Extraction Percentage Research Articles

Continuous extraction of 2-chloroethyl isocyanate for 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexylurea purification

This study details the development of simulation-aided design, development, and successful operation of a continuous liquid-liquid extraction platform made with 1.5 mm tubing for the extraction of 2-chloroethyl isocyanate, an important reagent in the synthesis of cancer drugs. Preliminary solvent screening was carried out with partition coefficient calculations to determine solvents of interest. Next, batch and flow extraction experiments of 2-chloroethyl isocyanate in 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran and water were conducted to estimate extraction parameters. Following parameter estimation, experimental and model values for KLa were determined in the range of 1.13 × 10−3 to 36.0 × 10−3 s−1. Simulations of the extraction of 2-chloroethyl isocyanate were found to agree with experimental data resulting in a maximum efficiency of 77% and percent extraction of 69% for the continuous platform. Finally, model selection and discrimination was implemented for design space generation with experimental and model determined KLa values to guide lab-scale operation.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Polyphenols from Maritime Pine Residues with Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Deep eutectic solvents represent an important alternative in the field of green solvents due to their low volatility, non-toxicity, and low synthesis cost. In the present investigation, we propose the production of enriched polyphenolic extracts from maritime pine forest residues via an ultrasound-assisted approach. A Box-Behnken experimental design with a response surface methodology was used with six variables to be optimized: solid-to-solvent ratio, water percentage, temperature and time of extraction, amplitude, and catalyst concentration. The mixture of levulinic and formic acids achieved the highest extraction yield of polyphenols from pine needle and bark biomass. In addition, the solid-to-solvent ratio was found to be the only influential variable in the extraction (p-value: 0.0000). The optimal conditions were established as: 0.1 g of sample in 10 mL of LA:FA (70:30%, v/v) with 0% water and 0 M H2SO4 heated to 30 °C and extracted during 40 min with an ultrasound amplitude of 80% at 37 kHz. The bioactive properties of polyphenol-enriched extracts have been proven with significant antioxidant (45.90 ± 2.10 and 66.96 ± 2.75 mg Trolox equivalents/g dw) and antimicrobial activities. The possibility to recycle and reuse the solvent was also demonstrated; levulinic acid was successfully recovered from the extracts and reused in novel extractions on pine residues. This research shows an important alternative to obtaining polyphenol-enriched extracts from forest residues that are commonly discarded without any clear application, thus opening an important window toward the valorization of such residues.

Dairy powder enriched with a soy extract (Glycine max): Physicochemical and polyphenolic characteristics, physical and rehydration properties and multielement composition

This work presents the enrichment of powdered dairy compounds with soy extract, and the determination of its physical properties, rehydration characteristics, multielement profile, and polyphenolic potential. Five dairy compound formulations were developed, where milk powder was replaced by 10, 20, 30, 40, and 49 % w/w of soy extract.. Multivariate analyzes using combined PCA analyzes were used to group the samples and, thus, reveal the main characteristics associated with their physicochemical properties, bioactive composition, and multi-element profile. The protein content in the samples was not significantly affected by the addition of soy extract. There was a gradual increase in the total fat as the concentration of soy extract increased. Furthermore, with the increase in the percentage of soy extract in the dairy compounds, there was an increase in the levels of total polyphenols, total flavonols, and antioxidant capacity, and of some minerals, such as Fe, Mn, P, Cu, and Mg. The DC49 sample showed the highest values for total polyphenols (178.65 mg of gallic acid (GAE)/100 g) and total flavonols (1.51 mg of catechin/100 g). The addition of soy extract promoted the enrichment of important minerals in the samples, with an increase of up to 55 times in the Fe content and up to 40 times in the Mn content. Physical properties (density and fluidity) and rehydration properties (wetting, dispersibility, and solubility) also were affected as the percentage of soy extract in the samples increased. When there was an addition of up to 20 % soy extract, the samples are still wettable. All dairy compounds showed solubility above 69 %. The use of soy extract in the polyphenolic and mineral enrichment of the dairy compounds is important to add nutritional value to powdered milk, we emphasize that this product has enormous potential to be used in diets that require mineral supplementation.

