Enhancement of biohydrogen production from sustainable orange peel wastes using Enterobacter species isolated from domestic wastewater

Five facultative anaerobic bacterial isolates were recovered from domestic wastewater. These isolates were identified based on the 16S rRNA as Enterobacter aerogenes (one isolate), Enterobacter cloacae (two isolates), and Cronobacter sakazakii (three isolates). These isolates were examined for their potential to evolve hydrogen on a glucose medium. The most potent hydrogen‐producing isolates, E aerogenes (KY549389) and E cloacae (KY524293), were examined for their capacity to generate hydrogen, acetone, butanol, and ethanol using orange peel (OP) hydrolysate. OP powder was pretreated with n‐hexane to remove the toxicity of d ‐limonene. Different concentrations (4%, 6%, and 8% w/v) of limonene‐free OP were subjected to the boiling water (temperature of 100°C) or acid (HCl) treatments. The maximum fermentative H₂ production of 1700 and 1620 mL/L was obtained from 6% OP hydrolysate extracted with boiling water using facultative anaerobic E aerogenes (KY549389) and E cloacae (KY524293), respectively. Hydrogen production efficiency was 0.99 and 1.19 mol H₂/mol glucose for E aerogenes and E cloacae, respectively. The total fermentative acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) generated by E aerogenes and E cloacae were 0.78 and 0.38 g/L including acetone (0.05 and 0.04 g/L), butanol (0.011 and 0.013 g/L), and ethanol (0.71 and 0.32 g/L), respectively. The maximum ABE productivity was 0.01 and 0.005 g/L/h generated at 60 g/L OP hydrolysate by E aerogenes and E cloacae, respectively. These strains were positive for nitrogen fixation (nitrogenase) capability estimated by the acetylene reduction assay. Application of OP hydrolysate without the addition of any nutritional components or reducing agent is considered an eco‐friendly, economical, and commercial substrate for desired biofuel production.     

Thermo-economics analysis of a cane bio-refinery

A cane bio-refinery consists of the following components: sugar mill, distillery, refinery and cogeneration power plant. The latter supplies electricity and process heat needed by the other components of the bio-refinery. Although process heat and electricity have the same units of energy, they are of different quality levels. Appropriate attention can be directed to those components causing major exergy loss. Furthermore, a device/system can be exergy efficient but may not be cost-effective. Thus, the financial implications need also to be assessed. The performance of an existing cane bio-refinery was assessed on the basis of thermo-economics analysis. It was found that the addition of an evaporator of the falling film thin type in the sugar mill would not only reduce the exergy loss but would also generate more revenues. A better-informed decision could be made for the optimisation of a bio-refinery.     

Biodegradation of low‐density polyethylene/thermoplastic starch foams before and after electron beam irradiation

Foamy low‐density polyethylene/plasticized starch (LDPE/PLST) blends at different compositions were produced in the presence of azodicarbonamide (ACA) compound as foaming agent. The LDPE/PLST blends before and after electron beam irradiation were investigated in terms of mechanical properties, bulk density, and structure morphology. Moreover, the biodegradability of these materials was evaluated by the soil burial test for 2 months, in which the buried sheets were also examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the increase of PLST content from 24 to 30% was accompanied by a decrease in the yield and break stresses of 10 and 20% for the unirradiated blends without the foaming agent, respectively. Further decrease in these mechanical parameters was observed after the foaming process. The bulk density, void fraction, cell size measurements as well as the examination by SEM illustrate clearly the cell growth of the foam structure. The soil burial test and SEM micrographs indicate the growth of microorganisms overall the blend sheets and that the blend was completely damaged after two months of burying. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Effects of lupin oil on carp lipids during chilling 1. Changes in lipid class composition

The effect of lupin (Lupinus termis) oil on the muscle lipids of carp (Cyprinus carpio) during chilling was studied. During chilling, total lipids decreased whereas triglycerides remained almost constant. Neither the behavior of total lipids nor that of triglycerides during chilling was affected by the composition of the dietary lipids. The proportions of ?free”? fatty acids increased and the proportions of phospholipids decreased during chilling. These changes were markedly affected by the composition of the diet.     

