Jamal Al-Sabahi

Sultan Qaboos University | SQU · In-chargeCentral Instrumentation Laboratory

Phosphorus (P) recovery by engineered biochars for a further subsequent use in agriculture promotes circular economy and sustainability concepts. In this study, three biochars were synthesized at 500°C from pre-impregnated date palm fronds (DPFs) with 1 M solutions containing either MgCl 2 (DPF-Mg-B), AlCl 3 (DPF-Al-B) or a combination of MgCl 2 /A...

This study investigates the synthesis, characterization, and environmental application for amoxicillin (AMX) removal in batch mode of three novel calcium-rich biochars. These biochars were produced from the co-pyrolysis of poultry manure, date palm wastes, and waste marble powder at temperatures of 700 • C (Ca-B-700), 800 • C (Ca-B-800), and 900 •...

This study investigated the ability of aqueous leaf extracts of Heliotropium bacciferum (HE), Ocimum dhofarense (OE), and Zataria multiflora (ZE) to detoxify aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The results showed that HE, OE, and ZE degraded 95%, 93%, and 92% of AFB1, respectively, after 72 h incubation at 37 °C. The degradat...

Moisture, fats and fatty acids of 14 pelagic and demersal fishes were measured by conventional chemical analysis to relate these with the proton relaxation using Low Frequency Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR). Artificial intelligence was used to assess the predictability of composition using six relaxation parameters of LF-NMR. Multiple linear r...

This study investigates the design of a serpentine continuous photocatalytic reactor for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye as a model contaminant of the synthetic textile wastewater under sunlight irradiation using supported zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) catalyst. ZnO NRs were fabricated on glass substrates using the microwave-assisted hyd...

Simple Summary Current low meat production in Omani goats under traditional feeding regimes justifies a study on the effects of Spirulina platensis (SP) supplementation on goats’ performance. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating SP into diets on the carcass characteristics, fatty acid profiles, and meat quality traits of...

Current low meat production in Omani goats under traditional feeding regimes justifies a study of the effects of Spirulina Platensis (SP) supplementation on goats’ performance. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating SP into diets on carcass characteristics, fatty acid profile and meat quality traits of two Omani goat breeds...

This study investigates the photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical wastes in an aqueous solution using supported zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) catalysts under visible light. Specific mass and surface area, optical and electronic properties, and surface defects of the catalyst determined the enhanced degradation of the pharmaceutical contamina...

Aflatoxin contamination in food commodities is a major food safety concern all over the world. These aflatoxins are a group of carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by some fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi. To minimize the level of aflatoxins in food commodities, a wide range of pre- and post-harvest procedures have been employed....

The presence and detection of persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (PPPs) in aquatic environments requires urgent remediation. C-N-TiO2 was prepared by sol-gel method and immobilised on Ti mesh by dip-coating technique followed by pyrolysis in the furnace at 350°C for 105 minutes. The Ti/C-N-TiO 2 photocatalyst were characterised by SEM, EDS, XRD,...

The current study aimed to explore the crude oils obtained from the n-hexane fraction of Scutellaria edelbergii and further analyzed, for the first time, for their chemical composition, in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and in vivo anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities. For the phytochemical composition, the oils...

Visible light absorption enhanced silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) decorated zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) were synthesized using microwave-assisted growth method and utilized as supported catalysts in degradation of pharmaceutical compound. The optimal concentration of silver nitrate precursor and annealing temperature for synthesized ZnO–Ag catalyst...

Background and purpose: The formation of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion band formation may lead to severe complications. This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of local administration of frankincense n-hexane extract (FHE) on the formation of postsurgical adhesion bands. Materials and methods FHE was extracted from the resin of...

Mangroves (Avicennia marina) growing in intertidal areas are often exposed to diesel spills, adversely damaging the ecosystem. Herein, we showed for the first time that mangrove seedlings’ associations with bacteria could reprogram host-growth, physiology, and ability to degrade diesel. We found four bacterial strains [Sphingomonas sp.-LK11, Rhodoc...