Antioxidant activity and characteristics of a cocoa drink formulated with encapsulated green coffee extract

ABSTRACT Cocoa drinks are made from powdered cocoa beans that have been processed. Cocoa powder has antioxidants, but processing may lower the antioxidant activity. Therefore, adding powerful antioxidants, such as green coffee extract, is essential. The extract needs to be encapsulated to preserve its stability and properties. This study investigated the antioxidant activity and characteristics of a cocoa drink incorporated with encapsulated green coffee extract. The percentage of encapsulated coffee extract in cocoa drinks was designated as C1 (0%), C2 (2%), C3 (4%), C4 (6%), C5 (8%) and C6 (10%). The results showed that incorporating a higher percentage of the encapsulated extract increased the number of total polyphenols and flavonoids and antioxidant activity. Additionally, before brewing, the powdered form showed a significant increase in hygroscopicity and total color difference, along with an increase in the percentage of encapsulated extract in the cocoa drink formulation. However, the moisture content of the powder decreased significantly. After brewing the pH value, dissolution time and sedimentation decreased while the viscosity, total soluble solids, and solubility increased as the encapsulated extract percentage increased. According to the sensory evaluation, all sensory attributes of the new cocoa drink formulation were acceptable. Therefore, cocoa drink can be used as a ready-for-consumption drink rich in healthy functional compounds.

Use of evolutionary computation and guide curves to optimize the operating policies of a reservoir system established to supply drinking water

The objective of the present study was to develop a genetic algorithm capable of establishing optimal operating policies for monthly extractions from the three main reservoirs of the Cutzamala System, which supply drinking water to the Mexico City metropolitan area. In previous studies, annual water extraction defined with an annual Z curve in terms of the total water storage in the reservoirs on November 1 was optimized using genetic algorithms. In this study, a percentage of total annual extraction for each reservoir was also optimized, but monthly water extractions were adjusted too, when the water level fell outside the upper or lower limits of guide curves stablished for each reservoir. The capabilities of the genetic algorithms combined with a detailed simulation of reservoirs operation were used to optimize the levels of the guide curves and also to optimize the adjusted monthly programed extractions as linear functions of the difference between the actual storage level at the beginning of each month and the corresponding level of the guide curves. Therefore, 90 parameters were established: four to define the Z curve, two to establish the percentage assigned to each reservoir, 72 to establish the monthly levels of the guide curves and 12 to define the parameters of the linear functions used to adjust the monthly programed extractions when the actual water level exceeds the limits of the guide curves. For each alternative of the 90 parameters, a detailed simulation is done using the last 20 years of hydrological data on the inflow of water to the three main reservoirs, including the net contributions of five diversion dams, and the objective function sought to maximize water delivery to the treatment plant, while penalizing possible spills and deficits in the system is evaluated. The optimal policies found in this research resulted in smaller spills than those that occurred during the historical operation of the reservoir system. Therefore, the optimal monthly operating decisions required for each reservoir are provided by the genetic algorithm.

Recovery of ZnO and Cu from Brass Smelter Slag by Hydrometallurgy Process

Vietnam has many traditional copper casting craft villages from the North to the South, which resulting in large amounts of copper smelter slag containing Zn, Cu, Al, etc. In this study, zinc oxide and copper metal have been recovered from brass smelter slag (71.80 wt.% ZnO and 10.32 wt.% CuO) by a hydrometallurgical process. The brass smelter slag was leached in sulfuric acid with a concentration of 125–225 g/L H2SO4 at a leaching temperature of 30–70 ºC for 30–120 min. The extraction percentage of Cu and Zn was obtained at 80.26% and 81.71%, respectively. The optimal leaching condition was determined as 175 g/L H2SO4 at 50 ºC for 90 min. The leaching solution was purified by removing Fe, Mn and Al, etc. via oxidizing the ion Fe2+ to Fe3+ and having a pH of 5.5. The solution was continuously cemented by Zn metal at 60 oC for 60 min to obtain Cu metal with a high purity of 98.52 wt.% Cu. The solution purification with 85.43 g/L Zn was adjusted to a pH value of 8-8.5 to precipitate zinc hydroxide Zn(OH)2. The precipitate was calcinated at 600 ºC for 120 min to obtain ZnO (98.65 wt.%). The recovery of copper and zinc has become crucial due to the increasing prices of these metals and environmental factors involved.

