Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering (IJChE)

Abstract This study presents the premier report of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) synthesis using Teucrium polium (T. polium) plant extract, investigating the antimicrobial activity of both aqueous and methanolic T. polium extracts and the synthesized AuNPs. Additionally, the effect of different concentrations of synthesized AuNPs on the phytochemical properties of T. polium plant extract was examined. The results of Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis spectroscopy), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) tests on AuNPs confirmed their synthesis. SEM and TEM images showed that the AuNPs were spherical in shape with an average size of 22.89 nm. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of the UV-Vis spectroscopy corresponding to the synthesized AuNPs appeared at 420 nm. The optimal pH of the reaction solution was also equal to 5. According to the results, the methanolic extract exhibited significantly higher antibacterial and antifungal activity compared to the aqueous extract, with the maximum inhibition zone diameters observed for Escherichia coli (14±1.4 mm) and Aspergillus Niger (15±0.7 mm). Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of AuNPs showed that these nanoparticles have relatively good ability to inhibit gram-negative bacteria, with the largest inhibition zone diameters observed for Escherichia coli (18±0.7 mm) and Aspergillus niger (20±0.9 mm). The antioxidant and reducing power activity (phenolic flavonoids content) of T. polium plant extract treated with different concentrations of synthesized AuNPs increased with increasing nanoparticle concentrations up to 60 ppm (IC50=9.94 µg/mL and reducing power= 16.85 mMFe²⁺/mg sample), and decreased at higher concentrations.

Abstract Conventional plastics have been a significant source of the environmental pollution, prompting considerable research into the development of biodegradable plastics using biological methods. Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) has garnered particular attention due to its unique properties, including high flexibility and resistance to organic solvents. It has been demonstrated that certain microorganisms possess the intracellular capability to synthesize this biopolymer from organic waste. This study investigates bacteria that have been isolated from the municipal landfill of the Kermanshah Waste Recycling and Organic Fertilizer Production Company. Among the isolates, a strain capable of synthesizing biopolymers, exhibiting high similarity to the genus Stenotrophomonas geniculata strain Flmat 1, was identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In order to verify the production of the biopolymer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analyses were employed. The results have shown that the isolated bacteria is capable of producing PHBV from unrelated carbon sources from waste food and producing 2.835 g/L biopolymer with the yield of 0.52 g PHBV per gram of CDW using waste food, at the pH of 9, temperature of 33°C, concentrations of 13.25 g/L and 27.71 g/L of nitrogen and glucose respectively.

Abstract In contemporary society, a plethora of human industries are fundamentally dependent on the antibacterial capabilities of various nanoparticles, rendering their absence in contemporary applications nearly unimaginable. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used for their potent antibacterial properties in various applications, including medical and industrial settings. Controlling microbial growth is critical to prevent health and environmental issues. In this study, AgNPs is biosynthesized using the Celtis caucasica leaf extract, optimizing synthesis parameters to achieve high purity and uniform particle size. The ideal synthesis parameters involved combining 1.5 mL of plant leaf extract with 10 mL of a 3 mM AgNO3 solution, maintaining a pH of 7, and heating the mixture at 70 °C for 45 minutes.UV-Vis, FTIR, and TEM analyses verified the synthesis of nearly spherical AgNPs with a mean size of approximately 20 nm, displaying a typical SPR absorption peak at 425 nm. FTIR data revealed key bioactive groups in the extract that enabled Ag⁺ ion reduction. The AgNPs showed robust antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 12.5 µg/mL) and Escherichia coli (MIC 25 µg/mL).

