A phytoremediation experiment was carried out with kerosene as a model for total petroleum hydrocarbons. A constructed wetland of barley was exposed to kerosene pollutants at varying concentrations (1, 2, and 3% v/v) in a subsurface flow (SSF) system. After a period of 42 days of exposure, it was found that the average ability to eliminate kerosene ranged from 56.5% to 61.2%, with the highest removal obtained at a kerosene concentration of 1% v/v. The analysis of kerosene at varying initial concentrations allowed the kinetics of kerosene to be fitted with the Grau model, which was closer than that with the zero order, first order, or second order kinetic models. The experimental study showed that the barley plant designed in a subsurface flow phytoremediation system would have great potential for the reclamation of kerosene-contaminated water.
PPSU hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes are prepared by applying two concentrations and various extrusion pressures according to the phase inversion method. Cross-sectional area and outer structures were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In additional to the pore size distribution, either the mean roughness or the mean pore size of the PPSU hollow fiber surfaces was evaluated by AFM. It was found that the morphology of the PPSU fibers had both sponge-like and finger-like structures through different extrusion pressures and PPSU concentrations. The mean pore size and mean roughness for inner and outer surfaces were seen to be decreased with the increase of extrusion pressure at
... Show MoreIn this paper a dynamic behavior and control of a jacketed continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) is developed using different control strategies, conventional feedback control (PI and PID), and neural network (NARMA-L2, and NN Predictive) control. The dynamic model for CSTR process is described by a first order lag system with dead time.
The optimum tuning of control parameters are found by two different methods; Frequency Analysis Curve method (Bode diagram) and Process Reaction Curve using the mean of Square Error (MSE) method. It is found that the Process Reaction Curve method is better than the Frequency Analysis Curve method and PID feedback controller is better than PI feedback controller.
The results s
... Show MoreBefore the start of delivery, any membranes rupture could be named as a premature rupture of membranes (PROM), which may need special obstetrical interactions to minimize perinatal complications, it is important topromptly diagnose PROM, the method used should be accurate, cheap, simple, and widely available. This was exactly the idea behind this study to use an ordinary pregnancy test kit aiming to confirm presence of PROM.Over a 6 months’ period, 60 pregnant women with a history of leaking liquor and a positive speculum examination for amniotic fluid pooling were collected prospectively and compared with other 60 women (control group) with uneventful pregnancy. Majority of patients with positive leaking liquor signs and symptoms had a p
... Show MoreSuppose that
Copper with different concentrations doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared from a mixture of zinc acetate and copper acetate with sodium hydroxide in aqueous solution. The structure of the prepared samples was done by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-VIS absorption spectrophotometer. Debye-Scherer formula was used to calculate the size of the prepared samples. The band gap of the nanoparticle ZnO was determined by using UV-VIS optical spectroscopy.