Thermal destruction of rice hull in air and nitrogen

In this study, we ashed rice hull in air and nitrogen, respectively, and systematically investigated the effects of ashing temperature and atmosphere on the structures, morphologies, and pore characteristics of rice hull ash (RHA). All RHA samples are amorphous materials with porous structures. IR spectra revealed that RHA that ashed in air (WRHA) exhibit more polar groups on the surface than that of ashed in nitrogen (BRHA). The silica and carbon contents, BET surface area, and pore volume of BRHA increase with ashing temperature. When ashed in air, however, the silica content of WRHA increases and carbon content decreases with temperature. The BET surface area and pore volume of WRHA increase with temperature firstly and decline subsequently due to the closure of pores. Compared with WRHA, BRHA shows higher surface areas, micropore volumes, carbon contents, and lower mesopore fractions and silica contents. This study provides essential information for choosing a suitable thermal treatment of rice hull for a given adsorbate.     

Characterization of rice husks and the products of its thermal degradation in air or nitrogen atmosphere

Rice husk is a by-product of rice milling process and are a major waste product of the agricultural industry. They have now become a great source as a raw biomass material for manufacturing value-added silicon composite products, including silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon tetrachloride, pure silicon, zeolite, fillers of rubber and plastic composites, adsorbent and support of catalysts. The bulk and true densities of raw rice husk with different moisture and sizes were determined. The rice husk was subjected to pyrolysis in fluidized-bed reactor in air or nitrogen atmosphere. The products obtained were characterized by thermogravimetric and X-ray powder analysis, IR-spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. The specific surface area of the products is comparable with this of γ-Al₂O₃. The kinetics of H₂SeO₃ adsorption out of aqueous solutions at 298 K was studied. The adsorption capacity of white rice husks ash was found to be higher than that of black rice husk ash and the adsorption kinetics obeyed the second order kinetic equation.     

Effect of thermal treatment of rice husk ash on the surface properties of hydrated lime-rice husk ash binders

Rice husk ash fired at different temperatures, 450, 700 and 1000°C, was mixed with different concentrations of lime (molar lime/silica ash ratio of 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0). Each dry mixture was first ground and hydrated in the suspension form (water/solid ratio = 10) for various time intervals within the range of 1 to 365 days. The surface properties of the unhydrated and hydrated samples were studied by means of nitrogen adsorption measurements. The results indicated that the surface areas and total pore volumes of unhydrated solid mixtures and hydrated lime-rice husk ash samples, prepared with lime/silica ash ratio of 1.0, decrease with increasing firing temperature of rice husk ash. The effect of varying the lime/silica ash ratio of the solid mixture on the surface area and pore structure was fully discussed. The results of surface area and pore volume measurements could also be related to the crystal structure of silica produced from rice husk ash.     

Rice husk ash as an adsorbent for methylene blue—effect of ashing temperature

Utilization of one waste material to control pollution caused by another is of high significance in the remediation of environmental problems. Rice husk, an abundantly available agricultural waste, can be used as a low cost adsorbent for dyes and heavy metals in effluent streams. The possible utilization of rice husk ash as an adsorbent for methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions has been investigated. Ash samples from husks of two origins were prepared at different temperatures and their physical, chemical spectroscopic and morphological properties were determined. XRD, FTIR and SEM were some of the techniques adopted for the characterization. The samples were also analyzed for bulk density, pH, nitrogen adsorption properties and lime reactivity. Experiments of methylene blue adsorption on the ash samples were conducted using batch technique and a comparative study was made. Results were analyzed using linear, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The values of separation factor indicate that most of the ash samples do adsorb the dye molecules, but in varying quantities. Calcination at 900^∘C reduces the adsorption capacity of the ash to a great extent. Regression analysis shows that the experimental data fits both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms for certain concentration limits. The adsorbate species are most probably transported from the bulk of the solution into the solid phase through intra-particle diffusion process. Kinetics of adsorption was found to follow pseudo second order rate equation with R ²∼ 0.99. The highest adsorption capacity (Q ₀) achieved is found to be ∼690 mg/g, which is even higher than the values reported for activated carbon from rice husk. The adsorption capacity of the ash samples are in good agreement with their surface area and pore volume.     

