Search results for: biomass protein

Authors: Nagia Ali, R. S. R. El-Mohamedy

Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to irradiate the dyes biologically through the use of Moreinga oleifera. The study confirms the potential use of Moringa oleifera in decolourization of dyes and thus opens up a scope for future analysis pertaining to its performance in treatment of textile effluent. In this paper, the ability of natural products in removing dyes was tested using two reactive dyes and one acid dye. After a preliminary screening for dye removal capacity, a vegetal protein extract derived from Moeringa oleifera seed was fully studied. The influences of several parameters such as pH, temperature or initial dye concentration were tested and the behavior of coagulants was compared. It was found that dye removal decreased as pH increased. Temperature did not seem to have a considerable effect, while initial dye concentration appeared to be a very important variable.

Keywords: Moreinga oleifera, decolourization, waste water, reactive dyes, acid dyes

Procedia PDF Downloads 366

Authors: Sun Il Yu, Jung Hyun Joo, Hwa Sung Shin

Abstract:

Astrocytes are known as dominant cells in CNS and play a role as a supporter of CNS activity and regeneration. Recently, three-dimensional culture of astrocytes were actively applied to understand in vivo astrocyte works. Electrospun nanofibers are attractive for 3D cell culture system because they have a high surface to volume ratio and porous structure, and have already been used for 3D astrocyte cultures. In this research, the stiffness of cellulose acetate (CA) nanofiber was controlled by heat treatment. As stiffness increased, astrocyte cell viability and adhesion increased. Reactivity of astrocyte was also upregulated in stiffer CA nanofiber in terms of GFAP, an intermediate filament protein. Finally, we demonstrated that stiffness-controllable CA is attractive for astrocyte tissue engineering.

Keywords: astrocyte, cellulose acetate, nanofiber, tissue scaffold

Procedia PDF Downloads 355

Authors: Adebola Ajayi, Olakunle M. Makanjuola

Abstract:

The effects of particle sizes of maize flour on the quality of traditional maize snack (Kokoro) were investigated. Maize flour of different sieve mesh sizes of 1.00mm, 1.9 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.68 mm and 2.0 mm was used to produce Kokoro. The samples were analysed for protein, fat, moisture content, crude fibre, ash and sensory evaluation. The various mixture obtained were separately processed into snacks following essential traditional method of production. The result of the sensory evaluation showed that Kokoro of sample 546 using 1.0mm mesh sieve size was the most preferred and sample 513 using 2.00 was least preferred. The result revealed that the more the maize was well blended the more acceptable the product is to the consumer.

Keywords: particle sizes, maize flour, quality, Kokoro

Procedia PDF Downloads 197

Authors: Brian J. Graham, Ronald T. Raines

Abstract:

The presence of a nearly vacant p orbital on boron endows boronic acids with unique abilities as a catalyst and ligand. An organocatalytic process has been developed for the conversion of biomass-derived sugars to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, which is a platform chemical. Specifically, 2-carboxyphenylboronic acid (2-CPBA) has been shown to be an optimal catalyst for this process, promoting the desired transformation in the absence of metals. The attributes of 2-CPBA as a catalyst led to additional investigations of its structure and reactivity. 2-CPBA was found to exist as a cyclized benzoxaborolone adduct rather than a free carboxylic acid. This cyclization has profound consequences for the oxidative stability of the boronic acid. Stereoelectronic effects within the oxaborolone ring destabilize the oxidation transition state by reducing electron donation from the cyclic oxygen to the developing p orbital on boron. That leads to a 10,000-fold increase in oxidative stability while maintaining the normal reactivity of boronic acids toward diols (e.g., carbohydrates) and nucleophiles in proteins while also presenting numerous hydrogen-bond accepting and donating groups. Thus, benzoxaborolones are useful in catalysis, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and allied fields.

Keywords: bioisosteres, boronic acid, catalysis, oxidative stability, pharmacophore, stereoelectronic effects

Procedia PDF Downloads 189

Authors: A. Mahshid Kakouei, B. Kumaran Suberamanin, C. Sabzali Musa Kahn, D. Mina Kakouei

Abstract:

This study aims to identify suitable conservative product for the conservation and restoration of historical Zelkova Carpinifolia wood located in humid weather. The superficial properties and hardness of 14 compounds treated with several consolidants were compared. The consolidants have been applied alone, with synthetic resin or with protein glues and natural resins by the brushing method. Colorimetric measurements, observation methods and hardness tests were conducted before and after aging to verify the possible changes of the treated wood and the consolidating resistance. The compound 1:2 of Butvar B98 and sandarac in 5% ethanol was found to be more effective, providing a suitable compound compared to the other consolidants tested.

Keywords: Zelkova carpinifolia, consolidation, synthetic resin, penetration depth, hardness

Procedia PDF Downloads 357

Authors: Ana Fonseca, Ana Gouveia, Edgar Ramalho, Rita Henriques, Filipa Figueiredo, João Nunes

Abstract:

Due to persistent climate pressures, there is a need to find a resilient economic system that is regenerative in nature. Bioeconomy offers the possibility of replacing non-renewable and non-biodegradable materials derived from fossil fuels with ones that are renewable and biodegradable, while a Circular Economy aims at sustainable and resource-efficient operations. The term "Circular Bioeconomy", which can be summarized as all activities that transform biomass for its use in various product streams, expresses the interaction between these two ideas. Portugal has a very favourable context to promote a Circular Bioeconomy due to its variety of climates and ecosystems, availability of biologically based resources, location, and geomorphology. Recently, there have been political and legislative efforts to develop the Portuguese Circular Bioeconomy. The Action Plan for a Sustainable Bioeconomy, approved in 2021, is composed of five axes of intervention, ranging from sustainable production and the use of regionally based biological resources to the development of a circular and sustainable bioindustry through research and innovation. However, as some statistics show, Portugal is still far from achieving circularity. According to Eurostat, Portugal has circularity rates of 2.8%, which is the second lowest among the member states of the European Union. Some challenges contribute to this scenario, including sectorial heterogeneity and fragmentation, prevalence of small producers, lack of attractiveness for younger generations, and absence of implementation of collaborative solutions amongst producers and along value chains.Regarding the Portuguese industrial sector, there is a tendency towards complex bureaucratic processes, which leads to economic and financial obstacles and an unclear national strategy. Together with the limited number of incentives the country has to offer to those that pretend to abandon the linear economic model, many entrepreneurs are hesitant to invest the capital needed to make their companies more circular. Absence of disaggregated, georeferenced, and reliable information regarding the actual availability of biological resources is also a major issue. Low literacy on bioeconomy among many of the sectoral agents and in society in general directly impacts the decisions of production and final consumption. The WinBio project seeks to outline a strategic approach for the management of weaknesses/opportunities in the technology transfer process, given the reality of the territory, through road mapping and national and international benchmarking. The developed work included the identification and analysis of agents in the interior region of Portugal, natural endogenous resources, products, and processes associated with potential development. Specific flow of biological wastes, possible value chains, and the potential for replacing critical raw materials with bio-based products was accessed, taking into consideration other countries with a matured bioeconomy. The study found food industry, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries generate huge amounts of waste streams, which in turn provide an opportunity for the establishment of local bio-industries powered by this biomass. The project identified biological resources with potential for replication and applicability in the Portuguese context. The richness of natural resources and potentials known in the interior region of Portugal is a major key to developing the Circular Economy and sustainability of the country.

