Effects of associated bacteria on the pathogenicity and reproduction of the insect-parasitic nematode Rhabditis blumi (Nematoda: Rhabditida).

PubMed

Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Yong Ook; Ha, Jae-Seok; Youn, Sung Hun; Kim, Hyeong Hwan; Bilgrami, Anwar L; Shin, Chul Soo

2011-09-01

Three bacteria, Alcaligenes faecalis , Flavobacterium sp., and Providencia vermicola , were isolated from dauer juveniles of Rhabditis blumi . The pathogenic effects of the bacteria against 4th instar larvae of Galleria mellonella were investigated. Providencia vermicola and Flavobacterium sp. showed 100% mortality at 48 h after haemocoelic injection, whereas A. faecalis showed less than 30% mortality. Dauer juveniles showed 100% mortality against G. mellonella larvae, whereas axenic juveniles, which do not harbor associated bacteria, exhibited little mortality. All of the associated bacteria were used as a food source for nematode growth, and nematode yield differed with bacterial species. Among the bacterial species, P. vermicola was most valued for nematode yield, showing the highest yield of 5.2 × 10(4) nematodes/mL in the plate. In bacterial cocultures using two of the three associated bacteria, one kind stimulated the other. The highest total bacterial yield of 12.6 g/L was obtained when the inoculum ratio of P. vermicola to A. faecalis was 10:1. In air-lift bioreactors, the nematode growth rate increased with an increasing level of dissolved oxygen. The maximum nematode yield of 1.75 × 10(5) nematodes/mL was obtained at 192 h with an aeration rate of 6 vvm.

Second-generation ethanol production from elephant grass at high total solids.

PubMed

Menegol, Daiane; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Dillon, Aldo José Pinheiro; Camassola, Marli

2016-07-01

The enzymatic hydrolysis of Pennisetum purpureum (elephant grass) was evaluated at high total solid levels (from 4% to 20% (w/v)) in a concomitant ball milling treatment in a rotating hydrolysis reactor (RHR). The greatest glucose yield was 20.17% when 4% (w/v) untreated biomass was employed. When sugars obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis were submitted to fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the greatest ethanol yield was 22.61% when 4% (w/v) untreated biomass was employed; however, the highest glucose concentration (12.47g/L) was obtaining using 20% (w/v) solids and highest ethanol concentration (6.1g/L) was obtained using 16% (w/v) solids. When elephant grass was hydrolyzed in the rotating hydrolysis reactor, ethanol production was about double that was produced when the biomass was hydrolyzed in a static reactor (SR). These data indicate that it is possible to produce ethanol from elephant grass when milling treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis are performed at the same time. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Supercritical CO2 extraction, chemical characterisation and antioxidant potential of Brassica oleracea var capitata against HO·, O2(·-) and ROO·.

PubMed

Dal Prá, Valéria; Dolwitsch, Carolina Bolssoni; da Silveira, Géssica Domingos; Porte, Liliane; Frizzo, Clarissa; Tres, Marcus Vinicius; Mossi, Vinicius; Mazutti, Marcio Antonio; do Nascimento, Paulo Cícero; Bohrer, Denise; de Carvalho, Leandro Machado; Viana, Carine; da Rosa, Marcelo Barcellos

2013-12-15

In this work were extracted bioactive compounds from Brassica oleracea var capitata using supercritical CO2 and evaluated the antioxidant potential of the extracts. Five extractions were accomplished to investigate the influence of pressure (10-25 MPa) and temperature (20-60 °C) in the extraction yield, chemical composition and antioxidant potential towards peroxyl, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. The highest extraction yield was obtained at 60 °C and 25 MPa, which was 0.47 wt% (run 2). In the characterisation of the extracts obtained was possible the identification of sulforaphane and iberin nitrile that present known biological properties. The extracts of all runs presented antioxidant activities towards the three radicals, but the highest activities for all radicals were using the extracts obtained in the run 2. The use of supercritical CO2 extraction to obtain bioactive compounds of B. oleracea var capitata showed to be a promising alternative to conventional extraction methods, since allowed the extraction of compounds with scientific and industrial interest. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of particle size and initial solid loading on thermochemical pretreatment of wheat straw for improving sugar recovery.

PubMed

Rojas-Rejón, Oscar A; Sánchez, Arturo

2014-07-01

This work studies the effect of initial solid load (4-32 %; w/v, DS) and particle size (0.41-50 mm) on monosaccharide yield of wheat straw subjected to dilute H(2)SO(4) (0.75 %, v/v) pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a full factorial design (FFD) was used for the statistical analysis of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. The highest xylose yield obtained during pretreatment (ca. 86 %; of theoretical) was achieved at 4 % (w/v, DS) and 25 mm. The solid fraction obtained from the first set of experiments was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis at constant enzyme dosage (17 FPU/g); statistical analysis revealed that glucose yield was favored with solids pretreated at low initial solid loads and small particle sizes. Dynamic experiments showed that glucose yield did not increase after 48 h of enzymatic hydrolysis. Once established pretreatment conditions, experiments were carried out with several initial solid loading (4-24 %; w/v, DS) and enzyme dosages (5-50 FPU/g). Two straw sizes (0.41 and 50 mm) were used for verification purposes. The highest glucose yield (ca. 55 %; of theoretical) was achieved at 4 % (w/v, DS), 0.41 mm and 50 FPU/g. Statistical analysis of experiments showed that at low enzyme dosage, particle size had a remarkable effect over glucose yield and initial solid load was the main factor for glucose yield.

Liquid smoke characteristics from the pyrolysis of oil palm fronds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maulina, S.; Silia, F.

2018-02-01

This study was conducted as means to characterize the pyrolysis of oil palm fronds into more economical products. In particular, this study was focused on pyrolysis of oil palm fronds, which could generate products such as liquid smoke, tar and char. Four characteristics of liquid smoke were examined in this study, namely the yield of liquid smoke, phenolic content, total acid content and pH. These characteristics were examined in a temperature of 150 °C, 200 °C and 250 °C with processing time of 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes. This study revealed that the highest yield of liquid smoke was equal to 43.47% at a temperature of 150 °C for approximately 2 hours, while the highest level of phenolic was obtained at a temperature of 250 °C for approximately 1 hour. Moreover, the highest total acid content obtained was 11.23% at a temperature of 150 °C with a time of 1 hour. In addition, all operating conditions has produced liquid smoke with an average pH value of 3.

Catalytic hydroprocessing of fast pyrolysis oils: Impact of biomass feedstock on process efficiency

DOE PAGES

Carpenter, Daniel; Westover, Tyler; Howe, Daniel; ...

2016-12-01

Here, we report here on an experimental study to produce refinery-ready fuel blendstocks via catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (upgrading) of pyrolysis oil using several biomass feedstocks and various blends. Blends were tested along with the pure materials to determine the effect of blending on product yields and qualities. Within experimental error, oil yields from fast pyrolysis and upgrading are shown to be linear functions of the blend components. Switchgrass exhibited lower fast pyrolysis and upgrading yields than the woody samples, which included clean pine, oriented strand board (OSB), and a mix of pinon and juniper (PJ). The notable exception was PJ, formore » which the poor upgrading yield of 18% was likely associated with the very high viscosity of the PJ fast pyrolysis oil (947 cp). The highest fast pyrolysis yield (54% dry basis) was obtained from clean pine, while the highest upgrading yield (50%) was obtained from a blend of 80% clean pine and 20% OSB (CP 8OSB 2). For switchgrass, reducing the fast pyrolysis temperature to 450 degrees C resulted in a significant increase to the pyrolysis oil yield and reduced hydrogen consumption during hydrotreating, but did not directly affect the hydrotreating oil yield. The water content of fast pyrolysis oils was also observed to increase linearly with the summed content of potassium and sodium, ranging from 21% for clean pine to 37% for switchgrass. Multiple linear regression models demonstrate that fast pyrolysis is strongly dependent upon the contents lignin and volatile matter as well as the sum of potassium and sodium.« less

Ethanol production from sugars obtained during enzymatic hydrolysis of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) pretreated by steam explosion.

PubMed

Scholl, Angélica Luisi; Menegol, Daiane; Pitarelo, Ana Paula; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Zandoná Filho, Arion; Ramos, Luiz Pereira; Dillon, Aldo José Pinheiro; Camassola, Marli

2015-09-01

In this work, steam explosion was used a pretreatment method to improve the conversion of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) to cellulosic ethanol. This way, enzymatic hydrolysis of vaccum-drained and water-washed steam-treated substrates was carried out with Penicillium echinulatum enzymes while Saccharomyces cerevisiae CAT-1 was used for fermentation. After 48 h of hydrolysis, the highest yield of reducing sugars was obtained from vaccum-drained steam-treated substrates that were produced after 10 min at 200 °C (863.42 ± 62.52 mg/g). However, the highest glucose yield was derived from water-washed steam-treated substrates that were produced after 10 min at 190 °C (248.34 ± 6.27 mg/g) and 200 °C (246.00 ± 9.60 mg/g). Nevertheless, the highest ethanol production was obtained from water-washed steam-treated substrates that were produced after 6 min at 200 °C. These data revealed that water washing is a critical step for ethanol production from steam-treated elephant grass and that pretreatment generates a great deal of water soluble inhibitory compounds for hydrolysis and fermentation, which were partly characterized as part of this study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of microwave assisted extraction of essential oils from Iranian Rosmarinus officinalis L. using RSM.

PubMed

Akhbari, Maryam; Masoum, Saeed; Aghababaei, Fahimeh; Hamedi, Sepideh

2018-06-01

In this study, the efficiencies of conventional hydro-distillation and novel microwave hydro-distillation methods in extraction of essential oil from Rosemary officinalis leaves have been compared. In order to attain the best yield and also highest quality of the essential oil in the microwave assisted method, the optimal values of operating parameters such as extraction time, microwave irradiation power and water volume to plant mass ratio were investigated using central composite design under response surface methodology. Optimal conditions for obtaining the maximum extraction yield in the microwave assisted method were predicted as follows: extraction time of 85 min, microwave power of 888 W, and water volume to plant mass ratio of 0.5 ml/g. The extraction yield at these predicted conditions was computed as 0.7756%. The qualities of the obtained essential oils under designed experiments were optimized based on total contents of four major compounds (α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, camphor and verbenone) which determined by gas chromatography equipped with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The highest essential oil quality (55.87%) was obtained at extraction time of 68 min; microwave irradiation power of 700 W; and water volume to plant mass ratio of zero.

Yield performance of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. (higher Basidiomycetes), using different waste materials as substrates.

PubMed

Azizi, Majid; Tavana, Maryam; Farsi, Mohammad; Oroojalian, Fatemeh

2012-01-01

In this research the effect of sawdust, malt extract, and wheat bran on yield, biological efficiency (BE), and mycelia growth of Ganoderma lucidum was investigated. Three kinds of sawdust (beech, poplar, and hornbeam) as basal medium were mixed with two levels of wheat bran (5% and 10% w/w) and malt extract (2.5% and 5% w/w) as medium supplement for production of G. lucidum in factorial experiments on the basis of completely randomized design with three replications. The results showed that various kinds of sawdust affect fruiting body yield, BE, and mycelia growth rate significantly. The highest fruiting body yield and BE (102.58 g/kg and 12.89%, respectively) were found using hornbeam sawdust. The beech sawdust promotes the mycelia growth rate more than other sawdust. Analysis of variance showed that there is a significant interaction between the sawdust type and wheat bran, sawdust type and malt extract, and wheat bran and malt extract as far as yield and BE of G. lucidum was concerned. A final comparison of the different formulae indicated that the best combinations for high yield (142.44 g/kg) and BE (18.68%) were obtained in a combination of poplar sawdust with 5% malt extract and 10% wheat bran. The highest mycelia growth rate (10.6 mm/day) was obtained in a combination of beech sawdust with 2.5% malt extract and 10% wheat bran.

Distillation Time as Tool for Improved Antimalarial Activity and Differential Oil Composition of Cumin Seed Oil.

PubMed

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D; Gawde, Archana; Cantrell, Charles L; Astatkie, Tess; Schlegel, Vicki

2015-01-01

A steam distillation extraction kinetics experiment was conducted to estimate essential oil yield, composition, antimalarial, and antioxidant capacity of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed (fruits). Furthermore, regression models were developed to predict essential oil yield and composition for a given duration of the steam distillation time (DT). Ten DT durations were tested in this study: 5, 7.5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, 480, and 600 min. Oil yields increased with an increase in the DT. Maximum oil yield (content, 2.3 g/100 seed), was achieved at 480 min; longer DT did not increase oil yields. The concentrations of the major oil constituents α-pinene (0.14-0.5% concentration range), β-pinene (3.7-10.3% range), γ-cymene (5-7.3% range), γ-terpinene (1.8-7.2% range), cumin aldehyde (50-66% range), α-terpinen-7-al (3.8-16% range), and β-terpinen-7-al (12-20% range) varied as a function of the DT. The concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, γ-cymene, γ-terpinene in the oil increased with the increase of the duration of the DT; α-pinene was highest in the oil obtained at 600 min DT, β-pinene and γ-terpinene reached maximum concentrations in the oil at 360 min DT; γ-cymene reached a maximum in the oil at 60 min DT, cumin aldehyde was high in the oils obtained at 5-60 min DT, and low in the oils obtained at 240-600 min DT, α-terpinen-7-al reached maximum in the oils obtained at 480 or 600 min DT, whereas β-terpinen-7-al reached a maximum concentration in the oil at 60 min DT. The yield of individual oil constituents (calculated from the oil yields and the concentration of a given compound at a particular DT) increased and reached a maximum at 480 or 600 min DT. The antimalarial activity of the cumin seed oil obtained during the 0-5 and at 5-7.5 min DT timeframes was twice higher than the antimalarial activity of the oils obtained at the other DT. This study opens the possibility for distinct marketing and utilization for these improved oils. The antioxidant capacity of the oil was highest in the oil obtained at 30 min DT and lowest in the oil from 360 min DT. The Michaelis-Menton and the Power nonlinear regression models developed in this study can be utilized to predict essential oil yield and composition of cumin seed at any given duration of DT and may also be useful to compare previous reports on cumin oil yield and composition. DT can be utilized to obtain cumin seed oil with improved antimalarial activity, improved antioxidant capacity, and with various compositions.

Yield and seed oil content response of dwarf, rapid-cycling Brassica to nitrogen treatments, planting density, and carbon dioxide enrichment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frick, J.; Nielsen, S. S.; Mitchell, C. A.

1994-01-01

Effects of N level (15 to 30 mM), time of N increase (14 to 28 days after planting), and planting density (1163 to 2093 plants/m2) were determined for crop yield responses of dwarf, rapid-cycling brassica (Brassica napus L., CrGC 5-2, Genome: ACaacc). Crops were grown in solid-matrix hydroponic systems and under controlled-environment conditions, including nonsupplemented (ambient) or elevated CO2 concentrations (998 +/- 12 micromoles mol-1). The highest seed yield rate obtained (4.4 g m-2 day-1) occurred with the lowest N level (15 mM) applied at the latest treatment time (day 28). In all trials, CO2 enrichment reduced seed yield rate and harvest index by delaying the onset of flowering and senescence and stimulating vegetative shoot growth. The highest shoot biomass accumulation rate (55.5 g m-2 day-1) occurred with the highest N level (30 mM) applied at the earliest time (day 14). Seed oil content was not significantly affected by CO2 enrichment. Maximum seed oil content (30% to 34%, dry weight basis) was obtained using the lowest N level (15 mM) initiated at the latest treatment time (day 28). In general, an increase in seed oil content was accompanied by a decrease in seed protein. Seed carbohydrate, moisture, and ash contents did not vary significantly in response to experimental treatments. Effects of N level and time of N increase were consistently significant for most crop responses. Planting density was significant only under elevated CO2 conditions.

The effect of initial cell concentration on xylose fermentation by Pichia stipitis

Treesearch

Frank K. Agbogbo; Guillermo Coward-Kelly; Mads Torry-Smith; Kevin Wenger; Thomas W. Jeffries

2007-01-01

Xylose was fermented using Pichia stipitis CBS 6054 at different initial cell concentrations. A high initial cell concentration increased the rate of xylose utilization, ethanol formation, and the ethanol yield. The highest ethanol concentration of 41.0 g/L and a yield of 0.38 g/g was obtained using an initial cell concentration of 6.5 g/L. Even though more xylitol was...

Methane production by anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klass, D.L.; Ghosh, S.

1980-01-01

Water hyacinth under conventional high-rate digestion conditions exhibited higher methane yields and energy recovery efficiencies when grown in sewage-fed lagoons as compared to the corresponding values obtained with water hyacinth grown in a fresh-water pond. Mesophilic digestion provided the highest feed energy recovered in the product gas as methane while thermophilic digestion, when operated at sufficiently high loading rates and reduced detention times, gave the highest specific methane production rates. Methane yields, volatile solids reduction, and energy recovery as methane for the sewage-grown water hyacinth were in the same range as those observed for other biomass substrates when digested undermore » similar conditions.« less

Production of sterigmatocystin by Aspergillus versicolor and Bipolaris sorokiniana on semisynthetic liquid and solid media.

PubMed Central

Rabie, C J; Lubben, A; Steyn, M

1976-01-01

Higher yields of sterigmatocystin were obtained with Aspergillus versicolor than with Bipolaris sorokiniana both in liquid and on solid media. The optimum temperature for sterigmatocystin production by A. versicolor was 27 to 29 degrees C and 23 degrees C for B. sorokiniana. In liquid shake cultures, production of sterigmatocystin by B. sorokiniana was negligible, whereas maximal production by A. versicolor was 210 mg/liter. On solid substrates, the highest yields (8 g/kg) were obtained with A. versicolor on still cultures of whole corn supplemented with Soytone. PMID:970940

Bio-oil production via fast pyrolysis of biomass residues from cassava plants in a fluidised-bed reactor.

PubMed

Pattiya, Adisak

2011-01-01

Biomass residues from cassava plants, namely cassava stalk and cassava rhizome, were pyrolysed in a fluidised-bed reactor for production of bio-oil. The aims of this work were to investigate the yields and properties of pyrolysis products produced from both feedstocks as well as to identify the optimum pyrolysis temperature for obtaining the highest organic bio-oil yields. Results showed that the maximum yields of the liquid bio-oils derived from the stalk and rhizome were 62 wt.% and 65 wt.% on dry basis, respectively. The pyrolysis temperatures that gave highest bio-oil yields for both feedstocks were in the range of 475-510 °C. According to the analysis of the bio-oils properties, the bio-oil derived from cassava rhizome showed better quality than that derived from cassava stalk as the former had lower oxygen content, higher heating value and better storage stability. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioelectrochemical methane (CH4) production in anaerobic digestion at different supplemental voltages.

PubMed

Choi, Kwang-Soon; Kondaveeti, Sanath; Min, Booki

2017-12-01

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) at various cell voltages (0.5, 0.7 1.0 and 1.5V) were operated in anaerobic fermentation. During the start-up period, the cathode potential decreased from -0.63 to -1.01V, and CH 4 generation increased from 168 to 199ml. At an applied voltage of 1.0V, the highest methane yields of 408.3ml CH 4 /g COD glucose was obtained, which was 30.3% higher than in the control tests (313.4ml CH 4 /g COD glucose). The average current of 5.1mA was generated at 1.0V at which the maximum methane yield was obtained. The other average currents were 1.42, 3.02, 0.53mA at 0.5, 0.7, and 1.5V, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and EIS analysis revealed that enhanced reduction currents were present at all cell voltages with biocatalyzed cathode electrodes (no reduction without biofilm), and the highest value was obtained with 1V external voltage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of the Microwave-Assisted Ethanosolv Extraction of Lignocellulosic Compounds from the Bagasse of Agave angustifolia Haw Using the Response Methodology.

PubMed

Hernández, Yuliana Rosas; García Serrano, Luz Arcelia; Maruri, Daniel Tapia; Jiménez Aparicio, Antonio Ruperto; Camacho Díaz, Brenda Hildeliza; Arenas Ocampo, Martha Lucía

2018-04-04

The main objective of this work was to optimize the process of fractionation of the bagasse of Agave angustifolia Haw, applying organosolv assisted with microwaves. The DCC was used to evaluate the effect of independent variables such as ethanol concentration (40, 50, and 60%) and reaction time (1, 1.5, and 2 h) on yield, cellulose and lignin percentages. Lignocellulosic fractions (F1 and F2) were obtained by means of organosolv assisted with microwave in an open system (atmospheric pressure) and a closed system (controlled pressure). The lignocellulosic fractions were microstructurally characterized. The highest extraction yields (70.39%) were reached in the open system at 50% ethanol for 1.5 h. The highest percentages of LK (5.05%) were obtained in the closed system at 60% ethanol for 2 h. The SEM photomicrograph showed that the microstructure of F1 was retained even after treatment with 60% ethanol for 2 h, and the exposure of the fibrillar part was observed obtaining the disposition of pectin.

Influence of a fertilizer solution on yield and quality of bread wheat in Guadalquivir Valley (Córdoba, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Concepción Benítez, M.; González, José Luis; Tejada, Manuel

2014-05-01

The use of by-products of food industries in agricultural practices has become a routine over the last few decades. The addition of beet vinasse, by-products of the two sep olive mill process and by-products of defatted sunflower flour, etc., to soils is a common agricultural practice, since sensible use has been reported to improve the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the soil and to increase harvest yield, and in many cases harvest quality Previous research carried out by the authors (Ordóñez et al., 2001) examined a process whereby a protein concentrate is obtained from defatted sunflower flour. In this process, floating liquid phosphorus, potassium contents and smaller amounts of humic substances and nitrogen are obtained. The potential application of this solution as a fertiliser has been evaluated on rye grass, confirming that its effects are comparable to those produced by a nutritional solution in terms of phosphorus and potassium foliar levels. The experiment was performed on soil classified as Typic Haploxererts located in the Middle Valley of the river Guadalquivir Cajeme wheat (Triticum aestivum var) variety was used at a dose of 180 kg seeds / ha. For both crop, four fertiliser treatments were applied in triplicate to randomly distributed 7 x 8 m plots. The greatest positive effect of applying the experimental phospho-potassic solution was found for the leaf levels of K, in maturity; this influence was most significant when the highest dosage of said solution. With reference to the levels of N, P and K in wheat grain, the levels of potassium were significantly different for all the fertilising treatments, and the plot fertilised with the highest dosage of the experimental phospho-potassic solution presented the highest values. As for the data obtained for harvest yield and quality, the addition of the experimental solution was observed to have a significantly positive influence (but only in the highest dosages) on the production levels.

Ethanol and biogas production after steam pretreatment of corn stover with or without the addition of sulphuric acid

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Lignocellulosic biomass, such as corn stover, is a potential raw material for ethanol production. One step in the process of producing ethanol from lignocellulose is enzymatic hydrolysis, which produces fermentable sugars from carbohydrates present in the corn stover in the form of cellulose and hemicellulose. A pretreatment step is crucial to achieve efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to soluble sugars, and later ethanol. This study has investigated steam pretreatment of corn stover, with and without sulphuric acid as catalyst, and examined the effect of residence time (5–10 min) and temperature (190–210°C) on glucose and xylose recovery. The pretreatment conditions with and without dilute acid that gave the highest glucose yield were then used in subsequent experiments. Materials pretreated at the optimal conditions were subjected to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) to produce ethanol, and remaining organic compounds were used to produce biogas by anaerobic digestion (AD). Results The highest glucose yield achieved was 86%, obtained after pretreatment at 210°C for 10 minutes in the absence of catalyst, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. The highest yield using sulphuric acid, 78%, was achieved using pretreatment at 200°C for 10 minutes. These two pretreatment conditions were investigated using two different process configurations. The highest ethanol and methane yields were obtained from the material pretreated in the presence of sulphuric acid. The slurry in this case was split into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, where the solid fraction was used to produce ethanol and the liquid fraction to produce biogas. The total energy recovery in this case was 86% of the enthalpy of combustion energy in corn stover. Conclusions The highest yield, comprising ethanol, methane and solids, was achieved using pretreatment in the presence of sulphuric acid followed by a process configuration in which the slurry from the pretreatment was divided into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction. The solid fraction was subjected to SSF, while the liquid fraction, together with the filtered residual from SSF, was used in AD. Using sulphuric acid in AD did not inhibit the reaction, which may be due to the low concentration of sulphuric acid used. In contrast, a pretreatment step without sulphuric acid resulted not only in higher concentrations of inhibitors, which affected the ethanol yield, but also in lower methane production. PMID:23356481

Estimating climate change, CO2 and technology development effects on wheat yield in northeast Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannayan, M.; Mansoori, H.; Rezaei, E. Eyshi

2014-04-01

Wheat is the main food for the majority of Iran's population. Precise estimation of wheat yield change in future is essential for any possible revision of management strategies. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of climate change, CO2 concentration, technology development and their integrated effects on wheat production under future climate change. This study was performed under two scenarios of the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES): regional economic (A2) and global environmental (B1). Crop production was projected for three future time periods (2020, 2050 and 2080) in comparison with a baseline year (2005) for Khorasan province located in the northeast of Iran. Four study locations in the study area included Mashhad, Birjand, Bojnourd and Sabzevar. The effect of technology development was calculated by fitting a regression equation between the observed wheat yields against historical years considering yield potential increase and yield gap reduction as technology development. Yield relative increase per unit change of CO2 concentration (1 ppm-1) was considered 0.05 % and was used to implement the effect of elevated CO2. The HadCM3 general circulation model along with the CSM-CERES-Wheat crop model were used to project climate change effects on wheat crop yield. Our results illustrate that, among all the factors considered, technology development provided the highest impact on wheat yield change. Highest wheat yield increase across all locations and time periods was obtained under the A2 scenario. Among study locations, Mashhad showed the highest change in wheat yield. Yield change compared to baseline ranged from -28 % to 56 % when the integration of all factors was considered across all locations. It seems that achieving higher yield of wheat in future may be expected in northeast Iran assuming stable improvements in production technology.

Estimating climate change, CO2 and technology development effects on wheat yield in northeast Iran.

PubMed

Bannayan, M; Mansoori, H; Rezaei, E Eyshi

2014-04-01

Wheat is the main food for the majority of Iran's population. Precise estimation of wheat yield change in future is essential for any possible revision of management strategies. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of climate change, CO2 concentration, technology development and their integrated effects on wheat production under future climate change. This study was performed under two scenarios of the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES): regional economic (A2) and global environmental (B1). Crop production was projected for three future time periods (2020, 2050 and 2080) in comparison with a baseline year (2005) for Khorasan province located in the northeast of Iran. Four study locations in the study area included Mashhad, Birjand, Bojnourd and Sabzevar. The effect of technology development was calculated by fitting a regression equation between the observed wheat yields against historical years considering yield potential increase and yield gap reduction as technology development. Yield relative increase per unit change of CO2 concentration (1 ppm(-1)) was considered 0.05 % and was used to implement the effect of elevated CO2. The HadCM3 general circulation model along with the CSM-CERES-Wheat crop model were used to project climate change effects on wheat crop yield. Our results illustrate that, among all the factors considered, technology development provided the highest impact on wheat yield change. Highest wheat yield increase across all locations and time periods was obtained under the A2 scenario. Among study locations, Mashhad showed the highest change in wheat yield. Yield change compared to baseline ranged from -28 % to 56 % when the integration of all factors was considered across all locations. It seems that achieving higher yield of wheat in future may be expected in northeast Iran assuming stable improvements in production technology.

Continuous ethanol production from cheese whey fermentation by Candida pseudotropicalis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghaly, A.E.; El-Taweel, A.A.

1997-12-01

Three pilot-scale continuous mix reactors of 5-L volume each were used to study the effects of retention time (18--42 hours) and initial substrate concentration (50--150 g/L) on the cell yield, lactose consumption, and maximum ethanol concentration during continuous fermentation of cheese whey using the yeast Candida pseudotropicalis. A microaeration rate of 480 mL/min and a nutrient supplement (yeast extract) concentration of 0.1% vol/vol were used. The results indicated that the dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, cell concentration, lactose utilization rate, and ethanol concentration were affected by hydraulic retention time and initial substrate concentration. The highest cell concentration of 5.46 g/L andmore » the highest ethanol concentration of 57.96 g/L (with a maximum ethanol yield of 99.6% from the theoretical yield) were achieved at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time and the 150 g/L initial substrate concentration, whereas the highest cell yield was observed at the 50 g/L initial substrate concentration and the 36-hour hydraulic retention time. Lactose utilizations of 98, 91, and 83% were obtained with 50, 100, and 150 g/L initial substrate concentrations at the 42-hour hydraulic retention time. A pH control system was found unnecessary.« less

Supercritical Extraction of Scopoletin from Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don Flowers.

PubMed

Jokić, Stela; Rajić, Marina; Bilić, Blanka; Molnar, Maja

2016-09-01

The increasing popularity of immortelle (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) and its products, particularly in the cosmetic industry, is evident nowadays. This plant is a source of coumarins, especially scopoletin, which are highly soluble in supercritical CO2 . The objective of this study was to perform the supercritical CO2 extraction process of Helichrysum italicum flowers at different values of pressure and temperature and to optimise the extraction process using response surface methodology in terms of obtaining the highest extraction yield and yield of extracted scopoletin. Extraction was performed in a supercritical extraction system under different extraction conditions of pressure and temperature determined by central composite rotatable design. The mass of flowers in the extractor of 40 g, extraction time of 90 min and CO2 mass flow rate of 1.94 kg/h were kept constant during experiments. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay method. Scopoletin concentration was determined by HPLC. Changes in extraction conditions affect the extracting results remarkably. The greatest extraction yield (6.31%) and the highest yield of scopoletin (1.933 mg/100 g) were obtained under extraction conditions of 20 MPa and 40°C. Extracts have also proven to possess antioxidant activity (44.0-58.1% DPPH scavenging activity) influenced by both temperature and pressure applied within the investigated parameters. The extraction conditions, especially pressure, exhibited significant influence on the extraction yield as well as the yield of extracted scopoletin and antioxidant activity of extracts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of different pretreatment strategies for enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat and barley straw.

PubMed

Rosgaard, Lisa; Pedersen, Sven; Meyer, Anne S

2007-12-01

In biomass-to-ethanol processes a physico-chemical pretreatment of the lignocellulosic biomass is a critical requirement for enhancing the accessibility of the cellulose substrate to enzymatic attack. This report evaluates the efficacy on barley and wheat straw of three different pretreatment procedures: acid or water impregnation followed by steam explosion versus hot water extraction. The pretreatments were compared after enzyme treatment using a cellulase enzyme system, Celluclast 1.5 L from Trichoderma reesei, and a beta-glucosidase, Novozyme 188 from Aspergillus niger. Barley straw generally produced higher glucose concentrations after enzymatic hydrolysis than wheat straw. Acid or water impregnation followed by steam explosion of barley straw was the best pretreatment in terms of resulting glucose concentration in the liquid hydrolysate after enzymatic hydrolysis. When the glucose concentrations obtained after enzymatic hydrolyses were related to the potential glucose present in the pretreated residues, the highest yield, approximately 48% (g g-1), was obtained with hot water extraction pretreatment of barley straw; this pretreatment also produced highest yields for wheat straw, producing a glucose yield of approximately 39% (g g-1). Addition of extra enzyme (Celluclast 1.5 L+Novozyme 188) during enzymatic hydrolysis resulted in the highest total glucose concentrations from barley straw, 32-39 g L-1, but the relative increases in glucose yields were higher on wheat straw than on barley straw. Maldi-TOF MS analyses of supernatants of pretreated barley and wheat straw samples subjected to acid and water impregnation, respectively, and steam explosion, revealed that the water impregnated + steam-exploded samples gave a wider range of pentose oligomers than the corresponding acid-impregnated samples.

Recovery of Palm Oil and Valuable Material from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch by Sub-critical Water.

PubMed

Ahmad Kurnin, Nor Azrin; Shah Ismail, Mohd Halim; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Izhar, Shamsul

2016-01-01

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) is one of the solid wastes produced in huge volume by palm oil mill. Whilst it still contains valuable oil, approximately 22.6 million tons is generated annually and treated as solid waste. In this work, sub-critical water (sub-cw) was used to extract oil, sugar and tar from spikelet of EFB. The spikelet was treated with sub-cw between 180-280°C and a reaction time of 2 and 5 minutes. The highest yield of oil was 0.075 g-oil/g-dry EFB, obtained at 240°C and reaction time of 5 minutes. Astonishingly, oil that was extracted through this method was 84.5% of that obtained through Soxhlet method using hexane. Yield of oil extracted was strongly affected by the reaction temperature and time. Higher reaction temperature induces the dielectric constant of water towards the non-polar properties of solvent; thus increases the oil extraction capability. Meanwhile, the highest yield of sugar was 0.20 g-sugar/g-dry EFB obtained at 220°C. At this temperature, the ion product of water is high enough to enable maximum sub-critical water hydrolysis reaction. This study showed that oil and other valuable material can be recovered using water at sub-critical condition, and most attractive without the use of harmful organic solvent.

Characterization of cellulose production by a Gluconacetobacter xylinus strain from Kombucha.

PubMed

Nguyen, Vu Tuan; Flanagan, Bernadine; Gidley, Michael J; Dykes, Gary A

2008-11-01

The aims of this work were to characterize and improve cellulose production by a Gluconoacetobacter xylinus strain isolated from Kombucha and determine the purity and some structural features of the cellulose from this strain. Cellulose yield in tea medium with both black tea and green tea and in Hestrin and Schramm (HS) medium under both static and agitated cultures was compared. In the tea medium, the highest cellulose yield was obtained with green tea (approximately 0.20 g/L) rather than black tea (approximately 0.14 g/L). Yield in HS was higher (approximately 0.28 g/L) but did not differ between static and agitated incubation. (1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy indicated that the cellulose is pure (free of acetan) and has high crystallinity, respectively. Cellulose yield was improved by changing the type and level of carbon and nitrogen source in the HS medium. A high yield of approximately 2.64 g/L was obtained with mannitol at 20 g/L and corn steep liquor at 40 g/L in combination. In the tea medium, tea at a level of 3 g/L gave the highest cellulose yield and the addition of 3 g/L of tea to the HS medium increased cellulose yield to 3.34 g/L. In conclusion, the G. xylinus strain from Kombucha had different cellulose-producing characteristics than previous strains isolated from fruit. Cellulose was produced in a pure form and showed high potential applicability. Our studies extensively characterized cellulose production from a G. xylinus strain from Kombucha for the first time, indicating both similarities and differences to strains from different sources.

Comparison of four kinds of extraction techniques and kinetics of microwave-assisted extraction of vanillin from Vanilla planifolia Andrews.

PubMed

Dong, Zhizhe; Gu, Fenglin; Xu, Fei; Wang, Qinghuang

2014-04-15

Vanillin yield, microscopic structure, antioxidant activity and overall odour of vanilla extracts obtained by different treatments were investigated. MAE showed the strongest extraction power, shortest time and highest antioxidant activity. Maceration gave higher vanillin yields than UAE and PAE, similar antioxidant activity with UAE, but longer times than UAE and PAE. Overall odour intensity of different vanilla extracts obtained by UAE, PAE and MAE were similar, while higher than maceration extracts. Then, powered vanilla bean with a sample/solvent ratio of 4 g/100 mL was selected as the optimum condition for MAE. Next, compared with other three equations, two-site kinetic equation with lowest RMSD and highest R²(adj) was shown to be more suitable in describing the kinetics of vanillin extraction. By fitting the parameters C(eq), k₁, k₂, and f, a kinetics model was constructed to describe vanillin extraction in terms of irradiation power, ethanol concentration, and extraction time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distillation Time as Tool for Improved Antimalarial Activity and Differential Oil Composition of Cumin Seed Oil

PubMed Central

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D.; Gawde, Archana; Cantrell, Charles L.; Astatkie, Tess; Schlegel, Vicki

2015-01-01

A steam distillation extraction kinetics experiment was conducted to estimate essential oil yield, composition, antimalarial, and antioxidant capacity of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seed (fruits). Furthermore, regression models were developed to predict essential oil yield and composition for a given duration of the steam distillation time (DT). Ten DT durations were tested in this study: 5, 7.5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, 480, and 600 min. Oil yields increased with an increase in the DT. Maximum oil yield (content, 2.3 g/100 seed), was achieved at 480 min; longer DT did not increase oil yields. The concentrations of the major oil constituents α-pinene (0.14–0.5% concentration range), β-pinene (3.7–10.3% range), γ-cymene (5–7.3% range), γ-terpinene (1.8–7.2% range), cumin aldehyde (50–66% range), α-terpinen-7-al (3.8–16% range), and β-terpinen-7-al (12–20% range) varied as a function of the DT. The concentrations of α-pinene, β-pinene, γ-cymene, γ-terpinene in the oil increased with the increase of the duration of the DT; α-pinene was highest in the oil obtained at 600 min DT, β-pinene and γ-terpinene reached maximum concentrations in the oil at 360 min DT; γ-cymene reached a maximum in the oil at 60 min DT, cumin aldehyde was high in the oils obtained at 5–60 min DT, and low in the oils obtained at 240–600 min DT, α-terpinen-7-al reached maximum in the oils obtained at 480 or 600 min DT, whereas β-terpinen-7-al reached a maximum concentration in the oil at 60 min DT. The yield of individual oil constituents (calculated from the oil yields and the concentration of a given compound at a particular DT) increased and reached a maximum at 480 or 600 min DT. The antimalarial activity of the cumin seed oil obtained during the 0–5 and at 5–7.5 min DT timeframes was twice higher than the antimalarial activity of the oils obtained at the other DT. This study opens the possibility for distinct marketing and utilization for these improved oils. The antioxidant capacity of the oil was highest in the oil obtained at 30 min DT and lowest in the oil from 360 min DT. The Michaelis-Menton and the Power nonlinear regression models developed in this study can be utilized to predict essential oil yield and composition of cumin seed at any given duration of DT and may also be useful to compare previous reports on cumin oil yield and composition. DT can be utilized to obtain cumin seed oil with improved antimalarial activity, improved antioxidant capacity, and with various compositions. PMID:26641276

Recycle of Immobilized Endocellulases in Different Conditions for Cellulose Hydrolysis

PubMed Central

Carvalho, A. F. A.; Shinya, T. Y.; Mazali, G. S.; Herculano, R. D.; Oliva-Neto, P.

2017-01-01

The immobilization of cellulases could be an economical alternative for cost reduction of enzyme application. The derivatives obtained in the immobilization derivatives were evaluated in recycles of paper filter hydrolysis. The immobilization process showed that the enzyme recycles were influenced by the shape (drop or sheet) and type of the mixture. The enzyme was recycled 28 times for sheets E′ and 13 times for drops B′. The derivative E′ showed the highest stability in the recycle obtaining 0.05 FPU/g, RA of 10%, and FPU Yield of 1.64 times, higher than FPU spent or Net FPU Yield of 5.3 times, saving more active enzymes. The derivative B showed stability in recycles reaching 0.15 FPU/g of derivative, yield of Recovered Activity (RA) of 25%, and FPU Yield of 1.57 times, higher than FPU spent on immobilization or Net PFU Yield of 2.81 times. The latex increased stability and resistance of the drops but did not improve the FPU/gram of derivative. PMID:28465836

Drip irrigation management in different chufa planting strategies: yield and irrigation water use efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Seva, Nuria; San Bautista, Alberto; López-Galarza, Salvador; Maroto, José Vicente; Pascual, Bernardo

2013-04-01

In a study presented in the EGU assembly 2012, it was analysed how yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) in chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus), crop, were affected by planting strategy (ridges and flat raised beds, with two and three plant rows along them) and irrigation system [furrow (FI) and drip irrigation (DI)]. Each irrigation session started when the Volumetric Soil Water Content (VSWC) in ridges dropped to 80% of field capacity; beds were irrigated simultaneously with ridges and with the same irrigation duration. R produced lower yield than the two types of beds, and yields in DI were higher than those FI. Ridges led to the highest IWUE with DI, and to the lowest with FI. Then, it was decided to analyse, in DI, how yield and IWUE responded to start each irrigation session when the VSWC in the central point of different planting strategies [ridges (R), and flat raised beds with two (b) and three (B) plant rows along them] dropped to 80% of field capacity. In R and b, plants were irrigated by a single dripline per plant row, while in B two irrigation layouts were assayed: a single dripline per plant row (B3) and two driplines per bed (B2), placing each dripline between two planting rows. Irrigation session stop was also automated as a function of the VSWC. Results show that yield was affected (P˜0.01) by planting strategy; the greatest yield was obtained in b (2.4 kgm-2), differing (P˜0.05) from that obtained in R (2.1 kgm-2), with intermediate yields in B2 (2.3 kgm-2) and B3 (2.3 kgm-2). Yield was not affected (P˜0.05) by the utilisation of two or three driplines in B. Considerably less irrigation water was applied (IWA) in R (376 mm) than in B3 (465 mm), B2 (475 mm) and b (502 mm). This automatic irrigation management, as a function of the VSWC in each planting strategy, lead to adjust the IWA to the plant water requirements, which were similar in all three flat raised beds, since they correspond to the same planting density, that was, in turn, higher than in R. IWUE was affected (P˜0.01) by the planting strategy, obtaining greater (P˜0.05) values in R (5.54 kgm-3) than in B3 (4.84 kgm-3), B2 (4.76 kgm-3), and b (4.73 kgm-3). With the herein presented irrigation management, IWUE in flat raised beds considerably increased in relation to the previous experiments (automated as a function of the VSWC in R), although they resulted in lower values (P˜0.05) than in R. When comparing the different planting rows, neither the yield nor the average tuber weight was affected by their position. b leaded to the highest yield, while R resulted in the lowest yield, but with the highest IWUE. Considering the current prices of both tubers and irrigation water, the profit obtained by the increase in yield reached with b is greater than the cost that supposes its greater IWA. Nevertheless, if there were water delivery restrictions or price increases, R would represent a recommendable strategy.

Climate-based statistical regression models for crop yield forecasting of coffee in humid tropical Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayakumar, M.; Rajavel, M.; Surendran, U.

2016-12-01

A study on the variability of coffee yield of both Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora as influenced by climate parameters (rainfall (RF), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), and mean relative humidity (RH)) was undertaken at Regional Coffee Research Station, Chundale, Wayanad, Kerala State, India. The result on the coffee yield data of 30 years (1980 to 2009) revealed that the yield of coffee is fluctuating with the variations in climatic parameters. Among the species, productivity was higher for C. canephora coffee than C. arabica in most of the years. Maximum yield of C. canephora (2040 kg ha-1) was recorded in 2003-2004 and there was declining trend of yield noticed in the recent years. Similarly, the maximum yield of C. arabica (1745 kg ha-1) was recorded in 1988-1989 and decreased yield was noticed in the subsequent years till 1997-1998 due to year to year variability in climate. The highest correlation coefficient was found between the yield of C. arabica coffee and maximum temperature during January (0.7) and between C. arabica coffee yield and RH during July (0.4). Yield of C. canephora coffee had highest correlation with maximum temperature, RH and rainfall during February. Statistical regression model between selected climatic parameters and yield of C. arabica and C. canephora coffee was developed to forecast the yield of coffee in Wayanad district in Kerala. The model was validated for years 2010, 2011, and 2012 with the coffee yield data obtained during the years and the prediction was found to be good.

Supercritical fluid extraction of ginger (Zingiber Officinale Var. Amarum) : Global yield and composition study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitriady, Muhammad Arifuddin; Sulaswatty, Anny; Agustian, Egi; Salahuddin, Aditama, Deska Prayoga Fauzi

2017-11-01

An experiment to observe the effect of temperature and time process in ginger rhizome-Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) using CO2 as the solvent has been conducted. The ginger rhizome (Zingiber Officinale Var. Amarum) was washed, drained, sliced, sun-dried, and then stored in a sealed bag prior to usage. The temperature and time process variables are each 35, 40, 45°C and 2, 4, 6 hours respectively with the pressure variable are 3500, 4000, and 4500 psi. It is found that the highest yield (2.9%) was achieved using temperature of 40°C and pressure of 4500 psiwith the process time of 4 hours. However, using the curve-fitting method, it is suggested to use 42°C as the temperature and 5 hours, 7 minutes, and 30 seconds (5.125 Hours) as the time process to obtain the highest yield. The temperature changes will affect both solvent and vapor pressure of diluted compounds of the ginger which will influence the global yield and the composition of the extract. The three major components of the extract are curcumene, zingiberene, and β - sesquipellandrene,

Application of fermentation for isoflavone extraction from soy molasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duru, K. C.; Kovaleva, E. G.; Glukhareva, T. V.

2017-09-01

Extraction of isoflavones from soy products remains a major challenge for researchers. Different extraction techniques have been employed but the need to use a cheap green extraction technique remains the main focus. This study applied fermentation of soy molasses using Saccharomyces cerevisiae for extraction of isoflavones and compared this technique to the conventional extraction method. The aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used for the determination of total flavonoid content of extracts. The highest yield was observed from extraction using ethyl acetate after fermentation of soy molasses and the lowest one was given by the extract from conventional extraction method. The DPPH radical scavenging activities of the extracts were also compared. The extract obtained using ethyl acetate after fermentation showed the highest antioxidant activity (0.0269 meq), while extract from conventional extraction had the lowest antioxidant activity (0.0055 meq). The effect of time on daidzein yield was studied using HPLC standard addition method. Daidzein concentration was higher in extract obtained at t = 80 min (3.82 ± 0.11 mg of daidzein /g of extract) as compared to that obtained at t = 60 min (2.89 ± 0.10 mg of daidzein /g of extract).

Pretreatment of Dried Distiller Grains with Solubles by Soaking in Aqueous Ammonia and Subsequent Enzymatic/Dilute Acid Hydrolysis to Produce Fermentable Sugars.

PubMed

Nghiem, Nhuan P; Montanti, Justin; Kim, Tae Hyun

2016-05-01

Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), a co-product of corn ethanol production in the dry-grind process, was pretreated by soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) using a 15 % w/w NH4OH solution at a solid/liquid ratio of 1:10. The effect of pretreatment on subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis was studied at two temperatures (40 and 60 °C) and four reaction times (6, 12, 24, and 48 h). Highest glucose yield of 91 % theoretical was obtained for the DDGS pretreated at 60 °C and 24 h. The solubilized hemicellulose in the liquid fraction was further hydrolyzed with dilute H2SO4 to generate fermentable monomeric sugars. The conditions of acid hydrolysis included 1 and 4 wt% acid, 60 and 120 °C, and 0.5 and 1 h. Highest yields of xylose and arabinose were obtained at 4 wt% acid, 120 °C, and 1 h. The fermentability of the hydrolysate obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of the SAA-pretreated DDGS was demonstrated in ethanol fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fermentability of the hydrolysate obtained by consecutive enzymatic and dilute acid hydrolysis was demonstrated using a succinic acid-producing microorganism, strain Escherichia coli AFP184. Under the fermentation conditions, complete utilization of glucose and arabinose was observed, whereas only 47 % of xylose was used. The succinic acid yield was 0.60 g/g total sugar consumed.

The effect of clay catalyst on the chemical composition of bio-oil obtained by co-pyrolysis of cellulose and polyethylene.

PubMed

Solak, Agnieszka; Rutkowski, Piotr

2014-02-01

Cellulose/polyethylene (CPE) mixture 3:1, w/w with and without three clay catalysts (K10 - montmorillonite K10, KSF - montmorillonite KSF, B - Bentonite) addition were subjected to pyrolysis at temperatures 400, 450 and 500°C with heating rate of 100°C/s to produce bio-oil with high yield. The pyrolytic oil yield was in the range of 41.3-79.5 wt% depending on the temperature, the type and the amount of catalyst. The non-catalytic fast pyrolysis at 500°C gives the highest yield of bio-oil (79.5 wt%). The higher temperature of catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose/polyethylene mixture the higher yield of bio-oil is. Contrarily, increasing amount of montmorillonite results in significant, almost linear decrease in bio-oil yield followed by a significant increase of gas yield. The addition of clay catalysts to CPE mixture has a various influence on the distribution of bio-oil components. The addition of montmorillonite K10 to cellulose/polyethylene mixture promotes the deepest conversion of polyethylene and cellulose. Additionally, more saturated than unsaturated hydrocarbons are present in resultant bio-oils. The proportion of liquid hydrocarbons is the highest when a montmorillonite K10 is acting as a catalyst. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physico-chemical characteristics and functional properties of chitin and chitosan produced by Mucor circinelloides using yam bean as substrate.

PubMed

Fai, Ana Elizabeth C; Stamford, Thayza C M; Stamford-Arnaud, Thatiana M; Santa-Cruz, Petrus D'Amorim; da Silva, Marta C Freitas; Campos-Takaki, Galba M; Stamford, Tânia L M

2011-08-23

Microbiological processes were used for chitin and chitosan production by Mucor circinelloides (UCP 050) grown in yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) medium. The polysaccharides were extracted by alkali-acid treatment and structural investigations by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform IR analysis, viscosity and thermal analysis by TG, DTG, and DTA were done. The highest biomass yield (20.7 g/L) was obtained at 96 hours. The highest levels of chitosan (64 mg/g) and chitin (500 mg/g) were produced at 48 and 72 hours, respectively. It was demonstrated that yam bean shows great potential as an economic medium and it is possible to achieve a good yield of chitosan with chemical properties that enable its use in biotechnological applications.

Radiation-induced polymerization of cyclophosphazene trimers. Final report, 1 September 1985-30 September 1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stannett, V.T.

1989-01-04

Hexachlorophosphazene was irradiated in bulk and in solution after various methods of purification. When rigorously dried and purified, good yields of polymer were obtained. Poor reproducibility was found in the bulk but reasonably good results were obtained in decalin solution. The best yields and highest molecular weights were obtained after the addition of small amounts of the bulky electron acceptor pyromellitic dianhydride. Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene was purified by recrystallization for various times from dried heptane. The trimer was then further purified by repeated sublimation steps under high vacuum. Finally the trimer was dried in the melt over rigorously baked out barium oxide.more » The monomer was then transferred to ampules or the NMR tubes for radiation and subsequent determination of the polymer content.« less

Enhanced production of natural yellow pigments from Monascus purpureus by liquid culture: The relationship between fermentation conditions and mycelial morphology.

PubMed

Lv, Jun; Zhang, Bo-Bo; Liu, Xiao-Dong; Zhang, Chan; Chen, Lei; Xu, Gan-Rong; Cheung, Peter Chi Keung

2017-10-01

Natural yellow pigments produced by submerged fermentation of Monascus purpureus have potential economic value and application in the food industry. In the present study, the relationships among fermentation conditions (in terms of pH and shaking/agitation speed), mycelial morphology and the production of Monascus yellow pigments were investigated in both shake-flask and scale-up bioreactor experiments. In the shake-flask fermentation, the highest yield of the Monascus yellow pigments was obtained at pH 5.0 and a shaking speed of 180 rpm. Microscopic images revealed that these results were associated with the formation of freely dispersed small mycelial pellets with shorter, thicker and multi-branched hyphae. Further investigation indicated that the hyphal diameter was highly correlated with the biosynthesis of the Monascus yellow pigments. In a scaled-up fermentation experiment, the yield of yellow pigments (401 U) was obtained in a 200-L bioreactor, which is the highest yield to the best of our knowledge. The present findings can advance our knowledge on the conditions used for enhancing the production of Monascus yellow pigments in submerged fermentation and facilitate large-scale production of these natural pigments. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioethanol production from microwave-assisted acid or alkali-pretreated agricultural residues of cassava using separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF).

PubMed

Pooja, N S; Sajeev, M S; Jeeva, M L; Padmaja, G

2018-01-01

The effect of microwave (MW)-assisted acid or alkali pretreatment (300 W, 7 min) followed by saccharification with a triple enzyme cocktail (Cellic, Optimash BG and Stargen) with or without detoxification mix on ethanol production from three cassava residues (stems, leaves and peels) by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Significantly higher fermentable sugar yields (54.58, 47.39 and 64.06 g/L from stems, leaves and peels, respectively) were obtained after 120 h saccharification from MW-assisted alkali-pretreated systems supplemented (D+) with detoxification chemicals (Tween 20 + polyethylene glycol 4000 + sodium borohydride) compared to the non-supplemented (D0) or MW-assisted acid-pretreated systems. The percentage utilization of reducing sugars during fermentation (48 h) was also the highest (91.02, 87.16 and 89.71%, respectively, for stems, leaves and peels) for the MW-assisted alkali-pretreated (D+) systems. HPLC sugar profile indicated that glucose was the predominant monosaccharide in the hydrolysates from this system. Highest ethanol yields ( Y E , g/g), fermentation efficiency (%) and volumetric ethanol productivity (g/L/h) of 0.401, 78.49 and 0.449 (stems), 0.397, 77.71 and 0.341 (leaves) and 0.433, 84.65 and 0.518 (peels) were also obtained for this system. The highest ethanol yields (ml/kg dry biomass) of ca. 263, 200 and 303, respectively, for stems, leaves and peels from the MW-assisted alkali pretreatment (D+) indicated that this was the most effective pretreatment for cassava residues.

Utilization of new naturally occurring strains and supplementation to improve the biological efficiency of the edible mushroom Agrocybe cylindracea.

PubMed

Uhart, Marina; Piscera, Juan Manuel; Albertó, Edgardo

2008-06-01

To evaluate the importance of searching new naturally occurring strains to raise yields in mushroom production, eight wild and four commercial strains of Agrocybe cylindracea were cultivated on wheat straw. The highest biological efficiencies (BE) (54.5-72.4%) were obtained with three wild and two commercial strains when cultured on non-supplemented wheat straw. Rolled oats or soybean flour supplementation were tested using three selected strains, increasing BEs up to 1.2, 0.5 and 0.7-fold, respectively. This effect of supplementation was stronger in the Asiatic wild strain, yielding up to 41.1 and 30% more than the two other strains with rolled oats and soybean flour, respectively. The Asiatic wild strain cultivated with soybean flour supplementation achieved an average biological efficiency of 179%, to our knowledge, the highest reported for this species. These results show the importance of searching for new naturally occurring strains in combination with supplemented wheat straw substrate for raising yields in A. cylindracea cultivation.

Evaluation of enzyme treatment conditions on extraction of anthocyanins from Prunus nepalensis L.

PubMed

Swer, Tanya L; Chauhan, Komal; Paul, Prodyut K; Mukhim, C

2016-11-01

The study was designed to investigate the effect of enzyme assisted extraction of anthocyanins from Sohiong fruit (Prunus nepalensis) under varied time, temperature and treatment conditions. Highest anthocyanins yield was obtained by coupling enzymatic treatment along with solvent extraction simultaneously. Additionally, effect of enzyme type, enzyme concentration, reaction time and temperature were evaluated subsequently in following experiments. Cellulase treatment (10% E/S) for 180min at 4°C exhibited highest yield of 984.40±3.84mg C3G/100gdm which accounts to 14.61% higher yield when compared to conventional method (858.84±6.88mg C3G/100gdm). The study provides an economical alternative for commercial extraction of anthocyanins from Sohiong fruit which can be used as a colourant for various food and other products and owing to its antioxidizing properties can be effective for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of ozonolysis pretreatment parameters on the sugar release, ozone consumption and ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse.

PubMed

Travaini, Rodolfo; Barrado, Enrique; Bolado-Rodríguez, Silvia

2016-08-01

A L9(3)(4) orthogonal array (OA) experimental design was applied to study the four parameters considered most important in the ozonolysis pretreatment (moisture content, ozone concentration, ozone/oxygen flow and particle size) on ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Statistical analysis highlighted ozone concentration as the highest influence parameter on reaction time and sugars release after enzymatic hydrolysis. The increase on reaction time when decreasing the ozone/oxygen flow resulted in small differences of ozone consumptions. Design optimization for sugars release provided a parameters combination close to the best experimental run, where 77.55% and 56.95% of glucose and xylose yields were obtained, respectively. When optimizing the grams of sugar released by gram of ozone, the highest influence parameter was moisture content, with a maximum yield of 2.98gSUGARS/gO3. In experiments on hydrolysates fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae provided ethanol yields around 80%, while Pichia stipitis was completely inhibited. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the Extractive Method on the Recovery of Phenolic Compounds in Different Parts of Hymenaea martiana Hayne

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Fernanda Granja da Silva; de Lima-Saraiva, Sarah Raquel Gomes; Oliveira, Ana Paula; Rabêlo, Suzana Vieira; Rolim, Larissa Araújo; Almeida, Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva

2016-01-01

Background: Popularly known as “jatobá,” Hymenaea martiana Hayne is a medicinal plant widely used in the Brazilian Northeast for the treatment of various diseases. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different extractive methods in the production of phenolic compounds from different parts of H. martiana. Materials and Methods: The leaves, bark, fruits, and seeds were dried, pulverized, and submitted to maceration, ultrasound, and percolation extractive methods, which were evaluated for yield, visual aspects, qualitative phytochemical screening, phenolic compound content, and total flavonoids. Results: The highest results of yield were obtained from the maceration of the leaves, which may be related to the contact time between the plant drug and solvent. The visual aspects of the extracts presented some differences between the extractive methods. The phytochemical screening showed consistent data with other studies of the genus. Both the vegetal part as the different extractive methods influenced significantly the levels of phenolic compounds, and the highest content was found in the maceration of the barks, even more than the content found previously. No differences between the levels of total flavonoids were significant. The highest concentration of total flavonoids was found in the ultrasound of the barks, followed by maceration on this drug. According to the results, the barks of H. martiana presented the highest total flavonoid contents. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that both the vegetable and the different extractive methods influenced significantly various parameters obtained in the various extracts, demonstrating the importance of systematic comparative studies for the development of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. SUMMARY The phytochemical screening showed consistent data with other studies of the genus HymenaeaBoth the vegetable part and the different extractive methods influenced significantly various parameters obtained in the various extracts, including the levels of phenolic compoundsThe barks of H. martiana presented the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents. PMID:27695267

Influence of Extraction Methods on the Yield of Steviol Glycosides and Antioxidants in Stevia rebaudiana Extracts.

PubMed

Periche, Angela; Castelló, Maria Luisa; Heredia, Ana; Escriche, Isabel

2015-06-01

This study evaluated the application of ultrasound techniques and microwave energy, compared to conventional extraction methods (high temperatures at atmospheric pressure), for the solid-liquid extraction of steviol glycosides (sweeteners) and antioxidants (total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity) from dehydrated Stevia leaves. Different temperatures (from 50 to 100 °C), times (from 1 to 40 min) and microwave powers (1.98 and 3.30 W/g extract) were used. There was a great difference in the resulting yields according to the treatments applied. Steviol glycosides and antioxidants were negatively correlated; therefore, there is no single treatment suitable for obtaining the highest yield in both groups of compounds simultaneously. The greatest yield of steviol glycosides was obtained with microwave energy (3.30 W/g extract, 2 min), whereas, the conventional method (90 °C, 1 min) was the most suitable for antioxidant extraction. Consequently, the best process depends on the subsequent use (sweetener or antioxidant) of the aqueous extract of Stevia leaves.

Enhancement of enzymatic saccharification of Eucalyptus globulus: steam explosion versus steam treatment.

PubMed

Martin-Sampedro, Raquel; Revilla, Esteban; Villar, Juan C; Eugenio, Maria E

2014-09-01

Steam explosion and steam pre-treatment have proved capable of enhancing enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic materials. However, until now, these methods had not been compared under the same operational conditions and using the same raw material. Both pre-treatments lead to increased yields in the saccharification of Eucalyptus globulus; but results have been better with steam pre-treatments, despite the more accessible surface of exploded samples. The reason for this finding could be enzymatic inhibition: steam explosion causes a more extensive extraction of hemicelluloses and releases a greater amount of degradation products which can inhibit enzymatic action. Enzymatic inhibition is also dependent on the amount and chemical structure of lignin, which was also a contributing factor to the lower enzymatic yields obtained with the most severe pre-treatment. Thus, the highest yields (46.7% glucose and 73.4% xylose yields) were obtained after two cycle of steam treatment, of 5 and 3 min, at 183°C. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of a Fucosylated Trisaccharide Via Transglycosylation by α-L-Fucosidase from Thermotoga maritima.

PubMed

Guzmán-Rodríguez, Francisco; Alatorre-Santamaría, Sergio; Gómez-Ruiz, Lorena; Rodríguez-Serrano, Gabriela; García-Garibay, Mariano; Cruz-Guerrero, Alma

2018-05-02

Fucosylated oligosaccharides, such as 2'-fucosyllactose in human milk, have important biological functions such as prebiotics and preventing infection. In this work, the effect of an acceptor substrate (lactose) and the donor substrate 4-nitrophenyl-α-L-fucopyranoside (pNP-Fuc) on the synthesis of a fucosylated trisaccharide was studied in a transglycosylation reaction using α-L-fucosidase from Thermotoga maritima. Conducting a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), it was demonstrated that synthesized oligosaccharide corresponded to a fucosylated trisaccharide, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the hydrolyzed compound confirmed it was fucosyllactose. As the concentration of the acceptor substrate increased, the concentration and synthesis rate of the fucosylated trisaccharide also increased, and the highest concentration obtained was 0.883 mM (25.2% yield) when using the higher initial lactose concentration (584 mM). Furthermore, the lower donor/acceptor ratio had the highest synthesis, so at the molar ratio of 0.001, a concentration of 0.286 mM was obtained (32.5% yield).

Low molecular weight squash trypsin inhibitors from Sechium edule seeds.

PubMed

Laure, Hélen J; Faça, Vítor M; Izumi, Clarice; Padovan, Júlio C; Greene, Lewis J

2006-02-01

Nine chromatographic components containing trypsin inhibitor activity were isolated from Sechium edule seeds by acetone fractionation, gel filtration, affinity chromatography and RP-HPLC in an overall yield of 46% of activity and 0.05% of protein. The components obtained with highest yield of total activity and highest specific activity were sequenced by Edman degradation and their molecular masses determined by mass spectrometry. The inhibitors contained 31, 32 and 27 residues per molecule and their sequences were: SETI-IIa, EDRKCPKILMRCKRDSDCLAKCTCQESGYCG; SETI-IIb, EEDRKCPKILMRCKRDSDCLAKCTCQESGYCG and SETI-V, CPRILMKCKLDTDCFPTCTCRPSGFCG. SETI-IIa and SETI-IIb, which differed by an amino-terminal E in the IIb form, were not separable under the conditions employed. The sequences are consistent with consensus sequences obtained from 37 other inhibitors: CPriI1meCk_DSDCla_C_C_G_CG, where capital letters are invariant amino acid residues and lower case letters are the most preserved in this position. SETI-II and SETI-V form complexes with trypsin with a 1:1 stoichiometry and have dissociation constants of 5.4x10(-11)M and 1.1x10(-9)M, respectively.

Enterobacter aerogenes metabolites enhance Microcystis aeruginosa biomass recovery for sustainable bioflocculant and biohydrogen production.

PubMed

Xu, Liang; Zhou, Mo; Ju, Hanyu; Zhang, Zhenxing; Zhang, Jiquan; Sun, Caiyun

2018-09-01

We report a recycling bioresource involving harvesting of Microcystis aeruginosa using the bioflocculant (MBF-32) produced by Enterobacter aerogenes followed by the recovery of the harvested M. aeruginosa as the main substrate for the sustainable production of MBF-32 and biohydrogen. The experimental results indicate that the efficiency of bioflocculation exceeded 90% under optimal conditions. The harvested M. aeruginosa was further recycled as the main substrate for the supply of necessary elements. The highest yield (3.6±0.1g/L) of MBF-32 could be obtained from 20g/L of wet biomass of M. aeruginosa with an additional 20g/L of glucose as the extra carbon source. The highest yield of biohydrogen was 35mL of H 2 /g (dw) algal biomass, obtained from 20g/L of wet biomass of M. aeruginosa with an additional 10g/L of glycerol. Transcriptome analyses indicated that MBF-32 was mainly composed of polysaccharide and tyrosine/tryptophan proteins. Furthermore, NADH synthase and polysaccharide export-related genes were found to be up-regulated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Contributions to the chemical study of the essential oil isolated from coriander fruits (Sandra cultivar)].

