Study of the pyrolysis liquids obtained from different sewage sludge

Pyrolysis of sewage sludge in fluidized bed to produce bio-oil is under study as a useful way to valorise this waste. Sewage sludge is the waste produced in the wastewater treatment plants. Its composition may change due to the origin and to the non-standardized treatments in the wastewater treatment plants. The pyrolysis of three samples of anaerobically digested sewage sludge obtained from three different urban wastewater treatment plants was studied in this work. The organic and inorganic matter composition, and the volatile and ash content of these sewage sludge samples were different. The influence of these parameters on the pyrolysis product distribution and on some characteristics of these products was studied. It was determined that the ash content of the raw material had an enormous influence on the sewage sludge pyrolysis. An increase in the ash content of the sewage sludge caused an increase in the gas yield and a decrease in the liquid and the solid yield with the operational conditions studied. The increase of the volatile content of the sewage sludge samples caused an increase in the liquid yield. The H₂ proportion was the most influenced non-condensable gas. It increased significantly with the ash content. The viscosity of the pyrolysis oils decreased when the ash content augmented. On the other hand, the water content depended on the organic composition of the sewage sludge samples. The chemical composition of the pyrolysis oils was also affected by the sewage sludge ash content above all the proportion of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds. These compound groups increased with the augment of the sewage sludge ash content. The oxygen-containing aliphatic compounds and the steroids decreased with the ash content, although its proportion in the sewage sludge liquid was also influenced by the organic matter composition of the sewage sludge samples.     

Chemical Profiling,Toxicity and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils from Three Grapefruit Cultivars from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa

The medicinal potential and volatile composition of different parts of three cultivars of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) were evaluated for their toxicity and anti-inflammatory activities. Fresh leaf and fruit peel were separately isolated by hydrodistillation for 4 h. The essential oils were subjected to GC/GC-MS analysis for chemical profile. Toxicity of the essential oils in mice were evaluated using Lorke’s method, while an anti-inflammatory assay was performed in a rat model using egg albumin-induced oedema. The oils obtained were light yellow in colour, and odour varied from strong citrus smell to mild. Percentage yield of fresh peel oil (0.34–0.57%) was greater than the fresh leaf oil yield (0.21–0.34%). D-limonene (86.70–89.90%) was the major compound identified in the leaf oil, while β-phellandrene (90.00–91.01%) dominated the peel oil. At a dosage level of 5000 mg/kg, none of the oils showed mortality in mice. An anti-inflammatory bioassay revealed that all the oils caused a significant (p < 0.05–0.01) reduction in oedema size when compared to the negative control group throughout the 5 h post induction assessment period. The study reveals that the oils are non-toxic and demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory activity. Our findings suggest that the leaf and peel oils obtained from waste parts of grapefruit plants can be useful as flavouring agents, as well as anti-inflammatory agents.     

Physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of Juglans regia cultivars grown in Serbia

Tree cultivars (Jupiter, Sejnov, and Elit) of walnut (Juglans regia L.) were collected during the 2004 harvest from Cacak, Central Serbia. The chemical composition, including moisture, total oil content, crude protein, ash, and carbohydrates, was determined. Afterwards, two techniques of oil extraction were implemented: cold pressing extraction and organic solvent extraction. Iodine value, saponification value, acid value, and peroxide value of obtained walnut oils were analyzed. The fatty acid composition of the walnut oils was determined using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. The oleic acid content of the oils ranged from 15.9–23.7% of the total acids, while linoleic acid content ranged from 57.2–65.1% and the linolenic acid from 9.1–13.6%. The process of oil extraction had no significant effect on content and composition of fatty acids. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 118–120, March–April, 2008.     

LF-NMR结合化学模式识别鉴别油脂种类及餐饮废弃油脂

应用主成分分析(Principal component analysis,PCA)和聚类分析法(Cluster analysis,CA)对9种(27个)常见食用植物油及100个餐饮废油的低场核磁共振(Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance,LF-NMR)(T2)弛豫特性数据进行分析。结果表明:在正常食用油种类区分方面,主成分分析的效果较优,9种食用油在主成分分布图上按种类正确分组,边界清晰。而在正常食用油与餐饮废油的区分方面,聚类分析效果较优,引入30个待测样本后,聚类分析(127个样品,欧式距离=5)的正确率为94.49%,分析误判率为5.51%,分组效果良好。LF-NMR结合化学模式识别可实现对油脂种类及餐饮废弃油脂的鉴别。     

