Percentage Of Fatty Acids Research Articles

Extraction and Characterization of Fatty Acids from the Leaves and Stems of Clinacanthus nutans Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Soxhlet Method

Background: The composition and bioactivity of natural plant extract strongly depend on the extraction technique employed. Clinacanthus nutans Lindau (C. nutans) is a well-known medicinal plant in South-East Asia that has been traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases. Several conventional methods have been using for the extraction of bioactive compounds from C. nutans. However, extraction of fatty acids using supercritical carbon dioxide was not reported yet from this medicinal herbs. Objective: The main objective of the study is to examine the potential of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extraction of fatty acids from leaves and stems of C. nutans. Method: Fatty acid compositions were determined from leaves and stems of C. nutans oil extracted by scCO2 (temperature 45-65 °C, pressure 25-35 MPa) and compared to the results of Soxhlet extraction. Results: Supercritical CO2 extraction shows the highest oil recovery in both leaves (3.7%) and stems (1.6%) at pressure 35 MPa, temperature 65°C and 2 ml/min flow rate, which was closer to the yield of Soxhlet. The scCO2 yields presented a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially linoleic acid (C18:2n-6). Palmitic acid ranging from 42%- 47% in leaves and stems of C. nutans was found dominant saturated fatty acids (SFA) in both scCO2 and Soxhlet method. Conclusion: The current results indicate that leaves and stems of C. nutans could be a potential source of fatty acids, especially biologically active compounds.

Effects on feed intake, milk production, and methane emission in dairy cows fed silage or fresh grass with concentrate or fresh grass harvested at early or late maturity stage without concentrate.

The objective of the study was to quantify the effects on dry matter intake (DMI), nutrient digestibility, gas exchange, milk production, and milk quality in dairy cows fed fresh grass harvested at different maturity stages. Sixteen Danish Holstein cows in mid-lactation were divided into 4 blocks and used in 4 incomplete 4 × 2 Latin squares with 2 periods of 21 d. The cows received 1 of 4 treatments in each period, resulting in 8 cows per treatment, as follows: grass-clover silage supplemented with 6 kg/d concentrate pellets (SILc), fresh grass harvested at late maturity stage supplemented with 6 kg/d concentrate pellets (LATc), fresh grass harvested at late maturity stage (LAT), and fresh grass harvested at early maturity stage (ERL). The cows were housed in tiestalls and milked twice daily. The cows had ad libitum access to the forage, and concentrate pellets were divided into equal amounts and fed separately in the morning and afternoon. Fecal samples were collected to determine apparent total-tract digestibility, and samples of rumen fluid were collected for determination of short chain fatty acid composition. Halters were used for measuring eating and rumination time. Gas exchange was measured in open-circuit respiration chambers. Total DMI was higher in LATc and ERL (16.9 ± 0.45 and 15.5 ± 0.39 kg/d, respectively) compared with LAT (14.1 ± 0.42 kg/d). Relative to SILc, cows fed fresh grass experienced a convex pattern in DMI during the experiment. The changes in DMI were related to changes in leaf to stem ratio, fiber concentration, and organic matter digestibility determined in vitro in samples of the fresh grass harvested throughout the experiment. The apparent total-tract digestibility of organic matter was higher in SILc and LAT compared with LATc. Methane yield was lower for LATc compared with LAT (19.5 ± 0.61 vs. 22.6 ± 0.55 g of CH4/kg of DMI), and was not different between LAT and ERL. Compared with LAT, milk yield was higher for ERL (21.1 ± 1.14 vs. 23.4 ± 1.11 kg/d) and energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield was higher for LATc (21.5 ± 0.99 vs. 25.3 ± 1.03 kg/d). We detected no differences in milk or ECM yield between SILc and LATc. Milk protein yield was higher and milk fat concentration was lower in LATc compared with LAT. The fatty acid percentages of ∑C4-C14:1 and ∑C16 in milk were higher for SILc compared with LATc, signifying pronounced de novo synthesis. The n-6:n-3 ratio in milk fatty acids was lower for SILc and LAT compared with LATc, indicating improved nutritional quality for SILc and LAT. However, retinol concentration in milk was lower in SILc compared with all other treatments. The study implies that feeding silage instead of fresh grass has no effect on DMI, ECM yield, or CH4 yield, and that concentrate supplementation can increase milk production, affects milk quality, and reduces the effect on climate, whereas feeding less mature grass increases DMI and milk yield, but has no effect on CH4 yield.

