Environmental impact assessment of biodiesel production from soybean

In this study the environmental impacts of biodiesel production from soybean were determined by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. In order to achieve this objective all four LCA stages (goal setting, life cycle inventory, impact assessment and interpretation) were followed. The system boundaries included: cultivation, transport, crushing and extraction, soy oil refining and biodiesel production. The functional unit considered in this study is 1000 kg of biodiesel. All the inputs and outputs for each process included in the biodiesel production system were collected, calculated and estimated in the inventory phase. Environmental impact assessment step was performed considering LCA methods such as: CML 2001, CML 96, EDIP 2003 and ReCiPe. The impact categories selected for this evaluation were: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), human toxicity potential (HTP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), agricultural land occupation (ALO); climate change ecosystems (CCE); climate change human health (CCHh); fossil depletion (FD); particulate matter formation (PMF) etc. Results showed that negative values were obtained for GWP, EP, CCE, CCHh indicators which means positive impacts of biodiesel production on the environment while the others impact categories have positive low levels respectively negative environmental impacts. Overall the greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted from combustion of fuel used; the diesel used for soybean transportation also contributes to GHG emissions; the transesterification process significantly contributes to the emissions of these gases

Assessment of Phaseolus vulgaris L. biomass as low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Congo red dye from aqueous solutions

This research deals with the evaluation of available waste biomass of Phaseolus vulgaris L., as low cost adsorbents, in the removal of organic azo dye Congo red (CR). The effects of operational parameters on the efficiency of dye removal, including contact time, initial pollutant concentration and adsorbent dose have been investigated. The obtained results show that the amount of dye uptake was found to increase with the increase of contact time and initial dye concentration. The maximum sorption capacity was 1.291 mg g-1 for CR at 20°C. The removal efficiency of CR is increasing with the increase on sorbent dose, in the range of studied concentration (10 - 30 mg L-1 ). For evaluating the mechanism involved in the sorption process, the experimental results were analyzed using pseudo-I order kinetic model, pseudo-II order kinetic model, the Ritchie second-order model and intraparticle diffusion model. The pseudo II-order kinetic model agrees very well with the dynamic behavior of the sorption of CR dye onto Phaseolus vulgaris L. hull. The experimental sorption results indicated that agricultural waste - bean hull could be applied as an low-cost sorbent alternative used for azo dye removal from industrial effluents, taking into account that no pretreatment on the solid is carried out

Identification of biogenig amine in salad dressings

The presence of biogenic amine in food represents a quality indicator of acceptability. The intake of foods containing biogenic amines can present a health hazard through the direct toxic effect of these compounds. The biogenic amine contents in four samples of sauce used for salad enrichment were determined using HPLC. From the sampled fresh open after purchase, just two were identified with traces of biogenic amines. Of the nine biogenic amines under study, six of them were identified after 7 days after -sauces were open and stored in refrigeration: putrescine (1%), spermidine (1%), spermine (1%), tryamine (4%), phenylethylamine (72%) and histamine (21%). The total content for the identified amine in each sauce was 150.45 mg/g with a range from 2.55 mg/g to 112.75 mg/g. After 14 days in three sauces was identified one type of biogenic amine namely: putrescine, spennidine and phenylethylamine

Removal of Erythrosine B dye from water effluents using crop waste pumpkin seed hulls as adsorbent

Erythrosine B is widely used for coloring in various applications, especially in the food industry, despite its already proved toxicity and carcinogenicity. The agrowaste pumpkin seed hulls were applied as potential adsorbent for the removal of Erythrosine from aqueous solutions. Adsorption mechanism and kinetics were analyzed for design purposes. The seed hulls were characterized by specific techniques before and after dye retention. It was found that the attachment of Erythrosine B molecules on adsorbent surface may be attributed to the interactions between carboxyl and/or carbonyl groups of both dye and agrowaste wall components. A univariate approach followed by a factorial design was applied to study and analyze the experimental results as well as to estimate the combined effects of the process factors on the removal efficiency and dye uptake. Adsorption mechanism may be predominantly due to intraparticle diffusion, dependent on pore size. The four equilibrium models applied fitted the data well; the maximum adsorption capacity for Erythrosine was 16.4 mg/g. The results showed that adsorbent is effective for Erythrosine B removal for a large concentration range in aqueous solutions (5400 mg/L) in batch systems.This paper was elaborated with the support of a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, Contract 265/2011. The authors are very grateful to Dr Luciana Pereira from University of Minho, Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering-Centre of Biological Engineering, Braga, Portugal for her substantial contribution and support during experimental investigation and paper elaboration

Comparative studies concerning the behaviour of organic pollutants in Iasi area soil

Widespread contamination of soil and groundwater by synthetic organic chemicals (e.g., dyes) has been recognized as an issue of growing importance in recent years. For this reason, is very important to elucidate the fate and transport pathways of these compounds in environmental components. The behavior and persistence of dyes depend on their sorption, transformation, transport and degradation in environmental compartments. The objectives of the present investigation has been to compare the sorption behaviour of two organic pollutants Acid Orange 7 (C.I. 15510, 350.32 g mol-1) and Erythrosine B (C.I. 45430, M=879.86 g mol-1) onto soil from Iasi area (Romania). The studies were performed by batch mode, at 200 C and natural pH of solution. The adsorption characteristics and dye uptake in soil have been determined by investigating the influence of some parameters (contact time, adsorbent dose and initial dye concentration). It was found that equilibrium sorption amount increases with the increase in initial dye concentration and contact time. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were applied to evaluate the adsorption process. Over the entire range of concentration the obtained results show that the adsorption of the studied dyes follows the Freundlich model