餐厨废油制备的生物基两性表面活性剂的油水界面性能

以餐厨废油制备了生物基两性表面活性剂,应用界面张力和动态光散射方法,研究了该生物基两性表面活性剂体系的油水界面性能及在溶液中的聚集行为。 在无外加碱条件下,由餐厨废油制备的表面活性剂表现出良好的界面性能,在50~70 ℃以及pH值为7~12的条件下,均可以将油水界面张力降至超低值(<10^-3 mN/m),在不同的油藏模拟地层水中均保持较好的界面活性;分别在50、-20和4 ℃下保存,其界面活性均未受到明显影响。 在水溶液中形成的聚集体的平均流体力学半径为10~30 nm,无机盐离子的加入可使聚集体的粒径上升。 基于其优良的界面性质和可再生来源,由餐厨废油制备的生物基两性表面活性剂在三次采油方面具有重要的应用价值。     

Biogas Potential of the Side Streams Obtained in a Novel Phenolic Extraction System from Olive Mill Solid Waste

The olive oil production is an important industrial sector in many Mediterranean areas, but it is currently struggled by the necessity of a proper valorisation of the olive mill solid waste or alperujo. The alperujo is the main by-product generated during the two-phase olive oil extraction, accounting for up to 80% of the initial olive mass. The alperujo is a source of valuable compounds, such as the pomace olive oil or highly interesting phenolic compounds. In the present research, a novel biorefinery approach has been used for phenolic compounds recovery. However, the extraction of these valuables compounds generates different exhausted phases with high organic matter content that are required to be managed. This study consists of the evaluation of the anaerobic biodegradability of the different fractions obtained in a novel biorefinery approach for the integral valorisation of alperujo. The results show that the different phases obtained during the biorefinery of the alperujo can be effectively subjected to anaerobic digestion and no inhibition processes were detected. The highest methane yield coefficients were obtained for the phases obtained after a two-months storages, i.e., suspended solids and liquid phase free of suspended solids, which generated 366 ± 7 mL CH₄/g VS and 358 ± 6 mL CH₄/g VS, respectively. The phenol extraction process reduced the methane yield coefficient around 25% due to the retention of biodegradable compounds during the extraction process. Regardless of this drop, the anaerobic digestion is a suitable technology for the stabilization of the different generated residual phases, whereas the high market price of the extracted phenols can largely compensate the slight decrease in the methane generation.     

柴油溶剂中脂肪酶催化高酸值废油脂酯化制备生物柴油

采用0＃柴油作为反应溶剂,利用固定化脂肪酶催化高酸值废油脂与甲醇酯化反应制备生物柴油。来源于Candida antarctica的固定化脂肪酶Novozym435在0＃柴油溶剂中具有极高的催化活性。以酸价高达157×10-3的废油脂为原料,废油脂质量比10%的Novozym435,甲醇与废油脂初始摩尔比2∶1,0＃柴油与废油脂质量比5∶1,摇床摇速170r/min,50℃下反应2h甲酯化率可达95.10%。0＃柴油作为反应溶剂有效地溶解了高酸值废油脂和甲醇,降低了反应体系的黏度和消除了甲醇对Novozym435的负面影响,提高了Novozym435的稳定性。同时,0＃柴油溶剂对未脱胶废油脂中残留的对脂肪酶有害的磷脂等胶类物质具有一定的稀释作用。该工艺省却了溶剂蒸馏的繁琐工序,直接得到脂肪酸甲酯和石化柴油的混合燃料。     

生物质与废轮胎共热解催化热解油蒸发过程及其动力学研究

采用热重微商(TG-DTG)法考察生物质稻壳与废轮胎共热解经催化与非催化热解油的热失重行为,并同0#柴油的热失重行为进行了比较;同时采用Achar微分法和Coats-Redfern积分法对热解油热失重蒸发过程的蒸发热进行了计算,并结合Satava和Bagchi法确定了热失重蒸发过程的机理函数, 建立了0#柴油和在催化与非催化条件下得到的热解油蒸发过程的动力学方程,得出了在催化与非催化条件下热解油热失重过程的机理函数,其动力学方程为dα/dt=Ae-△vapH/RT(1-TBX〗α)2;而0#柴油的热失重蒸发过程动力学方程为dα/dt=1.5Ae-△vapH/RT(1-α)2/3\[1-(1-α)1/3\]-1。蒸发热的顺序由大到小依次为,柴油＞非催化热解油＞SBA-15热解油＞MCM-41热解油。结果表明,通过建立的模型函数得到的蒸发热与实验值非常接近。催化剂SBA-15和MCM-41的存在对降低高沸点馏分的物质具有一定作用,而SBA-15催化作用强于MCM-41。     

