Excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEMS) was used to characterize the ultra violet fluorescence fingerprints of eight crude oils (with a 14,470-fold range of dynamic viscosity) in seawater. When the chemical dispersant Corexit 9500 was mixed with the oils prior to their dispersion in seawater, the fingerprints of each oil changed primarily as an increase in fluorescence over an emission b...

Vision is the primary sensory modality of birds, and its importance is evident in the sophistication of their visual systems. Coloured oil droplets in the cone photoreceptors represent an adaptation in the avian retina, acting as long-pass colour filters. However, we currently lack understanding of how the optical properties and morphology of component structures (e.g. oil droplet, mitochondria...

Photolysis and photocatalysis of Lauth's violet using nano-titanium dioxide at various aqueous buffer and non-buffer pHs. The effects of some various operating parameters such as initial dye concentration, medium pH, illumination time and catalyst amount have been investigated in a photoreactor equipped with high pressure mercury lamp. Spectrophotometric methods supported that the dye is al...

Petroleum contamination from oil spills is a continuing threat to our ocean's fragile ecosystems. Herein, we explored the effects of the water-soluble fraction of crude oil on a stony coral, Pocillopora damicornis (Linneaeus 1758). We developed methods for exposing corals to various concentrations of crude oil and for assessing the potential molecular responses of the corals. Corals were expose...

We report the construction of an optically accessible flow test section made of quartz to simulate carbon dioxide flow through throttling devices in refrigeration systems. The existence of traces of lubricant oil (specifically Polyolester (POE)) in the working medium makes the flow amenable to Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) diagnostics. The molecular structure of these lubricants is rich in c...

Activated clay minerals have been widely used in the edible oil refining industry for decolorization of crude oil by adsorption, and so far many methods have been used to improve their decolorization efficiency. Herein, we successfully prepared a series of carbon/attapulgite (C/APT) composite adsorbents by a one-step in-situ carbonization process with natural starch (St) as the carbon source. I...

The importance of providing adequate cleansing facilities for industrial workers, and in particular for those whose skin is constantly or frequently exposed to contamination with potentially harmful lubricating oils, is now well recognized. The removal of lubricating oils from the skin, although superficially an apparently simple matter, is, in fact, usually difficult to accomplish without usin...