Adsorption Kinetics,Equilibrium, and Thermodynamics of Copper From Aqueous Solutions using Silicon Carbide Derived from Rice Waste

Adsorption of Cu(II) from aqueous solution on a novel adsorbent, silicon carbide ash (SiC ash), was studied using batch technique. The adsorbent was prepared by pyrolysis of Egyptian rice waste (rice straw and rice husk) and was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and surface area analysis by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) Theory. The influence of pH, contact time, initial Cu(II) concentration, adsorbent dose, agitation speed, and temperature was investigated. Adsorption kinetics was analyzed using the pseudo-first-order, the pseudo-second-order, and intraparticular diffusion model. The adsorption process was found to follow a pseudo-second-order rate mechanism. The adsorption isotherm data could be well described by the Langmuir and Freundlich than the Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption model. The adsorption capacity of 22.06 mg g^?1for SiC ash was obtained at pH = 5 and temperature of 298 K. Thermodynamic parameters, change in the free energy (ΔG°), the enthalpy (ΔH°), and the entropy (ΔS°), were also calculated. The overall adsorption process was exothermic, spontaneous in nature, and proceeds with decreased randomness as the entropy is negative value. Adsorption process was successfully applied to remove Cu(II) from an industrial wastewater sample.     

Enhanced Crude Oil Sorption by Modified Plant Materials in Oilfield Wastewater Treatment

The treatment of oilfield wastewater with high crude oil content and complex composition is a problem requiring considerable attention. In order to effectively remove crude oil contained in wastewater, in this work, rice straw, as an oil-absorbing material, was modified and used as a sorbent for crude oil. Rice straw was modified with alkali and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) by simple substitution reaction. The adsorption capacity of modified rice straw for oil was evaluated. The results illustrate that the adsorption rate of rice straw for crude oil was increased from 0.83 to 8.49 g/g, with the optimal conditions of 18% NaOH reacted for 90 min at 50 °C and 2% CTAC reacted for 60 min at 20 °C. The proposed modification method could be used for different materials to enhance the adsorption rate. The results of the contact angle test show that the modified straw changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, which may be the main reason for the improvement in the oil absorption rate. Finally, the surface structure of rice straw was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, which further confirmed the hydrophobicity of the modified rice straw.     

Characterization and comparative study of pyrolysis kinetics of the rice husk and the elephant grass

A comparative evaluation of different biomasses allows the choice that presents the best potential as fuel for energy production. The knowledge of the thermal and kinetics parameters of the biomass in the process of thermal conversion is fundamental as their chemical and physical characterization. Various methodologies have been developed for the determination of kinetic parameters as apparent activation energy and reaction order from the thermogravimetric analysis. In this work, the apparent activation energy needed to break the bonds of hemicelluloses and cellulose of rice husk and elephant grass during the thermal conversion was evaluated according to the kinetics models of Flynn and Wall and Model Free Kinetics developed by Vyazovkin. The biomass elephant grass and rice husk were characterized for moisture, ash and volatile matter by ASTM E871, ASTM E1755, ASTM E872, respectively, and fixed carbon by difference. The percentage of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen were determined by ultimate analysis. The elephant grass showed to be more suitable for production of bio-oil through pyrolysis due to the higher percentage of volatile, less ash content and less energy required to break the bonds of hemicellulose and cellulose than rice husk in the thermal conversion process.     

Removal of rhodamine B from aqueous solution via adsorption onto microwave-activated rice husk ash

The adsorption of rhodamine B (RhB) onto microwave-activated rice husk ash (ARHA) was conducted to demonstrate the capability of an inexpensive abundant biomaterial as an alternating bio-sorbent for the removal of dye residue from wastewater. Experimental data show that ARHA achieved the maximum adsorption capacity of 21.89 mg/g at pH 5.5 and 303 K. The absorption process was followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model and adsorption equilibrium data were well described by the Freundlich model. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the RhB adsorption onto ARHA was endothermic and spontaneous.     

Application of steam distillation in the determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in water and mussels (Mytilus edulis) from dosing experiments with crude oil

Steam distillation is shown to provide recoveries in excess of 80% for petroleum hydrocarbons in the volatility range encompassed by toluene and pyrene from water and mussel tissues. These recoveries were achieved with an apparatus based on Dean and Stark water estimators which are commercially available at low cost. Saponification is shown to aid hydrocarbon recovery from mussel tissue. The steam distillates derived from tissues were analysed by u.v. spectrophotometry after clean-up on alumina, or directly by gas-liquid chromatography or normal- and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.). Steam distillates of water did not require prior clean-up. Normal-phase h.p.l.c. of steam distillates on an amino-cyano phase provided a particularly convenient method for petroleum-derived aromatic hydrocarbons. These techniques were examined extensively in laboratory experiments with crude oil, but preliminary results suggest that they may be used also in environmental monitoring of hydrocarbons.     

