Iranica Journal of Energy and Environment (IJEE)

113-123

Authors: K. Mahalakshmi, S.K. Suja, K. Yazhini, S. Mathiya and G. Jayanthi Kalaivani

An effective and economical adsorbent was prepared from the peels of Annonasquamosa for the removal of crystal violet from aqueous solutions. Adsorption studies were carried out using batch experiments. The dependence of initial dye concentration, pH, contact time, particle size and temperature on the adsorption process was studied. The crystal violet was found to be electroactive and hence electrochemical studies were also performed. The study showed that the equilibrium was achieved within 60 min for the different initial concentrations (10 to 30 mg.l ). The equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed 1 using various isotherm models and they were found to fit Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Harkins-Jura isotherm models in varying orders of magnitude. The maximum dye adsorption capacities for cyclic voltammetry and spectral studies at 303 K were found to be 5.6818 × 104 A.g1(in terms of current)and 5×104 mg.g1(in terms of eight),respectively. The data suggested that the adsorption kinetics was best represented by pseudo-second order kinetic model. The thermodynamic parameters including G, H and S for the adsorption process have also been evaluated using which it was concluded that the process of adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The cyclic voltammetricand spectral studies yielded similar results. Furthermore, statistical analysis also showed the absence of any significant difference between the two methods.

132-145

Authors: Fawaz Al-Badaii and Mohammad Shuhaimi-Othman

The present study was carried out to investigate and determine the water quality and the pollution sources affected on

152-159

Authors: T.D. Kusworo and B. Budiyono

Recently, many researchers have explored the idea of hybrid mixed matrix membranes. Membrane separation processes based on hybrid mixed matrix membrane comprising inorganic material such as zeolite and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) embedded in polymer matrix have become one of the emerging technologies and extensively discussed in membrane separation literature. The present study is performed primarily to investigate the effect of chemical modification on carbon nanotubes surface towards gas separation performance of mixed matrix membrane. Polyethersulfone (PES)-carbon nanotubes mixed matrix membrane for modified and unmodified carbon nanotubes were casted using dry/wet phase inversion technique. The modified carbon nanotubes were prepared by treating the carbon nanotubes with acid treatment to allow PES chains to be attached to carbon nanotubes surface. The results of FESEM, DSC and FTIR analysis confirmed that chemical modification on carbon nanotubes surface had taken place. Meanwhile, the nanogaps in the interface of polymer and carbon nanotubes were appeared in the PES mixed matrix membrane with unmodified of carbon nanotubes. The modified carbon nanotubes mixed matrix membrane increases the mechanical properties, the productivity and purity of gas mixture compare to neat PES and unmodified carbon nanotubes mixed matrix membrane. For PES-modified carbon nanotubes mixed matrix membrane the maximum selectivity achieved for CO2/CH4 are 32.59.

167-172

Authors: O.A. Oyelaran, B.O. Bolaji, M.A. Waheed and M.F. Adekunle

This study has revealed that groundnut shell can be compacted to a stabled state with binding material. The densification of the groundnut shells aid in transporting and storing, making it more economically than is possible at unprocessed state. The effects of binder (cassava starch gel) show that the highest lateral and axial expansion was 1.91 and 6% respectively. Maximum density, relax density, relaxation ratio ranges between 411 to 441 kg/m3, 201 to 202 kg/m3, 2.03 to 2.19, respectively. Other results are durability in the range of 69.89 to 93.52%, while the calorific value ranges between 19.82 to 21.97 MJ/kg. The overall, briquettes performances showed that 20% binder have the most outstanding result in terms of durability. It was found that the amount of binder used have significant influence on the properties of the briquettes.

184-191

Authors: Abdulrahim Saad and S.B. Ratanwilai

Pyrolysis liquid obtained from local suppliers in Phatthalung Province, Thailand was separated in conventional vacuum distillation into light and heavy fractions. The physiochemical characteristics and thermal behaviour of the fractionated pyrolysis liquid were investigated. It was found that light fraction had higher water content and stronger acidity than heavy fraction and pyrolysis liquid. The heating value of light fraction was lower than those of the pyrolysis liquid and

202-208

Authors: Jelynne P., Tamayo and Ernesto J. Del Rosario

The brown seaweed Sargassum sp. is a promising feedstock for ethanol production because of its relatively high content (41.6% dry basis) of holocellulose. Chemical pretreatment of the seaweed was carried out with 1% (v/v) H2SO4 solution at 5% solid loading for 15 min at 121°C prior to saccharification with commercial cellulase. The cellulose-to-glucose conversion efficiency after 72 hours incubation was 49.84% and 61.54% for the untreated and chemically treated biomass, respectively.The algal residue after pretreatment with dilute acid was subjected to either simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and fermentation (SESF) or separate enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation (SEHF). Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used for ethanol fermentation. The cellulose to ethanol conversions forSESF and SEHF were 66.9 and 34.1%, respectively.

218-223

Authors: Seyed Mahmoud Mehdinia, Khalilollah Moeinian and Tayyabeh Rastgoo

The present study investigates the effectiveness of a new adsorbent prepared from agricultural wastes, namely rice husk silica as well as raw rice husk and rice bran to remove Cr+6 from aquatic solutions. The raw rice husk was collected from North of Iran. But rice husk silica was prepared by burning of clean rice husk inside a muffle furnace at a temperature of 800°C for 4 hours after acid leaching. The effects of four parameters: contact time (30 to 90 min), pH values (2 to 9), adsorbents dosages (0.5 to 1.5 g/L) and initial concentration (1.0 to 15 mg/L) were investigated to remove Cr+6. The silica derived from rice husk showed a high percentage of SiO2 up to 94.24%. But carbon