Context. Optimal broiler performance depends on proper gastrointestinal tract function, particularly the balance of the microbiota. Objective. This study evaluated the effects of crude sesame oil as a feed additive, compared with diets without and with zinc bacitracin (Zn Bac), in broiler chickens. Methods. The evaluated parameters included growth performance, nutrient metabolizability, blood parameters, carcass and organ yields, and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis, both in vitro and in vivo in the cecum. Three hundred male chicks were randomly allocated to five treatments, with five replicates of 12 birds each. The treatments included two control diets (one without a growth-promoting additive and one with 0.50 g Zn Bac/kg) and three additional diets with increasing levels of crude sesame oil (3.3, 6.6, and 9.9 g/kg). Main results. Overall performance from 1 to 42 days was not affected by sesame oil inclusion. However, from 1 to 7 days, the diet containing 3.3 g/kg oil increased feed conversion ratio. From 1 to 21 days, birds fed 3.3, 6.6, and 9.9 g/kg showed lower body weight and weight gain compared with the Zn Bac group; however, only the diet with 3.3 g/kg increased feed conversion ratio. Regarding nutrient metabolizability, the 3.3 g/kg level improved apparent metabolizable energy during the 1–7 day phase but reduced energy and protein utilization during the 8–21 and 22–35 day phases. The 6.6 g/kg level reduced energy metabolizability from 1 to 21 days but improved protein utilization from 22 to 35 days. The 9.9 g/kg level reduced nutrient utilization from 8 to 35 days but showed performance similar to that of the Zn Bac–treated group. Globulin levels were reduced only at the 6.6 g/kg oil level. All oil levels reduced E. coli counts in the cecum, with 3.3 g/kg providing the greatest control at 21 and 42 days. Conclusion. The 6.6 g/kg oil level showed the best balance among performance, nutrient metabolism, and microbial control, making it a potential alternative to Zn Bac in broiler diets. Implications. Crude sesame oil may serve as a natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by oral microbial dysbiosis, with Porphyromonas gingivalis playing as pathogenic roles and Fusobacterium nucleatum as a gram-negative bacterium is very relevant in the initiation and development of periodontal disease. Although local antibiotic therapy can help restore oral homeostasis, its effectiveness is often limited by bacterial resistance and poor accessibility to deep periodontal pockets. These limitations underscore the need for alternative therapies with proven antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. In this context, patchouli oil, derived from Pogostemon cablin Benth ., offers promising antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. This study investigates the antibacterial potential of patchouli oil and its fractions, including crude, light and heavy, formulated into nanoemulsions and nanoemulgels for the adjuvant therapy of periodontitis. To achieve this, the formulation process begins by identifying which fraction meets the criteria for antibacterial efficacy. Antimicrobial characteristics are evaluated through phytochemical profiling, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The development of nanoemulsions and nanoemulgels is guided by nanomaterial formulation parameters, including physical characterization to ensure suitability for application as a mouthwash or topical paste aimed at restoring oral homeostasis. The results indicate that crude patchouli oil is a promising candidate for formulation, capable of being incorporated into nanoemulsions and nanoemulgels using surfactants and cosurfactants with appropriate hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. Furthermore, the concentration of the gelling agent significantly influences viscosity, which in turn affects the product's spreadability and retention in the oral cavity.

Association of oil spill-related volatile organic compound exposure with CVD-related biomarkers in the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study.

To solve the problem of rapid decline in crude oil production, polymer microspheres have been applied for petroleum reservoir enhanced oil recovery. However, conventional polymer microspheres exhibit inadequate resistance to temperature in high-temperature reservoirs. Microspheres with enhanced temperature resistance were synthesized via water-soluble phenolic resin (PF) and acrylamide (AM) monomers, employing N,N-methylene bis acrylamide as a cross-linking agent, Span-80 as an emulsifier, and potassium persulfate as an initiator. The inverse suspension polymerization method was adopted. The effects of the cross-linking ratio and the monomer ratio on the particle size are investigated, and the swelling behavior of microsphere is studied. The temperature resistance of AM/PF microspheres is investigated by IR, microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Results demonstrate that PF incorporation significantly enhances the microsphere temperature resistance. AM/PF microspheres withstand 150 days at 140 °C, fulfilling deep profile control requirements in high-temperature reservoirs. For AM/PF microspheres, the temperature resistance duration decreases with an extended PF reaction time. AM/PF microspheres exhibit gradual swelling, requiring approximately 10 days to achieve a swelling ratio of 34.25 at 140 °C. The degradation process of microspheres at high temperatures is discussed according to the microstructure variations of the microspheres at 140 °C. Double-cross-linked AM/PF particles facilitate improved application of deep profile control and flooding technology by petroleum engineers.

