Extraction Process Research Articles

Phytochemicals variation between hydrochloric and tartaric acid-derived alkaloidal extracts of Erythrina fusca Lour. Leaves: A proton NMR-based approach

Erythrina fusca Lour. (Fabaceae) has been used traditionally to relieve toothache and migraine headaches, cleansing putrid ulcers, and reducing skin inflammations and irritation. Interestingly, most of the reported biological activities on the plant are attributed to its Erythrina alkaloids which are usually extracted through the acid-base method. While the selection of acids for the extraction process is crucial, there is limited information on comparing the efficacy of strong organic and inorganic acids in extracting Erythrina alkaloids, and, more broadly, other types of alkaloids. In this study, comparison between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and tartaric acid (H2T) was made to extract the Erythrina alkaloids. From the same mass (10 g) of the crude methanolic leaf extract, a significantly higher (9-fold) alkaloidal yield was obtained using H2T compared to the HCl. The alkaloidal extracts displayed different proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) profile where identification of their phytochemical constituents was done extensively through comparison with respective data of previously isolated compounds from the Erythrina species. Forty-seven phytochemicals were identified in the HCl extract and they were mostly alkaloids. While the H2T extract not only contained alkaloids, but also flavonoids, and pterocarpans. Cumulatively, 83 phytochemicals were identified from the extracts, including 35 alkaloids, 18 flavonoids, 14 pterocarpans, 9 terpenes, 3 phenols, and 4 saponins. Based on multivariate analysis (MVDA), the alkaloids erysodine (1), erysovine (2), erysopine (3), warangalone (39), calopocarpin (53), and dolichin A (60) were found in both alkaloidal extracts. The PLS-DA model further identified the variation in the two extracts where the HCl extract was characterized by the flavonoids lupinifolin (41) and erythrisenegalone (43). Conversely, the H2T extract contained a broader range of phytochemicals, including the alkaloids glucoerysodine (21) and erythratidinone (28), the flavonoids 5,3′-dihydroxy-4′‑methoxy-5′-(3-methyl-1,3-butadienyl)-2′′,2′′dimethylpyrano-[5,6:6,7]-isoflavanone (51), 5,3′-dihydroxy-5′-(3‑hydroxy-3-methyl-1-butenyl)-4′‑methoxy-2′′,2′′dimethylpyrano-[5,6:6,7]-isoflavanone (52), and catechin (82), the pterocarpans calopocarpin (53) and sandwicensin (63), the terpenes loliolide (70), ursolic acid (80), propyloxyamyrin (83), and stigmast-3-en-4-one (73), the saponins sigmoisides A, B, and E (75, 76, and 77), and the phenol methyl gallate (81). The present findings highlight the value of targeting the extraction process for alkaloids, in this instance Erythrina alkaloids, using different type of acids. Furthermore, these compounds may be considered potential markers that were selectively extracted through the acid-base extraction process.

Extraction Optimization, Structure Analysis and Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharide from Sanghuangporus baumii

Introduction: In this study, we optimized the extraction process, analyzed the structure and assessed the antioxidant activity of Sanghuangporus baumii polysaccharide (SBP). The present results provide important information for the Sanghuangporus baumii polysaccharides in potential natural antioxidant effects. Background: The extraction and structural analysis of polysaccharides from Sanghuangporus has gained significant attention in the fields of chemistry, medicine, and life sciences. There is great significance in maximizing the extraction of polysaccharides from Sanghuangporus and developing their potential products in a scientific and rational manner. Objective: The study was designed to establish an efficient and practical extraction process for SBP, and then investigated the structure and the antioxidant activity. Methods: The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design was used to explore the ultrasound-assisted extraction of SBP, and the structure of SBP was studied by ultraviolet spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and other instrumental analysis methods. The total antioxidant capacity of SBP was studied by the Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) method, and the scavenging capacity of ABTS+·, DPPH· and OH· was carried out as the index to investigate its antioxidant activity in vitro. Results: The statistical analysis results showed that the optimal conditions for extracting SBP were an ultrasound time of 20.74 min, ultrasound power of 268.40 W and material-liquid ratio of 1:25.71. Under optimal conditions, the experimental yield of SBP was 3.36 ± 0.01%. The RSM optimization process was applied to the experiment of complex enzyme extraction of SBP, and the yield increased to 4.72 ± 0.03%. Structural analysis showed that SBP mainly consisted of glucose, a small amount of mannose and galactose, and the molecular weight distribution was uneven, mainly concentrating in the three parts of 24.5,6.4,2.5 kDa. Moreover, SBP exhibited dose-dependent and strong reducing power and radical scavenging activity. For DPPH·, ABTS+· and OH· radical scavenging assays, IC50 values were 1.505 ± 0.050 mg/ml, 0.065 ± 0.036 mg/ml and 0.442 ± 0.007 mg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: In the present study, a β-linked heteroglucan (SBP) was extracted using the optimized process combining enzymes from the fruiting bodies of Sanghuangporus baumii. SBP exhibited effective and dose-dependent antioxidant activities. Our findings were of great value in terms of developing polysaccharides with potential natural antioxidants.