Effect of replacing wheat with broken rice on nutrients metabolisability, egg production and quality in White Pekin ducks

A study was conducted in the tropical coastal region of Odisha in 2019 to find out the effect of replacing wheat with broken rice (BR) on nutrients metabolisability, egg production and quality in White Pekin ducks. White Pekin ducks (45, 165 days) were divided into three groups with three replicates in each group and each replicate had five ducks. Three experimental diets without (BR-0) and with BR, replacing 50 (BR-50) and 100 (BR-100), per cent wheat were prepared. The above diets were offered randomly to the groups till 40 weeks followed by conduction of a metabolic trial. The dry matter intake (g/d) was similar among the groups. The metabolisability percentage of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract and crude fibre in BR-0 and BR-50 were similar and higher than BR-100. There was no significant difference in N balance (g/d) among the groups. The total egg production, duck day egg production percentage and feed conversion ratio were similar among the groups. The external and internal egg quality parameters were similar among the groups as well. It was concluded that wheat can be replaced with broken rice at 50% level in the diets of White Pekin ducks during first phase of laying under intensive rearing system with increase in the metabolisability of the nutrients of the feed without affecting the performance.

Simultaneous Evaluation of β-Glucan and β-Glucanase Relationship during Different Mash Temperature Profiles

High wort β-glucan may contribute to brewery processing problems such as poor run-off, slow filtration, and unwanted haze. To investigate how β-glucanase impacts wort β-glucan throughout mashing, 10 different mashes were considered with varied temperature profiles, malt bills, and levels of malt modification. The European Brewing Congress (EBC) and Institute of Brewing (IoB) mashes were employed to compare the effects of mash conditions on enzyme activity and β-glucan content. Mashes were sampled periodically and evaluated for β-glucan concentration and β-glucanase activity using Megazyme kits adapted to the Gallery™ Plus BeerMaster Discrete Analyzer (Gallery). Enzyme activity quickly decayed in modified IoB mashes (average half-life 12.4 min) accompanied by logarithmic accumulation of wort β-glucan. IoB β-glucan percent extract ranged from 30.3% to 99.5%. In EBC mashes, a slow decay in enzyme activity was followed by an increased rate of decay after 30 min. The β-glucan concentration in well-modified samples remained steady while enzyme activity was appreciable, though it increased after 40 min. As a result, β-glucan percent extract remained relatively low, ranging from 11.9% to 34.3%. The β-glucanase activity at lower temperatures compensates for high malt β-glucan. Measuring wort β-glucan in an EBC mash is insufficient in predicting malt performance in other mash styles. Methods for β-glucan and β-glucanase analysis adapted for the Gallery autoanalyzer increased throughput, enabling analysis of the enzyme and substrate throughout mashing.

Chemical-Anatomical Characterization of Stems of Asparagaceae Species with Potential Use for Lignocellulosic Fibers and Biofuels

During the last decades, the possibility of using species resistant to droughts and extreme temperatures has been analyzed for use in the production of lignocellulosic materials and biofuels. Succulent species are considered to identify their potential use; however, little is known about Asparagaceae species. Therefore, this work aimed to characterize chemically-anatomically the stems of Asparagaceae species. Stems of 10 representative species of Asparagaceae were collected, and samples were divided into two. One part was processed to analyze the chemical composition, and the second to perform anatomical observations. The percentage of extractives and lignocellulose were quantified, and crystalline cellulose and syringyl/guaiacyl lignin were quantified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Anatomy was observed with epifluorescence microscopy. The results show that there were significant differences between the various species (p < 0.05) in the percentages of extractives and lignocellulosic compounds. In addition, there were anatomical differences in fluorescence emission that correlated with the composition of the vascular tissue. Finally, through the characterization of cellulose fibers together with the proportion of syringyl and guaiacyl, it was obtained that various species of the Asparagaceae family have the potential for use in the production of lignocellulosic materials and the production of biofuels.