Keywords: circular bioeconomy, interior region of portugal, regional development., public policy

Procedia PDF Downloads 91

Authors: Ajay B. C., Meena H. N., Dagla M. C., Narendra Kumar, Makwana A. D., Bera S. K., Kalariya K. A., Singh A. L.

Abstract:

The high-energy value, protein content and minerals makes peanut a rich source of nutrition at comparatively low cost. Basic information on genetics and inheritance of these mineral elements is very scarce. Hence, in the present study inheritance (using additive-dominance model) and association of mineral elements was studied in two peanut crosses. Dominance variance (H) played an important role in the inheritance of P, K, Fe and Zn in peanut pods. Average degree of dominance for most of the traits was greater than unity indicating over dominance for these traits. Significant associations were also observed among mineral elements both in F2 and F3 generations but pod yield had no associations with mineral elements (with few exceptions). Di-allele/bi-parental mating could be followed to identify high yielding and mineral dense segregates.

Keywords: correlation, dominance variance, mineral elements, peanut

Procedia PDF Downloads 413

Authors: Othman E. Othman, Amira M. Nowier, Medhat El-Denary

Abstract:

Camels play an important socio-economic role within the pastoral and agricultural system in the dry and semidry zones of Asia and Africa. Camels are economically important animals in Egypt where they are dual purpose animals (meat and milk). The analysis of chemical composition of camel milk showed that the total protein contents ranged from 2.4% to 5.3% and it is divided into casein and whey proteins. The casein fraction constitutes 52% to 89% of total camel milk protein and it divided into 4 fractions namely αs1, αs2, β and κ-caseins which are encoded by four tightly genes. In spite of the important role of casein genes and the effects of their genetic polymorphisms on quantitative traits and technological properties of milk, the studies for the detection of genetic polymorphism of camel milk genes are still limited. Due to this fact, this work focused - using PCR-RFP and sequencing analysis - on the identification of genetic polymorphisms and SNPs of two casein genes in Maghrabi camel breed which is a dual purpose camel breed in Egypt. The amplified fragments at 488-bp of the camel κ-CN gene were digested with AluI endonuclease. The results showed the appearance of three different genotypes in the tested animals; CC with three digested fragments at 203-, 127- and 120-bp, TT with three digested fragments at 203-, 158- and 127-bp and CT with four digested fragments at 203-, 158-, 127- and 120-bp. The frequencies of three detected genotypes were 11.0% for CC, 48.0% for TT and 41.0% for CT genotypes. The sequencing analysis of the two different alleles declared the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism (C→T) at position 121 in the amplified fragments which is responsible for the destruction of a restriction site (AG/CT) in allele T and resulted in the presence of two different alleles C and T in tested animals. The nucleotide sequences of κ-CN alleles C and T were submitted to GenBank with the accession numbers; KU055605 and KU055606, respectively. The primers used in this study amplified 942-bp fragments spanning from exon 4 to exon 6 of camel αS1-Casein gene. The amplified fragments were digested with two different restriction enzymes; SmlI and AluI. The results of SmlI digestion did not show any restriction site whereas the digestion with AluI endonuclease revealed the presence of two restriction sites AG^CT at positions 68^69 and 631^632 yielding the presence of three digested fragments with sizes 68-, 563- and 293-bp.The nucleotide sequences of this fragment from camel αS1-Casein gene were submitted to GenBank with the accession number KU145820. In conclusion, the genetic characterization of quantitative traits genes which are associated with the production traits like milk yield and composition is considered an important step towards the genetic improvement of livestock species through the selection of superior animals depending on the favorable alleles and genotypes; marker assisted selection (MAS).

Keywords: genetic polymorphism, SNP polymorphism, Maghrabi camels, κ-Casein gene, αS1-Casein gene

Procedia PDF Downloads 613

Authors: Pramod Somvanshi, Manu Tomar, K. V. Venkatesh

Abstract:

Insulin and glucagon are responsible for homeostasis of key plasma metabolites like glucose, amino acids and fatty acids in the blood plasma. These hormones act antagonistically to each other during the secretion and signaling stages. In the present work, we analyze the effect of macronutrients on the response from integrated insulin and glucagon signaling pathways. The insulin and glucagon pathways are connected by DAG (a calcium signaling component which is part of the glucagon signaling module) which activates PKC and inhibits IRS (insulin signaling component) constituting a crosstalk. AKT (insulin signaling component) inhibits cAMP (glucagon signaling component) through PDE3 forming the other crosstalk between the two signaling pathways. Physiological level of anabolism and catabolism is captured through a metric quantified by the activity levels of AKT and PKA in their phosphorylated states, which represent the insulin and glucagon signaling endpoints, respectively. Under resting and starving conditions, the phosphorylation metric represents homeostasis indicating a balance between the anabolic and catabolic activities in the tissues. The steady state analysis of the integrated network demonstrates the presence of a bistable response in the phosphorylation metric with respect to input plasma glucose levels. This indicates that two steady state conditions (one in the homeostatic zone and other in the anabolic zone) are possible for a given glucose concentration depending on the ON or OFF path. When glucose levels rise above normal, during post-meal conditions, the bistability is observed in the anabolic space denoting the dominance of the glycogenesis in liver. For glucose concentrations lower than the physiological levels, while exercising, metabolic response lies in the catabolic space denoting the prevalence of glycogenolysis in liver. The non-linear positive feedback of AKT on IRS in insulin signaling module of the network is the main cause of the bistable response. The span of bistability in the phosphorylation metric increases as plasma fatty acid and amino acid levels rise and eventually the response turns monostable and catabolic representing diabetic conditions. In the case of high fat or protein diet, fatty acids and amino acids have an inhibitory effect on the insulin signaling pathway by increasing the serine phosphorylation of IRS protein via the activation of PKC and S6K, respectively. Similar analysis was also performed with respect to input amino acid and fatty acid levels. This emergent property of bistability in the integrated network helps us understand why it becomes extremely difficult to treat obesity and diabetes when blood glucose level rises beyond a certain value.

