Increasing fuel prices, stricter government policies, and technological developments made it possible to seek for renewable alternatives, called biofuels, to petroleum fuel. Biodiesel, a biofuel that is produced from chemically mixing animal fat, vegetable oils, or recycled restaurant grease with alcohol and catalyst, is gaining popularity in recent years as a substitute for petroleum diesel. Ninety percent (90%) of U.S. biodiesel industry makes use of soybean oil as its feedstock. However, soybean oil alone cannot meet such a huge demand on biofuel production. Hence, it is important to identify and get more information about other feedstocks, specifically on its effects on the performance and exhaust emissions of diesel engines. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance and emissions of two diesel engines operating on different biodiesel fuels (i.e. canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, and chicken fat) and compare them to the performance and emissions when the engine is operated on soybean oil-based biodiesel and petroleum-based diesel. Results indicated that an engine operating on biodiesel generates a little less power and torque at any given speed than one running on diesel. Such power and torque loss were attributed to the biodiesel's lower energy content. The lower heating value (energy content) of biodiesel can be reflected in the specific fuel consumption, i.e., to generate the same power, more biodiesel is needed. The reduction in torque and power of less than 10% indicates that in some cases biodiesel has better combustion than diesel. Unfortunately, the high efficiency of combustion may give rise to increased combustion temperature which may lead to higher exhaust emissions. The gradual decrease in the total hydrocarbon and CO2 emissions, as blends were increased from B20 to B100, was also found to be an indication of better combustion using biodiesel fuels than petroleum diesel. However, NOx emissions were higher, predominantly at low speeds for most biodiesel and blends and therefore may require some additives or engine modifications/or adjustments to equalize the NOx emissions of diesel. Other emissions particularly SO2 were lower than standards require.

Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils through transesterification. Triglyceride mixtures extracted from oilseed feedstocks are upgraded by reaction with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst to produce fatty acid esters. This reaction produces a mixture of esters, glycerin, alcohol, and catalyst. Separation of the fatty acid esters (biodiesel) and glycerin can be accomplished through liquid-liquid extraction by water addition. Designing liquid-liquid extraction with water as the solvent requires ternary liquid-liquid equilibrium data for mixtures of water, glycerin, and fatty acid esters. Ternary mixture LLE data have been experimentally measured for several of these systems. Those measured include mixtures with the methyl esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids. Data were collected at atmospheric pressure and 60°C. These ternary systems have been correlated using the NRTL equation. These data and correlation parameters can be used to improve separations efficiency in trans-esterified biodiesel fuels.

O gênero Erythroxylum P. Browne pertence a família Erythroxylaceae Kunth e é principalmente conhecido devido as espécies E. coca e E. novogranatense, as “plantas da coca”. O gênero é a única fonte natural da cocaína e de outros alcaloides com núcleo ecgonina, principais responsáveis pelos efeitos tóxicos e biológicos originados pelo consumo de suas espécies. A presença da cocaína é amplamente aceita para as plantas de coca, porém a sua biossíntese por outras espécies apresenta divergência, o que pode estar relacionada ao período de coleta. Além destas particularidades fitoquímicas, as espécies do gênero também apresentam importantes atividades como antioxidante e antimicrobiana, além de toxicidade a humanos e a ovinos. O Brasil é o centro da diversidade e do endemismo do gênero e no sul do país, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, as carcaterísticas fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas das espécies apresentam um campo aberto para estudos. Desta forma, foram avaliadas características fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas de espécies nativas dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, coletadas em dois períodos climáticos distintos, verão e inverno, além de revisão bibliográfica sobre as espécies produtoras de cocaína e as implicações segundo a legislação brasileira vigente. Foram utilizadas metodologia de planária, disco-difusão em ágar, microdiluição em caldo, medida da extinção da absorção do cátion 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil e procedimentos preconizados pelas Nações Unidas para a investigação fitoquímica de espécies produtoras de cocaína. Foi verificado que 24 espécies apresentam o aparato enzimático para a produção da cocaína. Embora E. novogranatense origina rendimentos apropriados ao tráfico, segundo a legislação Brasileira vigente, apenas E. coca encontra-se proscrita, o que torna necessário a inclusão de E. novogranatense na lista de plantas proscritas. Para o estudo toxicológico desenvolvido com E. deciduum sobre modelo de planária, foi necessário adaptar a metodologia existente. O extrato da espécie ocasionou aumento significativo da velocidade de locomoção (p= 0.016) e comportamentos estereotipados padronizados de posição tipo C e hipercinesia tipo parafuso, eventos característicos da neurotransmissão dopaminérgica em planárias. Os resultados, além de ampliar as possibilidades do uso destes vermes na busca por extratos ativos, demonstram que E. deciduum biossintetiza metabólitos ativos sobre este neurotransmissor, os quais podem estar relacionados com os efeitos ocasionados pelo consumo da espécie vegetal. A influência do período de coleta sobre as potencialidades farmacológicas e as características fitoquímicas foi investigada e os resultados demonstram esta infuência. Diferentes extratos