This study is motivated to increase the value of cocoa pod husk (CPH), which is currently considered as waste in the cocoa farming, by converting it to activated carbon (AC). The main goal is to comparatively evaluate the impact of H3PO4 and KOH as chemical-activating agents on the resulting textural properties of the obtained carbon from CPH. Furthermore, the effects of the impregnation ratio and precursor’s particle size were also examined. In all cases considered, H3PO4-activated CPH obtained a higher yield and more desirable properties over KOH-activated CPH. Characterization of the physisorptive properties such as Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (S BET), total pore volume (V total), and average pore diameter (D p) also suggested that H3PO4 is the better activating agent. The highest S BET obtained was 1237.47 m2/g from the 2.00:1.00 impregnation ratio. V total (1.11 cm3/g) was also found to be the highest at this condition. Further analyses on the D p and pore size distribution revealed that AC obtained from H3PO4 was mesoporous. Proposed porosity development on both activating agents suggest that KOH is a more reactive activating agent for CPH than H3PO4, as evidenced by severe material loss and low structural integrity.
Abstract. This study was conducted to develop an atmometer-based irrigation scheduling system for drip-irrigated onion production. The study was conducted at San Agustin, San Jose City Nueva Ecija from November 2016 -March 2017. Three treatments composing of three replicates were considered in the research. Treatments 1 and 2 were based on the recorded atmometer readings with an irrigation interval of two days and five days respectively. Treatment 3 is a soil moisture-based irrigation scheduling with a management allowed deficit of 50 %. Calibration curved was obtained by comparing the atmometer readings with the estimated evapotranspiration using Modified Penman-Monteith equation. It was used in computing the crop water requirement for Treatments 1 and 2. The important parameters that used to answer the objective of the study such as plant height, crop yield, bulb weight, bulb diameter, water use and water productivity, were acquired during and after crop production. The statistical analysis used in the study was Analysis of Variance for Complete Randomized Design and paired T-test. Based on the result, Treatment 1 was highly useful in increasing water productivity without sacrificing the crop qualities.
The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of alkali pretreatment of rice straw on enzymatic hydrolysis for bioethanol production. The experiments conducted were divided into two studies. For Study 1, rice straw was treated with different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and steeping durations (15, 30, and 45 hours). Alkali pretreated rice straws were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulase complex (NS22074). In the second study, untreated rice straw as well as rice straw treated with NaOH (conditions as determined in the first study), were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using three different enzyme combinations of cellulase complex (NS22074), xylanase (NS22036), and hemicellulase (NS22002), and yeast fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisae.Results of Study 1 revealed that NaOH concentrations and steeping durations significantly affect the enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw to fermentable sugars. Rice straws treated with 1.5% NaOH solution steeped for 45 hours had the highest reducing sugar of 0.5402 g and conversion efficiency at 56.85%. Thus, these conditions were used in Study 2. In this study, it was found that pretreatment and different enzyme combinations have a highly significant effect on enzymatic conversion of rice straw to fermentable sugars. Alkali pretreated rice straw hydrolyzed using three enzyme combinations-cellulose complex, xylanase, and hemicellulase-obtained the highest reducing sugar of 0.7396 g and conversion efficiency at 77.88%.Alkali pretreatment, specifically sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 1.5% concentration, and steeping for 45 hours of rice straw was an effective pretreatment to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis in terms of increase in reducing sugar and conversion efficiency. Similarly, alkali pretreatment of rice straw had significant advantage over untreated rice straw in enhancing the effect of enzymes cellulase complex, xylanase, and hemicellulase in enzymatic hydrolysis. After yeast fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ethanol yield of the study ranged from 0.0354 g to 0.0781 g/g glucose, or 41.18 to 51.51% of the maximum theoretical yield.
Abstract. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of modified photoperiods and light intensities on grow-out production of tilapia under indoor tank culture system; specifically on water quality and on growth performance of tilapia. The study was conducted inside the greenhouse and considered two factors: photoperiod (24L:0D, 20L:4D and 16L:8D); and light intensity (40 watts m -2 , 60 watts m -2 and 80 watts m -2 ); also, a control treatment was set-up outside the greenhouse to receive the normal environmental condition. Light manipulations inside the greenhouse were able to sustain the water quality within the desirable level for tilapia cultured in tank; while control tanks shows high water quality variation. Growth performance of tilapia cultured in tank responds positively in prolonged photoperiod at different light intensities. However, light manipulation gave insignificant difference on feed conversion ratio and survival rate compared to normal condition. Results indicated that 20-hours photoperiod and 40 watts m -2 light intensity is just enough to sustain the recommended water quality and better growth performance of the cultured tilapia in indoor tank system. It can be concluded that longer photoperiod and restrained light intensity can improved the growth performance of tilapia under indoor tank culture.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.