Investigation of the applicability of fatty acid-based deep eutectic solvent based air assisted liquid liquid microextraction for the rapid determination and extraction of butylparaben in cosmetic products

In this research paper, fatty acid-based deep eutectic solvents (FA-DESs) were prepared and investigated for the extraction of butylparaben (BP) from cosmetic products by air assisted liquid liquid microextraction (AA-DLLME). The amounts of BP were determined by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. By combining single factor optimization and Box-Behnken design based multivariate approach, key extraction parameters affecting the FA-DES AA-LLME procedure were systematically optimized. Under the optimized conditions, wide working range (5–800 μg L−1) was obtained with a good r2:0.9972 and high enrichment factor (205). For three replications run of 10 μg L−1 (low), 300 μg L−1 (medium) and 600 μg L−1 (high) of BP, the percent extraction recovery and relative standard deviation were in the range of 92 ± 4%-98 ± 2% and 1.8–2.6%, respectively. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification were 1.5 μg L−1 and 5 μg L−1, respectively. The study of the matrix effect showed that the proposed method has high selectivity for measuring BP in the selected samples. Therefore, it has great potential in sample pre-treatment and quantification of trace BP in cosmetic products.

Mechanisms of mercury ions separation by non-toxic organic liquid membrane via DFT, thermodynamics, kinetics and mass transfer model

This work focuses on the separation of mercury ions from synthetic produced wastewater via hollow fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM). Standard sunflower oil is used as a non-toxic extractant and solvent for mercury ions separation from wastewater. Under optimal conditions: 20 ppm NaCl in wastewater, 0.1 M thiourea in 0.5 M HCl as stripping solution, flow rates of feed and stripping solutions of 100 mL/min, and temperature 323 K, percentages of extraction and stripping reach 98% and 81%, respectively. The mechanisms of extraction and stripping reactions were investigated via the density functional theory (DFT). For the extraction, a linoleic acid extracted HgCl2 and formed halogen bond. For the stripping, two protonated thiourea stripped HgCl2 and formed covalent and halogen bonds. According to the thermodynamics study, extraction reaction is found to be endothermic (ΔHEx0 = 1,001.00 J/mol), irreversible (ΔSEx0 = 3.45 J/mol K), and spontaneous, (ΔGEx@323K0 = −112.65 J/mol). Finally, the mathematical model including conservation, convection, diffusion, reaction, and accumulation was developed. The differences of mercury ions concentration in feed and stripping phases from the experiments and the predicted data from the mathematical model were 5% and 2%, respectively indicating that the model is acceptable.

Novel adsorbents for the removal of toxic cadmium ions from polluted water

Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metal ions found in wastewaters and its remedial methods are globally investigated. Removal methods based on biomaterials as adsorbents are proving to be simple, effective and eco-friendly. In the present investigation, bio-adsorbents derived from Cochlospermum regium plant stems (CRSP) and its active carbon (CRAC) are observed to have good adsorption for toxic cadmium ions. Hence, extraction conditions are optimized for maximum Cd-extraction: 55.0% with ‘CRSP’ and 70.0% with ‘CRAC’, from Cd2+ solutions of concentration: 25.0 mg/L. The adsorption capacities are 6.9 mg/g with CRSP and 12.6 mg/g with ‘CRAC’. When ‘CRAC’ is impregnated with nano-CeO2 (CRAC.nCeO2) and is used as adsorbent, the percentage of Cd-extraction is increased to 90.0% and adsorption capacity to 22.5 mg/g at the optimized extraction conditions. To overcome the agglomeration of nanoparticles, the ‘CRAC.nCeO2’ is immobilized in Zr-alginate beads and thus obtained beads are investigated as adsorbent. With beads (CRAC.nCeO2–Zr.alg), the percentage of Cd-adsorption is enhanced to 95.0% and adsorption capacity to 24.6 mg/g. The adsorbents are characterized by adopting XRD and FTIR techniques. The adsorption mechanism is assessed by evaluating thermodynamic parameters, isotherm and kinetic models. The thermodynamic parameters and FTIR spectral characteristics indicate the formation of ‘surface complex’ between Cd2+ and adsorbent’s functional groups. The adsorption follows Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order model. Many co-ions have not effected the percentage of extraction and interestingly, the presence of some cations (Al3+ and Fe3+) have synergistically enhanced the Cd-extraction. Spent sorbents can be regenerated and reused with marginal loss of adsorption capacity. The adsorbents developed are successfully used to treat real Cd-polluted wastewater. The novelty of the present investigation is that the effective, eco-friendly, renewable and robust sorbents with high sorption capacities are developed for Cd-remediation of water.