de E. argentinum e E. deciduum, coletadas durante o verão, apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana superiores a verificada para os extratos obtidos de coletas realizadas no inverno. O extrato etanólico de E. argentinum, coleta verão, pode ser considerado um verdadeiro antimicrobiano, MIC= 0,78mg/ mL, e desta forma torna-se uma fonte promissora para a descoberta de novas moléculas antimicrobianas. Os extratos das espécies E. argentinum e E. deciduum demonstram pertinentes resultados sobre a atividade antioxidante. A influência do período de coleta, verão/ inverno, sobre a atividade foi identificada. A influência do período de coleta sobre as atividades tóxico-farmacológicas é corroborada pelo perfil alcaloídico obtido de noves espécies do gênero, coletadas durante o verão e o inverno, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. O perfil alcaloídico das espécies E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum e E. vacciniifolium demonstra a presença dos alcaloides: éster de metecgonidina, éster de metilecgonina, cuscohigrina e tropacocaína e dos intermediários da biossíntese: higrina, tropinona e tropanol. A identificação dos metabólitos éster de metilecgonina e éster de metilecgonidina também demonstra que as espécies do gênero Erythroxylum presentes no Sul do Brasil apresentam potencialidade econômicas, pois podem ser empregadas na produção de padrões toxicológicos. Os objetivos propostos foram cumpridos e permitem concluir que espécies do gênero Erythroxylum dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, Sul do Brasil, demonstram importância tóxica, farmacológica e química, sendo parte destas influenciada pelo período de coleta, verão/ inverno. / “Chemical and Biological Study of Erythroxylum P. Browne Species Collected in Southern Brazil”. Erythroxylum P. Browne genus belongs to the Erythroxylaceae Kunth family and is mainly known due to E. coca and E. novogranatense species, the "coca plants". The genus is the only natural source of cocaine and other alkaloids with ecgonine nucleus, mainly responsible for the toxic and biological effects caused by the consumption of their species. The presence of cocaine is widely accepted for coca plants, but its biosynthesis by other species shows divergence, which may be related to the collect period. Besides these phytochemical peculiarities, the species of the genus also present important activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial, besides toxicity to humans and sheep. Brazil is the center of diversity and endemism of the genus and in the south of the country, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of the species present an open field for studies. Thus, phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of native species of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina were assessed, collected in two distinct climatic periods, summer and winter, as well as a bibliographical review on cocaine producing species and implications under current Brazilian law. Some methodologies were used such as planaria, disc-diffusion in agar, microdilution in broth, extinction measurement of the absorption of cation 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and procedures recommended by the United Nations for the phytochemical investigation of cocaine producing species. It was verified that twenty-four species present the enzymatic apparatus for the production of cocaine. Although E. novogranatense originate income appropriate to traffic according to current Brazilian legislation, only E. coca is outlawed, which makes it necessary to include E. novogranatense in the list of proscribed plants. For the toxicological study developed with E. deciduum on planaria model, it was necessary to adapt the existing methodology. The extract of the species caused a significant increase in locomotion velocity (p= 0.016) and standardized stereotyped behaviors of type C position and screw- type hyperkinesia, characteristic events of dopaminergic neurotransmission in planarians. The results, besides expanding the possibilities of the use of these worms in search for active extracts, demonstrate that E. deciduum biosynthesizes active metabolites on this neurotransmitter, which may be related to the effects caused by the consumption of the plant species. The influence of the collect period on pharmacological potentials and phytochemical characteristics was investigated and the results demonstrate this influence. Different extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum collected during summer showed higher antimicrobial activity than the extracts obtained from winter collect. The ethanolic extract of E. argentinum, summer collect, may be considered a true antimicrobial, MIC= 0.78mg/ mL, on Staphylococcus aureus, and in this way it becomes a promising source for the discovery of new antimicrobial molecules. The extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum species demonstrate relevant results on antioxidant activity. The influence of the collecting period, summer/ winter, on the activity was verified. The influence of collect period on toxic- pharmacological activities is corroborated by the alkaloid profile obtained from nine species of the genus, collected during summer and winter in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. The alkaloid profile of E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum and E. vacciniifolium species shows the presence of alkaloids: ecgonidine methyl ester, ecgonine methyl ester, cuscohygrine and tropacocaine and the biosynthesis intermediates: hygrine, tropinone and tropanol. The identification of the ecgonine methyl ester and ecgonidine methyl ester also shows that Erythroxylum genus species present in southern Brazil have economic potential because they can be used in the production of toxicological standards. The aims were met and allow the conclusion that Erythroxylum genus of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, south of Brazil, show toxic, pharmacological and chemical importance, part of these being influenced by the collect period, summer/ winter.

