A green separation process for recovery of healthy oil from pumpkin seed

In this study, pumpkin seeds, called as “Ürgüp Sivrisi” and grown in Cappadocia region, were used as plant materials because of high aroma contents. In the supercritical fluid extraction of pumpkin seed oil, the effect of main process parameters as the particle size (250-2360 μm), the volumetric flow rate of supercritical solvent (0.06-0.30 L/h), the operating pressure (20-50 MPa), the operating temperature (40-70 °C), the type of entrainer (ethanol and n-hexane) and those concentrations (0-10 vol.%) on the extraction yield, the oil solubility and the initial extraction rate were investigated. A cross-over effect for the extraction of pumpkin seed oil using supercritical CO₂ was determined at the operating pressure of 20-30 MPa. The maximum extraction yield obtained with entrainer free was reached 0.50 g oil/g dry seed at 600-1180 μm, 0.12 L/h, 50 MPa and 70 °C for the operation time of 5 h. The maximum extraction yield obtained with ethanol as an entrainer in the experiments was reached 0.54 g oil/g dry seed at the conditions of 600-1180 μm, 0.12 L/h, 30 MPa, 40 °C and 8 vol.% for the operating time of 2 h. The oil compositions were determined by gas chromatography analysis and the results showed that the compositions of pumpkin seed oil which were obtained by means of organic solvent extraction and supercritical fluid extraction were similar. The average oil compositions determined as 9.3 (±0.43)% palmitic acid, 7.5 (±0.6)% stearic acid, 32.3 (±0.6)% oleic acid, 48.1 (±0.6)% linoleic acid and 0.7 (±0.3)% linolenic acid. The morphological changes in the seeds were determined by the scanning electron microscopy analysis.     

Comparison on efficiency factors of F and C types of fly ashes

Fly ashes are obtained from thermal power plants and they are pozzolanic materials, which can act as partial replacement material for both portland cement and fine aggregate. With their economical advantages and potential for improving fresh and hardened concrete performance, they have some benefits for using in concrete industry. In this study, the objective was to find the efficiency factors of Turkish C and F-type fly ashes and to compare their properties. Three different cement dosages were used (260, 320, 400 kg/m³), two different ratios (10% and 17%) of cement reduced from the control concretes and three different ratios (depending on cement reduction ratio) of fly ash were added into the mixtures. At the ages of 28 and 90 days, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and ultrasound velocity tests were carried out. From the compressive strength results, the k efficiency factors of C and F-type fly ashes were obtained. As a result, it is seen that efficiency factors of the concrete produced by the replacement of F and C type fly ashes with cement increase with the increase in cement dosage and concrete age.     

L-cystein modified bentonite-cellulose nanocomposite (cellu/cys-bent) for adsorption of Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ ions from aqueous solution

In this study, L-cystein modified bentonite-cellulose (cellu/cys-bent) nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM with EDS, TGA, and TEM techniques. In order to optimize the process the effect of various operational parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature were also investigated. The adsorption experiments were carried out in initial concentrations range of 20-100 mg L^?1and the adsorbent affinity for metal ions was found to be in order of Cu²⁺ > Pb²⁺ > Cd²⁺. The optimum pH for adsorption of Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ was observed at 5 while for Pb²⁺ it was pH 6. Based on the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity of Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺ at 50^?C was found to be 32.36, 18.52, and 16.12 mg g^?1, respectively. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order model were found to be better fitted than the other isotherms and kinetic models. The results of thermodynamic parameters confirmed the process to be endothermic and spontaneous in nature.     

Aloe vera gel: a new thickening agent for pigment printing

An attempt was made to print cotton fabric with pigments using a new thickening agent based on Aloe vera gel in combination with sodium alginate. The results were compared with the standard conventional printing recipe containing synthetic thickener, and a favourable effect of Aloe vera introduction was achieved. The results show that the properties of the printed fabric (sharpness, colour yield, overall fastness properties, softness, and water vapour transmission) are dependent on the percentage of Aloe vera gel in the thickener combination, the concentration of printing auxiliaries, and the curing conditions. Optimal printing properties were achieved by using a printing paste containing 80% Aloe vera/20% sodium alginate (700 g kg^?1), pigment (50 g kg^?1), binder (145 g kg^?1), fixer (10 g kg^?1), and ammonium sulfate (5 g kg^?1), followed by drying at 85 °C for 5 min and curing at 150 °C for 3 min. The sample printed with the new recipe showed superior rubbing fastness and handle properties, with a slightly lower colour yield, when compared with the sample printed with synthetic thickener. Finally, economic issues arising from synthetic thickener substitution are highlighted.     

