Indian Journal of Chemical Technology (IJCT)

Author Index & Keyword Index

CSIR-NIScPR — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

CSIR-NIScPR

CSIR-NIScPR — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

CSIR-NIScPR

Utilizing tea waste for methylene blue removal: Insights from batch and fixed-bed adsorption studies

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

This study explores the potential of tea waste as a cost-effective and eco-friendly biosorbent for the removal of hazardous Methylene Blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The tea waste-based adsorbent has been synthesised and characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to examine its functional groups, crystallinity, and surface morphology. Batch adsorption experiments evaluated the impact of initial dye concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dosage. Isotherm analysis revealed Langmuir model compatibility with a high monolayer capacity (qₘₐₓ = 454.54 mg/g), indicating effective surface interaction. Kinetic modeling showed excellent fit with the pseudo-second-order model (R² = 1.000), suggesting chemisorption as the primary mechanism.A fixed-bed column study assessed the effects of flow rate, bed height, and column diameter on breakthrough behaviour. Optimal conditions 4 mL/min flow rate, 2 cm bed height, and 1.5 cm column diameter achieved a 105 min. breakthrough time. Process optimization via Box–Behnken response surface methodology confirmed the model's predictive strength. The results demonstrate that tea waste is a promising low-cost biosorbent for the efficient removal of MB dye, with potential application in wastewater treatment systems.

Enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial performance of ZnO and ZnS synthesized using natural fuel: Influence of green synthesis, particle size, and morphology

J. Karthick, V. S. Sreenivasan — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

This study reveals the eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles using aqueous neem flower (Azadirachta indica) extract as a green reducing and stabilizing agent. The nanoparticles have been characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, FESEM, EDX, and DLS techniques. Structural and morphological characterization confirmed the efficacious development of hexagonal ZnO and cubic ZnS phases, with crystallite sizes of 40.42 nm and 16.24 nm, respectively. FTIR analysis revealed the existence of phytochemical capping groups, indicating the role of neem extract in nanoparticle stabilization. DLS analysis further supported these results, which showed a broader size distribution for ZnO (85.69 nm) and a narrower, polydisperse distribution for ZnS (24.93 nm). The photocatalytic performance has been examined under sunlight for degradation of Acrylic Orange and Alizarin Red S dyes. ZnO exhibited superior photocatalytic performance, degrading 95.72% of Acrylic Orange and 92.37% of Alizarin Red S, with higher rate constants than ZnS, and maintaining over 88% stability after five reuse cycles. Additionally, both nanoparticles demonstrated effective antibacterial activity, with ZnO showing larger inhibition zones against S. aureus and E. coli, likely due to its higher reactive oxygen species generation and more favourable morphology.

Design and evaluation of eco-engineered B4C/Fly ash composites: A green material for gamma and neutron shielding applications

Meryem Cansu Şahin, Kaan Manisa — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

In this study, eco-engineered composite pellets made of fly ash and boron carbide (B₄C) are designed and evaluated for use in gamma-ray and neutron shielding applications. Composite samples with different B₄C ratios (0–75 wt%) have been created and examined using both theoretical and experimental methods. XRD and SEM are used for structural and morphological characterizations. A NaI(Tl) detector is used to measure gamma-ray attenuation parameters such as LAC, MAC, HVL, TVL, MFP, Z_eff, and buildup factors. These values are further evaluated using Phy-X/PSD and GAMOS simulations. Values for the fast neutron removal cross-section (FNRCS) are also calculated. The composite with the most balanced performance is BCFA25, which has a compact microstructure and improved attenuation efficiency. Increasing the content of boron and carbon with lower atomic numbers increased neutron shielding but decreased Z_eff and electron density. Strong agreement is found between theoretical models and experimental outcomes. The results indicate that B₄C/fly ash composites, especially BCFA25, offer a lead-free and sustainable option for radiation shielding in industrial, nuclear, and medical applications.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of Cu-Doped Co3O4@carbon nano flake nanocomposites for effective photocatalytic breakdown of brilliant green dye under UV irradiation

Chandrakala Vinayagasundaram, Arputharaj Samson Nesaraj — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

This study explores the fabrication, characterization, and photodegradation efficiency of Cu-doped Co₃O₄ (0–50 mol%) incorporated into a carbon nano flake (CNF) composite for the removal of brilliant green dye. The synthesized materials have been analyzed using XRD, SEM-EDAX, UV-DRS, and XPS, confirming an FCC crystalline structure with irregular spherical grains. Under UV light irradiation, Cu-doped Co₃O₄and Cu-doped Co₃O₄@CNF achieved 91.8% and 98.4% dye removal within 40 min. The improved efficiency is attributed to the effective role of Co₃O₄nanoparticles in reducing electron-hole recombination, enhancing photocatalytic activity and promoting the degradation of organic pollutants in wastewater treatment applications.

