Biodiesel production had received a considerable attention as a green, non-toxic and renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. To avoid using vegetable oils, which are expensive and compete with food, as feedstock, w...Biodiesel production had received a considerable attention as a green, non-toxic and renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. To avoid using vegetable oils, which are expensive and compete with food, as feedstock, waste oils have been proposed. However, these waste materials contain a large amount of free fatty acids that complicates the production process. In this work, biodiesel production using an alternative feedstock;namely oils from date-pits, has been investigated. These oils have the same favorable features of straight oils, and at the same time are considered waste, since they are extracted from a waste material. The yield of oils extracted using n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus was compared to that of oils extracted using methanol-chloroform solvent mixture. The extracted oils were then converted to biodiesel via transesterification with methanol in presence of Novozym𪥣 or Eversa®Transform. The highest oils extraction yield of 11.7%, per dry weight sample, was obtained using Soxhlet extraction apparatus compared to 8.9% using methanol-chloroform mixture. The highest biodiesel production yield was 30% of the oil used, achieved after 6 hours using Novozym𪥣 at 40°C, 5:1 methanol to oil molar ratio and 10wt% enzyme loading. By using a chemical alkaline catalyst, NaOH, at the same conditions, the yield was 27%.展开更多
Date palm pit(DPP)-filled poly(-hydroxybutyrate)(PHB)composites were prepared,evaluated,and characterized to determine their thermal insulation ability.Thermal conductivity values ranged between 0.086 and 0.100 W/(m&#...Date palm pit(DPP)-filled poly(-hydroxybutyrate)(PHB)composites were prepared,evaluated,and characterized to determine their thermal insulation ability.Thermal conductivity values ranged between 0.086 and 0.100 W/(m·K).At a maximum filler concentration(50%(w)),the specific heat capacity and thermal diffusivity were 1183 J/(kg·K)and 0.0689 mm^(2)/s,respec-tively.The DPP increased the thermal stability,and the highest compressive strength obtained was 80 MPa at 30%filler content.The PHB-DPP composites exhibited promising water absorption(less than 6%)and tensile strength(6-14 MPa).Date-pit-based PHB composites could be used in sustainable building engineering and cleaner production.展开更多
Date pits for feed preparation or oil extraction are soaked in water to soften before milling or extrusion. Knowledge of water absorption by the date pits helps in better managing the soaking duration. In this researc...Date pits for feed preparation or oil extraction are soaked in water to soften before milling or extrusion. Knowledge of water absorption by the date pits helps in better managing the soaking duration. In this research, the process of water absorption by date pits was modeled and analyzed using Fick's second law of diffusion, finite element approach, and Peleg model. The moisture content of the pits reached to its saturation level of 41.5% (wet basis) after 10 d. The estimated coefficient of diffusion was 9.89×10-12 m2/s. The finite element model with a proposed ellipsoid geometry for a single date pit and the analytical model fitted better to the experimental data with R2 of 0.98. The former model slightly overestimated the moisture content of the pits during the initial stages of the soaking and the latter model generally underestimated this variable through the entire stages of soaking process.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate and compare the antioxidant activity,total phenolic contents(TPCs) and in vitro antidiabetic activity of various pits extracts obtained from five Omani date cultivars.Methods:Sun-dried mature fru...Objective:To evaluate and compare the antioxidant activity,total phenolic contents(TPCs) and in vitro antidiabetic activity of various pits extracts obtained from five Omani date cultivars.Methods:Sun-dried mature fruits of five Omani date varieties,namely,Fardh,Naghal,Khalas,Khinazi and Khasab were purchased from the local market in Muscat,Oman in the month of September 2014.Four seed extracts viz.water,ethanol,methanol and acetone were prepared for each date variety and their antioxidant activities were investigated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,hydrogen peroxide scavenging method and reducing power assay method,respectively.In vitro antidiabetic activity of the date pit extracts was evaluated by measuring their inhibitory effect on a-glucosidase and aamylase level.TPCs were also quantified colorimetrically.Results:The results indicated that TPC of date seeds was solvent dependent.Acetone,ethanol and methanol were found to be significantly better solvents than water in extracting phenolic compounds from the date seeds.Pit extracts exhibited moderate to good in vitro antioxidant activity and increased reducing power.Among all date pit extracts,water extract exhibited significant in vitro antidiabetic activity in comparison to standard drug,acarbose.Conclusions:The present study confirms that disposed waste of Omani dates is a rich source of dietary antioxidant because of its high TPC.The pits due to their inhibitory effects on a-glucosidase and a-amylase level could be used as a monotherapy along with an appropriate diabetic diet and exercise or might be in conjunction with antidiabetic therapy to manage and prevent progression of diabetes.展开更多
Cigarette smoking is common in societies worldwide and has been identifi ed as injurious to human health. Nicotine is the most abundant component in the cigarette smoke. It is fi rst metabolized in the liver. The natu...Cigarette smoking is common in societies worldwide and has been identifi ed as injurious to human health. Nicotine is the most abundant component in the cigarette smoke. It is fi rst metabolized in the liver. The natural diet contains a variety of compounds, such as date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.). It exhibits protective effect against different toxins. The aims of present study were to investigate the damaging effects of nicotine on the liver and the preventive role of date palm against such damage. Date palm pit powder was used to study its protective effect on nicotine induced hepatotoxicity. Three groups of adult male albino mice were used, each containing eight animals. Group A served as a control; Group B was used as an experimental group treated with nicotine(0.3 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for forty-fi ve days; Group C received nicotine(0.3 mg/kg) intraperitoneally along with date palm pit powder(500 mg/kg) orally for forty-five days. Histopathological examination revealed that the general architecture was damaged with increase in size of hepatocytes, central vein and number of fat vacuoles and periportal infiltration of lymphocytes. The nicotine treated mice showed decreased level of cytoplasmic vacuolization, necrosis and infl ammation. Date palm pit powder administration to nicotine-treated mice showed reversion of the damaged feature to nearly normal. These results along with previous study suggest that date palm pit powder is useful in combating nicotine induced hepatotoxicity.展开更多
文摘Biodiesel production had received a considerable attention as a green, non-toxic and renewable alternative to petroleum diesel. To avoid using vegetable oils, which are expensive and compete with food, as feedstock, waste oils have been proposed. However, these waste materials contain a large amount of free fatty acids that complicates the production process. In this work, biodiesel production using an alternative feedstock;namely oils from date-pits, has been investigated. These oils have the same favorable features of straight oils, and at the same time are considered waste, since they are extracted from a waste material. The yield of oils extracted using n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus was compared to that of oils extracted using methanol-chloroform solvent mixture. The extracted oils were then converted to biodiesel via transesterification with methanol in presence of Novozym𪥣 or Eversa®Transform. The highest oils extraction yield of 11.7%, per dry weight sample, was obtained using Soxhlet extraction apparatus compared to 8.9% using methanol-chloroform mixture. The highest biodiesel production yield was 30% of the oil used, achieved after 6 hours using Novozym𪥣 at 40°C, 5:1 methanol to oil molar ratio and 10wt% enzyme loading. By using a chemical alkaline catalyst, NaOH, at the same conditions, the yield was 27%.
