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As part of ecotoxicological tests on anuran tadpoles, we propose to study the sensitivity of different stages towards a nitrogenous compound frequently used in Morocco (Ammonium sulphate). For this, acute toxicity tests on tadpoles of two species (Bufo mauritanicus and Rana ridibunda) belonging to different stages of development were carried out. The lethal effects after 96 hours caused by a pollutant used as a reference (potassium dichromate) as well as ammonium sulphate increase with concentration and vary according to the stage of development. Significant differences were observed in the sensitivity of tadpoles to pollutants according to the stage of development. Tadpoles belonging to the early stages of development (stage 24 according to Gosner, 1960) show greater acute effects on pollutants than tadpoles belonging to the advanced stages of development (Stage 36 according to Gosner, 1960). After 96 hours, the lowest effective concentration (LOEC) is observed in tadpoles belonging to the early stages of development (Stage 24 according to Gosner, 1960) in Rana ridibunda exposed just to the lowest concentration used (20 mg / l of ammonium sulphate). Therefore, ammonium sulphate may play a role in the local decline of amphibians.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:46:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-12-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão Alleviation of subsoil acidity with lime or gypsum increases carbon (C) accumulation in deep layers by stimulating root growth and C and nitrogen (N) inputs at depth. However, the effects of these amendments combined with N fertilization on soil CO2 emissions remain controversial. We evaluated the effects of superficial lime and gypsum application and N-fertilizer on C and N dynamics and microbial C use efficiency (MicCUE) in samples taken from the topsoil (0–10 cm) and subsoil (40–60 cm) of a no-till field experiment carried out in Brazil. We performed a short-term laboratory incubation with 14C-glucose and 14C-arginine to assess C and N mineralization dynamics. Liming increased topsoil pH but had no effect on subsoil acidity. A higher content of organic C, total N, and microbial biomass C and N were found in the topsoil. The addition of soil corrective (lime and gypsum) and N fertilizer had no effect on MicCUE of added 14C-glucose. However, the MicCUE of 14C-arginine was affected by the soil layer, and was higher in the subsoil. After the addition of arginine, net NH4+-N production was highest in the topsoil control, while net NO3−-N content was highest with lime + gypsum plus residual N in the same layer. We conclude that while lime and gypsum ameliorate soil acidity, they have minimal effect on C cycling through the microbial biomass, particularly in the subsoil. Department of Crop Science School of Agriculte São Paulo State University, Av. Universitária, 3780 School of Natural Sciences Bangor University Department of Crop Science School of Agriculte São Paulo State University, Av. Universitária, 3780 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás: 2015-10267001479 FAPESP: 2015/50305-8 FAPESP: 2017/00398-5 FAPESP: 2017/02517-1 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council: BB/N013201/1 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão: RCUK-02771/16

Downstream processing of chemicals obtained from fermentative route is challenging and cost-determining factor of any bioprocess. 2,3-Butanediol (BDO) is a promising chemical building block with myriad applications in the polymer, food, pharmaceuticals, and fuel sector. The current study focuses on the recovery and purification of BDO produced (68.2 g/L) from detoxified xylose-rich sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate by a mutant strain of Enterobacter ludwigii. Studies involving screening and optimization of aqueous-two phase system (ATPS) revealed that 30% w/v (NH4)2SO4 addition to clarified fermented broth facilitated BDO extraction in isopropanol (0.5 v/v), with maximum recovery and partition coefficient being 97.9 ± 4.6% and 45.5 ± 3.5, respectively. The optimized protocol was repeated with unfiltered broth containing 68.2 g/L BDO, cell biomass, and unspent protein, which led to the partitioning of 66.7 g/L BDO, 2.0 g/L xylose and 9.0 g/L acetic acid into organic phase with similar BDO recovery (97%) and partition coefficient (45).

Anaerobic digestion of nitrogen (N) rich substrates might be hindered when ammonia (NH3) formation reaches toxic levels for methanogenic microorganisms. One possible strategy to avoid inhibiting conditions is the removal of NH3 from digestate by stripping and scrubbing technology and by recirculating N depleted digestate back to the digester. This study aimed to i) monitor the performance (mass and energy balances) of a full scale digestate processing cascade that includes an innovative vacuum side stream NH3stripping and scrubbing system, ii) assess the production cost of ammonium sulphate (AS) solution and iii) evaluate its fertiliser quality. The use of gypsum to recover NH3 in the scrubbing unit, instead of the more common sulphuric acid, results in the generation of AS and a fertilising liming substrate. Mass and nutrient balances indicated that 57% and 7.5% of ammonium N contained in digestate was recovered in the form of a 22% AS and liming substrate, respectively. The energy balance showed that about 3.8 kWhel and 59 kWhth were necessary to recover 1 kg of N in the form of AS. Furthermore, the production cost of AS, including both capital and operational costs, resulted to be 5.8 € t−1 of digestate processed. According to the fertiliser quality assessment, this technology allows for the recovery of NH3in the form of salt solutions that can be utilised as a substitute for synthetic mineral nitrogen fertilisers., Highlights • A novel ammonia stripping process was monitored at a fullscale digestate processing facility. • 57% of ammonium nitrogen contained in digestate was recovered as ammonium sulphate (22%). • Nitrogen in recovered ammonium sulphate is present entirely in mineral form. • The cost for the nitrogen recovery system amounts to 5.8 € per tonne of digestate processed. • Biobased ammonium sulphate represents an interesting alternative to synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.

This work reports a full-scale study in which organic wastes were transformed by high-solid thermophilic anaerobic digestion (HSAD), into N fertilizers and organic fertilizers, i.e. digestate. The produced fertilizers were characterized over 42 months and their properties were discussed in comparisons with literature data. HSAD coupled with N stripping technology led to ammonia sulphate production having high N concentration (74 ± 2 g kg−1 wet weight), neutral pH (6.8 ± 1.3) and low traces of other elements. Digestate showed both higher carbon (C) content (314 ± 30 g kg−1 on dry matter (DM) and biological stability than green composts, indicating good amendment properties. Digestate was also interesting for its N (77 ± 3.7 g kg−1 dry matter – DM) content, half of it in the ammonia form, and P content (28 ± 4.1 g kg−1 DM) that was 43% readily available as soluble P-orthophosphate. K content was low (6.5 ± 1.3 g kg−1 DM), indicating poor fertilizing ability of digestate for this element. All organic pollutants investigated were much lower than the limits required for agricultural use and levels of some of them were lower than the content revealed for other organic matrices such as agricultural and energy crop digestates and compost. Emerging pollutants (i.e., pharmaceuticals) were tested as markers and they were found to be below the detection limit (

Ananas Comosus (also known as pineapple) is a part of Bromeliaceae family and it is consumed as food as well as folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases. It is reported that pineapple is a rich source of bromelain, a cysteine protease and it is considered as an important enzyme in different industries due to its significant therapeutic and industrial applications such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory and meat tenderizing. Bromelain is mostly present in fruit and stem of pineapple, but it is reported that crown, core, and peels, which constitute the waste of the pineapple plant, also contain bromelain but limited data is available. Therefore, the proposed study aimed at utilizing pineapple waste for the extraction and characterization of bromelain. Firstly, crude bromelain was extracted with phosphate buffer (pH 7), then it was subjected to partial purification using different fractions of ammonium sulphate (NH4)2SO4 such as 30, 40, 50 and 60% followed by desalting and concentration. Enzyme activity was calculated by using casein digesting unit (CDU) method. The results demonstrated that the crown bromelain showed highest purification of 4.34-fold at 30% (NH4)2SO4 saturation, whereas core and peel bromelain showed highest purification of 2.75 and 2.59-fold at 40% (NH4)2SO4 saturation. The molecular weight of crude and partially purified bromelain was determined by SDS-PAGE analysis and found to be 26 KDa. The pH and thermal stability of all the parts of pineapple showed maximum stability at pH 7 and at 35oC temperature.

