The removal of COD from wastewater generated by petroleum refinery has been investigated by adopting electrocoagulation (EC) combined with adsorption using activated carbon (AC) derived from avocado seeds. The process variables influencing COD removal were studied: current density (2–10 mA/cm2), pH (4–9), and AC dosage (0.2–1 g/L). Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used to construct a mathematical model of the EC/AC process. Results showed that current density has the major effect on the COD removal with a percent of contribution 32.78% followed by pH while AC dosage has not a remarkable effect due to the good characteristics of AC derived from avocado seeds. Increasing current density gives better results while neutral conditions are suitable for EC/AC. The optimized conditions for higher removal of COD adopting the combined process were a current density of 10 mA/cm2, AC dosage of 0.2 g/L, and pH of 6.8 in which a removal efficiency of 81.6% was attained. The combining of EC with adsorption showed that adding a suitable amount of AC derived from avocado seeds resulted in enhancement of COD removal from 63.45% to 81.4%. Based on this high removal efficiency, the EC/AC could be adopted instead of traditional EC.
Background: Obesity is considered an important risk factor for periodontal disease. It has been reported that reactive oxygen species linking both diseases, systemic melatonin supplementation as antioxidant therapy, was addressed as an adjuvant to scaling and root surface debridement (SRP) to enhance the treatment of periodontitis. Objective: To investigate the efficacy of systemic melatonin administration in periodontitis-obese patients as an adjuvant to scaling and root surface debridement (SRP). Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at a dental-specialized center. Eighty subjects were included and allocated into group-I: twenty periodontium-healthy, normal-weight people; group-II: 30 obese patients with stage-III tre
... Show MoreBackground: A case-control study design revealeda relationship between the present of fluoride, and the reduction of dental caries and the increase prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis .The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries in relation to dental fluorosis among school children in Al-Muthana'a Governorate. Materials and methods: It was conducted among primary school students aged 12 years old, the age was taken according to the criteria of World Health Organization (1997) (1).The number of students was selected in each sector of control group according to number of schools in that sector .Sectors of control group which depend on water of river as source of drinking water. Case group which inc
... Show MoreEfficient management of treated sewage effluents protects the environment and reuse of municipal, industrial, agricultural and recreational as compensation for water shortages as a second source of water. This study was conducted to investigate the overall performance and evaluate the effluent quality from Al- Rustamiya sewage treatment plant (STP), Baghdad, Iraq by determining the effluent quality index (EQI). This assessment included daily records of major influent and effluent sewage parameters that were obtained from the municipal sewage plant laboratory recorded from January 2011 to December 2018. The result showed that the treated sewage effluent quality from STP was within the Iraqi quality standards (IQS) for disposal and t
... Show MoreObjective: The goal of this research is to load Doxorubicin (DOX) on silver nanoparticles coupled with folic acid and test their anticancer properties against breast cancer. Methods: Chitosan-Capped silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) were manufactured and loaded with folic acid as well as an anticancer drug, Doxorubicin, to form CS-AgNPs-DOX-FA conjugate. AFM, FTIR, and SEM techniques were used to characterize the samples. The produced multifunctional nano-formulation served as an intrinsic drug delivery system, allowing for effective loading and targeting of chemotherapeutics on the Breast cancer (AMJ 13) cell line. Flowcytometry was used to assess therapy efficacy by measuring apoptotic induction. Results: DOX and CS-Ag
... Show MoreBackground: Congenital heart disease is one of the most common developmental anomalies in children. These patients commonly have poor oral health that increase caries risk. Dental management of children with congenital heart disease requires special attention, because of their heightened susceptibility to infectious endocarditis. The aims of this study were to assess the severity of dental caries of primary and permanent teeth and treatment needs in relation to nutritional indicator (Body Mass Index) among children with congenital heart disease. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, case group consisted of 399 patients aged between 6-12 years old with congenital heart disease were examined for dental status in Ibn Al-Bitar spec
... Show MoreObjectives: The current study aims to evaluate parents' knowledge towards diabetes mellitus (type I); to identify the association between parents' knowledge and their demographic characteristics; and to identify the association between parents' knowledge and demographic characteristics of their children. Methodology: Descriptive study carried out during the period from January to April 2015 on purposive sample of 100 parents with their children with diabetes mellitus who attending diabetes and endocrine treatment center. An evaluation tool is constructed by the researcher based on previous literature regarding
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of plasma treatment versus conventional treatment on the micro shear bond strength (μSBS), surface roughness, and wettability of three different CAD/CAM materials. Materials and methods: Sixty cylindrical specimens (5 mm diameter ×3 mm height) were prepared from three different CAD/CAM materials: Group A: Zirconia, Group B: Lithium disilicate, and Group C: Resin nano-ceramic. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups according to surface treatment used: Subgroup I: Conventional treatment, zirconia was sandblasted with Al2O3, while lithium disilicate and resin nano-ceramic were etched with hydrofluoric acid. Subgroup II: Plasma treatment, the surface of each material was tr
... Show MoreA research was conducted to determine the feasibility of using adsorption process to remove boron from aqueous solutions using batch technique. Three adsorbent materials; magnesium, aluminum and iron oxide were investigated to find their abilities for boron removal. The effects of operational parameters on boron removal efficiency for each material were determined.
The experimental results revealed that maximum boron removal was achieved at pH 9.5 for magnesium oxide and 8 for aluminum and iron oxide. The percentage of boron adsorbed onto magnesium,aluminum and iron oxide reaches up to 90, 42.5 and 41.5% respectively under appropriate conditions. Boron concentration in effluent water after adsorption via magnesium oxide comply with th
Abstract : A research was conducted to study the process parameters affecting hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) (carcinogenic compound) the removal percentage from the electrical industries company waste water that contain 88 mg/l of Cr (VI) concentration by adsorption onto tea wastes. Synthetic water with 88 mg/l Cr (VI) concentration was used. Several operation parameters affecting Cr (VI) removal efficiency were investigated, such as pH, initial Cr (VI) concentration, stirring time and tea wastes dose. The experimental results reveal that maximum Cr (VI) removal reached up to 94.26% at pH of 2, stirring time of 180 minute, tea wastes do
... Show MoreBackground: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising implant material due to its superior biomechanical strength. However, due to its hydrophobic nature and lack of cellular adhesion properties, it has poor integration with bone tissue. Methods: A fractional CO2 laser was used with various parameters for surface texturing of PEEK substrate to enhance its surface properties. An optical microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to examine the surface morphology of untextured and laser-textured samples. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was performed to determine the effect of the laser on the microstructure of PEEK. Surface microroughness, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wettability were invest
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