Keywords: bistability, diabetes, feedback and crosstalk, obesity

Procedia PDF Downloads 275

Authors: Makhan Maharjan, Mani Ulaganathan, Vanchiappan Aravindan, Srinivasan Madhavi, Jing-Yuan Wang, Tuti Mariana Lim

Abstract:

The ever-increasing energy demand has made research to develop high performance energy storage systems that are able to fulfill energy needs. Supercapacitors have potential applications as portable energy storage devices. In recent years, there have been huge research interests to enhance the performances of supercapacitors via exploiting novel promising carbon precursors, tailoring textural properties of carbons, exploiting various electrolytes and device types. In this work, we employed orange peel (waste material) as the starting material and synthesized activated carbon by pyrolysis of KOH impregnated orange peel char at 800 °C in argon atmosphere. The resultant orange peel-derived activated carbon (OP-AC) exhibited BET surface area of 1,901 m² g-1, which is the highest surface area so far reported for the orange peel. The pore size distribution (PSD) curve exhibits the pores centered at 11.26 Å pore width, suggesting dominant microporosity. The high surface area OP-AC accommodates more ions in the electrodes and its well-developed porous structure facilitates fast diffusion of ions which subsequently enhance electrochemical performance. The OP-AC was studied as positive electrode in combination with different negative electrode materials, such as pre-lithiated graphite (LiC6) and Li4Ti5O12 for making hybrid capacitors. The lithium ion capacitor (LIC) fabricated using OP-AC with pre-lithiated graphite delivered high energy density of ~106 Wh kg–1. The energy density for OP-AC||Li4Ti5O12 capacitor was ~35 Wh kg⁻¹. For comparison purpose, configuration of OP-AC||OP-AC capacitors were studied in both aqueous (1M H2SO4) and organic (1M LiPF6 in EC-DMC) electrolytes, which delivered the energy density of 8.0 Wh kg⁻¹ and 16.3 Wh kg⁻¹, respectively. The cycling retentions obtained at current density of 1 A g⁻¹ were ~85.8, ~87.0 ~82.2 and ~58.8% after 2500 cycles for OP-AC||OP-AC (aqueous), OP-AC||OP-AC (organic), OP-AC||Li4Ti5O12 and OP-AC||LiC6 configurations, respectively. In addition, characterization studies were performed by elemental and proximate composition, thermogravimetry analysis, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Fourier transform-infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and N2 sorption isotherms. The morphological features from FE-SEM exhibited well-developed porous structures. Two typical broad peaks observed in the XRD framework of the synthesized carbon implies amorphous graphitic structure. The ratio of 0.86 for ID/IG in Raman spectra infers high degree of graphitization in the sample. The band spectra of C 1s in XPS display the well resolved peaks related to carbon atoms in various chemical environments. The presence of functional groups is also corroborated from the FTIR spectroscopy. Characterization studies revealed the synthesized carbon to be promising electrode material towards the application for energy storage devices. Overall, the intriguing properties of OP-AC make it a new alternative promising electrode material for the development of high energy lithium ion capacitors from abundant, low-cost, renewable biomass waste. The authors gratefully acknowledge Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)/ Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore for funding support.

Keywords: energy storage, lithium-ion capacitors, orange peels, porous activated carbon

Procedia PDF Downloads 229

Authors: S. Paengkoum, P. Paengkoum, W. Kaewwongsa

Abstract:

Twenty-four male growing goats were randomly assigned to a Randomized Complete Block Design. Dietary treatments were different level of feeding concentrate diet at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of body weight (BW). The results showed that average daily gain, microbial N supply, N retention of meat goats in the group of feeding level at 2.0% BW and 2.5% BW were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those goats fed with feeding levels of 1.0% BW and 1.5% BW. Based on this result the conclusion can be made that using 75% fermented cassava pulp by Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the main source of protein to completely replace soybean meal was beneficial to meat goats in terms of feed intake. The feeding concentrate at levels between 2.0-2.5% BW gives highest in the growth of meat goat in this experiment.

Keywords: cassava pulp, yeast, goat, nitrogen retention

Procedia PDF Downloads 245

Authors: Mozhgan Mohammadi, Arezoo Ghadi

Abstract:

Arsenic is known as a potential threat to the environment. Therefore, the aim of this research is to assess the arsenic removal efficiency from an aqueous solution, with a new biosorbent composed of a black seed pulp (BSP). To treat BSP, the combination of two methods (i.e. treating with mineral acids and use at high temperature) was used and designed bio-sorbent called BSP-activated/carbonized. The BSP-activated and BSP-carbonized were also prepared using HCL and 400°C temperature, respectively, to compare the results of each three methods. Followed by, adsorption parameters such as pH, initial ion concentration, biosorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature were assessed. It was found that the combination method has provided higher adsorption capacity so that up to ~99% arsenic removal was observed with BSP-activated/carbonized at pH of 7.0 and 40°C. The adsorption capacity for BSP-carbonized and BSP-activated were 87.92% (pH: 7, 60°C) and 78.50% (pH: 6, 90°C), respectively. Moreover, adsorption kinetics data indicated the best fit with the pseudo-second-order model. The maximum biosorption capacity, by the Langmuir isotherm model, was also recorded for BSP-activated/carbonized (53.47 mg/g). It is notable that arsenic adsorption on studied bio sorbents takes place as spontaneous and through chemisorption along with the endothermic nature of the biosorption process and reduction of random collision in the solid-liquid phase.