Abstract Crude oil rheology critically controls dispersion mechanisms during coastal oil spills and must be explicitly incorporated into predictive numerical models. In this study, a three-phase CFD–VOF framework is coupled with a non-Newtonian Herschel–Bulkley formulation to investigate the dispersion of light crude oil under nearshore wave conditions. The hydrodynamic configuration reproduces realistic shallow-water waves, while oil behavior is resolved through shear-dependent viscosity.For Hibernia crude oil, simulations show a rapid decrease in apparent viscosity from approximately 4.0 kg·m⁻¹·s⁻¹ at release to about 0.3 kg·m⁻¹·s⁻¹ within 20 s, followed by stabilization between 0.18 and 0.22 kg·m⁻¹·s⁻¹ beyond 40 s. This shear-thinning response enhances oil mobility, leading to pronounced surface spreading and thinning. The oil volume fraction at the free surface decreases from about 0.26 at 5 s to below 0.08 at 20 s and drops under 0.004 after 120 s, while vertical profiles indicate progressive immersion with volume fractions reaching approximately 0.04 at depth around 40 s. These results demonstrate that dispersion is governed by the coupling between hydrodynamic shear and rheological response, emphasizing the necessity of non-Newtonian modeling for reliable oil spill prediction and response planning.

The present investigation focused on the physicochemical characterization and bioprospecting of an indigenous oleophilic bacterium (OB) and its biosurfactant (BS) for bioremediation. Within 14 days of culture at 30°C with 2% (v/v) n-hexadecane, the OB could reduce the surface tension of the culture medium by up to 34.4 mNm-1. Standard screening tests verified that the isolated OB produced BS and identified it as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. BS production was 434.7 mg.L-1, with a CMC of 195.6 mg.L-1, and was purified and characterized using standard chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. FTIR analysis confirmed the glycolipid nature of BS. TLC of the partially purified BS revealed two homologues of rhamnolipid (RL), which were subsequently confirmed by NMR. Seven distinct RL congeners were identified using LC-MS, of which di-RLs constituted a notably large proportion. The surface and emulsification activities of BS demonstrated significant stability against various pH levels, temperatures, salinities, and metal ions. Furthermore, OB was able to utilize crude oil within 60 days, as confirmed by GC-MS. In the soil washing experiment, BS separated ≥80% of the crude oil from the contaminated sand at the CMC. The results suggest that the RLs and their producer isolated from automobile workshops in Mokokchung are not only the first report from Nagaland, India, but are also promising for various applications in the bioremediation of extreme and complex environments, including addressing regional environmental issues in Nagaland.

ABSTRACT This study examines the dynamic interconnections and portfolio implications of clean energy ETFs, artificial intelligence (AI) indices, crude oil, and Bitcoin within sustainable and technology-driven financial markets. Using a Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregression (TVP-VAR) framework and daily data from January 2019 to December 2024, we analyze time-varying spillovers and construct optimal portfolios based on dynamic connectedness measures. The results show that clean energy and AI-related assets display relatively stable portfolio weights, whereas Bitcoin exhibits highly volatile and generally limited allocations, particularly under risk-averse strategies. Conventional approaches such as the Minimum Variance and Risk Parity portfolios tend to favor traditional assets, while the Maximum Connectedness Portfolio enhances diversification by allocating more weight to weakly connected assets, including Bitcoin and green ETFs. The findings offer practical insights for resilience-oriented and innovation-driven portfolio construction.

