Valorization of poultry slaughterhouse sludge oil: a strategy to reduce Brazil's dependency on soybean oil in the biodiesel industry.

During the poultry industrialization process the so-called sludge oil, a residual chicken fat, is recovered in the wastewater treatment plant and its use presents potential as raw material for biodiesel production. Thus, the aim of the study was to prepare blends of sludge oil with soybean oil to obtain fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) through the homogeneous alkaline transesterification reaction. To perform this study, a simple pre-treatment process - heating and subsequent filtration - was used, allowing sludge oil to be mixed with soybean oil to compose blends, without the need to use more sophisticated pre-treatment processes. After this step, blends ranging from 5% to 90% (m/m) of sludge oil mixed with soybean oil were prepared. The results showed that the molar ratio (1:6 oil blend:methanol), catalyst concentration 0.5% NaOH (mcat/moil), at 65 °C for 60 min yielded FAME above 99.0 and 90.0% (m/m) for blends with up to 5 and 15% sludge oil, respectively. By increasing the temperature to 70 °C, under the same selected parameters, the blend with 10% sludge oil provided yield above 99.0% (m/m), presenting appropriate physicochemical properties, within the parameters required by National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP). These findings show the great potential sludge oil provides to reduce Brazil's dependency on soybean oil for biodiesel production.Highlights Sludge oil, a waste raw material for biodiesel production, is not yet explored in Brazil.A procedure for biodiesel production using soybean oil and sludge oil blends was proposed.The best reaction condition was 1:6 oil blend:MeOH molar ratio; 0.5% NaOH (mcat/moil), at 70 °C for 60 min.Biodiesel yield was higher than 99% (m/m) under optimal reaction conditions.Sludge oil represents a promising waste raw material for biodiesel production.

Simple borophosphate glasses for on-demand growth of self-supported copper nanoparticles in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Herein, we demonstrate a single-step synthesis of simple copper-doped borophosphate glasses and their unusual use for catalytic reduction of nitro groups from the aromatic nitro compounds. The copper-doped glasses were evaluated as an affordable heterogeneous catalytic glass-based material for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride. The glass matrix acts as a host and support material for in situ self-growth of zero-valent copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) on the glass surface. Thus, zero-valent CuNPs are produced in situ on the glass surface that is accomplished by the interaction of copper ions with hydride ions. Using an intrinsic reaction kinetic constant, we find a catalytic activity of 0.144 L s-1 g-1 for a glass-based catalyst doped with a non-noble metal, which is an order of magnitude higher when compared to the values observed elsewhere. Furthermore, the reuse of glass catalyst after six successive cycles demonstrates an outstanding performance compared to that of the parent material. A mathematical model based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism related to an empirical growth rate of the zero-valent CuNPs was proposed to describe the kinetic of the 4-nitrophenol catalytic hydrogenation.

Borophosphate glass as an active media for CuO nanoparticle growth: an efficient catalyst for selenylation of oxadiazoles and application in redox reactions.

Herein, we report the preparation of CuO@ borophosphate nanoparticles (CuOnano@glass) and their wide catalytic applications. The glass annealing, under a controlled atmosphere, enables the growth of copper nanoparticles on the glass surface (not within) by an uncommon bottom-up process. Following the thermal annealing of metallic nanoparticles under air atmosphere, supported copper oxide nanoparticles CuONPs on the glass surface can be obtained. The approach enables the glass matrix to be explored as a precursor and a route for the synthesis of supported copper-based nanoparticles in a solvent-free process without immobilization steps or stabilizing agents. In order to demonstrate the wide synthetic utility of this CuONPs glass-based catalyst, one-pot three-component domino reactions were performed under an air atmosphere, affording the desired selenylated oxadiazoles in good to excellent yields. We also extended the application of these new materials as a glass-based catalyst in the phenol hydroxylation and the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Produção de alface (Lactuca sativa) em efluentes de um cultivo de tilápias mantidas em sistema BFT em baixa salinidade / Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) production with effluent from a tilapia culture maintained in BFT and low salinity