Abstract This study simulated the production of bioethanol from mixed microalgae to the assess economic feasibility on an industrial scale. For the first time, the kinetic study of the chemical hydrolysis of mixed microalgae was carried out using the AQUASIM software. The chemical hydrolysis for the pretreatment of microalgae was carried out using H₂SO₄ (2.5%, 5%, 10% (v/v)), H₃PO₃ (2.5%, 5%, 10% (v/v)), and NaOH (1%, 2%, 4% (v/v)) at the different biomass concentrations (25 to 100 g/L) at the temperature of 121 ℃ for 70 min. Kinetic constants were calculated using experimental data and the AQUASIM software. It was found that the optimum yield of sugars, which was obtained, was about 93%. From the comparison of the values ​​of the reaction rate constant (k), it was observed that the hydrolysis rate ​​at 50 g/L by using H₂SO₄ 2.5% (v/v), is higher compared to 25, 75, and 100 g/L, and the higher reaction rate constant supports the faster hydrolysis of algal biomass. These kinetic constants were applied in simulating the process on an industrial scale using the SuperPro Designer software. Experimental and simulation results showed that 3.6 g/L of bioethanol is produced from the 9.3 g/L of glucose under optimal conditions. Also, simulation results using the SuperPro Designer software demonstrated that eliminating the algal biomass drying stage has the potential to save up to 713,000 $ in operational expenses.

Abstract Numerous bone disorders and injuries, such as osteoporosis, are among the most  spreading types of human tissue injuries worldwide, and the available treatments for these injuries are often insufficient and inefficient. Nowadays a lot of attention has been paid to the regenerative medicine, specifically tissue engineering because of its unique features. The extracellular matrix is a key component in tissue engineering because it must have specific properties to support cell survival and proliferation. Natural and synthetic polymeric hydrogels are among the materials commonly employed in tissue engineering. Because the extracellular matrix of bone is particularly mineralized and has a high elasticity, various nanoparticles are commonly utilized to improve the mechanical properties of polymeric hydrogels. In this study, first we extracted the collagen type I from rat tail and characterized it with FTIR spectrum and self-assembly, second we synthesised the bioactive glass nanoparticles and characterized them with XRD and EDAX. Then we developed a polymeric collagen hydrogel (3 mg/ml) scaffold, including bioactive glass nanoparticles (3 %w/v) which increase the mechanical properties of the scaffold (10³ pa elastic modulus) in comparison to those of the collagen scaffold (0% w/v nanoparticles), that can be used for bone tissue engineering applications.

Abstract The application of the agro-industrial waste as the feedstock helps to decrease the operational cost of the fermentation process. Soapstock is a by-product of the vegetable oil refinery and enriched with fatty acids including linoleic acid which has a high potential application in the production of biosurfactants. In this study, a dual carbon source system, including glucose and free fatty acids recovered from a sunflower soapstock, was used for the synthesis of sophorolipid (SL) by Candida catenulata. The production of SL showed a major dependence on the initial carbon sources and the concentration of urea as the nitrogen source. The inoculum size was another influential factor in the fermentation process. The optimization of these factors was evaluated by the one-factor-at-a-time and the response surface methodology (RSM). The one-factor-at-a-time approach gained the best SL productivity (Y₁) of about 52.08 mg L^-1 h^-1 and SL-to-biomass yield (Y₂) of 712 mg_SL g_cell^-1 at the inoculum size of 4% vv^-1, 100 g L^-1 of glucose, 80 g L^-1 of soapstock, and 7.5 g L^-1 of urea. While the RSM, due to considering interactional effects of the factors, obtained the best condition at 100 g L^-1 of glucose, 100 g L^-1 of the soapstock, 9.3 g L^-1 of urea, and an inoculum size of 6.3% vv^-1 with the Y₁ and Y₁ values of about 58.10 mg L^-1 h^-1 and 713 mg_SL g_cell^-1, respectively. The characterization of the produced SLs by the GC-MS analysis indicated that a di-acylated C16:1 acidic sophorolipid with an m/z ratio of 679 amu was the main product.