Proactive ransomware prevention in pervasive IoMT via hybrid machine learning

Advancements in information and communications technology (ICT) have fundamentally transformed computing, notably through the internet of things (IoT) and its healthcare-focused branch, the internet of medical things (IoMT). These technologies, while enhancing daily life, face significant security risks, including ransomware. To counter this, the authors present a scalable, hybrid machine learning framework that effectively identifies IoMT ransomware attacks, conserving the limited resources of IoMT devices. To assess the effectiveness of their proposed solution, the authors undertook an experiment using a state-of-the-art dataset. Their framework demonstrated superiority over conventional detection methods, achieving an impressive 87% accuracy rate. Building on this foundation, the framework integrates a multi-faceted feature extraction process that discerns between benign and malign actions, with a subsequent in-depth analysis via a neural network. This advanced analysis is pivotal in precisely detecting and terminating ransomware threats, offering a robust solution to secure the IoMT ecosystem.

A REVIEW ON THE β-CAROTENE: PRODUCTION, EXTRACTION, SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

The presence of double bonds gives β-carotene its distinctive hue, making it an oxygen-deficient isoprene-containing molecule. There are cyclic rings at both ends of the molecule. The present review was based on the production, extraction, synthesis and biological properties of β-carotene. Mammals can't produce carotenoids from scratch; therefore, they must get them from somewhere else. Algae, higher plants (in fruits and flowers as esters), fungi, and animals all have these yellow, red, and orange pigments in their natural forms. Carotenoids are found in human breast milk and can be modified through the mother's diet. Hexane, tetrahydrofuran, and acetone are examples of aprotic organic solvents that can be used for solvent-based extraction of -carotene from algae after and before they have been treated. The -carotene in algae, fungi, and plants can be extracted with the help of these solvents. The extraction process for -carotene is sped up and improved by the use of supercritical fluids. Increasing beta-carotene production can be accomplished by tailoring a number of environmental factors, including the type of organism used in the cultivation process, the amount of light available, the amount of salt present, the pH level, and the type and availability of carbon sources. Microalgae, plants, and fungus have all been optimised to increase their beta-carotene synthesis. It concluded that when administered in different doses, it has been shown to have effects like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. it is also effective against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, Covid-19 and various other diseases.

The Phytochemical Composition and Antibacterial Effects of Allium sativum Clove Extracts on Some Enteric Bacterial Pathogens

In this study, the phytochemicals present in the cloves of Allium sativum were determined, and their antibacterial activities against some enteric bacterial pathogens were assessed. The phytochemical constituents were determined after the extraction process was completed using water and ethanol as the solvents. Furthermore, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A. sativum were tested against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae isolated from faeces of gastroenteritis patients. The agar diffusion technique (punch method) was used for this. Additionally, the extracts' minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. The mean values of the zones of inhibition obtained were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. The least significant difference was determined according to the LSD test at P<0.05. The results of the phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponin, alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins. Furthermore, the antibacterial susceptibility test showed that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts possess antibacterial properties against all the test organisms. The ethanolic extract at the concentration of 500mg/ml had zones of inhibition of 29.00b against E. coli, 24.00b against S. dysenteriae and the lowest 20.00b against S. typhi. On the other hand, at that same concentration, the aqueous extract had zones of inhibition of 20.00b against E. coli and 18.00b against S. dysenteriae and S. typhi. This study suggests that A. sativum extracts possess antibacterial properties. Furthermore, since the ethanolic extract was more effective than the aqueous extract, it could be that the antibacterial potency of A. sativum is solvent-dependent. In conclusion, the findings from this study suggest that further purification of the constituents of the plant might lead to the development of novel antibiotics.

