Effects of maltodextrin on physicochemical properties of freeze-dried avocado powder

The effect of maltodextrin on the moisture sorption isotherm, glass transition temperature (Tg), and degree of caking of freeze-dried avocado samples at room temperature (25°C) was investigated. The incorporation of maltodextrin reduced the water sorption capacity of the powder due to its less hygroscopic nature. Parameters derived from the Guggenheim, Anderson, and de Boer (GAB) model describing the properties of absorbed water are discussed. The water absorption isotherm possessed the characteristic sigmoid-shaped type II isotherm curves and the model gave the best fit over the whole range of aw tested. The differential scanning calorimetric method was used to measure the Tg of freeze-dried avocado samples. Increasing the water content decreased the Tg, and Tg was increased with increasing maltodextrin content. Increased maltodextrin content to solid material in the freeze-dried sample was associated with less sensitivity to caking as evidenced by Tg values. In addition, increased maltodextrin content in the powders caused brighter, less yellowish, and more greenish coloration and protected color change including browning index. The antioxidant capacity was significantly decreased with increasing maltodextrin content. Thus, the effect of maltodextrin concentration on physicochemical properties was a promising way to preserve the physical property and chemical compounds in freezedried avocado powder.

Adsorption of Phenol in Wastewater Using Nano Grapheme Oxide-Chitosan-Bentonite Absorbent

Background and Objectives: Contamination of surface and groundwater sources with aromatic compounds such as phenolic compounds is one of the newest environmental problems that humans encountered it today. One of the ways to remove these pollutants is the use of polymeric adsorbents. In this study, chitosan-bentonite-nano-graphene oxide nanosorbent was synthesized to investigate the phenol adsorption. Material and Methods: In this research, experimental design was performed using Design-Expert 7.0 software to investigate the effect of independent variables including nano graphene oxide, chitosan and bentonite on the dependent variable (phenol removal rate). Moreover, phenol absorption isotherm, kinetics and thermodynamics, were also examined. Results: Eventually, the optimum formulation of nano-adsorbent with specifications of 0.1 g of chitosan, 0.18 g of bentonite and 0.07 g of nano-graphene oxide was investigated. Optimal adsorption conditions were also obtained at a concentration of 100 ppm, pH=5 and 45 minutes of absorption time. Conclusion: Finally, it was found that the synthesized nanosorbent follows the Langmuir isotherm, which represents physical adsorption, and also the kinetics of the adsorption process is the diffusion between particles. As a result, it was found that the optimal application of this nano-adsrbent is in wastewaters with a temperature of less than 400 °C.

Chemical Reduction Behavior of Zirconia Doped to Nickel at Different Temperature in Carbon Monoxide Atmosphere

The reduction behavior of nickel oxide (NiO) and zirconia (Zr) doped NiO (Zr/NiO) was investigated using temperature programmed reduction (TPR) using carbon monoxide (CO) as a reductant and then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen absorption isotherm using BET technique and FESEM-EDX. The reduction characteristics of NiO to Ni were examined up to temperature 700 °C and continued with isothermal reduction by 40 vol. % CO in nitrogen. The studies show that the TPR profile of doped NiO slightly shifts to a higher temperature as compared to the undoped NiO which begins at 387 °C and maximum at 461 °C. The interaction between ZrO2 with Ni leads to this slightly increase by 21 to 56 °C of the reduction temperature. Analysis using XRD confirmed, the increasing percentage of Zr from 5 to 15% speed up the reducibility of NiO to Ni at temperature 550 °C. At this temperature, undoped NiO and 5% Zr/NiO still show some crystallinity present of NiO, but 15% Zr/NiO shows no NiO in crystalline form. Based on the results of physical properties, the surface area for 5% Zr/NiO and 15% Zr/NiO was slightly increased from 6.6 to 16.7 m2/g compared to undoped NiO and for FESEM-EDX, the particles size also increased after doped with Zr on to NiO where 5% Zr/NiO particles were 110 ± 5 nm and 15% Zr/NiO 140 ± 2 nm. This confirmed that the addition of Zr to NiO has a remarkable chemical effect on complete reduction NiO to Ni at low reduction temperature (550 °C). This might be due to the formation of intermetallic between Zr/NiO which have new chemical and physical properties.

Use of Microwaves to Activate Bentonite in the Processes of Sorption of Nickel Ions from Concentrated Aqueous Solutions

The physicochemical parameters of the process of sorption water purification from compounds of Nickelwith clay sorbent in static conditions are studied. The absorption isotherm of ions of this metal from concentratedaqueous solutions on samples of bentonite using ultrahigh-frequency irradiation (microwave) is analyzed. Mostcorrectly, it is described by the linear equation of Langmuir. It is shown that irradiation of this sorbent bymicrowaves in the process of nickel ion sorting almost 2 times increases the value of the marginal sorptioncapacity for this metal (in comparison with the method of "stimulation" - preliminary washing of bentonite withpure water under the action of microwaves). The results of the study of spent bentonite by scanning electronmicroscopy, energy dispersion and X-ray diffraction analysis indicate that the metal under action of themicrowave is deposited on the surface of the bentonite not only in the form of an adsorbed monolayer of ions, butalso in the form of a separate crystalline phase, nickel silicate. Changes in the acidity of the medium duringsorption purification under the action of microwave are observed: from pH ≈ 5.7 ... 6.5 (before exposure) to pH ≈6.7 ... 7.1 (after irradiation). Confirmed assumption about that under the action of microwaves in the aqueousmedium there is a partial destruction of the silicate framework of clay sorbents with the release of silicon ionsSiO32-. These ions undergo hydrolysis, as a result of which the pH of the solution increases. Also, the directdiscontinuity of the Si-O bonds in the near-surface groups ≡Si-OH is not excluded, which leads to an increase inthe number of "free" hydroxyl groups.

Removal of radiocesium from low level radioactive effluents by hexacyanoferrate loaded synthetic zeolite: laboratory to pilot plant scale demonstration

Present paper reports removal of radiocesium from low level waste using a modified sorbent (13X-CFC) prepared by in-situ precipitation of potassium copper hexacyanoferrate(II) inside the macropores of a synthetic zeolite. The Cs exchange isotherm of the sorbent is established and it found to follow Fruendlich absorption isotherm equation. It is varified that presence of hexacyanoferrate on zeolite facilitates rapid Cs uptake performance. This is further confirmed in laboratory scale column tests, wherein excellent Cs removal performance from low level waste simulant was observed even at higher flow rates (40 bed volumes per hour). The utility of the sorbent is established through successful demonstration in a pilot scale (50 L) trial with almost complete removal of