Abstract Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have become a crucial aspect of cancer therapy, and researchers are continuously striving to identify the optimal methods for targeted delivery and release of therapeutic agents. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a promising class of materials for DDSs due to their exceptional storage capacity, unique characteristics, and high durability. This comprehensive review explores the wide-ranging applications of MOFs in various fields, including catalysis, gas separation and storage, fuel purification, water treatment, medication administration, and imaging. The review paper evaluates different approaches to synthesize MOFs, such as self-assembly of metal ions and clusters and the solvothermal method, to optimize their performance characteristics.
The present study aims to shed light on the numerous challenges associated with utilizing MOFs in clinical settings. However, MOF nanocomposites that incorporate reinforcement phases represents a promising strategy for addressing these issues. With the incidence of cancer on the rise, targeted MOFs offer a potential solution to the lack of selectivity of certain drugs by virtue of their distinctive physical and chemical properties. This investigation delves into how MOFs can be employed to regulate drug release in DDSs and presents research on key applications of MOFs in the realm of cancer therapy. The application of UiO-66 for drug delivery systems and explore the different physical characteristics and chemical structures of dicarboxylate ligands incorporated into UiO-66 topology MOFs were investigated. Overall, the review paper provides a comprehensive overview of the diverse applications of MOFs and their potential for drug delivery systems in cancer therapy.

Abstract Nisin is a natural heat resistance preserver with wide applications in food industries. The main drawback of nisin is its weak activity against most Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, the antibacterial activities of nisin against Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, and Escherichia coli improved via the Maillard reaction with xanthan. The nisin-xanthan conjugates analyzed by the ultraviolet, fluorescence, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. The results showed temperature, reaction duration, and nisin-to-xanthan ratio affected the quality of the obtained conjugates. In relevant to the results, the antibacterial activity of 100 mg L-1 of the conjugates was increased against S. aureus, S. typhimurium, and E. coli when the nisin to xanthan ratio was increased from 1:1 to 4:1 and reached 88.8, 98.7, and 97.7%, respectively. The increase in temperature from 90 ᵒC to 110 ᵒC enhanced the antibacterial effects against all test bacteria, especially for persistent Gram-negative cells, namely C. freundii and K. pneumoniae. The longer Maillard reaction after 110 min at 110 ᵒC did not improve the antibacterial activity of the conjugates against all test bacteria. The best antibacterial activity was observed at a temperature of 110 ᵒC for 110 min for a nisin-to-xanthan ratio of 4:1.

Abstract Bone tissue engineering requires approaches to provide a suppression/promotion environment for the bone growth. Scaffold biomaterials have profound regulatory effects on the functionality of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In the present study, the three-component bioceramic of selenium/reduced graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite (Se/RGO/HA) was developed and its performance to repair bone defects was compared to that of HA. The Se/RGO/HA nanocomposite scaffold was synthesized using the chemical bath technique, characterized by the X-ray diffraction spectra, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion X-ray spectrometery, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Human adipose-derived MSCs (hAD-MSCs) were used to investigate the in-vitro osteogenic properties of the Se/RGO/HA scaffold. The effect of the combined scaffold on the cell proliferation was analyzed by the MTT assay. Cell adhesion behaviors were evaluated using the optical microscopy and SEM. The osteogenic properties of the Se/RGO/HA scaffold were examined by the measurement of the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and western blotting technique. The hAD-MSCs proliferation for HA and the Se/RGO/HA nanocomposite were 2 ± 0.1 and 1.1 ± 0.05 respectively. The Se/RGO/HA nanocomposite had cytotoxic effects on the KHOS-240S cancer cells. Additionally, good cell attachment and osteoblast-like morphology were characterized on the designed scaffold. The ALP activity and mineralization potential of cells seeded on Se/RGO/HA were higher than those seeded on HA. The Osteocalsin protein for Se/RGO/HA and HA were 64 ± 1 and 12 ± 0.1 respectively. Furthermore, the expression of Osteocalcin, a bone-specific protein, was synergistically increased by the incorporation of Se and RGO into HA. In conclusion, the presence of RGO inside Se could significantly increase the positive effects of HA on the osteogenic potential of hAD-MSCs.