ABSTRACT Oil pollution resulting from human error, natural seepage, and accidental spills poses a major threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. Understanding its impact on vegetation is critical for environmental monitoring and remediation. The study aimed to assess the impact of oil pollution on plants by evaluating changes in physical condition, spectral reflectance characteristics, and chlorophyll (Chl) content. A laboratory experiment was conducted in which plants were exposed to crude oil spillage for 7 weeks (W0–W7), and the findings were subsequently validated in the Tugu Barat oil and gas field in the Northwest Java Basin, Indonesia. The results demonstrated three category responses to oil exposure: (1) plants that survived without fatal stress, (2) stressed plants that survived, and (3) plants that died (43%). Plant stress was characterized by spectral changes in visible and the red edge position (REP), reduced Chl content, the absence of leaf bud formation, leaf yellowing and inhibited root development. Field observations in the Tugu Barat oil and gas field confirmed micro seepage, consistent with laboratory results, with sugarcane exhibiting pale green and yellow leaves, dominant REP wavelength below 719 nm, and lower Chl levels compared to non-oil and gas areas. A multi-regression-based Chl algorithm using Landsat 8/9 bands 1, 3, and 5 successfully mapped spatial variation in Chl and effectively distinguished oil-impacted vegetation from unaffected areas. These findings demonstrate the potential of Chl-based remote sensing to detect plant stress associated with oil pollution, whether caused by human error or natural seepage.

Rubber is one of the most economically significant agricultural products in Thailand. It creates jobs in rural communities, thereby alleviating the problem of labor migration from rural to urban areas, helping to maintain family unity and strengthen communities. The objective of this study is to examine the macroeconomic factors affecting rubber concentrated latex prices during the period from January 2011 to December 2024 and to apply the Box-Jenkins technique for forecasting daily rubber concentrated latex prices in Thailand from January 4, 2017, to March 31, 2025. The data were collected from several secondary sources, including the Rubber Authority of Thailand, Investing.com, and the Rubber Intelligence Unit. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression were applied for data analysis, while the Box-Jenkins technique was used for forecasting. The results indicated that crude oil prices, exchange rates, imports of rubber products, and exports of rubber products significantly predict rubber concentrated latex prices in Thailand. The Box-Jenkins technique (1,1,0) model was chosen, as it satisfies the goodness-of-fit criteria. The developed forecasting model enables rubber market participants to mitigate price volatility and optimize their strategic decisions. Given the interconnected nature of commodity markets, factors influencing rubber prices often exhibit similar effects across related agricultural commodities, making this model valuable for broader commodity market investment decisions.

Abstract Algae cultivation offers a transformative alternative to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of fossil fuel dependency, replacing crude oil with a renewable carbon source to produce plastics and chemicals. This policy report evaluates algae technology as a pathway to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), emphasizing scalable and sustainable solutions. Current photobioreactor designs and low productivity hinder industrial-scale adoption (>1000 tons/year/facility); however, artificial lighting and interdisciplinary innovation present viable opportunities. We propose recommendations to accelerate this transition: developing high-productivity strains, novel photobioreactors optimized for scalability; fostering continuous operation and biofilm management; and integrating algae into industrial ecosystems via robust value chains. Education is pivotal — curricula must evolve to embed green chemistry and scale-up principles, equipping students to design sustainable systems. Funding should shift to reward scalable outcomes, verified through rigorous replication, while policies must align with multiple UN SDGs holistically. Cultural acceptance of algae-based products requires reframing public perception through targeted outreach. In uniting engineering, science, and education, this report envisions a bio-based, circular economy driven by algae technology. These advancements, if supported by research, investment, and societal buy-in, can position algae as a cornerstone of long-term sustainability, reducing reliance on fossil resources and fostering a resilient future.

