SIMULATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION PROCESS OF OIL POLLUTION IN SHALLOW WATER

The paper covers the research of microbiological destruction processes of petroleum origin pollutants in a shallow water taking into account a number of determining factors that affect the distribution of pollution in the researched water area: the oil fractional composition, the processes of evaporation, dissolution, biological oxidation of petro-hydrocarbons by microorganisms, as well as hydrodynamic and chemical-biological features of the water. A complex of interrelated spatially inhomogeneous mathematical models was proposed that allow researching the dynamics of microbiological destruction processes of petroleum hydrocarbons in shallow water. Schemes with weight taking into account the partial filling of computational cells of the simulated domain were developed at model discretization that made it possible to significantly increase the accuracy of calculations and reduce the calculation time. Based on a multiprocessor computer system, experimental software has been developed for predictive modeling of the ecological situation of shallow water in the event of accidental pollution by oil and other harmful substances during natural and technogenic challenges.

Bioplastic: An accost towards sustainable development

In the current era, plastic has become a global environmental menace affecting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Regular plastic resilient nature towards decomposition, and it pollutes the environment. Conventional plastic is widely used in various industrial setups with no alternate substitute available. The quest to find an alternate solution to the emerging problem development of bioplastic that is eco-friendlier and adds no pollution to the environment has been much focussed. Bioplastic is plastic synthesized from renewable biomass sources rather than petroleum origin. The development of bioplastic of microbial origin will be a promising innovation to keep our world plastic-free and promote sustainability. It can be degraded easily and gets broken down into carbon dioxide, biomass, and water rapidly. The present reviews highlight the sources of microbial-derived bioplastic, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), extraction methodologies, optimization strategies to improve yield, degradation, application areas, present challenges, and prospects in production. We have also provided a brief insight into gene and gene clusters responsible for bioplastic production. Overall, the article will provide a comprehensive update on bioplastic to help mitigate our current problem associated with conventional plastic usage.

Abiogenic and Biogenic Petroleum Origin: A Common Theory for Geological Surveys

Biogenic and abiogenic origins of petroleum are a pertinent problem today, which have been examined in this article including the current state of theories and experimental facts. The paper provides an overview of works on this subject over the past decade. As analysis of scientific research efforts, majority of scientists suggest that petroleum is organic in origin. The second theory also includes reliable facts and hypotheses about the existence of abiogenic hydrocarbons. This origin is associated with tectonic geological processes, in particular, orogenesis, rifting, excessive releases, erosion, sediment deposition, deep gas releases, etc. The results of experimental studies, the existing concepts presented in this review, show that despite disagreements between the proponents of both theories, common beliefs remain prevalent, namely, about the process of hydrocarbons formation both on Earth and other objects of the solar system. The analysis concludes that the consolidation of these theories is of high scientific interest and has great potential for confirmation of numerous hypotheses, facts from the scientific point of view and the search for alternative energy sources due to environmental and economic issues associated with the impoverishment of natural resources. This review study is valuable for generalising various scientific theories, which can be used for future research efforts and modelling new ideas about the origin of hydrocarbons.

Study of the Use of Sawdust and Mycelium Composite as a Substitute of EPS

Expanded polystyrene foams are a petroleum-origin material that is usually used in some applications such as motorcyclist helmets. Despite it notably mechanical properties, it low density and its capability to absorb energy during an impact, it is necessary to find a renewable-origin substitute material. Thus, it has been studied the use of a sawdust and mycelium composite material under quasi-static and dynamic efforts. Sawdust is a waste material that has very small grains that are totally disaggregated so it has very low material properties. The use of oyster mushroom mycelium generates an internal structure that joins grains and, consequently, the resultant material has notably high mechanical properties. Then it has been compared the resultant properties (stress-strain curve, absorbed energy, decelerations, etc.) with the different densities EPS ones and it has been concluded that this composite material, despite it high density, it could be a suitable substitute material and in some cases it has better properties.

Bioremediation of soil polluted with oil

Microplastics have reached all corners of our planet, including soil and water. Plastic-degrading bacteria are seen as a promising, environmentally friendly tool for the bioremediation of soil polluted with microplastics. The petroleum origin of plastics makes them candidates for bioremediation analogous to the bioremediation of soil polluted with oil and its derivatives. A mud pit, located near the village of Turija, used for mud formation for the lubrication of drill pipes for drilling rigs, ended up polluted with oil and its derivatives. It was bioremediated using the in situ procedure. The content of n-hexane extractable substance, total petroleum hydrocarbon, dry substance, and loss on ignition were analyzed.

Hydrogen application in internal combustion engines

A technical solution has been proposed to reduce the consumption of basic hydrocarbon fuel, to improve the technical, economic and environmental performance of internal combustion engines by affecting the combustion process of the fuel-air mixture with a minimum effective mass fraction of hydrogen additive in the fuel-air mixture. The burning rate of hydrogen-air mixtures is an order of magnitude greater than the burning rate of similar mixtures based on gasoline or diesel fuel, compared with the former, they are favorably distinguished by their greater detonation stability. With minimal additions of hydrogen to the fuel-air charge, its combustion time is significantly reduced, since hydrogen, having previously mixed with a portion of the air entering the cylinder and burning itself, effectively ignites the mixture in its entirety. Issues related to the accumulation of hydrogen on board the car, its storage, explosion safety, etc., significantly inhibit the development of mass production of cars using hydrogen fuel. The described technical solution allows the generation of hydrogen on board the car and without accumulation to use it as an additive to the main fuel in internal combustion engines. The technical result is to reduce the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels (of petroleum origin) and increase the environmental friendliness of the car due to the reduction of the emission of harmful substances in exhaust gases.