Constructed wetlands have been successfully used in the treatment of produced water brought to the surface in large quantities during oil extraction activities. However, with the increasing use of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in enhancing oil recovery, the impacts of HPAM on the biological processes of wetlands is still unknown. Micro...

The primary role of plants and its products in the treatment of illness is demonstrated by their employment in all the major health care systems of medicine irrespective of the original philosophical evidence. The particular plant species is used in Oman for the treatment of several diseases including eye drops to treat cataracts. The present study...

The contamination of foods with aflatoxins, a group of carcinogenic compounds produced by some filamentous fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi, is the major food safety concern worldwide. Various pre- and post-harvest techniques have been employed to minimize the level of aflatoxins in food commodities. The present study aimed to explore t...

Wet bubble disease caused by Hypomyces perniciosus (syn: Mycogone perniciosa) is one of the major constraints in the production of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) worldwide. Deformation of basidiome and exudation of brown coloured liquid are the characteristic symptoms of wet bubble disease. The objective of this research was to assess the in v...

The biocontrol potential of antagonistic bacteria and yeasts isolated from tomato phyllosphere and fructoplane was evaluated against fruit rot of tomato caused by Alternaria alternata. A total of 48 bacterial and 24 yeast isolates were obtained from field-grown tomato leaves/fruits collected from Barka, Oman. The antagonistic activities of these is...

The development of durable photocatalytic supports resistant in harsh environment has become challenging in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) focusing on water and wastewater remediation. In this study, stainless steel (SS), SS/Ti (N,O) and SS/Cr-N/Cr (N,O) anticorrosion layers on SS meshes were dip-coated with sol gel synthesised C-N-TiO 2 photo...

The production of antifungal compound(s) by an indigenous Pseudomonas resinovorans strain B11, showing antagonistic activity against Monosporascus cannonballus, the causal fungus of muskmelon Monosporascus root rot and vine decline disease was studied. The crude antibiotics were extracted from the cell-free culture filtrate of P. resinovorans B11 b...

Aloe dhufarensis Lavranos is an important medicinal plant, however, the endophytic microorganisms associated with this plant and their antagonistic activities are not known. In this study, endophytic fungi and bacteria were isolated from the leaf tissues of A. dhufarensis and their antagonistic activity against the plant pathogens Fusarium sp. and...

Advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs) focusing on nonthermal plasma induced by dielectric barrier discharge are adequate sources of diverse reactive oxygen species (ROS) beneficial for water and wastewater treatment. In this study, indigo, peroxytitanyl sulphate and terephthalic acid methods were used to approximate the concentrations of O 3 , H 2...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diet and animal shearing on the feed and nutrient intakes, water intake, in vitro ruminal methane production, and blood parameters of Omani sheep. A pens trial was carried out for 16 days each in March and June of 2017 using 20 Omani non-castrated yearling rams selected from the sheep herd in the...

The genus Nepeta belongs to the Stachyoideae-Nepeteae tribe (Lamiaceae) and comprises ca. 250 species. These species are distributed in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East [1]. Roughly 67 species of the genus Nepeta are found in Iran, while 58 species have been found in Pakistan. In many countries, several Nepeta species are used in traditional medic...

In this study, an entomopathogenic fungus was isolated from whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) cadaver samples collected from eggplant fields in Barka, Oman. The fungus was identified as Cordyceps javanica based on sequence analysis of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Under in vitro conditions, the fungus was able to grow between 20°...

The antifungal properties of leaf extract of the medicinal plant, myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) against Pythium aphanidermatum and Alternaria alternata were determined. The methanolic leaf extract of M. communis inhibited the mycelial growth of P. aphanidermatum in a dose-dependent manner as assessed by poisoned food technique. The leaf extract of my...

Background: Camel milk is widely used for its reported anti-diabetic and health promoting effects. Lipids derived from the milk have also been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanism through which these lipids and constituent fatty acids exert these effects remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effec...

Background: Camel milk is widely used for its reported anti-diabetic and health promoting effects. Lipids derived from the milk have also been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanism through which these lipids and constituent fatty acids exert these effects remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effec...