SC-YOLOv8 Network with Soft-Pooling and Attention for Elevator Passenger Detection

This paper concentrates on the elevator passenger detection task, a pivotal element for subsequent elevator passenger tracking and behavior recognition, crucial for ensuring passenger safety. To enhance the accuracy of detecting passenger positions inside elevators, we improved the YOLOv8 network and proposed the SC-YOLOv8 elevator passenger detection network with soft-pooling and attention mechanisms. The main improvements in this paper encompass the following aspects: Firstly, we transformed the convolution module (ConvModule) of the YOLOv8 backbone network by introducing spatial and channel reconstruction convolution (SCConv). This improvement aims to reduce spatial and channel redundancy in the feature extraction process of the backbone network, thereby improving the overall efficiency and performance of the detection network. Secondly, we propose a dual-branch SPP-Fast module by incorporating a soft-pooling branch into the YOLOv8 network’s SPP-Fast module. This dual-branch SPP-Fast module can preserve essential information while reducing the impact of noise. Finally, we propose a soft-pooling and multi-scale convolution CBAM module to further enhance the network’s performance. This module enhances the network’s focus on key regions, allowing for more targeted feature extraction, thereby further improving the accuracy of object detection. Additionally, the attention module enhances the network’s robustness in handling complex backgrounds. We conducted experiments on an elevator passenger dataset. The results show that the precision, recall, and mAP of our improved YOLOv8 network are 94.32%, 91.17%, and 92.95%, respectively, all surpassing those of the original YOLOv8 network.

Influence of the extraction process on the chemical composition and oxidation state of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed oil

Baobab oil is nowadays highly prized by local populations as well as the cosmetic industry. It is a rare oil due to the low oil content of the seeds of the baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata L.). To obtain this oil, the collected seeds were cleaned and ground into powder. Then, the extraction was done by pressing and solvent. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the extraction method on the composition of baobab oil. According to the results obtained, the solvent extraction process has an influence on the fatty acid composition, especially for oleic (36.42 vs 37.40) % and linoleic (26.85 vs 25.21) % acids. We note a significant difference in the total sterol in favor of the solvent extraction process (370.02 mg.100.g-1 for the oil obtained by pressing against 458.14 mg.100.g-1 for the oil obtained by solvent). Solvent extraction drastically reduces total tocopherols from 1562.4 mg.kg-1 to 547.6 mg.kg-1. The chlorophyll content decreases slightly. However, the carotenoid content increases slightly with solvent extraction. According to the results obtained, the soxhlet solvent extraction process has an effect on the chemical composition of the oil. The heat contributes to the oxidation of the oil and the reduction of sensitive elements such as tocopherols.

Adapting the Segment Anything Model for Plant Recognition and Automated Phenotypic Parameter Measurement

Traditional phenotyping relies on experts visually examining plants for physical traits like size, color, or disease presence. Measurements are taken manually using rulers, scales, or color charts, with all data recorded by hand. This labor-intensive and time-consuming process poses a significant obstacle to the efficient breeding of new cultivars. Recent innovations in computer vision and machine learning offer potential solutions for accelerating the development of robust and highly effective plant phenotyping. This study introduces an efficient plant recognition framework that leverages the power of the Segment Anything Model (SAM) guided by Explainable Contrastive Language–Image Pretraining (ECLIP). This approach can be applied to a variety of plant types, eliminating the need for labor-intensive manual phenotyping. To enhance the accuracy of plant phenotype measurements, a B-spline curve is incorporated during the plant component skeleton extraction process. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated through experimental results, which show that the proposed framework achieves a mean absolute error (MAE) of less than 0.05 for the majority of test samples. Remarkably, this performance is achieved without the need for model training or labeled data, highlighting the practicality and efficiency of the framework.

Evaluation of a novel fungicidal extract from blue spruce, Picea pungens

Aqueous extracts from 22 species of evergreen plants and 32 accessions of spruce (Picea A. Dietr.) were screened using an in vitro assay to determine their anti-fungal activity against Calonectria henricotiae, one of the causal agents of boxwood blight. Most of the evergreen species and all the spruce accessions showed significant antifungal activity (P<0.05); in particular, the extract from one accession of Picea pungens Engelm. had significant effective fungistatic and fungicidal activity (P<0.05), both in vitro and when tested on detached boxwood leaves and whole boxwood plants. The extraction process was simple, consisting of autoclaving fresh leaves in water, and once extracted, the active compound was stable in aqueous solution and when lyophilized and reconstituted. Further investigations will focus on the potential of this extract as an alternative to traditional fungicides for use in a wide range of crops and in diverse applications from controlling fungal infections in the landscape to preventing post-harvest losses in fruit and vegetable crops.

