Differentiation of mixtures of monovarietal olive oils by mid‐infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy in combination with chemometric techniques has become a useful tool for authenticity determination of extra‐virgin olive oils. Spectroscopic analysis of monovarietal extra‐virgin olive oils obtained from three different olive cultivars (Erkence, Ayvalik and Nizip) and mixtures (Erkence‐Nizip and Ayvalik‐Nizip) of monovarietal olive oils was performed with an FT‐IR spectrometer equipped with a ZnSe attenuated total reflection sample accessory and a deuterated tri‐glycine sulfate detector. Using spectral data, principal component analysis successfully classified each cultivar and differentiated the mixtures from pure monovarietal oils. Quantification of two different monovarietal oil mixtures (2–20%) is achieved using partial least square (PLS) regression models. Correlation coefficients (R²) of the proposed PLS regression models are 0.94 and 0.96 for the Erkence‐Nizip and Ayvalik‐Nizip mixtures, respectively. Cross‐validation was applied to check the goodness of fit for the PLS regression models, and R² of the cross‐validation was determined as 0.84 and 0.91, respectively, for the two mixtures.     

Steam Assisted Hybrid Cooking Behavior of Semitendinosus Muscle: Heterocyclic Amines Formation,Soluble Protein Degradation,Fat Retention,Surface Color,and Cooking Value

Beef (Semitendinosus muscle) was cooked in natural convection, forced convection and steam assisted hybrid oven and saturated steam oven at different oven temperatures until the geometric center of samples reached different end temperatures. Heterocyclic amine (HCA) compounds formation, soluble protein degradation kinetics, cook value, changes in fat content, surface colour and overall acceptance of cooked beef were determined. Soluble protein degradation of beef was considered as first order reaction kinetics and the reaction rate constants, k, were determined in the range of 0.014-0.052 min^?1. In steam assisted hybrid oven had higher reaction rate constants compared to that of the convection ovens. The effect of cooking temperature on soluble protein degradation for natural convection, forced convection and steam assisted hybrid oven followed the Arrhenius type of equation with activation energies of 12.45, 14.57 and 60.16 kJ/mol, respectively. Lower HCAs contents, shorter cooking times, lower cook values and lower fat retention were obtained by steam assisted hybrid oven cooking. Steam assisted hybrid cooking could be considered as an alternative cooking method to obtain a healthier product without compromising the eating habits of conventional methods due to better appearance (moderate burned surface) than saturated steam oven samples and a product retaining the most of the nutritional values.     

Assessment of wind power potential for turbine installation in coastal areas of Turkey

This paper analyses the potential and the feasibility basis for the wind energy resources in some locations of coastal regions of Turkey. The dominant wind directions, the mean values, wind speeds, wind potential and the frequency distributions were determined. The results showed that Bal?kesir and Çanakkale among annual averages show higher value of mean wind speed. The mean annual value of Weibull shape parameter k is between 1.54 and 1.86 while the annual value of scale parameter c is between 2.52 m/s and 8.34 m/s. A technical assessment has been made of electricity generation from four wind turbines having capacity of 600 kW, 1500 kW, 2000 kW and 2500 kW. The yearly energy output and capacity factor for the four different turbines were calculated.     

Active packaging of ground beef patties by edible zein films incorporated with partially purified lysozyme and Na2EDTA

In this study, antimicrobial activity of zein films incorporated with partially purified lysozyme and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Na₂EDTA) has been tested on selected pathogenic bacteria and refrigerated ground beef patties. The developed films containing 700 μg cm^?2 lysozyme and 300 μg cm^?2 Na₂EDTA showed antimicrobial activity on Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella typhimurium. The application of lysozyme and Na₂EDTA incorporated zein films on beef patties significantly decreased total viable counts (TVC) and total coliform counts after 5 days of storage compared to those of control patties (P < 0.05). Zein films incorporated with lysozyme and Na₂EDTA or Na₂EDTA alone significantly slowed down the oxidative changes in patties during storage (P < 0.05). Redness indices of patties coated with zein films were significantly lower than those of uncoated control patties during storage (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated the potential usage of zein films containing lysozyme and Na₂EDTA for active packaging of refrigerated meat products.     