Sample preparation and storage effects on fatty acid profile of rabbit Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle

Twenty-five Pannon White male rabbits reared and fed in similar conditions were slaughtered at 11 weeks of age. The longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles (LTL; right and left) were removed at 24 h post-mortem and allocated to four sampling/storage treatments: the left side of LTL muscle was divided in half perpendicularly, with the posterior portion being analysed within one day (fresh), and the anterior portion vacuum packaged and stored for 1 mo at –20°C (whole-frozen); the right LTL side was ground with half of the product vacuum packaged and frozen for 1 mo at –20°C (ground-frozen), whereas the other half was freeze-dried, vacuum packaged, and stored for 1 mo at 4°C (freeze-dried refrigerated). Treatments impacted percentages of total saturated (P<0.01), monounsaturated (P<0.05), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (P<0.001), whole-frozen treatment affecting the most the fatty acids profile of the meat. Method of preparation and storage of meat samples before performing fatty acid analysis had an impact on the percentage of specific fatty acids, which could render the precision of study-to-study comparisons less reliable.

FATTY ACID PROFILE OF FAST FOODS, TRADITIONAL SNACKS AND SWEETMEATS OF BANGLADESH

A total of 184 samples from 18 varieties of commercial fast foods, traditional snacks and sweetmeats of Dhaka city were examined for fatty acid composition, percentage of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and saturated fatty acid (SFA). Fatty acid methyl esters prepared from lipid extracts were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography using capillary columns. The percentage of total fatty acid of these foods was determined. In general, traditional snacks showed high proportion of SFA (ranged 24.4-65.5%) and fast foods showed high proportion of PUFA (ranged 11.9-52.8%). The MUFA content, on the other hand, in all foods ranged 29.8-42.3% with a predominant contribution by oleic acid (18:1). The findings of the study showed that these Bangladeshi commercial fast foods and traditional snacks were high in SFA especially in chicken patties (50.2%), beef pizza (48.1%), beef patties (46.6%), and all sweetmeats (ranged 52.8-65.5%) except kalojam (35.6%). The source of SFA in the fat fraction was basically animal fats and palm oil. The experimental results showed that the Bangladeshi young urbanites who are accustomed to fast foods culture seem to be in the risk of high energy intake with an excessive share of SFA.

Carcass fatty acid composition and sensory properties of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed on oilseed meals with crude papain enzyme

In this study, proximate body composition, fillets fatty acid and sensory properties of Nile tilapia fed on oilseed meals with crude papain enzyme were determined. A control diet (D1) of 300g/kg crude protein (CP) and (2900Kcal/kg) was formulated using fishmeal (Rastrionaebola argentea) (FM) and test diets by replacing 10% CP of FM by soybean meal (SBM) (D2), canola meal (CM) (D3) and sunflower meal (SFM) (D4). One hundred and one days feeding trial was conducted in a 4x2 factorial design on 4 diets (D1, D2, D3 and D4) with (0.06%) and (0%) enzyme using 720 Nile tilapia fingerlings (7±3g). Fish were fed twice daily at 5% of their biomass at 10am and 4pm in two equal meals. At the end of feeding trial, fish were starved for 24 hrs and weighed. A sample of ten fish representing the average weight of each replicated group was used. The fillets fatty acid profiles were determined by MPA FT-NIR spectrometer. Organoleptic tests of both fresh and steamed fish were carried out by eight semi trained panellists using 5-point hedonic scale. There was increase (p<0.05) in carcass proximate composition in all the treatments. Fillets fatty acid levels were influenced by the crude papain enzyme (p<0.05). Palmitic acid (C16:0), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9) were the most abundant fatty acids in the fillets. Fish fed on fishmeal based diet recorded higher percentage (22.56) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). There was significant difference among the treatments (p<0.05) for general appearance. Fish fed on crude papain enzyme treated diets were less preferred. It is recommended that more research be done on the effect of papain enzyme on the carcass fatty acid and sensory properties of farmed fish.

