Vlada B. Veljković

Comparison of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanolic Extracts of the Artemisia sp. Recovered by Different Extraction Techniques

Abstract The polyphenol content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts obtained by classical, ultrasonic and Soxhlet extractions from dry aerial parts of two Artemisia species (Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia campestris) were compared. Ultrasound positively affected the yield of extractive substance and the kinetics of extraction, but the extract obtained by the classical extraction showed the highest antioxidant activities and contained higher total contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids than the extracts obtained by two other extraction techniques. Both flavonoid aglycones (apigenin, quercetin, quercetin 3,37prime;-dimethyl ether) and flavonoid glycosides (rutin, hyperoside and kaempferol 3-rhamnoside) were identified by thin layer chromatograph (TLC) analysis in the extracts from both species. A. campestris extracts were richer in quercetin than A. vulgaris and its antimicrobial activity was also better than A. vulgaris. Extracts obtained from both species were found to be more effective on the tested yeasts than bacteria. The kinetics of the total extractive substances, such as phenolic, flavonoids and quercetin extraction, was successfully described by the model of unsteady-state diffusion.

Kinetic modeling and optimization of maceration and ultrasound-extraction of resinoid from the aerial parts of white lady's bedstraw (Galium mollugo L.).

In this paper, extraction of resinoid from the aerial parts of white ladys bedstraw (Galium mollugo L.) using an aqueous ethanol solution (50% by volume) was studied at different temperatures in the absence and the presence of ultrasound. This study indicated that ultrasound-assisted extraction was effective for extracting the resinoid and gave better resinoid yields at lower extraction temperature and in much shorter time than the maceration. A phenomenological model was developed for modeling the kinetics of the extraction process. The model successfully describes the two-step extraction consisting of washing followed by diffusion of extractable substances and shows that ultrasound influences only the first step. The extraction process was optimized using response surface methodology (RMS) and artificial neural network (ANN) models. For the former modeling, the second-order polynomial equation was applied, while the second one was performed by an ANN-GA combination. The high coefficient of determination and the low MRPD between the ANN prediction and the corresponding experimental data proved that modeling the extraction process in the absence and the presence of ultrasound using ANN was more accurate than RSM modeling. The optimum extraction temperature was determined to be 80 and 40 °C, respectively for the maceration and the ultrasound-assisted extraction, ensuring the highest resinoid yield of 22.0 g/100g in 4h and 25.1g/100g in 30 min, which agreed with the yields obtained experimentally for the same time (21.7 and 25.3g/100g, respectively).

Ultrasound-assisted adsorption of copper(II) ions on hazelnut shell activated carbon

The present study was aimed to removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution by ultrasound-assisted adsorption onto the granular activated carbon obtained from hazelnut shells. The attention was focused on modeling the equilibrium and kinetics of Cu(II) adsorption onto the granular activated carbon. The granular activated carbon was prepared from ground dried hazelnut shells by simultaneous carbonization and activation by water steam at 950 degrees C for 2h. Adsorption isotherm data were better fitted by the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model in both the absence and the presence of ultrasound. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for Cu(II), calculated from the Langmuir isotherms, in the presence of ultrasound (3.77 mmol/g) is greater than that in the absence of ultrasound (3.14 mmol/g). The adsorption process in the absence and the presence of ultrasound obeyed to the pseudo second-order kinetics. The removal of Cu(II) ions was higher in the presence of ultrasound than in its absence, but ultrasound reduced the rate constant. The intraparticular diffusion model indicated that adsorption of Cu(II) ions on the granular activated carbon was diffusion controlled as well as that ultrasound promoted intraparticular diffusion.

Modeling the kinetics of calcium hydroxide catalyzed methanolysis of sunflower oil.

The kinetics of Ca(OH)(2)-catalyzed methanolysis of sunflower oil was studied at a moderate temperature (60 degrees C), a methanol-to-oil molar ratio (6:1) and different catalyst amounts (from 1% to 10% based on oil weight). The methanolysis process was shown to involve the initial triglyceride (TG) mass transfer controlled region, followed by the chemical reaction controlled region in the latter period. The TG mass transfer limitation was caused by the low available active specific catalyst surface due to the high adsorbed methanol concentration. Both the TG mass transfer and chemical reaction rates increased with increasing the catalyst amount.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Echinacea （Echinacea purpurea L.） Extracts Obtained by Classical and Ultrasound Extraction

Abstract Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Echinacea purpurea L. ( Asteraceae ) extracts obtained by classical and ultrasound solvent extraction were compared. The dry aerial part of plant was extracted by 70% ethanol at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 (m/v) and 25°C. The extract obtained by classical solvent extraction contained 29% larger amounts of phenolic compounds and 20% higher content of flavonoids. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picril hydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging reached 93.6% and the values of EC50 were (34.16±0.65) μg·ml −1 and (65.48±1.12) μg·ml −1 for the extracts obtained by the classical and ultrasound extractions, respectively. The extracts, independent of the extraction technique applied, showed a considerable growth inhibition on Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae , while no growth inhibition zones were observed for Aspergillus niger . The diameters of inhibition zone observed for all the microorganisms were larger for extracts obtained by classical extraction than those by ultrasound extraction.