Ammonium sulphate is widely used as a sulphur (S) fertilizer, constituting about 50% of global S use. Within nitrogen (N) management it is well known that ammonium-based fertilizers are subject to ammonia (NH3) volatilization in soils with pH >7, but this has been overlooked in decision making on S fertilization. We reviewed 41 publications reporting measurements of NH3 loss from ammonium sulphate in 16 countries covering a wide range of soil types and climates. In field experiments loss was mostly 7.0 there was a wide range of losses (0-66%), with many in the 20-40% range and some indication of increased loss (ca. 5-15%) in soils with pH 6.5-7.0. We estimate that replacing ammonium sulphate with a different form of S for arable crops could decrease NH3 emissions from this source by 90%, even taking account of likely emissions from alternative fertilizers to replace the N, but chosen for low NH3 emission. In temperate climates emission from soils of pH >7.0 would decrease from 35.7 to 3.6 t NH3 per kt ammonium sulphate replaced. Other sources of S are readily available including single superphosphate, potassium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, calcium sulphate dihydrate (gypsum) and polyhalite (Polysulphate). In view of the large areas of high pH soils globally, this change of selection of S fertilizer would make a significant contribution to decreasing NH3 emissions worldwide, contributing to necessary cuts to meet agreed ceilings under the Gothenburg Convention.

In order to overcome anaerobic digestion (AD) inhibition due to the large nitrogen content of swine wastewater (SW), air stripping (AS) and other chemical and physical pretreatments were applied on raw SW before AD. The efficiency of these pretreatments on both ammonia removal—recovering ammonia salts to be used as fertilizers in agriculture—and the increase of methane production were assessed in batch tests. Since the pH, temperature, and air flow rate heavily influence AS efficiency and the composition of treated SW, these parameters were set individually or in combination. In more detail, the pH was increased from the natural value of SW to 8 or 10, temperature was increased from the room value to 40 °C, and the air flow rate was increased from zero to 5 Lair LSW−1 min−1. AS was generally more efficient at removing ammonia (up to 97%) from raw (non-treated) SW compared to the other treatments. However, the tested pretreatments were not as efficient as expected in increasing the biogas production, because the methane yields of all pretreated substrates were lower (by about 10–50%) to compared raw SW. The inhibitory effect on AD could have been due to the lack of nutrients and organic matter in the substrate (due to the excessive removal of the pretreatments), the concentration of toxic compounds (such as metal ions or furfural due to water evaporation), and an excess of alkali ions (used to increase the pH in AS). Overall, AS can be considered a sustainable process for the recovery of ammonium sulphate and the removal of other polluting compounds (e.g., organic matter) from SW. Conversely, the use of AS and other chemical and/or thermal processes tested in this study as pretreatments of SW before AD is not advised because these processes appear to reduce methane yields.

One of the most promising systems to treat swine wastewater is air stripping. This system simultaneously recovers nitrogen salts, to be used as fertiliser, and reduces the organic pollutant load in the effluents of swine breeding farms. Several reviews have discussed the air stripping as a treatment for many types of industrial wastewater or nitrogen-rich digestate (the liquid effluent derived from the anaerobic digestion plants) for the stripping/recovery of nutrients. However, reviews about the use of air stripping as treatment for raw or anaerobically digested swine wastewater are not available in literature. To fill this gap, this study: (i) Summarises the experiences of air stripping for recovery of ammonium salts from both raw and digested swine wastewater; and (ii) compares air stripping efficiency under different operational conditions. Moreover, combined systems including air stripping (such as struvite crystallisation, chemical precipitation, microwave radiation) have been compared. These comparisons have shown that air stripping of raw and digested swine wastewater fits well the concept of bio-refinery, because this system allows the sustainable management of the piggery effluent by extracting value-added compounds, by-products, and/or energy from wastewater. On the other hand, air stripping of raw and digested swine wastewater has not been extensively studied and more investigations should be carried out.

Agricultural sustainability is compromised by nitrogen (N) losses caused by soil microbial activity. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) produced as consequence of nitrification and denitrification processes in soils. Nitrification inhibitors (NI) as 3,4-dimethylpyrazole-succinic acid (DMPSA) are useful tools to reduce these N losses from fertilization. The objective of this work was to test the efficiency of DMPSA in two different tillage management systems, conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT), in a winter wheat crop under Humid Mediterranean conditions. N fertilizer was applied as ammonium sulphate (AS) with or without DMPSA in a single or split application, including an unfertilized treatment. GHG fluxes N2O, CO2 and CH4) were measured by the closed chamber method. amoA and nosZl genes were quantified by qPCR as indicators of nitrifying and denitrifying populations. Nitrification was inhibited by DMPSA in both CT and NT, while the higher water filled pore space (WFPS) in NT promoted a better efficiency of DMPSA in this system. This higher efficiency might be due to a greater N2O reduction to N-2 as result of the nosZl gene induction. Consequently, DMPSA was able to reduce N2O emissions down to the unfertilized levels in NT. Provided that NT reduced CO2 emissions and maintained crop yield compared to CT, the application DMPSA under NT management is a promising strategy to increase agro-systems sustainability under Humid Mediterranean conditions. (C) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This project was funded by de Spanish Government (AGL2015-64582-C3-2-R MINECO/FEDER and RTI2018-094623-B-C21 MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE), by the Basque Government (IT-932-16) and by EuroChem Agro Iberia S.L.-UPV/EHU 2017.0016. Mario Corrochano-Monsalve held a grant from the Ministry of Economy and Business of the Spanish Government and Ximena Huerfano received a specialization fellowship for PhD researches from the UPV/EHU.

Lactic acid is among the twelve platform chemicals produced from inexpensive and renewable feedstocks such as lignocellulosic biomass. The present study illustrates salting-out assisted solvent extraction of L (+) lactic acid, derived from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate. Screening studies with various extractants and diluents revealed that a combination of tri-n-butyl phosphate and ethyl acetate yielded the best results and extracted 59.63 ± 1.28% lactic acid from the dilute fermentation broth adjusted to a pH of 1.6 ± 0.2. Various inorganic salts were screened to enhance extraction efficiency further. The addition of 60% (w/v) ammonium sulfate improved the lactic acid extraction by 36.17%. This salt concentration successfully extracted 85.95 ± 0.44% lactic acid to the organic phase under optimized conditions from the fermentation broth at a pH of ~ 2.5 containing 40–100 g L−1 lactic acid. Recovery of > 80% salt is also shown using chilled acetone, which upon reuse showed a nominal decline of 3.3% during extraction. Thus an eco-friendly approach using a green solvent like ethyl acetate with mild operating conditions is demonstrated in the present study.

The use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs; dicyandiamide - DCD) is an alternative to reduce oxidation of ammonium (NH4 +-N) to nitrate (NO3 – -N) in the soil, reducing NO3 – -N losses from fertilization practices. Based on the hypothesis that DCD reduces conversion of NH4 +-N to NO3 – -N in tropical soils and inhibits ammonia oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) abundance, soils from the Piracicaba region, Sao Paulo, with different textures (sand, loam and clay) were incubated with ammonium sulphate (AS) and DCD. Contents of NH4 +-N, NO3 – -N, soil pH, and AOM abundance were quantified periodically. Ammonium sulphate increased AOM abundance in all soils, but AS+DCD presented AOM abundances similar to the control. During 90 days of incubation, the effectiveness of DCD in reducing NO3 – -N production was 1.8, 86.4, and 145.6 mg kg–1, while the effectiveness of DCD in reducing AOM abundance was 1.2, 3.0 and 2.3 × 10–3 g soil–1 for sandy, loamy, and clayey soils, respectively. DCD effectiveness was greater in loamy and clayey soils due to the naturally low nitrification in sandy soils. Application of AS treated with DCD showed potential not only to reduce NO3 – -N production in loamy and clayey soils, but also to decrease the soil nitrification rate. Overall, DCD was effective in reducing AOM abundance and conversion of NH4 +-N to NO3 – -N in loamy and clay soils evaluated here. The increase in clay content directly influences DCD effectiveness in reducing conversion of NH4 +-N to NO3 – -N.

A process for the continuous extraction of ammonia from anaerobic digesters is proposed. In this process, a portion of the sludge treated in the digesters is continuously withdrawn and transferred to a thin film evaporator (TFE) unit, where the ammonia is stripped through a biogas stream. The ammonia-rich biogas is treated with a sulfuric acid/water solution in a reactive absorption unit, with production of ammonium sulphate. The chemistry of a CH4/CO2/NH3 gas phase in thermodynamic equilibrium with a liquid sulfuric acid/water solution is investigated theoretically, with focus on the simultaneous absorption of CO2 and NH3 into the liquid phase. Pilot plant experimental data confirm the theoretical results. Further pilot plant experimental results obtained during on-off cycles of the stripping equipment demonstrate that, when the TFE unit is off, ammonia concentration in the digestate rises quickly, while, when the stripping equipment is turned on again, ammonia concentration drops down. On average, during the 180 days of pilot plant experimentation, 4.1 g N–NH4 per kg of sludge fed to the digester, i.e. 19.3 g N–NH4 per kg of total solids (TS) fed to the digester, are stripped from digestate and recovered as ammonium sulphate, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed concept.

