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Ameen M, Zafar M, Ahmad M, Munir M, Abid I, Mustafa AEZMA, Athar M, Makhkamov T, Mamarakhimov O, Yuldashev A, Khaydarov K, Mammadova AO, Botirova L, Makkamov Z. Cleaner Biofuel Production via Process Parametric Optimization of Nonedible Feedstock in a Membrane Reactor Using a Titania-Based Heterogeneous Nanocatalyst: An Aid to Sustainable Energy Development. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:889. [PMID: 38132893 PMCID: PMC10744951 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13120889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Membrane technology has been embraced as a feasible and suitable substitute for conventional time- and energy-intensive biodiesel synthesis processes. It is ecofriendly, easier to run and regulate, and requires less energy than conventional approaches, with excellent stability. Therefore, the present study involved the synthesis and application of a highly reactive and recyclable Titania-based heterogeneous nanocatalyst (TiO2) for biodiesel production from nonedible Azadhiracta indica seed oil via a membrane reactor, since Azadhiracta indica is easily and widely accessible and has a rich oil content (39% w/w). The high free fatty acids content (6.52 mg/g KOH) of the nonedible oil was decreased to less than 1% via two-step esterification. Following the esterification, transesterification was performed using a heterogeneous TiO2 nanocatalyst under optimum conditions, such as a 9:1 methanol-oil molar ratio, 90 °C reaction temperature, 2 wt.% catalyst loading, and an agitation rate of 600 rpm, and the biodiesel yield was optimized through response surface methodology (RSM). Azadhiracta indica seed oil contains 68.98% unsaturated (61.01% oleic acid, 8.97% linoleic acid) and 31.02% saturated fatty acids (15.91% palmitic acid, 15.11% stearic acid). These fatty acids transformed into respective methyl esters, with a total yield up to 95% achieved. The biodiesel was analyzed via advanced characterization techniques like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), whereas the catalyst was characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Due to its physicochemical properties, Azadirachta indica seed oil is a highly recommended feedstock for biodiesel production. Moreover, it is concluded that the Titania-based heterogeneous nanocatalyst (TiO2) is effective for high-quality liquid fuel synthesis from nonedible Azadirachta indica seed oil in a membrane reactor, which could be an optional green route to cleaner production of bioenergy, eventually leading to sustenance, robustness, and resilience that will aid in developing a holistic framework for integrated waste management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ameen
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Capital Territory, Islamabad 15320, Pakistan (M.A.)
| | - Muhammad Zafar
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Capital Territory, Islamabad 15320, Pakistan (M.A.)
| | - Mushtaq Ahmad
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Capital Territory, Islamabad 15320, Pakistan (M.A.)
- Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Constitution Avenue, G-5/2 G-5, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Mamoona Munir
- Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, 6th Rd., Satellite Town, Rawalpindi Punjab 46300, Pakistan
| | - Islem Abid
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (I.A.); (A.E.-Z.M.A.M.)
| | - Abd El-Zaher M. A. Mustafa
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (I.A.); (A.E.-Z.M.A.M.)