Eucalyptus saponin- and sophorolipid-mediated desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated soil and sediment

The potential for biosurfactant-mediated desorption of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was evaluated using PAH-spiked soil and sediment. PAH desorption behaviors and toxicity of novel saponin biosurfactant extracted from Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves and sophoro-lipid biosurfactant were investigated. Their PAH desorption efficiencies were compared with rhamnolipid biosurfactant and the industrial-chemical surfactant, Tween 20. Based on the emulsification indices, the salt tolerance of surfactants up to 30 g/L NaCl followed the order of saponin > Tween 20 > sophorolipid > rhamnolipid, while the thermal stability over the range of 15 to 50 °C was in the order of sophorolipid > rhamnolipid > saponin > Tween 20. The saponin biosurfactant emulsion demonstrated the highest stability under a wide range of acidic to basic pHs. PAH extraction percentages of saponin and sophorolipid under the optimized surfactant concentration, volume, and incubation time were 30–50% and 30–70%, respectively. PAH desorption capacities of saponin and sophorolipid were comparable to that of rhamnolipid and Tween 20 for all matrices. Sophorolipid more efficiently desorbed low molecular weight PAHs in soil and sediment compared to the other three surfactants. Microbial respiration was used to determine biosurfactant toxicity to the soil/sediment microbiome and indicated no inhibition of respiration during 60 days of incubation, suggesting that sophorolipid- and saponin-mediated remediation may be sustainable approaches to remove PAHs from contaminated soils and sediments.

Mobility of Potentially Toxic Elements (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Sb) in Agricultural Carbonated Soils Contaminated by Mine Tailings (Northern Tunisia): A New Kinetic Leaching Approach with Organic Acids

The present study was carried out to show the potential of root exudates to mobilize potentially toxic elements (PTE) present in rhizospheric carbonated soils. Five different contaminated rhizospheric soils were collected from five former mining districts of northern Tunisia (Jebel Hallouf (H3), Sidi-Bouaouane (B1), Jebel Ghozlane (G7), Hammam Zriba (Z2) and Jalta (J2)). The abundant minerals in these soils are quartz, calcite and clays. These soils contain significant PTE amounts compared to the local geochemical background (LGB). The important concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cd, As and Sb are, respectively, in the order of 17,350 mg·kg−1 in B1, 37,000 mg·kg−1 in G7, 205 mg·kg−1 in G7, 683 mg·kg−1 in B1 and 145 mg·kg−1 in B1. Kinetic leaching tests were conducted with a mixture of low molecular weight organic acids (LMWAOs) for increasing times up to 16 h (initial pH = 2.8) to study the mobility of PTE in the rhizospheric soils. The results showed an increase in the pH of the solution (2.8) to values up to neutrality together with the increase in Ca and Mg concentrations in the leachate, resulting from the dissolution of carbonates (calcite and dolomite). Additionally, leaching tests showed important extractions of Cd and Zn (25% for Cd and 11% for Zn). Pb was also mobilized but to a lesser extent (5%). The extractability of metalloids (As and Sb) was, in contrast, relatively low, except for Jebel Hallouf and Sidi Bouaouane soils, with an extraction percentage of no more than 1% for Sb and 0.1% for As, respectively. The mobility of Zn, Pb and Cd was thought to be controlled by both the solubility of their host minerals (e.g., sphalerite, hemimorphite, cerussite and jordanite) and the high pH. In contrast, As and Sb mobility was dependent on secondary carrier phases such as iron oxyhydroxides.

Amine/Carboxylic Acid Based Bifunctional Ionic Liquids as Extractants for Nd(III), Sm(III) and Eu(III) from Aqueous Solution Containing EDTA

