Corncob is an agricultural biomass waste that was widely investigated as an adsorbent of contaminants after transforming it into activated carbon. In this research carbonization and chemical activation processes were achieved to synthesize corncob-activated carbon (CAC). Many pretreatment steps including crushing, grinding, and drying to obtain corncob powder were performed before the carbonization step. The carbonization of corncob powder has occurred in the absence of air at a temperature of 500 °C. The chemical activation was accomplished by using HCl as an acidic activation agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) facilitated the characterization of (CAC). The results showed the CAC has non-uniform morphological features with different shapes of its active sites. The prepared CAC was utilized in adsorption of sulfur in its highly complex form of dibenzothiophene (DBT). Particular adsorption parameters of contacting time, temperature, and adsorbent dose were optimized to select the best conditions. These certain conditions are then applied in the adsorption of different DBT concentrations. The maximum removal of DBT reached around 83% at optimal conditions of contacting time (30 min), temperature (60 °C), and adsorbent dose (3 g L-1). The removal efficiency was significantly increased by decreasing the initial concentration of DBT. The experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm model compared with the Langmuir one. The maximum capacity of CAC for adsorption of DBT at equilibrium was 833.3 mg g-1 at 60 °C. The findings of this research introduce the CAC as a feasible adsorbent for removal DBT from simulated liquid petroleum fuels.
Polyaniline (PANI) and Ag/PANI nanocomposite thin films have prepared by microwave induced plasma. The Ag powder of average particle size of 50 nm, were used to prepare Ag/PANI nanocomposite thin films. The Ag/PANI nanocomposite thin films prepared by polymerization in plasma and characterized by UV-VIS, FTIR, AFM and SEM to study the effect of silver nanoparticles on the optical properties, morphology and structure of the thin films. The optical properties studies showed that the energy band gap of the Ag/PANI (5%wt silver) decreased from 3.6 to 3.2 eV, where the substrate location varied from 4.4 to 3.4 cm from the axis of the cylindrical plasma chamber. Also the optical energy gap decreased systematically from 3.3 to 3 eV with increas
... Show MoreSpin coating technique used to prepare ZnPc, CdS and ZnPc/CdS blend thin films, these films annealed at 423K for 1h, 2h and 3h. Optical behavior of these films were examined using UV-Vis. and PL. The absorption spectrum of ZnPc shows a decreasing in absorption with the increase of annealing time while CdS spectrum give a clearly absorption peak at~510 nm. Energy gap of ZnPc increases from 1.41 to 1.52 eV by increasing the annealing time. Eg of CdS decrease by increasing annealing time, from 2.3 eV to 2.2 eV. The intensities of the peaks obtained from PL spectra were strongly dependent on annealing time and confirmed the results obtained from UV-Vis. D.C. conductivity measurement showed that all the thin films have two differen
... Show MoreA survey of chrysidid wasps and an identification key to the genera from different localities in Iraq are provided. The genus Pseudomalus Ashmead, 1902 with Pseudomalus auratus (Linnaeus) and Omalus timidus (Nurse), are new records from Iraq. As well, a preliminary checklist of Iraq’s Chrysididae is suggested. Twenty species within nine genera in two subfamilies have been included in the current list. Historical information is provided together with remarks on the current taxonomic status and the particular validity for some species.
In this paper to isolate and study the properties of the cyclooxygenase-2 (EC: 1.14.99.1) enzyme in the blood of a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and study the effect of natural products of the Soapwort on the activity of purified enzyme. The study involves taking 30 ml of blood from an adult woman 40 years old, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis disease for 13 years. Serum is separated and subjected to a series of purification processes including: precipitation by ammonium sulfate, filtration by centrifugation radiator, dialysis in presence of ammonium bicarbonate, separation using the technology of ion exchange, lipholization and then estimating approximate molecular weight of the enzyme using gel filtration techni
... Show MoreDouble hydrothermal method was used to prepare nano gamma alumina using aluminum nitrate nano hydrate and sodium aluminate as an aluminum source, CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) as surfactant, and variable acids: weak acids like; citric, and acitic acids, and strong acids like; hydrochloric and nitric acids as a bridge between aluminum salts and surfactant. Different crystallization times 12, 24, 48, and 72 hrs were applied. All the batches were prepared at pH equals to 9. XRD diffraction technique was used to investigate the crystalline nano gamma alumina pure from surfactant. N2 adsorption-desorption (BET) was used to measure the surface area and pore volume of the prepared nano alumina, the average p
... Show MoreThe present report depicts a convenient route for the synthesis of new N-Mannich bases from Ciprofloxacin (CP) drug. The synthetic route started from the reaction CP drug with 2-mercaptobenzimidazole to give compound [A], the N-Mannich bases analogs of CP [A1-A8] were prepared by the reaction of CP derivative [A] with primary and secondary amine derivatives. The structure of the analogs was confirmed by spectral (1 HNMR and FTIR) and analytical data. This study also includes calculations of total energy and electrostatic potential. In addition, this research aimed to determine the effects of CP derivatives on the activity of various transferase enzymes in sera, such as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and Glutamate Pyruvate Tra
... Show MoreIn this study, the aqueous extract of (Typha domingensis Pers.) pollen grain (qurraid) to know its ability to manufacture silver nanoparticles. Qurraid is a semi-solid yellow food substance, sold in Basra markets and eaten by the local population. It is made from the pollen of the T. domingensis Pers. plant after being pressed and treated with water vapor. The Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) reaction was done to identify the active compounds of qurraid aqueous extract. The ability of the aqueous extract of qurraid to manufacture silver nanoparticles was tested, and the construction of silver nanoparticles was inferred by the reaction mixture's color, which ranged from yellow to dark brown. The synthesi
... Show MoreWe studied the effect of certain environmental conditions for removing heavy metal elements from contaminated aqueous solutions (Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cr) using the bacterium Bacillus subtilis to appoint the optimal conditions for removal ,The best optimum temperature range for two isolate was 30-35○C while the hydrogen number for the maximum mineral removal range was 6-7. The best primary mineral removal was 100 mg/L, while the maximum removal for all minerals was obtained after 6 hrs of Cu element time and the maximum removal efficiency was obtained after 24 hrs of Cu element. The results have proved that the best aeration for maximum removal was obtained at rotation speed of 150 rpm/minute. Inoculums of 5ml/100ml which contained 1
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