O gênero Erythroxylum P. Browne pertence a família Erythroxylaceae Kunth e é principalmente conhecido devido as espécies E. coca e E. novogranatense, as “plantas da coca”. O gênero é a única fonte natural da cocaína e de outros alcaloides com núcleo ecgonina, principais responsáveis pelos efeitos tóxicos e biológicos originados pelo consumo de suas espécies. A presença da cocaína é amplamente aceita para as plantas de coca, porém a sua biossíntese por outras espécies apresenta divergência, o que pode estar relacionada ao período de coleta. Além destas particularidades fitoquímicas, as espécies do gênero também apresentam importantes atividades como antioxidante e antimicrobiana, além de toxicidade a humanos e a ovinos. O Brasil é o centro da diversidade e do endemismo do gênero e no sul do país, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, as carcaterísticas fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas das espécies apresentam um campo aberto para estudos. Desta forma, foram avaliadas características fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas de espécies nativas dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, coletadas em dois períodos climáticos distintos, verão e inverno, além de revisão bibliográfica sobre as espécies produtoras de cocaína e as implicações segundo a legislação brasileira vigente. Foram utilizadas metodologia de planária, disco-difusão em ágar, microdiluição em caldo, medida da extinção da absorção do cátion 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil e procedimentos preconizados pelas Nações Unidas para a investigação fitoquímica de espécies produtoras de cocaína. Foi verificado que 24 espécies apresentam o aparato enzimático para a produção da cocaína. Embora E. novogranatense origina rendimentos apropriados ao tráfico, segundo a legislação Brasileira vigente, apenas E. coca encontra-se proscrita, o que torna necessário a inclusão de E. novogranatense na lista de plantas proscritas. Para o estudo toxicológico desenvolvido com E. deciduum sobre modelo de planária, foi necessário adaptar a metodologia existente. O extrato da espécie ocasionou aumento significativo da velocidade de locomoção (p= 0.016) e comportamentos estereotipados padronizados de posição tipo C e hipercinesia tipo parafuso, eventos característicos da neurotransmissão dopaminérgica em planárias. Os resultados, além de ampliar as possibilidades do uso destes vermes na busca por extratos ativos, demonstram que E. deciduum biossintetiza metabólitos ativos sobre este neurotransmissor, os quais podem estar relacionados com os efeitos ocasionados pelo consumo da espécie vegetal. A influência do período de coleta sobre as potencialidades farmacológicas e as características fitoquímicas foi investigada e os resultados demonstram esta infuência. Diferentes extratos de E. argentinum e E. deciduum, coletadas durante o verão, apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana superiores a verificada para os extratos obtidos de coletas realizadas no inverno. O extrato etanólico de E. argentinum, coleta verão, pode ser considerado um verdadeiro antimicrobiano, MIC= 0,78mg/ mL, e desta forma torna-se uma fonte promissora para a descoberta de novas moléculas antimicrobianas. Os extratos das espécies E. argentinum e E. deciduum demonstram pertinentes resultados sobre a atividade antioxidante. A influência do período de coleta, verão/ inverno, sobre a atividade foi identificada. A influência do período de coleta sobre as atividades tóxico-farmacológicas é corroborada pelo perfil alcaloídico obtido de noves espécies do gênero, coletadas durante o verão e o inverno, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. O perfil alcaloídico das espécies E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum e E. vacciniifolium demonstra a presença dos alcaloides: éster de metecgonidina, éster de metilecgonina, cuscohigrina e tropacocaína e dos intermediários da biossíntese: higrina, tropinona e tropanol. A identificação dos metabólitos éster de metilecgonina e éster de metilecgonidina também demonstra que as espécies do gênero Erythroxylum presentes no Sul do Brasil apresentam potencialidade econômicas, pois podem ser empregadas na produção de padrões toxicológicos. Os objetivos propostos foram cumpridos e permitem concluir que espécies do gênero Erythroxylum dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, Sul do Brasil, demonstram importância tóxica, farmacológica e química, sendo parte destas influenciada pelo período de coleta, verão/ inverno. / “Chemical and Biological Study of Erythroxylum P. Browne Species Collected in Southern Brazil”. Erythroxylum P. Browne genus belongs to the Erythroxylaceae Kunth family and is mainly known due to E. coca and E. novogranatense species, the "coca plants". The genus is the only natural source of cocaine and other alkaloids with ecgonine nucleus, mainly responsible for the toxic and biological effects caused by the consumption of their species. The presence of cocaine is widely accepted for coca plants, but its biosynthesis by other species shows divergence, which may be related to the collect period. Besides these phytochemical peculiarities, the species of the genus also present important activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial, besides toxicity to humans and sheep. Brazil is the center of diversity and endemism of the genus and in the south of the country, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of the species present an open field for studies. Thus, phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of native species of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina were assessed, collected in two distinct climatic periods, summer and winter, as well as a bibliographical review on cocaine producing species and implications under current Brazilian law. Some methodologies were used such as planaria, disc-diffusion in agar, microdilution in broth, extinction measurement of the absorption of