PubMed

Trifan, Adriana; Aprotosoaie, Ana Clara; Spac, A; Hăncianu, Monica; Miron, Anca; Stănescu, Ursula

2011-01-01

Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae) is a well known herb, native to the Mediterranean region, also intensively cultivated in Romania. The essential oil obtained from Coriandri fructus posseses antimicrobial, antioxidant and anxiolytic effects. Many parameters such as genetic and climatic factors or agronomical practices can influence the yield and composition of the volatile fraction. Plant density is an important factor for the microenvironment in coriander field. In order to study the effect of planting density on the yield of the essential oil and its composition, a bifactorial experiment was carried out on coriander plants (Sandra cultivar). The experiment was performed with three plant densities on the row (0, 15 and 20 cm); the distance between plant rows was 12.5, 25 and 50 cm, respectively. So, it resulted nine experimental variants. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from fruits have been characterized using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis (GC-MS). The highest yield (7.9866 kg/ha) was obtained for the plants spaced at 20 cm in between and 25 cm row spacing. The highest content of monoterpene alcohols (50.96%) was obtained with 25 cm row spacing and plant spaced at 0 cm on the row. The main components in all oils were monoterpene alcohols (40.75% - 50.96%) and monoterpenes (32.43-38.44%). The essential oil of coriander fruits (Sandra cultivar) does not meet the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia, especially concerning the content in linalool. Nevertheless, the high content in monoterpene alcohols and monoterpenes recommends the use of the essential oil as immunomodulatory, analgesic and antiinflammatory agent in rheumatology and also as an antibacterial and antiviral agent. Consequently, the changes in yield and composition of the essential oil of Sandra coriander should be assesed during several periods of vegetation in order to conclude on its pharmaceutical quality.

Hydrolysis of virgin coconut oil using immobilized lipase in a batch reactor.

PubMed

Chua, Lee Suan; Alitabarimansor, Meisam; Lee, Chew Tin; Mat, Ramli

2012-01-01

Hydrolysis of virgin coconut oil (VCO) had been carried out by using an immobilised lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme) in a water-jacketed batch reactor. The kinetic of the hydrolysis was investigated by varying the parameters such as VCO concentration, enzyme loading, water content, and reaction temperature. It was found that VCO exhibited substrate inhibition at the concentration more than 40% (v/v). Lipozyme also achieved the highest production of free fatty acids, 4.56 mM at 1% (w/v) of enzyme loading. The optimum water content for VCO hydrolysis was 7% (v/v). A relatively high content of water was required because water was one of the reactants in the hydrolysis. The progress curve and the temperature profile of the enzymatic hydrolysis also showed that Lipozyme could be used for free fatty acid production at the temperature up to 50°C. However, the highest initial reaction rate and the highest yield of free fatty acid production were at 45 and 40°C, respectively. A 100 hours of initial reaction time has to be compensated in order to obtain the highest yield of free fatty acid production at 40°C.

Hydrolysis of Virgin Coconut Oil Using Immobilized Lipase in a Batch Reactor

PubMed Central

Chua, Lee Suan; Alitabarimansor, Meisam; Lee, Chew Tin; Mat, Ramli

2012-01-01

Hydrolysis of virgin coconut oil (VCO) had been carried out by using an immobilised lipase from Mucor miehei (Lipozyme) in a water-jacketed batch reactor. The kinetic of the hydrolysis was investigated by varying the parameters such as VCO concentration, enzyme loading, water content, and reaction temperature. It was found that VCO exhibited substrate inhibition at the concentration more than 40% (v/v). Lipozyme also achieved the highest production of free fatty acids, 4.56 mM at 1% (w/v) of enzyme loading. The optimum water content for VCO hydrolysis was 7% (v/v). A relatively high content of water was required because water was one of the reactants in the hydrolysis. The progress curve and the temperature profile of the enzymatic hydrolysis also showed that Lipozyme could be used for free fatty acid production at the temperature up to 50°C. However, the highest initial reaction rate and the highest yield of free fatty acid production were at 45 and 40°C, respectively. A 100 hours of initial reaction time has to be compensated in order to obtain the highest yield of free fatty acid production at 40°C. PMID:22953055

Extraction and identification of bioactive compounds from agarwood leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, N. Y.; Yunus, M. A. C.; Idham, Z.; Ruslan, M. S. H.; Aziz, A. H. A.; Irwansyah, N.

2016-11-01

Agarwood commonly known as gaharu, aloeswood or eaglewood have been used as traditional medicine for centuries and its essential oil also being used as perfumery ingredients and aroma enhancers in food products. However, there is least study on the agarwood leaves though it contains large number of biomolecules component that show diverse pharmacological activity. Previous study showed that the extracted compounds from the leaves possess activities like anti-mutagenic, anti-tumor and anti-helminthic. The main objectives of this research were to determine bioactive compounds in agarwood leaves; leaves extract and oil yield obtained from maceration and soxhlet extraction methods respectively. The maceration process was performed at different operating temperature of 25°C, 50°C and 75°C and different retention time at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Meanwhile, various solvents were used to extract the oil from agarwood leaves using soxhlet method which are hexane, water, isopropanol and ethanol. The extracted oil from agarwood leaves by soxhlet extraction was analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results showed that the highest extract of 1.53% was obtained when increase the temperature to 75 °C and longest retention time of 120 minutes gave the highest oil yield of 2.10 % by using maceration. This is because at higher temperature enhances the solubility solute and diffusivity coefficient, thus increase the extract yield while longer retention time allow the reaction between solvent and solute occurred more rapidly giving higher extract. Furthermore, the soxhlet extraction using n-hexane as the solvent gave the highest oil yield as compared to other solvent due to the non-polar properties of n-hexane increase the efficiency of oil which is also non-polar to soluble in the solvent. In addition, the results also reported that the oil extracted from agarwood leaves contains bioactive compounds which are phytol, squalene, n-hexadecanoic acid and octadecatrienoic acid. Therefore, oil extracted from agarwood leaves has the potential to be applied in food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetics industries.

Molecular and functional properties of gelatin from the skin of unicorn leatherjacket as affected by extracting temperatures.

PubMed

Kaewruang, Phanngam; Benjakul, Soottawat; Prodpran, Thummanoon

2013-06-01

Gelatins extracted from the skin of unicorn leatherjacket at different temperatures (45, 55, 65 and 75°C) in the presence and the absence of soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI; 100 units/g pretreated skin) for 12h were characterised. In general, the addition of SBTI resulted in the lower yield, regardless of extraction temperature. Higher yield was obtained when higher extraction temperature was used (P<0.05). Gelatin from skin extracted at 75°C in the absence of SBTI showed the highest yield (10.66 ± 0.41%) (based on dry weight). The highest α-amino group content was observed in gelatin extracted at 55°C without SBTI incorporated. The band intensity of β-chain and α-chains increased as the extraction temperature increased, particularly above 55°C. Gelatin extracted at 65°C with and without SBTI incorporation exhibited the highest gel strength (178.00 ± 7.50 g and 170.47 ± 1.30 g, respectively). FTIR spectra indicated that a greater loss of molecular order of triple helix with a higher degradation was found in gelatin extracted at 55°C in the absence SBTI. Gelatin extracted at 65°C, either with or without SBTI, had the highest EAI and ESI with high foam expansion and stability. Thus, the extraction of gelatin from the skin of unicorn leatherjacket at temperature sufficiently high could render the gelatin with less degradation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Emamectin Benzoate on Root-Knot Nematodes and Tomato Yield

PubMed Central

Cheng, Xingkai; Liu, Xiumei; Wang, Hongyan; Ji, Xiaoxue; Wang, Kaiyun; Wei, Min; Qiao, Kang

2015-01-01

Southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is an obligate, sedentary endoparasite of more than 3000 plant species, that causes heavy economic losses and limit the development of protected agriculture of China. As a biological pesticide, emamectin benzoate has effectively prevented lepidopteran pests; however, its efficacy to control M. incognita remains unknown. The purpose of the present study was to test soil application of emamectin benzoate for management of M. incognita in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials. Laboratory results showed that emamectin benzoate exhibited high toxicity to M. incognita, with LC50 and LC90 values 3.59 and 18.20 mg L-1, respectively. In greenhouse tests, emamectin benzoate soil application offered good efficacy against M. incognita while maintaining excellent plant growth. In field trials, emamectin benzoate provided control efficacy against M. incognita and resulted in increased tomato yields. Compared with the untreated control, there was a 36.5% to 81.3% yield increase obtained from all treatments and the highest yield was received from the highest rate of emamectin benzoate. The results confirmed that emamectin benzoate has enormous potential for the control of M. incognita in tomato production in China. PMID:26509680

Effect of Emamectin Benzoate on Root-Knot Nematodes and Tomato Yield.

PubMed

Cheng, Xingkai; Liu, Xiumei; Wang, Hongyan; Ji, Xiaoxue; Wang, Kaiyun; Wei, Min; Qiao, Kang

2015-01-01

Southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is an obligate, sedentary endoparasite of more than 3000 plant species, that causes heavy economic losses and limit the development of protected agriculture of China. As a biological pesticide, emamectin benzoate has effectively prevented lepidopteran pests; however, its efficacy to control M. incognita remains unknown. The purpose of the present study was to test soil application of emamectin benzoate for management of M. incognita in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials. Laboratory results showed that emamectin benzoate exhibited high toxicity to M. incognita, with LC50 and LC90 values 3.59 and 18.20 mg L(-1), respectively. In greenhouse tests, emamectin benzoate soil application offered good efficacy against M. incognita while maintaining excellent plant growth. In field trials, emamectin benzoate provided control efficacy against M. incognita and resulted in increased tomato yields. Compared with the untreated control, there was a 36.5% to 81.3% yield increase obtained from all treatments and the highest yield was received from the highest rate of emamectin benzoate. The results confirmed that emamectin benzoate has enormous potential for the control of M. incognita in tomato production in China.

Effect of various factors on ethanol yields from lignocellulosic biomass by Thermoanaerobacterium AK₁₇.

PubMed

Almarsdottir, Arnheidur Ran; Sigurbjornsdottir, Margret Audur; Orlygsson, Johann

2012-03-01

The ethanol production capacity from sugars and lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates (HL) by Thermoanaerobacterium strain AK(17) was studied in batch cultures. The strain converts various carbohydrates to, acetate, ethanol, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. Ethanol yields on glucose and xylose were 1.5 and 1.1 mol/mol sugars, respectively. Increased initial glucose concentration inhibited glucose degradation and end product formation leveled off at 30 mM concentrations. Ethanol production from 5 g L(-1) of complex biomass HL (grass, hemp, wheat straw, newspaper, and cellulose) (Whatman paper) pretreated with acid (0.50% H(2) SO(4)), base (0.50% NaOH), and without acid/base (control) and the enzymes Celluclast and Novozyme 188 (0.1 mL g(-1) dw; 70 and 25 U g(-1) of Celluclast and Novozyme 188, respectively) was investigated. Highest ethanol yields (43.0 mM) were obtained on cellulose but lowest on hemp leafs (3.6 mM). Chemical pretreatment increased ethanol yields substantially from lignocellulosic biomass but not from cellulose. The influence of various factors (HL, enzyme, and acid/alkaline concentrations) on end-product formation from 5 g L(-1) of grass and cellulose was further studied to optimize ethanol production. Highest ethanol yields (5.5 and 8.6 mM ethanol g(-1) grass and cellulose, respectively) were obtained at very low HL concentrations (2.5 g L(-1)); with 0.25% acid/alkali (v/v) and 0.1 mL g(-1) enzyme concentrations. Inhibitory effects of furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural during glucose fermentation, revealed a total inhibition in end product formation from glucose at 4 and 6 g L(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bio-aviation fuel production from hydroprocessing castor oil promoted by the nickel-based bifunctional catalysts.

PubMed

Liu, Siyang; Zhu, Qingqing; Guan, Qingxin; He, Liangnian; Li, Wei

2015-05-01

Bio-aviation fuel was firstly synthesized by hydroprocessing castor oil in a continuous-flow fixed-bed microreactor with the main objective to obtain the high yield of aviation fuel and determine the elemental compositions of the product phases as well as the reaction mechanism. Highest aviation range alkane yields (91.6 wt%) were achieved with high isomer/n-alkane ratio (i/n) 4.4-7.2 over Ni supported on acidic zeolites. In addition, different fuel range alkanes can be obtained by adjusting the degree of hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and hydrocracking. And the observations are rationalized by a set of reaction pathways for the various product phases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conditions Affecting Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Basidiome Quality, Morphogenesis, and Biodegradation of Wood By-products in Argentina.

PubMed

Kuhar, Francisco; Postemsky, Pablo Daniel; Bianchinotti, Maria Virginia

2018-01-01

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) with the medicinal higher Basidiomycete Ganoderma lucidum was studied as a strategy to use pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) and poplar (Populus nigra L.) wood chips and sawdust. Fruiting bodies were produced and the value of the biotransformed substrate was assessed. The highest mushroom yield (63 g dry weight per kilogram of dry substrate) was obtained with poplar sawdust and wood chips. Immersion of the bioreactors was a simple watering method that obtained suitable yields. Two morphological types were induced using 2 different incandescent light intensities. High light irradiation induced the highest valued mushroom morphology (as a whole product). Time course study of substrate biodegradation and mycelial growth dynamics indicated that the trophophase lasted 20 days and presented laccase activity of 0.01-0.03 units · g-1. The activity at idiophase was 10 times higher. Aqueous and alkali extracts, as well as carbohydrase enzyme profile activity, revealed differences in the properties of the residual substrate; some related to the substrate source are considered to be of concern for further use of this pretreated biomass. In view of the results obtained, we propose use of SSF of pine and poplar with G. lucidum to profitably recycle softwood by-products from the timber industry.

Simultaneous production of 2,3-butanediol, ethanol and hydrogen with a Klebsiella sp. strain isolated from sewage sludge.

PubMed

Wu, Ken-Jer; Saratale, Ganesh D; Lo, Yung-Chung; Chen, Wen-Ming; Tseng, Ze-Jing; Chang, Ming-Ching; Tsai, Ben-Ching; Su, Ay; Chang, Jo-Shu

2008-11-01

A Klebsiella sp. HE1 strain isolated from hydrogen-producing sewage sludge was examined for its ability to produce H2 and other valuable soluble metabolites (e.g., ethanol and 2,3-butanediol) from sucrose-based medium. The effect of pH and carbon substrate concentration on the production of soluble and gaseous products was investigated. The major soluble metabolite produced from Klebsiella sp. HE1 was 2,3-butanediol, accounting for over 42-58% of soluble microbial products (SMP) and its production efficiency enhanced after increasing the initial culture pH to 7.3 (without pH control). The HE1 strain also produced ethanol (contributing to 29-42% of total SMP) and a small amount of lactic acid and acetic acid. The gaseous products consisted of H2 (25-36%) and CO2 (64-75%). The optimal cumulative hydrogen production (2.7 l) and hydrogen yield (0.92mol H2 mol sucrose(-1)) were obtained at an initial sucrose concentration of 30g CODl(-1) (i.e., 26.7gl(-1)), which also led to the highest production rate for H2 (3.26mmol h(-1)l(-1)), ethanol (6.75mmol h(-1)l(-1)) and 2,3-butanediol (7.14mmol h(-1)l(-1)). The highest yield for H2, ethanol and 2,3-butanediol was 0.92, 0.81 and 0.59molmol-sucrose(-1), respectively. As for the overall energy production performance, the highest energy generation rate was 27.7kJ h(-1)l(-1) and the best energy yield was 2.45kJmolsucrose(-1), which was obtained at a sucrose concentration of 30 and 20g CODl(-1), respectively.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Functional Lipophilic Compounds from Arthrospira platensis

PubMed Central

Esquivel-Hernández, Diego A.; López, Víctor H.; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, José; Alemán-Nava, Gibrán S.; Cuéllar-Bermúdez, Sara P.; Rostro-Alanis, Magdalena; Parra-Saldívar, Roberto

2016-01-01

Arthrospira platensis biomass was used in order to obtain functional lipophilic compounds through green extraction technologies such as supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SFE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The temperature (T) factor was evaluated for MAE, while for SFE, pressure (P), temperature (T), and co-solvent (ethanol) (CS) were evaluated. The maximum extraction yield of the obtained oleoresin was (4.07% ± 0.14%) and (4.27% ± 0.10%) for SFE and MAE, respectively. Extracts were characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The maximum contents of functional lipophilic compounds in the SFE and MAE extracts were: for carotenoids 283 ± 0.10 μg/g and 629 ± 0.13 μg/g, respectively; for tocopherols 5.01 ± 0.05 μg/g and 2.46 ± 0.09 μg/g, respectively; and for fatty acids 34.76 ± 0.08 mg/g and 15.88 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively. In conclusion, the SFE process at P 450 bar, T 60 °C and CS 53.33% of CO2 produced the highest yield of tocopherols, carotenoids and fatty acids. The MAE process at 400 W and 50 °C gives the best extracts in terms of tocopherols and carotenoids. For yield and fatty acids, the MAE process at 400 W and 70 °C produced the highest values. Both SFE and MAE showed to be suitable green extraction technologies for obtaining functional lipophilic compounds from Arthrospira platensis. PMID:27164081

In-situ biodiesel and sugar production from rice bran under subcritical condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zullaikah, Siti; Rahkadima, Yulia Tri

2015-12-01

An integrated method of producing biodiesel and sugar using subcritical water and methanol has been employed as a potential way to reduce the high cost of single biofuel production from rice bran. The effects of temperature, methanol to water ratio and reaction time on the biodiesel yield and purity, and the concentration of sugar in hydrolysate were investigated systematically. Biodiesel with yield and purity of 65.21%and 73.53%, respectively, was obtained from rice bran with initial free fatty acid (FFA) content of 37.64% under the following conditions: T= 200 oC, P= 4.0 MPa (using CO2 as pressurizing gas), ratio of rice bran/water/methanol of 1/2/6 (g/mL/mL), and 3 h of reaction time. FFAs level was reduced to 10.00% with crude biodiesel recovery of 88.69%. However, the highest biodiesel yield (67.39%) and crude biodiesel recovery (100.00%) were obtained by decreasing the amount of methanol so that the ratio of rice bran/water/methanol became 1/4/4, g/mL/mL. In addition, the highest sugar concentration of 0.98 g/L was obtained at 180 oC and 4.0 MPa with ratio of rice bran/water/methanol of 1/4/4 (g/mL/mL) and reaction time of 3 h. Since no catalyst was employed and the biodiesel and reducing sugar were produced directly from rice bran with high water and FFA contents, the process was simple and environmentally friendly, which would make the production of biofuel more economical and sustainable.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Functional Lipophilic Compounds from Arthrospira platensis.

PubMed

Esquivel-Hernández, Diego A; López, Víctor H; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, José; Alemán-Nava, Gibrán S; Cuéllar-Bermúdez, Sara P; Rostro-Alanis, Magdalena; Parra-Saldívar, Roberto

2016-05-05

Arthrospira platensis biomass was used in order to obtain functional lipophilic compounds through green extraction technologies such as supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SFE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The temperature (T) factor was evaluated for MAE, while for SFE, pressure (P), temperature (T), and co-solvent (ethanol) (CS) were evaluated. The maximum extraction yield of the obtained oleoresin was (4.07% ± 0.14%) and (4.27% ± 0.10%) for SFE and MAE, respectively. Extracts were characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The maximum contents of functional lipophilic compounds in the SFE and MAE extracts were: for carotenoids 283 ± 0.10 μg/g and 629 ± 0.13 μg/g, respectively; for tocopherols 5.01 ± 0.05 μg/g and 2.46 ± 0.09 μg/g, respectively; and for fatty acids 34.76 ± 0.08 mg/g and 15.88 ± 0.06 mg/g, respectively. In conclusion, the SFE process at P 450 bar, T 60 °C and CS 53.33% of CO₂ produced the highest yield of tocopherols, carotenoids and fatty acids. The MAE process at 400 W and 50 °C gives the best extracts in terms of tocopherols and carotenoids. For yield and fatty acids, the MAE process at 400 W and 70 °C produced the highest values. Both SFE and MAE showed to be suitable green extraction technologies for obtaining functional lipophilic compounds from Arthrospira platensis.

Biosynthesis of Pyocyanine by a Paraffin Hydrocarbon-oxidizing Strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PubMed Central

Lee, E. G.-H.; Walden, C. C.

1969-01-01

A paraffin-oxidizing bacterium, designated as Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATS-14, was isolated from soil samples obtained from the Athabasca “tar sands.” This strain utilized kerosene as the only carbon source of energy and produced a high concentration of pyocyanine in the culture medium. Aromatic carbons were not attacked, but C10 to C17n-alkanes were readily oxidized by the pseudomonad and formed pyocyanine. The highest yield of the pigment was obtained from hexadecane and heptadecane. PMID:4977219

Saccharification of sunflower stalks using lignocellulases from a fungal consortium comprising Pholiota adiposa and Armillaria gemina.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Priyadharshini; Kim, Tae-Su; Dhiman, Saurabh Sudha; Li, Jinglin; Park, Ji-Hyun; Choi, Joon-Ho; Kim, Jae Young; Kim, Dongwook; Lee, Jung-Kul

2015-09-01

Lignocellulases from Armillaria gemina and Pholiota adiposa are efficient in hydrolyzing aspen and poplar biomass, respectively. In the present study, lignocellulosic enzymes obtained from a fungal consortium comprising P. adiposa and A. gemina were used for the saccharification of sunflower stalks. Sunflower stalks were thermochemically pretreated using 2 % NaOH at 50 °C for 24 h. The saccharification process parameters including substrate concentration, enzyme loading, pH, and temperature were optimized using response surface methodology to improve the saccharification yield. The highest enzymatic hydrolysis (84.3 %) was obtained using the following conditions: enzyme loading 10 FPU/g-substrate, substrate 5.5 %, temperature 50 °C, and pH 4.5. The hydrolysis yield obtained using the enzymes from the fungal consortium was equivalent to that obtained using a mixture of commercial enzymes Celluclast and Novozyme β-glucosidase. Addition of up to 500 ppm of heavy metal ions (As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) during saccharification did not significantly affect the saccharification yield. Thus, the biomass grown for phytoremediation of heavy metals can be used for the production of reducing sugars followed by ethanol fermentation.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Flavonoids from Pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) Peel and Their Antioxidant Activity

PubMed Central

He, Jin-Zhe; Shao, Ping; Liu, Jian-Hua; Ru, Qiao-Mei

2012-01-01

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of flavonoids from pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) peel and their antioxidant activity were investigated. Box-Behnken design combined with response surface methodology was employed to maximize the extraction yield of flavonoids. Correlation analysis of the mathematical-regression model indicated that a quadratic polynomial model could be used to optimize the SC-CO2 extraction of flavonoids. The optimal conditions for obtaining the highest extraction yield of flavonoids from pomelo peel were a temperature of 80 °C, a pressure of 39 MPa and a static extraction time of 49 min in the presence of 85% ethanol as modifier. Under these conditions, the experimental yield was 2.37%, which matched positively with the value predicted by the model. Furthermore, flavonoids obtained by SC-CO2 extraction showed a higher scavenging activity on hydroxyl, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals than those obtained by conventional solvent extraction (CSE). Therefore, SC-CO2 extraction can be considered as a suitable technique for the obtainment of flavonoids from pomelo peel. PMID:23202938

Extraction of antioxidants from Chlorella sp. using subcritical water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, S. M.; Mustapa Kamal, S. M.; Harun, M. R.; Omar, R.; Siajam, S. I.

2017-06-01

Chlorella sp. microalgae is one of the main source of natural bioactive compounds used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Subcritical water extraction is the technique that offers an efficient, non-toxic, and environmental-friendly method to obtain natural ingredients. In this work, the extracts of Chlorella sp. microalgae was evaluated in terms of: chemical composition, extraction (polysaccharides) yield and antioxidant activity, using subcritical water extraction. Extractions were performed at temperatures ranging from 100°C to 300°C. The results show that by using subcritical water, the highest yield of polysaccharides is 23.6 that obtained at 150°C. Analysis on the polysaccharides yield show that the contents were highly influenced by the extraction temperature. The individual antioxidant activity were evaluated by in vitro assay using a free radical method. In general, the antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained at different water temperatures was high, with values of 31.08-54.29 . The results indicated that extraction by subcritical water was effective and Chlorella sp. can be a useful source of natural antioxidants.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate recovery and effect of in situ extracellular polymeric substances removal from aerobic granules.

PubMed

Gobi, K; Vadivelu, V M

2015-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) recovery from aerobic granules was investigated using four cell digestion agents, namely, sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide, acetone and sodium chloride. Simultaneously, the removal of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and its effect on PHA yield were investigated. The highest PHA recovery yield was obtained using sodium hypochlorite, accounting for 89% cell dry weight (CDW). The highest PHA was recovered after the sodium hypochlorite completely removed the EPS from the aerobic granules. The average molecular weight (Mw) of the PHA recovered using sodium hypochlorite was 5.31 × 10(5)g/mol with only 1.8% molecular weight degradation. The energy and duration analysis for PHA recovery revealed that the sodium hypochlorite method required the least amount of energy and time at 0.0561 MJ/g PHA and 26 h, respectively. The PHA that was recovered was a P3(HB-co-HV) co-polymer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

All possible tripartitions of {}(236) 236U isotope in collinear configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhosh, K. P.; Krishnan, Sreejith; Joseph, Jayesh George

2018-07-01

Using the recently proposed unified ternary fission model (UTFM), the tripartition of ^{236}U isotope was studied for all possible fragmentations, in which the interacting potential barrier is taken as the sum of the Coulomb and proximity potentials with fragments in collinear configuration. The highest yield is obtained for the fragmentation ^{48}Ca{+}^{58}Ti{+}^{130}Sn and next highest yield is found for ^{58}Cr{+}^{46}Ar{+}^{132}Sn, which stress the importance of doubly magic or near doubly magic nuclei in the tripartition of ^{236}U isotope. The formation of ^{68}Ni and ^{70}Ni as the edge fragments linking the doubly magic nucleus ^{132}Sn by the isotope of Si is in good agreement with experimental and theoretical studies, in the collinear cluster tripartition of ^{236}U isotope which reveals the reliability of our model (UTFM) in ternary fission.

Thermochemical pretreatments for enhancing succinic acid production from industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

PubMed

Gunnarsson, Ingólfur B; Kuglarz, Mariusz; Karakashev, Dimitar; Angelidaki, Irini

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to develop an efficient thermochemical method for treatment of industrial hemp biomass, in order to increase its bioconversion to succinic acid. Industrial hemp was subjected to various thermochemical pretreatments using 0-3% H2SO4, NaOH or H2O2 at 121-180°C prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. The influence of the different pretreatments on hydrolysis and succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z was investigated in batch mode, using anaerobic bottles and bioreactors. Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of hemp material pretreated with 3% H2O2 resulted in the highest overall sugar yield (73.5%), maximum succinic acid titer (21.9 g L(-1)), as well as the highest succinic acid yield (83%). Results obtained clearly demonstrated the impact of different pretreatments on the bioconversion efficiency of industrial hemp into succinic acid. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Enhancement of hydrolysis of Chlorella vulgaris by hydrochloric acid.

PubMed

Park, Charnho; Lee, Ja Hyun; Yang, Xiaoguang; Yoo, Hah Young; Lee, Ju Hun; Lee, Soo Kweon; Kim, Seung Wook

2016-06-01

Chlorella vulgaris is considered as one of the potential sources of biomass for bio-based products because it consists of large amounts of carbohydrates. In this study, hydrothermal acid hydrolysis with five different acids (hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, peracetic acid, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid) was carried out to produce fermentable sugars (glucose, galactose). The hydrothermal acid hydrolysis by hydrochloric acid showed the highest sugar production. C. vulgaris was hydrolyzed with various concentrations of hydrochloric acid [0.5-10 % (w/w)] and microalgal biomass [20-140 g/L (w/v)] at 121 °C for 20 min. Among the concentrations examined, 2 % hydrochloric acid with 100 g/L biomass yielded the highest conversion of carbohydrates (92.5 %) into reducing sugars. The hydrolysate thus produced from C. vulgaris was fermented using the yeast Brettanomyces custersii H1-603 and obtained bioethanol yield of 0.37 g/g of algal sugars.

Zeolite formation from coal fly ash and its adsorption potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duangkamol Ruen-ngam; Doungmanee Rungsuk; Ronbanchob Apiratikul

The possibility in converting coal fly ash (CFA) to zeolite was evaluated. CFA samples from the local power plant in Prachinburi province, Thailand, were collected during a 3-month time span to account for the inconsistency of the CFA quality, and it was evident that the deviation of the quality of the raw material did not have significant effects on the synthesis. The zeolite product was found to be type X. The most suitable weight ratio of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to CFA was approximately 2.25, because this gave reasonably high zeolite yield with good cation exchange capacity (CEC). The silica (Si)-to-aluminummore » (Al) molar ratio of 4.06 yielded the highest crystallinity level for zeolite X at 79% with a CEC of 240 meq/100 g and a surface area of 325 m{sup 2}/g. Optimal crystallization temperature and time were 90{sup o}C and 4 hr, respectively, which gave the highest CEC of approximately 305 meq/100 g. Yields obtained from all experiments were in the range of 50-72%. 29 refs., 5 tabs., 7 figs.« less

Optimization of continuous and intermittent microwave extraction of pectin from banana peels.

PubMed

Swamy, Gabriela John; Muthukumarappan, Kasiviswanathan

2017-04-01

Continuous and intermittent microwave-assisted extractions were used to extract pectin from banana peels. Extraction parameters which were employed in the continuous process were microwave power (300-900W), time (100-300s), pH (1-3) and in the intermittent process were microwave power (300-900W), pulse ratio (0.5-1), pH (1-3). The independent factors were optimized with the Box-Behnken response surface design (BBD) (three factor three level) with the desirability function methodology. Results indicate that the independent factors have substantial effect on the pectin yield. Optimized solutions for highest pectin yield (2.18%) from banana peels were obtained with microwave power of 900W, time 100s and pH 3.00 in the continuous method while the intermittent process yielded the highest pectin content (2.58%) at microwave power of 900W, pulse ratio of 0.5 and pH of 3.00. The optimized conditions were validated and close agreement was observed with the validation experiment and predicted value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of enzymes by a newly isolated Bacillus sp. TMF-1 in solid state fermentation on agricultural by-products: The evaluation of substrate pretreatment methods.

PubMed

Salim, Abdalla Ali; Grbavčić, Sanja; Šekuljica, Nataša; Stefanović, Andrea; Jakovetić Tanasković, Sonja; Luković, Nevena; Knežević-Jugović, Zorica

2017-03-01

Study on potential of different agro-industrial waste residues for supporting the growth of newly isolated Bacillus sp. TMF-1 strain under solid-state fermentation (SSF) was conducted aiming to produce several industrially valuable enzymes. Since the feasibility of the initial study was confirmed, further objectives included evaluation of several pretreatments of the studied agricultural by-products (soybean meal, sunflower meal, maize bran, maize pericarp, olive oil cake and wheat bran) on the microbial productivity as means of enhancing the yields of produced proteases, α-amylases, cellulases and pectinases. Among acid/alkaline treatment, ultrasound and microwave assisted methods, chemical treatments superiorly affected most of the studied substrates. Highest yields of produced proteases (50.5IUg -1 ) and α-amylases (50.75IUg -1 ) were achieved on alkaline treated corn pericarp. Alkaline treatment also promoted the secretion of cellulases on maize bran (1.19IUg -1 ). Highest yield of pectinases was obtained on untreated soybean meal (64.90IUg -1 ). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic pyrolysis of Alcea pallida stems in a fixed-bed reactor for production of liquid bio-fuels.

PubMed

Aysu, Tevfik

2015-09-01

Pyrolysis of Alcea pallida stems was performed in a fixed-bed tubular reactor with and without catalyst at three different temperatures. The effects of pyrolysis parameters including temperature and catalyst on the product yields were investigated. It was found that higher temperature resulted in lower liquid (bio-oil) and solid (bio-char) yields and higher gas yields. Catalysts had different effects on product yields and composition of bio-oils. Liquid yields were increased in the presence of zinc chloride and alumina but decreased with calcium hydroxide, tincal and ulexite. The highest bio-oil yield (39.35%) by weight including aqueous phase was produced with alumina catalyst at 500 °C. The yields of bio-char, bio-oil and gas produced, as well as the compositions of the resulting bio-oils were determined by elemental analysis, TGA, FT-IR and GC-MS. 160 different compounds were identified by GC-MS in the bio-oils obtained at 500 °C. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of self-purging pyrolysis on yield of biochar from maize cobs, husks and leaves.

PubMed

Intani, Kiatkamjon; Latif, Sajid; Kabir, A K M Rafayatul; Müller, Joachim

2016-10-01

In this study, biochar was produced from maize residues (cobs, husks, leaves) in a lab-scale pyrolysis reactor without using a purging gas. The physicochemical properties of biomass and biochar were analysed. Box-Behnken design was used to optimise operational conditions for biochar yields. Multivariate correlations of biochar yields were established using reduced quadratic models with R(2)=0.9949, 0.9801 and 0.9876 for cobs, husks and leaves, respectively. Biochar yields were negatively correlated with the temperature, which was significantly influenced by the exothermic reactions during the pyrolysis of maize residues. The heating rate was found to have the least effect on biochar yields. Under optimal conditions, the maximum biochar yields from cobs, husks and leaves were 33.42, 30.69 and 37.91%, respectively. The highest biochar yield from maize leaves was obtained at a temperature of 300°C, a heating rate of 15°C/min and a holding time of 30min. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biotransformation of sweet lime pulp waste into high-quality nanocellulose with an excellent productivity using Komagataeibacter europaeus SGP37 under static intermittent fed-batch cultivation.

PubMed

Dubey, Swati; Singh, Jyoti; Singh, R P

2018-01-01

Herein, sweet lime pulp waste (SLPW) was utilized as a low- or no-cost feedstock for the production of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) alone and in amalgamation with other nutritional supplements by the isolate K. europaeus SGP37 under static batch and static intermittent fed-batch cultivation. The highest yield (26.2±1.50gL -1 ) was obtained in the hot water extract of SLPW supplemented with the components of HS medium, which got further boosted to 38±0.85gL -1 as the cultivation strategy was shifted from static batch to static intermittent fed-batch. BNC obtained from various SLPW medium was similar or even superior to that obtained with standard HS medium in terms of its physicochemical properties. The production yields of BNC thus obtained are significantly higher and fit well in terms of industrial scale production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic Ethanol Dehydration over Different Acid-activated Montmorillonite Clays.

PubMed

Krutpijit, Chadaporn; Jongsomjit, Bunjerd

2016-01-01

In the present study, the catalytic dehydration of ethanol to obtain ethylene over montmorillonite clays (MMT) with mineral acid activation including H2SO4 (SA-MMT), HCl (HA-MMT) and HNO3 (NA-MMT) was investigated at temperature range of 200 to 400°C. It revealed that HA-MMT exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Ethanol conversion and ethylene selectivity were found to increase with increased reaction temperature. At 400°C, the HA-MMT yielded 82% of ethanol conversion having 78% of ethylene yield. At lower temperature (i.e. 200 to 300°C), diethyl ether (DEE) was a major product. The highest activity obtained from HA-MMT can be attributed to an increase of weak acid sites and acid density by the activation of MMT with HCl. It can be also proven by various characterization techniques that in most case, the main structure of MMT did not alter by acid activation (excepted for NA-MMT). Upon the stability test for 72 h during the reaction, the MMT and HA-MMT showed only slight deactivation due to carbon deposition. Hence, the acid activation of MMT by HCl is promising to enhance the catalytic dehydration of ethanol.

Coconut as a Medium for the Experimental Production of Aflatoxin

PubMed Central

Arseculeratne, S. N.; De Silva, L. M.; Wijesundera, S.; Bandunatha, C. H. S. R.

1969-01-01

Fresh, grated coconut has been found to be an excellent medium for aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus. Under optimal conditions, yields of 8 mg of total aflatoxin per g of substrate were obtained. Continuous agitation of the growth medium under moist conditions at 24 C produced highest yields. Aflatoxin was assayed both biologically and chromatographically. The aflatoxin content of cultures varied biphasically with the duration of incubation. It is suggested that this pattern could result from the sequential operation of factors promoting aflatoxin formation on the one hand and a detoxifying mechanism on the other. Images PMID:5803632

Mixed culture polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis from nutrient rich wet oxidation liquors.

PubMed

Wijeyekoon, Suren; Carere, Carlo R; West, Mark; Nath, Shresta; Gapes, Daniel

2018-09-01

Organic waste residues can be hydrothermally treated to produce organic acid rich liquors. These hydrothermal liquors are a potential feedstock for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. We investigated the effect of dissolved oxygen concentration and substrate feeding regimes on PHA accumulation and yield using two hydrothermal liquors derived from a mixture of primary and secondary municipal wastewater treatment sludge and food waste. The enriched culture accumulated a maximum of 41% PHA of cell dry weight within 7 h; which is among the highest reported for N and P rich hydrothermal liquors. Recovered PHA was 77% polyhydroxybutyrate and 23% polyhydroxyvalerate by mass. The families Rhodocyclaceae (84%) and Saprospiraceae (20.5%) were the dominant Proteobacteria (73%) in the enriched culture. The third most abundant bacterial genus, Bdellovibrio, includes species of known predators of PHA producers which may lead to suboptimal PHA accumulation. The PHA yield was directly proportional to DO concentration for ammonia stripped liquor (ASL) and inversely proportional to DO concentration for low strength liquor (LSL). The highest yield of 0.50 Cmol PHA/Cmol substrate was obtained for ASL at 25% DO saturation. A progressively increasing substrate feeding regime resulted in increased PHA yields. These findings demonstrate that substrate feeding regime and oxygen concentration can be used to control the PHA yield and accumulation rate thereby enhancing PHA production viability from nutrient rich biomass streams. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particulate Size of Microalgal Biomass Affects Hydrolysate Properties and Bioethanol Concentration

PubMed Central

Harun, Razif; Danquah, Michael K.; Thiruvenkadam, Selvakumar

2014-01-01

Effective optimization of microalgae-to-bioethanol process systems hinges on an in-depth characterization of key process parameters relevant to the overall bioprocess engineering. One of the such important variables is the biomass particle size distribution and the effects on saccharification levels and bioethanol titres. This study examined the effects of three different microalgal biomass particle size ranges, 35 μm ≤ x ≤ 90 μm, 125 μm ≤ x ≤ 180 μm, and 295 μm ≤ x ≤ 425 μm, on the degree of enzymatic hydrolysis and bioethanol production. Two scenarios were investigated: single enzyme hydrolysis (cellulase) and double enzyme hydrolysis (cellulase and cellobiase). The glucose yield from biomass in the smallest particle size range (35 μm ≤ x ≤ 90 μm) was the highest, 134.73 mg glucose/g algae, while the yield from biomass in the larger particle size range (295 μm ≤ x ≤ 425 μm) was 75.45 mg glucose/g algae. A similar trend was observed for bioethanol yield, with the highest yield of 0.47 g EtOH/g glucose obtained from biomass in the smallest particle size range. The results have shown that the microalgal biomass particle size has a significant effect on enzymatic hydrolysis and bioethanol yield. PMID:24971327

Production of ethanol from sugars and lignocellulosic biomass by Thermoanaerobacter J1 isolated from a hot spring in Iceland.

PubMed

Jessen, Jan Eric; Orlygsson, Johann

2012-01-01

Thermophilic bacteria have gained increased attention as candidates for bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. This study investigated ethanol production by Thermoanaerobacter strain J1 from hydrolysates made from lignocellulosic biomass in batch cultures. The effect of increased initial glucose concentration and the partial pressure of hydrogen on end product formation were examined. The strain showed a broad substrate spectrum, and high ethanol yields were observed on glucose (1.70 mol/mol) and xylose (1.25 mol/mol). Ethanol yields were, however, dramatically lowered by adding thiosulfate or by cocultivating strain J1 with a hydrogenotrophic methanogen with acetate becoming the major end product. Ethanol production from 4.5 g/L of lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates (grass, hemp stem, wheat straw, newspaper, and cellulose) pretreated with acid or alkali and the enzymes Celluclast and Novozymes 188 was investigated. The highest ethanol yields were obtained on cellulose (7.5 mM·g(-1)) but the lowest on straw (0.8 mM·g(-1)). Chemical pretreatment increased ethanol yields substantially from lignocellulosic biomass but not from cellulose. The largest increase was on straw hydrolysates where ethanol production increased from 0.8 mM·g(-1) to 3.3 mM·g(-1) using alkali-pretreated biomass. The highest ethanol yields on lignocellulosic hydrolysates were observed with hemp hydrolysates pretreated with acid, 4.2 mM·g(-1).

Application of different fertilizers on morphological traits of dill (Anethum graveolens L.).

PubMed

Nejatzadeh-Barandozi, Fatemeh; Gholami-Borujeni, Fathollah

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitroxin biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer on the growth, yield, and essential oil composition of dill. The experiment was conducted under field condition in randomized complete block design with three replications and two factors. The first factor was the concentrations of nitroxin biofertilizer (0%, 50%, and 100%) of the recommended amount (1 l of biological fertilizer for 30 kg of seed). The second factor was the following chemical fertilizer treatments: no fertilizer (control) and 50 and 100 kg ha(-1) urea along with 300 kg ha(-1) ammonium phosphate. Different characteristics such as plant height, number of umbel per plant, number of umbellet per umbel, number of grain per umbellet, 1,000 seed weight, grain yield, biological yield, and oil percentage were recorded. According to the results, the highest height, biological yield, and grain yield components (except harvest index) were obtained on biological fertilizer. The results showed the highest essential oil content detected in biological fertilizer and chemical fertilizer. Identification of essential oil composition showed that the content of carvone increased with the application of biofertilizers and chemical fertilizers. The results indicated that the application of biofertilizers enhanced yield and other plant criteria in this plant. Generally, it seems that the use of biofertilizers or combinations of biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer could improve dill performance in addition to reduction of environmental pollution.

Lactation curves of dairy camels in an intensive system.

PubMed

Musaad, Abdelgadir; Faye, Bernard; Nikhela, Abdelmoneim Abu

2013-04-01

Weekly milk records of 47 she-camels in a multibreed dairy camel herd were collected for over a period of 5 years. A total of 72 lactation curves were defined, and relationships with parity, calving season, lactation length, milk production level, following lactations, and dam weight were analyzed. Overall mean values were milk yield up to 12 months, 1,970 ± 790 l; lactation length, 12.5 months; persistency, 94.7 %; weekly peak yield, 50.7 l; monthly peak yield, 220 ± 90 l; and the number of weeks to reach peak yield, 28. The highest productivity was recorded in summer with a weekly mean of 48.2 ± 19.4 l, compared with 34.1 ± 16.3 l in winter. The highest average yield recorded was for camels at sixth parity, whereas the highest weekly peak was at eighth parity, and highest persistency at fifth parity. Camels that calved during the cold months (November to February) were most productives, with the highest persistency, peak yield, and longest lactation length. Four types of curves were identified corresponding to different parities and milk yield levels. Based on these data, specific models for camels are proposed.

Selection of the Strain Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121 and Its Application to Brewers' Spent Grain Conversion into Lactic Acid

PubMed Central

Liguori, Rossana; Soccol, Carlos Ricardo; Vandenberghe, Luciana Porto de Souza; Woiciechowski, Adenise Lorenci; Ionata, Elena; Marcolongo, Loredana; Faraco, Vincenza

2015-01-01

Six Lactobacillus strains were analyzed to select a bacterium for conversion of brewers' spent grain (BSG) into lactic acid. Among the investigated strains, L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 showed the highest yield of lactic acid production (16.1 g/L after 48 hours) when grown in a synthetic medium. It was then analyzed for its ability to grow on the hydrolysates obtained from BSG after acid-alkaline (AAT) or aqueous ammonia soaking (AAS) pretreatment. The lactic acid production by L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 through fermentation of the hydrolysate from AAS treated BSG was 96% higher than that from the AAT treated one, although similar yields of lactic acid per consumed glucose were achieved due to a higher (46%) glucose consumption by L. acidophilus ATCC 43121 in the AAS BSG hydrolysate. It is worth noting that adding yeast extract to the BSG hydrolysates increased both the yield of lactic acid per substrate consumed and the volumetric productivity. The best results were obtained by fermentation of AAS BSG hydrolysate supplemented by yeast extract, in which the strain produced 22.16 g/L of lactic acid (yield of 0.61 g/g), 27% higher than the value (17.49 g/L) obtained in the absence of a nitrogen source. PMID:26640784

Impact of Phosphate, Potassium, Yeast Extract, and Trace Metals on Chitosan and Metabolite Production by Mucor indicus.

PubMed

Safaei, Zahra; Karimi, Keikhosro; Zamani, Akram

2016-08-30

In this study the effects of phosphate, potassium, yeast extract, and trace metals on the growth of Mucor indicus and chitosan, chitin, and metabolite production by the fungus were investigated. Maximum yield of chitosan (0.32 g/g cell wall) was obtained in a phosphate-free medium. Reversely, cell growth and ethanol formation by the fungus were positively affected in the presence of phosphate. In a phosphate-free medium, the highest chitosan content (0.42 g/g cell wall) and cell growth (0.66 g/g sugar) were obtained at 2.5 g/L of KOH. Potassium concentration had no significant effect on ethanol and glycerol yields. The presence of trace metals significantly increased the chitosan yield at an optimal phosphate and potassium concentration (0.50 g/g cell wall). By contrast, production of ethanol by the fungus was negatively affected (0.33 g/g sugars). A remarkable increase in chitin and decrease in chitosan were observed in the absence of yeast extract and concentrations lower than 2 g/L. The maximum chitosan yield of 51% cell wall was obtained at 5 g/L of yeast extract when the medium contained no phosphate, 2.5 g/L KOH, and 1 mL/L trace metal solution.

Screening of Six Medicinal Plant Extracts Obtained by Two Conventional Methods and Supercritical CO₂ Extraction Targeted on Coumarin Content, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl Radical Scavenging Capacity and Total Phenols Content.

PubMed

Molnar, Maja; Jerković, Igor; Suknović, Dragica; Bilić Rajs, Blanka; Aladić, Krunoslav; Šubarić, Drago; Jokić, Stela

2017-02-24

Six medicinal plants Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don, Angelica archangelica L., Lavandula officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., Melilotus officinalis L., and Ruta graveolens L. were used. The aim of the study was to compare their extracts obtained by Soxhlet (hexane) extraction, maceration with ethanol (EtOH), and supercritical CO₂ extraction (SC-CO₂) targeted on coumarin content (by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, HPLC-UV), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging capacity, and total phenols (TPs) content (by Folin-Ciocalteu assay). The highest extraction yields were obtained by EtOH, followed by hexane and SC-CO₂. The highest coumarin content (316.37 mg/100 g) was found in M. officinalis EtOH extracts, but its SC-CO₂ extraction yield was very low for further investigation. Coumarin was also found in SC-CO₂ extracts of S. officinalis , R. graveolens , A. archangelica , and L. officinalis . EtOH extracts of all plants exhibited the highest DPPH scavenging capacity. SC-CO₂ extracts exhibited antiradical capacity similar to hexane extracts, while S. officinalis SC-CO₂ extracts were the most potent (95.7%). EtOH extracts contained the most TPs (up to 132.1 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g from H. italicum ) in comparison to hexane or SC-CO₂ extracts. TPs content was highly correlated to the DPPH scavenging capacity of the extracts. The results indicate that for comprehensive screening of different medicinal plants, various extraction techniques should be used in order to get a better insight into their components content or antiradical capacity.

Pellet starters in layering technique using concentrated drug solution.

PubMed

Gryczová, Eva; Rabisková, Miloslava; Vetchý, David; Krejcová, Katerina

2008-12-01

Characteristics of inert starters in drug solution layering are important for successful active pellet formation. Four types of starters composed of sucrose or microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or lactose and MCC were compared in our study. The active pellets were prepared using Wurster type apparatus. Yield and pellet quality parameters were determined. The highest yield (85.66-89.41%) was obtained for cores composed of MCC due to their insolubility in water (the drug solvent) and good mechanical properties. On the contrary, soluble and brittle sucrose cores dissolved partially during the process forming undesirable agglomerates and giving lower yield (76.2%). All pellet samples showed good flow properties and drug content from 82.4 to 94.5% of the theoretical drug amount.

The Effect of Initial Cell Concentration on Xylose Fermentation by Pichia stipitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agbogbo, Frank K.; Coward-Kelly, Guillermo; Torry-Smith, Mads; Wenger, Kevin; Jeffries, Thomas W.

Xylose was fermented using Pichia stipitis CBS 6054 at different initial cell concentrations. A high initial cell concentration increased the rate of xylose utilization, ethanol formation, and the ethanol yield. The highest ethanol concentration of 41.0 g/L and a yield of 0.38 g/g was obtained using an initial cell concentration of 6.5 g/L. Even though more xylitol was produced when the initial cell concentrations were high, cell density had no effect on the final ethanol yield. A two-parameter mathematical model was used to predict the cell population dynamics at the different initial cell concentrations. The model parameters, a and b correlate with the initial cell concentrations used with an R 2 of 0.99.

Effect of liquid nitrogen pre-treatment on various types of wool waste fibres for biogas production.

PubMed

Kuzmanova, Elena; Zhelev, Nikolai; Akunna, Joseph C

2018-05-01

This study investigated the role of liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) in increasing microbial accessibility of wool proteins for biogas production. It involves a mechanical size reduction of four different types of raw wool fibres, namely, Blackface, Bluefaced Leicester, Texel and Scotch Mule, in presence of liquid nitrogen, followed by the determination of the methane production potential of the pre-treated wool fibres. The highest methane yield, 157.3 cm 3 g -1 VS, was obtained from pre-treated Scotch mule wool fibre culture, and represented more than 80% increase when compared to the yield obtained from its raw equivalent culture. The increase in biogas yield was attributed to the effectiveness of LN 2 in enhancing particle size reduction and the consequent increase in wool solubility and bioavailability. Results also showed that LN 2 pre-treatment can enhance size reduction but has limited effect on the molecular structure. The study also showed that the biogas potential of waste wool fibres varies with the type and source of wool.

Automobile shredded residue valorisation by hydrometallurgical metal recovery.

PubMed

Granata, Giuseppe; Moscardini, Emanuela; Furlani, Giuliana; Pagnanelli, Francesca; Toro, Luigi

2011-01-15

The aim of this work was developing a hydrometallurgical process to recover metals from automobile shredded residue (or car fluff). Automobile shredded residue (ASR) was characterised by particle size distribution, total metal content and metal speciation in order to guide the choice of target metals and the operating conditions of leaching. Characterisation results showed that Fe is the most abundant metal in the waste, while Zn was the second abundant metal in the fraction with diameter lower than 500 μm. Sequential extractions denoted that Zn was easily extractable by weak acid attack, while Fe and Al required a strong acid attack to be removed. In order to recover zinc from <500 μm fraction leaching tests were operated using acetic acid, sulphuric acid and sodium hydroxide at different concentrations. Sulphuric acid determined the highest zinc extraction yield, while acetic acid determined the highest zinc extractive selectivity. Sodium hydroxide promoted an intermediate situation between sulphuric and acetic acid. Zn recovery by electro winning using acetic leach liquor determined 95% of Zn electro deposition yield in 1h, while using sulphuric leach liquor 40% yield in 1h and 50% yield in 2h were obtained. Simulation results showed that the sulphuric leaching process was more attractive than acetic leaching process. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production from Schizochytrium sp. S31 using different growth medium conditions.

PubMed

Sahin, Deniz; Tas, Ezgi; Altindag, Ulkü Hüma

2018-01-24

Schizochytrium species is one of the most studied microalgae for production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is an omega-3 fatty acid with positive effects for human health. However, high cost and low yield in production phase makes optimization of cultivation process inevitable. We focus on the optimization of DHA production using Schizochytrium sp. using different media supplements; glucose, fructose and glycerol as carbon variants, proteose peptone and tryptone as nitrogen variants. The highest biomass (5.61 g/L) and total fatty acid yield (1.74 g/L) were obtained in proteose peptone medium which was used as the alternative nitrogen source instead of yeast extract. The highest DHA yield (0.40 g/L) was achieved with glycerol as the carbon source although it had the second lowest biomass production after ethanol containing medium. Ethanol, as an alternative carbon source and a precursor for acetyl-CoA, increased DHA percentage in total lipid content from 29.94 to 40.04% but decreasing the biomass drastically. Considering different carbon and nitrogen sources during cultivation of Schizochytrium sp. will improve DHA production. Combination of proteose peptone and glycerol as nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively, and addition of ethanol with a proper timing will be useful to have higher DHA yield.

Gelling agents and culture vessels affect in vitro multiplication of banana plantlets.

PubMed

Kaçar, Y A; Biçen, B; Varol, I; Mendi, Y Y; Serçe, S; Cetiner, S

2010-03-09

Agar is the most commonly used gelling agent in media for plant tissue culture. Because of the high price of tissue-culture-grade agar, attempts have been made to identify suitable alternatives. The type of culture vessel and lid also affects the gaseous composition inside the vessel as well as light penetration. In turn, the vessel affects growth parameters, such as shoot elongation, proliferation and fresh weight, as well as hyperhydric degradation processes. We examined the effects of different culture vessels, including commercial glass jars, magenta boxes, and disposable containers, as well as different gelling agents (agar-agar, Agargel, Phytagel, and plant agar) on the micropropagation of Dwarf Cavendish bananas in an effort to find a combination that yields large numbers of high-quality seedlings. The different culture vessels did not significantly affect seedling culture success. The medium significantly affected shoot weight. Phytagel resulted in the highest shoot weight (overall mean = 2.4 g), while agar, Agargel and plant agar resulted in 1.7, 2.2 and 2.2 g, respectively. Disposable container/Phytagel and Magenta/Agargel combinations yielded the highest shoot weights (2.9 and 3.0 g, respectively). Mean shoot length increased progressively with subculture (four subcultures were made). The highest mean shoot length was obtained with Phytagel and Agargel media (6.4 and 6.3 cm, respectively). Shoot number was significantly affected by medium only at subculture 4. Overall, the highest mean shoot length was obtained with the Magenta/Agargel combination (8.5 cm). Phytagel and plant agar gave higher mean shoot number than agar and Agargel (2.1, 2.1 and 1.7 and 1.9, respectively). The costs of the media and of the culture vessels need to be taken into account for final choice of the banana shoot culture system.

Delignification and Hydrolysis Lignocellulosic of Bagasse in Choline Chloride System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, R.; Syahputra, A.; Alhamdi, M. A.; Satria, W.; Barus, E. M.; Hasibuan, R.; Siswarni, M. Z.

2018-02-01

Bagasse was the waste which has a fairly high content of lignocelluloses and has not been utilize optimally. With a cellulose content of up to 40%, bagasse then potentially be used as raw material for bioethanol. In this research, delignification process was carried out using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the ionic liquid system and without ionic liquids. The purpose of this research was to find out the highest content of cellulose which contained in the bagasse and the best hydrolysis conditions was obtained at the hydrolysis process in the choline chloride (ChCl) system. The hydrolysis stage in this research was carried out at temperature 105 °C, catalyst (H2SO4) 10% (w/w) cellulose, ChCl 10%, 15%, and 20% (w/w) cellulose and it was stirred at constant speed 120 rpm with reaction time of 30, 60 and 90 minutes. Delignification research results used ChCl obtained highest content of cellulose was 39.8%, hemicellulose 18.59%, and lignin 3.62% in cooking treatment 90 minutes and 20% ChCl. While delignification without ChCl obtained highest content of cellulose is 24.98%, hemicellulose 8.25%, and lignin 18.99% in cooking treatment 90 minutes. The maximum glucose yield of 39.4% was obtained at reaction time 90 minutes and 15% of ChCl.

Evaluation of limited irrigation strategies to improve water use efficiency and wheat yield in the North China Plain.

PubMed

Zhang, Di; Li, Ruiqi; Batchelor, William D; Ju, Hui; Li, Yanming

2018-01-01

The North China Plain is one of the most important grain production regions in China, but is facing serious water shortages. To achieve a balance between water use and the need for food self-sufficiency, new water efficient irrigation strategies need to be developed that balance water use with farmer net return. The Crop Environment Resource Synthesis Wheat (CERES-Wheat model) was calibrated and evaluated with two years of data which consisted of 3-4 irrigation treatments, and the model was used to investigate long-term winter wheat productivity and water use from irrigation management in the North China Plain. The calibrated model simulated accurately above-ground biomass, grain yield and evapotranspiration of winter wheat in response to irrigation management. The calibrated model was then run using weather data from 1994-2016 in order to evaluate different irrigation strategies. The simulated results using historical weather data showed that grain yield and water use was sensitive to different irrigation strategies including amounts and dates of irrigation applications. The model simulated the highest yield when irrigation was applied at jointing (T9) in normal and dry rainfall years, and gave the highest simulated yields for irrigation at double ridge (T8) in wet years. A single simulated irrigation at jointing (T9) produced yields that were 88% compared to using a double irrigation treatment at T1 and T9 in wet years, 86% of that in normal years, and 91% of that in dry years. A single irrigation at jointing or double ridge produced higher water use efficiency because it obtained higher evapotranspiration. The simulated farmer irrigation practices produced the highest yield and net income. When the cost of water was taken into account, limited irrigation was found to be more profitable based on assumptions about future water costs. In order to increase farmer income, a subsidy will likely be needed to compensate farmers for yield reductions due to water savings. These results showed that there is a cost to the farmer for water conservation, but limiting irrigation to a single irrigation at jointing would minimize impact on farmer net return in North China Plain.

Testing soil-like substrate for growing plants in bioregenerative life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gros, J. B.; Lasseur, Ch.; Tikhomirov, A. A.; Manukovsky, N. S.; Kovalev, V. S.; Ushakova, S. A.; Zolotukhin, I. G.; Tirranen, L. S.; Karnachuk, R. A.; Dorofeev, V. Yu.

We studied soil-like substrate (SLS) as a potential candidate for plant cultivation in bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS). The SLS was obtained by successive conversion of wheat straw by oyster mushrooms and worms. Mature SLS contained 9.5% humic acids and 4.9% fulvic acids. First, it was shown that wheat, bean and cucumber yields as well as radish yields when cultivated on mature SLS were comparable to yields obtained on a neutral substrate (expanded clay aggregate) under hydroponics. Second, the possibility of increasing wheat and radish yields on the SLS was assessed at three levels of light intensity: 690, 920 and 1150 μmol m -2 s -1 of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The highest wheat yield was obtained at 920 μmol m -2 s -1, while radish yield increased steadily with increasing light intensity. Third, long-term SLS fertility was tested in a BLSS model with mineral and organic matter recycling. Eight cycles of wheat and 13 cycles of radish cultivation were carried out on the SLS in the experimental system. Correlation coefficients between SLS nitrogen content and total wheat biomass and grain yield were 0.92 and 0.97, respectively, and correlation coefficients between nitrogen content and total radish biomass and edible root yield were 0.88 and 0.87, respectively. Changes in hormone content (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and abscisic acid) in the SLS during matter recycling did not reduce plant productivity. Quantitative and species compositions of the SLS and irrigation water microflora were also investigated. Microbial community analysis of the SLS showed bacteria from Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Nocardia, Mycobacterium, Arthrobacter and Enterobacter genera, and fungi from Trichoderma, Penicillium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Mucor, Botrytis, and Cladosporium genera.

Electro-peroxone degradation of diethyl phthalate: Cathode selection, operational parameters, and degradation mechanisms.

PubMed

Hou, Meifang; Chu, Yaofei; Li, Xiang; Wang, Huijiao; Yao, Weikun; Yu, Gang; Murayama, Seiichi; Wang, Yujue

2016-12-05

This study compares the degradation of diethyl phthalate (DEP) by the electro-peroxone (E-peroxone) process with three different carbon-based cathodes, namely, carbon-polytetrafluorethylene (carbon-PTFE), carbon felt, and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC). Results show that the three cathodes had different electrocatalytic activity for converting sparged O2 to H2O2, which increased in order of carbon felt, RVC, and carbon-PTFE. The in-situ generated H2O2 then reacts with sparged O3 to yield OH, which can in turn oxidize ozone-refractory DEP toward complete mineralization. In general, satisfactory total organic carbon removal yields (76.4-91.8%) could be obtained after 60min of the E-peroxone treatment with the three carbon-based cathodes, and the highest yield was obtained with the carbon-PTFE cathode due to its highest activity for H2O2 generation. In addition, the carbon-PTFE and carbon felt cathodes exhibited excellent stability over six cycles of the E-peroxone treatment of DEP solutions. Based on the intermediates (e.g., monoethyl phthalate, phthalic acid, phenolics, and carboxylic acids) identified by HPLC-UV, plausible reaction pathways were proposed for DEP mineralization by the E-peroxone process. The results of this study indicate that carbon-based cathodes generally have good electrocatalytic activity and stability for application in extended E-peroxone operations to effectively remove phthalates from water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biofuels from microalgae: lipid extraction and methane production from the residual biomass in a biorefinery approach.

PubMed

Hernández, D; Solana, M; Riaño, B; García-González, M C; Bertucco, A

2014-10-01

Renewable fuels and energy are of major concern worldwide and new raw materials and processes for its generation are being investigated. Among these raw materials, algae are a promising source of lipids and energy. Thus, in this work four different algae have been used for lipid extraction and biogas generation. Lipids were obtained by supercritical CO2 extraction (SCCO2), while anaerobic digestion of the lipid-exhausted algae biomass was used for biogas production. The extracted oil composition was analyzed (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) and quantified. The highest lipid yields were obtained from Tetraselmis sp. (11%) and Scenedesmus almeriensis (10%), while the highest methane production from the lipid-exhausted algae biomass corresponded to Tetraselmis sp. (236mLCH4/gVSadded). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening of liquid media and fermentation of an endophytic Beauveria bassiana strain in a bioreactor

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

A novel approach for biological control of insect pests could be the use of the endophytic entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana isolate ATP-02. For the utilization of the endophyte as a commercial biocontrol agent, the fungus has to be mass-produced. B. bassiana was raised in shake flask cultures to produce high concentrations of total spores (TS), which include blastospores (BS) and submerged conidiospores (SCS). The highest concentration of 1.33×109 TS/mL and the highest yield of 5.32×1010 TS/g sucrose was obtained in the TKI broth with 5% sugar beet molasses which consists of 50% sucrose as a carbon source. In spite of the lower sugar concentration (2.5%) the amount of TS could be increased up to 11-times in contrast to the cultivation with 5% sucrose. The scale-up to a 2 L stirred tank reactor was carried out at 25°C, 200–600 rpm and 1 vvm at pH 5.5. A TS yield of 5.2×1010 TS/g sucrose corresponding to a SCS yield of 0.2×1010 SCS/g sucrose was obtained after 216 h. With regards to the culture medium the cost of 1012 TS amounts to 0.24 €. Plutella xylostella larvae, which were fed with oilseed rape leaves treated with spores from fermentation resulted in 77 ± 5% mortality. Moreover, spores from submerged cultivation were able to colonize oilseed rape leaves via leaf application. This is the first report of fermentation of an endophytic B. bassiana strain in a low-cost culture medium to very high yields of TS. PMID:24949278

High-quality and -quantity DNA extraction from frozen archival blood clots for genotyping of single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

PubMed

Bank, Steffen; Nexø, Bjørn Andersen; Andersen, Vibeke; Vogel, Ulla; Andersen, Paal Skytt

2013-06-01

The recovery of biological samples for genetic epidemiological studies can be cumbersome. Blood clots are routinely collected for serological examinations. However, the extraction of DNA from blood clots can be difficult and often results in low yields. The aim was to compare the efficiency of commercial purification kits for extracting DNA from long-term frozen clotted blood. Serum tubes with clotted blood were stored at -20°C for 1 to 2.5 years before DNA extraction. DNA was extracted from 10 blood clot samples using PureGene (Qiagen) with and without glycogen, the QIAamp DNA Micro kit (Qiagen), and the Nucleospin 96 Blood kit (Macherey-Nagel). Furthermore, blood clots from 1055 inflammatory bowel disease patients were purified using the Maxwell 16 Blood purification kit (Promega). The DNA was extracted according to the manufacturers` instructions and real-time PCR and the A(260)/A(280) ratio were used to evaluate the quality of the extracted DNA. The highest DNA yield was obtained by the Maxwell 16 Blood purification kit (Promega) with a median of 4.90 μg (range 0.8-25 μg) pr 300 μL total blood. PureGene with glycogen (Qiagen) had the second highest yield with a median of 0.65 μg (range 0.5-2.6 μg) pr 300 μL total blood. The yield obtained by the different commercial kits varied considerably. Our work demonstrates that high-quality and -quantity DNA can be extracted with the Maxwell 16 Blood purification kit (Promega) from cryopreserved blood clots, even after prolonged storage. The recovered DNA served as a reliable PCR template for single-nucleotide polymorphism assays.