Utilization of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for bioethanol production: A comprehensive approach from hydrolysis to purification

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Water hyacinth (WH) is a widely available invasive aquatic plant, making it a promising resource for sustainable bioethanol production. In the present study, WH has been utilized for bioethanol production through a sequential process involving purification, ultrasonic-assisted hydrolysis, fermentation, and final purification. Hydrolysis is carried out employing 1N NaOH, succeeded by fermentation through the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, culminating in the synthesis of bioethanol. The produced bioethanol is subsequently recovered following purification step. The presence of ethanol in the sample is confirmed by gas chromatography analysis, which is validated by comparison with a standard ethanol reference. The ceric ammonium nitrate test has further verified the presence of alcoholic groups in the prepared bioethanol. Additionally, the dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) test has revealed a free sugar content of 18% post-hydrolysis. The bioethanol yield is determined to be 9.36%, which aligns with values reported in existing literature for WH-based bioethanol production.

Refining of used engine oil by solvent extraction and adsorption processes: A circular economy strategy

Dawit Tessema Ebissa, Haileamlak Getachew, Eshetu Getahun, Zenamarkos Bantie — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

To address the issues related to lubricating oil used in vehicles, present study is aimed to investigate the characterization of waste engine oil and its treatment using solvent extraction and adsorption methods. The motor oil sample used has been treated with different solvents and solvent ratios to analyze the effect of solvent type and oil-solvent ratio on sludge removal, density, and ash content. The results showed that methanol-based treatment at a 1:3 oil-solvent ratio gave the best-refined oil, with a maximum sludge removal of 54% and a significantly lower density (0.874 g/ml) and ash content (0.54%). Additionally, the study employed adsorption as a further purification method, and the results indicated that an adsorbent dosage of 2.5 g per 50 ml of solvent-extracted oil at a temperature of 60°C gave the best-refined oil, with a 99% removal of metals as contaminants. The waste and treated engine oil have been characterized using various parameters, including density, viscosity, flash point, ash content, water content, and metal contents. The results indicated that the treated oil had comparable quality to the virgin oil, with a density of 0.871 g/mL, flash point of 210 °C, and ash content of <0.1%. The study's findings suggest that the solvent extraction and adsorption methods can be effective in removing contaminants from used engine oil, producing a refined oil of comparable quality to virgin oil. This study significantly impacts Ethiopia's environmental pollution reduction and energy conservation.

Impacts of both the pressure work and activation energy on electro-osmotic flow of Eyring-Powell nanofluid

H. A. Sayed, M. Y. Abouzeid, S. A. Hussein — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

This study focuses on the electro-osmotic flow of Eyring–Powell nanofluids through a non-Darcy porous medium, incorporating the effects of time-periodic variations. A comprehensive mathematical model is developed, considering key physical influences such as activation energy, pressure work, Hall currents, mixed convection, thermal radiation, electro-osmosis, viscous dissipation, Ohmic heating, and diffusion-thermo effects. Mass momentum, energy and nanoparticles concentration conservation principles are used to formulate the governing partial differential equations that are nonlinear which have been resolved by the explicit method of finite differences. A set of figures are presented to elucidate the impact of the problem's physical factors on the solutions found. In addition, the Sherwood number, Nusselt number, and skin friction coefficient are computed. An upsurge in Gebhart number and thermodynamic Rayleigh number lower both the fluid velocity and temperature while raising the nanoparticles concentration. Moreover, the increase in dimensionless Helmholtz–Smoluchowski velocity and Darcy number lead to a rise in Nusselt number while lowering the Sherwood number and skin friction coefficient. The importance of this kind of research therefore comes from its prospective applications in industry and biomedical engineering, as it may be utilized to dewater sediments and liquids from human tissues that are infected.

