Development of films based on chitosan, gelatin and collagen extracted from bocachico scales ().

Biodegradable biopolymers from species of the animal kingdom or their byproducts are sustainable as ecological materials due to their abundant supply and compatibility with the environment. The research aims to obtain a biodegradable active material from chitosan, gelatin, and collagen from bocachico scales (Prochilodus magdalenae). Regarding the methodology, films were developed from gelatin, chitosan, and collagen from bocachico scales (Prochilodus magdalenae) at different concentrations using glycerol as a plasticizer and citric acid as a cross-linker.

Bibliometric and Co-Occurrence Study of Process System Engineering (PSE) Applied to the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Production.

PVC is widely used in packaging, electrical insulation, and medical devices due to its versatility owing to its resistance, incombustible and barrier properties as well as affordable cost. In the present study, bibliometric and co-occurrence analyses are proposed to identify trends, gaps, future directions, and challenges regarding process system engineering (PSE) applied to the production process of PVC using VOSviewer as a tool for analyzing the data obtained from SCOPUS. A mapping of different topics alluding to simulation of PVC production was provided to gain a better insight into the development of the topic and its progression.

Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering.

The new demands for sustainable operation in the chemical industry due to increasing environmental regulations and agreements have generated the need to adapt existing processes to more intelligent production. The plastics sector is in a complex position due to its contribution to economic development and the climate crisis. Therefore, environmental assessment has become an important tool due to the benefits it provides by quantifying the environmental performance of processes, allowing it to balance operational and environmental needs.

High-Efficiency Removal of Lead and Nickel Using Four Inert Dry Biomasses: Insights into the Adsorption Mechanisms.

In this study, inert dry bioadsorbents prepared from corn cob residues (CCR), cocoa husk (CH), plantain peels (PP), and cassava peels (CP) were used as adsorbents of heavy metal ions (Pb and Ni) in single-batch adsorption experiments from synthetic aqueous solutions. The physicochemical properties of the bioadsorbents and the adsorption mechanisms were evaluated using different experimental techniques. The results showed that electrostatic attraction, cation exchange, and surface complexation were the main mechanisms involved in the adsorption of metals onto the evaluated bioadsorbents.

Bicarbonate-Hydrogen Peroxide System for Treating Dyeing Wastewater: Degradation of Organic Pollutants and Color Removal.

The textile industry is a global economic driving force; however, it is also one of the most polluting industries, with highly toxic effluents which are complex to treat due to the recalcitrant nature of some compounds present in these effluents. This research focuses on the removal of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), color, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), and Ammoniacal Nitrogen (N-NH) on tannery wastewater treatment through an advanced oxidation process (AOPs) using sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO), hydrogen peroxide (HO) and temperature using a central composite non-factorial design with a surface response using Statistica 7.0 software.

Dynamic Removal of Nickel (II) on Waste Bed: Study of the Breakage Curve and Simulation.

This research focused on the use of residual fiber from oil palm () for Ni (II) adsorption in a packed bed column. An analysis was conducted on the effect and statistical incidence of changes in temperature, adsorbent particle size, and bed height on the adsorption process. The results showed that particle size and bed height significantly affect the adsorption of Ni (II) ions, reaching adsorption efficiencies between 87.

Sustainable Design Approach for Modeling Bioprocesses from Laboratory toward Commercialization: Optimizing Chitosan Production.

Enhancing the biochemical supply chain towards sustainable development requires more efforts to boost technology innovation at early design phases and avoid delays in industrial biotechnology growth. Such a transformation requires a comprehensive step-wise procedure to guide bioprocess development from laboratory protocols to commercialization. This study introduces a process design framework to guide research and development (R&D) through this journey, bearing in mind the particular challenges of bioprocess modeling.

Computer-Aided Modeling, Simulation, and Exergy Analysis of Large-Scale Production of Magnetite (FeO) Nanoparticles via Coprecipitation.

Magnetite nanoparticles present attractive properties including high magnetization, low toxicity, adsorption capacity, and simple preparation, making them efficient in water purification processes, soil remediation, and biomedical applications. In this sense, there is growing interest in the production of magnetite nanoparticles; therefore, evaluating the performance of this process on a large scale gives relevant information to process designers. In this work, the simulation and exergy analysis of large-scale production of magnetite nanoparticles via coprecipitation were performed using computer-aided tools.

A Hybrid Methodology to Minimize Freshwater Consumption during Shrimp Shell Waste Valorization Combining Multi-Contaminant Pinch Analysis and Superstructure Optimization.

The conservation and proper management of natural resources constitute one of the main objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development designed by the Member States of the United Nations. In this work, a hybrid strategy based on process integration is proposed to minimize freshwater consumption while reusing wastewater. As a novelty, the strategy included a heuristic approach for identifying the minimum consumption of freshwater with a preliminary design of the water network, considering the concept of reuse and multiple pollutants.

Environmental Sustainability Evaluation of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized via Green Synthesis and the Coprecipitation Method: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Study.

