Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons^™

Development Of Eco-Friendly Chitosan-G-Polyacrylamide Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In High-Temperature And High-Salinity Reservoirs, Reem Elaf, Ahmed Ben Ali, Mohammed Saad, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oil and gas extraction has become challenging nowadays due to the accompanying amount of excess produced water that results in poor recoverability of hydrocarbon, besides other environmental and economic isues. A recent and efficient technology for conformance control is the injection of preformed particle gels (PPGs), which results in a more practical production process. Nevertheless, existing treatments fail in high-temperature reservoirs, are extremely sensitive to salinity, and are hazardous. The characteristics of the designed PPG, such as mechanical strength and thermal durability, is mainly depend on their crosslinking method. Polysaccharides-based gels prepared by physical crosslinking are weaker than the ones …

Innovative Approaches To Poultry Processing Wastewater Treatment: The Stainless Steel Ultrafiltration Membrane As A Viable Option, Saubana Olorunrola Dada, Chidambaram Thamariselvan, Mahmood Jebur, Sumith Ranil Wickramasinghe

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In pursuit of sustainability, we explored replacing conventional dissolved air floatation (DAF) in poultry processing wastewater (PPW) treatment with a precisely tuned 0.02 µm stainless-steel ultrafiltration (SSUF) membrane. SSUF is a robust, homogenously porous membrane with strong chemical resistance, ease of cleaning, and exceptional resistance to organic fouling. Unlike polymeric membranes, it can be regenerated multiple times, making it a cost-effective choice due to its compatibility with harsh chemical cleaning. The PPW used for the study was untreated wastewater from all processing units and post-initial screening. Our study revealed the SSUF membrane’s exceptional efficiency at eliminating contaminants. It achieved an …

Enhancing Heat Transfer Performance In Simulated Fischer–Tropsch Fluidized Bed Reactor Through Tubes Ends Modifications, Laith S. Sabri, Abbas J. Sultan, Jamal M. Ali, Hasan Shakir Majdi, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fluidized bed reactors are essential in a wide range of industrial applications, encompassing processes such as Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and catalytic cracking. The optimization of performance and reduction in energy consumption in these reactors necessitate the use of efficient heat transfer mechanisms. The present work examines the considerable impact of tube end geometries, superficial gas velocity, and radial position on heat transfer coefficients within fluidized bed reactors. It was found that the tapered tube end configurations have been empirically proven to improve energy efficiency in fluidized bed reactors significantly. For example, at a superficial gas velocity of 0.4 m/s, the tapered …

Conduction Mechanism Switching From Coulomb Blockade To Classical Critical Percolation Behavior In Disordered Nanoparticle Array, Abhijeet Prasad, Jay Min Lim, Ravi Saraf

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Large, open-gate transistors made from metal nanoparticle arrays offer possibilities to build new electronic devices, such as sensors. A nanoparticle necklace network (N³) of Au particles from 300 K to cryogenic temperatures exhibit a nonohmic I–V_d behavior, I ≈ (V_d–V_T)^𝜻, where V_T is a conduction gap and 𝜻 is a constant critical exponent. The conduction gap in N³, made from disordered networks of 1D chains of 10 nm diameter Au particles exhibits room temperature (RT) gating. Although the I–V_d behavior at RT is identical to Coulomb blockade, …

Chitosan-Coated Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance Adsorption And Proliferation Of Alcanivorax Borkumensis At The Hexadecane-Water Interface, Amber J. Pete, Jin Gyun Lee, Michael G. Benton, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bioremediation of oil spills occurs when indigenous microbes metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons. Rapid proliferation of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria near the oil-water interface is vital to optimizing the oil biodegradation rate. Adding nanoparticles (NPs) to microbial systems can enhance the bacterial growth rate. However, the role of NP source material and surface charge on their ability to impact bacterial growth and oil-water interface characteristics is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of NP composition and surface chemistry on the growth rate of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria and its attachment to the oil-water interface. We use Alcanivorax borkumensis as a model organism because of its …