Performance evaluation of cost-effective two-chamber microbial fuel cell for simultaneous domestic wastewater treatment and bioenergy generation

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) offer a sustainable solution for addressing sanitation challenges by simultaneously treating wastewater and generating bioenergy. In this study, a two-chamber MFC has been constructed and employed to treat domestic wastewater while recovering energy. The MFC operates by converting the chemical energy stored in organic matter into electrical energy through electrochemical reactions facilitated by microorganisms. Key physiochemical and microbiological parameters of untreated and treated wastewater have been analyzed, including Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and microbial counts. Significant reductions are observed post-treatment, with BOD reduced by 99% (from 684 mg/L to 118 mg/L), COD by 92% (from 444 mg/L to 266 mg/L), and microbial count by 74.68%. Furthermore, the removal efficiencies for TDS, TSS, and Total Solids (TS) were 84% (1051 mg/L to 589 mg/L), 95% (861 mg/L to 136 mg/L), and 90% (1952 mg/L to 725 mg/L), respectively. The constructed MFC also demonstrated energy recovery potential, generating a maximum power output of 1774 mW/h. These findings highlight the dual benefits of MFC technology as an environmentally friendly approach for wastewater purification and renewable energy production.

Statistical optimization of electrocoagulation for restaurant wastewater treatment using Box–Behnken design

S. Niju, R. Aishwarya, S. Srivatsan, K. Priyadharshini, P. Asaithambi — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

The discharge of untreated restaurant wastewater into the environment poses significant risks to receiving water bodies due to its high load of organic matter, fats, oils, grease (FOG), and detergent-based chemicals. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) with aluminium electrodes in batch mode was investigated for the treatment of raw restaurant wastewater under varying operational conditions, namely applied voltage, initial pH, inter-electrode distance, and electrolysis time. A Box–Behnken response surface design (BBD) of RSM with four factors at five levels has been employed to optimize the process variables with the dual objective of maximizing COD removal while minimizing power consumption. ANOVA results and Pareto chart analysis highlighted the relative significance of each factor and their interactions, with voltage and electrolysis time emerging as the dominant contributors. The optimized conditions—15.1 V, pH 7.51, inter-electrode distance 0.83 cm, and 55.32 min—achieved a maximum COD removal of 84.8% and a minimum power consumption of 30.1 kWh/m³. Furthermore, a comparative evaluation with literature on different wastewater streams demonstrated the applicability and competitiveness of EC for restaurant wastewater treatment.

Unlocking the potential: Bacterial exopolysaccharide as a smart drug-delivery vehicle for controlled in vitro drug release

Sivasankari Marimuthu, Praveena M, Sakthi Aishvaryaa C, Saranya S — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Conventional methods of drug administration often face limitations such as poor bioavailability, rapid clearance, and undesirable side effects. To overcome these, microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) have emerged as promising biomaterials due to their ability to serve as biocompatible, biodegradable, and efficient drug carriers. This study focuses on the potential of an EPS extracted from Bacillus sp. EPS003 to function as a novel carrier system. Quercetin, a bioactive flavonoid with therapeutic significance, is chosen as the model drug to develop EPS-based quercetin-loaded microparticles (MPs). The MPs have been structurally characterized using UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopy, while particle size and zeta potential measurements confirmed their uniformity and stability. Thermal properties are analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and surface morphology with elemental composition is examined through SEM-EDAX. Drug loading efficiency and capacity are quantified, and in vitro release kinetics is studied. The results revealed that quercetin release followed a zero-order kinetic model with a high R² value, suggesting diffusion-controlled release. The biofunctional properties of the MPs are also assessed. Antioxidant potential is determined using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, while the anti-inflammatory property is evaluated via egg albumin denaturation. Notably, the quercetin-loaded EPS demonstrated 94.6% anti-inflammatory activity, with enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects compared to quercetin or EPS alone. Overall, the findings indicate that EPS from Bacillus sp. EPS003 can serve as an excellent drug-delivery vehicle, ensuring controlled release without compromising drug stability or activity, thus offering a novel strategy for therapeutic applications.

