Oil Production Wastes Research Articles

Alternative Production of Hydrocarbons from Natural Gas (Methane) via Synthesis Gas and Methanol

Abstract As a result of research, it has been found that DME from natural gas (methane), oil production and oil refinery wastes and low molecular weight olefins based on it are studied. Therefore, methanol and DME, along with synthesis gas, are relevant for the improvement of the production technology of environmentally friendly motor fuels. The most active and selective catalysts for the dehydration of methanol in DME have a texture that allows the resulting DME to desorb from the surface without steric hindrance. Such “open surface” catalysts of acidic nature include mesoporous γ - Al2O3 and large-pore zeolite HU, whose promotion with H3PO4 achieves 100 % selectivity for DME formation at 88-90 % conversion of methanol. Experiments were performed by varying the amount of methanol in the CH3OH : (CO + H2) reaction mixture from 25 to 100 % by volume. In the main experiments with CO : H2 = 1:1 ratio, the linear speed of the reaction gas flow was kept constant at 3.8 ÷ 0.2 cm3 min−1, that is, the contact time was kept constant for 15.5-16 s. The reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography.

Synthesis of Methyl Esters from Banda Nutmeg and Papua Nutmeg Oil Production Wastes Using the Ultrasonication Method

Methysters from oil production waste from Banda nutmeg (Myristicafragrans Houtt) and Papuan nutmeg (Myristica Argentea Ware) go through several process stages, namely isolation of trimyristin and synthesis of methyl ester. The process of isolating trimyristin from nutmeg essential oil production waste by maceration using chloroform solvent. The transesterification process with methanol uses a CaO catalyst and ultrasonication method for 20 minutes; the results are analyzed using GCMS. The results of isolating trimyristin from nutmeg oil waste for Papuan nutmeg yielded 55.6 g of trimyristin (22.24%), which was greater than Banda nutmeg which was 49.7 g of trimyristin (19.88%). Transesterification results for Banda nutmeg oil waste obtained 28.57% soakage with a composition of 5 known major methyl ester compounds, namely methyl laurate (3.22%), myristicin (13.48%), metal myristate (53.39%), methyl Palmitate (5.24%), and Methyl Oleate (9.33%). In Papuan nutmeg oil waste, a 3.93% soakage was obtained with a composition of 5 known methyl ester compounds, namely metal myristate (19.80%), methyl arachidate (18.04%), methyl linoleate (1.42%), methyl oleate ( 48.37%), and methyl stearate (3.18%). The sonication method can synthesize methyl esters from nutmeg oil waste and gives different results for the two types of nutmeg. The results of the trimyristin transesterification of Banda nutmeg seeds and Papuan nutmeg seeds using a CaO catalyst using the sonication method resulted in a methyl ester soak of Banda nutmeg waste 28.57% and Papuan nutmeg 3.93%.

Production of plant protein from seeds and cake of industrial hemp: Overview of processing methods for food industry

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a multifunctional raw material with a wide spectrum of applications. A huge interest in hemp has arisen in the food industry comparatively recently. Seeds and cake of hemp have the high protein content (20.00-38.70% and 27.90-40.70%, respectively), which makes them a promising raw material for production of concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates for the food industry. Hemp cake is distinguished by the high content of fiber (17.41-60.38%) and can be used as a prebiotic component of food. In terms of the amino acid content, the amino acid composition of hemp exceeds the corresponding indicators of the reference protein recommended by WHO. The content of lysine is the only indicator, in which hemp protein is inferior to the “ideal” protein. Digestibility of protein of hulled hemp seeds is in a range from 90.8% to 97.5%, which is comparable to digestibility of casein. Digestibility of hemp isolate is 88-91%, which is 21.9% higher than that of soy protein isolate. Peptides and amino acids contained in hydrolysates of hemp protein can show the high biological activity. Hydrolysates attract interest among researchers not only because of their bioactivity but also because of their high digestibility and nutritional value. Targeted proteolysis is a tool that facilitates an improvement in the functional-technological properties of protein. Seeds and cake are a promising raw material for using in food technologies to produce vegetable oil, dietary fiber, protein preparations and functional products. The aim of this paper is to analyze the main methods for industrial hemp processing and promising directions of using protein products from waste of hemp oil production in the food industry.