Keywords: black seed pulp, bio-sorbents, treatment of sorbents, adsorption isotherms

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Dharminer Singh, Sanjeev Yadav, Pravakar Mohanty

Abstract:

In this work, gasification of groundnut shell was carried out in an air bubbling fluidized bed gasifier. Atmospheric air used as gasification agent in the gasifier. The groundnut shell used for gasification was in powder form and the locally available river sand was used as bed material. Conventional charcoal was used for heating sand bed. Two cyclones were used for proper segregation of char particles and for proper cleaning and cooling the product gas. Experiments were performed on different equivalence ratio (ER) 0.3 - 0.33 by varying feeding rate 36 - 32.8 kg/h of biomass and by keeping the air flow rate constant at bed temperature between 700 °C – 800 °C. Performance of gasifier was evaluated on the basis of different parameters such as cold gas efficiency, carbon conversion efficiency (CCE), Tar and Suspended particles matter (SPM) generation, gas yield, and Higher heating value (HHV) of gas. The optimal ER value for gasification of groundnut shell (GNS) powder in an air bubbling fluidized bed gasifier was found to be 0.31. Cold gas efficiency and CCE value at optimal ER was found to be 63.7 %, and 91 %, respectively. Concentration of Tar and SPM, HHV of gas, and gas yield at optimal ER was found to be 11.88 g/Nm3, 2.38 MJ/Nm3, and 2.01m3/kg, respectively. In the product gas, concentrations of CO, CO2, CH4 and H2 were found to be 12.94%, 13.5%, 5.74% and 13.77%, respectively. At ER 0.31, it was observed that bed temperature of gasifier was in steady state for long time at 714 °C with 5 – 10 °C fluctuation.

Keywords: air bubbling fluidized bed gasifier, groundnut shell powder, equivalence ratio (ER), cold gas efficiency, carbon conversion efficiency (CCE), high heating value (HHV)

Procedia PDF Downloads 280

Authors: Oyewusi Peter Ayodele, Onipede Ayodeji

Abstract:

Our research focuses on some physicochemical parameters of Moringa Oleifera seed meal and its seed oil to determine its nutritional quality. Proximate, mineral, and vitamin analyses were performed on the defatted seed meal, while fatty acid determination was carried out on the seed oil. The results of the proximate composition show moisture content (3.52 ± 0.01), ash (2.80 ± 0.33), crude fibre (3.92 ± 0.01), protein (42.96 ± 0.05), crude fat (7.04 ± 0.01) and carbohydrate (36.79 ± 0.04). The mineral composition shows that the seed is rich in Ca, K, and Na with 220ppm, 205ppm, and 118ppm, respectively. The seed has vitamins A and C with 2.17 ± 0.01mg/100g and 6.95 ± 0.00 mg/100g respectively. The seed also contains 56.62 %, 38.50 %, and 5.24 % saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. It could be illustrated that Moringa seeds and their oil can be considered potential sources for both dietary and industrial purposes.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera seed, chemical composition, fatty acid, proximate, minerals and vitamins compositions

Procedia PDF Downloads 288

Authors: Rupa Rani, Vipin Kumar

Abstract:

Endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide is of environmental concern due to its apparent persistence and toxicity. It has been reported as contaminants in soil, air, and water and is bioaccumulated and magnified in ecosystems. The combined use of microorganisms and plants has great potential for remediating soil contaminated with organic compounds such as pesticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the bacterial inoculation influences plant growth promotion, endosulfan degradation in soil and endosulfan accumulation in different plant parts. Lycopersicon esculentum L. (Tomato) was grown in endosulfan spiked soil and inoculated with endosulfan tolerant bacterial strains. Endosulfan residues from different parts of plants and soil were extracted and estimated by using gas chromatograph equipped with 63Ni electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The inoculation of bacterial strains into the soil with plants showed a beneficial effect on endosulfan degradation and plant biomass production. Maximum endosulfan (90%) degradation was observed after 120 days of bacterial inoculation in the soil. Furthermore, there was significantly less endosulfan accumulation in roots and shoots of bacterial strains inoculated plants as compared to uninoculated plants. The results show the effectiveness of inoculated endosulfan tolerant bacterial strains to increase the remediation of endosulfan contaminated soil.

Keywords: organochlorine pesticides, endosulfan, degradation, plant-bacteria partnerships

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Mesfin Angaw Tesfay

Abstract:

Uridine-5’-diphosphate (UDP)-glucose is one of the most versatile building blocks within the metabolism of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, serving as an activated sugar donor during the glycosylation of natural products. It is formed by the enzyme UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) using uridine-5′-triphosphate (UTP) and α-d-glucose 1-phosphate as a substrate. Herein, two UGPase genes from Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens ZW3 (LkUGPase) and Rhodococcus wratislaviensis IFP 2016 (RwUGPase) were identified through genome mining approaches. The LkUGPase and RwUGPase have 299 and 306 amino acids, respectively. Both UGPase has the conserved UTP binding site (G-X-G-T-R-X-L-P) and the glucose -1-phosphate binding site (V-E-K-P). The LkUGPase and RwUGPase were cloned in E. coli, and SDS-PAGE analysis showed the expression of both enzymes forming about 36 KDa of protein band after induction. LkUGPase and RwUGPase have an activity of 1549.95 and 671.53 U/mg, respectively. Currently, their kinetic properties are under investigation.

Keywords: UGPase, LkUGPase, RwUGPase, UDP-glucose, glycosylation

Procedia PDF Downloads 24

Authors: Raoudha Abdellaoui, Faycal Boughalleb, Zohra Chebil

Abstract:

In arid and semi-arid regions, salinity represents a major constraint towards plants’ growth. Stipa lagascae, a psammophile grass, is a promised species since its economic and ecological interests. Our study aims to explore the effects of different salt concentrations (0; 100; 200; 300 and 400 mM) on physiological, biochemical and anatomic parameters. Salt stress was applied on S. lagascae plants cultivated under controlled conditions. Results show that salinity reduces biomass production especially when plants are subjected to severe stress (>200 mM NaCl). Concerning the nutritional level, the fact of enriching soil with NaCl, leads to an accumulation of Na+ against other nutritional elements (K+, Ca2+). To maintain tissues hydration, S. lagascae established osmotic adaptation by accumulation of proline and soluble sugars. Salt stress affected significantly root and foliar anatomy. Indeed, plants increased their vessels’ diameter and mesophyll surface. S. lagascae plants reduced also the surface of the belluforme cells to defeat dehydration. According to our results, S. lagascae seems to be a tolerant plant at acceptable concentrations that do not exceed 6g/l.

