Bioethanol produced from lignocellulose feedstock is a renewable substitute to declining fossil fuels. Pretreatment using ultrasound assisted alkaline was investigated to enhance the enzyme digestibility of waste paper. The pretreatment was conducted over a wide range of conditions including waste paper concentrations of 1-5%, reaction time of 10-30 min and temperatures of 30-70°C. The optimum conditions were 4 % substrate loading with 25 min treatment time at 60°C where maximum reducing sugar obtained was 1.89 g/L. Hydrolysis process was conducted with a crude cellulolytic enzymes produced by Cellulomonas uda (PTCC 1259).The maximum amount of sugar released and hydrolysis efficiency were 20.92 g/L and 78.4 %, respectively. Sugars

Modified asphalt is considered one of the alternatives to address the problems of deficiencies in traditional asphalt concrete, as modified asphalt addresses many of the issues that appear on the pavement layers in asphalt concrete, resulting from heavy traffic and vehicles loaded with loads that exceed the design loads and the large fluctuations in the daily and seasonal temperatures of asphalt concrete. The current study examined the role of polyphosphoric acid (PPA) as a modified material for virgin asphalt when it was added in different proportions (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%) of the asphalt weight. The experimental program includes the volumetric characteristics associated with the Marshall test, the physical properties, and th

This research explores the preparation of polypyrrole (PPy) using chemical oxidation and its enhancement with graphene oxide (GO) for optical sensor applications. PPy was synthesized by polymerizing pyrrole monomers with ferric chloride (Fe2Cl3) as the oxidant. The resulting PPy was then combined with GO to form a composite material, aiming to improve its electrical and optical properties. Polypyrrole nanofibers were obtained and after adding graphene oxide, the sensitivity increased. Characterization techniques including UV-Vis spectroscopy, DC conductivity measurements, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and response of photocurrent analysis were employed. The incorporation of GO into PPy resulted in a significant reducti

An analytical approach based on field data was used to determine the strength capacity of large diameter bored type piles. Also the deformations and settlements were evaluated for both vertical and lateral loadings. The analytical predictions are compared to field data obtained from a proto-type test pile used at Tharthar –Tigris canal Bridge. They were found to be with acceptable agreement of 12% deviation.

               Following ASTM standards D1143M-07e1,2010, a test schedule of five loading cycles were proposed for vertical loads and series of cyclic loads to simulate horizontal loading .The load test results and analytical data of 1.95

This study was aimed to determine a phytotoxicity experiment with kerosene as a model of a total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPHs) as Kerosene pollutant at different concentrations (1% and 6%) with aeration rate (0 and 1 L/min) and retention time (7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days), was carried out in a subsurface flow system (SSF) on the Barley wetland. It was noted that greatest elimination 95.7% recorded at 1% kerosene levels and aeration rate 1L / min after a period of 42 days of exposure; whereas it was 47% in the control test without plants. Furthermore, the percent of elimination efficiencies of hydrocarbons from the soil was ranged between 34.155%-95.7% for all TPHs (Kerosene) concentrations at aeration rate (0 and 1 L/min). The Barley c

Abstract 

The catalytic cracking conversion of Iraqi vacuum gas oil was studied on large and medium pore size (HY, HX, ZSM-22 and ZSM-11) of zeolite catalysts. These catalysts were prepared locally and used in the present work. The catalytic conversion performed on a continuous fixed-bed laboratory reaction unit. Experiments were performed in the temperature range of 673 to 823K, pressure range of 3 to 15bar, and LHSV range of 0.5-3h^-1. The results show that the catalytic conversion of vacuum gas oil increases with increase in reaction temperature and decreases with increase in LHSV. The catalytic activity for the proposed catalysts arranged in the following order:

HY>H

Simvastatin (SIM), is an inactive lactone, anti-hyperlipidemic drug. The drug belongs to the class II group according to the biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) with low bioavailability due to its low solubility. Adsorption technique is an effective technique for improving the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs by using the mesoporous silica. The present study aims to enhance the solubility and dissolution rate of SIM using such technique. Soluplus® and poloxamer 407 were used as surfactants besides magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) as adsorbent. All the MAS loading SIM formulations were prepared by the solvent evaporation method in different drug: adsorbent: surfactant weight ratios, then evaluated f

When embankment is constructed on very soft soil, special construction methods are adopted. One of the techniques is a piled embankment. Piled (stone columns) embankments provide an economic and effective solution to the problem of constructing embankments over soft soils. This method can reduce settlements, construction time and cost. Stone columns provide an effective improvement method for soft soils under light structures such as rail or road embankments. The present work investigates the behavior of the embankment models resting on soft soil reinforced with stone columns. Model tests were performed with different spacing distances between stone columns and two lengths to diameter ratios of the stone columns, in addition to different