acetoin biosensor based on a capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) structure modified with the enzyme acetoin reductase, also known as butane-2,3-diol dehydrogenase (Bacillus clausii DSM 8716ᵀ), is applied for acetoin detection in beer, red wine, and fermentation broth samples for the first time. The EIS sensor consists of an Al/p-Si/SiO₂/Ta₂O₅ layer structure with immobilized acetoin reductase on top of the Ta₂O₅ transducer layer by means of crosslinking via glutaraldehyde. The unmodified and enzyme-modified sensors are electrochemically characterized by means of leakage current, capacitance–voltage, and constant capacitance methods, respectively. KW - acetoin KW - acetoin reductase KW - alcoholic beverages KW - biosensors KW - capacitive field-effect sensors Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.202000765 SN - 1862-6319 N1 - Corresponding author: Melanie Jablonski VL - 218 IS - 13 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lowis, Carsten A1 - Ferguson, Simon A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia T1 - Improved Sc-44 production in a siphon-style liquid target on a medical cyclotron JF - Applied Radiation and Isotopes Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109675 SN - 0969-8043 VL - 172 IS - Art. 109675 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Monakhova, Yulia A1 - Diehl, Bernd W. K. T1 - A step towards optimization of the qNMR workflow: proficiency testing exercise at an GxP-accredited laboratory JF - Applied Magnetic Resonance N2 - Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) is considered as a powerful tool for multicomponent mixture analysis as well as for the purity determination of single compounds. Special attention is currently paid to the training of operators and study directors involved in qNMR testing. To assure that only qualified personnel are used for sample preparation at our GxP-accredited laboratory, weighing test was proposed. Sixteen participants performed six-fold weighing of the binary mixture of dibutylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and 1,2,4,5-tetrachloro-3-nitrobenzene (TCNB). To evaluate the quality of data analysis, all spectra were evaluated manually by a qNMR expert and using in-house developed automated routine. The results revealed that mean values are comparable and both evaluation approaches are free of systematic error. However, automated evaluation resulted in an approximately 20% increase in precision. The same findings were revealed for qNMR analysis of 32 compounds used in pharmaceutical industry. Weighing test by six-fold determination in binary mixtures and automated qNMR methodology can be recommended as efficient tools for evaluating staff proficiency. The automated qNMR method significantly increases throughput and precision of qNMR for routine measurements and extends application scope of qNMR. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-021-01324-3 SN - 1613-7507 N1 - Corresponding author: Yulia Monakhova VL - 52 SP - 581 EP - 593 PB - Springer Nature CY - Wien ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Becht, Alexander A1 - Schollmayer, Curd A1 - Monakhova, Yulia A1 - Holzgrabe, Ulrike T1 - Tracing the origin of paracetamol tablets by near-infrared, mid-infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis JF - Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry N2 - Most drugs are no longer produced in their own countries by the pharmaceutical companies, but by contract manufacturers or at manufacturing sites in countries that can produce more cheaply. This not only makes it difficult to trace them back but also leaves room for criminal organizations to fake them unnoticed. For these reasons, it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine the exact origin of drugs. The goal of this work was to investigate how exactly this is possible by using different spectroscopic methods like nuclear magnetic resonance and near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis. As an example, 56 out of 64 different paracetamol preparations, collected from 19 countries around the world, were chosen to investigate whether it is possible to determine the pharmaceutical company, manufacturing site, or country of origin. By means of suitable pre-processing of the spectra and the different information contained in each method, principal component analysis was able to evaluate manufacturing relationships between individual companies and to differentiate between production sites or formulations. Linear discriminant analysis showed different results depending on the spectral method and purpose. For all spectroscopic methods, it was found that the classification of the preparations to their manufacturer achieves better results than the classification to their pharmaceutical company. The best results were obtained with nuclear magnetic resonance and near-infrared data, with 94.6%/99.6% and 98.7/100% of the spectra of the preparations correctly assigned to their pharmaceutical company or manufacturer. KW - IR KW - Manufacturer KW - Linear discriminant analysis KW - Principal component analysis Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-021-03249-z SN - 1618-2650 VL - 413 SP - 3107 EP - 3118 PB - Springer Nature ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Niedermeier, Jana A1 - Penner, Crystal A1 - Usherovich, Samuel A1 - Bélanger-Champagne, Camille A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia T1 - Optical Fibers as Dosimeter Detectors for Mixed Proton/Neutron Fields - A Biological Dosimeter JF - electronics N2 - In recent years, proton therapy has gained importance as a cancer treatment modality due to its conformality with the tumor and the sparing of healthy tissue. However, in the interaction of the protons with the beam line elements and patient tissues, potentially harmful secondary neutrons are always generated. To ensure that this neutron dose is as low as possible, treatment plans could be created to also account for and minimize the neutron dose. To monitor such a treatment plan, a compact, easy to use, and inexpensive dosimeter must be developed that not only measures the physical dose, but which can also distinguish between proton and neutron contributions. To that end, plastic optical fibers with scintillation materials (Gd₂O₂S:Tb, Gd₂O₂S:Eu, and YVO₄:Eu) were irradiated with protons and neutrons. It was confirmed that sensors with different scintillation materials have different sensitivities to protons and neutrons. A combination of these three scintillators can be used to build a detector array to create a biological dosimeter. KW - biological dosimeter KW - Bragg peak KW - relative dosimetry KW - optical fibers KW - proton therapy KW - protons KW - neutrons Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12020324 SN - 2079-9292 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Applications of Optical Fiber Sensors" VL - 12 IS - 2 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Penner, Crystal A1 - Usherovich, Samuel A1 - Niedermeier, Jana A1 - Bélanger-Champagne, Camille A1 - Trinczek, Michael A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia T1 - Organic Scintillator-Fibre Sensors for Proton Therapy Dosimetry: SCSF-3HF and EJ-260 JF - electronics N2 - In proton therapy, the dose from secondary neutrons to the patient can contribute to side effects and the creation of secondary cancer. A simple and fast detection system to distinguish between dose from protons and neutrons both in pretreatment verification as well as potentially in vivo monitoring is needed to minimize dose from secondary neutrons. Two 3 mm long, 1 mm diameter organic scintillators were tested for candidacy to be used in a proton–neutron discrimination detector. The SCSF-3HF (1500) scintillating fibre (Kuraray Co. Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan) and EJ-260 plastic scintillator (Eljen Technology, Sweetwater, TX, USA) were irradiated at the TRIUMF Neutron Facility and the Proton Therapy Research Centre. In the proton beam, we compared the raw Bragg peak and spread-out Bragg peak response to the industry standard Markus chamber detector. Both scintillator sensors exhibited quenching at high LET in the Bragg peak, presenting a peak-to-entrance ratio of 2.59 for the EJ-260 and 2.63 for the SCSF-3HF fibre, compared to 3.70 for the Markus chamber. The SCSF-3HF sensor demonstrated 1.3 times the sensitivity to protons and 3 times the sensitivity to neutrons as compared to the EJ-260 sensor. Combined with our equations relating neutron and proton contributions to dose during proton irradiations, and the application of Birks’ quenching correction, these fibres provide valid candidates for inexpensive and replicable proton-neutron discrimination detectors Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12010011 SN - 2079-9292 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Applications of Optical Fiber Sensors" VL - 12 IS - 1 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haeger, Gerrit A1 - Grankin, Alina A1 - Wagner, Michaela T1 - Construction of an Aspergillus oryzae triple amylase deletion mutant as a chassis to evaluate industrially relevant amylases using multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 editing