Ciencias Exactas y Ciencias de la Salud
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11285/551039
Pertenecen a esta colección Tesis y Trabajos de grado de las Maestrías correspondientes a las Escuelas de Ingeniería y Ciencias así como a Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud.
Browse
Search Results
- A plant-wide analysis of an industrial flocculation process in biomanufacturing(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2022-07-26) Malacara Becerra, Alonso; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; puemcuervo; Mansouri, Seyed Soheil; Sosa Hernández, Juan Eduardo; School of Engineering and Sciences; Campus Monterrey; Melchor Martínez, Elda MadaiThis master thesis project is a case-study of the biomass dewatering operations of the industrial waste treatment plant (iWTP) that is shared by the biotech companies Novozymes A/S and Novo Nordisk A/S in Kalundborg, Denmark. More than 4000 m3 of biomass sludge are dewatered every day in the plant using decanter centrifuges. The biomass sludge is a mix of spent biomass from the biotech production and waste activated sludge. The concentrated cake is sold to an external biogas facility and the clarified liquid remains in the plant for removal of the remaining pollutants. The efficiency of this separation depends largely on chemical dosing with a coagulant and a flocculant solution. The composition of the biomass sludge is subject of the changing biotech production upstream, which difficults optimization of the chemical dosing. Moreover, the particle processes in complex dynamic systems such as decanter centrifuges are poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this project was to develop and test tools to aid on the monitoring, study and decision-making in the dewatering of biomass sludge. Several steps were followed to accomplish this. First, an on-line degassing system and a Random Forests prediction model were integrated into an on-line sensor for determination of reject water quality. The Random Forests model was trained with color features and total suspended solids (TSS) measurements of degassed reject water (dRW). Next a measuring campaign was carried out over 15 production batches to collect data from samples of biomass sludge before and after dewatering. Novel technology from ParticleTech® was used to collect particle images from these samples. The images were used to build and train an image analysis pipeline for the clustering of particles based on their morphology. Additionally, the new particle data was used to study the influence of pH and polymer dose on the particle population of the of the biomass sludge, as well as to find associations between particle cluster removal and reject water quality. The best prediction model achieved an accuracy of 80.81% on the prediction of TSS of dRW using the three color features that define the HSV color space. This system can potentially save time on the decanter optimization procedure. However, more data and re-training of the model are necessary before full-scale implementation. Clustering of particles images resulted in the identification of 10 main particle sub-populations. The study of flocculation based on the particle clusters showed a strong association between the removal of TSS in reject water and the removal of the larger particles from cluster K9. The removal of this cluster was also highly sensitive to polymer dose, benefiting from polymer overdosing most of the times. Thus, morphology-based data was demonstrated to be a new source of information that can potentially help elucidate the particle processes associated to the dewatering of the biomass sludge. This project was carried out within the frame of the Helix Lab Fellowship Program.
- Evaluación del uso de microalgas para la biofijación de CO2 de centrales de ciclo combinado(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2022-05) Mercado Alemán, Andrea; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; mtyzramirez; Sosa Hernández, Juan Eduardo; Coronado Apodaca, Karina Guadalupe; Salazar Silva, Jesús Fidencio; Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias; Campus Monterrey; Martínez Ruiz, ManuelEn México, el reducir las emisiones de las Centrales de Ciclo Combinado (CCC) es un tema de vital importancia en cuestiones de cambio climático, ya que estas centrales son las principales en satisfacer la demanda eléctrica del país, por lo que constituyen un factor clave para reducir las emisiones del sector energético. Sin embargo, debido a la composición y características que presentan los gases de combustión de estas centrales, los actuales sistemas de captura de carbono no son compatibles para mitigar sus emisiones, por lo que nuevas formas para capturar dióxido de carbono deben ser investigadas. El uso de microalgas para la biofijación de CO2 de los gases de combustión de Centrales de Ciclo Combinado se presenta como una alternativa viable, ya que estos microorganismos cuentan con cualidades capaces de afrontar los problemas asociados a las emisiones de estas centrales, y tienen la capacidad de biofijar cantidades considerables de CO2 mediante su proceso de fotosíntesis. Por lo anterior, el objetivo de este trabajo es determinar si efectivamente el uso de microalgas representa una opción factible para reducir las emisiones del sector eléctrico mexicano, por lo que esta tesis primero presenta una investigación sobre los estudios más recientes respecto al uso de microalgas para la captura de dióxido de carbono. Posteriormente, se realizó un análisis con los datos encontrados en la literatura para de esta manera, estimar el potencial de recuperación de CO2 que se podría obtener en las centrales en cuestión. Por último, y para corroborar el posible potencial de recuperación de CO2, se realizó un trabajo experimental, en el cual que se cultivó Chlorella vulgaris bajo condiciones ambientales y diferentes parámetros de cultivo utilizando una mezcla de gases de simulación de CCC como su fuente de carbono.