cation 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and procedures recommended by the United Nations for the phytochemical investigation of cocaine producing species. It was verified that twenty-four species present the enzymatic apparatus for the production of cocaine. Although E. novogranatense originate income appropriate to traffic according to current Brazilian legislation, only E. coca is outlawed, which makes it necessary to include E. novogranatense in the list of proscribed plants. For the toxicological study developed with E. deciduum on planaria model, it was necessary to adapt the existing methodology. The extract of the species caused a significant increase in locomotion velocity (p= 0.016) and standardized stereotyped behaviors of type C position and screw- type hyperkinesia, characteristic events of dopaminergic neurotransmission in planarians. The results, besides expanding the possibilities of the use of these worms in search for active extracts, demonstrate that E. deciduum biosynthesizes active metabolites on this neurotransmitter, which may be related to the effects caused by the consumption of the plant species. The influence of the collect period on pharmacological potentials and phytochemical characteristics was investigated and the results demonstrate this influence. Different extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum collected during summer showed higher antimicrobial activity than the extracts obtained from winter collect. The ethanolic extract of E. argentinum, summer collect, may be considered a true antimicrobial, MIC= 0.78mg/ mL, on Staphylococcus aureus, and in this way it becomes a promising source for the discovery of new antimicrobial molecules. The extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum species demonstrate relevant results on antioxidant activity. The influence of the collecting period, summer/ winter, on the activity was verified. The influence of collect period on toxic- pharmacological activities is corroborated by the alkaloid profile obtained from nine species of the genus, collected during summer and winter in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. The alkaloid profile of E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum and E. vacciniifolium species shows the presence of alkaloids: ecgonidine methyl ester, ecgonine methyl ester, cuscohygrine and tropacocaine and the biosynthesis intermediates: hygrine, tropinone and tropanol. The identification of the ecgonine methyl ester and ecgonidine methyl ester also shows that Erythroxylum genus species present in southern Brazil have economic potential because they can be used in the production of toxicological standards. The aims were met and allow the conclusion that Erythroxylum genus of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, south of Brazil, show toxic, pharmacological and chemical importance, part of these being influenced by the collect period, summer/ winter.

O gênero Erythroxylum P. Browne pertence a família Erythroxylaceae Kunth e é principalmente conhecido devido as espécies E. coca e E. novogranatense, as “plantas da coca”. O gênero é a única fonte natural da cocaína e de outros alcaloides com núcleo ecgonina, principais responsáveis pelos efeitos tóxicos e biológicos originados pelo consumo de suas espécies. A presença da cocaína é amplamente aceita para as plantas de coca, porém a sua biossíntese por outras espécies apresenta divergência, o que pode estar relacionada ao período de coleta. Além destas particularidades fitoquímicas, as espécies do gênero também apresentam importantes atividades como antioxidante e antimicrobiana, além de toxicidade a humanos e a ovinos. O Brasil é o centro da diversidade e do endemismo do gênero e no sul do país, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, as carcaterísticas fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas das espécies apresentam um campo aberto para estudos. Desta forma, foram avaliadas características fitoquímicas e potencialidades tóxicas e farmacológicas de espécies nativas dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, coletadas em dois períodos climáticos distintos, verão e inverno, além de revisão bibliográfica sobre as espécies produtoras de cocaína e as implicações segundo a legislação brasileira vigente. Foram utilizadas metodologia de planária, disco-difusão em ágar, microdiluição em caldo, medida da extinção da absorção do cátion 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil e procedimentos preconizados pelas Nações Unidas para a investigação fitoquímica de espécies produtoras de cocaína. Foi verificado que 24 espécies apresentam o aparato enzimático para a produção da cocaína. Embora E. novogranatense origina rendimentos apropriados ao tráfico, segundo a legislação Brasileira vigente, apenas E. coca encontra-se proscrita, o que torna necessário a inclusão de E. novogranatense na lista de plantas proscritas. Para o estudo toxicológico desenvolvido com E. deciduum sobre modelo de planária, foi necessário adaptar a metodologia existente. O extrato da espécie ocasionou aumento significativo da velocidade de locomoção (p= 0.016) e comportamentos estereotipados padronizados de posição tipo C e hipercinesia tipo parafuso, eventos característicos da neurotransmissão dopaminérgica em planárias. Os resultados, além de ampliar as possibilidades do uso destes vermes na busca por extratos ativos, demonstram que E. deciduum biossintetiza metabólitos ativos sobre este neurotransmissor, os quais podem estar relacionados com os efeitos ocasionados pelo consumo da espécie vegetal. A influência do período de coleta sobre as potencialidades farmacológicas e as características fitoquímicas foi investigada e os resultados demonstram esta infuência. Diferentes extratos de E. argentinum e E. deciduum, coletadas durante o verão, apresentaram atividade antimicrobiana superiores a verificada para os extratos obtidos de coletas realizadas no inverno. O extrato etanólico de