Separation of Phenol from Bio-oil Produced from Pyrolysis of Agricultural Wastes

Bio-oil is a complex mixture which contains a large number of organic compounds, including alcohol, organic acids, phenol, aldehyde, ketone, etc. Some of these chemicals, such as phenols are important industrial raw materials and additives. The total amount of phenolic compounds in the pyrolysis oil varies from 20.0% to 30% depending on the biomass used and operating conditions. Biooil contains several hundreds of chemicals as a result, it exhibits some inferior properties, such as high water content, high oxygen content, high viscosity low flash point, and strong corrosiveness. These drawbacks make it difficult to be directly used as a vehicle fuel. 

Therefore, several upgrading technologies have been developed to improve the quality of bio-oil, including catalytic hydrodeoxygenation, catalytic cracking, steam reforming, catalytic esterification, supercritical upgrading and so on. Compared with phenols derived from petroleum fuel, these phenolic compounds are renewable and easily obtained. These phenols are not only used as a replacement for phenol in phenol–formaldehyde resins but also as raw materials for developing bio-based antioxidants and many other purposes. Pyrolysis offers the cheapest route to renewable liquid fuels. Nonetheless, many aspects of the pyrolysis pathway are still under investigation.

Feed Resources Gozamen District, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region

Ethiopia is the largest livestock producer in Africa, with 70.79 million heads of cattle, 28.48 million sheep, 25.91 million goats, 24.56 million donkeys, 11.39 million horses, 8.08 million mules, 8.39 million camels, and 42.51 million poultry. The largest livestock were found in Oromiya, Amhara and South Nations and Nationalities of People regions. However, the production of livestock is low due to technical constraints to livestock development like absence of approved livestock policy, lack of rural infrastructure and services, inadequate specialists and skilled staff, feed constraints, prevalent animal diseases, grazing land shortage, lack of credit, poor management, low genetic quality of most indigenous breed, recurrent drought, and lack of technical skill on feeding.

Feed problem is one of the major factors that hinders the development and expansion of livestock production in Ethiopia. Natural grazing land is the predominant feed sources for livestock in lowland and crop residues represent a large proportion of feed resource in mixed crop livestock system of Ethiopia.

Characterization of Nanoparticles by Mass Spectrometry

While mass spectrometry has been widely used for decades in biomolecules analyses, the story of mass spectrometric characterization of nanoparticles (NPs) is still short. The mass spectrometry has recently received much attention in the nanoparticle world due to its powerful usefulness especially in elucidating the chemical structures of the smaller-sized NPs (<5 nm). We are witnessing the major improvements of mass spectrometry that are taking places both in thestructural analyses of NPs but also in the mass elucidation of NPs. The advances are mainly coming in the form of improvements in instruments such as advances in ion sources.

Among the most basic criterions of a mass spectrometric technique, the two important factors are the resolution and the sensitivity, of which the former one is increasingly important in identifying the accurate chemical structures of NPs, and the laterone is of super significance in elucidating the exact mass of NPs. This need for developing mass spectrometric techniques with better resolution and higher sensitivity and searching for pathways to improve was noted in some important research of the leaders in this field.

A Concise Review on Biological Activity of Tridax procumbens Linn

Tridax procumbens is a species of flowering plant belonging to family asteraceae and is the most potent species among 30 species. It is best known as widespread weed and pest plant. It is native to the tropical Americas but it has been introduced to tropical, subtropical and mild temperate regions worldwide. It is listed as a noxious weed in the United States and has a pest status. Some of the medicinally important species of the genus Tridax are: T. angustifolia, T. serboana, T. bicolor, T. accedens, T. dubia, T. erecta and T. rosea.

The plant bears white or yellow flowers with three toothed ray florets. The leaves are toothed and generally anchor shaped. Its fruit is hard achene covered with stiff hairs and having a feathery, plume like white pappus at one end. Calyx is represented by scales or reduced to pappus.

Density Functional Study of Molecular Orbitals of Ferrocene and Cobaltocene Molecules

In the last decade, there has been a phenomenal advancement in theoretical inorganic chemistry, much faster computers are available and commercial programs incorporating the latest methods have become widely available and are capable of providing more information about molecular orbitals (MOs), with a sample input of chemical formula. The focus of attention has been on computational transition-metal chemistry. This is largely due to the successful employment of gradient corrected density functional theory in calculating molecules, particularly of the heavier atoms and in the use of small-core relativistic effective core potential which set the stage for calculation of geometries, bond energies, and chemical reaction and other important properties of transition metal compounds with impressive accuracy. 

