Straw bio-degradation by acidogenic bacteria and composite fungi.

A composite microbial system, including a strain of Candida tropicalis (W3), a strain of Lactobacillus plantarm(WY3) and three strains of basidiomycete pL104, pL113 and C33, was chosen to degrade corn straw. The final pH was acid owing to the inoculation of acidogenic bacteria, and under this condition the composite fungi system could produce complex enzyme to destroy the compact structure of corn straw. The experimental results showed that the biomass of composite fungi could reach up to maximum when the pH value was 4.

Preparation and Defluorination Performance of Activated Cerium(IV) Oxide/SiMCM-41 Adsorbent in Water.

By using the wetness impregnation-coprecipitation method, a new adsorbent, cerium(IV) oxide coated on SiMCM-41 ((Ce)SiMCM-41), was prepared for removal of fluoride ions from water. Factors investigated were number of impregnations, Ce/Si ratios, concentrations of F(-) ions, pH values, and calcination temperatures. The dynamics, isotherms, and mechanism of adsorption of F(-) ions were discussed.