Sucuri comerciale la tetra pack - evaluarea parametrilor de calitate

The present study was conducted to investigate the physico-chemical parameters (titratable acidity, total soluble solids, antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds) of six different types of commercial Tetra Pack juices. The total phenolic content was measured byFolin-Ciocalteu reagent assay.Antioxidant activity determination was performed by the spectrophotometric method with the DPPH reagent (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). Results of the physico-chemical properties obtained show the following range of values for acidity (1.46-2.76 g/L malic acid), total solids (9.17-12.00 °Bx). The highest total phenolic content was 1.138 mg GAE/100g and the lowest 0.003 mg GAE/100g. It was shown that the content of total antioxidant activity in juices varied between 0.639 and 1.554

Evaluarea fizico-chimică a calităţii iaurturilor cu piersici pentru copii

Nutritional research has mentioned that fortification of food by using natural resources is one of the best ways to improve the total nutrient intake of foods with minimal side effects. One of the product categories that can be enriched is fermented products, especially yoghurts. A special category is those for children. In this study the physico-chemical characteristics of four types of yogurts were evaluated. Following the color evaluation, the total colordifference (TCD) increased with the increase in the peach purée concentration, and the values varied between 7.2 and 19. Total acidity values are between 118.75 and 150 ° T, respectively 3.85 and 4.17 pH units. The sodium chloride concentration values were between 0.14 and 0.2 g NaCl/100 g. For fat content the determinate values were lower than those declared (3.2%; 2.7% and 0.8%). Rheological measurements performed showed that all samples behave like a yogurt

Biological decolorization of xanthene dyes by anaerobic granular biomass

Biodegradation of a xanthene dyes was investigated for the first time using anaerobic granular sludge. On a first screening, biomass was able to decolorize, at different extents, six azo dye solutions: acid orange 7, direct black 19, direct blue 71, mordant yellow 10, reactive red 2 and reactive red 120 and two xanthene dyes—Erythrosine B and Eosin Y. Biomass concentration, type of electron donor, induction of biomass with dye and mediation with activated carbon (AC) were variables studied for Erythrosine B (Ery) as model dye. Maximum color removal efficiency was achieved with 4.71 g VSS L−1, while the process rates were independent of the biomass concentration above 1.89 g VSS L−1. No considerable effects were observed when different substrates were used as electron donors (VFA, glucose or lactose). Addition of Ery in the incubation period of biomass led to a fivefold increase of the decolorization rate. The rate of Ery decolorization almost duplicated in the presence of commercial AC (0.1 g L−1 AC0). Using different modified AC samples (from the treatment of AC0), a threefold higher rate was obtained with the most basic one, \textAC\textH2ACH2, as compared with non-mediated reaction. Higher rates were obtained at pH 6.0. Chemical reduction using Na2S confirmed the recalcitrant nature of this dye. The results attest that decolorization of Ery is essentially due to enzymatic and adsorption phenomena.This work was supported by the PTDC/AMB/69335/2006 project grants (Fundacao para a Ciencia e Technologia, FCT, Portugal), BRAIN project (ID 6681, European Social Found and Romanian Government and the grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, Contract 265/2011

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN BEANS HULLS AND FOOD DYE

In this study, a local agro – waste, namely beans hulls, was used to identify the interactions between it and the xanthene food dye Red No. 3. Batch experiments were made in order to identify if the dye can be adsorbet by the hull components. Thus, the investigation started with the influence of different parameters on bean-hull absorption capacity: pH, contact time, initial dye concentration, and temperature. The amount of dye sorbed was found to vary with the initial dye concentration and contact time. The process is favorable at low acid pH (5) value and the optimum sorbent dosage was found to be 20 g L-1 sorbent

Studies regarding desorption of food dye by different solvents

In order to elucidate the interactions established between the sorbent and the sorbate desorption studies can be conducted using different polar and non-polar solvents. In the first part of the investigation 20 mg/L of food color Red No. 3 was sorbed on 1g beans hulls/50 mL solution, at room temperature. After the sorption equilibrium was reached, Sulphuric acid (0.2 M), chlorhydric acid (0.2 M), acetic acid (1 M), sodium chloride (1 M), distillate water and distillate water pH 10 (adjusted with NaOH) respectively was used to desorb the dye. Excepting the water with pH 10, where the percentage desorbed is around 17 %, desorption cycle indicated a low amount of dye released in the solution. The efficiency of the sorption-desorption process of 50 mg/L Red No. 3, in three cycles, using 50% acetone, 40% isopropanol, 40% ethanol and distillate water pH 11 (adjusted with NaOH) was conducted in order to evaluate the sorbent reutilization potential. Ethanol (84%) and isopropanol (89%) provided the higher efficiency for dye desorption. Acetone and ethanol keep a constant percentage, around 50-60%. The low amount of dye desorbed reflects a strong interaction between the agro waste surface and the dye molecules, with ion exchange interactions type