The stability of seed quality traits is a key factor for developing reliable cotton cultivars with consistent performance across diverse environments. This study evaluated six seed traits (1000-seed weight, crude protein, oil, ash, crude fiber, and moisture) across five commercial upland cotton cultivars grown in four distinct environments in Greece. Field trials were conducted in ten independent commercial fields per cultivar within each environment, with four samples collected from each field. Seed quality traits were analyzed using recommended official methods, and the Stability Index (SI) was calculated for each trait to quantify consistency across environments and cultivars. Traits such as 1000-seed weight, oil, and crude protein exhibited more consistent expression across environments and cultivars, whereas crude fiber and moisture showed substantial variation in stability across environments and cultivar × environment combinations, reflecting strong genotype × environment effects. Evaluation of relationships between traits revealed significant positive associations between 1000-seed weight and oil, and between crude protein and ash, as well as negative associations between 1000-seed weight and moisture and between crude protein and oil, indicating potential trade-offs among seed traits. Principal component analysis further highlighted trait associations and variability patterns across genotypes and environments. Overall, the combined use of Stability Index assessments and multivariate analyses provides a robust descriptive framework for evaluating cultivar performance and supporting cultivar selection under diverse agro-ecological conditions.

Abstract Global demand shifts and supply chain interventions have the potential to reduce palm oil's environmental footprint, especially in otherwise unregulated plantations. This ultimately depends on deforestation reacting to prices in upstream, complex plantation–mill systems. We produce the first microeconomic panel of geolocalized palm oil mills, and we model their influence on palm plantations across Indonesia where the issue is most critical. We leverage our data granularity and the nature of the value chain to isolate downstream mill‐gate price shocks that are exogenous to deforestation upstream. We find a positive elasticity to the mill‐gate price of crude palm oil, in general and in two specific cases of unregulated deforestation—for smallholder plantations and for illegal industrial plantations. However, smallholder deforestation decelerates as palm fruit prices increase. These results inform the design of fair and effective conservation policy.

Carbon capture and storage technology can improve the crude oil collection rate. It can also reduce carbon emission, and has great application prospect. However, under the complex terrain conditions of the oil field, the risk of CO2 leakage is higher, which is easy to cause personnel asphyxiation. To effectively control the harm of CO2 leakage and diffusion in this kind of situation, it is necessary to study the law of CO2 leakage and diffusion under complex terrain conditions. In this study, a full-scale CO2 leakage and diffusion experiment was carried out in combination with the topography of CO2 capture and oil displacement in an oilfield. The results showed that under different leakage conditions, the time-average concentration of CO2 satisfies the exponential distribution law from near to far. The influence range of 1% CO2 volume concentration under stepped terrain is about 65 m, which is 30% more than that under on lawn ground. As the leakage time increases, the temperature gradually decreases. Besides, the closer to the leakage port, the faster the temperature drop rate. The average temperature gradient is about 0.39°C/ m.

This study presents an eccentric pipe separator (EPS) designed according to the shallow pool principle and Stokes’ law as a compact alternative to conventional gravitational tank separators for offshore platforms. To investigate the internal oil-water flow characteristics and separation performance of the EPS, both field experiments with crude oil on an offshore platform and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted, guided by dimensional analysis. Crude oil volume fractions were measured using a Coriolis mass flow meter and the fluorescence method. The CFD analysis employed an Eulerian multiphase model coupled with the renormalization group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model, validated against experimental data. Under the operating conditions examined, the separated water contained less than 50 mg/L of oil, while the separated crude oil achieved a purity of 98%, corresponding to a separation efficiency of 97%. The split ratios between the oil and upper outlets were found to strongly influence the phase distribution, velocity field, and pressure distribution within the EPS. Higher split ratios caused crude oil to accumulate in the upper core region and annulus. Maximum separation efficiency occurred when the combined split ratio of the upper and oil outlets matched the inlet oil volume fraction. Excessively high split ratios led to excessive water entrainment in the separated oil, whereas excessively low ratios resulted in excessive oil entrainment in the separated water. Crude oil density and inlet velocity exhibited an inverse relationship with separation efficiency; as these parameters increased, reduced droplet settling diminished optimal efficiency. In contrast, crude oil viscosity showed a positive correlation with the pressure drop between the inlet and oil outlet. Overall, the EPS demonstrates a viable, space-efficient alternative for oil-water separation in offshore oil production.

