South African Journal of Chemical Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Enzymatic synthesis of mono-diacylglycerides using off-grade crude palm kernel oil and waste glycerol from biodiesel production","authors":"Eka Kurniasih ,&nbsp;Rahmi ,&nbsp;Darusman ,&nbsp;Muhammad Dani Supardan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enzymatic transesterification of mono-diacylglycerides (MDGs) is a promising solution to overcome the limitations of chemical transesterification such as low product selectivity, high-temperature reactions, and toxic residue. In this work, we synthesized MDGs by enzymatic transesterification using off-grade crude palm kernel oil (CPKO) and glycerol obtained from waste of biodiesel production as substrates, which was never reported previously. The waste glycerol was purified by acidification and neutralization processes. This study aimed to observe the influence of three important factors: concentration of <em>Candida antarctica</em> at 0.05–0.50 % (w/w), concentration of substrate at 1:1–1:10 (molar), and reaction temperature at 30–75 °C on the yield of MDGs. The reaction was performed in 300 mL of n-hexane for 8 h at a stirring speed of 400 rpm. The substrate conversion to MDGs was determined based on the reduction of free fatty acid (FFA) which was also confirmed by the gas chromatography. The study found that the concentration of <em>Candida antarctica</em> significantly affected substrate conversion compared to other factors. The optimum yield of MDGs was 69.84 %, which was achieved at a <em>Candida antarctica</em> concentration of 0.20 % (w/w). It contains 36.61 % of monoglycerides (MGs) and 33.23 % of diglycerides (DGs). The characteristics of optimum MDGs were similar to commercial products and agreed with Food and Agriculture Organization. Optimum MDGs were classified as oil-in-water emulsifiers with a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of 3.2. Application of 1.0 % (v/v) MDGs as emulsifiers can maintain emulsion stability for 30 days of storage, with a creaming index of 33.30 % and droplet size of ±326.09 μm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 227-242"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards sustainable fabrication of modified PVDF membranes using CyreneTM: Exploring chitosan nanoparticles as bio-filler","authors":"Yusuf Wibisono ,&nbsp;Mohamad Farhan Adriyanto ,&nbsp;Marlyn Andriani ,&nbsp;Rachma Alfiana Rizqi ,&nbsp;Iqbal Shalahuddin ,&nbsp;Mujaroh Khotimah ,&nbsp;Suprihatin ,&nbsp;Mohamed Azlan Bin Hussain ,&nbsp;Eka Cahya Prima ,&nbsp;Lukman Noerochim","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.01.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.01.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The urgent need for sustainable approaches in the fabrication of phase-inverted membranes underscores the significance of this study, which investigates a novel combination of bio-based membrane materials. Specifically, this work explores the use of Cyrene^TM, a green solvent, in conjunction with chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) as a bio-filler for the production of sustainable polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. Additionally, lithium chloride (LiCl) was utilized both as a standalone additive and in combination with CNPs at varying concentrations to evaluate the effects on the structural, mechanical, and filtration properties of PVDF-Cyrene^TM membranes. The findings reveal that increasing concentrations of LiCl as a standalone additive (2.5; 3.0; and 3.5 wt %) yielded hydrophilic membranes with progressively denser and more refined nodular morphologies, which significantly compromised the membranes’ pure water flux (PWF). Notably, the incorporation of CNPs alongside LiCl markedly enhanced membrane pure water flux, particularly at concentrations of 0.5 wt % and 0.7 wt %. In contrast, a sharp decline in PWF was observed at 0.3 wt % CNPs, likely attributable to inadequate CNPs dispersion within the membrane matrix, leading to pore blockage and a substantial reduction in flux. Additionally, the addition of CNPs was most effective at 0.1 wt % to elevate the membrane tensile strength. This study demonstrates that the synergistic use of LiCl and CNPs represents a promising strategy to enhance the mechanical and filtration performance of PVDF membranes. However, the results emphasize the importance of carefully optimizing additive concentrations to achieve balance between various membrane properties. Furthermore, this work highlights the limitations of Cyrene^TM as a solvent, which warrants further investigation to improve its applicability in membrane fabrication processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 217-226"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the potential of carbon nanocone as nanocarrier and sensor for targeted drug delivery and the detection of lomustine using DFT method","authors":"Negar Rajabi ,&nbsp;Pouran Pourhakkak ,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Jalali Sarvestani","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study investigated the feasibility of utilizing carbon nanocone (CNC) as nanocarrier and sensor for the targeted drug delivery and detection of lomustine (LMT), employing density functional theory calculations. The interaction between LMT and CNC was analyzed in three configurations to identify the most stable arrangement. The findings demonstrated a stable, exothermic, and spontaneous interaction, underscoring the potential of CNC as an effective nanocarrier for LMT delivery. Further analyses examined the influence of water as a solvent and temperature variations on the thermodynamic parameters, revealing that these factors had minimal impact on the interaction. Notably, interactions were slightly stronger in a vacuum and at lower temperatures. Additionally, Frontier Molecular Orbital analysis revealed a significant reduction in the CNC's bandgap from 7.536 eV to 5.199 eV, a decrease of approximately 31.015 %, following LMT adsorption. This reduction indicates a considerable enhancement in the electrochemical conductivity of CNC during LMT uptake, suggesting their promising application as diagnostic tools for the electrochemical detection of LMT.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 211-216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143512479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis and characterization of BaO nanorods using azadirachta indica (neem) leaf extract for environmental applications","authors":"Valeria Quintana Mejia ,&nbsp;Reynel Cárdenas Hadechini ,&nbsp;Adriana Herrera Barros ,&nbsp;Zulia Caamaño De Ávila","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Barium oxide nanorods were synthesized using the coprecipitation method in the presence of Azadirachta indica (neem) leaf extract as a stabilizing and protective agent. The BaO nanorods were characterized using different techniques, such as Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDX). TGA revealed that the thermal decomposition of Ba(OH)₂ into BaO occurs at temperatures above 490 °C for the sample obtained without neem. At the same time, BaO nanorods synthesized using the neem aqueous extract exhibited slightly lower thermal decomposition at 412 °C. However, it was found that a Ba(OH)₂ sample containing 12.5 % v/v neem extract, calcined at 350 °C for 15 mins, did not exhibit the presence of the O<img>H bond vibration in the FTIR analysis. The chemical elements Ba and O were confirmed in the neem and non-neem samples via EDX. SEM images showed a uniform flower-like distribution and rod- and sheet-like structures. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of BaO NPs with a tetragonal structure and crystallite sizes at the nanoscale (90, 15.9, and 8.6 nm). The synthesized BaO nanorods demonstrated a high methylene blue removal capacity, especially the 31.25 % v/v sample, which achieved a 48.6 % dye removal, suggesting the potential applications of these nanomaterials to reduce the contamination by organic components in aqueous media. The polyphenols present in neem leaves provided porosity, stabilization, and a reduction in crystallite size to the nanorods, which improved their adsorption and photodegradation capacity for the dye. This demonstrates the advantages of using neem leaf extract over commonly used stabilizers in this type of synthesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 189-199"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143473917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation and characterization of Palm Kernel Shell (PKS) based biocatalyst for the transformation of kernel oil to biodiesel","authors":"E.O. Babatunde ,&nbsp;S. Enomah ,&nbsp;O.M. Akwenuke ,&nbsp;M.A. Ibeh ,&nbsp;C.O. Okwelum ,&nbsp;M.M. Mundu ,&nbsp;P.O. Adepoju ,&nbsp;A.O. Aki ,&nbsp;O.D. Oghenejabor ,&nbsp;T.F. Adepoju ,&nbsp;C.O. Ifedora ,&nbsp;K. Mabel","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The proportion of palm oil produced worldwide as of 2023–2024 was 79.46 million metric tons. Specifically, 90 % of the biomass from palm trees is wasted, and only 10 % of the total oil palm products are made from palm kernel oil. The majority of research' conclusions show that PKS has enormous potential as a bio-fuel for the generation of syngas and biodiesel, as well as a bio-adsorbent, abrasive, detoxifying, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant substance. Thus, in the presence of catalytically calcined kernel shell ash, this study uses bagasse from palm kernels as a bio-adsorbent of palm kernel oil for the production of biofuel. The proportion of palm oil produced worldwide as of 2023–2024 was 79.46 million metric tons. Specifically, 90 % of the biomass from palm trees is wasted, and only 10 % of the total oil palm products are made from palm kernel oil. The majority of research's conclusions show that PKS has enormous potential as a biofuel for the generation of syngas and biodiesel, as well as a bio-adsorbent, abrasive, detoxifying, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant substance. Thus, in the presence of catalytically calcined kernel shell ash, this study uses bagasse from palm kernels as a bio-adsorbent of palm kernel oil for the production of biofuel.