Adsorptive Behavior of Methylene Blue onto Sawdust of Sour Lemon,Date Palm,and Eucalyptus as Agricultural Wastes

In the present study, to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution, some agricultural residues and cheap bioadsorbents such as sawdust of palm trees, eucalyptus, and sour lemon were used. To do this, significant parameters like contact time, temperature, pH, initial concentration, and adsorbent dosage were checked. The results affirmed that the best conditions for MB adsorption from aqueous solution were obtained such as the temperature of 25?°C, pH of 8, adsorbent dosage of 2g/L, contact time of 120?minutes, and dye concentration of 5?mg/l which under these conditions the adsorption efficiencies determined were 95.8, 93.4, and 92.8% using sawdust of palm tree, eucalyptus, and sour lemon, respectively. Also, the equilibrium behavior of adsorbents showed that the Freundlich model could better predict the adsorption behavior of the process due to having a larger correlation coefficient (R²). The maximum biosorption capacities by Langmuir isotherm model were also obtained 54, 53.5, and 52.4?mg/g for sawdust of palm trees, eucalyptus, and lemon, respectively, which were significant amounts. In addition, kinetic behavior of adsorption showed that pseudo-second-order model can describe the kinetics of the adsorption process better than the pseudo-first-order model. Moreover, kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic behaviors of adsorption affirmed that the biosorption process was desirable, physisorption, spontaneous, and exothermic.     

Optimization of a New Extraction Technique for Analysis of Verbenone and cis-Verbenol in Pine Seeds

Results from a systematic study of the factors affecting extraction of cis-verbenol and verbenone from pine seeds are presented. Five extraction conditions were investigated: extraction solvent, method of extraction, extraction temperature, volume of solvent, and the ratio of the mass of sample to the amount of extraction solvent. The resulting optimized method uses magnetic-stirring-assisted extraction of pine seeds (5 g) with ethyl acetate (75 mL) for 20 min, at room temperature. RSDs were less than 5% for both compounds. GC–FID was used for quantification of cis-verbenol and verbenone in the extracts.     

废弃生物质在超临界水中转化制氢过程的研究

以废弃生物质转化为富氢气体为目的，使用间歇式超临界水反应器，在反应温度773 K～923 K、压力15.5 MPa～34.5 MPa停留时间1 min～30 min和Ca/C摩尔比0～0.56范围内，对木屑在超临界水条件下生成的气体组成及产率进行了考察。实验表明，Ca/C摩尔比和温度对木屑转化的影响较大。当Ca/C摩尔比为0.48时，碳的气体转化率和氢气产率提高了近一倍。温度从773 K提高到923 K，碳的气体转化率由47％提高到76％，氢气产率由4.5 mmol/g上升到6.9 mmol/g。与温度相比，停留时间和压力的影响不大。     

Influence of the heating rate on the temperature profiles and on the conversion rate of powdery cellulose and pine sawdust

An experimental study of the thermal decomposition of powdered cellulose and pine sawdust has been performed. The influence of the heating rate on the temperature profiles in the sample and on the solid conversion rate has been studied. A mathematical model without adjustable parameters has been used to calculate the temperature at different points in the solid bed and the average total solid conversion. The experimental results have been compared with those calculated by the model. A good agreement has been obtained for sawdust. Some differences are observed for cellulose at high heating rates, and the influence of the thermal conductivity and the reaction heat on the results has been analysed.     

松木屑与褐煤共气化的TG-FTIR实验研究

利用TG-FTIR对松木屑、褐煤及其混合物的共气化过程及气化产物进行了分析，研究了掺混比例、升温速率以及反应气氛对共气化过程的影响。结果表明，松木屑加入后提高了试样的反应活性，随松木屑比例增加，气化失重速率逐渐降低，CO的开始析出温度及析出峰面积A_CO呈降低趋势；较低的升温速率有利于CO和CH₄的析出，随着升温速率的增加，DTG曲线向高温侧移动，最大失重速率显著增加，褐煤热解对应的峰逐渐消失；CO₂气氛对挥发分析出阶段的失重行为影响不明显；空气气氛时挥发分析出阶段的两个失重峰分别对应挥发分的燃烧和固定碳燃烧，该气氛下没有明显的焦炭气化阶段。     

Utilization of Pine Nut Shell derived carbon as an efficient alternate for the sequestration of phthalates from aqueous system

