Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Analysis of Co-pyrolysis of Waste Coconut Husk and Laminated Plastic Packaging

Co-pyrolysis of plastic with biomass was used in the possible mitigation of environmental health problems associated with plastic waste. The pyrolysis method possessed the highest solution in the reduction of waste problems. Fuel oil can be produced through the pyrolysis of plastic and biomass waste. Many researchers used pyrolysis technology to produce a suitable amount of pyrolytic oil through different optimization techniques. This study will predict the percentage mass oil yield using an artificial neural network. It uses an input layer, hidden layer and an output layer. Three input factors for the input layer were (i) temperature, (ii) particle size, and (iii) percentage coconut husk. The structure has one hidden layer with two neurons. The artificial neural network was designed to predict the percentage oil yield after 15 pyrolysis runs set by the Box-Behnken design of the experiment. Percentage oil yields after pyrolysis were calculated. Results showed that temperature and percentage of coconut husk significantly influenced the percentage oil yield. Predicted values from simulation in the artificial neural network showed a good agreement through a correlation coefficient of 99.5%. The actual percentage oil yield overlaps the predicted values, which ANN demonstrates as a viable solution.

CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DE SUBSTRATO DE FIBRA DE CASCA DE COCO APÓS O CULTIVO HIDROPÔNICO DE PIMENTÃO COM ÁGUA DE REÚSO E DIFERENTES LÂMINAS DE SOLUÇÃO NUTRITIVA

CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DE SUBSTRATO DE FIBRA DE CASCA DE COCO APÓS O CULTIVO HIDROPÔNICO DE PIMENTÃO COM ÁGUA DE REÚSO E DIFERENTES LÂMINAS DE SOLUÇÃO NUTRITIVA1 RENATA DA SILVA CUBA DE CARVALHO2; MARA RÚBIA MENDES DE MELO3; fRANCIELLY GUIEIRO GOMES DE SOUSA4; luís roberto almeida gabriel filho5; antonio evaldo klar6 E hélio grassi filho7 1Trabalho originado da tese de doutorado do primeiro autor intitulada: “Cultivo de pimentão em sistema hidropônico com água de reúso em diferentes níveis de disponibilidade de água no substrato”. 2Doutora, Programa de Pós-graduação em Agronomia – Irrigação e Drenagem, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Universitária, 3780, CEP 18610-034, Altos do Paraíso, Botucatu-SP, Brasil, [email protected]. 3 Doutoranda, Programa de Pós- graduação em Agronomia, Departamento de Produção e Melhoramento Vegetal. Faculdade de Ciências Agronômica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua José Barbosa de Barros, 1780. CEP: 18.610-307, Botucatu-SP - Brasil. E-mail: [email protected]. 4Doutora, Programa de Pós- graduação em Agronomia – Irrigação e Drenagem, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Universitária, 3780, CEP 18610-034, Altos do Paraíso, Botucatu-SP, [email protected]. 5 Professor Associado do Departamento de Gestão, Desenvolvimento e Tecnologia da Faculdade de Ciências e Engenharia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Domingos da Costa Lopes,780, Jardim Itaipu, 17602-496, Tupã-SP, Brasil, [email protected]. 6 Professor Emérito do Departamento de Engenharia Rural da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Universitária, 3780, CEP 18610-034, Altos do Paraíso, Botucatu-SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected]. 7 Professor Titular do Departamento de Solos e Recursos Ambientais da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Universitária, 3780, CEP 18610-034, Altos do Paraíso, Botucatu-SP, Brasil, [email protected]. 1 RESUMO Este trabalho objetivou caracterizar a partir de análises físicas e químicas, o substrato de fibra de casca de coco antes e após o seu uso com a cultura do pimentão, cultivada em vasos com solução nutritiva preparada com água de reúso e água potável e diferentes lâminas de reposição dessa solução (100, 75 e 50% da evapotranspiração da cultura). O cultivo foi realizado em ambiente protegido ao longo de 175 dias, em vasos com capacidade volumétrica de 15 L, preenchidos com fibra de casca de coco. A cada 30 dias mediu-se o pH e a condutividade elétrica do substrato em laboratório. Após a colheita das plantas, foram coletadas amostras do substrato, com as quais avaliaram-se as características químicas e físicas: condutividade elétrica, pH, teores de NH4+, NO3-, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, capacidade de troca catiônica (CTC), capacidade de retenção de água (10kPA) e densidade volumétrica seca. A reposição de solução nutritiva no substrato através da evapotranspiração da cultura proporcionou aumento dos teores de nutrientes, condutividade elétrica, CTC do substrato e densidade. Os maiores valores desses parâmetros foram verificados para os tratamentos cultivados com solução nutritiva preparada com água de reúso. Palavras chave: salinização, nutrientes, água residuária, hidroponia, efluente. CARVALHO, R. S. C.; MELO, M. R. M.; GOMES, F. G.; GABRIEL FILHO, L. R. A.; KLAR, A. E.; GRASSI FILHO, H. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF IN COCONUT HUSK FIBER SUBSTRATE AFTER THE CULTIVATION OF PEPPER IN A HYDROPONIC SYSTEM WITH WATER REUSE AND DIFFERENT DEPHTS OF NUTRIENT SOLUTION 2 ABSTRACT This work aimed to characterize the physical and chemical characteristics of the coconut husk fiber substrate before and after its use with the pepper crop, cultivated in pots with a nutritive solution prepared with reuse and drinking water and different depths of this solution replenishment (100, 75 and 50% of crop evapotranspiration). Cultivation was conducted in pots greenhouse with a volumetric capacity of 15 L, filled with coconut husk fiber. The plants were grown for 175 days and every 30 days, the pH and electrical conductivity of the substrate were measured in the laboratory. After the plants were harvested, samples of the substrate were collected and the chemical and physical characteristics were evaluated: electrical conductivity, pH, NH4 +, NO3-, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cl, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, cation exchange capacity (CTC), water retention capacity (10kPA), and dry bulk density. The replacement of the nutrient solution in the substrate through crop evapotranspiration provided an increase in nutrient content, electrical conductivity, CTC of substrate and density. The highest values for theses parameters were verified ​​for the treatments cultivated with nutritive solution prepared with water reuse. Keywords: salinization, nutrients, wastewater, hydroponic, effluent.