Growth performance and nutrient composition of black soldier fly larvae reared on solid-state fermentation substrates with various white rot fungi

Abstract. Fitriana EL, Jayanegara A, Astuti DA, Laconi EB. 2022. Growth performance and nutrient composition of black soldier fly larvae reared on solid-state fermentation substrates with various white rot fungi. Biodiversitas 23: 4894-4905. This study examines agricultural byproducts fermented with various rot fungi as a substrate of black soldier fly larvae. The experiment used a three-way randomized design with four replications. The first factor was substrate (cacao pod husk and oil palm frond), the second factor was fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, and Pleurotus sajor-caju), and the third factor was environment condition (light and without light). Approximately 1200 of 7-day-old larvae were added to 600 g substrate treatment. The results showed that the solid-state fermentation substrates had the highest waste reduction parameters and level of consumption. Larvae in the experiment had a crude protein level of 38.84-58.88% of dry matter. Glutamic acid is the most abundant non-essential amino acid in larvae, while leucine is the most abundant essential amino acid. Solid-state fermentation substrate could improve the fatty acid profile quality of larvae in relation to high linoleic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, and unsaturated fatty acid percentages, especially CPH-pc substrate. The use of solid-state fermentation in larvae rearing decreased lignin in the cacao pod husk substrate. In conclusion, cacao pod husk substrate solid-state fermented with white rot fungi is not supported the optimum growth performance of BSFL but increases fatty acid profile quality.

Regulation of the Sae Two-Component System by Branched-Chain Fatty Acids in Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureus is a ubiquitous Gram-positive bacterium and an opportunistic human pathogen. S. aureus pathogenesis relies on a complex network of regulatory factors that adjust gene expression. Two important factors in this network are CodY, a repressor protein responsive to nutrient availability, and the SaeRS two-component system (TCS), which responds to neutrophil-produced factors. Our previous work revealed that CodY regulates the secretion of many toxins indirectly via Sae through an unknown mechanism. We report that disruption of codY results in increased levels of phosphorylated SaeR (SaeR~P) and that codY mutant cell membranes contain a higher percentage of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) than do wild-type membranes, prompting us to hypothesize that changes to membrane composition modulate the activity of the SaeS sensor kinase. Disrupting the lpdA gene encoding dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase, which is critical for BCFA synthesis, significantly reduced the abundance of SaeR, phosphorylated SaeR, and BCFAs in the membrane, resulting in reduced toxin production and attenuated virulence. Lower SaeR levels could be explained in part by reduced stability. Sae activity in the lpdA mutant could be complemented genetically and chemically with exogenous short- or full-length BCFAs. Intriguingly, lack of lpdA also alters the activity of other TCSs, suggesting a specific BCFA requirement managing the basal activity of multiple TCSs. These results reveal a novel method of posttranscriptional virulence regulation via BCFA synthesis, potentially linking CodY activity to multiple virulence regulators in S. aureus.

Evaluation of the Nutritional and Health Values of Selected Polish Mushrooms Considering Fatty Acid Profiles and Lipid Indices.