E. argentinum, coleta verão, pode ser considerado um verdadeiro antimicrobiano, MIC= 0,78mg/ mL, e desta forma torna-se uma fonte promissora para a descoberta de novas moléculas antimicrobianas. Os extratos das espécies E. argentinum e E. deciduum demonstram pertinentes resultados sobre a atividade antioxidante. A influência do período de coleta, verão/ inverno, sobre a atividade foi identificada. A influência do período de coleta sobre as atividades tóxico-farmacológicas é corroborada pelo perfil alcaloídico obtido de noves espécies do gênero, coletadas durante o verão e o inverno, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina. O perfil alcaloídico das espécies E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum e E. vacciniifolium demonstra a presença dos alcaloides: éster de metecgonidina, éster de metilecgonina, cuscohigrina e tropacocaína e dos intermediários da biossíntese: higrina, tropinona e tropanol. A identificação dos metabólitos éster de metilecgonina e éster de metilecgonidina também demonstra que as espécies do gênero Erythroxylum presentes no Sul do Brasil apresentam potencialidade econômicas, pois podem ser empregadas na produção de padrões toxicológicos. Os objetivos propostos foram cumpridos e permitem concluir que espécies do gênero Erythroxylum dos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e de Santa Catarina, Sul do Brasil, demonstram importância tóxica, farmacológica e química, sendo parte destas influenciada pelo período de coleta, verão/ inverno. / “Chemical and Biological Study of Erythroxylum P. Browne Species Collected in Southern Brazil”. Erythroxylum P. Browne genus belongs to the Erythroxylaceae Kunth family and is mainly known due to E. coca and E. novogranatense species, the "coca plants". The genus is the only natural source of cocaine and other alkaloids with ecgonine nucleus, mainly responsible for the toxic and biological effects caused by the consumption of their species. The presence of cocaine is widely accepted for coca plants, but its biosynthesis by other species shows divergence, which may be related to the collect period. Besides these phytochemical peculiarities, the species of the genus also present important activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial, besides toxicity to humans and sheep. Brazil is the center of diversity and endemism of the genus and in the south of the country, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of the species present an open field for studies. Thus, phytochemical characteristics, toxic and pharmacological potentials of native species of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina were assessed, collected in two distinct climatic periods, summer and winter, as well as a bibliographical review on cocaine producing species and implications under current Brazilian law. Some methodologies were used such as planaria, disc-diffusion in agar, microdilution in broth, extinction measurement of the absorption of cation 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and procedures recommended by the United Nations for the phytochemical investigation of cocaine producing species. It was verified that twenty-four species present the enzymatic apparatus for the production of cocaine. Although E. novogranatense originate income appropriate to traffic according to current Brazilian legislation, only E. coca is outlawed, which makes it necessary to include E. novogranatense in the list of proscribed plants. For the toxicological study developed with E. deciduum on planaria model, it was necessary to adapt the existing methodology. The extract of the species caused a significant increase in locomotion velocity (p= 0.016) and standardized stereotyped behaviors of type C position and screw- type hyperkinesia, characteristic events of dopaminergic neurotransmission in planarians. The results, besides expanding the possibilities of the use of these worms in search for active extracts, demonstrate that E. deciduum biosynthesizes active metabolites on this neurotransmitter, which may be related to the effects caused by the consumption of the plant species. The influence of the collect period on pharmacological potentials and phytochemical characteristics was investigated and the results demonstrate this influence. Different extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum collected during summer showed higher antimicrobial activity than the extracts obtained from winter collect. The ethanolic extract of E. argentinum, summer collect, may be considered a true antimicrobial, MIC= 0.78mg/ mL, on Staphylococcus aureus, and in this way it becomes a promising source for the discovery of new antimicrobial molecules. The extracts of E. argentinum and E. deciduum species demonstrate relevant results on antioxidant activity. The influence of the collecting period, summer/ winter, on the activity was verified. The influence of collect period on toxic- pharmacological activities is corroborated by the alkaloid profile obtained from nine species of the genus, collected during summer and winter in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. The alkaloid profile of E. amplifolium, E. argentinum, E. cuneifolium, E. cuspidifolium, E. deciduum, E. microphyllum, E. myrsinites, E. pelleterianum and E. vacciniifolium species shows the presence of alkaloids: ecgonidine methyl ester, ecgonine methyl ester, cuscohygrine and tropacocaine and the biosynthesis intermediates: hygrine, tropinone and tropanol. The identification of the ecgonine methyl ester and ecgonidine methyl ester also shows that Erythroxylum genus species present in southern Brazil have economic potential because they can be used in the production of toxicological standards. The aims were met and allow the conclusion that Erythroxylum genus of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, south of Brazil, show toxic, pharmacological and chemical importance, part of these being influenced by the collect period, summer/ winter.

