Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iran-Made Packaging Bags Eliminate Need for Preservatives in Food Stuff
Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company produced aseptic and spout pouches to market food, pharmaceutical, health, and cosmetic products without the need for refrigeration or preservatives.
“These products are a type of completely sterile packaging for food, medicine, and cosmetics for long-term storage without preservatives and at room temperature,” said Houman Mortezayian, the managing director of the knowledge-based company.
Noting that a study conducted in the European Union in 2014 showed that 67% of liver and digestive problems are caused by preservatives added to food, he said, “Therefore, it was decided to remove preservatives and use a packaging that can preserve organic materials.”
“This packaging is used for all food industries, including tomato paste, sauces, various concentrates, purees, jellies, cosmetics, water, alcohol, acidic substances, and various liquids and oils, and the pharmaceutical products. These bags are completely impermeable and are the best alternative to old packaging,” Mortezayian said.
“These packaging envelopes are home-made and produced with 100% Iranian raw materials,” he underlined.
Iranian Researchers Set New Record in Green Hydrogen Production
A team of Iranian scientists succeeded in designing CsPbBr₃ perovskite photoanodes with unparalleled efficiency and stability by using the inverse opal titanium oxide nanostructure.
This innovative achievement in the field of nanotechnology can revolutionize the process of green hydrogen production through photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC-WS).
A team of Iranian researchers from the University of Isfahan, Amirkabir University of Technology - Mahshahr branch, a knowledge-based company, and the Institute of Fundamental Sciences used the inverse opal titanium oxide (IOT) nanostructure as an electron-transporting layer and scaffold for CsPbBr₃. This three-dimensional structure, known as a photonic crystal, enhances the absorption of photons in the perovskite layer by creating photonic gaps and increasing the effective path of light. Thus, more electron-holes are produced and the efficiency of the device is significantly increased.
Also, the high porous surface of TiO₂ provides conditions for faster collection and transfer of optical charges. To increase the durability of the electrode in an aqueous environment, the researchers applied a protective and conductive layer made of carbon black, graphite and recycled carbon toner. In addition to stabilizing the perovskite surface, this coating facilitated charge transfer and improved the device performance.
The experimental results showed that the photoanodes fabricated with this design achieved a photocurrent density of 7.28 mA/cm2 at a voltage of 1.23 VRHE. This performance was maintained in a long-term test for 10,000 seconds under continuous irradiation and in neutral conditions (pH = 7) without the use of a cocatalyst; an outstanding record among perovskite photoanodes.
Iranian Researchers Produce Strategic Petrochemical Equipment
Iranian researchers at Islamic Azad University’s Dezfoul branch, in collaboration with an industrial company and petrochemical experts, succeeded in designing and completely indigenizing the strategic Knit Mesh equipment used in the caustic concentration unit of Arvand Petrochemical company.
“The successful manufacture of Knit Mesh in the petrochemical caustic concentration unit is a major step towards materializing the country's knowledge-based economy and industrial self-sufficiency,” Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Safi, the president of Islamic Azad University’s Dezfoul branch, told ANA.
Also, Reza Poultangari, the deputy director of the Field and Activities of the Faculty of Industrial Construction and Technologies of Dezfoul branch, said that the successful production of Knit Mesh in the caustic concentration unit of the petrochemical company is a big step towards materializing the country’s knowledge-based economy and industrial self-sufficiency.
“This project showed that this university unit enjoys the capability to achieve a strategic technology from the design and simulation stages to construction and operation,” he underlined.
“This equipment is highly sensitive in a way that the smallest error in design or calculations can lead to corrosion of downstream equipment, a sharp drop in performance or even a complete stoppage of the production process. With precise calculations and engineered design, we were able to minimize the risk of the project,” Poultangari said.
“The operational capacity of the equipment is over 260 tons per hour,” he noted.
Iranian Astronomy Team Win Championship for Second Year
The Iranian student team participating in the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in India grabbed five gold medals, winning the world championship for the second consecutive year.
The IOAA was held in Mumbai at August 11-21, attracting over 300 high school students from 64 countries. During the event, students participated in several challenging exams covering theoretical, observational, and data analysis aspects of astronomy.
The five-member Iranian team comprised Ali Naderi Lordjani, Arshia Mirshamsi Kakhaki, Hossein Soltani, Hossein Masoumi, and Hirbod Foodazi. The first three students are placed atop the whole winners.
Hossein Haqi, the leader of Iran’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad Team, noted that the Iranian team won five gold medals among the 64 teams from around the world, adding, “After us, Britain with four gold and one silver and India with four gold and one silver ranked second and third, respectively.”
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) is one of the twelve International Science Olympiads. Founded by five countries (Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, China, and Poland), its first edition took place in Thailand in 2007.
Iranian Firm Produces Shopping Bags with 12 MPa Strength
An Iranian knowledge-based company succeeded in producing the first indigenous asymmetric kneader extruder, which significantly increases the quality of compounds by continuously mixing polymer materials and nano-additives and paves the ground for developing nylons and polymer alloys with high mechanical strength.
