Chronic Food Administration of Salvia sclarea Oil Reduces Animals' Anxious and Dominant Behavior

Moshe Gross,Elimelech Nesher,Tatiana Tikhonov,Olga Raz,Albert Pinhasov 한국식품영양과학회 2013 Journal of medicinal food Vol.16 No.3

Recent studies indicate that an oil extract from Salvia sclarea may provide clinical benefits in various pathological conditions. In comparison to extracts from other Salvia species, S. sclarea oil contains twice as much omega-3 fatty acids, which are involved in eicosanoid synthesis pathways, and has been found to contain significant levels of the psychoactive monoterpane linalool. In the present study, we examined the mood stabilizing and anxiolytic-like effects of chronic food administration of S. sclarea oil extract on behavioral and physiological parameters of mice with prominent dominant and submissive features in behavioral assays used to test mood stabilizing and antidepressant drugs. Experimental animals received oil supplemented food from the age of 4 weeks or from conception via their pregnant dams. Each age group received either S. sclarea oil– or sunflower oil–enriched feed. Dominant animals, whose pregnant mothers received S. sclarea oil–enriched feed from the date of conception, showed a significant reduction of dominant and anxiety-like behavior, in comparison to their sunflower oil–treated counterparts. S. sclarea oil–treated submissive animals exhibited a similar tendency, and showed a significant reduction in blood corticosterone levels. These findings enforce the hypothesis that S. sclarea oil possesses anxiolytic properties.

Combined organic and colloidal fouling in forward osmosis: Fouling reversibility and the role of applied pressure

Kim, Yeowon,Elimelech, Menachem,Shon, Ho Kyong,Hong, Seungkwan Elsevier 2014 Journal of membrane science Vol.460 No.-

In this study, we systematically investigated the propensity and reversibility of combined organic-colloidal fouling in forward osmosis (FO) under various solution chemistries (pH and calcium ion concentrations) and applied hydraulic pressure on the feed side. Alginate, silica colloids, and their mixture (i.e., combined organic-colloidal) were used as model foulants. Our findings demonstrate that combined organic-colloidal foulants caused more rapid flux decline than the individual foulants due to the synergistic effect of alginate and silica colloids. As a result, much lower flux recovery was achieved by physical cleaning induced by increasing the cross-flow rate, in contrast to single foulants of which the fouling layer was easily removed under all solution conditions. Interestingly, less flux decline was observed at neutral pH for combined fouling, while acidic conditions were favorable for alginate fouling and basic solutions caused more silica fouling, thereby providing clear evidence for the combined fouling effect It was also found that calcium ions enhanced water flux decline and induced the formation of less reversible combined organic-colloidal fouling layers. Lastly, the role of applied hydraulic pressure on the feed side in FO was examined to elucidate the mechanism of fouling layer formation, fouling reversibility, and water flux recovery. Higher fouling propensity and lower fouling reversibility of combined organic colloidal fouling were observed in the presence of applied hydraulic pressure on the feed side. This observation suggests that the lower fouling propensity and greater fouling reversibility in FO compared to reverse osmosis (RO), are attributable to unpressurized operating conditions in FO. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Membrane-based processes for sustainable power generation using water

Logan, Bruce E.,Elimelech, Menachem Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan P 2012 Nature Vol.488 No.7411

Water has always been crucial to combustion and hydroelectric processes, but it could become the source of power in membrane-based systems that capture energy from natural and waste waters. Two processes are emerging as sustainable methods for capturing energy from sea water: pressure-retarded osmosis and reverse electrodialysis. These processes can also capture energy from waste heat by generating artificial salinity gradients using synthetic solutions, such as thermolytic salts. A further source of energy comes from organic matter in waste waters, which can be harnessed using microbial fuel-cell technology, allowing both wastewater treatment and power production.

A Novel Method for Investigating the Influence of Feed Water Recovery on Colloidal and NOM Fouling of RO and NF Membranes

Lee, Sangyoup,Cho, Jaeweon,Elimelech, Menachem Mary Ann Liebert 2005 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE Vol.22 No.4

Colloidal fouling in forward osmosis: Role of reverse salt diffusion

Boo, C.,Lee, S.,Elimelech, M.,Meng, Z.,Hong, S. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2012 Journal of membrane science Vol.390 No.-

Colloidal fouling behavior in forward osmosis (FO) was investigated, focusing on the role of reverse salt diffusion. Two suspensions of silica nanoparticles, with average particle diameters of 24 and 139nm, were used as model colloidal foulants. To verify the effect of reverse salt diffusion on the colloidal fouling behavior, NaCl and LaCl<SUB>3</SUB> were employed as draw solutions because they exhibit different reverse diffusion rates. Our results suggest that in colloidal fouling of FO, salts diffuse from the draw to the feed solution and accumulate within the colloidal fouling layer that forms on the membrane surface. The accumulated salts result in a marked acceleration of cake-enhanced osmotic pressure (CEOP), which reduces the net osmotic driving force for permeate water flux. Fouling was not observed with the small, 24-nm particles because of the lack of substantial cake formation, but was notable for the 139-nm particles and for a feed containing a mixture of the 24 and 139nm particles. Our findings further indicate that colloidal fouling is enhanced under solution conditions (ionic strength and pH) within the colloidal cake layer that promote aggregation or destabilization of the silica particles. Colloidal fouling reversibility was also examined by varying the cross-flow velocity during the FO fouling runs. We showed that in the absence of colloidal particle destabilization/aggregation, the permeate flux during colloidal fouling in FO recovered almost completely when the cross-flow velocity was increased from 8.5 to 25.6cm/s. Our results suggest that reverse salt diffusion in FO is a key mechanism that controls colloidal fouling behavior as well as fouling reversibility. Therefore, minimization of reverse salt diffusion through the selection of proper draw solutes and optimization of FO membrane selectivity are important for minimizing colloidal fouling as well as enhancing FO operation efficiency.