A Focused Review On Recycling And Hydrolysis Techniques Of Polyethylene Terephthalate, Hossein Abedsoltan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used in textile and packaging industries. The main source of PET production is fossil fuels with limited capacity. Also, PET products are single use that transform into high volumes of wastes, causing ecosystem problems. Recycling is proposed to confront this challenge. The four major PET recycling techniques are mechanical, chemical, pyrolysis, and enzymatic. Mechanical, pyrolysis, and enzymatic techniques have constrained capabilities to manage PET waste. Chemical recycling is the potential path to expanding recycling PET waste with possibility of upcycling and addressing dirty waste streams. Several chemical methods are introduced and discussed in literature. The five …

The Fabrication Of Nearly Monodisperse Chiral And Achiral Plasmonic Nanostructures And Their Applications, Macayla J. Caso

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An object is chiral when it holds no lines of symmetry. This quality naturally occurs in chemistry and biology. When an object is chiral it has a unique handedness and objects of opposite chirality are called enantiomers. The importance of handedness was brought to light in the 1960’s when a racemic mixture of thalidomide enantiomers was given to pregnant women. One enantiomer was able to treat morning sickness while the other caused severe birth defects. This case brought to light how enantiomers have unique properties from each other even though they are similar materials. With this knowledge chiral nanomaterials must …

Design And Simulation Of A Utility Oilfield Flare In Iraq/Kurdistan Region Using Cfd And Api-521 Methodology, Ahmed A. Maaroof, Joseph D. Smith, Mohammed H.S. Zangana

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper aims at reviewing and analyzing the operation and design of a utility flare in an oilfield in the Iraq/Kurdistan region. The flare supports a gas separation unit that separates 100 MMSCFD of natural gas from other liquid compounds in petroleum refining. The actual flare dimensions are 50 m high and 0.6 m diameter and works in summer where the crosswind speed is 9 m/s and a flow of 1.2 MMSCFD of treated natural gas is flaring through it. At the beginning, the flare design was performed using the API-521 recommended approach based on full operating capacity of the …

Physiologically Relevant Fluid Shear Stress Induced Receptor Conversion In Hormone Receptor-Positive (Hr+) Breast Cancer, Jonathan James Cuccia

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among all people in the United States as of 2023 and often has devastating impacts on afflicted patients. Although some treatments show great efficacy against primary breast tumors, none have been able to significantly reduce the mortality rate of breast cancer once it has metastasized to distant sites. In primary, hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancers, endocrine therapies are often used as first-line treatments and are generally well-tolerated. However, as the disease progresses, these previously sensitive cancers can become resistant to endocrine therapies and continue proliferating despite them. Therefore, there is a …

New Methodology For Benchmarking Hydrodynamics In Bubble Columns With Intense Internals Using The Radioactive Particle Tracking (Rpt) Technique, Omar J. Farid, Alexandre França Velo, Binbin Qi, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new methodology for implementing radioactive particle tracking (RPT) in bubble columns with intense vertical rod internals was developed and implemented to investigate the effect of dense internals on hydrodynamics. The methodology utilizes a hybrid of Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation and an automated RPT calibration device to generate a large number of calibration points for accurate reconstruction of the instantaneous positions of radioactive particles using a similarity algorithm. Measurements were conducted in a 6-inch (15.24 cm) Plexiglas column using an air–water system at a superficial gas velocity of 40 cm/s. Vertical Plexiglas rods 0.5 in (1.27 cm) in diameter …

Experiments For A Computing Class, Christi L. Patton Luks

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Course Description for Numerical Computing for Chemical Engineers Course at Missouri University of Science and Technology States that Students Will "Add to their Programming Skills by Exploring Numerical Computational Techniques for … Chemical Engineering Processes." the Challenge is that the Course is Taught Early in the Curriculum Before the Students Know What Those Chemical Engineering Processes Are. the Course Has Been Structured as a Flipped Class with Class Time Devoted to Solving Problems with the Numerical Tools. to Provide Relevance for the Material, an Experimental Component Has Been Added to the Course. in the Laboratory Sessions, the Students Conduct …

