Evidences of Microplastic in Air and Street Dust: A Case Study of Varanasi City, India

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in our environment. Its presence in air, water and soil makes it a serious threat to living organisms. The present study aimed to assess the availability of MPs in air and street dust of a metropolitan city Varanasi, India. Suspended dust samples and street dust samples were collected from various sampling sites. The assessment of MPs was conducted by for physical identification binocular microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), while elemental analysis done by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX). and finally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used for functional group analysis. the presence of MPs in both suspended dust and street dust samples of all selected sampling sites was confirmed by results. MPs of different color with the shape of Fragments, Films, Spherules and Fibers were observed in the study. However, most of the MPs were less than 1mm in size. The MPs identified in our study were majorly polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride. EDX analysis showed presence of trace elements like aluminum, cadmium, magnesium, sodium, and silicon apart from carbon and oxygen, which indicates the presence of additives or adsorption capacity of MPs. Confirmation of MPs in the air of a locality of Varanasi explains the need of deep research in this concerned field to protect our future from negative impacts of breathing MPs.

Efficiency of supercapacitor with CaTiO3-filled polysulfone separators

Supercapacitors are one of the energy storages designed to serve the increasing demand for electricity nowadays. They are durable and can charge electricity faster and keep electric charge longer. In this study, electrodes for supercapacitors were made from aluminum foils coated with carbon nanotube film and separated by electrolyte solution and a separator. A separator could prevent short circuit but allow ions to pass through, and consequently increased storage layers of electric charge. The separators used in this study were made from polysulfone containing CaTiO3 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt% with perovskite properties, high dielectric constant, electrical resistivity and energy density. After that, they were built in coin-cell form. It was found from the study that the addition of 2.0 wt% CaTiO3, the largest proportion of all samples, provided a maximum specific energy at 4.03 mWh/g and a maximum specific capacitance at 4.64 F/g. accounting for 2.17-time higher than that of polysulfone without CaTiO3. The functional group analysis of PSF and CaTiO3 separators showed that the increasing of CaTiO3 in the PSF separators, the 2958 cm−1 in C-H stretch peaks reduced, and consequently specific energy and specific capacitance were higher. Thus, supercapacitors with CaTiO3-filled polysulfone separators are suitable for improving efficiency of supercapacitors in energy storage from electrical supply.

The effect of NaOH addition on the characteristics of tilapia skin collagen

Research on fish collagen is now growing rapidly as the use of collagen in industry increases. Collagen extraction begins with the removal of non-collagen proteins using bases to maximize the extraction process. This research aims to determine the effect of differences in NaOH concentrations on the characteristics of tilapia skin collagen. NaOH in collagen extraction serves to remove alkaline soluble proteins to optimize the collagen extraction process. The bases used were NaOH with the concentration of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%. The extraction was carried out using the acid method. Using SEM, observation parameters for crude collagen from the tilapia skin include collagen yield, functional group analysis, lightness, and surface morphology. The results of functional groups analysis showed that the collagen obtained in all treatments had typical collagen characteristics, i.e., amide A, amide B, amide I, amide II, and amide III. The non-collagen deproteination treatment with 0.5% NaOH could produce better collagen than the 1.0 and 1.5% concentrations, as indicated by the highest yield (20.42%) and lightness (93.22). Morphological analysis showed that the collagen extracted has an irregular branched fiber structure.

Effect of Thermal Treatment on Natural Dolomite

Dolomite is a mineral material that is formed from limestone which is mostly contains the calcite (CaCO3) and magnesite (MgCO3). This paper aimed to study on thermal decomposition of dolomite under air atmosphere. Calcination of dolomite was carried out by using furnace with heating rate of 10 °C/minute in an air atmosphere. The different temperature of calcination was varied at 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C within 6 hours. Phase analysis (XRD) and functional group analysis (FTIR) were carried out to analysis the dolomite after calcination. Microstructural (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that the main constituents of pure dolomite include CaCO3 (calcite), MgCO3 (magnesite), CaO, and MgO. From the results, XRD showed that the high intensity of CaO and MgO at 800 - 1000 °C was much stronger than that of dolomite at 400 - 600 °C. In addition, FTIR presents strong and intense bands are observed at 3632.23 and 3690.98 cm−1 (800 °C), and also 3694.03 and 3633.60 cm−1 (1000 °C) due to the calcium oxide.

