Temperature-Programmed Reduction of Copper-Manganese Catalysts Derived from Biomass Activated Carbon

This study investigates the potential of bimetal impregnated catalysts supported on activated carbon derived from biomass for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) with ammonia (NH3). The bimetal catalysts, Copper-Manganese (Cu-Mn) was deposited onto palm kernel shell (PKS) and coconut shell (CS) via impregnation method and calcined at 250 °C. Hydrogen Temperature-programmed reduction analysis (H2-TPR) using 5% Hydrogen gas (H2) in Argon (Ar) have been carried out to study the effect of different variables such as metal impregnation and support properties on the reduced states of the catalysts. Besides, FTIR, TGA and XRD were also used to characterize the catalysts. It was observed that impregnation of bimetals enhanced the catalyst characteristics where include important results from FTIR, TGA, XRD and H2-TPR. Based on the results presented in H2-TPR analysis, it was observed that the reduction peak of bimetal catalysts deposited on palm kernel shell activated carbon shifted to high temperature, about 597 °C. This demonstrates the intensity of the precursor interaction exists and a higher dispersion of bimetals on the surface of the support. In addition, the higher dispersion of bimetals was shown in XRD analysis. Hence, palm kernel shell-derived catalysts could be new and promising catalysts in SCR system

Application of Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Process Parameters in the Production of Amylase by Aspergillus flavusNSH9 under Solid State Fermentation

Amylase is recognized as one of the important commercial enzymes. This group of enzymes has the ability in hydrolyzing starch into smaller oligosacharides. The present work aimed to determine the optimum fermentation conditions for maximum production of crude amylase enzyme by Aspergillus flavus NSH9 employing response surface methodology (RSM).Central composite design (CCD) was applied to determine the optimal fermentation condition with respect to the four main process parameters such as temperature, initial moisture content, pH and the incubation period. Solid state fermentation (SSF) was performed using 5.0 g of sago hampas inoculated with 1x107sporesmL-1following the experimental design obtained using CCD and further optimized by RSM. The initial moisture, pH and temperature showed significant effect on the amylase production (p<0.05). The maximum amylase activity produced was achieved and recorded as 1.055 ± 0.03U mL-1after four days of fermentation period with 100% (v/v) moisture holding capacity, pH 6.5 and temperature at 28°C. The optimum fermentation conditions for amylase production was determined with A. flavusNSH9 on sago hampas

Repeated Batch Fermentation For Lactic Acid Production By Enteroccocus Faecium In Liquefied Sago Starch

Enterococcus faecium No. 78 (BIOTECH 10375) isolated from puto, a type of fermented rice in the Philippines was used to produce lactic acid (LA) in repeated batch fermentation (RBF) mode. Enzymatically liquefied sago starch (LSS) was used as the sole carbon source. LSS was inoculated with E. faecium to perform the saccharification and fermentation processes simultaneously. Results demonstrated that E. faecium was reused for up to 11 fermentation cycles with an average LA yield of 36.3 g/L obtained in 15 hrs at the end of the log phase with the ability to produce 42.5 g/L LA in 30 hrs. By using RBF mode the strain was able to maintain a volumetric productivity of 1.96±.0.241 g/Lh during more than 280 hrs of fermentation. Work is in progress to maintain and increase the usability of the cells over higher fermentation cycles

Lactic acid production by Enteroccocus faecium in liquefied sago starch

Enterococcus faecium No. 78 (PNCM-BIOTECH 10375) isolated from puto, a type of fermented rice in the Philippines was used to produce lactic acid in repeated batch fermentation mode. Enzymatically liquefied sago starch was used as the sole carbon source, since sago (Metroxylon spp.) is a sustainable crop for industrial exploitation. Liquefied sago starch was inoculated with E. faecium to perform the saccharification and fermentation processes simultaneously. Results demonstrated that E. faecium was reused for 11 fermentation cycles with an average lactic acid yield of 36.3 ± 4.71 g/l. The lactic acid production was superior to that of simple batch mode and continuous fermentation in terms of lactic acid concentration. An un-dissociated lactic acid concentration of 1.15 mM affected the productivity of the cells. Work is in progress to maintain and increase the usability of the cells over higher fermentation cycles

Treatment of vinasse from tequila production using polyglutamic acid

Vinasse, the wastewater from ethanol distillation, is characterised by high levels of organic and inorganic matter, high exit process temperature (ca. 90 _C) and low pH (3.0e4.5). In this study, the treatment of tequila vinasse was achieved by a flocculationecoagulation process using poly-g-glutamic acid (PGA). Results showed that the use of PGA (250e300 ppm) combined with sodium hypochlorite and sand filtration managed to remove about 70% of the turbidity and reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 79.5% with the extra benefit of colour removal. PGA showed its best flocculating activity at pH 2.5e3.5 and a temperature of 30e55 _C. Such a treatment may be a solution for small tequila companies for which other solutions to deal with their vinasse may not be economically affordable

Lactic acid production by Enteroccocus faecium in liquefied sago starch

Enterococcus faecium No. 78 (PNCM-BIOTECH 10375) isolated from puto, a type of fermented rice in the Philippines was used to produce lactic acid in repeated batch fermentation mode. Enzymatically liquefied sago starch was used as the sole carbon source, since sago (Metroxylon spp) is a sustainable crop for industrial exploitation. Liquefied sago starch was inoculated with E. faecium to perform the saccharification and fermentation processes simultaneously. Results demonstrated that E. faecium was reused for 11 fermentation cycles with an average lactic acid yield of 36.3 ± 4.71 g/l. The lactic acid production was superior to that of simple batch mode and continuous fermentation in terms of lactic acid concentration. An un-dissociated lactic acid concentration of 1.15 mM affected the productivity of the cells. Work is in progress to maintain and increase the usability of the cells over higher fermentation cycles

Performance evaluation of a hybrid system for efficient palm oil mill effluent treatment via an air-cathode, tubular upflow microbial fuel cell coupled with a granular activated carbon adsorption

An air-cathode MFC-adsorption hybrid system, made from earthen pot was designed and tested for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy recovery. Such design had demonstrated superior characteristics of low internal resistance (29.3 O) and favor to low-cost, efficient wastewater treatment and power generation (55 mW/m3) with average current of 2.13 ± 0.4 mA. The performance between MFC-adsorption hybrid system was compared to the standalone adsorption system and results had demonstrated great pollutants removals of the integrated system especially for chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD3), total organic carbon (TOC), total volatile solids (TVS), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and total nitrogen (TN) because such system combines the advantages of each individual unit. Besides the typical biological and electrochemical processes that happened in an MFC system, an additional physicochemical process from the activated carbon took place simultaneously in the MFC-adsorption hybrid system which would further improved on the wastewater quality

CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHYTOMEDICINAL STUDY OF THE SOLID AND AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Anthurium schlechtendalii KUNTH ROOT AGAINST LIVER DAMAGE IN A RAT MODEL

Plants have been used as a herbal treatment option for liver disease in alternative medicine. The current study was carried out to investigate the therapeutic potential of Anthurium schlechtendalii Kunth roots as a hepatoprotective or remission agent for liver damage. A preclinical study was carried out through oral administration of 4-tert-octylphenol (100 mg kg-1/day) as inducer of liver disease, and solid and aqueous extracts from the plant roots. The extracts were tested at doses of 125 mg kg-1/day and 1.8 mg mL-1/day, respectively, using a rat model in a 4-week experiment. Growth parameters (initial and final body weight, food intake, liquid consumption, liver weight) and liver function markers (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined. In addition, analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) procedures, with a post hoc Tukey’s multiple range test for comparison of means (p <0.05), were performed. The study showed that, according to the lethal concentration (LC50) through the PROBIT transformation, the extract was nontoxic. The experimental model used, however, was not able to show liver function marker damage nor changes in growth parameters, so no statistically different results were found between the study groups (A, control; B, 4-tert-octylphenol; C, solid extract; D, solid and aqueous extracts; E, 4-tertoctylphenol plus solid extract; F, 4-tert-octylphenol plus solid and aqueous extracts). The method of toxic administration was not through direct oral dose but mixed in food, possibly producing a low intake of 4-tert-octylphenol thus not causing liver function marker damage. The need to continue and expand relevant research, to accumulate sufficient scientific knowledge and elucidate the efficacy of A.schlechtendalii Kunth roots in the prevention, mitigation, or remission of liver damage, has been made evident by the results obtained

Hibiscus sabdariffa L., roselle calyx, from ethnobotany to pharmacology

Using MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases, a review of the literature from the pioneering study of 1991 until 2010 was performed on the effects on biological models of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. roselle calyx, its extracts mainly in polar solvents, or pure components found in extracts, as well as their possible relationship to these effects. Three relevant effects on lipid metabolism, antihypertensive activity, and apoptosis were observed. Our chronological review of the studies mentioned in the literature provides another opportunity to see how humans compile scientific knowledge of a chemical structure–physiological activity relationship starting from an ethnobotanical–ethnopharmagognosy contribution. The chemical components that are the main active principles in the physiological activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyx are anthocyanins and polyphenols (protocatechuic acid and quercetin). Advances have also been made in the elucidation of action mechanisms. Additionally, it has become clear that the lack of standardization in terms of chemical components of the material arising from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. used in testing on biological models imposes limits on the possibility of carrying out comparative analyses between studies. Fortunately, more recent studies are overcoming this obstacle by reporting component concentrations of assumed active principles; however, complete analysis of the extract, if this is to be considered as a therapeutic agent, is not commonly reported in the aforesaid studies. If one of the eventual scenarios for Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyx is as a therapeutic agent in communities with economic limitations, then studies of a pharmacological nature should guarantee the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of this material, which is widely accepted to be associated with chemical complexity, thus making this knowledge necessary

Coffee and its waste repel gravid Aedes albopictus females and inhibit the development of their embryos

Background Dengue is a prevalent arboviral disease and the development of insecticide resistance among its vectors impedes endeavors to control it. Coffee is drunk by millions of people daily worldwide, which is associated with the discarding of large amounts of waste. Coffee and its waste contain large amounts of chemicals many of which are highly toxic and none of which have a history of resistance in mosquitoes. Once in solution, coffee is brownish in colour, resembling leaf infusion, which is highly attractive to gravid mosquitoes. To anticipate the environmental issues related to the increasing popularity of coffee as a drink, and also to combat insecticide resistance, we explored the deterrence potentials of coffee leachates against the ovipositing and embryonic stages of the dengue vector, Aedes albopictus. Methods In a series of choice, no-choice, and embryo toxicity bioassays, we examined changes in the ovipositional behaviours and larval eclosion of Ae. albopictus in response to coffee extracts at different concentrations. Results Oviposition responses were extremely low when ovicups holding highly concentrated extract (HCE) of coffee were the only oviposition sites. Gravid females retained increased numbers of mature eggs until 5 days post-blood feeding. When provided an opportunity to oviposit in cups containing coffee extracts and with water, egg deposition occurred at lower rates in those containing coffee, and HCE cups were far less attractive to females than those containing water only. Females that successfully developed in a coffee environment preferentially oviposited in such cups when in competition with preferred oviposition sites (water cups), but this trait did not continue into the fourth generation. Larval eclosion occurred at lower rates among eggs that matured in a coffee environment, especially among those that were maintained on HCE-moistened substrates. Conclusions The observations of the present study indicate a pronounced vulnerability of Ae. albopictus to the presence of coffee in its habitats during the early phases of its life cycle. The observations that coffee repels gravid females and inhibits larval eclosion provide novel possibilities in the search for novel oviposition deterrents and anti-larval eclosion agents against dengue vectors.This work was supported by funds (No. 096010) from the Central Research Institute of Fukuoka University and “Long Term Research Grant (LRGS) for Infectious Diseases, 2011 – 2014, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia” and USM (304/Pbiology/650575/U112)