Performance evaluation of a submerged membrane bioreactor for the treatment of brackish oil and natural gas field produced water

Produced water, which is co-produced during oil and gas manufacturing, represents one of the largest sources of oily wastewaters. Therefore, treatment of this produced water may improve the economic viability and lead to a new source of water for beneficial use. In this study a submerged hollow fiber membrane bioreactor (MBR) has been studied experimentally for the treatment of brackish oil and natural gas field produced water. This type of wastewater is also characterized with relatively moderate to high amount of salt, oil and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH). However, the bacteria which are growing in conventional activated sludge and MBR cannot survive at these strict conditions, therefore acclimation of the bacteria is of vital importance. The performance of the biological system, membrane permeability, the rate and extent of TPH biodegradability have been investigated under different sludge age and F/M ratios. The results obtained by gas chromatography analyses showed that the MBR system could be very effective in the removal of TPH from produced water and a significant improvement in the effluent quality was achieved.     

Occurrence of phthalate metabolites in human urine from several Asian countries

The occurrence of 14 phthalate metabolites was found in human urine samples collected from seven Asian countries: China, India, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Phthalate metabolites were found in all samples, indicating widespread exposure of humans to phthalates in these Asian countries. The highest total (the sum of 14 phthalates) phthalate metabolite concentrations were found in samples collected from Kuwait (median: 1050 ng/mL), followed in decreasing order by samples from India (389 ng/mL), China (234 ng/mL), Vietnam (133 ng/mL), Japan (120 ng/mL), Korea (117 ng/mL), and Malaysia (94.9 ng/mL). The creatinine-adjusted median concentrations of total phthalates for urine samples from Kuwait, India, China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia were 692, 506, 289, 119, 103, 104, and 169 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Monomethyl phthalate (mMP), monoethyl phthalate (mEP), mono (2-isobutyl phthalate) (miBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP), and metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the dominant compounds, collectively accounting for >95% of the total concentrations in the samples from the seven countries. The profiles of urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations varied among the samples collected from the seven countries. Urine samples from Kuwait contained the highest concentrations of mEP (median: 391 ng/mL), mBP (94.1 ng/mL), and the metabolites of DEHP (202 ng/mL), whereas samples from China and Japan contained the highest concentrations of miBP (50.8 ng/mL) and mMP (17.5 ng/mL), respectively. mEP was the predominant metabolite in urine samples from India and Kuwait (accounting for 49% of the total), mBP and miBP were the predominant compounds in samples from China (52%), and DEHP metabolites were the predominant compounds in samples from Korea (46%) and Vietnam (52%). Based on the urinary concentrations of mEP, mBP, miBP, and DEHP metabolites of the samples from the seven Asian countries, we estimated daily intake rates of diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and DEHP. The results indicated that people in the seven Asian countries are exposed to DEP, DBP, and DEHP at levels well below the reference doses (RfD) suggested as unsafe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The estimated exposure doses to DEHP in Kuwait, however, were above the RfD recommended by the EPA.     

Diversity and functional characteristics of lactic acid bacteria from traditional kefir grains

Traditional kefir grains were collected from distinct parts of Turkey, and their microbial profile was determined. A wide bacterial biota was observed formed by distinct lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in which Lactococcus lactis strains appeared to be dominant. Yeast species were also identified in kefir grains. Significant levels of antifungal and antibacterial activities were monitored in kefir isolates. All tested LAB produced an exopolysaccharide (EPS) containing glucose and galactose, and some strains formed a fructan‐type EPS. Importantly, low levels of antibiotic resistance were observed among the kefir isolates.     

Thermally exfoliated graphene oxide reinforced fluorinated pentablock poly(l‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone) electrospun scaffolds: Insight into antimicrobial activity and biodegradation

Three‐dimensional fluorinated pentablock poly(l ‐lactide‐co‐ε‐caprolactone)‐based scaffolds were successfully produced by the incorporation of thermally exfoliated graphene oxide (TEGO) as an antimicrobial agent with an electrospinning technique. In a ring‐opening polymerization, the fluorinated groups in the middle of polymer backbone were attached with a perfluorinated reactive stabilizer having oxygen‐carrying ability. The fiber diameter and its morphologies were optimized through changes in TEGO amount, voltage, polymer concentration, and solvent type to obtain an ideal scaffold structure. Instead of the widely used graphene oxide synthesized by Hummer's method, TEGO sheets having a low amount of oxygen produced by thermal expansion were integrated into the fiber structure to investigate the effect of the oxygen functional groups of TEGO sheets on the degradation and antimicrobial activity of the scaffolds. There was no antimicrobial activity in TEGO‐reinforced scaffolds in the in vitro tests in contrast to the literature. This study confirmed that a low number of oxygen functional groups on the surface of TEGO restricted the antimicrobial activity of the fabricated composite scaffolds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43490.     

Surface-modified alumina nanoparticles-filled aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites: preparation and mechanical properties

Iranian Polymer Journal - Surface of Al2O3 nanoparticles was modified with a silane coupling agent, and aramid fiber-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites were produced using these particles. Three...     