废动植物油脂制备烷醇酰胺的研究

以废动植物油脂为原料,在自制DYD催化剂作用下制得脂肪酸甲酯,再以氢氧化钾为催化剂,与二乙醇胺合成烷醇酰胺。考察了反应温度、反应时间、催化剂用量、真空度等因素对反应的影响,通过单因素实验和析因实验确定最佳工艺条件为:甲酯/二乙醇胺物质的量比1∶1.55,反应温度110℃,反应时间2.5 h,真空度0.08 MPa,催化剂用量0.65%(相对于脂肪酸甲酯的质量),烷醇酰胺的收率达96.3%。通过红外光谱对产物结构进行了表征,并对界面张力进行了测定。结果表明,产物具有较好的界面活性。     

Obtaining Granules from Waste Tannery Shavings and Mineral Additives by Wet Pulp Granulation

This paper presents the results of research on the granulation process of leather industry waste, i.e., tanning shavings. It is economically justified to granulate this waste together with mineral additives that are useful in the processes of their further processing. Unfortunately, the granulation of raw, unsorted shavings does not obtain desired results due to their unusual properties. In this study, the possibilities of agglomeration of this waste were examined by a new method consisting of the production and then the granulation of wet pulp. During granulation, no additional binding liquid is added to the granulated bed. As part of this work, the specific surface of granulated shavings, the granulometric composition of the obtained agglomerates, and their strength parameters were determined. The use of a vibrating disc granulator, the addition of a water glass solution (in the pulp), dolomite, and gypsum made it possible to obtain durable, mechanically stable granules.     

Removal of Oil Spills from Salty Waters by Commercial Organoclays

In this study two commercial organoclays, Cloisite 15A and Cloisite 30B, were used to investigate their potential for removing of light and heavy crude oils from salty waters. The results of batch kinetic studies indicated that the equilibrium time can be reached within 25–30 minutes of contact time. In addition experiments were performed to determine the effect of salinity, temperature, pH and mixing time on the adsorption process. The adsorption isotherms were obtained for the crude oils at equilibrium, at an optimum pH value of 11.73 and temperature of 19°C for which the initial oil contents varied in the range of 100 to 2000 ppm. Experimental results showed that oil sorption onto these organoclays can be described by Freundlich isotherm. Further, it was found that the oil removal efficiency for Cloisite 30B is higher than that of Cloisite 15A and the greater sorption was observed for Gachsaran crude oil onto the organoclays over Soroosh crude oil.     

Characterization and pyrolysis behaviour of different paper mill waste materials

Paper industry generates a considerable amount of wastes. Their composition mainly depends on the type of paper produced and the origin of cellulose fibres. Nowadays, in Spain, 40% of solid wastes generated by the paper and pulp industry are deposited directly in landfill, 25% are used in the agriculture, 13% in the ceramic industry and 7% in the concrete production. In the last years, thermal treatment methods like combustion, pyrolysis and gasification have been widely study as alternative techniques for the valorization of different organic waste materials. The main objective of the present work is to study the pyrolysis behaviour of different paper mill waste materials. For this reason, a wide characterization of eight paper mill waste materials from different origins was performed using SEM, FTIR, DRX and thermogravimetric techniques. Paper mill sludges from recycled paper, mainly wastes obtained from deinking process, showed high CaCO₃ and clays contents. Compared with the elevated total organic matter content (TOM) of paper mill waste materials their low organic carbon content determined by Cr₂O₇²⁻ oxidation reveals the elevated chemical stability of organic matter, due to high content on cellulose fibres. Analysis of samples by SEM indicates that successive recycled processes of paper leads to paper mill waste materials with more degraded fibres. XRD analyses show as crystalline cellulose was present in reject and primary sludge from paper mills that produced paper from virgin wood. However, crystalline cellulose content significantly decreased in waste materials from recycled paper. Finally, thermogravimetric analysis indicates that presence or mineral matter and degradation of cellulose significantly influences their pyrolysis behaviour. In general, weight loss of paper mill waste materials started at lower temperatures than pure cellulose. In waste materials from recycled paper weight loss continues at temperatures highest than 500 °C due to kaolinite dehydration and carbonates decomposition.     

