Average Oil Content Research Articles

Assessment of thermal and physicochemical properties of mechanic village soils derived from two different geological formations in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study assessed and compared selected soil properties, oil and grease content, and thermophysical parameters of sandy loam soils from two representative automobile mechanic village (MV) on two different geological formations in Ogun State, Nigeria. The two locations: Abeokuta and Sagamu are situated on a basement complex and Cretaceous-sedimentary formations, respectively. Ten sample points were established on each MV. Physico-chemical and in-situ thermal properties were measured using standard methods and KD2 Pro thermal analyzer, respectively. Three different regression models (linear, semi-log and double-log) were generated for the prediction of thermal conductivity ( λ s ) and specific heat capacity ( C s ). Topsoils in both MVs are slightly acidic to neutral, with an average oil and grease content > 100 mg/kg. Results of thermophysical parameters revealed that the average λ s values in MV soils of basement complex and sedimentary backgrounds were 1.656 and 1.988 W/mK, respectively. The average C s values in Abeokuta and Sagamu MV soils are 2.295 and 3.043 MJ/m3K, respectively. The regression analysis showed that the double log model performed better than both linear and semi log models for predicting λ s at both locations. All the tested regression models have good prediction effects on C s at location within cretaceous sedimentary, whereas linear and double-log models proved feasible for predicting C s at location underlain by basement complex.

Технология первичного семеноводства крупноплодного заразихоустойчивого сорта подсолнечника Казак

In 2021–2023, the variability of economically useful traits (seed number per head, weight of 1000 seeds and oil content) in the broomrape-resistant confectionery sunflower variety Kazak was established. The purpose of the research is to study the features of methods for selecting and assessing economically useful traits of broomrape-resistant confectionery sunflower in stages of the primary seed production. A feature of the primary seed production of large-seeded sunflower varieties of the confectionery group is obtaining the required yield of qualitative seeds, indicators of weight of 1000 seeds, oil content, hull content, etc. An important element of the primary seed production of broomrape-resistant sunflower varieties is the usage of a plots infected with broomrape race G for the selection of resistant biotypes. To characterize the variability of traits, the following statistical indicators were used: average, maximum and minimum values of the trait; the range of variability and the coefficient of variation were determined. It was established that when selecting individual plants of the seed-growing elite of the variety Kazak, the average value of the seed weight per a head was 209 g with fluctuations from 126 to 224 g. The average oil content in seeds reached 42.1% with fluctuations from 39.4% to 46.0%. The average weight of 1000 seeds was at the level of 160 g with fluctuations from 140 to 204. The conditions of the year influenced the degree of manifestation of the studied traits. The work done to cull undesirable biotypes among the seedgrowing elite led to the formation of a population of the broomrape-resistant variety Kazak, which was significantly improved in the process of the primary seed production compared to the initial value by weight of 1000 seeds – by 8.1%.

Kegiatan Skrining Kadar Air Dan Minyak Kulit Pada Populasi Lanjut Usia

The largest organ in the human body, the epidermis, serves as the primary barrier against environmental factors that may arise from the outside. Xerosis cutis is a skin condition that causes dry skin. It's caused by a number of things, including the activity of sebaceous and sweat glands decreasing with age, which lowers the amount of water in the stratum corneum and causes moisture loss. This can lead to disturbances in daily activities and a decline in sleep quality. In France, mild to moderate-severe dry skin is prevalent at a rate of 55.65%, while its prevalence is 9%. At Hana Nursing Home, sixty people attended the geriatric population screening activity, with a mean age of 78 years. During this activity, the left hand demonstrated an average water and oil content of 36.6% and 16.4%, respectively. In contrast, the right hand displayed an average water and oil content of 33.7% and 15.1%, respectively. The aim of this activity is to enhance participants' understanding of the significance of maintaining an optimal level of hydration in their epidermis.

Kegiatan Penapisan Kadar Air Dan Minyak Kulit Pada Populasi Dewasa Di SMP Kalam Kudus Jakarta

The skin, as the body's largest organ, can function as an important barrier against dangers from outside the body. Insufficient water and oil levels in the skin can cause dry skin conditions. This can be caused by various factors, including age, sun exposure, and accompanying chronic diseases. Dry skin tends to cause itching, thereby increasing the risk of scratching and injury. A good level of skin hydration will improve an individual's quality of life. This screening activity for the adult population at Kalam Kudus Middle School was attended by 127 participants with an average age of 39 years. The mean water and oil content in the left hand were 39.3% and 17.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, the average water and oil content in the right hand was 41.2% and 18.5%, respectively. Through this activity, participants are expected to increase awareness of the importance of maintaining body and skin moisture.

