Optimal Temperature Conditions Research Articles

The use of algae as carbon dioxide absorber in heat production industry

There are approximately 15 million users of system heat in Poland, but unfortunately nearly 70% of the fuel used in heat production is fossil fuel. Therefore, the CO2 emission reduction in the heat production industry is becoming one of the key challenges. City Heat Distribution Enterprise Ltd. in Nowy Sącz (Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Energetyki Cieplnej sp. z o.o.) has been conducting a self-financed research and development project entitled The use of algae as carbon dioxide absorbers at MPEC Nowy Sącz. The project deals with postcombustion CO2 capture using Chlorella vulgaris algae. As a result of tests conducted in a 1000 l hermetic container under optimal temperature and light conditions, the recovery of biomass can be performed in weekly cycles, yielding approximately 25 kilograms of biomass per year. Assuming that half of the dry mass of the algae is carbon, it can be said that 240 grams of carbon is bound in one cycle, which, converted to CO2, gives 880 grams of this gas. Our results showed that around 45.8 kilograms of CO2 per year was absorbed. Additionally, it is possible to use waste materials and by-products of technological processes as a nutrient medium for algae

Exploring the Hot Springs of Golan: A Source of Thermophilic Bacteria and Enzymes with Industrial Promise.

In recent years, there has been a surge in research on extremophiles due to their remarkable ability to survive in harsh environments. Extremophile thermophilic bacteria provide thermostable enzymes for biotechnology and industry. Thermophilic bacteria live in extreme environments like hot springs at 45-80°C. This study screens and isolates thermophilic bacteria and thermozymes from the Golan hot springs in Karakocan, Elazig, Turkey. The study also characterizes thermophilic bacteria and their thermozymes to understand their features and applications better. Golan hot spring water samples at 50°C yielded 12 isolates. GKE 02, 07, 08, and 10 produce amylase, GKE 04, 08, and 11 cellulase, and GKE 06 xylanase. One isolate (GKE 08) displayed both amylolytic and cellulolytic activity on agar plates. GKE 02 had the highest plate assay amylolytic index (2.3) and amylase activity (67.87 U/ml). Plate assay indicates GKE 08 has 1.5 amylolytic index, 1.1 cellulolytic index, 38.57 U/ml amylase, and 6.81 U/ml cellulase. GKE 04 had the greatest cellulolytic index (1.7) and cellulase activity (27.46). GKE 06, the only xylanase producer, has 19.67 U/ml activity and 1.4 plate assay index. The investigation also included determining the optimal pH and temperature conditions for each enzyme. 16S rDNA gene sequencing revealed seven thermozyme-producing bacteria Bacillus, Geobacillus, and Thermomonas. Thermomonas hydrothermalis genome annotation showed glycosyl hydrolase genes for amylolytic and cellulolytic activity. The findings of this study on thermophilic bacteria and thermostable enzyme synthesis in the Golan hot springs are promising, particularly for T. hydrothermalis, which has limited research on its potential as a thermozyme producer.

Support Materials of Organic and Inorganic Origin as Platforms for Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilization: Comparison Study for High Stability and Activity Recovery.

In the presented study, a variety of hybrid and single nanomaterials of various origins were tested as novel platforms for horseradish peroxidase immobilization. A thorough characterization was performed to establish the suitability of the support materials for immobilization, as well as the activity and stability retention of the biocatalysts, which were analyzed and discussed. The physicochemical characterization of the obtained systems proved successful enzyme deposition on all the presented materials. The immobilization of horseradish peroxidase on all the tested supports occurred with an efficiency above 70%. However, for multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hybrids made of chitosan, magnetic nanoparticles, and selenium ions, it reached up to 90%. For these materials, the immobilization yield exceeded 80%, resulting in high amounts of immobilized enzymes. The produced system showed the same optimal pH and temperature conditions as free enzymes; however, over a wider range of conditions, the immobilized enzymes showed activity of over 50%. Finally, a reusability study and storage stability tests showed that horseradish peroxidase immobilized on a hybrid made of chitosan, magnetic nanoparticles, and selenium ions retained around 80% of its initial activity after 10 repeated catalytic cycles and after 20 days of storage. Of all the tested materials, the most favorable for immobilization was the above-mentioned chitosan-based hybrid material. The selenium additive present in the discussed material gives it supplementary properties that increase the immobilization yield of the enzyme and improve enzyme stability. The obtained results confirm the applicability of these nanomaterials as useful platforms for enzyme immobilization in the contemplation of the structural stability of an enzyme and the high catalytic activity of fabricated biocatalysts.

