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Utilization of Peels of Citrus Fruit for Extracting Essential Oil Using Steam Distillation and Soxhlet Extraction
(Book Rivers, 2026) Saimah Khan, Yusra Khatoon
The widely cultivated citrus plants in the family Rutaceae are orange, lemon, and sweet lime. The production and consumption of these fruits are relatively high worldwide. On the other hand, the peels of these fruits also contribute to environmental pollution, as they are often discarded as waste. The utilization of waste peel is a point of interest. The waste peel can be used to obtain essential oil for various applications. Citrus essential oil is widely used in food, the chemical industry, medical treatment, and other fields because of its pleasant aroma, antioxidant properties, and antimicrobial activity. Citrus fruit peel waste can be an effective feedstock for the isolation of natural bioactive compounds, such as limonene, a high-value-added chemical widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industrial applications. In this project, a cost-effective method is used to obtain essential oil from citrus fruit peels. Extraction is performed using Steam distillation and the Soxhlet apparatus. In this study, the peels of three fruits, namely orange, sweet lime, and lemon, were extracted using Steam distillation and Soxhlet apparatus, and their percentage yield was calculated. From the results, it is concluded that the percentage yield of all three fruit peel samples using Steam distillation follows the order: Orange peel EO > Lemon peel EO > Sweet lime peel EO. From the results, it is concluded that the percentage yield of all three fruit peel samples
Extraction of Piperine from Black Pepper
(Book Rivers, 2026) Saimah Khan, Zeba Ali Mumtaj, Mohd Arsh Khan
Black pepper is cultivated and harvested in tropical regions of Sri Lanka and India. Black pepper is one of the most commonly consumed spices, and its pungency is mostly due to the presence of alkaloid known as piperine. Piperine is found in black pepper (piper nigrum) and white pepper. Piperine represents diverse biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, pesticide anti-Alzheimer’s, antidepressant and most importantly piperine is known as the bioavailability enhancer (it is one of the most promising bio enhancers to date). Furthermore, different combinations of piperine with available marketed drugs to improve the bioavailability have also been included. 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 an aqueous environment. This paper presents isolation from pepper using soxhlet extraction and steam distillation process. The methods under study involve the extraction of piperine with various solvents such as ethanol and dichloromethane. Then isolation and purification were followed by separate classical methods for respective extracts. Then identification of the compound was confirmed by various analytical methods melting point, FT-IR Spectroscopy compared it with authentic piperine which resulted in better pure piperine crystals as that of authentic piperine.
Fabrication, characterization and adsorption kinetics of Polyaniline towards organic pollutant
(Book Rivers, 2026) Fiza Khan, Amrita, Adeeba Meraj, Nafees Ahmad
Polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized through efficient polymerization process of aniline monomer in an acidic medium. The structural properties of PANI were thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to confirm the formation of the polymer and assess its crystallinity. To evaluate the adsorption performance of PANI, methylene blue (MB), a commonly used dye, was employed as the adsorbate. A series of adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms of PANI. The results showed that the adsorption kinetics of PANI followed both the pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order models, indicating that the adsorption process involved both physical and chemical interactions. These findings demonstrate that PANI is a promising, effective, and cost-efficient adsorbent material for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions.
Development of a Zinc-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye
(Book Rivers, 2026) Naseem Ahmad, Lubna Tarique, Abhi, Neda Afreen, Nafees
In this study, we report the synthesis of a zinc-based metal-organic framework (MOF) incorporating terephthalaldehyde as a linker, aimed at the efficient removal of Rhodamine B dye from aqueous solutions. The synthesized MOF, denoted as Zn-Tereph-MOF, was prepared via a solvothermal method, which involved the reaction of zinc nitrate hexahydrate with terephthalaldehyde in a mixed solvent system. Characterization of Zn-Tereph-MOF was performed using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results confirmed the successful formation of the porous framework structure. Photocatalytic studies revealed that Zn-Tereph-MOF exhibits a remarkable capacity for Rhodamine B uptake, attributed to the synergy between the high surface area, favorable pore size, and the interaction between the dye molecules and the framework. These findings highlight the potential of Zn-Tereph-MOF as an effective adsorbent for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater, contributing to environmental remediation efforts.
Studies of ZnBi2O4 Nanoparticles for the Removal of Amido Black Dye
(Book Rivers, 2026) Neda Afreen, Naseem Ahmad, Nafees Ahmad
The study investigates the effectiveness of ZnBizO4 nanoparticles in removing Amido black, a prevalent and persistent pollutant in industrial wastewater. ZnBi2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized for their structural and optical properties, revealing a narrow band gap suitable for visible light photocatalysis. The photocatalytic performance of ZnBi₂O, was evaluated under various conditions, including catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration, pII, and irradiation time. Results demonstrated a high degradation efficiency of Amido black dyc, with nearly complete removal achieved under optimal conditions. Mechanistic studies indicated that the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was crucial to the degradation process. The nanoparticles exhibited excellent stability and reusability, maintaining significant photocatalytic activity over multiple cycles. These findings underscore the potential of ZnBi2O4 nanoparticles as an effective and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment, capable of addressing the challenges posed by organic dye pollutants in industrial effluents. Future research directions include scaling up nanoparticle synthesis and exploring composite materials to further enhance photocatalytic performance.