AbstractTwo bi‐functional ionic liquid extractants (Bif‐ILs) comprising tertiary amine and carboxylic acids, namely [TOAH]+[OHex]− (Tri‐n‐octylaminehexanoate) and [TOAH]+[ODec]− (Tri‐n‐octylaminedecanoate) in kerosene have been used for extraction of Nd(III), Sm(III) and Eu(III) from aqueous phase with EDTA as a complexing agent. The extraction ability of both the extracting agents has been analyzed with respect to variations in shaking time, concentration of extractant, aqueous phase pH, molarity of EDTA, diluents and phase volume ratio. Using 0.08 mol/L EDTA,extraction of Nd(III) was maximum with both the extractants followed by Sm(III) and Eu(III).At 4 : 1 (O/A) phase volume ratio, the extraction percentages using [TOAH]+[OHex]− were 93.42 % (Nd), 89.83 % (Sm), 84.14 % (Eu) and with [TOAH]+[ODec]− the values were 90.42 % (Nd), 89.37 % (Sm), 83.65 % (Eu), respectively.Extraction efficiency of both Bif‐ILs is maximum for Nd(III). Stripping was quantitative with HNO3 and HCl.Speciation studies and FTIR spectra provide valuable information regarding the stoichiometry of the extracted species.

STUDIES OF MEDICINAL VALUES OF THE COMPONENTS PRESENT IN PSIDIUM GUAJAVA (P GUAJAVA) LEAVES

Our present study on Psidium guajava to study phytochemical compounds present in its leaves and the medicinal value of the compounds. The P.guajava is an angiospermic plant belonging to the family Myrtaceae and it contains 150 genera and 3300 species. From the extraction data we conclude that we get the maximum percentage of extraction (crude extract) by methanol solvent which was about 7.3%. .Preliminary phytochemical studies showed maximum phytochemical compounds such as steroids , glycosides , phenolic compounds , tannins , carbohydrates , Saponins in the methanol extract. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of P.guajava leaf extract such as UV-Vis spectrum of crude extract of different solvents shows that absorption occurs at the visible region, thus we can use this compound as a photocatalyst in photocatalysis reactions. FTIR was used to identify the characteristic functional group in the crude Guava leaves powder .The absorption at 3425cm-1 is due to presence of hydroxyl group. The absorption at 1634 cm-1 is due to c=c stretching .The absorption at 1321 cm-1 is due to bending vibrations of C-H bonds of the methyl group. A strong and broad absorption band in the range 3000 − 3700 cm−1 , corresponding to the hydroxyl groups (O–H) stretching vibrations. This indicates the presence of alcoholic and phenolic groups with a wide variety of hydrogen bonding . Sharp peak at 2855 cm−1 and 2924 cm−1 associated with –C–H stretching vibrations of −CH2 and –CH groups, indicating the presence of aromatic ring (Ar–H) and glucose moieties (CH2OH) in tannins. The broad band in range 1200 − 1420 cm−1 and 764 − 820 cm−1 assigned to O– H in plane and out of plane blending, respectively . The sharp peak at 1604 cm−1 is attributed to the C=C stretching vibration in the phenolic groups. A small peak at 1700 cm−1 assigned to the carbonyl (–C=O) group indicates that an ester bond is formed between two galloyl groups. The peak at 900 − 1200 cm−1 is assigned to the C–O stretching vibration of phenolic groups. These phytochemical compounds can help in the pharmaceutical field.

Efficient separation and recovery of V(V) from Cr(VI) in aqueous solution using new task-specific ionic liquid of [C12H25NH3][Cyanex 272

An environmentally friendly process for efficient separation and recovery of V(V) from aqueous solution containing Cr(VI) was proposed using the new task-specific ionic liquid of [C 12 H 25 NH 3 ][Cyanex 272]. The separation factor of V(V) from Cr(VI) was about 1.08 × 10 3 with the optimum extraction conditions, and the extraction percentage of V(V) was about 99.5 %. The loaded organic phase was stripped using the NH 3 ·H 2 O, and the recovered NH 4 VO 3 was obtained with the processes of stripping, filtration, washing, and desiccation. The qualitative analysis of the recovered NH 4 VO 3 was made using the X-ray diffraction, and its peaks were good consistent with the standard sample. Morphology of the recovered NH 4 VO 3 was also studied using the scanning electron microscope. The extraction mechanism of V(V) using the [C 12 H 25 NH 3 ][Cyanex 272] was investigated using the slope method and infrared spectrum analysis. This new environmentally friendly process can be used for the separation and recovery of V(V) from real leaching solution with the aim of industrial application.

