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In this paper, results of the study on heavy metals solubility behavior of Ni-Cd filter cakes in Iranian Zinc Mine Development Company (IZMDC) plants are investigated. The effects of pH, temperature, liquid/solid ratio and contact time on the release of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Ni and Pb) into water media was examined. Also, “Extraction procedure tests” approved by EPA were applied to the residues. Moreover, statistical data analysis was performed and the most important parameters for dissolution of Zn, Cd, Ni and Pb were found to be the pH and L/S.. The concentration of Cd and Pb in the extracts obtained from filter cakes by applying EPA extraction procedures at pH 5 are over 1.0 and 5.0 mg/L, which are toxicity limits, respectively. The concentrations of other metals in the solution are above the limits given by various quality standards for surface water.

 

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“Create” is the Lord’s act and “creator” and “creativity” are among his characteristics. Since he has created the man from his effigy and has blown through his soil, as the Lord’s Caliph on earth, the man requires to be a symbol of the God’s characteristics. “Create” and “creation” are virtually ascribed to the man, as well, indicating the creation of artistic works and creativity in acts and deeds. They are meant to signify inventiveness, capability of dominating the creatures, tackling the problems, providing, preparing and constructing the most appropriate living conditions. This seems to be quite plausible in the present era since the man has gained power in dominating the creatures. The present study investigates a path to the creation of artistic works, in particular, architecture by comparing it to the procedure of creation in nature and generally to the universe regarding Islam and the Holy Quran. Also, it discusses the interaction between an architect and the whole universe and envisages a general perspective based upon his own creation. In this regard, this study seeks answers to the following questions: ● Is the man_ himself as a creature _capable of creating? ● What are the principles and features taken into account regarding the creation of the universe? ● What are the commonalities between the creation of the universe and the creation of an architectural work? In so doing, a library research and a field study is applied considering interpretational analysis. It, then, follows that as the Lord endows the spirit of creation into the man’s corpse, the man his Caliph on earth_ also gives life to raw materials by blowing his spirit of creation and there comes the birth of Art from mankind. In a sense, creation is always performable and within the procedures of creation opposite elements are juxtaposed to supplement each other; a kind of variation from the same origin to perfection. In other words it can be pointed out that in creation the Lord has manifested integrity by similarity and has endowed identity to every element by purification.

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Endoglucanase Cel9A from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius (AaCel9A), a thermophile enzyme, randomly breaks β1-4 glycosidic bond between glucose units in cellulose polymer and produces oligosaccharides with reducing end. In this study, first of all, E.coli BL21 cells were transformed by pDEST17 carrying AaCel9A enzyme gene for expression of the recombinant enzyme. After expression, the recombinant enzyme was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography column and the purity of the recombinant protein was analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Due to impact of the calcium, pH and temperature on AaCel9A activity, the effects of these parameters were investigated on AaCel9A activity to optimize activity condition by using Response surface methodology. The SDS-PAGE result showed that AaCel9A, with molecular weight of 59 kDa, was expressed and purified. Response surface methodology data reveal that the effect of pH on the activity of the enzyme is higher than temperature and the calcium effect is less than temperature. Results showed that the optimum condition of AaCel9A activity reaches at pH 6.35 and 64.5 ˚C as well as 4.92 mM of calcium. Finally, the high correlation between experimental and predicted date indicated that the proposed model for optimizing the enzyme activity has a high accuracy.

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The present study was accomplished to purify and biochemically characterize the phenol-degrading enzyme from the bacteria existed in petroleum-contaminated soils. The catechol 1, 2 dioxygenase was extracted from Aneurinibacillus migulanus Isolate ZNU05 and purified using Q-Sepharose ion exchange chromatography column. The enzyme activity was examined under different pHs (ranged from 4 to 9), at different temperatures (ranged from 20 to 70˚C), in the presence of various metal ions chloride salts (Ca²⁺, K⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Na⁺), and with various solvents (ethanol, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether, acetonitrile, N-amyl alcohol, N-hexane, and toluene). In addition, the enzyme activity was investigated using different substrates such as phenol, catechol, benzoic acid, pyrogallol and α-naphtol. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that there was a single-band protein with a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa. The catechol 1, 2 dioxygenase had a maximum activity at temperature 30˚C at pH 8.5. Moreover, the catalytic activity of the enzyme was increased in the presence of cobalt and zinc ions as well as organic solvent of amyl alcohol, while it was decreased or inhibited in the presence of the other metal ions and organic solvents used. Among different substrates on enzyme activity, catechol was the most favorable for the enzyme, so that, the V_max and K_m were 8.959 U/mg and 4.992 µg/mL for the substrate, respectively.

