Maedeh Mohammadi

• Phd, Chemical Engineering
• Lecturer at Babol Noshirvani University of Technology

This study explores the development of urea-functionalized hydrochar from Leucaena leucocephala wood (LW) for CO2 capture. Hydrochar was produced via hydrothermal carbonization at 170 °C for 90 min and subsequently functionalized with urea. The effects of urea: hydrochar ratio (1:1 to 3:1), activation temperature (400–800 °C), and heating rate (5–1...

A novel electrochemical aptasensor based on bimetallic zirconium and copper oxides embedded within mesoporous carbon (denoted as ZrO2CuOx@mC) was constructed to detect miRNA. The porous ZrO2CuOx@mC was created through the pyrolysis of bimetallic zirconium/copper-based metal–organic framework (ZrCu-MOF). The substantial surface area and high porosit...

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have attracted increasing attention as eco-friendly and efficient alternatives to conventional organic solvents. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were successfully isolated from untreated sorghum bicolor stalk (SBS), a lignocellulosic biomass, using DES treatment combined with an ultrasonic process. The DES...

This study optimized the extraction conditions to maximize the recovery yields of quercetin and total flavonoids from red onion skin waste using sequential microwave/ultrasound-assisted extraction. Five effective factors of quercetin extraction yield were investigated using response surface methodology. The method was successfully performed under o...

Trigonella foenum-graecum, known as fenugreek, belongs to the leguminous family of wild growth in Western Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia; its ripe seeds contain a pool of bioactive substances with great potential in the food industry and medicine. In this study, fenugreek seed mucilage (FSM) was extracted and characterized in its structu...

This study examines the production of metallized biochar as a cost-effective and sustainable adsorbent with a high carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake at ambient temperature. Leucaena wood (LW)-derived biochar was prepared at various pyrolysis temperatures (500, 700, and 900 °C) for 90 min. Among all, highly microporous LW biochar, pyrolyzed at 900 °C, sho...

Quince seed mucilage has been traditionally used as a cough remedy, but little has been reported about its extraction and biological activities. This study investigated the extraction of mucilage from quince seed through various methods. Single-step aqueous maceration, ultrasonic pretreatment followed by aqueous maceration, and microwave pretreatme...

This study investigates the fabrication of edible coating based on Plantago ovata seed mucilage (POSM). The films were prepared from POSM (1 %, w/v), glycerol (75 %, based on POSM mass), and xanthan gum (XG: 20, 30 and 40 %, based on POSM mass) by a casting method, and their physicochemical, mechanical, thermal, morphological, and barrier propertie...

Ginger is one of the commonly used spices that has been exhibited to have pharmaceutical activities. These therapeutic properties are mainly attribute to gingerols and shogaols. In this study, the bioactive compounds of ginger rhizome were extracted. Silica gel column chromatography was employed to isolate gingerol. Gingerol obtained with acceptabl...

The antioxidant activity of parsley extract obtained by ultrasonic-assisted extraction method was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging method. A high content of total polyphenols (50.82±1.8mg gallic acid equivalent) GAE(/g dried parsley powder), total flavonoids (42.6±1.2 mg quercetin/g dried parsley powder), apigenin (9.48±0.11 mg/g dried parsl...

Sequential ultrasonication and metal modification of biochar were carried out to investigate their effect on the physicochemical properties and CO2 capture performance of biochar. Herein, exfoliated biochar was synthesized via sonication of palm empty fruit bunch (EFB)-derived biochar, which was then impregnated with magnesium oxide (MgO) to enhanc...

Biomass-to-liquid thermochemical routes are the leading green alternatives for producing sustainable hydrocarbon fuels in the near future, including bio-jet fuel. Fast pyrolysis is among the most prospective approaches for converting waste biomass, including agricultural wastes and forestry residues, into liquid fuels. However, despite its maturity...

Curcumin, as a bioactive compound, has shown promising activity in cancer treatment, although having poor water solubility and bioavailability. Here, gliadin was extracted from wheat gluten and combined with pectin to encapsulate curcumin through an antisolvent precipitation method to enhance its bioavailability. The curcumin-gliadin-pectin (Cur-G-...

The persistent increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary anthropogenic greenhouse gas contributing to global warming, makes research directed towards carbon capture and storage (CCS) imperative. In the past few years, among the available adsorbents, biochar has drawn significant interest as a promising carbon-ba...

This study investigates the co-gasification of tire char (TC), as a low-quality side-product of scrap tire pyrolysis, and rambutan peel (RP). The objective of this study was to comprehend any synergistic/antagonistic effects during the co-gasification of TC/RP. For this, co-gasification of TC and RP (85:15, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 15:85 wt% of TC:...

