Novel Solid Base Catalyst Derived from Drinking Water Defluoridation for Biodiesel Synthesis

In this study, a novel heterogeneous catalyst was synthesized from drinking water treatment sludge obtained during defluoridation in biodiesel production by transesterification. More specifically, the sludge was converted into an effective catalyst by calcination at 950 ºC for 3 h. The catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, Hammett titration method, and ion exchange method. The catalyst had a basicity of 12.57 mmol/g and a basic strength of 9.8 < H <17.2. It showed good catalytic activity in biodiesel synthesis. The maximum biodiesel yield obtained was 89% for the following reaction conditions: catalyst loading of 4 wt%, a reaction temperature of 65 ºC, the methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 12:1, and reaction time of 3 h. Thus, it was found that harmful waste can be used as an effective solid base heterogeneous catalyst

Drug utilization study of co-administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and gastroprotective agents in an orthopaedics outpatients department of a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal

Background: Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the commonly prescribed analgesic in the orthopaedics department. NSAIDs are prescribed for a long period in both acute condition (like fracture of bones, muscle injury, postoperative procedures etc) or chronic conditions (osteoarthritis etc). However, they have many adverse effects, especially gastrointestinal toxicity when use regularly. For this reason NSAIDs are frequently co-prescribed with gastro protective agents. Common gastroprotective agents are proton pump inhibitors (PPI), H2 blockers, sucralfate, antacids and misoprostol (prostaglandin analogue).Methods: A cross-sectional, unicentric drug utilization study was conducted. Prescriptions were collected from patients attending the orthopaedic outpatients department. The prescription pattern of NSAIDs, gastroprotective agents or co-administration of NSAIDS and gastroprotective agents were analyzed.Results: A total of 977 prescriptions were studied; in which 928 prescriptions contained NSAIDs with gastroprotective agents (97.92%). The most common gastroprotective agents combined with NSAIDs was H2 receptor blockers (60.56%), followed by proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (21.65%), while antacids are prescribed least (17.78%). Misoprostol or sucralfate were not used at all.Conclusions: NSAIDs are commonly co-prescribed with gastroprotective agents in high percentage

DRUG UTILIZATION STUDY ON ANTIBIOTICS USE IN AN ORTHOPAEDICS DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN WEST BENGAL

Background: antibiotics are the commonly prescribed in the Orthopaedics Department both as prophylactically (before orthopaedics surgery etc) or to treat ongoing infection (like septic arthritis, osteomyelitis 11 etc). But if antibiotics are not use rationally then there will be increase chances of resistance of bacteria as also as increase the total cost of treatment. This study was conducted to see the antibiotics utilization pattern. Aim: This drug utilization study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of antibiotics use in Orthopaedic Unit of a tertiary care, teaching hospital in west Bengal, India. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional, unicentric drug utilization study Results: A total of 410 prescriptions were studied; in which 136 prescriptions contained mono-antibiotic therapy (35.17%) and 274 prescriptions contained poly-antibiotics therapy (66.83%) and the beta-lactum antibiotics were most commonly prescribed (42.3%). Conclusion: Beta-Lactum antibiotics were most commonly prescribed and poly-antibiotics prescriptions were the common pattern. Key words- Drug Utilization Study, antibiotics, unicentric stud

Chemicals Production from Glycerol through Heterogeneous Catalysis: A Review

Utilization of biofuels generated from renewable sources has attracted broad attention due to their benefits such as reducing consumption of fossil fuels, sustainability, and consequently prevention of global warming. The production of biodiesel causes a huge amount of by-product, crude glycerol, to accumulate. Glycerol, because of its unique structure having three hydroxyl groups, can be converted to a variety of industrially valuable products. In recent decades, increasing studies have been carried out on different catalytic pathways to selectively produce a wide range of glycerol derivatives. In the current review, the main routes including carboxylation, oxidation, etherification, hydrogenolysis, esterification, and dehydration to convert glycerol to value-added products are investigated. In order to achieve more glycerol conversion and higher desired product selectivity, acquisition of knowledge on the catalysts, the type of acidic or basic, the supports, and studying various reaction pathways and operating parameters are necessary. This review attempts to summarize the knowledge of catalytic reactions and mechanisms leading to value-added derivatives of glycerol. Additionally, the application of main products from glycerol are discussed. In addition, an overview on the market of glycerol, its properties, applications, and prospects is presented

Study of Phosphorus Doped Micro/Nano Crystalline Silicon Films Deposited by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc Technique

Phosphorus doped micro/nano crystalline silicon thin films have been deposited by the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technique at different substrate temperatures (T-s) ranging from room temperature (RT) to 350 degrees C. The films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, dark conductivity (sigma(D)), activation energy (Delta E) and optical band gap (E-g). The XRD patterns show that the RT grown film is amorphous in nature but high T-s (225 and 350 degrees C) deposited films have a crystalline structure with (111) and (220) crystal orientation. The crystallite size of the higher T-s grown silicon films evaluated was between 17 to 31 nm. Raman spectra reveal the amorphous nature of the film deposited at RT whereas higher T-s deposited films show a higher crystalline nature. The crystalline volume fraction of the silicon film deposited at higher T-s was estimated as 65.7% and 74.4%. The values of sigma(D), Delta E and E-g of the silicon films deposited at different T-s were found to be in the range of 8.84 x 10(-4) - 0.98 ohm(-1)cm(-1), 0.06 - 0.31 eV and 1.31-1.93 eV, respectively. A n-type nc-Si/p-type c-Si heterojunction diode was fabricated which showed the diode ideality factor between 1.1 to 1.5

Valorization of Wild-Type Cannabis indica by Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Insights into the Utilization of Raffinate Biomass

Supercritical CO2 extraction (SCCO2) extraction of cannabis oil from Indian cannabis (Cannabis indica) leaves was optimized through a central composite design using CO2 pressure (150–250 bar), temperature (30–50 °C) and time (1–2 h). From the regression model, the optimal CO2 pressure, extraction temperature and time were 250 bar, 43 °C and 1.7 h, respectively resulting in the experimental yield of 4.9 wt% of cannabis oil via SCCO2 extraction. The extract contained cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabivarin, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol as well as two terpenoids such as cis-caryophyllene and α-humulene. Besides SCCO2 extraction of cannabis oil, the raffinate biomass was utilized to extract polyphenols using water as the extraction medium. Cannabis oil and water extractive were investigated for their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values, which were found to be 1.3 and 0.6 mg/mL, respectively. This is comparable to the commercially available antioxidant such as butylated hydroxytoluene with an IC50 value of 0.5 mg/mL. This work on SCCO2 extraction of cannabinoids and other valuable bioactive compounds provides an environmentally sustainable technique to valorize cannabis leaves