Abstract In recent years, the development of nanoparticles has received much attention in the controlled drug release and biomedicine fields. This research aims to develop new methods for the physical modification of Fe₃O₄ superparamagnetic nanoparticles with polymers through the physical retention. In this study, first, the degradable polycaprolactone-ethylene glycol copolymer and magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized. The anticancer drug doxorubicin was prepared using a dual-emulsion (w/o/w) copolymer containing magnetic iron nanoparticles. FT-IR, NMR, XRD, VSM, and, SEM analyzes were used to characterize copolymers and magnetic nanoparticles with drug-containing copolymer coatings. The results showed that nanoparticles had superparamagnetic properties and their particle size was between 70-150 nm. The drug encapsulation efficiency was about 96 %. The influence of pH and temperature on the drug release curve was investigated. The drug release was 31 % and 26 % after 144 hours in pH = 5.8 and 7.4 respectively. Since the extracellular fluid of the tumor is acidic, the rate of the drug release in these media will be better than the same in other cells. The kinetics of the drug release was also studied based on zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. Among the kinetic models, Higuchi was found to be the best model based on the correlation coefficient. The performance of the drug-loaded magnetic-copolymer nanoparticles with that of other similar studies was compared. The results revealed that the magnetic PCL-PEG copolymer with pH-sensitive properties can be used as an effective carrier for anticancer drugs delivery.

Abstract  



Electrospun nanofiber is one of the promising alternatives for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery due to its controllable characteristics. However, choosing an appropriate biomaterial for a specific tissue regeneration plays a significant role in fabricating functional tissue-engineered constructs. Heart extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived electrospun nanofiber which mimic the physicochemical and structural characteristics of cardiac tissue is advantageous for cardiac tissue engineering. In this study, acellular calf heart ECM has been investigated as a potential biomaterial to be electrospun in a novel combination with poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), gelatin (Gel) and polycaprolactone (PCL) for cardiac tissue engineering. The obtained fibers were aligned, uniform, and bead free. After fabrication, the scaffolds were cross-linked in glutaraldehyde vapor to become mechanically stronger and dissoluble in the aqueous environments. Considering surface topography, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties, the fabricated hybrid electrospun ECM/PVP/Gel/PCL fibers can be proposed as a biomimetic scaffold for heart tissue engineering applications.

Abstract This paper presents using the fractional PImDn controller module which manipulates insulin infusion rate to maintain normoglycemia in subjects with type 1 diabetes. To prevent severe hypoglycemia, a conventional proportional controller is used to regulate glucagon infusion rate when the blood glucose levels fall below a threshold. Two sets of controller parameters are obtained and evaluated. For the first tuning set, clinical data from an oral glucose tolerance test taken from a group of healthy subjects are used to obtain the controller parameters such that it can mimic a real healthy pancreas. To obtain the second tuning set, the controller parameters are optimized through a sequential quadratic programming algorithm. Using the second tuning set, the in silico 2-hour postprandial test result and comparing it with the glucose concentration trajectory of the healthy subjects show that the controller performs well in returning the blood sugar levels into the glucose homeostasis while keeping the plasma insulin concentration within the acceptable physiological range. It is indicated that the manipulation of glucagon infusion rate is effective in hypoglycemia prevention if more aggressive controller settings are chosen or dysfunctional insulin infusion occurs.

Abstract In this study, the effects of some factors on bacterial growth and ferrous oxidation rates were investigated by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidan in 250 ml shake flasks. One factor at a time (OFAT) design approach was used for preliminary evaluation of various factors affecting the process, such as pH, initial ferrous and elemental sulfur concentrations, shaker agitation rate, and liquid to flask volume ratio. After that, optimal levels of effective last three factors to achieve high oxidation rate and cell growth rate were investigated using a full factorial design. It was obtained that agitation rate and liquid to flask volume, as well as their binary interaction, are significant factors on ferrous iron bio-oxidation rate. In contrast, initial high ferrous iron concentration was the only effective factor on the cell growth rate. Maximum bio-oxidation rate of 0.417 g/L was achieved at the media with Fe2+ ion concentration of 30 g/l, agitation rate of 200 rpm, and liquid to flask volume ratio of 20% by full factorial optimization, which is an about 40% increase compared to the result obtained in OFAT method. Then, the effect of step-wise adaptation of A. ferrooxidans to in high Fe2+ concentration was studied, and about 40% reduction in bacterial lag phase time, and 36 and 86% increase in bacterial growth rate and bio-oxidation rate were acquired, respectively.