Electrical double-layer capacitors: evaluation of ageing phenomena during cycle life testing

This paper represents an assessment of the main ageing phenomena in electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). In this study the cycle life of the EDLC cells with a rated capacitance of 1,600 F has been investigated at different ambient temperatures and current rates. From the experimental results we can observe that the impact of the high ambient temperature is significant on the cycle life of the cells. Moreover, the results also show the negative impact of the current rate. The internal resistance tests showed that the increase of the resistance is much higher than the decrease of the capacitance. Thus, the ageing of the EDLC during cycling was clearly non-linear. Further the EIS measurements indicated the higher increase of the imaginary part of the impedance at low frequencies during cycling, which indicates the capacitance fade.     

Effectiveness of some diquaternary ammonium surfactants as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 0.5 M HCl solution

Four Gemini surfactants were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The synthesized compounds were evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 0.5 M HCl solution. The inhibition efficiencies of the tested inhibitors were depended on the hydrophobic chain length and the used doses of the inhibitors. The polarization measurements showed that these inhibitors are acting as mixed inhibitors for both anodic and cathodic reactions. The results showed that the inhibition efficiencies were increased by increasing the inhibitor doses and the hydrophobic chain length and reached the maximum at 500 ppm by weight for stearyl derivative. The efficiencies obtained from the impedance measurements were in good agreement with those obtained from the gravimetrical and polarization techniques which prove the validity of these tolls in the measurements of the tested inhibitors.     

Muscle tissue structural changes and texture development in sea bream, Sparus aurata L., during post-mortem storage

Sea bream, Sparus aurata L., specimens were studied in pre-rigor (3 h) and during the following post-mortem days: 1, 5, 10, 15 and 22. Muscle and textural parameters were evaluated on 6 specimens/stage. Structural results showed scarce fibre-to-fibre detachment on pre-rigor, which increased during the post-mortem degradation. Ultrastructural changes revealed rapid muscle degradation. In pre-rigor myofibrils were detached to both sarcolemma and endomysium. Intermyofibrillar spaces increased and some mitochondriae and sarcoplasmic reticulum were swollen. After 1 day, the sarcolemma appeared occasionally disrupted and the interfibrillar spaces increased. From 5 to 10 days, the I-band and Z line presented some alterations, although these were more severe at 15-22 days. Thus, in these two last stages, loss of I-band, Z line and actin filaments was observed, that coincides with the alteration of the hexagonal arrangement in these advanced stages. Also, the fragmentation of myofibrils increased from 5 to 10 days on. Sarcolemma and endomysium were gradually disrupted throughout the post-mortem stages with total loss at 22 days. Consequently, the interfibrillar spaces increased at last stages. Autophagic mechanisms increased from 5 days on, with an intense destruction of all the intracytoplasmic organelles. Textural parameters decreased from pre-rigor until 5-10 days, mainly associated to detachment of myofibers to sarcolemma-endomysium.     

Electrodeposited composite coating of Ni-W-P with nano-sized rod- and spherical-shaped SiC particles

In this research, Ni-W-P-SiC nanocomposite coatings are electrodeposited from the plating solution containing suspension of nano-sized spherical- and rod-shaped SiC particles. The influence of SiC particle charge, applied current density, surfactant addition and the particle shape on the SiC incorporation rate has been studied. The phase structure, microhardness and wear resistance of Ni-W-P-SiC nanocomposite coatings were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), microhardness tester and wear test apparatus. The surface morphology of the produced coatings and worn surfaces has been investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Additionally, the composite coating exhibited higher hardness and wear resistance than the pure Ni-W-P alloy. Regardless the particle shape, the mechanical characteristics of composite coatings are improved with increasing of SiC wt.% into the matrix. The corrosion behavior of the produced coatings was studied using anodic polarization measurements. The nanocomposite coating incorporating SiC rods exhibited higher mechanical and corrosion performance compared with deposits with spherical SiC nano-particles.