Synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters from used vegetable oil using activated anthill as catalyst

In this present study transesterification of used vegetable oil (UVO) using synthesized activated anthill as catalyst was investigated. The catalyst was prepared via calcination process, characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. From the BET analysis; calcination temperature has a positive impact on the textural properties. The XRD shows that the catalyst is crystalline in nature. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was produced using thermally activated anthill as catalyst. The optimal FAME yield of 94.85 % was obtained at Methanol/Oil (M/O) 9:1, catalyst loading 1.5 wt%, reaction temperature of 65 ᵒ and reaction time of 2 h. The physico-chemical properties of UVO – FAME produced was found to be within the American Society for Testing and Methods (ASTM). Hence, the study reveals that used vegetable oil catalyzed by novel activated anthill could be an effective feedstock to produce sustainable energy. Keywords: Anthills, FAME, Central composite design, Heterogeneous, used vegetable oil

Municipal Solid Waste Conversion to Energy and Derived Chemicals using Pyrolysis

This research work evolved through the variables such as time and temperature to determine the highest bio-oil yields. Conventional pyrolysis was adopted in a drop type CVD pyrolyzer given the highest oil yields 32.50 %wt, at 500 0C for 30 min. The bio-oil properties (CHNS-O) at various temperatures were evaluated. Carbon, hydrogen, Nitrogen, sulphur and calorivic values were observed to increase as the temperatures increases, having highest values at 500 0C with a sudden decline at 550 0C. While oxygen, water contents, densities and pH values decreases as the temperature increases, with lowest values recorded at 500 0C and sharp increase at 550 0C. Hence, the degrees of de-oxygenation also increases as the temperature increases with 18.87 %wt. at 500 0C and decreased at 550 0C. The results of FTIR analysis of the bio-oils at 500 0C indicate functional groups such as alkyl/Aromatic substitute ether (C-O), Aromatic 10 amine (C-N), Phenol/30 Alkanol (O-H), alkenes (C=C), Nitriles (C-N) and amines (N-H) with their areas. Keywords: Pyrolysis, Bio-oil, Derived chemical, Energ

Power Generation from Melon Seed Husk Biochar Using Fuel Cell

Melon seed husk (MSH) biochar was used in a single cell direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) as an alternative biofuel. The DCFCs belong to a generation of energy conversion devices that are characterised with higher efficiencies, lower emission of pollutants and MSH biochar as the fuel. Several analytical techniques (proximate, ultimate and thermo-chemical analysis) were employed to analyse the characteristics of the biomass fuel, their effects on the cell’s performance, and the electrochemical reactions between the fuel and the electrolyte in the system. High carbon content and calorific values are some of the parameters responsible for good performances. The performance of a lab-scale DCFC made of ceramic tubes using molten carbonate electrolyte was investigated. Binary carbonates mixture (Na2CO3-K2CO3, 38-62 mol.%) was used as electrolyte and the waste MSH carbonised at 450oC as biofuel. A practical evaluation of the fuel used in the DCFC system was conducted, for varying temperature of 100 - 800oC. The maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) was 0.71 V. With an applied load resistance and active surface area of 5.73 cm2 the maximum power density was 5.50 mWcm-2 and the current density was 29.67 mAcm-2 at 800oC

Advances in non-invasive biosensing measures to monitor wound healing progression

Impaired wound healing is a significant financial and medical burden. The synthesis and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in a new wound is a dynamic process that is constantly changing and adapting to the biochemical and biomechanical signaling from the extracellular microenvironments of the wound. This drives either a regenerative or fibrotic and scar-forming healing outcome. Disruptions in ECM deposition, structure, and composition lead to impaired healing in diseased states, such as in diabetes. Valid measures of the principal determinants of successful ECM deposition and wound healing include lack of bacterial contamination, good tissue perfusion, and reduced mechanical injury and strain. These measures are used by wound-care providers to intervene upon the healing wound to steer healing toward a more functional phenotype with improved structural integrity and healing outcomes and to prevent adverse wound developments. In this review, we discuss bioengineering advances in 1) non-invasive detection of biologic and physiologic factors of the healing wound, 2) visualizing and modeling the ECM, and 3) computational tools that efficiently evaluate the complex data acquired from the wounds based on basic science, preclinical, translational and clinical studies, that would allow us to prognosticate healing outcomes and intervene effectively. We focus on bioelectronics and biologic interfaces of the sensors and actuators for real time biosensing and actuation of the tissues. We also discuss high-resolution, advanced imaging techniques, which go beyond traditional confocal and fluorescence microscopy to visualize microscopic details of the composition of the wound matrix, linearity of collagen, and live tracking of components within the wound microenvironment. Computational modeling of the wound matrix, including partial differential equation datasets as well as machine learning models that can serve as powerful tools for physicians to guide their decision-making process are discussed

COMPARISON OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL PERFORMANCES OF MCDCFC USING HAND AND BALL MILLED BIOMASS CARBON FUELS

The electrochemical performances of a single cell molten carbonate electrolyte direct carbon fuel cell (MCDCFC) using miscanthus and switchgrass biomass carbon fuels subjected to hand and ball milling treatments are presented in this paper. Conventional direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) uses carbon derived from coal, a fossil fuel with adverse consequences on the environment. This paper explores a more benign carbon fuel source which is the biomass to power the DCFC. The performances of the hand milled (HM) carbon fuels were slightly higher than those of the ball milled (BM) carbon fuels. At 800oC for the open circuit voltage, miscanthus fuel (1.03 V) has higher values for the HM and switchgrass fuel (0.77 V) for the BM. Higher peak power densities were observed for switchgrass fuel (21.60 and 12.32 mW/cm2) for both the HM and BM. Switchgrass fuel (74 mA/cm2) gave the maximum current density for both the HM and BM. Miscanthus fuel (0.72 V) show higher voltage at peak power generation for the HM and switchgrass fuel (0.39 V) for the BM. The peak power efficiency evaluated show that miscanthus fuel (70%) gave higher values for the hand milled and equal values for both carbon fuels (51%) for the ball milled

Terminalia catappa Leaf Extract as a Capping Agent for ZnO Nanoparticle Synthesis via Sol-gel Method and its Microbial Effects on Selected Fungi and Bacterial

This study presents a reliable process for synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles using a green method. In this approach, we harness Terminalia catappa leaf extract as an effective chelating and capping agent to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles from zinc nitrate hexahydrate salt through a sol-gel method, employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and its microbial assessment. Optical properties of the ZnO nanoparticles were investigated using UV-visible spectroscopy, and determined their band-gap to range between 4.13 and 5.175 eV. To explore the outcomes, Response Surface Methodology (RSM), was employed which revealed that the Model F-value of 2.62 signifies the significance of the model for the response. Furthermore, when examining the contour plot relating the inhibition zone to temperature and plant extract dosage, we found that an increase in dosage and decrease in temperature resulted in an increase in the bandgap. This method of biosynthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles through Terminalia catappa leaf extract offers effect against the bactieria and fungi such as; Escherichia -coli, Straphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeuginosa and Trichophyton rubrum, Penicillium marnaffei, Atteneria spp respectively. Therefore, ZnO nanoparticles though this route gives an eco-friendly and more straightforward alternative to chemical and physical synthesis techniques for various environmental applications