2021, Volume 67(71), Issue 2 (June)

Contents

pages 1- 8   Download

Lycopene – Background, Perspectives and Challenges in Dermato-Cosmetic Formulas

DELIA TURCOV, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania
ANCA ZBRANCA, “Grigore T.Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Bioengineering, Iași, Romania
LĂCRĂMIOARA RUSU, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, Faculty of Engineering, Bacău, Romania
DANIELA ȘUTEU, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania, danasuteu67@yahoo.com

pages 9 - 21   Download
Abstract
In the dermato-cosmetic formulation, the antioxidants have gained an almost permanent place based on strong scientific arguments. The most of the antioxidant ingredients enriched formulas are intended for antiaging skincare products, even though in a wide variety of presentation forms, these have no special indications and are limited to daily skincare routine for healthy skin. Nevertheless, there is an increasing interest for antioxidant compounds also for dermatocosmetic products with medical indications for acne, rosacea, and seborrheic dermatitis. Therefore, finding new resources or fructification of any discovered source of antioxidant compounds have led to increasing the researches related to performance, stability, efficiency and quality of extraction methods. Special attention to indigenous plant resources, economical and rich in antioxidant active ingredients is as well inherent but also incipient, if we have to consider the amount of well-known but still unexploited active ingredients.
Keywords: antioxidant effects; dermatocosmetic products; lycopene characterization; lycopene extraction methods

Observations on the Spinning Disc Micromixing Characteristics

EUGENIA TEODORA IACOB TUDOSE, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania, et_tudose@yahoo.com

pages 23 - 32   Download
Abstract
The spinning disc technology is one of the most versatile process intensification techniques used in different application fields. The intense micromixing is one of the strong features the spinning disc is used for. The current study includes experimental data related to the dispersion number values, obtained at different working parameters, namely the feeding liquid flow rate and the disc rotational speed. These were used to calculate the characteristic SD micromixing times, found to decrease faster with the disc rotational speed increase, especially at smaller flowrates. The shear stress is increasing fast with the rotational speed and varies with the disc radial position. Furthermore, the residence time has the smallest values at the highest rotational speeds and liquid flowrates. Thus, despite the increased micromixing obtained at large rotational speeds, the corresponding shorter residence time can be a restricting factor, since the processed liquid cannot take advantage of the enhanced turbulence.
Keywords: diffusion coefficient; indented surface; micromixing time; residence time; shear stress

Researches Regarding the Monitoring of Underground Water Quality in Vulnerable Communities to Nitrate Pollution from Agricultural Sources in Botoșani County, Romania

ALINA AGAFIȚEI, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, Iași, Romania, alinaagafitei@yahoo.com
VASILE LUCIAN PAVEL, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, Iași, Romania
VALENTIN BOBOC, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, Iași, Romania

pages 33 - 38   Download
Abstract
The object of the national water monitoring programs is the evaluation and control of their quality. Monitoring data can be used to establish initial conditions, final pollutant concentrations, but most of the time they cannot be used to identify the stages and processes that occur during pollution. In Botoşani County, a number of four communes were diagnosed as vulnerable areas. This paper presents the results of the groundwater quality monitoring in the period 2012 – 2019, in a number of 37 wells, located both in vulnerable areas, and in zones diagnosed as not being vulnerable. The selected parameters for the monitoring are the indicators of the nutrient regime: concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and ammonium ions. By processing filed data, there is observed a decrease in the nitrate ions concentration from two wells, during 2017 year. It was found that in 2017 – 2019 there was a deterioration of its quality in terms of the ammonium indicator, and in some localities both regarding nitrite and nitrate parameters. Following the research carried out, we have proposed a detailed action program for each area analyzed separately.
Keywords: monitoring; nitrate; pollution; underground; water quality

Qualitative Assessment of Polyphenols Extracted from Fucus Spiralis Biomass Through High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography

CĂTĂLINA FILOTE, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania
OANA TEODORA CIUPERCĂ, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania, Research and Processing Centre for Medicinal Plants PLANTAVOREL SA, Piatra Neamţ, Romania
IRINA VOLF, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania, iwolf@tuiasi.ro

pages 39 - 49   Download
Abstract
Marine macroalgae biomass is a valuable resource of bioactive molecules and has received increased attention from the scientific community with the goal to generate high-tech bioproducts. Polyphenols represent one of these group of fine molecules that can be obtained from macroalgae. Quantitative as well as qualitative extracts are of utmost importance for the development of good macroalgal bioproducts. In this context, in order to contribute to the current undergoing research, the present study focuses on the assessment of polyphenols profile of extracts generated in an ultrasounds-assisted extraction from Fucus spiralis brown macroalgae. The qualitative analysis carried out through high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) aims to point out the presence of polyphenolic compounds from phenol-carboxylic acids to flavonoids and tannins.
Keywords: brown algae; polyphenols; ultrasounds-assisted extraction extracts; thin layer chromatographyphy

Thiolated Chitosan for Biomedical Application

IOLANDA FUSTEȘ-DĂMOC, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania
CĂTĂLINA ANIȘOARA PEPTU, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania, catipeptu@tuiasi.ro
TEODOR MĂLUȚAN, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iaşi, Romania

pages 51 - 62   Download
Abstract
The chitosan is synthesized from chitin by partially de-acetylation. The free amino groups are very important in chitosan modifications. The biodegradability, non-toxicity, bacteriostatic and biocompatibility proprieties represent the reasons why it is promising in different applications. The functionalization with thiol groups with different reagents improved its qualities. The Elman’s reagent method, the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra, the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)have shown improvements of the characteristics according to the reagents used. In vivo studies have indicated the high degree of viability of cells tested with thiolated chitosan or formulations based on thiolated chitosan. The modified chitosan is used for nanoparticles, liposomes coating due the strong mucoadhesive properties and in the compositions of hydrogels, matrix tablets, hydrogels and nanoparticles for drug release over different mucous membranes in various diseases, for antibacterial activity or for wastewater treatment like as bio-sorbent for methyl orange.
Keywords: thiolated derivates; biodegradability; mucoadhesive; biocompatibility; drug release

Evaluation of the Drying Process of Some Varnishes and Paints Applied on Fir Wood

ANDREEA MIHĂILĂ, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania, andreea.mihaila910@yahoo.com
CĂTĂLIN LISA, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania
IOAN MĂMĂLIGĂ, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania
GABRIELA LISA, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, Iași, Romania

pages 63 - 72   Download
Abstract
Given the growing interest shown by the population in the restoration and redecoration of their dwelling spaces, wood is a material that has been increasingly used both in exterior constructions and for interior finishing works. The most important stage in the obtaining of a coat of paint able to protect wood is the drying process, which results in a coat of paint, called film, which strongly adheres to the surface of the wood. In order to analyse the drying process and to determine the effective diffusion coefficients, respectively, we applied three types of alkyd paint available on the market: a Teflon protective varnish (SLT), yacht varnish (LYP) and superglossy enamel (ESI) on dried fir-wood disks which were 5 mm in diameter. The drying process and the formation of the film itself were achieved using a Mettler Toledo TGA-SDTA851e device, under constant temperature. The effective diffusion coefficient values obtained ranged between 0.4·10-12 and 2.4·10-12 m2/s. The theoretical models achieved show higher deviations in the case of the SLT samples. The cause of these deviations may be the complex composition of the paint film but also the fact a "skin effect" film is formed after drying at linear decreasing speed, which prevents solvent diffusion.
Keywords: Paint; drying process; effective diffusion coefficient; theoretical models; skin effect