Catalytic aquathermolysis of Shengli heavy crude oil with an amphiphilic cobalt catalyst

An interfacially active cobalt complex,cobalt dodecylbenzenesulfonate,was synthesized.Elemental analysis,atomic absorption spectroscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）,thermogravimetric analysis,and surface/interfacial tension determination were performed to investigate the properties of the catalyst.Results showed that the synthesized catalyst showed active interfacial behavior,decreasing the surface tension and interfacial tension between heavy oil and liquid phase to below 30 and 1.5 mN/m,respectively.The catalyst was not thermally degraded at a temperature of 400 ℃,indicating its high thermal stability.Catalytic performance of the catalyst was evaluated by carrying out aquathermolysis.The viscosity determination showed that the viscosity of the heavy oil decreased by 38%.The average molecular weight,group compositions,and average molecular structure of various samples were analyzed using elemental analysis,FT-IR,electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance（ESI FT-ICR MS）,and ～1H nuclear magnetic resonance.Results indicated that the catalyst could attack the sulfur- and O_2-type heteroatomic compounds in asphaltene and resin,especially the compounds with aromatic structure,leading to a decrease in the molecular weight and then the reduction in the viscosity of heavy oil.Therefore,the synthesized catalyst might find an application in catalytic aquathermolysis of heavy oil,especially for the high-aromaticity heavy oil with high oxygen content.

Essential Oil from Inula britannica Extraction with SF-CO_2 and Its Antifungal Activity

The aim of this study was to determine the extraction technique of supercritical fluid carbon dioxide（SF-CO 2） for the essential oil from Inula britannica flowers and its antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi for its potential application as botanical fungicide.The effects of factors,including extraction temperature,extraction pressure,SF-CO 2 flow rate,flower powder size,and time on the essential oil yield were studied using the single factor experiment.An orthogonal experiment was conducted to determine the best operating conditions for the maximum extraction oil yield.Adopting the optimum conditions,the maximum yield reached 10.01% at 40°C temperature,30 MPa pressure,60 mesh flower powder size,20 L h-1SF-CO 2 flow rate,and 90 min extraction time.The antifungal activities of I.britannica essential oil using the SF-CO 2 against the most important plant pathogenic fungi were also examined through in vitro and in vivo tests.Sixteen plant pathogenic fungi were inhibited to varying degrees at 1 mg mL-1concentration of the essential oil.The mycelial growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis var.tritici was completely inhibited.The radial growths of Phytophthora capsici and Fusarium monilifome were also inhibited by 83.76 and 64.69%,respectively.In addition,the essential oil can inhibit the spore germination of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum,Phytophthora capsici,Colletotrichum orbiculare,and Pyricularia grisea,and the corresponding inhibition rates were 98.26,96.54,87.89,and 87.35% respectively.The present study has demonstrated that the essential oil of I.britannica flowers extracted through the SF-CO 2 technique is one potential and promising antifungal agent that can be used as botanical fungicide to protect crops.

Pomegranate （Punica granatum L.） Peel Extract as a Source of Natural Antioxidant

An increase in the demand for natural additives has shifted the attention from synthetic to natural antioxidants. Antioxidative components from pomegranate peel were extracted by using different solvents like methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and ethyl acetate. All the extracts were tested for Total phenolic content （TPC） and the methanol which proved to be best in extracting the phenolic compounds was used to assess the antioxidant property by using different methods like Diphenyl piridyl picryl hydrazyl （DPPH）, Relative reducing power （RRP）, Beta carotene bleaching and Ferric thiocyanate （FTC）. The antioxidant activity （AA） of pomegranate peel extract （PPE） was compared with Butylated hydroxyl toluene （BHT） and Butylated hydroxyl anisole （BHA）. The methanolic extract was examined by Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy （LCMS） and the spectra showed the presence of different phenolic compounds. The extracts were tested for their efficiency in preventing rancidity of Refined Bleached Deodorized Soybean oil （RBDSBO） in comparison with BHT and control at 200 ppm concentration. The PPE proved to be best in preventing rancidity. Owing to the present results, the studies can further be extended to exploit the PPE for application into different food products.

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS ESSENTIAL OIL AND CITRAL THIOSEMICARBAZONE AGAINST MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

Introduction:Tuberculosis,caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis became more prevalent due to drug resistance.Cymbopogon citratus,a crop from the African flora contains an essential oil rich in carbonyl compounds.Condensation of carbonyl compounds with thiosemicarbazides gave thiosemicarbazones which exhibit rather