Extracellular Endoglucanase and Exoglucanase Enzymes Production by Trichoderma viride Utilizing Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) in liquid fermentation

Background:The cellulase enzyme is one of the most industrially important enzymes. Its cost represents a significant barrier to other valuable commercial products. Reducing the cost of cellulase production is an important approach. Objectives: For this purpose, this work investigated the production of cellulase enzyme using olive oil production waste (olive mill wastewater (OMW). Materials and methods: The ability of Trichoderma viride to utilize OMW as a substrate for cellulase production was studied. Optimization of cellulase production was investigated to find out the optimum OMW concentration, agitation speed, aeration rate, and cellulose addition. Results:The results showed that 75% v/v OMW submerged shake flask culture was the most suitable culture for T. viride growth and cellulase enzyme production (0.82 U/ml endoglucanase activity and 0.25 U/ml exoglucanase activity). When this culture was supplemented with cellulose, the activity of endoglucanase and exoglucanase was significantly improved (10.24 U/ml and 2.17 U/ml respectively).The agitation speed of 200 rpm enhanced the production to reach 9.1 U/ml of endoglucanase and 6.38 U/ml of exoglucanase. The effect of the aeration rate on enzyme production was studied under batch cultivation. The highest cellulase activity was at 2.0 vvm, where the endoglucanase and exoglucanase activities were 55.96 U/ml and 32.62 U/ml respectively. Conclusions: Therefore, it is claimed that OMW is a suitable medium for cellulase enzyme production after optimization of the process.

Fire Resistance of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete Containing Spent Garnet as Partial Fine Aggregate Replacement

Introduction The escalating demand for concrete, driven by global infrastructure development, poses significant challenges to environmental sustainability due to the depletion of natural resources and the accumulation of waste materials. This paper explores the potential of utilizing waste materials, particularly palm oil clinker (POC) and spent garnets, as sustainable alternatives in concrete production. The depletion of natural aggregates, such as river sand, coupled with the environmental hazards associated with waste disposal, underscores the urgent need for eco-friendly solutions in construction materials. POC, derived from palm oil production waste, and spent garnets from abrasive industries offer promising avenues for reducing environmental impact and enhancing sustainability in concrete production. By addressing the dual challenges of resource depletion and waste management, this research aims to contribute to developing greener construction practices and mitigating environmental degradation. Aims This study aims to investigate the effects of incorporating spent garnet as a partial fine aggregate replacement on the fire resistance of POC LWAC. By examining the interplay between spent garnet inclusion and fire resistance, the research contributes to developing more sustainable concrete formulations and aids in industrial waste management practices, addressing critical societal and environmental challenges. Methods This study investigates the effects of elevated temperatures on the compressive strength and durability of POC LWAC specimens. Concrete specimens were demoulded after 24 hours of curing and submerged in water for 28 days. Compressive strength and water absorption tests were conducted at the end of the curing period. Subsequently, specimens were subjected to temperatures of 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C for 1 hour in a furnace. After cooling naturally for 24 hours, visual inspection, mass reduction analysis, and evaluation of residual compressive strength were performed. Results Results indicate that 20% garnet replacement yields the highest compressive strength due to pore filling and denser structure. Higher garnet levels lead to reduced strength and increased water absorption. Visual assessment post-heating shows surface alterations, with 20% garnet exhibiting the lowest mass loss and strength reduction at elevated temperatures. Conclusion Notably, specimens containing 20% spent garnet in POC LWAC performed better in a fire than others, enhancing their fire-resistant properties. In summary, this research introduces a hopeful approach to improve the sustainability of concrete and mitigate the environmental repercussions of industrial waste.