Optical whitening of cationised cotton: effect on whiteness and whiteness tint

In this study, the effect of cationisation on optical whitening was examined. For this purpose, the whiteness index and whiteness tint of optically whitened pre‐cationised knitted cotton fabrics were analysed. The cationisation and optical whitening processes were carried out under different concentration levels, using the exhaustion method. The whiteness index and whiteness tint were calculated after colour measurements were taken. The experimental results were also analysed statistically using ANOVA. The whiteness index obtained from cationised fabric was lower than that of non‐cationised fabrics. While the whiteness tint of cationised cotton fabric had a blue to greenish nuance, the non‐cationised fabric had a reddish nuance.     

Fatty acids of the seeds of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Origanum onites</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">O. vulgare</Emphasis> L.

Seed oils of Origanum onites L. from the Antalya and Mugla regions and O. vulgare L. from the Kirklareli region of Turkey were extracted with hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus. The oil yields were 14.1–20.0 and 18.5%, respectively. FA compositions of the seed oils were determined by GC and GC/MS. Twenty FA were identified in both O. onites and O. vulgare seeds. The major FA of both species were linolenic (56.3–57.0%; 61.8%), linoleic (21.5–21.7%; 18.8%), oleic (8.7–8.9%; 5.9%), palmitic (5.9–6.5%; 5.5%), stearic (2.1–2.4%; 2.1%), and (Z)-11-octadecenoic (0.6–0.8%; 0.5%), respectively.     

Comparative evaluation of full‐scale UASB reactors treating alcohol distillery wastewaters in terms of performance and methanogenic activity

In this study, two full‐scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, namely TUASB and CUASB, at the wastewater treatment plants of the Tekirdaǧ Alcohol (Raki) and Canakkale Alcohol (Cognac) distilleries were investigated in terms of performance, acetoclastic methanogenic capacity and microbial composition. The results were compared with a previously studied other UASB reactor (IUASB) at the wastewater treatment plant of the Istanbul Alcohol (Raki) Distillery from which the two reactors (TUASB and CUASB) were seeded. The IUASB reactor performed well achieving COD removal efficiencies of no lower than 85% at organic logding rates (OLRs) in the range of 6–11 kg COD m⁻³ day⁻¹ between 1996 and 2001. During the last one year of operation, between 2000 and 2001, performance of the CUASB reactor in terms of COD removal efficiency was 70–80% at OLRs in a range of 1–4.5 kg COD m⁻³ day⁻¹ whereas it was 60–80% at OLRs in a range of 2.5–8.5 kg COD m⁻³ day⁻¹ in the TUASB reactor. At the end of year 2000, specific methanogenic activity (SMA) tests were carried out to determine potential loading capacity and optimum operating conditions of the IUASB, CUASB and TUASB reactors. The potential methane production (PMP) rates of the CUASB, IUASB and TUASB reactors were measured as 230 cm³ CH₄ gVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹, 350 cm³ CH₄ gVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹ and 376 cm³ CH₄ gVSS⁻¹ day⁻¹ respectively. When the PMP rates were compared with actual methane production (AMP) rates obtained from the three UASB reactors, AMP/PMP ratios were evaluated to be 0.18, 0.12 and 0.13 for CUASB, TUASB and IUASB reactors respectively. This showed that the CUASB, TUASB and IUASB reactors were using only 18%, 12% and 13% of their potential acetoclastic methanogenic capacity respectively. These results can be interpreted that the three UASB reactors were underloaded compared with their potential acetoclastic methanogenic capacities. It was, therefore, recommended that the three UASB reactors should be loaded at higher organic loading rates or sludge withdrawn in order to maintain an AMP/PMP ratio of 0.6–0.7, which can ensure desired reactor performance with safer operation. Results of epifluoresence microscopic examinations showed that the percentage of total autofluorescent methanogens was approximately 30% of the total population in sludges from the TUASB and IUASB reactors whereas it was 20% in sludge from the CUASB reactor. The two UASB reactors treating raki distillery wastewaters contained sludges having a higher percentage of autofluorescent methanogenic population and higher acetoclastic methanogenic activity. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Chemical Profile and Biological Activities of Two Edible Plants: Chemical Investigation and Quantitative Analysis Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

The objectives of this study were to define the phenolic and fatty acid profiles, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, antimicrobial activities, and total phenolic-flavonoid contents of Lycopsis orientalis and Tragopogon latifolius var. angustifolius which have been used as food source and food supplement in Anatolia and have never been examined before. Rosmarinic and quinic acids (21.11 and 11.46 mg g^–1 extract, respectively) were found to be the most abundant constituents in L. orientalis and T. latifolius var. angustifolius among the studied 27 compounds by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. In the fatty acid compositions of L. orientalis and T. latifolius var. angustifolius that were determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, oleic (29.1%) and palmitic (28.7%) acids were identified as the major components, respectively. The high antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of L. orientalis shows parallelism to its rosmarinic acid content. Besides, this extract showed medium anticholinesterase activity. The results of the present study proves that the L. orientalis might also be used as a food source due to its high phenolic acid content and strong antioxidant property.