technology JF - Applied Research N2 - Aspergillus oryzae is an industrially relevant organism for the secretory production of heterologous enzymes, especially amylases. The activities of potential heterologous amylases, however, cannot be quantified directly from the supernatant due to the high background activity of native α-amylase. This activity is caused by the gene products of amyA, amyB, and amyC. In this study, an in vitro CRISPR/Cas9 system was established in A. oryzae to delete these genes simultaneously. First, pyrG of A. oryzae NSAR1 was mutated by exploiting NHEJ to generate a counter-selection marker. Next, all amylase genes were deleted simultaneously by co-transforming a repair template carrying pyrG of Aspergillus nidulans and flanking sequences of amylase gene loci. The rate of obtained triple knock-outs was 47%. We showed that triple knockouts do not retain any amylase activity in the supernatant. The established in vitro CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to achieve sequence-specific knock-in of target genes. The system was intended to incorporate a single copy of the gene of interest into the desired host for the development of screening methods. Therefore, an integration cassette for the heterologous Fpi amylase was designed to specifically target the amyB locus. The site-specific integration rate of the plasmid was 78%, with exceptional additional integrations. Integration frequency was assessed via qPCR and directly correlated with heterologous amylase activity. Hence, we could compare the efficiency between two different signal peptides. In summary, we present a strategy to exploit CRISPR/Cas9 for gene mutation, multiplex knock-out, and the targeted knock-in of an expression cassette in A. oryzae. Our system provides straightforward strain engineering and paves the way for development of fungal screening systems. KW - aspergillus KW - CRISPR/Cas9 KW - filamentous fungi KW - genome engineering Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/appl.202200106 SN - 2702-4288 IS - Early View SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Wiley-VCH ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Block, Franziska A1 - May, Alexander A1 - Wetzel, Katharina A1 - Adels, Klaudia A1 - Elbers, Gereon A1 - Schulze, Margit A1 - Monakhova, Yulia T1 - What is the best spectroscopic method for simultaneous analysis of organic acids and (poly)saccharides in biological matrices: Example of Aloe vera extracts? JF - Talanta Open N2 - Several species of (poly)saccharides and organic acids can be found often simultaneously in various biological matrices, e.g., fruits, plant materials, and biological fluids. The analysis of such matrices sometimes represents a challenging task. Using Aloe vera (A. vera) plant materials as an example, the performance of several spectro-scopic methods (80 MHz benchtop NMR, NIR, ATR-FTIR and UV–vis) for the simultaneous analysis of quality parameters of this plant material was compared. The determined parameters include (poly)saccharides such as aloverose, fructose and glucose as well as organic acids (malic, lactic, citric, isocitric, acetic, fumaric, benzoic and sorbic acids). 500 MHz NMR and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used as the reference methods. UV–vis data can be used only for identification of added preservatives (benzoic and sorbic acids) and drying agent (maltodextrin) and semiquantitative analysis of malic acid. NIR and MIR spectroscopies combined with multivariate regression can deliver more informative overview of A. vera extracts being able to additionally quantify glucose, aloverose, citric, isocitric, malic, lactic acids and fructose. Low-field NMR measurements can be used for the quantification of aloverose, glucose, malic, lactic, acetic, and benzoic acids. The benchtop NMR method was successfully validated in terms of robustness, stability, precision, reproducibility and limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), respectively. All spectroscopic techniques are useful for the screening of (poly)saccharides and organic acids in plant extracts and should be applied according to its availability as well as information and confidence required for the specific analytical goal. Benchtop NMR spectroscopy seems to be the most feasible solution for quality control of A. vera products. KW - Spectroscopy KW - (Poly)saccharides KW - Organic acids KW - Aloe vera KW - qNMR Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talo.2023.100220 SN - 2666-8319 VL - 7 IS - Art. No. 100220 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Falkenberg, Fabian A1 - Bott, Michael A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra T1 - Phylogenetic survey of the subtilase family and a data-mining-based search for new subtilisins from Bacillaceae JF - Frontiers in Microbiology N2 - The subtilase family (S8), a member of the clan SB of serine proteases are ubiquitous in all kingdoms of life and fulfil different physiological functions. Subtilases are divided in several groups and especially subtilisins are of interest as they are used in various industrial sectors. Therefore, we searched for new subtilisin sequences of the family Bacillaceae using a data mining approach. The obtained 1,400 sequences were phylogenetically classified in the context of the subtilase family. This required an updated comprehensive overview of the different groups within this family. To fill this gap, we conducted a phylogenetic survey of the S8 family with characterised holotypes derived from the MEROPS database. The analysis revealed the presence of eight previously uncharacterised groups and 13 subgroups within the S8 family. The sequences that emerged from the data mining with the set filter parameters were mainly assigned to the subtilisin subgroups of true subtilisins, high-alkaline subtilisins, and phylogenetically intermediate subtilisins and represent an excellent source for new subtilisin candidates. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1017978 SN - 1664-302X VL - 2022 IS - 13 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haeger, Gerrit A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra T1 - A convenient ninhydrin assay in 96-well format for amino acid-releasing enzymes using an air-stable reagent JF - Analytical Biochemistry N2 - An improved and convenient ninhydrin assay for aminoacylase activity measurements was developed using the commercial EZ Nin™ reagent. Alternative reagents from literature were also evaluated and compared. The addition of DMSO to the reagent enhanced the solubility of Ruhemann's purple (RP). Furthermore, we found that the use of a basic, aqueous buffer enhances stability of RP. An acidic protocol for the quantification of lysine was developed by addition of glacial acetic acid. The assay allows for parallel processing in a 96-well format with measurements microtiter plates. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ab.2022.114819 SN - 1096-0309 IS - 624 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Welden, Melanie A1 - Severins, Robin A1 - Poghossian, Arshak A1 - Wege, Christina A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra A1 - Keusgen, Michael A1 - Schöning, Michael Josef T1 - Detection of acetoin and diacetyl by a tobacco mosaic virus-assisted field-effect biosensor JF - Chemosensors N2 - Acetoin and diacetyl have a major impact on the flavor of alcoholic beverages such as wine or beer. Therefore, their measurement is important during the fermentation process. Until now, gas chromatographic techniques have typically been applied; however, these require expensive laboratory equipment and trained staff, and do not allow for online monitoring. In this work, a capacitive electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor sensor modified with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as enzyme nanocarriers for the detection of acetoin and diacetyl is presented. The enzyme acetoin reductase from Alkalihalobacillus clausii DSM 8716ᵀ is immobilized via biotin–streptavidin affinity, binding to the surface of the TMV particles. The TMV-assisted biosensor is electrochemically characterized by means of leakage–current, capacitance–voltage, and constant capacitance measurements. In this paper, the novel biosensor is studied regarding its sensitivity and long-term stability in buffer solution. Moreover, the TMV-assisted capacitive field-effect sensor is applied for the detection of diacetyl for the first time. The measurement of acetoin and diacetyl with the same sensor setup is demonstrated. Finally, the successive detection of acetoin and diacetyl in buffer and in diluted beer is studied by tuning the sensitivity of the biosensor using the pH value of the measurement solution. