Evaluation of effective parameters on fabrication of BSA nanoparticles

Coacervation technique was implemented in fabrication of BSA nanoparticle for the purpose of drug delivery system. Nanoparticle was purified with 48,800 g centrifuge, and then followed by dialysis, micro and ultra filtration. The fabricated nanoparticles were subjected to physical, morphological and biochemical characterization. The analyzed samples by SEM and AFM proved the semi-spherically shape of the particles whilst the size distribution was measured by photon correlation spectroscopy. Fourier transforms infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum indicated that the fabricated nanoparticles were pure. The impact of various parameters upon the particle size was extensively investigated. The concentration of glutaraldehyde at fixed temperature had absolutely no significant effect on the size of particles. The affecting parameter was modeled to predict the size of nanoparticle. At low temperature (4{degree sign}C), the nanoparticle size of 89.3nm was fabricated with pure BSA concentration of 20 mg.ml-1

Development Of Inorganic Membrane To Remove Oil Emulsifier From Domestic Waste water.

The rapid development of membranes in waste water treatment was a great encouragement to participate and fabricate inorganic membrane. The results yielded to an expansion of knowledge and producing various types of ceramic membrane. The ceramic membrane has a great potential and market, ceramic membrane represents a distinct class of inorganic membranes, especially the metallic coated has many industrial application. The porous ceramic was prepared for to fabricate the supported membrane. A thin film of Aluminium and Zirconium were formed. Unsupported membrane was also prepared

Extraction and Purification of Ursolic Acid from the Apple Peel and in vitro Assessment of the Biochemical Antibacterial, Antioxidant and Wound Healing Characteristics

Background and Objective: Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with various biological characteristics. The objective of this study was to investigate potentially biological activities of ursolic acid extracted from apple peels. Material and Methods: Ursolic acid was extracted from apple peels and purified using column chromatography. Then, the biochemical was analyzed using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, high-performance thin-layer chromatography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Antimicrobial effects of the purified ursolic acid on pathogenic bacterial species of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were assessed using minimum inhibitory concentration and disc diffusion methods. Furthermore, the biochemical radical scavenging ability was assessed using 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method. Wound healing characteristics of the purified ursolic acid was studied using scratch assay method. Results and Conclusion: Minimum inhibitory concentration and disc diffusion results verified antibacterial effects of ursolic acid on Gram-positive bacterial species. Ursolic acid at concentra-tions higher than 625 µg ml-1 showed significant antioxidant activity, compared to that vitamin C did as reference antioxidant. It was shown that migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells can be promoted by the extracted ursolic acid, which was assessed via wound healing assays and 3(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide. Wound closure was 97%, revealed by the purified ursolic acid after 24 h. A low concentration of ursolic acid (< 20 µg ml-1) stimulated proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells; however, 100 µg ml-1 of the extracted ursolic acid decreased the number of viable cells within 24 h (p < 0.05). Purified ursolic acid (10 µg ml-1) was able to upregulate (almost two times) FLT1 and VEGF-A gene expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Results suggest that ursolic acid is an effective antioxidant and includes excellent antibiotic characteristics. In addition, it can affect endothelial cell proliferation, which is significant to enhance angiogenesis and improve wound healing processes

Transesterification of Waste Cooking Sunflower Oil by Porcine Pancreas Lipase Using Response Surface Methodology for Biodiesel Production

Background and Objective: Biodiesel production from recycled vegetable oils is considered as an economically acceptable alternative for fossil fuels in the recent years. In this work, porcine pancreas lipase as an active catalyst in transesterification reaction of waste cooking sunflower oil with methanol for biodiesel production was used.Material and Methods: In order to define optimum process parameters and predict the best results, response surface methodology and the central composite design was performed. The effects of methanol to oil molar ratio, lipase concentration and reaction temperature on transesterification were investigated. Biodiesel production was carried out in 25 ml shake flasks at 180 rpm for 72 h.Results and Conclusion: Under optimal conditions, the biodiesel yield was 75% which was nearly consistent with the predicted yield of 76%. At optimal conditions the molar ratio of methanol to oil, reaction temperature, and lipase percent were determined as 3:1, 44°C and 4.4%, respectively. Due to relatively high obtained yield, biodiesel production from waste cooking sunflower oil has provided a sound environmental and commercial process.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest

Evaluation of treatability of high strength wastewater in a three stage-rotating biological contactor

