Membrane-based harvesting processes for microalgae and their valuable-related molecules: A review

Producción CientíficaThe interest in microalgae production deals with its role as the third generation of feedstock to recover renewable energy. Today, there is a need to analyze the ultimate research and advances in recovering the microalgae biomass from the culture medium. Therefore, this review brings the current research developments (over the last three years) in the field of harvesting microalgae using membrane-based technologies (including microfiltration, ultrafiltration and forward osmosis). Initially, the principles of membrane technologies are given to outline the main parameters influencing their operation. The main strategies adopted by the research community for the harvesting of microalgae using membranes are subsequently addressed, paying particular attention to the novel achievements made for improving filtration performance and alleviating fouling. Moreover, this contribution also gives an overview of the advantages of applying membrane technologies for the efficient extraction of the high added-value compounds in microalgae cells, such as lipids, proteins and carbohydrates, which together with the production of renewable biofuels could boost the development of more sustainable and cost-effective microalgae biorefineries.Tecnológico de Monterrey (Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería y Centro de Biotecnología FEMSA) - (Grupo Focal Bioprocesos 0020209I13)Agencia Nacional Polaca para el Intercambio Académico (NAWA) - (Agreement PPN/ULM/2020/1/00005/U/00001

Sistema de guiado en exteriores para personas con necesidades especiales mediante Smartwatches

El día a día de una persona con necesidades especiales está plagado de desafío.Tareas como prepararse el desayuno o ir a la compra son tareas que para la mayoría de personas no suponen demasiado esfuerzo pero para ciertas personas pueden suponer verdaderos problemas. Desde hace años se están realizando proyectos para conseguir una integración de este tipo de personas en la sociedad actual, de manera que destaquen lo menos posible en el entorno. Sin embargo, las ayudas actuales no son suficientes y aún queda mucho trabajo por hacer. Este proyecto se centra en concreto en la autonomía de una persona con discapacidad intelectual de cara a realizar un desplazamiento. El objetivo es que la persona sea capaz de viajar de un origen a un destino de la mejor manera posible, con la menor ayuda humana posible y con el mayor aprendizaje posible. Estos desplazamientos pueden producirse en entornos conocidos por el usuario, en los cuales puede usar su experiencia previa para realizar el trayecto, o bien se realizan en lugares desconocidos para la persona, en cuyo caso debería de usar alguna herramienta de orientación para logar el objetivo. Desde AMILab se ha diseñado una herramienta llamada Assist-Out-Android-Wear que consiste en un sistema de ayuda para este tipo de personas, permitiéndoles realizar un trayecto de manera sencilla y que a su vez vayan interiorizando el proceso. El trabajo ha sido diseñado en unos dispositivos muy recientes e innovadores, los Smartwatches. Estos dispositivos proveen una gran facilidad de uso y ofrecen la ventaja de ir continuamente pegados al cuerpo además de una gran accesibilidad. En este documento aborda en primera instancia el estado actual de la discapacidad mental y su papel dentro de la tecnología de asistencia, centrándose sobre todo en el uso de Smartwatches. Se habla también de otros tipos de proyectos de asistencia existentes actualmente y las ideas que aportan. Posteriormente se presenta el diseño y justificación del proyecto así como el desarrollo de la implementación. Por último se analizan las pruebas realizadas y se muestran las conclusiones obtenidas.The day-to-day life of a person with special needs has plenty of challenges. Tasks like preparing breakfast or going shopping are not hard for most people but for these people an extra e ort is needed. In recent years a lot of projects have been realised in order to integrate these people into society, however there is a lot of work to do yet. This project is focused mainly on people with mental disabilities' autonomy when they getting around. The objective is that the user can get from an origin to a destination using the best form, the least human support and the maximum learning. The journeys can be made in a known environment, using one's previous experiences or they can be to new places, where the user needs an orientation support system. The tool called AssisT-Out-Android-Wear has been developed in AMILab, which is for people with mental disabilities, providing a guidance system that helps them to make these journeys easily and at the same time learning the way. The project was implemented using very recent and innovative technology; Smartwatches. These devices have a very high grade of usability and accesibility and they are always worn. This document contains, rst of all, the current state of mental disability and its role inside support technology, especially using Smartwatches. Other projects related to this theme and their ideas also appear. Following that is the Design and Implementation section and at the end there is the Test Analysis and the Conclusions

Preparation and characterization of mixed matrix membranes for gas separation and pervaporation