Prediction Of Terephthalic Acid Yield In Aqueous Hydrolysis Of Polyethylene Terephthalate, Hossein Abedsoltan, Zeinab Zoghi, Amir H. Mohammadi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Aqueous hydrolysis is used to chemically recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) due to production of high-quality terephthalic acid (TPA), the PET monomer. PET hydrolysis depends on various factors including PET size, catalyst concentration, and reaction temperature. So, modeling PET hydrolysis by considering the effective factors can provide useful information for material researchers to specify how to design and run these reactions. It will save time, energy, and materials by optimizing the hydrolysis conditions. Machine learning algorithms enable to design models to predict the output results. For the first time, 381 experimental data were gathered to model aqueous hydrolysis of PET. Effective …

Drug Delivery On Mg-Mof-74: The Effect Of Drug Solubility On Pharmacokinetics, Neila Pederneira, Kyle Newport, Shane Lawson, Ali A. Rownaghi, Fateme Rezaei

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Biocompatible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as potential nanocarriers for drug delivery applications owing to their tunable physiochemical properties. Specifically, Mg-MOF-74 with soluble metal centers has been shown to promote rapid pharmacokinetics for some drugs. In this work, we studied how the solubility of drug impacts the pharmacokinetic release rate and delivery efficiency by impregnating various amounts of ibuprofen, 5-fluorouracil, and curcumin onto Mg-MOF-74. The characterization of the drug-loaded samples via X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) confirmed the successful encapsulation of 30, 50, and 80 wt % of the three drugs within the MOF structure. …

Protocol To Develop A Synthetic Biology Toolkit For The Non-Model Bacterium R. Palustris, Mark Kathol, Cheryl Immethun, Rajib Saha

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Numerous biology tools are developed to work for model organisms, which, however, do not work effectively in non-model organisms. Here, we present a protocol for developing a synthetic biology toolkit for Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009, a non-model bacterium with unique metabolic properties. We describe steps for introducing and characterizing biological devices in nonmodel bacteria, such as the utilization of fluorescence markers and RT-qPCR. This protocol may also be applicable for other non-model organisms. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Immethun et al..¹

Magnetic-Induced Swing Adsorption Over Iron Oxide/13x: Effects Of Particle Size And Oxide Phase On Sorbent Regeneration In Ethylene/Ethane Separation, Khaled Baamran, Ali A. Rownaghi, Fateme Rezaei

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Magnetic induction has emerged as a viable method for regeneration of sorbents during separation processes. In this work, we investigated the efficacy of magnetic sorbents comprising iron oxide and zeolite 13X in ethylene/ethane separation via a magnetic induction process. The electromagnetic properties of the sorbents were tuned by varying the iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) particle size (30 nm, 100 nm, 5 μm) and iron oxide phase structure (FeO, Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄) at 20 wt % loading. The effects of these parameters on adsorption capacity, selectivity, and desorption rates were systematically …

Ultra-Thin Zro2 Overcoating On Cuo-Zno-Al2o3 Catalyst By Atomic Layer Deposition For Improved Catalytic Performance Of Co2 Hydrogenation To Dimethyl Ether, Xiao Fan, Baitang Jin, Xiaoqing He, Shiguang Li, Xinhua Liang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An Ultra-Thin overcoating of Zirconium Oxide (ZrO₂) Film on CuO-ZnO-Al₂O₃ (CZA) Catalysts by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Was Proved to Enhance the Catalytic Performance of CZA/HZSM-5 (H Form of Zeolite Socony Mobil-5) Bifunctional Catalysts for Hydrogenation of CO₂ to Dimethyl Ether (DME). under Optimal Reaction Conditions (I.e. 240 °C and 2.8 MPa), the Yield of Product DME Increased from 17.22% for the Bare CZA/HZSM-5 Catalysts, to 18.40% for the CZA Catalyst after 5 Cycles of ZrO₂ ALD with HZSM-5 Catalyst. All the Catalysts Modified by ZrO₂ ALD Displayed Significantly Improved Catalytic Stability …

Vitreoscilla Globin Promoter Cloning And Testing In Escherichia Coli, Lauren J. Coffey

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Research Publications

No abstract provided.