Genotype, environment, and their interaction effects on peanut seed protein, oil, and fatty acid content variability

AbstractProducts from peanut seeds are nutritious for human and/or animal consumption. Peanut seed nutritional quality is determined by the genotype (G) of cultivars or accessions, environmental conditions (E), and their interactions (G × E). To evaluate the effects of genotype, environment, and their interactions on seed nutritional quality, 52 peanut germplasm accessions, which vary in oil content and fatty acid composition, were planted at three locations (Citra, FL; Byron, GA; and Clovis, NM) for 2 years (2017 and 2018). The harvested seeds were analyzed for protein, oil, and fatty acid composition using an N analyzer, nuclear magnetic resonance, and gas chromatography, respectively. Significant effects of accession, FAD2 gene, where FAD is fatty acid desaturase, location, year, and their interactions on the investigated traits were evaluated. The average oil content from accessions grown in Florida (51.1%) or Georgia (50.7%) was significantly higher than those grown in New Mexico (45.8%), whereas the average protein content from accessions grown in Florida (23.2%) was significantly lower than those grown in New Mexico (25.4%) or Georgia (24.8%). This is expected as there is a negative correlation between oil and protein content. After genotyping and classification (A/A, A/W, and G/W) for the FAD2A/FAD2B genes, the nutritional quality variations were further evaluated at the levels of the specific haplotype of FAD2A/FAD2B and explicit environmental index. The average prediction accuracy of seed nutritional quality trait values from the prediction model demonstrated that predicting trait values in new environments is feasible. The results of this study provide insights into the seed nutritional analysis, germplasm evaluation, and peanut breeding, cultivation, and production to peanut breeders, curators, farmers, and product processors.

Productivity of two Brassica oilseed crops in a Mediterranean environment and assessment of the qualitative characteristics of raw materials for bioenergy purposes

Rapeseed (Brassica napus var. oleifera D.C.) and Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) are promising industrial crops for cultivation in the Southern Mediterranean area due to profitable yields under semi-arid conditions. The exploitation of raw materials produced by these crops is very convenient for farmers to produce bioenergy directly on-farm and permits them to create a short agri-energy supply chain. The purpose of this study was to determine their yield performance under rainfed conditions and make an economic assessment of a combined heat and power plant (CHP) system operating on pure vegetable oil (PVO). Tests were conducted in Sicily (Italy) from 2012 to 2014. Seed and crop residue yields were detected. The analysis of seed, defatted seed meal and crop residue, and the chemical-physical aspects of PVO were carried out according to conventional protocols. A pilot CHP system was used for cogenerating electricity and heat. In general, rapeseed had the highest seed (2.27 t ha−1) and oil (1.11 t ha−1) yields. The average oil content ranged from 44.88 % (Ethiopian mustard) to 45.73 % dry matter (rapeseed). Ethiopian mustard performed better than rapeseed in terms of aboveground biomass yield (5.49 t ha−1), in both years. The two crops showed different fatty acid profiles of the oil mainly due to diverse content of erucic and oleic acids. The CHP system had an average consumption of 14.41 kg PVO h−1. These results confirm that the productivity of the species can be appreciable in the Southern Mediterranean area and indicate the use of raw materials of these crops as crucial to the development a sustainable short agri-energy supply chain.

Essential oil variation in Melissa officinalis L. cultivated under industrial field conditions: effects of different harvesting times and plant materials

Melissa officinalis L. is a cosmopolitan aromatic and medicinal plant from the Lamiaceae family, which is necessary for pharmaceutical and cosmetic production. To evaluate the impact of different harvesting times and plant materials on the essential oil content and composition of M. officinalis 4-year-old plants, the present study was conducted in Fars province, Iran, under industrial field conditions. A randomized factorial experiment with three replications was used. Each replication contained six treatments [3 harvesting of M. officinalis × 2 treatments (shade drying + fresh state)]. Hydrodistillation was used to obtain the essential oils from each treatment, which were subsequently analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. The results demonstrated a significant influence of harvesting times and plant materials on the essential oil content and composition of M. officinalis. The average essential oil content was 0.028% to 0.095% (w/w). At different harvest times, the fresh plant yielded a higher content of essential oil compared to the dry plant. The number of chemical constituents in the essential oils was influenced by different harvesting times and plant materials. The predominant and common constituents in all harvested plant materials were the oxygenated monoterpenes geranial (28.7-43.2%) and neral (12.9-30.9%). Based on the major compounds, the essential oils from different harvesting times and plant materials were categorized into two chemotypes: chemotype I (geranial/thymol) and chemotype II (geranial/neral). It is recommended that drying operations not be used as a post-harvest processing method to achieve the highest essential oil yield from M. officinalis.

