Development and quantification of biodiesel production from chicken feather meal as a cost-effective feedstock by using green technology

Increased urbanization and increase in population has led to an increased demand for fuels. The result is the prices of fuels are reaching new heights every day. Using low-cost feedstocks such as rendered animal fats in biodiesel production will reduce biodiesel expenditures. One of the low-cost feedstocks for biodiesel production from poultry feathers. This paper describes a new and environmentally friendly process for developing biodiesel production technology from feather waste produced in poultry industry. Transesterification is one of the well-known processes by which fats and oils are converted into biodiesel. The reaction often makes use of acid/base catalyst. If the material possesses high free fatty acid then acid catalyst gives better results. The data resulted from gas chromatography (GC) revealed these percentages for fatty acid compositions: myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. The biodiesel function group was analyzed by using FTIR. This study concluded that the rooster feathers have superior potential to process them into biodiesel than broiler chicken feathers fat because of fatty acid composition values and it has important properties of biodiesel.     

Joint Insecticidal Action of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki with Annona squamosa L. and Prosopis juliflora Swartz DC on Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The efficacy of methanolic seed extracts of Annona squamosa (As) and Prosopis juliflora (Pj) individually and in combination with spore-crystal mixture of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) was tested against third instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera. The combination of botanicals with Btk significantly decreased LC₅₀ values in less time as compared to individual treatments. As and Pj in combination with Btk significantly affected feeding and dietary utilization of H. armigera significantly than in individual treatments. Physiological effects found in larvae fed on Btk and botanicals included extended larval and pupal durations, decreased adult longevity and fecundity, difficulty in moulting between various instars, formation of larval–pupal intermediates and abnormal pupae. As was found to have a higher interaction with Btk than Pj. Further, Btk showed strong synergistic action with As and Pj, which are the promising candidates for development of alternative bioinsecticide in IPM programs.     

Laboratory studies on the longevity, instar duration, growth, reproduction and embryonic development in scapholeberis kingi sars (1903) (Cladocera: Daphnidae)

Kept in the laboratory at 28°–30° C, the cosmopolitan cladoceran, Scapholeberis kingi produces about 239 eggs during a life of 20.56 days duration. It has two pre-adult and seventeen adult instars. The duration of preadult and adult instars was compared with other tropical Cladocera. Egg production was found to be uniformly high with minor fluctuations. The various events in the life cycle and their significance have been compared with those of related species. The rate of egg production, expressed on a cumulative basis was found to be higher (a = 1.3326) than that of Simocephalus acutirostratus King, Moina micrura Kurz and Ceriodaphnia cornuta Sars and lower than that of Daphnia carinata King.The general pattern of embryonic development of S. kingi shows close similarities to that of allied tropical and temperate species, though differences in duration of the embryonic period were recorded.     

Differential growth inhibition of cancer cell lines and antioxidant activity of extracts of red, brown, and green marine algae

As the use of various anticancer drugs is associated with many undesirable side effects, there is an urgent need for the discovery of new, better, and specific anticancer compounds. Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities as well as effects on cell morphology were investigated for methanol (M), chloroform (C), ethyl acetate (E), and aqueous (A) extracts of Caulerpa peltata, Gelidiella acerosa, Padina gymnospora, and Sargassum wightii using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging, ferrous ion chelation, and resazurin-based growth inhibition (in A549, HCT-15, MG-63, and PC-3 cell lines) assays. A general trend was the greater extraction of phenols and flavonoids by chloroform and ethyl acetate, which showed higher activity in many assays. These non-polar C and E extracts showed higher DPPH radical-scavenging and growth inhibitory activities in A549, HCT-15, and PC-3 cells. However, higher ferrous ion chelation (A extracts) and growth inhibition in MG-63 cells (M and A extracts) were seen for the polar extracts. Furthermore, P. gymnospora and C. peltata emerged as promising sources for antiproliferative agents that could be explored for their own activity and as leads for the development of other compounds.     

Reproduction, molting, and growth of two Mexican uniparental forms of the tadpole shrimp Triops (Branchiopoda: Notostraca) under a recirculating culture system

Two forms (here called short and long) of the tadpole shrimp Triops from the Baja California peninsula (Mexico) exhibit interesting features for aquacultural purposes; rapid growth, early maturation (six days) and uniparental reproduction via cysts (i.e. drought-resistant dormant eggs). The use of Triops for aquaculture depends on the standard production of viable cysts. Basic information on the reproductive potential of Triops is scarce. Using a recirculating system, we studied, through two culture tests, the cyst production, frequency of molting, and growth rate of the two Mexican forms. For each form, individual data were obtained from five specimens in Test 1 over 15 days, and from 10 specimens in Test 2 over 20 days. Hatching response of cysts produced in Test 1 was also studied. The short-form showed a high fecundity depositing groups of cysts from the ovisacs several times a day. The mean cyst production per day was 156–306 (Test 1 & 2), and the mean total cyst production was 2028 (range 728–3193) (Test 1), and 5821 (range 4136–7554) (Test 2). The maximum number of cysts deposited by one short-form individual in a day was 1231 (Test 2). The reproductive performance of the long-form was poor. The mean cyst production per day was only 4.2–7.9 (Test 1 & 2). The short-form molted every 2.5–2.8 days and the long-form molted every 2.8–3.7 days. The mean growth rate calculated from the standard length (mm d^–1) of the short-form was 0.43–0.84 (Test 1 & 2), and in the long-form the values were 0.84–1.25 (Test 1 & 2). The poor cyst production of the long-form may be explained by inadequate food resources that did not fulfill the nutritional requirements for reproduction. Given its prolific uniparental reproduction (vs. biparental reproduction), the short-form Triops appears as a good potential candidate for aquaculture.     

Intra- and interspecific variation in the chitin content of some anostracans

Chitin was assayed in adults of nine anostracan species (Streptocephalus dichotomus, S. proboscideus, S. simplex, S. torvicornis, Thamnocephalus platyurus, Dendrocephalus brasiliensis, Chirocephalus diaphanus, Artemia salina and Branchipus schaefferi) using a highly specific enzymatic method. Cysts of A. salina, T. platyurus and larvae of A. salina and S. simplex were also analysed for their chitin content. The results demonstrated a weak interspecific variation in chitin content among the adults. On the whole, it ranged from 9 to 33 mg chitin (g dry mass)⁻¹. In most species, the chitin level was not significantly different between males and females. In contrast, chitin levels varied significantly between cysts, larvae and adults within species. Comparison of the chitin content of anostracans revealed a comparable or lower chitin level than other crustaceans. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.