The Biological Activity Of Dual-Responsive Glycopolymers For Intracellular Codelivery Of Antigen And Lipophilic Adjuvant, Micaela Shields

Honors Theses

Subunit vaccines present themselves as an attractive alternative to traditional approaches to vaccines, which utilizes whole organisms to trigger an immune response. While these traditional approaches have proven themselves reliable within the history of vaccinations, they generally deliver subpar robust cellular-mediated immunity and pose many safety risks. Composed of proteins and /or peptides, subunit vaccines are safer and more precise alternatives to traditional approaches. However, the pharmacokinetic properties of the macromolecules that make up these vaccines hinder the subunit vaccine’s level of immunogenicity [d1] Examples of this hindrance include but are not limited to aggregation at the injection site and …

Antimicrobial Activity And Mechanism Of Amyloid Proteins And Synthetic Conjugated Polyelectrolytes, Fahimeh Maghsoodi

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is still unknown, it is widely considered that the accumulation of amyloid plaques composed of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain is linked to neurodegeneration. Co-localization of viral DNA with Aβ plaques, the association of brain infection and AD, and research indicating the protective effect of Aβ against bacteria and fungi in mice and human cells have led to the hypothesis that Aβ expression and deposition may be central to its function as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP). In my thesis research, we seek to elucidate how Aβ functions as an AMP …

Transport Phenomena With Reactions In Drug Delivery: Towards A Quantitative Description, Xianjie Qiu, Parthasakha Neogi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A Distributed System Called a Krogh Cylinder is Used Here to Quantify the Transport of a Solute from the Capillary into the Extravascular Tissue. the Capillary Network is Broken Down into Cylindrical Cells, Each Containing a Capillary and an Appropriate Amount of Extravascular Tissue. the Flow in the Cylinder Model Has Two-Dimensional Velocities, Which Are in the Axial and Radial Directions. All Parameters of the System, together with the Geometric Ones, Have Been Included in the Model. for a Given Bioavailability, the Uptakes of Reactive and Nonreactive Solutes Have Been Obtained. Very Large or Massive Molecules Have Been Considered. the …

Dual Crosslinked Poly(Acrylamide-Co-N-Vinylpyrrolidone) Microspheres With Re-Crosslinking Ability For Fossil Energy Recovery, Jingyang Pu, Baojun Bai, Jiaming Geng, Na Zhang, Thomas Schuman

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Microspheres have been proposed to be applied in controlling wastewater production for mature oilfields and migrating leakage for gas and nuclear waste storage. However, it remains challenging for stacked microspheres to maintain strong blocking ability in micron-sized small pores or fractures. in this study, a novel microsphere was developed with comprehensive properties including high deformability and long re-crosslinking time upon tunable swelling ratio for the applications. a dual covalent and physical crosslinking strategy was used to develop novel microspheres reinforced by a hydrogen bond (H-bond, between pyrrole ring and amide group) and coordination bond (between chromium acetate (CrAc) and carboxyl …

A Comparison Of Optical Measurement Methods For The Growth Of S. Cerevisiae, Jackson Black

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Genetic engineering of living organisms provides the opportunity to express and harvest different proteins from cell surfaces. Yeast (S. cerevisiae) is one such organism and is capable of being grown on an industrial scale. Cellular concentration is an important parameter to monitor while fermentation processes are underway, in order to control the environment inside the growth medium and maximize yields. Spectrophotometry is a conventional method for measuring concentration, but is limited by a narrow absorbance range, and the need for on-site periodic sampling. A continuous method of measurement, as provided by Bug Labs BE2100 non-invasive biomass monitor, would …

Comparing Firocoxib And Meloxicam In The Application Of Microneedle Patch For Transdermal Drug Delivery, Ruohan Li

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis compares the performance of meloxicam and firocoxib in the aspects of its physical characteristic, chemical compositions, and in-vitro performances for transdermal pain management microneedle patches on farm animals. The microneedle patches are composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), type I collagen (COL), and chitosan (CHI) as base material that carries NSAIDs to achieve therapeutic purposes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to observe the morphological and physical characteristics of the microneedle patches. Both meloxicam and firocoxib microneedle patches were successfully prepared using the methodology, with organized microneedle distribution and sizing. And Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the chemical …

Characterizing And Quantifying Shear-Induced Hemolysis In A Hollow Fiber Membrane System, Siddhi Bhat