Prediction of sump oil growth rate towards gravitational settling of produced water in oilfield based on machine learning

Gravitational settling is crucial for treating produced water, and its efficiency affects the separation in multi-stage treatment processes. Due to complex water properties and thickening upper oil layer during the settling process, sump oil recovery in appropriate time is essential to avoid secondary pollution of separated water and recover oil resources. This paper constructs and analyzes the dataset of sump oil recovery for produced water separation. It is determined that the factors affecting the sump oil growth are oil content, daily processing capacity, polymer concentration, and suspended solids content. The produced water of water-flooding, polymer-flooding, and ASP-flooding, with average oil contents of 0.03893, 0.20072, and 0.05387, respectively, is carried out to train the prediction model for the sump oil growth rate. It is indicated that for actual settling tanks with cross-sectional areas ranging from 100 m2 to 900 m2 and daily processing capacity range from 5000 m3 to 30000 m3, the sump oil growth rate for produced water of water-flooding, polymer-flooding, and ASP-flooding are distributed in the ranges of 0.1094 m/day to 2.5206 m/day, 0.0309 m/day to 0.7524 m/day, and 0.0505 m/day to 1.8764 m/day, respectively. The predicted results are consistent with actual operation.

EVALUATION OF YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF OIL SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) VARIETIES CULTIVATED IN SEMIARID IRRIGATED CONDITIONS IN THE NORTHEAST OF TURKEY

Sunflower is an oil plant grown in many parts of the world, capable of growing in many different climatic conditions. It is of great importance to carry out studies on the adaptation of new varieties and to determine the varieties suitable for the ecology of the region in areas where sunflower cultivation is intense. This study was carried out to determine some sunflower cultivars' yield and quality characteristics (SANBROMR, BOSFORA, SYBARBATİ, ROSETTA, LG5485, P64LL62, SYGIBRALTAR, P64LC108 P64LE119, P64LP130, P63LE113, 11TR077, ESNIEGARA, ADELYA, and DERAY) in 2020-2021 Bayburt conditions. It has been determined that there are significant differences between the cultivars in terms of the parameters examined. The highest average seed yield (4194.2 kg ha-1) and average linoleic acid content (65.09%) were obtained from the BOSFORA variety, the highest average oil content (48.78%) and average oil yield (186.02 kg ha-1) were obtained from ESNİEGARA variety, and the highest average oleic acid content (41.78%) was obtained from 11TR077 variety. The results obtained from the research emphasize the importance of varieties in sunflower plants. They show that BOSFORA and ESNIEGARA varieties come to the fore regarding yield and quality elements in ecologies with a semi-arid climate.

Phule Gold (SSF 15-65): A new high oil and high oil yield variety of Safflower (Carthamus tinctirius L.), suitable for cultivation in India

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) variety Phule gold (SSF-15-65) is derived by hybridization through pedigree selection method from a cross of Bhima x GMU 2724. It has semi-spreading habit with medium bold seeds. The variety is moderately tolerant to aphids and wilt. In various multilocation Coordinated trials conducted during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 i. e. for 3 years, Phule gold (SSF-15-65) consistently recorded better performance over national check A1 and PBNS-12. Phule gold (SSF-15-65) recorded 24.80% higher oil yield over A1 and 17.10% over the check PBNS-12. The average oil content was 34.60 %. It was responsive to higher doses of fertiliser and late sown conditions. The variety was released and notified in 2020 for rainfed and irrigated safflower growing areas of the country (Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telegana state).

Enhancement of oil content in safflower (Carthamus tinctorious L.)

A systematic breeding approach is applied to increase the oil content in safflower lines by crossing between elite GMU lines and Mexican lines. The range of oil content in elite GMU parental lines were 33-35% were as in Mexican lines the average oil content was 39%. The crosses were made, through transgressive segregation the oil content in F5-F6 generations was achieved up to 42%.