Food waste as a raw material for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates: State and prospects

The growing problem of environmental pollution by plastic leads to the search not only for the most promising biodegradable polymer, but also for optimal raw materials for its production. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) — biodegradable polymers with physical and mechanical properties close to traditional plastics — are considered a potential solution to this problem. The production of PHA can be organized according to the principles of circular bioeconomy through biotechnological processing of secondary raw materials to produce a product with added value. However, an important component of the expansion of PHA production is the need to find the most promising secondary raw materials for its production. The PHA market in Russia and the global market have been analyzed, highlighting the demand in the packaging and food industries, biomedicine and agro- industry as the fundamental factor for the growth of PHA production. Bibliographic analysis using the PRISMA scheme and VOSviewer program allowed identifying three main directions of PHA research: search for optimal secondary raw materials among food waste, analysis of challenges in PHA production, and the ecological and economic effects of its implementation. Promising types of secondary raw materials have been revealed: vegetable oil production waste, fruit and vegetable process- ing waste, dairy whey, sugar and starch industry waste, spent coffee grounds and coffee oils extracted from them. Advantages and disadvantages of using secondary raw materials, options for improving their use in the production of PHA, and the main strains-producers were determined. To optimize the cost and processes of PHA production, further studies of food waste are required, aimed at developing approaches to increase the polymer yield, including through the use of secondary raw material preparation processes, and the search for the most productive strains synthesizing PHA.

Radioactivity in the Southern East Baghdad Oilfield from the Reservoir to the Surface Environment

Naturally occurring radioactivity was evaluated in the reservoir rock, surface soil samples, and oil production waste at the East Baghdad South (EBS) Oil Field. The radioactivity of uranium-238 (and radium-226), thorium-232, and potassium-40 were calculated in core samples from four geological formations: Al-Zubair, Al-Khasib, Tanuma, and Hartha Formations, which represent the oil reservoirs in the study area in addition to the natural GR and SGR logs for the oil well in EBS were calculated. The radioactivity of the above-mentioned nuclides was also measured for surface soil samples and waste samples from the site of the oil production industry at the EBS oilfield. The measurements included all the stages of oil production from the collection of crude oil from the wells stage to the storage of the manufactured oil. It also included measurements of radioactivity in samples for some sites outside the industry and near the oil wells in the region. Total radioactivity was measured in count/second and the exposure dose rates were also measured at all the above sites. Relatively high concentrations of uranium-238 and radium-226 were found in rock core samples of some geological units within the oil reservoir formations which will certainly move with the oil to the surface and collect with waste (such as sludge) when oil is produced. Although, some sites have higher Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40, in the sludge samples and oily soil, such as in the 1st separator stage, water separation (Desalter) stage, and near the waste pit, these locations are acceptable if they are compared with other oilfields worldwide. The gamma absorbed doses calculated inside the EBS oil industry were higher than the global average of (59) nGy/h where Ra-226 is the main contributor in these doses, on the other hand, external hazard index (Hex) values less than unity so they are acceptable according to UNSCEAR. Radiation dose values in some places in the study area exceed the values recommended by ICRP, UNSCEAR, and IAEA (1 mSv/y) for the public but less than the values recommended for workers (20 mSv/y). generally, the site of EBS- oilfield does not show radioactive contamination or significant radioactive hazards, as it is a new facility, and safety instructions are still strictly applied, and the removal of waste immediately before its spread by the activity of the workers in the facility.

Experimental Study on the Potential Utilization of Olive Oil Production Wastes and By-Products as Building Materials

The construction industry is one of the sectors with the greatest environmental impact resulting from the high consumption of resources and the huge amount of waste generated. In addition, different wastes and by-products originate from various sectors of activity, namely the ones related to the agricultural sector, requiring the urgent actions of recycling and reuse. In this context, this investigation focused on the valorization of wastes and by-products resulting from the olive oil production as building material components. Wet bagasse was added to cementitious mixtures at percentages of 5% and 20% to produce solid blocks. Lime mortars, incorporating 2% and 8% of ash, were developed, and particleboards composed of 83% olive stone were also produced. The results showed that blocks with 5% waste complied with the standard requirements for flexural strength. The incorporation of 2% ash increased the mechanical properties of lime mortars when compared to a reference mortar with no ash. The developed particleboards revealed the possibility for being part of a multilayer solution or as a covering material, presenting a thermal conductivity of 0.08 W/mK. Thus, wastes generated during olive oil production presented potential for valorization as building material components for non-structural purposes.