Parthenium is an important weed which poses severe threats to yield and quality of sorghum and many other summer season crops, worldwide. As in other field crops, parthenium also reduces yield and quality of forage plants in forage crops so it should be controlled in forage and fodder crops. Parthenium control efficacy of five herbicide treatments (including dicamba at 304.5 g a.i. ha-1 (full rate) alone, dicamba at full rate + 1% ammonium sulphate, dicamba at full rate + 2% ammonium sulphate, dicamba at 75% rate + 1% ammonium sulphate and dicamba at 75% rate + 2% ammonium sulphate) was tested in field trials for two consecutive years (2013 and 2014). One manual hoeing three weeks after crop emergence was also performed as a treatment and weedy check was kept as control. Application of the full rate of dicamba with 2% ammonium sulphate showed the lowest parthenium dry weight (16.5 g m-2 and 23.5 g m-2) and NPK uptake that seem to be due to the highest parthenium control efficiency of 79.6% and 73.8% during 2013 and 2014, respectively. This weed management strategy also gave maximum values of yield components of forage sorghum, including plant height (261 and 254 cm), stem diameter (0.97 and 0.84 cm), leaf area per plant (3,072 and 3,041 cm2), fresh fodder yield (63.4 and 60.9 t ha-1) and dry matter yield (17.4 and 15.8 t ha-1) in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Highest net return and marginal rate of return (346 and 356% in 2013 and 2014, respectively) were also found when the full rate of dicamba with 2% ammonium sulphate was applied. In conclusion, tank-mixed application of dicamba at 304.5 g a.i. ha-1 with 2% of ammonium sulphate proved to be better for efficient control of parthenium weed in forage sorghum.

Membrane chromatography was exploited to purify allophycocyanin, phycocyanin and B-phycoerythrin from aqueous extracts of fresh or freeze-dried biomass of Arthrospira platensis (Cyanobacteria) and Porphyridium cruentum (Rhodophyta). The method can be tuned to obtain products having various degree of purity and avoids expensive and time consuming column chromatography and ultrafiltration steps. A commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration membrane (hydrophilic and low protein binding) was used as an ammonium sulphate responsive stationary phase to carry out the purification process. Analytical grade purity was achieved for phycocyanin (purity = 4.2–4.5, yield = 75–82 %) and B-phycoerythrin (purity = 4.5–4.8, yield = 69–71 %). Good purification, even if lower than analytical grade, was achieved for allophycocyanin (purity = 3.3–3.7, yield = 42–47%).

Nitrogen fertilizers have been identified in energy crops LCAs as the main contributors to global warming, as well as to many other environmental impacts. The distinct production process and application emissions of nitrogen fertilizer types for top dressing produce different GHG savings when energy crops value chains are compared to fossil energy alternatives. In this study, three types of fertilizers (calcium ammonium nitrate, urea and ammonium sulphate) at N top dressing rates of 80 kg N/ha are used to grow rye for electricity generation under the conditions of the Continental Mediterranean climate of central-northern Spain. Complete LCAs for the whole value chain based on real data were performed in conjunction with soil nitrogen balances (SNBs) to assess the accomplishment of European Union (EU) GHG savings sustainability criteria, as well as the sustainability of fertilization practices for soil nitrogen stocks. The results obtained can provide interesting insights for policy making, since calcium ammonium nitrate, the most common fertilizer for rye crops, led to 66% GHG savings, as opposed to the 69% achieved when applying urea and 77% when ammonium sulphate was used. Nevertheless, the three fertilizers produced annual soil deficits greater than 50 kg N/ha. In order to ensure savings above 80%, as required by the EU sustainability criteria, and sustainable SNBs, additional optimization measures should be taken at key points of the value chain.

It has been common to do fractionation (for example using ammonium sulphate as a precipitating agent) before doing a more sophisticated method for purification of a protein. The logic behind this is easy to understand, but in fact, the precipitation step often causes severe loss in yield and activity of the protein, making the whole purification effort too costly. In this work we evaluated the specific activity (thus, purification factor) and total activity (yield) during the purification process of papain from a crude extract using ion exchange chromatography (IEC), with and without prior fractionation using ammonium sulphate. Detail assays in each step were recorded and SDS-PAGE was also done to reveal the protein profile of the purification products.

Aims: To investigate chemical activation of low-grade phosphorite from Karakalpakstan, Khojakul by ammonium salts in order to obtain slow-acting phosphate fertilizers. Study Design: The content of the total form N (Nt.) was determined by method Kjeldahl method. Determination of total and acceptable forms (on 0.2 M solution of Trilon B) of phosphorus (P2O5tot., P2O5wat.) was performed widely in the analysis of phosphate ores by differential method on photo colour meter PCM-3 (made in Russia, l = 440 nm) as phosphorus-vanadium-molybdenum complex. This method is based on measuring the light transmission of yellow phosphorus-vanadium-molybdenum complex relative to the reference solution containing a certain amount of phosphates. The method allows analyzing the products with a relative error of determining ±1%. The activation rate (Ka) was defined by relation acceptable P2O5 form to total P2O5 form. Decarbonization degree (Kd) was determined by changing C02 in the phosphate rock and final product. pH of ammonium salts solution and final products were defined after their agitation in 10% distiller water suspension. Further suspension obtained was measured by potentiometric method on ionomer I-130M (made in Russia) with electrode system of electrodes ESL 63-07, EVL-1M3.1. Place and Duration of Study: The laboratory of phosphate fertilizers of the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry under Academy Science of the Republic of Uzbekistan, from July to August in 2016. Methodology: Model laboratory device that obtains fertilizers consists of five-liter screw mixer made from stainless steel 12X18H10T equipped with stirrer, moved by electric motor. The laboratorial experiment is done in the following way: in the beginning measured sample of phosphorite was charged in screw mixer and then it was fed to 2, 5, 10 and 20% of ammonia solutions at different ratios proportions of mineral fertilizers (MF) and phosphorite powder (PHP), for 30 min with vigorous stirring components. Products obtained from interaction of components were analyzed for nitrogen content and different forms of phosphorus. The weight ratio of MF:PHP was in the range from 1: 1 to 1: 10. After completing activation process for 30 minute, wet products were dried in muffle oven at 90°C until dry condition. Results: The chemical compositions of final products were determined during the experiment. Based on chemical activation of low-grade phosphorite fertilizers containing high acceptable form of phosphorus (v) oxide (P2O5) can be obtained. It had been found that degree of activation (Ka) of phosphorite powder depends on the nature of the ammonium solution and the pH of the medium. Ammonium sulphate is more acidic than ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, and ammonium chloride. The pH of ammonium sulphate (10% of its solution) is 3.80. The decarbonization degree (Kd) of the fertilizers obtained from ammonium sulphate is in a range from 6.33 to 35.39%, which is higher than for other types. Therefore, there had been obtained the fertilizers containing high acceptable form of phosphorus (v) oxide in a range 35.30 – 59.07%. It was revealed that the more phosphate raw is used for activation process, the less is acceptable P2O5 in fertilizers obtained. Moreover, the fertilizers have high content of nitrogen, depending on the type of ammonium salts used, in a range 1.06 – 17.33% in the composition. Conclusion: Based on the results it is possible to obtain effective slow-acting complex phosphate fertilizers with different ratios of nutrients by the activation of low-grade phosphate rock from Karakalpakstan, which do not have an industrial value, mineral salts, used in agriculture as a standard mineral fertilizer.

