Mark Daniel G. de Luna
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Comparison of Dimethyl Sulfoxide Degradation by Different Fenton Processes. Chemical Engineering Journal, 232: 418–424, October 2013.
Degradation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was examined under varying parameters, including initial pH, initial Fe2+, initial H2O2, initial DMSO concentrations and current density. Efficiency in terms of degradation of DMSO and removal of total organic carbon (TOC) was also compared among Fenton, photo-Fenton and photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) processes. Effects of inorganic ions, namely Cl–, F– and PO3-4 , on DMSO degradation by the electro-Fenton (EF) process were also studied. The experimental results showed that the optimum pH was 2. The DMSO degradation in the double-cathode EF reactor reached 100% when current density and Fe2+ concentration exceeded 1.5 A and 2.0 mM, respectively. During DMSO degradation, application of electricity by EF process obtained a higher DMSO degradation rate compared to UV-assisted Fenton process. The DMSO degradation rate after 20 min was 2.5 times higher in the PEF process than in the Fenton process. Between 20 min and 120 min, the DMSO degradation rates of the Fenton, photo-Fenton, single-cathode EF, double-cathode EF and PEF processes differed by 34%, 50%, 62%, 57% and 59%, respectively. The rate constant of double-cathode EF process was six times higher than the conventional Fenton process. The order of inhibiting effects of inorganic ions on DMSO degradation was PO3-4 > F– > Cl–.
Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385894713010267
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 4.058
Mark Daniel G. de Luna
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Factors Affecting Fenton Oxidation of Acetaminophen in a Fluidized-Bed Reactor. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 140 (1): 77-83, January 2014.
The effects of important parameters, Fe2+, H2O2 and initial acetaminophen concentrations, on the initial rate and efficiency of ACT degradation in the electro-Fenton (EF) and photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) processes were investigated. The effect of organic acids on the degradation of ACT molecules was also studied. Experimental results show that the initial rate and removal efficiency of ACT in the EF and PEF processes varied insignificantly with Fe2+ concentration. The initial rate and removal efficiency of ACT in the PEF process were higher than those in the EF process. At a high initial ACT concentration, the initial rate of ACT degradation in the EF process was lower than that in the PEF process. Acetic acid improved ACT degradation efficiency while malonic and oxalic acids reduced it. Oxalic acid exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, reducing ACT degradation efficiency by 18%. In the presence of oxalic acid in solution, EF yielded a degradation efficiency of 79%, which should be compared to efficiencies of 9% and 3%, for the fluidized-bed and conventional Fenton processes, respectively, showing that the EF process involves beneficial Fe2+ regeneration.
Link to the article: http://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000753
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 1.221
Mark Daniel G. de Luna
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Kinetics of Acetaminophen Degradation by Fenton Oxidation in a Fluidized-Bed Reactor. Chemosphere, 90 (4): 1444–1448, January 2013.
In this work, a novel photocatalyst K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 synthesized via a simple sol-gel method was utilized to degrade acetaminophen (ACT) under visible light with the use of blue and green LED lights. Parameters (medium pH, initial concentration of reactant, catalyst concentration, temperature, and number of blue LED lights) affecting photocatalytic degradation of ACT were also investigated. The experimental result showed that compared to commercially available Degussa P-25 (DP-25) photocatalyst, K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 gave higher degradation efficiency and rate constant (kapp) of ACT. The degradation efficiency or kapp decreased with increasing initial ACT concentration and temperature, but increased with increased number of blue LED lamps. Additionally, kapp increased as initial pH was increased from 5.6 to 6.9, but decreased at a high alkaline condition (pH 8.3). Furthermore, the degradation efficiency and kapp of ACT increased as K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 loading was increased to 1 g L-1 but decreased and eventually leveled off at photocatalyst loading above this value. Photocatalytic degradation of ACT in K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 catalyst system follows a pseudo–first-order kinetics. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood equation was also satisfactorily used to model the degradation of ACT in K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 catalyst system indicated by a satisfactory linear correlation between 1/kapp and Co, with kini = 6.54 x 10-4 mM/min and KACT = 17.27 mM-1.
Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653512011265
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 3.449
Mark Daniel G. de Luna
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Kinetic Study of Acetaminophen Degradation by Visible Light Photocatalysis. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, 49 (8): 892-899, 2014.
In this work, a novel photocatalyst K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 synthesized via a simple sol-gel method was utilized to degrade acetaminophen (ACT) under visible light with the use of blue and green LED lights. Parameters (medium pH, initial concentration of reactant, catalyst concentration, temperature, and number of blue LED lights) affecting photocatalytic degradation of ACT were also investigated. The experimental result showed that compared to commercially available Degussa P-25 (DP-25) photocatalyst, K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 gave higher degradation efficiency and rate constant (kapp) of ACT. The degradation efficiency or kapp decreased with increasing initial ACT concentration and temperature, but increased with increased number of blue LED lamps. Additionally, kapp increased as initial pH was increased from 5.6 to 6.9, but decreased at a high alkaline condition (pH 8.3). Furthermore, the degradation efficiency and kapp of ACT increased as K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 loading was increased to 1 g L-1 but decreased and eventually leveled off at photocatalyst loading above this value. Photocatalytic degradation of ACT in K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 catalyst system follows a pseudo–first-order kinetics. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood equation was also satisfactorily used to model the degradation of ACT in K3[Fe(CN)6]/TiO2 catalyst system indicated by a satisfactory linear correlation between 1/kapp and Co, with kini = 6.54 x 10-4 mM/min and KACT = 17.27 mM-1.