The broad effects of ursolic acid (UA) on tumor cells have been demonstrated; however, due to its ineffective targeting properties and low level of water solubility, its clinical use is restricted. In this study, a novel drug carrier composed of β-cyclodextrin, UA, folate, and magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (UA-β-CD-Fe3O4-FA-NPs) was prepared. TEM im...

Photo-driven chemical transformation, also known as photocatalysis, has emerged as a sustainable technology in solving various issues from environmental pollution to energy security. It is straightforward that the success of a photocatalytic process is highly dependent on the type of photocatalyst system being utilized. Graphene, the wonder materia...

Diazinon has been widely applied in the agricultural sector as an organophosphorus insecticide because of its toxicity, while it is a serious threat to the biodiversity of the environment. A yeast strain being capable of biodegrading diazinon was isolated from pesticide-contaminated agricultural soil. Analysis of sequences spanning the Intergenic S...

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary anthropogenic greenhouse gas with a significant contribution to global warming; this excessive emission needs to be controlled through an effective carbon capture and storage (CCS) approach. Biochar has been considered a cost-effective adsorbent for CO2 capture; however, pristine biochar suffe from poor textural...

Nitric oxide (NO) as the major constituent of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which is mainly emitted from combustion processes, is responsible for several environmental and health issues, and the control of its emission is a global concern. In this regard, this study investigates low-temperature oxidative uptake of NO on alkali-modified biochar. Rubber see...

Piperine (PIP), the most pungent component of black pepper, is known to have several outstanding therapeutic properties. However, the biological applications of PIP are limited due to its low bioavailability, caused by its low water solubility. The objective of this study was to engineer a biocompatible nanocarrier for enhancing the bioavailability...

Control of nitric oxide emission (NO) as the main constituent of nitrogen oxides (NO x) from combustion sources is a global concern. In this context, this study investigates the adsorption of NO using some biomass-derived adsorbents. Rubber seed shell (RSS) was used as a lignocellulosic residue to develop biochar, modified by metal-doping and alkal...

This study deals with the development of alumina-supported cobalt (Co/Al2O3) catalysts with remarkable performance in dry reforming of methane (DRM) and least carbon deposition. The influence of Co content, calcination, and reduction temperatures on the physicochemical attributes and catalyst activity of the developed catalysts was extensively stud...

Apigenin, as a bioactive compound, exhibits a wide range of health beneficial properties; however, its therapeutic application is limited because of its poor water-solubility and low bioavailability. In the present study, apigenin was isolated and purified from parsley leaves and to enhance its bioavailability, it was loaded on the zein-lecithin na...

This study aimed to optimize the extraction conditions in order to maximize the recovery yields of quercetin and total flavonoids from red onion skin wastes using sequential microwave-ultrasound-assisted extraction. Five effective factors on quercetin extraction yield were investigated using response surface methodology. The method was successfully...

To encapsulate piperine (Pip), as a poor water-soluble bioactive compound, zein-sodium caseinate-xanthan gum (Z-SG-XG) nanocomplex was prepared as a colloidal delivery system. The effect of different parameters involved in complexation process, including concentration of proteins, polysaccharide, and Pip on the encapsulation efficiency of Pip, part...

In the current study, a novel electrochemical sensor was constructed based on gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs/GCE) to detect Flutamide. Field emission scanning electron microscope was used to identify the morphology of the modified electrode. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to investi...

This work scrutinizes the development of activated hydrochar (HC) as a low-cost bio-sorbent for low temperature CO2 capture. Accordingly, rambutan peel (RP) was used as a lignocellulosic precursor to produce HC via water-soaking pre-treatment of the biomass followed by hydrothermal carbonization. Then to enhance the microporosity, the developed HC...

Several multi-walled carbon nanotubes supported Ni-Ce catalysts were synthesized, and their performance in carbon dioxide reforming of methane (CDRM) for syngas production was evaluated. The attachment of Ni-Ce nanoparticles to the functionalized carbon nanotube (fCNT) support was carried out using four synthesis routes, i.e., impregnation (I), sol...

This study explored the potential of In2O3/ZrO2 catalyst for direct CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. Despite the excellent properties proven by density functional theory (DFT) studies, the experimental works on this catalyst are still very limited. In this study, In2O3/ZrO2 catalysts were synthesized via wetness impregnation (In2O3/ZrO2(WI)), citric...

