International Journal of Chemical Engineering
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Acceptance rate15%
Submission to final decision116 days
Acceptance to publication19 days
CiteScore3.500
Journal Citation Indicator0.370
Impact Factor2.7

Impact of Aqueous Extract Artemisia Herba-Alba Leaves as a Green Inhibitor against Acid Activation of 2024 Aluminum Alloy

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 Journal profile

International Journal of Chemical Engineering publishes research focused on technologies for the production, processing, transportation and use of chemicals on an industrial scale.

 Editor spotlight

Chief Editor, Evangelos Tsotsas, holds the Chair of Thermal Process Engineering at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany) since 1994. The main focus of his work is on drying, and on particle formulation processes related to drying, such as spray fluidized bed agglomeration.

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Research Article

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Leaching of Silica-Sulfide Gold Ores from May-Hibey Deposits, Tigray, Ethiopia

Oxidative leaching is an inexpensive alternative to using chemical cyanide extraction methods for gold from low-grade gold sulfide. Oxidation of finely ground gold-bearing ore by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was evaluated in terms of cell density, pH, and leaching efficiency of Fe and Au in shake flask experiments. The compositional and elemental analyses of the beneficiated ore were analyzed using XRD and EDXRF spectroscopy. The ore’s primary constituents are gold (4.356 mg/L), silicon, iron, and sulfur (62.456, 15.441, and 7.912 wt%, respectively). XRD spectra, the main phases of the concentrated ore, showed that the major components of the ore were quartz, syn, silicon sulfide, pyrite, and polymetallic elements such as silderenrite, gismondine, siderenikite, hematite, and syn. The experimental results, with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans bacteria and blank, were evaluated. The pH of the blank remained nearly constant, and the pH of the bioleached was occasionally lowered. The A. ferrooxidans strain always grew better throughout the bioleaching process. For the A. ferrooxidans strain, the cell density of cells reached a maximum of 90.00 × 106 cells/mL after the 11th week and decreased to 87.00 × 106 cells/mL after the 12th week. The decrease in cell density may be due to the presence of polymetallic elements such as Al, Cr, Ti, and Ni, leading to reduced metal tolerance of the A. ferrooxidans strain. In the A. ferrooxidans leaching process, the maximum total iron and gold extraction reached 92.16% (14.23 mg/L) and 99.97% (4.355 ppm), respectively, after the 11th week, and leaching tends to decrease up to 14 weeks, which may be due to the formation of secondary minerals. More research will be performed to optimize the procedure and leaching kinetic, examine the impact of metal content, and take into account the potential for bioleaching process pollution in addition to the amount of gold recovered.

Research Article

Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Phenolics and Terpenoids from Sweet Basil Leaves Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents

This investigation focused on assessing and enhancing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to extract phenolics and terpenoids from sweet basil leaves. The initial stage involved evaluating the extraction performance of twelve NADES and ethanol. A NADES comprising lactic acid and glucose with a 2 : 1 molar ratio and 20% water content (WC) obtained the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and total terpenoid content (TTC). Single-factor experiments systematically examined the impact of liquid-to-solid ratio (LSR), water content in NADES (WC), ultrasound power, temperature, and exposure time on the extraction yield. Optimization using Box–Behnken Design (BBD) models for the lactic acid and glucose-based UAE revealed the optimal conditions to be 80 ml/g LSR, 30% water, 300 W, 50°C temperature, and a 15-minute exposure time. Under these optimized parameters, the extraction achieved the highest TPC and TTC at 69.88 mg GAE/g and 110.71 mg UA/g, respectively. This study presents an environmentally friendly and sustainable extraction protocol for the extraction of phenolic compounds and terpenoids from sweet basil leaves.

Research Article

Optimum Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Prepared from an Extract of Aloe fleurentinorum

The synthesis of metal nanoparticles through the use of plant extract is a process that is not only simple but also inexpensive, quick, and favorable to the environment. As a result, it is utilized in a wide variety of fields. When synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), several different kinds of plant extracts were utilized. The manufacture of silver nanoparticles was carried out in this study using an environmentally friendly technique. The aqueous extract of the Aloe fleurentinorum plant was utilized as a stabilizing and reducing agent. To determine the optimal conditions for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles, it was necessary to investigate the impact of several parameters on the process. These parameters included the reactant volume ratio, pH values, temperature, and reaction time. To get crystallite and stable silver nanoparticles, an aqueous solution of AgNO3 (0.01M) was added to an aqueous extract of Aloe fleurentinorum plant at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius and a pH of 8. The mixture was then stirred with a magnetic stirrer for ninety minutes (90 minutes). Using a variety of methods (UV-vis spectrophotometer, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and XPS), several approaches were utilized to investigate and describe the green-produced AgNPs. Through the use of the SEM method, it was demonstrated that the morphology of AgNPs is tetrahedral. It was determined using X-ray diffraction that the size of crystalline AgNPs was 26.7 nm. AgNPs that have been optimally synthesized have antibacterial properties that are both significant and effective against various bacterial species that have been tested at varying doses.

