Biodiesel is becoming one of the most attractive alternative biofuels for petroleum-based diesel fuels. The castor plant is one of the abundant non-edible oils found in many countries. This paper aims to study Libyan castor oil and its potential for diesel conversion. Experiments were carried out in the laboratories of the Specific Center for Training in the Oil Industries in Al-Zawiya. The oil was extracted using a Soxhlet extractor and n-hexane solvent at 60 °C. Transesterification reactions were conducted in a batch reactor (a three-neck flask was used, where the middle opening carries a reflux condensation unit) at 65 °C. The methanol-to-castor oil molar ratio was 6:1, with a catalyst concentration of 1 wt.% relative to the castor oil, and the reaction time was 30 min. Castor oil was analysed and found to have a fatty acid content of 0.7%. The productivity of biodiesel exhibited 80% yield. Standard test methods of analysis were conducted to determine the biodiesel’s properties. Results indicated that the kinematic viscosity at 40 °C was 14.24 cSt, the density was 0.924 g/cm3, the cetane number (CN) was 54 and the pour point was −15 °C, indicating that castor oil biodiesel is of high quality, with a high CN and a low pour point.
Sixty four local isolated of Klebsiella spp. have been isolated from environment samples (soil and water). These isolates were identified and diagnosis according to phenotype and biochemical tests. These isolates were subjected to primary and secondary screening, to select the isolate with the highest laccase activity. Fifteen isolates chosen from primary screening for screening their enzyme activity in secondary screening. It has been found the Klebsiella(K7) has the highest productivity of the enzyme (12 Unit/ml).Klebsiella(K7) isolate was diagnosis by Vitak 2 system, it was identified asK. pneumonia. The laccase purified was characterization, the experiments showed that: The molecular weight of laccase was 120KD and the optimum pH for th
... Show MoreBacteria strain H7, which produces flocculating substances, was isolated from the soil of corn field at the College of Agriculture in Abu-Ghrib/Iraq, and identified as Bacillus subtilis by its biochemical /physiological characteristics. The biochemical analysis of the partially purified bioflocculant revealed that it was a proteoglycan composed of 93.2 % carbohydrate and 6.1 % protein. The effects of bioflocculant dosage, temperature, pH, and different salts on the flocculation activity were evaluated. The maximum flocculation activity was observed at an optimum bioflocculant dosage of 0.2 mL /10 mL (49.6%). The bioflocculant had strong thermal stability within the range of 30-80 °C, and the flocculating activity was over 50 %. The biofloc
... Show MoreSaccharomyces Cerevisiae cells were immobilized in calcium alginate beads and activated charcoal for use in the
production of ethanol from batch fermentation of sugar beet waste. Treatment of the waste with NaOH to increase the
ability of lignocellulose material to hydrolysis by acid (2N H2SO4) to monosaccharide and disaccharide (mainly glucos).
The high reducing sugar concentration obtained was equal to 9.2gm/100ml (10Brix) after treatment. Fermentation
parameters, are (pH, glucose concentration (2.5-25 gm/100ml), immobilized agent concentration (2.5-25 gm/100ml)
were studied to find the optimum physiological condition. And the highest ethanol concentration obtained from the
fermentation in the presence of 20%(wt/v) ca
Bis-anthraquinones with a unique molecular backbone, (+)-2,2’-epicytoskyrin A (epi) and (+)-1,1′-bislunatin (bis), was produced by endophytic fungi Diaporthe sp GNBP-10 associated with Gambir plant (Uncaria gambier). Epi and bis possess robust antimicrobial activity toward various pathogens. This study focus on knowing the optimum condition of epi and bis production from Diaporthe sp GNBP-10. A series of culture media with various nutrient compositions was investigated in epi and bis production. The content of epi and bis was determined by measuring the area under the curve from TLC-densitometric (scanner) experiment. The linear regression analysis was then applied to obtain the results. The optimi
... Show MoreThe current study was designed to explore the association between the pigments production and biofilm construction in local Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Out of 143 patients suffering from burns, urinary tract infections (UTI), respiratory tract infections and cystic fibrosis obtained from previous study by Mahmood (2015), twenty two isolates (15.38%) were identified from (11) hospitals in Iraq, splitted into three provinces, Baghdad, Al-Anbar and Karbala for the duration of June 2017 to April 2018. Characterization was carried out by using microscopical, morphological and biochemical methods which showed that all these isolates belong to P. aeruginosa. Screening of biofilm production isolates was carried out by usi
... Show MoreThis research presents a response surface methodology (RSM) with I‐optimal method of DESIGN EXPERT (version 13 Stat‐Ease) for optimization and analysis of the adsorption process of the cyanide from aqueous solution by activated carbon (AC) and composite activated carbon (CuO/AC) produced by pyro carbonic acid microwave using potato peel waste as raw material. Pyrophosphate 60% (wt) was used for impregnation with an impregnation ratio 3:1, impregnation time of 4 h at 25°C, radiant power of 700 W, and activation time of 20 min. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the removal efficiency of cyanide from aqueous solution to evaluate the influences of various experimental parameters su
A many risk challenge in (settings hospital) are multi- bacteria are antibiotic-resistant. Some type strains that ability adhesion surface-attached bio-film census. Fifteen MRSA isolates were considered as high biofilm producers Moreover all MRSA isolates; M3, M5, M7 and M11 produced biofilms but the thickest biofilm seen M7strain. The MIC values of N. sativa oil against clinical isolates of MRSA were between (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0) μg/ml While MRSAcin (50, 75, 100, 125) µg\ ml. All biofilms treated with MRSAcin and Nigella sativa developed a presence of live cells after cultured on plate agar with inhibition zone between MIC (18 – 15) and (14- 11)mm respectively.Yet, results showed that MRSA supernatant developed a inhibitory ef
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Leuconostoc bacteria was isolated from local pickled cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata) and identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides by morphology,biochemical and physiological. The local isolated L. mesenteroides bacteria under the optimal conditions of dextran production showed that, the highly production of dextran was 7.7g achieved by using a modified natural media comprised of 100ml whey, 10g refined sugar, 0.5g heated yeast extract, 0.01g CaCl2, 0.001g MgSO4, 0.001g MnCl2 and 0.001g NaCl at pH 6 and 25̊C for 24 hr of fermentation and by using 1ᵡ106 cell/ml as initial inoculums volume. Some applications in food technology (Ice cream, Loaf, Ketchup and Beef preservation) have been performed with processed dextran. The result