Browsing by Author "Gaafar, Abdel-Rhman Z."

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Novel Copper Oxide Phyto-Nanocatalyst Utilized for the Synthesis of Sustainable Biodiesel from Citrullus colocynthis Seed Oil
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2023-06) Aziz, Aqsa; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Zafar, Muhammad; Gaafar, Abdel-Rhman Z.; Hodhod, Mohamed S.; Sultana, Shazia; Athar, Mohammad; Ozdemir, Fethi Ahmet; Makhkamov, Trobjon; Yuldashev, Akramjon; Mamarakhimov, Oybek; Nizomova, Maxsuda; Majeed, Salman; Chaudhay, Bisha
The green chemistry method for nanocatalyst synthesis along with environmentally feasible non-edible sources are promising alternatives to fossil fuels. The current study focuses on the synthesis of copper oxide phyto-nanocatalyst and the identification of a new renewable feedstock, Citrullus colocynthis, to reduce environmental pollution. The highest biodiesel yield (95%) was obtained under optimum conditions of a 1:8 oil-to-methanol ratio and reaction temperature of 85 ◦C for 120 min with a 0.365 wt% catalyst concentration. The phyto-nanocatalyst was synthesized using seed oil cake after extracting oil with the salt of copper (copper oxide). The catalyst was then subjected to various analyses, namely, EDX, FT-IR, SEM, and XRD. The catalyst was proved to be efficient and effective after being reused five times and still there was a very small difference in biodiesel yield. All the analyses also show sustainable and stable results. Thus, copper oxide phyto-nanocatalyst with non-edible Citrullus colocynthis proved to be highly effective, sustainable, and a better alternative source to the future biodiesel industry.
Potential of Integrated Nutrient Management to Rehabilitate the Dieback-Affected Mango Cultivar Sammer Bahisht Chaunsa
(MDPI AG, 2023-07) Bibi, Fatma; Hameed, Asifa; Muhammad, Noor; Shahzad, Khurram; Ahmad, Iftikhar; Shah, Tawaf Ali; Gaafar, Abdel-Rhman Z.; Hodhod, Mohamed S.; Nafidi, Hiba-Allah; Bourhia, Mohammed
The mango cultivar Summer Bahisht (SB) Chaunsa is the most sensitive and susceptible to dieback disease among other cultivars. Despite the environmental variables, low nutritional value contributes to the drastic prevalence of the disease. Therefore, it was hypothesized that providing balanced nutrition through an integrated nutrient approach could rehabilitate plants affected by dieback disease. Treatments were NPK at the recommended dose (control), NPK + farmyard manure, NPK + press mud, NPK + poultry litter, and NPK + city effluent, and NPK + sulfur. Sulfur was applied at 3 kg per plant, while the organic amendments were applied at 100 kg per plant NPK was applied at the recommended dose per square feet of tree canopy. Leaf samples were taken 5 months after treatment application. Results were analyzed through two-way ANOVA analysis using R statistical language software. Although the disease recovery rate was slow and we did not find any plant that recovered one year after treatment application, the reduction in disease was prominent in the treatment where poultry litter + NPK was applied. The poultry litter with the recommended NPK treatment showed 20% and 50% reductions in disease intensity in the 2nd and 3rd years of the experiment, respectively, as compared to NPK alone.