Edukasi Masyarakat Jatirejo Mojosongo dalam Meningkatkan Perekonomian melalui Budidaya Maggot Berbasis IoT untuk Pengolahan Sampah Organik

Organic waste makes up the lion's share of solid waste generated by human activities. Therefore, organic waste management efforts are needed to help solve it. One of the efforts that can be made is using BSF larvae to decompose organic waste. BSF larvae or maggots have a high protein and fat content, a chewy texture, and the ability to secrete natural enzymes. BSF females can lay up to 400-800 eggs. After 3-4 days, the eggs will hatch into larvae and consume organic waste, including various types of organic waste such as kitchen, fruits, vegetables, fish, urban, human, and animal waste. The flexibility of BSF larval feed facilitates the cultivation process, and it becomes an ideal insect for decomposing organic waste and becomes a business field because of its fat and protein content. The method of decomposing litter using BSF larvae is quite promising because the opportunities are quite promising, but it is still completely manual. Therefore, IoT-based maggot cultivation, an innovation in maggot cultivation, is needed. IoT design is placed at the maggot breeding stage, with optimal temperature, humidity, and light intensity conditions. This breeding ground is equipped with Arduino, humidity, and temperature sensors to regulate and maintain the best state in each larval breeding process until it becomes a pupa. This design is expected to provide convenience and increase the yield of maggot cultivation.

Response to heat stress and glutenins allelic variation effects on quality traits in durum wheat

AbstractIn the context of climate change, high temperature is one of the main abiotic stresses hampering durum wheat production. Through the characterization of an international panel of 271 genotypes, this study investigates the effects of heat stress on quality traits and identifies which glutenins (Glu‐1, Glu‐2 and Glu‐3 loci) alleles are the most important to obtain high gluten strength under optimal and high temperature conditions. In parallel with the wide variability observed in the panel, the genotype and environmental effects, including their interaction, showed highly significant effect on test weight, thousand kernel weight, grain protein content (GPC), sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume (SDSS) and SDSS index. Only one genotype maintained test weight and thousand kernel weight under heat‐stress conditions whereas for GPC, SDSS and SDSS index, most genotypes increased values. All Glu loci had significant effects on grain protein content (with the exception of Glu‐B2), SDSS and SDSS Index. None of the Glu loci interacted with the environment or years under study. Among the identified alleles, Glu‐A1b, Glu‐B1an, Glu‐B1a, Glu‐B2a, Glu‐A3a.x, Glu‐A3d, Glu‐B3a and Glu‐B3ax (including the LMW‐2 pattern) were associated with high values for SDSS and SDSS Index. Genotypes identified in this study, with good performances under optimal and high temperature growing conditions, could be useful for breeding programs. The non‐interaction of the Glu loci with the environment facilitates the introgression of desired alleles regardless of high growing temperatures.