Background: Camel milk is widely used for its reported anti-diabetic and health promoting effects. Lipids derived from the milk have also been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. The mechanism through which these lipids and constituent fatty acids exert these effects remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the effec...

Cupriavidus necator H16 Re2058/pCB113 could effectively utilize oil sources to synthesize P(3HB-co-3HHx). In this study, P(3HB-co-3HHx) biosynthesis procedure with optimally controlled (between 2–28) 3HHx mol% was established for C. necator H16 Re2058/pCB113 by regulating the amounts of dual carbon sources supplied; date molasses and date seed oil....

A study was conducted on the possible in vitro production of phytotoxins by the melon root rot pathogen, Monosporascus cannonballus. The culture filtrate of a highly virulent isolate of the fungus was tested for its phytotoxic activity on cucumber by detached leaf assay, electrolyte leakage assay and seedling vigour test. In detached leaf bioassay,...

As a herbal medicine, essential oil is used for the treatment of several chronic diseases, however, the clinical evidence of essential oil is insufficient. In this context, we have made an effort to quantify its percentage of chemical composition and the biological potency of essential oil of the leaves of Psidium guajava. The content of essential...

The aim of this study was, to analyze and compare the composition of volatile constituents in the essential oils from the peel of Citrus aurantifolia L. grown in three different regions of Oman and to investigate their antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The essential oil from the fresh peels was isolated by hydro-distillation method and chemi...

Polymer flooding displacement ability during petroleum extraction from the earth's crust plays an important role in enhanced oil recovery processes. Produced water, as a byproduct, still contain high concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) which is a serious environmental concern. Remediating produced...

Catharanthus roseus is among the most important anticancer agents providing plants in the world. In the current study, vinca leaves were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L BAP and 1.5 mg/L 2,4D. The callus obtained was subcultured on 15 different combinations of growth hormones for 28 days. The callus extracts from different treatment...

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) are some of the common environmental pollutants originating mainly from oil and gas industries, which are toxic to human as well as other living organisms in the ecosystem. Here we investigate photocatalytic degradation of BTEX under visible light irradiation using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod...

GC/MS chromatogram of BTEX. (DOCX)

HPLC chromatogram of BTEX intermediate products. (DOCX)

Photocatalysis is a green technology which typically utilizes either supported or colloidal catalysts for the mineralization of aqueous organic contaminants. Catalyst surface area and surface energy are the primary factors determining its efficiency, but correlation between the two is still unclear. This work explores their relation and hierarchy i...

p>The effect of enzyme inhibition, anticancer, antifungal, antioxidants activities of the extracts of Teucrium muscatense obtained with different organic solvents was investigated. Chloroform fraction exhibited promising inhibition (64%) with IC₅₀value (390 ± 2.0 μg/mL) against urease, while other fractions displayed moderate activity....

A comparative study of Cannabis sativa (Hemp) essential constituents obtained by using Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SCFE), Steam Distillation (SD) and Hydrodistillation (HD) is presented here. The optimized extraction temperatures were 130，110 and 50 ℃ for hydrodistillation, steam distillation and supercritical fluid extraction respectively. The...

A comparative study of Cannabis sativa (Hemp) essential constituents obtained by using Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SCFE), Steam Distillation (SD) and Hydrodistillation (HD) is presented here. The optimized extraction temperatures were 130, 110 and 50 ℃ for hydrodistillation, steam distillation and supercritical fluid extraction respectively. Th...

Biodiesel, a good partial or total substitute for petrodiesel, is a renewable clean burning fuel which can be produced from transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats with an alcohol in presence of a catalyst. Since the feedstock costs in this process constitutes more than 70 % of the overall cost, use of wasted vegetable oil (i.e. consu...

Mentha arvensis and Citrullus colocynthus are important medicinal plants for Arab people as herbal remedy. The present study was designed to evaluate the components present in wild growing Mentha arvensis and Citrullus colocynthus using various advanced analytical techniques. After wet digestion plants samples were analyzed for metal contents using...

Environmental pollution from human and industrial activities has received much attention as it adversely affects human health and bio-diversity. In this work we report efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and explore the role of surface defects in ZnO on the visible light photocataly...

