Physicochemical Characterization of Home-Made Soap from Waste-Used Frying Oils

Waste cooking oils as a sustainable feedstock for bio-based application: A systematic review

Waste cooking oils (WCOs) are common wastes and promising green, eco-friendly and sustainable feedstocks for bio-based applications. While the primary valorisation strategy revolves around the concept of waste-to energy, new research trends have emerged in the last decade. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the art in the conversion of WCOs into bio-based molecules. Based on the PRISMA methodology, 64 papers were selected using different databases and sources, such as: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and MDPI. The data extraction process focused on studies reporting the biological and chemical conversion of WCOs into value-added bioproducts. Many of the selected publications deal with the development of bioactive molecules, including biosurfactants, with application in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and bioremediation. Bioconversion processes mainly featured engineered Yarrowia lipolytica and Escherichia coli strains, even if additional microorganisms were also employed. In the same way, different chemical processes have been thoroughly studied. A smaller segment of research is directed to the production of feed supplements and soaps. Regulatory constraints limit further development in feed supplements due to potential contaminants, while soap production needs further stability studies. The present systematic review shows promising outcomes in the valorisation of WCOs through the development of value-added molecules and products. Despite the wide range of applications, these findings identify that the scalability and economic sustainability of the selected processes require further investigation. This study seeks to summarize the current state of the art and identify potential gaps to advance the industrialization of WCOs valorisation.

The synergistic effect of waste cooking oil and endod (Phytolacca dodecandra) on the production of high-grade laundry soap

A green viewpoint based on the production of soap using waste products such waste cooking oils (WCOs) and Endod (Phytolacca dodecandra) is presented. The process of saponification, which involves reacting triglycerides with fats and oils in an alkaline solution, produces soap. With the help of WCO and Endod as manufacturing inputs, this study intends to create high-quality, commercially viable eco-friendly soaps. The optimal blend of WCO and Endod with sodium hydroxide solution was used in the current investigation to create laundry soaps. Evaluations were done on the cleansing effects and physico-chemical makeup of prepared soap. As a reference control, the raw oil soaps made without and with frying were employed. The free caustic alkali content, chloride content, moisture content, ethanol-insoluble-matter, total fatty matter, pH, and foam height values of the prepared soap were found to be in the range of 0%, 0%, 16.56-22.52%, 0.1-3.05%, 63.41-75.46%, 9.22-9.82%, and 3.3-8.1 cm respectively. The results obtained by blending fried WCOs and Endod were comparable to the Physico-chemical properties of the Endod-free uncooked/fresh oil soap. The soap made by blending WCO and Endod has higher cleansing power and better lather formation than the prepared soap with WCO without Endod. Moreover, the observed data are comparable with similar data reported in other literature, recommended acceptable standards (EAS, CES), and from many countries including the British, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Cooking oils fried at different temperatures do not have much effect on the quality of soap making. This suggested that the blending of WCOs and Endod can be used as raw materials to prepare high-quality and economically feasible soaps by replacing imported oils and fats.

Suitability of some well water for different human uses by studying some physicochemical properties

The present study is carried out to identify (pH, EC, TDS, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium Ca, magnesium Mg, sulfate SO4, chloride Cl,) and Mpn cell / 100ml Total number of coliform bacteria of groundwater indicators in some wells within villages of Al-Dhuluiya, Al-Alam in Salahuddin and wells from Kayara (Al-Jawaana and Al-Jadaa villages). Four wells were studied for two seasons from November, December 2016 and January 2017. Results of this study showed that there was a seasonal variation in some chemical and physical factors. The groundwater was neutral because pH values were ranged (7-8.6). Electrical conductivity values were between (2543-50305) micro siemens. Total hardness values were within permissible limits (1200-2800 mg/L). Calcium and magnesium hardness between (1000-1950) mg /L, (100-1282) mg /L, respectively. Total dissolved solids were between (261-3245). Chloride ions (Cl-) in groundwater of studied samples were within the permissible limits for watering of animals and irrigation of plants, with values range (79-259 mg/l) and sulfate values were in range (460-1055) mg/L. The total number of coliform were between (3-240) cell/100 ml.