Imleria badia, Boletus edulis, and Cantharellus cibarius are popular mushrooms of economic importance in Poland. Since physical and mental development of a person and the maintenance of good health entail providing the body with adequate nutrients, including plant and animal fats, the aim of this study was to determine the fatty acid profiles of three mushroom species from Poland and to assess their nutritional and health values using lipid indices. Studied mushrooms have a favorable fatty acid composition due to the high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Low values of the atherohenic index (AI) and the thrombogenic index (TI) prove that the consumption of the fungi may decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. Products with a high hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (H/H) and health-promoting index value are assumed to be more beneficial to human health, granting the possibility for using mushrooms in the nutrition of people with hypertension and in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Synthesis of Jatropha-Oil-Based Polyester Polyol as Sustainable Biobased Material for Waterborne Polyurethane Dispersion.

The utilization of vegetable oil in the production of polymeric material has gained interest due to its proven ability to replace nonrenewable petroleum sources, as it is readily modified via chemical reaction to produce polyol and subsequently for polyurethane production. Jatropha oil (JO), a second-generation feedstock, is one of the suitable candidates for polyester polyol synthesis because it contains a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, jatropha-based polyester polyols (JOLs) with different hydroxyl values were successfully synthesized via a two-step method: epoxidation followed by oxirane ring-opening reaction. Ring-opening reagents; methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol were used to produce polyol with hydroxyl number of 166, 180, and 189 mg/KOH, respectively. All the synthesized JOLs exhibited a Newtonian to shear thinning behavior in the measured shear rate ranges from 10 to 1000 s−1 at 25 °C. The viscosity of a JOL ring-opened with methanol, isopropanol, and ethanol was 202, 213, and 666 mPa·s, respectively, at 20 °C and 100 s−1, which is within the range of commercially available polyols. Successively, the JOLs were reacted with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) to produce polyurethane prepolymer by utilizing 2,2-dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) as an emulsifier. The prepolymer was then dispersed in water to produce a waterborne polyurethane dispersion. Colloidal stability of the jatropha-based polyurethane dispersions (JPUDs) were investigated by particle size analysis. A JPUD with a small particle size in the range of 6.39 to 43.83 nm was obtained, and the trend was associated with the soft segment of the polyol in the formulation. The zeta potentials of the JPUs ranged from −47.01 to −88.9 mV, indicating that all synthesized JPUs had high dispersity and stability. The efficient synthesis procedure, low cost, and excellent properties of the resulting product are thought to offer an opportunity to use jatropha oil as a sustainable resource for polyester polyol preparation.

SEPARATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF A NUMBER OF UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALGAE

Recently, the interest in sustainable development is one of the most important fields of science and research because it aims to improve the life environment for all living organisms in general and for humans in particular. One of the areas of sustainable development is maintaining the integrity of the environment, reducing pollution, preserving energy sources and using clean energy from sustainable environmentally friendly sources. Algae represent the most important sustainable sources that succeed in achieving these goals, in addition to being a sustainable and renewable source for efficiently producing biofuels, they produce living mass that is used in the production of compounds that are used in various medical, industrial and agricultural industries. Besides, during their growth, they reduce pollution by producing oxygen and reducing carbon dioxide used in Photosynthesis to build different compounds and their high ability to absorb pollutants from various heavy metals, especially as well as nitrogen and phosphorous in the case of their increase in the developing environment in it, and the requirements for their growth are inexpensive and economical. The results showed, after separating of the algal oils by the Soxhlet extraction method with using hexane as a solvent for extraction, the superiority of the genus Westiellopsis in terms of the amount of lipids produced from biomass, amounting to 20%, followed by Gloeocapsa 18.5 %, while the unbranched filamentous alga Oscillatoria recorded 6.1% lipids. Therefore, the importance of composition of these oils from fatty acids represent important feature that is due to it in addition to the percentage of oil content in algae, the quality and quantity of these fatty acids differed between the species under study. The fatty acids that are preferred to be present in a higher percentage than the rest of the species are saturated and monounsaturated acids, as the first amounted to 2.14% and the second to 0.128% in Westiellopsis, so the percentage of desired fatty acids became 2.268% of the total diagnosed fatty acids 3.141%, , while Gloeocapsa oil showed the best percentage of preferred fatty acids for biodiesel (86.673%) which were composed from 0.969 % desired biodiesel fatty acids( saturate and monounsaturated fatty acids) , with a quantity of oils close to the. 0.515 % and best type in this study as indicated above. highest USFA in Westiellopsis that results in highest DU with corresponding to lowest % USFA/SAFA as well as lowest CN, while the equilibrium of DU for Gloeocapsa and Oscillatoria showed owning an equilibrium CN too.