Surface functionalization of synthesized sodium alginate from brown algae for maximizing the yield of re-refined used lubricating oil using extraction-flocculation–an environment-friendly approach

This study aims at efficient, economically feasible, and environmentally friendly regeneration of waste lubricant by surface-functionalized bio flocculant via extractive-flocculative technique for maximization of yield. Further, optimization has also been escalated for designing the optimal process parameters (such as reaction time, solvent to waste oil ratio, and bio-flocculant concentration) for enhancing the quality and cost effectiveness of the regenerated product. FTIR, SEM, and TGA analysis were used to characterize the synthesized bio-flocculant. GC-MS, FTIR, and NMR analysis were used to characterize the chemical composition, chemical nature, and functional group of virgin, used, and re-refined lubricant. Experimental findings showed that a grafting efficacy of 76% can be achieved with optimal conditions of reaction temperature of 70 °C, irradiation time of 6 min, 2.5 wt. % monomer concentration and 800 W microwave radiation. Maximum yield of 94% can be obtained with optimal process constraints such as reaction time of 60 min, refining temperature of 80 °C, the ratio of solvent and waste oil of 3:1 g/g and 1 g/kg of solvent flocculant dosage, grafting % of 76. Fuel characterization studies reveal that the fuel characteristics of re-refined lubricant are analogous to those of fresh oil.

Optimisation and economic analysis of industrial-scale anaerobic co-digestion (ACoD) of palm oil mill effluent (POME) and decanter cake (DC) using machine learning models: A comparative study of Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM), K-nearest neighbours (KNN), and random forest (RF)

The anaerobic co-digestion (ACoD) of palm oil mill effluent (POME) with decanter cake (DC), has been proposed as a solution to enhance biogas production in industrial-scale anaerobic covered lagoon systems. Despite the potential of ACoD, there is a limited exploration of machine learning techniques, such as Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM), K-nearest neighbours (KNN), and Random Forest (RF), specifically in the context of industrial-scale facilities and anaerobic co-digestion. In this study, these machine learning techniques were employed to develop prediction models for biogas production and BOD removal using three months of operational data from a local biogas plant, with GBM yielding the highest prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.9940, MAE = 0.0101, RMSE = 0.1438). Subsequently, GBM was used in the optimisation process to determine the optimal conditions for temperature, pH, and dilution ratio of DC in the anaerobic digester. The optimal conditions were found to be 40 °C, 7.1, and 0.11, respectively, representing a 21.58 % and 26.03 % increase in biogas production and BOD removal. This integrated approach provides a sustainable solution for maintaining year-round biogas production even when the supply of POME is limited, thereby contributing to renewable energy generation and waste management in the palm oil industry.

Особенности цветения и формирования плодов Juglans regia L. с латеральным типом плодоношения в условиях Нечерноземной зоны средней полосы России

The research was carried out at the Department of Fruit Crops of the Educational, Scientific and Production Center of Horticulture and Vegetable Crops named after V.I. Edelstein of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy in Moscow in 2021–2023. Flowering and fruiting of Juglans regia L. were evaluated during three years. It was found that J. regia plants with the lateral type of fruiting, which is characterized by the formation of female flowers in most axillary buds of the current year’s growth, have a high adaptive potential. The identification of the features of J. regia flowering phenology taking into account the peculiarities of the natural and climatic character allows to establish the best forms and determine the most optimal temperature conditions. The evaluation of the phenological phases showed significant differences between the J. regia cultivars in terms of the onset and duration of the phenological phases. A significant factor in reducing fruit set is systematic damage to male and female flowers and shoots by recurrent frost. The highest resistance to recurrent frost was observed in a number of forms with late leaf shooting: 1.26KSK. Unequal blooming of male and female flowers was revealed, the phenomenon of protogyny was observed in 70% of the studied forms, while the difference in blooming of male and female flowers ranged from 1 to 10 days. Fruits have a high amplitude of variability. The study showed that the shape and size of the fruit are constant on one plant.