This study highlights the importance of a cheap bio waste; Pine Nut Shell (PNS), from which a carbon is synthesized that can efficiently remove toxic phthalates from an aqueous system. PNS derived carbon shows high affinity toward phthalates in descending order along with adsorption capacity i.e., dibutyl phthalate (DBP) 5.65 mg/g > diallyl phthalate (DAP) 3.64 mg/g > diethyl phthalate (DEP) and 2.87 mg/g > dimethyl phthalate (DMP) 2.48 mg/g. Different characterization techniques such as FTIR, elemental analysis, point of zero electric charge (PZC), SEM, EDX and BET were employed to investigate the binding sites and surface area of the adsorbent. Adsorption experiments were performed both in batch and column modes. Equilibrium studies showed that the Langmuir isotherm fits best to experimental data. Kinetically, adsorption phenomena obeyed pseudo second order. Furthermore, thermodynamic results expressed the exothermic nature of adsorption on the basis of negative value of enthalpy change. Column sorption method was also adapted to check the feasibility of the adsorption process through the investigation of flow rate, breakthrough curve and pre-concentration factor which is found to be 13 for DMP and DEP and 16 for DAP and DBP. Methanol was found to be best solvent for the recovery of phthalates. Application in real water samples also showed good efficiency of PNS derived carbon for the removal of phthalates.     

Preparation of CoFe2O4/sawdust and NiFe2O4/sawdust magnetic nanocomposites for removal of oil from the water surface

In this study, CoFe₂O₄/Sawdust and NiFe₂O₄/Sawdust magnetic nanocomposites were synthesized using a hydrothermal method, and then characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, Infrared, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller/Barrett–Joyner–Halenda, and vibrating-sample magnetometer techniques. In this study, unmodified sawdust (US), modified sawdust (MS), unmodified CoFe₂O₄/sawdust (UCS), modified CoFe₂O₄/sawdust (MCS), unmodified NiFe₂O₄/sawdust (UNS), and modified NiFe₂O₄/Sawdust (MNS) magnetic nanocomposites, which are inexpensive, economical, environmentally friendly absorbents, and have a high selective hydrophobic, were used for the removal of oil from the water surface. The results show that the UCS, MCS, UNS, and MNS magnetic nanocomposites can selectively absorb the oil spreading on the water surface, due to its superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity, and can be easily collected from water under the influence of a magnetic field. In addition, the results showed that the absorbents reach their equilibrium at the 30-min mark. Among all the absorbents, the MNS magnetic nanocomposite showed the maximum absorption capacity (18.172 g/g) at the 40-min mark. The results of the kinetic studies showed that the second-order kinetic equation with the highest correlation coefficient had the best fit with the experimental results.     

The influence of inert solids on ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The catalytic role of various inert solid supports on acceleration of alcohol fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. The enhanced rate of alcohol production was dependent on the nature of the support as well as on the amount used. Among all the tested supports, chitosan flakes showed the maximum yield of alcohol (93% of theoretical yield). This higher rate of alcohol production was associated with the twofold increase in the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase over control. Our results suggest that the addition of a small fraction of solids in submerged fermentations to facilitate cell anchorage for enhanced metabolic activity is easier and more economical compared to cell immobilization processes. IICT Communication No. 4266. Some of the results in this article are covered under a patent.     

A NOVEL METHOD OF FITTING SPATIO‐TEMPORAL MODELS TO DATA,WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE DYNAMICS OF MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLES

Abstract We develop a modular landscape model for the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) infestation of a stage‐structured forest of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas). Beetle attack dynamics are modeled using response functions and beetle movement using dispersal kernels. This modeling technique yields four model candidates. These models allow discrimination between four broad possibilities at the landscape scale: whether or not beetles are subject to an Allee effect at the landscape scale and whether or not host selection is random or directed. We fit the models with aerial damage survey data to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area using estimating functions, which allows for more rapid and complete parameter determination. We then introduce a novel model selection procedure based on facial recognition technology to compliment traditional nonspatial selection metrics. Together with these we are able to select a best model and draw inferences regarding the behavior of the beetle in outbreak conditions.     

浸渍-煅烧法合成纳米氧化铜的研究

纳米氧化铜是一种重要的功能材料,在高温超导、有机催化、传感器、锂离子电极材料等方面均具有广泛的应用前景.由于CuO在应用效果上与其形貌、粒径大小以及粒径分布有密切关系,因此,纳米CuO的可控研究仍具有重要意义.