Cheese whey effluent contains biodegradable organic compounds in the range of 40 to 80 g. L–1. In this study, a three–stage rotating biological contactor was fabricated as a bench scale experimental unit to remove organic matters from cheese whey. First, the treatability of cheese whey effluent in the three–stage rotating biological contactor (RBC) was evaluated. Then the effect of extended specific surface area (SSA) and recirculation rate on COD removal was investigated. The obtained results showed that the organic removal rate increased with an increase in loading rate, till other limiting parameters affect the process. Prior to application of the designated modifications to the system, maximum COD removal efficiency at hrts of 24 and 36 h with OLR of 50 gcod.L–1.d–1 was 90 and 92.4%, respectively. The removal efficiency was improved as a result of increasing the SSA and recirculation rate. Also, recirculation rate may assist to increase the DO level of the wastewater, especially at high olrs. To sum up, obtained results showed that whey effluent has been efficiently treated in a continuous operation of bench scale RBC. First published online: 26 Jun 201

Lactic acid Production with in situ Extraction in Membrane Bioreactor

Background and Objective: Lactic acid is widely used in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The major problems associated with lactic acid production are substrate and end-product inhibition, and by-product formation. Membrane technologyrepresents one of the most effective processes for lactic acid production. The aim of this work is to increase cell density and lactic acid productivity due to reduced inhibition effect of substrate and product in membrane bioreactor.Material and Methods: In this work, lactic acid was produced from lactose in membrane bioreactor. A laboratory scale membrane bioreactor was designed and fabricated. Five types of commercial membranes were tested at the same operating conditions (transmembrane pressure: 500 KPa and temperature: 25°C). The effects of initial lactose concentration and dilution rate on biomass growth, lactic acid production and substrate utilization were evaluated.Results and Conclusion: The high lactose retention of 79% v v-1 and low lactic acid retention of 22% v v-1 were obtained with NF1 membrane; therefore, this membrane was selected for membrane bioreactor. The maximal productivity of 17.1 g l-1 h-1 was obtainedwith the lactic acid concentration of 71.5 g l-1 at the dilution rate of 0.24 h−1. The maximum concentration of lactic acid was obtained at the dilution rate of 0.04 h−1. The inhibiting effect of lactic acid was not observed at high initial lactose concentration. The critical lactose concentration at which the cell growth severely hampered was 150 g l-1. This study proved that membrane bioreactor had great advantages such as elimination of substrate and product inhibition, high concentration of process substrate, high cell density,and high lactic acid productivity.Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest

Production of carbon molecular sieves from palm shell through carbon deposition from methane

The possibility of production of carbon molecular sieve (CMS) from palm shell as a waste lignocellulosic biomass was investigated. CMS samples were prepared through heat treatment processes including carbonization, physiochemical activation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from methane. Methane was pyrolyzed to deposit fine carbon on the pore mouth of palm shell-based activated carbon to yield CMS. All the deposition experiments were performed at 800 ºC, while the methane flow rate (100, 200, 300 mL min-1 CH4 diluted in 500 mL min-1 N2) and deposition time (30 to 60 min) were the investigated parameters. The textural characteristics of the CMSs were assessed by N2 adsorption. The largest BET surface area (752 m2 g-1), micropore surface area (902.2 m2 g-1) and micropore volume (0.3466 cm3 g-1) was obtained at the CH4 flow rate of 200 mL min-1 and deposition time of 30 min. However, prolonging the deposition time to 45 min yielded in a micropouros CMS with a narrow pore size distribution

THE EFFECT OF THE SLUDGE RECYCLE RATIO IN AN ACTIVATED SLUDGE SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT OF AMOL'S INDUSTRIAL PARK WASTEWATER

An activated sludge aeration tank and a sedimentation basin were used to treat Amol’s industrial park effluents originating from all industrial units. A continuous system was implemented and the kinetic parameters were measured.The parameters such as rate constant, substrate utilization rate constant, yield and decay coefficient were 2.12 d-1, 232.4 mg l-1, 0.33 g/g of substrate and 0.096 d−1, respectively. The hydraulic retention times (HRT) were in the range of 9 to 27 h. The sludge recycle ratios in the range from 0.3 to 1 were considered. The COD removal, SVI and DO were determined and the optimal values were obtained. It was observed that at HRT of 16 h and the sludge recycle ratio of 0.85, the COD removal and SVI were 95 and 85 %, respectively. The sludge recycle ratio greater than 0.85 had no significant effect on the COD removal

Bioconversion Of Synthesis Gas To Ethanol In A CSTR.

The depletion sources of fossil fuels and chemical feedstock, also the oil crisis in 70’s had drawn the world to find alternative clean renewable resources. The production of fuel by microbial culture was considered as an alternative source