The toxicity of mixture of earring leaf and root extract (Acalypha indica L.) against Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae mortality

Tropical regions such as Indonesia are known to have optimal conditions of humidity and temperature that are very conductive for the survival of insects, including the Aedes aeypti mosquito which contains the Dengue virus. Until now, people still use chemical control using chemically active larvicides such as temephos. The continued use of temephos can cause the mosquito vector to become resistant to the next generation and be harmful to the environment. One way to control vectors can be done biologically by using natural insecticides, a mixture of leaf and root extracts of the earrings plant (Acalypha indica L.). The study used a mixture of leaf and root extracts of the earrings (Acalypha indica L.) plant using 7 treatments consisting of 5 serial concentrations of 250ppm, 500ppm, 750ppm, 800ppm and 1000ppm, 1 positive control using Aedes and 1 negative control using Abate. The concentration that can kill 50% of Aedes aegypti larvae or (LC50) within 24 hours of exposure is 766,000ppm. The plants contain secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids and steroids which is toxic to the larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Process optimization, thermal hazard evaluation and reaction mechanism of m-xylene nitration using HNO3-Ac2O as nitrating reagent

Nitro-m-xylenes (NMX) was synthesized in semi-batch mode via m-xylene nitration using nitric acid-acetic anhydride (HNO3-Ac2O) as nitrating reagent in this work. The nitration process was optimized by response surface methodology. The yield of NMX could reach 92.40% under the optimal conditions of jacket temperature of 20 °C, 0.15 mol of HNO3 and 0.19 mol of Ac2O. Corresponding large reaction enthalpy (ΔH=240.9 kJ/mol) and adiabatic temperature rise (ΔTad,r =398.1 K) indicated the serious hazards of nitration in a thermal runaway scenario. Pyrolysis of nitration products occurred at about 320–400 °C by differential scanning calorimetry tests. The reaction order of the pyrolysis was determined to be 1.2 by adiabatic kinetic analysis. Thermal risk of the nitration process was assessed to be acceptable and level 1 via the risk matrix and Stoessel criticality diagram analyses, respectively. Furthermore, detailed nitration mechanisms for NO2+ generation and aromatic substitution were presented. The activation free enthalpy and free energy parameters for each step were calculated by density functional theory (DFT). These findings can help understand the exothermic sources of m-xylene nitration and guide the intrinsically safer design and scale-up of the process.

Catalytic degradation of antibiotic sludge to produce formic acid by acidified red mud

As complex and difficult-to-degrade persistent organic pollutants (POPs), antibiotics have caous damage to the ecological enused serivironment. Because of the difficult degradation of antibiotics, sewage and sludge discharged by hospitals and pharmaceutical enterprises often contain a large number of antibiotic residues. Therefore, the harmless and resourceful treatment of antibiotic sludge is very meaningful. In this paper, amoxicillin was selected as a model compound for antibiotic sludge. Acidified red mud (ARM) was used to degrade antibiotic sludge and produce hydrogen energy carrier formic acid in catalytic wet peroxidation system (CWPO). Based on various characterization analyses, the reaction catalytic mechanism was demonstrated to be the result of the non-homogeneous Fanton reaction interaction between Fe3O4 on the ARM surface and H2O2 in solution. Formic acid is the product of the decarboxylation reaction of amoxicillin and its degradation of various organic acids. The formic acid was produced up to 792.38 mg L−1, under the optimal conditions of reaction temperature of 90 °C, reaction time of 30 min, H2O2 concentration of 20 mL L−1, ARM addition of 0.8 g L−1, pH = 7, and rotor speed of 500 rpm. This research aims to provide some references for promoting red mud utilization in antibiotic sludge degradation.

Design and development of an artificial incubator

This paper presents the design and development of an artificial incubator for poultry eggs. The incubator is designed to maintain the optimal temperature and humidity conditions for embryo development, and it is also equipped with an egg-turning mechanism. It was designed using Solid Edge software, and it was constructed using plywood, ceramic bar heaters, electric fans, ballcock valves, egg turning steel mechanism, and a CO2 meter. The temperature and humidity conditions inside the incubator were maintained within the desired ranges, and the egg-turning mechanism worked effectively. The results of this study show that this artificial incubator could be a reliable and effective tool for hatching poultry eggs. The incubator is easy to use and maintain, and it is affordable for local poultry farmers. Future studies should focus on determining the conditions under which the incubator will yield the best results in terms of hatching efficiency.

