This study focuses on alcoholic Sacharomyces cerevisiae yeast fermentation of suspensions from Ulva lactuca sp. powder, after the enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides with Aspergillus niger cellulase. Bioethanol production from algae is a complex process, depending mainly on the content of fermentable sugars in the raw material. The drying process is an important step in treating fresh algae harvested from the sea, in order to prevent algae gelling. In order to investigate the effect of process factors, a 2 4 factorial experiment was designed. The effect of the following factors was studied: solid to liquid ratio (S = 1/12 and 1/24), cellulase ratio (U = 8 and 16 U/g d.m.), alcoholic fermentation temperature (t = 25 and 35 °C) and mean particle diameter (M = 304 and 1279 µm). The mathematical model predicting the yield of volatile compounds (V) and ethanol (E) in g/g d.m. was obtained by regression.

Removal of some pollutants (Basra, Azeri, and Rebco crude oils, diesel, gasoline, and 1/1 (w/w) diesel-gasoline mixture) from water by sorption using Romanian Merino wool as a natural sorbent was studied in this paper. Batch experiments were conducted at different levels of initial sorbent mass (1 and 3 g), oily water pH (5 and 10), and operating temperature (30 and 45 �C). The effects of these factors on wool sorption capacity were evaluated. The sorption capacity of more viscous fuels (crude oils), i.e., 4.13-21.87 g/g, increased with an increase in oily water pH and a decrease in initial sorbent mass and temperature. For less viscous pollutants (diesel, gasoline, and their mixture), the sorption capacity (3.32-9.19 g/g) increased with a decrease in sorbent mass, the effects of pH and temperature being negligible. Experimental results were processed according to a 2 3 factorial plan and regression equations between the process factors and sorption capacity were obtained. SEM analysis revealed that the removal process was governed by both adsorption and absorption mechanisms.

Romanian Merino wool was tested as a natural sorbent for oil spill cleanup. Rebco crude oil placed in distilled water was used as an oily water model. Experiments of batch sorption were performed under various conditions. The effects of process factors, i.e., initial density of packed bed sorbent (0.05-0.99 g/cm3), initial volume ratio of oil and water (0.25 and 0.14 cm3/cm3), and contact surface between adsorbent and oily water, on wool sorption capacity (6.4-11.8 g/g) were evaluated. Experimental data were fitted using pseudo-first order rate and pseudo-second order rate models.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of dried Cystoseira barbata alga for ethanol production through alcoholic fermentation. The influence of the main factors affecting the fermentation are studied in the frame of a 23 factorial experimental plan. The main factors influencing the process are the fermentation temperature (t from 25 °C to 35 °C), the solid to liquid ratio (S/L from 0.040 g/g to 0.080 g/g), and the cellulase ratio (R from 8 U/g d.m to 16 U/g d.m.). The maximum volatile compounds yield of 0.2808 g/g d.m and ethanol yield of 0.0158 g/g d.m were favored by the following experimental conditions: process temperature of 35 °C, solid to liquid ratio of 0.0415, and enzyme ratio of 16 U/g d.m. A statistical model was used to correlate the product yield with the process factors. Additionally, 19 interesting bioactive compounds were found in the enzymatic hydrolysis and alcoholic fermentation broths which seem likely to maintain natural defence mechanisms against diseases and physical disorders.