El objetivo principal de esta investigación fue desarrollar membranas de matriz mixta(MMMs) que pueda proveer un rendimiento superior que los polímeros puros para dos diferentes tipos de tecnologías de membranas (por ejemplo separación de gas y pervaporación). En la primera parte de esta tesis, el mejoramiento de la permeación de CO2 de un polímero commercial, como la polimida Matrimid®5218, fue abordada. En este punto, fue propuesta por primera vez la preparación de MMMs ternarias rellenando nanopartículas ZIF-8 (33.83 ± 6.2 nm) en la mezcla Matrimid®-PEG 200. Las MMMs fueron probadas a diferentes composiciones (50:50) y presiones de alimentación (de 2 a 8 bar). Las MMMs fueron también caracterizadas usando SEM, EDX, DSC, and TGA.Los resultados indicaron que la incorporación del 30 %p/p de nanopartículas condujo a incrementar la permeabilidad al CO2 en las MMM binarias (hasta 31.47 Barrer ) y ternarias (hasta 33.12 Barrer); destacando que la adición del PEG y el ZIF-8 mejoró la permeabilidad al CO2 (mas de tres veces) en comparación con las membranas Matrimid® puras (7.16 Barrer).El uso de esta poliimida comercial Matrimid®5218, como un polímero hidrofílico, ha sido también extendido a otra tecnología de membrane (por ejemplo la pervaporación).La potencialidad de esta polimida se relaciona con la separación de mezclas azeotrópicas orgánicas-orgánicas. En este punto, membranas de Matrimid®5218 fueron preparadas y probadas por primera vez en separación por pervaporación (PV) de la mezcla azeotrópica methanol (MeOH)- metil terc-butil éter (MTBE) (14.3 y 85.7%p/p,respectivamente). Los experimentos PV fueron llevados acabo a diferentes temperaturas(25-45ºC) y presiones de vacío (0.0538, 0.2400, 2.1000 mbar) en el permeado. Los resultados destacan que la temperatura (en el rango de 25-45 ºC) afectó principalmente la permeación del MeOH, produciendo un incremento en su flujo de permeado y el factor de separación también. Los mejores rendimientos de Matrimid® fueron a 45 ºC y 0.054 mbar, donde un flujo de permeado y un factor de separación de alrededor de 0.073 kg m-2 h-1 y 21.16, respectivamente, fueron alcanzados.En la última parte de esta tesis, el mejoramiento de otro polímero comercial, como elalcohol de polivinilo (PVA), fue propuesto para aplicaciones de PV. De este modo, unmaterial altamente hidrofílico, como el óxido de grafeno (GO), fue existosamentepreparado e incorporado en una matriz de PVA reticulado. Las MMM fueron probadaspara la deshidratación de etanol (10:90 %p/p agua-etanol) monitoreando su rendimientoen terminus de flujo total de permeado, flujo por componentes, así como su factor deseparación. El efecto del relleno fue analizado duplicando el contenido del GO (a 0.5,1.0, and 2.0 %p/p) en las MMMs. Además, las membranas fueron caracterizadas porFESEM, DSC, TGA, XRD, grado de hinchamiento, ángulo de contacto con agua, ypropiedades mecánicas. El mejor rendimiento de dichas MMMs (conteniendo 1 %p/p deGO) fue encontrado a 40 ºC, mostrando un factor de separación de 263 y un flujo depermeado de alrededor de 0.137 kg·m-2·h-1 (en el cual 0.133 kg·m-2·h-1 corresponde aagua). Este resultado representa una mejora del 75 % de la tasa de permeación originalde las membranas reticuladas de PVA pura.Finalmente, este trabajo reporta el mejoramiento de dos polímeros comerciales (talescomo poliimida Matrimid®5218 y alcohol de polivinilo). Es importante mencionar quetales polímeros fueron selecionados acorde a su consolidación en producción a grandeescala y su aplicación cercana a escala industrial. En general los capítulos tambiénabordan revisiones de literatura para seleccionar cada caso de estudio y así ser atendidosdurante esta investigación (por ejemplo separaciones CO2/CH4 y MeOH-MTBE, asícomo deshidratación de etanol). Además, esta tesis provee puntos relevantes enprocedimientos de preparación adecuados para obtener MMMs con buen rendimientThe main aim of this research work was to develop mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), which may provide superior performance compared to the base pristine polymers, for two different types of membrane-based technologies (e.g. gas separation and pervaporation). In the first part of the thesis, the enhancement of CO2 permeation of a commercial polymer, like Matrimid®5218 polyimide, was aimed. At this point, it is proposed, for the first time, the preparation of ternary MMMs based on the filling ZIF-8 nanoparticles (33.83 ± 6.2 nm) into Matrimid®-PEG 200 blend. The MMMs membranes were tested at fixed feed composition (50:50) and different feed pressures (from 2 to 8 bar). The MMMs were also characterized using SEM, EDX, DSC, and TGA. The results indicate that the incorporation of 30 wt.% of ZIF-8 nanoparticles leads to increase of CO2 permeability in binary (up to 31.47 Barrer) and ternary MMMs (up to 33.12 Barrer); pointing out that the addition of PEG and ZIF-8 enhanced the CO2 permeability (more than 3-folds) comparing to the neat Matrimid® membranes (7.16 Barrer). The use of this commercial Matrimid®5218 polyimide, as a hydrophilic polymer, has been also extended to other membrane technology (e.g. pervaporation). The potentiality of this polyimide deals with the separation of organic-organic azeotropic mixtures. Herein, Matrimid® membranes were prepared and tested, for the first time, in pervaporation (PV) separation of azeotropic methanol (MeOH)- methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) mixture (14.3 and 85.7%, respectively). The PV experiments were carried out at different feed temperatures (25-45ºC) and vacuum pressures (0.0538, 0.2400, 2.1000 mbar) at permeate side. The results pointed out that the feed temperature (in the range of 25-45 ºC) affected mainly the MeOH permeation producing an increasing on its partial permeate flux and separation factor as well. Importantly, the best performances of Matrimid® were found at 45 ºC and 0.054 mbar, where a permeate flux and a separation factor of about 0.073 kg m-2 h-1 and 21.16, respectively, were reached. In the last part of this thesis, the enhancement of another commercial polymer, like poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), was proposed for PV applications. In this way, a highly hydrophilic inorganic material, like graphene oxide (GO), was successfully prepared and incorporated into a cross-linked PVA matrix. The MMMs were tested for the dehydration of ethanol (10:90 wt. % water-ethanol), monitoring their performance in terms of total permeate flux, components fluxes, as well as their separation factor. The effect of filler was analyzed by doubling the GO content (at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt.%) in the MMMs. Furthermore, the membranes were characterized by FESEM, DSC, TGA, XRD, and measurements of degree of swelling, water contact angle, and mechanical properties. The best performance of such MMMs (containing 1 wt.% of GO) was found at 40 ºC, displaying a separation factor of 263 and a permeate flux of about 0.137 kg·m-2·h-1 (in which 0.133 kg·m-2·h-1 corresponds to water). This result represents a 75 % enhancement of the original permeation rate of pristine cross-linked PVA membranes. Finally, this work reports the enhancement of two commercial polymers (such as Matrimid®5218 polyimide and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)). It is important to mention that such polymers were chosen according to their consolidation in large-scale production and their near application at industrial scale. In general, the chapters also address the literature reviews to select each case of study, and thus to be attended during this research (e.g. CO2/CH4 and MeOH-MTBE separations as well as ethanol dehydration). Moreover, this thesis provides relevant insights into the suitable preparation procedures to reach high performing MMMs<br /