Comparative Study on Microencapsulation of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) Essential Oils via Spray-Drying Technique

Essential oils have been studied for various applications, including for therapeutic purposes. There is extensive literature regarding their properties; however, their low stability limits their application. Generally, the microencapsulation of essential oils allows enhanced stability and enables the potential incorporation in solid dosage forms. Lavender and peppermint oils were encapsulated in microparticles using a spray-drying technique under optimized conditions: 170 °C temperature, 35 m³/h aspiration volume flow, and 7.5 mL/min feed flow. Arabic gum and maltodextrin were used as coating polymers individually in varying concentrations from 5 to 20% (w/v) and in combination. The microparticles were studied for morphology, particle size, oil content, and flowability. The formulated powder particles showed a high yield of 71 to 84%, mean diameter 2.41 to 5.99 µm, and total oil content of up to 10.80%. The results showed that both the wall material type and concentration, as well as the type of essential oil, significantly affected the encapsulation process and the final particle characteristics. Our study has demonstrated that the encapsulation of lavender and peppermint oils in Arabic gum/maltodextrin microparticles by spray-drying represents a feasible approach for the conversion of liquids into solids regarding their further use in powder technology.     

Ethanol production from olive oil extraction residue pretreated with hot water

The olive pulp fraction contained in the residue generated in olive oil extraction by a two-step centrifugation process can be upgraded by using the cellulose fraction to produce ethanol and recovering high value phenols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol). Olive pulp was pretreated in a laboratory scale stirred autoclave at different temperatures (150–250°C). Pretreatment was evaluated regarding cellulose recovery, enzymatic hydrolysis effectiveness ethanol production by a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process (SSF), and phenols recovery in the filtrate. The pretreatment of olive pulp using water at temperatures between 200°C and 250°C enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis. Maximum ethanol production (11.9 g/L) was obtained after pretreating pulp at 210°C in a SSF fed-batch procedure. Maximum hydroxytyrosol recovery was obtained in the liquid fraction when pretreated at 230°C.     

Enzymatic conversion of waste cooking oils into alternative fuel—Biodiesel

Production of biodiesel from pure oils through chemical conversion may not be applicable to waste oils/fats. Therefore, enzymatic conversion using immobilized lipase based on Rhizopus orzyae is considered in this article. This article studies this technological process, focusing on optimization of several process parameters, including the molar ratio of methanol to waste oils, biocatalyst load, and adding method, reaction temperature, and water content. The results indicate that methanol/oils ratio of 4, immobilized lipase/oils of 30 wt% and 40°C are suitable for waste oils under 1 atm. The irreversible inactivation of the lipase is presumed, and a stepwise addition of methanol to reduce inactivation of immobilized lipases is proposed. Under the optimum conditions the yield of methyl esters is around 88–90%.     

Biosurfactant Production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> Grown in Residual Soybean Oil

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PACL strain, isolated from oil-contaminated soil taken from a lagoon, was used to investigate the efficiency and magnitude of biosurfactant production, using different waste frying soybean oils, by submerged fermentation in stirred tank reactors of 6 and 10 l capacities. A complete factorial experimental design was used, with the goal of optimizing the aeration rate (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 vvm) and agitation speed (300, 550, and 800 rpm). Aeration was identified as the primary variable affecting the process, with a maximum rhamnose concentration occurring at an aeration rate of 0.5 vvm. At optimum levels, a maximum rhamnose concentration of 3.3 g/l, an emulsification index of 100%, and a minimum surface tension of 26.0 dynes/cm were achieved. Under these conditions, the biosurfactant production derived from using a mixture of waste frying soybean oil (WFSO) as a carbon source was compared to production when non-used soybean oil (NUSO), or waste soybean oils used to fry specific foods, were used. NUSO produced the highest level of rhamnolipids, although the waste soybean oils also resulted in biosurfactant production of 75–90% of the maximum value. Under ideal conditions, the kinetic behavior and the modeling of the rhamnose production, nutrient consumption, and cellular growth were established. The resulting model predicted data points that corresponded well to the empirical information.     

Application of factorial design and Box-Behnken matrix in the optimisation of a microwave-assisted extraction of essential oils from Salvia mirzayanii

Essential oil of Salvia mirzayanii cultivated in Iran was obtained by microwave assisted extraction (MAE) procedures. The essential oil was analysed by capillary gas chromatography using flame ionisation and mass spectrometric detections. The effects of different parameters, such as microwave power, temperature, time and type of solvent on the MAE of Salvia mirzayanii oil were investigated. Results of the two-level fractional factorial design (2(4-1)) based on an analysis of variance demonstrated that only the power, temperature and type of solvent were statistically significant. Optimal conditions for the extraction of essential oils were obtained by using Box-Behnken design. For optimum recovery of essential oil the variables power, temperature and solvent values were 115?W, 50°C and 14?s, respectively. Under the optimised experimental conditions, the extraction yield of microwave assisted extraction was 11.2% (w/w).     