No presente experimento verificou-se o efeito da salinidade no desempenho produtivo de diferentes cultivares de alface (Lactuca sativa) em um sistema de aquaponia utilizando a tecnologia de bioflocos. O experimento consistiu de dois sistemas independentes com duas salinidades: 0 ppt (DOCE) e 3 ppt (SAL). Foram estocados juvenis de tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus) em biomassa relativa de 6,1 kg m-3, e nas bancadas hidropônicas (tipo floating) foram mantidas três variedades de alface: roxa, lisa e crespa, na densidade de 20 plantas m-2. Os parâmetros zootécnicos dos peixes não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas entre os tratamentos, exceto o índice hepatossomático, que foi mais elevado em 3 ppt (4,35%) quando comparado ao registrado em 0 ppt (3,07%) (P<0,05). De maneira geral, a produtividade das variedades de alface foi superior em água doce (1,21 kg m-2) em relação à água salobra (0,8 kg m-2) (P<0,05). Considerando a maioria dos parâmetros fitotécnicos avaliados, os valores apresentados pela variedade roxa foi superior aos registrados para as variedades lisa e crespa. Já no tocante ao índice de qualidade de plantas (IQP), a variedade roxa em água salobra foi a que apresentou as melhores notas, com folhas mais íntegras e coloração mais intensa. Os resultados demonstraram que é possível integrar a criação de tilápia com a produção de alface roxa em sistemas de aquaponia com tecnologia de bioflocos e baixa salinidade.(AU)

This experiment evaluated the effect of salinity on growth performance of different lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa) in an aquaponics system with biofloc technology. The device contained two independent systems with two different salinities 0 ppt and 3 ppt. Were stored, Juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) 6.1 kg m-3 and three varieties of lettuce: red leaf, smooth and crisp 20 plants m-2 in the floating system. All fish performance parameters showed no statistical differences, except for the hepatossomatic index, higher in 3 ppt (4.35%) versus (3.07%) in 0 ppt (P<0.05). In general, the productivity of lettuce cultivars were superior in fresh water (1.21 kg m-2) compare to brackish water (0.8 kg m-2) (P<0.05). In most phytotechnical parameters evaluated, the purple variety had better performance than the smooth and crisped varieties. In relation to plant quality index (IQP), purple variety in brackish water had the best score, presenting leafs with higher integrity and intense coloration. The results demonstrated that it is possible to integrate the production of red leaf variety in aquaponics systems with the technology of bioflocs in low salinity.(AU)

Produção de alface (Lactuca sativa) em efluentes de um cultivo de tilápias mantidas em sistema BFT em baixa salinidade / Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) production with effluent from a tilapia culture maintained in BFT and low salinity

No presente experimento verificou-se o efeito da salinidade no desempenho produtivo de diferentes cultivares de alface (Lactuca sativa) em um sistema de aquaponia utilizando a tecnologia de bioflocos. O experimento consistiu de dois sistemas independentes com duas salinidades: 0 ppt (DOCE) e 3 ppt (SAL). Foram estocados juvenis de tilápia (Oreochromis niloticus) em biomassa relativa de 6,1 kg m-3, e nas bancadas hidropônicas (tipo floating) foram mantidas três variedades de alface: roxa, lisa e crespa, na densidade de 20 plantas m-2. Os parâmetros zootécnicos dos peixes não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas entre os tratamentos, exceto o índice hepatossomático, que foi mais elevado em 3 ppt (4,35%) quando comparado ao registrado em 0 ppt (3,07%) (P<0,05). De maneira geral, a produtividade das variedades de alface foi superior em água doce (1,21 kg m-2) em relação à água salobra (0,8 kg m-2) (P<0,05). Considerando a maioria dos parâmetros fitotécnicos avaliados, os valores apresentados pela variedade roxa foi superior aos registrados para as variedades lisa e crespa. Já no tocante ao índice de qualidade de plantas (IQP), a variedade roxa em água salobra foi a que apresentou as melhores notas, com folhas mais íntegras e coloração mais intensa. Os resultados demonstraram que é possível integrar a criação de tilápia com a produção de alface roxa em sistemas de aquaponia com tecnologia de bioflocos e baixa salinidade.

This experiment evaluated the effect of salinity on growth performance of different lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa) in an aquaponics system with biofloc technology. The device contained two independent systems with two different salinities 0 ppt and 3 ppt. Were stored, Juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) 6.1 kg m-3 and three varieties of lettuce: red leaf, smooth and crisp 20 plants m-2 in the floating system. All fish performance parameters showed no statistical differences, except for the hepatossomatic index, higher in 3 ppt (4.35%) versus (3.07%) in 0 ppt (P<0.05). In general, the productivity of lettuce cultivars were superior in fresh water (1.21 kg m-2) compare to brackish water (0.8 kg m-2) (P<0.05). In most phytotechnical parameters evaluated, the purple variety had better performance than the smooth and crisped varieties. In relation to plant quality index (IQP), purple variety in brackish water had the best score, presenting leafs with higher integrity and intense coloration. The results demonstrated that it is possible to integrate the production of red leaf variety in aquaponics systems with the technology of bioflocs in low salinity.