Application of density functional calculation to organometallic and transition metal compounds is growing. density functional parameters such as eigenvectors, eigenvalues and population analysis are well calculated with this method. In this paper present the calculations of eigenvectors, Eigen values and population analysis of ferrocene and cobaltocene in order to study the extent of contribution of 3d, 4s and 4p orbital in the formation of MOs. Such a quantitative study will provide correct information about the involvement of 4p orbital of Iron and cobalt in bonding will help to resolve the controversy raised by other workers.

Phytoconstituent Analysis Using Modern Analytical Techniques

Finding newer drugs is an inevitable part of the drug discovery process and nature has proven to be an invincible source for this purpose. Phytoconstituent anaylsis has always been an integral part of drug discovery process for finding newer molecules with therapeutic efficacy that can be used for the treatment of various diseases and ailments. The lead of such compounds may come from the available traditional knowledge or by the randomized pharmacological or biological screening of the crude drug extracts.

Phytoconstituent analysis involves usage of various analytical techniques for the isolation and characterization of phytoconstituents. Primitive techniques basically involved usage of column chromatography for the purpose of isolation of phytoconstituents wherein silica used to act as stationary phase and mobile phases ranges non-polar to polar solvents. Though this technique was highly beneficial but had several drawbacks such as longer time periods and isolates obtained were not highly purified. Later on, flash chromatography was introduced wherein pressurized gas was used to drive the solvent through the column of stationary phase resulting in a rapid and high resolution chromatography.

Synthesis of Cholic Acid-Peptide Conjugates With A Negatively Charged Ester Linkage for Oral Delivery

Advances in biotechnology have provided a wide range of therapeutically active and commercially available biologic large molecules as protein and peptide drugs. However, oral administration of these drugs has been highly limited due to the stability and the difficulties to cross the gastrointestinal membrane. Significant research attempts have been made in recent years to utilize carrier-mediated transport systems for enhancement in the oral bioavailability. Among various intestinal transporters, the intestinal bile acid transporter has a good potential because of its higher capacity and low structural selectivity. The transport system facilitates the daily absorption of 10-20 g bile salts at a more than 95% efficiency rate. 

The system also tolerates significant chemical modifications at the C3 and C24 positions of the sterol nucleus. Thus, the intestinal bile acid transporter has been specifically investigated for its ability to increase the oral absorption of cholic acid conjugates of proteins and small peptides through the carrier-mediated transport mechanism. The fact that the bile acid transporter tolerates the chemical modifications of cholic acid provides a solid rationale for the development of a cholic acid-peptide conjugate for enhanced oral absorption.

Concentration Level of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Emitted from Oud Incense: Al-Baha City, Southwest Saudi Arabia

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are large group of organic compounds with two or more fused aromatic ring. These compounds are solids with low volatility at room temperature. They are relatively insoluble in water and most can be degraded to simpler substances. Regulatory agencies such as US environmental protection agency (EPA) and agency for toxic substances and disease registry (ATSDR) have defined maximum allowable level of PAHs in the environment due to their adverse health effect to human. Exposure to PAHs can occur from different sources such as water, food and air. Incense burning is associated with many culture and ceremonies in many countries.

The incense materials are used to fragrant the environment and most of the people do not know that this fragrant may cause indoor air problems. Different carcinogenic substances have been detected in incense smoke. The exposure to incense smoke have been found to make lung cancer, asthma, headache, nausea and allergic to skin and eyes. One of the suggestions to prevent lung cancer in the community should include the reduction or minimization of exposures to indoor air pollutants. Beside PAHs, incense burning was found to be the significant source of particulates, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds.