Rice water waste, a starch-bearing effluent waste stream, was utilized as an abundant and low-cost substrate for ethanol production. Prior to the fermentation process, rice water waste was hydrolyzed using dilute H2SO4 solution. To attain the highest concentration of sugars with a minimum amount of inhibitory by-products during the acid hydrolysis,...

Apigenin is the bioactive component of parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) with numerous therapeutic properties. In this study, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) methods were used for the isolation of apigenin from parsley leaves. The effect of several factors on the extraction yield of apigenin was investig...

This work is scrutinizing the development of metallized biochar as a low-cost bio-sorbent for low temperature CO2 capture with high adsorption capacity. Accordingly, single-step pyrolysis process was carried out in order to synthesize biochar from rambutan peel (RP) at different temperatures. The biochar product was then subjected to wet impregnati...

Cu3(BTC)2, a common type of metal organic framework (MOF), was synthesized through electrochemical route for CO2 capture and its separation from N2. Taguchi method was employed for optimization of key parameters affecting the synthesis of Cu3(BTC)2. The results indicated that the optimum synthesis conditions with the highest CO2 selectivity can be...

This study investigates the catalytic oxidation of NO to NO2 over biomass-derived biochar at ambient temperature. Rubber seed shell (RSS) was used as lignocellulosic waste to develop biochar for NO capture. The NO adsorption capacity of pristine biochar was low, about 17.61 mg/g at 30 oC. To enhance the NO uptake capacity of biochar, cerium (Ce) wa...

Nanocellulose extraction from broomcorn stalk was conducted using acid hydrolysis followed by sonication. The influence of acid concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature on nanocellulose isolation was studied. The minimum size and maximum yield of isolated nanocellulose were 40 nm and 71%, respectively obtained at acid concentration of 45 wt%,...

In this work, production of polygalacturonases through solid-state fermentation of orange pomace by A. niger was studied. Bench-scale pectinase productions in tray and rotating-drum bioreactors were compared. Tray bioreactor was more suitable for pectinases production; despite the fact that moisture control was much better in rotating-drum bioreact...

Nanodrug delivery systems are considered as promising therapeutic platforms to convey drugs to tumor cells. In this study, a single layer of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and poly N-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was cross-linked through disulfide bond and deposited on graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO NPs) using layer-by-layer technique. Overexpression of f...

BACKGROUND In this study, the feasibility of an aerobic granular sequencing batch reactor (AGSBR) for elimination of nutrients at low dissolved oxygen (DO) level was investigated. It was fed by a mixture of treated and raw cattle manure wastewater. The behaviour of the AGSBR was assessed at different chemical oxygen demand (COD)/NH4⁺‐N ratios, feed...

In this study, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of a biomass was used as a means to improve the physicochemical properties of rubber seed shell (RSS) and enhance its reactivity in the char-CO2 gasification reaction, known as the Boudouard reaction (C + CO2 ↔ 2CO). Hydrochar samples were developed by hydrothermal treatment of RSS, without separating...

Tire char (TC), the by-product of waste tire pyrolysis, suffers from low reactivity in CO 2 gasification reaction due to high content of acid oxides in its ash and its graphitic structure, with low degree of structural conformations. To address this limitation, TC was co-gasified with several biomass residues including cattle manure (CM), palm empt...

Curcumin is the natural bio-active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) with known therapeutic properties; nevertheless, its biological applications are limited due to its poor bioavailability. To overcome this limitation, curcumin was conjugated with silica nanoparticles. Curcumin was separated from turmeric by microwave-assisted extraction an...

Microalgae cultivation is a promising approach to remove ambient CO2 via photosynthesis process. This paper investigates the impact of high CO2 concentrations (6, 12, and 16%) on algae growth, CO2 biofixation, lipid and carbohydrate contents, and nutrient removal of newly isolated microalgae, Coelastrum sp. SM. In addition, the ability of microalga...

Apigenin, a natural phytochemical, belongs to flavonoids which has demonstrated innumerable beneficial health effects. In this study, the effect of Soxhlet, maceration, microwave-assisted and ultrasonic-assisted solvent extractions from parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) leaves was studied for apigenin isolation. The maximum extraction yield was 175...

In this study, the photo-Fenton process was followed an aerobic granular sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The combined system was used for cattle manure wastewater treatment. In biological stage, the granulated SBR was resistant against feeding shocks, when imposed by substrate with food to microorganisms (F/M) ratio of 1.6. The bioreactor was opera...

This work investigates the development of metal incorporated biochar as a low-cost and robust adsorbent for high capacity CO2 capture at ambient condition. For this purpose, biochars were prepared through single-step pyrolysis of walnut shell (WS) at different temperatures (500, 700 and 900 °C). The biochar with larger specific surface area and hig...