Towards optimal inorganic carbon delivery to microalgae culture

Microalgae offer the potential to sequestrate CO2 and reduce the world's dependency on fossil fuels, thereby mitigating the greenhouse gas effect, which has resulted in climate change over time. Carbon is one of the critical nutrients for microalgae growth and product formation; the choice of carbon and pH control techniques has been identified as the key to improving the sustainability of microalgae cultivation. However, supplying CO2 in the gas phase is not cost-effective and could be counterproductive as a high percentage could be lost back to the atmosphere due to low solubility in the medium. Additionally, using conventional pH control techniques such as acid, base, and buffers is expensive at scale. This study assessed freshwater Chlorella sorokiniana cultivation using NaHCO3 solely as the inorganic carbon and for pH modulation. The investigation focuses on the effect of bicarbonate feed rates and culture starting pH in the acidic, neutral, and basic regimes on the pH modulation, biomass accumulation, and product yield in a fed-batch system. The final pH increased beyond the upper limit threshold for each pH regime, with the highest level of control achieved in the basic regime (7.50–8.48 ± 0.11). The maximum biomass accumulation reached 2.49 g/L and a doubling time of 49 h. Evaluation of the pigment showed a higher chlorophyll a content, 25.85 mg/L, similar to a CO2-fed culture and higher than the bicarbonate culture reported. The lipid contents showed a fatty acid composition suitable for biodiesel production with a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (62.93 %–90.86 %) across all conditions. The sole use of bicarbonate for simultaneous inorganic carbon supply and pH control can be a cost-effective measure without compromising biomass and lipid productivities.

The Carcass and Nutritional Meat Characteristics of Sapudi and Cross Merino Sheep

Sheep meat plays an important role in accomplishing balanced and healthy nutrition as a source of protein, fat, and essential micronutrients such as zinc, iron, and vitamin B12. The amino and fatty acid composition of meat in different breeds need to be assessed to characterize and determine the development prospects of sheep that produce healthy and good quality meat. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the phenotypic characteristics of the Sapudi and Cross Merino meat sheep including the carcass performance and meat qualities. We reared four Sapudi and four Cross Merino ewes in the same feed and environmental management for two months then slaughtered and analysed the carcass, non-carcasses and chemical meat properties. We used Bicep femoris muscle to perform proximate, amino acid, and fatty acid contents. An independent t-test was conducted to compared obtained data. Heart weight and protein content were higher in Sapudi sheep. Of the 51 fatty acids observed, we found 11 and 10 types of fatty acid in the Sapudi and Cross Merino meat, respectively. The fatty acid percentage of Sapudi meat tended to have higher value compared to Cross Merino. We also found that the two breeds have the same amino and fatty acid compositions. The levels of glycine, arginine, serine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine and threonine were statistically higher in Cross Merino than Sapudi. In conclusion, the non-carcass, crude protein, amino acid and fatty acid level were significantly different between Sapudi and Cross Merino

Potential use of the bioactive compounds of the olive mill wastewater: Monitoring the aldehydes, phenolic compounds, and polymerized triacylglycerols in sunflower and olive oil during frying