Keywords: anatomical adaptations, mineral nutrition, plant growth, salt stress, stipa lagascae

Procedia PDF Downloads 265

Authors: Aastha Arora, Vikas Bhuria, Saurabh Singh, Uma Pathak, Shweta Mathur, Puja P. Hazari, Rajat Sandhir, Ravi Soni, Anant N. Bhatt, Bilikere S. Dwarakanath

Abstract:

Radiotherapy is an effective curative and palliative option for patients with thoracic malignancies. However, lung injury, comprising of pneumonitis and fibrosis, remains a significant clin¬ical complication of thoracic radiation, thus making it a dose-limiting factor. Also, injury to the lung is often reported as part of multi-organ failure in victims of accidental radiation exposures. Radiation induced inflammatory response in the lung, characterized by leukocyte infiltration and vascular changes, is an important contributing factor for the injury. Therefore, countermeasure agents to attenuate radiation induced inflammatory response are considered as an important approach to prevent chronic lung damage. Although Amifostine, the widely used, FDA approved radio-protector, has been found to reduce the radiation induced pneumonitis during radiation therapy of non-small cell lung carcinoma, its application during mass and field exposure is limited due to associated toxicity and ineffectiveness with the oral administration. The amifostine analogue (DRDE-30) overcomes this limitation as it is orally effective in reducing the mortality of whole body irradiated mice. The current study was undertaken to investigate the potential of DRDE-30 to ameliorate radiation induced lung damage. DRDE-30 was administered intra-peritoneally, 30 minutes prior to 13.5 Gy thoracic (60Co-gamma) radiation in C57BL/6 mice. Broncheo- alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were harvested at 12 and 24 weeks post irradiation for studying inflammatory and fibrotic markers. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, leukocyte count and protein content in BALF were used as parameters to evaluate lung vascular permeability. Inflammatory cell signaling (p38 phosphorylation) and anti-oxidant status (MnSOD and Catalase level) was assessed by Western blot, while X-ray CT scan, H & E staining and trichrome staining were done to study the lung architecture and collagen deposition. Irradiation of the lung increased the total protein content, LDH leakage and total leukocyte count in the BALF, reflecting endothelial barrier dysfunction. These disruptive effects were significantly abolished by DRDE-30, which appear to be linked to the DRDE-30 mediated abrogation of activation of the redox-sensitive pro- inflammatory signaling cascade, the MAPK pathway. Concurrent administration of DRDE-30 with radiation inhibited radiation-induced oxidative stress by strengthening the anti-oxidant defense system and abrogated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, which was associated with reduced vascular leak and macrophage recruitment to the lungs. Histopathological examination (by H & E staining) of the lung showed radiation-induced inflammation of the lungs, characterized by cellular infiltration, interstitial oedema, alveolar wall thickening, perivascular fibrosis and obstruction of alveolar spaces, which were all reduced by pre-administration of DRDE-30. Structural analysis with X-ray CT indicated lung architecture (linked to the degree of opacity) comparable to un-irradiated mice that correlated well with the lung morphology and reduced collagen deposition. Reduction in the radiation-induced inflammation and fibrosis brought about by DRDE-30 resulted in a profound increase in animal survival (72 % in the combination vs 24% with radiation) observed at the end of 24 weeks following irradiation. These findings establish the potential of the Amifostine analogue, DRDE-30, in reducing radiation induced pulmonary injury by attenuating the inflammatory and fibrotic responses.

Keywords: amifostine, fibrosis, inflammation, lung injury radiation

Procedia PDF Downloads 510

Authors: Regina Kulugomba, Richard Blanchard, Harold Mapoma, Gregory Gamula, Stanley Mlatho

Abstract:

Malawi is a country with low energy access with only 10% of people having access to electricity and 97% of people relying on charcoal and fuel wood. The over dependence on the traditional biomass has brought in a number of negative consequences on people’s health and the environment. To curb the situation, the Government of Malawi (GoM), through its national policy of 2018 and charcoal strategies of 2007, identified biogas as a suitable alternative energy source for cooking. The GoM intends to construct tubular digesters across the country and one of the most crucial factors is the availability of livestock manure. The study was conducted to assess biogas potential from livestock manure by using Quantum Geographic information system (QGIS) software. Potential methane was calculated based on the population of livestock, amount of manure produced per capita and year, total solids, biogas yield and availability coefficient. The results of the study estimated biogas potential at 687 million m3 /year. Districts identified with highest biogas potential were Lilongwe, Ntcheu, Mangochi, Neno, Mwanza, Blantyre, Chiradzulu and Mulanje. The information will help investors and the Government of Malawi to locate potential sites for biogas plants installation.

Keywords: biogas, energy, feedstock, livestock

Procedia PDF Downloads 174

Authors: Sandeep Kaur

Abstract:

Phycoerythrin (PE) from the mesophilic filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc piscinale PUPCCC 405.17, a good producer of phycobiliproteins, has been characterized in terms of their unit assembly and stability. The phycoerythrin was extracted by freeze-thawing the cells in water, concentrated by ammonium sulphate fractionation and purified by anion exchange chromatography. The purification process resulted in 2.90 fold increase in phycoerythrin purity reaching to 1.54. Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate- Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis of purified PE demonstrated three protein bands of 14.3, 27.54 and 39.81 kDa. The native PE also showed one band of 125.87 kDa, assumed to be a dimer (αβ)2γ based on results of non-denaturing PAGE. Lyophilized powder PE was more stable compared to phycoerythrin in the solution. The half-life of dry PE is 80 days when stored at 4 °C under dark. The phycoerythrin from this organism has potential applications in food as natural colour and as a fluorescent marker.

Keywords: characterization, Nostoc piscinale, phycoerythrin, purification

Procedia PDF Downloads 140

Authors: Sujeeta Karki, Jeeban Poudel, Ja Hyung Choi, Sea Cheon Oh

Abstract:

A lab-scale fluidized bed was used for the study of sewage sludge, a non-lignocellulosic biomass, torrefaction. The influence of torrefaction temperature ranging from 200–350 °C and residence time of 0–50 minutes on the physical and chemical properties of the torrefied product was investigated. Properties of the torrefied product were analyzed on the basis of degree of torrefaction, ultimate and proximate analysis, gas analysis and chemical exergy. The degree of torrefaction and chemical exergy had a positive influence on increasing the torrefaction temperature. Moreover, the effect of torrefaction temperature and residence time on the elemental variation of sewage sludge exhibited an increase in the weight percentage of carbon while the content of H/C and O/C molar ratios decreased. The product gas emitted during torrefaction was analyzed to study the pathway of hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing compounds. The compounds with oxygen were emitted at higher temperatures in contrast to hydrocarbon gases. An attempt was made to obtain the chemical exergy of sewage sludge. In addition, the study of various correlations for predicting the calorific value of torrefied sewage sludge was made.

