[Screening of epoxy-degrading halophiles and their application in high-salt wastewater treatment]

In this study, two halophilic bacteria were isolated from activated sludge in the epoxy wastewater treatment system. The strains were identified, and the growth and degradation characteristics were investigated. Strain J1 and J2 was identified respectively by morphological observation and 16S rDNA sequence alignment analysis. It was found that both strains belong to the Bacillus genus (Bacillus sp.) and branch Bacillus (Virgibacillus sp.). The optimized growth condition of strain J1 and J2 in the high salt CM culture medium was as follows: solution temperature 30 degrees C, pH 7.0 and 5-50 g x L(-1) of NaCl. Furthermore, the best degradation condition of the organic epoxy wastewater was: temperature 30 degrees C, pH 7.0 and NaCl concentration 30 g x L(-1). When the volume ratio of bacterial suspension mixture of J1 and J2 was 2:1 and the inoculum size of the composite strains was 10%, the highest COD removal efficiency was achieved in the epoxy wastewater treatment.

A method for the removal of epoxy resins from tissue in preparation for scanning electron microscopy

A method for unmounting entire resin-embedded samples for SEM observation is described. This technique is particularly useful when correlation of TEM and SEM images is desired for material that is no longer available for conventional SEM preparative procedures. Sample embedded in a variety of epoxy-type resins were trimmed of excess resin and placed in a concentrated solution of sodium methoxide. After complete dissolution of the resin, the tissue was washed in a graded series of sodium methoxide in methanol--benzene, transferred to acetone, critical point dried, mounted on stubs, and coated with gold-palladium. Upon viewing in the SEM, the tissue sample showed remarkable preservation of detail at relatively high magnifications.