Lameness detection based on multivariate continuous sensing of milk yield, rumination, and neck activity.

PubMed

Van Hertem, T; Maltz, E; Antler, A; Romanini, C E B; Viazzi, S; Bahr, C; Schlageter-Tello, A; Lokhorst, C; Berckmans, D; Halachmi, I

2013-07-01

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a mathematical model to detect clinical lameness based on existing sensor data that relate to the behavior and performance of cows in a commercial dairy farm. Identification of lame (44) and not lame (74) cows in the database was done based on the farm's daily herd health reports. All cows were equipped with a behavior sensor that measured neck activity and ruminating time. The cow's performance was measured with a milk yield meter in the milking parlor. In total, 38 model input variables were constructed from the sensor data comprising absolute values, relative values, daily standard deviations, slope coefficients, daytime and nighttime periods, variables related to individual temperament, and milk session-related variables. A lame group, cows recognized and treated for lameness, to not lame group comparison of daily data was done. Correlations between the dichotomous output variable (lame or not lame) and the model input variables were made. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained for the milk yield variable (rMY=0.45). In addition, a logistic regression model was developed based on the 7 highest correlated model input variables (the daily milk yield 4d before diagnosis; the slope coefficient of the daily milk yield 4d before diagnosis; the nighttime to daytime neck activity ratio 6d before diagnosis; the milk yield week difference ratio 4d before diagnosis; the milk yield week difference 4d before diagnosis; the neck activity level during the daytime 7d before diagnosis; the ruminating time during nighttime 6d before diagnosis). After a 10-fold cross-validation, the model obtained a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.85, with a correct classification rate of 0.86 when based on the averaged 10-fold model coefficients. This study demonstrates that existing farm data initially used for other purposes, such as heat detection, can be exploited for the automated detection of clinically lame animals on a daily basis as well. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant Potential of Extracts Obtained from Macro- (Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus and Bifurcaria bifurcata) and Micro-Algae (Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis) Assisted by Ultrasound.

PubMed

Agregán, Rubén; Munekata, Paulo E S; Franco, Daniel; Carballo, Javier; Barba, Francisco J; Lorenzo, José M

2018-04-10

Background: Natural antioxidants, which can replace synthetic ones due to their potential implications for health problems in children, have gained significant popularity. Therefore, the antioxidant potential of extracts obtained from three brown macroalgae ( Ascophyllum nodosum , Fucus vesiculosus and Bifurcaria bifurcata ) and two microalgae ( Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis ) using ultrasound-extraction as an innovative and green approach was evaluated. Methods: Algal extracts were obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction using water/ethanol (50:50, v : v ) as the extraction solvent. The different extracts were compared based on their antioxidant potential, measuring the extraction yield, the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity. Results: Extracts from Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) and Bifurcaria bifurcata (BB) showed the highest antioxidant potential compared to the rest of the samples. In particular, BB extract presented the highest extraction (35.85 g extract/100 g dry weight (DW)) and total phenolic compounds (TPC) (5.74 g phloroglucinol equivalents (PGE)/100 g DW) yields. Regarding the antioxidant activity, macroalgae showed again higher values than microalgae. BB extract had the highest antioxidant activity in the ORAC, DPPH and FRAP assays, with 556.20, 144.65 and 66.50 µmol Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DW, respectively. In addition, a correlation among the antioxidant activity and the TPC was noted. Conclusions: Within the obtained extracts, macroalgae, and in particular BB, are more suitable to be used as sources of phenolic antioxidants to be included in products for human consumption. The relatively low antioxidant potential, in terms of polyphenols, of the microalgae extracts studied in the present work makes them useless for possible industrial applications compared to macroalgae, although further in vivo studies evaluating the real impact of antioxidants from both macro- and micro-algae at the cellular level should be conducted.

Environmental conditions affecting exopolysaccharide production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus sp., and Ochrobactrum sp.

PubMed

Kiliç, Nur Koçberber; Dönmez, Gönül

2008-06-15

Three different chromium-resistant microorganisms (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus sp., and Ochrobactrum sp.) were tested with regard to their EPS production at different pH levels, temperatures, Cr(VI) concentrations, and incubation periods. The optimum pH level was 7 for P. aeruginosa and Micrococcus sp., while it was 8 for Ochrobactrum sp. according to the highest EPS amount at 100 mg/L Cr(VI) concentration. The highest production of EPSs by the three bacteria was obtained under different environmental conditions. P. aeruginosa produced the highest EPS (863.3 mg/L) after incubation for 96 h on media with 50 mg/L Cr(VI) at 20 degrees C, Micrococcus sp. gave the highest yield (444.6 mg/L) after incubation for 72 h on media with 100 mg/L Cr(VI) at the same temperature, and Ochrobactrum sp. had the highest production (430.5 mg/L) on media with 150 mg/L Cr(VI) at 30 degrees C at the end of 48 h of incubation.

Properties of extracts from defatted rice bran by its subcritical water treatment.

PubMed

Wiboonsirikul, Jintana; Kimura, Yukitaka; Kadota, Megumi; Morita, Hisahiro; Tsuno, Takuo; Adachi, Shuji

2007-10-17

Defatted rice bran was extracted with water and subcritical water at 50-250 degrees C for 5 min. The highest extract yield was achieved at 200 degrees C, at which the maximum amounts of protein and carbohydrate were also obtained. The total phenolic and furfural contents, radical scavenging activity, and antioxidative activity for the autoxidation of linoleic acid increased with increasing treatment temperature. The bran extracts exhibited emulsifying activity except for the extract prepared at 250 degrees C, which was concomitant with the disappearance of its high-molecular-mass substances. The extract prepared at 200 degrees C also had the highest emulsion-stabilizing activity.

Evolutionary agroecology: individual fitness and population yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

PubMed

Weiner, Jacob; Du, Yan-Lei; Zhang, Cong; Qin, Xiao-Liang; Li, Feng-Min

2017-09-01

Although the importance of group selection in nature is highly controversial, several researchers have argued that plant breeding for agriculture should be based on group selection, because the goal in agriculture is to optimize population production, not individual fitness. A core hypothesis behind this claim is that crop genotypes with the highest individual fitness in a mixture of genotypes will not produce the highest population yield, because fitness is often increased by "selfish" behaviors, which reduce population performance. We tested this hypothesis by growing 35 cultivars of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in mixtures and monocultures, and analyzing the relationship between population yield in monoculture and individual yield in mixture. The relationship was unimodal, as predicted. The highest-yielding populations were from cultivars that had intermediate fitness, and these produced, on average, 35% higher yields than cultivars with the highest fitness. It is unlikely that plant breeding or genetic engineering can improve traits that natural selection has been optimizing for millions of years, but there is unutilized potential in traits that increase crop yield by decreasing individual fitness. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Comparison of the DNA extraction methods for polymerase chain reaction amplification from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues.

PubMed

Sato, Y; Sugie, R; Tsuchiya, B; Kameya, T; Natori, M; Mukai, K

2001-12-01

To obtain an adequate quality and quantity of DNA from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue, six different DNA extraction methods were compared. Four methods used deparaffinization by xylene followed by proteinase K digestion and phenol-chloroform extraction. The temperature of the different steps was changed to obtain higher yields and improved quality of extracted DNA. The remaining two methods used microwave heating for deparaffinization. The best DNA extraction method consisted of deparaffinization by microwave irradiation, protein digestion with proteinase K at 48 degrees C overnight, and no further purification steps. By this method, the highest DNA yield was obtained and the amplification of a 989-base pair beta-globin gene fragment was achieved. Furthermore, DNA extracted by means of this procedure from five gastric carcinomas was successfully used for single strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing assays of the beta-catenin gene. Because the microwave-based DNA extraction method presented here is simple, has a lower contamination risk, and results in a higher yield of DNA compared with the ordinary organic chemical reagent-based extraction method, it is considered applicable to various clinical and basic fields.

Supply of avocado starch (Persea americana mill) as bioplastic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginting, M. H. S.; Hasibuan, R.; Lubis, M.; Alanjani, F.; Winoto, F. A.; Siregar, R. C.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of time precipitation of avocado slurry seed to yield of starch. Starch analysis included starch content, moisture content, amylose content, amylopectin content, ash content, protein content, fat content, Fourier transform infra red analysis and rapid visco analyzer. Supply of starch from avocado seeds was used by extraction method. Every one hundred grams of avocado slurry was precipitated by gravity with variations for 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 20 hours and 24 hours. The Starch yield was washed, and dried using oven at 70°C for 30 minutes. Starch yield was the highest as 24.20 gram at 24 hours. The result of starch characterization was 73.62%, water content 16.6%, amylose 0.07%, amylopectin 73.55%, ash content 0.23%, protein content 2.16%, fat content 1.09%. Rapid visco analyzer obtained at 91.33°C of gelatinization temperature. Scanning electron microscopy analyzes obtained 20 μm oval-shaped starch granules. Fourier Transform Infra Red analysis of starch obtained the peak spectrum of O-H group of alcohols, C-H alkanes and C-O ether.

Effects of inoculum to substrate ratio and co-digestion with bagasse on biogas production of fish waste.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Mustafa, Ahmed M; Sheng, Kuichuan

2017-10-01

To overcome the biogas inhibition in anaerobic digestion of fish waste (FW), effects of inoculum to substrate ratio (I/S, based on VS) and co-digestion with bagasse on biogas production of FW were studied in batch reactors. I/S value was from 0.95 to 2.55, bagasse content in co-digestion (based on VS) was 25%, 50% and 75%. The highest biogas yield (433.4 mL/gVS) with 73.34% methane content was obtained at an I/S value of 2.19 in mono-digestion of FW; the biogas production was inhibited and the methane content was below 70% when I/S was below 1.5. Co-digestion of FW and bagasse could improve the stability and biogas potential, also reducing the time required to obtain 70% of the total biogas production, although the total biogas yield and methane content decreased with the increase in bagasse content in co-digestion. Biogas yield of 409.5 mL/gVS was obtained in co-digestion of 75% FW and 25% bagasse; simultaneously 78.46% of the total biogas production was achieved after 10 days of digestion.

Effect of mechanical extraction parameters on the yield and quality of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed oil.

PubMed

Sannino, M; Del Piano, L; Abet, Massimo; Baiano, S; Crimaldi, M; Modestia, F; Raimo, F; Ricciardiello, G; Faugno, S

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how the combination of extraction parameters, such as extraction temperature seeds preheating and screw rotation speed, influenced the yield and chemical quality of tobacco seed oil (TSO). For its peculiar properties, TSO can be used for several purposes, as raw material in the manufacturing of soap, paints, resins, lubricants, biofuels and also as edible oil. TSO was obtained using a mechanical screw press and the quality of the oil was evaluated by monitoring the free fatty acids (FFA), the peroxide value (PV), the spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK and the fatty acid composition. The maximum extraction yield, expressed as percent of oil mechanically extracted respect to the oil content in the seeds, determined by solvent extraction, was obtained with the combination of the highest extraction temperature, the slowest screw rotation speed and seeds preheating. Under these conditions yield was 80.28 ± 0.33% (w/w), 25% higher than the lowest yield obtained among investigated conditions. The extraction temperature and seed preheating showed a significant effect on FFA, on spectroscopic indices K 232 , K 270 and ΔK values. The average values of these parameters slightly increased rising the temperature and in presence of preheating, the screw rotation speed did not affect the chemical characteristic tested. In the extraction conditions investigated no significant changes in PV and fatty acids composition of oil were observed.

Acidogenic digestion of food waste in a thermophilic leach bed reactor: Effect of pH and leachate recirculation rate on hydrolysis and volatile fatty acid production.

PubMed

Hussain, Abid; Filiatrault, Mélissa; Guiot, Serge R

2017-12-01

The effect of pH control (4, 5, 6, 7) on volatile fatty acids (VFA) production from food waste was investigated in a leach bed reactor (LBR) operated at 50°C. Stabilisation of pH at 7 resulted in hydrolysis yield of 530g soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD)/kg total volatile solids (TVS) added and VFA yield of 247gCOD/kg TVS added, which were highest among all pH tested. Butyric acid dominated the VFA mix (49-54%) at pH of 7 and 6, while acetate composed the primary VFA (41-56%) at pH of 4 and 5. A metabolic shift towards lactic acid production was observed at pH of 5. Improving leachate recirculation rate further improved the hydrolysis and degradation efficiency by 10-16% and the acidification yield to 340gCOD/kgTVS added. The butyric acid concentration of 16.8g/L obtained at neutral pH conditions is among the highest reported in literature. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Higher biomolecules yield in phytoplankton under copper exposure.

PubMed

Silva, Jaqueline Carmo; Echeveste, Pedro; Lombardi, Ana Teresa

2018-05-30

Copper is an important metal for industry, and its toxic threshold in natural ecosystems has increased since the industrial revolution. As an essential nutrient, it is required in minute amounts, being toxic in slightly increased concentrations, causing great biochemical transformation in microalgae. This study aimed at investigating the physiology of Scenedesmus quadricauda, a cosmopolitan species, exposed to copper concentrations including those that trigger intracellular biochemical modifications. The Cu exposure concentrations tested ranged from 0.1 to 25 µM, thus including environmentally important levels. Microalgae cultures were kept under controlled environmental conditions and monitored daily for cell density, in vivo chlorophyll a, and photosynthetic quantum yield (Φ M ). After 24 h growth, free Cu 2+ ions were determined, and after 96 h, cellular Cu concentration, total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and cell volume were determined. The results showed that both free Cu 2+ ions and cellular Cu increased with Cu increase in culture medium. Microalgae cell abundance and in vivo chlorophyll a were mostly affected at 2.5 µM Cu exposure (3.8 pg Cu cell -1 ) and above. Approximately 31% decrease of photosynthetic quantum yield was obtained at the highest Cu exposure concentration (25 µM; 25 pg Cu cell -1 ) in comparison with the control. However, at environmentally relevant copper concentrations (0.5 µM Cu; 0.4 pg Cu cell -1 ) cell volume increased in comparison with the control. Considering biomolecules accumulation per unit cell volume, the highest carbohydrates and proteins yield was obtained at 1.0 µM Cu (1.1 pg Cu cell -1 ), while for lipids higher Cu was necessary (2.5 µM Cu; 3.8 pg Cu cell -1 ). This study is a contribution to the understanding of the effects of environmentally significant copper concentrations in the physiology of S. quadricauda, as well as to biotechnological approach to increase biomolecule yield in microalgae production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of enzyme formulation on pretreated switchgrass.

PubMed

Falls, Matthew; Shi, Jian; Ebrik, Mirvat A; Redmond, Tim; Yang, Bin; Wyman, Charles E; Garlock, Rebecca; Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E; Pallapolu, V Ramesh; Lee, Y Y; Kim, Youngmi; Mosier, Nathan S; Ladisch, Michael R; Hames, Bonnie; Thomas, Steve; Donohoe, Bryon S; Vinzant, Todd B; Elander, Richard T; Warner, Ryan E; Sierra-Ramirez, Rocio; Holtzapple, Mark T

2011-12-01

This work studied the benefits of adding different enzyme cocktails (cellulase, xylanase, β-glucosidase) to pretreated switchgrass. Pretreatment methods included ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), dilute-acid (DA), liquid hot water (LHW), lime, lime+ball-milling, soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA), and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)). The compositions of the pretreated materials were analyzed and showed a strong correlation between initial xylan composition and the benefits of xylanase addition. Adding xylanase dramatically improved xylan yields for SAA (+8.4%) and AFEX (+6.3%), and showed negligible improvement (0-2%) for the pretreatments with low xylan content (dilute-acid, SO(2)). Xylanase addition also improved overall yields with lime+ball-milling and SO(2) achieving the highest overall yields from pretreated biomass (98.3% and 93.2%, respectively). Lime+ball-milling obtained an enzymatic yield of 92.3kg of sugar digested/kg of protein loaded. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation, path analysis and heritability estimation for agronomic traits contribute to yield on soybean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistyo, A.; Purwantoro; Sari, K. P.

2018-01-01

Selection is a routine activity in plant breeding programs that must be done by plant breeders in obtaining superior plant genotypes. The use of appropriate selection criteria will determine the effectiveness of selection activities. The purpose of this study was to analysis the inheritable agronomic traits that contribute to soybean yield. A total of 91 soybean lines were planted in Muneng Experimental Station, Probolinggo District, East Java Province, Indonesia in 2016. All soybean lines were arranged in randomized complete block design with two replicates. Correlation analysis, path analysis and heritability estimation were performed on days to flowering, days to maturing, plant height, number of branches, number of fertile nodes, number of filled pods, weight of 100 seeds, and yield to determine selection criteria on soybean breeding program. The results showed that the heritability value of almost all agronomic traits observed is high except for the number of fertile nodes with low heritability. The result of correlation analysis shows that days to flowering, plant height and number of fertile nodes have positive correlation with seed yield per plot (0.056, 0.444, and 0.100, respectively). In addition, path analysis showed that plant height and number of fertile nodes have highest positive direct effect on soybean yield. Based on this result, plant height can be selected as one of selection criteria in soybean breeding program to obtain high yielding soybean variety.

Enhanced yield of phenolic extracts from banana peels (Musa acuminata Colla AAA) and cinnamon barks (Cinnamomum varum) and their antioxidative potentials in fish oil.

PubMed

Anal, Anil Kumar; Jaisanti, Sirorat; Noomhorm, Athapol

2014-10-01

The bioactive compounds of banana peels and cinnamon barks were extracted by vacuum microwave and ultrasonic-assisted extraction methods at pre-determined temperatures and times. These methods enhance the yield extracts in shorter time. The highest yields of both extracts were obtained from the conditions which employed the highest temperature and the longest time. The extracts' yield from cinnamon bark method was higher by ultrasonic than vacuum microwave method, while vacuum microwave method gave higher extraction yield from banana peel than ultrasonic method. The phenolic contents of cinnamon bark and banana peel extracts were 467 and 35 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, respectively. The flavonoid content found in banana peel and cinnamon bark extracts were 196 and 428 mg/g quercetin equivalent, respectively. In addition, it was found that cinnamon bark gave higher 2,2-Diphenyl-1-1 picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant activity (TAA). The antioxidant activity of the extracts was analyzed by measuring the peroxide and p-anisidine values after oxidation of fish oils, stored for a month (30 days) at 25 °C and showed lesser peroxide and p-anisidine values in the fish oils containing the sample extracts in comparison to the fish oil without containing any extract. The banana peel and cinnamon extracts had shown the ability as antioxidants to prevent the oxidation of fish oil and might be considered as rich sources of natural antioxidant.

Low pressure catalytic co-conversion of biogenic waste (rapeseed cake) and vegetable oil.

PubMed

Giannakopoulou, Kanellina; Lukas, Michael; Vasiliev, Aleksey; Brunner, Christoph; Schnitzer, Hans

2010-05-01

Zeolite catalysts of three types (H-ZSM-5, Fe-ZSM-5 and H-Beta) were tested in the catalytic co-conversion of rapeseed cake and safflower oil into bio-fuel. This low pressure process was carried out at the temperatures of 350 and 400 degrees Celsius. The yields and compositions of the product mixtures depended on the catalyst nature and the process temperatures. The produced organic phases consisted mainly of hydrocarbons, fatty acids and nitriles. This mixture possessed improved characteristics (e.g. heating value, water content, density, viscosity, pH) compared with the bio-oils, making possible its application as a bio-fuel. The most effective catalyst, providing the highest yield of organic liquid phase, was the highly acidic/wide-pore H-Beta zeolite. The products obtained on this catalyst demonstrated the highest degree of deoxygenation and the higher HHV (Higher Heating Value). The aqueous liquid phase contained water-soluble carboxylic acids, phenols and heterocyclic compounds. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of microwave-assisted pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass immersed in alkaline glycerol for fermentable sugars production.

PubMed

Diaz, Ana Belen; Moretti, Marcia Maria de Souza; Bezerra-Bussoli, Carolina; Carreira Nunes, Christiane da Costa; Blandino, Ana; da Silva, Roberto; Gomes, Eleni

2015-06-01

A pretreatment with microwave irradiation was applied to enhance enzyme hydrolysis of corn straw and rice husk immersed in water, aqueous glycerol or alkaline glycerol. Native and pretreated solids underwent enzyme hydrolysis using the extract obtained from the fermentation of Myceliophthora heterothallica, comparing its efficiency with that of the commercial cellulose cocktail Celluclast®. The highest saccharification yields, for both corn straw and rice husk, were attained when biomass was pretreated in alkaline glycerol, method that has not been previously reported in literature. Moreover, FTIR, TG and SEM analysis revealed a more significant modification in the structure of corn straw subjected to this pretreatment. Highest global yields were attained with the crude enzyme extract, which might be the result of its content in a great variety of hydrolytic enzymes, as revealed zymogram analysis. Moreover, its hydrolysis efficiency can be improved by its supplementation with commercial β-glucosidase. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Different Sugar Beet Pulp Pretreatments on Biogas Production Efficiency.

PubMed

Ziemiński, Krzysztof; Kowalska-Wentel, Monika

2017-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different sugar beet pulp (SBP) pretreatments on biogas yield from anaerobic digestion. SBP was subjected to grinding, thermal-pressure processing, enzymatic hydrolysis, or combination of these pretreatments. It was observed that grinding of SBP to 2.5-mm particles resulted in the cumulative biogas productivity of 617.2 mL/g volatile solids (VS), which was 20.2 % higher compared to the biogas yield from the not pretreated SBP, and comparable to that from not ground, enzymatically hydrolyzed SBP. The highest cumulative biogas productivity, 898.7 mL/g VS, was obtained from the ground, thermal-pressure pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed SBP. The latter pretreatment variant enabled to achieve the highest glucose concentration (24.765 mg/mL) in the enzymatic hydrolysates. The analysis of energy balance showed that the increase in the number of SBP pretreatment operations significantly reduced the gain of electric energy.

[Effects of irrigation amount and various fertigation methods on yield and quality of cucumber in greenhouse].

PubMed

Fang, Dong-ping; Zhang, Fu-cang; Li, Jing; Wang, Hai-dong; Xiang, You-zhen; Zhang, Yan

2015-06-01

Taking cucumber as experimental plant, an experiment was conducted to study the effects of irrigation amount and fertigation methods on growth, yield and quality of cucumber in greenhouse. The experiment had designed two irrigation levels, i.e. 100% ET0 (W1) and 75% ET0 (W2), and four fertigation fertilization ratios, i.e. 100%, 66.6%, 33.3% and 0% (Z100, Z66 , Z33, Z0) fertigation of a total amount of (360:180:540 kg · hm(-2)) (N:P2O5:K2O) by 8 times with the corresponding remainders (0%, 33.3%, 66.6% and 100%) were applied to soil as basic fertilization before the planting according to the recommended fertilization rate, and no fertilizer treatment was set up as the control (CK). Results showed that irrigation and fertilization levels had positive correlations with plant height, leaf areas, dry mass, yield and quality of cucumber. Yield at W1Z100 was the highest, reaching 67760 kg · hm(-2). W2 treatment increased the mean water use efficiency (WUE) by 9.4% compared to W1. W2Z100 treatment had the highest WUE, reaching 47.13 kg · m(-3). Yield at W2Z100 was only 3.4% lower than the maximum, but saved 25% of water. Yield and dry matter at Z100 were 15.3% and 16.8% higher than at Z0, respectively, the cucumber fruit vitamin C, soluble protein and soluble sugar contents were increased, and the water use efficiency was increased by 19.1%. W2Z100 treatment was the best treatment which could enable cucumber to obtain both the high-yield and the high-quality.

The effect of clay catalyst on the chemical composition of bio-oil obtained by co-pyrolysis of cellulose and polyethylene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solak, Agnieszka; Rutkowski, Piotr, E-mail: piotr.rutkowski@pwr.wroc.pl

2014-02-15

Highlights: • Non-catalytic and catalytic fast pyrolysis of cellulose/polyethylene blend was carried out in a laboratory scale reactor. • Optimization of process temperature was done. • Optimization of clay catalyst type and amount for co-pyrolysis of cellulose and polyethylene was done. • The product yields and the chemical composition of bio-oil was investigated. - Abstract: Cellulose/polyethylene (CPE) mixture 3:1, w/w with and without three clay catalysts (K10 – montmorillonite K10, KSF – montmorillonite KSF, B – Bentonite) addition were subjected to pyrolysis at temperatures 400, 450 and 500 °C with heating rate of 100 °C/s to produce bio-oil with highmore » yield. The pyrolytic oil yield was in the range of 41.3–79.5 wt% depending on the temperature, the type and the amount of catalyst. The non-catalytic fast pyrolysis at 500 °C gives the highest yield of bio-oil (79.5 wt%). The higher temperature of catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose/polyethylene mixture the higher yield of bio-oil is. Contrarily, increasing amount of montmorillonite results in significant, almost linear decrease in bio-oil yield followed by a significant increase of gas yield. The addition of clay catalysts to CPE mixture has a various influence on the distribution of bio-oil components. The addition of montmorillonite K10 to cellulose/polyethylene mixture promotes the deepest conversion of polyethylene and cellulose. Additionally, more saturated than unsaturated hydrocarbons are present in resultant bio-oils. The proportion of liquid hydrocarbons is the highest when a montmorillonite K10 is acting as a catalyst.« less

Enhanced energy recovery from cassava ethanol wastewater through sequential dark hydrogen, photo hydrogen and methane fermentation combined with ammonium removal.

PubMed

Lin, Richen; Cheng, Jun; Yang, Zongbo; Ding, Lingkan; Zhang, Jiabei; Zhou, Junhu; Cen, Kefa

2016-08-01

Cassava ethanol wastewater (CEW) was subjected to sequential dark H2, photo H2 and CH4 fermentation to maximize H2 production and energy yield. A relatively low H2 yield of 23.6mL/g soluble chemical oxygen demand (CODs) was obtained in dark fermentation. To eliminate the inhibition of excessive NH4(+) on sequential photo fermentation, zeolite was used to remove NH4(+) in residual dark solution (86.5% removal efficiency). The treated solution from 5gCODs/L of CEW achieved the highest photo H2 yield of 369.7mL/gCODs, while the solution from 20gCODs/L gave the lowest yield of 259.6mL/gCODs. This can be explained that photo H2 yield was correlated to soluble metabolic products (SMPs) yield in dark fermentation, and specific SMPs yield decreased from 38.0 to 18.1mM/g CODs. The total energy yield significantly increased to 8.39kJ/gCODs by combining methanogenesis with a CH4 yield of 117.9mL/gCODs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequential ultrasound-microwave assisted acid extraction (UMAE) of pectin from pomelo peels.

PubMed

Liew, Shan Qin; Ngoh, Gek Cheng; Yusoff, Rozita; Teoh, Wen Hui

2016-12-01

This study aims to optimize sequential ultrasound-microwave assisted extraction (UMAE) on pomelo peel using citric acid. The effects of pH, sonication time, microwave power and irradiation time on the yield and the degree of esterification (DE) of pectin were investigated. Under optimized conditions of pH 1.80, 27.52min sonication followed by 6.40min microwave irradiation at 643.44W, the yield and the DE value of pectin obtained was respectively at 38.00% and 56.88%. Based upon optimized UMAE condition, the pectin from microwave-ultrasound assisted extraction (MUAE), ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) were studied. The yield of pectin adopting the UMAE was higher than all other techniques in the order of UMAE>MUAE>MAE>UAE. The pectin's galacturonic acid content obtained from combined extraction technique is higher than that obtained from sole extraction technique and the pectin gel produced from various techniques exhibited a pseudoplastic behaviour. The morphological structures of pectin extracted from MUAE and MAE closely resemble each other. The extracted pectin from UMAE with smaller and more regular surface differs greatly from that of UAE. This has substantiated the highest pectin yield of 36.33% from UMAE and further signified their compatibility and potentiality in pectin extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deproteinated palm kernel cake-derived oligosaccharides: A preliminary study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Suet Pin; Chia, Chin Hua; Fang, Zhen; Zakaria, Sarani; Chee, Kah Leong

2014-09-01

Preliminary study on microwave-assisted hydrolysis of deproteinated palm kernel cake (DPKC) to produce oligosaccharides using succinic acid was performed. Three important factors, i.e., temperature, acid concentration and reaction time, were selected to carry out the hydrolysis processes. Results showed that the highest yield of DPKC-derived oligosaccharides can be obtained at a parameter 170 °C, 0.2 N SA and 20 min of reaction time.

Thermal decomposition of electronic wastes: Mobile phone case and other parts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Molto, Julia, E-mail: julia.molto@ua.es; Egea, Silvia; Conesa, Juan Antonio

Highlights: > Pyrolysis and combustion of different parts of mobile phones produce important quantities of CO and CO{sub 2}. > Naphthalene is the most abundant PAH obtained in the thermal treatment of mobile phones. > Higher combustion temperature increases the chlorinated species evolved. - Abstract: Pyrolysis and combustion runs at 850 {sup o}C in a horizontal laboratory furnace were carried out on different parts of a mobile phone (printed circuit board, mobile case and a mixture of both materials). The analyses of the carbon oxides, light hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and dioxin-like PCBs are shown. Regardingmore » semivolatile compounds, phenol, styrene, and its derivatives had the highest yields. In nearly all the runs the same PAHs were identified, naphthalene being the most common component obtained. Combustion of the printed circuit board produced the highest emission factor of PCDD/Fs, possibly due to the high copper content.« less

Astaxanthin synthesis by Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous DSM 5626 and its astaxanthin overproducing mutants on xylose media under different illumination.

PubMed

Stachowiak, Barbara

2014-01-01

Astaxanthin is the most important and expensive carotenoid pigment used in aquaculture. Its commercial attractiveness is also related with its antioxidant potential. Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous yeast is considered to be promising for commercial production of astaxanthin. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of the growth and astaxanthin production by X. dendrorhous strains 011 media containing xylose under different illumination. A', dendrorhous DSM 5626 and its mutants: 10BE and 26UV were used in this study. The cultures were carried out 011 hydrolysed rye stillage (HS) and YM medium with xylose (YM-K). Cell concentration, total carotenoid and astaxanthin yields were assessed in 5-day cultures. The effect of illumination in the range of 0-5.000 lx 011 growth and on astaxanthin production of yeasts in cultures run 011 YM-K medium was also examined. For the tested yeast strains better growth parameters and astaxanthin yields were obtained on the YM-K medium. 011 which for all strains the highest pigment yields were recorded at 600-1.000 lx. The highest concentration of astaxanthin in cells was recorded for 26UV in a culture at 1.000 lx (0.51 g∙kg-1 DCW). The volume yield of the pigment regardless of strain was highest in cultures at 600 lx. In this case 10BE was found to be the best astaxanthin producer with a yield of 2.15 mg dm-3. Astaxanthin synthesis in X. dendrorhous DSM 5626 and its mutants was better 011 YM-K medium comparing to hydrolysed rye stillage. Moreover, carotenogenesis in the studied yeast strains was subjected to marked photoregulation. Illumination within the range of 600-1.000 lx promotes carotenogenesis and astaxanthin production, while exceeding a certain light capacity results in microbial cell death.

Recovery and purification of cholesterol from cholesterol-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex using ultrasound-assisted extraction.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Chen, Youliang; Li, Hua

2017-01-01

Response surface methodology was used to optimize ultrasound-assisted ethanol extraction (UAE) of cholesterol from cholesterol-β-cyclodextrin (C-β-CD) inclusion complex prepared from duck yolk oil. The best extraction conditions were solvent-solid ratio 10mL/g, ultrasonic power 251W, extraction temperature 56°C and sonication time 36min. Under these conditions, the highest cholesterol extraction yield and cholesterol content obtained 98.12±0.25% and 43.38±0.61mg/g inclusion complex, respectively. As compared with Reflux extraction and Soxhlet extraction, the UAE was more efficient and economical. To increase the purity of crude cholesterol extraction, silica gel column chromatography and crystallization were carried out. Finally, cholesterol was obtained at 95.1% purity, 71.7% recovery and 22.0% yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of PEG-based extraction of polysaccharides from Dendrobium nobile Lindl. and bioactivity study.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Wang, Hongxin; Wang, Peng; Ma, ChaoYang; He, GuoHua; Rahman, Md Ramim Tanver

2016-11-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a green solvent was employed to extract polysaccharide. The optimal conditions for PEG-based ultrasonic extraction of Dendrobium nobile Lindl. polysaccharide (JCP) were determined by response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions: extraction temperature of 58.5°C; ultrasound power of 193W, and the concentration of polyethylene glycol-200 (PEG-200) solution of 45%, the highest JCP yield was obtained as 15.23±0.57%, which was close to the predicted yield, 15.57%. UV and FT-IR analysis revealed the general characteristic absorption peaks of both JCP with water extraction (JCP w ) and PEG-200 solvent extraction (JCP p ). Thermal analysis of both JCPs was performed with Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). Antioxidant activities of two polysaccharides were also compared and no significant difference in vitro was obtained. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recovery of astaxanthin from discharged wastewater during the production of chitin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaolin; Yang, Shengfeng; Xing, Ronge; Yu, Huahua; Liu, Song; Li, Pengcheng

2012-06-01

In this paper, studies were carried out to extract astaxanthin from discharged wastewater during the production of chitin and to reveal the scavenging effect of the obtained pigment on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Different ratios of dichloromethane/methanol (V/V) were used to extract astaxanthin. When the ratio of dichloromethane/methanol was 2:8 and the ratio between the mixed organic solvent (dichloromethane/methanol, 2:8, V/V) and wastewater was 1:1, the highest yield of pigment was obtained (8.4 mg/50 mL). The concentration of free astaxanthin in the obtained pigment analyzed by HPLC was 30.02%. The obtained pigment possessed strong scavenging ability on DPPH radical and IC50 was 0.84mg/ml.

Optimization and characterization of gelatin and chitosan extracted from fish and shrimp waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ait Boulahsen, M.; Chairi, H.; Laglaoui, A.; Arakrak, A.; Zantar, S.; Bakkali, M.; Hassani, M.

2018-05-01

Fish and seafood processing industries generate large quantities of waste which are at the origin of several environmental, economic and social problems. However fish waste could contain high value-added substances such as biopolymers. This work focuses on optimizing the gelatin and chitosan extraction from tilapia fish skins and shrimp shells respectively. The gelatin extraction process was optimized using alkali acid treatment prior to thermal hydrolysis. Three different acids were tested at different concentrations. Chitosan was obtained after acid demineralization followed by simultaneous hydrothermal deproteinization and deacetylation by an alkali treatment with different concentrations of HCl and NaOH. The extracted gelatin and chitosan with the highest yield were characterized by determining their main physicochemical properties (Degree of deacetylation, viscosity, pH, moisture and ash content). Results show a significant influence of the acid type and concentration on the extraction yield of gelatin and chitosan, with an average yield of 12.24% and 3.85% respectively. Furthermore, the obtained physicochemical properties of both extracted gelatin and chitosan were within the recommended standard values of the commercial ones used in the industry.

Optimisation of Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Seed Oil and Evaluation 
of Its Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties.

PubMed

Çavdar, Hasene Keskin; Yanık, Derya Koçak; Gök, Uğur; Göğüş, Fahrettin

2017-03-01

Pomegranate seed oil was extracted in a closed-vessel high-pressure microwave system. The characteristics of the obtained oil, such as fatty acid composition, free fatty acidity, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and colour, were compared to those of the oil obtained by cold solvent extraction. Response surface methodology was applied to optimise extraction conditions: power (176-300 W), time (5-20 min), particle size ( d =0.125-0.800 mm) and solvent to sample ratio (2:1, 6:1 and 10:1, by mass). The predicted highest extraction yield (35.19%) was obtained using microwave power of 220 W, particle size in the range of d =0.125-0.450 mm and solvent-to-sample ratio of 10:1 (by mass) in 5 min extraction time. Microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) resulted in higher extraction yield than that of Soxhlet (34.70% in 8 h) or cold (17.50% in 8 h) extraction. The dominant fatty acid of pomegranate seed oil was punicic acid (86%) irrespective of the extraction method. Oil obtained by MASE had better physicochemical properties, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity than the oil obtained by cold solvent extraction.

Evaluation of limited irrigation strategies to improve water use efficiency and wheat yield in the North China Plain

PubMed Central

Zhang, Di; Li, Ruiqi; Batchelor, William D.; Ju, Hui

2018-01-01

The North China Plain is one of the most important grain production regions in China, but is facing serious water shortages. To achieve a balance between water use and the need for food self-sufficiency, new water efficient irrigation strategies need to be developed that balance water use with farmer net return. The Crop Environment Resource Synthesis Wheat (CERES-Wheat model) was calibrated and evaluated with two years of data which consisted of 3–4 irrigation treatments, and the model was used to investigate long-term winter wheat productivity and water use from irrigation management in the North China Plain. The calibrated model simulated accurately above-ground biomass, grain yield and evapotranspiration of winter wheat in response to irrigation management. The calibrated model was then run using weather data from 1994–2016 in order to evaluate different irrigation strategies. The simulated results using historical weather data showed that grain yield and water use was sensitive to different irrigation strategies including amounts and dates of irrigation applications. The model simulated the highest yield when irrigation was applied at jointing (T9) in normal and dry rainfall years, and gave the highest simulated yields for irrigation at double ridge (T8) in wet years. A single simulated irrigation at jointing (T9) produced yields that were 88% compared to using a double irrigation treatment at T1 and T9 in wet years, 86% of that in normal years, and 91% of that in dry years. A single irrigation at jointing or double ridge produced higher water use efficiency because it obtained higher evapotranspiration. The simulated farmer irrigation practices produced the highest yield and net income. When the cost of water was taken into account, limited irrigation was found to be more profitable based on assumptions about future water costs. In order to increase farmer income, a subsidy will likely be needed to compensate farmers for yield reductions due to water savings. These results showed that there is a cost to the farmer for water conservation, but limiting irrigation to a single irrigation at jointing would minimize impact on farmer net return in North China Plain. PMID:29370186

[Effects of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin Lin; Sun, Shi Jun; Chen, Zhi Jun; Jiang, Hao; Zhang, Xu Dong; Chi, Dao Cai

2018-01-01

In order to investigate the effect of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on spring maize dry matter accumulation and yield in the rain-fed area of the Northeast China, a complete combination field experiment which was comprised by three types of mulching (non-mulching, transparent plastic film mulching and black plastic film mulching) and five densities (60000, 67500, 75000, 82500 and 90000 plants·hm -2 ), was conducted to analyze the water and heat effect, dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize (Liangyu 99). The results showed that, compared with the other mulching treatments, the black plastic film mulching treatment significantly increased the maize dry matter accumulation and maize biomass by 3.2%-8.2%. In mature stage, the biomass increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing plant density. When planting density was 82500 plants·hm -2 , the biomass was the highest, which was 5.2%-28.3% higher than that of other plant density treatments. The mean soil temperature in prophase of transparent plastic film mulching treatment was 0.4-2.7 ℃ higher than that of other treatments, which accelerated the maize growth process and augmented the dry matter transportation amount (T), dry matter transportation efficiency (TE) and contribution rate of dry matter transportation to the grain yield (TC) of maize stalk and leaf. The T, TE, TC of leaf and leaf-stalk under 60000 plants·hm -2 treatment were the highest. The highest T, TE, TC of stalk were observed under 75000 plants·hm -2 treatment. In heading period, the water consumption and daily water consumption intensity of maize under the treatment of black film mulching were the largest, which were 9.4%-10.6% and 10.6%-24.5% higher than that of other mulching treatments, respectively. The highest water consumption and daily water consumption intensity were both obtained under 90000 plants·hm -2 treatment, which increased by 6.8%-15.7% and 7.0%-20.0% compared with other plant density treatments. The combination of black film mulching and density of 82500 plants·hm -2 significantly improved the water use efficiency of maize, which increased by 4.6%-40.9% compared with other treatments. In addition, it increased yield by 3.0%-39.7% compared with other treatments. At heading stage, the correlation between the dry matter amount of stalk and leaf and the yield and yield components was the biggest. Decreasing 1 kg·hm -2 dry matter amount of stalk and leaf would decrease the population yield by almost 0.79 kg·hm -2 . Decreasing 10% dry matter amount of stalk and leaf would decrease the yield by almost 10%. Based on increasing plant density, black film mulching was beneficial for increasing the dry matter accumulation and improving grain yield and water use efficiency of spring maize.

Plant development and yield of four sugarcane varieties irrigated by a subsurface drip irrigation system in Campinas, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, André Luiz Barros de O.; Célia de Matos Pires, Regina; Yukitaka Pessinati Ohashi, Augusto; Vasconcelos Ribeiro, Rafael; Landell, Marcos Guimarães de Andrade; Aparecida Creste Dias de Souza, Silvana

2013-04-01

The biofuel production is a growing concern on modern society due to the agricultural sustainability, in which both food and energy supply should be taken into account. The agroclimatic zoning indicates that sugarcane expansion in Brazil can only take place in marginal lands, where water deficit occurs and irrigation is necessary. The use of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) in sugarcane cultivation is an interesting cultural practice to improve production and allow cultivation in marginal lands due to water deficit conditions or to attain high yield and to increase longevity of plants. In this context it is necessary to investigate responses of different varieties to water supply. The aim of this work was to evaluate the plant development and yield of four sugarcane varieties irrigated by a subsurface drip irrigation system in Campinas, Brazil in the 1st cane ratoon cycle. The field experiment was carried out in Campinas SP Brazil, with IACSP95-5000, IACSP94-2094, IACSP94-2101 and SP79-1011 cultivars in the 1st cane ratoon cycle, from January (after the harvest of cane plant cycle) to October (harvest the 1st cane ratoon cycle). The plant spacing was 1.5 m between rows. Each cultivar was planted in an area of 0.4 hectares. The irrigation was done by a subsuperficial drip system with one drip line in each plant row installed at 0.25 m deep. During the 1st cane ratoon cycle the parameters were analysed on the 33rd, 123rd, 185th and 277th day. The analysed parameters were: plant yield (m), leaf area index (LAI) and yield (tons per hectare). According to the results from the second sampling (123rd day) the varieties IACSP95-5000 and IACSP94-2101 showed higher plant height when compared to the other varieties. However, from the third sampling (185th day) on the IACSP95-5000 variety grew considerably taller than the other varieties. The varieties SP79-1011and IACSP94-2101 presented lower values of LAI throughout the crop cycle when compared to other varieties. But on the third evaluation (185th day) DAP the LAI obtained in IACSP94-2101 variety reached a value close to that observed in IACSP94-2094. On the first two evaluations at 33rd and 123rd days the values achieved by varieties IACSP95-5000 and IACSP94-2094 were similar. On the last assessment the highest value of LAI was observed in IACSP95-5000 variety, reaching 6.47 LAI. From the second evaluation the highest value of yield were observed in IACSP95-5000 variety. On the last evaluation variety IACSP95-5000 yield reached over 140 tons per hectare. This productivity was 37%, 51% and 64% higher than the values obtained in the varieties SP79-1011, IACSP94-2101 and IACSP94-2094, respectively. This variety reached the greatest plant growth (height and LAI) and the highest yield in the first ratoon cane cycle under subsurface drip irrigation system. Based on the obtained results this variety has shown promise for cultivation under subsurface drip irrigation system.

Propheromones that release pheromonal carbonyl compounds in light.

PubMed

Liu, X; Macaulay, E D; Pickett, J A

1984-05-01

Pheromonal carbonyl compounds; (Z)-11-hexadecanal, (E)-citral, and 2-heptanone were treated with six alcohols to give acetals or ketals, some of which acted as propheromones by releasing the pheromonal carbonyl compounds in ultraviolet or simulated sunlight. Highest yields of pheromone were obtained from adducts prepared witho-nitrobenzyl alcohol ando-nitrophenylethane-1,2-diol. Adducts from (Z)-11-hexadecenal and these two alcohols were employed in lures to catch diamondback moths,Plutella xylostella (L.).

Spatial variability in nutrient transport by HUC8, state, and subbasin based on Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin SPARROW models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

2014-01-01

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) has been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. With geospatial datasets for 2002, including inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and monitored loads throughout the MARB, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) watershed models were constructed specifically for the MARB, which reduced simulation errors from previous models. Based on these models, N loads/yields were highest from the central part (centered over Iowa and Indiana) of the MARB (Corn Belt), and the highest P yields were scattered throughout the MARB. Spatial differences in yields from previous studies resulted from different descriptions of the dominant sources (N yields are highest with crop-oriented agriculture and P yields are highest with crop and animal agriculture and major WWTPs) and different descriptions of downstream transport. Delivered loads/yields from the MARB SPARROW models are used to rank subbasins, states, and eight-digit Hydrologic Unit Code basins (HUC8s) by N and P contributions and then rankings are compared with those from other studies. Changes in delivered yields result in an average absolute change of 1.3 (N) and 1.9 (P) places in state ranking and 41 (N) and 69 (P) places in HUC8 ranking from those made with previous national-scale SPARROW models. This information may help managers decide where efforts could have the largest effects (highest ranked areas) and thus reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

Co-processing of olive bagasse with crude rapeseed oil via pyrolysis.

PubMed

Uçar, Suat; Karagöz, Selhan

2017-05-01

The co-pyrolysis of olive bagasse with crude rapeseed oil at different blend ratios was investigated at 500ºC in a fixed bed reactor. The effect of olive bagasse to crude rapeseed oil ratio on the product distributions and properties of the pyrolysis products were comparatively investigated. The addition of crude rapeseed oil into olive bagasse in the co-pyrolysis led to formation of upgraded biofuels in terms of liquid yields and properties. While the pyrolysis of olive bagasse produced a liquid yield of 52.5 wt %, the highest liquid yield of 73.5 wt % was obtained from the co-pyrolysis of olive bagasse with crude rapeseed oil at a blend ratio of 1:4. The bio-oil derived from olive bagasse contained 5% naphtha, 10% heavy naphtha, 30% gas oil, and 55% heavy gas oil. In the case of bio-oil obtained from the co-pyrolysis of olive bagasse with crude rapeseed oil at a blend ratio of 1:4, the light naphtha, heavy naphtha, and light gas oil content increased. This is an indication of the improved characteristics of the bio-oil obtained from the co-processing. The heating value of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of olive bagasse alone was 34.6 MJ kg -1 and the heating values of bio-oils obtained from the co-pyrolysis of olive bagasse with crude rapeseed oil ranged from 37.6 to 41.6 MJ kg -1 . It was demonstrated that the co-processing of waste biomass with crude plant oil is a good alternative to improve bio-oil yields and properties.

Ginsenoside extraction from Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng) root by using ultrahigh pressure.

PubMed

Zhang, Shouqin; Chen, Ruizhan; Wu, Hua; Wang, Changzheng

2006-04-11

A new method of ultrahigh pressure extraction (UPE) was used to extract the ginsenosides from Panax quinquefolium L. (American ginseng) root at room temperature. Several solvents, including water, ethanol, methanol, and n-butanol were used in the UPE. The ginsenosides were quantified by a HPLC equipped with UV-vis detector. The results showed that ethanol is the most efficient solvent among the used ones. Compared with other methods, i.e., Soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical CO2 extraction, the UPE has the highest extraction yield in the shortest time. The extraction yield of 0.861% ginsenoside-Rc in 2 min was achieved by the UPE, while the yields of 0.284% and 0.661% were obtained in several hours by supercritical CO2 extraction and the heat reflux extraction, respectively.

Production, purification and application of extracellular chitinase from Cellulosimicrobium cellulans 191

PubMed Central

Fleuri, Luciana F.; Kawaguti, Haroldo Y.; Sato, Hélia H.

2009-01-01

This study concerned the production, purification and application of extracellular chitinase from Cellulosimicrobium cellulans strain 191. In shaken flasks the maximum yield of chitinase was 6.9 U/mL after 72 h of cultivation at 25°C and 200 rpm. In a 5 L fermenter with 1.5 vvm aeration, the highest yield obtained was 4.19 U/mL after 168 h of fermentation at 25°C and 200 rpm, and using 3 vvm, it was 4.38 U/mL after 144 h of fermentation. The chitinase (61 KDa) was purified about 6.65 times by Sepharose CL 4B 200 gel filtration with a yield of 46.61%. The purified enzyme was able to lyse the cell walls of some fungi and to form protoplasts. PMID:24031407

Soil Tillage as a Factor of Soil Conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherer, D. V.; Chumanova, N. N.

2017-05-01

The work describes the question of the soil treatment system influence on agro-physical and microbiological properties of gray forest soils, and yield of barley in Western Siberia. Research works were carried out in 2013-2014 in Yaya region of the Kemerovo region. Tillage affects soil structure. The water stability in zero tillage conditions was poor (15.7%). Soil density corresponding to the optimum rate for barley is formed by the zonal processing system, while at the zero tillage soil remains solid. The best indicators of phosphataze, catalysis and amylase activity are formed with minimum processing system. In the experiment the highest yield of barley was obtained with minimum tillage - 12.1 c/ha.

A Review of the Suppression of Secondary Electron Emission from the Electrodes of Multistage Collectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dayton, James A., Jr.

1998-01-01

A review is presented of more than 20 years of research conducted at NASA Lewis Research Center on the suppression of secondary electron emission (SEE) for the enhancement of the efficiency of vacuum electron devices with multistage depressed collectors. This paper will include a description of measurement techniques, data from measurements of SEE on a variety of materials of engineering interest and methods of surface treatment for the suppression of SEE. In the course of this work the lowest secondary electron yield ever reported was achieved for ion textured graphite, and, in a parallel line of research, the highest yield was obtained for chemical vapor deposited thin diamond films.

Facile high-yield synthesis of polyaniline nanosticks with intrinsic stability and electrical conductivity.

PubMed

Li, Xin-Gui; Li, Ang; Huang, Mei-Rong

2008-01-01

Chemical oxidative polymerization at 15 degrees C was used for the simple and productive synthesis of polyaniline (PAN) nanosticks. The effect of polymerization media on the yield, size, stability, and electrical conductivity of the PAN nanosticks was studied by changing the concentration and nature of the acid medium and oxidant and by introducing organic solvent. Molecular and supramolecular structure, size, and size distribution of the PAN nanosticks were characterized by UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser particle-size analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. Introduction of organic solvent is advantageous for enhancing the yield of PAN nanosticks but disadvantageous for formation of PAN nanosticks with small size and high conductivity. The concentration and nature of the acid medium have a major influence on the polymerization yield and conductivity of the nanosized PAN. The average diameter and length of PAN nanosticks produced with 2 M HNO(3) and 0.5 M H(2)SO(4) as acid media are about 40 and 300 nm, respectively. The PAN nanosticks obtained in an optimal medium (i.e., 2 M HNO(3)) exhibit the highest conductivity of 2.23 S cm(-1) and the highest yield of 80.7 %. A mechanism of formation of nanosticks instead of nanoparticles is proposed. Nanocomposite films of the PAN nanosticks with poly(vinyl alcohol) show a low percolation threshold of 0.2 wt %, at which the film retains almost the same transparency and strength as pure poly(vinyl alcohol) but 262 000 times the conductivity of pure poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The present synthesis of PAN nanosticks requires no external stabilizer and provides a facile and direct route for fabrication of PAN nanosticks with high yield, controllable size, intrinsic self-stability, strong redispersibility, high purity, and optimizable conductivity.

Wet-plate culture studies of Penicillium sp. PT95 and Q1 for mass production of sclerotia.

PubMed

Zhao, Wen-Jing; An, Cui-Hong; Han, Jian-Rong

2014-04-01

Penicillium sp. PT95 and Q1 strains were able to form abundant orange, sand-shaped sclerotia in which carotenoids were accumulated. To determine the potential availability of the wet-plate method for mass production of sclerotia, nine kinds of liquid media were used culture the PT95 and Q1 strains. The results of the wet-plate culture showed that on 25% glycerol nitrate broth medium, the growth of both strains was relatively slow, and no sclerotia were found. Q1 strain cultured on Czapek's yeast extract broth medium could not form sclerotia. On other media, both strains could form sclerotia. For PT95 strain, the highest sclerotial biomass (380 mg plate(-1) ) and carotenoids yield (20.88 µg plate(-1) ) could be obtained on Czapek's yeast extract broth and Georgiou's liquid medium, respectively. For Q1 strain, malt extract broth medium gave the highest sclerotial biomass (340 mg plate(-1) ) and omitting iron Joham's liquid medium gave the highest carotenoids yield (18.29 µg plate(-1) ). The results from this study suggest the potential usage of wet-plate method in the mass production of sclerotia of the PT95 and Q1 strains. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fractionation and Purification of Bioactive Compounds Obtained from a Brewery Waste Stream

PubMed Central

Barbosa-Pereira, Letricia; Pocheville, Ainara; Angulo, Inmaculada; Paseiro-Losada, Perfecto; Cruz, Jose M.

2013-01-01

The brewery industry generates waste that could be used to yield a natural extract containing bioactive phenolic compounds. We compared two methods of purifying the crude extract—solid-phase extraction (SPE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE)—with the aim of improving the quality of the final extract for potential use as safe food additive, functional food ingredient, or nutraceutical. The predominant fractions yielded by SPE were the most active, and the fraction eluted with 30% (v/v) of methanol displayed the highest antioxidant activity (0.20 g L−1), similar to that of BHA. The most active fraction yielded by SFE (EC50 of 0.23 g L−1) was obtained under the following conditions: temperature 40°C, pressure 140 bar, extraction time 30 minutes, ethanol (6%) as a modifier, and modifier flow 0.2 mL min−1. Finally, we found that SFE is the most suitable procedure for purifying the crude extracts and improves the organoleptic characteristics of the product: the final extract was odourless, did not contain solvent residues, and was not strongly coloured. Therefore, natural extracts obtained from the residual stream and purified by SFE can be used as natural antioxidants with potential applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. PMID:23762844

Biotechnological enhancement of capsaicin biosynthesis in cell suspension cultures of Naga King Chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.).

PubMed

Kehie, Mechuselie; Kumaria, Suman; Tandon, Pramod

2016-01-01

Cell suspension cultures were initiated from hypocotyl derived callus to induce capsaicin biosynthesis in suspension cultures of Naga King Chili (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Efficient capsaicin production with high growth index (GI) was obtained by exposing cells to salicylic acid (SA) and calcium channel modulators in suspension cultures. The time course of capsaicin formation is related to the cell growth profile in a batch culture. Cells cultivated in the standard medium (SM) initially showed low level of capsaicin yield during active growth. When the cells approached stationary phase, cell growth and cell viability decreased whereas capsaicin production increased continuously. In the fed-batch cultures, the highest capsaicin yield (567.4 ± 8.1 μgg(1) fresh weight) (f.wt) was obtained by feeding the cells with 1 mM SA. However, SA feeding during cultivation repressed the cell growth. Enhanced cell growth (3.1 ± 0.1 GI/culture) and capsaicin yield (534 ± 7.8 μgg(-1)f.wt) were obtained when the cells were fed with calcium ionophore A23187 (0.5 mM) on day 25 as compared to the control. Addition of the calcium channel blocker verapamil hydrochloride (100 mM) inhibited cell growth and capsaicin production in Naga King Chili suspension cell cultures.

Enhanced bioenergy recovery from oil-extracted microalgae residues via two-step H2/CH4 or H2/butanol anaerobic fermentation.

PubMed

Cheng, Hai-Hsuan; Whang, Liang-Ming; Wu, Shu-Hsien

2016-03-01

Algae-based biodiesel is considered a promising alternative energy; therefore, the treatment of microalgae residues would be necessary. Anaerobic processes can be used for treating oil-extracted microalgae residues (OMR) and at the same time for recovering bioenergy. In this study, anaerobic batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of recovering bioenergy, in the forms of butanol, H2, or CH4, from pretreated OMR. Using pretreated OMR as the only substrate, a butanol yield of 0.086 g/g-carbohydrate was obtained at carbohydrate of 40 g/L. With supplemented butyrate, a highest butanol yield of 0.192 g/g-carbohydrate was achieved at pretreated OMR containing 25 g/L of carbohydrate with 15 g/L of butyrate addition, attaining the highest energy yield of 3.92 kJ/g-OMR and energy generation rate of 0.65 kJ/g-OMR/d. CH4 production from pretreated OMR attained an energy yield of 8.83 kJ/g-OMR, but energy generation rate required further improvement. H2 production alone from pretreated OMR might not be attractive regarding energy yield, but it attained a superb energy generation rate of 0.68 kJ/g-OMR/d by combining H2 production from pretreated OMR and butanol production from pretreated OMR with supplementary butyrate from H2 fermentation supernatant. This study demonstrated an integrated system as an option for treating OMR and recovering bioenergy. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effectiveness of bio-slurry on the growth and production of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafiuddin; Mollah, A.; Iswoyo, H.

2018-05-01

This research was aimed to determine the effectiveness of bio-slurry fertilizer on the growth and production of soybean plants which was conducted in the Pucak village, Tompobulu District, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi from July to October 2016. The research was set in randomized block design (RBD) with 8 treatments replicated three times. Treatment used were the application of bio-slurry consisted of 8 level of concentrations, namely: control (0 mL.liter-1 of water), 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 mL.liter-1 of water. The variables measured were plant’s height, number of pods, weight of 100-seed, and soybean seeds’ yield per hectare. The results of research shows that the application of bio-slurry effectively improved growth and yield of soybean (pod’s number, 100-seed’s weight and seed yield per hectare). Optimal concentration of liquid bio-slurry to obtain maximum results were 9.27 mL.liter-1 of water for the highest number of pods (68.49 pods); concentration of 8.75 mL.liter-1 of water for heaviest weight of 100 grains (14.22 grams); and the concentration 8,12 mL.liter-1 of water for the highest production of seed per hectare (23.20 quintal).

The modeling of ethanol production by Kluyveromyces marxianus using whey as substrate in continuous A-Stat bioreactors.

PubMed

Gabardo, Sabrina; Pereira, Gabriela Feix; Rech, Rosane; Ayub, Marco Antônio Záchia

2015-09-01

We investigated the kinetics of whey bioconversion into ethanol by Kluyveromyces marxianus in continuous bioreactors using the "accelerostat technique" (A-stat). Cultivations using free and Ca-alginate immobilized cells were evaluated using two different acceleration rates (a). The kinetic profiles of these systems were modeled using four different unstructured models, differing in the expressions for the specific growth (μ) and substrate consumption rates (r s), taking into account substrate limitation and product inhibition. Experimental data showed that the dilution rate (D) directly affected cell physiology and metabolism. The specific growth rate followed the dilution rate (μ≈D) for the lowest acceleration rate (a = 0.0015 h(-2)), condition in which the highest ethanol yield (0.52 g g(-1)) was obtained. The highest acceleration rate (a = 0.00667 h(-2)) led to a lower ethanol yield (0.40 g g(-1)) in the system where free cells were used, whereas with immobilized cells ethanol yields increased by 23 % (0.49 g g(-1)). Among the evaluated models, Monod and Levenspiel combined with Ghose and Tyagi models were found to be more appropriate for describing the kinetics of whey bioconversion into ethanol. These results may be useful in scaling up the process for ethanol production from whey.

Metabolic engineering of a laboratory-evolved Thermobifida fusca muC strain for malic acid production on cellulose and minimal treated lignocellulosic biomass.

PubMed

Deng, Yu; Mao, Yin; Zhang, Xiaojuan

2016-01-01

Malic acid is mainly used as an acidulant and taste enhancer in the beverage and food industry. Previously, a mutant strain Thermobifida fusca muC, obtained by adaptive evolution was found to accumulate malic acid on cellulose with low yield. In this study, the malic acid synthesis pathway in T. fusca muC was confirmed to be from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate, followed by reduction of oxaloacetate to malate. To increase the yield of malic acid by the muC strain significantly, the carbon flux from pyruvate was redirected to oxaloacetate by expressing an exogenous pyruvate carboxylase (PCx) gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 in the chromosome of T. fusca muC-16. The yield of malic acid in the engineered strain muC-16 was increased by 47.9% compared to the parent strain muC. The muC-16 strain was then grown on ∼100 g/L cellulose and the highest titer of malic acid was 62.76 g/L by batch fermentation. T. fusca muC-16 strain converted milled corn stover to malic acid with the highest titer of 21.47 g/L with minimal treatment. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Light response of sunflower and canola as affected by plant density, plant genotype and N fertilization.

PubMed

Soleymani, A

2017-08-01

Crop response to light is an important parameter determining crop growth. Three field (split plots) experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of plant density, plant genotype and N fertilization on the light absorption and light extinction of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.). A detailed set of plant growth, light absorption and crop yield and oil related parameters were determined. Light was measured at noon during the sunny days with clear sky. In experiment I, although the plant density (PD) of 14 resulted in the highest rate of sunflower light absorption (31.37%) and light extinction (0.756), the highest rate of grain yield and grain oil yield was resulted at PD12 at 3639 and 1457.9kg/ha, respectively; as well as by genotype SUP.A. In experiment II (canola), PD80 resulted in the highest rate of light absorption (13.13%), light extinction (0.63), grain yield (2189.4kg/ha) and grain oil yield (556.54kg/ha). This was also the case for Genotype H. In experiment III (canola), although N150 resulted in the highest rate of light absorption (10.74%) and light extinction (0.48), the highest rate of grain yield (3413.6kg/ha) and grain oil yield (891.86kg/ha) was resulted at N100 as well as by Genotype H401. Results indicate how light properties, crop growth and yield of sunflower and canola can be affected by plant and environmental parameters, which are also of practical use by farmers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of liquid hot water pre-treatment on sugarcane press mud methane yield.

PubMed

López González, Lisbet Mailin; Pereda Reyes, Ileana; Dewulf, Jo; Budde, Jörn; Heiermann, Monika; Vervaeren, Han

2014-10-01

Sugarcane press mud was pretreated by liquid hot water (LHW) at different temperatures (140-210 °C) and pre-treatment times (5-20 min) in order to assess the effects on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) solubilisation, inhibitors formation and methane yield. The experimental results showed that a high degree of biomass solubilisation was possible using LHW. Higher methane yields were obtained at lower severities (log(Ro) = 2.17-2.77) with (i) mild temperatures (140-150 °C) and long contact times (12.5 min, 20 min) or (ii) mild temperatures (175 °C) with short contact time (2 min). The highest increase in methane yield (up to 63%) compared to the untreated press mud was found at 150 °C for 20 min. At temperatures of 200 °C and 210 °C, low methane efficiency was attributed to the possible formation of refractory compounds through the Maillard reaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Olive oil pilot-production assisted by pulsed electric field: impact on extraction yield, chemical parameters and sensory properties.

PubMed

Puértolas, Eduardo; Martínez de Marañón, Iñigo

2015-01-15

The impact of the use of pulsed electric field (PEF) technology on Arroniz olive oil production in terms of extraction yield and chemical and sensory quality has been studied at pilot scale in an industrial oil mill. The application of a PEF treatment (2 kV/cm; 11.25 kJ/kg) to the olive paste significantly increased the extraction yield by 13.3%, with respect to a control. Furthermore, olive oil obtained by PEF showed total phenolic content, total phytosterols and total tocopherols significantly higher than control (11.5%, 9.9% and 15.0%, respectively). The use of PEF had no negative effects on general chemical and sensory characteristics of the olive oil, maintaining the highest quality according to EU legal standards (EVOO; extra virgin olive oil). Therefore, PEF could be an appropriate technology to improve olive oil yield and produce EVOO enriched in human-health-related compounds, such as polyphenols, phytosterols and tocopherols. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardboard proportions and total solids contents as driving factors in dry co-fermentation of food waste.

PubMed

Capson-Tojo, Gabriel; Trably, Eric; Rouez, Maxime; Crest, Marion; Bernet, Nicolas; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Delgenès, Jean-Philippe; Escudié, Renaud

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the influence of the co-substrate proportions (0-60% of cardboard in dry basis) and the initial total solid contents (20-40%) on the batch fermentation performance. Maximum hydrogen yields were obtained when mono-fermenting food waste at high solids contents (89mlH 2 ·gVS -1 ). The hydrogen yields were lower when increasing the proportions of cardboard. The lower hydrogen yields at higher proportions of cardboard were translated into higher yields of caproic acid (up to 70.1gCOD·kgCOD bio -1 ), produced by consumption of acetic acid and hydrogen. The highest substrate conversions were achieved at low proportions of cardboard, indicating a stabilization effect due to higher buffering capacities in co-fermentation. Clostridiales were predominant in all operational conditions. This study opens up new possibilities for using the cardboard proportions for controlling the production of high added-value products in dry co-fermentation of food waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performances of different protocols for exocellular polysaccharides extraction from milk acid gels: Application to yogurt.