Keywords: chemical exergy, degree of torrefaction, fluidized bed, higher heating value (HHV), O/C and H/C molar ratios, sewage sludge

Procedia PDF Downloads 168

Authors: Ranjita Ghoshmoulick, Aswathi Madhavan, Subhavna Juneja, Prasenjit Sen, Jaydeep Bhattacharya

Abstract:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a very complex and multifactorial metabolic disease where the blood sugar level goes up. One of the major consequence of this elevated blood sugar is the formation of AGE (Advance Glycation Endproducts), from a series of chemical or biochemical reactions. AGE are detrimental because it leads to severe pathogenic complications. They are a group of structurally diverse chemical compounds formed from nonenzymatic reactions between the free amino groups (-NH2) of proteins and carbonyl groups (>C=O) of reducing sugars. The reaction is known as Maillard Reaction. It starts with the formation of reversible schiff’s base linkage which after sometime rearranges itself to form Amadori Product along with dicarbonyl compounds. Amadori products are very unstable hence rearrangement goes on until stable products are formed. During the course of the reaction a lot of chemically unknown intermediates and reactive byproducts are formed that can be termed as Early Glycation Products. And when the reaction completes, structurally stable chemical compounds are formed which is termed as Advanced Glycation Endproducts. Though all glycation products have not been characterized well, some fluorescence compounds e.g pentosidine, Malondialdehyde (MDA) or carboxymethyllysine (CML) etc as AGE and α-dicarbonyls or oxoaldehydes such as 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) etc as the intermediates have been identified. In this work Gold NanoParticle (GNP) was used as an optical indicator of glycation products. To achieve faster glycation kinetics and high AGE accumulation, fructose was used instead of glucose. Hemoglobin A0 (HbA0) was fructosylated by in-vitro method. AGE formation was measured fluorimetrically by recording emission at 450nm upon excitation at 350nm. Thereafter this fructosylated HbA0 was fractionated by column chromatography. Fractionation separated the proteinaceous substance from the AGEs. Presence of protein part in the fractions was confirmed by measuring the intrinsic protein fluorescence and Bradford reaction. GNPs were synthesized using the templates of chromatographically separated fractions of fructosylated HbA0. Each fractions gave rise to GNPs of varying color, indicating the presence of distinct set of glycation products differing structurally and chemically. Clear solution appeared due to settling down of particles in some vials. The reactive groups of the intermediates kept the GNP formation mechanism on and did not lead to a stable particle formation till Day 10. Whereas SPR of GNP showed monotonous colour for the fractions collected in case of non fructosylated HbA0. Our findings accentuate the use of GNPs as a simple colorimetric sensing platform for the identification of intermediates of glycation reaction which could be implicated in the prognosis of the associated health risk due to T2DM and others.

Keywords: advance glycation endproducts, glycation, gold nano particle, sensor

Procedia PDF Downloads 304

Authors: Mbaeyi-Nwaoha, Ifeoma Elizabeth, Orngu, Africa Orngu

Abstract:

Composite flours were processed from blends of yellow maize (Zea mays), sesame seed (Sesamum indicum) and oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) powder in the ratio of 80:20:0; 75:20:5; 70:20:10; 65:20:10 and 60:20:20, respectively to produce the breakfast cereal coded as YSB, SMB, TMB, PMB and OMB with YSB as the control. The breakfast cereals were produced by hydration and toasting of yellow maize and sesame to 160oC for 25 minutes and blended together with oven dried and packaged oyster mushroom. The developed products (flours and breakfast cereals) were analyzed for proximate composition, vitamins, minerals, anti-nutrients, phytochemicals, functional, microbial and sensory properties. Results for the flours showed: proximate composition (%): moisture (2.59-7.27), ash (1.29-7.57), crude fat (0.98-14.91), fibre (1.03-16.02), protein (10.13-35.29), carbohydrate (75.48-38.18) and energy (295.18-410.75kcal). Vitamins ranged as: vitamin A (0.14-9.03 ug/100g), vitamin B1 (0.14-0.38), vitamin B2 (0.07-0.15), vitamin B3(0.89-4.88) and Vitamin C (0.03-4.24). Minerals (mg/100g) were reported thus: calcium (8.01-372.02), potassium (1.40-1.85), magnesium (12.09-13.15), iron (1.23-5.25) and zinc (0.85-2.20). The results for anti-nutrients and phytochemical ranged from: tannin (1.50-1.61mg/g), Phytate (0.40-0.71mg/g), Oxalate(1.81-2.02mg/g), Flavonoid (0.21-1.27%) and phenolic (1.12-2.01%). Functional properties showed: bulk density (0.51-0.77g/ml), water absorption capacity (266.0-301.5%), swelling capacity (136.0-354.0%), least Gelation (0.55-1.45g/g) and reconstitution index (35.20-69.60%). The total viable count ranged from 6.4× 102to1.0× 103cfu/g while the total mold count was from 1.0× 10to 3.0× 10 cfu/g. For the breakfast cereals, proximate composition (%) ranged thus: moisture (4.07-7.08), ash (3.09-2.28), crude fat(16.04-12.83), crude fibre(4.30-8.22), protein(16.14-22.54), carbohydrate(56.34-47.04) and energy (434.34-393.83Kcal).Vitamin A (7.99-5.98 ug/100g), vitamin B1(0.08-0.42mg/100g), vitamin B2(0.06-0.15 mg/100g), vitamin B3(1.91-4.52 mg/100g) and Vitamin C(3.55-3.32 mg/100g) were reported while Minerals (mg/100g) were: calcium (75.31-58.02), potassium (0.65-4.01), magnesium(12.25-12.62), iron (1.21-4.15) and zinc (0.40-1.32). The anti-nutrients and phytochemical revealed the range (mg/g) as: tannin (1.12-1.21), phytate (0.69-0.53), oxalate (1.21-0.43), flavonoid (0.23-1.22%) and phenolic (0.23-1.23%). The bulk density (0.77-0.63g/ml), water absorption capacity (156.5-126.0%), swelling capacity (309.5-249.5%), least gelation (1.10-0.75g/g) and reconstitution index (49.95-39.95%) were recorded. From the total viable count, it ranged from 3.3× 102to4.2× 102cfu/g but no mold growth was detected. Sensory scores revealed that the breakfast cereals were acceptable to the panelist with oyster mushroom supplementation up to 10%.