The current study aims to investigate the application of the olive mill wastewater (OMW) extract (100 ppm) as additive to the refined sunflower oil and olive oil to reduce the formation of the oxidation products during deep frying of chicken and potato. The production of polymerized triacylglycerols (pTAG) and aldehydes was lower during frying in olive oil than in enriched refined oil. The highest percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids in refined oil exhibits a great tendency to form polymeric compounds. The enrichment of sunflower oil with OMW extract reduces the formation of pTAG and aldehydes, whereas the enrichment of olive oil with OMW extract showed an increase in the formation of pTAG and promoted the biosynthesis of aldehydes whose rate remains significantly lower than that observed in enriched sunflower oil. The production of polymerized and aldehydic compounds was more pronounced when chicken was fried compared with potatoes. For the phenolic alcohols, their degradation was reached at the end of the experimentation. Novelty impact statement Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is a source of bioactive molecules that can be extracted and valorized in several industrial sectors. OMW extract reduces the production of p-TAG and aldehydic products during frying foods in refined sunflower oils Frying of foods in olive oil without any additive is healthier than frying in enriched refined oils.

Vibrio tetraodonis subsp. pristinus subsp. nov., isolated from the coral Acropora cytherea at Palmyra Atoll, and creation and emended description of Vibrio tetraodonis subsp. tetraodonis subsp. nov.

Strain OCN044T was isolated from the homogenised tissue and mucus of an apparently healthy Acropora cytherea coral fragment collected from the western reef terrace of Palmyra Atoll in the Northern Line Islands and was taxonomically evaluated with a polyphasic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties are consistent with characteristics of the genus Vibrio: Gram-stain-negative rods, oxidase- and catalase-positive, and motile by means of a polar flagellum. Strain OCN044T can be differentiated as a novel subspecies based on 21 differences among chemotaxonomic features (e.g., fatty acids percentages for C12:0 and C18:1 ω7c), enzymatic activities (e.g., DNase and cystine arylamidase), and carbon sources utilized (e.g., L-xylose and D-melezitose) from its nearest genetic relative. Phylogenetic analysis and genomic comparisons show close evolutionary relatedness to Vibrio tetraodonis A511T but the overall genomic relatedness indices identify strain OCN044T as a distinct subspecies. Based on a polyphasic characterisation, differences in genomic and taxonomic data, strain OCN044T represents a novel subspecies of V. tetraodonis A511T, for which the name Vibrio tetraodonis subsp. pristinus subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is OCN044T (= LMG 31895T = DSM 111778T).

Effect of inclusion of bakery by-products in the dairy cow's diet on milk fatty acid composition.

Bakery by-products (BP), rich in fats and sugars, are unconventional feed sources for cows whose effects on milk fat composition have not yet been evaluated. This research paper aimed to assess the effects of dietary BP inclusion rate and feeding period on the milk fatty acid composition. Twenty-four Simmental cows were fed a diet without BP (CON) for 1 week. Then they either continued with the CON diet or switched to one of the BP diets (with 15% or 30% BP in diet dry matter) for 3 weeks. Milk samples were taken before diet change and three times during BP feeding and analysed for fatty acid composition. Data showed that increasing BP content in the diet increased total fatty acid intake, especially of 18 : 1 n9. In the milk fat, the percentages of total monounsaturated fatty acids especially of the 18 : 1 origin linearly increased with increasing dietary BP level. The percentage of fatty acids de novo synthesized in the mammary gland (the sum of 4 : 0-14 : 0) remained similar among diets (32-34% of total fatty acids). The 16 : 0 percentage dropped from 32.5 to 29.6% and from 33.6 to 28.3% for 15% and 30% BP, respectively. Only 30% BP elevated the percentage of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA: by 59%) compared with CON throughout the 3 weeks. Proportions of 18 : 2 n6 and 18 : 3 n3 and the n6:n3 ratio were unaffected by BP and feeding time. BP feeding improved all those estimated health indices of the milk fat that are suggested to be related to coronary health. In summary, the inclusion of BP in dairy rations beneficially shifted the milk fatty acid profile to more 18 : 1 fatty acids at the expense of 16 : 0. At a 30% inclusion rate, BP feeding showed an additional benefit of increased CLA content in milk fat.