基金financially supported by UAE University (SURE+2022 Grant#G00003848).
文摘Date palm pit(DPP)-filled poly(-hydroxybutyrate)(PHB)composites were prepared,evaluated,and characterized to determine their thermal insulation ability.Thermal conductivity values ranged between 0.086 and 0.100 W/(m·K).At a maximum filler concentration(50%(w)),the specific heat capacity and thermal diffusivity were 1183 J/(kg·K)and 0.0689 mm^(2)/s,respec-tively.The DPP increased the thermal stability,and the highest compressive strength obtained was 80 MPa at 30%filler content.The PHB-DPP composites exhibited promising water absorption(less than 6%)and tensile strength(6-14 MPa).Date-pit-based PHB composites could be used in sustainable building engineering and cleaner production.
文摘Date pits for feed preparation or oil extraction are soaked in water to soften before milling or extrusion. Knowledge of water absorption by the date pits helps in better managing the soaking duration. In this research, the process of water absorption by date pits was modeled and analyzed using Fick's second law of diffusion, finite element approach, and Peleg model. The moisture content of the pits reached to its saturation level of 41.5% (wet basis) after 10 d. The estimated coefficient of diffusion was 9.89×10-12 m2/s. The finite element model with a proposed ellipsoid geometry for a single date pit and the analytical model fitted better to the experimental data with R2 of 0.98. The former model slightly overestimated the moisture content of the pits during the initial stages of the soaking and the latter model generally underestimated this variable through the entire stages of soaking process.
基金Supported by Faculty Mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program scheme wide grant No FRP/OMC/14/002
文摘Objective:To evaluate and compare the antioxidant activity,total phenolic contents(TPCs) and in vitro antidiabetic activity of various pits extracts obtained from five Omani date cultivars.Methods:Sun-dried mature fruits of five Omani date varieties,namely,Fardh,Naghal,Khalas,Khinazi and Khasab were purchased from the local market in Muscat,Oman in the month of September 2014.Four seed extracts viz.water,ethanol,methanol and acetone were prepared for each date variety and their antioxidant activities were investigated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,hydrogen peroxide scavenging method and reducing power assay method,respectively.In vitro antidiabetic activity of the date pit extracts was evaluated by measuring their inhibitory effect on a-glucosidase and aamylase level.TPCs were also quantified colorimetrically.Results:The results indicated that TPC of date seeds was solvent dependent.Acetone,ethanol and methanol were found to be significantly better solvents than water in extracting phenolic compounds from the date seeds.Pit extracts exhibited moderate to good in vitro antioxidant activity and increased reducing power.Among all date pit extracts,water extract exhibited significant in vitro antidiabetic activity in comparison to standard drug,acarbose.Conclusions:The present study confirms that disposed waste of Omani dates is a rich source of dietary antioxidant because of its high TPC.The pits due to their inhibitory effects on a-glucosidase and a-amylase level could be used as a monotherapy along with an appropriate diabetic diet and exercise or might be in conjunction with antidiabetic therapy to manage and prevent progression of diabetes.
文摘Cigarette smoking is common in societies worldwide and has been identifi ed as injurious to human health. Nicotine is the most abundant component in the cigarette smoke. It is fi rst metabolized in the liver. The natural diet contains a variety of compounds, such as date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.). It exhibits protective effect against different toxins. The aims of present study were to investigate the damaging effects of nicotine on the liver and the preventive role of date palm against such damage. Date palm pit powder was used to study its protective effect on nicotine induced hepatotoxicity. Three groups of adult male albino mice were used, each containing eight animals. Group A served as a control; Group B was used as an experimental group treated with nicotine(0.3 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for forty-fi ve days; Group C received nicotine(0.3 mg/kg) intraperitoneally along with date palm pit powder(500 mg/kg) orally for forty-five days. Histopathological examination revealed that the general architecture was damaged with increase in size of hepatocytes, central vein and number of fat vacuoles and periportal infiltration of lymphocytes. The nicotine treated mice showed decreased level of cytoplasmic vacuolization, necrosis and infl ammation. Date palm pit powder administration to nicotine-treated mice showed reversion of the damaged feature to nearly normal. These results along with previous study suggest that date palm pit powder is useful in combating nicotine induced hepatotoxicity.