This study was undertaken to assess the release pattern of available phosphorus in a Togo phosphate rock and ammonium sulphate soil amendment. Treatments were prepared through the combinations of soil, phosphate rock (PR) and ammonium sulphate (AS) fertilizer. The treatments were; Control, 12.5g PR, 25g PR, 12.5g PR+1g AS, 12.5g PR+2g AS, 25.0g PR+1g AS and 25.0g PR+2g AS kg-1 soil. Standard laboratory methods were used to assess pH, available phosphorus (P) and total phosphorus (P). Generally, the pH of treatments decreased to the lowest levels between the 4th and 6th weeks after amendment. The AS fertilizer treatments had significantly (p≤0.05) lower pH values than those without. Amendments with the 2gAS kg-1 soil had significantly (p≤0.05) lower mean pH values than those with the 1gAS kg-1 soil. The AS fertilizer treatments also had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher levels of the available P than those without. The higher the amount of the AS in the amendment, the higher the level of the available P concentration. Increase in the level of AS in the amendment also increased the mean value of the available P released. The peaks of available P released were observed between the 6th and the 8th weeks, after the lowest pH values had been attained. Decreased soil pH relatively increased the amount of phosphorus released (y = -12.47x + 111.4; R2=0.53). Addition of PR in the treatments increased the total P levels. In conclusion, combined application of AS and PR has the potential to increase soil P availability, which is beneficial to crop farmers.

International audience; Shipping of edible fats and oils into Europe is permitted in bulk tanks, provided that the previous cargo is included in a positive list. The European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate the acceptability as previous cargoes for fats and oils the substances calcium lignosulphonate, methyl acetate, ethyl tertbutyl ether (ETBE) and ammonium sulphate. The evaluation was based on the same criteria as those used for the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the Annex to Commission Directive 96/ 3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils. Methyl acetate and ETBE meet the criteria for acceptability as previous cargoes. Due to uncertainties, mainly with regard to the composition and toxicity of the low molecular mass fraction, and the fact that the toxicological database is limited to the 40-65 grade and does not cover all grades of calcium lignosulphonate shipped as previous cargoes, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) concluded that calcium lignosulphonate does not meet the criteria for acceptability as a previous cargo. Only food-grade ammonium sulphate meets the criteria for acceptability as a previous cargo due to uncertainties about impurities in other (non-food) grades.

The objective of the present study was to estimate the effect of different forms of sulphur on yields and qualitative parameters of white mustard seeds. This topic was studied in 2004 in the form of a pot trial in a vegetation hall and linked up with an identical experiment with spring wheat conducted in 2003. Besides the control variant not fertilised with sulphur (1) we fertilised the soil with elemental sulphur (2), ammonium sulphate (3) and gypsum (4) and applied foliar dressing of elemental sulphur with bentonite (5). For all variants the nitrogen dose was 0.9 g per pot (0.15 g . kg−1 of soil) and for va­riants 2 to 4 it was 1 g of sulphur per pot (0.17 g. kg−1 of soil). Foliar dressing of elemental sulphur (S0) was not applied until the stage of six true leaves in a dose of 10 kg per ha (0.032 g per pot).Significantly higher yields of white mustard seeds were achieved after foliar application of S0 which can be also due to its fungicide action. The variants where gypsum was applied showed the highest average number of branches and pods and also straw yields. After gypsum fertilisation or foliar application of S0 the oil content in the mustard seeds exceeded 25%; this is the minimal content required for the production of good quality mustard. The 1000-seed weight was significantly higher after foliar application of S0. The proportion of seeds greyish on the surface, a sign of mildew, significantly decreased after fertilisation with all forms of sulphur, but most of all after foliar application of S0.Fertilisation with ammonium sulphate reduced the exchangeable soil reaction after harvest. On the other hand gypsum alkalised the soil environment and increased the content of available calcium and water-soluble sulphur. The soil of the variant where foliar dressing of S0 was applied had a higher content of available calcium after harvest. The least amount of available sulphur and phosphorus in the soil was seen after foliar application of S0 signalising a more efficient uptake of nutrients from the soil for the production of seed yields and for the quality of the seeds.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of low concentrations of natural and lyophilized low density lipoprotein (LDL) from hen's egg yolk for cryopreservation of canine semen. Different ammonium sulphate concentrations were tested to extract LDL from egg yolk. The yolk was centrifuged, and LDL was isolated using 10, 20, 40, 45, or 50% ammonium sulphate solution (ASS). The LDL-rich floating fraction was collected for chemical characterization. Dry matter content was lowest (P

Biogas production generates digested slurry as a byproduct. It can be used as a fertilizer especially after its conversion into digested liquid. A pot based study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of the application of digested liquid on CH4 and N2O flux, and plant biomass in paddy. Analysis revealed that digested liquid treated soils released more CH4 compared to ammonium sulphate and the control. Ammonium sulphate treated soil emitted the highest N2O whereas digested liquid application decreased its emission significantly. Further, the cumulative emission over 101 d of the experiment was found to be higher for CH4 (16.9 to 29.9 g m−2) compared to N2O (−49.3 to 18.9 mg m−2) for all treatments. Digested liquid application had positive impact on plant variables such as panicle number and weight of panicles. This study suggests that digested liquid application significantly decrease N2O emission and increase CH4 emission possibly due to affecting the availability of organic C in the soil to microbial activity for methanogenesis. Another possibility for enhancing CH4 emission by following biogas digested liquid could be attributed to the increase in plant biomass.

This paper presents the results of a pot experiment aimed at the assessment of the agronomic and economic effectiveness of ammonium sulphate from an agro bio-refinery (Bio-AS). The Bio-AS was obtained by means of the ammonia stripping process from effluent after struvite precipitation from a liquid fraction of digestate. The agronomic effectiveness of Bio-AS in a pot experiment with maize and grass in two different soils, silty loam (SL) and loamy sand (LS), was investigated. The fertilising effect of Bio-AS was compared to commercial ammonium sulphate fertilizer (Com-AS) and control treatment (without fertilisation). The crop yields were found to depend on both soil type and nitrogen treatment. Crop yields produced under Bio-AS and Com-AS exceeded those under control treatments, respectively for SL and LS soils, by 88% and 125% for maize and 73% and 94% for grass. Crop yields under Bio-AS were similar to those under the Com-AS treatment. The fertilizer use of Bio-AS affected the chemical composition of plants and soil properties similarly as Com-AS. This suggests that Bio-AS from a bio-refinery can replace industrial ammonium sulphate, resulting in both economic and environmental benefits.

A reconstituição da fertilidade do solo é um dos caminhos para se recuperar a capacidade produtiva da pastagem em degradação. A adubação nitrogenada é fundamental para o aumento da produção de forragem, principalmente, quando se trata da recuperação de pastagens. Diante disso, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as características estruturais e o acúmulo de massa seca (MS) de lâminas foliares e colmos mais bainhas do capim-marandu de pastagem em estágio moderado de degradação, sob doses e fontes de nitrogênio (N), por três anos. O experimento foi conduzido de julho de 2003 a março de 2006, na Fazenda Modelo da Universidade Estadual de Goiás (UEG), em uma área de 882 m², com parcelas de 20 m² e área útil de 6 m². O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições. Os tratamentos nas parcelas foram caracterizados pelo fatorial 2 x 4, sendo duas fontes de N (sulfato de amônio e uréia) e quatro doses de N (0; 100; 200 e 300 kg ha-1 ano-1). Na subparcela, os tratamentos foram representados pelos anos (2004; 2005 e 2006), referentes ao tempo de recuperação da pastagem. A adubação nitrogenada foi parcelada em três aplicações, após cada corte de avaliação da forrageira. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a adubação nitrogenada influenciou as características estruturais e o acúmulo de massa seca do capim-marandu, e, consequentemente, a sua recuperação. A dose de 300 kg ha-1 ano-1 de sulfato de amônio proporcionou maiores valores de altura de plantas, densidade de perfilhos e massa seca das lâminas foliares. To replenish soil fertility is one of the ways of recovering the productive capacity of degraded pasture. Nitrogen fertilisation is fundamental to increasing forage production, especially when it comes to the recovery of pasture. With this in mind, the objective of this work was to evaluate the structural characteristics and dry matter (DM) accumulation of the leaf blades and sheathed stems of marandu-grass pasture at a moderate stage of degradation, for different dosages and sources of nitrogen, during a three-year period. The experiment was carried out from July, 2003 to March, 2006 at the Model Farm of the Goiás State University (UEG), over an area of 882 m² with plots of 20 m² and usable area of 6 m². The experimental design was of randomized blocks with three replications. The treatments in the plots were characterized by a 2 x 4 factorial, being two nitrogen sources (ammonium sulphate and urea) and four nitrogen dosages (0; 100; 200 and 300 kg ha-1 yr-1). For each sub-plot, treatments were represented by the years (2004, 2005 and 2006), as relating to the time of the recovery of the pasture. Nitrogen fertilization was divided into three applications, following each harvesting of the grass for forage evaluation. The results showed that nitrogen fertilisation influenced the structural characteristics and dry matter accumulation of marandu grass, and hence its recovery. The dosage of 300 kg ha-1 yr-1 of ammonium sulphate resulted in greater values for plant height, tiller density and leaf-blade dry matter.

