The world is confronted with the twin crisis of fossil fuel depletion and environmental degradation caused by fossil fuel usage. Biodiesel produced from renewable feedstocks such as Jatropha seed oil or animal fats by transesterification offers a solution. Although biodiesel has been produced from various vegetable oils such as Jatropha seed oil, the reaction kinetics studies are very few in literature, hence the need for this study. Jatropha curcas seed oil was extracted and analyzed to determine its free fatty acid and fatty acid composition. The oil was transesterified with methanol at a molar ratio of methanol to oil 8:1, using 1% sodium hydroxide catalyst, at different temperatures ranging from 32oC to 65oC, at atmospheric pressure. The order of the reactions with respect to the triglyceride's disappearance in the forward reaction at the chosen temperatures was found to be pseudo-first-order and found to be first-order for the reaction at 32oC. The rate constants of the three consecutive reaction steps at 65oC, namely, triglyceride to diglyceride, diglyceride to monoglyceride, and monoglyceride to glycerol, were found to be 0.422 min-1 0.117 min-1, and 0.037min-1, respectively. Their corresponding activation energies in J/mol were 22.165, 3.136, and 19.770, respectively.
Several toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi
... Show MoreBackground: Pumpkin seeds are a valuable source of high-quality protein and can be utilized as functional food ingredients due to their properties, such as solubility, foam formation, and stability. This study aims to produce protein isolate and its enzymatic hydrolysates from local pumpkin seeds to study their properties. Methodology: Preparing defatted pumpkin seeds for protein extraction, followed by the enzymes’ hydrolysis using Trypsin and Pepsin enzymes separately and together in two methods. The determination of amino acids and the degree of hydrolysis was conducted; moreover, protein properties were studied, including solubility, emulsifying activity, stability index, foaming capacity, and stability. Results: A protein sample was
... Show MoreProduction and characterization of methionine γ- lyase from Pseudomonas putida and its effect on cancer cell lines
Helminthiasis is a significant economic burden on grazing cattle. Increased resistance to currently available synthetic anthelmintics used to treat helminthiasis, and anthelmintic residues in meat and dairy products pose a significant worldwide health threat. These obstacles require the development of new anthelmintics capable of combating drug resistance while also exhibiting improved safety profiles. Rhynchosia cana (Fabaceae) is a herb that has historically been used as a worm expeller. To evaluate the phytochemical profile and explore the anti-oxidant and anthelmintic effects of different extracts of Rhynchosia cana (R. cana) by In silico and In vitro methods. Using standardised chemical t
... Show MoreIn Libya, there are multiple sources of pollution, one of which is animal waste. The anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic wastes to produce biogas has the advantage of producing valuable, renewable energy while reducing the environmental impact of these wastes. Cowmanure have the potential to produce biogas due to their high organic content. This study aimed to study different concentrations for the feedstock (1:1 and 2:1 cow manure: water v/v) to monitor which one gives higher biogas production. A plastic tank with a capacity of 72 liters and a feedstock volume of 60 liters was used to create a pilot scale. The biogas was analyzed using a GC device at the end of the experiment in the Zawiya Oil Refining Company. The result indicated that th
... Show MoreNi and Cd complexes of new Schiff base derived from 5-Amino-2-phenyl-2,4-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one with 4-chlorobenzalaldehyde (A) , 2-Hydroxy-benzalaldehyde (B) and 4-Hydroxy-benzaldehyde (C) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis , molar conductivity measurements , FTIR , UV- vis , 1HNMR, mass spectrometer and magnetic susceptibility. Analytical data revealed that six complexes were a distorted tetrahedral geometry and exhibited (1:1) metal :ligand ratio. The biological activity for the three ligands and its complexes were studied
The extraction of Eucalyptus oil from Iraqi Eucalyptus Camadulensis leaves was studded using water distillation methods. The amount of Eucalyptus oil has been determined in a variety of extraction temperature and agitation speed. The effect of water to Eucalyptus leaves (solvent to solid) ratio and particle size of Eucalyptus leaves has been studied in order to evaluate the amount of Eucalyptus oil. The optimum experimental condition for the Eucalyptus oil extraction was established as follows: 100˚C extraction temperature, 200 rpm agitation speed; 0.5 cm leave particle size and 6:1 ml: g amount of water to eucalyptus leaves Ratio.
Five novel nickel, iron, cobalt, copper, and mercury complexes were synthesized from tetraazamacrocyclic Schiff base ligand (L), which were derived from 3-(4-(dimethyl amino) benzylidene) pentane-2,4-dione and 1,2- diaminocyclohexane in a 2:2 molar ratio. Many physico-chemical and spectroscopic techniques, including melting point, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, UV-Vis, FT-IR, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were used to characterize the Schiff base ligand and all metal complexes. The octahedral geometry of all the complexes [MLCl2] is confirmed by spectroscopic analyses. All substances' biological properties, such as their in vitro antioxidant activity or level of free radical scavenging
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