Configurational-bias Monte Carlo simulations in the grand canonical ensemble with histogram reweighting were used to obtain the vapor-liquid coexistence curves of three hexane isomers physisorbed on a flat gold substrate. Examination of the critical ordering operator distributions confirms that these systems exhibit critical behavior consistent with the 2D Ising universality class. The critical...

Representative biomarkers (e.g., n-alkanes), diversity and microbial community in the aquifers contaminated by high concentration of arsenic (As) in different sediment depth (0-30 m) in Jianghan Plain, Hubei, China, were analyzed to investigate the potential mechanism of As enrichment in groundwater. The concentration of As was abundant in top soil and sand, but not in clay. The analysis of the...

Graphite basal surface is inert, and decomposition of n-alkanes on the graphite surface has not been discovered. We here report the evidence of decomposition of n-octanes on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface, heat-treated up to 1200 °C under high vacuum (10(-7) Pa), at near room temperatures. Using a temperature programmed desorption apparatus equipped with a quadrupole mass spe...

Cell suspensions of methane-utilizing bacteria grown on methane oxidized n-alkanes (propane, butane, pentane, hexane) to their corresponding methylketones (acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-hexanone). The product methylketones accumulated extracellularly. The rate of production of methylketones varied with the organism used for oxidation; however, the average rate of acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pe...

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the utilization of rhodococci in the bioremediation of petroleum contaminated environments. This study investigates the response of Rhodococcus erythropolis IBBPo1 cells to 1% organic solvents (alkanes, aromatics). A combination of microbiology, biochemical, and molecular approaches were used to examine cell adaptation mechanisms likely to be pursue...

Many biological and geochemical questions remain concerning the structures, functions, and properties of naturally occurring high-molecular-weight (C40+) alkanes with various mid-chain alkylation patterns. Above C40, these alkanes are exceedingly difficult to separate and purify, and syntheses can be blocked by the low solubility of intermediates. To overcome these problems, a facile three-step...