The device combines rotational and reciprocating motion and creates nanometer particles in the polymer matrix and prevents the formation of powder lumps or clumps, as a result of which the quality of polymer products like nylons and industrial alloys increases significantly.
The knowledge-based company has succeeded in producing an indigenous asymmetric kneader extruder that can create nanometer-sized particles in the polymer matrix, which prevents the formation of powder lumps or clumps inside the polymer.
Calcium carbonate compounds produced with the help of a kneader extruder are of very high quality and result in the production of nylons containing 70% calcium carbonate with a tensile strength of 12.2 MPa, which can also be used in shopping bags.
In the production of polymer alloys, an alloy containing nano-additives along with three grades of linear, light and heavy polyethylene using a kneader has produced a sample with a mechanical strength of 19.5 MPa, while the mechanical strength of the alloy produced with a twin-screw extruder has been achieved at only 6.5 MPa.
Iranian Scientists Produce High-Quality Gelatin from Persian Gulf Fish
A new study conducted by Iranian researchers on the waste of stonefish which lives in the Persian Gulf has led to the discovery of a new method for the production of gelatin.
Narges Amrollahi Biouki, an associate professor of the Department of Marine Biology at the Faculty of Marine Sciences and Technology, Hormozgan University, together with researchers from the Persian Gulf University in Bushehr and Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran, conducted a study on the extraction of gelatin from stonefish. The study focused on finding a suitable method for using the skin, scales, and bones of this fish as a fresh and healthy source for the production of gelatin.
The method of this study included extracting gelatin for the first time from three parts of the skin, scales, and bones of the common stonefish of the Persian Gulf coast. In this process, the researchers used an alkaline method and then examined properties like viscosity, gel strength, molecular weight, extraction efficiency, and protein percentage.
The results showed that gelatin obtained from fish skin had higher gel strength and viscosity than samples obtained from scales and bones. Its extraction efficiency was also higher, and all three samples had protein concentrations of more than 97%. The presence of major protein subunits was also confirmed in all samples.
Iranian Scientists Make Nanosensor in Smartphone for Rapid Detection of Biothiols in Blood
Iranian researchers succeeded in designing a multifunctional nanosensor and integrating it with a smartphone application for the rapid and accurate detection of biothiols in blood and plasma samples.
This technology could be a milestone in the development of portable and cost-effective diagnostic systems in healthcare centers and point-of-care (POCT).
The international research group consisting scientists from the Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and the University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada, designed a multifunctional magnetic nanozyme that is capable of rapidly and sensitively detecting biothiols.
This nanozyme consists of a magnetic core of CoFe₂O₄ and a shell of Co₃[Fe(CN)₆]₂ (a model similar to Prussian blue), which has peroxidase-like activity and reacts with several chromogenic substrates, including TMB, OPD, and ABTS. These reactions cause a color change, allowing the construction of a 5x5 colorimetric array that can detect multiple biothiols simultaneously.
An important feature of this system is the integration with a smartphone application that analyzes the color changes of the array, enabling immediate point-of-care (POCT) detection. This technology was able to provide a wide detection range from 0.1 to 1000 μmol with very low detection limits; for example, 0.03 μmol for cysteamine and 0.29 μmol for N-acetylcysteine.
Iran Ranks 13th in World in Number of Biotechnology Articles
A recent report by the reputable SCImago database in 2024 showed that Iran has ranked 13th in the world in the number of publications of scientific articles in the biotechnology field.
Iran ranks first among the regional states by a significant margin, followed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt which indicates Iran's significant progress and leadership in the field of science and technology.
With the increase in the publication of articles, Iran has achieved significant progress by having 1,480 knowledge-based companies in the field of biotechnology and health, ranking 8th in the world in the field of regenerative medicine.
Also, by producing more than 1,000 biotechnology-based products in the fields of medicine, agriculture, industry, and the environment, Iran ranks 5th in Asia and first in the region.
Head of Iran’s biotechnology association had said in 2023 that the country’s researchers succ
Iranian Company Increases Efficiency of Fish Farming by Using 200-Nanometer Nanobubbles
A knowledge-based company in Iran used nanobunbbles with a diameter of 200 nanometers to improve the productivity of agriculture, fisheries, water purification and other industries.
Nanobubbles enjoy unique features in increasing the efficiency of resource consumption, reducing pollutants and improving the quality of products.
Experts of the knowledge-based company believe that nanobubbles technology is a strategic solution, because nanobubbles with a diameter of less than 200 nanometers, unlike large bubbles that quickly rise to the surface of the water and explode, can remain suspended in the water for a long time and gradually increase dissolved oxygen.
The achievements of the company show that the use of nanobubble technology not only leads to a significant increase in dissolved oxygen, but can also be effective in reducing microbial load, decomposing organic compounds and improving water clarity. This is a fundamental change in Iranian fish farms, which often face water resource constraints and water quality challenges.
The application of nanobubbles in Iran’s fish farms has two key effects, one of which is to increase stocking density by increasing dissolved oxygen levels, and the other is to enhance food security. Also, nanobubble technology leads to improved quality of final products by reducing antibiotic use and improving environmental conditions which is particularly important for accessing export markets.