Abstract In this paper, we simulate magnetic hyperthermia process on a mathematical phantom model representing cancer tumor and its surrounding healthy tissues. The temperature distribution throughout the phantom model is obtained by solving the bio-heat equations and the consequent cell death amount is calculated using correlations between the tissue local temperature and the cell death rate. To have an estimate of heat generated from typical magnetic nanoparticles, magnetite nanoparticles are synthesized and the heat dissipation amount from the synthesized nanoparticles exposed to an alternating magnetic field is measured and used in the computer simulation. The impact of the amount of heat generated from the magnetic nanoparticles exposed to an alternating magnetic field, their distribution patterns in the tumor and hyperthermia process duration time on the cell death rate in both cancer and healthy tissues are investigated. It is indicated that while various factors contributing in the heat dissipation amount from the magnetic nanoparticles are important in the effectiveness of the magnetic hyperthermia process, the distribution pattern plays the major role in determining the efficiency of the process.

Abstract Desmopressin acetate is a potent synthetic peptide hormone. A more acceptable route of Desmopressin acetate is a potent synthetic peptide hormone. That is administered via parenteral, intranasal, and oral routes. A more acceptable route of administration with potentially good bioavailability could be offered by transdermal delivery. The present work reports on the development of water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsions for the transdermal administration of desmopressin acetate. A water-in-oil nano/submicron emulsions for transdermal administration of desmopressin developed. Its skin penetration profiles determined using Franz-diffusion cell. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams for emulsion regions constructed. Effects of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), ratio of surfactants and co-surfactant mixture to oil phase (Smix/oil), and ratio of surfactants to co-surfactant (S/Cs) on skin flux evaluated.
Skin flux was increased when S/Cs and Smix/oil were decreased, and HLB was increased. Optimized formulation was obtained as: HLB=8, S/Cs=3 and Smix/oil=5.4, with average particle size of 69nm. The optimized nano/submicron emulsions increased desmopressin skin flux 4.45 fold relative to drug solution.

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic compounds. Removal of these compounds has a great importance for environment. Removal of PAHs from soil is difficult as these chemicals are persistent in the soil. In this research, bioremediation of soil contaminated by (PAH) using Bacillus subtilis DSMZ 3256 (B.subtilis) strains was studied. The effect of electrokinetic on biodegradation of PAH was investigated. Fluorene and phenanthrene were selected as PAH and were mixed with soil. The bioremediation experiment was initially performed at 30oC and different humidities. The results represented 12.2 and 11.9% removal of fluorene and phenanthrene at 40% relative humidity after 7 days, respectively. The effects of electrokinetic on this process were studied at different current densities. It was found that the electrokinetic can reduce the biodesulfurization time. According to the results, the removal percents of fluorene and phenanthrene after 4 days under current density 1.82 mA/cm2 were 39.4 and 37.2, respectively.

Abstract Current drug-eluting stent (DES) technology is not optimized with regard to the pharmacokinetics of drug release, more research on the drug-eluting stent design and flux of drug release to the arterial wall is necessary. Considering a three-dimensional (3D) cylindrical mathematical model, a novel free drug mass transfer release has been formulated and applied for better estimation of the drug concentration in the tissue. The transport equations involved both convection and diffusion equations. Besides, a reversible reaction in the arterial wall was considered. The present model was solved by an appropriate numerical simulation method and the predicted results were compared with in vivo data. To find out the rate-limiting step, the time scale analysis was also applied. The obtained results showed that the binding process is more limited by convection and diffusion, where convection is the rate-controlling step. It is also demonstrated that the presented approach has advantages over the prior free drug mass transfer models, including better data prediction and satisfying mass transfer consistency.