Understanding pore space and oil content of liquid-rich shale in the southern Bohai Sea, China

The commercial production of shale oil in onshore Bohai Bay Basin has become a reality, but the potential of offshore shale oil is still unclear. The Bohai Sea, the leading crude oil-producing area in China in 2022, has great potential of shale oil resources, but the shale properties have not been comprehensively studied. The southern Bohai Sea, including the Huanghekou and southwestern Bozhong Sags, was selected. The study was performed on three layers: the third member of Shahejie Formation, first and second members of Shahejie Formation (as a whole), and the third member of Dongying Formation. Twenty-one shale core samples from nine wells, for the first time, were analyzed for sedimentary structure, lithology, pore space, composition of the thermally hydrocarbons and oil content. The content of minerals, pore sizes, and composition of the thermally hydrocarbons were compared with those of shales from other regions of China. The potentially producible oil generated in the organic-rich laminae was found to be accumulated in the silt-grained laminae through micromigration. Mixed and siliceous shale were the main lithofacies. Mineral overgrowths and solid bitumen reduce the volume of former intergranular pores. Honeycomb-like OM pores in samples with higher maturity (Ro > 1.1%) substantially increased pore connectivity from FIB-SEM image datasets. The retained oil was mainly distributed in pores with widths larger than 4 nm. The composition of the thermally hydrocarbons in samples stored at ambient conditions was governed by the maturity and concentration of the OM. Light hydrocarbons, even gaseous hydrocarbons are still retained in the shale with lower maturity and higher TOC for strong sorption of OM. The oil content is 0.50–23.41 mg/g after Rock-Eval S1 correction, with an average of 6.27 mg/g. While average oil content is 1.38 mg/g without correction. Finally, the optimal production intervals for Well B4 and Well B8 were determined. This study provides data and suggestions for the exploration of shale oil resources in the southern Bohai Sea.

VALORIZATION OF TURKISH COFFEE WASTE AS A BIODIESEL FEEDSTOCK

Increasing industrialization and population increase demand to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are limited all over the world. This causes the supply of these fuels to deplete and at the same time increase greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel is a good alternative to fossil fuels. Researchers are looking for products with high oil content as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Since the average oil content of coffee is 15% by weight and the annual coffee consumption in the world is approximately 1.5-2 million tons, it is possible to contribute to the economy by producing biodiesel from the waste coffee oil. Turkish coffee is a special coffee due to its preparation and cooking methods and has an important place in Turkish culture. Its consumption between the other coffee types is above 80% in Turkey, so it should be evaluated differently. In this study, the oil amount of Turkish coffee waste was investigated and it was discussed as a raw material for biodiesel. 16.8% wt. oil was obtained as a result of soxhlet extraction of Turkish coffee waste. This study suggests 8.44 million L of biodiesel production from Turkish coffee waste annually.

Origin and Geological Significance of Residual Oil in High-Angle Joint Fissures: A Case Study of the Nadu Formation in Baise Basin, South China

The Baise Basin is a Paleogene pull-apart basin with numerous strike-slip faults which are not favorable for hydrocarbon preservation. The Nadu Formation, research object of this paper, is generally rich in oil and contains a large number of high-angle joint fissures. Analyzing the origin of residual oil in high-angle joint fissures can reveal the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation characteristics of the pull-apart-type basins. Molecular geochemical composition characteristics of crude oil and oil source of the Nadu Formation were discussed based on the saturated hydrocarbon biomarker compound and stable carbon isotope distribution of n-alkanes. The studied samples were selected from four members (E2n1, E2n2, E2n3up, and E2n3low) of the Nadu Formation. The results suggested that the average oil content of E2n1 fissures is 0.32 mg/cm2, and the oil distribution is not uniform. The distribution of oil on the fissures of E2n2 and E2n3 is uniform and complete, and the oil content reaches 0.53 mg/cm2. The oil in the joint fissures of the Nadu Formation is heavy, as the light hydrocarbon is seriously lost during migration. Thus, the oil in the joint fissures is residue after crude oil loses light components during migration. By comparing the molecular biomarker characteristics and stable carbon isotopic compositions, crude oil of the Nadu Formation can be classified into three categories: E2n1, E2n2 + E2n3up, and E2n3low. The E2n1 oils have the lowest maturity and are sourced from the E2n1 source rocks. Moreover, the maturity of E2n2 and E2n3 samples are relatively high. Biomarker and carbon isotope characteristics of the E2n2 and E2n3up oils are similar, indicating that they are derived from the E2n2 + E2n3up source rocks. The E2n3low oils are the mixture of the crude oil generated from the E2n3up source rocks and the E2n3low source rocks. Results presented show that the residual oil of high-angle joint fissures in the Nadu Formation is contributed by adjacent source rocks. The crude oil discharged from the Nadu Formation can only migrate upward along high-angle joints in a short distance, and the migration distance is usually less than 5 m. In conclusion, although the Nadu Formation has developed a large number of high-angle joint fissures, crude oil in the Nadu Formation has not vertically migrated for long distance along the joint fissures. The well-preserved fractures as important shale oil storage spaces indicate that the Nadu Formation has good shale oil exploration potential. The results may provide insights into the origins of hydrocarbons in the Nadu Formation from the Baise Basin and enhanced knowledge for optimizing future exploration and production.