Hemp: From Field to Fiber—A Review

Hemp fibers derived from Cannabis sativa L. have experienced a resurgence in popularity over the past few decades, establishing themselves as one of the most sought-after fibers. This article delves into the intricacies of the hemp production chain, offering a comprehensive understanding from field to fiber. Key aspects covered include the botany of hemp, cultivation requirements, the impact of various factors on plant growth, the harvesting process, different methods of fiber extraction, fibers properties, and suitable spinning processes. Recent studies of hemp’s Life Cycle Assessment are explored, shedding light on how it compares to other sustainable crops and providing insights into the true sustainability of hemp, substantiated by numerical data. The article also addresses challenges encountered throughout the hemp production chain and speculates on future directions that may unfold in the coming years. The overall goal of this study is to provide a knowledge base encompassing every facet of hemp fiber production. It elucidates how different technological approaches and the technical properties of fibers play pivotal roles in determining their ultimate applications. By offering a comprehensive overview, this article contributes to the broader understanding of hemp as a valuable and sustainable resource in the textile industry.

Reclaiming Agriceuticals from Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) By-Products

Sweetpotato (SP, Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) is a globally significant food crop known for its high nutritional and functional values. Although the contents and compositions of bioactive constituents vary among SP varieties, sweetpotato by-products (SPBs), including aerial parts, storage root peels, and wastes generated from starch processing, are considered as excellent sources of polyphenols (e.g., chlorogenic acid, caffeoylquinic acid, and dicaffeoylquinic acid), lutein, functional carbohydrates (e.g., pectin, polysaccharides, and resin glycosides) or proteins (e.g., polyphenol oxidase, β-amylase, and sporamins). This review summarises the health benefits of these ingredients specifically derived from SPBs in vitro and/or in vivo, such as anti-obesity, anti-cancer, antioxidant, cardioprotective, and anti-diabetic, evidencing their potential to regenerate value-added bio-products in the fields of food and nutraceutical. Accordingly, conventional and novel technologies have been developed and sometimes combined for the pretreatment and extraction processes aimed at optimising the recovery efficiency of bioactive ingredients from SPBs while ensuring sustainability. However, so far, advanced extraction technologies have not been extensively applied for recovering bioactive compounds from SPBs except for SP leaves. Furthermore, the incorporation of reclaimed bioactive ingredients from SPBs into foods or other healthcare products remains limited. This review also briefly discusses current challenges faced by the SPB recycling industry while suggesting that more efforts should be made to facilitate the transition from scientific advances to commercialisation for reutilising and valorising SPBs.

Towards a greener future: Bioactive compounds extraction from shrimp shells using eco‐friendly techniques

AbstractThis review explores the impact of green extraction techniques on the utilization of shrimp shell waste, focusing on the extraction of bioactive compounds. The purpose of this research is to assess the effectiveness of eco‐friendly extraction methods in maximizing the value of shrimp shell waste while minimizing environmental impact. Through a comprehensive analysis of recent studies, the findings reveal the significant potential of green extraction techniques, such as ultrasound‐assisted extraction and enzyme‐assisted extraction, in efficiently extracting bioactive compounds from shrimp shells. These techniques not only enhance the extraction yield but also contribute to reducing energy consumption and minimizing the use of hazardous chemicals. The review also discusses the challenges and future directions in green extraction, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation to further optimize extraction processes. Overall, the adoption of green extraction techniques offers promising opportunities for sustainable shrimp shell waste utilization, with potential applications in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.

Mineral Acid Co-Extraction in Reactive Extraction of Lactic Acid Using a Thymol-Menthol Deep Eutectic Solvent as a Green Modifier

Carboxylic acids can be isolated from fermentation broths using reactive liquid-liquid extraction, offering an alternative to the environmentally harmful state-of-the-art process of precipitating calcium lactate. To enhance the sustainability of liquid-liquid extraction processes, greener solvents, such as natural deep eutectic solvents, are investigated. However, fermentation broths often exhibit pH values unsuitable for carboxylic acid extraction, which can be adjusted using mineral acids, though mineral acids may be co-extracted. In this study, we systematically examine the co-extraction of hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acid during extraction and back-extraction of lactic acid. The solvent phase consisted of tri-n-octylamine, trioctylphosphine oxide, or tributyl phosphate diluted in a thymol-menthol deep eutectic solvent. The back-extraction was conducted using a diluent swing with p-cymene as the antisolvent and water as the receiving phase. Tri-n-octylamine showed the highest efficiency for lactic acid (up to 29.8%) but also the highest co-extraction of mineral acids (up to 50.9%). In contrast, trioctylphosphine oxide exhibited a lower but more selective lactic acid extraction (5.94%) with low mineral acids co-extraction (0.135%). Overall, the highest co-extraction was observed for phosphoric acid and the lowest for nitric acid. In conclusion, the selected solvent phase composition and mineral acid influence the co-extraction and, thus, final product purity. The successful application of the natural deep eutectic solvent as the modifier enhances the sustainability of liquid–liquid extraction processes.