Hydrogen-free deoxygenation of industrial vegetable oil waste using Ce, Zr-NiAl catalysts for second-generation biofuels production

High acidic vegetable oil feedstocks and wastes are not suitable for conventional biodiesel production. These wastes could be used to produce cheap hydrocarbon-rich biofuels without affecting food production. In this work, we studied the hydrogen-free fast pyrolysis and deoxygenation of an acidic industrial vegetable oil waste for biofuels and chemicals production, assessing the effect of Ce or Zr on NiAl mixed oxides obtained from layered double hydroxides. Oily waste (OW) was pre-adsorbed on the catalysts using a Catalyst:OW mass ratio of 5:1. Without a catalyst, pyrolysis of OW, containing triglycerides and a high percentage of free fatty acids, produced mainly 1-alkenes, lower carbon chain fatty acids, and fatty acid esters. Catalytic pyrolysis increased hydrocarbons favoring 1-alkenes between propene and 1-heptadecene, as well as alkyl-benzenes. Linear alkylbenzenes are feedstock for the production of biodegradable surfactants. NiAlCe was most selective to polyenes, alkanes and ketones, while NiAl and NiAlZr catalysts were efficient in producing aromatics, alkenes and light hydrocarbons in the GLP and gasoline range (C3-C10). The combination of acidic and metallic properties on high surface area unsupported bulk mixed oxide catalysts can be used to maximize the production of specific-range hydrocarbons for second-generation drop-in biofuels and bio-based surfactant precursors, towards the decarbonization of industry.

Effect of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticle as Additive with Diesel Karanja Biodiesel Blend on Performance of Diesel Engine

The research study was conducted to produce biodiesel from Karanja oil (Pongamia pinnata) to evaluate the performance and compare the efficiency of samples involving conventional diesel, B10(10% biodiesel and 90% conventional diesel), B10MgO5(10% biodiesel, 85% conventional diesel and 5% Magnesium Oxide), and B10MgO10(10% biodiesel, 80% conventional diesel and 10% Magnesium Oxide), tested with the diesel engine. The production process undergoes a two-step transesterification process since the free fatty acid (FFA) percentage is more than 4%. The titration process reduces the FFA by using Ethanol and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). Apart from that, the pre-treatment of oil for acid and base transesterification use methanol as a reactant with the presence of Sulfuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide ((NaOH) as a catalyst. Moreover, Karanja Biodiesel undergoes three characterization tests: Bomb Calorimeter Test, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Diesel Engine Performance Testing. From the Bomb Calorimeter test, the highest calorific value was recorded by conventional diesel with 45.5815 MJ/kg, followed by B10MgO10 and B10MgO5. While the smallest value was obtained by B10 with 38.7741 MJ/kg. The inclusion of MgO as an additive increases the calorific value for biodiesel. Throughout FT-IR analysis, four fuel samples were evaluated from the wavelength range from 600 to 4000 . The oxidation process that happens due to the presence of magnesium oxide introduces a new bond at the B10MgO5 and B10MgO10 that is the O-H bond. Meanwhile, the performance of the diesel engine is analyzed at the speed of 1400 rpm until 2200 rpm with an interval of 200 rpm. Conventional diesel has a higher brake horsepower (BHP) value at the speed of 2200 rpm. While Karanja biodiesel with 10% Magnesium Oxide as additives has a greater BHP value among other samples from the speed of 1400 to 1600 rpm. Next, the addition of MgO reduces fuel consumption in the blended Karanja biodiesel samples.