Link to the article: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10934529.2014.894310#.VRsPY_zF_Pg
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 1.135
Mark Daniel G. de Luna and Divine Angela D. Genuino
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Adsorption of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) Dye using Activated Carbon Prepared from Waste Rice Hulls—Optimization, Isotherm and Kinetic Studies. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 44 (4): 646–653, July 2013.
In this study, the adsorptive removal of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) from aqueous solution using rice hull-based activated carbon was investigated. The effects of initial dye concentration, adsorbent dose and pH on the percent removal of EBT were examined. An increase in adsorbent dose, and decrease in initial dye concentration and pH would cause an increase in the removal of EBT. Using the Box–Behnken design, the optimum conditions were obtained to be the following: 95 ppm initial dye concentration, 2.0 g adsorbent dose and pH of 2. The equilibrium data was evaluated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm. The Freundlich model best describes the uptake of EBT dye, which implies that the adsorption of EBT dye onto rice hull activated carbon is heterogeneous. The kinetic data were analyzed using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion equation. The pseudo-second order exhibited the best fit for the kinetic studies (R2 = 0.9996), which indicates that adsorption of EBT is limited by chemisorption process. The intraparticle diffusion model exhibited a linear relationship (R2 = 0.9921), which shows that pore diffusion is also a limiting step in the overall adsorption process.
Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876107013000163
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 2.637
Mark Daniel G. de Luna
Department of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering
UP Diliman
Factors that Influence Degradation of Acetaminophen by Fenton Processes. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 45 (2): 565–570, March 2014.
The effects of important parameters, Fe2+, H2O2 and initial acetaminophen concentrations, on the initial rate and efficiency of ACT degradation in the electro-Fenton (EF) and photoelectro-Fenton (PEF) processes were investigated. The effect of organic acids on the degradation of ACT molecules was also studied. Experimental results show that the initial rate and removal efficiency of ACT in the EF and PEF processes varied insignificantly with Fe2+ concentration. The initial rate and removal efficiency of ACT in the PEF process were higher than those in the EF process. At a high initial ACT concentration, the initial rate of ACT degradation in the EF process was lower than that in the PEF process. Acetic acid improved ACT degradation efficiency while malonic and oxalic acids reduced it. Oxalic acid exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, reducing ACT degradation efficiency by 18%. In the presence of oxalic acid in solution, EF yielded a degradation efficiency of 79%, which should be compared to efficiencies of 9% and 3%, for the fluidized-bed and conventional Fenton processes, respectively, showing that the EF process involves beneficial Fe2+ regeneration.
Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876107013001417
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 2.637
David Thomas T. Gonzales and Cynthia P. Saloma*
Philippine Genome Center
*National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
College of Science
UP Diliman
A Bioinformatics Survey for Conotoxin-like Sequences in Three Turrid Snail Venom Duct Transcriptomes. Toxicon, 92: 66–74, 15 December 2014.
The transcriptome o
f the venom ducts of three turrid snails were analyzed by high throughput DNA sequencing to look for putative toxin genes. We found 41, 22, and 74 putative
turrid toxin genes from U. bisaya, C. cerithina, and G. speciosa, respectively. This pool of toxins from turridsnails is a source of new ideas which we can utilize in downstream analyses for drug discovery.
Link to the article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010114003341
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 2.581
Fredegusto Guido David and Jennica Rica Nabong
Institute of Mathematics
College of Science
UP Diliman
Rupture Model of Intracranial Saccular Aneurysms due to Hypertension. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology, 15 (3): 1550022, 7 pages, 2015.
A biomechanical model of intracranial saccular aneurysms is developed to classify risk of rupture by size for given levels of blood pressure. Results show that aneurysms of diameter 6mm or higher require immediate attention.
Link to article: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0219519415500220
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 0.803
Jomar F. Rabajante and Cherryl O. Talaue*
Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics
College of Arts and Sciences
UP Los Baños
*Institute of Mathematics
College of Science
UP Diliman
Equilibrium Switching and Mathematical Properties of Nonlinear Interaction Networks with Concurrent Antagonism and Self-stimulation. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 73: 166–182, April 2015.
Catchy title of research: Concurrent decision-making model of biological interaction networks with more than two antagonistic components.
Concurrent decision-making model (CDM) of interaction networks with more than two antagonistic components represents various biological systems, such as gene interaction, 
species competition and mental cognition. Highlights of the research are (1) mathematical properties of n-dimensional CDM, (2) graphical technique for component-wise and steady state stability analysis, (3) search for parameter conditions that control equilibrium switching, and (4) illustrations of multi-stable systems and repressilators.
Link to article: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960077915000259
Impact Factor: (2013/2014) 1.105
Candido A. Cabrido Jr. and Maria Lourdes T. Munarriz
School of Urban and Regional Planning
UP Diliman
Guideposts in Land use Planning and Allocation in the Philippines. Asia Life Sciences, 24 (2): 559-573, 2015.
Catchy title of research: Land use planning guideposts.
This paper formulated a land use template to aid policy-makers when they evaluate the comprehensiveness of proposed land use bills in Philippine Congress. It provides basic guideposts for land use decision-making. It centers on disaster phenomena that affected many parts of the country, because of conflicting land uses and lack policy at the national level. The rationale behind the guideposts was based on empirical findings, documented case studies and applications of rules and regulations on sustainable planning. The proposed Land Use Framework covers 7 major areas, namely:
- Territorial boundary;
- Hierarchy and integration of land use plans;
- Land use classification and sub-classification;
- Land use allocation protocols;
- Decision-making for competing/conflicting land uses;
- Other land use planning considerations and
- Implementing structure and coordination mechanism
The land use framework and its guideposts would facilitate the work of lawmakers in crafting and improving their proposed bills on land use.
Link to the article:
Impact Factor: (2014/2015) 0.075