Mine tailings can represent untapped secondary resources of non-ferrous, ferrous, precious, rare and trace metals. Continuous research is conducted to identify opportunities for the utilisation of these materials. This preliminary study investigated the possibility of extracting major elements from South African tailings associated with the mining of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) at the Two Rivers mine operations. These PGM tailings typically contain four major elements (11% Al2O3; 12% MgO; 22% Fe2O3; 34% Cr2O3), with lesser amounts of SiO2 (18%) and CaO (2%). Extraction was achieved via thermochemical treatment followed by aqueous dissolution, as an alternative to conventional hydrometallurgical processes. The thermochemical treatment step used ammonium sulphate, a widely available, low-cost, recyclable chemical agent. Quantification of the efficiency of the thermochemical process required the development and optimisation of the dissolution technique. Dissolution in water promoted the formation of secondary iron precipitates, which could be prevented by leaching thermochemically-treated tailings in 0.6M HNO3 solution. The best extraction efficiencies were achieved for aluminium (ca. 60%) and calcium (ca. 80%). 35% iron and 32% silicon were also extracted, alongside chromium (27%) and magnesium (25%). Thermochemical treatment using ammonium sulphate may therefore represent a promising technology for extracting valuable elements from PGM tailings, which could be subsequently converted to value-added products. However, it is not element-selective, and major elements were found to compete with the reagent to form water-soluble sulphate-metal species. Further development of this integrated process, which aims at achieving the full potential of utilisation of PGM tailings, is currently underway.

Avaliaram-se o efeito de doses e fontes de nitrogênio na recuperação do capim-marandu, por um período de três anos, em pastagem estabelecida há mais de 10 anos, com baixa produção de forragem. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos completos ao acaso, com três repetições. Nas parcelas foi utilizado o fatorial 2 x 4, sendo duas fontes de nitrogênio (sulfato de amônio e uréia) e quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 100, 200 e 300kg ha-1 ano-1). Nas subparcelas, foram alocados os três anos (2004, 2005 e 2006), referentes ao tempo de recuperação da pastagem. A aplicação de nitrogênio foi determinante para a recuperação do capim-marandu. A maior produção de massa seca foi observada no segundo ano e o maior teor de proteína bruta no terceiro ano de recuperação da pastagem. As maiores doses de nitrogênio promoveram acréscimos lineares na produção de massa seca e redução nos teores de fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido. O sulfato de amônio promoveu maior produção de massa seca do que a ureia, em todas as doses e anos avaliados. The effects of nitrogen doses and sources were evaluated on pasture recuperation of grass marandu, in a three-year period. The pasture was established for more than ten years and it was presenting low herbage production being considered in moderate degradation phase. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with split-plots and three replications, in a 2x4 factorial, being two sources of N (ammonium sulphate and urea) and four doses of N (0, 100, 200, and 300kg ha-1 yr-1). The time of pasture evaluation was represented by the years 2004, 2005, and 2006. The highest dry matter production was observed in the second year and the highest crude protein in the third one. The highest nitrogen doses promoted linear increase on dry mass production and decrease in fiber concentration and in neutral and acid detergents. Ammonium sulphate resulted in higher dry mass production than urea in all doses applied and evaluated years.

The residue from desulfurization and denitrification of exhaust gas treatment process with pyrolusite ore as absorbent is regarded as a potential source of iron and manganese. In this study, an extraction process is proposed for recovery of iron and manganese with ammonium sulphate roasting followed by sulphuric acid leaching. Firstly, the conversion mechanism was analyzed through mineral phase analysis of roasting products at different roasting temperature by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) technology. Then, the parameters of the roasting procedure such as roasting temperature and time, ammonium sulphate dosage, leaching temperature, leaching time, and sulphuric acid concentration are examined. The results implicate that the iron oxide and manganese dioxide in the residue are firstly converted into the water-soluble ( NH 4 ) 3 Fe ( SO 4 ) 3 and ( NH 4 ) 2 Mn 2 ( SO 4 ) 3 at 200–350 °C, and then the more stable NH 4 Fe ( SO 4 ) 2 and MnSO 4 are formed, at temperature higher than 350 °C. Under optimum conditions, 95.2% Fe and 97.0% Mn can be extracted. Reactant diffusion through inert layer of silicon dioxide was considered as the rate-limiting step for iron extraction with an activation energy of 20.56 kJ/mol, while, the recovery process of Mn was controlled by both reactant diffusion and chemical reaction with an activation energy of 29.52 kJ/mol.

Kinetic calculation results describing the observed nucleation and growth rates of barium sulphate crystals precipitated in an integrated reaction-crystallization process in a barium sulphate-ammonium chloride-water system are presented and analyzed. The scope of experiments included two continuous model DTM-type crystallizers (Draft Tube Magma) with internal circulation of the suspension forced by a liquid jet-pump device responsible for stable and intensive enough ascending/descending flow of BaSO4 crystal magma in a mixing chamber. For comparison purposes the experimental data corresponding to a continuous DT (Draft Tube) crystallizer with propeller agitator are presented and discussed. The various types of laboratory crystallizers used were fed with concentrated water solution of barium chloride (of 10 or 24 mass %) and - in a stoichiometric proportion - crystalline ammonium sulphate, assuming isothermal (348 K) and hydrodynamic (average residence time of suspension in a crystallizer: 900 s) process conditions. The observed nucleation and growth rates of barium sulphate crystals were estimated on the basis of crystal size distributions (CSDs) using convenient calculation scheme derived for an MSMPR (Mixed Suspension Mixed Product Removal) model approach. Considering the experimental population density distribution courses, a size-dependent growth (SDG) phenomenon was taken into account in the kinetic calculations. Five SDG kinetic models recommended in the accessible literature were used for kinetic parameter values estimation. It was proved statistically, that Rojkowski’s two SDG models (hyperbolic and exponential) best suit for our own experimental data description. The experimental data presented can be practically applied for improving the constructions of liquid jet-pump DTM crystallizers recommended for reaction crystallization of sparingly soluble inorganic salts (especially for high concentrations of reaction substrates) in the modern industrial-scale technologies.

The objective of this study was to develop practical, efficient method for production, purification and assay of binding activity of streptavidin. Streptomyces avidinii was first propagated on agar plates, the bacterial cells on the agar were scrapped and suspended in a defined synthetic media (4.4 ml/cm 2 ). After 7 days agitation on a rotary shaker (200 rpm/min) at room temprature (≈28°C), the bacterial cells in the culture were pelleted. The culture supernatant was concentrated to 1/62 original volume with 75% saturation ammonium sulphate. After intensive dialysis against ammonium carbonate buffer pH 11, the suspension was loaded into an iminobiotin agarose column chromatography. The adsorbed protein (streptavidin) was eluted with sodium acetate buffer, pH 4, and the eluate was concentrated with an ultrafiltration divice and suspended in PBS. The strepatavidin-binding activity was assayed by a competitive ELISA, a competition between streptavidin in the sample and the HRP-streptavidin conjugate for the biotin (biotinyl IgG) immobilised on wells of a microtitre plate. The detection limit of this assay measured 0.16 µg/ml streptavidin. The method developed in this study produced 160 µg/ml streptavidin in the culture supernatant. After concentration with the ammonium sulphate, the streptavidin concentration increased to 4 mg/ml (69% recovery). At the final step of purification, streptavidin with 10 mg/ml concentration was obtained. The purity of the streptavidin was higher (95%) with a recovary of 19%. The purified streptavidin in this study appeared as a dimer core streotavidin on SDS PAGE and its binding activity was twice as high as that of a commercial one.