Iran Inaugurates Largest Fruit Concentrate Plant in Northwestern Province
Iran’s largest fruit concentrate plant was inaugurated in the presence of Vice-President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy Hossein Afshin in the Northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.
Other officials, including Governor of East Azerbaijan province Bahram Sarmast, the representative of the people of Tabriz, Azarshahr and Osku in the parliament Rouhollah Motafakker Azad, were also present in the inauguration ceremony.
The plant, with a production capacity of 1,200 tons of fruit per day, was launched with the aim of increasing foreign exports, creating sustainable employment and developing the value chain in the food industry.
“It is very valuable that the waste from this plant is converted into valuable food. This is the true meaning of a knowledge-based complex, and we will support the completion of this process,” Afshin said, addressing the inauguration ceremony.
A new study conducted by the University of Tehran, in collaboration with international researchers, indicates that the phenomenon of ‘fog precipitation’ plays an important role in the continued existence and sustainability of the ancient Hyrcanian forests by providing over 120 million cubic meters of hidden water annually.
A group of researchers from the University of Tehran, in an international research collaboration, studied the ecohydrological results of this phenomenon by studying fog precipitation in the forests of Northern Iran.
The results of the study, which was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Iran, China, Germany, Canada, and the US, indicate that the phenomenon of fog precipitation as a hidden source of water can lead to an increase in water entering the forests and strengthening the resilience of ecosystems against water crises.
“The forests of Northern Iran, known as the Hyrcanian forests, are between 25 and 50 million years old. These forests are among the most valuable biological reserves registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The beech species (Fagus orientalis), with a share of approximately 30% of the standing volume, 23.6% of the number of trunks and 17% of the area of the forests of Northern Iran, is the dominant and key species of this ecosystem,” said Pedram Atarod, a member of the faculty of the University of Tehran and the head of this international research group.
“Beech is specifically adapted to the cool, humid and foggy conditions of altitudes of 700 to 2200 meters in northern Iran; that is, in areas where the occurrence of fog is significant and as a result of this process, it provides part of the moisture needed by these ecosystems,” he added.
“In this cycle, fog particles are trapped by the foliage of beech trees and are transferred to the soil through the canopy in the form of raindrops, thus significantly increasing the water input to the forests,” Atarod said.
Iranian Scientist Makes Natural Fluid to Increase Oil Recovery from Reservoirs
A young Iranian researcher at Amirkabir University of Technology succeeded in presenting an eco-friendly solution to increase oil recovery from reservoirs with high temperature and high salinity by using a natural polymer surfactant.
Farhoud Navayee, in collaboration with foreign consultant Patrizio Raffa, successfully completed a study entitled ‘Laboratory study and simulation of the use of natural polymer surfactant to increase oil recovery’.
By implementing an innovative project, he succeeded in presenting a local and eco-friendly solution to increase oil recovery from reservoirs with high temperature and high salinity using a natural polymer surfactant; a method that, according to him, is an effective step in the development of enhanced oil recovery technologies in Iran with its multiple functions, reduced production costs, and localization capabilities.
“The main idea of the project was to replace common chemical polymers with a natural polymer surfactant that is compatible with the high salinity and temperature of Iranian reservoirs and causes less environmental damage,” Navayee said.
Noting that this material can be extracted from domestic plant sources, has a lower price than imported polymers, and with its dual function of increasing viscosity and reducing interfacial tension, eliminates the need for multiple additive injections, he said, “In this study, 11 natural polymers were first screened and a sample with the code FN-116 was selected due to its high salinity tolerance and thermal stability. Then, its physicochemical properties, including conductivity, critical micelle concentration (CMC), rheology, and interfacial tension, were investigated at a temperature of 75 degrees and seawater-equivalent salinity.”
“In the next stage, the fluid performance was tested in a glass micromodel simulating the reservoir and in a real core injection test,” Navayee said.
“The results showed that oil recovery increased from 42 to about 64 percent. Also, by multiscale simulation of the data in COMSOL software, the laboratory results were generalized to the reservoir scale,” he added.
Iran-Made Lipid Microbubbles Improve Accuracy of Ultrasound Imaging
Iranian researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, the University of Tehran, with the support of the Iran Nanotechnology Innovation Council succeeded in producing lipid microbubbles as a specific contrast agent in ultrasound and echocardiography.
The overall structure of this product includes a gas core that is stabilized by a lipid shell. The size of these microbubbles is less than 10 microns and, due to their microscopic dimensions, they are able to pass through blood vessels and be safely present in the body. This feature, along with ultrasound waves, significantly improves the quality and clarity of ultrasound and echocardiographic images.
Using these microbubbles as a contrast agent not only significantly increases the contrast of images, but also allows doctors to diagnose diseases more quickly and accurately. This can reduce the need for costly tests, reduce possible errors, and ultimately save time and money on patient treatment.
This project, which was led by Mohammad Ali Khayyamian and his colleagues, resulted in making the prototypes of this product whose main advantage is the significant increase in the contrast of medical images and improvement in the process of diagnosing diseases.
4155/v