Thymus vulgaris L. belongs to the Lamiaceae family and has a pleasant smell. It is native to the Westren Mediterranean region and southern Italy. The fresh plant material was collected in the month of April from Al Jabal Al Abyadh in Sharqiya region of Oman. The aerial parts of T. vulgaris were separated from fresh plant material and essential oil...

It is quite challenging to recover heavy crude oil due to its high viscosity and long chain hydrocarbon contents. In this study the isolation of thermophilic bacterial consortia from crude oil contaminated soil samples and their ability to degrade heavy crude oil were investigated. Thermophilic spore forming bacteria were inoculated with heavy oil...

The present work is definitely an approach towards attaining price competency of bio-diesel to petroleum diesel. The oils extracted from abundantly available waste of Zahidi, Basra and Khazravi date seeds were used to produce biodiesel using acid (HCl), base (KOH), immobilized enzyme (lipase), immobilized enzyme/acid (lipase/HCl) and immobilized en...

Objective: To identify the major volatile constituents and evaluate the antibacterial activity of essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum) Linn. grown in Oman. Methods: The fresh plant material was collected in the month of September from Seeb Nursery in Muscat Governorate, Sultanate of Oman. The aerial parts...

Objective: To investigate the anti-cancer effect of frankincense derived heavy oil obtained by Soxhlet extraction method on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), and to study its chemical profile using gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis. Methods: Hexane was used to extract heavy oil from frankincense resin. Chemical profiling of heavy oil wa...

Salinization has been known as the main reason for crop failure in Oman. Since saline water is detrimental for crops production, it can be used in commercial Spirulina cultivation. Under sheltered outdoor condition in Oman, this study presents the investigation of different salinity concentrations (5, 15, 25 and 35 psu) on the growth, biochemical c...

The microwave-assisted adsorptive desulfurization of model fuel (thiophene in n-heptane) was investigated using a synthesized rare earth metal-doped zeolite Y (RE Y). Crystallinity of the synthesized zeolite was 89.5%, the silicon/aluminium (Si/Al) molar ratio was 5.2, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area was 980.9 m2/g, and the pore volum...

Frankincense considered as holy plant in Oman and its resin commonly used for fragrance purposes. In addition, frankincense resin has many ailments curing history and it is observed by local people. Essential oil extracted from frankincense resin either by hydro-distillation (HD) or microwave assisted hydro-distillation (MHD) method has numerous bi...

Marine sources have been known to yield novel compounds with a wide range of bioactivity with various commercial applications. In this study, the abilities of bacteria isolated from eight marine organisms to produce α-amylase were examined. All eight organisms were found to harbor amylase producing bacteria. Two bacterial species isolated from the...

Medicago sativa Linn growing in Omani desert were chemically characterised using flame photometry, inductively coupled plasma, gas chromatography – mass spec-trometry 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...

Background: Oxidative stress induced by free radicals and reactive oxygen species, depletes intracellular glutathione (GSH) and inhibits antioxidant enzymes. Consumption of antioxidant-rich foods reduces cellular oxidative stress and protects against health related problems. Objective: This study aimed to (1) measure the antioxidants contents of th...

The development and use of Non Aqueous Fluids (NAF) like Oil Based Muds (OBM) and Synthetic Based Muds (SBM) for drilling operations during exploration and production of Oil & Gas has made the process more efficient and has helped develop new techniques in high depth drilling, offshore drilling and directional and horizontal drilling. The use of OB...

Objective: To determine free radical scavenging activity and active chemical ingredients of different plant crude extracts of Mentha piperita (M. piperita). Methods: The dried powder leaves of M. piperita were extracted with polar organic solvent by Soxhlet extractor. The crude extract and its fractions of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and buta...

Activated alumina was synthesized from Kankara kaolin using a novel three steps; dealumination, precipitation and calcination methods. The shows activated alumina synthesized was characterized using XRF, XRD, FTIR, BET, TEM, SEM and TGA/DTG techniques. The XRF of the product shows that it contained aluminum oxide of 83.47 wt%., the XRD showed the p...