Removal of oil spills by novel amphiphilic Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base polymer developed by click grafting technique

Novel Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base amphiphilic polymer has been developed by click grafting technique and evaluated successfully in removing different types of oils spills. The chemical structure and the morphological changes of the developed Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base amphiphilic polymer have been followed using FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM. The amphiphilic character of the developed Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base polymer has been controlled through variations of the Octanal grafting percentages from 38% to 82%. Dramatic changes of the Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base polymer solubility have been founded. The ion exchange capacity and water uptake have been affected in the same manner. The oils adsorption capacity was founded in direct relation to the Octanal grafting percentages and followed the order: mineral < kerosene < diesel < light crude oil (LCO) < heavy crude oil (HCO). Operational conditions such as oil amount, adsorption time, adsorbent dose, and agitation speed have been studied. The oil adsorption capacity of the Chitosan-g-Octanal Schiff base polymer for light and heavy crude oil has been increased by 167% and 110% over Chitosan ones. Finally, the removal process is optimized using response surface methodology (RSM).     

介孔硅胶在柴油氧化-吸附组合脱硫中的应用研究

以硅胶(SG)为吸附剂,采用自制的双亲催化剂与H₂O₂组成的催化氧化体系将柴油进行氧化,利用固定床动态吸附法考察了硅胶性质、氧化过程及吸附条件等对硅胶吸附脱硫性能的影响,并对硅胶进行了表征。小角XRD和氮气吸脱附结果表明,实验所用硅胶具有介孔结构。吸附脱硫实验结果表明,在油剂比(柴油与吸附剂的体积比)相同时,氧化-吸附脱硫过程脱硫率明显高于吸附脱硫过程脱硫率;选用硅胶作吸附剂,吸附温度为40℃,吸附空速为6.0 h^-1时脱硫效果较好,当油剂比为1时,脱硫率高达94.57%,且该介孔硅胶具有较大的吸附硫容,随油剂比增大下降缓慢,当油剂比增大到15时,脱硫率仍达85.89%。     

Investigating morphological and performance deterioration of injection-molded rice husk–polypropylene composites due to various liquid uptakes

Systematic investigations for the tensile strengths, tensile moduli, flexural strengths, flexural moduli, and impact strengths of various reinforced conditions of rice husk–polypropylene composites under the effect of different liquids uptakes were carried out. Three different liquids, i.e., lubricant oil, sea water, and distilled water, were utilized in this work to investigate their effects on the composites’ mechanical performance. Moreover, morphological analysis of the designed composites was also carried out. Various fiber loadings at 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 wt% have been designed and investigated. The rice husk–polypropylene composites have been prepared by injection molding, and struktol was used as an additive. The composites were immersed in three different liquids—lubricant oil, sea water, and distilled water—for 4 weeks. The water uptake of rice husk–polypropylene composites for distilled water was the highest compared to lubricant oil and sea water. Moreover, results have demonstrated that mechanical properties of composites immersed in sea water were the best, followed by those immersed in lubricant oil, and then those immersed in distilled water. In addition, it was observed that more voids and pull-out existed in composites immersed in lubricant oil, followed by those immersed in distilled water, and then those immersed in sea water. Tensile moduli showed a reduction trend for all composites with increasing filler loading. However, flexural moduli improved as the filler loading increased. Also, results here demonstrated an optimum filler loading condition for each particular mechanical property of rice husk–polypropylene composites.     

New Environmental Applications of Radiation Technology

New environmental applications of radiation technology developed in the laboratory of the author are considered. They include the electron-beam and coagulation purification of molasses slops from a distillery that produces ethanol by fermentation of plant raw materials, the removal of petroleum products (diesel fuel, motor oil, and residual fuel oil) from water by -irradiation, and the electron-beam treatment of multicomponent natural gas mixtures of lower hydrocarbons for the purpose of condensation.     

Some Properties of Petroleum Sulfoxides Suitable for Extraction in Hydrometallurgy

Several fractions of diesel fuel recovered from Arlan crude oil were treated with hydrogen peroxide, and the sulfoxides formed by oxidation of petroleum sulfides were isolated with aqueous sulfuric acid. The water solubility of these sulfoxides and their limiting extraction capacity with respect to neodymium nitrate were determined. Correlations between several characteristics of the petroleum sulfoxides [water solubility, limiting extraction capacity with respect to neodymium(III) nitrate, phase separation time under standard conditions, and viscosity] and the boiling range of corresponding petroleum fractions were analyzed.     