Keywords: oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), sesame seed (Sesamum indicum), yellow maize (Zea mays, instant breakfast cereals

Procedia PDF Downloads 203

Authors: Sibel Silici

Abstract:

Palynological spectrum, proximate and fatty acids composition of eight beebread samples obtained from different geographical origins were determined. Beebread moisture contents varied between 11.4-15.9 %, ash 1.9-2.54 %, fat 5.9-11.5 %, and protein between 14.8-24.3 %. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating fatty acids (FAs) composition of the selected monofloral beebreads. A total of thirty-seven FAs were identified. Of these (9Z, 12Z, 15Z)-octadeca-9, 12, 15-trienoic acid, (9Z, 12Z)-octadeca-9, 12-dienoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, (Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid, (Z)-icos-11-enoic acid and octadecanoic acid were the most abundant in all the samples. Cotton beebread contained the highest level of ω-3 FAs, 41.3 %. Unsaturated/saturated FAs ratios ranged between 1.38 and 2.39 indicating that beebread is a good source of unsaturated FAs. The pollen, proximate and FAs composition of beebread samples of different botanical and geographical origins varied significantly.

Keywords: bee bread, fatty acid composition, proximate composition, pollen analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 260

Authors: Ruswanto Ruswanto, Richa Mardianingrum, Tita Nofianti, Nur Rahayuningsih

Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic disease as a result of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect all age groups, and hence, is a global health problem that causes the death of millions of people every year. One of the drugs used in tuberculosis treatment is isonicotinohydrazide. In this study, N'-benzoylisonicotinohydrazide derivative compounds (a-l) were prepared using acylation reactions between isonicotinohydrazide and benzoyl chloride derivatives, through the reflux method. Molecular docking studies suggested that all of the compounds had better interaction with Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) than isonicotinohydrazide. It can be concluded that N'-benzoylisonicotinohydrazide derivatives (a-l) could be used as anti-tuberculosis candidates. From the docking results revealed that all of the compounds interact well with InhA, with compound g (N'-(3-nitrobenzoyl)isonicotinohydrazide) exhibiting the best interaction.

Keywords: anti-tuberculosis , docking, InhA, N'-benzoylisonicotinohydrazide, synthesis

Procedia PDF Downloads 310

Authors: Dmitriy Berillo, Areej K. A. Al-Jwaid, Jonathan L. Caplin, Andrew Cundy, Irina Savina

Abstract:

Chlorophenols (CPs) are used as a precursor in the production of higher CPs and dyestuffs, and as a preservative. Contamination by CPs of the ground water is located in the range from 0.15-100mg/L. The EU has set maximum concentration limits for pesticides and their degradation products of 0.1μg/L and 0.5μg/L, respectively. People working in industries which produce textiles, leather products, domestic preservatives, and petrochemicals are most heavily exposed to CPs. The International Agency for Research on Cancers categorized CPs as potential human carcinogens. Existing multistep water purification processes for CPs such as hydrogenation, ion exchange, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption by activated carbon, forward and inverse osmosis, electrolysis, sonochemistry, UV irradiation, and chemical oxidation are not always cost effective and can cause the formation of even more toxic or mutagenic derivatives. Bioremediation of CPs derivatives utilizing microorganisms results in 60 to 100% decontamination efficiency and the process is more environmentally-friendly compared with existing physico-chemical methods. Microorganisms immobilized onto a substrate show many advantages over free bacteria systems, such as higher biomass density, higher metabolic activity, and resistance to toxic chemicals. They also enable continuous operation, avoiding the requirement for biomass-liquid separation. The immobilized bacteria can be reused several times, which opens the opportunity for developing cost-effective processes for wastewater treatment. In this study, we develop a bioremediation system for CPs based on macroporous materials, which can be efficiently used for wastewater treatment. Conditions for the preparation of the macroporous material from specific bacterial strains (Pseudomonas mendocina and Rhodococus koreensis) were optimized. The concentration of bacterial cells was kept constant; the difference was only the type of cross-linking agents used e.g. glutaraldehyde, novel polymers, which were utilized at concentrations of 0.5 to 1.5%. SEM images and rheology analysis of the material indicated a monolithic macroporous structure. Phenol was chosen as a model system to optimize the function of the cryogel material and to estimate its enzymatic activity, since it is relatively less toxic and harmful compared to CPs. Several types of macroporous systems comprising live bacteria were prepared. The viability of the cross-linked bacteria was checked using Live/Dead BacLight kit and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy, which revealed the presence of viable bacteria with the novel cross-linkers, whereas the control material cross-linked with glutaraldehyde(GA), contained mostly dead cells. The bioreactors based on bacteria were used for phenol degradation in batch mode at an initial concentration of 50mg/L, pH 7.5 and a temperature of 30°C. Bacterial strains cross-linked with GA showed insignificant ability to degrade phenol and for one week only, but a combination of cross-linking agents illustrated higher stability, viability and the possibility to be reused for at least five weeks. Furthermore, conditions for CPs degradation will be optimized, and the chlorophenol degradation rates will be compared to those for phenol. This is a cutting-edge bioremediation approach, which allows the purification of waste water from sustainable compounds without a separation step to remove free planktonic bacteria. Acknowledgments: Dr. Berillo D. A. is very grateful to Individual Fellowship Marie Curie Program for funding of the research.