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10060218 SN - 2227-9040 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Nanostructured Devices for Biochemical Sensing" VL - 10 IS - 6 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ojovan, Michael I. A1 - Steinmetz, Hans-Jürgen T1 - Approaches to Disposal of Nuclear Waste JF - Energies N2 - We present a concise mini overview on the approaches to the disposal of nuclear waste currently used or deployed. The disposal of nuclear waste is the end point of nuclear waste management (NWM) activities and is the emplacement of waste in an appropriate facility without the intention to retrieve it. The IAEA has developed an internationally accepted classification scheme based on the end points of NWM, which is used as guidance. Retention times needed for safe isolation of waste radionuclides are estimated based on the radiotoxicity of nuclear waste. Disposal facilities usually rely on a multi-barrier defence system to isolate the waste from the biosphere, which comprises the natural geological barrier and the engineered barrier system. Disposal facilities could be of a trench type, vaults, tunnels, shafts, boreholes, or mined repositories. A graded approach relates the depth of the disposal facilities’ location with the level of hazard. Disposal practices demonstrate the reliability of nuclear waste disposal with minimal expected impacts on the environment and humans. KW - borehole disposal KW - geological disposal KW - disposal facility KW - retention time KW - nuclear waste Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207804 SN - 1996-1073 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Treatment of Radioactive Waste and Sustainability Energy" VL - 15 IS - 20 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhantlessova, Sirina A1 - Savitskaya, Irina A1 - Kistaubayeva, Aida A1 - Ignatova, Ludmila A1 - Talipova, Aizhan A1 - Pogrebnjak, Alexander A1 - Digel, Ilya T1 - Advanced “Green” prebiotic composite of bacterial cellulose/pullulan based on synthetic biology-powered microbial coculture strategy JF - Polymers N2 - Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer produced by different microorganisms, but in biotechnological practice, Komagataeibacter xylinus is used. The micro- and nanofibrillar structure of BC, which forms many different-sized pores, creates prerequisites for the introduction of other polymers into it, including those synthesized by other microorganisms. The study aims to develop a cocultivation system of BC and prebiotic producers to obtain BC-based composite material with prebiotic activity. In this study, pullulan (PUL) was found to stimulate the growth of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG better than the other microbial polysaccharides gellan and xanthan. BC/PUL biocomposite with prebiotic properties was obtained by cocultivation of Komagataeibacter xylinus and Aureobasidium pullulans, BC and PUL producers respectively, on molasses medium. The inclusion of PUL in BC is proved gravimetrically by scanning electron microscopy and by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. Cocultivation demonstrated a composite effect on the aggregation and binding of BC fibers, which led to a significant improvement in mechanical properties. The developed approach for “grafting” of prebiotic activity on BC allows preparation of environmentally friendly composites of better quality. KW - coculture KW - pullulan KW - exopolysaccharides KW - prebiotic KW - bacterial cellulose Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14153224 SN - 2073-4360 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Cellulose Based Composites" VL - 14 IS - 15 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Welden, Melanie A1 - Poghossian, Arshak A1 - Vahidpour, Farnoosh A1 - Wendlandt, Tim A1 - Keusgen, Michael A1 - Wege, Christina A1 - Schöning, Michael Josef T1 - Towards multi-analyte detection with field-effect capacitors modified with tobacco mosaic virus bioparticles as enzyme nanocarriers JF - Biosensors N2 - Utilizing an appropriate enzyme immobilization strategy is crucial for designing enzyme-based biosensors. Plant virus-like particles represent ideal nanoscaffolds for an extremely dense and precise immobilization of enzymes, due to their regular shape, high surface-to-volume ratio and high density of surface binding sites. In the present work, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles were applied for the co-immobilization of penicillinase and urease onto the gate surface of a field-effect electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor capacitor (EISCAP) with a p-Si-SiO₂-Ta₂O₅ layer structure for the sequential detection of penicillin and urea. The TMV-assisted bi-enzyme EISCAP biosensor exhibited a high urea and penicillin sensitivity of 54 and 85 mV/dec, respectively, in the concentration range of 0.1–3 mM. For comparison, the characteristics of single-enzyme EISCAP biosensors modified with TMV particles immobilized with either penicillinase or urease were also investigated. The surface morphology of the TMV-modified Ta₂O₅-gate was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, the bi-enzyme EISCAP was applied to mimic an XOR (Exclusive OR) enzyme logic gate. KW - urease KW - enzyme-logic gate KW - bi-enzyme biosensor KW - capacitive field-effect sensor KW - tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) KW - penicillinase Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12010043 SN - 2079-6374 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Biosensors: 10th Anniversary Feature Papers" VL - 12 IS - 1 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Welden, Rene A1 - Jablonski, Melanie A1 - Wege, Christina A1 - Keusgen, Michael A1 - Wagner, Patrick Hermann A1 - Wagner, Torsten A1 - Schöning, Michael Josef T1 - Light-Addressable Actuator-Sensor Platform for Monitoring and Manipulation of pH Gradients in Microfluidics: A Case Study with the Enzyme Penicillinase JF - Biosensors N2 - The feasibility of light-addressed detection and manipulation of pH gradients inside an electrochemical microfluidic cell was studied. Local pH changes, induced by a light-addressable electrode (LAE), were detected using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) with different measurement modes representing an actuator-sensor system. Biosensor functionality was examined depending on locally induced pH gradients with the help of the model enzyme penicillinase, which had been immobilized in the microfluidic channel. The surface morphology of the LAE and enzyme-functionalized LAPS was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the penicillin sensitivity of the LAPS inside the microfluidic channel was determined with regard to the analyte’s pH influence on the enzymatic reaction rate. In a final experiment, the LAE-controlled pH inhibition of the enzyme activity was monitored by the LAPS. KW - microfluidics KW - enzyme kinetics KW - actuator-sensor system KW - light-addressable electrode KW - light-addressable potentiometric sensor Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/bios11060171 SN - 2079-6374 N1 - This article belongs to the Special Issue "Selected Papers from the 1st International Electronic Conference on Biosensors (IECB 2020)" VL - 11 IS - 6 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Falkenberg, Fabian A1 - Voß, Leonie A1 - Bott, Michael A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra T1 - New robust subtilisins from halotolerant and halophilic Bacillaceae JF - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology N2 - The aim of the present study was the characterisation of three true subtilisins and one phylogenetically intermediate subtilisin from halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms. Considering the currently growing enzyme market for efficient and novel biocatalysts, data mining is a promising source for novel, as yet uncharacterised enzymes, especially from halophilic or halotolerant Bacillaceae, which offer great potential to meet industrial needs. Both halophilic bacteria Pontibacillus marinus DSM 16465ᵀ and Alkalibacillus haloalkaliphilus DSM 5271ᵀ and both halotolerant bacteria Metabacillus indicus DSM 16189 and Litchfieldia alkalitelluris DSM 16976ᵀ served as a source for the four new subtilisins SPPM, SPAH, SPMI and SPLA. The protease genes were cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis DB104. Purification to apparent homogeneity was achieved by ethanol precipitation, desalting and ion-exchange chromatography. Enzyme activity could be observed between pH 5.0–12.0 with an optimum for SPPM, SPMI and SPLA around pH 9.0 and for SPAH at pH 10.0. The optimal temperature for SPMI and SPLA was 70 °C and for SPPM and SPAH 55 °C and 50 °C, respectively. All proteases showed high stability towards 5% (w/v) SDS and were active even at NaCl concentrations of 5 M. The four proteases demonstrate potential for future biotechnological applications. KW - Biotechnological application KW - Bacillaceae KW - Subtilisin KW - Subtilases KW - Halotolerant protease Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12553-w SN - 1432-0614 N1 - Corresponding author: Petra Siegert VL - 107 SP - 3939 EP - 3954 PB - Springer Nature CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adels, Klaudia A1 - Elbers, Gereon A1 - Diehl, Bernd A1 - Monakhova, Yulia T1 - Multicomponent analysis of dietary supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin: comparative low- and high-field NMR spectroscopic study JF - Analytical Sciences N2 - With the prevalence of glucosamine- and chondroitin-containing dietary supplements for people with osteoarthritis in the marketplace, it is important to have an accurate and reproducible analytical method for the quantitation