Prestasi pembakaran biodiesel berasaskan minyak bunga matahari ke atas pembakar berbahan api cecair

Kajian ini menyiasat mengenai prestasi pembakaran adunan bahan api biodiesel berasaskan minyak bunga matahari dengan diesel pada nisbah B10 (biodiesel 10%, diesel 90%), B15 (biodiesel 15%, diesel 85%), B25 (biodiesel 25%, diesel 75%) dan B50 (biodiesel 50%, diesel 50%). Prestasi pembakaran bahan api ini dinilai berdasarkan kepada nilai suhu dinding kebuk pembakar, kecekapan terma pembakar serta kepekatan gas emisi yang dibebaskan seperti oksida nitrogen (NOx), sulfur dioksida (SO2), dan karbon monoksida (CO). Bahan api adunan biodiesel berasaskan minyak bunga matahari diukur dan dibandingkan dengan diesel. Semua bahan api yang diuji dibakar menggunakan kebuk pembakaran terbuka pada lima nisbah kesetaraan yang berbeza, iaitu, keadaan cair bahan api (Ф = 0.8 dan 0.9), stoikiometri (Ф = 1.0), dan kaya bahan api (Ф = 1.1 dan 1.2). Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa bahan api biodiesel berasaskan minyak bunga matahari terbakar pada suhu yang lebih rendah. Ini menghasilkan tenaga terma bahan api dan kecekapan terma pembakar yang lebih rendah dari diesel. Selain itu, emisi yang dihasilkan adalah lebih rendah (kecuali NOx) berbanding dengan diesel untuk semua nisbah kesetaraan. Hasilnya juga menunjukkan bahawa penggunaan biodiesel adalah berguna untuk aplikasi moden yang berbeza, khususnya di sektor industri kerana ia lebih mesra alam dan boleh dijadikan sebagai pilihan alternatif kepada bahan api petroleum. The current study investigated the combustion performance of sunflower oil-based biodiesel fuel blends with diesel at the ratio of B10 (10% biodiesel, 90% diesel), B15 (15% biodiesel, 85% diesel), B25 (25% biodiesel, 75% diesel) and B50 (50% biodiesel, 50% diesel). The combustion performance of this fuel is evaluated based on the value of the combustion chamber wall temperature, the thermal efficiency of the burner as well as the concentration of emission gases released such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). Sunflower oil-based biodiesel blend fuel was measured and compared to diesel. All fuels tested were burned using a combustion chamber with one of its ends open, at five different equivalence ratios, namely, fuellean condition (Ф = 0.8 and 0.9), stoichiometry (Ф = 1.0), and fuel-rich (Ф = 1.1 and 1.2). The results show that sunflower oil-based biodiesel fuels burn at lower temperatures. This results in lower fuel thermal energy, and thus, lower thermal efficiency of the burner compared to diesel. Moreover, the emissions produced are lower (except for NOx) compared to diesel for all equivalence ratios. The results also show that the use of biodiesel is useful for different modern applications, especially in the industrial sector as it is more environmentally friendly and can be used as an alternative to petroleum fuels

Characterization of Enzyme Produced from Pseudomonas Putida for BTX (Benzene, Toluene & Xylene) Treatment in Petrochemical Industry Wastewater System

One of the big challenges in petrochemical industries is waste management. Currently, huge money was spending on the disposal of the waste. Industries are trying hard to find an alternative method to reduce the cost and improve the effectiveness of current waste management including treatment efficiency. Most of petrochemical wastes are containing benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) which are very harmful to environment and living organisms. Common method used to separate the BTX from the waste are by using liquid-liquid and stripping process. One of the alternative to treat BTX is biological treatment method that used the natural capability of microorganisms to degrade to less harmful product is been applied. Some of examples are Pseudomonas Putida. (P. putida), Rhizobium, and Agrobacterium. P. putida is selected in this study for the biological treatment of BTX in petrochemical wastewater because it can produce an enzyme that has the capability of breakdown the aromatic hydrocarbon to carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The main objective of this study is to produce and extract the enzymes produce, characterised the enzymes. This study also to investigate the effect of different concentration on the treatment as well as the growth of the bacteria. The enzyme is purified using salt precipitation and analysed using SDS_PAGE technique. UV-Vis is used to study the growth of the bacteria in the culture stock by measuring its optical density. The concentration of BTX was varied to determine the effect of the concentration on the percentage removal and the growth of P. putida. Enzymes detected or purified in this study was benzene reductase. Other expected enzymes were not able to be purified or analysed. It was found that in this experimental study, the removal of benzene is at 74% to 80%. The removal of toluene is at 62% to 75%. The removal of xylene is at 23% to 42%. Increasing the concentration of contaminants will reduce the removal capabilities

Combustion study of waste cooking oil biodiesel in an oil burner

Depletion of fossil fuels, concerns on environment, and fuel price fluctuation have become the major drives in searching for sustainable alternative fuel. In that regard, a study was conducted to evaluate the combustion performance of Waste Cooking Oil (WCO) converted into biodiesel and blended with Conventional Diesel Fuel (CDF) as a mean of sustainable replacement for diesel fuel. In this study, the production of biodiesel fuel from waste cooking oil was done via transesterification process, using the single step approach. The properties of the WCO biodiesel was characterized. The combustion performance of the produced fuels has been studied for B10 and B30 biodiesel from WCO and CDF (as baseline) based on their wall temperature profiles and gaseous emissions generated such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). It was found that the B30 WCO biodiesel emits lower emission compared to CDF but at the same time generates a lower temperature profile

Effects of wastewater type on stability and operating conditions control strategy in relation to the formation of aerobic granular sludge – a review

Currently, research trends on aerobic granular sludge (AGS) have integrated the operating conditions of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) towards the stability of AGS systems in various types of wastewater with different physical and biochemical characteristics. More attention is given to the stability of the AGS system for real site applications. Although recent studies have reported comprehensively the mechanism of AGS formation and stability in relation to other intermolecular interactions such as microbial distribution, shock loading and toxicity, standard operating condition control strategies for different types of wastewater have not yet been discussed. Thus, the dimensional multi-layer structural model of AGS is discussed comprehensively in the first part of this review paper, focusing on diameter size, thickness variability of each layer and diffusion factor. This can assist in facilitating the interrelation between disposition and stability of AGS structure to correspond to the changes in wastewater types, which is the main objective and novelty of this review

Kinetic Models of Trymethylolpropane (TMP) and Castor Oil Methyl Ester Transesterification for engine oil synthesis

Non-digestible oil as renewable resources has grown a compulsive concern for engine oil synthesis. The synthesis of engine oil was conducted in a bath stirrer flask via two-steps catalytic transesterification. Modification of trimethylolpropane (TMP) and castor oil methyl ester (COME) transesterification was run under non- and impregnated Perna V. shells catalysts. Operation temperature effect on the castor trimethylol propane triester as engine lubricant was conditioned at range 90°C – 130°C. The optimal reaction temperature was detected at 110°C with 98.60 % TMP conversion and 71.29% triester composition. Excess dosage of COME was structured at 4:1 ratio to TMP for progressive reaction limitation. Kinetics of TMP and COME transesterifation were established for first- and second orders. The second order kinetic model best matchs the acquired data for an overall reaction rate constants of 0.0354 (% wt/wt min °C)-1. Synthesized engine oil resulted activation energy of 74.10 kJ/mol. Estimated pour and flash point were -17 °C and 221°C. Kinematic viscosity at 40°C was 64.31 mm2/s and density was 872 kg/m3 fulfilled the proposed lubricant standard. The kinetic models were proportionate to other oil seeds crops based engine oil, typically Jatropha seeds oil

Draft genome sequence of lignin-degrading agrobacterium sp. Strain s2, isolated from a decaying oil palm empty fruit bunch

We report the draft genome sequence of Agrobacterium sp. strain S2, isolated from a decaying oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, which yields potential genes encoding lignin degradation enzymes. This genome of 9,722,071bp exhibited 58.9% GC content, 10,416 coding genes, and 12 RNAs

The sample of choice for detecting Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in asymptomatic dromedary camels using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

The newly identified Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which causes severe respiratory disease, particularly in people with comorbidities, requires further investigation. Studies in Qatar and elsewhere have provided evidence that dromedary camels are a reservoir for the virus, but the exact modes of transmission of MERS-CoV to humans remain unclear. In February 2014, an assessment was made of the suitability and sensitivity of different types of sample for the detection of MERS-CoV by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for three gene targets: UpE (upstream of the E gene), the N (nucleocapsid) gene and open reading frame (ORF) 1a. Fifty-three animals presented for slaughter were sampled. A high percentage of the sampled camels (79% [95% confidence interval 66.9-91.5%, standard error 0.0625]; 42 out of 53) were shown to be shedding MERS-CoV at the time of slaughter, yet all the animals were apparently healthy. Among the virus-positive animals, nasal swabs were most often positive (97.6%). Oral swabs were the second most frequently positive (35.7%), followed by rectal swabs (28.5%). In addition, the highest viral load, expressed as a cycle threshold (Ct) value of 11.27, was obtained from a nasal swab. These findings lead to the conclusion that nasal swabs are the candidate sample of choice for detecting MERS-CoV using RT-PCR technology in apparently healthy camels

Population Health Metrics Research Consortium gold standard verbal autopsy validation study: design, implementation, and development of analysis datasets

Background: Verbal autopsy methods are critically important for evaluating the leading causes of death in populations without adequate vital registration systems. With a myriad of analytical and data collection approaches, it is essential to create a high quality validation dataset from different populations to evaluate comparative method performance and make recommendations for future verbal autopsy implementation. This study was undertaken to compile a set of strictly defined gold standard deaths for which verbal autopsies were collected to validate the accuracy of different methods of verbal autopsy cause of death assignment.Methods: Data collection was implemented in six sites in four countries: Andhra Pradesh, India; Bohol, Philippines; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Mexico City, Mexico; Pemba Island, Tanzania; and Uttar Pradesh, India. The Population Health Metrics Research Consortium (PHMRC) developed stringent diagnostic criteria including laboratory, pathology, and medical imaging findings to identify gold standard deaths in health facilities as well as an enhanced verbal autopsy instrument based on World Health Organization (WHO) standards. A cause list was constructed based on the WHO Global Burden of Disease estimates of the leading causes of death, potential to identify unique signs and symptoms, and the likely existence of sufficient medical technology to ascertain gold standard cases. Blinded verbal autopsies were collected on all gold standard deaths.Results: Over 12,000 verbal autopsies on deaths with gold standard diagnoses were collected (7,836 adults, 2,075 children, 1,629 neonates, and 1,002 stillbirths). Difficulties in finding sufficient cases to meet gold standard criteria as well as problems with misclassification for certain causes meant that the target list of causes for analysis was reduced to 34 for adults, 21 for children, and 10 for neonates, excluding stillbirths. To ensure strict independence for the validation of methods and assessment of comparative performance, 500 test-train datasets were created from the universe of cases, covering a range of cause-specific compositions.Conclusions: This unique, robust validation dataset will allow scholars to evaluate the performance of different verbal autopsy analytic methods as well as instrument design. This dataset can be used to inform the implementation of verbal autopsies to more reliably ascertain cause of death in national health information systems

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London