Zeytinyağı Üretim Atıklarının Yün Boyamacılığında Kullanım Olanaklarının Araştırılması

In this research, the dyeability of wool fabrics by using olive oil production waste was investigated. In this study, olive oil wastes were separated into two components as olive oil wastewater and pomace by filtration method. 100 % wool fabrics were dyed with conventional method with olive oil wastewater. In addition, the pre-mordanting method was preferred as the mordanting method. Alum, ferrous sulphate, tannic acid and tartaric acid were used as mordant materials, and various mordant concentrations and different mordant durations were studied. In dyeing, 100 % olive oil wastewater was used as dyeing liquor and all dyes were dyed in 1:20 liquor ratio. Color analyses of dyed fabrics were made, CIEL*a*b* and K/S values were examined. In addition, the coloring agents in olive oil wastewater were investigated by HPLC analysis. Light fastness, washing fastness, wet and dry rubbing fastness, acidic and alkaline perspiration fastness and water stain fastness were investigated.

Efficiency of use of oil production waste in pig feeding

Purpose. To study the effectiveness of feeding adsorptive clay (perlite) as part of compound feed for young pigs on fattening. Methods. Deductions, scientific hypotheses and abstraction, zootechnical analysis, method of liquid chromatography, spectrophotometry, titrometry, variational statistics. Results. The high intensity of animal growth and metabolism in their bodies is impossible without supplying them with lipids in feed, therefore crude fat should be considered a mandatory component of diets for farm animals. Lipids in feed increase the amount of energy and this allows to reduce costs for grain components. Without lipids, the number of processes in the body would be impossible, including the normal functioning of the hormonal system, besides, the so-called essential fatty acids – linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic – affect the development and productivity of animals. First of all, vegetable oils and fish meal should be mentioned as fat-bearing feed components. The use of waste of vegetable oil production in compound feed for pigs is an additional source of fats. Adsorption clay is used for oil purification and refining in the production process and is disposed after technological cycle completion. The exhausted adsorption clay has a sufficiently high fat content in its composition. It has been established that the use of adsorption clay (perlite) in feeding young pigs reared for meat in the amount of 5% as part of compound feed has a positive productive effect, contributes to the increase of feed nutrition of compound feed, increase average daily gains of animals against control by 7.4%, live weight of 1 head at the end of the main period of the experiment by 5.14% and absolute gain by 7.23%. Conclusions. The use of adsorption clay (perlite) in compound feed for fattening young pigs contributes to increasing average daily gains and reducing costs of feed per unit of production.

Identification, quantitative determination and isolation of pomolic acid from lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) wastes

Lavender essential oil production wastes have been investigated as a highly available source of pentacyclic triterpenic acids. Ultrasound assisted extraction was addressed as a simple and scalable procedure for efficient production of enriched extracts from dry plant material with good yields. Flowers and stalks have been processed separately. Analytical studies have been performed basing on both HPLC and qNMR methods. The qNMR analysis proved to be a much more convenient alternative to HPLC and its application resulted in identification, isolation and quantitative determination of substantial amounts of pomolic acid in the obtained extracts, along with widely explored ursolic and oleanolic acids. The ultrasound assisted extraction of lavender flowers with 96% ethanol resulted in a 3.3% yield of triterpenic acids, with a substantial share of pomolic acid that constitutes 1% of the plant material dry weight. Selective extraction of flowers with ethylacetate resulted in an enriched product containing 67.8% of triterpenic acids, including 16.2% of pomolic acid. Quantification of pomolic acid is reported for the first time in this vegetal source. These results demonstrate the relevant potential of lavender wastes as a sustainable raw material for the production of pomolic acid - a highly valued compound of increased nutraceutical and pharmaceutical interest.

Influence of oil and gas exploration and production waste on municipal solid waste hydraulic conductivity

This study evaluated the effects of addition of oil and gas exploration and production wastes (E&PW) on hydraulic behavior of municipal solid waste (MSW). A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the impacts of vertical stress, waste composition, mixture ratio of MSW to E&PW based on total mass (e.g., 20% MSW + 80% E&PW), and mixing methods on hydraulic conductivity. Hydraulic conductivity (k) for MSW-E&PW mixtures with 20% and 40% E&PW contents reduced from 3 × 10-5 m/s to 10-7 m/s as vertical stress increased from 0 to 400 kPa. An increase in the mixture ratio above 60% resulted in an additional order-of-magnitude decrease in k to 10-8 m/s as vertical stress increased above 200 kPa. The addition of E&PW did not impact the available flow path, even though adding E&PW to MSW reduced the void spaces. This indicated that the waste matrix is capable of accepting E&PW while keeping the flow structure within the waste matrix. However, for vertical stress greater than 50 kPa, mixtures of MSW + 80% E&PW were observed to yield hydraulic conductivity < 10-9 m/s.