Bioconversion of Kraft Paper Mill Sludges to Ethanol by SSF and SSCF

Paper mill sludge is a solid waste material composed of pulp residues and ash generated from pulping and paper making processes. The carbohydrate portion of the sludge has chemical and physical characteristics similar to pulp. Because of its high carbohydrate content and well-dispersed structure, the sludges can be biologically converted to value-added products without pretreatment. In this study, two different types of paper mill sludges, primary sludge and recycle sludge, were evaluated as a feedstock for bioconversion to ethanol. The sludges were first subjected to enzymatic conversion to sugars by commercial cellulase enzymes. The enzymatic conversion was inefficient because of interference by ash in the sludges with the enzymatic reaction. The main cause was that the pH level is dictated by CaCO₃ in ash, which is two units higher than the pH optimum of cellulase. To alleviate this problem, simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF) using cellulase (Spezyme CP) and recombinant Escherichia coli (ATCC-55124), and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using cellulase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC-200062) were applied to the sludges without any pretreatment. Ethanol yields of 75–81% of the theoretical maximum were obtained from the SSCF on the basis of total carbohydrates. The yield from the SSF was also found to be in the range of 74–80% on the basis of glucan. The SSCF and SSF proceeded under stable condition with the pH staying near 5.0, close to the optimum for cellulase. Decrease of pH occurred due to carbonic acid and other organic acids formed during fermentation. The ash was partially neutralized by the acids produced from the SSCF and SSF and acted as a buffer to stabilize the pH during fermentation. When the SSF and SSCF were operated in fed-batch mode, the ethanol concentration in the broth increased from 25.5 and 32.6 g/L (single feed) to 45 and 42 g/L, respectively. The ethanol concentration was limited by the tolerance of the microorganism in the case of SSCF. The ethanol yield in fed-batch operation decreased to 68% for SSCF and 70% for SSF. The high-solids condition in the bioreactor appears to create adverse effects on the cellulase reaction.     

Liquid-phase microextraction utilising plant oils as intermediate extraction medium--towards elimination of synthetic organic solvents in sample preparation

Hollow fibre based liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) using fatty oils and essential oils as the organic phase was evaluated to develop sample preparation technology eliminating the use of hazardous organic solvents. Basic drugs were extracted from different aqueous samples (0.2 to 1 mL) through approximately 15 microL of either almond oil, arachis oil, olive oil, soy-bean oil, anise oil, fennel oil, lavender oil, or peppermint oil (organic phase) immobilised within the pores of a polypropylene hollow fibre and into 20 microL of 10 mM HCOOH (acceptor phase) present inside the lumen of the hollow fibre. The extraction performance of the essential oils was comparable with the solvents normally used in LPME (dihexyl ether, n-octanol, and dodecyl acetate) in terms of extraction recovery and extraction speed. Whereas all essential oils tested were compatible with human urine, only anise oil was successful for plasma. The fatty oils provided lower recoveries than the essential oils due to higher viscosity, but all the fatty oils were compatible both with urine and plasma samples. In spite of the multi-component nature of the oils tested, they were not found to seriously contaminate the acceptor phases during extraction. In conclusion, fatty oils and essential oils may serve as alternative organic phase in LPME, eliminating the use of hazardous organic solvents.     

复热食用植物油结构变化的红外吸收光谱分析

利用衰减全反射(ATR)傅立叶红外光谱(FTIRS)法对市售优质品牌的8种植物油(转基因豆油、非转基因豆油、葵花籽油、花生油、玉米油、红花籽油、调和油、橄榄油)未加热及反复高温加热后的红外二阶导数光谱进行比较,发现复热食用油在反复高温加热下会使不饱和脂肪酸亚油酸、亚麻酸的含量降低,饱和脂肪酸棕榈酸和硬脂酸的含量增加;顺式脂肪酸的含量下降,反式脂肪酸的含量明显增加。确定以二阶导数光谱中3 009、988、966 cm-13处特征吸收峰的峰高判定是否为反复加热用油。此方法样品用量少、分析速度快,可从整体上了解油品的质量及成分,并可作为市场复热食用油的快速筛查方法,也可为地沟油检测方法的建立提供理论依据。