Environmental impact of increased soap consumption during COVID-19 pandemic: Biodegradable soap production and sustainable packaging

A year into the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the role of washing hands with soap and hand disinfectants is unavoidable as a primary way to control the infection spread in communities and healthcare facilities. The extraordinary surge in demand for handwashing products has led to environmental concerns. Since soaps are complex mixtures of toxic and persistent active ingredients, the prudent option is to promote eco-friendly replacements for the current products. On the other hand, with the increase in soap packaging waste production, soap packaging waste management and recycling become essential to reduce environmental impact. This systematic review aimed to collect some recent methods for identifying biodegradable and sustainable raw materials to produce and package cleaning agents, especially soap.

Special Issue: The Application of Microorganisms in Wastewater Treatment

Today, water is an integral part of the course of our lives, from the operation and maintenance of households to extensive industrial and agricultural use [...]

PROBLEMS OF SOAPSTOCK TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE OIL PRODUCTIONS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

Wastewater generated during vegetable oil production contains various pollutants that enter it during soapstock processing: fats and fatty acids and their salts (aqueous soap solutions), glycerin, phosphoglycerates, neutral fat, phosphatides, proteins, carbohydrates, dyes, unsaponifiable and waxy substances, salts, mechanical impurities, etc. Aim. The purpose of the work was to study the processes of purification of industrial wastewater from oil production and to propose an effective technology for their treatment, taking into account the regulatory requirements for the discharge of treated wastewater into the city sewage system. Methods. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was determined by the dichromate method. The concentration of suspended solids was determined by gravimetric method. Results. As a result of research, calcium carbonate was chosen as an alkaline reagent. After treatment of soapstock with calcium carbonate followed by flotation, the effect of removing the suspended particles was 70–75%, and COD decreased by 60%. On the basis of the research, a technology for processing soapstock was proposed, including sequential processes of physicochemical wastewater treatment —averaging, alkalization with calcium carbonate, stage I of flotation, coagulation, stage II of flotation, oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, filtration through quartz filters and adsorption on carbon filters. Conclusion. An effective technology for preliminary cleaning of the soapstocks oil production has been developed. This will significantly reduce the concentration of organic matter and other pollutants in soapstocks, which will significantly reduce the impact of such effluents on the processes of biological wastewater treatment of urban wastewater treatment plants.

A Study on Circular Economy Material Using Fish Scales as a Natural Flame Retardant and the Properties of Its Composite Materials

Fish scales (FSs) are fishery wastes that can cause environmental pollution. This study aimed to solve this environmental problem. FSs were used as a flame retardant for polymer materials, making them valuable. Fish scales were combined with a commercial flame retardant, ammonium polyphosphate (APP), through synergistic effects to reduce the amount of commercial flame retardant. The use of FSs conforms to the concept of a circular economy and lowers costs by reducing the consumption of APP. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), integral procedural decomposition temperature (IPDT), pyrolysis kinetics, limiting oxygen index (LOI), the Underwriters Laboratories 94 (UL94) flammability test, scanning election microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to determine the thermal properties, flame retardant properties, flame retardant mechanism, char morphology, and composition of the composites. The TGA results indicated that the addition of 40% flame retardant raised the char residue from 16.45 wt.% (pure EP) to 36.07 wt.%; IPDT from 685.6 °C (pure EP) to 1143.1°C; LOI from 21% (pure EP) to 30%; and UL94 classification from fail (pure EP) to V-0. These results suggest an increase in char residue, which indicates better protection of the polymer matrix material. The improvements in IPDT, LOI, and UL94 classification, which indicate greater thermal stability, lower flammability (from flammable to fireproof), and higher flammability rating (from fail to V-0), respectively, suggest that the composite material has favorable thermal properties and is less inflammable.

Reused Plant Fried Oil: A Case Study with Home-Made Soaps

The study aimed to analyze the possibility of waste frying oil utilization in home-made soap production. Soaps were made from unheated and fried rapeseed, sunflower and palm oils that had total polar material (TPM) values up to 24%. Physicochemical and microbial analyses were performed on produced samples to check their quality. The hardness increased with the degradation level of rapeseed and palm oils, and opposite findings were obtained for sunflower-made soaps. The highest malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were recorded for sunflower oil-made samples, with the maximum of 6.61 µg/g, and the lowest for the palm oil-made samples, with the maximum of 0.94 µg/g. The antimicrobial assessment showed no significant (p > 0.05) differences between control soap samples and soaps made of oils with the highest TPM value. Gram-positive bacteria (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: MRSA) were the most sensitive chosen microorganisms, compared to Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. The obtained results did not show exact differences between experimentally produced soap samples from fried or not fried oils; these findings highlight the potential of home-made soap production from this byproduct.