<p>The production of biodiesel (methyl esters) from vegetable oils represents analternative means of producing liquid fuels from biomass, and one which is growing rapidly in commercial importance and relevance due to increase in petroleum prices and the environmental advantages the process offers. Commercially, biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, as well as from waste cooking oils and animal fats. These oils are typically composed of C14-C20 fatty acid triglycerides. In order to produce a fuel that is suitable for use in diesel engines, these triglycerides are usually converted into the respective mono alkyl esters by base-catalyzed transesterification with short chain alcohol, usually methanol. In the first part of this study, the transesterification reactions of three different vegetable oils / sunflower (SFO), soybean (SBO) and waste cooking oil (WCO) with methanol was studied using potassium hydroxide as catalyst in a conventional batch process. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil was also studied via continuous operation systems (employing the use of low frequency ultrasonic technology and the jet loop reactor). The characterisation of the feedstock used and the methyl ester products were determined by different analytical techniques such as gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The effects of different reaction parameters (catalyst amount, methanol to oil ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time) on methyl ester/FAME yield were studied and the optimum reaction conditions of the different process systems were determined. The optimum reaction conditions for production of methyl esters via the batch process with the fresh oil samples (SFO and SBO) were established as follows: a reaction time of 60 min at 60 &ordm / C with a methanol: oil ratio of 6:1 and 1.0 KOH % wt/wt of oil / while the optimum reaction conditions for the used oil (WCO) was observed at a reaction time of 90 min at 60 &ordm / C, methanol: oil ratio of 6:1 and 1.5% KOH wt/wt of oil. The optimum reaction conditions for the transesterification of the WCO via ultrasound technology applied in a continuous system in this study were: a reaction time of 30 min, 30 &ordm / C, 6:1 methanol/oil ratio and a 0.75 wt% (KOH) catalyst concentration. The ultrasound assisted transesterification reactions performed at optimum conditions on the different oil samples led to higher yields of methyl esters (96.8, 98.32 and 97.65 % for WCO, SFO and SBO respectively) compared to methyl esters yields (90, 95 and 96 % for WCO, SFO and SBO respectively) obtained when using conventional batch procedures. A considerable increase in yields of the methyl esters in the ultrasound assisted reaction process were obtained at room temperature, in a remarkably short time span (completed in 30 min) and with a lower amount of catalyst (0.75 wt % KOH) while the results from the continuous jet loop process system showed even better results, at an optimum reaction condition of 25 min of reaction, a methanol: oil ratio of 4:1 and a catalyst amount of 0.5 wt%. This new jet loop process allowed an added advantage of intense agitation for an efficient separation and adequate purification of the methyl esters phase at a reduced time of 30 min. The use of homogeneous catalysts in conventional processes poses many disadvantages / heterogeneous catalysts on the other hand are attractive on the basis that their use could enable the biodiesel production to be more readily performed as a continuous process resulting in low production costs. Consequently, a solid base catalyst (KNO3/FA) prepared from fly ash (obtained from Arnot coal power station, South Africa) and a new zeolite, FA/Na-X synthesized from the same fly ash were used as solid base catalysts in the transesterification reactions in the conversion of a variety of oil feedstock with methanol to methyl esters. Since fly ash is a waste product generated from the combustion of coal for power generation, its utilization in this manner would allow for its beneficiation (as a catalytic support material and raw material for zeolite synthesis) in an environmentally friendly way aimed at making the transesterification process reasonably viable. Arnot fly ash (AFA) was loaded with potassium (using potassium nitrate as precursor) via a wet impregnation method while the synthesized zeolite FA/Na-X was ion exchanged with potassium (using potassium acetate as precursor) to obtain the KNO3/FA and FA/K-X catalysts respectively. Several analytical techniques were applied for characterization purposes. The results of the XRD and XRF showed that the AFA predominantly contained some mineral phases such as quartz, mullite, calcite and lime. The high concentration of CaO in AFA was apparent to be beneficial for the use of fresh fly ash as a support material in the heterogeneous catalysed transesterification reactions. XRD characterisation of KNO3/FA results indicated that the structure of KNO3/FA gradually changed with the increase in KNO3 loading. The catalyst function was retained until the loading of KNO3 was over 10 %. IR spectra showed that the KNO3 was decomposed to K2O on the fly ash support during preparation at a calcination temperature of 500 &ordm / C. The CO2-TPD of the KNO3/FA catalysts showed that two basic catalytic sites were generated which were responsible for high catalytic abilities observed in the transesterification reactions of sunflower oil to methyl esters. On the other hand, XRD results for the as- received zeolite synthesized from AFA showed typical diffraction peaks of zeolite NaX. SEM images of the FA /NaX showed nano platelets unique morphology different from well known pyramidal octahedral shaped crystal formation of faujasite zeolites and the morphology of the FA /KX zeolite did not show any significant difference after ion exchange. The fly ash derived zeolite NaX (FA /NaX) exhibited a high surface area of 320 m2/g. The application of the KNO3/FA catalysts in the conversion reactions to produce methyl esters (biodiesel) via transesterification reactions revealed methyl ester yield of 87.5 % with 10 wt% KNO3 at optimum reaction conditions of methanol: oil ratio of 15:1, 5 h reaction time, catalyst amount of 15 g and reaction temperature 160 &deg / C, while with the use of the zeolite FA/K-X catalyst, a FAME yield of 83.53 % was obtained for 8 h using the ion exchanged Arnot fly ash zeolite NaX catalyst (FA/KX) at reaction conditions of methanol: oil ratio of 6:1, catalyst amount of 3 % wt/wt of oil and reaction temperature of 65 &ordm / C. Several studies have been carried out on the production of biodiesel using different heterogeneous catalysts but this study has been able to uniquely demonstrate the utilization of South African Class F AFA both as a catalyst support and as a raw material for zeolite synthesis / these catalyst materials subsequently applied sucessfully as solid base catalysts in the production of biodiesel.</p>