Exergy, economic and enviro-economic analysis of single slope finned solar still with nano enhanced PCM

T R Sathish Kumar, A T Navin Prasad, A Vadivel — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Solar desalination is an eco-friendly technique for turning brackish water into fresh water. This study evaluated the performance of a single basin solar still utilizing different materials and configurations to assess their economic and environmental viability. The solar stills have been tested in four different cases: conventional solar still (CSS) with 2 cm water depth in the basin, solar still with fins only (SSWF), solar still with fins and phase change material (PCM), and solar still with fins and PCM enhanced with NiO₂ nanoparticles (SSWF+Nano PCM). The results indicated that the SSWF+Nano PCM configuration outperformed the others, exhibiting energy and exergy improvements of 52.89% and 27.63%, respectively, compared to CSS. Additionally, environmental-economic analysis revealed that SSWF+Nano PCM had lower net CO₂ emissions and higher carbon credits earned compared to CSS. Moreover, the cost of production and payback period for SSWF+Nano PCM are found to be more favourable compared to the other configurations.

Entropy generation in chemically reactive pulsatile flow of Carreau-Yasuda nanofluid with Joule heating and thermal radiation: A Buongiorno model

J. Josuva, R. Hemadri Reddy — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

This work provides a thermodynamic analysis of entropy-optimized heat and mass transfer in a Carreau-Yasuda nanofluid flow through a channel, with blood considered as the base fluid. It takes into account various factors, such as Brownian movement, thermophoresis, chemical reaction, thermal radiation, and viscous dissipation, with a particular emphasis on magnetohydrodynamic pulsating flow. Non-dimensional analysis facilitated the derivation of nonlinear dimensionless partial differential equations (PDEs), which were systematically reduced to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using perturbation theory. The ‘bvp4c’ algorithm in MATLAB is then harnessed to produce the findings for the group of ODEs. The findings presented herein support the hypothesis that as the power law index, Hartmann number, and Carreau-Yasuda constant get higher, the velocity shrinks. Amplifying the Brownian motion, Eckert number, and thermophoresis parameters results in temperature surge. The concentration diminishes as thermophoresis, Lewis number, and chemical reaction rise, and it intensifies with larger levels of Brownian motion. Moreover, the rate of heat transmission is enhanced through improvements in the thermophoresis parameter and Weissenberg number, whereas contrasting features are noticed for the mass transfer rate at the bottom wall. Higher values of the Eckert number and Brownian motion parameter significantly proliferate entropy generation, while also causing Bejan number to diminish.

A study on doping of high energy boron powder into liquid fuel JP-10

Ashish Kumar Singh, Ashwini Sood, Arun Kumar Gupta — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

The immobilization of high energy material particles into liquid fuels to enhance its energy content for the volume limited aerospace application is an excellent idea as these particles possess higher heating values than liquid fuels. Among different type of metals and metalloids, elemental boron has highest volumetric heat of combustion (136 kJ/cm³). Technological issue of using boron in liquid fuel is that boron particles undergo aggregation and coagulation which results in large size particles precipitation. This work is undertaken to explore the possibility of introducing boron into liquid fuel JP-10. This liquid fuel (exo-THDCPD) is prepared in house via single step method by using mesoporous zeolite supported metal nano-catalyst in a high-pressure reactor. The boron particles of 640 nm average particle size has been obtained from one of our sister lab and characterized. Selection of surfactants has been done for better dispersion of boron particles into liquid fuel. A variety of surfactants, such as oleic acid, sorbitan-oleate, and tween, have been tested for stability of boron particle suspensions and evaluated by sedimentation test i.e. visual method and by zeta potential meter. Different concentrations of boron particles like 0.5, 1, 2 and 10 wt % of boron into JP-10 fuel is dispersed by using surfactant and the mixture is subjected to probe sonicator for 30 min under ambient temperature of 25–30 ℃ as good mixing must be ensured in order to disengage the particles. Sample of 10 wt% boron into liquid fuel JP-10 with 0.5 and 1.0 wt% surfactant addition (combination of Tween80 and Span80) has given stable suspension for 144 and 192 h, respectively.