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Clinical studies have shown that patients undergoing renal replacement therapy are more susceptible to developing hemolysis, or the rupturing of red blood cells. Rapid hemolysis can cause symptoms such as anorexia, vomiting, and even death in severe cases. The aim of this study is to identify how shear stress within a hollow fiber membrane impacts the level of hemolysis that occurs. This allows for the optimization of the ultrafiltration membranes that are typically used for hemofiltration treatments. The variables being studied are the radii of hollow fibers, number of fibers, and volumetric flow rate of blood being circulated. Here, we …

Response Of Cell Nuclei To Mechanical Strain In Synthetic Liquid Crystals, Sydnee Ehorn

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this research project, induced mechanical stress on the cell nucleus via synthetic liquid crystals (LCs) was explored. Points of interest were the shape alterations and distortions of the nuclear envelope under strain, providing insight into the mechanics and stiffness of the cell nuclei. LCs are substances with structure and fluidity, and LCs in the nematic phase are aligned in a single direction without layers, inducing shear stress on inclusions. This study confirmed that an aqueous solution of 17.3 wt% disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) can successfully strain the nuclei of chicken red blood cells (RBCs) by examining the nuclear response to …

Repeated Low-Level Blast Exposure Alters Urinary And Serum Metabolites, Austin Sigler, Jiandong Wu, Annalise Pfaff, Olajide Adetunji, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, Donald James, Casey Burton, Honglan Shi

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Repeated exposure to low-level blast overpressures can produce biological changes and clinical sequelae that resemble mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). While recent efforts have revealed several protein biomarkers for axonal injury during repetitive blast exposure, this study aims to explore potential small molecule biomarkers of brain injury during repeated blast exposure. This study evaluated a panel of ten small molecule metabolites involved in neurotransmission, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the urine and serum of military personnel (n = 27) conducting breacher training with repeated exposure to low-level blasts. The metabolites were analyzed using HPLC—tandem mass spectrometry, and the Wilcoxon …

Detection Of Toxic Aldehydes In Aerosols Of Electronic Cigarettes., Ellie Bess Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has increased in the younger generations of the United States. With the broad range of flavors and devices distributed on the market, American youth are prime marketing targets for the e-cigarette industry. To create a more regulated market, research of this thesis has been conducted on newer generations of e-cigarette “MOD” devices to examine how e-cigarette battery power output and coil temperature, concentrations of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, added flavorings (strawberry, mango, and menthol), and the presence of nicotine affect generation of aerosol particles and aldehydes in aerosols emitted by …

Dpd Guided Insight On The Formation Process Of Polyethersulfone Membranes By Nonsolvent Induced Phase Separation And The Effects Of Additives, Eric Ledieu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), a coarse grain simulation method, was applied to the membrane formation process of non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) to gain further insight on the mechanism of certain variables and how they affect the final morphology. NIPS involves two solutions, an organic polymer dissolved in an organic solvent colloquially called the dope and an aqueous coagulation bath, brought into contact with one another. The solvents then mix, causing the polymer to fall out of solution as an asymmetric membrane with a dense surface layer and a more open subsurface layer in response to the decreasing solubility. Polyethersulfone …

Elucidating The Mechanical And Transport Properties Of Lignin-Based Hydrogel Composites, Nicholas Gregorich

All Dissertations

The use of lignin in the fabrication of soft composites has become an emerging area of research in polymer science and polymer chemistry. These lignin-based materials present numerous benefits, notably, a reduction in the use of petroleum-based precursor, improved structural benefits to otherwise soft host polymers, as well as the inherent antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of lignin, making it suitable for biomaterials. Herein, we present two chemical reaction pathways of incorporating lignin that was fractionated and cleaned using the Aqueous Lignin Purification with Hot Agents (ALPHA) process into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel composites for aqueous-based separations. By leveraging the ALPHA …

Fluorescence Multiplexing With Combination Probes For Biological And Diagnostic Applications, Madeline Mccarthy

All Dissertations

Cancer refers to a group of diseases containing more than 200 different subtypes. Cancer is a heterogeneous disease by nature, meaning that there are differences among tumors of the same type in different patients, and there are differences among cancer cells within a single tumor of one patient. Since cancer is not a single disease, nor does it have a single cause, it proves to be incredibly hard to diagnose and treat. The ability to study cellular markers, cell and tissue spatial arrangement, and gene function are all integral parts of cancer diagnostic and treatment efforts.

Here, I first present …