Facile one-step synthesis of a versatile nitrogen-doped hydrochar from olive oil production waste, “alperujo”, for removing pharmaceuticals from wastewater

In line with the principles of zero waste and recycling, alperujo (AL) was used in this study to produce a value-added product: hydrochar (HC) with high adsorption capacity. An optimization of the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) conditions, such as temperature, residence time, and water/solid ratio, was carried out to maximize the adsorption capacity. Eight HCs were obtained, and an in-depth comparative characterization, as well as adsorption tests of two pharmaceuticals with very different physicochemical properties (fluoxetine (FLX) and cefazolin (CFZ)), were performed. This first step allowed for elucidation of the best candidates to carry out nitrogen grafting on their surface, resulting in the HC obtained at a higher water/solid ratio and temperature, and longer residence time: 3-220°C-2.5 h with a maximum uptake of 4.6 and 0.4 mg/g for FLX and CFZ, respectively. After that, a facile one-step, one-pot synthesis of nitrogen-doped hydrochars (N-HC) was developed to prepare a versatile bio-adsorbent with enhanced adsorption capacity. Two N–HCs were prepared using urea (U-HC) and polyethyleneimine (PEI-HC) and were intensively characterized to shed light on the adsorption mechanism. In both cases, amide groups were formed, which favored the adsorption process. PEI-HC acquired an outstanding maximum adsorption capacity of 983.84 mg/g for CFZ, and 29.31 mg/g for FLX, and the process was well described by the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. A co-adsorption test was performed using PEI-HC for both pharmaceuticals, finding that the adsorption process occurs in different active sites because there was no interference between the pollutants. This fact corroborates the versatility of the new bio-adsorbent synthesized.

ACID HELIOMICROBIOLOGICAL METHOD FOR OIL CONTAMINATED SOILS IN WESTERN KAZAKHSTAN FIELDS

The article presents promising methods of cleaning oil-contaminated soils. Oil pollution causes serious damage to the environment. Under normal conditions, work on the purification of oil waste and oil-contaminated soils is not carried out due to the lack of equipment and efficient processing technology. It is emphasized the need to develop promising methods for cleaning oil-contaminated soils and the possibility of using oil-contaminated soils as an organic retaining material for fixing the soil layer in road construction, as well as building materials. According to laboratory studies, with a moisture content of 30%, oil sludge is transported in the form of brittle plates. At the same time, oil sludge does not gather dust, has thixotropic properties, passes more than 1-3% of moisture into the lower soil layer. Thus, dry oil sludge is convenient and safe for transportation and storage in warehouses. The humidity of dry oil sludge averages 15-20%. The composition of the dry sludge is mostly stable: petroleum products 15-25%; mechanical impurities 70-75%; water 5-8%. In recent years, a number of studies have been conducted to eliminate oil pollution to solve the problem of cleaning oil-contaminated soils. Various classifications of landfills and methods of waste disposal during the construction of landfills of oil production waste are described: sludge collectors. However, currently none of the methods of removing oil-contaminated soils is widely used, each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. The ways of the microbiological method aimed at preventing or reducing pollution by oil and petroleum products trapped in the soil layer are shown. The object of research in the article is the Zhanazholskoye field, one of the West Kazakhstan fields, and the situation of applying the new technology to the heliomicrobiological method of acidification of oil-contaminated soils is presented.