PubMed

Nguyen, An Thi-Binh; Nigen, Michaël; Jimenez, Luciana; Ait-Abderrahim, Hassina; Marchesseau, Sylvie; Picart-Palmade, Laetitia

2018-01-15

Dextran or xanthan were used as model exocellular polysaccharides (EPS) to compare the extraction efficiency of EPS from skim milk acid gels using three different protocols. Extraction yields, residual protein concentrations and the macromolecular properties of extracted EPS were determined. For both model EPS, the highest extraction yield (∼80%) was obtained when samples were heated in acidic conditions at the first step of extraction (Protocol 1). Protocols that contained steps of acid/ethanol precipitation without heating (Protocols 2 and 3) show lower extraction yields (∼55%) but allow a better preservation of the EPS macromolecular properties. Changing the pH of acid gels up to 7 before extraction (Protocol 3) improved the extraction yield of anionic EPS without effect on the macromolecular properties of EPS. Protocol 1 was then applied for the quantification of EPS produced during the yogurt fermentation, while Protocol 3 was dedicated to their macromolecular characterization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiolytically depolymerized sodium alginate improves physiological activities, yield attributes and composition of essential oil of Eucalyptus citriodora Hook.

PubMed

Ali, Akbar; Khan, M Masroor A; Uddin, Moin; Naeem, M; Idrees, Mohd; Hashmi, Nadeem; Dar, Tariq Ahmad; Varshney, Lalit

2014-11-04

Eucalyptus citriodora Hook. is highly valued for its citronellal-rich essential oil (EO) extracted from its leaves. Hence, escalated EO production of eucalyptus is the need of hour. Marine polysaccharides (sodium alginate) are processed through gamma radiation of particular intensity, to obtain the irradiated sodium alginate (ISA). A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of foliar application of ISA on growth, biochemical, physiological, EO yield and composition of E. citriodora. The treatments were applied as: foliar spray of deionized water only (control), seed soaked with ISA (90 mg L(-1)) and foliar spray of ISA with 30, 60, 120 and 240 mg L(-1). The treatment 6 (spray of ISA at 120 mg L(-1)) showed the highest value for most of the parameters studied. It also enhanced the EO content (33.3%), EO yield (86.7%), citronellal content (63.4%) and citronellal yield (205.5%) as compared to the control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal variation of chemical composition and biomethane production from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum.

PubMed

Tabassum, Muhammad Rizwan; Xia, Ao; Murphy, Jerry D

2016-09-01

Ascophyllum nodosum, an abundant Irish brown seaweed, shows significant seasonal variation in chemical composition and biogas production. The polyphenol content is shown to be a more important factor in biogas production than ash content. High polyphenol content in summer months adversely affected biogas production; suggesting two potential harvest dates, March and October. A. nodosum harvested in October showed a relatively low level of polyphenols (2% of TS) and ash (23% of volatile solids), and exhibited a specific methane yield of 215LCH4kgVS(-1), which was 44% of theoretical yield. The highest yield per wet weight of 47m(3)CH4t(-1) was achieved in October, which is 2.9 times higher than the lowest value (16m(3)CH4t(-1)), obtained in December. The gross energy yield of A. nodosum based on the optimal biogas production can achieve 116GJha(-1)yr(-1) in October. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High lactic acid and fructose production via Mn2+-mediated conversion of inulin by Lactobacillus paracasei.

PubMed

Petrov, Kaloyan; Popova, Luiza; Petrova, Penka

2017-06-01

Lactobacillus paracasei DSM 23505 is able to produce high amounts of lactic acid (LA) by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of inulin. Aiming to obtain the highest possible amounts of LA and fructose, the present study is devoted to evaluate the impact of bivalent metal ions on the process of inulin conversion. It was shown that Mn 2+ strongly increases the activity of the purified key enzyme β-fructosidase. In vivo, batch fermentation kinetics revealed that the high Mn 2+ concentrations accelerated inulin hydrolysis by raise of the inulinase activity, and increased sugars conversion to LA through enhancement of the whole glycolytic flux. The highest LA concentration and yield were reached by addition of 15 mM Mn 2+ -151 g/L (corresponding to 40% increase) and 0.83 g/g, respectively. However, the relative quantification by real-time reverse transcription assay showed that the presence of Mn 2+ decreases the expression levels of fosE gene encoding β-fructosidase. Contrariwise, the full exclusion of metal ions resulted in fosE gene expression enhancement, blocked fructose transport, and hindered fructose conversion thus leading to huge fructose accumulation. During fed-batch with optimized medium and fermentation parameters, the fructose content reached 35.9% (w/v), achieving yield of 467 g fructose from 675 g inulin containing chicory flour powder (0.69 g/g). LA received in course of the batch fermentation and fructose gained by the fed-batch are the highest amounts ever obtained from inulin, thus disclosing the key role of Mn 2+ as a powerful tool to guide inulin conversion to targeted bio-chemicals.

Influence of rootstocks on growth, yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element contents of pear cv. 'Santa Maria' in semi-arid conditions.

PubMed

Ikinci, Ali; Bolat, Ibrahim; Ercisli, Sezai; Kodad, Ossama

2014-12-16

Rootstocks play an essential role to determining orchard performance of fruit trees. Pyrus communis and Cydonia oblonga are widely used rootstocks for European pear cultivars. The lack of rootstocks adapted to different soil conditions and different grafted cultivars is widely acknowledged in pear culture. Cydonia rootstocks (clonal) and Pyrus rootstocks (seedling or clonal) have their advantages and disadvantages. In each case, site-specific environmental characteristics, specific cultivar response and production objectives must be considered before choosing the best rootstock. In this study, the influence of three Quince (BA 29, Quince A = MA, Quince C = MC) and a local European pear seedling rootstocks on the scion yield, some fruit quality characteristics and leaf macro (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micro element (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B) content of 'Santa Maria' pear (Pyrus communis L.) were investigated. Trees on seedling rootstock had the highest annual yield, highest cumulative yield (kg tree(-1)), largest trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), lowest yield efficiency and lowest cumulative yield (ton ha(-1)) in the 10(th) year after planting. The rootstocks had no significant effect on average fruit weight and fruit volume. Significantly higher fruit firmness was obtained on BA 29 and Quince A. The effect of rootstocks on the mineral element accumulation (N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B) was significant. Leaf analysis showed that rootstocks used had different mineral uptake efficiencies throughout the early season. The results showed that the rootstocks strongly affected fruit yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral element uptake of 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar. Pear seedling and BA 29 rootstock found to be more prominent in terms of several characteristics for 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar that is grown in highly calcareous soil in semi-arid climate conditions. We determined the highest N, P (although insignificant), K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Cu mineral element concentrations on the pear seedling and BA 29 rootstocks. According to the results, we recommend the seedling rootstock for normal density plantings (400 trees ha(-1)) and BA 29 rootstock for high-density plantings (800 trees ha(-1)) for 'Santa Maria' pear cultivar in semi-arid conditions.

Respiratory glycerol metabolism of Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z for succinate production.

PubMed

Schindler, Bryan D; Joshi, Rajasi V; Vieille, Claire

2014-09-01

Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z naturally produces among the highest levels of succinate from a variety of inexpensive carbon substrates. A few studies have demonstrated that A. succinogenes can anaerobically metabolize glycerol, a waste product of biodiesel manufacture and an inexpensive feedstock, to produce high yields of succinate. However, all these studies were performed in the presence of yeast extract, which largely removes the redox constraints associated with fermenting glycerol, a highly reduced molecule. We demonstrated that A. succinogenes cannot ferment glycerol in minimal medium, but that it can metabolize glycerol by aerobic or anaerobic respiration. These results were expected based on the A. succinogenes genome, which encodes respiratory enzymes, but no pathway for 1,3-propanediol production. We investigated A. succinogenes's glycerol metabolism in minimal medium in a variety of respiratory conditions by comparing growth, metabolite production, and in vitro activity of terminal oxidoreductases. Nitrate inhibited succinate production by inhibiting fumarate reductase expression. In contrast, growth in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide and in microaerobic conditions allowed high succinate yields. The highest succinate yield was 0.75 mol/mol glycerol (75 % of the maximum theoretical yield) in continuous microaerobic cultures. A. succinogenes could also grow and produce succinate on partially refined glycerols obtained directly from biodiesel manufacture. Finally, by expressing a heterologous 1,3-propanediol synthesis pathway in A. succinogenes, we provide the first proof of concept that A. succinogenes can be engineered to grow fermentatively on glycerol.

Yield and protein quality of thermophilic Bacillus spp. biomass related to thermophilic aerobic digestion of agricultural wastes for animal feed supplementation.

PubMed

Ugwuanyi, J Obeta

2008-05-01

Bacillus spp. responsible for thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of agricultural wastes were studied for their growth rate, yield and protein quality (amino acid profile) under conditions that approximate full-scale waste digestion as pointers to the capacity of TAD to achieve protein enrichment of wastes for reuse in animal feeding. Specific growth rates of the thermophiles varied with temperature and aeration rates. For Bacillus coagulans, the highest specific growth rate was 1.98 muh(-1); for Bacillus licheniformis 2.56 muh(-1) and for Bacillus stearothermophilus 2.63 muh(-1). Molar yield of B. stearothermophilus on glucose increased with temperature to a peak of 0.404 g g(-1) at 50 degrees C before declining. Peak concentration of overflow metabolite (acetate) increased from 10 mmol at 45 degrees C to 34 mmol at 65 degrees C before declining. Accumulation of biomass in all three isolates decreased with increase in temperature while protein content of biomass increased. Highest biomass protein (79%) was obtained in B. stearothermophilus at 70 degrees C. Content of most essential amino acids of the biomass improved with temperature. Amino acid profile of the biomass was comparable to or superior to the FAO standard for SCP intended for use in animal feeding. Culture condition (waste digestion condition) may be manipulated to optimize protein yield and quality of waste digested by TAD for recycling in animal feed.

Hydrolysis of various thai agricultural biomasses using the crude enzyme from Aspergillus aculeatus iizuka FR60 isolated from soil

PubMed Central

Boonmee, Atcha

2012-01-01

In this study, forty-two fungi from soil were isolated and tested for their carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) and xylanase activities. From all isolates, the fungal isolate FR60, which was identified as Aspergillus aculeatus Iizuka, showed high activities in both CMCase and xylanase with 517 mU/mg protein and 550 mU/mg protein, respectively. The crude enzyme from A. aculeatus Iizuka FR60 could hydrolyze several agricultural residues such as corncob, and sweet sorghum leaf and stalk at comparable rates with respect to the tested commercial enzymes and with a maximum rate in rice hull hydrolysis (29 μg sugar g-1 dry weight substrate mg-1 enzyme hr-1). The highest amount of glucose was obtained from corncob by using the crude enzyme from A. aculeatus Iizuka FR60 (10.1 g/100 g dry substrate). From overall enzymatic treatment results, the lowest sugar yield was from rice hulls treatment (1.6 g/100 g dry weight) and the highest amount of reducing sugar was obtained from rice straw treatment (15.3 g/100 g dry weight). Among tested agricultural wastes, rice hull could not be effectively hydrolyzed by enzymes, whereas sugarcane leaf and stalk, and peanut shell could be effectively hydrolyzed (30-31% total sugar comparing with total sugar yield from acid treatment). PMID:24031852

Isolation of endophytic fungi from Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright and application for diosgenin production by solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Xiang, Haibo; Zhang, Tao; Pang, Xu; Wei, Yuzhen; Liu, Hongyu; Zhang, Yuqin; Ma, Baiping; Yu, Liyan

2018-05-03

In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright (DZW), and a novel clean process to prepare diosgenin from DZW was developed. A total of 123 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from different plant tissues of DZW. Among them, the strain Fusarium sp. (CPCC 400709) showed the best activity of hydrolyzing steroidal saponins in DZW into diosgenin. Thus, this strain was used to prepare diosgenin from DZW by solid-state fermentation. The fermentation parameters were optimized using response surface methodology, and a high yield of diosgenin (2.16%) was obtained at 14.5% ammonium sulfate, an inoculum size of 12.3%, and 22 days of fermentation. Furthermore, the highest diosgenin yield (2.79%) was obtained by co-fermentation with Fusarium sp. (CPCC 400709) and Curvularia lunata (CPCC 400737), which was 98.9% of that obtained by β-glucosidase pretreated acid hydrolysis (2.82%). This process is acid-free and wastewater-free, and shows promise as an effective and clean way to prepare diosgenin for use in industrial applications from DZW.

Enzyme-assisted hydrothermal treatment of food waste for co-production of hydrochar and bio-oil.

PubMed

Kaushik, Rajni; Parshetti, Ganesh K; Liu, Zhengang; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2014-09-01

Food waste was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis prior to hydrothermal treatment to produce hydrochars and bio-oil. Pre-treatment of food waste with an enzyme ratio of 1:2:1 (carbohydrase:protease:lipase) proved to be effective in converting food waste to the two products with improved yields. The carbon contents and calorific values ranged from 43.7% to 65.4% and 17.4 to 26.9 MJ/kg for the hydrochars obtained with the enzyme-assisted pre-treatment, respectively while they varied from 38.2% to 53.5% and 15.0 to 21.7 MJ/kg, respectively for the hydrochars obtained with no pre-treatment. Moreover, the formation of carbonaceous microspheres with low concentrations of inorganic elements and diverse surface functional groups was observed in the case of enzyme-assisted food waste hydrochars. The enzymatic pre-treatment also facilitated the formation of the bio-oil with a narrow distribution of organic compounds and with the highest yield obtained at 350 °C. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the solid-state anaerobic digestion of fallen leaves through simultaneous alkaline treatment.

PubMed

Liew, Lo Niee; Shi, Jian; Li, Yebo

2011-10-01

Previous studies have shown that alkali pretreatment prior to anaerobic digestion (AD) can increase the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass and methane yield. In order to simplify the process and reduce the capital cost, simultaneous alkali treatment and anaerobic digestion was evaluated for methane production from fallen leaves. The highest methane yield of 82 L/kg volatile solids (VS) was obtained at NaOH loading of 3.5% and substrate-to-inoculum (S/I) ratio of 4.1. The greatest enhancement in methane yield was achieved at S/I ratio of 6.2 with NaOH loading of 3.5% which was 24-fold higher than that of the control (without NaOH addition). Reactors at S/I ratio of 8.2 resulted in failure of the AD process. In addition, increasing the total solid (TS) content from 20% to 26% reduced biogas yield by 35% at S/I ratio of 6.2 and NaOH loading of 3.5%. Cellulose and hemicellulose degradation and methane yields are highly related. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraction optimization of mucilage from Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Nazir, Sadaf; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Masoodi, Farooq Ahmad

2017-05-01

Aqueous extraction of basil seed mucilage was optimized using response surface methodology. A Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) for modeling of three independent variables: temperature (40-91 °C); extraction time (1.6-3.3 h) and water/seed ratio (18:1-77:1) was used to study the response for yield. Experimental values for extraction yield ranged from 7.86 to 20.5 g/100 g. Extraction yield was significantly ( P  < 0.05) affected by all the variables. Temperature and water/seed ratio were found to have pronounced effect while the extraction time was found to have minor possible effects. Graphical optimization determined the optimal conditions for the extraction of mucilage. The optimal condition predicted an extraction yield of 20.49 g/100 g at 56.7 °C, 1.6 h, and a water/seed ratio of 66.84:1. Optimal conditions were determined to obtain highest extraction yield. Results indicated that water/seed ratio was the most significant parameter, followed by temperature and time.

Dilute alkali pretreatment of softwood pine: A biorefinery approach.

PubMed

Safari, Ali; Karimi, Keikhosro; Shafiei, Marzieh

2017-06-01

Dilute alkali pretreatment was performed on softwood pine to maximize ethanol and biogas production via a biorefinery approach. Alkali pretreatments were performed with 0-2% w/v NaOH at 100-180°C for 1-5h. The liquid fraction of the pretreated substrates was subjected to anaerobic digestion. The solid fraction of the pretreatment was used for separate enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. High ethanol yields of 76.9‒78.0% were achieved by pretreatment with 2% (w/v) NaOH at 180°C. The highest biogas yield of 244mL/g volatile solid (at 25°C, 1bar) was achieved by the pretreatment with 1% (w/v) NaOH at 180°C. The highest gasoline equivalent (sum of ethanol and methane) of 197L per ton of pinewood and the lowest ethanol manufacturing cost of 0.75€/L was obtained after pretreatment with 1% NaOH at 180°C for 5h. The manufacturing cost of ethanol from untreated wood was 4.12€/L. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glycerin purification using asymmetric nano-structured ceramic membranes from production of waste fish oil biodiesel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maghami, M.; Sadrameli, S. M.; Shamloo, M.

2018-02-01

Biodiesel is an environmental friendly alternative liquid transportation fuel that can be used in diesel engines without major modifications. The scope of this research work is to produce biodiesel from waste fish oil and its purification from the byproducts using a ceramic membrane. Transesterification of waste fish oil was applied for the biodiesel production using methanol in the presence of KOH as a catalyst. Effect of catalyst weight percent, temperature and methanol to oil molar ratio (MR) on the biodiesel yield have been studied and the results show that highest methyl ester yield of 79.2% has been obtained at 60 °C, MR: 6 and 1% KOH. The produced biodiesel purified by a ceramic membrane. Membrane flux and glycerin removal at different operating conditions such as temperature, trans-membrane pressures and cross flow velocities have been measured. Glycerin purity by membrane method is 99.97% by weight at the optimum condition. The highest membrane flux occurred at 50 °C temperature, 1 bar pressure and 3 m/s velocity.

Thermogravimetric analysis and fast pyrolysis of Milkweed.

PubMed

Kim, Seung-Soo; Agblevor, Foster A

2014-10-01

Pyrolysis of Milkweed was carried out in a thermogravimetric analyzer and a bubbling fluidized bed reactor. Total liquid yield of Milkweed pyrolysis was between 40.74% and 44.19 wt% between 425 °C and 550 °C. The gas yield increased from 27.90 wt% to 33.33 wt% with increasing reaction temperature. The higher heating values (HHV) of the Milkweed bio-oil were relatively high (30.33-32.87 MJ/kg) and varied with reaction temperature, feeding rate and fluidization velocity. The selectivity for CO2 was highest within non-condensable gases, and the molar ratio of CO2/CO was about 3 at the different reaction conditions. The (13)C NMR analysis, of the bio-oil showed that the relative concentration carboxylic group and its derivatives was higher at 425 °C than 475 °C, which resulted in slightly higher oxygen content in bio-oil. The pH of aqueous phase obtained at 475 °C was 7.37 which is the highest reported for any lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis oils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Edible Pork By-products by Means of Yield and Nutritional Composition

PubMed Central

Moon, Sung Sil

2014-01-01

Basic information regarding the yield and nutritional composition of edible pork by-products, namely heart, liver, lung, stomach, spleen, uterus, pancreas, and small and large intestines, was studied. Our results revealed that the yields varied widely among the pork by-products examined; in particular, liver had the highest yield (1.35%); whereas, spleen had the lowest yield (0.16%). The approximate composition range (minimum to maximum) of these by-products was found to be: moisture 71.59-82.48%; fat 0.28-19.54%; ash 0.155-1.34%, and protein 8.45-22.05%. The highest protein, vitamin A, B2, B6, and total essential amino acid (EAA) contents were found in liver. Large intestine had the highest fat content and lowest EAA content. Heart had the highest vitamin B1 content, whereas pancreas had the highest niacin and vitamin B3 contents. The concentrations of Fe and Zn were highest in liver and pancreas. Total saturated fatty acids (SFA) levels and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels between the by-products ranged from 43.15-50.48%, and 14.92-30.16%, respectively. Furthermore, with the exception of large intestine, all the by-products showed favorable PUFA/SFA ratios. The study indicated that almost all of the pork by-products examined were good sources of important nutrients, and that these data will be of great importance in the promotion of the consumption of edible pork by-products, as well as their utilization in meat processing. PMID:26761170

Factors affecting emulsion stability and quality of oil recovered from enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction of soybeans.

PubMed

Jung, S; Maurer, D; Johnson, L A

2009-11-01

The objectives of the present study were to assess how the stability of the emulsion recovered from aqueous extraction processing of soybeans was affected by characteristics of the starting material and extraction and demulsification conditions. Adding endopeptidase Protex 6L during enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction processing (EAEP) of extruded soybean flakes was vital to obtaining emulsions that were easily demulsified with enzymes. Adding salt (up to 1.5 mM NaCl or MgCl(2)) during extraction and storing extruded flakes before extraction at 4 and 30 degrees C for up to 3 months did not affect the stabilities of emulsions recovered from EAEP of soy flour, flakes and extruded flakes. After demulsification, highest free oil yield was obtained with EAEP of extruded flakes, followed by flour and then flakes. The same protease used for the extraction step was used to demulsify the EAEP cream emulsion from extruded full-fat soy flakes at concentrations ranging from 0.03% to 2.50% w/w, incubation times ranging from 2 to 90 min, and temperatures of 25, 50 or 65 degrees C. Highest free oil recoveries were achieved at high enzyme concentrations, mild temperatures, and short incubation times. Both the nature of enzyme (i.e., protease and phospholipase), added alone or as a cocktail, concentration of enzymes (0.5% vs. 2.5%) and incubation time (1 vs. 3 h), use during the extraction step, and nature of enzyme added for demulsifying affected free oil yield. The free oil recovered from EAEP of extruded flakes contained less phosphorus compared with conventional hexane-extracted oil. The present study identified conditions rendering the emulsion less stable, which is critical to increasing free oil yield recovered during EAEP of soybeans, an environmentally friendly alternative processing method to hexane extraction.

Effect of supercritical carbon dioxide on the enzymatic production of biodiesel from waste animal fat using immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B variant.

PubMed

Pollardo, Aldricho Alpha; Lee, Hong-Shik; Lee, Dohoon; Kim, Sangyong; Kim, Jaehoon

2017-09-09

Waste animal fat is a promising feedstock to replace vegetable oil that widely used in commercial biodiesel process, however the high content of free fatty acid in waste fat makes it unfeasible to be processed with commercial base-catalytic process. Enzymatic process is preferable to convert waste fat into biodiesel since enzyme can catalyze both esterification of free fatty acid and transesterification of triglyceride. However, enzymatic reaction still has some drawbacks such as lower reaction rates than base-catalyzed transesterification and the limitation of reactant concentration due to the enzyme inhibition of methanol. Supercritical CO 2 is a promising reaction media for enzyme-catalyzed transesterification to overcome those drawbacks. The transesterification of waste animal fat was carried out in supercritical CO 2 with varied concentration of feedstock and methanol in CO 2 . The CO 2 to feedstock mass ratio of 10:1 showed the highest yield compared to other ratios, and the highest FAME yield obtained from waste animal fat was 78%. The methanol concentration effect was also observed with variation 12%, 14%, and 16% of methanol to feedstock ratio. The best yield was 87% obtained at the CO 2 to feedstock ratio of 10: 1 and at the methanol to feedstock ratio of 14% after 6 h of reaction. Enzymatic transesterification to produce biodiesel from waste animal fat in supercritical fluid media is a potential method for commercialization since it could enhance enzyme activity due to supercritical fluid properties to remove mass transfer limitation. The high yield of FAME when using high mass ratio of CO 2 to oil showed that supercritical CO 2 could increase the reaction and mass transfer rate while reducing methanol toxicity to enzyme activity. The increase of methanol concentration also increased the FAME yield because it might shift the reaction equilibrium to FAME production. This finding describes that the application of supercritical CO 2 in the enzymatic reaction enables the application of simple process such as a packed-bed reactor.

Use of natural diamonds to monitor 14C AMS instrument backgrounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, R. E.; Southon, John

2007-06-01

To examine one component of the instrument-based background in the University of California Keck Carbon Cycle AMS spectrometer, we have obtained measurements on a set of natural diamonds pressed into sample holders. Natural diamond samples (N = 14) from different sources within rock formations with geological ages greatly in excess of 100 Ma yielded a range of currents (∼110-250 μA 12C- where filamentous graphite typically yields ∼150 μA 12C-) and apparent 14C ages (64.9 ± 0.4 ka BP [0.00031 ± 0.00002 fm] to 80.0 ± 1.1 ka BP [0.00005 ± 0.00001 fm]). Six fragments cut from a single diamond exhibited essentially identical 14C values - 69.3 ± 0.5 ka-70.6 ± 0.5 ka BP. The oldest 14C age equivalents were measured on natural diamonds which exhibited the highest current yields.

Synthesis of geopolymer from rice husk ash for biodiesel production of Calophyllum inophyllum seed oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saputra, E.; Nugraha, M. W.; Helwani, Z.; Olivia, M.; Wang, S.

2018-04-01

In this work, geopolymer was prepared from rice husk ash (RHA) made into sodium silicate then synthesized by reacting metakaolin, NaOH, and water. The catalyst was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX), Brunaeur Emmet Teller (BET), and basic strength. Then, the catalyst used for transesterification of Calophyllum inophyllum seed oil in order to produce biodiesel. The variation of process variables conducted to assess the effect on the yield of biodiesel. The highest yield obtained 87.68% biodiesel with alkyl ester content 99.29%, density 866 kg/m3, viscosity 4.13 mm2/s, the acid number of 0.42 mg-KOH/g biodiesel and the flash point 140 °C. Generally, variations of %w/w catalyst provides a dominant influence on the yield response of biodiesel. The physicochemical properties of the produced biodiesel comply with ASTM standard specifications.

Aqueous-Solid System for Highly Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Transphosphatidylation Catalyzed by Phospholipase D To Produce Phosphatidylserine.

PubMed

Li, Binglin; Wang, Jiao; Zhang, Xiaoli; Zhao, Binxia; Niu, Lu

2016-10-12

The purely aqueous system of phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated transphosphatidylation using pre-existing carriers for the adsorption of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to act as an "artificial interface" was introduced to replace the liquid-liquid system. Toxic organic solvents are avoided during the reaction, and the free enzyme can be simply reused by centrifugation. Special attention has been paid to the effect of the pore diameter and surface area of silica gel 60H covered with PC molecules on the yield of phosphatidylserine (PS). Results indicated that the highest PS yield of 99.5% was achieved. Moreover, 73.6% of the yield of PS was obtained after being used for six batches. This is the first description of the remarkably high reusability of free enzymes for enzymatic synthesis of PS as well. The excellent results make the aqueous-solid system more promising candidates for the industrial production of PS.

Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) for regional yield trials: a comparison to additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis.

PubMed

Piepho, H P

1994-11-01

Multilocation trials are often used to analyse the adaptability of genotypes in different environments and to find for each environment the genotype that is best adapted; i.e. that is highest yielding in that environment. For this purpose, it is of interest to obtain a reliable estimate of the mean yield of a cultivar in a given environment. This article compares two different statistical estimation procedures for this task: the Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) analysis and Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP). A modification of a cross validation procedure commonly used with AMMI is suggested for trials that are laid out as a randomized complete block design. The use of these procedure is exemplified using five faba bean datasets from German registration trails. BLUP was found to outperform AMMI in four of five faba bean datasets.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction of essential oil from Botryophora geniculate using different extracting solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibullah, Wilfred, Cecilia Devi

2016-11-01

This study compares the performance of ionic liquids to substitute conventional solvents (hexane, dichloromethane and methanol) to extract essential oil from Botryophora geniculate plant. Two different Ionic liquids ([C3MIM][Ac], [C4MIM][Ac]) with co-solvent diethyl ether were used in the ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The effect of various experimental conditions such as time, temperature and solvent were studied. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used to analyze essential oils. The results showed that in ultrasonic-assisted extraction using ionic liquids as a solvent gave highest yield (9.5%) in 30 min at temperature 70°C. When using ultrasonic bath with hexane, dichloromethane and methanol, yields was (3.34%), (3.6%) and (3.81%) at 90 min, respectively were obtained. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction under optimal extraction conditions (time 30 min, temperature of 70°C) gave the best yield for the essential oil extraction.

Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

PubMed Central

Wielgoss, Arno; Tscharntke, Teja; Rumede, Alfianus; Fiala, Brigitte; Seidel, Hannes; Shahabuddin, Saleh; Clough, Yann

2014-01-01

Owing to complex direct and indirect effects, impacts of higher trophic levels on plants is poorly understood. In tropical agroecosystems, ants interact with crop mutualists and antagonists, but little is known about how this integrates into the final ecosystem service, crop yield. We combined ant exclusion and introduction of invasive and native-dominant species in cacao agroecosystems to test whether (i) ant exclusion reduces yield, (ii) dominant species maximize certain intermediate ecosystem services (e.g. control of specific pests) rather than yield, which depends on several, cascading intermediate services and (iii) even, species-rich ant communities result in highest yields. Ants provided services, including reduced leaf herbivory and fruit pest damage and indirect pollination facilitation, but also disservices, such as increased mealybug density, phytopathogen dissemination and indirect pest damage enhancement. Yields were highest with unmanipulated, species-rich, even communities, whereas ant exclusion decreased yield by 27%. Introduction of an invasive-dominant ant decreased species density and evenness and resulted in 34% lower yields, whereas introduction of a non-invasive-dominant species resulted in similar species density and yields as in the unmanipulated control. Species traits and ant community structure affect services and disservices for agriculture in surprisingly complex ways, with species-rich and even communities promoting highest yield. PMID:24307667

[Response of yield, quality and nitrogen use efficiency to nitrogen fertilizer from mechanical transplanting super japonica rice].

PubMed

Wei, Hai-Yan; Wang, Ya-Jiang; Meng, Tian-Yao; Ge, Meng-Jie; Zhang, Hong-Cheng; Dai, Qi-Gen; Huo, Zhong-Yang; Xu, Ke

2014-02-01

Five super japonica rice cultivars were grown by mechanical transplanting in field and seven N treatments with total N application rate of 0, 150, 187.5, 225, 262.5, 300 and 337.5 kg x hm(-2) respectively were adopted to study the effects of N rate on rice yield, quality and N use efficiency. The differences between N requirement for obtaining the highest yield and for achieving the best economic benefit were compared. With the increase of N fertilizer rate, the yields of five super japonica rice cultivars increased firstly and then descended, achieving the highest yield at the N level of 300 kg x hm(-2) ranging from 10.33-10.60 kg x hm(-2). Yield increase mainly attributed to the large number of spikelet, for the total spikelet number of each rice cultivar reached the maximum value at the 300 kg x hm(-2) N level. With the increase of N application, the rates of brown rice, milled rice, head milled rice and the protein content of the five super japonica rice cultivars were all increased, and the rates of brown rice, milled rice, head milled rice and the protein con- tent were higher at 337.5 kg x hm(-2) N level than at 0 kg x hm(-2) N level by 3.3%-4.2%, 2.9%-6.0%, 4.4%-33.7% and 23.8%-44.3%, respectively. While the amylose content, gel consistency and taste value of the five rice cultivars were all decreased, and the amylose content, gel consistency and taste value were lower at 337.5 kg x hm(-2) N level than at 0 kg x hm(-2) N level by 12.4%-38.9%, 10.3%-28.5% and 20.3%-29.7%, respectively. The chalkiness increased firstly and then decreased while the change of chalky rate varied with the cultivars. With the increase of N application, the N use efficiency, agronomic N use efficiency and physiological N use efficiency decreased while the N uptake of grain increased significantly. If the cost of N fertilizer was taken into account, the N fertilizer amount to obtain the optimal economic benefits would be 275.68 kg x hm(-2) with the corresponding yield of 9.97 t x hm(-2). Therefore, in the existing super rice production, classified management of N fertilizer would be required to meet differentiated demands of high yield, good quality, high efficiency, low N fertilizer input and so on.

Measuring oxygen yields of a thermal conversion/elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometer for organic and inorganic materials through injection of CO.

PubMed

Yin, Xijie; Chen, Zhigang

2014-12-01

The thermal conversion/elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometer (TC/EA-IRMS) is widely used to measure the δ(18) O value of various substances. A premise for accurate δ(18) O measurement is that the oxygen in the sample can be converted into carbon monoxide (CO) quantitatively or at least proportionally. Therefore, a precise method to determine the oxygen yield of TC/EA-IRMS measurements is needed. Most studies have used the CO peak area obtained from a known amount of a solid reference material (for example, benzoic acid) to calibrate the oxygen yield of the sample. Although it was assumed that the oxygen yield of the solid reference material is 100%, no direct evidence has been provided. As CO is the analyte gas for δ(18) O measurement by IRMS, in this study, we use a six-port valve to inject CO gas into the TC/EA. The CO is carried to the IRMS by the He carrier gas and the CO peak area is measured by the IRMS. The CO peak area thus obtained from a known amount of the injected CO is used to calibrate the oxygen yield of the sample. The oxygen yields of commonly used organic and inorganic reference materials such as benzoic acid (C6 H5 COOH), silver phosphate (Ag3 PO4 ), calcium carbonate (CaCO3 ) and silicon dioxide (SiO2 ) are investigated at different reactor temperatures and sample sizes. We obtained excellent linear correlation between the peak area for the injected CO and its oxygen atom amount. C6 H5 COOH has the highest oxygen yield, followed by Ag3 PO4 , CaCO3 and SiO2 . The oxygen yields of TC/EA-IRMS are less than 100% for both organic and inorganic substances, but the yields are relatively stable at the specified reactor temperature and for a given quantity of sample. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lung malignancy: Diagnostic accuracies of bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushing, and fine needle aspiration cytology

PubMed Central

Sareen, Rateesh; Pandey, C L

2016-01-01

Background: Early diagnosis of lung cancer plays a pivotal role in reducing lung cancer death rate. Cytological techniques are safer, economical and provide quick results. Bronchoscopic washing, brushing and fine needle aspirations not only complement tissue biopsies in the diagnosis of lung cancer but also comparable. Objectives: (1) To find out diagnostic yields of bronchioalveolar lavage, bronchial brushings, FNAC in diagnosis of lung malignancy. (2) To compare relative accuracy of these three cytological techniques. (3) To correlate the cytologic diagnosis with clinical, bronchoscopic and CT findings. (4) Cytological and histopathological correlation of lung lesions. Methods: All the patients who came with clinical or radiological suspicion of lung malignancy in two and a half year period were included in study. Bronchoalveolar lavage was the most common type of cytological specimen (82.36%), followed by CT guided FNAC (9.45%) and bronchial brushings (8.19%). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value for all techniques and correlation with histopathology was done using standard formulas. Results: The most sensitive technique was CT FNAC – (87.25%) followed by brushings (77.78%) and BAL (72.69%). CT FNAC had highest diagnostic yield (90.38%), followed by brushings (86.67%) and BAL (83.67%). Specificity and positive predictive value were 100 % each of all techniques. Lowest false negatives were obtained in CT FNAC (12.5%) and highest in BAL (27.3%). Highest negative predictive value was of BAL 76.95 % followed by BB 75.59% and CT FNAC 70.59%. Conclusion: Before administering antitubercular treatment every effort should be made to rule out malignancy. CT FNAC had highest diagnostic yield among three cytological techniques. BAL is an important tool in screening central as well as in accessible lesions. It can be used at places where CT guided FNAC is not available or could not be done due to technical or financial limitations PMID:27890992

Pulsed counter-current ultrasound-assisted extraction and characterization of polysaccharides from Boletus edulis.

PubMed

You, Qinghong; Yin, Xiulian; Ji, Chaowen

2014-01-30

Four methods for extracting polysaccharides from Boletus edulis, namely, hot-water extraction, ultrasonic clearer extraction, static probe ultrasonic extraction, and pulsed counter-current probe ultrasonic extraction (CCPUE), were studied. Results showed that CCPUE has the highest extraction efficiency among the methods studied. Under optimal CCPUE conditions, a B. edulis polysaccharide (BEP) yield of 8.21% was obtained. Three purified fractions, BEP-I, BEP-II, and BEP-III, were obtained through sequential purification by DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-75 chromatography. The average molecular weights of BEP-I, BEP-II, and BEP-III were 10,278, 23,761, and 42,736 Da, respectively. The polysaccharides were mainly composed of xylose, mannose, galactose, and glucose; of these, mannose contents were the highest. The antioxidant activities of the BEPs were further investigated by measurement of their ability to scavenge DPPH and hydroxyl radicals as well as their reducing power. The results indicated that the BEPs have good antioxidant activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimisation of Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Seed Oil and Evaluation 
of Its Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties

PubMed Central

Çavdar, Hasene Keskin; Gök, Uğur; Göğüş, Fahrettin

2017-01-01

Summary Pomegranate seed oil was extracted in a closed-vessel high-pressure microwave system. The characteristics of the obtained oil, such as fatty acid composition, free fatty acidity, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and colour, were compared to those of the oil obtained by cold solvent extraction. Response surface methodology was applied to optimise extraction conditions: power (176–300 W), time (5–20 min), particle size (d=0.125–0.800 mm) and solvent to sample ratio (2:1, 6:1 and 10:1, by mass). The predicted highest extraction yield (35.19%) was obtained using microwave power of 220 W, particle size in the range of d=0.125–0.450 mm and solvent-to-sample ratio of 10:1 (by mass) in 5 min extraction time. Microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) resulted in higher extraction yield than that of Soxhlet (34.70% in 8 h) or cold (17.50% in 8 h) extraction. The dominant fatty acid of pomegranate seed oil was punicic acid (86%) irrespective of the extraction method. Oil obtained by MASE had better physicochemical properties, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity than the oil obtained by cold solvent extraction. PMID:28559737

Green ultrasound-assisted extraction of carotenoids based on the bio-refinery concept using sunflower oil as an alternative solvent.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Fabiano-Tixier, Anne Sylvie; Tomao, Valérie; Cravotto, Giancarlo; Chemat, Farid

2013-01-01

A green, inexpensive and easy-to-use method for carotenoids extraction from fresh carrots assisted by ultrasound was designed in this work. Sunflower oil was applied as a substitute to organic solvents in this green ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE): a process which is in line with green extraction and bio-refinery concepts. The processing procedure of this original UAE was first compared with conventional solvent extraction (CSE) using hexane as solvent. Moreover, the UAE optimal conditions for the subsequent comparison were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and ultra performance liquid chromatography--diode array detector--mass spectroscopy (UPLC-DAD-MS). The results showed that the UAE using sunflower as solvent has obtained its highest β-carotene yield (334.75 mg/l) in 20 min only, while CSE using hexane as solvent obtained a similar yield (321.35 mg/l) in 60 min. The green UAE performed under optimal extraction conditions (carrot to oil ratio of 2:10, ultrasonic intensity of 22.5 W cm(-2), temperature of 40 °C and sonication time of 20 min) gave the best yield of β-carotene. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variation in the volatile terpenoids of two industrially important basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars during plant ontogeny in two different cropping seasons from India.

PubMed

Verma, Ram Swaroop; Padalia, Rajendra Chandra; Chauhan, Amit

2012-02-01

Two Ocimum basilicum cultivars, 'Vikarsudha' and 'CIM-Saumya', grown in the Kumaon region of western Himalaya were evaluated for their essential oil yield and composition at different stages of plant growth during two distinct cropping seasons (spring-summer and rain-autumn). The highest yield of essential oil was obtained at full bloom stage in both cultivars in both cropping seasons. The essential oils obtained from different stages in two cropping seasons were analysed by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major component of cultivar 'Vikarsudha' was methyl chavicol (84.3-94.3%), while for cultivar 'CIM-Saumya' the main components were methyl chavicol (62.5-77.6%) and linalool (14.4-34.1%). This study clearly indicated that cultivar, cropping season, plant ontogeny and plant part had significant effects on the yield and quality of the essential oil of O. basilicum. Further, the amount of methyl chavicol in the cultivars grown in this region was higher than in cultivars from other parts of India. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dry anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cattle manure: Impact of total solids, substrate ratio and thermal pre treatment on methane yield and quality of biomanure.

PubMed

Arelli, Vijayalakshmi; Begum, Sameena; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao; Kuruti, Kranti; S, Shailaja

2018-04-01

The objective of the present study is to assess the impact of TS concentration, substrate mixing ratio (co digestion) and thermal pretreatment on biogas production, methane yield, VS reduction (%) and quality of biomanure through dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) of food waste (FW) and cattle manure (CM). Results divulged that the optimum methane yield and biomanure of 0.18 and 0.21 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 3.15 and 2.8 kg/kg waste was obtained from FW at TS of 25% and 30% at an HRT of 41 and 31 days respectively whereas it was 0.32 and 0.43 m 3 CH 4 /(kg VS reduced) and 2.2 and 1.15 kg/kg waste from pretreated FW at an HRT of 16 and 20 days correspondingly. Improvement of methane from 62 to 81% was obtained due to thermal pretreatment. The highest nutrient recovery in terms of N, P, K was found to be 5.14, 2.6 and 3.2 respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of antioxidant compounds from Petai (Parkia speciosa Hassk.) leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buanasari; Palupi, P. D.; Serang, Y.; Pramudono, B.; Sumardiono, S.

2018-04-01

Research on Petai (Parkia speciosa Hassk.) suggests it has an antihypertension, antidiabetic, analgesic, and antiulcer effects. In the present study, an ultrasonic-assisted extraction method was developed for the effective extraction of active compound from petai leaves. Some parameters such as ethanol concentration (0, 20, 40, 60, 70, 80, 100 %v), solid-to-liquid ratio (1:5; 1:10; 1:15; 1:20; 1:25; 1:30; 1:35; 1:40; 1:50 g/mL), extraction time (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50 minutes) and extraction temperature (40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70°C) were studied and evaluated base on extract yield and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picry hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity. The result showed that the highest extract yield was obtained at 40% ethanol concentration, 1:30 (%w/v) of solid-to-liquid ratio, 30 minutes and 65°C of temperature with DPPH scavenging activity 92.53 ± 0.87% and extract yield 21.25 ± 2.38%. The result obtained is helpful for the utilization of Petai leaves, and also indicated that ultrasonic-assisted extraction is a very recommended method for the extraction of active compounds from plant material.

Effect of mixing ratio of food waste and rice husk co-digestion and substrate to inoculum ratio on biogas production.

PubMed

Haider, Muhammad Rizwan; Zeshan; Yousaf, Sohail; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Visvanathan, Chettiyappan

2015-08-01

Aim of this study was to find out suitable mixing ratio of food waste and rice husk for their co-digestion in order to overcome VFA accumulation in digestion of food waste alone. Four mixing ratios of food waste and rice husk with C/N ratios of 20, 25, 30 and 35 were subjected to a lab scale anaerobic batch experiment under mesophilic conditions. Highest specific biogas yield of 584L/kgVS was obtained from feedstock with C/N ratio of 20. Biogas yield decreased with decrease in food waste proportion. Further, fresh cow dung was used as inoculum to investigate optimum S/I ratio with the selected feedstock. In experiment 2, feedstock with C/N ratio 20 was subjected to anaerobic digestion at five S/I ratios of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0. Specific biogas yield of 557L/kgVS was obtained at S/I ratio of 0.25. However, VFA accumulation occurred at higher S/I ratios due to higher organic loadings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mild chemical pretreatments are sufficient for complete saccharification of steam-exploded residues and high ethanol production in desirable wheat accessions.

PubMed

Zahoor; Tu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Lingqiang; Xia, Tao; Sun, Dan; Zhou, Shiguang; Wang, Yanting; Li, Ying; Zhang, Heping; Zhang, Tong; Madadi, Meysam; Peng, Liangcai

2017-11-01

In this study, a combined pretreatment was performed in four wheat accessions using steam explosion followed with different concentrations of H 2 SO 4 or NaOH, leading to increased hexoses yields by 3-6 folds from enzymatic hydrolysis. Further co-supplied with 1% Tween-80, Talq90 and Talq16 accessions exhibited an almost complete enzymatic saccharification of steam-exploded (SE) residues after 0.5% H 2 SO 4 or 1% NaOH pretreatment, with the highest bioethanol yields at 18.5%-19.4%, compared with previous reports about wheat bioethanol yields at 11%-17% obtained under relatively strong pretreatment conditions. Furthermore, chemical analysis indicated that much enhanced saccharification in Talq90 and Talq16 may be partially due to their relatively low cellulose CrI and DP values and high hemicellulose Ara and H-monomer levels in raw materials and SE residues. Hence, this study has not only demonstrated a mild pretreatment technology for a complete saccharification, but it has also obtained the high ethanol production in desirable wheat accessions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Training Population Size and Genotyping Strategy for Genomic Prediction Using Association Study Results and Pedigree Information. A Case of Study in Advanced Wheat Breeding Lines.

PubMed

Cericola, Fabio; Jahoor, Ahmed; Orabi, Jihad; Andersen, Jeppe R; Janss, Luc L; Jensen, Just

2017-01-01

Wheat breeding programs generate a large amount of variation which cannot be completely explored because of limited phenotyping throughput. Genomic prediction (GP) has been proposed as a new tool which provides breeding values estimations without the need of phenotyping all the material produced but only a subset of it named training population (TP). However, genotyping of all the accessions under analysis is needed and, therefore, optimizing TP dimension and genotyping strategy is pivotal to implement GP in commercial breeding schemes. Here, we explored the optimum TP size and we integrated pedigree records and genome wide association studies (GWAS) results to optimize the genotyping strategy. A total of 988 advanced wheat breeding lines were genotyped with the Illumina 15K SNPs wheat chip and phenotyped across several years and locations for yield, lodging, and starch content. Cross-validation using the largest possible TP size and all the SNPs available after editing (~11k), yielded predictive abilities (rGP) ranging between 0.5-0.6. In order to explore the Training population size, rGP were computed using progressively smaller TP. These exercises showed that TP of around 700 lines were enough to yield the highest observed rGP. Moreover, rGP were calculated by randomly reducing the SNPs number. This showed that around 1K markers were enough to reach the highest observed rGP. GWAS was used to identify markers associated with the traits analyzed. A GWAS-based selection of SNPs resulted in increased rGP when compared with random selection and few hundreds SNPs were sufficient to obtain the highest observed rGP. For each of these scenarios, advantages of adding the pedigree information were shown. Our results indicate that moderate TP sizes were enough to yield high rGP and that pedigree information and GWAS results can be used to greatly optimize the genotyping strategy.

Yield of Echocardiogram and Predictors of Positive Yield in Pediatric Patients: A Study in an Urban, Community-Based Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology Clinic.

PubMed

Billa, Ramya Deepthi; Szpunar, Susan; Zeinali, Lida; Anne, Premchand

2018-01-01

The yield of outpatient echocardiograms varies based on the indication for the echocardiogram and the age of the patient. The purpose of this study was to determine the cumulative yield of outpatient echocardiograms by age group and reason for the test. A secondary aim was to determine the predictors of a positive echocardiogram in an outpatient cardiology clinic at a large community teaching hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 891 patients who had a first-time echocardiogram between 2011 and 2015. Positive yield was defined as echocardiographic findings that explained the reason for the echocardiogram. The overall positive yield was 8.2%. Children between birth and 3 months of age had the highest yield (34.2%), and children between 12 and 18 years of age had the lowest yield (1%). Patients with murmurs (18.1%) had the highest yield compared with patients with other signs or symptoms. By age group and reason, the highest yields were as follows: 0 to 3 months of age, murmur (39.2%); 4 to 11 months of age, >1 symptom (50%); and 1 to 5 years of age, shortness of breath (66.7%). Based on our study, the overall yield of echocardiograms in the outpatient pediatric setting is low. Age and symptoms should be considered before ordering an echocardiogram.

Fermentative hydrogen production from agroindustrial lignocellulosic substrates

PubMed Central

Reginatto, Valeria; Antônio, Regina Vasconcellos

2015-01-01

To achieve economically competitive biological hydrogen production, it is crucial to consider inexpensive materials such as lignocellulosic substrate residues derived from agroindustrial activities. It is possible to use (1) lignocellulosic materials without any type of pretreatment, (2) lignocellulosic materials after a pretreatment step, and (3) lignocellulosic materials hydrolysates originating from a pretreatment step followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. According to the current literature data on fermentative H2 production presented in this review, thermophilic conditions produce H2 in yields approximately 75% higher than those obtained in mesophilic conditions using untreated lignocellulosic substrates. The average H2 production from pretreated material is 3.17 ± 1.79 mmol of H2/g of substrate, which is approximately 50% higher compared with the average yield achieved using untreated materials (2.17 ± 1.84 mmol of H2/g of substrate). Biological pretreatment affords the highest average yield 4.54 ± 1.78 mmol of H2/g of substrate compared with the acid and basic pretreatment - average yields of 2.94 ± 1.85 and 2.41 ± 1.52 mmol of H2/g of substrate, respectively. The average H2 yield from hydrolysates, obtained from a pretreatment step and enzymatic hydrolysis (3.78 ± 1.92 mmol of H2/g), was lower compared with the yield of substrates pretreated by biological methods only, demonstrating that it is important to avoid the formation of inhibitors generated by chemical pretreatments. Based on this review, exploring other microorganisms and optimizing the pretreatment and hydrolysis conditions can make the use of lignocellulosic substrates a sustainable way to produce H2. PMID:26273246

The Potential of Cellulosic Ethanol Production from Grasses in Thailand

PubMed Central

Wongwatanapaiboon, Jinaporn; Kangvansaichol, Kunn; Burapatana, Vorakan; Inochanon, Ratanavalee; Winayanuwattikun, Pakorn; Yongvanich, Tikamporn; Chulalaksananukul, Warawut

2012-01-01

The grasses in Thailand were analyzed for the potentiality as the alternative energy crops for cellulosic ethanol production by biological process. The average percentage composition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the samples of 18 types of grasses from various provinces was determined as 31.85–38.51, 31.13–42.61, and 3.10–5.64, respectively. The samples were initially pretreated with alkaline peroxide followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to investigate the enzymatic saccharification. The total reducing sugars in most grasses ranging from 500–600 mg/g grasses (70–80% yield) were obtained. Subsequently, 11 types of grasses were selected as feedstocks for the ethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF). The enzymes, cellulase and xylanase, were utilized for hydrolysis and the yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis, were applied for cofermentation at 35°C for 7 days. From the results, the highest yield of ethanol, 1.14 g/L or 0.14 g/g substrate equivalent to 32.72% of the theoretical values was obtained from Sri Lanka ecotype vetiver grass. When the yields of dry matter were included in the calculations, Sri Lanka ecotype vetiver grass gave the yield of ethanol at 1,091.84 L/ha/year, whereas the leaves of dwarf napier grass showed the maximum yield of 2,720.55 L/ha/year (0.98 g/L or 0.12 g/g substrate equivalent to 30.60% of the theoretical values). PMID:23097596

Pyrolysis of Date palm waste in a fixed-bed reactor: Characterization of pyrolytic products.

PubMed

Bensidhom, Gmar; Ben Hassen-Trabelsi, Aïda; Alper, Koray; Sghairoun, Maher; Zaafouri, Kaouther; Trabelsi, Ismail

2018-01-01

The pyrolysis of several Tunisian Date Palm Wastes (DPW): Date Palm Rachis (DPR), Date Palm Leaflets (DPL), Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Date Palm Glaich (DPG) was run using a fixed-bed reactor, from room temperature to 500°C, with 15°C/min as heating rate and -5°C as condensation temperature, in order to produce bio-oil, biochar and syngas. In these conditions, the bio-oil yield ranges from 17.03wt% for DPL to 25.99wt% for EFB. For the biochar, the highest yield (36.66wt%) was obtained for DPL and the lowest one (31.66wt%) was obtained from DPG while the syngas production varies from 39.10wt% for DPR to 46.31wt% DPL. The raw material and pyrolysis products have been characterized using elemental analysis thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The syngas composition has been characterized using gas analyzer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pretreatment of Sugar Beet Pulp with Dilute Sulfurous Acid is Effective for Multipurpose Usage of Carbohydrates.

PubMed

Kharina, M; Emelyanov, V; Mokshina, N; Ibragimova, N; Gorshkova, T

2016-05-01

Sulfurous acid was used for pretreatment of sugar beet pulp (SBP) in order to achieve high efficiency of both extraction of carbohydrates and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of the remaining solids. The main advantage of sulfurous acid usage as pretreatment agent is the possibility of its regeneration. Application of sulfurous acid as hydrolyzing agent in relatively low concentrations (0.6-1.0 %) during a short period of time (10-20 min) and low solid to liquid ratio (1:3, 1:6) allowed effective extraction of carbohydrates from SBP and provided positive effect on subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. The highest obtained concentration of reducing substances (RS) in hydrolysates was 8.5 %; up to 33.6 % of all carbohydrates present in SBP could be extracted. The major obtained monosaccharides were arabinose and glucose (9.4 and 7.3 g/l, respectively). Pretreatment of SBP with sulfurous acid increased 4.6 times the yield of glucose during subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of remaining solids with cellulase cocktail, as compared to the untreated SBP. Total yield of glucose during SBP pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis amounted to 89.4 % of the theoretical yield. The approach can be applied directly to the wet SBP. Hydrolysis of sugar beet pulp with sulfurous acid is recommended for obtaining of individual monosaccharides, as well as nutritional media.

Reduction of tobacco smoke components yield in commercial cigarette brands by addition of HUSY, NaY and Al-MCM-41 to the cigarette rod.

PubMed

Marcilla, A; Gómez-Siurana, A; Berenguer, D; Martínez-Castellanos, I; Beltrán, M I

2015-01-01

The effect of two zeolites, HUSY, NaY and a mesoporous synthesized Al-MCM-41 material on the smoke composition of ten commercial cigarettes brands has been studied. Cigarettes were prepared by mixing the tobacco with the three powdered materials, and the smoke obtained under the ISO conditions was analyzed. Up to 32 compounds were identified and quantified in the gas fraction and 80 in the total particulate matter (TPM) condensed in the cigarettes filters and in the traps located after the mouth end of the cigarettes. Al-MCM-41 is by far the best additive, providing the highest reductions of the yield for most compounds and brands analyzed. A positive correlation was observed among the TPM and nicotine yields with the reduction obtained in nicotine, CO, and most compounds with the three additives. The amount of ashes in additive free basis increases due to the coke deposited on the solids, especially with Al-MCM-41. Nicotine is reduced with Al-MCM-41 by an average of 34.4% for the brands studied (49.5% for the brand where the major reduction was obtained and 18.5 for the brand behaving the worst). CO is reduced by an average of 18.6% (ranging from 10.3 to 35.2% in the different brands).

Evaluation of Mucor indicus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae capability to ferment hydrolysates of rape straw and Miscanthus giganteus as affected by the pretreatment method.

PubMed

Lewandowska, Małgorzata; Szymańska, Karolina; Kordala, Natalia; Dąbrowska, Aneta; Bednarski, Włodzimierz; Juszczuk, Andrzej

2016-07-01

Rape straw and Miscanthus giganteus was pretreated chemically with oxalic acid or sodium hydroxide. The pretreated substrates were hydrolyzed with enzymatic preparations of cellulase, xylanase and cellobiase. The highest concentration of reducing sugars was achieved after hydrolysis of M. giganteus pretreated with NaOH (51.53gdm(-3)). In turn, the highest yield of enzymatic hydrolysis determined based on polysaccharides content in the pretreated substrates was obtained in the experiments with M. giganteus and oxalic acid (99.3%). Rape straw and M. giganteus hydrolysates were fermented using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae 7, NRRL 978 or filamentous fungus Mucor rouxii (Mucor indicus) DSM 1191. The highest ethanol concentration was determined after fermentation of M. giganteus hydrolysate pretreated with NaOH using S. cerevisiae (1.92% v/v). Considering cellulose content in the pretreated solid, the highest degree of its conversion to ethanol (86.2%) was achieved after fermentation of the hydrolysate of acid-treated M. giganteus using S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Anaerobic co-digestion of corn stalk and vermicompost].

PubMed

Chen, Guang-yin; Zheng, Zheng; Zou, Xing-xing; Fang, Cai-xia; Luo, Yan

2010-02-01

The characteristics of corn stalk digested alone at different total solid (TS) loading rates and co-digestion of various proportions of corn stalk and vermicompost were investigated by batch model at 35 degrees C +/- 1 degrees C. The organic loading rates (OLRs) studied were in the range of 1.2%-6.0% TS and increasing proportions of vermicompost from 20% to 80% TS. A maximum methane yield of corn stalk digested alone was 217.60 mL/g obtained at the TS loading rate of 4.8%. However, when the TS loading rate was 6.0%, the anaerobic system was acidified and the lowest pH value was 5.10 obtained on day 4 and the biogas productivity decreased. Furthermore, co-digestion of vermicompost and corn stalk in varying proportions were investigated at constant of 6.0% TS. Co-digestion with vermicompost improved the biodegradability of corn stalk and the methane yield was improved by 4.42%-58.61%, and led to higher pH values, higher volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration and lower alkalinity content compared with corn stalk digested alone. The maximum biogas yield and methane yield of 410.30 mL/g and 259. 35 mL/g were obtained for 40% vermicompost and 60% corn stalk respectively. Compared with corn stalk digested alone, co-digested with vermicompost didn' t affect methane content and the fermentation type, but promoted the destruction of crystalline of cellulose and the highest destruction rate was 29.36% for 40% vermicompost and 60% corn stalk. Therefore, adding vermicompost was beneficial for the decomposition and increasing the biotransformation rate of corn stalk.

Incubation of Aquilaria subintegra with Microbial Culture Supernatants Enhances Production of Volatile Compounds and Improves Quality of Agarwood Oil.

PubMed

Monggoot, Sakon; Kulsing, Chadin; Wong, Yong Foo; Pripdeevech, Patcharee

2018-06-01

Incubation with microbial culture supernatants improved essential oil yield from Aquilaria subintegra woodchips. The harvested woodchips were incubated with de man, rogosa and sharpe (MRS) agar, yeast mold (YM) agar medium and six different microbial culture supernatants obtained from Lactobacillus bulgaricus , L. acidophilus , Streptococcus thermophilus , Lactococcus lactis , Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and S. cerevisiae prior to hydrodistillation. Incubation with lactic acid bacteria supernatants provided higher yield of agarwood oil (0.45% w/w) than that obtained from yeast (0.25% w/w), agar media (0.23% w/w) and water (0.22% w/w). The composition of agarwood oil from all media and microbial supernatant incubations was investigated by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Overall, three major volatile profiles were obtained, which corresponded to water soaking (control), as well as, both YM and MRS media, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast supernatant incubations. Sesquiterpenes and their oxygenated derivatives were key components of agarwood oil. Fifty-two volatile components were tentatively identified in all samples. Beta-agarofuran, α-eudesmol, karanone, α-agarofuran and agarospirol were major components present in most of the incubated samples, while S. cerevisiae -incubated A. subintegra provided higher amount of phenyl acetaldehyde. Microbial culture supernatant incubation numerically provided the highest yield of agarwood oil compared to water soaking traditional method, possibly resulting from activity of extracellular enzymes produced by the microbes. Incubation of agarwood with lactic acid bacteria supernatant significantly enhanced oil yields without changing volatile profile/composition of agarwood essential oil, thus this is a promising method for future use.

The efficacy of Beauveria bassiana, jasmonic acid and chlorantraniliprole on larval populations of Helicoverpa armigera in chickpea crop ecosystems.

PubMed

Younas, Aneela; Wakil, Waqas; Khan, Zaeema; Shaaban, Muhammad; Prager, Sean Michael

2017-02-01

A robust integrated pest management (IPM) programme is needed to reduce the use of insecticides in controlling Helicoverpa armigera. Therefore, a 2 year field study was conducted to evaluate the use of alternative control measures (biochemical use) for H. armigera relative to exclusively using chemical insecticides. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, jasmonic acid and the insecticide chlorantraniliprole were each applied twice during the chickpea growing season. All three applied materials (either alone or combined) significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the larval population of H. armigera and pod infestation. Effects increased with time, and the maximum difference was observed 7 days after the second application in each year. The lowest numbers of larvae per plant and pod infestation were in the B. bassiana 3.21 × 10 6 + chlorantraniliprole treatment in both 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 year. The reduction in the larval population and pod infestation increased chickpea yield and the highest yield in both seasons, and the maximum yield was obtained in the B. bassiana 3.21 × 10 6 + chlorantraniliprole treatment. The populations of natural enemies were highest in the jasmonic acid treatment. The results suggest that B. bassiana, jasmonic acid and chlorantraniliprole may be useful components for the H. armigera IPM strategy. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of temperature on short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) accumulation and microbiological transformation in sludge alkaline fermentation with Ca(OH)₂ adjustment.

PubMed

Li, XiaoLing; Peng, YongZhen; Ren, NanQi; Li, BaiKun; Chai, TongZhi; Zhang, Liang

2014-09-15

The effects of temperatures (15-55 °C) on the alkaline fermentation of sewage sludge were investigated in semi-continuous stirred tank reactors (semi - CSTR) at the pH of 10. The highest soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) yield was obtained at 55 °C (764.2 mg/(gVS L d)), while the highest short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) yield was observed at 35 °C (319.8 mg/(gVS L d)), 1.5 times higher than SCFAs yield at 55 °C (209.5 mg/(gVS L d)). The proportion of the intercellular organic substances being transferred to the slime layer of sludge flocs increased from 29% at 15 °C to 54% at 55 °C. But only a small part of soluble organic substances in the slime layers was converted to SCFAs at 55 °C. The dewaterability of sludge was better at 35 °C than that at 55 °C. Microbiological community analysis showed the acid-producing microorganisms at the medium temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C) were more diverse and abundant than those at the low (15 °C) and high temperatures (55 °C). Clodtridium and Bacillus in Firmicutes and Gamma proteobacterium in Proteobacteria were the dominant functional bacterial species for high SCFA accumulation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Incorporating uncertainty into the ranking of SPARROW model nutrient yields from Mississippi/Atchafalaya River basin watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Schwarz, Gregory E.; Saad, David A.; Alexander, Richard B.

2009-01-01

Excessive loads of nutrients transported by tributary rivers have been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Management efforts to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico and improve the water quality of rivers and streams could benefit from targeting nutrient reductions toward watersheds with the highest nutrient yields delivered to sensitive downstream waters. One challenge is that most conventional watershed modeling approaches (e.g., mechanistic models) used in these management decisions do not consider uncertainties in the predictions of nutrient yields and their downstream delivery. The increasing use of parameter estimation procedures to statistically estimate model coefficients, however, allows uncertainties in these predictions to be reliably estimated. Here, we use a robust bootstrapping procedure applied to the results of a previous application of the hybrid statistical/mechanistic watershed model SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) to develop a statistically reliable method for identifying “high priority” areas for management, based on a probabilistic ranking of delivered nutrient yields from watersheds throughout a basin. The method is designed to be used by managers to prioritize watersheds where additional stream monitoring and evaluations of nutrient-reduction strategies could be undertaken. Our ranking procedure incorporates information on the confidence intervals of model predictions and the corresponding watershed rankings of the delivered nutrient yields. From this quantified uncertainty, we estimate the probability that individual watersheds are among a collection of watersheds that have the highest delivered nutrient yields. We illustrate the application of the procedure to 818 eight-digit Hydrologic Unit Code watersheds in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River basin by identifying 150 watersheds having the highest delivered nutrient yields to the Gulf of Mexico. Highest delivered yields were from watersheds in the Central Mississippi, Ohio, and Lower Mississippi River basins. With 90% confidence, only a few watersheds can be reliably placed into the highest 150 category; however, many more watersheds can be removed from consideration as not belonging to the highest 150 category. Results from this ranking procedure provide robust information on watershed nutrient yields that can benefit management efforts to reduce nutrient loadings to downstream coastal waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico, or to local receiving streams and reservoirs.

Strategies to use phytoextraction in very acidic soil contaminated by heavy metals.

PubMed

Pedron, F; Petruzzelli, G; Barbafieri, M; Tassi, E

2009-05-01

In microcosm experiments, the use of inorganic and organic amendments has been studied as potential agents to reduce heavy metal bioavailability in an acidic soil highly contaminated by Cu, Zn and Ni, that has to be remediated by phytoremediation. The concentrations of heavy metals in the original soil (O-Soil) produced phytotoxic effects with a strong reduction in biomass yield that hinder the utilization of this technology. To overcome phytotoxicity the use of three immobilizing agents was evaluated. The results obtained showed that all the strategies decreased the mobile fractions of heavy metals in soil and increased the metal removal efficiency. In the case of Brassica juncea the best results for Zn and Ni were obtained after zeolites addition (Z-Soil) with an increase of about 6 times with respect to the value found in the O-Soil. In the case of Cu, the more efficient treatment was Ca(OH)(2) addition (Ca-Soil). The B. juncea plants accumulated Cu amounts 8 times greater than in the O-Soil. For this metal, relevant results were obtained also with compost, that increased the amount of Cu in the plants of 7 times with respect to the O-Soil. Similar results were obtained with Helianthus annuus the highest Zn and Ni accumulation was detected in the Z-Soil and compost-treated soils (C-Soil), with an increase of nearly 11 times with respect to the accumulation in the O-Soil. In the case of Cu the highest increase of total uptake was found in the C-Soil: 28 times higher than in the O-Soil. Total accumulation in Poa annua plants showed the highest removal efficiency in the Z-Soil for all metals. The values obtained increased of 4, 11 and 12 times for Cu, Zn and Ni, respectively.

