Sharif Digital Repository

Azo dyes are common dye groups widely used in different industries. Industrial effluents which contain these dyes pervade water resources and have various known and unknown physiological effects on living organisms. In this study, methyl red (MR) was proposed as a model azo dye to examine the capability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763 for cleavage of the azo bond leading to decolourization. The spectrophotometry method showed that complete decolourization occurred statically during ≃12 h and this time reduced to several minutes less than 10 min where cell mass increased. Thin layer chromatography (TLC), mass spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) confirmed degradation of... 

In the present study, an aqueous root-extract of Acanthophyllum laxiusculum (AREAL) was evaluated for phenanthrene removal from two samples of contaminated soil. AREAL showed a linear solubilization enhancement for phenanthrene with a weight solubilization ratio of 0.05. Batch soil washing experiments caused the removal of phenanthrene with efficiencies of 96.7% and 78% from soils with 0.78% and 2.73% organic carbon, respectively. Desorption kinetics of phenanthrene exhibited a twophase pattern, namely, a rapid release as the initial phase and a slower removal as a subsequent phase. A two-compartment exponential model could adequately represent the two phases of the kinetic pattern of... 

The effect of an efficient biosurfactant produced from Pseudomonas aeroginosa MR01, a bacterial strain isolated from oil excavation areas in southern Iran, on the recovery of residual oil trapped within carbonate rocks, was investigated. In a core holder set-up, bearing a number of limestone-and dolomite-containing core samples, biosurfactant flooding resulted in oil recoveries as large as 20% to 28% Residual Oil (R.O). Biosurfactant injection in less permeable rocks in a range of 0.5 to 32 md was more successful, in terms of oil production. In the case of the least oil recovery via biosurfactant flooding, incubation of the core with a biosurfactant solution at reservoir conditions,... 

Azo dye degradation in wastewater treatment is a subject which has garnered the attention of many research studies. In this study, an innovative approach, namely, an integrated system of five batches (ISFB), was developed to investigate the capability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 9763 for continuous degradation of methyl red as a representative azo dye. Toward this end, an expanded immobilized microbial bed (EIMB) reactor was established with a bed of encapsulated yeast cells in sodium alginate. EIMB reactor was run in two modes, single batch and ISFB. Moreover, durability of the microbial cells was evaluated by repeating the continuous decolourization eight sequential times in EIMB at... 

Background: Recently, concerns have been raised regarding the environmental and public health safety of azo dyes, the most widely used synthetic dyes. The membrane technique has been introduced as one of the efficient methods for dye removal treatments. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane manipulated by surfactants was studied for removal of the azo dye, carmoisine. Methods: PVDF membrane was prepared via non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) and used to remove the azo dye, carmoisine. Three nonionic surfactants including Tween 20, Tween 60, and Tween 80 were used individually as additives in casting solutions to improve PVDF membrane properties. Results: Fourier-transform infrared... 

The feasibility of employing the biological activated carbon (BAC) process to debilitate azo dye Carmoisine by Klebsiella spp. was investigated. Plate assay revealed the capability of Klebsiella spp. for removal of Carmoisine via degradation. Kinetic parameters were measured for Carmoisine debilitation by Klebsiella spp. using the suspended anaerobic process. Two types of granular and rod-shaped activated carbon were used to form the biological beds in order to study the Carmoisine debilitation in batch processes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to indicate the colonization and biofilm formation of bacteria grown on activated carbon... 

The feasibility of employing the biological activated carbon (BAC) process to debilitate azo dye Carmoisine by Klebsiella spp. was investigated. Plate assay revealed the capability of Klebsiella spp. for removal of Carmoisine via degradation. Kinetic parameters were measured for Carmoisine debilitation by Klebsiella spp. using the suspended anaerobic process. Two types of granular and rod-shaped activated carbon were used to form the biological beds in order to study the Carmoisine debilitation in batch processes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to indicate the colonization and biofilm formation of bacteria grown on activated carbon... 

The current study was undertaken to compare four analytical methods including drop collapse, oil spreading, surface tension (SFT) measurements, and blood agar lysis tests for detection of biosurfactant-producing bacteria. Among 32 biosurfactant-producing bacteria isolated from Ahvaz oil fields, in south of Iran, 16 isolates (50%) exhibited highest biosurfactant production. Eleven isolates (MASH.1 to MASH.11) demonstrated a reduction in surface tension from 65 mN/m to less than 41 mN/m. The results showed that about 91% of these highly biosurfactant producers had the same response levels of "++++" and "+++" in the case of both SFT and oil spreading methods. Among these, seven isolates had the... 

Biosurfactants are microbial substances which influence interfacial tension. The kinetic study was carried out for Pseudomonas aeruginosa MR01 during biosurfactant production in a two-phase liquid-liquid batch fermentation system. The maximum rhamnolipid concentration (Pmax) and the yield of biosurfactant per 1 biomass (YP/X) in a 5-L bioreactor containing soybean oil medium were found to be approximately 20.9 g.L and 3.1 g.g-1, respectively. Previously reported kinetic models in aqueous systems, three-parameter Gompertz, 2 Luedeking-Piret and Mercier equations, demonstrated adequate goodness-of-fit (r >0.9) to kinetic data recorded for biomass growth, nitrate consumption and rhamnolipid... 