Development of safe products from local waste of oil and fat production

Quicklime is a mixture of pieces of different sizes formed after coarse grinding of the fried product. According to its chemical composition, it is a mixture of calcium and magnesium oxides, the main composition of which is CaO. In small quantities, it may contain undecomposed calcium carbonate, as well as silicates, aluminates and ferrites of calcium and magnesium, formed during the interaction of clay and quartz sand with calcium and magnesium oxides. Quicklime ground lime is a powder product of fine grinding of lump lime. The formulation of the bitumen-replacing mixture consists of the following components, such as oil sludge, gossypol resin, quicklime and technical sulfur. Oil sludge is the most significant waste of the oil industry in terms of mass. A waste disposal methodology towards obtaining a bitumen-replacing mixture for the use of insulating and roofing coatings was created. According to the results, comparative tests of pilot batches of building bitumen -replacing mixture in terms of physical and mechanical characteristics in accordance with State standards 6617-76 showed that almost all 4 experimental batches of building bitumen -replacing mixture gave good performance. However, the experimental batch #4 changed stability and increased bitumen brittleness when 4% quicklime was added. After the test, the experimental batch #3 received good indicators of stability and brittleness.

Reducing ecological damage to flora and fauna through the use of waste from oil production as porous fillers in manufacturing

The work shows that it is expedient to use waste from oil production (oil sludge) as a raw material for obtaining porous fillers, which promotes the development of industrial ecology. Industrial ecology studies waste-free technologies - when waste from one production facility is used as raw material at another facility, which will achieve either waste-free production or maximum use of multi-tonnage waste. Ecological-economic systems are the subject of study of industrial or industrial ecology. Currently, the impact of industry on the environment is relevant because the activities of the fuel and energy complex, metallurgical, chemical, mechanical engineering, and many other enterprises cause significant and irreversible damage to nature. The fuel and energy complex is one of the main “polluters” of the natural environment. These are atmospheric emissions (48% of all atmospheric emissions), discharges of wastewater (36% of all discharges), as well as the formation of solid waste (30% of all solid pollutants). The conducted research has shown that due to the increased contents of carbon (16.2%) and calorific value (3300 kcal/kg) in the oil sludge, which burn or contribute to burning (calorific value) during firing, porosity is created in the ceramic material, and a porous material with low density, grade by bulk density of less than 400, is obtained. Based on a liquid-powder composition and waste from oil production - oil sludge, a porous filler with high physical and mechanical properties was obtained. The use of oil production waste in the production of porous fillers contributes to the disposal of industrial multi-tonnage waste, the protection of the environment, and the expansion of the raw material base for construction materials.

Environmental Pollution of Medical Waste and New Medical Plastic Waste Treatment Technology

Since the global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the resulting medical waste has increased. Plastic pollution to the Earth's environment is already very serious, and now because of the proliferation of medical plastic waste, the environmental pollution problem is becoming more serious. This paper discusses some green medical waste treatment technology and some medical waste reuse retreatment technology. This paper mainly expounds on the problems being in the disposal of medical waste, such as the amount of medical waste being too large, and there is no standard place for recycling daily medical waste. The treatment methods are usually incineration and landfill, but these treatment methods will produce harmful substances and gases, will pollute the environment, and affect biological health. And there is a high chance that COVID-19 will spread again. At the same time, some environmental treatment methods for medical waste, such as microcapsule technology and photocatalytic degradation technology, are introduced. It can reduce the emission of polluting gases and reduce the pollution to the environment. Or by recycling medical waste, processing and reusing it to produce new materials. For example, plastic cracking oil production technology and waste mask iron-making technology will recycle medical waste for reuse. This paper hopes that the new medical waste treatment technology can be widely understood and used. It is also hoped that some more efficient, low consumption and low pollution medical waste treatment methods can be developed to reduce the environmental pollution caused by the existing treatment methods.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Cells Treated with Oil Production Waste Products (OPWPs) Reveals Enrichment of Pathways of Mitochondrial Functionality.