Sodium relations in desert plants: 8. Differential effects of NaCl and Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ on growth and composition of Atriplex hymenelytra (desert holly)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soufi, S.M.; Wallace, A.

1982-07-01

Maximum growth over a period of 3 months of Atriplex hymenelytra (Torr.) Wats. (desert holly) in solution culture was obtained when the nutrient solution contained 5 x 10/sup -2/ N NaCl. Sodium concentratons in leaves at maximum yield was 7.88% and that of Cl was also 7.88%. In the presence of 10/sup -2/ N Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, there was much less growth than with 10/sup -2/ N NaCl. The highest NaCl level depressed levels of K, Ca, and Mg in leaves, stems, and roots. The highest NaCl level also decreased levels of micronutrients in many of the plants.

Introduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa into a Hospital via Vegetables

PubMed Central

Kominos, Spyros D.; Copeland, Charles E.; Grosiak, Barbara; Postic, Bosko

1972-01-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from tomatoes, radishes, celery, carrots, endive, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, and lettuce obtained from the kitchen of a general hospital, with tomatoes yielding both highest frequencies of isolation and highest counts. Presence of P. aeruginosa on the hands of kitchen personnel and cutting boards and knives which they used suggests acquisition of the organism through contact with these vegetables. It is estimated that a patient consuming an average portion of tomato salad might ingest as many as 5 × 103 colony-forming units of P. aeruginosa. Pyocine types of P. aeruginosa isolated from clinical specimens were frequently identical to those recovered from vegetables, thus implicating tomatoes and other vegetables as an important source and vehicle by which P. aeruginosa colonizes the intestinal tract of patients. PMID:4628795

Estimation of genomic breeding values for milk yield in UK dairy goats.

PubMed

Mucha, S; Mrode, R; MacLaren-Lee, I; Coffey, M; Conington, J

2015-11-01

The objective of this study was to estimate genomic breeding values for milk yield in crossbred dairy goats. The research was based on data provided by 2 commercial goat farms in the UK comprising 590,409 milk yield records on 14,453 dairy goats kidding between 1987 and 2013. The population was created by crossing 3 breeds: Alpine, Saanen, and Toggenburg. In each generation the best performing animals were selected for breeding, and as a result, a synthetic breed was created. The pedigree file contained 30,139 individuals, of which 2,799 were founders. The data set contained test-day records of milk yield, lactation number, farm, age at kidding, and year and season of kidding. Data on milk composition was unavailable. In total 1,960 animals were genotyped with the Illumina 50K caprine chip. Two methods for estimation of genomic breeding value were compared-BLUP at the single nucleotide polymorphism level (BLUP-SNP) and single-step BLUP. The highest accuracy of 0.61 was obtained with single-step BLUP, and the lowest (0.36) with BLUP-SNP. Linkage disequilibrium (r(2), the squared correlation of the alleles at 2 loci) at 50 kb (distance between 2 SNP) was 0.18. This is the first attempt to implement genomic selection in UK dairy goats. Results indicate that the single-step method provides the highest accuracy for populations with a small number of genotyped individuals, where the number of genotyped males is low and females are predominant in the reference population. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the limits of crop productivity. I. Photosynthetic efficiency of wheat in high irradiance environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugbee, B. G.; Salisbury, F. B.

1988-01-01

The long-term vegetative and reproductive growth rates of a wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.) were determined in three separate studies (24, 45, and 79 days) in response to a wide range of photosynthetic photon fluxes (PPF, 400-2080 micromoles per square meter per second; 22-150 moles per square meter per day; 16-20 hour photoperiod) in a near-optimum, controlled-environment. The CO2 concentration was elevated to 1200 micromoles per mole, and water and nutrients were supplied by liquid hydroponic culture. An unusually high plant density (2000 plants per square meter) was used to obtain high yields. Crop growth rate and grain yield reached 138 and 60 grams per square meter per day, respectively; both continued to increase up to the highest integrated daily PPF level, which was three times greater than a typical daily flux in the field. The conversion efficiency of photosynthesis (energy in biomass/energy in photosynthetic photons) was over 10% at low PPF but decreased to 7% as PPF increased. Harvest index increased from 41 to 44% as PPF increased. Yield components for primary, secondary, and tertiary culms were analyzed separately. Tillering produced up to 7000 heads per square meter at the highest PPF level. Primary and secondary culms were 10% more efficient (higher harvest index) than tertiary culms; hence cultural, environmental, or genetic changes that increase the percentage of primary and secondary culms might increase harvest index and thus grain yield. Wheat is physiologically and genetically capable of much higher productivity and photosynthetic efficiency than has been recorded in a field environment.

Supercritical fluid extraction of peach (Prunus persica) almond oil: process yield and extract composition.

PubMed

Mezzomo, Natália; Mileo, Bruna R; Friedrich, Maria T; Martínez, Julian; Ferreira, Sandra R S

2010-07-01

Peach kernels are industrial residues from the peach processing, contain oil with important therapeutic properties and attractive nutritional aspects because of the high concentration of oleic and linoleic acids. The extraction method used to obtain natural compounds from raw matter is critical for product quality definition. Thus, the aim of this work was to compare peach almond extraction yields obtained by different procedures: soxhlet extractions (Sox) with different solvents; hydrodistillation (HD); ethanolic maceration (Mac) followed by fractionation with various solvents, and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) at 30, 40 and 50 degrees C and at 100, 200 and 300bar, performed with pure CO(2) and with a co-solvent. The extracts were evaluated with respect to fatty acid composition (FAC), fractionated chemical profile (FCP) and total phenolic content (TPC). The Sox total yields were generally higher than those obtained by SFE. The crossover pressure for SFE was between 260 and 280bar. The FAC results show oleic and linoleic acids as main components, especially for Sox and SFE extracts. The FCP for samples obtained by Sox and Mac indicated the presence of benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol, components responsible for almond flavor and with important industrial uses, whereas the SFE extracts present a high content of a possible flavonoid. The higher TPC values were obtained by Sox and Mac with ethanol. In general, the maximum pressure in SFE produced the highest yield, TPC and oleic acid content. The use of ethanol at 5% as co-solvent in SFE did not result in a significant effect on any evaluated parameter. The production of peach almond oil through all techniques is substantially adequate and SFE presented advantages, with respect to the quality of the extracts due to the high oleic acid content, as presented by some Sox samples. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

7A projection map of the S-layer protein sbpA obtained with trehalose-embedded monolayer crystals.

PubMed

Norville, Julie E; Kelly, Deborah F; Knight, Thomas F; Belcher, Angela M; Walz, Thomas

2007-12-01

Two-dimensional crystallization on lipid monolayers is a versatile tool to obtain structural information of proteins by electron microscopy. An inherent problem with this approach is to prepare samples in a way that preserves the crystalline order of the protein array and produces specimens that are sufficiently flat for high-resolution data collection at high tilt angles. As a test specimen to optimize the preparation of lipid monolayer crystals for electron microscopy imaging, we used the S-layer protein sbpA, a protein with potential for designing arrays of both biological and inorganic materials with engineered properties for a variety of nanotechnology applications. Sugar embedding is currently considered the best method to prepare two-dimensional crystals of membrane proteins reconstituted into lipid bilayers. We found that using a loop to transfer lipid monolayer crystals to an electron microscopy grid followed by embedding in trehalose and quick-freezing in liquid ethane also yielded the highest resolution images for sbpA lipid monolayer crystals. Using images of specimens prepared in this way we could calculate a projection map of sbpA at 7A resolution, one of the highest resolution projection structures obtained with lipid monolayer crystals to date.

Analysis of microbial community adaptation in mesophilic hydrogen fermentation from food waste by tagged 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.

PubMed

Laothanachareon, Thanaporn; Kanchanasuta, Suwimon; Mhuanthong, Wuttichai; Phalakornkule, Chantaraporn; Pisutpaisal, Nipon; Champreda, Verawat

2014-11-01

Dark fermentation is an attractive process for generation of biohydrogen, which involves complex microbial processes on decomposition of organic wastes and subsequent conversion of metabolic intermediates to hydrogen. The microbes present in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for waste water treatment were tested for application in batch dark fermentation of food waste at varying ratios of feedstock to heat-treated microbial inoculum (F/M) of 1-8 (g TVS/g TVS). Biohydrogen yields between 0.39 and 2.68 mol H2/mol hexose were obtained, indicating that the yields were highly dependent on the starting F/M ratio. The highest H2 purity of 66% was obtained from the first 8 h of fermentation at the F/M ratio of 2, whereas the highest H2 production was obtained after 35 h of fermentation at the F/M ratio of 5. Tagged 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing showed that the seed culture comprised largely of uncultured bacteria with various Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, while the starting food waste contained mainly lactic acid bacteria. Enrichment of Firmicutes, particularly Clostridia and lactic acid bacteria occurred within 8 h of the dark fermentation and the H2 producing microcosm at 35 h was dominated >80% by Clostridium spp. The major H2 producer was identified as a Clostridial strain related to Clostridium frigidicarnis. This work demonstrated the adaption of the microbial community during the dark fermentation of complex food waste and revealed the major roles of Clostridia in both substrate degradation and biohydrogen production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One step transesterification process of sludge palm oil (SPO) by using deep eutectic solvent (DES) in biodiesel production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, Renita; Ramadhani, Debbie Aditia; Maisarah, Siti

2017-06-01

Biodiesel production by using sludge palm oil (SPO) as raw material is generally synthesized in two step reactions, namely esterification and transesterification, because the free fatty acid (FFA) content of SPO is relatively high. However, the presence of choline chloride (ChCl), glycerol based deep eutectic solvent (DES), in transesterification may produce biodiesel from SPO in just one step. In this study, DES was produced by the mixture of ChCl and glycerol at molar ratio of 1:2 at a temperature of 80°C and stirring speed of 400 rpm for 1 hour. DES was characterized by its density and viscosity. The transesterification process was performed at reaction temperature of 70 °C, ethanol to oil molar with ratio of 9:1, sodium hydroxide as catalyst concentration of 1 % wt, DES as cosolvent with concentration of 0 to 5 % wt, stirring speed of 400 rpm, and one hour reaction time. The obtained biodiesel was then assessed with density, viscosity, and ester content as the parameters. FFA content of SPO as the raw material was 7.5290 %. In this case, DES as cosolvent in one step transesterification process of low feedstock could reduce the side reaction (saponification), decrease the time reaction, decrease the surface tension between ethanol and oil, and increase the mass transfer that simultaneously simplified the purification process and obtained the highest yield. The esters properties met the international standards of ASTM D 6751, with the highest yield obtained was 83.19% with 99.55% of ester content and the ratio of ethanol:oil of 9:1, concentration of DES of 4%, catalyst amount of 1%, temperature of reaction at 70°C and stirring speed of 400 rpm.

Growth and yield performance of Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. Fr.) Kumm (oyster mushroom) on different substrates.

PubMed

Girmay, Zenebe; Gorems, Weldesemayat; Birhanu, Getachew; Zewdie, Solomon

2016-12-01

Mushroom cultivation is reported as an economically viable bio-technology process for conversion of various lignocellulosic wastes. Given the lack of technology know-how on the cultivation of mushroom, this study was conducted in Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resource, with the aim to assess the suitability of selected substrates (agricultural and/or forest wastes) for oyster mushroom cultivation. Accordingly, four substrates (cotton seed, paper waste, wheat straw, and sawdust) were tested for their efficacy in oyster mushroom production. Pure culture of oyster mushroom was obtained from Mycology laboratory, Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University. The pure culture was inoculated on potato dextrose agar for spawn preparation. Then, the spawn containing sorghum was inoculated with the fungal culture for the formation of fruiting bodies on the agricultural wastes. The oyster mushroom cultivation was undertaken under aseptic conditions, and the growth and development of mushroom were monitored daily. Results of the study revealed that oyster mushroom can grow on cotton seed, paper waste, sawdust and wheat straw, with varying growth performances. The highest biological and economic yield, as well as the highest percentage of biological efficiency of oyster mushroom was obtained from cotton seed, while the least was from sawdust. The study recommends cotton seed, followed by paper waste as suitable substrates for the cultivation of oyster mushroom. It also suggests that there is a need for further investigation on various aspects of oyster mushroom cultivation in Ethiopia to promote the industry.

[Optimal irrigation index for cotton drip irrigation under film mulching based on the evaporation from pan with constant water level].

PubMed

Shen, Xiao-Jun; Zhang, Ji-Yang; Sun, Jing-Sheng; Gao, Yang; Li, Ming-Si; Liu, Hao; Yang, Gui-Sen

2013-11-01

A field experiment with two irrigation cycles and two irrigating water quotas at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage was conducted in Urumqi of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Northwest China in 2008-2009, aimed to explore the high-efficient irrigation index of cotton drip irrigation under film mulching. The effects of different water treatments on the seed yield, water consumption, and water use efficiency (WUE) of cotton were analyzed. In all treatments, there was a high correlation between the cotton water use and the evaporation from pan installed above the plant canopy. In high-yield cotton field (including the treatment T4 which had 10 days and 7 days of irrigation cycle with 30.0 mm and 37.5 mm of irrigating water quota at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage, respectively in 2008, and the treatment T1 having 7 days of irrigation cycle with 22.5 mm and 37.5 mm of irrigating water quota at squaring stage and blossoming-boll forming stage, respectively in 2009), the pan-crop coefficient (Kp) at seedling stage, squaring stage, blossoming-boll forming stage, and boll opening stage was 0.29-0.30, 0.52-0.53, 0.74-0.88, and 0.19-0.20, respectively. As compared with the other treatments, T4 had the highest seed cotton yield (5060 kg x hm(-2)) and the highest WUE (1.00 kg x m(-3)) in 2008, whereas T1 had the highest seed cotton yield (4467 kg x hm(-2)) and the highest WUE (0.99 kg x m(-3)) in 2009. The averaged cumulative pan evaporation in 7 days and 10 days at squaring stage was 40-50 mm and 60-70 mm, respectively, and that in 7 days at blossoming-boll forming stage was 40-50 mm. It was suggested that in Xinjiang cotton area, irrigating 45 mm water for seedling emergence, no irrigation both at seedling stage and at boll opening stage, and irrigation was started when the pan evaporation reached 45-65 mm and 45 mm at squaring stage and blossoming-boll stage, respectively, the irrigating water quota could be determined by multiplying cumulative pan evaporation with Kp (the Ko was taken as 0.5, 0.75, 0.85, and 0.75 at squaring stage, early blossoming, full-blossoming, and late blossoming stage, respectively), which could be the high efficient irrigation index to obtain high yield and WUE in drip irrigation cotton field and to save irrigation water resources.

Water saving in chufa cultivation using flat raised beds and drip irrigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascual-Seva, N.; San Bautista, A.; López-Galarza, S.; Maroto, J. V.; Pascual, B.

2012-04-01

Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus), also known as tiger nut, is a typical crop in the Region of Valencia (Spain). Its tubers are used to produce a beverage called horchata. Chufa has been cultivated traditionally in ridges and furrow irrigated. Currently, the quality of water used is acceptable, there are no limitations on supply, and water is not expensive; therefore, large amounts of water are used. The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60 is based on the precautionary principle, considering preventive action for measures to be taken; thus, water use is an issue to improve. Moreover, drought periods are becoming more frequent and extended, and water is being diverted to other uses. In this two year study (2007-2008), we analysed how yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) are affected by two cultivation factors: planting strategy and irrigation system. Three planting strategies were analysed: ridges (R) and flat raised beds, with two (B2) and three (B3) plant rows along them, while two irrigation systems were compared, furrow (FI) and drip irrigation (DI). Within the beds, the effect of the position of the plant row was considered, differing among plants grown in the north (n), central (c), and south (s) rows. Distances between ridge and bed axes were 60, 80 and 120 cm for R, B2 and B3, respectively. Irrigation was based on the Volumetric Soil Water Content (VSWC), which was continuously monitored with capacitance sensors (ECH2O EC-5 in FI and multidepth capacitance sensors C-Probe in DI). Each irrigation session started when the VSWC in R dropped to 60% and 80% of field capacity in FI and DI, respectively. Each DI session lasted 60 min in 2007; while in 2008 the installation was automated, stopping each session when the sum of the VSWC at 10, 20, and 30 cm soil depth reached its corresponding field capacity value. With both irrigation systems, beds were irrigated simultaneously with ridges and with the same irrigation duration. Plants from the different plant rows were sampled periodically and later fractionated into leaves, roots, and tubers, to examine the evolution of the different plant organs. The results showed that there were no differences among planting strategies in 2007; however, in 2008, R produced lower yields than the two types of beds. The interaction between the experimental years and the irrigation strategy did affect the yield significantly, obtaining higher yields with DI than with FI, which led to higher yields in 2007 than in 2008. Regarding the IWUE, DI gave the highest values, especially in 2008. Ridges led to the highest IWUE with DI, and the lowest IWUE with FI. When comparing the different planting lines, the highest yield was obtained in the southern row. It can be concluded that modifications to the planting strategy and the irrigation system within the traditional cultivation practices of the chufa crop would increase IWUE and lead to major water savings.

Optimal Monochromatic Energy Levels in Spectral CT Pulmonary Angiography for the Evaluation of Pulmonary Embolism

PubMed Central

Wu, Huawei; Zhang, Qing; Hua, Jia; Hua, Xiaolan; Xu, Jianrong

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to determine the optimal monochromatic spectral CT pulmonary angiography (sCTPA) levels to obtain the highest image quality and diagnostic confidence for pulmonary embolism detection. Methods The Institutional Review Board of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine approved this study, and written informed consent was obtained from all participating patients. Seventy-two patients with pulmonary embolism were scanned with spectral CT mode in the arterial phase. One hundred and one sets of virtual monochromatic spectral (VMS) images were generated ranging from 40 keV to 140 keV. Image noise, clot diameter and clot to artery contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) from seven sets of VMS images at selected monochromatic levels in sCTPA were measured and compared. Subjective image quality and diagnostic confidence for these images were also assessed and compared. Data were analyzed by paired t test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results The lowest noise and the highest image quality score for the VMS images were obtained at 65 keV. The VMS images at 65 keV also had the second highest CNR value behind that of 50 keV VMS images. There was no difference in the mean noise and CNR between the 65 keV and 70 keV VMS images. The apparent clot diameter correlated with the keV levels. Conclusions The optimal energy level for detecting pulmonary embolism using dual-energy spectral CT pulmonary angiography was 65–70 keV. Virtual monochromatic spectral images at approximately 65–70 keV yielded the lowest image noise, high CNR and highest diagnostic confidence for the detection of pulmonary embolism. PMID:23667583

Ridge sowing of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in a minimum till system improves the productivity, oil quality, and profitability on a sandy loam soil under an arid climate.

PubMed

Sher, Ahmad; Suleman, Muhammad; Qayyum, Abdul; Sattar, Abdul; Wasaya, Allah; Ijaz, Muhammad; Nawaz, Ahmad

2018-04-01

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a major oilseed crop grown for its edible oil across the globe including Pakistan. In Pakistan, the production of edible oil is less than the required quantity; the situation is being worsened with the increasing population. Thus, there is dire need to grow those sunflower genotypes which perform better under a given set of agronomic practices. In this 2-year study, we compared four sunflower genotypes, viz., Armoni, Kundi, Sinji, and S-278 for their yield potential, oil contents, fatty acid composition, and profitability under three sowing methods, viz., bed sowing, line sowing, and ridge sowing and two tillage system, viz., plow till and minimum till. Among the sunflower genotypes, the genotype Armoni produced the highest plant height, number of leaves, head diameter, 1000-achene weight, and achene yield; the oil contents and oleic acid were the highest in genotype Sinji. Among the sowing methods, the highest number of leaves per plant, head diameter, number of achenes per head, achene yield, and oil contents were recorded in ridge sowing. Among the tillage systems, the highest head diameter 16. 2 cm, 1000-achene weight (57.2 g), achene yield (1.8 t ha -1 ), oil contents (35.2%), and oleic acid (15.2%) were recorded in minimum till sunflower. The highest net benefits and benefit to cost ratio were recorded in minimum till ridge sown Armoni genotype. In conclusion, the genotype Armoni should be grown on ridges to achieve the highest achene yield, oil contents, and net profitability.

Quality of extra virgin olive oils produced in an emerging olive growing area in north-western Spain.

PubMed

Reboredo-Rodríguez, P; González-Barreiro, C; Cancho-Grande, B; Simal-Gándara, J

2014-12-01

Systematic studies of physico-chemical and stability-related properties, and chemical composition, of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) obtained from drupes cropped in specific regions are of special agricultural interest. This is particularly so with new production areas, where careful selection of the most suitable olive varieties for EVOO production is required. This paper reports the first comprehensive chemical characterisation of EVOOs obtained from three different olive varieties (viz., Picual, Morisca and Manzanilla de Sevilla) grown in a new cultivation area in Galicia (NW Spain). The Morisca variety was that providing the highest industrial oil yield (21%). However, the three types of EVOO exhibited no statistically significant differences in standard quality-related indices other than acidity. Morisca EVOO was that with the lowest content in oleic acid (mean=68%) and highest content in linoleic acid (mean=13%). Also, Morisca EVOO exhibited the highest sterol levels (mean=1,616 mg/kg) and Picual EVOO the lowest (mean=1,160 mg/kg). Picual EVOO contained greater amounts of the phenolic compounds luteolin and pinoresinol than both Morisca and Manzanilla de Sevilla EVOOs. Finally, Manzanilla de Sevilla EVOO exhibited differential attributes, with banana and olive fruit aromatic series prevailing predominantly over bitter-like, pungent-like and leaf series. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of antioxidant activity by response surface methodology in hydrolysates of jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) umbrella collagen.

PubMed

Zhuang, Yong-liang; Zhao, Xue; Li, Ba-fang

2009-08-01

To optimize the hydrolysis conditions to prepare hydrolysates of jellyfish umbrella collagen with the highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, collagen extracted from jellyfish umbrella was hydrolyzed with trypsin, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. The optimum conditions obtained from experiments were pH 7.75, temperature (T) 48.77 degrees C, and enzyme-to-substrate ratio ([E]/[S]) 3.50%. The analysis of variance in RSM showed that pH and [E]/[S] were important factors that significantly affected the process (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The hydrolysates of jellyfish umbrella collagen were fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and three fractions (HF-1>3000 Da, 1000 Da

Optimization of antioxidant activity by response surface methodology in hydrolysates of jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) umbrella collagen*

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Yong-liang; Zhao, Xue; Li, Ba-fang

2009-01-01

To optimize the hydrolysis conditions to prepare hydrolysates of jellyfish umbrella collagen with the highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, collagen extracted from jellyfish umbrella was hydrolyzed with trypsin, and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. The optimum conditions obtained from experiments were pH 7.75, temperature (T) 48.77 °C, and enzyme-to-substrate ratio ([E]/[S]) 3.50%. The analysis of variance in RSM showed that pH and [E]/[S] were important factors that significantly affected the process (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The hydrolysates of jellyfish umbrella collagen were fractionated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and three fractions (HF-1>3000 Da, 1000 Da

Characterization of different biological types of steers (cycle IV): wholesale, subprimal, and retail product yields.

PubMed

Wheeler, T L; Cundiff, L V; Koch, R M; Dikeman, M E; Crouse, J D

1997-09-01

Carcass cut-out yields of 888 steers obtained from mating Hereford and Angus cows to Hereford or Angus (HA), Charolais (Ch), Gelbvieh (Gb), Pinzgauer (Pz), Shorthorn (Sh), Galloway (Gw), Longhorn (Lh), Nellore (Ne), Piedmontese (Pm), and Salers (Sa) sires were compared. Data were evaluated at constant age (426 d), carcass weight (324 kg), fat thickness (1.2 cm), fat trim percentage (23%), and marbling (Small(00)) end points. Piedmontese-sired steers excelled in total retail product and fat trim percentages at all slaughter end points except at the 23% fat trim end point. At an age end point, percentage of retail product was greater in steers sired by Continental European breeds (Gb, Ch, Sa, Pz; 63.3 to 65.5% at 0 cm trim) than in steers sired by British breeds (Sh, HA; 60.1 to 61.0%). Piedmontese-sired steers, which were expected to carry one copy of a major gene for muscle hypertrophy, had the highest (P < .05) retail product yields at an age end point (69.7%). At an age end point, although carcass weights were significantly heavier (P < .05) for Charolais-sired steers than for Piedmontese-sired steers, lean growth rate, as reflected by totally trimmed retail product at 426 d, was similar (P > .05) for Piedmontese and Charolais-sired steers. Differences among sire breeds were small for retail product percentage at marbling, fat thickness, and fat trim end points. Ranking of sire breeds for age-constant weight of retail product was as follows: Ch, Pm, Gb, Sa, Ne, Pz, HA, Sh, Gw, and Lh. Sire breed differences in wholesale and subprimal cut yields were similar to total retail product differences. Piedmontese-sired steers produced the most muscular, leanest, and highest-yielding carcasses, and HA- and Sh-sired steers produced the fattest, lowest-yielding carcasses.

[Interactive impact of water and nitrogen on yield, quality of watermelon and use of water and nitrogen in gravel-mulched field].

PubMed

Du, Shao-ping; Ma, Zhong-ming; Xue, Liang

2015-12-01

In order to develop the optimal coupling model of water and nitrogen of watermelon under limited irrigation in gravel-mulched field, a field experiment with split-plot design was conducted to study the effects of supplementary irrigation volume, nitrogen fertilization, and their interactions on the growth, yield, quality and water and nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon with 4 supplementary irrigation levels (W: 0, 35, 70, and 105 m³ · hm⁻²) in main plots and 3 nitrogen fertilization levels (N: 0, 120, and 200 kg N · hm⁻²) in sub-plots. The results showed that the photosynthetic rate, yield, and water and nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon increased with the increasing supplementary irrigation, but the nitrogen partial productivity and nitrogen use efficiency decreased with increasing nitrogen fertilization level. The photosynthetic rate and quality indicators increased with increasing nitrogen fertilization level as the nitrogen rate changed from 0 to 120 kg N · hm⁻², but no further significant increase as the nitrogen rate exceeded 120 kg · hm⁻². The interactive effects between water and nitrogen was significant for yield and water and nitrogen use efficiency of watermelon, supplementary irrigation volume was a key factor for the increase yield compared with the nitrogen fertilizer, and the yield reached the highest for the W₇₀N₂₀₀ and W₁₀₅ N₁₂₀ treatments, for which the yield increased by 42.4% and 40.4% compared to CK. Water use efficiency (WUE) was improved by supplementary irrigation and nitrogen rate, the WUE of all nitrogen fertilizer treatments were more than 26 kg · m⁻³ under supplemental irrigation levels 70 m³ · hm⁻² and 105 m³ · hm⁻². The nitrogen partial productivity and nitrogen use efficiency reached the highest in the treatment of W₁₀₅N₁₂₀. It was considered that under the experimental condition, 105 m³ · hm⁻² of supplementary irrigation plus 120 kg · hm⁻² of nitrogen fertilization was the optimal combination of obtaining the high yield and high efficiency.

Novel endophytic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain PTD3 I: production of xylitol and ethanol.

PubMed

Bura, Renata; Vajzovic, Azra; Doty, Sharon L

2012-07-01

An endophytic yeast, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain PTD3, that was isolated from stems of hybrid poplar was found to be capable of production of xylitol from xylose, of ethanol from glucose, galactose, and mannose, and of arabitol from arabinose. The utilization of 30 g/L of each of the five sugars during fermentation by PTD3 was studied in liquid batch cultures. Glucose-acclimated PTD3 produced enhanced yields of xylitol (67% of theoretical yield) from xylose and of ethanol (84, 86, and 94% of theoretical yield, respectively) from glucose, galactose, and mannose. Additionally, this yeast was capable of metabolizing high concentrations of mixed sugars (150 g/L), with high yields of xylitol (61% of theoretical yield) and ethanol (83% of theoretical yield). A 1:1 glucose:xylose ratio with 30 g/L of each during double sugar fermentation did not affect PTD3's ability to produce high yields of xylitol (65% of theoretical yield) and ethanol (92% of theoretical yield). Surprisingly, the highest yields of xylitol (76% of theoretical yield) and ethanol (100% of theoretical yield) were observed during fermentation of sugars present in the lignocellulosic hydrolysate obtained after steam pretreatment of a mixture of hybrid poplar and Douglas fir. PTD3 demonstrated an exceptional ability to ferment the hydrolysate, overcome hexose repression of xylose utilization with a short lag period of 10 h, and tolerate sugar degradation products. In direct comparison, PTD3 had higher xylitol yields from the mixed sugar hydrolysate compared with the widely studied and used xylitol producer Candida guilliermondii.

One-step synthesis of high-yield biodiesel from waste cooking oils by a novel and highly methanol-tolerant immobilized lipase.

PubMed

Wang, Xiumei; Qin, Xiaoli; Li, Daoming; Yang, Bo; Wang, Yonghua

2017-07-01

This study reported a novel immobilized MAS1 lipase from marine Streptomyces sp. strain W007 for synthesizing high-yield biodiesel from waste cooking oils (WCO) with one-step addition of methanol in a solvent-free system. Immobilized MAS1 lipase was selected for the transesterification reactions with one-step addition of methanol due to its much more higher biodiesel yield (89.50%) when compared with the other three commercial immobilized lipases (<10%). The highest biodiesel yield (95.45%) was acquired with one-step addition of methanol under the optimized conditions. Moreover, it was observed that immobilized MAS1 lipase retained approximately 70% of its initial activity after being used for four batch cycles. Finally, the obtained biodiesel was further characterized using FT-IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. These findings indicated that immobilized MAS1 lipase is a promising catalyst for biodiesel production from WCO with one-step addition of methanol under high methanol concentration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of temperature and frequencies in ultrasound assisted extraction of phycocyanin from microalgae Spirulina sp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadiyanto, Suttrisnorhadi, Sutanto, Heri; Suzery, Meiny; Soetrisnanto, Danny; Azizah, Nur

2015-12-01

Microalgae Spirulina sp has been identified as source of protein and other high added value compounds. One of the compounds is phycocyanin as also known for antioxidant use. The extraction of this compound by using conventional method (soxhlet extraction) resulted low yield and longer processing time. This research was aimed to extract phycocyanin by using an extraction assisted by ultrasound irradiation. The extraction was performed by using variable of ultrasound frequency and extraction temperature and ethanol was used as a solvent. The result showed that yield of phycocyanin extracted by conventional method was 11.13% while the ultrasound irradiation could increase the yield up to 15.61% at constant frequency of 42 kHz, while the optimum temperature was obtained at 45°C. The analysis of variable interactions showed that both temperature and time has an interaction and temperature was the highest variable in increasing the yield. The conclusion of this research was the ultrasound could improve significantly the efficiency of extraction as well as activity of phycocyanin extracted from microalgae.

Performance and Analysis of Floating dome Anaerobic Digester with Wet and Dry Feedstock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathish, S.; Parthiban, A.; Venugopal, S.; Jothi Prakash, V. M.

2017-03-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of anaerobic digestion to generate biogas yield and it’s performed using wet and dry feed stock. The laboratory experiment is conducted in a floating dome type anaerobic digester with 1m3 capacity. It is made up of fibre material at continues process. The starter cowdung used as an inoculum of the anaerobic digester. Then raw materials feeded as a wet type wheat straw and dry type wheat straw is the ratio of 1:1 waste/water in both the experiments wet and dry wheat straw. In this experiments are fermented at 30ºC to 35ºC temperature is maintained. The daily biogas yield, cumulative biogas yield, pH, CH4, and hydro retention time these parameters is studied and analysed. The maximum daily biogas is 25liters and 42% of methane is achieved in dry wheat straw at 15th day of digestion. The highest gas yield obtained in dry condition compare to wet condition and acid level also decreased in wet digestion.

Utilization of vegetable dumplings waste from industrial production by anaerobic digestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilarska, Agnieszka A.; Pilarski, Krzysztof; Ryniecki, Antoni; Tomaszyk, Kamila; Dach, Jacek; Wolna-Maruwka, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

This paper provides the analysis of results of biogas and methane yield for vegetable dumplings waste: dough with fat, vegetable waste, and sludge from the clarifier. Anaerobic digestion of food waste used in the experiments was stable after combining the substrates with a digested pulp composed of maize silage and liquid manure (as inoculum), at suitable ratios. The study was carried out in a laboratory scale using anaerobic batch reactors, at controlled (mesophilic) temperature and pH conditions. The authors present the chemical reactions accompanying biodegradation of the substrates and indicate the chemical compounds which may lead to acidification during the anaerobic digestion. An anaerobic digestion process carried out with the use of a dough-and-fat mixture provided the highest biogas and methane yields. The following yields were obtained in terms of fresh matter: 242.89 m3 Mg-1 for methane and 384.38 m3 Mg-1 for biogas, and in terms of volatile solids: 450.73 m3 Mg-1 for methane and 742.40 m3 Mg-1 for biogas. Vegetables and sludge from the clarifier (as fresh matter) provided much lower yields.

The effects of temperature and frequencies in ultrasound assisted extraction of phycocyanin from microalgae Spirulina sp

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hadiyanto,, E-mail: hadiyanto@live.undip.ac.id; Suttrisnorhadi,; Soetrisnanto, Danny

Microalgae Spirulina sp has been identified as source of protein and other high added value compounds. One of the compounds is phycocyanin as also known for antioxidant use. The extraction of this compound by using conventional method (soxhlet extraction) resulted low yield and longer processing time. This research was aimed to extract phycocyanin by using an extraction assisted by ultrasound irradiation. The extraction was performed by using variable of ultrasound frequency and extraction temperature and ethanol was used as a solvent. The result showed that yield of phycocyanin extracted by conventional method was 11.13% while the ultrasound irradiation could increasemore » the yield up to 15.61% at constant frequency of 42 kHz, while the optimum temperature was obtained at 45°C. The analysis of variable interactions showed that both temperature and time has an interaction and temperature was the highest variable in increasing the yield. The conclusion of this research was the ultrasound could improve significantly the efficiency of extraction as well as activity of phycocyanin extracted from microalgae.« less

Adaptability and stability of soybean cultivars for grain yield and seed quality.

PubMed

Silva, K B; Bruzi, A T; Zambiazzi, E V; Soares, I O; Pereira, J L A R; Carvalho, M L M

2017-05-10

This study aimed at verifying the adaptability and stability of soybean cultivars, considering the grain yield and quality of seeds, adopting univariate and multivariate approaches. The experiments were conducted in two crops, three environments, in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 crop seasons, in the county of Inconfidentes, Lavras, and Patos de Minas, in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil. We evaluated 17 commercial soybean cultivars. For adaptability and stability evaluations, the Graphic and GGE biplot methods were employed. Previously, a selection index was estimated based on the sum of the standardized variables (Z index). The data relative to grain yield, mass of one thousand grain, uniformity test (sieve retention), and germination test were standardized (Z ij ) per cultivar. With the sum of Z ij , we obtained the selection index for the four traits evaluated together. In the Graphic method evaluation, cultivars NA 7200 RR and CD 2737 RR presented the highest values for selection index Z. By the GGE biplot method, we verified that cultivar NA 7200 RR presented greater stability in both univariate evaluations, for grain yield, and for selection index Z.

Applications of novel effects derived from Si ingot growth inside Si melt without contact with crucible wall using noncontact crucible method to high-efficiency solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Kazuo; Ono, Satoshi; Kaneko, Yuzuru; Murai, Ryota; Shirasawa, Katsuhiko; Fukuda, Tetsuo; Takato, Hidetaka; Jensen, Mallory A.; Youssef, Amanda; Looney, Erin E.; Buonassisi, Tonio; Martel, Benoit; Dubois, Sèbastien; Jouini, Anis

2017-06-01

The noncontact crucible (NOC) method was proposed for obtaining Si single bulk crystals with a large diameter and volume using a cast furnace and solar cells with high conversion efficiency and yield. This method has several novel characteristics that originate from its key feature that ingots can be grown inside a Si melt without contact with a crucible wall. Si ingots for solar cells were grown by utilizing the merits resulting from these characteristics. Single ingots with high quality were grown by the NOC method after furnace cleaning, and the minority carrier lifetime was measured to investigate reduction of the number of impurities. A p-type ingot with a convex growth interface in the growth direction was also grown after furnace cleaning. For p-type solar cells prepared using wafers cut from the ingot, the highest and average conversion efficiencies were 19.14% and 19.0%, respectively, which were obtained using the same solar cell structure and process as those employed to obtain a conversion efficiency of 19.1% for a p-type Czochralski (CZ) wafer. Using the cast furnace, solar cells with a conversion efficiency and yield as high as those of CZ solar cells were obtained by the NOC method.

Estimating economic thresholds for pest control: an alternative procedure.

PubMed

Ramirez, O A; Saunders, J L

1999-04-01

An alternative methodology to determine profit maximizing economic thresholds is developed and illustrated. An optimization problem based on the main biological and economic relations involved in determining a profit maximizing economic threshold is first advanced. From it, a more manageable model of 2 nonsimultaneous reduced-from equations is derived, which represents a simpler but conceptually and statistically sound alternative. The model recognizes that yields and pest control costs are a function of the economic threshold used. Higher (less strict) economic thresholds can result in lower yields and, therefore, a lower gross income from the sale of the product, but could also be less costly to maintain. The highest possible profits will be obtained by using the economic threshold that results in a maximum difference between gross income and pest control cost functions.

The effects of temperature and catalysts on the pyrolysis of industrial wastes (herb residue).

PubMed

Wang, Pan; Zhan, Sihui; Yu, Hongbing; Xue, Xufang; Hong, Nan

2010-05-01

Pyrolysis of herb residue was investigated in a fixed-bed to determine the effects of pyrolysis temperature and catalysts (ZSM-5, Al-SBA-15 and alumina) on the products yields and the qualities of bio-oils. The results indicated that the maximum bio-oil yield of 34.26% was obtained at 450 degrees Celsius with 10 wt.% alumina catalyst loaded. The pyrolytic oils were examined by ultimate analysis and calorific values determination, and the results indicated that the presence of all catalysts decreased the oxygen content of bio-oils and increased the calorific values. The order of the catalytic effect for upgrading the pyrolytic oil was Al(2)O(3)>Al-SBA-15>ZSM-5. The bio-oil with the lowest oxygen content (26.71%) and the highest calorific value (25.94 MJ kg(-1)) was obtained with 20 wt.% alumina catalyst loaded. Furthermore, the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used in order to investigate the components of obtained pyrolytic oils. It was found that the alumina catalyst could clearly enhance the formation of aliphatics and aromatics. Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of prepubertal and postpubertal growth and age at first calving on production and reproduction traits during the first 3 lactations in Holstein dairy cattle.

PubMed

Krpálková, L; Cabrera, V E; Vacek, M; Stípková, M; Stádník, L; Crump, P

2014-05-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS), body weight (BW), average daily weight gain (ADG), and age at first calving (AFC) of Holstein heifers on production and reproduction parameters in the 3 subsequent lactations. The data set consisted of 780 Holstein heifers calved at 2 dairy farms in the Czech Republic from 2007 to 2011. Their BW and BCS were measured at monthly intervals during the rearing period (5 to 18 mo of age), and the milk production and reproduction data of the first 3 lactations were collected over an 8-yr period (2005 to 2012). The highest milk yield in the first lactation was found in the group with medium ADG (5 to 14 mo of age; 0.949 to 0.850 kg of ADG). The highest average milk yield over lifetime performance was detected in heifers with the highest total ADG (≥ 0.950 kg/d). The difference in milk yield between the evaluated groups of highest ADG (in total and postpubertal growth ≥ 0.950 kg/d and in prepubertal growth ≥ 0.970 kg/d) and the lowest ADG (≤ 0.849 kg/d) was approximately 1,000 kg/305 d per cow. The highest milk yield in the first lactation was found in the group with the highest AFC ≥ 751 d, for which fat and protein content in the milk was not reduced. Postpubertal growth (11 to 14 mo of age) had the greatest effect on AFC. The group with lowest AFC ≤ 699 d showed a negative effect on milk yield but only in the first 100 d of the first parity. The highest ADG was detrimental to reproduction parameters in the first lactation. The highest BW at 14 mo (≥ 420 kg) led to lower AFC. Groups according to BCS at 14 mo showed no differences in AFC or milk yield in the first lactation or lifetime average production per lactation. We concluded that low AFC ≤ 699 d did not show a negative effect on subsequent production and reproduction parameters. Therefore, a shorter rearing period is recommended for dairy herds with suitable management. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between the degree of antioxidant protection and the level of malondialdehyde in high-performance Polish Holstein-Friesian cows in peak of lactation

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Lipid peroxidation can be described as a process under which free radicals attack carbon double bonds of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Whereas the end products of this process are reactive aldehydes, such as malondialdehyde (MDA). Lipid peroxidation leads to adverse changes in the nutritional value of milk; therefore, higher degree of antioxidant protection (DAP) ensures higher stability of dairy products by effecting their high antioxidative potential. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between the DAP and the level of MDA in high-performance Polish Holstein-Friesian cows in peak of lactation. Sixty-three Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were selected to the experiment according to: parity (all in the 2nd lactation), phase of lactation (peak of lactation), cytological quality of milk (somatic cell count < 150 thousand/ml) and without diagnosed metabolic diseases. The data obtained were analyzed statistically by two–way ANOVA, and Tukey’s post-hoc test. After analysis of performance the cows were divided into 3 groups (twenty one cows in each group) based on milk yield and MDA concentration. The study revealed a significant effect of the lactation performance of cows on MDA levels in milk (P ≤ 0.01). The highest concentration of MDA (61.137 nM/mL) was shown in milk of cows yielding between 50.00 and 55.80 kg/day. The highest concentration of fat was found in milk in which the MDA level ranged from 48 to 86 nM/mL. Whereas, the inverse relationship was demonstrated in case of protein concentration. The highest level of protein was found in cows with MDA levels in the range of 18–28 nM/mL (P ≤ 0.01). The lowest MDA level (in the range of 18–28 nM/mL) was associated with the highest concentration of vitamin E, β-carotene, total antioxidant status (TAS) and DAP, measured in both milk and plasma. The obtained results show that lipid peroxidation leads to adverse changes in the nutritional value of milk; the highest DAP (7.89 x 10−3) was found in the cows with the lowest MDA concentration in milk. PMID:29494660

Composted oyster shell as lime fertilizer is more effective than fresh oyster shell.

PubMed

Lee, Young Han; Islam, Shah Md Asraful; Hong, Sun Joo; Cho, Kye Man; Math, Renukaradhya K; Heo, Jae Young; Kim, Hoon; Yun, Han Dae

2010-01-01

Physio-chemical changes in oyster shell were examined, and fresh and composted oyster shell meals were compared as lime fertilizers in soybean cultivation. Structural changes in oyster shell were observed by AFM and FE-SEM. We found that grains of the oyster shell surface became smoother and smaller over time. FT-IR analysis indicated the degradation of a chitin-like compound of oyster shell. In chemical analysis, pH (12.3+/-0.24), electrical conductivity (4.1+/-0.24 dS m(-1)), and alkaline powder (53.3+/-1.12%) were highest in commercial lime. Besides, pH was higher in composted oyster shell meal (9.9+/-0.53) than in fresh oyster shell meal (8.4+/-0.32). The highest organic matter (1.1+/-0.08%), NaCl (0.54+/-0.03%), and moisture (15.1+/-1.95%) contents were found in fresh oyster shell meal. A significant higher yield of soybean (1.33 t ha(-1)) was obtained by applying composted oyster shell meal (a 21% higher yield than with fresh oyster shell meal). Thus composting of oyster shell increases the utility of oyster shell as a liming material for crop cultivation.

Catalytic cracking of non-edible sunflower oil over ZSM-5 for hydrocarbon bio-jet fuel.

PubMed

Zhao, Xianhui; Wei, Lin; Julson, James; Qiao, Qiquan; Dubey, Ashish; Anderson, Gary

2015-03-25

Non-edible sunflower oils that were extracted from sunflower residual wastes were catalytically cracked over a ZSM-5 catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor at three different reaction temperatures: 450°C, 500°C and 550°C. The catalyst was characterized using XRD, FT-IR, BET and SEM. Characterizations of the upgraded sunflower oils, hydrocarbon fuels, distillation residues and non-condensable gases were carried out. The effect of the reaction temperature on the yield and quality of liquid products was discussed. The results showed that the reaction temperature affected the hydrocarbon fuel yield but had a minor influence on its properties. The highest conversion efficiency from sunflower oils to hydrocarbon fuels was 30.1%, which was obtained at 550°C. The reaction temperature affected the component content of the non-condensable gases. The non-condensable gases generated at 550°C contained the highest content of light hydrocarbons (C1-C5), CO, CO2 and H2. Compared to raw sunflower oils, the properties of hydrocarbon fuels including the dynamic viscosity, pH, moisture content, density, oxygen content and heating value were improved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of light and atmosphere on the cultivation of the golden oyster culinary-medicinal mushroom, Pleurotus citrinopileatus (higher Basidiomycetes).

PubMed

Hu, Shu-Hui; Wu, Chiu-Yeh; Chen, Yu-Kuei; Wang, Jinn-Chyi; Chang, Sue-Joan

2013-01-01

With an aim to explore the productivity and quality of the fruiting body of culinary-medicinal golden oyster mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration of the ambient atmosphere was adjusted and a light-emitting diode panel was used to illuminate the colonized mycelium at different wavelengths. Biological efficiency and yield were higher at CO₂ levels of 0.05 and 0.1% than other tested CO₂ levels, and the mature fruiting body showed the highest yellow value at a CO₂ level of 0.1% (of all tested CO₂ levels). The highest biological efficiency and yield was obtained at the 720-nm wavelength. The ergosterol content of the pileus of the fruiting body was higher than that of the stipe in any flush time at a 720-nm wavelength of light and a CO₂ concentration of 0.1%. The decreased percentages of cellulose and lignin at the appearance of primordia were larger than those of mycelial growth duration. The fruiting quality of P. citrinopileatus might thus be enhanced by 720-nm illumination and an atmosphere with a CO₂ concentration of 0.1 to 0.15%.

Soil Fertility Status, Nutrient Uptake, and Maize (Zea mays L.) Yield Following Organic Matters and P Fertilizer Application on Andisol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minardi, S.; Harieni, S.; Anasrullah, A.; Purwanto, H.

2017-04-01

Objective of this study were to elucidate effects of organic matters and P fertilizer application on soil fertility status, nutrient uptake and maize yield in the Andisol. This experiment consisted of two factors. The first factor comprised of four levels of organic matters input (without organic matter, manure, rice straw, and Gliricidia sepium leaves), with the application dosage 10 t.ha-1 and the second factor comprised of three levels of P fertilizer application (without P addition (control), 50 kg P2O5 ha-1, 100 kg P2O5 ha-1). Results of this study showed that organic matters and P fertilizer application improved soil fertility status, especially pH, soil organic C, cation exchange capacity (CEC), available P which resulted in an increase in P uptake that improve yield of maize. The highest yield of maize (corn cob) was obtained through application Gliricida sepium (8.40 t.ha-1), followed by manure (6.02 t.ha-1) and rice straw (5.87 t.ha-1). Application of 50 kg P2O5 Ha-1 yield was (5.76 t.ha-1) and application of 100 Kg P2O5 Ha-1 yield was (6.12 t.ha-1).

Fermentation of lignocellulosic sugars to acetic acid by Moorella thermoacetica.

PubMed

Ehsanipour, Mandana; Suko, Azra Vajzovic; Bura, Renata

2016-06-01

A systematic study of bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars to acetic acid by Moorella thermoacetica (strain ATCC 39073) was conducted. Four different water-soluble fractions (hydrolysates) obtained after steam pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass were selected and fermented to acetic acid in batch fermentations. M. thermoacetica can effectively ferment xylose and glucose in hydrolysates from wheat straw, forest residues, switchgrass, and sugarcane straw to acetic acid. Xylose and glucose were completely utilized, with xylose being consumed first. M. thermoacetica consumed up to 62 % of arabinose, 49 % galactose and 66 % of mannose within 72 h of fermentation in the mixture of lignocellulosic sugars. The highest acetic acid yield was obtained from sugarcane straw hydrolysate, with 71 % of theoretical yield based on total sugars (17 g/L acetic acid from 24 g/L total sugars). The lowest acetic acid yield was observed in forest residues hydrolysate, with 39 % of theoretical yield based on total sugars (18 g/L acetic acid from 49 g/L total sugars). Process derived compounds from steam explosion pretreatment, including 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (0.4 g/L), furfural (0.1 g/L) and total phenolics (3 g/L), did not inhibit microbial growth and acetic acid production yield. This research identified two major factors that adversely affected acetic acid yield in all hydrolysates, especially in forest residues: (i) glucose to xylose ratio and (ii) incomplete consumption of arabinose, galactose and mannose. For efficient bioconversion of lignocellulosic sugars to acetic acid, it is imperative to have an appropriate balance of sugars in a hydrolysate. Hence, the choice of lignocellulosic biomass and steam pretreatment design are fundamental steps for the industrial application of this process.

Camellia oleifera shell as an alternative feedstock for furfural production using a high surface acidity solid acid catalyst.

PubMed

Zhang, Luxin; He, Yunfei; Zhu, Yujie; Liu, Yuting; Wang, Xiaochang

2018-02-01

This paper focuses on the high-value transformation of camellia oleifera shell, which is an agricultural waste enriched in hemicellulose. An efficient catalytic route employing sulfonated swelling mesoporous polydivinylbenzene (PDVB-SO 3 H) as catalyst in monophasic or biphasic solvents was developed for the conversion of raw camellia oleifera shell into furfural. The reaction parameters were evaluated and optimized for improving the furfural yield. It was found that the solvent greatly influenced the hydrolysis of camellia oleifera shells, and the highest furfural yield of 61.3% was obtained in "γ-butyrolactone + water" system when the feedstock-to-catalyst ratio was 2 for 30 min at 443 K. Camellia oleifera shell exhibited a high potential as feedstock to produce furfural in high yields. The outcome of this study provides an attractive utilization option to camellia oleifera shell, which is currently burned or discarded for producing a bio-based chemical. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence sample sizing of citrus hystrix essential oil from hydrodistillation extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahya, A.; Amadi, I.; Hashib, S. A.; Mustapha, F. A.

2018-03-01

Essential oil extracted from kaffir lime leaves through hydrodistillation. The objective of this study is to quantify the oil production rate by identify the significant influence of particle size on kaffir lime leaves. Kaffir lime leaves were ground and separated by using siever into 90, 150, 300 μm and other kaffir lime leaves. The mean essential oil yield of 0.87, 0.52, 0.41 and 0.3% was obtained. 90 μm of ground gives the highest yield compared to other sizes. Thus, it can be concluded that in quantifying oil production rate, the relevance of different size of particle is clearly affects the amount of oil yield. In analysing the composition of kaffir lime essential oil using GC-MS, there were 38 compounds found in the essential oil. Some of the major compounds of the kaffir lime leave oils were detected while some are not, may due to oil experience thermal degradation which consequently losing some significant compounds in controlled temperature.

Potential for methane production from anaerobic co-digestion of swine manure with winery wastewater.

PubMed

Riaño, B; Molinuevo, B; García-González, M C

2011-03-01

This work examines the methane production potential for the anaerobic co-digestion of swine manure (SM) with winery wastewater (WW). Batch and semi-continuous experiments were carried out under mesophilic conditions. Batch experiments revealed that the highest specific methane yield was 348 mL CH(4)g(-1) COD added, obtained at 85.4% of WW and 0.7 g COD g(-1)VS. Specific methane yield from SM alone was 27 mL CH(4)g(-1) COD added d(-1). Furthermore, specific methane yields were 49, 87 and 107 mL CH(4)g(-1) COD added d(-1) for the reactors co-digesting mixtures with 10% WW, 25% WW and 40% WW, respectively. Co-digestion with 40% WW improved the removal efficiencies up to 52% (TCOD), 132% (SCOD) and 61% (VSS) compared to SM alone. These results suggest that methane can be produced very efficiently by the co-digestion of swine manure with winery wastewater. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of alkaline pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of olive mill solid waste.

PubMed

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Santori, Sofia; Pomi, Raffaella; Polettini, Alessandra; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2016-12-01

The present study evaluates the influence of alkaline (NaOH) pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of olive pomace. Batch hydrolysis experiments with different NaOH dosages, process durations and temperatures were conducted, in which the variation of olive pomace solubilization in the liquid phase was investigated. The effect of pretreatment on anaerobic digestion was studied through biochemical methane potential assays. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the NaOH pretreatment in improving olive pomace solubilization as well as its biodegradability. Maximum specific methane yields were achieved at different NaOH dosages depending on the pretreatment temperature. Consequently, it was concluded that the two operating parameters of the pretreatment stage (NaOH dosage and temperature) may exert a joint effect on substrate biodegradability and methane yields. The highest methane yield (242NmLCH 4 /gVS) was obtained for the material pretreated at 90°C, at a dosage of 1mmol/gVS (4% of VS). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainable utilization of waste palm oil and sulfonated carbon catalyst derived from coconut meal residue for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Thushari, Indika; Babel, Sandhya

2018-01-01

In this study, an inexpensive, environmental benign acid catalyst is prepared using coconut meal residue (CMR) and employed for biodiesel production from waste palm oil (WPO). The total acid density of the catalyst is found to be 3.8mmolg -1 . The catalyst shows a unique amorphous structure with 1.33m 2 g -1 of surface area and 0.31cm 3 g -1 of mean pore volume. Successful activation is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The highest biodiesel yield of 92.7% was obtained from WPO in an open reflux system using the catalyst. Results show that biodiesel yield increases with increasing methanol:oil (molar ratio) and reaction time up to an optimum value. It is found that the catalyst can be reused for at least four cycles for >80% biodiesel yield. Fuel properties of the produced biodiesel meet international biodiesel standards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formation of glycosidases in batch and continuous culture of Bacteroides fragilis.

PubMed Central

Berg, J O; Nord, C E; Wadström, T

1978-01-01

Nine strains of bacteroides fragilis were cultivated in stirred fermentors and tested for their ability to produce glycosidases. B. fragilis subsp. vulgatus B70 was used for optimizing the production of glycosidases. The highest bacterial yield was obtained in proteose peptone-yeast extract medium. The optimum pH for maximal bacterial yield was 7.0, and the optimum temperature for growth was 37 degrees C. The formation of glycosidases was optimal between pH 6.5 and 7.5, and the optimum temperature for synthesis of glycosidases was between 33 and 37 degrees C. Culture under controlled conditions in fermentors gave more reproducible production of glycosidases than static cultures in bottles. The strain was also grown in continuous culture at a dilution rate of 0.1 liter/h at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C with a yield of 2.0 mg of dry weight per ml in the complex medium. The formation of glycosidases remained constant during the entire continuous process. PMID:25044

Techno-economic analysis of ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse using a Liquefaction plus Simultaneous Saccharification and co-Fermentation process.

PubMed

Gubicza, Krisztina; Nieves, Ismael U; Sagues, William J; Barta, Zsolt; Shanmugam, K T; Ingram, Lonnie O

2016-05-01

A techno-economic analysis was conducted for a simplified lignocellulosic ethanol production process developed and proven by the University of Florida at laboratory, pilot, and demonstration scales. Data obtained from all three scales of development were used with Aspen Plus to create models for an experimentally-proven base-case and 5 hypothetical scenarios. The model input parameters that differed among the hypothetical scenarios were fermentation time, enzyme loading, enzymatic conversion, solids loading, and overall process yield. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) varied between 50.38 and 62.72 US cents/L. The feedstock and the capital cost were the main contributors to the production cost, comprising between 23-28% and 40-49% of the MESP, respectively. A sensitivity analysis showed that overall ethanol yield had the greatest effect on the MESP. These findings suggest that future efforts to increase the economic feasibility of a cellulosic ethanol process should focus on optimization for highest ethanol yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioethanol produced from Moringa oleifera seeds husk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, E. N.; Kemat, S. Z.

2017-06-01

This paper presents the potential of bioethanol production from Moringa oleifera seeds husk which contains lignocellulosic through Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This paper investigates the parameters which produce optimum bioethanol yield. The husk was hydrolyzed using NaOH and fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Batch fermentation was performed with different yeast dosage of 1, 3, and 5 g/L, pH value was 4.5, 5.0 and 5.5, and fermentation time of 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours. The temperature of fermentation process in incubator shaker is kept constant at 32ºC. The samples are then filtered using a 0.20 μm nylon filter syringe. The yield of bioethanol produced was analysed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the highest yield of 29.69 g/L was obtained at 3 hours of fermentation time at pH of 4.5 and using 1g/L yeast. This research work showed that Moringa oleifera seeds husk can be considered to produce bioethanol.

Influence of Different Supplements on the Commercial Cultivation of Milky White Mushroom

PubMed Central

Alam, Nuhu; Amin, Ruhul; Khair, Abul

2010-01-01

Calocybe indica, known as milky white mushroom, grows and cultivated in the sub-tropical and temperate zones of South Asia. We investigated the most suitable supplements and their levels for the commercial cultivation of milky white mushroom. Rice bran, maize powder, and wheat bran with their different levels (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%) were used as supplements to evaluate the yield and yield contributing characteristics of C. indica. Primordia initiation was observed between 13.5 and 19.3 days. The results indicated that the 30% maize powder supplement was effective for producing viable fruiting bodies. The maximum diameters of the pileus and stalk were observed with 30% maize powder. The highest biological and economic yield and biological efficiency were also obtained with 30% maize powder as a supplement. The results indicate that increasing the supplement level resulted in less biological efficiency, and that 30% maize powder was the best supplement level for rice straw substrate to cultivate milky white mushrooms. PMID:23956652

Optimization of organosolv pretreatment of rice straw for enhanced biohydrogen production using Enterobacter aerogenes.

PubMed

Asadi, Nooshin; Zilouei, Hamid

2017-03-01

Ethanol organosolv pretreated rice straw was used to produce biohydrogen using Enterobacter aerogenes. The effect of temperature (120-180°C), residence time (30-90min), and ethanol concentration (45-75%v/v) on the hydrogen yield, residual biomass, and lignin recovery was investigated using RSM. In contrast to the residual solid and lignin recovery, no considerable trend could be observed for the changes in the hydrogen yield at different treatment severities. The maximum hydrogen yield of 19.73mlg -1 straw was obtained at the ethanol concentration of 45%v/v and 180°C for 30min. Furthermore, the potential amount of biohydrogen was estimated in the top ten rice producing nations using the experimental results. Approximately 355.8kt of hydrogen and 11.3Mt of lignin could globally be produced. Based on a Monte Carlo analysis, the production of biohydrogen from rice straw has the lowest risk in China and the highest in Japan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of pretreatment methods on mixed inoculum for both batch and continuous thermophilic biohydrogen production from cassava stillage.

PubMed

Luo, Gang; Xie, Li; Zou, Zhonghai; Wang, Wen; Zhou, Qi

2010-02-01

Anaerobic sludges, pretreated by chloroform, base, acid, heat and loading-shock, as well as untreated sludge were evaluated for their thermophilic fermentative hydrogen-producing characters from cassava stillage in both batch and continuous experiments. Results showed that the highest hydrogen production was obtained by untreated sludge and there were significant differences (p<0.05) in hydrogen yields (varied from 32.9 to 65.3mlH(2)/gVS) among the tested pretreatment methods in batch experiments. However, the differences in hydrogen yields disappeared in continuous experiments, which indicated the pretreatment methods had only short-term effects on the hydrogen production. Further study showed that alkalinity was a crucial parameter influencing the fermentation process. When the influent was adjusted to pH 6 by NaHCO(3) instead of NaOH, the hydrogen yield increased from about 40 to 52mlH(2)/gVS in all the experiments. Therefore, pretreatment of anaerobic sludge is unnecessary for practical thermophilic fermentative hydrogen production from cassava stillage.

Pyrolysis of tyre powder using microwave thermogravimetric analysis: Effect of microwave power.

PubMed

Song, Zhanlong; Yang, Yaqing; Zhou, Long; Zhao, Xiqiang; Wang, Wenlong; Mao, Yanpeng; Ma, Chunyuan

2017-02-01

The pyrolytic characteristics of tyre powder treated under different microwave powers (300, 500, and 700 W) were studied via microwave thermogravimetric analysis. The product yields at different power levels were studied, along with comparative analysis of microwave pyrolysis and conventional pyrolysis. The feedstock underwent preheating, intense pyrolysis, and final pyrolysis in sequence. The main and secondary weight loss peaks observed during the intense pyrolysis stage were attributed to the decomposition of natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers, respectively. The total mass loss rates, bulk temperatures, and maximum temperatures were distinctively higher at higher powers. However, the maximum mass loss rate (0.005 s -1 ), the highest yields of liquid product (53%), and the minimum yields of residual solid samples (43.83%) were obtained at 500 W. Compared with conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis exhibited significantly different behaviour with faster reaction rates, which can decrease the decomposition temperatures of both natural and synthetic rubber by approximately 110 °C-140 °C.

Surfactants assist in lipid extraction from wet Nannochloropsis sp.

PubMed

Wu, Chongchong; Xiao, Ye; Lin, Weiguo; Zhu, Junying; De la Hoz Siegler, Hector; Zong, Mingsheng; Rong, Junfeng

2017-11-01

An efficient approach involving surfactant treatment, or the modification and utilization of surfactants that naturally occur in algae (algal-based surfactants), was developed to assist in the extraction of lipids from wet algae. Surfactants were found to be able to completely replace polar organic solvents in the extraction process. The highest yield of algal lipids extracted by hexane and algal-based surfactants was 78.8%, followed by 78.2% for hexane and oligomeric surfactant extraction, whereas the lipid yield extracted by hexane and ethanol was only 60.5%. In addition, the saponifiable lipids extracted by exploiting algal-based surfactants and hexane, or adding oligomeric surfactant and hexane, accounted for 78.6% and 75.4% of total algal lipids, respectively, which was more than 10% higher than the lipids extracted by hexane and ethanol. This work presents a method to extract lipids from algae using only nonpolar organic solvents, while obtaining high lipid yields and high selectivity to saponifiables. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Functional Ingredients from Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni Leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šic Žlabur, Jana; Voća, Sandra; Dobričević, Nadica; Brnčić, Mladen; Dujmić, Filip; Rimac Brnčić, Suzana

2015-04-01

The aim of the present study was to reveal an effective extraction procedure for maximization of the yield of steviol glycosides and total phenolic compounds as well as antioxidant activity in stevia extracts. Ultrasound assisted extraction was compared with conventional solvent extraction. The examined solvents were water (100°C/24 h) and 70% ethanol (at 70°C for 30 min). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of steviol glycosides in the extracts obtained were performed using high performance liquid chromatography. Total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and radical scavenging capacity by 2, 2-azino-di-3-ethylbenzothialozine- sulphonic acid) assay were also determined. The highest content of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids in stevia extracts were obtained when ultrasound assisted extraction was used. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was correlated with the total amount of phenolic compounds. The results indicated that the examined sonication parameters represented as the probe diameter (7 and 22 mm) and treatment time (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min) significantly contributed to the yield of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. The optimum conditions for the maximum yield of steviol glycosides, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids were as follows: extraction time 10 min, probe diameter 22 mm, and temperature 81.2°C.