In this study, the partial molar volumes of L-serine and L-threonine in aqueous solutions of ammonium sulfate at (0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.7, and 1.0) mol.kg(-1) are reported between 278.15 and 308.15 K. Transfer volumes and hydration numbers were obtained, which are larger in L-serine than in L-threonine. Dehydration of the amino acids is observed, rising with the temperature and salt molality. The data suggest that interactions between ions and charged/hydrophilic groups are predominant, and by applying the McMillan and Mayer formalism, it was concluded that they are mainly pair wise. The combination of the data presented in this study with solubility and molecular dynamics data suggests a stronger interaction of the ammonium cation with the zwitterionic centers of the amino acids when compared to the interactions of those centers with the sulfate anion. This study was supported by Project PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2011, financed by FEDER through COMPETE—Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade, and by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. This work was also co-financed by QREN, ON2 and FEDER (Project NORTE-07- 0162-FEDER-000050). The stay of P. C. Mota at ICT Prague was arranged within the ERASMUS Program.

The Kjeldahl method and four classic spectrophotometric methods (Biuret, Lowry, Bradford and Markwell) were applied to evaluate the protein content of samples of UHT whole milk deliberately adulterated with melamine, ammonium sulphate or urea, which can be used to defraud milk protein and whey contents. Compared with the Kjeldahl method, the response of the spectrophotometric methods was unaffected by the addition of the nitrogen compounds to milk or whey. The methods of Bradford and Markwell were most robust and did not exhibit interference subject to composition. However, the simultaneous interpretation of results obtained using these methods with those obtained using the Kjeldahl method indicated the addition of nitrogen-rich compounds to milk and/or whey. Therefore, this work suggests a combination of results of Kjeldahl and spectrophotometric methods should be used to screen for milk adulteration by these compounds.

The present study aimed at evaluating the production of Arthrospira platensis in tubular photobioreactor using CO2 from ethanol fermentation. The results of these cultivations were compared to those obtained using CO2 from cylinder at different protocols of simultaneous ammonium sulfate and sodium nitrate feeding. Maximum cell concentration (Xm), cell productivity (Px), nitrogen-to-cell conversion factor (YX/N), and biomass composition (total lipids and proteins) were selected as responses and evaluated by analysis of variance. The source of CO2 did not exert any significant statistical influence on these responses, which means that the flue gas from ethanol fermentation could successfully be used as a carbon source as well as to control the medium pH, thus contributing to reduce the greenhouse effect. The results taken as a whole demonstrated that the best combination of responses mean values (Xm = 4.543 g L−1; Px = 0.460 g L−1 d−1; YX/N = 15.6 g g−1; total lipids = 8.39%; total proteins = 18.7%) was obtained using as nitrogen source a mixture of 25% NaNO3 and 75% (NH4)2SO4, both expressed as nitrogen.

Nitrogen management in orchards should tend to improve the fertilizer N use efficiency for a sustainable agriculture where productivity, fruit quality and environment are reconciled. The use of specific nitrification inhibitors could increase the N fertilizer uptake and decrease the potential groundwater pollution by nitrate leaching. The aim of this experiment was to assess the effect of application frequency of the ammonium sulphate (AS) and the nitrification inhibitor (NI), 3,4-dimethylpirazole phosphate (DMPP) supply on: nitrate-N and ammonium-N seasonal changes in soil; N and Fe concentrations in the spring-flush leaves; and yield and fruit quality. The experiment was carried out with clementine cv. Nules (Citrus clementine Hort. Tanaka x Citrus reticulate Blanco) mandarins grafted on Troyer citrange (Citrus sinensis x Poncirus trifoliata) rootstock under field conditions during three consecutive years. The trees were fertilized with 324 Kg N/ha from which 192 Kg N/ha were applied as AS (21% NH4+ -N) either with or without NI, and the remainder N came from irrigation water. The AS and AS+NI were split into 1, 2 or 4 applications per month by drip irrigation. The NH4+ -N concentration in the 0-20 and 20-40 cm soil layers was significantly higher in the AS+NI treatment. By contrast, the NO3- -N concentration was significantly higher in the soil treated only with AS. Moreover, the addition of NI to AS originated a significantly higher N and Fe concentrations in the spring-flush leaves. The yield was higher and some fruit quality parameters improved in trees fertilized with AS+NI compared to those fertilized only with AS. Las prácticas agrícolas de fertilización nitrogenada deben mejorar la eficiencia de uso del nitrógeno (N) en una agricultura sostenible en que una mayor producción y calidad sea compatible con el medioambiente. El uso de inhibidores de la nitrificación (NI) podría incrementar la eficiencia de absorción de N disminuyendo la contaminación de las aguas subterráneas por lixiviación de nitratos. Este trabajo analiza el efecto de la frecuencia de aplicación del sulfato amónico (AS) y del inhibidor de la nitrificación 3,4-dimethylpirazol fosfato (DMPP) sobre los cambios estacionales del N-nítrico y N-amónico del suelo, la concentración de N y hierro en hojas de la brotación de primavera y la producción y calidad del fruto. El ensayo se llevó a cabo en una parcela comercial de clementina cv. Nules (Citrus clementine Hort. Tanaka x Citrus reticulata Blanco) injertadas sobre citrange Troyer (Citrus sinensis x Poncirus trifoliata) durante tres años consecutivos. Los árboles se fertilizaron con 324 Kg N/ha; 192 Kg N/ha se aplicaron como AS (21% NH4+ -N) sin y con NI, fraccionados en 1, 2 y 4 aplicaciones por mes, el resto procedió del agua de riego. La concentración de NH4+ -N en los 40 cm superficiales de suelo fue significativamente mayor con AS+NI, mientras que la concentración de NO3- -N fue significativamente superior en los árboles abonados con AS. El NI dio lugar a una mayor concentración de N y Fe en las hojas de primavera. La producción y algunos parámetros de calidad del fruto fueron mayores en los árboles fertilizados con AS+NI.

The long term effects of a 5N x 3P factorial fertiliser application trial on hay yield, botanical composition and soil properties of veld are presented. Significant increases in hay yields were recorded during most years. There was a strong correlation (r = 0,757) between mean (over all 15 treatment combinations) annual hay yields and annual rainfall. N and N + P fertiliser lowered the percentage basal cover of the tribe Andropogoneae. A notable exception of this tribe was Heteropogon contortus which increased significantly at the lower fertiliser levels. The basal cover of the tribe Paniceae generally increased with N and P fertiliser application. The reaction of the basal cover of the tribe Eragrosteae showed little by way of definite tendencies. Increasing N and P levels generally resulted in decreases in soil pH, Ca, Mg K and an increase in compaction of the soil surface layer. However, higher levels of N x P resulted in higher water infiltration rates than occurred in control plots, although initial infiltration rates were greatest in control plots. Despite certain undesirable effects of fertilizers on basal cover and certain chemical and physical properties of the soil, the fertilized plots maintained a high level of production.Keywords: Ammonium sulphate; Andropogoneae; basal cover; Botanical composition; Eragrosteae; Fertilizers; Hay yield; hay yields; heteropogon contortus; infiltration rates; Nitrogen; Paniceae; ph; Phosphorus; Soil characteristics; south africa; Super phosphate; towoomba research station; VeldJournal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa.

Sixteen Bonsmara calves (4 males, 12 females) between 10 and 18 months of age were blocked according to age and sex and randomly assigned to 2 groups. They were offered licks containing bone meal and salt (50:50 ratio) (control) and bone meal and ammonium sulphate (NH4SO4) at 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 18 % (treatment) to evaluate the effects of dietary anions on bone phosphate (P) concentration. Bone P concentration was significantly (P0.05) higher in the NH4SO4 group compared with the control group, indicating that NH4SO4 was able to increase the P content of bone at each of the 6 concentrations used in the lick relative to the control animals, thereby improving the P status of the animals. Ammonium sulphate at 15% and 18% in the lick also significantly (P 0.05) increased bone P compared with the lower concentrations of NH4SO4. Bone calcium (Ca) fluctuated as a result of the acidogenic lick. There was absorption of Ca when P was being resorbed and resorption of Ca when P was being absorbed into and out of bone. Bone Ca:P ratio ranged from 3.2 to 6.4 among the control group and 1.6 to 4.3 among the treatment group. Animals receiving the acidogenic lick had a higher percentage ash compared to the control group for most of the experimental period. Bone magnesium (Mg) fluctuated in response to the acidogenic lick, and it was difficult to show a relationship between bone Mg and Ca or P. The overall mean cortical bone thickness was significantly (P 0.05) greater in treatment (1.60 mm) compared with control (1.43 mm) calves and this was also true at sampling periods 2, 4, 5 and 6. Bone thickness followed bone P and not bone Ca. Results from this research indicate that the addition of ammonium sulphate to a lick had a beneficial effect in improving the P status by increasing bone P and improving the mineral status of bone by increasing the thickness of cortical bone and percentage ash.