</div><div>Using definite screening design (DSD), the procedure was improved by taking into account four factors: reaction temperature, reaction duration, CSKP concentration, and methanol-oil-molar- ratio (MOH/OMR). These variables give rise to thirteen experimental runs. The ability of kernel shell bagasse to function as a bio-adsorbent for the transformation of high-acidity oil into low-acidity oil was demonstrated by the results. K&gt;Mg&gt;Ca&gt;<em>P</em>&gt;Na&gt;Mn was discovered to be present in the developed CSKP. A biofuel yield of 99.73 % (wt/wt.) at a reaction time of 67.574 min, a reaction temperature of 67.116 min, a CKSP of 3.957 % (wt.), and a MOH/OMR of 1:7.989 in 100 outcomes at 100 % desirability were projected using statistical process optimization. Three experimental runs were used to validate the projected value, and an average value of 99.65 % (wt./wt.) was found. The catalyst can be recycled, and the biofuel grade that was created showed a high potential for energy.</div><div>According to the study's findings, palm kernel fruit wastes have the potential to be used as a raw material to make biodiesel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 200-210"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydroxyapatite composite from natural materials prepared by hydrothermal processing","authors":"Krzysztof Kogut ,&nbsp;Krzysztof Kasprzyk ,&nbsp;Ewa Zawadzka ,&nbsp;Joanna Warycha","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a hydrothermal method of obtaining hydroxyapatite (HAp) from natural material – shells of shellfish.</div><div>The method of deriving hydroxyapatite from shellfish shells is based on the interaction between phosphate compounds and shells, which are made of calcium carbonate (aragonite).</div><div>X-Ray, SEM and EDS analysis, electrokinetic potential and electric conductivity measurements, were used to characterize the properties of the material.</div><div>X-Ray analysis confirmed that the hydroxyapatite was created in the process of synthesis of calcium compounds.</div><div>The obtained composite was composed of 1 µm grains forming a microporous structure with an extensive inner surface.</div><div>The zeta potential for the obtained hydroxyapatite composite at pH 7.00 was -7.5 mV and is similar to the potential of the healthy bone.</div><div>The chemical stability analysis of the HAp material was carried out based on the changes in the pH of the simulated body fluid. During the seventeen days of tests the pH was almost unchanged. Electrical conductivity of the distilled water</div><div>at a temperature of 36.5°C was about 0.65 mS.</div><div>Based on the kinetics examinations it will be possible to determine the composite suitability for its application as an implant material in medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 183-188"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improvement of the octane number of petroleum naphtha using a molten salt based thermo-catalytic process","authors":"Boutheina Makhlouf ,&nbsp;Zoulikha Abdelsadek ,&nbsp;Boudjema Hamada ,&nbsp;Patrick J. Masset","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work shows that the molten salt-based catalysts NaCl-AlCl₃ and NaCl-ZnCl₂ are suitable for octane number enhancement. Their effectiveness has been demonstrated based on a set of series of reactions. Indeed, this molten salt based thermo-catalytic process involves the reconstruction of low octane hydrocarbons in naphtha into more valuable high-octane gasoline components. Besides, the molten salt composition has an impact on both quantitative and qualitative composition of products. The classification of the activity for the binary eutectic salts used in this process is: NaCl-ZnCl₂ &gt; NaCl-AlCl₃. The octane number was improved from 60 to 93 points mainly due to an increase in the yield of isoparaffins and aromatics. We demonstrated that this process is very promising as replacement of conventional and cost intensive platin-based catalysts for the octane boosting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 170-182"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An electron beam irradiation treated eco-friendly glucomannan-aloe vera bioplastic sheet with a two-year shelf-life observation","authors":"Muzakky Muzakky ,&nbsp;Erlin Purwita Sari ,&nbsp;Seta Ayu Ningtyas ,&nbsp;Darsono Darsono ,&nbsp;Elin Nuraini ,&nbsp;Herry Poernomo ,&nbsp;Nurul Azizah Kusumaningrum","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foam nets and plastic have become common wrappers for preserving fruit freshness. However, their poor degradability poses environmental hazards and disrupts the natural life cycle. The combination of a glucomannan-Aloe vera blend with electron irradiation offers a smart, biodegradable alternative, addressing these issues. A Glucomannan 99 % and Aloe vera <em>Chinensis Baker blend at</em> 1:30 (w/w) ratio showed the highest resistance to fungal contamination. Furthermore, electron beam irradiation at 135 kGy played an important role in the cross-linking, which improved the mechanical properties of bioplastics, while simultaneously serving as a sterilization method for preservation. The cross-linking process in bioplastics was observed through several key findings after irradiation. FTIR spectra showed the emergence of new peaks at 2350.9 cm^-1 and the disappearance of peaks at 1418.2 cm^-1, indicating CO₂ and H₂O peak shifts, which signify cross-linking at low