Screening of cadmium-chromium-tolerant strains and synergistic remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil using king grass combined with highly efficient microbial strains

The present study involved the isolation of two cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) resistant strains, identified as Staphylococcus cohnii L1-N1 and Bacillus cereus CKN12, from heavy metal contaminated soils. S. cohnii L1-N1 exhibited a reduction of 24.4 % in Cr6+ and an adsorption rate of 6.43 % for Cd over a period of 5 days. These results were achieved under optimal conditions of pH (7.0), temperature (35 °C), shaking speed (200 rpm), and inoculum volume (8 %). B. cereus strain CKN12 exhibited complete reduction of Cr6+ within a span of 48 h, while it demonstrated a 57.3 % adsorption capacity for Cd over a period of 120 h. These results were achieved under conditions of optimal pH (8.0), temperature (40 °C), shaking speed (150 rpm), and inoculum volume (2–3 %). Additionally, microcharacterization and ICP-MS analysis revealed that Cr and Cd were accumulated on the cell surface, whereas Cr6+ was mainly reduced extracellularly. Subsequently, a series of pot experiments were conducted to provide evidence that the inclusion of S. cohnii L1-N1 or B. cereus CKN12 into the system resulted in a notable enhancement in both the plant height and biomass of king grass. In particular, it was observed that the presence of S. cohnii L1-N1 or B. cereus CKN12 in king grass led to a significant reduction in the levels of Cd and Cr in the soils (36.0 % and 27.8 %, or 72.9 % and 47.4 %, respectively). Thus, the results of this study indicate that the combined use of two bacterial strains can effectively aid in the remediation of tropical soils contaminated with moderate to light levels of Cd and Cr.

Wastewater Treatment by Improving the Local Clay Capacity with Chemical and Thermal Activation

Worldwide, liquid effluents are generally discharged into the environment untreated, which, in turn, are affecting humans, animals and plants. Preserving our environment is a priority, especially with the emergence of epidemics in recent years. As a part of our investigation, we aim to treat the wastewater of the Ouargla region by enhancing the adsorption capacity of local clay collected from El-Oued (Elmghaier, south of Algeria) using thermo-chemical activation for the removal of organic pollutants. The clay used was (illite, kaolinite, and quartz 62.0%, 27.0% and 11.1%, respectively). The experiments proved the efficiency of enhancing the adsorption capacity of local clay by thermo-chemical activation in the treatment of urban wastewater to determine the efficiency by the following characteristics: chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity, respectively. Acid-activated clay with sulphuric acid achieved high efficiency on polluted water purification at the ideal concentration (0.75 N) and an adsorption rate of (80.16%, 90.74%, 93.33% and 90.74%), while the result decreased in the optimal concentration of acid activated clay HCl (0.134 N) and the adsorption rate was 73%, 60.92%, 94.31% and 65.57%. The thermal activation effect of the clay studied under optimal temperature conditions (400°C) shows that the adsorption ratio increased with higher temperatures (82%, 65%, 89.56% and 78.65%).

Thermotolerance of tomato plants grafted onto wild relative rootstocks.

