Sorption properties of iron impregnated activated carbon web for removal of methylene blue from aqueous media

In this study, impregnation of iron chloride was carried out on needle punched web of waste acrylic fibers, which was subsequently carbonized under layer of charcoal by physical activation in high temperature furnace to produce iron impregnated activated carbon (FeAC). For comparison purpose, one more sample of activated carbon (AC) was prepared without impregnation of iron chloride. Both the webs were carbonized at 1200 °C with no holding time, and characterization of BET surface area, SEM morphology, EDX elemental analysis, XRD crystalline structure was performed. The FeAC web was used as adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. The dye removal percentage was investigated at different experimental parameters like different dye concentrations, adsorbent dosage, stirring speed and different pH. The obtained results were analyzed using linear and non-linear forms of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and adsorption kinetics (i.e. pseudo first order and pseudo second order model).     

Effect of bypass fat supplementation on productive performance and blood biochemical profile in lactating Murrah (Bubalus bubalis) buffaloes

The study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of bypass fat on productive performance and blood biochemical profile of lactating Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). Fifteen multiparous buffaloes (2-4 lactation) of early to mid lactation were divided in three homogenous groups T(1) (control), T(2), and T(3) of five each. The animals in T(1) were fed with a basal diet consisting of a concentrate mixture, green sorghum, and wheat straw as per requirements, while the animals in group T(2) and T(3) were fed with same ration supplemented with 0.7 % (100?g/day) and 1.4 % (200?g/day) bypass fat (on dry matter intake (DMI) basis), respectively. The feed intake, milk yield, and milk composition were not influenced by supplemental bypass fat. However, fat-corrected milk (6.5 %) yield was higher (P?相似文献   

Response of spring wheat to boron-coated urea and its effect on nitrogen use efficiency

A field study was conducted at the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to study the response of spring wheat to boron applied as boron-coated urea (BCU) and the effect of boron (B) coating on the use efficiency of applied fertilizer urea nitrogen. The BCU (0.5% B) significantlyrecorded the highest increase in leaf area index (30.2%), spike length (12.5%), number of spikes (10.9%), filled grains (15.7%) and grain weight (16.3%) per spike in spring wheat than uncoated prilled urea (PU). Furthermore, the application of 0.5% BCU enhanced the grain and straw yields of spring wheat by 11% and 10.6% over uncoated PU. The BCU (0.5% B) also significantly increased the N concentration and N uptake both in wheat grain and straw. The BCU (0.5% B) recorded 24.8% higher recovery efficiency of applied nitrogen and an increase of 3.6 kg grain kg^?1 N applied in agronomic efficiency compared to uncoated PU. The net returns (USD915.1 ha^?1) and benefit:cost ratio (1.40) werealso the highest with 0.5% BCU, significantly higher than uncoated PU. Therefore, 0.5% boron coating onto PU is recommended for increased productivity and enhanced efficiency of applied fertilizer nitrogen for spring wheat in Indo-Gangetic plains of India.     

Development of an Ethanol Yield Procedure for Dry‐Grind Corn Processing

In 2008, the United States produced ethanol at a rate of 39.5 billion L/year; an additional 8.5 billion L/year capacity was under construction. Kernel composition and physical properties are not correlated with ethanol yield. A procedure that measured the potential of hybrids to produce ethanol would benefit corn seed companies, corn producers, and ethanol processors. The objective was to develop a laboratory procedure to measure ethanol yield from corn samples and evaluate the developed procedure for accuracy and precision. To determine parameters for routine analyses, effects of mill type, dry solids, and yeast addition were investigated separately followed by effects of fermentation time (T_f), glucoamylase dose, and yeast addition. Measurement of ethanol using HPLC and gravimetric (change in weight due to CO₂ loss) methods were compared. Using the procedure developed, ethanol yields for five diverse hybrids (dent, waxy, white, high oil, and high amylose) were measured. Effects of mill type, dry solids, T_f, glucoamylase dose, and yeast addition were significant (P < 0.05). The gravimetric method estimated higher yields (428 ± 10 L/tonne) than HPLC (405 ± 15 L/tonne) and had a higher level of precision. Both methods had coefficients of variations of <4% and gave similar conclusions. In the final procedure, we used corn (25 g/batch) liquefied with α‐amylase (60 min at 90°C) in 75 mL of distilled water. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was used (64 hr at 32°C) with glucoamylase and yeast. Gravimetric and HPLC methods measured differences in ethanol yield for the five hybrids (158–435 L/tonne). The method is suitable for routine testing of ethanol yield potential and as a reference method for verifying more rapid measurement techniques.     