Dark fermentation process response to the use of undiluted tequila vinasse without nutrient supplementation

Producción CientíficaThe technical feasibility of valorizing tequila vinasse (TV), a wastewater with high pollution potential, through the production of biogenic hydrogen via dark fermentation, has long been proven in diverse lab-scale reactors that were operated either in batch or continuous mode. However, such systems have mainly been tested with diluted streams and nutrient supplementation, hindering the techno-economic attractiveness of the TV-to-hydrogen concept at large scale. In this study, the feasibility of producing hydrogen from high-strength undiluted TV with no added extra nutrients was evaluated under batch mesophilic conditions. Additionally, the use of two different acidogenic inocula obtained either by heat or heat-aeration pretreatment was investigated to get a greater understanding of the effect of inoculum type on the process. The results obtained showed that the TV utilized herein contained macro- and micro-nutrients high enough to support the hydrogenogenic activity of both cultures, entailing average hydrogen yields of 2.4–2.6 NL H2/L vinasse and maximum hydrogen production rates of 1.4–1.9 NL H2/L-d. Interestingly, the consumption of lactate and acetate with the concomitant production of butyrate was observed as the main hydrogen-producing route regardless of the inoculum, pointing out the relevance of the lactate-driven dark fermentative process. Clostridium beijerinckii was ascertained as key bacteria, but only in association with microorganisms belonging to the genera Enterobacter and Klebsiella, as revealed by phylogenetic analyses.Consejo Estatal de Ciencia y Tecnología de Jalisco (COECYTJAL; 8872–2020)

Network design for surface water quality monitoring in a road construction project using Gamma Test theory

Road construction has a negative environmental impact on the surrounding aquatic environment, requiring the continuous monitoring of surface water quality. Here, optimization of the water quality monitoring network (WQMN) is an essential step in supporting the sustainable development of road construction projects. This study introduces Gamma Test theory (GTT) as a practical method for optimizing the WQMN of surface waters during road construction. The water quality index (WQI) was computed in 48 monitoring stations for six monitoring periods from 2017 to 2019; data was acquired from a primary monitoring network over a new highway in southern Norway. Based on the results, it is possible to reduce the number of stations by 23% in comparison with the original empirical network. The proposed method could be useful to design the monitoring networks of projects with limited construction time and budget, as well as projects lacking enough data.publishedVersio