Polymorphism in β-lactoglobulin gene and its association with dairy goats’ production traits

In the dairy industry, producing milk with greater contents of fat and protein is an important goal. In addition to the phenotypic selection, it is necessary to develop a genetic profile with several polymorphisms located at genes associated with greater percentages of fat and protein in goat milk. These polymorphisms can be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for the productive traits of dairy goats. We assessed two polymorphisms already described in the gene that encodes the β-lactoglobulin protein (BLG gene) in goats. One is located at the 5′ promoter region of the gene and the other one is located at the exon 7. Besides that, we associated these polymorphisms with productive characteristics of milk from animals of Saanen and Alpine breeds. A sample of 130 Saanen, Alpine and crossbreed goats were randomly chosen to be genotyped for polymorphisms in the BLG gene for PCR-RFLP. To estimate the predicted breeding values, the REMLF90 application was used, and the association between the polymorphism and the predicted breeding value from the animals. In the promoter region, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position − 60 (C/T) was associated with the percentage of milk proteins, and the TT genotype presented higher breeding values for the protein percentage. We found in the exon 7 region, two very close polymorphisms, a base substitution at position + 4601 (S1/S2) and a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) at position + 4641 (I2/I3). The S1S2 genotype showed a higher percentage of milk fat and dry extract when compared to the S2S2 genotype, but showed no difference compared to the S1S1 for the same trait. Our results pointed out these two polymorphisms, present in the beta-lactoglobulin gene, as candidates to be used in breeding programs to increase both the protein and fat contents of goat milk. Validation tests, however, must be done through genotyping a larger sample of animals

Liquid-liquid extraction of zirconium(IV) from sulphuric acid medium using a binary mixture of tri-n-octylamine and Cyanex923 in kerosene

The extraction behaviour of zirconium(IV) from sulfuric acid medium has been studied with a binary mixture of tri-n-octyl amine (TOA) and Cyanex923 (a mixture of four trialkyl phosphine oxides) in kerosene using a novel liquid-liquid extraction method. Quantitative extraction of zirconium(IV) with binary mixture of Cyanex923 and TOA in kerosene was studied by changing different parameters such as acid variation, extractant variation, effect of chloride ion concentration, effect of temperature, metal concentration variation, diluent effect, and pH effect. The percentage of extraction of zirconium(IV) decreased when the concentration of Cyanex923 and TOA increased. The percentage of zirconium(IV) was observed as 97.56% in a binary mixture of 0.007 M Cyanex923 and 0.06 M TOA. Kerosene was found to be an effective diluent for the extraction of zirconium(IV) with 97.56% extraction using a binary mixture of Cyanex923 and TOA. In addition, the stripping of the zirconium(IV) metal ion in the organic phase was also examined.

A comparison of the extraction behaviour of tris(2-methylbutyl) phosphate and tri-n-alkyl phosphates for the separation of metal ions for U–Zr and U–Pu–Zr systems by cross-current mode

Abstract Even though, pyroprocessing is considered as a suitable technique for metal fuel processing, attempts are being made in our laboratory to develop a solvent extraction based process as an interim method. Since, the metallic fuels contain considerable amount of Pu(IV) and Zr(IV), the use of conventional extractant tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) for reprocessing may pose problems due to third phase formation. In the exploration for the identification of an alternate extractant in the organophosphate family, tris(2-methylbutyl) phosphate (T2MBP), a branched isomer of tri-n-amyl phosphate (TAP) was found to be a potential extractant for nuclear fuel reprocessing. In this context, batch wise extraction and stripping studies with a feed solution containing U(VI) and 6 wt% Zr(IV) were carried out with unirradiated and irradiated 1.1 M solution of T2MBP in n-dodecane (n-DD) and the results were compared with corresponding solutions of TBP and TAP in n-DD. Among all these systems under identical conditions, third phase formation was observed only in the case of irradiated TBP system which makes U–Zr fuel reprocessing difficult using TBP as the extractant. Furthermore, studies have also been carried out with U–Pu–Zr feed solution to understand the extraction and stripping behaviour of these extractants. The stage wise and cumulative percentage of extraction and stripping for each metal ion of these systems were evaluated. Overall, these batch studies indicated that, T2MBP system has comparable extraction and stripping behaviour with U–Zr and U–Pu–Zr feed solutions and T2MBP exhibits better separation factor than TBP.