Synthesis and applications of MnO2 -enriched urea nanofertilizer on chili Capsicum annuum L. plant

B. Ashwini, T. Devasena — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

Constant use of several conventional fertilizers on the soil often leads to nutrient losses, soil deterioration, and reduced crop performance. Nanofertilizers are considered one of the most promising alternatives to conventional fertilizers. Plants require both macronutrients NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) and micronutrients (such as manganese, zinc, iron etc.,) for their optimal growth and productivity. Among these, Manganese (Mn) plays a crucial role in several physiological and biochemical processes. Urea is widely used as a fertilizer due to its high nitrogen content (46%), but it can be toxic at higher concentrations. In the present study, we have developed a novel MnO₂–enriched urea nanofertilizer, designed in such a way to provide both nitrogen and manganese in a single conjugate form to overcome Mn deficiency and chlorosis in plants. The nanofertilizer was synthesized using the hydrothermal method, where KMnO₄ is used as a precursor along with urea (CH₄N₂O) and optimized thoroughly using characterization such as UV–Vis, SEM, FTIR, XRD, with varying MnO₂–urea ratios and chosen based on its stable nanoscale features. The effectiveness of the nanofertilizer has been evaluated on Capsicum annuum L. (chili) at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 ppm with a notable improvement in the physical characteristics of plants like root and shoot length, leaf area, and yield was seen around 30 ppm. Chemical characteristics analyses confirmed higher levels of photosynthetic pigments, strong antioxidant capacity, greater mineral accumulation, and improved nutrient use efficiency at this dose. Overall, the MnO₂–enriched urea nanofertilizer functions both as a corrective for chlorosis and as a controlled nutrient source, making it a promising alternative to conventional fertilizers, contributing synergistic nutrient uptake and environmental sustainability.

Simulation-based heat performance evaluation of traditional and divided wall heat integrated distillation column for separation of BTX mixture

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0530

To improve the effectiveness of the distillation process, a number of different approaches have been suggested, and the divided wall column is one of the techniques that have been taken into consideration. When dealing with multicomponent systems that demand high purity, it is common practice to employ an array of distillation columns for efficiently separating the components into multiple product streams. In order to limit the overall number of columns and space in this investigation, the simulation that is performed in the Aspen plus program makes use of four columns in a divided wall sequence. The current study investigates the process of separating benzene-toluene-p-Xylene (BTX) utilizing the suggested design. In order to attain the highest possible product purity, the operating variables including the number of trays, reflux ratio, splitting ratio, and input composition have been optimized. Using Aspen Plus V8.8, the Sequential Quadratic Programming approach is used to optimize the parameters for optimal product purity. The vapour recompression approach has been utilized for heat integration in the divided wall column system. When compared to the standard distillation column, this technique results in a substantial decrease in the consumption of energy, particularly by 38.48%. The structure being discussed is referred to as a divided wall heat integrated distillation column (HIDiC). The results demonstrate that the product purity obtained with both configurations is 0.99 for benzene, 0.92 for toluene, and 0.97 for p-xylene.

Indian Journal of Chemical Technology (IJCT)

Author Index & Keyword Index

Contents

Utilizing tea waste for methylene blue removal: Insights from batch and fixed-bed adsorption studies

Enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial performance of ZnO and ZnS synthesized using natural fuel: Influence of green synthesis, particle size, and morphology

Design and evaluation of eco-engineered B4C/Fly ash composites: A green material for gamma and neutron shielding applications

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of Cu-Doped Co3O4@carbon nano flake nanocomposites for effective photocatalytic breakdown of brilliant green dye under UV irradiation

Utilization of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for bioethanol production: A comprehensive approach from hydrolysis to purification

Refining of used engine oil by solvent extraction and adsorption processes: A circular economy strategy

Impacts of both the pressure work and activation energy on electro-osmotic flow of Eyring-Powell nanofluid

Performance evaluation of cost-effective two-chamber microbial fuel cell for simultaneous domestic wastewater treatment and bioenergy generation

Statistical optimization of electrocoagulation for restaurant wastewater treatment using Box–Behnken design

Unlocking the potential: Bacterial exopolysaccharide as a smart drug-delivery vehicle for controlled in vitro drug release

Exergy, economic and enviro-economic analysis of single slope finned solar still with nano enhanced PCM

Entropy generation in chemically reactive pulsatile flow of Carreau-Yasuda nanofluid with Joule heating and thermal radiation: A Buongiorno model

A study on doping of high energy boron powder into liquid fuel JP-10

Synthesis and applications of MnO2 -enriched urea nanofertilizer on chili Capsicum annuum L. plant

Simulation-based heat performance evaluation of traditional and divided wall heat integrated distillation column for separation of BTX mixture