Synthesis of a terpolymer and a tetrapolymer using monomers of diallylamine salts and SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and their application as antiscalants

An aqueous solution of diallylammonium salts (CH₂ = CHCH₂)₂NH⁺(CH₂)₃A^? having A^? as: CO₂ ^? (I), PO₃H₂ Cl^? (II) and SO₃ ^? (III) in 1:1:1 mol ratio underwent ammonium persulfate-initiated ter cyclopolymerization to yield pH-responsive zwitterionic polymer IV with random placements of the monomers in the same ratio. During dialysis, PO₃H₂Cl^? of the incorporated monomer units of II upon depletion of HCl became PO₃H^?. Likewise, azobisisobutyronitrile-initiated cyclopolymerization of I, II, III, and SO₂ in a mole ratio of 1:1:1:3 provided pH-responsive tetrapolymer V in over 90 % yield with random and alternative placements of I–III and SO₂ units, respectively, in the same ratio as the feed. Polyzwitterions (PZs) IV and V were insoluble in salt-free water but soluble in the presence of salts. The critical salt concentrations required to promote water solubility of PZ IV were determined to be 0.356 M NaCl, 0.237 M NaBr and 0.128 M NaI, whereas for PZ V the corresponding values were found to be 2.25, 1.26 and 0.862 M, respectively. PZs IV and V were converted into anionic polyelectrolytes VI and VII upon basification with NaOH. The viscosity and antiscalant behaviors of VI and VII were examined. The polymers demonstrated remarkable scale inhibition efficacies; at a dose of 10 ppm, both IV (+NaOH) and V (+NaOH) delayed the precipitation of CaSO₄ from its supersaturated solution up to 920 and over 4000 min, respectively. For a small concentration of 5 ppm of polymer V, a scale inhibition of 100 % over 100 min verified it to be a potential effective antiscalant additive in reverse osmosis plants.     

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of a Metakaolin-Based Inorganic Polymer Mortar Reinforced with Quartz Sand

Silicon - The synthesis, mechanical behaviour, and microstructure of metakaolin-based geopolymer mortar reinforced with quartz sand are presented in this investigation. Fine sand (quartz sand)...     

Efficient loading and entrapment of tamoxifen in human serum albumin based nanoparticulate delivery system by a modified desolvation technique

Herein, the poorly water-soluble drug, Tamoxifen (Tmx), was loaded in the amphipathic matrix of human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles by a modified desolvation method. In order to enhance the drug loading (DL) and drug entrapment efficiency (DEE) (<2% and 10%, respectively), ultrasonication of Tmx-HSA mixture was performed prior to desolvation process. Tmx loading and entrapment efficiency were optimized by employment of the response surface methodology (RSM)-central composite design (CCD) of experiments. Under the optimum conditions of 1.59 mg Tmx/ml concentration, 7.76 pH and 5 h incubation of HSA-Tmx, the DL of 6.7% and DEE of 74% are achievable. Particles with the average size of 195 nm, zeta potential of −21 mV and polydispersity index of 0.09 were produced under these conditions. A more sustained Tmx release behavior was observed from polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated nanoparticles in comparison to the non-PEGylated ones. The short-term stability investigation showed no alteration in physicochemical properties of nanoparticles at 4 and 37 °C, but small increase in nanoparticles size was observed after three months of storage at room temperature. This is the first report for efficient production of a Tmx delivery system based on HSA nanoparticles.     

Structural and magnetic properties of Pr–Ni substituted Ca0.5Ba0.5Fe12O19 hexa-ferrite nanoparticles

Effect of Pr–Ni substitution on structural and magnetic properties of Ca_0.5Ba_0.5−xPr_xNi_yFe_12−yO₁₉ (x=0.00–0.10 and y=0.00–1.00) prepared by the sol–gel auto combustion method were investigated. The XRD analysis confirmed the single phase M-type hexa-ferrite structure. The lattice parameters were found to increase as Pr–Ni content increases, which is attributed to the ionic size of the implicated cations. The Pr–Ni seems to be completely soluble in the lattice. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the grain size decreases with increase of Pr–Ni substitution. The coercivity and remanent magnetization ranges from 1511 to 1925 (Oe) and 21.4 to 26.5 (emu/g), respectively. The coercivity values of all the samples fall in the range of M-type hexa-ferrites.     

Numerical Simulation of a Solar Kiln Design for Drying Timber with Different Geographical and Climatic Conditions in Australia

A numerical simulation for the modeling of solar kilns for hardwood timber drying with different boundary conditions has been developed in this work. This simulation has been used to predict the key behavior of the wood and the kiln itself under different geographical and weather conditions in Australia. This work, therefore, enables a site to be suggested that is likely to give the best kiln performance both in terms of the productivity and the quality of the end-use product. As test cases, realistic climatic conditions for three representative geographical locations in Australia, including Sydney (latitude 33.86°S), Melbourne (37.81°S), and Brisbane (27.46°S), have been considered in this simulation. Out of the three sites considered in this work, the fastest drying rates (and highest diffusion coefficients) were predicted in Brisbane. The highest level of instantaneous strain in the timber for this location was also predicted to be 0.0075 m/m, which is much less than the failure value (0.02 m/m). The moisture content distribution profile within the boards toward the end of the drying period was found to be almost uniform, which is likely to cause low degrade in the dried timber.