Journal of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Biotechnology

Ferromagnetic Enhancement of Microcrystalline Cellulose via Chemical Reduction Method

Siti Hajar Omar, Rosli Mohd Yunus, Md. Maksudur Rahman Khan; Mohd Mawardi Saari — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have potential in biological, biomedical, and environmental applications because of their characteristics such as magnetic susceptibility, stability and biocompatibility. However, it also has limitation, such as aggregation of magnetic NP. As a result, coating materials should be used to modify the particles’ outer surface. In this paper, we focused on the synthesis of iron oxide by chemical reduction method and coating it with Fe(III) nitrate, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydrazine. In order to determine effective and economical usage conditions, the coating solution at two different concentrations were prepared. The effect of coating iron oxide with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was prepared at different concentrations of iron (III) nitrate on the nanomaterials with respect to morphological, thermal, magnetic susceptibility. A good morphology images of FeNp-MCC were proved by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra reveals the presence of carbon, oxygen and iron in the synthesized microparticles. TGA analysis showed iron material was successfully formed into the surface of MCC. Lastly, the magnetism results proved that cellulose is strongly interacting with magnetite nanoparticles.

Optimization of Solvent Systems for Color Fractionation of Monascus Pigment

Nur Fathin Shamirah Daud, Farhan Mohd Said, M.A. Mokhtar — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Monascus fungi are unique among the various microorganisms that produce edible pigments, which consist of red, orange, and yellow. These pigments are typically present in a mixture. Hence, pigment separation is needed. This study aims to optimize solvent systems that can effectively fractionate the pigments. The optimization was carried out using column chromatography and the data was analyzed using Central Composite Design (CCD). The interaction of the solvent systems ethyl acetate : formic acid : acetic acid : water was optimized. The optimal solvent system obtained was 98 : 14 : 12 : 28 (vol/vol.) for ethyl acetate : formic acid : acetic acid : water, respectively. The red and yellow pigment obtained were 2.42 mg and 0.93 mg, respectively. Based on the finding, 72.2% of the total Monascus pigments was red while remaining was yellow.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of the Diffusion of Carbon Dioxide in Heptane: Application in Natural Gas Cleaning

A.S. Ahmed, Murtala Ahmed, Aliyu Bello — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Using solvents to remove carbon dioxide is an effective way to purify natural gas. Diffusion of solute in solvent is key to natural gas purification. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the diffusion of carbon dioxide in heptane at different temperatures and pressures were performed to simulate the conditions of industrial purification process. The diffusion coefficients were measured in two different configurations: pure solvent and binary solute-solvent systems. The diffusion coefficients of the binary system were observed to be in the order of 10-9 m2/s. An increased temperature was observed to increase the diffusion coefficient of the carbon dioxide in heptane while an increase in pressure reduced the value of the diffusion coefficient. The diffusion coefficient was also observed to follow an Arrhenius-type relationship with respect to temperature. The activation energy of the system increased from 9.228 kJ/mol to 11.139 kJ/mol with pressure increase. A linear relationship was detected between the diffusion coefficient and the viscosity of the system and an increased viscosity of the system results in a decreased diffusion coefficient. The results of the research showed that carbon dioxide behavior in heptane offers the theoretical backing for the development of a new natural gas desulphurization solvent.

Aging Dynamics of Bio-Coagulants: Implications for Oily Wastewater Treatment Efficiency

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Inadequate treatment of oily wastewater discharge can contribute to an increase in the levels of both biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the water. Various studies have highlighted the effectiveness of natural bio-coagulants in particular chitosan as an alternative to the chemical coagulants available in the market. However, minute studies have been reported in discussing the correlation between the aging effect of the bio-coagulant and its performance. Thus, this paper presents research on the aging effect of bio-coagulants for treating oily wastewater. In this study, G-Treat was used as the bio-coagulant, which was produced from chitosan powder, acetic acid, and deionized water. The experimental procedure started by filling 500 mL of oily wastewater into a beaker. Next, 10 wt. % of G-Treat was added into the beaker for the jar test, which was mixed for 30 min at 150 rpm, followed by 2 hours settling time. Then, the mixture was separated using filter paper. The analysis of oily wastewater characteristics was conducted using five types of analyses, which are pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), and oil and grease (O&G) under the parameters of days (0–7 days), weeks (0–6 weeks), and months (0–3 months). From the result, the best performance of G-Treat was achieved at the optimum parameters during week 2, with 33.16%, 65.75%, 35.73%, 28.58%, and 0% removal of pH, COD, BOD, TSS, and O&G, respectively. In conclusion, the studied bio-coagulant demonstrated higher removal of pH, COD, BOD, TSS, and O&G at optimum parameters, and eventually, the level of effectiveness will drop.

Mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/ recycled tyre rubber waste compatibilised with chain extender

Ramzi Qasem, Mohd Bijarimi Mat Piah, Waleed Alhadadi — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The accumulation of waste tires in our society is a pressing issue due to their short lifespan and increasing demand. This research delves into effective methods for recycling waste tires, with a particular focus on utilising biopolymers. Polylactic acid (PLA), a completely biodegradable polymer, has gained popularity for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, and ease of processing. To overcome its toughness and thermal stability limitations, PLA has been blended with commercial polymers, such as rubber. Furthermore, the addition of 10% recycled tyre waste to 90% PLA has been shown to increase its durability and strength. Joncryl® ADR is used as a chain extender and reactive compatibiliser to enhance the chemical interactions in the binary blend. The samples were prepared using a twin-screw extruder with the temperature between 150 and 190 ºC and 60 rpm of screw speed. These blends are then analyzed using a range of characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing, and notched Izod impact testing. The blends were then characterized by chemical changes, thermal transitions, and thermal degradation. It was found that the 90/10/0.6 (PLA/RW/ADR) nanocomposite exhibited maximum thermal degradation.