Green synthesis, based on green chemistry, is replacing the traditional methods, aiming to contribute with an enhanced environmental sustainability, which can be achieved using nontoxic compounds from biological resources, such as natural extracts from plants. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) of iron oxide nanoparticles prepared through the green synthesis and the coprecipitation method is reported by following a cradle-to-gate approach. The LCA allowed quantifying and normalized the environmental impacts produced by the green synthesis (1.

Environmental and Exergetic Analysis of Large-Scale Production of Citric Acid-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles via Computer-Aided Process Engineering Tools.

Considering that functional magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles with exceptional physicochemical properties can be highly applicable in different fields, scaling-up strategies are becoming important for their large-scale production. This study reports simulations of scaled-up production of citric acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles (FeO-cit), aiming to evaluate the potential environmental impacts (PEIs) and the exergetic efficiency. The simulations were performed using the waste reduction algorithm and the Aspen Plus software.

Ionic Cross-Linking Fabrication of Chitosan-Based Beads Modified with FeO and TiO Nanoparticles: Adsorption Mechanism toward Naphthalene Removal in Seawater from Cartagena Bay Area.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are complex molecules produced by the thermal decomposition of organic matter in anthropogenic activities. Novel composites with enhanced physicochemical properties aim to overcome limitations such as adsorption capacity, affinity, and stability for PAHs adsorption. Composites based on chitosan are promising due to the good biocompatibility and adsorption properties.

Economic Evaluation and Techno-Economic Sensitivity Analysis of a Mass Integrated Shrimp Biorefinery in North Colombia.

The high freshwater consumption requirements in shrimp biorefinery approaches represents one of the major drawbacks of implementing these technologies within the shrimp processing industry. This also affects the costs associated with the plant operation, and consequently, the overall economic performance of the project. The application of mass integration tools such as water pinch analysis can reduce frewshwater consumption by up to 80%, contributing to shrimp biorefinery sustainability.

Assessment of a Sour Water Treatment Unit Using Process Simulation, Parametric Sensitivity, and Exergy Analysis.

In this work, a sour water treatment unit was evaluated combining exergetic analysis and parametric sensitivity analysis. Process simulation was performed using Aspen HYSYS 10.1 following real refinery configurations, and the results were validated with existing data.

Enhancement of Cadmium Adsorption Capacities of Agricultural Residues and Industrial Fruit Byproducts by the Incorporation of AlO Nanoparticles.

In this work, two types of residues (industrial fruit byproducts and agricultural wastes) were studies as promising adsorbents for cadmium uptake. Adsorption experiments using the evaluated biomasses (corn crops CC, palm bagasse PB, orange peels OP, and lemon peels LP) were conducted in batch mode by varying initial solution pH (2, 4, and 6) as well as the particle size (0.355, 0.

Process Simulation and Exergy Analysis of a Mercaptan Oxidation Unit in a Latin American Refinery.

In this work, the mercaptan oxidation unit of an oil and gas refinery was simulated and assessed using exergy and parametric sensitivity analysis to identify opportunities for improvement from a technical and energy point of view. The process simulation was performed using Aspen HYSYS V10.1 to obtain extended mass and energy balances.

Application of Techno-economic and Sensitivity Analyses as Decision-Making Tools for Assessing Emerging Large-Scale Technologies for Production of Chitosan-Based Adsorbents.

New ways and technologies for synthesizing adsorbent materials have been emerging based on the green chemistry concept for the sustainable use of available resources. In this sense, the chitosan-based products arise as a promising technology alternative for application of several fields that include mitigation, prevention, and control of environmental issues. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information about the development and behavior of these topologies at the industrial scale.

Variables Affecting Delignification of Corn Wastes Using Urea for Total Reducing Sugars Production.

In this work, a combination of mechanical and chemical pretreatments using urea on corn residues (leaves and stems) was evaluated to obtain total reducing sugars (TRSs). The residues were characterized via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify biomass composition. During the mechanical pretreatment, the particle size of the biomass was reduced to 0.

Design, Simulation, and Environmental Assessment of an Adsorption-Based Treatment Process for the Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from Seawater and Sediments in North Colombia.

The presence of marine pollution in Cartagena Bay (Colombia) is an alarming environmental issue because of the ecotoxicological properties of contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that may affect the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. In this sense, there is a need to propose alternatives to remediate the environmental pollution of such bodies of water. The aim of this work was to design an adsorption-based treatment process for the removal of PAHs from seawater and sediments.

A Technical and Environmental Evaluation of Six Routes for Industrial Hydrogen Production from Empty Palm Fruit Bunches.

Currently, the production of alternative fuels from renewable sources such as biomass has been increased in order to meet energy policies and reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuels. This work is focused on hydrogen production from oil palm empty fruit bunches using different biomass gasification methods (direct gasification, indirect gasification, and supercritical water gasification) and purification technologies (selexol-based absorption and pressure swing adsorption). Six routes were selected based on these technologies and simulated using Aspen Plus software.