Assessment of Thermophysical and Mechanical Properties of Composite Panels Fabricated from Untreated and Treated Coconut Husk Particles for Structural Application

Large quantities of coconut husks generated are under-utilized. In developing countries, this situation warrants their disposal by open burning or indiscriminate dumping. Either practice adversely affects the environment and public health. In this study, test samples were fabricated from untreated coconut husk particles (UCP) at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% weight proportions with treated coconut husk particles (TCP) using epoxy resin as binder. Five representative samples were prepared per formulation and then subjected to various intended tests. The test results revealed water absorption, bulk density, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, nailability, flexural strength, and compressive strength to be (24.88 ± 0.04) %, (459.78 ± 0.05) kgm-3, (0.0867 ± 0.0001) Wm-1K-1, (1573.76 ± 1.14) Jkg-1K-1, (1.198 ± 0.002) x 10-7 m2s-1, (100.0 ± 0.0) %, (11.94 ± 0.03) N/mm2, and (22.86 ± 0.04) N/mm2 respectively for the control sample with UCP content. Also, the respective values of the properties were (29.05 ± 0.06) %, (583.87 ± 0.05) kgm-3, (0.1009 ± 0.0002) Wm-1K-1, (1402.66 ± 1.45) Jkg-1K-1, (1.232 ± 0.004) x 10-7 m2s-1, (100.0 ± 0.0) %, (14.58 ± 0.03) N/mm2, and (33.27 ± 0.02) N/mm2 for the counterpart sample containing the TCP. All the samples showed better tendencies for thermal insulation performance compared to conventional ceilings like plywood, PVC, and asbestos. Thus, utilization of coconut husks as described in this study could alternatively help to solve the disposal problems of such wastes while availing building industries with suitable raw materials to manufacture cost-effective heat-insulating ceilings.

A Modified Lysimeter Study for Phyto-Treatment of Moderately Saline Wastewater Using Plant-Derived Filter Bedding Materials

The present study focuses on determining the phyto-treatment efficiency for treatment of moderately saline wastewater using organic raw materials, such as rice husk, coconut husk, rice straw, and charcoal. The moderately saline wastewater with total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration up to 6143.33 ± 5.77 mg/L was applied to the lysimeters at the rate of 200 m3 ha–1 day–1 in five different lysimeter treatments planted with Eucalyptus camaldulensis (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5). T1 was a control without any filter bedding material, whereas rice straw, rice husk, coconut husk, and charcoal were used as filter bedding materials in the T2, T3, T4, and T5 treatment systems, respectively. Each treatment showed significant treatment efficiency wherein T3 had the highest removal efficiency of 76.21% followed by T4 (67.57%), T5 (65.18%), T2 (46.46%), and T1 (45.5%). T3 and T4 also showed higher salt accumulation, such as sodium (Na) and potassium (K). Further, the pollution load in terms of TDS and chemical and biological oxygen demand significantly reduced from leachate in the T3 and T4 treatments in comparison with other treatments. Parameters of the soil, such as electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage, and cation exchange capacity did not show values corresponding to high salinity or sodic soils, and therefore, no adverse impact on soil was observed in the present study. Also, Eucalyptus camaldulensis plant species showed good response to wastewater treatment in terms of growth parameters, such as root/shoot weight and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) uptake, plant height, biomass, and chlorophyll content. Root and shoot dry weight were in the order T3 (51.2 and 44.6 g)>T4 (49.3 and 43.5 g) > T5 (47.6 and 40.5 g) > T2 (46.9 and 38.2 g) > T1 (45.6 and 37.1 g). Likewise, the total chlorophyll content was highest in T3 (12.6 μg/g) followed by T4 (12.3 μg/g), T5 (11.9 μg/g), T2 (11.5 μg/g), and the control, that is, T1 (11.0 μg/g). However, the most promising results were obtained for T3 and T4 treatments in comparison with the control (T1), which implies that, among all organic raw materials, coconut and rice husks showed the highest potential for salt accumulation and thereby wastewater treatment. Conclusively, the findings of the study suggest that organic raw material–based amendments are useful in managing the high salts levels in both plants and leachates.