Keywords: bioremediation, cross-linking agents, cross-linked microbial cell, chlorophenol degradation

Procedia PDF Downloads 213

Authors: Ajuna B. Henry

Abstract:

In recent decades, climate change has demanded biological pesticides; more Bt strains are being discovered worldwide, some containing novel insecticidal genes while others have been modified through molecular approaches for increased yield, toxicity, and wider host target. In this study, B. thuringiensis strain AH-2 (Bt-2) was isolated from the soil and tested for insecticidal activity against Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and Lepidoptera insect pests: fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) and diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella). A commercial strain B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Btk), and a chemical pesticide, imidacloprid (for Hemiptera) and chlorantraniliprole (for Lepidoptera), were used as positive control and the same media (without bacterial inoculum) as a negative control. For aphidicidal activity, Bt-2 caused a mortality rate of 70.2%, 78.1% or 88.4% in third instar nymphs of A. gossypii (3N) at 10%, 25% or 50% culture concentrations, respectively. Moreover, Bt-2 was effectively produced in cost-effective (PB) supplemented with either glucose (PBG) or sucrose (PBS) and maintained high aphicidal efficacy with 3N mortality rates of 85.9%, 82.9% or 82.2% in TSB, PBG or PBS media, respectively at 50% culture concentration. Bt-2 also suppressed adult fecundity by 98.3% compared to only 65.8% suppression by Btk at similar concentrations but was slightly lower than chemical treatment, which caused 100% suppression. Partial purification of 60 – 80% (NH4)2SO4 fraction of Bt-2 aphicidal proteins purified on anion exchange (DEAE-FF) column revealed a 105 kDa aphicidal protein with LC50 = 55.0 ng/µℓ. For Lepidoptera pests, chemical pesticide, Bt-2, and Btk cultures, mortality of 86.7%, 60%, and 60% in 3rd instar larvae of P. xylostella, and 96.7%, 80.0%, and 93.3% in 6th instar larvae of H. cunea, after 72h of exposure. When the entomopathogenic strains were cultured in a cost-effective PBG or PBS, the insecticidal activity in all strains was not significantly different compared to the use of a commercial medium (TSB). Bt-2 caused a mortality rate of 60.0%, 63.3%, and 50.0% against P. xylostella larvae and 76.7%, 83.3%, and 73.3% against H. cunea when grown in TSB, PBG, and PBS media, respectively. Bt-2 (grown in cost-effective PBG medium) caused a dose-dependent toxicity of 26.7%, 40.0%, and 63.3% against P. xylostella and 46.7%, 53.3%, and 76.7% against H. cunea at 10%, 25% and 50% culture concentration, respectively. The partially purified Bt-2 insecticidal proteins fractions F1, F2, F3, and F4 (extracted at different ratios of organic solvent) caused low toxicity (50.0%, 40.0%, 36.7%, and 30.0%) against P. xylostella and relatively high toxicity (56.7%, 76.7%, 66.7%, and 63.3%) against H. cunea at 100 µg/g of artificial diets. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that a128kDa protein is associated with toxicity of Bt-2. Our result demonstrates a medium and strong larvicidal activity of Bt-2 against P. xylostella and H. cunea, respectively. Moreover, Bt-2 could be potentially produced using a cost-effective PBG medium which makes it an effective alternative biocontrol strategy to reduce chemical pesticide application.

Keywords: biocontrol, insect pests, larvae/nymph mortality, cost-effective media, aphis gossypii, plutella xylostella, hyphantria cunea, bacillus thuringiensi

Procedia PDF Downloads 19

Authors: Dipti Yadav, Latha Rangan, Pinakeswar Mahanta

Abstract:

Recent fuel-development strategies to reduce oil dependency, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and utilize domestic resources have generated interest in the search for alternative sources of fuel supplies. Bioenergy production from lignocellulosic biomass has a great potential. Cellulose, hemicellulose and Lignin are main constituent of woods or agrowaste. In all the industries there are always left over or waste products mainly lignin, due to the heterogeneous nature of wood and pulp fibers and the heterogeneity that exists between individual fibers, no method is currently available for the quantitative isolation of native or residual lignin without the risk of structural changes during the isolation. The potential benefits from finding alternative uses of lignin are extensive, and with a double effect. Lignin can be used to replace fossil-based raw materials in a wide range of products, from plastics to individual chemical products, activated carbon, motor fuels and carbon fibers. Furthermore, if there is a market for lignin for such value-added products, the mills will also have an additional economic incentive to take measures for higher energy efficiency. In this study residual lignin were isolated from areca nut shells by acid hydrolysis and were analyzed and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), LCMS and complexity of its structure investigated by NMR.

Keywords: Areca nut, Lignin, wood, bioenergy

Procedia PDF Downloads 474

Authors: Malith Premarathne, Shehan Bandara, Kaushalya G. Batawala, Thilini U. Ariyadasa

Abstract:

The rapid depletion of fossil fuel supplies and the emission of carbon dioxide by their continued combustion have paved the way for increased production of carbon-neutral biodiesel from naturally occurring oil sources. The high biomass growth rate and lipid production of microalgae make it a viable source for biodiesel production compared to conventional feedstock. In Sri Lanka, the production of biodiesel by employing indigenous microalgae species is at its emerging stage. This work was an attempt to compare the various pre-treatment methods before extracting lipids such as autoclaving, microwaving and sonication. A mixed culture of microalgae predominantly consisting of Chlorella sp. was obtained from Beire Lake which is an algae rich, organically polluted water body located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. After each pre-treatment method, a standard solvent extraction using Bligh and Dyer’s method was used to compare the total lipid content in percentage dry weight (% dwt). The fatty acid profiles of the oils extracted with each pretreatment method were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The properties of the biodiesels were predicted by Biodiesel Analyzer© Version 1.1, in order to compare with ASTM 6751-08 biodiesel standard.

Keywords: biodiesel, lipid extraction, microalgae, pre-treatment

Procedia PDF Downloads 177

Authors: Gaoyuan Wang, Tian Chen, Junnan Liu

Abstract:

Facing a period of major change that’s rarely seen in a century, China formulates the 14th Five-Year Plan and places emphasis on promoting high-quality development. In this context, the overall urban design has become a crucial and systematic tool for high-quality urban development. However, there are bottlenecks in the nature definition, content scope and transmission mechanisms of the current overall urban design in China. The paper interprets the emerging demands of the 14th Five-Year Plan on urban design in terms of new value-quality priority, new dynamic-space performance, new target-region coordination and new path-refined governance. Based on the new trend and appeal, the multi-dimensional thinking integrated with the major tasks of urban design are proposed accordingly, which is the biomass thinking in ecological, production and living element, the strategic thinking in spatial structure, the systematic thinking in the cityscape, the low-carbon thinking in urban form, the governance thinking in public space, the user thinking in design implementation. The paper explores the possibility of transforming the value thinking and technical system of urban design in China and provides a breakthrough path for the urban planning and design industry to better respond to the propositions of the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan.

Keywords: China’s 14th five-year plan, overall urban design, urban design thinking, transformation of urban design

Procedia PDF Downloads 266