of these compounds in finished products. NMR spectroscopic method based both on low- (80 MHz) and high- (500–600 MHz) field NMR instrumentation was established, compared and validated for the determination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine in dietary supplements. The proposed method was applied for analysis of 20 different dietary supplements. In the majority of cases, quantification results obtained on the low-field NMR spectrometer are similar to those obtained with high-field 500–600 MHz NMR devices. Validation results in terms of accuracy, precision, reproducibility, limit of detection and recovery demonstrated that the developed method is fit for purpose for the marketed products. The NMR method was extended to the analysis of methylsulfonylmethane, adulterant maltodextrin, acetate and inorganic ions. Low-field NMR can be a quicker and cheaper alternative to more expensive high-field NMR measurements for quality control of the investigated dietary supplements. High-field NMR instrumentation can be more favorable for samples with complex composition due to better resolution, simultaneously giving the possibility of analysis of inorganic species such as potassium and chloride. KW - Glucosamine KW - Chondroitin sulfate KW - Polysaccharides KW - Dietary supplements KW - High-field NMR Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s44211-023-00433-2 SN - 1348-2246 (Online) SN - 0910-6340 (Print) N1 - Corresponding author: Yulia Monakhova VL - 2023 PB - Springer Verlag CY - Cham ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haeger, Gerrit A1 - Probst, Johanna A1 - Jaeger, Karl-Erich A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra T1 - Novel aminoacylases from Streptomyces griseus DSM 40236 and their recombinant production in Streptomyces lividans JF - FEBS Open Bio N2 - Amino acid-based surfactants are valuable compounds for cosmetic formulations. The chemical synthesis of acyl-amino acids is conventionally performed by the Schotten-Baumann reaction using fatty acyl chlorides, but aminoacylases have also been investigated for use in biocatalytic synthesis with free fatty acids. Aminoacylases and their properties are diverse; they belong to different peptidase families and show differences in substrate specificity and biocatalytic potential. Bacterial aminoacylases capable of synthesis have been isolated from Burkholderia, Mycolicibacterium, and Streptomyces. Although several proteases and peptidases from S. griseus have been described, no aminoacylases from this species have been identified yet. In this study, we investigated two novel enzymes produced by S. griseus DSM 40236ᵀ . We identified and cloned the respective genes and recombinantly expressed an α-aminoacylase (EC 3.5.1.14), designated SgAA, and an ε-lysine acylase (EC 3.5.1.17), designated SgELA, in S. lividans TK23. The purified aminoacylase SgAA was biochemically characterized, focusing on its hydrolytic activity to determine temperature- and pH optima and stabilities. The aminoacylase could hydrolyze various acetyl-amino acids at the Nα -position with a broad specificity regarding the sidechain. Substrates with longer acyl chains, like lauroyl-amino acids, were hydrolyzed to a lesser extent. Purified aminoacylase SgELA specific for the hydrolysis of Nε -acetyl-L-lysine was unstable and lost its enzymatic activity upon storage for a longer period but could initially be characterized. The pH optimum of SgELA was pH 8.0. While synthesis of acyl-amino acids was not observed with SgELA, SgAA catalyzed the synthesis of lauroyl-methionine. KW - Streptomyces lividans KW - recombinant expression KW - Streptomyces griseus KW - ε-lysine acylase KW - α-aminoacylase Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13723 SN - 2211-5463 N1 - Corresponding author: Petra Siegert VL - 13 IS - 12 SP - 2224 EP - 2238 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NJ ER - TY - BOOK A1 - Lauth, Jakob T1 - Physical chemistry in a nutshell: Basics for engineers and scientists N2 - This book is based on a multimedia course for biological and chemical engineers, which is designed to trigger students' curiosity and initiative. A solid basic knowledge of thermodynamics and kinetics is necessary for understanding many technical, chemical, and biological processes. The one-semester basic lecture course was divided into 12 workshops (chapters). Each chapter covers a practically relevant area of physical chemistry and contains the following didactic elements that make this book particularly exciting and understandable: - Links to Videos at the start of each chapter as preparation for the workshop - Key terms (in bold) for further research of your own - Comprehension questions and calculation exercises with solutions as learning checks - Key illustrations as simple, easy-to-replicate blackboard pictures Humorous cartoons for each workshop (by Faelis) additionally lighten up the text and facilitate the learning process as a mnemonic. To round out the book, the appendix includes a summary of the most popular experiments in basic physical chemistry courses, as well as suggestions for designing workshops with exhibits, experiments, and "questions of the day." Suitable for students minoring in chemistry; chemistry majors are sure to find this slimmed-down, didactically valuable book helpful as well. The book is excellent for self-study. KW - Physical chemistry KW - Thermodynamics as minor KW - Physical chemistry starters KW - Minor chemistry KW - Physical chemistry basics Y1 - 2023 SN - 978-3-662-67636-3 (Softcover) SN - 978-3-662-67637-0 (eBook) U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-67637-0 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Falkenberg, Fabian A1 - Kohn, Sophie A1 - Bott, Michael A1 - Bongaerts, Johannes A1 - Siegert, Petra T1 - Biochemical characterisation of a novel broad pH spectrum subtilisin from Fictibacillus arsenicus DSM 15822ᵀ JF - FEBS Open Bio N2 - Subtilisins from microbial sources, especially from the Bacillaceae family, are of particular interest for biotechnological applications and serve the currently growing enzyme market as efficient and novel biocatalysts. Biotechnological applications include use in detergents, cosmetics, leather processing, wastewater treatment and pharmaceuticals. To identify a possible candidate for the enzyme market, here we cloned the gene of the subtilisin SPFA from Fictibacillus arsenicus DSM 15822ᵀ (obtained through a data mining-based search) and expressed it in Bacillus subtilis DB104. After production and purification, the protease showed a molecular mass of 27.57 kDa and a pI of 5.8. SPFA displayed hydrolytic activity at a temperature optimum of 80 °C and a very broad pH optimum between 8.5 and 11.5, with high activity up to pH 12.5. SPFA displayed no NaCl dependence but a high NaCl tolerance, with decreasing activity up to concentrations of 5 m NaCl. The stability enhanced with increasing NaCl concentration. Based on its substrate preference for 10 synthetic peptide 4-nitroanilide substrates with three or four amino acids and its phylogenetic classification, SPFA can be assigned to the subgroup of true subtilisins. Moreover, SPFA exhibited high tolerance to 5% (w/v) SDS and 5% H₂O₂ (v/v). The biochemical properties of SPFA, especially its tolerance of remarkably high pH, SDS and H₂O₂, suggest it has potential for biotechnological applications. KW - Bacillaceae KW - Biotechnological application KW - Broad pH spectrum KW - Subtilases KW - Subtilisin Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.13701 SN - 2211-5463 N1 - Corresponding author: Petra Siegert VL - 13 IS - 11 SP - 2035 EP - 2046 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NJ ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dellmann, Sophia Florence A1 - Glorius, J. A1 - Litvinov, Yu A. A1 - Reifarth, R. A1 - Al-Khasawneh, Kafa A1 - Aliotta, M. A1 - Bott, L. A1 - Brückner, Benjamin A1 - Bruno, C. G. A1 - Chen, Ruijiu A1 - Davinson, T. A1 - Dickel, T. A1 - Dillmann, Iris A1 - Dmytriev, D. A1 - Erbacher, P. A1 - Freire-Fernández, D. A1 - Forstner, Oliver A1 - Geissel, H. A1 - Göbel, K. A1 - Griffin, Christopher J. A1 - Grisenti, R. A1 - Gumberidze, Alexandre A1 - Haettner, Emma A1 - Hagmann, Siegbert A1 - Heil, M. A1 - Heß, R. A1 - Hillenbrand, P.-M. A1 - Joseph, R. A1 - Jurado, B. A1 - Kozhuharov, Christophor A1 - Kulikov, I. A1 - Löher, Bastian A1 - Langer, Christoph A1 - Leckenby, Guy A1 - Lederer-Woods, C. A1 - Lestinsky, M. A1 - Litvinov, S. A. A1 - Lorenz, B. A. A1 - Lorenz, E. A1 - Marsh, J. A1 - Menz, Esther Babette A1 - Morgenroth, T. A1 - Petridis, N. A1 - Pibernat, Jerome A1 - Popp, U. A1 - Psaltis, Athanasios A1 - Sanjari, Shahab A1 - Scheidenberger, C. A1 - Sguazzin, M. A1 - Sidhu, Ragandeep Singh A1 - Spillmann, Uwe A1 - Steck, M. A1 - Stöhlker, T. A1 - Surzhykov, A. A1 - Swartz, J. A. A1 - Törnqvist, H. A1 - Varga, L. A1 - Vescovi, Diego A1 - Weick, H. A1 - Weigand, M. A1 - Woods, P. A1 - Xing, Y. A1 - Yamaguchi, Taiyo T1 - Proton capture on stored radioactive ¹¹⁸Te ions JF - EPJ Web of Conferences N2 - Experimental determination of the cross sections of proton capture on radioactive nuclei is extremely difficult. Therefore, it is of substantial interest for the understanding of the production of the p-nuclei. For the first time, a direct measurement of proton-capture cross sections on stored, radioactive ions became possible in an energy range of interest for nuclear astrophysics. The experiment was performed at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) at GSI by making use of a sensitive method to measure (p,γ) and (p,n) reactions in inverse kinematics. These reaction channels are of high relevance for the nucleosyn-thesis processes in supernovae, which are among the most violent explosions in the universe and are not yet well understood. The cross section of the ¹¹⁸Te(p,γ) reaction has been measured at energies of 6 MeV/u and 7 MeV/u. The heavy ions interacted with a hydrogen gas jet target. The radiative recombination process of the fully stripped ¹¹⁸Te ions and electrons from the hydrogen target was used as a luminosity monitor. An overview of the experimental method and preliminary results from the ongoing analysis will be presented. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202327911018 SN - 2100-014X N1 - Volume 279, 2023. Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics – X (NPA-X 2022). VL - 279 IS - Article Number: 11018 SP - 1 EP - 5 PB - EDP Sciences ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffstadt, Kevin A1 - Cheenakula, Dheeraja A1 - Nikolausz, Marcell A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Harms, Hauke A1 - Kuperjans, Isabel T1 - Design and construction of a new reactor for flexible biomethanation of hydrogen JF - Fermentation N2 - The increasing share of renewable electricity in the grid drives the need for sufficient storage capacity. Especially for seasonal storage, power-to-gas can be a promising approach. Biologically produced methane from hydrogen produced from surplus electricity can be used to substitute natural gas in the existing infrastructure. Current reactor types are not or are poorly optimized for flexible methanation. Therefore, this work proposes a new reactor type with a plug flow reactor (PFR) design. Simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics ® showed promising properties for operation in laminar flow. An experiment was conducted to support the simulation results and to determine the gas fraction of the novel reactor, which was measured to be 29%. Based on these simulations and experimental results, the reactor was constructed as a 14 m long, 50 mm diameter tube with a meandering orientation. Data processing was established, and a step experiment was performed. In addition, a kLa of 1 h−1 was determined. The results revealed that the experimental outcomes of the type of flow and gas fractions are in line with the theoretical simulation. The new design shows promising properties for flexible methanation and will be tested. KW - methanation KW - plug flow reactor KW - bubble column KW - bio-methane KW - power-to-gas Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9080774 SN - 2311-5637 N1 - The article belongs to the Special Issue Fermentation Processes: Modeling, Optimization and Control VL - 9 IS - 8 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Trapp, Svenja A1 - Lammers, Tom A1 - Engudar, Gokce A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia A1 - Denkova, Antonia G. A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - de Kruijff, Robin M. T1 - Membrane-based microfluidic solvent extraction of Ga-68 from aqueous Zn solutions: towards an automated cyclotron production loop JF - EJNMMI Radiopharmacy and Chemistry KW - Microfluidic solvent extraction KW - Ga-68 KW - Cyclotron production KW - Medical radionuclide production KW - Metal contaminants Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s41181-023-00195-2 SN - 2365-421X VL - 2023 IS - 8, Article number: 9 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Springer Nature ER - TY - INPR A1 - Greiner, Lasse A1 - Jeromin, Günter Erich A1 - Sithole, Patience A1 - Petersen, Soenke T1 - Preprint: Studies on the enzymatic reduction of levulinic acid using Chiralidon-R and Chiralidon-S T2 - ChemRxiv N2 - The enzymatic reduction of levulinic acid by the chiral catalysts Chiralidon-R and Chiralidon-S which are commercially available superabsorbed alcohol dehydrogenases is described. The Chiralidon®-R/S reduces the levulinic acid to the (R,S)-4-hydroxy valeric acid and the (R)- or (S)- gamma-valerolactone. KW - Levulinic acid KW - Chiralidon-R KW - Chiralidon-S KW - 4-hydroxy valeric acid KW - (R)- or (S)- gamma-valerolactone Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-jlvcv ER - TY - JOUR A1 - El Bergui, Omnia A1 - Abouabdillah, Aziz A1 - Bourioug, Mohamed A1 - Schmitz, Dominik A1 - Biel, Markus A1 - Aboudrare, Abdellah A1 - Krauss, Manuel A1 - Jomaa, Ahlem A1 - Romuli, Sebastian A1 - Müller, Joachim A1 - Fagroud, Mustapha A1 - Bouabid, Rachid T1 - Innovative solutions for drought: Evaluating hydrogel application on onion cultivation (Allium cepa) in Morocco JF - Water N2 - Throughout the last decade, and particularly in 2022, water scarcity has become a critical concern in Morocco and other Mediterranean countries. The lack of rainfall during spring was worsened by a succession of heat waves during the summer. To address this drought, innovative solutions, including the use of new technologies such as hydrogels, will be essential to transform agriculture. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated the impact of hydrogel application on onion (Allium cepa) cultivation in Meknes, Morocco. The treatments investigated in this study comprised two different types of hydrogel-based soil additives (Arbovit® polyacrylate and Huminsorb® polyacrylate), applied at two rates (30 and 20 kg/ha), and irrigated at two levels of water supply (100% and 50% of daily crop evapotranspiration; ETc). Two control treatments were included, without hydrogel application and with both water amounts. The experiment was conducted in an open field using a completely randomized design. The results indicated a significant impact of both hydrogel-type dose and water dose on onion plant growth, as evidenced by various vegetation parameters. Among the hydrogels tested, Huminsorb® Polyacrylate produced the most favorable outcomes, with treatment T9 (100%, HP, 30 kg/ha) yielding 70.55 t/ha; this represented an increase of 11 t/ha as compared to the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel application. Moreover, the combination of hydrogel application with 50% ETc water stress showed promising results, with treatment T4 (HP, 30 kg, 50%) producing almost the same yield as the 100% ETc treatment without hydrogel while saving 208 mm of water. KW - water economy KW - yield KW - deficit irrigation KW - hydrogel KW - onion Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/w15111972 VL - 15 IS - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - GEN A1 - Braun, Lena A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Combined supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and chromatography of the algae fatty linoleic and linolenic acid T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - A method for the integrated extraction and separation of fatty acids from algae using supercritical CO2 is presented. Desmodesmus obliquus and Chlorella sorokiniana were used as algae. First, a method for chromatographic separation of fatty acids of different degrees of saturation was established and optimized. Then, an integrated method for supercritical extraction was developed for both algal species. It was also verified whether prior cell disruption was beneficial for extraction. In developing the method for chromatographic separation, statistical experimental design was used to determine the optimal parameter settings. The methanol content in the mobile phase proved to be the most important parameter for successful separation of the three unsaturated fatty acids oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. Supercritical extraction with dried algae showed that about four times more fatty acids can be extracted from C. sorokiniana relative to the dry mass used. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.202255308 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet and DECHEMA‐BioTechNet Jahrestagungen 2022 together with 13th ESBES Symposium 2022, 12. - 15. September 2022, Eurogress Aachen VL - 94 IS - 9 SP - 1304 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Kuka, Katrin A1 - Ulber, Roland A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Utilization of Lolium perenne varieties as a renewable substrate for single-cell proteins, lactate, and composite materials T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass) is aproductive and high-quality forage grass indigenous to Southern Europe, temperate Asia, and North Africa. Nowadays it is widespread and the dominant grass species on green areas in temperate climates. This abundant source of biomass is suitable for the development of bioeconomic processes because of its high cellulose and water-soluble carbohydrate content. In this work, novel breeds of the perennial ryegrass are being examined with regards to their quality parameters and biotechnological utilization options within the context of bioeconomy. Three processing operations are presented. In the first process, the perennial ryegrass is pretreated by pressing or hydrothermal extraction to derive glucosevia subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. A yield of up to 82 % glucose was achieved when using the hydrothermal ex-traction as pretreatment. In a second process, the ryegrass is used to produce lactic acid in high concentrations. The influence of the growth conditions and the cutting time on the carboxylic acid yield is investigated. A yield of lactic acid of above 150 g kg⁻¹ dry matter was achieved. The third process is to use Lolium perenne as a substrate in the fermentation of K. marxianus for the microbial production of single-cell proteins. The perennial ryegrass is screw-pressed and the press juice is used as medium. When supplementing the press juice with yeast media components, a biomass concentration of up to 16 g L⁻¹ could be achieved. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.202255306 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet and DECHEMA‐BioTechNet Jahrestagungen 2022 together with 13th ESBES Symposium 2022, 12. - 15. September 2022, Eurogress Aachen VL - 94 IS - 9 SP - 1303 EP - 1304 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Varriale, Ludovica A1 - Kuka, Katrin A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Use of a green biomass in a biorefinery platform T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - The emerging environmental issues due to the use of fossil resources are encouraging the exploration of new renewable resources. Biomasses are attracting more interest due to the low environmental impacts, low costs, and high availability on earth. In this scenario, green biorefineries are a promising platform in which green biomasses are used as feedstock. Grasses are mainly composed of cellulose and hemicellulose, and lignin is available in a small amount. In this work, a perennial ryegrass was used as feedstock to develop a green bio-refinery platform. Firstly, the grass was mechanically pretreated, thus obtaining a press juice and a press cake fraction. The press juice has high nutritional values and can be employed as part of fermentation media. The press cake can be employed as a substrate either in enzymatic hydrolysis or in solid-state fermentation. The overall aim of this work was to demonstrate different applications of both the liquid and the solid fractions. For this purpose, the filamentous fungus A. niger and the yeast Y. lipolythica were selected for their ability to produce citric acid. Finally, the possibility was assessed to use the press juice as part of fermentation media to cultivate S. cerevisiae and lactic acid bacteria for ethanol and lactic acid fermentation. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.202255095 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet and DECHEMA‐BioTechNet Jahrestagungen 2022 together with 13th ESBES Symposium 2022, 12. - 15. September 2022, Eurogress Aachen VL - 94 IS - 9 SP - 1299 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Rothkranz, Berit A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Media optimization for sustainable fuel production: How to produce biohydrogen from renewable resources with Thermotoga neapolitana T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - Hydrogen is playing an increasingly important role in research and politics as an energy carrier of the future. Since hydrogen has commonly been produced from methane by steam reforming, the need for climate-friendly, alternative production routes is emerging. In addition to electrolysis, fermentative routes for the production of so-called biohydrogen are "green" alternatives. The application of microorganisms offers the advantage of sustainable production from renewable resources using easily manageable technologies. In this project, the hyperthermophilic, anaerobic microorganism Thermotoga neapolitana is used for the productio nof biohydrogen from renewable resources. The enzymatically hydrolyzed resources were used in fermentation leading to yield coefficients of 1.8 mole H₂ per mole glucose when using hydrolyzed straw and ryegrass supplemented with medium, respectively. These results are similar to the hydrogen yields when using Thermotoga basal medium with glucose (TBGY) as control group. In order to minimize the supplementation of the hydrolysate and thus increase the economic efficiency of the process, the essential media components were identified. The experiments revealed NaCl, KCl, and glucose as essential components for cell growth as well as biohydrogen production. When excluding NaCl, a decrease of 96% in hydrogen production occured. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.202255305 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet and DECHEMA‐BioTechNet Jahrestagungen 2022 together with 13th ESBES Symposium 2022, 12. - 15. September 2022, Eurogress Aachen VL - 94 IS - 9 SP - 1298 EP - 1299 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Engel, Mareike A1 - Thieringer, Julia A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Linking bioprocess engineering and electrochemistry for sustainable biofuel production T2 - Young Researchers Symposium, YRS 2016. Proceedings N2 - Electromicrobial engineering is an emerging, highly interdisciplinary research area linking bioprocesses with electrochemistry. In this work, microbial electrosynthesis (MES) of biobutanol is carried out during acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentations with Clostridium acetobutylicum. A constant electric potential of −600mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) with simultaneous addition of the soluble redox mediator neutral red is used in order to study the electron transfer between the working electrode and the bacterial cells. The results show an earlier initiation of solvent production for all fermentations with applied potential compared to the conventional ABE fermentation. The f inal butanol concentration can be more than doubled by the application of a negative potential combined with addition of neutral red. Moreover a higher biofilm formation on the working electrode compared to control cultivations has been observed. In contrast to previous studies, our results also indicate that direct electron transfer (DET) might be possible with C. acetobutylicum. The presented results make microbial butanol production economically attractive and therefore support the development of sustainable production processes in the chemical industry aspired by the “Centre for resource-efficient chemistry and raw material change” as well as the the project “NanoKat” working on nanostructured catalysts in Kaiserslautern. Y1 - 2016 N1 - Young Researchers Symposium, YRS 2016, 14th - 15th April 2016, Fraunhofer-Zentrum Kaiserslautern SP - 49 EP - 53 PB - Fraunhofer Verlag CY - Karlsruhe ER - TY - GEN A1 - Duwe, A. A1 - Schlegel, C. A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Sequentielle Extraktion von Cellulose zur effizienten Nutzung der Stoffströme in der Holzbioraffinerie T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - In der Reihe der nachwachsenden Rohstoffe besitzt Holz als erneuerbare und umweltfreundliche Ressource ein großes Potenzial. Über 11 Mio. ha Holz, das laut der Fachagentur für nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR) auch für industrielle Zwecke genutzt werden kann, wuchsen im Jahr 2013 allein auf bundesdeutscher Fläche. 56,8 Mio. m³ jährlicher Holzeinschlag in den letzten zehn Jahren wurde zu knapp der Hälfte stofflich und der Rest energetisch verwertet. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnte auf der Basis vom Holz der Buche, die nach Fichte und Kiefer die dritthäufigste Baumart in Deutschland ist und 15% der deutschen Waldfläche ausmacht, die Fraktionierung der polymeren Hauptbestandteile mit niedrigem energetischen Einsatz erreicht werden. Hierbei werden in einem nachgeschalteten Extraktionsprozess die beiden Komponenten Hemicellulose und Lignin in flüssiger Form von der finalen festen Cellulosefraktion abgetrennt. Die Extraktion der Hemicellulose erfolgt durch eine Liquid Hot Water (LHW)-Behandlung. Untersucht wird der katalytische Zusatz anorganischer Säuren wie H₃PO₄ und H₂SO₄. Im Hinblick auf die weitere Verwertung von Lignin zu aromatischen Synthesebausteinen kommt die Organosolv-Extraktion mit einem Ethanol/Wasser-Gemisch zum Einsatz. Von Vorteil ist die weitere Verwendung beider Stoffströme ohne Fällungsschritt und nachteiliger Verdünnung der Hemicellulose. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.201450308 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet-Jahrestagung 2014 und 31. DECHEMA-Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen, 30. September - 2. Oktober 2014, Eurogress Aachen VL - 86 IS - 9 SP - 1400 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Möhring, S. A1 - Wulfhorst, H. A1 - Capitain, C. A1 - Roth, J. A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Fractioning of lignocellulosic biomass: Scale-down and automation of thermal pretreatment for parameter optimization T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - In order to efficiently convert lignocellulose, it is often necessary to conduct a pretreatment. The biomass considered in this study typically comprises of agricultural and horticultural residues, as well as beechwood. A very environmentally friendly method, namely, fungal pretreatment using white-rot fungi, leads to an enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis. In contrast to other processes presented, the energy input is extremely low. However, the fungal growth on the lignocellulosic substrates takes several weeks at least in order to be effective. Thus, the reduction of chemicals and energy for thermal processing is a target of our current research. Liquid hot water (LHW) and solvent-based pretreatment (OrganoSolv) require more complex equipment, as they depend on high temperatures (160 – 180 °C) and enhanced pressure (up to 20 bar). However, they prove to be promising processes in regard to the fractioning of lignocellulose. For optimal lignin recovery the parameters differ from those established in cellulose extraction. A novel screening system scaled down to a reaction volume of 100 mL has been developed and successfully tested for this purpose. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.201650288 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet-Jahrestagung und 32. DECHEMA-Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen 2016, 12. - 15. September 2016, Eurogress Aachen VL - 88 IS - 9 SP - 1229 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Ross-Jones, J. A1 - Teumer, T. A1 - Capitain, C. A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Krause, M. J. A1 - Methner, F.-J. A1 - Rädle, M. T1 - Analytical methods for in-line characterization of beer haze T2 - Trends in Brewing N2 - In most beers, producers strive to minimize haze to maximize visual appeal. To detect the formation of particulates, a measurement system for sub-micron particles is required. Beer haze is naturally occurring, composed of protein or polyphenol particles; in their early stage of growth their size is smaller than 2 µm. Microscopy analysis is time and resource intensive; alternatively, backscattering is an inexpensive option for detecting particle sizes of interest. Y1 - 2018 N1 - Trends in Brewing, April 8 –12, 2018, Ghent, Belgium ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Eine magnetische horizontale Wirbelschicht für die Durchmischung und Rückhaltung von magnetisierbaren Mikropartikeln im Durchfluss T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - Magnetisierbare Partikel als Träger von Katalysatoren können durch Anlegen eines magnetisches Feldes einfach und schnell abgetrennt werden. Die Wiedergewinnung von wertvollen Enzymen unter geringem Energie- und Materialeinsatz der magnetischen Abtrennung eröffnet einen Wettbewerbsvorteil für Produktionsprozesse. Die Abtrennung von magnetisierbaren Partikeln vom Überstand wird üblicherweise entweder durch Anlegen eines äußeren Magnetfelds und der resultierenden Ablagerung der Partikel an den Reaktorwänden oder durch Hochgradientenmagnetseparation (HGMS)durchgeführt. Beide Verfahren resultieren meist in der Bildung eines Filterkuchens aus Magnetpartikeln und den Feststoffen des Reaktionsmediums. Das magnetische horizontale Wirbelbett ermöglicht simultan eine kontinuierliche Reaktionsführung und die Rückhaltung der Partikel im Durchfluss. Die Partikelsuspension fließt durch einen Rohrreaktor, der in einem Magnetfeld mit wechselnden Feldgradienten eingebracht ist. Die Änderung des Magnetfeldgradienten erfolgt entgegen der Strömungsrichtung der Reaktionslösung. Durch alternierende Feldmaxima an den beiden Seiten des Reaktors werden die magnetisierbaren Partikel zu dessen Wänden gezogen. Bei Umkehrung des Feldes wandern die Partikel an die gegenüberliegende Reaktorwand. Durch Wahl einer geeigneten Wechselfrequenz kann eine kontinuierliche Durchmischung und Rückhaltung der Mikropartikel im durchströmten Rohr erreicht werden. Somit können Immobilisierungsreaktionen und Biotransformationen mit den Partikelsystemen im Durchfluss durchgeführt werden. Y1 - 2009 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.200950076 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet‐Jahrestagung 2009 und 27. DECHEMA-Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen, 8.- 10. September 2009, Mannheim VL - 81 IS - 8 SP - 1168 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hafidi, Youssef A1 - El Hatka, Hicham A1 - Schmitz, Dominik A1 - Krauss, Manuel A1 - Pettrak, Jürgen A1 - Biel, Markus A1 - Ittobane, Najim T1 - Sustainable soil additives for water and micronutrient supply: swelling and chelating properties of polyaspartic acid hydrogels utilizing newly developed crosslinkers JF - Gels N2 - Drought and water shortage are serious problems in many arid and semi-arid regions. This problem is getting worse and even continues in temperate climatic regions due to climate change. To address this problem, the use of biodegradable hydrogels is increasingly important for the application as water-retaining additives in soil. Furthermore, efficient (micro-)nutrient supply can be provided by the use of tailored hydrogels. Biodegradable polyaspartic acid (PASP) hydrogels with different available (1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HMD) and L-lysine (LYS)) and newly developed crosslinkers based on diesters of glycine (GLY) and (di-)ethylene glycol (DEG and EG, respectively) were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and regarding their swelling properties (kinetic, absorbency under load (AUL)) as well as biodegradability of PASP hydrogel. Copper (II) and zinc (II), respectively, were loaded as micronutrients in two different approaches: in situ with crosslinking and subsequent loading of prepared hydrogels. The results showed successful syntheses of di-glycine-ester-based crosslinkers. Hydrogels with good water-absorbing properties were formed. Moreover, the developed crosslinking agents in combination with the specific reaction conditions resulted in higher water absorbency with increased crosslinker content used in synthesis (10% vs. 20%). The prepared hydrogels are candidates for water-storing soil additives due to the biodegradability of PASP, which is shown in an exemple. The incorporation of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions can provide these micronutrients for plant growth. KW - micronutrients KW - swelling properties KW - biodegradable polymers KW - hydrogels KW - superabsorbent polymers KW - glycine KW - polyaspartic acid Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10030170 SN - 2310-2861 VL - 10 IS - 3 SP - Artikel 170 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffstadt, Kevin A1 - Nikolausz, Marcell A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Bonatelli, Maria A1 - Kumar, Vivekanantha A1 - Harms, Hauke A1 - Kuperjans, Isabel T1 - Optimization of the ex situ biomethanation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a novel meandering plug flow reactor: start-up phase and flexible operation JF - Bioengineering KW - methanation KW - plug flow reactor KW - bubble column KW - biomethane KW - P2G Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11020165 SN - 2306-5354 VL - 11 IS - 2 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Adels, Klaudia A1 - Monakhova, Yulia T1 - Low-field NMR spectroscopic study of e-cigarettes: Is determination of only nicotine and organic carrier solvents possible? JF - Microchemical Journal N2 - Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have become popular worldwide with the market growing exponentially in some countries. The absence of product standards and safety regulations requires urgent development of analytical methodologies for the holistic control of the growing diversity of such products. An approach based on low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) at 80 MHz is presented for the simultaneous determination of key parameters: carrier solvents (vegetable glycerine (VG), propylene glycol (PG) and water), total nicotine as well as free-base nicotine fraction. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative determination of fourteen weak organic acids deliberately added to enhance sensory characteristics of e-cigarettes was possible. In most cases these parameters can be rapidly and conveniently determined without using any sample manipulation such as dilution, extraction or derivatization steps. The method was applied for 37 authentic e-cigarettes samples. In particular, eight different organic acids with the content up to 56 mg/mL were detected. Due to its simplicity, the method can be used in routine regulatory control as well as to study release behaviour of nicotine and other e-cigarettes constituents in different products. KW - Electronic cigarettes KW - Low field NMR KW - Carrier solvents KW - Free-base nicotine KW - Weak organic acids Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2024.110859 SN - 1095-9149 N1 - Corresponding author: Yulia Monakhova VL - 203 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tix, Julian A1 - Moll, Fabian A1 - Krafft, Simone A1 - Betsch, Matthias A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - Hydrogen production from enzymatic pretreated organic waste with thermotoga neapolitana JF - Energies N2 - Biomass from various types of organic waste was tested for possible use in hydrogen production. The composition consisted of lignified samples, green waste, and kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels and leftover food. For this purpose, the enzymatic pretreatment of organic waste with a combination of five different hydrolytic enzymes (cellulase, amylase, glucoamylase, pectinase and xylase) was investigated to determine its ability to produce hydrogen (H2) with the hydrolyzate produced here. In course, the anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium T. neapolitana was used for H2 production. First, the enzymes were investigated using different substrates in preliminary experiments. Subsequently, hydrolyses were carried out using different types of organic waste. In the hydrolysis carried out here for 48 h, an increase in glucose concentration of 481% was measured for waste loads containing starch, corresponding to a glucose concentration at the end of hydrolysis of 7.5 g·L−1. In the subsequent set fermentation in serum bottles, a H2 yield of 1.26 mmol H2 was obtained in the overhead space when Terrific Broth Medium with glucose and yeast extract (TBGY medium) was used. When hydrolyzed organic waste was used, even a H2 yield of 1.37 mmol could be achieved in the overhead space. In addition, a dedicated reactor system for the anaerobic fermentation of T. neapolitana to produce H2 was developed. The bioreactor developed here can ferment anaerobically with a very low loss of produced gas. Here, after 24 h, a hydrogen concentration of 83% could be measured in the overhead space. KW - Biological hydrogen KW - Organic waste KW - Dark fermentation KW - Hydrolysis KW - Pretreatment Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122938 SN - 1996-1073 N1 - Corresponding author: Nils Tippkötter VL - 17 IS - 12 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Rezension zu: Encyclopedia of Industrial Biotechnology, Vol. 1–7. By MC Flickinger. JF - Chemie Ingenieur Technik Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.201290052 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) VL - 6 IS - 84 SP - 936 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oehlenschläger, Katharina A1 - Volkmar, Marianne A1 - Stiefelmaier, Judith A1 - Langsdorf, Alexander A1 - Holtmann, Dirk A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - New insights into the influence of pre-culture on robust solvent production of C. acetobutylicum JF - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology N2 - Clostridia are known for their solvent production, especially the production of butanol. Concerning the projected depletion of fossil fuels, this is of great interest. The cultivation of clostridia is known to be challenging, and it is difficult to achieve reproducible results and robust processes. However, existing publications usually concentrate on the cultivation conditions of the main culture. In this paper, the influence of cryo-conservation and pre-culture on growth and solvent production in the resulting main cultivation are examined. A protocol was developed that leads to reproducible cultivations of Clostridium acetobutylicum. Detailed investigation of the cell conservation in cryo-cultures ensured reliable cell growth in the pre-culture. Moreover, a reason for the acid crash in the main culture was found, based on the cultivation conditions of the pre-culture. The critical parameter to avoid the acid crash and accomplish the shift to the solventogenesis of clostridia is the metabolic phase in which the cells of the pre-culture were at the time of inoculation of the main culture; this depends on the cultivation time of the pre-culture. Using cells from the exponential growth phase to inoculate the main culture leads to an acid crash. To achieve the solventogenic phase with butanol production, the inoculum should consist of older cells which are in the stationary growth phase. Considering these parameters, which affect the entire cultivation process, reproducible results and reliable solvent production are ensured. KW - Pre-culture KW - Metabolic shift KW - Acid crash KW - C. acetobutylicum KW - ABE KW - Butanol Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12981-8 SN - 1432-0614 VL - 108 PB - Springer CY - Berlin, Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hengsbach, Jan-Niklas A1 - Engel, Mareike A1 - Cwienczek, Marcel A1 - Stiefelmaier, Judith A1 - Tippkötter, Nils A1 - Ulber, Roland T1 - Scalable unseparated bioelectrochemical reactors by using a carbon fiber brush as stirrer and working electrode JF - ChemElectroChem N2 - The concept of energy conversion into platform chemicals using bioelectrochemical systems (BES) has gained increasing attention in recent years, as the technology simultaneously provides an opportunity for sustainable chemical production and tackles the challenge of Power-to-X technologies. There are many approaches to realize the industrial scale of BES. One concept is to equip standard bioreactors with static electrodes. However, large installations resulted in a negative influence on various reactor parameters. In this study, we present a new single-chamber BES based on a stirred tank reactor in which the stirrer was replaced by a carbon fiber brush, performing the functions of the working electrode and the stirrer. The reactor is characterized in abiotic studies and electro-fermentations with Clostridium acetobutylicum. Compared to standard reactors an increase in butanol production of 20.14±3.66 % shows that the new BES can be efficiently used for bioelectrochemical processes. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.202300440 SN - 2196-0216 VL - 10 IS - 21 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - GEN A1 - Roth, J. A1 - Tippkötter, Nils T1 - New Approach for Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Lignocellulose with Selective Diffusion Separation of the Monosaccharide Products T2 - Chemie Ingenieur Technik N2 - Enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material plays an important role in the classical biorefinery approach. Apart from the pretreatment of the raw material, hydrolysis is the basis for the conversion of the cellulose and hemicellulose fraction into fermentable sugars. After hydrolysis, usually a solid-liquid separation takes place, in order to separate the residual plant material from the sugar-rich fraction, which can be subsequently used in a fermentation step. In order to factor out the separation step, the usage of in alginate immobilized crude cellulose fiber beads (CFBs) were evaluated. Pretreated cellulose fibers are incorporated in an alginate matrix together with the relevant enzymes. In doing so, sugars diffuse trough the alginate matrix, allowing a simplified delivery into the surrounding fluid. This again reduces product inhibition of the glucose on the enzyme catalysts. By means of standardized bead production the hydrolysis in lab scale was possible. First results show that liberation of glucose and xylose is possible, allowing a maximum total sugar yield of 75 %. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.201650301 SN - 0009-286X SN - 1522-2640 (eISSN) N1 - ProcessNet-Jahrestagung 2016 und 32. DECHEMA-Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen 2016, 12. - 15. September 2016, Eurogress Aachen VL - 88 IS - 9 SP - 1237 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mues genannt Koers, Lucas A1 - McNeil, S. W. A1 - Radchenko, V. A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia T1 - Production of Co-58m in a siphon-style liquid target on a medical cyclotron N2 - We present the production of 58mCo on a small, 13 MeV medical cyclotron utilizing a siphon style liquid target system. Different concentrated iron(III)-nitrate solutions of natural isotopic distribution were irradiated at varying initial pressures and subsequently separated by solid phase extraction chromatography. The radio cobalt (58m/gCo and 56Co) was successfully produced with saturation activities of (0.35 ± 0.03) MBq μA−1 for 58mCo with a separation recovery of (75 ± 2) % of cobalt after one separation step utilizing LN-resin. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.110734 SN - 0969-8043 VL - 195 IS - Art. 110734 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mues genannt Koers, Lucas A1 - Prevost, David A1 - Paulßen, Elisabeth A1 - Hoehr, Cornelia T1 - Density reduction effects on the production of [11C]CO2 in Nb-body targets on a medical cyclotron N2 - Medical isotope production of 11C is commonly performed in gaseous targets. The power deposition of the proton beam during the irradiation decreases the target density due to thermodynamic mixing and can cause an increase of penetration depth and divergence of the proton beam. In order to investigate the difference how the target-body length influences the operation conditions and the production yield, a 12 cm and a 22 cm Nb-target body containing N2/O2 gas were irradiated using a 13 MeV proton cyclotron. It was found that the density reduction has a large influence on the pressure rise during irradiation and the achievable radioactive yield. The saturation activity of [11C]CO2 for the long target (0.083 Ci/μA) is about 10% higher than in the short target geometry (0.075 Ci/μA). Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2023.110911 VL - 199 IS - Art. 110911 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -