Evaluation of sesamum gum as an excipient in matrix tablets

In developing countries modern medicines are often beyond the affordability of the majority of the population. This is due to the reliance on expensive imported raw materials despite the abundance of natural resources which could provide an equivalent or even an improved function. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of sesamum gum (SG) extracted from the leaves of Sesamum radiatum (readily cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa) as a matrix former. Directly compressed matrix tablets were prepared from the extract and compared with similar matrices of HPMC (K4M) using theophylline as a model water soluble drug. The compaction, swelling, erosion and drug release from the matrices were studied in deionized water, 0.1 N HCl (pH 1.2) and phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) using USP apparatus II. The data from the swelling, erosion and drug release studies were also fitted into the respective mathematical models. Results showed that the matrices underwent a combination of swelling and erosion, with the swelling action being controlled by the rate of hydration in the medium. SG also controlled the release of theophylline similar to the HPMC and therefore may have use as an alternative excipient in regions where Sesamum radiatum can be easily cultivated

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Development of a Laboratory-Scale Thermal-Arc-Plasma Reactor and its Application in the Pyrolysis of Petroleum Oily Sludge

Waste treatment using thermal arc plasma is well established and laboratory/pilot scale plasma reactors were developed and their performances for the destruction of different hazardous wastes, other than petroleum oily sludge, were studied. This work aims to extend the plasma technology to the pyrolysis of hazardous petroleum oily sludge. A 4.7 kW thermal arc plasma reactor was developed using a standard TIG arc welding torch. The transferred arc plasma reactor was used to treat 20 g/batch of petroleum oily sludge. The prevailing temperature inside the reactor ranges between 356 – 1694 oC. The plasma arc temperature increased with increasing plasma arc current and also with increasing plasma gas flow-rate. A vitreous slag and a flue gas were generated as products. A mass reduction of between 36.87 – 91.40% and a TOC reduction of 21.47 – 93.76% were achieved in the treatment time of 2 – 5 min. The mass reduction was observed to increase with treatment time. However, the increase was more rapid between the 3rd and the 4th min of the treatment. The flue gas produced contains H2 (43.79 – 50.97 mol%), H2O (26.60 – 30.22 mol%), CO (8.45 – 11.18 mol%), CO2 (5.12 – 10.35 mol%), CH4 (2.17 – 3.38 mol%), C2H2 (0.86 – 2.69 mol%) and C2H4 (0.76 – 2.17 mol%). Thus, the thermal plasma reactor provides a suitable method of treating petroleum oily sludge

Integrated air stripping and non-thermal plasma system for the treatment of volatile organic compounds from wastewater: statistical optimization

This study examined the treatment of toluene and m-xylene from wastewater using integrated air stripping and non-thermal plasma (NTP) reactor system. Toluene and m-xylene concentrations, before and after plasma treatment, were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The performance of the NTP reactor was optimized using the central composite design of the response surface methodology. The optimum discharge gap, applied voltage, and flow rate for the decomposition were found to be 22.34 mm, 15 kV, 3.56 L/min and 20.10 mm, 15 kV, 3.34 L/min for toluene and m-xylene, respectively. Experimental removal efficiencies and model predictions were in close agreement with 1.25 and 2.16% errors for toluene and m-xylene, respectively. The developed model could fit the experimental data with acceptable values of percentage errors