Abstract Antioxidants have an important role in control and prevention of dangerous diseases like cancers, but instability and high solubility of the antioxidants are major challenges of pharmaceutical researchers. Thus, using a suitable carrier for an antioxidant can enhance the antioxidant stability and protect it from reacting with the other existing molecules in the blood circulation. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been widely used as a carrier for therapeutic applications because of their suitable biological properties. This study attempts to improve the surface properties and increase antioxidant loading by functionaliztion of MSNs with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (AP-MSNs) via post- synthesis grafting method. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zetasizer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Gallic acid (GA) was loaded into AP-MSNs. To optimize GA loading capacity, two effective parameters: GA concentration and embedding time were investigated. So different concentrations of GA in EtOH (1-50 mg/mL) were prepared and sampling was done in 24 and 48 h. Results showed that the best GA loading capacity was obtained at a concentration of 40 mg/mL in 48 h. The maximum GA loading capacity and entrapment efficiency were obtained 46 and 20%, respectively, determined by spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.

Abstract "> Long-chain alkanes are a major constituent of crude oils and their conversions into other compounds are of interest depending on the specific application. Here, five native microbial consortia obtained from petroleum polluted sites were examined for biological conversion of n-octadecane as a representative of long chain alkanes. The experiments were implemented in 250 mL flasks containing 0.5 g n-octadecane in 40 mL culture media kept on a shaker at 160 rpm and 30C for one week. A pure culture of Psedumonas putida was inoculated at the same condition for comparison. Amongst the consortia, ABN52 imposed more obvious changes on n-octadecane. The GC-MS analysis of daily samples showed the appearance of lighter branched compounds at the first and second days of incubation but disappeared in the following days. At the end of incubation time up to 20 (w/w%) of the initial substrate was turned into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). It also suggested higher activity of the consortia compared to the pure culture of Psedumonas putida. Keywords: Bioconversion, Aalkanes, Polyhydroxyalkanoate, PHA, Pseudomonas Putida

Abstract The effective parameters on Ohmic heating in static system containing biosolid-water were studied. The effects of distribution of particles, salinity and electric field strength on electrical conductivity, profiles of temperature, heat generation have been investigated. The experimental data verification with simulation results using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method were carried out. Governing equations (heat transfer and electrical equations) were discretized with finite element method. The experimental data and CFD results showed that in Ohmic heating process, the current diffusion in all the products is faster than traditional methods and the diffusion rates are equal for both biosolid-liquid phases.

Abstract orption ofcontaminants in soil and sequestration in soil particles is a process, the mechanisms of which are not well understood as yet. The aim of this study was to investigate sequestration and bioavailability of crude oil as a contaminant in three different soils. For this purpose, three different soil samples with different textures (loamy sand, loam, and clay loam) but with the same organic carbon were collected. After sterilization, the soils were spiked with crude oil. Each soil sample was contaminated as aged and fresh, and inoculated with a consortium ofthree bacterial isolates. Respiration was analyzed on days 0, 30, 60, and 90 after inoculation. Bacterial population was also assessed at the beginning and at the end ofthe bioremediation and residual contaminant at the end ofthe bioremediation process. The results showed that in soils with the same organic carbon, texture is an important parameter in aging and sequestration of the contaminant. In addition, it was observed that the best degradation was accomplished in the loam soil, due to more bioavailability as compared to the clay loam soil and less inhibitory effect of the contaminant on microbial growth, resulting from lower bioavailability, as compared to the loamy sand soil.