Effect of temperature on pyrolysis product of empty fruit bunches

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rahman, Aizuddin Abdul; Sulaiman, Fauziah; Abdullah, Nurhayati

2015-04-24

Pyrolysis of empty fruit bunches (EFB) was performed in a fixed bed reactor equipped with liquid collecting system. Pyrolysis process was conducted by varying the terminal pyrolysis temperature from 300 to 500°C under heating rate of 10°C/min for at least 2 hours. Char yield was obtained highest at 300°C around 55.88 wt%, and started to decrease as temperature increase. The maximum yield of pyrolysis liquid was obtained around 54.75 wt% as pyrolysis temperature reach 450°C. For gas yield percentage, the yield gained as temperature was increased from 300 to 500°C, within the range between 8.44 to 19.32 wt%. The charmore » obtained at 400°C has great potential as an alternative solid fuel, due to its high heating value of 23.37 MJ/kg, low in volatile matter and ash content which are approximately around 40.32 and 11.12 wt%, respectively. The collected pyrolysis liquid within this temperature range found to have high water content of around 16.15 to 18.20 wt%. The high aqueous fraction seemed to cause the pyrolysis liquid to have low HHV which only ranging from 10.81 to 12.94 MJ/kg. These trends of results showed that necessary enhancement should be employ either on the raw biomass or pyrolysis products in order to approach at least the minimum quality of common hydrocarbon solid or liquid fuel. For energy production, both produced bio-char and pyrolysis liquid are considered as sustainable sources of bio-energy since they contained low amounts of nitrogen and sulphur, which are considered as environmental friendly solid and liquid fuel.« less

Microplate-Based Evaluation of the Sugar Yield from Giant Reed, Giant Miscanthus and Switchgrass after Mild Chemical Pre-Treatments and Hydrolysis with Tailored Trichoderma Enzymatic Blends.

PubMed

Cianchetta, Stefano; Bregoli, Luca; Galletti, Stefania

2017-11-01

Giant reed, miscanthus, and switchgrass are considered prominent lignocellulosic feedstocks to obtain fermentable sugars for biofuel production. The bioconversion into sugars requires a delignifying pre-treatment step followed by hydrolysis with cellulase and other accessory enzymes like xylanase, especially in the case of alkali pre-treatments, which retain the hemicellulose fraction. Blends richer in accessory enzymes than commercial mix can be obtained growing fungi on feedstock-based substrates, thus ten selected Trichoderma isolates, including the hypercellulolytic strain Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30, were grown on giant reed, miscanthus, or switchgrass-based substrates. The produced enzymes were used to saccharify the corresponding feedstocks, compared to a commercial enzymatic mix (6 FPU/g). Feedstocks were acid (H 2 SO 4 0.2-2%, w/v) or alkali (NaOH 0.02-0.2%, w/v) pre-treated. A microplate-based approach was chosen for most of the experimental steps due to the large number of samples. The highest bioconversion was generally obtained with Trichoderma harzianum Or4/99 enzymes (78, 89, and 94% final sugar yields at 48 h for giant reed, miscanthus, and switchgrass, respectively), with significant increases compared to the commercial mix, especially with alkaline pre-treatments. The differences in bioconversion yields were only partially caused by xylanases (maximum R 2  = 0.5), indicating a role for other accessory enzymes.

Isolation and regeneration protoplast of an oil palm pathogen, Ganoderma boninense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irene, Liza Isaac; Bakar, Farah Diba Abu; Idris, Abu Seman; Murad, Abdul Munir Abdul

2015-09-01

Ganoderma boninense is a known cause for basal stem rot (BSR) in oil palm. Thus, to curb the infection towards oil palm, the establishment of protoplast isolation and regeneration protocol is crucial to be studied. This will provide information on the functional genes especially those which leads towards infection and pathogenicity. In this study, a method was outlined to isolated protoplast in G. boninense by manipulating parameters such as mycelium age, concentration of lysing enzyme, and duration of mycelia incubation in lytic solution. The results shows that from 0.1 g of wet weight mycelia, the highest protoplast yield obtained was 5.5 × 108 protoplast/ml using 5th day old culture in a lytic mixture containing 2.0 % of lysing enzyme incubated for 4 hours at 30 °C with agitation of 80-100 rpm. The highest percentage of protoplast regeneration obtained from this study was 0.2 % using CYM medium supplemented with 0.6 M sorbitol. To date, this is the first report of protoplast isolation and regeneration for this phytopathogen.

[Effects of different patterns surface mulching on soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in an apple orchard].

PubMed

Zhang, Yi; Xie, Yong-Sheng; Hao, Ming-De; She, Xiao-Yan

2010-02-01

Taking a nine-year-old Fuji apple orchard in Loess Plateau as test object, this paper studied the effects of different patterns surface mulching (clean tillage, grass cover, plastic film mulch, straw mulch, and gravel mulch) on the soil properties and fruit trees growth and yield in this orchard. Grass cover induced the lowest differentiation of soil moisture profile, while gravel mulch induced the highest one. In treatment gravel mulch, the soil moisture content in apple trees root zone was the highest, which meant that there was more water available to apple trees. Surface mulching had significant effects on soil temperature, and generally resulted in a decrease in the maximum soil temperature. The exception was treatment plastic film mulch, in which, the soil temperature in summer exceeded the maximum allowable temperature for continuous root growth and physiological function. With the exception of treatment plastic film mulch, surface mulching increased the soil CO2 flux, which was the highest in treatment grass cover. Surface mulching also affected the proportion of various branch types and fruit yield. The proportion of medium-sized branches and fruit yield were the highest in treatment gravel mulch, while the fruit yield was the lowest in treatment grass cover. Factor analysis indicated that among the test surface mulching patterns, gravel mulch was most suitable for the apple orchards in gully region of Loess Plateau.

Optimized Extraction of Resveratrol from Arachis repens Handro by Ultrasound and Microwave: A Correlation Study with the Antioxidant Properties and Phenol Contents

PubMed Central

Garcia, Leonardo; Garcia, Renata; Sutili, Felipe; Souza, Rodrigo De

2016-01-01

The vegetal species Arachis repens, commonly known as peanut grass, was studied and, for the first time, we detected the presence of the bioactive compound trans-resveratrol (t-RSV). We compared the efficiency of three different methodologies (conventional maceration [CM], ultrasound-assisted extractions [UAE], and microwave-assisted extractions [MAE]) concerning total phenolics (TP) and resveratrol (t-RSV) content, followed by antioxidant activity (AA) evaluation. By CM, at 1 h, the highest RSV content (1.024 ± 0.036 mg/L) and, correspondingly, the highest DPPH capture (23.90 ± 0.04%) were found. The TP contents, at 1 h, presented the highest value (27.26 ± 0.26 mg/g GAE). By the UAE, the maximum yields of TP (357.18 mg/g GAE) and RSV (2.14 mg/L), as well as, the highest AA (70.95%), were obtained by 5 min after a maceration pretreatment, on the solid-solvent ratio 1 : 40 w/v. For MAE, a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied followed by the FFD design in order to evaluate the statistical effects of four independent variables on the extraction of RSV. The optimal conditions established for obtaining the highest recovery (2.516 mg/g) were 20 min; 90% MeOH aq.; 120 rpm; 60°C; and solid-solvent ratio: 1 : 35 w/v. Relevant correlations were established considering the TP and RSV contents, as well as the AA, corroborating obvious advantages of such techniques in terms of high extraction efficiency in shorter times. PMID:28116343

Optimized Extraction of Resveratrol from Arachis repens Handro by Ultrasound and Microwave: A Correlation Study with the Antioxidant Properties and Phenol Contents.

PubMed

Garcia, Leonardo; Garcia, Renata; Pacheco, Georgia; Sutili, Felipe; Souza, Rodrigo De; Mansur, Elisabeth; Leal, Ivana

2016-01-01

The vegetal species Arachis repens , commonly known as peanut grass, was studied and, for the first time, we detected the presence of the bioactive compound trans- resveratrol ( t -RSV). We compared the efficiency of three different methodologies (conventional maceration [CM], ultrasound-assisted extractions [UAE], and microwave-assisted extractions [MAE]) concerning total phenolics (TP) and resveratrol ( t -RSV) content, followed by antioxidant activity (AA) evaluation. By CM, at 1 h, the highest RSV content (1.024 ± 0.036 mg/L) and, correspondingly, the highest DPPH capture (23.90 ± 0.04%) were found. The TP contents, at 1 h, presented the highest value (27.26 ± 0.26 mg/g GAE). By the UAE, the maximum yields of TP (357.18 mg/g GAE) and RSV (2.14 mg/L), as well as, the highest AA (70.95%), were obtained by 5 min after a maceration pretreatment, on the solid-solvent ratio 1 : 40 w/v. For MAE, a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied followed by the FFD design in order to evaluate the statistical effects of four independent variables on the extraction of RSV. The optimal conditions established for obtaining the highest recovery (2.516 mg/g) were 20 min; 90% MeOH aq.; 120 rpm; 60°C; and solid-solvent ratio: 1 : 35 w/v. Relevant correlations were established considering the TP and RSV contents, as well as the AA, corroborating obvious advantages of such techniques in terms of high extraction efficiency in shorter times.

Collaboration of liquid bio-ameliorant and compost effect to crop yield and decreasing of inorganic fertilizer utilization for sustainable agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasyid, B.

2018-05-01

Soil quality and plant productivity are main issue in agriculture production. The purpose of this research was to obtain sustainable crop management in effort to improve soil quality and increase maize production through collaboration of liquid bio-ameliorant and compost. Field experiment was carried out in two planting season with factorial experimental design replicated three times in 2m x 2m plots. Duncan multiple range test was used to analysis the effect of treatment on all parameters evaluated. The first planting season, treatments were arranged in three factors as: (1) planting space with two spaces, (2) three concentration of liquid bio-ameliorant, and (3) three level of urea fertilizer. The second planting season, treatments were arranged in two factors as: (1) liquid bio-ameliorant (LBA) with four concentrations and (2) compost with four levels. In the first season, result showed in soil quality parameters such as microbial density and soil chemical properties increased approximately 28%. The highest yield of 9.00 ton ha-1 was found in application 300 ml l-1 LBA + urea 240 kg ha-1. In the second season, collaboration treatment of 250 ml l-1 LBA + 10 ton ha-1 compost had the highest yield by 10.47 ton ha-1. This study confirmed that collaboration of liquid bio-ameliorant and compost could be used as fertilizer complement and reducing inorganic fertilizer utilization to sustain crop production and soil quality.

Pacific halibut bycatch in Pacific cod fisheries in the Bering Sea: an analysis to evaluate area-time management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adlerstein, Sara A.; Trumble, Robert J.

1998-03-01

Mortality of discarded Pacific halibut bycatch from Pacific cod fisheries in the Bering Sea leads to significant losses in the halibut setline and in the Pacific cod fisheries. The commercial halibut fishery loses yield because of catch limit reductions to compensate the resource for lost spawning potential and because halibut killed as bycatch will not be available for subsequent harvest, and the cod fisheries may lose harvest if they reach a bycatch mortality limit before reaching allowed catch. In this study, significant differences in Pacific halibut bycatch rates and associated yield losses were found among months and areas of the Bering Sea in the longline and trawl fisheries for Pacific cod in 1990-1992. Bycatch rates were usually highest in late spring and early summer and in areas close to the Unimak Pass. With the exception of 1992, yield loss in the longline fishery was around 1 kg per kg of bycatch mortality, irrespective of where or when bycatch occurred. In the trawl fishery, loss of halibut yield varied from 1 to 4 kg per kg of bycatch mortality. Highest halibut net yield losses per tonne of groundfish harvest usually coincided with highest bycatch rates. When both fisheries operated in one area, trawl bycatch often imposed higher yield losses than longline bycatch, despite lower bycatch rates. Bycatch was affected by the strong 1987 halibut year class. Highest bycatch and yield loss rates occurred in the trawl fishery in 1990 and 1991 when the population was dominated by halibut age-3 and -4, and in the longline fishery in 1992 as fish reached age-5.

Population dynamics of plant nematodes in cultivated soil: length of rotation in newly cleared and old agricultural land.

PubMed

Good, J M; Murphy, W S; Brodie, B B

1973-04-01

During a 6-year study of 1-, 2-, and 3-year crop rotations, population densities of Pratylenchus brachyurus, Trichodorus christiei, and Meloidogyne incognita were significantly affected by the choice of crops but not by length of crop rotation. The density of P. brachyurus and T. christiei increased rapidly on milo (Sorghum vulgate). In addition, populations of P. brachyurus increased significantly in cropping systems that involved crotalaria (C. rnucronata), millet (Setaria italica), and sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense). Lowest numbers of P. brachyurus occurred where okra (Hibiscus esculentus) was grown or where land was fallow. The largest increase in populations of T. christiei occurred in cropping systems that involved millet, sudangrass, and okra whereas the smallest increase occurred in cropping systems that involved crotalaria or fallow. A winter cover of rye (Secale cereale) had no distinguishable effect on population densities of P. brachyurus or T. christiei. Meloidogyne incognita was detected during the fourth year in both newly cleared and old agricultural land when okra was included in the cropping system. Detectable populations of M. incognita did not develop in any of the other cropping systems. Yields of tomato transplants were higher on the newly cleared land than on the old land. Highest yields were obtained when crotalaria was included in the cropping system. Lowest yields were obtained when milo, or fallow were included in the cropping system. Length of rotation had no distinguishable effect on yields of tomato transplants.

Synthesis of renewable high-density fuel with isophorone.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Liu, Yanting; Li, Ning; Li, Guangyi; Wang, Wentao; Wang, Aiqin; Wang, Xiaodong; Zhang, Tao

2017-07-21

1,1,3-Trimethyl-5-(2,4,4-trimethylcyclohexyl)cyclohexane, a renewable high density fuel, was first produced in a high overall carbon yield (~70%) with isophorone which can be derived from hemicellulose. The synthetic route used this work contains three steps. In the first step, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone was synthesized by the selective hydrogenation of isophorone. Among the investigated catalysts, the Pd/C exhibited the highest activity and selectivity. Over this catalyst, a high carbon yield (99.0%) of 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone was achieved under mild conditions (298 K, 2 MPa H 2 , 1 h). In the second step, 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexylidene)cyclohexanone was produced in a high carbon yield (76.4%) by the NaOH catalyzed self-aldol condensation of 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone which was carried out in a round bottom flask attached to the Dean-Stark apparatus. In the third step, the 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-(3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexylidene)cyclohexanone was hydrodeoxygenated under solvent-free conditions. High carbon yield (93.4%) of 1,1,3-trimethyl-5-(2,4,4-trimethylcyclohexyl)cyclohexane was obtained over the Ni/SiO 2 catalyst. The 1,1,3-trimethyl-5-(2,4,4-trimethylcyclohexyl)cyclohexane as obtained has a density of 0.858 g mL -1 and a freezing point of 222.2 K. As a potential application, it can be blended into conventional fuels (such as RP-1, RG-1, etc.) for rocket propulsion.

Strain improvement of Lactobacillus lactis for D-lactic acid production.

PubMed

Joshi, D S; Singhvi, M S; Khire, J M; Gokhale, D V

2010-04-01

Three mutants, isolated by repeated UV mutagenesis of Lactobacillus lactis NCIM 2368, produced increased D: -lactic acid concentrations. These mutants were compared with the wild type using 100 g hydrolyzed cane sugar/l in the fermentation medium. One mutant, RM2-24, produced 81 g lactic acid/l which was over three times that of the wild type. The highest D: -lactic acid (110 g/l) in batch fermentation was obtained with 150 g cane sugar/l with a 73% lactic acid yield. The mutant utilizes cellobiose efficiently, converting it into D-lactic acid suggesting the presence of cellobiase. Thus, this strain could be used to obtain D-lactic acid from cellulosic materials that are pre-hydrolyzed with cellulase.

The effect of organic loading rate and retention time on hydrogen production from a methanogenic CSTR.

PubMed

Pakarinen, O; Kaparaju, P; Rintala, J

2011-10-01

The possibility of shifting a methanogenic process for hydrogen production by changing the process parameters viz., organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) was evaluated. At first, two parallel semi-continuously fed continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) were operated as methanogenic reactors (M1 and M2) for 78 days. Results showed that a methane yield of 198-218 L/kg volatile solids fed (VS(fed)) was obtained when fed with grass silage at an OLR of 2 kgVS/m³/d and HRT of 30 days. After 78 days of operation, hydrogen production was induced in M2 by increasing the OLR from 2 to 10 kgVS/m³/d and shortening the HRT from 30 to 6 days. The highest H₂ yield of 42 L/kgVS(fed) was obtained with a maximum H₂ content of 24%. The present results thus demonstrate that methanogenic process can be shifted towards hydrogen production by increasing the OLR and decreasing HRT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioconversion of shrimp waste Penaeus merguiensis using lactic acid fermentation: An alternative procedure for chemical extraction of chitin and chitosan.

PubMed

Sedaghat, Fatemeh; Yousefzadi, Morteza; Toiserkani, Hojjat; Najafipour, Sohrab

2017-11-01

Chitin extraction from shrimp wastes by biological treatment, using the Pseudomonas aeruginosa was a positive and simple method. In order to look for the optimal conditions, the wastes were incubated at 30°C and 100rpm in different glucose (0%, 10%, 15% and 20%) and inoculation (10%, 15% and 20%) concentrations for 4 and 6days. At the end of fermentation, Protease activity was investigated at different temperatures and temperature 50°C was considered as the optimum. The results obtained also showed a direct relationship between the concentration of different parameters and deproteinization and demineralization rates, so that the optimal conditions were 20% glucose, 20% inoculation and 6days fermentation. These conditions led to 82% demineralization, 92% deproteinization and chitin yield of 47%. Then, chitin was converted to chitosan using microwave, autoclave and traditional methods. The highest yield (87%) was obtained with autoclave method. At the end, the chitin and chitosan were characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of DNA extraction methods for the analysis of microbial community in biological activated carbon.

PubMed

Zheng, Lu; Gao, Naiyun; Deng, Yang

2012-01-01

It is difficult to isolate DNA from biological activated carbon (BAC) samples used in water treatment plants, owing to the scarcity of microorganisms in BAC samples. The aim of this study was to identify DNA extraction methods suitable for a long-term, comprehensive ecological analysis of BAC microbial communities. To identify a procedure that can produce high molecular weight DNA, maximizes detectable diversity and is relatively free from contaminants, the microwave extraction method, the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) extraction method, a commercial DNA extraction kit, and the ultrasonic extraction method were used for the extraction of DNA from BAC samples. Spectrophotometry, agarose gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) analysis were conducted to compare the yield and quality of DNA obtained using these methods. The results showed that the CTAB method produce the highest yield and genetic diversity of DNA from BAC samples, but DNA purity was slightly less than that obtained with the DNA extraction-kit method. This study provides a theoretical basis for establishing and selecting DNA extraction methods for BAC samples.

Organic loading rate impact on biohydrogen production and microbial communities at anaerobic fluidized thermophilic bed reactors treating sugarcane stillage.

PubMed

Santos, Samantha Christine; Rosa, Paula Rúbia Ferreira; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko; Varesche, Maria Bernadete Amâncio; Silva, Edson Luiz

2014-05-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high organic loading rates (OLR) (60.0-480.00 kg COD m(-3)d(-1)) on biohydrogen production at 55°C, from sugarcane stillage for 15,000 and 20,000 mg CODL(-1), in two anaerobic fluidized bed reactors (AFBR1 and AFBR2). It was obtained, for H2 yield and content, a decreasing trend by increasing the OLR. The maximum H2 yield was observed in AFBR1 (2.23 mmol g COD added(-1)). The volumetric H2 production was proportionally related to the applied hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6, 4, 2 and 1h and verified in AFBR1 the highest value (1.49 L H2 h(-1)L(-1)). Among the organic acids obtained, there was a predominance of lactic acid (7.5-22.5%) and butyric acid (9.4-23.8%). The microbial population was set with hydrogen-producing fermenters (Megasphaera sp.) and other organisms (Lactobacillus sp.). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct multitrait selection realizes the highest genetic response for ratio traits.

PubMed

Zetouni, L; Henryon, M; Kargo, M; Lassen, J

2017-05-01

For a number of traits the phenotype considered to be the goal trait is a combination of 2 or more traits, like methane (CH) emission (CH/kg of milk). Direct selection on CH4 emission defined as a ratio is problematic, because it is uncertain whether the improvement comes from an improvement in milk yield, a decrease in CH emission or both. The goal was to test different strategies on selecting for 2 antagonistic traits- improving milk yield while decreasing methane emissions. The hypothesis was that to maximize genetic gain for a ratio trait, the best approach is to select directly for the component traits rather than using a ratio trait or a trait where 1 trait is corrected for the other as the selection criteria. Stochastic simulation was used to mimic a dairy cattle population. Three scenarios were tested, which differed in selection criteria but all selecting for increased milk yield: 1) selection based on a multitrait approach using the correlation structure between the 2 traits, 2) the ratio of methane to milk and 3) gross methane phenotypically corrected for milk. Four correlation sets were tested in all scenarios, to access robustness of the results. An average genetic gain of 66 kg of milk per yr was obtained in all scenarios, but scenario 1 had the best response for decreased methane emissions, with a genetic gain of 24.8 l/yr, while scenarios 2 and 3 had genetic gains of 27.1 and 27.3 kg/yr. The results found were persistent across correlation sets. These results confirm the hypothesis that to obtain the highest genetic gain a multitrait selection is a better approach than selecting for the ratio directly. The results are exemplified for a methane and milk scenario but can be generalized to other situations where combined traits need to be improved.

Absorption of CO2 from modified flue gases of power generation Tarahan chemically using NaOH and Na2CO3 and biologically using microalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purba, Elida; Agustina, Dewi; Putri Pertama, Finka; Senja, Fita

2018-03-01

This research was carried out on the absorption of CO2 from the modified flue gases of power generation Tarahan using NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate). The operation was conducted in a packed column absorber and then the output gases from the packed column was fed into photo-bioreactor for biological absorption. In the photo-bioreactor, two species of microalgae, N. occulata and T. chuii, were cultivated to both absorb CO2 gas and to produce biomass for algal oil. The aims of this research were, first, to determine the effect of absorbent flow rate on the reduction of CO2 and on the decrease of output gas temperature, second, to determine the characteristics of methyl ester obtained from biological absorption process. Flow rates of the absorbent were varied as 1, 2, and 3 l/min. The concentrations of NaOH and Na2CO3 were 1 M at a constant gas flow rate of 6 l/min. The output concentrations of CO2 from the absorber was analyzed using Gas Chromatography 2014-AT SHIMADZU Corp 08128. The results show that both of the absorbents give different trends. From the absorption using NaOH, it can be concluded that the higher the flow rate, the higher the absorption rate obtained. The highest flow rate achieved maximum absorption of 100%. On the other hand, absorption with Na2CO3 revealed the opposite trend where the higher the flow rates the lower the absorption rate. The highest absorption using Na2CO3 was obtained with the lowest flow rate, 1 l/min, that was 45,5%. As the effect of flow rate on output gas temperature, the temperature decreased with increasing flow rates for both absorbents. The output gas temperature for NaOH and Na2CO3 were consecutively 35 °C and 31 °C with inlet gas temperature of 50°C. Absorption of CO2 biologically resulted a reduction of CO2 up to 60% from the input gas concentration. Algal oil was extracted with mixed hexane and chloroform to obtain algal oil. Extracted oil was transesterified to methyl ester using sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. The results of in-situ transesterification method cannot be identified. Both microalgae achieved maximum yield at 2% catalyst concentration. Nannochloropsis occulata achieved the highest yield of algal oil that is 88.5%. The highest content of methyl ester from Nannochloropsis occulata was undecanoic acid methyl ester by 55.42% and the result from Tetraselmis chuii was palmitic acid methyl ester by 81.58%.

Heterosis and correlation in interspecific and intraspecific hybrids of cotton.

PubMed

Munir, S; Hussain, S B; Manzoor, H; Quereshi, M K; Zubair, M; Nouman, W; Shehzad, A N; Rasul, S; Manzoor, S A

2016-06-24

Interspecific and intraspecific hybrids show varying degrees of heterosis for yield and yield components. Yield-component traits have complex genetic relationships with each other. To determine the relationship of yield-component traits and fiber traits with seed cotton yield, six lines (Bt. CIM-599, CIM-573, MNH-786, CIM-554, BH-167, and GIZA-7) and three test lines (MNH-886, V4, and CIM-557) were crossed in a line x tester mating design. Heterosis was observed for seed cotton yield, fiber traits, and for other yield-component traits. Heterosis in interspecific hybrids for seed cotton yield was more prominent than in intraspecific hybrids. The interspecific hybrid Giza-7 x MNH-886 had the highest heterosis (114.77), while among intraspecific hybrids, CIM-554 x CIM-557 had the highest heterosis (61.29) for seed cotton yield. A major trait contributing to seed cotton yield was bolls/plant followed by boll weight. Correlation studies revealed that bolls/plant, boll weight, lint weight/boll, lint index, seed index, lint/seed, staple length, and staple strength were significantly and positively associated with seed cotton yield. Selection based on boll weight, boll number, lint weight/boll, and lint index will be helpful for improving cotton seed yield.

Water resources of Monroe County, New York, water years 2003-08: Streamflow, constituent loads, and trends in water quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayhurst, Brett A.; Coon, William F.; Eckhardt, David A.V.

2010-01-01

This report, the sixth in a series published since 1994, presents analyses of hydrologic data in Monroe County for the period October 2002 through September 2008. Streamflows and water quality were monitored at nine sites by the Monroe County Department of Health and the U.S. Geological Survey. Streamflow yields (flow per unit area) were highest in Northrup Creek, which had sustained flows from year-round inflow from the village of Spencerport wastewater-treatment plant and seasonal releases from the New York State Erie (Barge) Canal. Genesee River streamflow yields also were high, at least in part, as a result of higher rainfall and lower evapotranspiration rates in the upper part of the Genesee River Basin than in the other study basins. The lowest streamflow yields were measured in Honeoye Creek, which reflected a decrease in flows due to the withdrawals from Hemlock and Canadice Lakes for the city of Rochester water supply. Water samples collected at nine monitoring sites were analyzed for nutrients, chloride, sulfate, and total suspended solids. The loads of constituents, which were computed from the concentration data and the daily flows recorded at each of the monitoring sites, are estimates of the mass of the constituents that was transported in the streamflow. Annual yields (loads per unit area) also were computed to assess differences in constituent transport among the study basins. All urban sites - Allen Creek and the two downstream sites on Irondequoit Creek - had seasonally high concentrations and annual yields of chloride. Chloride loads are attributed to the application of road-deicing salts to the county's roadways and are related to population and road densities. The less-urbanized sites in the study - Genesee River, Honeoye Creek, and Oatka Creek - had relatively low concentrations and yields of chloride. The highest concentrations and yields of sulfate were measured in Black Creek, Oatka Creek, and Irondequoit Creek at Railroad Mills and are attributable to dissolution of sulfate from gypsum (calcium sulfate) deposits in Silurian shale bedrock that crops out upstream from these monitoring sites. Northrup Creek had the highest concentrations of phosphorus, orthophosphate, and nitrogen, and high yields of nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen and ammonia plus organic nitrogen. These results are attributed to discharges from the Spencerport wastewater-treatment plant (which ceased operation in June 2008), diversions from the New York State Erie (Barge) Canal, and manure and fertilizers applied to agricultural fields. Concentrations and yields of nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen also were high in Oatka Creek and Black Creek; basins with substantial agricultural land uses. Allen Creek had the second highest yield of ammonia plus organic nitrogen. Honeoye Creek, which drains a relatively undeveloped basin, had the lowest yields of nitrogen constituents. The second highest median concentrations and highest sample concentrations of phosphorus and orthophosphate, as well as the highest phosphorus yields, were measured in the Genesee River. A comparison of the yields computed for the two downstream sites on Irondequoit Creek - above Blossom Road and at Empire Boulevard - permitted an assessment of the mitigative effects of the Ellison Park wetland on constituent loads, which would otherwise be transported to Irondequoit Bay. These effects also include those provided by a flow-control structure (installed mid-way through the wetland during February 1997), which was designed to increase the dispersal and short-term detention of stormflows in the wetland. The wetland decreased yields of particulate constituents - phosphorus and ammonia plus organic nitrogen - but had little effect on the yields of dissolved constituents - chloride, sulfate, and nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen. Trends in flow-adjusted concentrations were identified at all sites for most of the nutrient constituents that were evaluated. All of the linear time tren

Fertilized eggs obtained from transplantation of frozen ovaries and parthenogenesis in combination with artificial insemination of frozen semen of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Mochida, Yuji; Takemura, Yoko; Kanda, Toshio; Horie, Yasuhiro

2003-04-01

A reliable method is reported for the long-term preservation of ovaries and spermatozoa of the silkworm (Bombyx mori). Three studies are presented. In the first, ovaries were removed from larvae at either 3rd, 4th, or 5th instar, cryopreserved, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Thawed ovaries were transplanted to surgically castrated female larvae at the same or a different developmental stage. The highest percentage of recipient females producing eggs resulted into either 3rd or 4th instar larvae (respectively, 22.1 and 8.7%). Similarly, the highest levels of other measurements of successful cryopreservation and transplanted ovary, and number of eggs laid, occurred with the same combination of donor and recipient developmental stages. Other combinations of ovary/recipient developmental stages yielded lower results. In the second experiment, semen was collected from male moths, cryopreserved, and then thawed semen was diluted with trypsin solution and artificially inseminated into females obtained from the best conditions of first experiment. A small percentage of inseminated moths laid eggs (8-10.3%) compared to that of controls (100%). In addition, the fertility of eggs from experimental moths was lower than that of control females (respectively, 40.3-88% and 97.5%). In the third experiment, eggs were surgically removed from ovarian tubules of moth following transplantation of thawed ovaries and subjected to parthenogenetic activation and artificial hatching. As expected, all resulting moths were female and, following natural mating or artificial insemination with thawed semen, yielded normal offspring at high rates.

Effectiveness of Reducing P Fertilizer and Adding Fish Pond Mud Waste on Growth and Yield of Soybean in Peatland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asie, Erina Riak; Rumbang, Nyahu; Winarti, Sih; Sinaga, Soaloon

2018-02-01

The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of P fertilizer reduction and the addition of fish pond sludge waste on the growth and yield of soybean crop in peatland. Research used Complete Randomized Design factorial with two factors. The first factor was the reduction of P fertilizer from the dose of 150 kg.ha-1 consisting of 4 levels, namely P0: 100% (2.944 g/polybag), P1: 75% (2.208 g/polybag), P2: 50% (1.472 g/polybag), and P3: 25% (0.736 g/polybag). The second factor was the addition of fish pond mud waste (L) from the dose of 15 ton.ha-1 consisting of 4 levels, namely L0: 25% (73.595 g/polybag), L1: 50% (147.19 g/polybag), L2: 75% (220.78 g/polybag), and L3: 100% (294.38 g/polybag). Each treatment combination was replicated 3 times to obtain 48 experimental units. The results showed that (1) fish pond mud waste was effective to reduce the use of P fertilizer, (2) the reduction of P fertilizer up to 50% from recommendation dosage by addition of fish pond sludge waste at 75% dose of 15 ton/ha was the best combination due to providing the best plant growth and the highest P concentration of plant tissue. The highest number of pods and weight of seed obtained in the combination were 60.33 pods/plant and 7.30 g/plant, respectively.

Palm-based medium-and-long-chain triacylglycerol (P-MLCT): production via enzymatic interesterification and optimization using response surface methodology (RSM).

PubMed

Lee, Yee-Ying; Tang, Teck-Kim; Phuah, Eng-Tong; Karim, Nur Azwani Ab; Alwi, Siti Maslina Mohd; Lai, Oi-Ming

2015-02-01

Structured lipid such as medium-and long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT) is claimed to be able to suppress body fat accumulation and be used to manage obesity. Response surface methodology (RSM) with four factors and three levels (+1,0,-1) faced centered composite design (FCCD) was employed for optimization of the enzymatic interesterification conditions of palm-based MLCT (P-MLCT) production. The effect of the four variables namely: substrate ratio palm kernel oil: palm oil, PKO:PO (40:60-100:0 w/w), temperature (50-70 °C), reaction time (0.5-7.5 h) and enzyme load (5-15 % w/w) on the P-MLCT yield (%) and by products (%) produced were investigated. The responses were determined via acylglycerol composition obtained from high performance liquid chromatography. Well-fitted models were successfully established for both responses: P-MLCT yield (R (2) = 0.9979) and by-products (R (2) = 0.9892). The P-MLCT yield was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by substrate ratio, reaction time and reaction temperature but not enzyme load (P > 0.05). Substrate ratio PKO: PO (100:0 w/w) gave the highest yield of P-MLCT (61 %). Nonetheless, substrate ratio of PKO: PO (90:10w/w) was chosen to improve the fatty acid composition of the P-MLCT. The optimized conditions for substrate ratio PKO: PO (90:10 w/w) was 7.26 h, 50 °C and 5 % (w/w) Lipozyme TLIM lipase, which managed to give 60 % yields of P-MLCT. Up scaled results in stirred tank batch reactor gave similar yields as lab scale. A 20 % increase in P-MLCT yield was obtained via RSM. The effect of enzymatic interesterification on the physicochemical properties of PKO:PO (90:10 w/w) were also studied. Thermoprofile showed that the P-MLCT oil melted below body temperature of 37 °C.

Comparison of supercritical fluid extraction and ultrasound-assisted extraction of fatty acids from quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) seed using response surface methodology and central composite design.

PubMed

Daneshvand, Behnaz; Ara, Katayoun Mahdavi; Raofie, Farhad

2012-08-24

Fatty acids of Cydonia oblonga Miller cultivated in Iran were obtained by supercritical (carbon dioxide) extraction and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. The oils were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography using mass spectrometric detections. The compounds were identified according to their retention indices and mass spectra (EI, 70eV). The experimental parameters of SFE such as pressure, temperature, modifier volume, static and dynamic extraction time were optimized using a Central Composite Design (CCD) after a 2(5) factorial design. Pressure and dynamic extraction time had significant effect on the extraction yield, while the other factors (temperature, static extraction time and modifier volume) were not identified as significant factors under the selected conditions. The results of chemometrics analysis showed the highest yield for SFE (24.32%), which was obtained at a pressure of 353bar, temperature of 35°C, modifier (methanol) volume of 150μL, and static and dynamic extraction times of 10 and 60min, respectively. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of Fatty acids from C. oblonga Miller was optimized, using a rotatable central composite design. The optimum conditions were as follows: solvent (n-hexane) volume, 22mL; extraction time, 30min; and extraction temperature, 55°C. This resulted in a maximum oil recovery of 19.5%. The extracts with higher yield from both methods were subjected to transesterification and GC-MS analysis. The results show that the oil obtained by SFE with the optimal operating conditions allowed a fatty acid composition similar to the oil obtained by UAE in optimum condition and no significant differences were found. The major components of oil extract were Linoleic, Palmitic, Oleic, Stearic and Eicosanoic acids. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. [Moench]) on several population density for bioethanol production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwarti; Efendi, R.; Massinai, R.; Pabendon, M. B.

2018-03-01

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. [Moench]) crop management that is use for raw source of bioethanol for industrial purpose in Indonesia is less developed. The aim of this research was to evaluated sweet sorghum variety at several population to determine optimum density for juice production. Experiment design was set on split-plot design with three replications, conducted on August to December 2016 at the Indonesian Cereals Research Institute Research Station, Maros South Sulawesi. Main plot were six variation of plant row, and sub plot were three sweet sorghum varieties. Result of the study showed that plant population was high significanty affect to stalk weight, total biomass yield, leaf weight, and also significantly affect bagass weight and juice volume. Varieties were high significantly different in plant height, juice volume, and number of nodes. Super 1 variety on population at 166,667 plants/ha (P1) was obtained the highest juice volume (19,445 lHa-1), meanwhile the highest brix value obtained from Numbu at the same plants population. Furthermore juice volume had significant correlation with biomass weight at the r=0.73. Based on ethanol production, Super 2 and Numbu had the highest volume at 83.333 plants/ha density (P3) and Super 1 at 166.667 plants/ha density with the ethanol volume were 827.68 l Ha-1, 1116.50 l/ha and 993.62 l Ha-1 respectively.

Pressurized liquid extraction of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) with bioethanol: an efficient and sustainable approach.

PubMed

Hu, Jiajin; Guo, Zheng; Glasius, Marianne; Kristensen, Kasper; Xiao, Langtao; Xu, Xuebing

2011-08-26

To develop an efficient green extraction approach for recovery of bioactive compounds from natural plants, we examined the potential of pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) with bioethanol/water as solvents. The advantages of PLE over other extraction approaches, in addition to reduced time/solvent cost, the extract of PLE showed a distinct constituent profile from that of Soxhlet extraction, with significantly improved recovery of diarylheptanoids, etc. Among the pure solvents tested for PLE, bioethanol yield the highest efficiency for recovering most constituents of gingerol-related compounds; while for a broad concentration spectrum of ethanol aqueous solutions, 70% ethanol gave the best performance in terms of yield of total extract, complete constituent profile and recovery of most gingerol-related components. PLE with 70% bioethanol operated at 1500 psi and 100 °C for 20 min (static extraction time: 5 min) is recommended as optimized extraction conditions, achieving 106.8%, 109.3% and 108.0% yield of [6]-, [8]- and [10]-gingerol relative to the yield of corresponding constituent obtained by 8h Soxhlet extraction (absolute ethanol as extraction solvent). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of supercritical fluid and Soxhlet extractions for the quantification of hydrocarbons from Euphorbia macroclada.

PubMed

Ozcan, Adnan; Ozcan, Asiye Safa

2004-10-08

This study compares conventional Soxhlet extraction and analytical scale supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for their yields in extracting of hydrocarbons from arid-land plant Euphorbia macroclada. The plant material was firstly sequentially extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide, modified with 10% methanol (v/v) in the optimum conditions that is a pressure of 400atm and a temperature of 50 degrees C and then it was sonicated in methylene chloride for an additional 4h. E. macroclada was secondly extracted by using a Soxhlet apparatus at 30 degrees C for 8h in methylene chloride. The validated SFE was then compared to the extraction yield of E. macroclada with a Soxhlet extraction by using the Student's t-test at the 95% confidence level. All of extracts were fractionated with silica-gel in a glass column to get better hydrocarbon yields. Thus, the highest hydrocarbons yield from E. macroclada was achieved with SFE (5.8%) when it compared with Soxhlet extractions (1.1%). Gas chromatography (GC) analysis was performed to determine the quantitative hydrocarbons from plant material. The greatest quantitative hydrocarbon recovery from GC was obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extract (0.6mgg(-1)).

Biohydrogen and methane production by co-digestion of cassava stillage and excess sludge under thermophilic condition.

PubMed

Wang, Wen; Xie, Li; Chen, Jinrong; Luo, Gang; Zhou, Qi

2011-02-01

Thermophilic anaerobic hydrogen and methane production by co-digestion of cassava stillage (CS) and excess sludge (ES) was investigated in this study. The improved hydrogen and subsequent methane production were observed by co-digestion of CS with certain amount of ES in batch experiments. Compared with one phase anaerobic digestion, two phase anaerobic digestion offered an attractive alternative with more abundant biogas production and energy yield, e.g., the total energy yield in two phase obtained at VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was 25% higher than the value of one phase. Results from continuous experiments further demonstrated that VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was optimal for hydrogen production with the highest hydrogen yield of 74 mL/gtotal VS added, the balanced nutrient condition with C/N ratio of 1.5 g carbohydrate-COD/gprotein-COD or 11.9 g C/gN might be the main reason for such enhancement. VS(CS)/VS(ES) of 3:1 was also optimal for continuous methane production considering the higher methane yield of 350 mL/gtotal VS added and the lower propionate concentration in the effluent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction and in-vitro antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from Hibiscus leaf.

PubMed

Afshari, Kasra; Samavati, Vahid; Shahidi, Seyed-Ahmad

2015-03-01

The effects of ultrasonic power, extraction time, extraction temperature, and the water-to-raw material ratio on extraction yield of crude polysaccharide from the leaf of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (HRLP) were optimized by statistical analysis using response surface methodology. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize HRLP extraction yield by implementing the Box-Behnken design (BBD). The experimental data obtained were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis and also analyzed by appropriate statistical methods (ANOVA). Analysis of the results showed that the linear and quadratic terms of these four variables had significant effects. The optimal conditions for the highest extraction yield of HRLP were: ultrasonic power, 93.59 W; extraction time, 25.71 min; extraction temperature, 93.18°C; and the water to raw material ratio, 24.3 mL/g. Under these conditions, the experimental yield was 9.66±0.18%, which is well in close agreement with the value predicted by the model 9.526%. The results demonstrated that HRLP had strong scavenging activities in vitro on DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extractive Fermentation of Sugarcane Juice to Produce High Yield and Productivity of Bioethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rofiqah, U.; Widjaja, T.; Altway, A.; Bramantyo, A.

2017-04-01

Ethanol production by batch fermentation requires a simple process and it is widely used. Batch fermentation produces ethanol with low yield and productivity due to the accumulation of ethanol in which poisons microorganisms in the fermenter. Extractive fermentation technique is applied to solve the microorganism inhibition problem by ethanol. Extractive fermentation technique can produce ethanol with high yield and productivity. In this process raffinate still, contains much sugar because conversion in the fermentation process is not perfect. Thus, to enhance ethanol yield and productivity, recycle system is applied by returning the raffinate from the extraction process to the fermentation process. This raffinate also contains ethanol which would inhibit the performance of microorganisms in producing ethanol during the fermentation process. Therefore, this study aims to find the optimum condition for the amount of solvent to broth ratio (S: B) and recycle to fresh feed ratio (R: F) which enter the fermenter to produce high yield and productivity. This research was carried out by experiment. In the experiment, sugarcane juice was fermented using Zymomonasmobilis mutant. The fermentation broth was extracted using amyl alcohol. The process was integrated with the recycle system by varying the recycle ratio. The highest yield and productivity is 22.3901% and 103.115 g / L.h respectively, obtained in a process that uses recycle to fresh feed ratio (R: F) of 50:50 and solvents to both ratio of 1.

Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity in Wheat-Mungbean-Rice Cropping System under Subtropical Climatic Conditions

PubMed Central

Islam, Md. Monirul; Hasanuzzaman, Mirza

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to know cropping cycles required to improve OM status in soil and to investigate the effects of medium-term tillage practices on soil properties and crop yields in Grey Terrace soil of Bangladesh under wheat-mungbean-T. aman cropping system. Four different tillage practices, namely, zero tillage (ZT), minimum tillage (MT), conventional tillage (CT), and deep tillage (DT), were studied in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with four replications. Tillage practices showed positive effects on soil properties and crop yields. After four cropping cycles, the highest OM accumulation, the maximum root mass density (0–15 cm soil depth), and the improved physical and chemical properties were recorded in the conservational tillage practices. Bulk and particle densities were decreased due to tillage practices, having the highest reduction of these properties and the highest increase of porosity and field capacity in zero tillage. The highest total N, P, K, and S in their available forms were recorded in zero tillage. All tillage practices showed similar yield after four years of cropping cycles. Therefore, we conclude that zero tillage with 20% residue retention was found to be suitable for soil health and achieving optimum yield under the cropping system in Grey Terrace soil (Aeric Albaquept). PMID:25197702

Red cabbage yield, heavy metal content, water use and soil chemical characteristics under wastewater irrigation.

PubMed

Tunc, Talip; Sahin, Ustun

2016-04-01

The objective of this 2-year field study was to evaluate the effects of drip irrigation with urban wastewaters reclaimed using primary (filtration) and secondary (filtration and aeration) processes on red cabbage growth and fresh yield, heavy metal content, water use and efficiency and soil chemical properties. Filtered wastewater (WW1), filtered and aerated wastewater (WW2), freshwater and filtered wastewater mix (1:1 by volume) (WW3) and freshwater (FW) were investigated as irrigation water treatments. Crop evapotranspiration decreased significantly, while water use efficiency increased under wastewater treatments compared to FW. WW1 treatment had the lowest value (474.2 mm), while FW treatments had the highest value (556.7 mm). The highest water use efficiency was found in the WW1 treatment as 8.41 kg m(-3), and there was a twofold increase with regard to the FW. Wastewater irrigation increased soil fertility and therefore red cabbage yield. WW2 treatment produced the highest total fresh yield (40.02 Mg ha(-1)). However, wastewater irrigation increased the heavy metal content in crops and soil. Cd content in red cabbage heads was above the safe limit, and WW1 treatment had the highest value (0.168 mg kg(-1)). WW3 treatment among wastewater treatments is less risky in terms of soil and crop heavy metal pollution and faecal coliform contamination. Therefore, WW3 wastewater irrigation for red cabbage could be recommended for higher yield and water efficiency with regard to freshwater irrigation.

A Diversified Recruitment Approach Incorporating Social Media Leads to Research Participation Among Young Adult-Aged Female Cancer Survivors.

PubMed

Gorman, Jessica R; Roberts, Samantha C; Dominick, Sally A; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Dietz, Andrew C; Su, H Irene

2014-06-01

Purpose: Cancer survivors in their adolescent and young adult (AYA) years are an understudied population, possibly in part because of the high effort required to recruit them into research studies. The aim of this paper is to describe the specific recruitment strategies used in four studies recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors and to identify the highest yielding approaches. We also discuss challenges and recommendations. Methods: We recruited AYA-aged female cancer survivors for two studies conducted locally and two conducted nationally. Recruitment strategies included outreach and referral via: healthcare providers and clinics; social media and the internet; community and word of mouth; and a national fertility information hotline. We calculated the yield of each recruitment approach for the local and national studies by comparing the number that participated to the number of potential participants. Results: We recruited a total of 534 participants into four research studies. Seventy-one percent were diagnosed as young adults and 61% were within 3 years of their cancer diagnosis. The highest-yielding local recruitment strategy was healthcare provider and clinic referral. Nationally, social media and internet outreach yielded the highest rate of participation. Overall, internet-based recruitment resulted in the highest number and yield of participants. Conclusion: Our results suggest that outreach through social media and the internet are effective approaches to recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors. Forging collaborative relationships with survivor advocacy groups' members and healthcare providers also proved beneficial.

A Diversified Recruitment Approach Incorporating Social Media Leads to Research Participation Among Young Adult-Aged Female Cancer Survivors

PubMed Central

Gorman, Jessica R.; Roberts, Samantha C.; Dominick, Sally A.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.; Dietz, Andrew C.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Cancer survivors in their adolescent and young adult (AYA) years are an understudied population, possibly in part because of the high effort required to recruit them into research studies. The aim of this paper is to describe the specific recruitment strategies used in four studies recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors and to identify the highest yielding approaches. We also discuss challenges and recommendations. Methods: We recruited AYA-aged female cancer survivors for two studies conducted locally and two conducted nationally. Recruitment strategies included outreach and referral via: healthcare providers and clinics; social media and the internet; community and word of mouth; and a national fertility information hotline. We calculated the yield of each recruitment approach for the local and national studies by comparing the number that participated to the number of potential participants. Results: We recruited a total of 534 participants into four research studies. Seventy-one percent were diagnosed as young adults and 61% were within 3 years of their cancer diagnosis. The highest-yielding local recruitment strategy was healthcare provider and clinic referral. Nationally, social media and internet outreach yielded the highest rate of participation. Overall, internet-based recruitment resulted in the highest number and yield of participants. Conclusion: Our results suggest that outreach through social media and the internet are effective approaches to recruiting AYA-aged female cancer survivors. Forging collaborative relationships with survivor advocacy groups' members and healthcare providers also proved beneficial. PMID:24940529

Interrelationships of somatic cell count, mastitis, and milk yield in a low somatic cell count herd.

PubMed

Deluyker, H A; Gay, J M; Weaver, L D

1993-11-01

In a high yielding low SCC herd, changes in milk yield associated with SCC and occurrence of clinical mastitis and differences in SCC with parity, clinical mastitis, and DIM were investigated. Milk yield data were obtained at every milking, and SCC was measured once every 48 h in 117 cows during the first 119 d postpartum. Effects of SCC and clinical mastitis on cumulative milk yield in the first 119 d postpartum were evaluated with least squares linear regression. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to detect changes in SCC. The SCC was highest at lactation onset, and cows with clinical mastitis had significantly higher SCC. During the 10 d prior to onset of clinical mastitis, SCC was higher in affected cows than in matched unaffected controls and surged just prior to diagnosis. During the 10-d period following a mastitis treatment, SCC differences between treated and control cows remained significant but became smaller with time and returned to the premastitis differences. Occurrence of clinical mastitis was associated with 5% milk yield loss. Cows with mean SCC > 245,000 cells/ml over the 119 d showed 6.2% yield loss compared with cows with SCC < or = 90,000 cells/ml. Cows with clinical mastitis had higher SCC prior to and following the end of treatment for mastitis than did controls. Clinical mastitis and SCC were associated with significant yield loss. Milk yield loss attributed to clinical mastitis was greater than that associated with elevated SCC (> 245,000 cells/ml) because a greater percentage of cows (26%) had clinical mastitis than elevated SCC (12.5%).

Phenotypic Stability of Zea mays Grain Yield and Its Attributing Traits under Drought Stress

PubMed Central

Ali, Fawad; Ahsan, Muhammad; Ali, Qurban; Kanwal, Naila

2017-01-01

Phenotypic stability under stress environment facilitate the fitness of genotype and opens new horizons to explore the cryptic genetic variation. Variation in tolerance to drought stress, a major grain yield constraint to global maize production, was identified, at the phenotypic and genotypic level. Here we found a prominent hybrid H9 that showed fitness over four growing seasons for grain yield under water stress conditions. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation of yield attributing traits over four seasons demonstrated that cobs per plant, 100 seed weight, number of grains rows per cob, total dry matter, cob diameter had positive association (r2 = 0.3–0.9) to grain yield. The perturbation was found for chlorophyll content as it showed moderate to strong association (P < 0.01) over four seasons, might be due to environment or genotype dependent. Highest heritability (95%) and genetic advance (79%) for grain yield was found in H9 over four consecutive crop growing seasons. Combined analysis over four seasons showed that studied variables together explained 85% of total variation in dependent structure (grain yield) obtained by Principal component analysis. This significant finding is the best example of phenotypic stability of grain yield in H9 and made it best fitted for grain yield under drought stress scenario. Detailed genetic analysis of H9 will help us to identify significant loci and alleles that made H9 the best fitted and it could serve as a potential source to generate novel transgressive levels of tolerance for drought stress in arid/semiarid regions. PMID:28878785

Phenotypic Stability of Zea mays Grain Yield and Its Attributing Traits under Drought Stress.

PubMed

Ali, Fawad; Ahsan, Muhammad; Ali, Qurban; Kanwal, Naila

2017-01-01

Phenotypic stability under stress environment facilitate the fitness of genotype and opens new horizons to explore the cryptic genetic variation. Variation in tolerance to drought stress, a major grain yield constraint to global maize production, was identified, at the phenotypic and genotypic level. Here we found a prominent hybrid H 9 that showed fitness over four growing seasons for grain yield under water stress conditions. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation of yield attributing traits over four seasons demonstrated that cobs per plant, 100 seed weight, number of grains rows per cob, total dry matter, cob diameter had positive association ( r 2 = 0.3-0.9) to grain yield. The perturbation was found for chlorophyll content as it showed moderate to strong association ( P < 0.01) over four seasons, might be due to environment or genotype dependent. Highest heritability (95%) and genetic advance (79%) for grain yield was found in H 9 over four consecutive crop growing seasons. Combined analysis over four seasons showed that studied variables together explained 85% of total variation in dependent structure (grain yield) obtained by Principal component analysis. This significant finding is the best example of phenotypic stability of grain yield in H 9 and made it best fitted for grain yield under drought stress scenario. Detailed genetic analysis of H 9 will help us to identify significant loci and alleles that made H 9 the best fitted and it could serve as a potential source to generate novel transgressive levels of tolerance for drought stress in arid/semiarid regions.

Use of advanced techniques for the extraction of phenolic compounds from Tunisian olive leaves: phenolic composition and cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Taamalli, Amani; Arráez-Román, David; Barrajón-Catalán, Enrique; Ruiz-Torres, Verónica; Pérez-Sánchez, Almudena; Herrero, Miguel; Ibañez, Elena; Micol, Vicente; Zarrouk, Mokhtar; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto

2012-06-01

A comparison among different advanced extraction techniques such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), together with traditional solid-liquid extraction, was performed to test their efficiency towards the extraction of phenolic compounds from leaves of six Tunisian olive varieties. Extractions were carried out at the best selected conditions for each technique; the obtained extracts were chemically characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) and electrospray ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-IT-MS(2)). As expected, higher extraction yields were obtained for PLE while phenolic profiles were mainly influenced by the solvent used as optimum in the different extraction methods. A larger number of phenolic compounds, mostly of a polar character, were found in the extracts obtained by using MAE. Best extraction yields do not correlate with highest cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells, indicating that cytotoxicity is highly dependent on the presence of certain compounds in the extracts, although not exclusively on a single compound. Therefore, a multifactorial behavior is proposed for the anticancer activity of olive leaf compounds. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-composting of palm oil mill sludge-sawdust.

PubMed

Yaser, Abu Zahrim; Abd Rahman, Rakmi; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid

2007-12-15

Composting of Palm Oil Mill Sludge (POMS) with sawdust was conducted in natural aerated reactor. Composting using natural aerated reactor is cheap and simple. The goal of this study is to observe the potential of composting process and utilizing compost as media for growing Cymbopogun citratus, one of Malaysia herbal plant. The highest maximum temperature achieved is about 40 degrees C and to increase temperature bed, more biodegradable substrate needs to be added. The pH value decrease along the process with final pH compost is acidic (pH 5.7). The highest maximum organic losses are about 50% with final C/N ratio of the compost is about 19. Final compost also showed some fertilizing value but need to be adjusted to obtain an ideal substrate. Addition of about 70% sandy soil causes highest yield and excellent root development for C. citratus in potted media. Beside that, compost from POMS-sawdust also found to have fertilizer value and easy to handle. Composting of POMS with sawdust shows potential as an alternative treatment to dispose and recycle waste components.

Characterization of protease from bacillus sp. on medium containing FeCl3 exposed to magnetic field 0.2 mt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumardi; Agustrina, Rochmah; Nugroho Ekowati, Christina; Selvie Pasaribu, Yovita

2018-03-01

This purpose of this research is to determine the character of the protease enzymes from Bacillus sp. on media content of FeCl3 exposed to 0.2 mT magnetic field. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. The result showed that protease enzyme without Fe resulted in the highest activity at pH 8, temperature. 30°C with the addition of activator Mn2+, and Vmax of 0.28 U/ml, and Km of 4.60 U/ml. The protease enzyme on media without magnetic field exposure and containing Fe yielded the highest activity at pH 8, temperature 30°C with the addition of activator Mn2+, and Vmax of 0.33 U/ml, and Km of 5.64 U/ml. The protease enzyme on medium with magnetic field exposure and use Fe as inductors have the highest activity at pH 9, the temperature of 55° C with the addition of activator Mn2+, and Vmax of 0.35 U/ml, and Km 10.04 U/ml.

Solvent optimization for anthocyanin extraction from Syzygium cumini L. Skeels using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Bratati; Mukhopadhyay, Kunal

2013-05-01

Anthocyanins are plant pigments that are potential candidates for use as natural food colourant. In this study, Syzygium cumini fruit skin has been used as anthocyanin source. All the six major types of anthocyanins were identified in the sample by ultra performance liquid chromatography studies, and the antioxidant activity was found to be 4.34 ± 0.26 Fe(2+)g(- 1) in the sample with highest anthocyanin content. Optimization of conditions for extracting high amounts of anthocyanin from the fruit peels was investigated by response surface methodology. The results suggested that highest anthocyanin yield (763.80 mg; 100 ml(- 1)), highest chroma and hue angle in the red colour range could be obtained when 20% ethanol was used in combination with 1% acetic acid. Methanol was replaced with ethanol for the extraction of pigments due to its less toxicity and being safe for human consumption. The optimized solvent can be used to extract anthocyanins from the S. cumini fruits and used as natural colourants in the food industries.

Characterization of Hanwoo Bovine By-products by Means of Yield, Physicochemical and Nutritional Compositions

PubMed Central

Moon, Sung Sil

2014-01-01

Though the edible bovine by-products are widely used for human consumption in most countries worldwide but the scientific information regarding the nutritional quality of these by-products is scarce. In the present study, the basic information regarding the yields, physicochemical and nutritional compositions of edible Hanwoo bovine by-products was studied. Our results showed that the yields, physicochemical and nutritional composition widely varied between the by-products examined. The highest pH values were found in rumen, reticulum, omasum and reproductive organ. Heart, liver, kidney and spleen had the lowest CIE L* values and highest CIE a* values. Liver had the highest vitamin A, B2 and niacin contents whereas the highest B1 and B5 contents were found in kidney. The highest Ca content was found in rumen, reticulum, omasum, head and leg while the highest Mn and Fe contents were found in rumen, omasum and spleen, respectively. Liver had the highest Cu content. Total essential amino acids (EAA)/amino acids (AA) ratios ranged between the by-products from 38.37% to 47.41%. Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) levels ranged between the by-products from 2.26% to 26.47%, and most by-products showed favorable PUFA/SFA ratios. It is concluded that most of by-products examined are good sources of essential nutrients and these data will be of great importance for promotion of consumption and utilization of beef by-products in future. PMID:26761281

Comparison of different liquid anaerobic digestion effluents as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of corn stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu Fuqing; Shi Jian; Lv Wen

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Compared methane production of solid AD inoculated with different effluents. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Food waste effluent (FWE) had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with FWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 4. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dairy waste effluent (DWE) was rich of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Solid AD inoculated with DWE produced the highest methane yield at F/E ratio of 2. - Abstract: Effluents from three liquid anaerobic digesters, fed with municipal sewage sludge, food waste, or dairy waste, were evaluated as inocula and nitrogen sources for solid-state batch anaerobic digestion of cornmore » stover in mesophilic reactors. Three feedstock-to-effluent (F/E) ratios (i.e., 2, 4, and 6) were tested for each effluent. At an F/E ratio of 2, the reactor inoculated by dairy waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 238.5 L/kgVS{sub feed}, while at an F/E ratio of 4, the reactor inoculated by food waste effluent achieved the highest methane yield of 199.6 L/kgVS{sub feed}. The microbial population and chemical composition of the three effluents were substantially different. Food waste effluent had the largest population of acetoclastic methanogens, while dairy waste effluent had the largest populations of cellulolytic and xylanolytic bacteria. Dairy waste also had the highest C/N ratio of 8.5 and the highest alkalinity of 19.3 g CaCO{sub 3}/kg. The performance of solid-state batch anaerobic digestion reactors was closely related to the microbial status in the liquid anaerobic digestion effluents.« less

Optimization of cell disruption methods for efficient recovery of bioactive metabolites via NMR of three freshwater microalgae (chlorophyta).

PubMed

Ma, Nyuk Ling; Teh, Kit Yinn; Lam, Su Shiung; Kaben, Anne Marie; Cha, Thye San

2015-08-01

This study demonstrates the use of NMR techniques coupled with chemometric analysis as a high throughput data mining method to identify and examine the efficiency of different disruption techniques tested on microalgae (Chlorella variabilis, Scenedesmus regularis and Ankistrodesmus gracilis). The yield and chemical diversity from the disruptions together with the effects of pre-oven and pre-freeze drying prior to disruption techniques were discussed. HCl extraction showed the highest recovery of oil compounds from the disrupted microalgae (up to 90%). In contrast, NMR analysis showed the highest intensity of bioactive metabolites obtained for homogenized extracts pre-treated with freeze-drying, indicating that homogenizing is a more favorable approach to recover bioactive substances from the disrupted microalgae. The results show the potential of NMR as a useful metabolic fingerprinting tool for assessing compound diversity in complex microalgae extracts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenolic and triterpenoid antioxidants from Origanum majorana L. herb and extracts obtained with different solvents.

PubMed

Vági, E; Rapavi, E; Hadolin, M; Vásárhelyiné Perédi, K; Balázs, A; Blázovics, A; Simándi, B

2005-01-12

Antioxidant properties of marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) herb and extracts obtained with ethanol, n-hexane, and supercritical CO2 extraction are presented. Individual antioxidants, ursolic acid, carnosic acid, and carnosol, were quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography. The effects of different parameters (temperature and pressure) of high-pressure extraction on the yield of carnosol were studied. Furthermore, two marjoram herbs from Hungary and Egypt were compared measuring hydrogen-donating abilities with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl by spectrophotometric and the total scavenger capacities by chemiluminometric methods from the aqueous extracts of the herbs. The antioxidant activities of the solvent extracts were performed using the Rancimat method. The Egyptian herb and its extracts possessed better antioxidant activities than Hungarian ones. Applying supercritical CO2 extraction, the highest value of carnosol was obtained at 400 bar and 60 degrees C.

A trial of production of the plant-derived high-value protein in a plant factory: photosynthetic photon fluxes affect the accumulation of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits.

PubMed

Kato, Kazuhisa; Maruyama, Shinichiro; Hirai, Tadayoshi; Hiwasa-Tanase, Kyoko; Mizoguchi, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Eiji; Ezura, Hiroshi

2011-08-01

One of the ultimate goals of plant science is to test a hypothesis obtained by basic science and to apply it to agriculture and industry. A plant factory is one of the ideal systems for this trial. Environmental factors affect both plant yield and the accumulation of recombinant proteins for industrial applications within transgenic plants. However, there have been few reports studying plant productivity for recombinant protein in closed cultivation systems called plant factories. To investigate the effects of photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) on tomato fruit yield and the accumulation of recombinant miraculin, a taste-modifying glycoprotein, in transgenic tomato fruits, plants were cultivated at various PPFs from 100 to 400 (µmol m(-2) s(-)1) in a plant factory. Miraculin production per unit of energy used was highest at PPF100, although miraculin production per unit area was highest at PPF300. The commercial productivity of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits largely depended on light conditions in the plant factory. Our trial will be useful to consider the trade-offs between the profits from production of high-value materials in plants and the costs of electricity.

Lactic acid fermentation from food waste with indigenous microbiota: Effects of pH, temperature and high OLR.

PubMed

Tang, Jialing; Wang, Xiaochang; Hu, Yisong; Zhang, Yongmei; Li, Yuyou

2016-06-01

The effects of pH, temperature and high organic loading rate (OLR) on lactic acid production from food waste without extra inoculum addition were investigated in this study. Using batch experiments, the results showed that although the hydrolysis rate increased with pH adjustment, the lactic acid concentration and productivity were highest at pH 6. High temperatures were suitable for solubilization but seriously restricted the acidification processes. The highest lactic acid yield (0.46g/g-TS) and productivity (278.1mg/Lh) were obtained at 37°C and pH 6. In addition, the lactic acid concentration gradually increased with the increase in OLR, and the semi-continuous reactor could be stably operated at an OLR of 18g-TS/Ld. However, system instability, low lactic acid yield and a decrease in VS removal were noticed at high OLRs (22g-TS/Ld). The concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the fermentation mixture were relatively low but slightly increased with OLR, and acetate was the predominant VFA component. Using high-throughput pyrosequencing, Lactobacillus from the raw food waste was found to selectively accumulate and become dominant in the semi-continuous reactor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plausibility assessment of a 2-state self-paced mental task-based BCI using the no-control performance analysis.

PubMed

Faradji, Farhad; Ward, Rabab K; Birch, Gary E

2009-06-15

The feasibility of having a self-paced brain-computer interface (BCI) based on mental tasks is investigated. The EEG signals of four subjects performing five mental tasks each are used in the design of a 2-state self-paced BCI. The output of the BCI should only be activated when the subject performs a specific mental task and should remain inactive otherwise. For each subject and each task, the feature coefficient and the classifier that yield the best performance are selected, using the autoregressive coefficients as the features. The classifier with a zero false positive rate and the highest true positive rate is selected as the best classifier. The classifiers tested include: linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, Mahalanobis discriminant analysis, support vector machine, and radial basis function neural network. The results show that: (1) some classifiers obtained the desired zero false positive rate; (2) the linear discriminant analysis classifier does not yield acceptable performance; (3) the quadratic discriminant analysis classifier outperforms the Mahalanobis discriminant analysis classifier and performs almost as well as the radial basis function neural network; and (4) the support vector machine classifier has the highest true positive rates but unfortunately has nonzero false positive rates in most cases.

Alternatives for the intermediate recovery of plasmid DNA: performance, economic viability and environmental impact.

PubMed

Freitas, Sindelia; Canário, Sónia; Santos, José A L; Prazeres, Duarte M F

2009-02-01

Robust cGMP manufacturing is required to produce high-quality plasmid DNA (pDNA). Three established techniques, isopropanol and ammonium sulfate (AS) precipitation (PP), tangential flow filtration (TFF) and aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) with PEG600/AS, were tested as alternatives to recover pDNA from alkaline lysates. Yield and purity data were used to evaluate the economic and environmental impact of each option. Although pDNA yields > or = 90% were always obtained, ATPS delivered the highest HPLC purity (59%), followed by PP (48%) and TFF (18%). However, the ability of ATPS to concentrate pDNA was very poor when compared with PP or TFF. Processes were also implemented by coupling TFF with ATPS or AS-PP. Process simulations indicate that all options require large amounts of water (100-200 tons/kg pDNA) and that the ATPS process uses large amounts of mass separating agents (65 tons/kg pDNA). Estimates indicate that operating costs of the ATPS process are 2.5-fold larger when compared with the PP and TFF processes. The most significant contributions to the costs in the PP, TFF and ATPS processes came from operators (59%), consumables (75%) and raw materials (84%), respectively. The ATPS process presented the highest environmental impact, whereas the impact of the TFF process was negligible.