Empirical modeling the ultrasound-assisted base-catalyzed sunflower oil methanolysis kinetics

The ultrasound-assisted sunflower oil methanolysis catalyzed by KOH was studied to define a simple empirical kinetic model useful for reactor design without complex computation. It was assumed that the neutralization of free fatty acids and the saponification reaction were negligible. The methanolysis process rate was observed to be controlled by the mass transfer limitation in the initial heterogeneous regime and by the chemical reaction in the later pseudo-homogeneous regime. The model involving the irreversible second-order kinetics was established and used for simulation of the triacylglycerol conversion and the fatty acid methyl esters formation in the latter regime. A good agreement between the proposed model and the experimental data in the chemically controlled regime was found.

Screening the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of the Extracts from Plantain (Plantago Major L.) Leaves

Abstract Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts obtained by classical (maceration) and ultrasonic (40 kHz) extraction from dry Plantago major leaves were compared. The antioxidant activities of extracts obtained by ultrasonic and classical extraction were 0.87±0.02 and 0.85±0.02 µg/µg DPPH, respectively. Ultrasound positively affected the extractive substance yield and the kinetics of extraction, but the extract obtained by classical extraction contained higher total contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids than that obtained by ultrasonic extraction. Extracts of P. major showed better antimicrobial activity against the yeasts than against the bacteria.

Optimization and kinetic modeling of esterification of the oil obtained from waste plum stones as a pretreatment step in biodiesel production

This study reports on the use of oil obtained from waste plum stones as a low-cost feedstock for biodiesel production. Because of high free fatty acid (FFA) level (15.8%), the oil was processed through the two-step process including esterification of FFA and methanolysis of the esterified oil catalyzed by H2SO4 and CaO, respectively. Esterification was optimized by response surface methodology combined with a central composite design. The second-order polynomial equation predicted the lowest acid value of 0.53mgKOH/g under the following optimal reaction conditions: the methanol:oil molar ratio of 8.5:1, the catalyst amount of 2% and the reaction temperature of 45°C. The predicted acid value agreed with the experimental acid value (0.47mgKOH/g). The kinetics of FFA esterification was described by the irreversible pseudo first-order reaction rate law. The apparent kinetic constant was correlated with the initial methanol and catalyst concentrations and reaction temperature. The activation energy of the esterification reaction slightly decreased from 13.23 to 11.55kJ/mol with increasing the catalyst concentration from 0.049 to 0.172mol/dm(3). In the second step, the esterified oil reacted with methanol (methanol:oil molar ratio of 9:1) in the presence of CaO (5% to the oil mass) at 60°C. The properties of the obtained biodiesel were within the EN 14214 standard limits. Hence, waste plum stones might be valuable raw material for obtaining fatty oil for the use as alternative feedstock in biodiesel production.

Ultrasound-assisted adsorption of 4-dodecylbenzene sulfonate from aqueous solutions by corn cob activated carbon

This study was aimed at removal of 4-dodecylbenzene sulfonate (DBS) ions from aqueous solutions by ultrasound-assisted adsorption onto the carbonized corn cob (AC). The main attention was focused on modeling the equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption of DBS onto the AC. The AC was prepared from ground dried corn cob by carbonization and activation by carbon dioxide at 880°C for 2h in a rotary furnace. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted by the Langmuir model in both the absence and the presence of ultrasound (US). The maximum adsorption capacities of the adsorbent for DBS, calculated from the Langmuir isotherms, were 29.41mg/g and 27.78mg/g in the presence of US and its absence, respectively. The adsorption process in the absence and the presence of US obeyed the pseudo second-order kinetics. The intraparticular diffusion model indicated that the adsorption of DBS ions on the AC was diffusion controlled as well as that US promoted intraparticular diffusion. The ΔG° values, -24.03kJ/mol, -25.78kJ/mol and -27.78kJ/mol, were negative at all operating temperatures, verifying that the adsorption of DBS ions was spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable. The positive value of ΔS°=187J/molK indicated the increased randomness at the adsorbent-adsorbate interface during the adsorption of DBS ions by the AC.

Effect of pH and aeration on dextran production by Leuconostoc mesenteroides

Dextran fermentation by Leuconostoc mesenteroides was studied under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions with and without pH control. The maximum dextran yield was obtained as a result of higher yield, stability, and activity of dextransucrase when the oxygen transfer rate in the bioreactor was equal to the maximum oxygen uptake rate of the organism, and the pH of the culture medium was 5.5.