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The uncontrollable growth of CO2 concentration in the Earth atmosphere is a cause of ever-accelerating global warming. The warming up of the atmosphere and the increase in the partial pressure of CO2 induce multiple negative catastrophic phenomena on a global scale. On the other hand, carbon dioxide provides a unique and practically inexhaustible source of synthetic carbon (C1 synthon). Well-funded comprehensive studies of the processes of CO2 transformation into chemically important products, such as carboxylic acids, linear organic carbonates, urea and its derivatives, methanol, dimethyl ether, industrial gases (CO, methane), higher hydrocarbons, and products of fine organic synthesis, have been carried out in various countries for more than recent 20 years to mitigate CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. In Russia, this problem has remained virtually unnoticed. Therefore, in this review the authors set the task to draw the attention of chemists to the possibilities of using CO2 in synthesis and to the achievements that have been made in this area, particularly in the synthesis of hydroxybenzoic acids, methanol, and formic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the environmental consequences of a major landslide that occurred on the shore of the Bureya reservoir in December 2018, for the first time in the winter period; it was the largest such phenomenon in Russia over the last decade. Toxic organic substances present in water and aufeis in the landslide impact zone and after the collapse of the dam composed of rocks were analyzed. A comparative analysis of aromatic compounds contained in water in the vicinity of the landslide body prior to and after blasting operations and in the newly-built artificial canal was performed using gas chromatography. Predominant organic components present in the water included a number of toxic substances (e.g., methanol and methylated benzene derivatives); after the drainage of the water through the landslide body, concentrations of these substances increased. Many volatile organic substances have a natural origin and could be contained in the pore space of rocks. After the blasting operations, the content of hexane and isopropyl benzene in the water of the artificial canal increased. It has been established that rock grinding caused by the landslide and by the blasting operations significantly affected the composition of volatile organic substances. Rock watering, thawing, and freezing; decomposition of plant residues; and transformations of detonation products of explosives initiate various biogeochemical processes in the pore space; aromatic compounds formed as a result of such processes pose environmental risks to the reservoir ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surrogate alcohol, i.e. alcohol not intended or not officially intended for human consumption, continues to play an important role in alcohol consumption in Russia, especially for people with alcohol dependence. Among the different types of surrogate alcohol, there are windshield washer antifreeze liquids; these products are the cheapest kinds of non-beverage alcohol available and thus likely to be used by the most deprived and marginalised groups such as homeless people with alcohol dependence. Although it is well known, that non-beverage alcohol is used for consumption by various groups in Russia, and although there are laws to prohibit the use of methanol as part of windshield washer antifreeze liquids for the very reason that such products could be used as surrogate alcohol, we detected products in retail sale which were a mix of water and methanol only. Methanol poses serious health threats including blindness and death, and there had been repeated methanol deaths from surrogate alcohol in Russia over the last years. If law-enforcement does not change for surrogate products, we can expect more methanol-resulting deaths in the most deprived and marginalized groups of people with alcohol dependence in Russia. In addition, ingredients with questionable safety profiles such as formic acid should also be prohibited in non-beverage alcohol products that are likely to be consumed as surrogate alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxic alcohol poisonings are responsible for high mortality and morbidity in Russia. This study was aimed to evaluate the trends of harmful ethanol (EtOH) drinking as well as methanol (MeOH), isopropanol (IPA) and ethylene glycol (EG) poisonings in the Middle Urals region of Russia. Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of patients poisoned with MeOH, IPA and EG as well as those with harmful heavy EtOH drinking admitted to Regional Poison Treatment Center in Yekaterinburg during the period of 2002 to 2014 were reviewed. Results: During this 13-year period, 17482 patients with acute poisoning (due to various toxic agents) were admitted, which 2244 of them (12.8%) were due to alcohol poisoning. Of all patients with acute poisoning, 502 cases died which 61 of them (12.2%) were due to alcohol poisoning. Most of the alcohol poisoned patients were men (1658, 73.9%). The male proportion of EG poisoned patients was high er than poisoned patients with other types of alcohol. Harmful EtOH drinking constituted the majority of alcohol poisoning cases (207 6, 92.5%). Patients with EG poisoning were relatively older while patients with heavy EtOH intake were significantly younger (P < 0.001). The highest mortality rate (35.9%) was seen in patients with EG poisoning. During this period, heavy EtOH drinking had a slight increasing trend and MeOH poisoning had a sharp increasing trend. On the other hand, IPA poisoning had a constant trend a nd the trend of EG poisoning was decreasing. The majority of MeOH and IPA poisonings were due to ingestion of surrogate alcohols. Conclusion: Particular attention of health authorities should be directed towards alcohol drinking prevention measures as well as production and availability of surrogate alcohols in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS) have been determined in surface sediments and sediment core from Gulf of Gdańsk, Baltic Sea. Perfluorooctanesulphonate (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulphonate (PFHxS), perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluoronanoate (PFNA), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA), perfluoroundecanote (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoate (PFDoDA) and perfluorohexanoate (PFHxA) were quantified after isotopic dilution (13C4 PFOS and 13C4 PFOA), liquid-liquid extractions by methanol and acetonitrile, cleanup by Envi-Carb, OasisWAX and Envi-Carb and final measurement by HPLC–MS/MS. PFOS, PFHxS, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA and PFOA were found in Baltic Sea sediments in concentrations exceeding the method limit of quantification (LOQ) of 2 pg/g. PFOS was detected in concentration up to 0.896 ng/g dry weight and PFHxS up to 0.326 ng/g dw, which shows on a weak pollution. PFOS (48–74%) or PFHxS (45–56%) dominated in PFAS composition of sediments surveyed. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A to view the free supplemental file. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years in world legislation, an emphasis has been on the development and application of pollution-free fuels. An increase of the production of these gasolines in Russia requires the significant reconstruction of petroleum refineries; the further growth of their contribution is possible only in the case of intensive introduction into gasoline of high-octane oxygen-containing components. With a potassium-containing catalyst in place of a copper-zinc-chrome catalyst during methanol synthesis from a synthesis gas, a catalyzate is obtained containing a mixture of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isobutanol, and others. The mixture of the alcohols in this case is as a high-octane component of gasoline and an emulsifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The haloalkaliphilic methylotrophic bacterium (strain Kr3) isolated from material scraped off the deteriorating marble of the Moscow Kremlin masonry has been found to be able to utilize methanol, methylamine, trimethylamine, and fructose as carbon and energy sources. Its cells are gram-negative motile rods multiplying by binary fission. Spores are not produced. The isolate is strictly aerobic and requires vitamin B12 and Na+ ions for growth. It is oxidase- and catalase-positive and reduces nitrates to nitrites. Growth occurs at temperatures between 0 and 40°C (with the optimum temperatures being 20–32°C), pH values between 6 and 11 (with the optimum at 8–9), and NaCl concentrations between 0.05 and 3 M (with the optimum at 0.5–1.5 M). The dominant cellular phospholipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and cardiolipin. The major cellular fatty acids are palmitic (C16:0), palmitoleic (C16:1), and octadecenoic (C18:1) acids. The major ubiquinone is Q8. It accumulates ectoine and glutamate, as well as a certain amount of sucrose, to function as osmoprotectants and synthesizes an exopolysaccharide composed of carbohydrate and protein components. It is resistant to heating at 70°C, freezing, and drying; utilizes methanol, with the resulting production of formic acid, which is responsible for the marble-degrading activity of the isolate; and implements the 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate variant of the ribulose monophosphate pathway. The G+C content of its DNA is 44.6 mol %. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA homology levels (23–41%) with neutrophilic and alkaliphilic methylobacteria from the genus Methylophaga, the isolate has been identified as a new species, Methylophaga murata (VKM B-2303T = NCIMB 13993T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chief types of hydrogen sulfide absorbers available in the Russian market are examined. The action of hydrogen sulfide absorbers differing in chemical composition is analyzed with reference to two components of commercial residual fuel oil, namely straight-run fuel oil and visbreaking gas oil. The absorbers (absorbents) are effective in almost all cases. They are found to have an adverse effect on the content of water-soluble acids and alkalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption heat storage (AHS) is an energy-saving technology that allows low-temperature heat from renewable energy sources and various wastes to be utilized. One of the most important ways to increase the efficiency of the AHS units is to develop adsorbents with high heat storage density. This work addresses the methanol sorption on an innovative composite based on expanded vermiculite impregnated with LiCl (LiCl/Verm), which is suggested for adsorptive cycles for seasonal heat storage. Such a cycle is typical of regions with moderately cold winter, like the South of the Russian Federation as well as the Northern part of China, Europe etc. The study consists of: (1) synthesis and characterization of the composite; (2) investigation of equilibrium and dynamics of methanol sorption under operating conditions of the seasonal AHS cycle; (3) evaluation of the sorbent heat storage capacity and specific power. The heat storage capacity of LiCl/Verm under conditions of the tested cycle reaches 1.5 kJ/g. This value far exceeds that for conventional and innovative adsorbents. The specific power of 0.9 and 1.5 kW/kg can be realized during discharging and charging stages of the cycle, respectively. These findings demonstrate a high potential of the LiCl/Verm composite as methanol sorbent for AHS. • "LiCl in vermiculite - methanol" pair is investigated for adsorption heat storage. • Both sorption equilibrium and dynamics are comprehensively studied. • Sorption-desorption hysteresis is not observed for this pair. • A heat storage capacity of 1.5 kJ/g is superior to common adsorbents used for storage. • The specific power reaches 0.9 and 1.5 kW/kg for discharging and charging stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel aerobic, restricted facultatively methylotrophic bacteria were isolated from buds of English oak ( Quercus robur L.; strain Dub T ) and northern red oak ( Quercus rubra L.; strain KrD). The isolates were Gram-negative, asporogenous, motile short rods that multiplied by binary fisson. They utilized methanol, methylamine and a few polycarbon compounds as carbon and energy sources. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C and pH 7.5. The dominant phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phoshatidylglycerol. The major cellular fatty acids of cells were C 18 : 1  ω7 c , 11-methyl C 18 : 1  ω7 c and C 16 : 0 . The major ubiquinone was Q-10. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strains were closely related to the members of the genus Hansschlegelia : Hansschlegelia zhihuaiae S113 T (97.5-98.0 %), Hansschlegelia plantiphila S1 T (97.4-97.6 %) and Hansschlegelia beijingensis PG04 T (97.0-97.2 %). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between strains Dub T and KrD was 99.7 %, and the DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) result between the strains was 85 %. The ANI and the DDH values between strain Dub T and H. zhihuaiae S113 T were 80.1 and 21.5  %, respectively. Genome sequencing of the strain Dub T revealed a genome size of 3.57 Mbp and a G+C content of 67.0 mol%. Based on the results of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses, it is proposed that the isolates be assigned to the genus Hansschlegelia as Hansschlegelia quercus sp. nov. with the type strain Dub T (=VKM B-3284 T =CCUG 73648 T =JCM 33463 T ).

A chromogenic bioassay was utilized to determine the antithrombin activity of the methylene chloride and methanol extracts prepared from forty-five plants of Russia. Mouse leukemia cells (L1210) were utilized to screen these extracts for activity against cancer. The results indicated that eight plant extracts demonstrated 90% or higher activity in the inhibition of thrombin. Also, nine methanol extracts demonstrated activity of 90% or higher in the inhibition of mouse leukemia L1210 cells. The methanol extracts of Quercus robur and Sanguisorba officinalis demonstrated high activity against both thrombin and cancer.