The potential of three Azotobacter chroococcum strains for whey degradation and alginate production were investigated. After dilution, samples were spread plated on isolation agar and Manitol agar and incubated at 30 °C for 24 h. Microorganisms were screened for their ability to whey degradation and alginate production based on colony morphology, negative and capsule staining, ability to decrease the apparent turbidity of the fermentation broths in batch and semi continuous culture by spectrophotometer assay at 400 nanometer and tensiometer assay. Of the three strains tested for whey degradation, only Azotobacter chroococcum 1723 produced significant apparent growth on whey broth and could decrease about 70% of turbidity in fermentation broth during 6 days in batch culture. Colonies of this strain was characteristically yellow, large, moucoid and slimy on whey agar than Manitol agar after 24 h at 30°C. Transmission electron microscopy assay and Carbazole reagent were used to recognize the alginate biopolymer. After optimizing environmental factors such as pH, salt concentration and temperature, this strain was able to produce exopolysaccharide greater than 5 mg/mL. Optimum results were obtained when using whey broth as a fermentation medium without extra salt, temperature at 35 °C and pH 7. Increasing inorganic and organic nitrogen sources (yeast extract and NH4NO3) reduced whey degradation at least 30%. Transmission electron microscopy assay showed a net-structured polysaccharide capsule around the cells. Semi-continuous culture results demonstrated that, alginate production as well as whey degradation was decreased (1 mg/mL and 30 %).

Chitosan is a deacetylated derivative of chitin, which is a naturally abundant mucopolysaccharide, supporting the matter of crustaceans, insects, and fungi. Because of its unique properties, such as non-toxicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, chitosan has a wide range of applications in various fields. The objective of the present work is to extract the polymer chitosan from Persian Gulf shrimp shells. In order to determine the physicochemical characteristics of the extracted chitosan, degree of deacetylation, molecular weight, water and fat binding capacities extraction rate, and apparent viscosity were measured using a variety of techniques including viscometry, weight measurement method and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of the study of the physicochemical properties, molecular weight (6.7´105 Da), degree of deacetylation (57%), ash content as well as yield (0.5%) of the prepared chitosan indicated that shrimp processing wastes (shrimp shells) are a good source of chitosan. The water binding capacity (521%) and fat binding capacity (327%) of the prepared chitosan are in good agreement with the other studies. The elemental analysis showed the C, H and N contents of 35.92%, 7.02%, and 8.66%, respectively. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of chitosan was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results indicated the high potential of chitosan as an antibacterial agent. Moreover, the results of the study indicated that shrimp shells are a rich source of chitin as 25.21% of the shell’s dry weight.

In this work, we developed an eco-friendly material to apply in the wastewater treatment operation. This copolymer was prepared from carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) modified with acrylamide (AM) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP). It was characterized using FTIR spectrometry, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA/DTG) and diffraction of X-ray (XRD). CMC-AM-NVP copolymer properties as an adsorbent of methylene blue (MB) dye were investigated. Influencing parameters on the removal process were also studied. It was found that the adsorption of MB dye on CMC-AM-NVP copolymer can be described by the pseudo-second order equation. Equilibrium data was modeled by Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms. Langmuir isotherm model provides the best fit to represent the adsorption of MB on the CMC-AM-NVP copolymer within R2 equal 0.999. The dye elimination efficiency on the copolymer reached 99.4%.According to these tests, CMC-AM-NVP was found to be promising candidates for efficient removal of methylene blue; therefore, we can conclude that the addition of NVP to the copolymer has a clear improvement in the adsorption process.

2Chitosan biopolymer, due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, has become an ideal candidate for use in a wide range of cosmetic products and has opened up new horizons in the design of cosmetic formulations. The ability of this polymer to electrostatically interact with negatively charged surfaces (such as damaged skin) leads to the formation of polymeric films and ultimately imparts smoothness and moisture to cosmetic products. This review article revisits the potential of chitosan and its derivatives as raw materials in cosmetic and skincare products.

Drilling mud is recognized as the life-wire of drilling operations in the oil and gas industry, and is essential for the exploration and production of subsurface hydrocarbon resources. Drilling mud is plagued by fluid loss, which reduces the volume of the continuous phase while increasing the thickness of the mud cake. This problem has led to the introduction of additives that enhance the mud filter cake features and reduce the filtration rate. Several conventional fluid loss control additives, such as polyanionic cellulose (PAC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), have been utilized for fluid loss control,however, these additives are expensive and environmentally harmful. These have led to continued research for more suitable local alternatives, which, if successful, could replace these conventional materials. In this study, the performance of locally sourced materials, Afzelia Africana (AA) and Maranta Arundinacea Root (MAR), was compared to that of the conventional material, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), rheology, and filtration tests were carried out in this study. From the FTIR results, AA and MA exhibited similar functional groups, including amines, aromatics, carboxylic acids, and alcohols, as indicated by the CMC. From the rheology results, AA exhibited a similar viscosity-increasing attribute observed in CMC, while MAR showed to be a poor viscosifier. According to the filtration loss results, MA recorded a 21 mL fluid volume at 9 g, AA recorded a 66 mL fluid volume at 9 g, while CMC recorded 10 mL at 9 g. MAR demonstrated potential to substitute for CMC as a fluid loss control additive when modified.