temperatures. Microscopic observations at 600x magnification showed layers interconnected through walls, forming a structured network that indicates increased physical cross-linking, along with the formation of small bubbles and pore structures. The XRD diffractogram displayed new peaks at 2θ around 31.33°, 35.6°, 38.8°, 44.8°, and 65.2°, confirming an increase in crystallinity after irradiation. SEM analysis further revealed more regular morphological changes in bioplastic sheets, resulting in more uniform shapes. The bioplastic exhibited a tensile strength of approximately 1.84 MPa, meeting the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) Z 1707: 2019 for edible packaging. The swelling test showed a value of 533 %, indicating strong potential as an adsorbent. This edible bioplastic remained mold-free for up to two years and fully composted within three days. Its byproducts could also be repurposed as animal feed to ensure a zero-waste process. This research presents a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging and offers an innovative solution to environmental concerns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 160-169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143453748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Endothermic and exothermic reactions and stagnation point nanofluid flow over a porous stretched surface with a revised Buongiorno model","authors":"R.P. Ashrith ,&nbsp;K.V. Nagaraja ,&nbsp;P. Nimmy ,&nbsp;Pinank Patel ,&nbsp;Ankur Kulshreshta ,&nbsp;J.K. Madhukesh ,&nbsp;Chander Prakash","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Advancements in advanced nanotechnology have significantly enhanced the thermal implications of nanoparticles, given their increasing importance in engineering and thermal extrusion systems.</div><div>Understanding the behavior of biological systems, improvement in industrial processes, and technological development, as well as understanding activation energy in endothermic/exothermic reactions, is crucial nowadays. Thus, the present work aims to assess exothermic or endothermic chemical processes with the activation energy on nanofluid flow along a stretched surface, accounting for Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects. The fourth fifth-order scheme of the Runge Kutta Fehlberg method approach was used to solve the PDEs after they were converted into ODEs using similarity variables. According to the study, the velocity profile increases with velocity ratio parameter values. As chemical reaction and thermophoresis parameters are raised, the temperature falls for endothermic reactions and rises for exothermic reactions; however, the pattern is opposite when the Brownian motion and activation energy parameters are increased. The concentration profile boosts with the thermophoresis parameter and drops as the Brownian motion parameter increases. Skin friction remains constant across various parameters, but heat and mass transfer exhibit variations. The present study provides valuable insights with various practical applications in distinct sectors such as industrial chemical processes, biomedical engineering, thermal management systems, environmental management, energy systems, and environmental engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 141-150"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143376579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using banana peel pectin for antibacterial and photocatalytic applications","authors":"Kazi Suraiya Islam ,&nbsp;Md. Hasnain Mustak ,&nbsp;Md. Khalid Hossain Shishir ,&nbsp;Md. Minnatul Karim ,&nbsp;Gazi Md. Arifuzzaman Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, pectin was extracted from unripe banana peel utilizing a straightforward and unique sonochemical method. The extracted pectin was subsequently employed as an efficient ligand in synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (p-ZnO NPs) through a green chemistry approach. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy to evaluate their purity, size, morphology and crystallinity. The UV–vis analysis revealed absorption peak at 338.0 nm with an optical band gap of 3.08 eV, confirming the synthesis of p-ZnO NPs. The XRD analysis confirmed the formation of phase-pure wurtzite structures in the synthesized p-ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), with an average crystallite size of 28.78 nm. The SEM analysis revealed that the p-ZnO NPs exhibited rod-shaped morphology and the characteristic band observed in FTIR spectroscopy at 476 cm⁻¹. A potential mechanism for the formation of the p-ZnO NPs has been proposed. The photocatalytic activity of the p-ZnO NPs was assessed through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light. The maximum degradation efficiency of MB dye reached 78.5 % after 30.0 mins of UV light exposure. Moreover, the p-ZnO NPs exhibited a significant bactericidal effect against drug-resistant gram-positive <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> but were ineffective against gram-negative <em>Escherichia coli</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 127-140"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143350976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}