This thesis aims to investigate the formation of deposits from thermally degraded biodiesel on a hot metal surface under the influence of sodium or copper contaminations. Biodiesel or Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) is a widely utilized biofuel with the potential to replace fossil fuels, however, issues regarding the thermal and oxidative stability prevent the progress of biodiesel for utilization as vehicle fuel. The thermal degradation of biodiesel causes formation of deposits often occurring in the fuel injectors, which could result in reduced engine efficiency, increased emissions and engine wear. However, still have no standard method for evaluation of a fuels’ tendency to form deposits been developed. In this study biodiesel deposits have been formed on aluminum test tubes utilizing a Hot Liquid Process Simulator (HLPS), an instrument based on the principle of the Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Tester (JFTOT). Quantitative and qualitative analyses have been made utilizing an array of techniques including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (ATR-FTIR). A multi-factorial trial investigating the effects of sodium hydroxide and copper contaminations at trace levels and the impact of a paraffin inhibitor copolymer additive on three different FAME products, two derived from rapeseed oil and one from waste cooking oil as well as a biodiesel blend with mineral diesel, was conducted.The results exhibited that FAMEs are the major precursor to deposit formation in diesel fuel. The SEM analyses exploited the nature of FAME deposits forming porous structures on hot metal surfaces. Sodium hydroxide proved to participate in the deposit formation by forming carboxylic salts. However, the copper contamination exhibited no enhancing effect on the deposits, possibly due to interference of the blank oil in which copper was received. The paraffin inhibitor functioning as a crystal modifier had significant reducing effect on the deposit formation for all biodiesel samples except for the FAME product derived from waste cooking oil. Further studies are needed in order to investigate the influence of glycerin and water residues to the biodiesel deposit formation. Mechanisms involving oxidative or thermal peroxide formation, polymerization and disintegration have been suggested as degradation pathways for biodiesel. The involvement of oxidation intermediates, peroxides, was confirmed by the experiments performed in this thesis. However, the mechanisms of biodiesel deposit formation are complex and hard to study as the deposits are seemingly insoluble. Nevertheless, ATR-FTIR in combination with JFTOT-processing has potential as standard method for evaluation of deposit forming tendencies of biodiesel.

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<p>The production of biodiesel (methyl esters) from vegetable oils represents analternative means of producing liquid fuels from biomass, and one which is growing rapidly in commercial importance and relevance due to increase in petroleum prices and the environmental advantages the process offers. Commercially, biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, as well as from waste cooking oils and animal fats. These oils are typically composed of C14-C20 fatty acid triglycerides. In order to produce a fuel that is suitable for use in diesel engines, these triglycerides are usually converted into the respective mono alkyl esters by base-catalyzed transesterification with short chain alcohol, usually methanol. In the first part of this study, the transesterification reactions of three different vegetable oils / sunflower (SFO), soybean (SBO) and waste cooking oil (WCO) with methanol was studied using potassium hydroxide as catalyst in a conventional batch process. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil was also studied via continuous operation systems (employing the use of low frequency ultrasonic technology and the jet loop reactor). The characterisation of the feedstock used and the methyl ester products were determined by different analytical techniques such as gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The effects of different reaction parameters (catalyst amount, methanol to oil ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time) on methyl ester/FAME yield were studied and the optimum reaction conditions of the different process systems were determined. The optimum reaction conditions for production of methyl esters via the batch process with the fresh oil samples (SFO and SBO) were established as follows: a reaction time of 60 min at 60 &ordm / C with a methanol: oil ratio of 6:1 and 1.0 KOH % wt/wt of oil / while the optimum reaction conditions for the used oil (WCO) was observed at a reaction time of 90 min at 60 &ordm / C, methanol: oil ratio of 6:1 and 1.5% KOH wt/wt of oil. The optimum reaction conditions for the transesterification of the WCO via ultrasound technology applied in a continuous system in this study were: a reaction time of 30 min, 30 &ordm / C, 6:1 methanol/oil ratio and a 0.75 wt% (KOH) catalyst concentration. The ultrasound assisted transesterification reactions