Natural Bond Orbital Analysis of [Fe(H 2O)6]2+/3+ and  ( )  ( )n + 2 6 2 2 Zn H O H O ; N=0-4

Metals are found in different forms in nature. One of the major forms is a molecule resulted from the coordination of metals with other molecules or ions. Such associations are often referred as coordination complexes. These coordinated complexes play very important roles in the physiological activities of human and plant lives. For example, haemoglobin, a macromolecule responsible for the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood, consists of coordination of iron with nitrogen bases around it. Oxygen is transported by the first coordination sphere of the complex, whereas CO2 is transported by the second coordination sphere of the iron complex called heme. In plants, photosynthesis is carried out by the pigments called chlorophyll where coordination of magnesium with other molecules plays a vital role. Such prevalence of metal complexes indubitably make them a wide branch of study. The transition metal complexes are rich in structural diversity. 

Many successful computational study of aqua complexes have validated the outcomes of ab-initio methods using density functional theory. Structure and vibrational properties of the complexes [Fe(H2O)6]2+ and [Fe(H2O)6]2+ have been fastidiously studied by Jarzecki and co-workers with DFT approach. The geometries of the complexes are precisely determined computationally at B3LYP level of approximation. With the same DFT approach the aqua complexes of Zn2+ ion have been studied by Rul´ısekˇ and Havlas.

DNA Binding Ability of Catalytically Synthesized New Steroidal Lactones

These reported studies are about specialty of steroid as anticancer against leukaemia and breast cancer. The molecular docking studies undertaken in the present work are in total agreement with the non-covalent mode of binding. The gel electrophoresis technique revealed that compounds depicted concentration dependent on DNA strand scission. In conclusion, the synthesized compounds have better prospectus to act as cancer chemotherapeutic candidates that warrants further in vivo anticancer investigations.

The modified steroidal derivatives have been a rich source of candidates with potential pharmaceutical applications that have encouraged the design and synthesis of new analogs with increased pharmacological activity. Recently, several steroidal derivatives have been investigated as new curative agents for cancers. In addition, a great number of the modified steroids containing α, β -unsaturated ketone described as anticancer agents.

pH-Metric Studies of Mixed Ligand Complexes of Zn(II) with Famotidine and Peptides

Famotidine (FAM), 3-[({2-[(diaminomethylidene) amino]-1,3- thiazol-4-yl}methyl)sulfanyl]-N’- sulfamoylpropanimidamide, is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production. It is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The chemical formula of FAM together with the atomic numbering . Due to the presence of amino, amido and thioether groups in its structure, this drug possesses chelating properties and may interact very effectively with the essential metal ions present in blood plasma and different tissues. In the crystalline state, famotidine has two polymorphic forms that differ by arrangement of intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Several binary FAM complexes containing divalent transition metal ions have been synthesized in solution as well as in the solid state. Determination of stability constant of complexes with drugs are useful to know the proper dose of drug and their effect with all other components of blood stream as well as to measure the strength of metal ligand bonds. The complexes of drugs have higher efficacy than parent drugs. In the present investigation, the stability constants of zinc (II) complexes with famotidine(FAM) and peptides (L) were studied in detail by potentiometric titration method in aqueous solutions at 25°C and I=0.10 mol/L NaNO3. Species distribution over a range of pH of the complexes in solution was evaluated.

Role of Nano Zirconia Addition on Photodegradation of LLDPE/LDPE/PLA Blend Films

It is difficult for polymers to be treated after use due to their resistance to the environment. When polymers are disposed of in a natural environment, they remain for a long time without degradation. It is frequently asserted by environmental pressure groups that the polyolefins can not biodegrade since the molecular weight must be less than 500 for this to occur. Due to low cost and good mechanical properties as compare to other commodity plastics polyethylene’s are world’s most extensively used commodity plastic of the 21st century. Among the applications in all plastics, polyethylene consumption is 64% in packaging and bottles area. In the packaging area, carry bags are regularly used product and are most visible. For easy disposal of polymers naturally in an environment, photodegradable and biodegradable plastics in packaging materials are the best combination to decrease the accumulation of packaging waste in the environment. 

Many authors reported that degradation rate of polyethylene is slow. Biodegradable and photodegradable films may be the solution of visual pollution; these polymers broke into small pieces and reduce into low molecular weight. Natural photodegradation of polyolefin is a very slow process; however, many research papers have reported use of transition metals, which act as pro-oxidant. Addition of these pro-oxidants can promote the oxidation of polyolefin in the presence of oxygen and exposure to light/heat. Many pro-oxidant used with plastics include oxide or stearates of metals such as manganese iron, zinc, zirconium, cerium, titanium and cobalt .