蒸汽活化生物质焦吸附模拟烟气中SO2和NO的研究

以麦秆和稻壳生物质为研究对象,在不同的热解温度、热解速率以及蒸汽活化温度条件下制备了生物质焦,采用比表面积与孔隙度分析仪测定生物质焦的比表面积和孔隙结构参数。利用固定床吸附装置,研究了热解温度、热解速率、活化温度和模拟烟气中SO₂和NO浓度等因素对生物质焦吸附SO₂和NO性能的影响。结果表明,蒸汽活化可以显著提高生物质焦的BET比表面积、D-R比表面积、D-R微孔容积和总孔容,降低其平均孔径,并显著增加蒸汽活化生物质焦对SO₂与NO吸附的起始穿透时间和吸附量。快速热解下制得的蒸汽活化焦对SO₂和NO的吸附效果优于慢速热解,热解温度为873 K的蒸汽活化焦的吸附性能明显好于热解温度为673与1 073 K的蒸汽活化焦。在973~1 173 K下,随着蒸汽活化温度的提高,蒸汽活化生物质焦对SO₂和NO的吸附量呈现先上升后下降的趋势。随着模拟烟气中SO₂与NO浓度的降低,蒸汽活化生物质焦对SO₂与NO吸附的起始穿透时间延长,但相应的SO₂和NO吸附量下降。在873 K、快速热解和1 073 K条件下制得的蒸汽活化麦秆焦对SO₂和NO吸附量最大,其值分别为109.02和21.77 mg/g。     

Circular dichroism of crude oil and its derivatives. Role of permolecular structures

Petrols with different octane numbers, diesel fuel and solutions of crude oil in toluene have been studied by the methods of absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy and correlation spectroscopy of scattered light. Circular dichroism signal was registered for crude oil solutions in the spectral ranges corresponding to the measured earlier resonance absorption of asphaltene solutions in toluene. We show that the optical activity of crude oil solutions is due to the aggregation of asphaltene molecules in one spectral range and is intensified with the aggregation of asphaltene molecules in another spectral range. Petrols have no optical activity. The optical activity registered for diesel fuel is possibly due to the aggregation of asphaltene molecules.     

Characterization of liquid products of automobile tire pyrolysis

The liquid product of automobile tire pyrolysis and its fractions were studied. The amount of the liquid hydrocarbon fraction is 40–45% of the total weight of pyrolysis products. The hydrocarbon fraction is similar in its characteristics to low-sulfur heavy crude oil. Fractionation of the hydrocarbon fuel was performed. The maximal yield of the light distillation fraction is 39% (temperature interval 180–340°C). The extent to which the characteristics of the light fraction obtained meet the regulations was evaluated. The light fraction of hydrocarbon fuel produced by pyrolysis is recommended for use as a component of diesel motor fuel after additional purification.     

费谢尔判别法鉴别原油/燃料油

以多环芳烃作为变量,建立了原油、燃料油属性鉴别的费谢尔判别法。分别测定了来自不同国家和地区的26个原油样品和25个燃料油样品中8种多环芳烃的含量,并将它们作为判别变量。借助SPSS 16.0进行费谢尔判别分析,建立费谢尔判别函数。将未知样品的判别变量值代入后,可以快速地得知样品的类别。结果表明,以多环芳烃作为判别变量进行原油、燃料油费谢尔判别快速而准确。     

Thermal kinetics and morphological investigation of alkaline treated rice husk biomass

Agro waste bio mass are creating challenges for environment in term of air pollution due to improper disposal. Rice milling is the process in which rice husk is produced as by-product. The agro-waste rice husk has tremendous potential to be used either in its raw form or in ash form. The inherent component of this waste cellulose provides enhanced properties in a reinforced composite when used as filler. Rice husk is the hard outer layer and covering rice seed, which makes reinforcement challenging in its original form. Fiber surface treatment significantly improves adhesion with matrix and various thermo chemical properties of filler as well as of composites. NaOH treatment is cost-effective and it ensures the adhesion with matrix by removal of hemicellulose and lignin. The chemical treatment of agro-waste (rice husk) is performed with 5% alkali solutions of NaOH in water. Results are compared with the properties of untreated rice husk for thermal and morphological characterizations. In the present work, we are trying to quantify the impact of chemical treatment on rice husk thermal decomposition and its kinetics. Thermogravimetric analysis and kinetics study of thermal degradation, provide key input towards pyrolysis pattern of rice husk, while FTIR and SEM analysis provide the prospects of this bio filler using a reinforcing agent to develop green composite and productive disposal. The FTIR data helps to find the possibilities of blending different bio fillers and natural fibers to find suitable reinforcing substances. The average activation energy of treated fiber is noted as 137.95 by KAS method and 108.08 by FWO method as compared to 55.56 by KAS method & 54.26 by FWO method for untreated rice husk.     

Determination of petroleum trace impurities in aqueous samples by chromatography in a steam flow

A procedure was developed for the determination of trace petroleum products in water by gas chromatography with steam as the carrier gas. Solid-phase microextraction was used for sample preparation. A method for the stabilization and homogenization of water samples before the analysis and a method for the removal of polar components of the sample were proposed. The precision and accuracy indices of the proposed procedure were estimated for aqueous solutions of a mixture of diesel fuel and oil with a concentration close to the maximum permissible concentration. The relative error in the measurement is no more than ～25% in the concentration range of petroleum products of 0.05–0.5 mg/L.