The current study explores the possibility of using a polyethyleneglycol(PEG)/ammonium sulphate aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) as an early step in a process for the purification of a model 6.1 kbp plasmid DNA (pDNA) vector. Neutralised alkaline lysates were fed directly to ATPS. Conditions were selected to direct pDNA towards the salt-rich bottom phase, so that this stream could be subsequently processed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). Screening of the best conditions for ATPS extraction was performed using three PEG molecular weights (300, 400, 600) and varying the tie-line length, phase volume ratio and lysate load. For a 20 % (w/w) lysate load, the best results were obtained with PEG 600 using the shortest tie-line (38.16 % w/w). By further manipulating the system composition along this tie-line in order to obtain a top/bottom phase volume ratio of 9.3 (35 % w/w PEG 600, 6% w/w NH4)2SO4), it was possible to recover 100 % of pDNA in the bottom phase with a 3-fold increase in concentration. Further increase in the lysate load up to 40 %(w/w) with this system resulted in a 8-fold increase in pDNA concentration, but with a yield loss of 15 %. The ATPS extraction was integrated with HIC and the overall process compared with a previously defined process that uses sequential precipitations with isopropanol and ammonium sulphate prior to HIC. Although the final yield is lower in the ATPS-based process the purity grade of the final pDNA product is higher. This shows that it is possible to substitute the time-consuming two-step precipitation procedure by a simple ATPS extraction., Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology - POCTI/BIO/47245/2002.

Experiments have been carried out on the extraction of nickel from ammonium sulphate aqueous solutions using LIX 54 as extractant. Nickel extraction decreases with increasing ammonium sulphate concentration of the aqueous solution. This decrease can be attributable to the formation of nickel ammine complexes in the aqueous phase thus decreasing the free nickel ion concentration. From the slopes of log DNi versus equilibrium pH plots, the extracting species has been found to be NiR2, further, numerical analysis of experimental data confirmed the proposed stoichiometry and the corresponding log Kext are given. The extraction of free metal ion by LIX 54 was also confirmed by IR studies of nickel loaded organic solutions.

The extraction of zinc from ammonium sulphate solutions using LIX 54 as extractant has been studied. Experimental data show that zinc extraction decreases with increasing ammonium sulphate concentration of the aqueous phase. This decrease was attributed to the formation of metal ammine complexes in the aqueous phase which decreases the free zinc ion concentration. From the slopes of log DZn vs. pH plots, the extracted species has been found to be ZnR2; this stoichiometry was also confirmed by numerical treatment of experimental data and IR analysis of zinc loaded organic phases., To the CSIC Spain. for support to carry out this work. To Henkel for a gift of LIX 54 sample. To Dr. F.A. Lo´pez for his help in the IR study.

Foi desenvolvido um experimento em latossolo vermelho-escuro muito argiloso fase cerrado, no Centro de Pesquisas Novartis-Seeds, Uberlândia (MG), para avaliar o efeito da irrigação e do N-uréia, em cobertura no milho, e de sua substituição parcial por sulfato de amônio, nas perdas de N-NH3 volatilizado. O N foi aplicado aos 25 e 36 dias após plantio, sendo os tratamentos dispostos em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições: testemunha, uréia com irrigação anterior e posterior à aplicação de N nas duas coberturas e uréia + sulfato de amônio (relação N:S = 2,1:1) na primeira cobertura e uréia na segunda com irrigação anterior e posterior à aplicação. Nove amostragens de N-NH3 volatilizado foram efetuadas em intervalos de quatro a cinco dias, utilizando-se coletores do tipo semi-aberto estático, instalados logo após a primeira aplicação de N. Com irrigação posterior à adubação, as perdas acumuladas de N-NH3 foram de 40,6 e 23,0 % do N aplicado para os tratamentos com adubação exclusiva de uréia e substituição parcial com sulfato de amônio respectivamente. Com irrigação prévia, as perdas acumuladas foram, respectivamente, de 42,8 e 38,6 % do N aplicado. Embora não tenha havido diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, a substituição da uréia por sulfato de amônio foi positiva quando a irrigação foi efetuada após a adubação. Esse tratamento mostrou também o maior diâmetro de caule, altura de planta e teor foliar de nutrientes. O rendimento de grãos respondeu positivamente à aplicação de N. A correlação das perdas por volatilização de N-NH3 mostrou um ajuste linear inverso à produtividade dos tratamentos adubados, de tal forma que 19,3 kg ha-1 de grãos deixaram de ser produzidos por quilograma de N volatilizado. A field experiment was carried out on a dark-red latosol (Oxisol) of the Centro de Pesquisas Novartis-Seeds, in Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of irrigation, side-dressed application of urea, and urea partially substituted by ammonium sulphate on losses of NH3-N by volatilization in corn crop. The fertilizers were applied at 25 and 36 days after planting. The treatments, arranged in randomized complete block design, were: (i) control, (ii) urea, with irrigation before the two applications, (iii) urea, with irrigation after the two applications, (iv) urea + ammonium sulphate (rate N:S = 2.1:1) at the first application, and only urea at the second application, with irrigation before the applications, and (v) with irrigation after applications. Nine samples of volatilized NH3-N were taken, using semi-open static collectors, which were installed after the first N application, at intervals of 4 to 5 days. With irrigation after N application the NH3-N gaseous losses were 40.6% for urea and 23.0% for urea with partial substitution by ammonium sulphate. With irrigation before N application the NH3-N gaseous losses were 42.8 and 38.6%, respectively. Even though the N losses did not show significant differences among the treatments, the partial substitution of urea by ammonium sulphate was positive when the irrigation was performed after the N application. This treatment also showed the largest stalk diameter, the greatest plant high and the highest leaf-N concentration. At harvest, only the fertilized treatments increased yield compared to the control. The relationship between NH3-N volatilized and corn yield established by an inverse linear regression showed that 19.3 kg-1 of grains were lost per every kilogram of volatilized nitrogen.

Tentativas de aumentar a fitotoxicidade do herbicida glyphosate através da adição de ácido e/ ou de sulfato de amônio à calda tem sido promissoras. A adição dessas substâncias otimiza as propriedades químicas da calda herbicida, superando efeitos negativos do pH elevado e de ions nela presentes. O objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar o efeito da adição de ácido sulfúrico e/ou de sulfato de amônio à calda herbicida, sobre a eficiência do glyphosate misturado em diluente com alto pH e teores elevados de sais. Os tratamentos envolveram cinco doses de glyphosate (variáveis de 180 a 540 g/ha i.a.) diluídas em água destilada e, mais glyphosate a 270 g/ha misturado às águas minera is Fonte Azul e Fonte Ijuí em presença de ácido sulfúrico (0,5 1/ha) e/ou sulfato de amônio (2 ,5 kg/h a) . A fitotoxicidade foi avaliada aos 7, 17 e 27 dias após as aplicações do herbicida sobre a aveia preta. Os resultados demonstraram que a aveia-preta é muito suscetível à ação de glyphosate, mesmo aplicado a 270 g/ha, independente da água utilizada ou da adição de adjuvantes e, que a adição de ácido sulfúrico e/ou de sulfato de amônio à calda não alterou a atividade do herbicida. Attempts to increase phytotoxicity of glyphosat e her bic ide through addition of acid and/or of ammonium sulphate to the spray solution have been promising. Addition of these substances optimize chemical properties of the herbicide spray, overcoming negative effects of high pH and of íons present in it. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of sulphuric acid and/or of ammonium sulphate addition to herbicide spray, on the efficiency of glyphosate mixed in diluents with high pH and high salts content. Glyphosate treatments consisted of five rates (variables from 180 to 540 g/ha a.e.), diluted in distilled water, and also glyph osate at 270 g/h a a. e. mix ed in the mineral waters Fonte Azul and Fonte Ijuí. To this herbicide rate, it was added 0,5 1/ha of sulphuric acid and /or 2,5 kg/ha of ammonium sulphate, whose treatments were sprayed over oat plants. Herbicide toxicity was evaluated at 7, 17, and 27 days after applications. Results showed that oats was very susceptible to glyphosate action, even when applied at 270 g/ha, independent of water used or adjuvantes added. It is concluded that addition of sulphuric acid and/or of ammonium sulphate to spray solution do not increase herbicide activity of glyphosate.