Latest Insights on Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) for Sustainable Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Natural Sources

From MDPI via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: accepted 2021-08-18, pub-electronic 2021-08-19Publication status: PublishedPhenolic compounds have long been of great importance in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. Unfortunately, conventional extraction procedures have a high cost and are time consuming, and the solvents used can represent a safety risk for operators, consumers, and the environment. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are green alternatives for extraction processes, given their low or non-toxicity, biodegradability, and reusability. This review discusses the latest research (in the last two years) employing DESs for phenolic extraction, solvent components, extraction yields, extraction method characteristics, and reviewing the phenolic sources (natural products, by-products, wastes, etc.). This work also analyzes and discusses the most relevant DES-based studies for phenolic extraction from natural sources, their extraction strategies using DESs, their molecular mechanisms, and potential applications

Water production from food processing wastewaters using integrated membrane systems: A sustainable approach

Castro-Muñoz, R., Fíla, V., Rodríguez-Romero, V. M., & Yáñez-Fernández, J. (November-December, 2017). Water production from food processing wastewaters using integrated membrane systems: A sustainable approach. Water Technology and Sciences (in English), 8(6), 129-136, DOI: 10.24850/j-tyca-2017-06-09. This scientific note reviews current approaches for using membrane technology to treat wastewater from food processing, for example, as a means to produce water by recovering components with high added value. In addition, with regard to the availability of wastewater, processes that contain membranes have been shown to be advantageous in terms of treating waste, recovering solutes, and producing water. With regard to the latter, processes that contain membranes can be considered to be a sustainable methodology given the valorization of waste. Lastly, this note provides a brief general view emphasizing a real need to apply membrane technology in the food industry, and indicates that its application is undoubtedly to come

Normalized medical information visualization

A new mark-up programming language is introduced in order to facilitate and improve the visualization of ISO/EN 13606 dual model-based normalized medical information. This is the first time that visualization of normalized medical information is addressed and the programming language is intended to be used by medical non-IT professionals.S

Towards the dehydration of ethanol using pervaporation cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide membranes

Highly hydrophilic inorganic material graphene oxide (GO) was successfully prepared and incorporated into a cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The obtained mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have been used for the dehydration of ethanol (10: 90% water-ethanol) by pervaporation (PV), monitoring their performance in terms of total permeate flux, partial components fluxes, as well as their separation factor. The effect of filler was analyzed by doubling the GO content (at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%) in the MMMs. A complete analysis of the operating temperature (between 40 and 70 degrees C) was carried out by means of Arrhenius relationship. Moreover, the membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), measurements of degree of swelling (uptake), water contact angle (CA) and mechanical properties. At 40 degrees C, the best performance was provided by the MMMs containing 1 wt% GO, showing a separation factor of 263 and a permeate flux of about 0.137 kg m(-2) h(-1) (in which 0.133 kg m(-2) h(-1) corresponds to water). This represents a 75% enhancement of the original permeation rate of pristine cross-linked PVA membranes. Taking into account the promising results, it is likely that these MMMs will provide featured benefits in green processes, e.g. ethanol purification by means of less-energy consumption

Exploring the effect of iron metal-organic framework particles in polylactic acid membranes for the azeotropic separation of organic/organic mixtures by pervaporation

A microporous carboxylate metal-organic framework MIL-100 Fe was prepared as submicron particles by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis (Fe-MOF-MW). This product was explored, for the first time, for the preparation of polylactic acid (PLA) mixed matrix membranes. The produced MOF was characterised by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) as well as by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The effect of different Fe-MOF-MW concentrations (0.1 and 0.5 wt%) on the membrane properties and performance were evaluated. These membranes were used in the pervaporation process for the separation of methanol/methyl tert-butyl-ether mixtures at the azeotropic point. The influence of the feed temperature and vacuum pressure on the membrane performance was evaluated and the results were compared with PLA pristine membranes. Moreover, the produced membranes have been characterised in terms of morphology, MOF dispersion in the polymeric membrane matrix, wettability, thickness, mechanical resistance and swelling propensity. The presence of Fe-MOF-MW was found to have a beneficial effect in improving the selectivity of mixed matrix membranes towards methanol at both concentrations. The highest selectivity was obtained for the PLA membranes embedded with 0.5 wt% of Fe-MOF-MW and tested at the temperature of 25 C and vacuum pressure of 0.09 mbar