- Development of a nanostructured membrane-based passive sampler as a tool for the monitoring of viral pathogens through wastewater-based epidemiology(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2022) Jiménez Rodríguez, Mildred Gissel; PARRA SALDIVAR, ROBERTO; 2035753; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; emipsanchez; Oyervides Muñoz, Mariel Araceli; Coronado Apodaca, Karina Guadalupe; Martínez Ruiz, Manuel; School of Engineering and Sciences; Campus Monterrey; Sosa Hernández, Juan EduardoInfectious disease outbreaks are a global burden that is continuously increasing. Classic epidemiological approaches to identify infected individuals and prevent the spread of the diseases usually include individual clinical screenings, sentinel surveillance, and the analysis of surveys, hospital data, and mortality and morbidity rates. However, these methods have failed to detect early warnings of future outbreaks and are resource-dependent. Thus, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used as a novel community-wide monitoring tool capable of providing comprehensive real-time data on the public and environmental health status, which can ultimately contribute to a faster adoption of public health interventions. Efficient spatial and temporal sampling is critical for the success of WBE, however, current sampling methods mainly consist of grab samples, which can lead to the over- or underestimation of pathogen concentration. Passive samplers are a promising alternative to improve WBE since they can be used for prolonged periods to obtain more representative information of the real conditions in the area. Advances in nanotechnology have also helped to overcome the efficiency of recovery yields for membrane-based methods. WBE monitoring was employed at Tecnologico de Monterrey to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 risk throughout its community.Therefore, this research project aimed to develop a nanostructured polymeric membrane-based passive sampler to monitor SARS-CoV-2’s RNA through WBE. The scope of the study was to determine the membrane’s morphology, its stability, and RNA adsorption kinetics, which were evaluated to establish a WBE passive sampling protocol to detect and quantify the viral load in wastewater and study the trends in the circulation. Different formulations were explored to determine the influence of the selected membrane components in its morphology and RNA adsorption capacity. Three suitable candidates were selected to further pursue as potential stand-alone detection devices. RNA adsorption was achieved within 0.5 h and 1 h of magnetic stirring in previously spiked water samples with two of the selected samplers. However, the obtained values were very low and cannot be used to conclude that the passive samplers work as per their intended use. Nonetheless, they are an indication of potential opportunity areas within such formulations.
- Revalorization of Coffea arabica agrowaste through the recovery of phenolic compounds using a green extraction process(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2021) Macias Garbett, Rodrigo; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; puelquio; Sosa Hernández, Juan Eduardo; Melchor Martínez, Elda Madai; Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias; Campus Monterrey; Contreras Esquivel, Juan CarlosThe high caffein and tannin content of coffee agrowaste makes it highly toxic and hinders its disposal and recycling. The usage of this byproduct persists as a challenge in the industrial landscape. Coffee agro-waste is a potential resource of polyphenols with antioxidant activity and application in the food and cosmetic trades. This study presents a green extractive process using pulsed electric field (PEF) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) to recover polyphenols from coffee silverskin and pulp, posing lower processing times and the use of water as the only solvent. The performance of this process on the phenolic yield was assessed through the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and the DPPH radical scavenging activity test. The phenolic composition of the extracts was also determined through HPLC-MS and quantified through HPLC-DAD. When compared to treatment controls, PEF + MAE treated samples were found to have enhanced yields of total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity in all analyzed residues. The chromatographic studies reveal that caffeic acid is the main phenolic compound of the three analyzed by-products. The HPLC-DAD caffeic acid quantification validated that a combination of MAE + PEF treatment in yellow coffee pulp had the highest caffeic acid concentration of all studied treatments.