The Effect Of Particle Size On The Characterization Of Activated Carbon From Tropical Black Bamboo (Gigantochloa Atroviolacea)

Activated carbon also known as activated charcoal is a common term for carbon materials, which comprises charcoal. Activated carbon has a good adsorption capacity against gases and pollutants in liquids because of its wide surface. The material used in this research was tropical black bamboo, with the variation of particle size -10+20 mesh, -20+40 mesh, -40+60 mesh and -60+80 mesh. There are 2 processes to produce activated carbon, i.e. carbonation and activation. In this research, the carbonation is set at 380°C in 1 hour. Then, each size of carbon was activated by H3PO4 9.8% along 24 hours. The analysis conducted were moisture content, ash content, iodine number, and functional group analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The smaller particle size, the more pores will be produced and it caused the surface area higher. The results showed that variation of particle size had effect on the characterization and quality of activated carbon, where moisture content is between 10.60 to 4.05%, ash content is 1% to 0.2% and iodine adsorption is between 710 mg/g to 900 mg/g. In FTIR analysis, it showed that all of the samples had O-H, C=C, and C-O functional group.

Isolation of Lycopene Component from Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum)

Lycopene is a red pigment found in tamarillo with its function as an antioxidant that protects body cells from the negative effects of free radicals so that they do not trigger diseases, especially cancer and premature aging. This study was intended to improve the quality of tamarillo by isolating lycopene from tamarillo through an extraction process with chloroform as a solvent by maceration for 3 days at room temperature. The lycopene extract obtained was dissolved by means of a rotary evaporator at 40 oC under vacuum pressure and oven temperature at 60 oC. The lycopene obtained was analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and the crystal structure of lycopene was characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy. GCMS results showed that 0.21 g of lycopene was successfully isolated from 100 g of dried red tamarillo fruit powder. Functional group analysis using FT-IR at a wavelength of 978.23 cm-1 showed the R-CH=CH-R group; the -CH3- group of 1371.43 cm-1; the 1460.16 cm-1 indicates the bending vibration of -CH2-; the C=C chain of 1656.91 and 1745.64 cm-1; and the C-H of 2856.67 and 2926.11 cm-1 of the lycopene chain.

Utilization of Activated Charcoal from Sawdust as an Antibiotic Adsorbent of Tetracycline Hydrochloride

The use of activated charcoal from sawdust as an adsorbent of tetracycline hydrochloride compounds has been successfully carried out. Sawdust activated charcoal was carbonized at 450°C for 40 minutes with a charcoal size of 100 mesh and activated using H3PO4 solution. The characteristics of active sawdust charcoal showed that water content, iodine adsorption, and methylene blue adsorption had met SNI 06-3730-1995 regarding technical activated charcoal. Testing the morphology of charcoal using a Scanning Electron Microscope showed that the charcoal pores were opened through the activation process. In the functional group analysis test using infrared spectroscopy, the active group contained in charcoal after being activated contained carbon atoms that were purer than sawdust. The adsorption process of tetracycline hydrochloride using sawdust activated charcoal is known to follow Ho orPseudo second-order (K = 0.0039 g/mg.min), while the adsorption isotherm follows the Langmuir equation, KL = 0.0076 L/mg and adsorption capacity amounting to 242.1307 mg/g. Thermodynamically, the adsorption process occurs not spontaneously with a Gibbs free energy value of 120.8949 kJ/mol and occurs by chemisorption.

Antioxidant activity of extract from some squid species in Khanh Hoa

The antioxidant activities against DPPH free radical of crude extracts using ethyl acetate and methanol from ink sac, muscles, and bones of 5 squid species (Uroteuthis chinensis, Uroteuthis sibogae, Uroteuthis duvaucelii, Sepia esculenta, Sepioteuthis lessoniana) collected in Khanh Hoa waters were investigated. These activities ranged from 4.21% (ethyl acetate extract from ink of U. chinensis) to 54.51% (methanol extract from muscle of S. esculenta.). The functional group analysis by infrared adsorption spectrum (FTIR) in these crude extracts revealed the absorption peaks of melanin in ink, polysaccharide in bone and protein in muscle extracts. In addition, the SDS-PAGE result of some methanol extracts showed the presence of proteins with a molecular weight of 30-150 kDa.