ANN and RSM based Modeling of Moringa Stenopetala Seed Oil Extraction: Process Optimization and Oil Characterization

Moringa Stenopetala is a plant species that is endemic to the southern region of Ethiopia. It is primarily cultivated for its nutritional value and is considered an important food source. The present research aimed to analyse the physicochemical properties of Moringa Stenopetala seed oil (MSO) obtained through solvent extraction method utilising hexane as the solvent. The collection of seeds was conducted in Adama, which is situated in the East Shawa zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. Prior to the extraction procedure, the seeds' average moisture content, crude ash, fibre, protein, and oil content were analysed and found to be 6.27%, 7.8%, 2.7%, 26.5%, and 43.2%, respectively. Using the Response Surface Method (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), the extraction process was modeled. The study utilised numerical solutions to determine the optimal process parameters for maximising oil yield during extraction. The results indicated that a particle size of 0.85mm, a temperature of 85°C, and an extraction time of 4.75 hours were the most effective parameters. Furthermore, an investigation was conducted on the physical and chemical properties of the oil obtained under optimised conditions.

The structure design and offshore oilfield experiment study of industrial compact flotation unit

The Compact Flotation Unit is widely used in the offshore oilfield produced water treatment based on the characteristics of relatively small footprint and high oil removal efficiency, but the structure details of the Compact Flotation Unit have been rarely described up to now. Few literature is talking about the Compact Flotation Unit design process and systematically analyzing the influence of operating parameters on the oil removal efficiency, especially on the large-capacity industrial-level Compact Flotation Unit products. In this paper, the working principle and structure design process of the Compact Flotation Unit from Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology cooperated with China National Offshore Oil Corporation Research Institute were systematically introduced. Furthermore, the single-stage Compact Flotation Unit from Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology of industrial scale with a treatment capacity of 120 m³/h was manufactured and tested on floating production storage and offloading unit located in the South China Sea. When the inlet average oil content was 280.3 mg/L, the outlet average oil content was 39.9 mg/L, and the corresponding average oil removal efficiency was 85.8%. The flow split ratio, back pressure, and inlet flow rate have a significant impact on the oil removal efficiency, while the effect of the gas-liquid ratio and outlet water recycle ratio are not sensitive. The main reason can be attributed to the dissolved gas components in the produced water. A large quantity of microbubbles is generated after depressurization which directly participates in the flotation process. Besides that, the single-stage Compact Flotation Unit prototype can tolerate the fluctuation of inlet flow rate and oil content.

The Micro-Occurrence Mechanisms of Tight Oil: Fluid–Rock Interactions at Microscale Pores, Nanoscale Pores, and Mineral Surfaces

Understanding the micro-occurrence mechanism of tight oil has long been a daunting challenge in the exploration and development of unconventional resources. This article discusses the micro-occurrence mechanism of tight oil through continuous extraction by combining thin casting, fluorescent thin sections, environmental scanning electron microscope observations, physical property testing, and X-ray diffraction experiments. The results indicated that in the tight sandstone of the Chang 8 Formation in the Ordos Basin, the average tight oil content was 35.46% for microscale pores, 35.74% for nanoscale pores, and 28.79% for mineral surfaces. Six types of micro-occurrence states of tight oil were identified: emulsion, cluster, throat, star-like, isolation, and thin film forms. Although clay minerals and heavy components dominate the adsorption of tight oil on mineral surfaces, micro-occurrence is fundamentally an oil–rock interaction process. Hence, oil–rock interactions and occurrence states were combined in this study to identify tight oil’s micro-occurrence mechanism. The van der Waals forces of attraction between asphaltene molecules and a mineral surface play a critical role, and minerals with hydroxyl groups can also combine with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups present in tight oil. As a consequence of the adsorption of heavy components by minerals, tight oil components remain in microscale and nanoscale pores with a higher saturation, increased aromatic hydrocarbon content, and greater fluidity. The heterogeneity of the components due to adsorption influences the physical properties and mineralization framework of tight oil reservoirs. These findings suggest that tight oil occurrence results from the coupling of microscopic occurrence and component heterogeneity in microscale and nanoscale pores.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) Analysis of Seed Protein and Oil Content in Wild Soybean (Glycine soja).