Wearable Biosensor Technology in Education: A Systematic Review

Wearable Biosensor Technology (WBT) has emerged as a transformative tool in the educational system over the past decade. This systematic review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of WBT utilization in educational settings over a 10-year span (2012–2022), highlighting the evolution of this field to address challenges in education by integrating technology to solve specific educational challenges, such as enhancing student engagement, monitoring stress and cognitive load, improving learning experiences, and providing real-time feedback for both students and educators. By exploring these aspects, this review sheds light on the potential implications of WBT on the future of learning. A rigorous and systematic search of major academic databases, including Google Scholar and Scopus, was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles selected were assessed for methodological quality and bias using established tools. The process of data extraction and synthesis followed a structured framework. Key findings include the shift from theoretical exploration to practical implementation, with EEG being the predominant measurement, aiming to explore mental states, physiological constructs, and teaching effectiveness. Wearable biosensors are significantly impacting the educational field, serving as an important resource for educators and a tool for students. Their application has the potential to transform and optimize academic practices through sensors that capture biometric data, enabling the implementation of metrics and models to understand the development and performance of students and professors in an academic environment, as well as to gain insights into the learning process.

Sulfuric acid leaching of a complex zinc sulfide concentrate with high copper and lead concentrations under oxygen pressure

ABSTRACT This paper presents the use of an oxygen pressure-based acid leaching process for the selective extraction of basic metals from a complex zinc ore containing high concentrations of lead (6.00%) and copper (2.47%). The effects of leaching temperature, ore particle size distribution, leaching time, liquid-to-solid ratio, and oxygen partial pressure on the leaching efficiencies of zinc and copper were investigated, and the phase transformation behaviour of lead compounds was studied. Under the optimal conditions that is, a particle size of −48/+40 μm, initial sulfuric acid concentration of 150 g/L, liquid-to-solid ratio of 6:1, leaching time of 150 min, leaching temperature of 150°C, and oxygen partial pressure of 0.8 MPa – the leaching efficiencies of zinc, copper, and iron were 98.85%, 82.69%, and 33%, respectively. The leaching residue showed that almost all of the zinc sulfide was dissolved as ZnSO4, and most of the negatively charged bivalent sulfur was converted to zero-valent element sulfur. Through the pressure leaching reaction, galena in the concentrate was converted to lead jarosite (PbFe6(SO4)4(OH)12) and elemental sulfur. The formation of lead jarosite facilitated the removal of a significant portion of iron during leaching, reducing the subsequent purification burden.

Digital Content for Libraries considering Extended Reality, Physical Interaction Disabilities, Universal Design for Learning and User-Centered Design: A Systematic Review

A systematic review of Digital Content for Libraries, Extended Reality, Physical Interaction Disabilities, Universal Design for Learning and User-Centered Design is presented to find the basis for a software development methodology that covers these characteristics. A protocol oriented to studies in software engineering is used, which consists of the following stages: 1. Defining research questions, 2. Conducting the search for articles, 3. Selecting inclusion and exclusion criteria, 4. Keywords for abstracts, and 5. Data extraction and mapping process. This review is performed through search engines such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, IEEE Xplore, and ACE Library and is limited to publications between 2016 and 2021. Results show an incremental trend in Extended Reality articles but low scientific productivity in Digital Content for Libraries, demonstrating the availability of services that consider the previously exposed topics. Finally, the article defines elements aiming to a future methodological proposal for the construction of Digital Content for Libraries and Extended Reality.