Research Article

Numerical Integration of Some Arbitrary Functions over an Ellipsoid by Discretizing into Hexahedral Elements for Biomaterial Studies

This study mathematically examines chemical and biomaterial models by employing the finite element method. Unshaped biomaterials’ complex structures have been numerically analyzed using Gaussian quadrature rules. It has been analyzed for commercial benefits of chemical engineering and biomaterials as well as biorefinery fields. For the computational work, the ellipsoid has been taken as a model, and it has been transformed by subdividing it into six tetrahedral elements with one curved face. Each curved tetrahedral element is considered a quadratic and cubic tetrahedral element and transformed into standard tetrahedral elements with straight faces. Each standard tetrahedral element is further decomposed into four hexahedral elements. Numerical tests are presented that verify the derived transformations and the quadrature rules. Convergence studies are performed for the integration of rational, weakly singular, and trigonometric test functions over an ellipsoid by using Gaussian quadrature rules and compared with the generalized Gaussian quadrature rules. The new transformations are derived to compute numerical integration over curved tetrahedral elements for all tests, and it has been observed that the integral outcomes converge to accurate values with lower computation duration.

Research Article

Enhanced Biochar Production via Co-Pyrolysis of Biomass Residual with Plastic Waste after Recycling Process

Biomass pyrolysis for oil production results in biochar byproduct, whose characteristics can be improved by the reuse of waste plastics. While the plastic recycling process leads to a large amount of plastic waste that cannot be reused, this underutilized feedstock holds the potential for coprocessing with biomass, thereby increasing the likelihood of producing valuable biochar products. This study sought to evaluate how the inclusion of plastic waste influences the pyrolysis of biomass residue. To this end, sawdust and hardwood biomass were chosen as materials to investigate how the presence of plastics might alter the properties of the resulting chars. Synergies were observed among the biomass components, particularly in samples with higher lignin content from hardwood biomass, which resulted in increased biochar yields. The results showed that a 20% blend of plastic waste with wood at 300°C produced a solid char with a yield of 40% by weight. Co-pyrolysis of the biochar derived from blends of 20 wt. % PP with both sawdust and hardwood resulted in significant enhancement of various properties of the resulting biochar, including surface area, carbon content, hydrophobicity, and aromaticity. This enhancement had a favorable effect on the carbon content and calorific values of the biochar. These enhanced properties significantly contributed to the biochar’s capacity for sorbing substances like various heavy metals. It can be proved that this result showed the importance of the energy content of biochar and its potential use for renewable applications. The beneficial combined effect seen in the plastic blends can be credited to the interaction between the biomass and polymer components, resulting in the production of fewer volatile products at higher temperatures. It can be suggested that biochar from biowaste and plastic waste not only reduces environmental impact but also converts it into a valuable and eco-friendly product.

Research Article

Biogas Production through Anaerobic Codigestion of Distillery Wastewater Sludge and Disposable Spent Yeast

The ongoing industrial transformation in developing countries, including Ethiopia, has resulted in a significant increase in harmful pollutants in the environment. Various industrial activities release toxic wastewater sludge and spent yeast into the surrounding ecosystem, posing risks to public health and the environment. However, these waste materials have the potential for energy extraction and recycling. This study aimed to investigate and harness the biogas potential through anaerobic codigestion of distillery wastewater sludge and waste yeast. The researchers employed a response surface approach utilizing Box–Behnken experimental designs (BBD) to assess the three key experimental parameters influencing biogas yield: pH levels (6, 7, and 8), volume ratio (85, 92, and 99%), and temperature (33, 36.5, and 40°C). Before and after the digestion process, the researchers measured the total solids (TS), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and pH of all substrates. Additionally, measurements of temperature, total nitrate, and total phosphate were taken before digestion. The methane yield was modeled using a second-order polynomial through the BBD method in Design Expert software, with a value threshold of ≤5%. The results showed that the maximum methane yield of 61.18% was achieved at a pH of 7, a temperature of 36.5°C, and a volume ratio of 92%. Conversely, the lowest methane yield of 40.13% was obtained at a pH of 6, a temperature of 33°C, and a volume ratio of 92%. The linear and quadratic values of the model (A, B, C, A2, B2, and C2) were determined to be significant terms, with values ≤5%. Overall, the biogas yields obtained from the anaerobic codigestion of distillery wastewater and waste yeast were promising. This process has the potential to effectively remove BOD5, COD, and TS from distillery spent wash and sludge. The findings suggest that anaerobic codigestion could be a viable approach for both energy production and waste management in the setting of distillery waste.

International Journal of Chemical Engineering
 Journal metrics
See full report
Acceptance rate15%
Submission to final decision116 days
Acceptance to publication19 days
CiteScore3.500
Journal Citation Indicator0.370
Impact Factor2.7
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