Abstract "> There has been considerable interest in developing albumin nanoparticles as drug delivery devices. Albumin is an important endogenous antioxidant due to its potential of acting as reactive oxygen species scavenger. On the other hand, toxicity of silver nanoparticles had been demonstrated on cancer cell lines. In the present study, Ag NPs coated with BSA NPs were synthesized by silver nanoparticles which were coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) via desolvation technique. The Ag NPs coated with BSA NPs formation was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and #_>ADF;;==@ Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Human breast cancer cells (MCF7 cells) were then cultured in the presence of the nanoparticles to evaluate the cytotoxicity of Ag NPs coated with BSA NPs by the MTT colorimetric technique. The antioxidant activities ofAg NPs coated with BSA NPs were evaluated in terms of their inhibition of autoxidation rate of pyrogallol as superoxide. The effect ofAg NPs coated with BSA NPs on MCF7 exhibit a dose-dependent toxicity for the cell tested and the viability of MCF-7 decreased to 50% (LD50) at the concentration of5 Ïg/mL. The IC50 value ofantioxidant activities ofAg NPs coated with BSA NPs were 8 µg/mL which demonstrated that Ag NPs coated with BSA NPs were good superoxide scavengers. In conclusion, our data show that Ag NPs coated with BSA NPs had antioxidant and anticancer activities in MCF-7 cells.

Abstract Continuous bioreactors are critical unit operations in a wide variety of biotechnological processes. Due to the level of detail built in their mathematical formulation, cell population balance models represent the most accurate way of describing the microbial population heterogeneity in continuous bioreactor. In this work,the equation set of the model was solved numerically using rigorous'space–time conservation element and solution element' CE/SE method.MATLAB/Simulink pre-existing blocks are used for modeling and control of the different moments of cell mass distribution in a continuous bioreactor. For investigating the efficiency of automatic controller, 10% increase in maximum specific growth rate in Ks, was considered. The set point for zeroth, first and second moments of distribution were taken to be; M0,sp =0.6706 , M1,sp =0.1541 , M2,sp =0.0505, which correspond to a dilution rate of 0.953 h -1 and 0.6 h -1 . In the first case the controller response after 10 hours was (0.92 h -1 ± .05), (0.87 h -1 ± 0.4) and (0.92 h -1 ± 0.2). For the second case the controller response was close to set point(0.6 h -1 ± .001) after 20 hours.

Abstract In this work, a dynamic model has been developed for prediction of biofilters performance. The model includes most of the phenomena occurring in a biofilter. For biodegradation of pollutants in the biofilm, the Michaelis-Menten kinetic has been considered. The model equations including gas phase and biofilm partial differential equations were solved simultaneously using finite difference and method of lines. The model parameters were evaluated by sensitivity analysis to determine their respective effects on the model performance. The model predictions were validated by experimental data for mixture of methyl propyl ketone, toluene, p-Xylene and n-Butyl acetate. The simulation results of empty bed  residence times 30, 60, 90 seconds were compared with experimental data. The comparison of results showed the model
predictions had a good agreement with experimental data. The sensitivity analysis of the model parameters showed that Henry's constant and specific area of biofilter had the strongest influence on biofilter performance.

Abstract Sorghum bicolor L., a plant of Gramineae family is a perenial grass which is grown in many parts of tropical and warm temperates of the world. Sorghum seeds are rich in carbohydrates and can be used as fermentation medium providing it is produced through proper extraction and sacharification processes. In this study, the fermentation capacity of an aqueous or ethanolic extract from sorghum seed was investigated in Lab-scale bioreactors by using three selected Lactobacillus species including L. delbrueckii, L. acidophilus and a new isolated strain identified as a Lactobacillus sp.
Among the selected bacterial species, Lactobacillus delbrueckii was found to have unique characteristics as it could tolerate different physico-chemical conditions. Compared to other species, L. delbrueckii could remain metabolically active in high concentration of NaCl and lactic acid, which is particular to the fermentation of sorghum seed extract neutrilized by NaOH. L.delbrueckii could also tolerate high temperature and, additionally, was able to produce more lactic acid in high concentration of carbohydrate during fermentation process (Yield 85-90%). In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrated that hydrolysed sorghum seed extract has enough nutrients to support the efficient growth of lactic acid bacteria and production of lactic acid under favorable conditions (37°C, 100 g/L initial carbohydrate concentration).