Promising anode candidates for direct ethanol fuel cell: Carbon supported PtSn-based trimetallic catalysts prepared by Bönnemann method

To find an efficient anode catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation, several trimetallic PtSnM/C (M = Ni, Co, Rh, Pd) and their corresponding bimetallic PtX/C (X = Sn, Ni, Co, Rh, Pd) catalysts were synthesized by Bönnemann's colloidal precursor method and evaluated by comparing their electrocatalytic activity using conventional electrochemical techniques. For better understanding of the catalyst deactivation during the ethanol electrooxidation, chronoamperometric test was also combined to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. A significant finding is that trimetallic compositions PtSnCo/C and PtSnNi/C have enhanced activity compared to that of PtSn/C, with lower onset potential for ethanol electrooxidation and notably improved peak current densities. Thus the presence of Ni and Co heteroatom seems to promote C–C bond cleavage and facilitate the removal from the catalyst surface of adsorbed intermediates. These trends are satisfactorily confirmed by testing in a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC), since trimetallic PtSnNi/C and PtSnCo/C anode catalysts have significantly higher overall performance and peak power density than Pt/C, PtSn/C or other trimetallic catalyst compositions PtSnRh/C or PtSnPd/C. Furthermore, the presence of Ni or Co helps to improve the weak stability of PtSn/C by providing a stronger Pt–carbon support interaction. XPS results revealed that the surface Pt/Sn atomic ratio of PtSnNi/C catalyst only slightly decreased even after 12 h at 500 mV. On the other hand, a higher concentration of oxide species appeared on the treated PtSn/C surface as a result of a high degradation of carbon support.     

Hydrogen desorption kinetics of MgH2 synthesized from modified waste magnesium

In the present study, hydrogen desorption properties of magnesium hydride (MgH₂) synthesized from modified waste magnesium chips (WMC) were investigated. MgH₂ was synthesized by hydrogenation of modified waste magnesium at 320 °C for 90 min under a pressure of 6 × 10⁶ Pa. The modified waste magnesium was prepared by mixing waste magnesium with tetrahydrofuran (THF) and NaCl additions, applying mechanical milling. Next, it was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques in order to characterize its structural properties. Hydrogen desorption properties were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under nitrogen atmosphere at different heating rates (5, 10, and 15 °C/min). Doyle and Kissenger non-isothermal kinetic models were applied to calculate energy (E _a ) values, which were found equal to 254.68 kJ/mol and 255.88 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Use of ozone for the preparation of functional silk fibroin-based biomaterial loaded with bioactive compounds for biomedical applications

Silk fibroin (SF) can be used for the preparation of porous functional biomaterials due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and minimal in?ammatory reactions. High porosity and homogenous interconnected pore structure is a challenge for the preparation of porous biomaterials. Porous SF foam materials can be formed by bubbling inert gases through aqueous solutions and subsequent freeze drying process. In this study, SF foam structures were prepared by first purging ozone gas and then freeze drying of this ozone-treated aqueous SF solution. Resulting porous materials were efficiently loaded with plant extract for the preparation of functional biomaterials having antimicrobial properties. The interactions of SF with ozone led to chemical modifications that improved both foaming and hydrophobic properties. Intensive ozone treatment caused the crystallinity degree of untreated SF to decrease from 48% to 42%. Ozone treatment also resulted in a significant reduction in surface tyrosine content from 55% to 43%. The use of ozone gas for the preparation of SF foam material enhanced the adsorption capacity of phenolic compounds. The enhancement in the adsorption of phenolic compounds on SF foam structure can be attributed to the oxidation-dependent increase in hydrophobicity.     

Techno‐economic optimization model for “sustainable” insulation material developed for energy efficiency

Renewable insulation materials are produced within the scope of this study using clay, fly ash, expanded perlite, epoxidized hemp oil, and hemp fiber. Density, thermal conductivity, and compressive‐tensile strength of the produced materials are analyzed. Economic and environmental analysis of the best sample with the most appropriate characteristics for an insulation material is conducted using a hybrid mathematical model developed for this study. Mathematical formulas of an economic evaluation technique of P₁‐P₂ method is integrated into Simulated Annealing Algorithm as one of the metaheuristic optimization approaches. Applicability of the proposed material for externally insulated walls is tested. For this purpose, optimum insulation thickness, payback period, energy savings for 10 years of lifetime, and CO₂‐SO₂ emissions were calculated for 5 types of energy sources along with a sensitivity analysis. This method is developed and coded in a software platform and used for the first time for the optimization of insulation material thickness. The experimental results obtained from evaluation of the sample H36 indicate that using this material for insulation purposes in the buildings have the potential of making significant contribution for energy efficiency along with various environmental benefits.