Soybean seeds consist of approximately 40% protein and 20% oil, making them one of the world's most important cultivated legumes. However, the levels of these compounds are negatively correlated with each other and regulated by quantitative trait loci (QTL) that are controlled by several genes. In this study, a total of 190 F2 and 90 BC1F2 plants derived from a cross of Daepung (Glycine max) with GWS-1887 (G. soja, a source of high protein), were used for the QTL analysis of protein and oil content. In the F2:3 populations, the average protein and oil content was 45.52% and 11.59%, respectively. A QTL associated with protein levels was detected at Gm20_29512680 on chr. 20 with a likelihood of odds (LOD) of 9.57 and an R2 of 17.2%. A QTL associated with oil levels was also detected at Gm15_3621773 on chr. 15 (LOD: 5.80; R2: 12.2%). In the BC1F2:3 populations, the average protein and oil content was 44.25% and 12.14%, respectively. A QTL associated with both protein and oil content was detected at Gm20_27578013 on chr. 20 (LOD: 3.77 and 3.06; R2 15.8% and 10.7%, respectively). The crossover to the protein content of BC1F3:4 population was identified by SNP marker Gm20_32603292. Based on these results, two genes, Glyma.20g088000 (S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methyltransferases) and Glyma.20g088400 (oxidoreductase, 2-oxoglutarate-Fe(II) oxygenase family protein), in which the amino acid sequence had changed and a stop codon was generated due to an InDel in the exon region, were identified.

Novel purification of oily process water from ethylene production at pilot scale

Ethane steam cracking to ethylene plants produce a large amount of organic sewage containing oil and suspended solids, which can lead to heat exchanger blockage and steam regeneration difficulties. Efficient treatment and recycling of process water is one of the keys to ensure a stable operation of ethylene production plant. The traditional multi-stage tandem process water treatment process has issues such as long treatment process, blockage of flow path by coke powder particles, and incomplete oil–water separation. Therefore, this study proposes a cooperative process combining medium particles extraction (MPE) and combined fibrous coalescence (CFC) technology to remove oil and turbidity in process water. Based on laboratory tests and analyses, a pilot test of process water purification with a flow rate of 1.6 m3/h was implemented. The results of the pilot test demonstrated that the process reduced the average oil content of process water from 606 to 18.4 mg/L and the average turbidity from 1213 to 7.9 NTU, with average separation efficiencies of 96.96 % and 99.35 %, respectively. Compared with current process water treatments, this approach provides a higher operational flexibility, better separation effect, and it is more environmentally friendly. This study provides a novel approach for a green and efficient treatment and recycling of process water.

Production of sage, oregano and rosemary under shading conditions and the effects of light on growth and essential oil properties

Intercropping and agroforestry systems provide sustainable land and resource use efficiency, however, shading conditions generated by the base crop or tree cover is a restricting factor on the growth of the intercrop and productivity of the system. Hence, a two-year field experiment was carried out to assess the yield, essential oil properties, morphological changes, and anatomical adaptation of the shade-exposed sage (Salvia officinalis L.), oregano (Origanum onites L.) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) plants. Plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll content, herbage yield, essential oil content and biochemical profile of the selected species were comparatively examined under open-field, 40% and 75% shading conditions. Initially, after the seedlings were transplanted to the field, a horizontal growth of shaded plants, resulted in lower plant height, then, after the plants covered the soil surface, vertical growth was observed. Overall drug herbage yield decreased by 65% due to the shading treatments in the first year whereas rosemary, sage and oregano had 20.9%, 25.3% and 40.3% lower yields respectively in the second year. Average essential oil content of low-light exposed plants increased by 23% and 41% first and second year of the experiment, respectively. A negative linear relation between α-thujone content in essential oil of sage and shading level was recorded while in contrast, carvacrol content of oregano essential oil increased by shade treatment. The results concluded that herbage yield and quality properties of shaded plants were promising, especially after the first year, considering their potential in intercropping and agroforestry systems. Since the current study represented the results for artificial shading conditions, the tree-based intercropping studies needed to be performed with these species for the final conclusion.