Heat stress is a major environmental constraint limiting tomato production. Tomato wild relatives Solanum pennellii and S. peruvianum are known for their drought tolerance but their heat stress responses have been less investigated, especially when used as rootstocks for grafting. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological and biochemical heat stress responses of tomato seedlings grafted onto a commercial 'Maxifort' and wild relative S. pennellii and S. peruvianum rootstocks. 'Celebrity' and 'Arkansas Traveler' tomato scion cultivars, previously characterized as heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive, respectively, were grafted onto the rootstocks or self-grafted as controls. Grafted seedlings were transplanted into 10-cm pots and placed in growth chambers set at high (38/30°C, day/night) and optimal (26/19°C) temperatures for 21 days during the vegetative stage. Under heat stress, S. peruvianum-grafted tomato seedlings had an increased leaf proline content and total non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity in both leaves and roots. Additionally, S. peruvianum-grafted plants showed more heat-tolerant responses, evidenced by their increase in multiple leaf antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) compared to self-grafted and 'Maxifort'-grafted plants. S. pennellii-grafted plants had similar or higher activities in all antioxidant enzymes than other treatments at optimal temperature conditions but significantly lower activities under heat stress conditions, an indication of heat sensitivity. Both S. pennellii and S. peruvianum-grafted plants had higher leaf chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence and net photosynthetic rate under heat stress, while their plant growth was significantly lower than self-grafted and 'Maxifort'-grafted plants possibly from graft incompatibility. Root abscisic acid (ABA) contents were higher in 'Maxifort' and S. peruvianum rootstocks, but no ABA-induced antioxidant activities were detected in either leaves or roots. In conclusion, the wild relative rootstock S. peruvianum was effective in enhancing the thermotolerance of scion tomato seedlings, showing potential as a breeding material for the introgression of heat-tolerant traits in interspecific tomato rootstocks.

Synthesis of a Grease Thickener from Cashew Nut Shell Liquor.

Thickener, also known as a gelling agent, is a critical component of lubricating greases. The most critical property of thickener, temperature resistance, is determined by the molecular structure of the compounds. Currently, all high-temperature-resistant thickeners are based on 12-hydroxystearic acid, which is exclusively produced from castor oil. Since castor oil is also an important reagent for other processes, finding a sustainable alternative to 12-hydroxystearic acid has significant economic implications. This study synthesises an alternative thickener from abundant agricultural waste, cashew nut shell liquor (CNSL). The synthesis and separation procedure contains three steps: (i) forming and separating calcium anacardate by precipitation, (ii) forming and separating anacardic acid (iii) forming lithium anacardate. The obtained lithium anacardate can be used as a thickener for lubricating grease. It was found that the recovery of anacardic acid was around 80%. The optimal reaction temperature and time conditions for lithium anacardate were 100 °C and 1 h, respectively. The method provides an economical alternative to castor and other vegetable oils. The procedure presents a simple pathway to produce the precursor for the lubricating grease from agricultural waste. The first reaction step can be combined with the existing distillation of cashew nut shell processing. An effective application can promote CNSL to a sustainable feedstock for green chemistry. The process can also be combined with recycled lithium from the spent batteries to improve the sustainability of the battery industry.

Mechanisms and mechanical properties of high-temperature high-pressure sintered vanadium carbide ceramics

Vanadium carbide (VC) is extensively employed as a reinforcing agent in coating materials and a grain refiner in hard alloys, owing to its exceptional mechanical properties. A series of bulk VC ceramics were fabricated via high-temperature high-pressure sintering, followed by a comprehensive and systematic investigation of various properties of the sintered samples. The results revealed significant influences of processing temperature on the properties of sintered VC at 5.0 GPa. However, the exact nature of temperature dependence varied depending on the specific property. It was found that VC ceramics sintered at 1100 °C and 5.0 GPa exhibited the best overall performance, providing a relatively optimal temperature condition for synthesis. The Vickers hardness of the material reached an astonishing 43.2 GPa under a 9.8 N load, placing it within the category of superhard materials. However, the sintered sample exhibited a gradually lower hardness value of 30.4 GPa under a higher load of 29.4 N. Highly dense with a relative density of 99.8%, exhibiting near full density, the vanadium carbide ceramics possess an impressive Young's modulus of 544 GPa, indentation fracture resistance of 5.4 MPa m1/2, and an oxidation initiation temperature of 758 °C. This study offers practical guidance for the design of novel transition metal carbide superhard materials and provides valuable insights for the exploration of visualizing directions in the next generation of superhard materials.