Ethanol Production from Modified and Conventional Dry‐Grind Processes Using Different Corn Types

Different corn types were used to compare ethanol production from the conventional dry‐grind process to wet or dry fractionation processes. High oil, dent corn with high starch extractability, dent corn with low starch extractability and waxy corn were selected. In the conventional process, corn was ground using a hammer mill; water was added to produce slurry which was fermented. In the wet fractionation process, corn was soaked in water; germ and pericarp fiber were removed before fermentation. In the dry fractionation process, corn was tempered, degerminated, and passed through a roller mill. Germ and pericarp fiber were separated from the endosperm. Due to removal of germ and pericarp fiber in the fractionation methods, more corn was used in the wet (10%) and dry (15%) fractionation processes than in the conventional process. Water was added to endosperm and the resulting slurry was fermented. Oil, protein, and residual starch in germ were analyzed. Pericarp fiber was analyzed for residual starch and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content. Analysis of variance and Fisher's least significant difference test were used to compare means of final ethanol concentrations as well as germ and pericarp fiber yields. The wet fractionation process had the highest final ethanol concentrations (15.7% v/v) compared with dry fractionation (15.0% v/v) and conventional process (14.1% v/v). Higher ethanol concentrations were observed in fractionation processes compared to the conventional process due to higher fermentable substrate per batch available as a result of germ and pericarp fiber removal. Germ and pericarp yields were 7.47 and 6.03% for the wet fractionation process and 7.19 and 6.22% for the dry fractionation process, respectively. Germ obtained from the wet fractionation process had higher oil content (34% db) compared with the dry fractionation method (11% db). Residual starch content in the germ fraction was 16% for wet fractionation and 44% for dry fractionation. Residual starch in the pericarp fiber fraction was lower for the wet fractionation process (19.9%) compared with dry fractionation (23.7%).     

Changes induced by phorate in the carbohydrate metabolism of the snail Lymnaea acuminata

Carbohydrate metabolism was studied in the hepatopancreas, mantle, intestine and foot of the snail Lymnaea acuminata, exposed to 40% and 80% of the LC₅₀ dose of phorate (12 and 24 mg litre^?1, respectively) for 24 and 48 h. Following treatment with the pesticide, the rate of oxygen consumption and the glycogen contents were reduced, while the levels of lactic acid and reducing sugars were enhanced. Withdrawal of the pesticide for 7 days after exposure of the snails to 12 mg of phorate litre^?1 for 48 h did not reverse these changes.     

Role of surface morphology in determining the ripening behaviour of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits

Surface characteristics of fruit mainly determine the diffusibility of gases across its boundary and also the extent to which moisture being lost from the fruit. The present study has been carried out with an objective to find out the association between the ripening related processes and surface morphology of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit. Tomato fruits of two contrasting varieties; Pusa Gaurav (a slow ripening type) and Pusa Ruby (a relatively fast ripening type) were evaluated for physiological loss in weight (PLW), rate of respiration, effect of hypoxia on ripening, dimension of stem scar region and distribution of lenticels along with hair base cell of trichomes on the surface of the fruits. Results showed that fruits of Pusa Gaurav showed significantly lower PLW, rate of respiration, surface area of stem scar region, density of lenticels along with hair base cell of trichomes and slower ripening under hypoxia condition in comparison to Pusa Ruby. More resistance towards gaseous exchange and therefore lower O₂ to CO₂ ratio inside the fruits of Pusa Gaurav in contrast to Pusa Ruby in view of the differences in the surface morphological features in these two varieties could possibly be assigned as one of the reasons responsible for the obtained varietal difference in ripening and related changes.