Journal of Thermodynamics and Catalysis 

About: Journal of Thermodynamics and Catalysis is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Catalysis & Adsorption. Over the lifetime, 123 publications have been published receiving 635 citations.

Biogenic synthesis of copper and silver nanoparticles using Green Alga Botrycoccus braunii and its antimicrobial activity

Abstract: Background: Nanotechnology is the branch of science and technology, which deals with the production of substances in size less than100nm scale as nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are studied as building blocks of the next generation of technology with applications in different disciplines. Currently biological species like algae are in great use for the nanoparticles synthesis. Algae are ecological and economically important eukaryotic, photosynthetic organism of the kingdom Protista. As like true plants, algae are not differentiated into root, stem and leaves but similar to lower plants for example Mosses, liverworts, etc. Aims: In the present study we use the extract of green alga Botryococcus braunii for the synthesis of copper and silver nanoparticles. Methods: Green alga was collected from Udaisagar Lake Udaipur (Rajasthan, India) and isolated by serial dilution method and grown on Chu-13 nutrient medium. The characterization of alga synthesized copper and silver nanoparticles was carried out by using UVVis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM). Green synthesized nanoparticles were toxic against bacteria and fungus. Expected findings: FT-IR measurements showed all functional groups having control over reduction and stabilization of the nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed that the particles were crystalline in nature with face-centred cubic (FCC) geometry. SEM micrographs have shown the morphology of biogenically synthesized metal nanoparticles. Further these biosynthesized nanoparticles were found to be highly toxic against two Gram negative bacterial strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 441), and Escherichia coli (MTCC 442), two Gram positive bacterial strains Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC 109) and Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96) and a fungal strain Fusarium oxysporum (MTCC 2087).

Comprehensive Review on the Biodiesel Production using Solid Acid Heterogeneous Catalysts

Abstract: Biodiesel can be produced by domestic resources like straight vegetable oil, animal oil/fats, tallow and waste cooking oil. Its use, instead of the conventional diesel, contributes to the reduction of the CO2 emissions. Production of biodiesel occurring from base catalyzed transesterification of the oil, direct acid catalyzed transesterification of the oil and/or conversion of the oil to its fatty acids and then to biodiesel. Two types of catalytic mechanisms can be used for the biodiesel production. These are the homogenous and heterogeneous catalytic processes. However, heterogeneous catalysis can be identified as solid and enzymatic. In addition solid heterogeneous catalysts can be classified as acid or base. Ηeterogeneous solid acid catalysts are of a great importance for biodiesel production. The most known catalysts of this type are zeolites, mixed oxides, sulfonic acid group catalysts, sulfonic acid modified mesoporus silica, heteropoly acids and polyoxonetalates, supported and substituted heteropoly acids and solid acids catalysts based in waste carbon. The major advantages of this type of catalysts are their reusability, their non-toxic and non-corrosive attributes as well as decrement of the biodiesel production cost.

An Evaluation of Biofield Treatment on Thermal, Physical and Structural Properties of Cadmium Powder

Abstract: Cadmium is widely utilized in nickel-cadmium batteries, stabilizers, and coating applications due to its versatile physico-chemical properties. The aim of present study was to evaluate the impact of biofield treatment on atomic, thermal, and physical properties of cadmium powder. The cadmium powder was divided into two groups, one group as control and another group as treated. The treated group received Mr. Trivedi’s biofield treatment. Control and treated samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), particle size analyzer, surface area analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD results showed significant alteration in lattice parameter, unit cell volume, densities, nuclear charge per unit volume, and atomic weight in treated cadmium powder as compared to control. Furthermore, crystallite size was significantly reduced upto 66.69% in treated cadmium as compared to control. DSC analysis results showed that the latent heat of fusion of the treated cadmium powder was considerably reduced by 16.45% as compared to control. Particle size data revealed that average particle size (d50) of treated cadmium powder was significantly reduced by 47.79 % as compared to the control. In addition, the surface area of treated cadmium powder was substantially enhanced by 156.36% as compared to control. Surface morphology observed by SEM showed the more facets and fractured surface with satellite boundaries in treated cadmium powder as compared to control. These findings suggest that biofield treatment has significantly altered the atomic, thermal and physical properties of cadmium.

Therapeutic Role of Coumarins and Coumarin-Related Compounds

Abstract: “Colorless, crystalline and natural”, a simple description for a group of compounds with multiple therapeutic effects, found throughout the plant kingdom. Coumarins have a significant effect on physiological, bacteriostatic and anti-tumor activity. Our article is a brief overview of the therapeutic functions of coumarins and coumarin related compounds.

Cell Disruption and Pressurized Liquid Extraction of Carotenoids from Microalgae

Abstract: Microalgae are very promising organisms for the production of high-value compounds such as carotenoids. Nevertheless, their commercial use is so far hampered by the lack of efficient processes and currently feasible for very few strains. One of the most relevant factors is the high effort for downstream processing, e.g., cell disruption and extraction. Thus, the presented studies were dedicated to investigate and optimize these two steps for carotenoid production with microalgae. Six different cell disruption techniques (high pressure homogenizer, ball mill, Ultra Turrax, repeated freeze and thaw, freeze-drying, ultra-sonication) were compared in lab scale for three species: Haemotococcus pluvialis, Chromochloris zofingiensis and Chlorella sorokiniana. The carotenoid recovery was determined via HPLC-UV/Vis after pressurized solvent extraction. Furthermore, factors influencing the applied extraction methods such as solvent, temperature, duration and number of cycles were optimized in order to reach highest recovery rates. While rough mechanical methods such as ball mill and high pressure homogenizer showed the highest effectivity for cell disruption of all three investigated strains, the influence of non-mechanical methods - i.e., repeated freeze and thaw cycles - on the efficiency of the extraction of astaxanthin, lutein and β carotene increased reversely proportional to cell size and cell wall rigidity. For H. pluvialis repeated freezing and thawing resulted in a factor 240 times lower extraction yield compared to high pressure homogenizer, while both methods were comparable for C. sorokiniana. From six tested solvents, dichloromethane resulted in the highest carotene recovery yield, three times higher in comparison to n-hexane. Variation of the extraction temperature from room temperature to 120°C showed an optimum at 60°C. Nearly complete extraction was reached after one cycle of 10 minutes. The data presented here demonstrate the necessity of lab scale optimization of cell disruption and extraction process for future upscaling