| | - Mohammad Athar
- California Department of Food and Agriculture, Pest Detection & Emergency Projects, 1220 ‘N’ Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA;
| | - Trobjon Makhkamov
- Department of Forestry and Landscape Design, Tashkent State Agrarian University, 2 A., Universitet Str., Kibray District, Tashkent 100700, Uzbekistan
| | - Oybek Mamarakhimov
- Department of Ecological Monitoring, National University of Uzbekistan, 4 University Street, Tashkent 100174, Uzbekistan
| | - Akramjon Yuldashev
- Department of Ecology and Botany, Andijan State University, 129, Universitet Str., Andijan 170100, Uzbekistan
| | - Khislat Khaydarov
- Institute of Biochemistry, Samarkand State University, University blv. 15, Samarkand 140104, Uzbekistan
| | - Afat O. Mammadova
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Baku State University, Baku 1148, Azerbaijan
| | - Laziza Botirova
- Department of Medicinal Plants and Botany, Gulistan State University, 4, Micro-District, Gulistan, Sirdarya 120100, Uzbekistan
| | - Zokirjon Makkamov
- Department of Customs Regulation and Customs Payments, Customs Institute of the Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Qazirabad 2-Street, 118, Tashkent 100071, Uzbekistan
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Seed Coat Morphology and Sculpturing of Selected Invasive Alien Plants from Lesser Himalaya Pakistan and Their Systematic Implications. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:8225494. [PMID: 35924271 PMCID: PMC9343200 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8225494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered as the second major threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction worldwide. They are aggressive competitors and dominate an ecosystem where they introduce and cause reduction in indigenous diversity. Invasive plants alter the evolutionary pathways of native species by competition, niche displacement, hybridization, introgression, predation, and ultimately extinction of native species. Biological invasion also results in economic and environmental damage and harm to human health. Invasive plants have an effective reproductive as well as dispersal mechanisms. Most invasive plants produce abundant fruits and seeds that are widely disseminated and remain viable in the soil for several years. Invasive plants may change their seed character in order to adapt themselves to the new environment and facilitate their performance. A study on seed coat sculpturing in invasive alien plants collected from Lesser Himalaya region, Pakistan, was conducted using scanning electron microscope to determine the importance of seed morphological characters as an additional tool for identification. Quantitative characters such as seed length and width, macromorphological characters including color, hilum position, and seed shape, and micromorphological characters of seed including surface patterns and periclinal and anticlinal wall of seeds were studied. Findings at the present indicate that most of the seeds were found spherical followed by ovate and elliptical in shape with smooth surface and showed terminal hilum. Almost reticulate seed patterns were observed in seeds. Majority of seeds showed raised anticlinal walls with protuberance periclinal walls. The seeds of Xanthium strumarium were observed with maximum length of 13 mm and with width of 8 mm. Length by width ratio of seeds was also calculated; it was found that maximum L/W ratio was observed in Sonchus oleraceus L., i.e., 2.66. Seed characters, both macro- and micromorphological, furnish useful data for classification and delimitation of invasive taxa. This study will help to understand the invasion mechanism in plants due to variations in seed surface, shape, and other characters. Adaptive behavior of the seed during the invasion process of the new ecosystem is also elaborated.
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Attique R, Zafar M, Ahmad M, Zafar S, Ghufran MA, Mustafa MRU, Yaseen G, Ahmad L, Sultana S, Nabila, Zafar A, Majeed S. Pollen morphology of selected melliferous plants and its taxonomic implications using microscopy. Microsc Res Tech 2022; 85:2361-2380. [PMID: 35247018 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This research aimed to explore the melliferous bee flora pollen from arid zones of District Attock, Islamabad Capital and Rawalpindi. Morpho-palynological features has provided key information for the classification and help to explain the taxonomy of several genera and species. Therefore, in this work, we examined the morphological characters of pollen potentially to be used for the species delimitation of bee flora. A total of 18 bee floral species, classified into 12 different families were collected, pressed, identified and then acetolyized to observe the grains under microscopy. Bee pollen can be described by small, medium to large sized morphotypes presenting five types of shapes, prolate spheroidal in (seven species), sub-prolate (six species), oblate spheroidal (three species), oblate and prolate (one species each) was examined. The observed polar and equatorial diameter were found maximum in Zea mays 73.5 μm and Pelargonium inquinans 66.75 μm respectively. Pollen of six different types was found namely: tricolporate, 3-zonocolporate, monoportae, tetracolporate, tetraporate and mononsulcate. Whereas highest value of colpi length was measured in Grewia tenax (24.55 μm). Exine surface nature of pollen was examined echinate psilate and scabrate. Exine thickness noted to be maximum in Verbena tenuisecta (8.40 μm) and minimum in Citrus macrocarpa (0.4 μm). Bee floral species considered difficult to identify based on other morphological traits were successfully distinguished using pollen quantitative and qualitative traits, confirming the importance of pollen morphology to diagnose characters to correctly identify honeybee flora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafia Attique
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zafar
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mushtaq Ahmad
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Zafar
- Department of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Asad Ghufran
- Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raza Ul Mustafa
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar, Malaysia.,Resource Sustainability, Institute of Self Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar, Malaysia
| | - Ghulam Yaseen
- Department of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Latif Ahmad
- Department of Botany, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Upper Dir, Pakistan
| | - Shazia Sultana
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nabila
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Aqeela Zafar
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Salman Majeed
- Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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