This study deals with the large-scale production of biosurfactant from soybean oil soapstock by Pseudomonas aeruginosa MR01. The production of biosurfactant was carried out in a newly designed bioreactor equipped with recycling flow under three operational conditions. Kinetic studies were conducted at both shake flask and 5-L bioreactor scales during fermentation in a soapstock medium. Mathematical equations were developed to model the kinetic patterns at both scales. RESULT: Statistical analyses demonstrated the goodness of fit, with regression r-squared, R2, between 0.97and 0.99 for different models. Furthermore, biosurfactant concentration in the bioreactor including the recycling flow,... 

We previously reported that MR01, an indigenous strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was able to produce a rhamnolipid-type biosurfactant. Here, we attempted to define the structural properties of this natural product. The analysis of the extracted biosurfactant by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) revealed the presence of two compounds corresponding to those of authentic mono- and di-rhamnolipid. The identity of two structurally distinguished rhamnolipids was confirmed by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) of extracted biosurfactant revealed up to seventeen different rhamnolipid congeners. Further quantification showed... 

Epoxy resins have been used as structural materials since the late 1940s. Despite their desirable properties such as high strength, excellent creep resistance, and good adhesion, they suffer from low fracture energy. Rubber modification as a major toughening approach to overcome the inherent brittleness of epoxy polymers was introduced during the early 1970s. Since then, a large number of investigations have been conducted to elucidate different aspects of rubber-toughened epoxies. The present work is a critical review of the field focusing on the important parameters affecting rubber-toughening. The studies reviewed are classified in five categories including roles of matrix ductility,... 

The comparative study of Active Screen Plasma Nitriding (ASPN) treatment of two Finemet-type alloys with the compositions of Fe73.5Si 13.5B9Nb3Cu1 and Fe 77Si11B9Nb2.4Cu0.6 was investigated in different temperatures ranging from 410°C to 56°C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffractometery (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), electrical resistivity, microhardness measurements and magnetic characterization by a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) were utilized to characterize the treated samples. The comparison of the DSC data for the alloys suggested that the smaller amount of Nb as a growth inhibitor shifted the crystallization... 

Rhamnolipids are the most common biosurfactants and P. aeruginosa strains are the most frequently studied microorganisms for the production of rhamnolipids. Eco-friendly advantages and promising applications of rhamnolipids in various industries are the major reasons for pursuing the economic production of these biosurfactants. This study shows that cultivation of P. aeruginosa MR01 in medium contained inexpensive soybean oil refinery wastes which exhibited similar levels and homologues of rhamnolipids. Mass spectrometry indicated that the Rha-C10-C10 and Rha-Rha-C10-C10 constitute the main rhamnolipids in different cultures of MR01 including one of oil carbon source analogues. Moreover,... 

Partial discharge (PD) measurement and identification have great importance to condition monitoring of power transformers. In this paper a new method for recognition of single and multi-source of PD based on extraction of high level image features have been introduced. A database, involving 365 samples of phase-resolved PD (PRPD) data, is developed by measurement carried out on transformer artificial defect models (having different sizes of defect) under a specific applied voltage, to be used for proposed algorithm validation. In the first step, each set of PRPD data is converted into grayscale images to represent different PD defects. Two “image feature extraction” methods, the Local Binary... 

Transformers are the key component in power system transmission and distribution networks. Condition-based maintenance will increase their expected life, and online monitoring is essential to ensure operation reliability. In this paper, a new approach to transformer online monitoring is provided based on partial discharge (PD) measurement. Simultaneous measurements of PD using IEC60270 and radio frequency (RF) techniques are employed to explore new features that can be used to distinguish between internal PDs and external interference, as well as among different internal PD sources. Stream clustering based on the density grid method with only a few features required is used to categorize... 

Partial discharge (PD) measurement and identification have great importance to condition monitoring of power transformers. In this paper, a new method for recognition of single and multi-source of PD based on extraction of high level image features has been introduced. A database, involving 365 samples of phase-resolved PD (PRPD) data, is developed by measurement carried out on transformer artificial defect models (having different sizes of defect) under a specific applied voltage, to be used for proposed algorithm validation. In the first step, each set of PRPD data is converted into grayscale images to represent different PD defects. Two 'image feature extraction' methods, the Local Binary... 

Detection and location of any partial discharge signal requires an accurate frequency dependent cable model to correctly simulate the P.D. signal attenuation during its propagation in the cable. This model should be capable of simulating the semiconducting layers which have significant effects on P.D. signal attenuation and its propagation velocity. There is a substantial need for improvements in the flexibility of transient cable model through direct introduction of the two semiconducting layers in the cable model. This can be employed, in the next step to develop a 3 phase cable model for ATP. This paper has derived an impedance formula for the semiconducting layers. The propagation... 

Online monitoring of HV XLPE cables is a major interest for utilities. Due to severe and rapid risk of life of this type of cable with occurrence of partial discharges, studies are carried out for detection and location of PD. However there is a lack of models that can help to accurately detect the partial discharge and its location in installed cables, due to the relatively long length and the load condition of cable. Detection and location of any partial discharge signal requires: A verified knowledge of phenomena which contributes to P.D. propagation and its deformation, measured data of P.D. type signal propagation on different cable test setups, accurate frequency dependent cable model...