Ultrasound assisted extraction of polysaccharides from hazelnut skin.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Tuncay; Tavman, Şebnem

2016-03-01

In this study ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) of polysaccharides from hazelnut skin has been studied. Optimum sonication time has been evaluated depending on responses such as amount of carbohydrate and dried sample and thermogravimetric analysis. Chemical and structural properties of extracted material have been determined by Fourier transform spectroscopy attenuated-total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Pretreated hazelnut skin powders were extracted in distilled water. Mixture was sonicated by ultrasonic processor probe for 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min. The results of UAE showed that maximum ethanol insoluble extracts in 60 min and the highest dry matter content could be obtained in 120 min extraction. Although total carbohydrate content of ethanol insoluble dry extract decreased with time, total carbohydrate in ethanol soluble fraction increased. Polysaccharides extracted from hazelnut skin were assumed to be pectic polysaccharide according to the literature survey of FTIR analysis result. Application time of UAE has an important effect on extraction of polysaccharide from hazelnut skin. This affect could be summarized by enhancing extraction yield up to critical level. Decrease of the yield in ethanol insoluble part could be explained by polymer decomposition. Most suitable model was hyperbolic model by having the lowest root mean square error and the highest R(2) values. © The Author(s) 2015.

Optimization of fermentation conditions for the production of curcumin by engineered Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Couto, Márcia R; Rodrigues, Joana L; Rodrigues, Lígia R

2017-08-01

Curcumin is a plant secondary metabolite with outstanding therapeutic effects. Therefore, there is a great interest in developing new strategies to produce this high-value compound in a cheaper and environmentally friendly way. Curcumin heterologous production in Escherichia coli using artificial biosynthetic pathways was previously demonstrated using synthetic biology approaches. However, the culturing conditions to produce this compound were not optimized and so far only a two-step fermentation process involving the exchange of culture medium allowed high concentrations of curcumin to be obtained, which limits its production at an industrial scale. In this study, the culturing conditions to produce curcumin were evaluated and optimized. In addition, it was concluded that E. coli BL21 allows higher concentrations of curcumin to be produced than E. coli K-12 strains. Different isopropyl β-d-thiogalactopyranoside concentrations, time of protein expression induction and substrate type and concentration were also evaluated. The highest curcumin production obtained was 959.3 µM (95.93% of per cent yield), which was 3.1-fold higher than the highest concentration previously reported. This concentration was obtained using a two-stage fermentation with lysogeny broth (LB) and M9. Moreover, terrific broth was also demonstrated to be a very interesting alternative medium to produce curcumin because it also led to high concentrations (817.7 µM). The use of this single fermentation medium represents an advantage at industrial scale and, although the final production is lower than that obtained with the LB-M9 combination, it leads to a significantly higher production of curcumin in the first 24 h of fermentation. This study allowed obtaining the highest concentrations of curcumin reported so far in a heterologous organism and is of interest for all of those working with the heterologous production of curcuminoids, other complex polyphenolic compounds or plant secondary metabolites. © 2017 The Author(s).

Emission characteristics of plasma based on xenon-rubidium bromide mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heneral, A. A.; Avtaeva, S. V.

2017-10-01

Luminescence spectra of a longitudinal pulse-periodic discharge in xenon mixture with rubidium bromide vapors (Xe-RbBr) are studied experimentally at low pressures. The conditions leading to the appearance of intense bands of ultraviolet radiation of exciplex XeBr* molecules in the spectral interval between 200 and 400 nm are found. The highest yield of UV radiation of XeBr* molecules is achieved when the temperature of discharge-tube walls is equal to 750°C. A maximum power of UV radiation from the entire plasma volume as high as 4.8 W is obtained.

Single-cell protein from methanol with Enterobacter aerogenes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gnan, S.O.; Abodreheba, A.O.

1987-02-20

An identified Enterobacter aerogenes utilizing methanol as a sole carbon source was studied for the optimization of biomass production and the reduction of its nucleic acid content. Results indicated that the highest yield and conversion were obtained at 0.5% methanol. The addition of seawater as a source of trace elements has an adverse effect. However, the addition of urea as source of nitrogen enhanced the growth of E. aerogenes. Heat shock at 60 degrees C for one minute followed by incubation at 50 degrees C for 2 hours caused 72.6% reduction in the nucleic acid. 12 references.

Novel, high-yield red blood cell production methods from CD34-positive cells derived from human embryonic stem, yolk sac, fetal liver, cord blood, and peripheral blood.

PubMed

Olivier, Emmanuel; Qiu, Caihong; Bouhassira, Eric E

2012-08-01

The current supply of red blood cells expressing rare blood groups is not sufficient to cover all the existing transfusion needs for chronically transfused patients, such as sickle cell disease homozygous carriers, because of alloimmunization. In vitro production of cultured red blood cells is slowly emerging as a possible complement to the existing collection-based red blood cell procurement system. The yield of cultured red blood cells can theoretically be maximized by amplifying the stem, progenitor, or precursor compartment. Here, we combined methods designed to expand these three compartments to optimize the yield of cultured red blood cells and found that exposing CD34(+) cells to a short pulse of cytokines favorable for erythroid differentiation prior to stem cell expansion followed by progenitor expansion produced the highest yield of erythroid cells. This novel serum-free red blood cell production protocol was efficient on CD34(+) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells, 6-8-week yolk sacs, 16-18-week fetal livers, cord blood, and peripheral blood. The yields of cells obtained with these new protocols were larger by an order of magnitude than the yields observed previously. Globin expression analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that these expansion protocols generally yielded red blood cells that expressed a globin profile similar to that expected for the developmental age of the CD34(+) cells.

Removal Efficiency of the Heavy Metals Zn(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) by Saprolegnia delica and Trichoderma viride at Different pH Values and Temperature Degrees

PubMed Central

Hashem, Mohamed

2007-01-01

The removal efficiency of the heavy metals Zn, Pb and Cd by the zoosporic fungal species Saprolegnia delica and the terrestrial fungus Trichoderma viride, isolated from polluted water drainages in the Delta of Nile in Egypt, as affected by various ranges of pH values and different temperature degrees,was extensively investigated. The maximum removal efficiency of S. delica for Zn(II) and Cd(II) was obtained at pH 8 and for Pb(II) was at pH 6 whilst the removal efficiency of T. viride was found to be optimum at pH 6 for the three applied heavy metals. Regardless the median lethal doses of the three heavy metals, Zn recorded the highest bioaccumulation potency by S. delica at all pH values except at pH 4, followed by Pb whereas Cd showed the lowest removal potency by the fungal species and vice versa in case of T. viride. The optimum biomass dry weight production by S. delica was found when the fungus was grown in the medium treated with the heavy metal Pb at pH 6, followed by Zn at pH 8 and Cd at pH 8. The optimum biomass dry weight yield by T. viride amended with Zn,Pb and Cd was obtained at pH 6 for the three heavy metals with the maximum value at Zn. The highest yield of biomass dry weight was found when T. viride treated with Cd at all different pH values followed by Pb whilst Zn output was the lowest and this result was reversed in case of S. delica. The maximum removal efficiency and the biomass dry weight production for the three tested heavy metals was obtained at the incubation temperature 20℃ in case of S. delica while it was 25℃ for T. viride. Incubation of T. viride at higher temperatures (30℃ and 35℃) enhanced the removal efficiency of Pb and Cd than low temperatures (15℃ and 20℃) and vice versa in case of Zn removal. At all tested incubation temperatures, the maximum yield of biomass dry weight was attained at Zn treatment by the two tested fungal species. The bioaccumulation potency of S. delica for Zn was higher than that for Pb at all temperature degrees of incubation and Cd bioaccumulation was the lowest whereas T. viride showed the highest removal efficiency for Pb followed by Cd and Zn was the minor of the heavy metals. PMID:24015084

Succinic acid-producing biofilms of Actinobacillus succinogenes: reproducibility, stability and productivity.

PubMed

Maharaj, K; Bradfield, M F A; Nicol, W

2014-09-01

Continuous anaerobic fermentations were performed in a biofilm reactor packed with Poraver® beads. Dilution rates (D) varied between 0.054 and 0.72 h(-1), and D-glucose and CO2 gas were used as carbon substrates. Steady-state conditions were shown to be repeatable and independent of the operational history. Production stability was achieved over periods exceeding 80 h at values of D below 0.32 h(-1). In these situations, steady-state variation (expressed as fluctuations in NaOH neutralisation flow rates) exhibited a standard deviation of less than 5 % while no indication of biofilm deactivation was detected. The total biomass amount was found to be independent of the dilution rate with an average dry concentration of 23.8 ± 2.9 g L(-1) obtained for all runs. This suggests that the attachment area controls the extent of biofilm accumulation. Specific succinic acid (SA) productivities, based on the total biomass amount, exhibited a substantial decrease with decreasing D. An SA volumetric productivity of 10.8 g L(-1) h(-1) was obtained at D = 0.7 h(-1)-the highest value reported to date in Actinobacillus succinogenes fermentations. SA yields on glucose increased with decreasing D, with a yield of 0.90 ± 0.01 g g(-1) obtained at a D of 0.054 h(-1). Production of formic acid approached zero with decreasing D, while the succinic to acetic acid ratio increased with decreasing D, resulting in an increasing SA yield on glucose.

Effect of Fertilization on Soil Fertility and Nutrient Use Efficiency at Potatoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neshev, Nesho; Manolov, Ivan

2016-04-01

The effect of fertilization on soil fertility, yields and nutrient use efficiency of potatoes grown under field experimental conditions was studied. The trail was conducted on shallow brown forest soil (Cambisols-coarse) during the vegetation periods of 2013 to 2015. The variants of the experiment were: control, N140; P80; K100; N140P80; N140K100; P80K100; N140P80K100; N140P80K100Mg33. The applied fertilization slightly decreased soil's pH after the harvest of potatoes compared to the soil pH their planting. Decreasing of pH was more severe at variant N (from 5,80 to 4,19 in 2014). The mineral nitrogen content in the soil after the harvest of potatoes was lower for the variants P, K and PK. The positive effect of fertilization on soil fertility after the end of the trails was more pronounced at variants NPK and NPKMg. The content of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium forms for these variants was the highest for each year. The highest content of mineral nitrogen was observed in 2013 (252,5 and 351,1 mg/1000g, respectively for variants NPK and NPKMg). It was due to extremely dry weather conditions during the vegetation in this year. Soil content of mineral N for the next two years was lower. The same tendency was observed for phosphorus and potassium was observed. In 2013 the P2O5 and K2O content in soil was the highest for the variants with full mineral fertilization - NPK (64,4 and 97,6 mg 100g-1 respectively for P2O5 and K2O) and NPKMg (65,2 and 88,0 mg 100g-1 respectively for P2O5 and K2O). The highest yields were recorded at variants NPK and NPKMg - 24,21 and 22,01 t ha-1, average for the studied period. The yield of variant NPK was 25 % higher than the yield from variant NP and 68 % higher than control. The partial factor productivity (PFPN, PFPP and PFPK) of the applied fertilizers was the highest at variant NPK. The PFPN (80,10 kg kg-1) for the yields of variant N was 57 % lower than the PFPN at variant NPK (180,36 kg kg-1). The PFPP and PFPK at variants P and K was approximately 57 and 47 % lower compared with variant NPK. Agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied nutrient was the highest for the combined NPK fertilization. The application only of N, P, K and PK combination without N was agronomically not effective practice. The combined NPK and NPKMg variants ensure the highest yields. The indicators of nutrient use efficiency (PFP and AE) were also the highest at these variants. Key words: Soil fertility, nutrient use efficiency, potatoes, yields,

Application of Box-Behnken design for ultrasonic-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Paeonia emodi.

PubMed

Ahmad, Ajaz; Alkharfy, Khalid M; Wani, Tanveer A; Raish, Mohammad

2015-01-01

The objective of the present work was to study the ultrasonic assisted extraction and optimization of polysaccharides from Paeonia emodi and evaluation of its anti-inflammatory response. Specifically, the optimization of polysaccharides was carried out using Box-Behnken statistical experimental design. Response surface methodology (RSM) of three factors (extraction temperature, extraction time and liquid solid ratio) was employed to optimize the percentage yield of the polysaccharides. The experimental data were fitted to quadratic response surface models using multiple regression analysis with high coefficient of determination value (R) of 0.9906. The highest polysaccharide yield (8.69%) as per the Derringer's desirability prediction tool was obtained under the optimal extraction condition (extraction temperature 47.03 °C, extraction time 15.68 min, and liquid solid ratio 1.29 ml/g) with a desirability value of 0.98. These optimized values of tested parameters were validated under similar conditions (n = 6), an average of 8.13 ± 2.08% of polysaccharide yield was obtained in an optimized extraction conditions with 93.55% validity. The anti-inflammatory effect of polysaccharides of P. emodi were studied on carrageenan induced paw edema. In vivo results showed that the P. emodi 200mg/kg of polysaccharide extract exhibited strong potential against inflammatory response induced by 1% suspension of carrageenean in normal saline. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Selected Herbal Leaves: An Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, I. A. Abd; Ismail, N.; Rahman, N. Abd

2018-05-01

Supercritical fluid extraction of carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) is one of new alternative extraction method that has been widely used to isolate bioactive components from variety of plant materials. The method was proved to be clean and safe, compatible for the extraction of edible products such as spices, food additives, medicines and nutritional supplement products compared to traditional extraction techniques such as solvent extraction, hydro distillation and steam distillation. The SC-CO2 extraction was known as highly influenced by its process parameter such as temperature and pressure for obtaining maximum yield. Therefore, a clear review on the optimum range of temperature and pressure for herbal leaves extraction using SC-CO2 is necessary for future reference. The aim of this work is to analyze the effect of temperature and pressure of SC-CO2 process without modifier on extraction yield of some selected herbal leaves i.e clubmoss, drumstick leaves, kratom leaves, mallee and myrtle leaves. The values of investigated parameters were; pressure from 8.9 to 50 MPa and temperature from 35 to 80°C. The results showed that the highest extraction yields were obtained when the pressure and temperature were above 30 MPa and 40°C. The interaction between pressure and temperature for SC-CO2 extraction of plant leaves are crucial since the values cannot be very high or very low in order to preserve the quality of the extracts.

Salt stress induced lipid accumulation in heterotrophic culture cells of Chlorella protothecoides: Mechanisms based on the multi-level analysis of oxidative response, key enzyme activity and biochemical alteration.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Ge, Haiyan; Liu, Tingting; Tian, Xiwei; Wang, Zejian; Guo, Meijin; Chu, Ju; Zhuang, Yingping

2016-06-20

Salt stress as an effective stress factor that could improve the lipid content and lipid yield of glucose in the heterotrophic culture cells of Chlorella protothecoides was demonstrated in this study. The highest lipid content of 41.2% and lipid yield of 185.8mg/g were obtained when C. protothecoides was stressed under 30g/L NaCl condition at its late logarithmic growth phase. Moreover, the effects of salt and osmotic stress on lipid accumulation were comparatively analyzed, and it was found that the effects of NaCl and KCl stress had no significant differences at the same osmolarity level of 1150mOsm/kg with lipid contents of 41.7 and 40.8% as well as lipid yields of 192.9 and 186.8mg/g, respectively, whereas these results were obviously higher than those obtained under the iso-osmotic glycerol and sorbitol stresses. Furthermore, basing on the multi-level analysis of oxidative response, key enzyme activity and biochemical alteration, the superior performance of salt stress driving lipid over-synthesis was probably ascribed to the more ROS production as a result of additional ion effect besides the osmotic effect, subsequently mediating the alteration from carbohydrate storage to lipid accumulation in signal transduction process of C. protothecoides. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Extraction of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds from Brewer’s Spent Grain: Optimization and Kinetics Modeling

PubMed Central

Sologubik, Carlos A.; Fernández, María B.; Manrique, Guillermo D.

2018-01-01

The kinetics of polyphenol extraction from brewer’s spent grain (BSG), using a batch system, ultrasound assistance, and microwave assistance and the evolution of antioxidant capacity of these extracts over time, were studied. The main parameters of extraction employed in the batch system were evaluated, and, by applying response surface analysis, the following optimal conditions were obtained: Liquid/solid ratio of 30:1 mL/g at 80 °C, using 72% (v/v) ethanol:water as the solvent system. Under these optimized conditions, ultrasound assistance demonstrated the highest extraction rate and equilibrium yield, as well as shortest extraction times, followed by microwave assistance. Among the mathematical models used, Patricelli’s model proved the most suitable for describing the extraction kinetics for each method tested, and is therefore able to predict the response values and estimate the extraction rates and potential maximum yields in each case. PMID:29570683

Extraction of ginsenosides from fresh ginseng roots (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) using commercial enzymes and high hydrostatic pressure.

PubMed

Sunwoo, Hoon H; Kim, Chong-Tai; Kim, Do-Yeon; Maeng, Jin-Soo; Cho, Chang-Won; Lee, Soo-Jeong

2013-07-01

A combination of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and enzymatic hydrolysis (HHP-EH) was applied for the extraction of ginsenosides from fresh ginseng roots (Panax ginseng C.A. Myer). The highest yield of ginsenosides was obtained by using a mixture of three enzymes (Celluclast + Termamyl + Viscozyme) along with HHP (100 MPa, at 50 °C for 12 h) in comparison to control samples (no enzymes, atmosphere pressure, P < 0.05). Total ginsenosides increased by 184% while Rg1 + Rb1 increased by 273%. Application of these conditions significantly increased total ginsenosides by 49% and Rg1 + Rb1 by 103% compared to HHP treatment alone (P < 0.05). The effect of HHP on increased yield of ginsenosides is likely due in part, to acceleration of enzyme activity. Thus HHP-EH significantly improves the extraction of ginsenosides from fresh ginseng roots.

Site-specific labeling of RNA at internal ribose hydroxyl groups: terbium-assisted deoxyribozymes at work.

PubMed

Büttner, Lea; Javadi-Zarnaghi, Fatemeh; Höbartner, Claudia

2014-06-04

A general and efficient single-step method was established for site-specific post-transcriptional labeling of RNA. Using Tb(3+) as accelerating cofactor for deoxyribozymes, various labeled guanosines were site-specifically attached to 2'-OH groups of internal adenosines in in vitro transcribed RNA. The DNA-catalyzed 2',5'-phosphodiester bond formation proceeded efficiently with fluorescent, spin-labeled, biotinylated, or cross-linker-modified guanosine triphosphates. The sequence context of the labeling site was systematically analyzed by mutating the nucleotides flanking the targeted adenosine. Labeling of adenosines in a purine-rich environment showed the fastest reactions and highest yields. Overall, practically useful yields >70% were obtained for 13 out of 16 possible nucleotide (nt) combinations. Using this approach, we demonstrate preparative labeling under mild conditions for up to ~160-nt-long RNAs, including spliceosomal U6 small nuclear RNA and a cyclic-di-AMP binding riboswitch RNA.

Waste cockle shell as natural catalyst for biodiesel production from jatropha oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadi, Norulakmal Nor; Idrus, Nur Afini; Ghafar, Faridah; Salleh, Marmy Roshaidah Mohd

2017-12-01

Due to the increasing of industrialization and modernization of the world, the demand of petroleum has risen rapidly. The increasing demand for energy and environmental awareness has prompted many researches to embark on alternative fuel platforms that are environmentally acceptable. In this study, jatropha oil was used to produce biodiesel by a new transesterification routine in which cockle shell was used as source of heterogeneous catalyst. The investigation showed the catalyst that was calcined at temperature of 800 °C has the optimum capability to produce high yield. The highest yield of biodiesel production of 93.20 % were obtained by using 1.5 wt% of catalyst. The reaction was conducted at a temperature of 65 °C with the optimum methanol to oil ratio of 6:1. It was found that the physical properties of the biodiesel produced were significant to ASTM standard of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME).

High-wafer-yield, high-performance vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gabriel S.; Yuen, Wupen; Lim, Sui F.; Chang-Hasnain, Constance J.

1996-04-01

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) with very low threshold current and voltage of 340 (mu) A and 1.5 V is achieved. The molecular beam epitaxially grown wafers are grown with a highly accurate, low cost and versatile pre-growth calibration technique. One- hundred percent VCSEL wafer yield is obtained. Low threshold current is achieved with a native oxide confined structure with excellent current confinement. Single transverse mode with stable, predetermined polarization direction up to 18 times threshold is also achieved, due to stable index guiding provided by the structure. This is the highest value reported to data for VCSELs. We have established that p-contact annealing in these devices is crucial for low voltage operation, contrary to the general belief. Uniform doping in the mirrors also appears not to be inferior to complicated doping engineering. With these design rules, very low threshold voltage VCSELs are achieved with very simple growth and fabrication steps.

Growth characteristics of aquatic macrophytes cultured in nutrient-enriched water. I. Water hyacinth, water lettuce, and pennywort

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.R.; DeBusk, W.F.

Seasonal growth characteristics and biomass yield potential of 3 floating aquatic macrophytes cultured in nutrient nonlimiting conditions were evaluated in central Florida's climatic conditions. Growth cycle (growth curve) of the plants was found to be complete when maximum plant density was reached and no additional increase in growth was recorded. Biomass yield per unit area and time was found to be maximum in the linear phase of the growth curve; plant density in this phase was defined as ''operational plant density,'' a density range in which a biomass production system is operated to obtain the highest possible yields. Biomass yieldsmore » were found to be 106, 72, and 41 t(dry wt) ha/sup -1/yr/sup -1/, respectively, for water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), and pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata). Operational plant density was found to be in the range of 500-2000 g dry wt m/sup -2/ for water hyacinth, 200-700 g dry wt m/sup -2/ for water lettuce, and 250-650 g dry wt/sup -2/ for pennywort. Seasonality was observed in growth rates but not in operational plant density. Specific growth rate (% increase per day) was found to maximum at low plant densities and decreased as the plant density increased. Results show that water hyacinth and water lettuce can be successfully grown for a period of about 10 mo, while pennywort, a cool season plant, can be integrated into water hyacinth/water lettuce biomass production system to obtain high yields in the winter.« less

Growth characteristics of aquatic macrophytes cultured in nutrient-enriched water. I. Water hyacinth, water lettuce, and pennywort

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reddy, K.R.; DeBusk, W.F.

Seasonal growth characteristics and biomass yield potential of 3 floating aquatic macrophytes cultured in nutrient nonlimiting conditions were evaluated in central Florida's climatic conditions. Growth cycle (growth curve) of the plants was found to be complete when maximum plant density was reached and no additional increase in growth was recorded. Biomass yield per unit area and time was found to be maximum in the linear phase of the growth curve; plant density in this phase was defined as operational plant density, a density range in which a biomass production system is operated to obtain the highest possible yields. Biomass yieldsmore » were found to be 106, 72, and 41 t (dry wt) ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/, respectively, for water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), and pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata). Operational plant density was found to be in the range of 500-2,000 g dry wt m/sup -2/ for water hyacinth, 200-700 g dry wt m/sup -2/ for water lettuce, and 250-650 g dry wt m/sup -2/ for pennywort. Seasonality was observed in growth rates but not in operational plant density. Specific growth rate (% increase per day) was found to maximum at low plant densities and decreased as the plant density increased. Results show that water hyacinth and water lettuce can be successfully grown for a period of about 10 mo, while pennywort, a cool season plant, can be integrated into water hyacinth/water lettuce biomass production system to obtain high yields in the winter.« less

High-level production of β-1,3-1,4-glucanase by Rhizomucor miehei under solid-state fermentation and its potential application in the brewing industry.

PubMed

Yang, S Q; Xiong, H; Yang, H Y; Yan, Q J; Jiang, Z Q

2015-01-01

To improve the β-1,3-1,4-glucanase production by Rhizomucor miehei under solid-state fermentation (SSF) for industrial application. The fermentation conditions for β-1,3-1,4-glucanase production by R. miehei CAU432 under SSF were optimized using a 'one-factor-at-a-time' method. Under the optimized fermentation conditions, viz. oatmeal (0·45-0·9 mm) as sole carbon source, 5% (w/w) peptone as sole nitrogen source, initial moisture of 80% (w/w), initial culture pH of 5·0, incubation temperature of 50°C and incubation time of 6 days, the highest β-1,3-1,4-glucanase activity of 20,025 U g(-1) dry substrate was achieved, which represents the highest yield for β-1,3-1,4-glucanase production ever reported. The crude enzyme was extracted and purified to homogeneity with a purification fold of 4·6 and a recovery yield of 9·0%. The addition of the purified β-1,3-1,4-glucanase in mash obviously reduced its filtration time (24·6%) and viscosity (2·61%). The optimal fermentation conditions for maximal β-1,3-1,4-glucanase production under SSF was obtained, and the enzyme was suitable for application in the malting process. The high production yield and excellent capability of the enzyme may enable it great potential in industries, especially in brewing industry. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Factors determining yield and quality of illicit indoor cannabis (Cannabis spp.) production.

PubMed

Vanhove, Wouter; Van Damme, Patrick; Meert, Natalie

2011-10-10

Judiciary currently faces difficulties in adequately estimating the yield of illicit indoor cannabis plantations. The latter data is required in penalization which is based on the profits gained. A full factorial experiment in which two overhead light intensities, two plant densities and four varieties were combined in the indoor cultivation of cannabis (Cannabis spp.) was used to reveal cannabis drug yield and quality under each of the factor combinations. Highest yield was found for the Super Skunk and Big Bud varieties which also exhibited the highest concentrations of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Results show that plant density and light intensity are additive factors whereas the variety factor significantly interacts with both plant density and light intensity factors. Adequate estimations of yield of illicit, indoor cannabis plantations can only be made if upon seizure all factors considered in this study are accounted for. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical properties of bio-oil and biochar produced by fast pyrolysis of stored single-pass corn stover and cobs.

PubMed

Shah, Ajay; Darr, Matthew J; Dalluge, Dustin; Medic, Dorde; Webster, Keith; Brown, Robert C

2012-12-01

Short harvest window of corn (Zea mays) stover necessitates its storage before utilization; however, there is not enough work towards exploring the fast pyrolysis behavior of stored biomass. This study investigated the yields and the physicochemical properties (proximate and ultimate analyses, higher heating values and acidity) of the fast pyrolysis products obtained from single-pass stover and cobs stored either inside a metal building or anaerobically within plastic wraps. Biomass samples were pyrolyzed in a 183 cm long and 2.1cm inner diameter free-fall fast pyrolysis reactor. Yields of bio-oil, biochar and non-condensable gases from different biomass samples were in the ranges of 45-55, 25-37 and 11-17 wt.%, respectively, with the highest bio-oil yield from the ensiled single-pass stover. Bio-oils generated from ensiled single-pass cobs and ensiled single-pass stover were, respectively, the most and the least acidic with the modified acid numbers of 95.0 and 65.2 mg g(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Yan, Xi-Luan; Fan, Jie-Ping; Zhu, Jian-Hang; Zhou, Wen-Bin

2011-06-01

The objective of this work was to examine the feasibility of biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure. Batch and semi-continuous experiments were carried out under mesophilic anaerobic conditions. Batch experiments revealed that the highest specific biogas yield was 294 mL CH(4) g(-1) volatile solids added, obtained at 50% of herbal-extraction residues and 3.50 g volatile solids g(-1) mixed liquor suspended solids. Specific methane yield from swine manure alone was 207 mL CH(4) g(-1) volatile solid added d(-1) at 3.50 g volatile solids g(-1) mixed liquor suspended solids. Furthermore, specific methane yields were 162, 180 and 220 mL CH(4) g (-1) volatile solids added d(-1) for the reactors co-digesting mixtures with 10%, 25% and 50% herbal-extraction residues, respectively. These results suggested that biogas production could be enhanced efficiently by the anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isatin as an auxin source favoring floral and vegetative shoot regeneration from calli produced by thin layer explants of tomato pedicel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Applewhite, P. B.; K-Sawhney, R.; Galston, A. W.

1994-01-01

Thin layer explants taken from the pedicels and peduncles of flowering tomato plants yielded calli with great organogenetic potential. Of the 15 cultivars tested, 7 regenerated roots, shoots and eventually entire fruit-bearing plants. Calli grown on modified Murashige-Skoog medium responded to varied auxins and cytokinins with different morphogenetic patterns. Thus, naphthaleneacetic acid yielded root-producing calli, while the auxin precursor isatin (indole 2,3-dione) caused the production of calli with vegetative and floral shoots, rarely yielding roots. This may be related to isatin's slow, steady conversion to an active auxin (Plant Physiol 41:1485-1488, 1966) in contrast with naphthaleneacetic acid's immediate presentation of a high level of active auxin. The highest incidence of vegetative shoot (100%) and flower (50%) formation was obtained with 10 micromoles isatin and 3 micromoles zeatin. A few of the flowers developed into ripe fruits. The high frequency of induction of vegetative shoots and flowers before roots with isatin suggests its utility in micropropagation from plant tissue cultures.

Effects of extraction methods on the yield, chemical structure and anti-tumor activity of polysaccharides from Cordyceps gunnii mycelia.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhen-Yuan; Dong, Fengying; Liu, Xiaocui; Lv, Qian; YingYang; Liu, Fei; Chen, Ling; Wang, Tiantian; Wang, Zheng; Zhang, Yongmin

2016-04-20

This study was to investigate the effects of different extraction methods on the yield, chemical structure and antitumor activity of polysaccharides from Cordyceps gunnii (C. gunnii) mycelia. Five extraction methods were used to extract crude polysaccharides (CPS), which include room-temperature water extraction (RWE), hot-water extraction (HWE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and cellulase-assisted extraction (CAE). Then Sephadex G-100 was used for purification of CPS. As a result, the antitumor activities of CPS and PPS on S180 cells were evaluated. Five CPS and purified polysaccharides (PPS) were obtained. The yield of CPS by microwave-assisted extraction (CPSMAE) was the highest and its anti-tumor activity was the best and its macromolecular polysaccharide (3000-1000kDa) ratio was the largest. The PPS had the same monosaccharide composition, but their obvious difference was in the antitumor activity and the physicochemical characteristics, such as intrinsic viscosity, specific rotation, scanning electron microscopy and circular dichroism spectra. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tea waste: an effective and economic substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation.

PubMed

Yang, Doudou; Liang, Jin; Wang, Yunsheng; Sun, Feng; Tao, Hong; Xu, Qiang; Zhang, Liang; Zhang, Zhengzhu; Ho, Chi-Tang; Wan, Xiaochun

2016-01-30

Tea waste is the residue that remains after tea leaves have been extracted by hot water to obtain water-soluble components. The waste contains a re-usable energy substrate and nutrients which may pollute the environment if they are not dealt with appropriately. Other agricultural wastes have been widely studied as substrates for cultivating mushrooms. In the present study, we cultivated oyster mushroom using tea waste as substrate. To study the feasibility of re-using it, tea waste was added to the substrate at different ratios in different experimental groups. Three mushroom strains (39, 71 and YOU) were compared and evaluated. Mycelia growth rate, yield, biological efficiency and growth duration were measured. Substrates with different tea waste ratios showed different growth and yield performance. The substrate containing 40-60% of tea waste resulted in the highest yield. Tea waste could be used as an effective and economic substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation. This study also provided a useful way of dealing with massive amounts of tea waste. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Optimization of selenylation modification for garlic polysaccharide based on immune-enhancing activity.

PubMed

Gao, Zhenzhen; Chen, Jin; Qiu, Shulei; Li, Youying; Wang, Deyun; Liu, Cui; Li, Xiuping; Hou, Ranran; Yue, Chanjuan; Liu, Jie; Li, Hongquan; Hu, Yuanliang

2016-01-20

Garlic polysaccharide (GPS) was modified in selenylation respectively by nitric acid-sodium selenite (NA-SS), glacial acetic acid-selenous acid (GA-SA), glacial acetic acid-sodium selenite (GA-SS) and selenium oxychloride (SOC) methods each under nine modification conditions of L9(3(4)) orthogonal design and each to obtain nine selenizing GPSs (sGPSs). Their structures were identified, yields and selenium contents were determined, selenium yields were calculated, and the immune-enhancing activities of four sGPSs with higher selenium yields were compared taking unmodified GPS as control. The results showed that among four methods the selenylation efficiency of NA-SS method were the highest, the activity of sGPS5 was the strongest and significantly stronger than that of unmodified GPS. This indicates that selenylation modification can significantly enhance the immune-enhancing activity of GPS, NA-SS method is the best method and the optimal conditions are 0.8:1 weight ratio of sodium selenite to GPS, reaction temperature of 70 °C and reaction time of 10h. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LED power efficiency of biomass, fatty acid, and carotenoid production in Nannochloropsis microalgae.

PubMed

Ma, Ruijuan; Thomas-Hall, Skye R; Chua, Elvis T; Eltanahy, Eladl; Netzel, Michael E; Netzel, Gabriele; Lu, Yinghua; Schenk, Peer M

2018-03-01

The microalga Nannochloropsis produces high-value omega-3-rich fatty acids and carotenoids. In this study the effects of light intensity and wavelength on biomass, fatty acid, and carotenoid production with respect to light output efficiency were investigated. Similar biomass and fatty acid yields were obtained at high light intensity (150 μmol m -2  s -1 ) LEDs on day 7 and low light intensity (50 μmol m -2  s -1 ) LEDs on day 11 during cultivation, but the power efficiencies of biomass and fatty acid (specifically eicosapentaenoic acid) production were higher for low light intensity. Interestingly, low light intensity enhanced both, carotenoid power efficiency of carotenoid biosynthesis and yield. White LEDs were neither advantageous for biomass and fatty acid yields, nor the power efficiency of biomass, fatty acid, and carotenoid production. Noticeably, red LED resulted in the highest biomass and fatty acid power efficiency, suggesting that LEDs can be fine-tuned to grow Nannochloropsis algae more energy-efficiently. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bayesian inference for the genetic control of water deficit tolerance in spring wheat by stochastic search variable selection.

PubMed

Safari, Parviz; Danyali, Syyedeh Fatemeh; Rahimi, Mehdi

2018-06-02

Drought is the main abiotic stress seriously influencing wheat production. Information about the inheritance of drought tolerance is necessary to determine the most appropriate strategy to develop tolerant cultivars and populations. In this study, generation means analysis to identify the genetic effects controlling grain yield inheritance in water deficit and normal conditions was considered as a model selection problem in a Bayesian framework. Stochastic search variable selection (SSVS) was applied to identify the most important genetic effects and the best fitted models using different generations obtained from two crosses applying two water regimes in two growing seasons. The SSVS is used to evaluate the effect of each variable on the dependent variable via posterior variable inclusion probabilities. The model with the highest posterior probability is selected as the best model. In this study, the grain yield was controlled by the main effects (additive and non-additive effects) and epistatic. The results demonstrate that breeding methods such as recurrent selection and subsequent pedigree method and hybrid production can be useful to improve grain yield.

Biomass fast pyrolysis for bio-oil production in a fluidized bed reactor under hot flue atmosphere.

PubMed

Li, Ning; Wang, Xiang; Bai, Xueyuan; Li, Zhihe; Zhang, Ying

2015-10-01

Fast pyrolysis experiments of corn stalk were performed to investigate the optimal pyrolysis conditions of temperature and bed material for maximum bio-oil production under flue gas atmosphere. Under the optimized pyrolysis conditions, furfural residue, xylose residue and kelp seaweed were pyrolyzed to examine their yield distributions of products, and the physical characteristics of bio-oil were studied. The best flow rate of the flue gas at selected temperature is obtained, and the pyrolysis temperature at 500 degrees C and dolomite as bed material could give a maximum bio-oil yield. The highest bio-oil yield of 43.3% (W/W) was achieved from corn stalk under the optimal conditions. Two main fractions were recovered from the stratified bio-oils: light oils and heavy oils. The physical properties of heavy oils from all feedstocks varied little. The calorific values of heavy oils were much higher than that of light oils. The pyrolysis gas could be used as a gaseous fuel due to a relatively high calorific value of 6.5-8.5 MJ/m3.

Production of novel types of antibacterial liamocins by diverse strains of Aureobasidium pullulans grown on different culture media.

PubMed

Leathers, Timothy D; Price, Neil P J; Bischoff, Kenneth M; Manitchotpisit, Pennapa; Skory, Christopher D

2015-10-01

To compare production of antibacterial liamocins (polyol lipids) by diverse strains of Aureobasidium pullulans grown on different culture media. Liamocins produced by strains of A. pullulans have potential agricultural and pharmaceutical applications as antibacterials with specificity against Streptococcus spp. Six strains of A. pullulans were characterized for liamocin production on four different culture media. The choice of strain and culture medium affected growth, liamocin yields, and production of contaminating pigments. Best growth and highest liamocin yields were obtained using A. pullulans strain NRRL 50384 grown on a sucrose basal medium. Unexpectedly, the choice of strain and culture medium also affected the structure of liamocins produced, providing novel types of liamocins. Liamocins varied not only in the ratios of trimer and tetramer polyester tail groups, but also in the nature of the polyol headgroup, which could include mannitol, arabitol, or glycerol. The ability to conveniently produce novel types of liamocins in good yields will provide novel antibacterials for applied uses, and facilitate structure-function studies on the mechanism of antibacterial activity.

Artificial neural network optimization of Althaea rosea seeds polysaccharides and its antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Liu, Wenhui; Tian, Shuge

2014-09-01

A combination of an orthogonal L16(4)4 test design and a three-layer artificial neural network (ANN) model was applied to optimize polysaccharides from Althaea rosea seeds extracted by hot water method. The highest optimal experimental yield of A. rosea seed polysaccharides (ARSPs) of 59.85 mg/g was obtained using three extraction numbers, 113 min extraction time, 60.0% ethanol concentration, and 1:41 solid-liquid ratio. Under these optimized conditions, the ARSP experimental yield was very close to the predicted yield of 60.07 mg/g and was higher than the orthogonal test results (40.86 mg/g). Structural characterizations were conducted using physicochemical property and FTIR analysis. In addition, the study of ARSP antioxidant activity demonstrated that polysaccharides exhibited high superoxide dismutase activity, strong reducing power, and positive scavenging activity on superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and reducing power. Our results indicated that ANNs were efficient quantitative tools for predicting the total ARSP content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient acetone-butanol-ethanol production by Clostridium beijerinckii from sugar beet pulp.

PubMed

Bellido, Carolina; Infante, Celia; Coca, Mónica; González-Benito, Gerardo; Lucas, Susana; García-Cubero, María Teresa

2015-08-01

Sugar beet pulp (SBP) has been investigated as a promising feedstock for ABE fermentation by Clostridium beijerinckii. Although lignin content in SBP is low, a pretreatment is needed to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation yields. Autohydrolysis at pH 4 has been selected as the best pretreatment for SBP in terms of sugars release and acetone and butanol production. The best overall sugars release yields from raw SBP ranged from 66.2% to 70.6% for this pretreatment. The highest ABE yield achieved was 0.4g/g (5.1g/L of acetone and 6.6g/L butanol) and 143.2g ABE/kg SBP (62.3g acetone and 80.9g butanol) were obtained when pretreated SBP was enzymatically hydrolyzed at 7.5% (w/w) solid loading. Higher solid loadings (10%) offered higher acetone and butanol titers (5.8g/L of acetone and 7.8g/L butanol). All the experiments were carried out under not-controlling pH conditions reaching about 5.3 in the final samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plucknett, K.P.; Becher, P.F.; Waters, S.B.

TiC/Ni{sub 3}Al composites were prepared using a simple melt-infiltration process, performed at either 1300 or 1400 C, with the Ni{sub 3}Al content varied over the range of 8--25 vol%. Densities >96% of theoretical were obtained for all composites. Four-point flexure strengths at 22 C increased as the Ni{sub 3}Al content increased (i.e., {approximately}1,100 MPa at 20 vol% Ni{sub 3}Al), with the highest strengths being observed for composites processed at 1300 C, because of reduced TiC grain size. Strengths at elevated temperatures increased with test temperature, up to {approximately}1,000 C. As with the yielding behavior of the Ni{sub 3}Al alloy used,more » a maximum in composite strength ({approximately}1,350 MPa) versus temperature was observed; this occurred at 950 C, which is {approximately}300 C above the yield maximum for the alloy. Extensive plastic strain was achieved in the composites even at high loading rates at 1,135 C, and the yield stress was dependent on the applied loading rate.« less

Distillation time alters essential oil yield, composition, and antioxidant activity of male Juniperus scopulorum trees.

PubMed

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D; Astatkie, Tess; Jeliazkova, Ekaterina A; Schlegel, Vicki

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 15 distillation times (DT), ranging from 1.25 to 960 min, on oil yield, essential oil profiles, and antioxidant capacity of male J. scopulorum trees. Essential oil yields were 0.07% at 1.25 min DT and reached a maximum of 1.48% at 840 min DT. The concentrations of alpha-thujene (1.76-2.75%), alpha-pinene (2.9-8.7%), sabinene (45-74.7%), myrcene (2.4-3.4%), and para-cymene (0.8-3.1%) were highest at the shortest DT (1.5 to 5 min) and decreased with increasing DT. Cis-sabinene hydrate (0.5-0.97%) and linalool plus trans-sabinene (0.56-1.6%) reached maximum levels at 40 min DT. Maximum concentrations of limonene (2.3-2.8%) and pregeijerene-B (0.06-1.4%) were obtained at 360-480 min DT, and 4-terpinenol (0.7-5.7%) at 480 min DT. Alpha-terpinene (0.16-2.9%), gamma-terpinene (0.3-4.9%) and terpinolene (0.3-1.4%) reached maximum at 720 min DT. The concentrations of delta-cadinene (0.06-1.65%), elemol (0-6.0%), and 8-alpha-acetoxyelemol (0-4.4%) reached maximum at 840 min DT. The yield of the essential oil constituents increased with increasing DT. Only linalool/transsabinene hydrate reached a maximum yield at 360 min DT. Maximum yields of the following constituents were obtained at 720 min DT: alpha-thujene, alpha-pinene, camphene, sabinene, myrcene, alpha-terpinene, para-cimene, limonene, gamma-terpinene, terpinolene, and 4-terpinenol. At 840 min DT, cis-sabinene hydrate, prejeijerene-B, gamma muurolene, delta-cadinene, reached maximum. At 960 min DT, maximum yields of beta-pinene, elemol, alphaeudesmol/betaeudesmol, 8-alpha-acetoxyelemol were reached. These changes were adequately modeled by either the Michaelis-Menten or the Power (Convex) nonlinear regression models. Oils from the 480 min DT showed higher antioxidant activity compared to samples collected at 40, 160, or 960 min DT. These results show the potential for obtaining essential oils with various compositions and antioxidant capacity from male J. scopulorum by varying DT. This study can be used as a reference paper for comparing results of reports where different lengths of the DT were used.

In vitro physicochemical, phytochemical and functional properties of fiber rich fractions derived from by-products of six fruits.

PubMed

Saikia, Sangeeta; Mahanta, Charu Lata

2016-03-01

A comparative study was done on the health promoting and functional properties of the fibers obtained as by-products from six fruits viz., pomace of carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) and pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr), peels of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), Burmese grape (Baccurea sapida Muell. Arg) and Khasi mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco), and blossom of seeded banana (Musa balbisiana, ABB). Highest yield of fiber was obtained from Burmese grape peel (BGPL, 79.94 ± 0.41 g/100 g) and seeded banana blossom (BB 77.18 ± 0.20 g/100 g). The total dietary fiber content (TDF) was highest in fiber fraction derived from pineapple pomace (PNPM, 79.76 ± 0.42 g/100 g) and BGPL (67.27 ± 0.39 g/100 g). All the samples contained insoluble dietary fiber as the major fiber fraction. The fiber samples showed good water holding, oil holding and swelling capacities. The fiber samples exhibited antioxidant activity. All the samples showed good results for glucose adsorption, amylase activity inhibition, glucose diffusion rate and glucose diffusion reduction rate index.

Preparation of reactive oxygen scavenging peptides from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin gelatin: optimization using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Zhuang, Yongliang; Sun, Liping

2011-04-01

Gelatin extracted from tilapia skin was hydrolyzed with Properase E. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the hydrolysis condition (temperature [T], enzyme-to-substrate ratio [E/S], pH and reaction time [t]), to obtain the hydrolysate with the highest hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging activity. The optimum conditions obtained were T of 44.2 °C, E/S of 2.2%, pH of 9.2, and t of 3.4 h. The predicted •OH scavenging activity of the hydrolysate under the optimum conditions was 60.7%, and the actually experimental scavenging activity was 60.8%. The hydrolysate was fractionated by ultrafiltration, and 4 fractions were collected. The fraction TSGH4 (MW<2000 Da) showed the strongest •OH scavenging activity with the highest yield. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities of TSGH4 with different concentrations were investigated in 5 model systems, including superoxide anion radical (•O2), •OH, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), peroxynitrite (ONOO-), and nitric oxide (NO•), compared with reduced glutathione (GSH). The results showed that TSGH4 significantly scavenged these ROS, and could be used as a functional ingredient in medicine and food industries.

INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC FOLIAR FERTILIZATION ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND CONTENT OF POLYPHENOLS IN OCIMUM BASILICUM L.

PubMed

Onofrei, Vasilica; Burducea, Marian; Lobiuc, Andrei; Teliban, Gabriel-Ciprian; Ranghiuc, Gabriel; Robu, Teodor

2017-03-01

Basil is an important medicinal and culinary herb, cultivated on large areas in many countries. With the growing necessity of ecological products, organic crops need to be expanded, but a more complete characterization of such agriculture systems is required. The present paper aims to evaluate total phenolics and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity of Ocimum basilicum L. under organic fertilization with four different foliar fertilizers (Fylo®, Geolino Plants&Flowers®, Cropmax®, Fitokondi®). The total content of phenolic compounds was stimulated by all foliar fertilizers used in the experiment. In the first year, the highest increase was obtained in plants fertilized with Fylo (29%) and Fitokondi (27%) while in the second year Fitokondi fertilizer treatment lead to the highest increase of total phenolics (28%) compared to the control plants. The production of total phenolics was enhanced in the second year probably because the experiment was started earlier on April compared to first year. Foliar fertilization of basil plants can thus be used to obtain increased yield and phenolic compounds synthesis with little effect on the physiological parameters that were analyzed, allowing better performance of basil under organic fertilization.

Relative evaluation of micronutrients (MN) and its respective nanoparticles (NPs) as additives for the enhanced methane generation.

PubMed

Juntupally, Sudharshan; Begum, Sameena; Allu, Sarat Kumar; Nakkasunchi, Shalini; Madugula, Mrudula; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao

2017-08-01

In the present work, effect of micro nutrients (MN) (NiCl 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , CoCl 2 , (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ) was compared with nanoparticles (NPs) of respective MN with cattle manure (CM) slurry in single and bi-phasic anaerobic digestion (AD) at a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 20days at a mesophilic temperature of 37±2°C for the generation of biogas with enhanced methane (70-80%). Experiments were also carried out with CM slurry as control. During single phase AD, highest biogas production of 0.16L/(gVS reduced) and 0.14L/(gVS reduced) was obtained from Fe 3 O 4 NPs and CoCl 2 MN respectively whereas in bi-phasic AD 0.3L/(gVS reduced) and 0.2L/(gVS reduced) was obtained from NiO NPs and NiCl 2 MN correspondingly. The results elucidated that NiCl 2 (either as MN or NPs) yielded highest biogas in comparison with either control or other MN and NPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Chiral Triacylglycerols, sn-POO and sn-OOP, via Lipase-mediated Acidolysis Reaction.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Yukihiro; Yoshida, Hiroki; Nagai, Toshiharu; Hara, Setsuko

2018-02-01

It is well known that lipases are useful tools for preparing various structured triacylglycerols (TAGs). However, the lipase-mediated preparation of chiral TAGs has never been reported. This study aimed to prepare chiral TAGs (viz., 1-palmitoyl-2,3-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol (sn-POO) or 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol (sn-OOP)) via lipase mediated acidolysis, using triolein (TO) and palmitic acid (P) as substrates. Three commercially available lipases (viz., Lipozyme RM-IM ® , Lipozyme TL-IM ® , and Lipase OF ® ) were used. Lipozyme RM-IM ® resulted in an increase 1P-2O (sn-POO + sn-OOP + 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol) content with reaction time, which plateaued at 2~24 h (max. yield 47.1% at 4 h). The highest sn-POO/sn-OOP ratio of ca. 9 was obtained at 0.25 h, and the rate got close to 1 with reaction time (sn-POO/sn-OOP = 1.3 at 24 h). Lipozyme TL-IM ® resulted in a lower 1P-2O synthesis rate than Lipozyme RM-IM ® , where its highest sn-POO/sn-OOP ratio of ca. 2 was obtained at 0.25 h and did not vary much further with reaction time. In the case of Lipase OF ® , its reaction rate for 1P-2O synthesis was lower than that of the other two lipases, and the highest sn-POO/sn-OOP ratio of ca. 1.4 was obtained at 0.5 h, reaching closer to 1 with a longer reaction time. Reaction solvents (viz., hexane, acetone, and benzene) also affected the 1P-2O preparation, where the highest 1P-2O content was obtained with the solvent-free system. Furthermore, the solvent-free system showed a higher reaction rate for 1P-2O synthesis than did the hexane system, with no effect on chiral specificity of the lipase for the TAG molecules. These results suggested that among three types of commercial lipase, Lipozyme RM-IM ® is the most useful for the preparation of chiral TAGs by acidolysis reaction.

[Influences of micro-irrigation and subsoiling before planting on enzyme activity in soil rhizosphere and summer maize yield.

PubMed

Zhang, Ming Zhi; Niu, Wen Quan; Xu, Jian; Li, Yuan

2016-06-01

In order to explore the influences of micro-irrigation and subsoiling before planting on enzyme activity in soil rhizosphere and summer maize yield, an orthogonal experiment was carried out with three factors of micro-irrigation method, irrigation depth, and subsoiling depth. The factor of irrigation method included surface drip irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation, and moistube-irrigation; three levels of irrigation depth were obtained by controlling the lower limit of soil water content to 50%, 65%, and 80% of field holding capacity, respectively; and three depths of deep subsoiling were 20, 40, and 60 cm. The results showed that the activities of catalase and urease increased first and then decreased, while the activity of phosphatase followed an opposite trend in the growth season of summer maize. Compared with surface drip irrigation and moistube-irrigation, subsurface drip irrigation increased the average soil moisture of 0-80 cm layer by 6.3% and 1.8% in the growth season, respectively. Subsurface drip irrigation could significantly increase soil urease activity, roots volume, and yield of summer maize. With the increase of irrigation level, soil phosphatase activity decreased first and then increased, while urease activity and yield increased first and then decreased. The average soil moisture and root volume all increased in the growth season of summer maize. The increments of yield and root volume from subsoiling of 40 to 20 cm were greater than those from 60 to 40 cm. The highest enzyme activity was obtained with the treatment of subsoiling of 40 cm. In terms of improving water resource use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and crop yield, the best management strategy of summer maize was the combination of subsurface drip irrigation, controlling the lower limit of soil water content to 65% of field holding capacity, and 40 cm subsoiling before planting.

Effect of structural carbohydrates and lignin content on the anaerobic digestion of paper and paper board materials by anaerobic granular sludge.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Asato, Caitlin M; Jerke, Amber C; Stone, James J; Gilcrease, Patrick C

2017-05-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic materials is commonly limited by the hydrolysis step. Unlike unprocessed lignocellulosic materials, paper and paper board (PPB) are processed for their fabrication. Such modifications may affect their methane yields and methane production rates. Previous studies have investigated the correlation between lignin and biomethane yields of unprocessed lignocellulosic materials; nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding the relationship between the AD kinetic parameters and composition of PPB. This study evaluated correlations of methane yields and Monod and Gompertz kinetic parameters with structural carbohydrates, lignin, and ash concentration of five types of PPBs. All components were used as single and combined independent variables in linear regressions to predict methane yield, maximum specific methanogenic activity (SMA max ), saturation constant (K s ), and lag phase (λ). Additionally, microbial community profiles were obtained for each PPB assay. Results showed methane yields ranging from 69.2 ± 8.61 to 97.2 ± 2.29% of PPB substrates provided. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained for SMA max as function of hemicellulose/(lignin + ash) (R 2  = 0.86) and for λ as a function of lignin + cellulose (R 2  = 0.85). All other parameters exhibited weaker correlations (R 2  ≤ 0.77). Relative abundance analyses revealed no major changes in the community profile for each of the substrates evaluated. The overall findings of this study are: (i) combinations of structural carbohydrates, lignin, and ash used as ratios of degradable to either non-degradable or slowly degradable fractions predict AD kinetic parameters of PPB materials better than single independent variables; and (ii) other components added during their fabrication may also influence both methane yield and kinetic parameters. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 951-960. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modeling Biometric Traits, Yield and Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Seeds of Three Soybean Cultivars Through the Application of Biostimulant Containing Seaweed and Amino Acids

PubMed Central

Kocira, Sławomir; Szparaga, Agnieszka; Kocira, Anna; Czerwińska, Ewa; Wójtowicz, Agnieszka; Bronowicka-Mielniczuk, Urszula; Koszel, Milan; Findura, Pavol

2018-01-01

In recent years, attempts have been made to use preparations that allow obtaining high and good quality yields, while reducing the application of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. These include biostimulants that are safe for the natural environment and contribute to the improvement of yield size and quality, especially after the occurrence of stressors. Their use is advisable in the case of crops sensitive to such biotic stress factors like low temperatures or drought. One of these is soybean which is a very important plant from the economic viewpoint. Field experiments were established in the years 2014-2016 in a random block design in four replicates on experimental plots of 10 m2. Three soybean cultivars: Annushka, Mavka, and Atlanta were planted in the third decade of April. Fylloton biostimulant was used at 0.7% or 1% concentrations as single spraying (BBCH 13-15) or double spraying (BBCH 13-15, BBCH 61) in the vegetation period. The number of seeds per 1 m2, seed yield, thousand seed weight, number of pods per plant, number of nodes in the main shoot, height of plants, and protein and fat contents in seeds were determined. The content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant effect of soybean seeds were assayed as well. Foliar treatment of soybean with Fylloton stimulated the growth and yield of plants without compromising their nutritional and nutraceutical properties. The double application of the higher concentration of Fylloton was favorable for the plant height, seed number and soybean yield. Moreover, the highest number of pods was obtained after single treatment of plants with the lower biostimulant concentration. There was also a positive effect of using this biostimulant on the content and activity of some bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids, and on the reducing power. PMID:29636764

Modeling Biometric Traits, Yield and Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Seeds of Three Soybean Cultivars Through the Application of Biostimulant Containing Seaweed and Amino Acids.

PubMed

Kocira, Sławomir; Szparaga, Agnieszka; Kocira, Anna; Czerwińska, Ewa; Wójtowicz, Agnieszka; Bronowicka-Mielniczuk, Urszula; Koszel, Milan; Findura, Pavol

2018-01-01

In recent years, attempts have been made to use preparations that allow obtaining high and good quality yields, while reducing the application of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. These include biostimulants that are safe for the natural environment and contribute to the improvement of yield size and quality, especially after the occurrence of stressors. Their use is advisable in the case of crops sensitive to such biotic stress factors like low temperatures or drought. One of these is soybean which is a very important plant from the economic viewpoint. Field experiments were established in the years 2014-2016 in a random block design in four replicates on experimental plots of 10 m 2 . Three soybean cultivars: Annushka, Mavka, and Atlanta were planted in the third decade of April. Fylloton biostimulant was used at 0.7% or 1% concentrations as single spraying (BBCH 13-15) or double spraying (BBCH 13-15, BBCH 61) in the vegetation period. The number of seeds per 1 m 2 , seed yield, thousand seed weight, number of pods per plant, number of nodes in the main shoot, height of plants, and protein and fat contents in seeds were determined. The content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant effect of soybean seeds were assayed as well. Foliar treatment of soybean with Fylloton stimulated the growth and yield of plants without compromising their nutritional and nutraceutical properties. The double application of the higher concentration of Fylloton was favorable for the plant height, seed number and soybean yield. Moreover, the highest number of pods was obtained after single treatment of plants with the lower biostimulant concentration. There was also a positive effect of using this biostimulant on the content and activity of some bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids, and on the reducing power.

Free radical scavenging of grape pomace extracts from Cabernet sauvingnon (Vitis vinifera).

PubMed

de Campos, Luanda M A S; Leimann, Fernanda V; Pedrosa, Rozangela Curi; Ferreira, Sandra R S

2008-11-01

Pressed grape pomace obtained from the wine production of Cabernet sauvignon (Vitis vinifera) vintage was dried until 9.8% moisture content, ground and submitted to extraction of soluble components from different extraction techniques. Low pressure extractions were performed with ethanol maceration followed by fractionation with n-hexane, dichloromethane, butanol and ethyl acetate. These solvents were furthermore applied for soxhlet extraction. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was also performed to obtain grape pomace extracts by using pure CO2 and CO2 with ethanol as co-solvent in concentrations of 10, 15 and 20%w/w. The operating condition used in high pressure extractions was 150bar and 40 degrees C. The antioxidant activity of the grape pomace extracts was determined considering the free radical scavenging assay using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and was correlated with the total phenol content determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results obtained in DPPH tests indicate the highest antioxidant activity of 96.6+/-0.3%AA, with an IC50 value of 13+/-1, for the extracts obtained with ethyl acetate in solid-liquid extraction. The highest yield values were achieved in soxhlet extraction with ethanol (13.2%w/w) and with butanol (12.2%w/w), and also by SFE with 15% ethanol (9.2%w/w). The lipophilic composition of grape pomace extracts was evaluated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with the identification of components like linoleic acid and ethyl linoleate, with important therapeutic activities.

Effects of land use on water quality and transport of selected constituents in streams in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1994–98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrell, Gloria M.

2001-01-01

Transport rates for total solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, biochemical oxygen demand, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc during 1994–98 were computed for six stormwater-monitoring sites in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. These six stormwater-monitoring sites were operated by the Mecklenburg County Department of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the City of Charlotte, and are located near the mouths of major streams. Constituent transport at the six study sites generally was dominated by nonpoint sources, except for nitrogen and phosphorus at two sites located downstream from the outfalls of major municipal wastewater-treatment plants.To relate land use to constituent transport, regression equations to predict constituent yield were developed by using water-quality data from a previous study of nine stormwater-monitoring sites on small streams in Mecklenburg County. The drainage basins of these nine stormwater sites have relatively homogeneous land-use characteristics compared to the six study sites. Mean annual construction activity, based on building permit files, was estimated for all stormwater-monitoring sites and included as an explanatory variable in the regression equations. These regression equations were used to predict constituent yield for the six study sites. Predicted yields generally were in agreement with computed yields. In addition, yields were predicted by using regression equations derived from a national urban water-quality database. Yields predicted from the regional regression equations generally were about an order of magnitude lower than computed yields.Regression analysis indicated that construction activity was a major contributor to transport of the constituents evaluated in this study except for total nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand. Transport of total nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand was dominated by point-source contributions. The two study basins that had the largest amounts of construction activity also had the highest total solids yields (1,300 and 1,500 tons per square mile per year). The highest total phosphorus yields (3.2 and 1.7 tons per square mile per year) attributable to nonpoint sources also occurred in these basins. Concentrations of chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc were positively correlated with total solids concentrations at most of the study sites (Pearson product-moment correlation >0.50). The site having the highest median concentrations of chromium, copper, and nickel also was the site having the highest computed yield for total solids.

Post-fermentative production of glutathione by baker's yeast (S. cerevisiae) in compressed and dried forms.

PubMed

Musatti, Alida; Manzoni, Matilde; Rollini, Manuela

2013-01-25

The study was aimed at investigating the best biotransformation conditions to increase intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels in samples of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) employing either the commercially available compressed and dried forms. Glucose, GSH precursors amino acids, as well as other cofactors, were dissolved in a biotransformation solution and yeast cells were added (5%dcw). Two response surface central composite designs (RSCCDs) were performed in sequence: in the first step the influence of amino acid composition (cysteine, glycine, glutamic acid and serine) on GSH accumulation was investigated; once their formulation was set up, the influence of other components was studied. Initial GSH content was found 0.53 and 0.47%dcw for compressed and dried forms. GSH accumulation ability of baker's yeast in compressed form was higher at the beginning of shelf life, that is, in the first week, and a maximum of 2.04%dcw was obtained. Performance of yeast in dried form was not found satisfactory, as the maximum GSH level was 1.18%dcw. When cysteine lacks from the reaction solution, yeast cells do not accumulate GSH. With dried yeast, the highest GSH yields occurred when cysteine was set at 3 g/L, glycine and glutamic acid at least at 4 g/L, without serine. Employing compressed yeast, the highest GSH yields occurred when cysteine and glutamic acid were set at 2-3 g/L, while glycine and serine higher than 2 g/L. Results allowed to set up an optimal and feasible procedure to obtain GSH-enriched yeast biomass, with up to threefold increase with respect to initial content. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Artificial neural network modeling and optimization of ultrahigh pressure extraction of green tea polyphenols.

PubMed

Xi, Jun; Xue, Yujing; Xu, Yinxiang; Shen, Yuhong

2013-11-01

In this study, the ultrahigh pressure extraction of green tea polyphenols was modeled and optimized by a three-layer artificial neural network. A feed-forward neural network trained with an error back-propagation algorithm was used to evaluate the effects of pressure, liquid/solid ratio and ethanol concentration on the total phenolic content of green tea extracts. The neural network coupled with genetic algorithms was also used to optimize the conditions needed to obtain the highest yield of tea polyphenols. The obtained optimal architecture of artificial neural network model involved a feed-forward neural network with three input neurons, one hidden layer with eight neurons and one output layer including single neuron. The trained network gave the minimum value in the MSE of 0.03 and the maximum value in the R(2) of 0.9571, which implied a good agreement between the predicted value and the actual value, and confirmed a good generalization of the network. Based on the combination of neural network and genetic algorithms, the optimum extraction conditions for the highest yield of green tea polyphenols were determined as follows: 498.8 MPa for pressure, 20.8 mL/g for liquid/solid ratio and 53.6% for ethanol concentration. The total phenolic content of the actual measurement under the optimum predicated extraction conditions was 582.4 ± 0.63 mg/g DW, which was well matched with the predicted value (597.2mg/g DW). This suggests that the artificial neural network model described in this work is an efficient quantitative tool to predict the extraction efficiency of green tea polyphenols. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fermentation pH Modulates the Size Distributions and Functional Properties of Gluconobacter albidus TMW 2.1191 Levan

PubMed Central

Ua-Arak, Tharalinee; Jakob, Frank; Vogel, Rudi F.