Cultivation of microalgae in wastewater is a promising and cost-effective approach for both CO2 biofixation and wastewater remediation. In this study, a new strain of Coelastrum sp. was isolated from cattle manure leachate. The isolated microalgae were then cultivated in wastewater. Effects of different sCOD concentrations (600, 750, 900, 1050 mg L...

The electrochemical route is a promising and environmentally friendly technique for fabrication of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) due to mild synthesis condition, short time for crystal growth and ease of scale up. A microstructure Cu3(BTC)2 MOF was synthesized through electrochemical path and successfully employed for CO2 and CH4 adsorption. Char...

Bio-methane is an attractive energy source which can be produced by utilization of waste sources through anaerobic digestion process. However, low methane content of biogas hinders its effective applications. In this study, photosynthesis reaction was used concurrent with anaerobic digestion as an effective controlling mechanism for biogas up-gradi...

Piperine is the natural bioactive component of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) with several astounding therapeutic properties. In this study, sequential microwave-ultrasound-assisted extraction approach was used for isolation of piperine from black pepper. The effect of various factors such as extraction solvent, particle size of pepper, solvent to...

Production of pectinases by Aspergillus niger was successfully carried out through solid state fermentation. Orange pomace was used as substrate to produce pectinases using a wild type of A. niger isolated from a rotten orange texture. Some of the important parameters affecting exo- and endo-pectinases activities such as temperature, moisture, C/N...

Cattle manure leachate (CML) is an abundant biodegradable waste with very low C/N ratio which hinders its effective treatment through anaerobic digestion process. In this study, photosynthesis assisted anaerobic digestion (PAAD) was used as a novel approach to overcome the carbon deficiency of CML. For this purpose, a hybrid bioreactor consisted of...

Anaerobic digestion is a versatile biotechnology for conversion of organic wastes to valuable biogas. Anaerobic digestion of manure is making the most of it, as the process allows simultaneous bio-energy generation, production of nutrient rich soil amendment, reduced emission of greenhouse gases and odor control; it is thus in line with climate fri...

In this article, availability and control of water in solid-state fermentation (SSF) were investigated. Based on passive transport of water through plasma membranes, a new model was proposed for calculation and control of water activities in the mixture of solids. The validity of theoretical model and accuracy of the proposed model were proved by e...

A simple and robust single enzyme biosensor was fabricated for triglyceride (TG) detection. Graphite rods were modified with activated carbon (AC) and used as support for lipase immobilization. Chitosan (CHIT) was eventually used to create film on the bioelectrode and retain the immobilized enzyme. To extend the linear range of TG detection, AC was...

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are series of novel technologies in wastewater treatment. Such processes are able to treat high organic loading rate and toxic wastewaters by means of oxidation. Fenton process, as an important subunit of AOPs, is a newly enhanced method used in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The reaction consists of at leas...

Modernization of livestockfarms due to increasing food demands in modern ages resulted in new environmental problems. Animal manure is one of the major problems of animal farms. High chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), total solids (TS) etc. are the main characteristics of cattle manure. High load anaerobic digestion can b...

Piperine is the major bio-active component of pepper, which imparts pungency and biting taste to it. This naturally occurring alkaloid has numerous demonstrated health effects and beneficial therapeutic properties; nevertheless, its biological applications are limited due to its poor solubility in aqueous environments. This emphasizes an implementa...

Curcumin is the bioactive compound of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) with wonderful therapeutic properties; however, is slight aqueous solubility has limited its biological applications. Advanced extraction techniques can help to overcome the low solubility of curcumin in water. In this study, extraction of curcumin from turmeric using a developed car...

Cheese whey fermentation to ethanol using immobilized Kluyveromyces marxianus cells was investigated in batch and continuous operation. In batch fermentation, the yeast cells were immobilized in carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polymer and also synthesized graft copolymer of CMC with N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, denoted as CMC-g-PVP, and the efficiency of t...

In this study, solid state fermentation (SSF) was carried out to produce single cell protein (SCP) from sugarcane bagasse using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The SSF experiments were performed in a tray bioreactor. The influence of several parameters including extraction buffer, initial moisture content of substrate, fermentation time, relative humidit...

In this study, solid state fermentation (SSF) was carried out to produce single cell protein (SCP) from sugarcane bagasse using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The SSF experiments were performed in a tray bioreactor. The influence of several parameters including extraction buffer, initial moisture content of substrate, fermentation time, relative humidit...