summary In this study the impact of two components of air pollution, i.e., ozone and ammonium sulphate, on carbon transport to mycorrhizal roots of Douglas fir was investigated. Juvenile Douglas fir (Pseudulsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) were inoculated with Rhizopogon vinicolor A. H. Smith and Lactarius rufus (Scop.: Fr.) Fr., and allowed to grow outdoors for a period of four months. Subsequently, they were transferred to a phytotron and treated with 0 or 200μg m−3 ozone for 28 days. During these treatments, they were watered with a solution of ammonium sulphate of concentrations corresponding to 5, SO and 200 kg N ha−1 yr−1, During the last three days, the trees were pulse-labelled with 14CO2. Ozone increased the amounts of 14C recovered in the new needle fraction, whereas the amounts recovered in the roots and root/soil respiration tended to decrease. Mycorrhizal frequency tended to increase during ozone treatment. Ammonium sulphate did not affect the distribution pattern of 14C over the trees, but seemed to stimulate the activity of the root system and mycorrhizal frequency at the intermediate nitrogen level.

Uréia, sulfato de amônio, salitre-do-chile e Nitrocálcio, nas doses de 75, 150, 225 e 300kg de nitrogênio por hectare, foram aplicados em experimentos com café Mundo-Novo, instalados em Latossolo Roxo da região de Ribeirão Preto e em Podzólico Vermelho- Amarelo orto da região de Mococa (SP). As produções foram crescentes com os aumentos de nitrogênio aplicado, sendo que as respostas para suas maiores quantidades foram maiores no Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo orto. O sulfato de amônio, o Nitrocálcio e a uréia mostraram-se superiores ao salitre-do-chile no Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo orto, apesar de a uréia não apresentar diferenças significativas relativamente ao salitre-do-chile. Em Latossolo Roxo, conquanto houvesse a mesma tendência, as diferenças não foram significativas. O parcelamento das doses de nitrogênio não beneficiou a produção no Latossolo Roxo, porém as produções correspondentes ao parcelamento em quatro vezes foram maiores no Podzólico Vermelho -Amarelo orto. Ammonium nitrate limestone (ANL), ammonium sulphate, Chilean nitrate and urea at rates of 75, 150, 225 and 300 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare, splitted in 1, 2, 3 and 4 applications were used in field experiments with coffee trees, in two soils: in a Red Latosol in Ribeirão Preto and in a Red Yellow Ortho-Podzolic in Mococa, Sate of São Paulo, Brazil. In Ribeirão Preto, the experiment was set up in December 1957 and the grain yields were recorded from 1960 to 1969. In Mococa, the experiment was set up in 1960 and the grain yields were recorded from 1962 to 1971. The grain yields of coffee increased with the increases in the nitrogen rates applied. The yield responses to high nitrogen rates were greater in the Red Yellow Ortho-Podzolic soil than in the Red Latosol. Ammonium sulphate and ANL resulted in better yields than Chilean nitrate in the Red Yellow Ortho-Podzolic soil. Urea increased coffee yields above those obtained with Chilean nitrate, but the differences were not significant. No significant effects of nitrogen sources were observed in the Red Latosol. The practice of splitting the total quantities of nitrogen did not affect the grain yields of coffee in the Red Latosol. In the Red Yellow Ortho-Podzolic soil, grain yields were higher when nitrogen was splitted in four applications.

The effect of several nitrogen compounds on the germination of the first seed of each spikelet ofAvena sterilis spp.macrocarpa Mo. was studied on Petri dishes placed in germination chamber. The compounds assayed were ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, urea and calcium nitrate, generally used as fertilizer for cereal crops, as well as a control supplied with water only The concentration of the assayed compounds were 100, 1000, 2500 and 5000 ppm either at a constant temperature of 15 ° C or at alternated temperatures 5°C and 15 °C, for 16 and 8 h, respectively Significant increase in the germination percentages occurred when nitrate compounds were used in relation to other compounds and no significant differences were found between the urea, and ammonium sulphate. This increase became significant at 1000 ppm, and therefrom until 5000 ppm germination stabilized. In the case of urea, very high abnormal germination percentages were obtained at 2500 ppm, while the effect turned noxious from 5000 ppm The use of alternating temperatures significantly increased the germination capacity of the wild oat seeds in the case of urea, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate. It is found that nitrates are capable of breaking the dormancy ofAvena sterilis spp.macrocarpa Mo. seeds, which according to various authors, is due to an increase of the respiratory activity of the seeds

Arthrospira platensis was cultivated in tubular photobioreactor using different photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) and protocols of (NH₄)₂SO₄ fed-batch supply. Results were evaluated by variance analysis selecting maximum cell concentration (X(m)), cell productivity (P(x)), nitrogen-to-cell conversion factor (Y(X/N)) and biomass, protein and lipid contents as responses. At PPFD of 120 and 240 μmol-photons/m² s, a parabolic profile of (NH₄)₂SO₄ addition aiming at producing biomass with 7% nitrogen content ensured X(m) values (14.1 and 12.2 g/L, respectively) comparable to those obtained with NaNO₃. At PPFD of 240 μmol-photons/m² s, P(x) (1.69 g/Ld) was 36% higher, although the photosynthetic efficiency (3.0%) was less than one-half that at PPFD of 120 μmol-photons/m² s. Biomass was shown to be constituted by about 35% proteins and 10% lipids, without any dependence on PPFD or kind of nitrogen source. These results highlight the possible use of (NH₄)₂SO₄ as alternative, cheap nitrogen source for A. platensis cultivation in tubular photobioreactors.

The application of an adequate rate and splitting of nitrogen is essential for wheat grain yield and protein content. The aim of this work was to adjust nitrogen management approaches regarding agronomic performance and protein content of wheat cultivars in various environments. Field experiments were conducted under no-tillage system on soybean mulch during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons in Londrina and Pato Branco regions. The experimental design was a randomized block in split plot with four replicates. Four wheat cultivars (IPR Catuara TM, BRS Gaivota, Quartzo, CD 120) were tested with six nitrogen (N) management forms. Were evaluated: number of ears per unit area (NEA); plant height (PH); thousand-kernel weight (TKW); test weight (TW); grain yield (GY); and protein content (PC). The combined ANOVA (p ? 0.01) and Tukey’s test (p ? 0.01) were used. The interaction between cultivars and environments influence all yield components, GY and PC. The interaction management forms of N and environments affected the TKW, NEA, GY and PC. The results showed that in low-rainfall environments, nitrogen topdressing could be suppressed with no negative effects on GY or PC. Under ideal weather conditions, the GY of wheat cultivars was enhanced on application of 60 kg.ha–1 N of urea at the beginning of tillering as well 20 kg.ha–1 of N at booting. Matching the appropriate cultivars to the ideal growth environment is essential for achieving high GY values. The nitrogen forms on the topdressing do not influence the PC of cultivars in Pato Branco.

The effect of supplementation of Riesling (Vitis vinifera L.) must with ammonium sulphate (AS) on tryptophan (Trp) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) metabolism during alcoholic fermentation with four commercial yeast strains (Uvaferm CEG, Lalvin Cross Evolution, Anchor VIN 13 and Anchor exotic SPH) were examined. AS addition reduced Trp uptake by yeasts from 1% to 15%. Wines produced by Anchor VIN 13 and Uvaferm CEG yeasts with AS addition had the highest concentrations of Trp (0.60 and 0.59 mg/L respectively). Concentrations of total and bound IAA decreased during all treatments. At the end of fermentation the highest concentration of free IAA was measured in the control must inoculated with Anchor VIN 13 yeast (35.83 μg/L) and the lowest in the sample inoculated with Uvaferm CEG yeast (13.08 μg/L). Anchor VIN 13 yeast showed the strongest change in metabolism due to AS addition during fermentation. 2-Aminoacetophenone (2-AAP) formation was not observed in all the studied wines.