Sustainable approach for biodiesel production and wastewater treatment by cultivating Pleusrastrum insigne in wastewater

The globalized modern world has been confronted with some of the most challenging problems, most of which arise from human activities. Overexploitation of fossil fuels which leads to energy and environmental crisis, and loss of aquatic ecosystem due to improper disposal of household and industrial waste into water bodies constitute some of the biggest emerging global problems. In this study, an unconventional and sustainable approach to produce biodiesel was analyzed by growing Pleurastrum insigne in different wastewater. The growth of P. insigne in wastewater in turn resulted in up to 93.61% reduction in biological oxygen demand, 58.62% reduction in total phosphorus content, and up to 76.61% total nitrogen removal in the wastewater. The total lipid content of the organism was highest in wastewater sample 6 (30.47%). The fatty acid profile also showed a high percentage of C16 and C18 fatty acids which are desirable fatty acids for a high-grade fuel. Production of biodiesel conforming to international standards was predicted from P. insigne cultivated in wastewater confirming the effectiveness of combining wastewater treatment and biodiesel production. Novelty statement: Pleurastrum insigne has never been studied before for phytoremediation of wastewater and biodiesel production. This novel research highlighted the application of P. insigne in wastewater treatment and the viable scope in biodiesel production. This work aimed to provide a significant contribution in reducing the cost of production of biodiesel from microalgae while shedding new light on an eco-friendly approach to wastewater treatment.

Effect of Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on sexual function of pregnant women: a double blind randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on female sexual function during pregnancy. The present study was a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial performed on 124 pregnant women (62 people in each group) at 16–22 weeks of gestation who referred to health centers in Ilam in 2020 to receive prenatal care. The intervention group received 300 mg of omega-3 supplements and the control group received placebo once a day for 8 weeks. Data collection tools in this study included a demographic questionnaire, three 24-h dietary recall (24HR), female sexual function index (FSFI), and Van den Bergh Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ). Before intervention, the total score of sexual function in the intervention group and control groups, showed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.123). However, 4 and 8 weeks after intervention, the mean total score of sexual function in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group after intervention (P < 0.0001). Before intervention, the total score of gestational anxiety in the intervention and control groups, showed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.149). However, 4 and 8 weeks after intervention, the mean total score of gestational anxiety in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.0001). Based on three 24-h dietary recall, regardless of daily intake of 300 mg of omega-3 supplement, the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake from daily energy intake was not statistically significant between the intervention and control groups from baseline to follow-up (P > 0.01). Based on the results of this study, omega-3 supplementation could improve sexual function in pregnant women by preventing increased pregnancy anxiety. However, more studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of omega-3s on female sexual function during pregnancy. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Ref. ID: IR.AJUMS.REC.1398.935) and registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Ref. ID: IRCT20200415047078N1).

New concept of biodiesel production using food waste digestate powder: Co-culturing algae-activated sludge symbiotic system in low N and P paper mill wastewater

This paper aims to demonstrate an innovative process for the conversion of food waste digestate (FWD) powder into biofuel. The effects of different doses of FWD are investigated on microalgae-activated sludge (MAS) in treating pulp and paper mill wastewater (PPW) which generally contains insufficient nitrogen and phosphorus. FWD was added to adjust the initial N:P molar ratio in MAS at various levels (8:1 to 15:1). The highest Auxenochlorella protothecoides biomass achieved was 1.67 gL−1 at a 13.45:1 N/P molar ratio of PPW. After 10 days of cultivation, Auxenochlorella protothecoides-activated sludge system removed 91.7 %, 74.6 %, and 91.5 % of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and sCOD respectively at D0.836 gL−1 DD. The highest lipid productivity was reported as 41.27 ± 2.43 mg L−1 day−1. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis showed the presence of an appreciable percentage of balanced saturated and unsaturated fatty acids i.e. palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acid, rendering its potential as a feedstock for biodiesel production. Activated sludge induced flocculation of Auxenochlorella protothecoides was measured. The whole process establishes an effective means of circular economy, where the secondary source of recyclable nutrients i.e. FWD will be used as a source of N and P in PPW to obtain algal biodiesel from a negative value industrial wastewater.