Impact of crude oil pollution gradients on soil microbial communities in the Loess Plateau, China

Fabrication of a Mo-based catalyst with high DDS pathway selectivity for hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene.

ABSTRACT For decades, crude oil spills have been a serious environmental challenge which have led to the establishment of crude oil remediation intervention values (CRIV) by different national agencies to regulate the release of toxic petroleum hydrocarbons via these spills. To ascertain the suitability of these CRIV in crude oil‐polluted agricultural sites, the impact of five CRIV on the nutritional composition of two green leafy vegetables (GLV) and associated human health risk was investigated using standard analytical procedures. Briefly, high‐performance liquid chromatography was used in determining the composition of the sugars while inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and atomic absorption spectrometer were utilized in quantifying the levels of minerals in the harvested samples. This was followed by human health risk assessment based on the evaluation of non‐carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. CRIV at 3000 and 5000 mg/kg total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) reduced the fructose and glucose contents of Lactuca sativa whereas the sucrose level was enhanced at 10,000 mg/kg TPH. All the tested CRIV had no statistically significant effect ( p > 0.05) on the Na/K ratio of Brassica oleracea as well as the F/G and Ca/P ratios of L. sativa . Among the studied nonessential heavy metals, only the samples' Pb contents were below the FAO/WHO Codex maximum level. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that the 10,000 mg/kg TPH treatment GLV samples' nutrients were the most impacted by the crude oil stress which also primarily had the highest non‐carcinogenic and cancer risk levels. The investigation revealed the potential of some crude oil concentrations in agricultural sites to alter the physiology of GLV and their nutritional composition. Consequently, use of CRIV at TPH concentration of ≤ 3000 mg/kg is recommended to protect the quality of GLV from such sites and to safeguard against possible cancer risk.

Quality assessment of crude palm oil remains a critical challenge globally, particularly in resource-poor areas where traditional methods are time-consuming and destructive. This study explores machine learning-assisted Raman spectroscopy for non-destructive assessment of peroxide value (PV) and iodine value (IV) in palm oil. Raman spectra were collected from 200 samples from five Ghanaian markets, with second derivative preprocessing significantly enhancing feature resolution. Twelve predictive models were developed by combining three variable selection algorithms (CARS, GA, UVE) with three regression methods (PLS, SVM, RF). The genetic algorithm-random forest (GA-RF) model demonstrated exceptional prediction accuracy for both PV (Rp = 0.9831, RPD = 7.7397) and IV (Rp = 0.9752, RPD = 6.3927). Key spectral regions associated with unsaturation (1287-1657 cm⁻¹) and oxidation (1748-1840 cm⁻¹) were identified as crucial predictors. This approach enables rapid, non-destructive quality assessment with potential applications throughout the palm oil value chain.

Oily refinery sludge is rich in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, salts, and metals, complicating disposal in coastal settings. Indigenous halotolerant bacteria (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Alcanivorax) and fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium) were isolated from Skikda (RA1K, Algeria) sludge and evaluated as monocultures and mixed consortia in saline minimal medium (20g/L NaCl) containing 5% or 20% (v/v) crude oil. Over 28days, mixed consortia achieved the highest total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal (82 ± 3% at 5% oil and 65 ± 4% at 20% oil), exceeding the performance of the best monocultures. GC-MS analysis showed near-complete loss of low-molecular-weight n-alkanes (C7-C12) and partial removal of high-molecular-weight fractions (C25-C30); BTEX compounds decreased by 80-90% at 5% oil and light polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by 40-65%. Elevated emulsification indices (EI24 up to 55%) and strong biomass-TPH correlations (R2 = 0.91) indicate biosurfactant-mediated mass transfer and interkingdom complementarity. Despite reduced efficiency at higher oil loading, indigenous consortia maintained substantial degradation under saline conditions, highlighting their promise for refinery sludge bioremediation in Mediterranean coastal environments.

Oligo-Lactic Acid Conjugate Chitosan as a Biodispersant for Enhanced Biodegradation of Crude oil in Oil-Spill Remediation