Precise Determination of Selenium Forms and Contents in Selenium-Enriched Rapeseed Seedlings and Flowering Stalks by HPLC-ICP-MS.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) has the ability of selenium (Se) enrichment. Identification of selenides in Se-rich rapeseed products will promote the development and utilization of high value. By optimizing the Se species extraction process (protease type, extraction reagent, enzyme sample ratio, extraction time, etc.) and chromatographic column, an efficient, stable, and accurate method was established for the identification of Se species and content in rapeseed seedlings and flowering stalks, which were cultured by inorganic Se hydroponics. Five Se compounds, including selenocystine (SeCys2), methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), selenomethionine (SeMet), selenite (SeIV), and selenate (SeVI) were qualitatively and quantitatively identified. Organoselenium was absolutely dominant in both seedlings and flowering stalks among the detected rapeseed varieties, with 64.18-90.20% and 94.38-98.47%, respectively. Further, MeSeCys, a highly active selenide, predominated in rapeseed flowering stalks with a proportion of 56.36-72.93% and a content of 1707.3-5030.3 μg/kg. This study provides a new source of MeSeCys supplementation for human Se fortification.

The avocado peel as a source of catechins: A comparison between extraction technologies and the influence of fruit variety

The bioactive components in agro-industrial wastes can be extracted to obtain compounds of industrial interest. The present study is focused on analyzing the composition of avocado peel extracts obtained by solvent extraction, ultrasound, and supercritical fluids by two varieties of avocado. As a result, differences in the composition of avocado peels and the yields presented in the extraction processes are evidenced. The solvent in the extractions strongly affected the active constituents' content and their antioxidant activities. The highest recovery of catechins is presented with ethanol at 50% v/v. Extraction with supercritical fluids increased the extraction yield to 17.14% w/w for the Hass variety and 14.20% w/w for the Lorena variety. However, in the case of the Lorena variety, supercritical fluids decreased the concentration of catechins. For the Lorena variety, ultrasound favored the extraction of catechins. The highest catechin concentrations corresponded to 151.96 mg of epicatechin and 60.77 mg of catechin per 100 g of Hass variety. The conditions that improved the extraction were 60 °C, 60 min, 0.2 mg/L (mg avocado peel per liter of solvent), and a frequency of 30 kHz. Avocado peel variety Lorena presented the highest concentrations of catechins under the same conditions (269.37 mg of epicatechin and 119.88 mg of catechin per 100 g of peel). The economic study showed better economic indicators for the Hass variety than the Lorena variety by the difference in extraction yields. The minimum production cost of the extract was 8.21 USD/kg using solvent extraction. From a technical point of view, this work made it possible to demonstrate the potential of avocado peels to obtain catechins, especially when ultrasound extractions are used. However, from an economic point of view, conventional techniques such as solvent extraction are recommended to extract flavonoids such as catechins.

The Impact of Feed Composition on Entrainer Selection in the Extractive Distillation Process

The selection of entrainers primarily focuses on their ability to alter the relative volatility. However, the impact of feed composition on entrainer selection has often been overlooked. In this study, we conducted two case analyses of the minimum azeotropic mixtures in the ethyl acetate–ethanol and acetone–methanol systems to explore how the feed composition influences the entrainer selection when aiming for maximum economic efficiency. Additionally, the impact of the entrainer type (positive or reverse) on the economic benefits was also investigated. The cases revealed that economic benefits will be notably enhanced when the selected entrainer preferentially targets and removes the low-content component as the light key component. For the two cases studied, when the feed composition was 0.2–0.8, compared to preferentially separating the high-content component, preferentially separating the lower-content component resulted in a reduction in energy consumption by more than 24.14% and 22.72%, respectively. The results show that the ideal entrainer should be capable of converting the higher-content component in the feed into the heavy key component.

Exploring Ultrasonic‐Assisted Extraction and Eco‐Friendly Dyeing of Organic Cotton using Syzygium cumini Leaf Extracts

AbstractThe demand for natural dyes is increasing due to the negative environmental impacts of synthetic color. In fact, customers are becoming more concerned about their health and the environmentally friendly products. The aim of this research is to disclose the dye extraction process using the ultrasonic method and eco‐friendly dyeing of organic cotton knitted fabric. Initially, 10 g of Syzyguim cumini leaf powder was dissolved in 150 mL of purified water maintaining a 1 : 15 M : L ratio to extract the color. After that, the extracted dye solution was added to coloration bath following the M : L ratios of 1 : 16, 1 : 12, and 1 : 8 for producing dark, medium, and light shades, respectively. Post mordanting was done using natural lemon juice for colorfastness improvement. The color attributes were revealed by the spectrophotometric analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to comprehend the successful relationship that exists among SCL dyes and organic cotton fibers, and the TGA analysis confirmed that dyed fabric is more stable than undyed fabric. Moreover, the colored sample‘s pH, formaldehyde level, and presence of forbidden Azo groups (aromatic amines) were examined. The test results revealed that very good to excellent color fastness properties were obtained and no harmful chemicals were detected in the dyed samples.