탄소 나노튜브필터를 이용한 수처리 기술

강석태,( A. S. Brady Estevez ),( M. Elimelech ) 한국물환경학회(구 한국수질보전학회) 2011 한국물환경학회·대한상하수도학회 공동 춘계학술발표회 Vol.2011 No.-

Boron transport in forward osmosis: Measurements, mechanisms, and comparison with reverse osmosis

Kim, C.,Lee, S.,Shon, H.K.,Elimelech, M.,Hong, S. Elsevier Scientific Pub. Co 2012 Journal of membrane science Vol.419 No.-

The physical and chemical factors affecting boron solute flux behavior and membrane transport mechanisms in forward osmosis (FO) have been systematically investigated. Boron solute flux behavior in FO was further compared with that in reverse osmosis (RO) by employing identical plate-and-frame cells and membranes under the same filtration conditions. The influence of draw solution pH, draw solution type, and membrane orientation on boron solute flux was examined for FO, and the effects of water flux, cross-flow velocity, feed water boron concentration, and solution pH on boron solute flux were examined for both FO and RO. Results show that reverse salt diffusion, a unique feature of FO, is a key mechanism governing boron solute flux in FO. Boron solute flux through the FO membrane was inversely proportional to the degree of reverse salt diffusion by draw solution. The higher boron rejection observed in FO compared to RO is also attributed to reverse salt diffusion in FO. It is also shown that membrane orientation in FO plays an important role, affecting boron solute flux due to different degrees of internal concentration polarization. In both FO and RO, boron solute flux increased with increasing water flux. However, the influence of water flux on boron solute flux was less significant in FO than RO. Furthermore, boron solute flux decreased with increasing feed water pH due to the conversion of the neutral boric acid to borate anions. The findings provide new insight into the mechanisms and factors controlling boron solute transport in FO.

Development of a Megasonic System for Cleaning Flat Panel Display

Kim, Hyun Se,Lee, Yang Lae,Lim, Eui Su,Elimelech, Menachem Trans Tech Publications, Ltd. 2012 Diffusion and defect data. SSP. [Pt. B], Solid sta Vol.187 No.-

<P>When fabricating flat panel displays (FPDs), cleaning process is important in the preparation of next steps. A megasonic system for cleaning FPD which can remove smaller particles with lower power and lower consumptions of chemical and UPW was designed and manufactured. The anti-resonance frequency of the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuator was measured, and the value was 992 kHz. The impedance graph of the cleaning system was analyzed using commercial finite element method (FEM) analysis software Ansys, and the obtained value was 992 kHz. This agreed well with the measured value of 989 kHz. The performance of the developed system was evaluated by comparing the acoustic pressures with the conventional product. As a result, the acoustic pressures of the developed system were three times larger than that of the commercial system (conventional type: 13.9 kPa, the developed one: 43.1 kPa). In addtion, the PRE test was performed and the 83% particles were removed using 64% reduced power and 80% reduced chemical consumptions.</P>

Maximizing the right stuff: The trade-off between membrane permeability and selectivity

Park, Ho Bum,Kamcev, Jovan,Robeson, Lloyd M.,Elimelech, Menachem,Freeman, Benny D. American Association for the Advancement of Scienc 2017 Science Vol.356 No.6343

<P>Increasing demands for energy-efficient separations in applications ranging from water purification to petroleum refining, chemicals production, and carbon capture have stimulated a vigorous search for novel, high-performance separation membranes. Synthetic membranes suffer a ubiquitous, pernicious trade-off: highly permeable membranes lack selectivity and vice versa. However, materials with both high permeability and high selectivity are beginning to emerge. For example, design features frombiological membranes have been applied to break the permeability-selectivity trade-off. We review the basis for the permeability-selectivity trade-off, state-of-the-art approaches to membrane materials design to overcome the trade-off, and factors other than permeability and selectivity that govern membrane performance and, in turn, influence membrane design.</P>

Effect of Final Monomer Deposition Steps on Molecular Layer-by-Layer Polyamide Surface Properties

Tousley, Marissa E.,Shaffer, Devin L.,Lee, Jung-Hyun,Osuji, Chinedum O.,Elimelech, Menachem American Chemical Society 2016 Langmuir Vol.32 No.42

<P>A current challenge to desalination membrane technology is the inability to precisely control the properties of the polyamide selective layer due to the complexity of interfacial polymerization. In this study, we investigate the ability of molecular layer-by-layer (mLbL) assembly, an alternative polyamide fabrication technique, to create poly amide surfaces with tunable chemistry. We explore the influence of terminating monomer, monomer deposition time, monomer size, and the presence of underlying ionizable functional groups on mLbL-derived polyamide surface properties. AFM colloidal probe measurements, contact angle titration, QCM cesium adsorption experiments, and XPS data show that polyamide films terminated with m-phenylenediamine or trimesoyl chloride for 20-30 s are chemically similar. Increasing terminating monomer deposition time or using a smaller, more reactive monomer results in more distinct colloidal-probe adhesive interactions, contact angle titration curves, negative charge densities, and near surface atomic compositions. By optimizing the final monomer deposition steps, both amine rich and carboxyl-rich polyamide surfaces can be fabricated, which has implications for the application of mLbL assembly to membrane-based desalination.</P>