- Exploration of microalgae biorefinery: accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates, lipids and carbohydratesin the microalgae Scenedesmussp. under nutrient-deficient conditions(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2020-11-16) García, Gabriela; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; tolmquevedo; Castillo Zacarías, Carlos Jesús; School of Engineering and Sciences; Campus Monterrey; Sosa Hernández, Juan EduardoThe current global economy depends heavily on the oil-based industry, which is unsustainable in the long term, both due to the finite nature of the resources on which it is based and due to the environmental damage related to the activities involved in its processes. As an alternative to petroleum biorefineries, microalgae biorefineries are considered as a more sustainable source of bio-resources for the energy and polymer industries. In particular, polyhydroxyalkanoates, a natural form of carbon and energy storage in various microorganisms, including microalgae, are considered as potential replacements for conventional plastics, the increasing use of which has caused severe environmental damage. This study investigated the influence of glucose, N, P, Fe, and salinity over the production of PHA by Scenedesmus sp., a freshwater microalga strain not previously explored for this purpose. To assess the effect of the variables, a fractional Taguchi experimental design involving 16 experimental runs was planned and executed. Biopolymer was obtained in all the experiments in a wide range of concentrations (0.83-29.92%, w/w DW), and identified as PHB by FT-IR analysis. The statistical analysis of the response was carried out using Minitab 16 where phosphorus, glucose, and iron were identified as significant factors, together with the P-Fe and glucose-N interactions. the crucial role of iron in maintaining the continuity of the PHA synthesis process under phosphorus deficiency is highlighted. The accumulation of carbohydrates and lipids, relevant macromolecules for the production of bioethanol and biodiesel, respectively, was also assessed. After identifying the relevant factors that influence the production of each of these compounds, the conditions to achieve enhanced accumulation of the three of them were stablished. Maximum coaccumulation of up to 62.4% (28% CH, 26.3% PHA and 7.9% lipids) of the cell dry weight was achieved under phosphate and nitrogen starvation. Doing this, this work contributes to the understanding of the critical factors that control PHA production and present Scenedesmus sp. as a promising species to produce bio-resources in commercial systems.
- Crisis of high mountain coffee production in Mexico: Principal contributors and further perspectives.(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2020-06-20) Torres Castillo, Nora Esther; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; emipsanchez/tolmquevedo; Nasir Iqbal, Hafiz Muhammad; School of Engineering and Sciences; Campus Monterrey; Melchor Martínez, Elda MadaiAs a researcher, we have to be able to cover a wide range of topics related to any field, from chemistry to biology. During the development of solutions, it is important to identify the roots of the problem. This can lead to the generation of knowledge from different perspectives. A perfect example is this work, which started as the study of coffee leaf rust in Mexican crops, where 70% of the total production is lost due to this disease. However, as we continued, we identify other crucial factors, not only related to coffee rust adaptation, but behind the urgent crisis of high mountain coffee in Mexico: the COVID pandemic, that has generated losses of 40% in the coffee demand, the fluctuations in the patterns of precipitation and temperature as a result of climate change since 2006 to the present time, and the lack of opportunities to access to a more competitive market, as a smallholder. Therefore, to generate an integral solution, besides politics and socio-economical reforms, we decided to take a circular economy approach. How can we create new sources of income for this sector and at the same help to reduce climate variability? Our answer, through the introduction of coffee by-products to the value chain. Mexico is the leading exporter of High mountain coffee in the world; Thus, by the generation of technology base on coffee by-products, we can tackle both problems. The examples are caffeine bio adsorbents, made of the coffee husk, or spent ground coffee, used as a substrate for bioethanol production. Even in the future, coffee by-products can serve as raw material to develop scaffolds for catalysis reactions. In the end, the principal purpose of this research was to offer alternatives to ensure the prevalence of high mountain crops, which are the basis of Mexican coffee.
- "Decolorization and Kinetics of Reactive Dyes by Native Laccases from Northeast Mexico"-Edición Única(Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 2010-12-01) Michelle Salazar López; Parra Saldívar, Roberto; Loyo Rosales, Jorge E.; García Orozco, Jorge H.; Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey; Mendoza Domínguez, AlbertoLaccase isoforms Lac-I and Lac-II produced by the basidiomicete Pycnoporus sanguineus were investigated. Both enzymes presented high stability during prolonged storage under freezing conditions (-20 o C) with no significant activity reduction. For RBBR, decolorization efficiencies range from 82 to 88% after 3 hours of incubation for both isoforms at 1 and 8 U mL-1 . However, with 8 U mL-1 the decolorization ranges between 70 to 80% during the first 5 minutes of incubation. A significant lower decolorization pattern was observed with RB-5 reaching a maximum decolorization efficiency of 50% after 15 hr of incubation. For this time, the enzymatic decolorization of RB-5 with 1 U mL -1 was between 14 to 27% and at the high laccase activity level, 8 U mL-1 , was from 33 to 53%. The use of laccase mediators was applied to improve RB-5 decolorization rates using violuric acid and N-hydroxypthalamide. Violuric acid reduced decolorization time from 15 hr to 25 min with 1 mM and 1 U mL -1 of enzyme activity and reaching up to 80% decolorization. The maximum decolorization efficiency obtained with N-HPT was 71% after 15 hr of incubation. Kinetic parameters of the two laccases were determined using RBBR as substrate: Km was 0.243 and 0.117 mM and Vmax was 1.233 and 1.012 mM sec-1 for Lac-I and Lac-II respectively. Both enzymes have high decolorization power for dye decolorization although Lac-I was slightly more active against RBBR and RB-5 than Lac-II throughout the experimentation. These enzymes demonstrated high potential against both dyes and have significant differences in comparison to other reported enzymes.