performed at optimum conditions on the different oil samples led to higher yields of methyl esters (96.8, 98.32 and 97.65 % for WCO, SFO and SBO respectively) compared to methyl esters yields (90, 95 and 96 % for WCO, SFO and SBO respectively) obtained when using conventional batch procedures. A considerable increase in yields of the methyl esters in the ultrasound assisted reaction process were obtained at room temperature, in a remarkably short time span (completed in 30 min) and with a lower amount of catalyst (0.75 wt % KOH) while the results from the continuous jet loop process system showed even better results, at an optimum reaction condition of 25 min of reaction, a methanol: oil ratio of 4:1 and a catalyst amount of 0.5 wt%. This new jet loop process allowed an added advantage of intense agitation for an efficient separation and adequate purification of the methyl esters phase at a reduced time of 30 min. The use of homogeneous catalysts in conventional processes poses many disadvantages / heterogeneous catalysts on the other hand are attractive on the basis that their use could enable the biodiesel production to be more readily performed as a continuous process resulting in low production costs. Consequently, a solid base catalyst (KNO3/FA) prepared from fly ash (obtained from Arnot coal power station, South Africa) and a new zeolite, FA/Na-X synthesized from the same fly ash were used as solid base catalysts in the transesterification reactions in the conversion of a variety of oil feedstock with methanol to methyl esters. Since fly ash is a waste product generated from the combustion of coal for power generation, its utilization in this manner would allow for its beneficiation (as a catalytic support material and raw material for zeolite synthesis) in an environmentally friendly way aimed at making the transesterification process reasonably viable. Arnot fly ash (AFA) was loaded with potassium (using potassium nitrate as precursor) via a wet impregnation method while the synthesized zeolite FA/Na-X was ion exchanged with potassium (using potassium acetate as precursor) to obtain the KNO3/FA and FA/K-X catalysts respectively. Several analytical techniques were applied for characterization purposes. The results of the XRD and XRF showed that the AFA predominantly contained some mineral phases such as quartz, mullite, calcite and lime. The high concentration of CaO in AFA was apparent to be beneficial for the use of fresh fly ash as a support material in the heterogeneous catalysed transesterification reactions. XRD characterisation of KNO3/FA results indicated that the structure of KNO3/FA gradually changed with the increase in KNO3 loading. The catalyst function was retained until the loading of KNO3 was over 10 %. IR spectra showed that the KNO3 was decomposed to K2O on the fly ash support during preparation at a calcination temperature of 500 &ordm / C. The CO2-TPD of the KNO3/FA catalysts showed that two basic catalytic sites were generated which were responsible for high catalytic abilities observed in the transesterification reactions of sunflower oil to methyl esters. On the other hand, XRD results for the as- received zeolite synthesized from AFA showed typical diffraction peaks of zeolite NaX. SEM images of the FA /NaX showed nano platelets unique morphology different from well known pyramidal octahedral shaped crystal formation of faujasite zeolites and the morphology of the FA /KX zeolite did not show any significant difference after ion exchange. The fly ash derived zeolite NaX (FA /NaX) exhibited a high surface area of 320 m2/g. The application of the KNO3/FA catalysts in the conversion reactions to produce methyl esters (biodiesel) via transesterification reactions revealed methyl ester yield of 87.5 % with 10 wt% KNO3 at optimum reaction conditions of methanol: oil ratio of 15:1, 5 h reaction time, catalyst amount of 15 g and reaction temperature 160 &deg / C, while with the use of the zeolite FA/K-X catalyst, a FAME yield of 83.53 % was obtained for 8 h using the ion exchanged Arnot fly ash zeolite NaX catalyst (FA/KX) at reaction conditions of methanol: oil ratio of 6:1, catalyst amount of 3 % wt/wt of oil and reaction temperature of 65 &ordm / C. Several studies have been carried out on the production of biodiesel using different heterogeneous catalysts but this study has been able to uniquely demonstrate the utilization of South African Class F AFA both as a catalyst support and as a raw material for zeolite synthesis / these catalyst materials subsequently applied sucessfully as solid base catalysts in the production of biodiesel.</p>

Several types of antibiotics (roxarsone, virginiamycin, and bacitracin) are widely included in poultry feed to improve animal growth yields. Most of the antibiotics are excreted in manure which is subsequently applied to soils. One concern with this practice is that antibiotics may affect several microbially-mediated nutrient cycling reactions in soils that influence crop productivity and water quality. The main objectives of this study were to determine the effects of livestock antibiotics on nitrification, denitrification, and microbial community composition in soils along a topographic gradient. These objectives were addressed in a series of lab experiments by monitoring changes in inorganic N species and ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester profiles after exposing soil microorganisms collected from different topographic positions to increasing levels of antibiotics. It was discovered that roxarsone and virginiamycin inhibited nitrification and soil microbial growth and also influenced microbial community composition, but only at levels that were much higher than expected in poultry litter-applied soils. Bacitracin did not affect nitrification, microbial growth, or microbial community composition at any concentration tested. None of the antibiotics had a strong affect on denitrification. Thus, it is unlikely that soil, water, or air quality would be significantly impacted by the antibiotics contained in poultry litter.