Investigation and optimization of cadmium ion adsorption from wastewater using raw and activated carbon of Pterocarpus santalinoides fruit

Treatment of heavy metal polluted water still remains a serious challenge for some developing countries without centralized wastewater systems. This study examined the potential of raw and activated carbon from Pterocarpus santalinoides fruit as an adsorbent for the removal of cadmium ions from contaminated water. Instrumental techniques such as fourier transform infra red spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) were used to characterize the adsorbents. The study analyzed the effect of various factors, including adsorbent dosage (0.1 – 0.5 g), cadmium concentration (10 – 50 mg/l), contact time (20 – 100 min), and temperature (30 – 70 ℃), respectively, on the adsorption of Cd2+ ions. The experimental findings revealed that the adsorbents have a high adsorption capacity for the removal of Cd2+ from aqueous solutions. Adsorption isotherms and kinetic models were applied to access the adsorption mechanism of cadmium removal. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm and pseudo-second-order model were found to fit the equilibrium data. Additionally, the adsorbents’ efficiency were evaluated using central composite design (CCD) adapted from response surface methodology (RSM). Using adsorption percentage as a response, a 30 run experimental matrix was generated by the CCD based on the interaction effects of the four earlier stated variables. According to the results obtained, a linear model was generated, which indicated good predictability and results agreed with the experimental data. The contact time and adsorbent dosage were predicted to have a positive effect on the adsorption process. At optimal conditions of adsorbent dosage (0.5 g), contact time (100 min), cadmium concentration (46.93 mg/l), and temperature (70 ℃), a desirability of 84 % was achieved by a numerical optimization approach demonstrating cadmium ion adsorption of 93 % for the raw and activated carbon from Pterocarpus santalinoides fruit.

Fabrication of porous carbon from pre-hydrolysis liquor and its application for effective removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution

Pre-hydrolysis liquor (PHL) is a waste water from the production process of kraft-based dissolving pulp, which mainly contains saccharides and lignin. In the present work, a sustainable process to produce porous carbon using PHL as raw material and potassium hydroxide as an activator is proposed. The characteristics of the porous carbon produced and its adsorption efficiency on methylene blue (MB) were discussed.The results showed that the properties of PHL porous carbon (PPC) were primarily influenced by the carbonization temperature and the mass ratio of KOH/PHL. At the optimal conditions of a carbonization temperature of 900 ℃ and a mass ratio of 1:1 (KOH/PHL), the specific surface area, the pore volume, and the average pore diameter of PPC is 3.8 nm, 0.5 cm3·g−1 and 1319 m2·g−1, respectively. Additionally, the adsorption capacity of PPC for methylene blue (MB) at 45 ℃ reached to 680.23 mg·g−1, which indicates that PHL can be used as a raw material to produce porous carbon for efficient removal of MB. This research contributes to the development of converting waste into valuable resources.

Delipidation of Chicken Feathers by Lipolytic Bacillus Species Isolated from River-Borne Sediments

Though the keratin content of chicken feathers is being explored for many potential uses, the crude lipid content of the biomass significantly hinders the valorization processes. Therefore, this study explored the potential of bacteria isolated from sediment for lipolytic properties. Sediment-associated strains were evaluated for lipolytic activity on tween 80–peptone agar. The best lipolytic bacterium was used to break down the lipid content of chicken feathers. The results showed that out of six bacterial strains with variable lipolytic activity, strain TTs1 showed the largest zone of precipitate around the colony, which is why it was selected and identified as Bacillus sp. TTs1. The maximum lipase production of 1530.5 U/mL by strain TTs1 was achieved at 96 h post-fermentation, with optimal process conditions of initial pH (10), incubation temperature (45 °C), agitation speed (140 rpm), inoculum size (2% v/v) and tween 80 (10% v/v). The total free fatty acid (0.58%) was liberated from chicken feathers at a concentration of 6% (w/v). Crude fat extraction from both untreated and TTs1-pretreated chicken feathers showed fat contents of 2.1 ± 0.42% and 0.92 ± 0.13%, respectively. The findings of this study highlight the biotechnological relevance of strain TTs1 in lipase production and the sustainable delipidation of lipid-rich bioresources.