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Medicago sativa Linn growing in Omani desert were chemically characterised using flame photometry, inductively coupled plasma, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis. HPLC analyses were performed to determine the phenolics and flavonoids present in M. sativa. The major compounds detected in M. sativa leaves were protchaechenic acid (3.22%), hydroxyl benzoic acid (1.05%), β-Phenyl caffate (0.97%) and kaempherol (0.89%). Pterostilbene, a cholesterol-lowering compound, was detected in M. sativa.

Bioethanol is considered to be a possible substitute for non‐renewable fossil fuels. Biofuels, including bioethanol, are gradually replacing coal and oil for energy production. It is expected that, by 2040, fossil fuels’ contribution to the world's energy demands will only be 25% with the remaining contribution made up by biofuels. One of the major factors affecting ethanol production is the cost of raw materials, which can be substantially reduced by utilizing industrial or agricultural lignocellulosic wastes. Using waste paper as a feedstock for bioethanol production would reduce the production cost and may eliminate problems in managing this waste material in the environment. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in waste paper are less complicated and so only mild pretreatment is needed before enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. This review covers topics such as bioethanol as a promising alternative to petroleum fuels, feedstocks for bioethanol production, lignocellulosic technology and challenges for ethanol production, advantages and disadvantages of pretreatments methods, waste paper as feedstock for ethanol production, processing of waste paper to ethanol, and the different integration methods of hydrolysis and fermentation. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Three wild Omani plants, Moringa peregrina, Acacia nilotica and Rhazya stricta, were selected for the present study. Na, K and Ca contents were determined using flame photometric analysis. M. peregrina seeds (22.5 mg/g) and pods (27.7 mg/g) had higher Na contents than A. nilotica (0.33 mg/g) and R. stricta (0.30 mg/g), whereas the K and Ca contents of R. stricta were significantly higher than those of the other two plants. The protein content was lowest in R. stricta (9.8%) and highest in M. peregrina seeds (21.0%). The highest total phenolic contents (TPC) were found in M. peregrina seeds (350.3 mg/g) and the lowest in A. nilotica (66.1 mg/g). The major component of M. peregrina seed oil was oleic acid (74.7%). Gas chromatographic – mass spectrometric analysis (GC-MS) revealed that octadecanal (30.9%) was the major compound in A. nilotica. The presence of various phenolics and flavonoids in M. peregrina, A. nilotica and R. stricta were confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Carbohydrate rich food cooked at high temperature can lead to the formation of acrylamide. The aim of this investigation is to analyze the proteomics of mice liver in response to acrylamide intoxication since the liver is the major site of acrylamide detoxification and metabolism. The liver protein pattern from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) treated mice with acrylamide in drinking water for 9 weeks did not show variations from the control. However, analysis by 2-D gel of liver proteins from mice treated with 0.5 µg acrylamide/kg for 9 weeks showed variations in protein expression. At least 10 protein spots were significantly affected (T > 2) by the acrylamide treatment. The affected proteins were identified using MALDI TOF/TOF and mass searches through Mascot. These proteins were up-regulated or down-regulated depending on their physiological function. Probably the proteins are involved in detoxification of acrylamide or cell protection. The data from this study shows that proteomics is a valuable tool for assessing acrylamide toxicity in the affected tissues.

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