Oil production waste products (OPWPs) derive from olive mill and represent a crucial environmental problem due to their high polyphenolic content able to pollute the ground. One option to reduce the OPWPs' environmental impact is to exploit polyphenols' biological properties. We sought to analyze the transcriptomic variations of colorectal cancer cells exposed to the OPWPs extracts and hydroxytyrosol, the major component, to recognize unknown and ill-defined characteristics. Among the top affected pathways identified by GSEA, we focused on oxidative phosphorylation in an in vitro system. Colorectal cancer HCT116 and LoVo cells treated with hydroxytyrosol or OPWPs extracts showed enhancement of the respiratory chain complexes' protein levels, ATP production and membrane potential, suggesting stimulation of mitochondrial functions. The major proteins involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and fusion events of mitochondrial dynamics were positively affected, as by Western blot, fostering increase of the mitochondrial mass organized in a network of elongated organelles. Mechanistically, we proved that PPARγ mediates the effects as they are mimicked by a specific ligand and impaired by a specific inhibitor. OPWP extracts and hydroxytyrosol, thus, promote mitochondrial functionality via a feed-forward regulatory loop involving the PPARγ/PGC-1α axis. These results support their use in functional foods and as adjuvants in cancer therapy.

Prospect of Essential Oil Industrial Waste as Energy Resources for Essential Oil Production Process

Essential oil production produces huge amount of solid waste. This un-utilized waste potentially causing environmental problems. Converting the waste into biomass briquettes (bio briquette) is one of the prosperous solutions since the briquettes can be used as energy source for the production activities in those industry. The objective of this study is converting the solid waste of essential oil production from nutmeg and clove stems into bio-briquette form, and to analyze the potency of those bio-briquette to fulfill energy demand for essential oil production process itself. Several various compositions have been taken to get best performance of the bio-briquettes as fuel. The ratio of mass and adhesive were 1:0.625; 1:0.75; 1:1; 1:1.25 for nutmeg cakes, 1:0.75; 1:0.825; 1:1; 1:1.25 for nutmeg shell charcoal, and 1:0,5; 1:0.625; 1:0.75; 1:1 for clove stem charcoal. The best results was performed by nutmeg shell charcoal briquettes with composition of 1: 1. This briquette has moisture content of 6.64%, ash content of 3.31%, and a calorific value of 5497 cal/gram. Those specification meets the requirements of SNI 1/6235/2000 regarding briquettes as a fuel. Based on energy demand calculation, implementation of those briquettes as fuel will reduce annually solid fuel consumption around 30%. The reduction will help to reduce essential oil production cost, and help the product to get “green product” label, which is very important for all products in the global market.

Prediction of the Behavior of Sunflower Husk Ash after Its Processing by Various Torrefaction Methods

Biomass can be considered an alternative to coal in the production of heat and electricity. Many types of biomass are waste from agriculture and the food industry. This waste is cheap, readily available, and replenished annually. However, most agricultural and food industry wastes (sugar cane pulp, olive and sunflower oil production wastes, straw, etc.) have ash with a low melting point. This leads to a rapid growth of ash deposits on the heating surfaces of boilers; as a result, the actual efficiency of boilers in which waste from agriculture and the food industry is burned is 45–50%. Known biomass pre-treatment technologies that allow for the fuel characteristics of biowaste. For example, leaching of biowaste in water at a temperature of 80–240 °C makes it possible to drastically reduce the content of alkali metal compounds in the ash, the presence of which reduces the melting point of the ash. However, this biomass pre-treatment technology is complex and requires additional costs for drying the treated biomass. We proposed to use torrefaction for pre-treatment of biomass, which makes it possible to increase the heat of combustion of biomass, increase the hydrophobicity of biomass, and reduce the cost of grinding it. However, we are not aware of studies that have studied the effect of torrefaction on the chemical composition of ash from the point of view of solving the problem of preventing the formation of agglomerates and reducing the growth rate of ash deposits on the convective heating surfaces of boilers. In this paper, the characteristics of sunflower husk subjected to torrefaction in an environment of superheated steam at a temperature of 300 °C and in an environment of gaseous products at a temperature of 250 °C are studied. All experiments were conducted using fluidized bed technology. The resulting biochar has a calorific value of 14.8–23% higher than the initial husk. To assess the behavior of sunflower husk ash, predictive coefficients were calculated. Torrefaction of sunflower husks does not exclude the possibility of slagging of the furnace but reduces the likelihood of slagging by 2.31–7.27 times. According to calculations, the torrefaction of sunflower husks reduces the likelihood of ash deposits on the convective heating surfaces of the boiler by 2.1–12.2 times. According to its fuel characteristics, the husk, after torrefaction in an environment of superheated steam, approaches wood waste, i.e., can be burned separately without additives or mixtures with other fuels with refractory ash.