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The present study deals with modeling the effects of bentonite (1.5-5 g/lit) and gelatin concentrations (0.02-0.08 g/lit) along with time (30-80 min) at constant temperature and pH on color, turbidity, adjusted purity, ash and invert sugar content of purified raw sugar-beet juice through face-centered central composite design of response surface methodology and to optimize these key parameters of the process. Our main goal was focused around the possibility to produce invert sugar directly from raw sugar-beet juice in conjunction with an alternate purification process in comparison with the conventional lime process used industrially. In this connection, second-order polynomial models were developed for dependent responses using least-square fit of regression analysis. The correlation coefficients of the developed response surface models were determined to be 0.90, 0.84, 0.90, 0.92, and 0.99 respectively for color, turbidity, ash content, adjusted purity, and invert sugar value of purified juice. The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that all three independent parameters investigated have significant influence on raw beet-juice purity indexes. The optimum conditions were based on minimization of color, turbidity and ash content and maximization of invert sugar and adjusted purity at a constant temperature (75˚C) and pH (4.5) and it was found to be at bentonite concentration of 1.55g/lit, gelatin concentration of 0/04g/lit and reaction time of 68.6 min. At this optimum point, color, turbidity, ash, adjusted purity and invert sugar content were found to be 1973 ICU₄₂₀, 1.06 NTU, 0.54 %, 91.4 %, and 1.95 %, respectively.  

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In this study, montmorillonite (MMT) was modified by hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMA) to enhance its adsorption capacity and improve its functional properties that it was done through conventional ion exchange. The intercalation of cationic surfactant into layers of MMT and properties of MMT before and after modification was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, Thermal gravimetric analysis, contact angle, and zeta potential. The XRD results showed the interlayer spacing was increased from 1.17 to 2.02 nm due to intercalation of HDTMA. The contact angle and zeta potential analyses revealed that the surface wettability of MMT was changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic and the surface charge was changed from -21.6 to -2.54 due to adsorption of HDTAM on surface of MMT. FTIR spectra show the successful of inserting alkyl groups from cationic surfactant in the interlayer space of MMT. The results are supported by the measurements of TGA/DTA. The findings of this study are useful for the application of modified MMT as a nanoadsorbent for food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.

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Aims: Expression and purification of recombinant Urate oxidase as well as other pharmaceutical proteins are a costly process. The use of non-chromatographic methods in the purification process can reduce production costs. So, the aim of this study was cloning, expression, and purification of recombinant urate oxidase, using intein sequence and elastin-like protein (ELP).
Materials and Methods: In the present experimental research, the synthetic urate oxidase gene was cloned in downstream of ELP–Intein in an expression plasmid. After cultivating bacteria containing urate oxidase expression plasmid, the soluble fraction of cell lysate was separated from insoluble portion, using centrifugation. The recombinant urate oxidase was precipitated by adding salt and incubation at 37°C. The resulting precipitant was resuspended in cleavage buffer and the urate oxidase was separated from ELP through Intein moiety. Adding salt for the second time and incubation at 37°C resulted in separation of urate oxidase from fusion partner. After expressing and purifying the urate oxidase, purity and biological activity of recombinant urate oxidase were compared to standard drug.
Findings: The recombinant urate oxidase was expressed and purified using ELP and Intein tags as fusions partners. The rescombinant enzyme showed a purity of %90 equal to 1.89 mg.ml^-1 based on protein concentration and 1.64 mg.ml^-1 based on activity. 
Conclusion: Using Intein sequence and Elastin-like protein, together with the Urate Oxidase enzyme helps to express and purify the enzyme without need for a chromatographic method.