Optimization of Palm Oleic Acid Epoxidation via in Situ Generated Performic Acid Using Taguchi Orthogonal Array Design and the Study of Reaction Kinetics

The exploitation of lignocellulosic biomass is receiving an increasing attention due to its renewability, abundance and low price value, and can be converted into various valuable platform compounds such as furfural, lactic acid, formic acid and levulinic acid. Among these products, levulinic acid (LA) is the main compound of biomass hydrolysis, which has been classified by the United States Department of Energy as one of the top-12 promising building blocks. This work reported the transformation of groundnut shell into LA. The production of LA was carried out in a 50 cm3 Teflon lined stainless steel reactor. The LA produced was extracted from the aqueous mixture using ethyl acetate, about 1g of sodium sulphate anhydrous were added to remove the water in the organic layer after the aqueous layer was drained and then heated at a temperature of about 78 oC for the solvent to evaporate and LA was the residue. The production process was optimized using a Taguchi orthogonal array design, with optimum yield of 74.54 % at reaction conditions of temperature (180 °C), time (3.5 h), and acid concentration (0.3 M). The FT-IR spectrum of the produced LA showed absorption at about 1705.13 cm-1 and 3039.91 cm-1 indicating the conjugated carbonyl and the hydroxyl of carboxylic acid functional group. It was recommended that high yields of LA can be achieved across a range of optimization variables as long as two out of the three conditions are met: high acid catalyst concentration, long reaction time or high temperature within the range tested, as LA is relatively stable once formed. Moreover, the results obtained revealed that groundnut shell could be a potential substrate for levulinic acid production. Keywords: Groundnut shell, Levulinic acid, Optimization, Hydrolysis, Taguchi design.

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Formulation Development and Evaluation of Hybrid Nanocarrier for Cancer Therapy: Taguchi Orthogonal Array Based Design

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2013/712678 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Rakesh K. Tekade ◽

Mahavir B. Chougule

Keyword(s):

Aqueous Solution ◽

Cell Line ◽

Orthogonal Array ◽

Solution Concentration ◽

Orthogonal Array Design ◽

Formulation Development ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Array Design ◽

Taguchi Orthogonal Array

Taguchi orthogonal array design is a statistical approach that helps to overcome limitations associated with time consuming full factorial experimental design. In this study, the Taguchi orthogonal array design was applied to establish the optimum conditions for bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanocarrier (ANC) preparation. Taguchi method with L9 type of robust orthogonal array design was adopted to optimize the experimental conditions. Three key dependent factors namely, BSA concentration (% w/v), volume of BSA solution to total ethanol ratio (v : v), and concentration of diluted ethanolic aqueous solution (% v/v), were studied at three levels 3%, 4%, and 5% w/v; 1 : 0.75, 1 : 0.90, and 1 : 1.05 v/v; 40%, 70%, and 100% v/v, respectively. The ethanolic aqueous solution was used to impart less harsh condition for desolvation and attain controlled nanoparticle formation. The interaction plot studies inferred the ethanolic aqueous solution concentration to be the most influential parameter that affects the particle size of nanoformulation. This method (BSA, 4% w/v; volume of BSA solution to total ethanol ratio, 1 : 0.90 v/v; concentration of diluted ethanolic solution, 70% v/v) was able to successfully develop Gemcitabine (G) loaded modified albumin nanocarrier (M-ANC-G) of size25.07±2.81 nm (ζ=-23.03±1.015 mV) as against to78.01±4.99 nm (ζ=-24.88±1.37 mV) using conventional method albumin nanocarrier (C-ANC-G). Hybrid nanocarriers were generated by chitosan layering (solvent gelation technique) of respective ANC to form C-HNC-G and M-HNC-G of sizes125.29±5.62 nm (ζ=12.01±0.51 mV) and46.28±2.21 nm (ζ=15.05±0.39 mV), respectively. Zeta potential, entrapment,in vitrorelease, and pH-based stability studies were investigated and influence of formulation parameters are discussed. Cell-line-based cytotoxicity assay (A549andH460cells) and cell internalization assay (H460cell line) were performed to assess the influence on the bioperformance of these nanoformulations.

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