Keratin is a fibrous, insoluble structural protein that is highly cross-linked with hydrophobic, hydrogen, and disulfide bonds. Keratinases are enzymes that belong to the category of serine hydrolases that are capable of breaking down keratin. The results of the determination of the better fermentation system showed that the production of keratinase from local A.terreus A13 isolate by submerged fermentation (SmF) system was the best system to give the highest specific activity (113.4 U/mg) of keratinase compared with solid-state fermentation (SSF). The optimum conditions for keratinase production by SmF, were determined via cultivation conditions, including carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, pH of the medium,
... Show MoreThe present study explores the solar-induced photocatalytic degradation of reactive red (RR) and reactive turquoise (RT) dyes in a single system using TiO2 immobilized in xanthan gum (TiO2/XG), synthesized using the sol–gel dip-coating technique for direct precipitation. SEM-EDX, XRD, FTIR, and UV–Vis were used to assess the characteristics of the resulting catalyst. Moreover, the effects of different operating parameters, specifically pH, dye concentration, TiO2/XG concentration, H2O2 concentration, and contact time, were also investigated in a batch photocatalytic reactor. The immobilized TiO2/XG catalyst showed a slight adsorption degradation efficiency and then improved the RR and RT dye degradation activity (92.5 and 90.8%
... Show MoreIn this study, a new adsorbent derived from sunflower husk powder and coated in CuO nanoparticles (CSFH) was investigated to evaluate the simultaneous adsorption of Levofloxacin (LEV), Meropenem (MER), and Tetracycline (TEC) from an aqueous solution. Significant improvements in the adsorption capacity of the sunflower husk were identified after the powder particles had been coated in CuO nanoparticles. Kinetic data were correlated using a pseudo-second-order model, and was successful for the three antibiotics. Moreover, high compatibility was identified between the LEV, MER, and TEC, isotherm data, and the Langmuir model, which produced a better fit to suit the isotherm curves. In addition, the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adso
... Show MoreEncasing glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) beam with reinforced concrete (RC) improves stability, prevents buckling of the web, and enhances the fire resistance efficiency. This paper provides experimental and numerical investigations on the flexural performance of RC specimens composite with encased pultruded GFRP I-sections. The effect of using shear studs to improve the composite interaction between the GFRP beam and concrete was explored. Three specimens were tested under three-point loading. The deformations, strains in the GFRP beams, and slippages between the GFRP beams and concrete were recorded. The embedded GFRP beam enhanced the peak loads by 65% and 51% for the composite specimens with and without shear connectors,
... Show MoreIn this study, a new adsorbent derived from sunflower husk powder and coated in CuO nanoparticles (CSFH) was investigated to evaluate the simultaneous adsorption of Levofloxacin (LEV), Meropenem (MER), and Tetracycline (TEC) from an aqueous solution. Significant improvements in the adsorption capacity of the sunflower husk were identified after the powder particles had been coated in CuO nanoparticles. Kinetic data were correlated using a pseudo-second-order model, and was successful for the three antibiotics. Moreover, high compatibility was identified between the LEV, MER, and TEC, isotherm data, and the Langmuir model, which produced a better fit to suit the isotherm curves. In addition, the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adsor
... Show MoreRenewable energy sources are a promising hope for avoiding many environmental and economic problems such as the problems of climate change and environmental pollution resulting from fossil fuels combustion, in addition to the problems of oil derivatives high prices and their absence in many countries, which in turn affected the rise in electricity prices. Yemen is considered one of the countries most affected by electricity prices rise due to lack of oil derivatives as a result of the ongoing wars in Yemen. This paper presents a technical and economic study of renewable energy sources for producing and storing electricity. It gives a clear scientific and economic vision for implementation of these projects in one of the Yemeni i
... Show MoreThis study reports testing results of the transient response of T-shape concrete deep beams with large openings due to impact loading. Seven concrete deep beams with openings including two ordinary reinforced, four partially prestressed, and one solid ordinary reinforced as a reference beam were fabricated and tested. The effects of prestressing strand position and the intensity of the impact force were investigated. Two values for the opening’s depth relative to the beam cross-section dimensions were inspected under the effect of an impacting mass repeatedly dropped from different heights. The study revealed that the beam’s transient deflection was increased by about 50% with gre
Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have been synthesized via reduction of sodium tetrachloroaurate dihydrate (NaAuCl4.2H2O) with 2-(2-methyl-5-amino -1H-imidazol-1-yl) ethanol (2-MAE) in presence and absence of ascorbic acid as reducing and stabilizing agents. The resulting Au NPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR spectroscopy. The absorption spectra of gold nanoparticles solutions in the uv-visible and near IR regions were studied at different amine concentrations and pH media.
The study included isolation and diagnosis of fungi that infect Foeniculum vulgare Mill planted in the Department of Drugs and Medicinal Plants, Pharmacy College - University of Baghdad, different symptoms such as wilting and yellowing, stunting on the plants were observed fungi: Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Phoma herbarum and Fusarium oxysporum, The disease incidence ranging between 5-10%. Studied the effect of Foeniculum vulgare plant seeds extract against Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Phoma herbarum and Fusarium oxysporum,where tested the concentrations 0,2.5 and 5% of alcoholic extract of fennel seeds showed ef
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