An instructive software was developed and programmed as an educational aid for design of distillation tower and tray hydraulics using visual basic language. This user-friendly software can be used as an educational aid for undergraduate Chemical Engineering courses. This tool allows students to study the behavior of the distillation tower and explo...

Curcumin is a natural bioactive compound originated from the rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). This study was performed to investigate formic acid and microwave assisted extraction of curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). In order to enhance the curcumin extraction, different parameters such as particle size, effect of pretreatment with...

Lowering the redox potential of the growth medium is a critical step in the cultivation of obligate anaerobes for production of biofuels from synthesis gas. In this study, the simultaneous effects of reducing solutions (sodium sulfide and/or cysteine-HCl) and initial medium pH on the fermentation of synthesis gas using Clostridium ljungdahlii was i...

Production of pectinases by Aspergillus niger was successfully carried out in solid state fermentation.In this study, orange pomace (one of the main source of pectin in the nature) was used as substrate and wild type of A. niger was isolated from a rotten lemon. The important parameters (such as temperature, moisture, C/N ratio) affecting on exo an...

In this work, a cheap and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalyst was developed to catalyze the transesterification of waste cooking oil to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), commonly known as biodiesel. Nano γ-alumina powder was synthesized through sol-gel method and loaded on the zeolite support, which was synthesized from natural aluminosil...

Citric acid production from cheese whey using submerged culture and immobilized cell of Aspergillus Niger was investigated. In this work, effect of substrate (lactose) and product (citric acid) concentrations, medium pH, sesame oil on production of citric acid was evaluated. In addition, the cell dry weight was measured during the fermentation proc...

In this study, extraction of curcumin, the bioactive compound of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), through different extraction methods was investigated. For this purpose, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted and enzyme-assisted extractions were used as modern extraction routes to extract curcumin from turmeric powder and some of their essential extr...

In this study, acidic extraction of pectin from sour orange was investigated. Pectin extraction condition was optimized with respect to extraction time, pH, substrate ratio (dry albedo powder to solvent) and temperature. The extracted pectin was characterized for equivalent weight, methoxyl content and degree of esterification. The main goal was to...

CO2 capture using solid sorbents is among the technologies to mitigate CO2 emission. Sodium zirconate (Na2ZrO3) is among the solid sorbents with very good CO2 sorption performance and stability. In this study, effects of sodium precursors and addition of citric acid (CA) and ethylene glycol (EG) as gelling agents at different molar ratios on CO2 ca...

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with intriguing structural motifs and unique properties are potential candidates for hydrogen storage. In this study, Cu–BTC (Copper (II) benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) MOF was synthesized using an ultrasonication followed by reflux method. The influence of synthesis temperature (80, 110 and 140 °C) and solvent conten...

The influence of several factors including salinity, pH, lamps with various light intensities and different water sources on the growth of isolated Scenedesmus sp. microalgae has been investigated. In the fabricated bubble column photobioreactor and under illumination of tungsten light at pH value of 8 and salinity of 3.6 psu, maximum growth of Sce...

CO2 capture using solid sorbents is among the technologies to mitigate CO2 emission and thus greenhouse gas effect. Sodium zirconate (Na2ZrO3) is one of the solid sorbents with very good CO2 sorption performance and regeneration stability. In this study, Na2ZrO3 was prepared by sol-gel method. Citric acid (CA) and ethylene glycol (EG) were added at...

A carbon molecular sieve (CMS) was prepared from broom corn stalk as a low cost precursor by carbon vapor deposition of methane. The base activated carbon (AC) was produced from the broom corn stalk using ZnCl2 as the chemical activating agent. To produce the CMS, the pore structure of the AC prepared at the optimized condition was modified by chem...

Zeolite-based catalyst was prepared from zeolite powder and kaolinite by pelletization method and used to synthesize biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) from waste cooking oil (WCO) containing high amounts of free fatty acids. The prepared catalyst was characterized by Thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTA), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning El...

The intrinsic growth, substrate uptake, and product formation biokinetic parameters were obtained for the anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium ljungdahlii, grown on synthesis gas in various pressurized batch bioreactors. A dual-substrate growth kinetic model using Luong for CO and Monod for H2 was used to describe the growth kinetics of the bacterium o...

This study investigates the influence of alkali (Na, K), alkaline earth (Ca, Mg) and transition (Fe) metal nitrates on CO2 gasification reactivity of pistachio nut shell (PNS) char. The preliminary gasification experiments were performed in thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and the results showed considerable improvement in carbon conversion; Na-cha...