2017-01-01

Bacterial levan has gained an increasing interest over the last decades due to its unique characteristics and multiple possible applications. Levan and other exopolysaccharides (EPSs) production are usually optimized to obtain the highest concentration or yield while a possible change of the molecular size and mass during the production process is mostly neglected. In this study, the molar mass and radius of levan samples were monitored during fermentations with the food-grade, levan-producing acetic acid bacterium Gluconobacter (G.) albidus TMW 2.1191 in shake flasks (without pH control) and bioreactors (with pH control at 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5, respectively). In uncontrolled fermentations, the levan size/molar mass continuously decreased concomitantly with the continuous acidification of the nutrient medium. On the contrary, the amount, molar mass and size of levan could be directly influenced by controlling the pH during fermentation. Using equal initial substrate amounts, the largest weight average molar mass and geometric radius of levan were observed at constant pH 6.5, while the highest levan concentration was obtained at constant pH 4.5. Since there is a special demand to find suitable hydrocolloids from food-grade bacteria to develop novel gluten-free (GF) products, these differently produced levans were used for baking of GF breads, and the best quality improvement was obtained by addition of levan with the highest mass and radius. This work, therefore, demonstrates for the first time that one bacterial strain can produce specific high molecular weight fractions of one EPS type, which differ in properties and sizes among each other in dependence of the controllable production conditions. PMID:28522999

Interaction Between Phosphorus and Zinc on the Biomass Yield and Yield Attributes of the Medicinal Plant Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)

PubMed Central

Das, Kuntal; Dang, Raman; Shivananda, T. N.; Sur, Pintu

2005-01-01

A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore to study the interaction effect between phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) on the yield and yield attributes of the medicinal plant stevia. The results show that the yield and yield attributes have been found to be significantly affected by different treatments. The total yield in terms of biomass production has been increased significantly with the application of Zn and P in different combinations and methods, being highest (23.34 g fresh biomass) in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil (10 kg ZnSO4/ha) and foliar spray (0.2% ZnSO4). The results also envisaged that the different yield attributes viz. height, total number of branches, and number of leaves per plant have been found to be varied with treatments, being highest in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray without the application of P. The results further indicated that the yield and yield attributes of stevia have been found to be decreased in the treatment where Zn was applied as both soil and foliar spray along with P suggesting an antagonistic effect between Zn and P. PMID:15915292

Biohydrogen production from enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste in batch and continuous systems

PubMed Central

Han, Wei; Yan, Yingting; Shi, Yiwen; Gu, Jingjing; Tang, Junhong; Zhao, Hongting

2016-01-01

In this study, the feasibility of biohydrogen production from enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste was investigated. Food waste (solid-to-liquid ratio of 10%, w/v) was first hydrolyzed by commercial glucoamylase to release glucose (24.35 g/L) in the food waste hydrolysate. Then, the obtained food waste hydrolysate was used as substrate for biohydrogen production in the batch and continuous (continuous stirred tank reactor, CSTR) systems. It was observed that the maximum cumulative hydrogen production of 5850 mL was achieved with a yield of 245.7 mL hydrogen/g glucose (1.97 mol hydrogen/mol glucose) in the batch system. In the continuous system, the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on biohydrogen production from food waste hydrolysate was investigated. The optimal HRT obtained from this study was 6 h with the highest hydrogen production rate of 8.02 mmol/(h·L). Ethanol and acetate were the major soluble microbial products with low propionate production at all HRTs. Enzymatic hydrolysis of food waste could effectively accelerate hydrolysis speed, improve substrate utilization rate and increase hydrogen yield. PMID:27910937

Production of o-diphenols by immobilized mushroom tyrosinase.

PubMed

Marín-Zamora, María Elisa; Rojas-Melgarejo, Francisco; García-Cánovas, Francisco; García-Ruiz, Pedro Antonio

2009-01-15

The o-diphenols 4-tert-butyl-catechol, 4-methyl-catechol, 4-methoxy-catechol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were produced from the corresponding monophenols (4-tert-butyl-phenol, 4-methyl-phenol, 4-methoxy-phenol, p-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) using immobilized mushroom tyrosinase from Agaricus bisporus. In all cases the yield was R(diphenol)> or =88-96%, which, according to the literature, is the highest yield so far, obtained using tyrosinase. The reaction was carried out in 0.5M borate buffer pH 9.0 which was used to minimize the diphenolase activity of tyrosinase by complexing the o-diphenols generated. Hydroxylamine and ascorbic acid were also present in the reaction medium, the former being used to reduce mettyrosinase to deoxytyrosinase, closing the catalytic cycle, and the latter to reduce the o-quinone produced to o-diphenol. Inactivation of the tyrosinase by ascorbic acid was also minimized due to the formation of an ascorbic acid-borate complex. Concentrations of the o-diphenolic compounds obtained at several reaction times were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The experimental results are discussed.

A study on pyrolysis of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) with titania based catalysts for bio-fuel production.

PubMed

Aysu, Tevfik

2016-11-01

The catalytic pyrolysis of Cirsium arvense was performed with titania supported catalysts under the operating conditions of 500°C, 40°C/min heating rate, 100mL/min N2 flow rate in a fixed bed reactor for biofuel production. The effect of catalysts on product yields was investigated. The amount of pyrolysis products (bio-char, bio-oil, gas) and the composition of the produced bio-oils were determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and elemental analysis (EA) techniques. Thistle bio-oils had lower O/C and H/C molar ratios compared to feedstock. The highest bio-char and bio-oil yields of 29.32wt% and 36.71wt% were obtained in the presence of Ce/TiO2 and Ni/TiO2 catalysts respectively. GC-MS identified 97 different compounds in the bio-oils obtained from thistle pyrolysis. (1)H NMR analysis showed that the bio-oils contained ∼55-77% aliphatic and ∼6-19% aromatic structural units. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of molar ratio of oxidizer/3-hexylthiophene monomer in chemical oxidative polymerization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hai, Thien An Phung; Sugimoto, Ryuichi

2017-10-01

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was successfully prepared by oxidative polymerization of 3-hexylthiophene (3HT) using FeCl3 in various solvents, including hexane, nitrobenzene, and acetonitrile. The range of molar ratios between the oxidant and monomer used in the reactions was 1:1-1:10. A similar result was obtained when the polymerization was conducted in ethanol-free chloroform, which indicated that the Lewis acidity of anhydrous FeCl3 was significantly affected by even a small amount of ethanol. The yield of P3HT obtained in the above solvents was proportional to the monomer/FeCl3 molar ratio, and the yield in hexane was the highest among all solvents. Analysis of the methanol extract of P3HT using Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Light Mass Spectrometry (SALDI TOF MS) showed that the 3HT dimer was formed at the initial stage of polymerization. The structure of the oligomer was also analyzed using SALDI TOF MS and 1H NMR. These results provide detailed insights into the polymerization mechanism of 3HT with FeCl3 as oxidant.

Biodiesel Derive Bio-oil of Hermetia illucens Pre-pupae Catalysed by Sulphonated Biochar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoong Leong, Siew; Chong, Soo Shin; Chin, Kah Seng

2018-03-01

This study investigates the development of biochar catalyst from bamboo applied for biodiesel synthesis. A non-conventional biodiesel feedstock was used in the in-situ transesterification reaction. This non-conventional feedstock is obtained from an insect's fly, the Hermetia illucens fly. Biochar derived from bamboo has been investigated as a promising catalyst for biodiesel synthesis. The biochar acid catalysts were prepared by sulphonation via impregnation with concentrated sulphuric acid. The prepared catalysts were investigated for their performance to catalyse in-situ transesterification via ultra-sonication of Hermetia illucens bio-oil. The effects of carbonisation time (1 hour and 2 hour) and temperature (400°C, 500°C and 600°C) as well as catalyst loading (5-20 wt% on oil basis) on the transesterification yield were studied. Result showed that the highest yield of FAME obtained was 95.6% with catalyst loading of 15 wt% carbonized at 500°C for 2 hours. Sharp band of methyl ester functional groups were observed in the FTIR spectra at 1735-1750cm-1. The composition of this methyl ester was further deduced using gas chromatography and the fatty acid was predominantly lauric acid.

Comparative genetic analysis of trichome-less and normal pod genotypes of Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae).

PubMed

Dhawan, S S; Rai, G K; Darokar, M P; Lal, R K; Misra, H O; Khanuja, S P S

2011-09-15

Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) seeds contain the catecholic amino acid L-DoPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which is a neurotransmitter precursor and used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and mental disorders. The great demand for L-DoPA is largely met by the pharmaceutical industry through extraction of the compound from wild populations of this plant; commercial exploitation of this compound is hampered because of its limited availability. The trichomes present on the pods can cause severe itching, blisters and dermatitis, discouraging cultivation. We screened genetic stocks of velvet bean for the trichome-less trait, along with high seed yield and L-DoPA content. The highest yielding trichome-less elite strain was selected and indentified on the basis of a PCR-based DNA fingerprinting method (RAPD), using deca-nucleotide primers. A genetic similarity index matrix was obtained through multivariant analysis using Nei and Li's coefficient. The similarity coefficients were used to generate a tree for cluster analysis using the UPGMA method. Analysis of amplification spectra of 408 bands obtained with 56 primers allowed us to distinguish a trichome-less elite strain of M. pruriens.

One-pot, one-step synthesis of 2,5-diformylfuran from carbohydrates over Mo-containing Keggin heteropolyacids.

PubMed

Liu, Yu; Zhu, Liangfang; Tang, Jinqiang; Liu, Mingyang; Cheng, Ruodi; Hu, Changwei

2014-12-01

In this work, a one-pot strategy for directly converting fructose into 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) over Mo-containing Keggin heteropolyacids (HPAs) in open air is developed. H3 PMo12 O40 HPA is found to show high activity and selectivity to the formation of DFF owing to its higher Brønsted acidity and moderate redox potential. The partial substitution of the H(+) in H3 PMo12 O40 with Cs(+) leads to the heterogenization of the HPA by forming its cesium salts Csx H3-x PMo12 (x=0.5, 1.5, and 2.5). A satisfactory yield of 69.3% to DFF is obtained over Cs0.5 H2.5 PMo12 polyoxometalate after deliberate optimization of the reaction conditions. The heterogenized polyoxometalate could be recycled and reused without significant loss of catalytic activity for five runs. The produced DFF could be separated from the resulting mixture by an adsorption-desorption method using activated carbon as the adsorbent and furfural as the desorbent. A highest isolated yield of 58.2% is obtained. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of wear on the burst strength of l-80 steel casing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irawan, S.; Bharadwaj, A. M.; Temesgen, B.; Karuppanan, S.; Abdullah, M. Z. B.

2015-12-01

Casing wear has recently become one of the areas of research interest in the oil and gas industry especially in extended reach well drilling. The burst strength of a worn out casing is one of the significantly affected mechanical properties and is yet an area where less research is done The most commonly used equations to calculate the resulting burst strength after wear are Barlow, the initial yield burst, the full yield burst and the rupture burst equations. The objective of this study was to estimate casing burst strength after wear through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). It included calculation and comparison of the different theoretical bursts pressures with the simulation results along with effect of different wear shapes on L-80 casing material. The von Misses stress was used in the estimation of the burst pressure. The result obtained shows that the casing burst strength decreases as the wear percentage increases. Moreover, the burst strength value of the casing obtained from the FEA has a higher value compared to the theoretical burst strength values. Casing with crescent shaped wear give the highest burst strength value when simulated under nonlinear analysis.

Characteristics of Corn Stover Pretreated with Liquid Hot Water and Fed-Batch Semi-Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation for Bioethanol Production

PubMed Central

Li, Xuezhi; Lu, Jie; Zhao, Jian; Qu, Yinbo

2014-01-01

Corn stover is a promising feedstock for bioethanol production because of its abundant availability in China. To obtain higher ethanol concentration and higher ethanol yield, liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment and fed-batch semi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (S-SSF) were used to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of corn stover and improve bioconversion of cellulose to ethanol. The results show that solid residues from LHW pretreatment of corn stover can be effectively converted into ethanol at severity factors ranging from 3.95 to 4.54, and the highest amount of xylan removed was approximately 89%. The ethanol concentrations of 38.4 g/L and 39.4 g/L as well as ethanol yields of 78.6% and 79.7% at severity factors of 3.95 and 4.54, respectively, were obtained by fed-batch S-SSF in an optimum conditions (initial substrate consistency of 10%, and 6.1% solid residues added into system at the prehydrolysis time of 6 h). The changes in surface morphological structure, specific surface area, pore volume and diameter of corn stover subjected to LHW process were also analyzed for interpreting the possible improvement mechanism. PMID:24763192

Biomass fast pyrolysis in a fluidized bed reactor under N2, CO2, CO, CH4 and H2 atmospheres.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiyan; Xiao, Rui; Wang, Denghui; He, Guangying; Shao, Shanshan; Zhang, Jubing; Zhong, Zhaoping

2011-03-01

Biomass fast pyrolysis is one of the most promising technologies for biomass utilization. In order to increase its economic potential, pyrolysis gas is usually recycled to serve as carrier gas. In this study, biomass fast pyrolysis was carried out in a fluidized bed reactor using various main pyrolysis gas components, namely N(2), CO(2), CO, CH(4) and H(2), as carrier gases. The atmosphere effects on product yields and oil fraction compositions were investigated. Results show that CO atmosphere gave the lowest liquid yield (49.6%) compared to highest 58.7% obtained with CH(4). CO and H(2) atmospheres converted more oxygen into CO(2) and H(2)O, respectively. GC/MS analysis of the liquid products shows that CO and CO(2) atmospheres produced less methoxy-containing compounds and more monofunctional phenols. The higher heating value of the obtained bio-oil under N(2) atmosphere is only 17.8 MJ/kg, while that under CO and H(2) atmospheres increased to 23.7 and 24.4 MJ/kg, respectively. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single attosecond pulse generation by using plasmon-driven double optical gating technology in crossed metal nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Liqiang; Liu, Katheryn

2018-05-01

An effective method to obtain the single attosecond pulses (SAPs) by using the multi-cycle plasmon-driven double optical gating (DOG) technology in the specifically designed metal nanostructures has been proposed and investigated. It is found that with the introduction of the crossed metal nanostructures along the driven and the gating polarization directions, not only the harmonic cutoff can be extended, but also the efficient high-order harmonic generation (HHG) at the very highest orders occurs only at one side of the region inside the nanostructure. As a result, a 93 eV supercontinuum with the near stable phase can be found. Further, by properly introducing an ultraviolet (UV) pulse into the driven laser polarization direction (which is defined as the DOG), the harmonic yield can be enhanced by two orders of magnitude in comparison with the singe polarization gating (PG) technology. However, as the polarized angle or the ellipticity of the UV pulse increase, the enhancement of the harmonic yield is slightly reduced. Finally, by superposing the selected harmonics from the DOG scheme, a 30 as SAP with intensity enhancement of two orders of magnitude can be obtained.

Efficient sugar release by acetic acid ethanol-based organosolv pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongdan; Wu, Shubin

2014-12-03

Acetic acid ethanol-based organosolv pretreatment of sugar cane bagasse was performed to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis. The effect of different parameters (including temperature, reaction time, solvent concentration, and acid catalyst dose) on pretreatment prehydrolyzate and subsequent enzymatic digestibility was determined. During the pretreatment process, 11.83 g of xylose based on 100 g of raw material could be obtained. After the ethanol-based pretreatment, the enzymatic hydrolysis was enhanced and the highest glucose yield of 40.99 g based on 100 g of raw material could be obtained, representing 93.8% of glucose in sugar cane bagasse. The maximum total sugar yields occurred at 190 °C, 45 min, 60:40 ethanol/water, and 5% dosage of acetic acid, reaching 58.36 g (including 17.69 g of xylose and 40.67 g of glucose) based on 100 g of raw material, representing 85.4% of total sugars in raw material. Furthermore, characterization of the pretreated sugar cane bagasse using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses were also developed. The results suggested that ethanol-based organosolv pretreatment could enhance enzymatic digestibilities because of the delignification and removal of xylan.

How much articular displacement can be detected using fluoroscopy for tibial plateau fractures?

PubMed

Haller, Justin M; O'Toole, Robert; Graves, Matthew; Barei, David; Gardner, Michael; Kubiak, Erik; Nascone, Jason; Nork, Sean; Presson, Angela P; Higgins, Thomas F

2015-11-01

While there is conflicting evidence regarding the importance of anatomic reduction for tibial plateau fractures, there are currently no studies that analyse our ability to grade reduction based on fluoroscopic imaging. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of fluoroscopy in judging tibial plateau articular reduction. Ten embalmed human cadavers were selected. The lateral plateau was sagitally sectioned, and the joint was reduced under direct visualization. Lateral, anterior-posterior (AP), and joint line fluoroscopic views were obtained. The same fluoroscopic views were obtained with 2mm displacement and 5mm displacement. The images were randomised, and eight orthopaedic traumatologists were asked whether the plateau was reduced. Within each pair of conditions (view and displacement from 0mm to 5mm) sensitivity, specificity, and intraclass correlations (ICC) were evaluated. The AP-lateral view with 5mm displacement yielded the highest accuracy for detecting reduction at 90% (95% CI: 83-94%). For the other conditions, accuracy ranged from (37-83%). Sensitivity was highest for the reduced lateral view (79%, 95% CI: 57-91%). Specificity was highest in the AP-lateral view 98% (95% CI: 93-99%) for 5mm step-off. ICC was perfect for the AP-lateral view with 5mm displacement, but otherwise agreement ranged from poor to moderate at ICC=0.09-0.46. Finally, there was no additional benefit to including the joint-line view with the AP and lateral views. Using both AP and lateral views for 5mm displacement had the highest accuracy, specificity, and ICC. Outside of this scenario, agreement was poor to moderate and accuracy was low. Applying this clinically, direct visualization of the articular surface may be necessary to ensure malreduction less than 5mm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Supercritical Extracts of Algae as Biostimulants of Plant Growth in Field Trials.

PubMed

Michalak, Izabela; Chojnacka, Katarzyna; Dmytryk, Agnieszka; Wilk, Radosław; Gramza, Mateusz; Rój, Edward

2016-01-01

The aim of the field trials was to determine the influence of supercritical algal extracts on the growth and development of winter wheat (variety Akteur ). As a raw material for the supercritical fluid extraction, the biomass of microalga Spirulina plantensis , brown seaweed - Ascophyllum nodosum and Baltic green macroalgae was used. Forthial and Asahi SL constituted the reference products. It was found that the tested biostimulants did not influence statistically significantly the plant height, length of ear, and shank length. The ear number per m 2 was the highest in the group where the Baltic macroalgae extract was applied in the dose 1.0 L/ha (statistically significant differences). Number of grains in ear (statistically significant differences) and shank length was the highest in the group treated with Spirulina at the dose 1.5 L/ha. In the group with Ascophyllum at the dose 1.0 L/ha, the highest length of ear was observed. The yield was comparable in all the experimental groups (lack of statistically significant differences). Among the tested supercritical extracts, the best results were obtained for Spirulina (1.5 L/ha). The mass of 1000 grains was the highest for extract from Baltic macroalgae and was 3.5% higher than for Asahi, 4.0% higher than for Forthial and 18.5% higher than for the control group (statistically significant differences). Future work is needed to fully characterize the chemical composition of the applied algal extracts. A special attention should be paid to the extracts obtained from Baltic algae because they are inexpensive source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, which can be used in sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

Evaluation of Supercritical Extracts of Algae as Biostimulants of Plant Growth in Field Trials

PubMed Central

Michalak, Izabela; Chojnacka, Katarzyna; Dmytryk, Agnieszka; Wilk, Radosław; Gramza, Mateusz; Rój, Edward

2016-01-01

The aim of the field trials was to determine the influence of supercritical algal extracts on the growth and development of winter wheat (variety Akteur). As a raw material for the supercritical fluid extraction, the biomass of microalga Spirulina plantensis, brown seaweed – Ascophyllum nodosum and Baltic green macroalgae was used. Forthial and Asahi SL constituted the reference products. It was found that the tested biostimulants did not influence statistically significantly the plant height, length of ear, and shank length. The ear number per m2 was the highest in the group where the Baltic macroalgae extract was applied in the dose 1.0 L/ha (statistically significant differences). Number of grains in ear (statistically significant differences) and shank length was the highest in the group treated with Spirulina at the dose 1.5 L/ha. In the group with Ascophyllum at the dose 1.0 L/ha, the highest length of ear was observed. The yield was comparable in all the experimental groups (lack of statistically significant differences). Among the tested supercritical extracts, the best results were obtained for Spirulina (1.5 L/ha). The mass of 1000 grains was the highest for extract from Baltic macroalgae and was 3.5% higher than for Asahi, 4.0% higher than for Forthial and 18.5% higher than for the control group (statistically significant differences). Future work is needed to fully characterize the chemical composition of the applied algal extracts. A special attention should be paid to the extracts obtained from Baltic algae because they are inexpensive source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, which can be used in sustainable agriculture and horticulture. PMID:27826310

Four Different Methods Comparison for Extraction of Astaxanthin from Green Alga Haematococcus pluvialis

PubMed Central

Dong, Shengzhao; Huang, Yi; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Shihui; Liu, Yun

2014-01-01

Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the potent organisms for production of astaxanthin. Up to now, no efficient method has been achieved due to its thick cell wall hindering solvent extraction of astaxanthin. In this study, four different methods, hydrochloric acid pretreatment followed by acetone extraction (HCl-ACE), hexane/isopropanol (6 : 4, v/v) mixture solvents extraction (HEX-IPA), methanol extraction followed by acetone extraction (MET-ACE, 2-step extraction), and soy-oil extraction, were intensively evaluated for extraction of astaxanthin from H. pluvialis. Results showed that HCl-ACE method could obtain the highest oil yield (33.3 ± 1.1%) and astaxanthin content (19.8 ± 1.1%). Quantitative NMR analysis provided the fatty acid chain profiles of total lipid extracts. In all cases, oleyl chains were predominant, and high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acid chains were observed and the major fatty acid components were oleic acid (13–35%), linoleic acid (37–43%), linolenic acid (20–31%), and total saturated acid (17–28%). DPPH radical scavenging activity of extract obtained by HCl-ACE was 73.2 ± 1.0%, which is the highest amongst the four methods. The reducing power of extract obtained by four extraction methods was also examined. It was concluded that the proposed extraction method of HCl-ACE in this work allowed efficient astaxanthin extractability with high antioxidant properties. PMID:24574909

Obtaining ready-to-eat blue corn expanded snacks with anthocyanins using an extrusion process and response surface methodology.

PubMed

Escalante-Aburto, Anayansi; Ramírez-Wong, Benjamín; Torres-Chávez, Patricia Isabel; López-Cervantes, Jaime; Figueroa-Cárdenas, Juan de Dios; Barrón-Hoyos, Jesús Manuel; Morales-Rosas, Ignacio; Ponce-García, Néstor; Gutiérrez-Dorado, Roberto

2014-12-15

Extrusion is an alternative technology for the production of nixtamalized products. The aim of this study was to obtain an expanded nixtamalized snack with whole blue corn and using the extrusion process, to preserve the highest possible total anthocyanin content, intense blue/purple coloration (color b) and the highest expansion index. A central composite experimental design was used. The extrusion process factors were: feed moisture (FM, 15%-23%), calcium hydroxide concentration (CHC, 0%-0.25%) and final extruder temperature (T, 110-150 °C). The chemical and physical properties evaluated in the extrudates were moisture content (MC, %), total anthocyanins (TA, mg·kg(-1)), pH, color (L, a, b) and expansion index (EI). ANOVA and surface response methodology were applied to evaluate the effects of the extrusion factors. FM and T significantly affected the response variables. An optimization step was performed by overlaying three contour plots to predict the best combination region. The extrudates were obtained under the following optimum factors: FM (%) = 16.94, CHC (%) = 0.095 and T (°C) = 141.89. The predicted extrusion processing factors were highly accurate, yielding an expanded nixtamalized snack with 158.87 mg·kg(-1) TA (estimated: 160 mg·kg(-1)), an EI of 3.19 (estimated: 2.66), and color parameter b of -0.44 (estimated: 0.10).

Volatility and Wear Characteristics of a Variety of Liquid Lubricants for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, QuynhGiao N.; Jones, William R., Jr.

2001-01-01

The vapor pressures and wear characteristics are critical properties for liquid lubricants to assure long-term reliability and performance in space applications. Vapor pressures, obtained using a Knudsen cell technique, and wear properties, obtained using a vacuum four-ball apparatus, were measured for a series of unformulated liquid lubricants. These included two multiply alkylated cyclopentanes (MACs) (X-1000 and X2000), two linear perfluoropolyalkylethers (PFPAEs) (Z-25 and 815Z), and four silahydrocarbons (a tri, a tetra, and two pentas). Vapor pressures were measured at three elevated temperatures (423, 448, and 498 K) and extrapolated to room temperature 298 K. The lowest 298 K vapor pressure of 5.7 x 10(exp -14) Pa was obtained with the PFPAE fluid (815Z) and the highest value with the low molecular weight MAC (X-1000) at 3.6 x 10(exp -7) Pa. In addition, vacuum wear rates were determined for some of the lubricants. The lowest wear rates (approximately 3 x 10(exp -11) cubic mm/mm) were observed for three of the silahydrocarbons while the highest wear rates (approximately 2 x 10(exp -9) cubic mm/mm) were observed with the two PFPAE fluids (Z-25 and 815Z). The MAC (X-2000) yielded a wear rate of about 10(exp -10) cubic mm/mm. The results indicated that the silahydrocarbon class of liquid lubricants offers the better potential for space applications.

Volatility and Wear Characteristics of a Variety of Liquid Lubricants for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Quynhgiao N.; Jones, William R., Jr.

2001-01-01

The vapor pressures and near characteristics are critical properties for liquid lubricants to assure long-term reliability and performance in space applications. Vapor pressures, obtained using a Knudsen cell technique, and near properties, obtained using a vacuum four-ball apparatus, were measured for a series of unformulated liquid lubricants. These include: two multiple alkylated cyclopentanes (MACs) (X-1000 and X-2000), two linear perfluoropolyalkylethers (PFPAEs) (Z-25 and 815Z), and four silahydrocarbons (a tri-, a tetra-, and two pentas). Vapor pressures were measured at three elevated temperatures (423, 448, and 498 K) and extrapolated to room temperature 298 K. The lowest 298 K vapor pressure of 5.7 x 10(exp -14) Pa, was obtained with the PFPAE fluid (815Z) and the highest value with the low molecular weight MAC (X-1000) at 3.6 x 10(exp -7) Pa. In addition, vacuum near rates were determined for some of the lubricants. The lowest wear rates (approximately 3 x 10(exp -11) cubic mm/mm) were observed for three of the silahydrocarbons while the highest wear rate (approximately 2 x 10(exp-9) cubic mm/mm) were observed with the two PFPAE fluids (Z-25 and 815Z). The MAC (X-2000) yielded a wear rate of about 10(exp -10) cubic mm/mm. The results indicated that the silahydrocarbon class of liquid lubricants offers the better potential for space applications.

Four different methods comparison for extraction of astaxanthin from green alga Haematococcus pluvialis.

PubMed

Dong, Shengzhao; Huang, Yi; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Shihui; Liu, Yun

2014-01-01

Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the potent organisms for production of astaxanthin. Up to now, no efficient method has been achieved due to its thick cell wall hindering solvent extraction of astaxanthin. In this study, four different methods, hydrochloric acid pretreatment followed by acetone extraction (HCl-ACE), hexane/isopropanol (6:4, v/v) mixture solvents extraction (HEX-IPA), methanol extraction followed by acetone extraction (MET-ACE, 2-step extraction), and soy-oil extraction, were intensively evaluated for extraction of astaxanthin from H. pluvialis. Results showed that HCl-ACE method could obtain the highest oil yield (33.3±1.1%) and astaxanthin content (19.8±1.1%). Quantitative NMR analysis provided the fatty acid chain profiles of total lipid extracts. In all cases, oleyl chains were predominant, and high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acid chains were observed and the major fatty acid components were oleic acid (13-35%), linoleic acid (37-43%), linolenic acid (20-31%), and total saturated acid (17-28%). DPPH radical scavenging activity of extract obtained by HCl-ACE was 73.2±1.0%, which is the highest amongst the four methods. The reducing power of extract obtained by four extraction methods was also examined. It was concluded that the proposed extraction method of HCl-ACE in this work allowed efficient astaxanthin extractability with high antioxidant properties.

Effect of Different Substrates and Casing Materials on the Growth and Yield of Calocybe indica.

PubMed

Amin, Ruhul; Khair, Abul; Alam, Nuhu; Lee, Tae Soo

2010-06-01

Calocybe indica, a tropical edible mushroom, is popular because it has good nutritive value and it can be cultivated commercially. The current investigation was undertaken to determine a suitable substrate and the appropriate thickness of casing materials for the cultivation of C. indica. Optimum mycelial growth was observed in coconut coir substrate. Primordia initiation with the different substrates and casing materials was observed between the 13th and 19th day. The maximum length of stalk was recorded from sugarcane leaf, while diameter of stalk and pileus, and thickness of pileus were found in rice straw substrate. The highest biological and economic yield, and biological efficiency were also obtained in the rice straw substrate. Cow dung and loamy soil, farm-yard manure, loamy soil and sand, and spent oyster mushroom substrates were used as casing materials to evaluate the yield and yield-contributing characteristics of C. indica. The results indicate that the number of effective fruiting bodies, the biological and economic yield, and the biological efficiency were statistically similar all of the casing materials used. The maximum biological efficiency was found in the cow dung and loamy soil casing material. The cow dung and loamy soil (3 cm thick) was the best casing material and the rice straw was the best substrate for the commercial cultivation of C. indica.

Effect of Different Substrates and Casing Materials on the Growth and Yield of Calocybe indica

PubMed Central

Amin, Ruhul; Khair, Abul; Alam, Nuhu

2010-01-01

Calocybe indica, a tropical edible mushroom, is popular because it has good nutritive value and it can be cultivated commercially. The current investigation was undertaken to determine a suitable substrate and the appropriate thickness of casing materials for the cultivation of C. indica. Optimum mycelial growth was observed in coconut coir substrate. Primordia initiation with the different substrates and casing materials was observed between the 13th and 19th day. The maximum length of stalk was recorded from sugarcane leaf, while diameter of stalk and pileus, and thickness of pileus were found in rice straw substrate. The highest biological and economic yield, and biological efficiency were also obtained in the rice straw substrate. Cow dung and loamy soil, farm-yard manure, loamy soil and sand, and spent oyster mushroom substrates were used as casing materials to evaluate the yield and yield-contributing characteristics of C. indica. The results indicate that the number of effective fruiting bodies, the biological and economic yield, and the biological efficiency were statistically similar all of the casing materials used. The maximum biological efficiency was found in the cow dung and loamy soil casing material. The cow dung and loamy soil (3 cm thick) was the best casing material and the rice straw was the best substrate for the commercial cultivation of C. indica. PMID:23956634

Microdosimetry of DNA conformations: relation between direct effect of (60)Co gamma rays and topology of DNA geometrical models in the calculation of A-, B- and Z-DNA radiation-induced damage yields.

PubMed

Semsarha, Farid; Raisali, Gholamreza; Goliaei, Bahram; Khalafi, Hossein

2016-05-01

In order to obtain the energy deposition pattern of ionizing radiation in the nanometric scale of genetic material and to investigate the different sensitivities of the DNA conformations, direct effects of (60)Co gamma rays on the three A, B and Z conformations of DNA have been studied. For this purpose, single-strand breaks (SSB), double-strand breaks (DSB), base damage (BD), hit probabilities and three microdosimetry quantities (imparted energy, mean chord length and lineal energy) in the mentioned DNA conformations have been calculated and compared by using GEometry ANd Tracking 4 (Geant4) toolkit. The results show that A-, B- and Z-DNA conformations have the highest yields of DSB (1.2 Gy(-1) Gbp(-1)), SSB (25.2 Gy(-1) Gbp(-1)) and BD (4.81 Gy(-1) Gbp(-1)), respectively. Based on the investigation of direct effects of radiation, it can be concluded that the DSB yield is largely correlated to the topological characteristics of DNA models, although the SSB yield is not. Moreover, according to the comparative results of the present study, a reliable candidate parameter for describing the relationship between DNA damage yields and geometry of DNA models in the theoretical radiation biology research studies would be the mean chord length (4 V/S) of the models.

Non-growing Rhodopseudomonas palustris Increases the Hydrogen Gas Yield from Acetate by Shifting from the Glyoxylate Shunt to the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle*

PubMed Central

McKinlay, James B.; Oda, Yasuhiro; Rühl, Martin; Posto, Amanda L.; Sauer, Uwe; Harwood, Caroline S.

2014-01-01

When starved for nitrogen, non-growing cells of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris continue to metabolize acetate and produce H2, an important industrial chemical and potential biofuel. The enzyme nitrogenase catalyzes H2 formation. The highest H2 yields are obtained when cells are deprived of N2 and thus use available electrons to synthesize H2 as the exclusive product of nitrogenase. To understand how R. palustris responds metabolically to increase H2 yields when it is starved for N2, and thus not growing, we tracked changes in biomass composition and global transcript levels. In addition to a 3.5-fold higher H2 yield by non-growing cells we also observed an accumulation of polyhydroxybutyrate to over 30% of the dry cell weight. The transcriptome of R. palustris showed down-regulation of biosynthetic processes and up-regulation of nitrogen scavenging mechanisms in response to N2 starvation but gene expression changes did not point to metabolic activities that could generate the reductant necessary to explain the high H2 yield. We therefore tracked 13C-labeled acetate through central metabolic pathways. We found that non-growing cells shifted their metabolism to use the tricarboxylic acid cycle to metabolize acetate in contrast to growing cells, which used the glyoxylate cycle exclusively. This shift enabled cells to more fully oxidize acetate, providing the necessary reducing power to explain the high H2 yield. PMID:24302724

Comparison of non-toxic methods for creating beta-carotene encapsulated in PMMA nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobrzanski, Christopher D.

Nano/microcapsules are becoming more prevalent in various industries such as drug delivery, cosmetics, etc. Current methods of particle formation often use toxic or carcinogenic/mutagenic/reprotoxic (CMR) chemicals. This study intends to improve upon existing methods of particle formation and compare their effectiveness in terms of entrapment efficiency, mean particle size, and yield utilizing only non-toxic chemicals. In this study, the solvent evaporation (SE), spontaneous emulsification, and spontaneous emulsion solvent diffusion (SESD) methods were compared in systems containing green solvents ethyl acetate, dimethyl carbonate or acetone. PMMA particles containing encapsulated beta carotene, an ultraviolet sensitive substance, were synthesized. It was desired to produce particles with minimum mean size and maximum yield and entrapment of beta carotene. The mass of the water phase, the mass of the polymer and the pumping or blending rate were varied for each synthesis method. The smallest particle sizes for SE and SESD both were obtained from the middle water phase sizes, 200 g and 100 g respectively. The particles obtained from the larger water phase in SESD were much bigger, about 5 microns in diameter, even larger than the ones obtained from SE. When varying the mass of PMMA used in each synthesis method, as expected, more PMMA led to larger particles. Increasing the blending rate in SE from 6,500 to 13,500 rpm had a minimal effect on average particle size, but the higher shear resulted in highly polydisperse particles (PDI = 0.87). By decreasing the pump rate in SESD, particles became smaller and had lower entrapment efficiency. The entrapment efficiencies of the particles were generally higher for the larger particles within a mode. Therefore, we found that minimizing the particle size while maximizing entrapment were somewhat contradictory goals. The solvent evaporation method was very consistent in terms of the values of mean particle size, yield, and entrapment efficiency. Comparing the synthesis methods, the smallest particles with the highest yield and entrapment efficiency were generated by the spontaneous emulsification method.

Comparison of diagnostic performances among bronchoscopic sampling techniques in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions.

PubMed

Boonsarngsuk, Viboon; Kanoksil, Wasana; Laungdamerongchai, Sarangrat

2015-04-01

There are many sampling techniques dedicated to radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS) guided flexible bronchoscopy (FB). However, data regarding the diagnostic performances among bronchoscopic sampling techniques is limited. This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields among bronchoscopic sampling techniques in the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs). A prospective study was conducted on 112 patients who were diagnosed with PPLs and underwent R-EBUS-guided FB between Oct 2012 and Sep 2014. Sampling techniques-including transbronchial biopsy (TBB), brushing cell block, brushing smear, rinsed fluid of brushing, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)-were evaluated for the diagnosis. The mean diameter of the PPLs was 23.5±9.5 mm. The final diagnoses included 76 malignancies and 36 benign lesions. The overall diagnostic yield of R-EBUS-guided bronchoscopy was 80.4%; TBB gave the highest yield among the 112 specimens: 70.5%, 34.8%, 62.5%, 50.0% and 42.0% for TBB, brushing cell block, brushing smear, rinsed brushing fluid, and BAL fluid (BALF), respectively (P<0.001). TBB provided high diagnostic yield irrespective of the size and etiology of the PPLs. The combination of TBB and brushing smear achieved the maximum diagnostic yield. Of 31 infectious PPLs, BALF culture gave additional microbiological information in 20 cases. TBB provided the highest diagnostic yield; however, to achieve the highest diagnostic performance, TBB, brushing smear and BAL techniques should be performed together.

Optimization of extraction parameters on the antioxidant properties of banana waste.

PubMed

Toh, Pui Yee; Leong, Fei Shan; Chang, Sui Kiat; Khoo, Hock Eng; Yim, Hip Seng

2016-01-01

Banana is grown worldwide and consumed as ripe fruit or used for culinary purposes. Peels form about 18-33% of the whole fruit and are discarded as a waste product. With a view to exploiting banana peel as a source of valuable compounds, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of different extraction parameters on the antioxidant activities of the industrial by-product of banana waste (peel). Influence of different extraction parameters such as types of solvent, percentages of solvent, and extraction times on total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of mature and green peels of Pisang Abu (PA), Pisang Berangan (PB), and Pisang Mas (PM) were investigated. The best extraction parameters were initially selected based on different percentages of ethanol (0-100% v/v), extraction time (1-5 hr), and extraction temperature (25-60°C) for extraction of antioxidants in the banana peels. Total phenolic content (TPC) was evaluated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent assay while antioxidant activities (AA) of banana peel were accessed by DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene bleaching (BCB) assays at optimum extraction conditions. Based on different extraction solvents and percentages of solvents used, 70% and 90% of acetone had yielded the highest TPC for the mature and green PA peels, respectively; 90% of ethanol and methanol has yielded the highest TPC for the mature and green PB peels, respectively; while 90% ethanol for the mature and green PM peels. Similar extraction conditions were found for the antioxidant activities for the banana peel assessed using DPPH assay except for green PB peel, which 70% methanol had contributed to the highest AA. Highest TPC and AA were obtained by applying 4, 1, and 2 hrs extraction for the peels of PA, PB and PM, respectively. The best extraction conditions were also used for determination of AAs using ABTS and β-carotene bleaching assays. Therefore, the best extraction conditions used have given the highest TPC and AAs. By-products of banana (peel) can be considered as a potential source of antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical industry.

40 CFR 60.145a - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... data sets shall be determined accordingly. (e) To determine compliance with § 60.142a(a)(1), select the data sets yielding the highest and second highest 3-minute average opacities for each steel production...

40 CFR 60.145a - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... data sets shall be determined accordingly. (e) To determine compliance with § 60.142a(a)(1), select the data sets yielding the highest and second highest 3-minute average opacities for each steel production...

40 CFR 60.145a - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... data sets shall be determined accordingly. (e) To determine compliance with § 60.142a(a)(1), select the data sets yielding the highest and second highest 3-minute average opacities for each steel production...

40 CFR 60.145a - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... data sets shall be determined accordingly. (e) To determine compliance with § 60.142a(a)(1), select the data sets yielding the highest and second highest 3-minute average opacities for each steel production...

40 CFR 60.145a - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... data sets shall be determined accordingly. (e) To determine compliance with § 60.142a(a)(1), select the data sets yielding the highest and second highest 3-minute average opacities for each steel production...

EBUS-TBNA Provides Highest RNA Yield for Multiple Biomarker Testing from Routinely Obtained Small Biopsies in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients - A Comparative Study of Three Different Minimal Invasive Sampling Methods

PubMed Central

Schmid-Bindert, Gerald; Wang, Yongsheng; Jiang, Hongbin; Sun, Hui; Henzler, Thomas; Wang, Hao; Pilz, Lothar R.; Ren, Shengxiang; Zhou, Caicun

2013-01-01

Background Multiple biomarker testing is necessary to facilitate individualized treatment of lung cancer patients. More than 80% of lung cancers are diagnosed based on very small tumor samples. Often there is not enough tissue for molecular analysis. We compared three minimal invasive sampling methods with respect to RNA quantity for molecular testing. Methods 106 small biopsies were prospectively collected by three different methods forceps biopsy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) guided transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), and CT-guided core biopsy. Samples were split into two halves. One part was formalin fixed and paraffin embedded for standard pathological evaluation. The other part was put in RNAlater for immediate RNA/DNA extraction. If the pathologist confirmed the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), the following molecular markers were tested: EGFR mutation, ERCC1, RRM1 and BRCA1. Results Overall, RNA-extraction was possible in 101 out of 106 patients (95.3%). We found 49% adenocarcinomas, 38% squamouscarcinomas, and 14% non-otherwise-specified(NOS). The highest RNA yield came from endobronchial ultrasound guided needle aspiration, which was significantly higher than bronchoscopy (37.74±41.09 vs. 13.74±15.53 ng respectively, P = 0.005) and numerically higher than CT-core biopsy (37.74±41.09 vs. 28.72±44.27 ng respectively, P = 0.244). EGFR mutation testing was feasible in 100% of evaluable patients and its incidence was 40.8%, 7.9% and 14.3% in adenocarcinomas, squamouscarcinomas and NSCLC NOS subgroup respectively. There was no difference in the feasibility of molecular testing between the three sampling methods with feasibility rates for ERCC1, RRM1 and BRCA1 of 91%, 87% and 81% respectively. Conclusion All three methods can provide sufficient tumor material for multiple biomarkers testing from routinely obtained small biopsies in lung cancer patients. In our study EBUS guided needle aspiration provided the highest amount of tumor RNA compared to bronchoscopy or CT guided core biopsy. Thus EBUS should be considered as an acceptable option for tissue acquisition for molecular testing. PMID:24205040

Combining metabolic engineering and biocompatible chemistry for high-yield production of homo-diacetyl and homo-(S,S)-2,3-butanediol.

PubMed

Liu, Jianming; Chan, Siu Hung Joshua; Brock-Nannestad, Theis; Chen, Jun; Lee, Sang Yup; Solem, Christian; Jensen, Peter Ruhdal

2016-07-01

Biocompatible chemistry is gaining increasing attention because of its potential within biotechnology for expanding the repertoire of biological transformations carried out by enzymes. Here we demonstrate how biocompatible chemistry can be used for synthesizing valuable compounds as well as for linking metabolic pathways to achieve redox balance and rescued growth. By comprehensive rerouting of metabolism, activation of respiration, and finally metal ion catalysis, we successfully managed to convert the homolactic bacterium Lactococcus lactis into a homo-diacetyl producer with high titer (95mM or 8.2g/L) and high yield (87% of the theoretical maximum). Subsequently, the pathway was extended to (S,S)-2,3-butanediol (S-BDO) through efficiently linking two metabolic pathways via chemical catalysis. This resulted in efficient homo-S-BDO production with a titer of 74mM (6.7g/L) S-BDO and a yield of 82%. The diacetyl and S-BDO production rates and yields obtained are the highest ever reported, demonstrating the promising combination of metabolic engineering and biocompatible chemistry as well as the great potential of L. lactis as a new production platform. Copyright © 2016 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of adding brewery wastewater to pulp and paper mill effluent to enhance the photofermentation process: wastewater characteristics, biohydrogen production, overall performance, and kinetic modeling.

PubMed

Hay, Jacqueline Xiao Wen; Wu, Ta Yeong; Juan, Joon Ching; Md Jahim, Jamaliah

2017-04-01

Although a significant amount of brewery wastewater (BW) is generated during beer production, the nutrients in the BW could be reused as a potential bio-resource for biohydrogen production. Therefore, improvements in photofermentative biohydrogen production due to a combination of BW and pulp and paper mill effluent (PPME) as a mixed production medium were investigated comprehensively in this study. The experimental results showed that both the biohydrogen yield and the chemical oxygen demand removal were improved through the combination of BW and PPME. The best biohydrogen yield of 0.69 mol H 2 /L medium was obtained using the combination of 10 % BW + 90 % PPME (10B90P), while the reuse of the wastewater alone (100 % BW and 100 % PPME) resulted in 42.3 and 44.0 % less biohydrogen yields than the highest yield, respectively. The greatest light efficiency was 1.97 % and was also achieved using the combination of both wastewaters at 10B90P. This study revealed the potential of reusing and combining two different effluents together, in which the combination of BW and PPME improved the nutrients and light penetration into the mixed production medium.

Reducing the photo-bleaching effect of a new europium complex embedded in styrene butadiene copolymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez, G. Lesly; Reyes-Rodríguez, J. L.; Padilla, Isela; Alarcón-Flores, G.; Falcony, C.

2018-02-01

A highly luminescent europium complex obtained with two different ligands, succinimide (SI) and 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTA) , was synthetized with different TTA concentrations. The photoluminescence (PL) emission from these materials corresponds to the characteristic inter-electronic energy level transitions of the Eu3+ ions. However, the excitation spectrum is strongly dependent on the presence of TTA, having an optimum response when 0.75 mmol of this compound is added to the EuL3(H2O)3 complex. The quantum yield obtained by these powders were around 72 % ± 1.7 % indicating an optimum sensitization of these complex. The EuL3 TTA complex with the best PL properties was embedded in a styrene butadiene copolymer (SBC) film, produced by the drop casting method, obtaining similar PL behavior at different concentrations, the highest intensity was observed at 1.2% (w/v) of EuL3 TTA complex and the quantum yield of these composite films was 60.5 % ± 2 % . These films were exposed to continuous UV irradiation and after 141 h no photo-bleaching effect was observed in contrast with the EuL3 TTA complex that exhibited a noticeable photoluminescence intensity degradation at much shorter exposure times. Both the Eu-complexes and the composite films were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM and fluorescence spectroscopy.

High solid simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of wet oxidized corn stover to ethanol.

PubMed

Varga, Enikõ; Klinke, Helene B; Réczey, Kati; Thomsen, Anne Belinda

2004-12-05

In this study ethanol was produced from corn stover pretreated by alkaline and acidic wet oxidation (WO) (195 degrees C, 15 min, 12 bar oxygen) followed by nonisothermal simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). In the first step of the SSF, small amounts of cellulases were added at 50 degrees C, the optimal temperature of enzymes, in order to obtain better mixing condition due to some liquefaction. In the second step more cellulases were added in combination with dried baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at 30 degrees C. The phenols (0.4-0.5 g/L) and carboxylic acids (4.6-5.9 g/L) were present in the hemicellulose rich hydrolyzate at subinhibitory levels, thus no detoxification was needed prior to SSF of the whole slurry. Based on the cellulose available in the WO corn stover 83% of the theoretical ethanol yield was obtained under optimized SSF conditions. This was achieved with a substrate concentration of 12% dry matter (DM) acidic WO corn stover at 30 FPU/g DM (43.5 FPU/g cellulose) enzyme loading. Even with 20 and 15 FPU/g DM (corresponding to 29 and 22 FPU/g cellulose) enzyme loading, ethanol yields of 76 and 73%, respectively, were obtained. After 120 h of SSF the highest ethanol concentration of 52 g/L (6 vol.%) was achieved, which exceeds the technical and economical limit of the industrial-scale alcohol distillation. The SSF results showed that the cellulose in pretreated corn stover can be efficiently fermented to ethanol with up to 15% DM concentration. A further increase of substrate concentration reduced the ethanol yield significant as a result of insufficient mass transfer. It was also shown that the fermentation could be followed with an easy monitoring system based on the weight loss of the produced CO2.

Study of two-stage ohmic hydro-extraction of essential oil from Artemisia aucheri Boiss.: Antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics.

PubMed

Mojtahed Zadeh Asl, Rozita; Niakousari, Mehrdad; Hashemi Gahruie, Hadi; Saharkhiz, Mohammad Jamal; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin

2018-05-01

The effect of two-stage ohmic-assisted hydrodistillation (TSOH) on the extraction and characteristics of essential oils (EOs) from the Artemisia aucheri Boiss. was studied, and the results were compared to conventional hydrodistillation (HD). According to the results, the yield of EOs obtained through TSOH was almost 30% higher than those extracted by HD in nearly one-quarter of a time used by the HD. Scanning electron micrographs of A. aucheri leaves showed almost complete eruption of EO glands and their surrounding area in TSOH extraction method, hence achieving higher yield. The components of the EOs obtained through TSOH were only slightly different from those of HD. GC/MS analysis indicated some differences in the quantity of the main components, too. The main components of EOs were identified as Thymol, Linalool, Geraniol, Camphor, and 1, 8-Cineole, Davana ether and Cis-Davanone. Thymol (~17%) and Cis-Davanone (~23%) were the highest quantity in the EOs extracted from TSOH and HD, respectively. The variation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the EOs may be attributed to these differences in the percentage of the main components. The radical scavenging activity of the EOs obtained by TSOH was almost twice that of HD. Based on antimicrobial activity assays, the EOs were efficient against S. aureus (a Gram-positive), E. coli (a Gram-negative), and S. cerevisiae (yeast). However, the efficacy was higher in gram-positive than gram-negative bacteria and yeast. The results indicate TSOH has a potential to produce EOs from herbal plants at a faster rate, higher yield, being probably more efficient in terms of energy although having similar antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fermentation Process and Metabolic Flux of Ethanol Production from the Detoxified Hydrolyzate of Cassava Residue

PubMed Central

Li, Xingjiang; Deng, Yongdong; Yang, Ying; Wei, Zhaojun; Cheng, Jieshun; Cao, Lili; Mu, Dongdong; Luo, Shuizhong; Zheng, Zhi; Jiang, Shaotong; Wu, Xuefeng

2017-01-01

With the growth of the world population, energy problems are becoming increasingly severe; therefore, sustainable energy sources have gained enormous importance. With respect to ethanol fuel production, biomass is gradually replacing grain as the main raw material. In this study, we explored the fermentation of five- and six-carbon sugars, the main biomass degradation products, into alcohol. We conducted mutagenic screening specifically for Candida tropicalis CICC1779 to obtain a strain that effectively used xylose (Candida tropicalis CICC1779-Dyd). By subsequently studying fermentation conditions under different initial liquid volume oxygen transfer coefficients (kLα), and coupling control of the aeration rate and agitation speed under optimal conditions, the optimal dissolved oxygen change curve was obtained. In addition, we constructed metabolic flow charts and equations to obtain a better understanding of the fermentation mechanism and to improve the ethanol yield. In our experiment, the ethanol production of the wild type stain was 17.58 g·L−1 at a kLα of 120. The highest ethanol yield of the mutagenic strains was 24.85 g·L−1. The ethanol yield increased to 26.56 g·L−1 when the dissolved oxygen content was optimized, and the conversion of sugar into alcohol reached 0.447 g·g−1 glucose (the theoretical titer of yeast-metabolized xylose was 0.46 g ethanol/g xylose and the glucose ethanol fermentation titer was 0.51 g ethanol/g glucose). Finally, the detected activity of xylose reductase and xylose dehydrogenase was higher in the mutant strain than in the original, which indicated that the mutant strain (CICC1779-Dyd) could effectively utilize xylose for metabolism. PMID:28878755

Large-diameter carbon-composite monofilaments. [production method and characteristics of carbon composite monofilaments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bradshaw, W. G.; Pinoli, P. C.; Karlak, R. F.

1974-01-01

Large-diameter carbon composite monofilaments with high strength and high modulus were produced by pregging multifiber carbon bundles with suitable organic resins and pyrolysing them together. Two approaches were developed to increase the utilization of fiber tensile strength by minimizing stress concentration defects induced by dissimilar shrinkage during pyrolysis. These were matrix modification to improve char yield and strain-to-failure and fiber-matrix copyrolysis to alleviate matrix cracking. Highest tensile strength and modulus were obtained by heat treatments to 2873 K to match fiber and matrix strain-to-failure and develop maximum monofilament tensile-strength and elastic modulus.

Immobilization of Escherichia coli cells with penicillin-amidohydrolase activity on solid polymeric carriers.

PubMed

Zurková, E; Drobník, J; Kálal, J; Svec, F; Tyrácková, V; Vojtísek, V; Zeman, R

1983-09-01

Whole cells of Escherichia coli containing the enzyme penicillinamidohydrolase EC 3.5.1.11 were immobilized on the surface of modified macroporous copolymers of glycidylmethacrylate with ethylenedimethacrylate and of copolymers of methacrylaldehyde (MA) with divinylbenzene (DVB) by means of glutaraldehyde. These polymeric carriers were modified before cell binding by using ammonia or polyamines, especially ethylenediamine and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA). The highest specific activity and the largest yield in cell immobilization were achieved with the macroporous copolymer of MA and DVB modified with HMDA. The material thus obtained was used in repeated conversions of benzylpenicillin to 6-aminopenicillanic acid in a stirred batch reactor.

Distillation time modifies essential oil yield, composition, and antioxidant capacity of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill).

PubMed

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D; Horgan, Thomas; Astatkie, Tess; Schlegel, Vicki

2013-01-01

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) is an essential oil crop grown worldwide for production of essential oil, as medicinal or as culinary herb. The essential oil is extracted via steam distillation either from the whole aboveground biomass (herb) or from fennel fruits (seed). The hypothesis of this study was that distillation time (DT) can modify fennel oil yield, composition, and antioxidant capacity of the oil. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of eight DT (1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 min) on fennel herb essential oil. Fennel essential oil yield (content) reached a maximum of 0.68% at 160 min DT. The concentration of trans-anethole (32.6-59.4% range in the oil) was low at 1.25 min DT, and increased with an increase of the DT. Alpha-phelandrene (0.9-10.5% range) was the lowest at 1.25 min DT and higher at 10, 80, and 160 min DT. Alpha-pinene (7.1-12.4% range) and beta-pinene (0.95-1.64% range) were higher in the shortest DT and the lowest at 80 min DT. Myrcene (0.93-1.95% range), delta-3-carene (2.1-3.7% range), cis-ocimene (0-0.23% range), and gamma-terpinene (0.22-2.67% range) were the lowest at 1.25 min DT and the highest at 160 min DT. In contrast, the concentrations of paracymene (0.68-5.97% range), fenchone (9.8-22.7% range), camphor (0.21-0.51% range), and cis-anethole (0.14-4.66% range) were highest at shorter DT (1.25-5 min DT) and the lowest at the longer DT (80-160 min DT). Fennel oils from the 20 and 160 min DT had higher antioxidant capacity than the fennel oil obtained at 1.25 min DT. DT can be used to obtain fennel essential oil with differential composition. DT must be reported when reporting essential oil content and composition of fennel essential oil. The results from this study may be used to compare reports in which different DT to extract essential oil from fennel biomass were used.

Transition Metal Phosphide Nanoparticles Supported on SBA-15 as Highly Selective Hydrodeoxygenation Catalysts for the Production of Advanced Biofuels.

PubMed

Yang, Yongxing; Ochoa-Hernández, Cristina; de la Peña O'Shea, Víctor A; Pizarro, Patricia; Coronado, Juan M; Serrano, David P

2015-09-01

A series of catalysts constituted by nanoparticles of transition metal (M = Fe, Co, Ni and Mo) phosphides (TMP) dispersed on SBA-15 were synthesized by reduction of the corresponding metal phosphate precursors previously impregnated on the mesostructured support. All the samples contained a metal-loading of 20 wt% and with an initial M/P mole ratio of 1, and they were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 sorption, H2-TPR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Metal phosphide nanocatalysts were tested in a high pressure continuous flow reactor for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of a methyl ester blend containing methyl oleate (C17H33-COO-CH3) as main component (70%). This mixture constitutes a convenient surrogate of triglycerides present in vegetable oils, and following catalytic hydrotreating yields mainly n-alkanes. The results of the catalytic assays indicate that Ni2P/SBA-15 catalyst presents the highest ester conversion, whereas the transformation rate is about 20% lower for MoP/SBA-15. In contrast, catalysts based on Fe and Co phosphides show a rather limited activity. Hydrocarbon distribution in the liquid product suggests that both hydrodeoxygenation and decarboxylation/decarbonylation reactions occur simultaneously over the different catalysts, although MoP/SBA-15 possess a selectivity towards hydrodeoxygenation exceeding 90%. Accordingly, the catalyst based on MoP affords the highest yield of n-octadecane, which is the preferred product in terms of carbon atom economy. Subsequently, in order to conjugate the advantages of both Ni and Mo phosphides, a series of catalysts containing variable proportions of both metals were prepared. The obtained results reveal that the mixed phosphides catalysts present a catalytic behavior intermediate between those of the monometallic phosphides. Accordingly, only marginal enhancement of the yield of n-octadecane is obtained for the catalysts with a Mo/Ni ratio of 3. Nevertheless, owing to this high selectivity for hydrodeoxygenation MoP/SBA-15 appears as a very promising catalyst for the production of advanced biofuels.

[Effect of the same amount of faba bean fresh straw returning with different ratios of chemi- cal fertilizer on single cropping late rice].

PubMed

Wang, Jian-hong; Zhang, Xian; Cao, Kai; Hua, Jin-wei

2015-05-01

A field experiment was conducted on paddy soil derived from alluvial materials at Bihu Town, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, China to explore the effects of combined application of faba bean fresh straw and different-rate chemical fertilizer on nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiencies, and yields of single cropping late rice and to determine the optimal rate of chemical fertilizer under the condition of application of faba bean fresh straw at the rate of 15 t · hm(-2) (GM15) in 2012, April to December. The experiments consisted of 7 treatments: CK (no fertilizers) , CF (conventional chemical fertilizer rate) , and combined application of 15 t · hm(-2) of faba bean fresh straw and 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the conventional chemical fertilizer rate. The results showed that the highest total uptake amounts of N, P and K by the aboveground part were obtained from the treatments of GM15 + 60%CF and GM15 + 80% CF, but the highest nutrient agronomy use efficiencies of N, P and K in rice grains were obtained from the treatments of GM15 + 60% CF and GM15 + 40% CF. The agronomy use efficiencies and physiological use efficiencies of N, P, and K were significantly correlated with rice grain yields, thus they could be used for accurate comprehensive evaluation of fertilizer efficiencies of N, P, and K. Compared with no fertilizer treatment, the treatments of 100% CF and combined application of faba bean fresh straw and different-rate chemical fertilizer increased rice gain yields by 25.0% and 6.1%-29.2%, respectively. In the cropping system of faba bean-single cropping late rice, returning of 15 t · hm2 faba bean fresh straw to the paddy field did not result in the runt seedling of rice. From the point of improving fertilizer use efficiency and reducing environmental risk perspective, the optimum rate of chemical fertilizer was 60% of the conventional chemical fertilizer rate when 15 t · h(-2) of faba bean fresh straw was applied.

Study of Holtermanniella wattica, Leucosporidium creatinivorum, Naganishia adeliensis, Solicoccozyma aeria, and Solicoccozyma terricola for their lipogenic aptitude from different carbon sources.

PubMed

Filippucci, Sara; Tasselli, Giorgia; Scardua, Alessandro; Di Mauro, Simone; Cramarossa, Maria Rita; Perini, Davide; Turchetti, Benedetta; Onofri, Andrea; Forti, Luca; Buzzini, Pietro

2016-01-01

The ability of some microorganisms to accumulate lipids is well known; however, only recently the number of studies on microbial lipid biosynthesis for obtaining oleochemical products, namely biofuels and some building blocks for chemistry, is rapidly and spectacularly increased. Since 1990s, some oleaginous yeasts were studied for their ability to accumulate lipids up to 60-70% of their dry weight. Due to the vast array of engineering techniques currently available, the recombinant DNA technology was the main approach followed so far for obtaining lipid-overproducing yeasts, mainly belonging to the Yarrowia lipolytica . However, an alternative approach can be offered by worldwide diversity as source of novel oleaginous yeasts. Lipogenic aptitude of a number of yeast strains has been reviewed, but many of these studies utilized a limited number of species and/or different culture conditions that make impossible the comparison of different results. Accordingly, the lipogenic aptitude inside the yeast world is still far from being fully explored, and finding new oleaginous yeast species can acquire a strategic importance. Holtermanniella wattica , Leucosporidium creatinivorum , Naganishia adeliensis , Solicoccozyma aeria, and Solicoccozyma terricola strains were selected as a result of a large-scale screening on 706 yeasts (both Ascomycota and Basidiomycota). Lipid yields and fatty acid profiles of selected strains were evaluated at 20 and 25 °C on glucose, and on glycerol, xylose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, and cellobiose. A variable fatty acid profile was observed in dependence of both temperature and different carbon sources. On the whole, L. creatinivorum exhibited the highest performances: total lipid yield (Y L ) >7 g/l on glucose and glycerol, % of intracellular lipids on cell biomass (Y L /DW) >70% at 20 °C on glucose, lipid coefficient (Y L /Glu) around 20% on glucose, and daily productivity (Y L /d) on glucose and sucrose >1.6 g/(l*d). This study provides some meaningful information about the lipogenic ability of some yeast species. Variable lipid yields and fatty acid profiles were observed in dependence of both temperature and different carbon sources. L. creatinivorum exhibited the highest lipogenic performances.

Recovery of yttrium from fluorescent powder of cathode ray tube, CRT: Zn removal by sulphide precipitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Innocenzi, Valentina, E-mail: valentina.innocenzi1@univaq.it; De Michelis, Ida; Ferella, Francesco

2013-11-15

Highlights: • Treatment of fluorescent powder of CRT waste. • Factorial experimental designs to study acid leaching of fluorescent powder and the purification of leach liquors. • Recover of yttrium by precipitation using oxalic acid. • Suitable flowsheet to recover yttrium from fluorescent powder. - Abstract: This work is focused on the recovery of yttrium and zinc from fluorescent powder of cathode ray tube (CRT). Metals are extracted by sulphuric acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Leaching tests are carried out according to a 2{sup 2} full factorial plan and the highest extraction yields for yttrium and zinc equalmore » to 100% are observed under the following conditions: 3 M of sulphuric acid, 10% v/v of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} concentrated solution at 30% v/v, 10% w/w pulp density, 70 °C and 3 h of reaction. Two series of precipitation tests for zinc are carried out: a 2{sup 2} full factorial design and a completely randomized factorial design. In these series the factors investigated are pH of solution during the precipitation and the amount of sodium sulphide added to precipitate zinc sulphide. The data of these tests are used to describe two empirical mathematical models for zinc and yttrium precipitation yields by regression analysis. The highest precipitation yields for zinc are obtained under the following conditions: pH equal to 2–2.5% and 10–12% v/v of Na{sub 2}S concentrated solution at 10% w/v. In these conditions the coprecipitation of yttrium is of 15–20%. Finally further yttrium precipitation experiments by oxalic acid on the residual solutions, after removing of zinc, show that yttrium could be recovered and calcined to obtain the final product as yttrium oxide. The achieved results allow to propose a CRT recycling process based on leaching of fluorescent powder from cathode ray tube and recovery of yttrium oxide after removing of zinc by precipitation. The final recovery of yttrium is 75–80%.« less

Yield comparisons from even-aged and uneven-aged loblolly-shortleaf pine stands

Treesearch

James M. Guldin; James B. Baker

1988-01-01

Empirical yields for a 36-year management period are presented for seven long-term studies on similar sites in loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L.-P. echinata Mill.) stands on the upper southern coastal plain of southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. Total merchantable cubic-fooy yields are highest for conventionally...

Geographic variation in hexane extractable hydrocarbons in natural populations of Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae, Sunflowers) II

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Populations of Helianthus annuus L., ranging from eastern Oklahoma to North Dakota, to coastal southern California were sampled and the yields of total hydrocarbons (HC) from leaves determined. The highest yielding populations were in the Texas Panhandle (6.0 - 7.99%) and the lowest yields were in ...

Production of H2 from aluminium/water reaction and its potential for CO2 methanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khai Phung, Khor; Sethupathi, Sumathi; Siang Piao, Chai

2018-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural gas that presents in excess in the atmosphere. Owing to its ability to cause global warming, capturing and conversion of CO2 have attracted much attention worldwide. CO2 methanation using hydrogen (H2) is believed to be a promising route for CO2 removal. In the present work, H2 is produced using aluminum-water reaction and tested for its ability to convert CO2 to methane (CH4). Different type of water i.e. tap water, distilled water, deionized water and ultrapure water, concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (0.2 M to 1.0 M) and particle size of aluminum (45 m to 500 μm) were varied as parameter study. It was found that the highest yield of H2 was obtained using distilled water, 1.0 M of NaOH and 45μm particle size of aluminium. However, the highest yield of methane was achieved using a moderate and progressive H2 production (distilled water, 0.6 M of NaOH and 45 μm particle size of aluminium) which allowed sufficient time for H2 to react with CO2. It was concluded that 1130 ml of H2 can produce about 560 ppm of CH4 within 25 min of batch reaction using nickel catalyst.

Production of bacterial cellulose using different carbon sources and culture media.

PubMed

Mohammadkazemi, Faranak; Azin, Mehrdad; Ashori, Alireza

2015-03-06

In this work, the effects of carbon sources and culture media on the production and structural properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) have been studied. BC nanofibers were synthesized using Gluconacetobacter xylinus strain PTCC 1734. Media used were Hestrin-Schramm (H), Yamanaka (Y), and Zhou (Z). Five different carbon sources, namely date syrup, glucose, mannitol, sucrose, and food-grade sucrose were used in these media. All the produced BC pellicles were characterized in terms of dry weight production, biomass yield, thermal stability, crystallinity and morphology by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The obtained results showed that mannitol lead to the highest yield, followed by sucrose. The highest production efficiency of mannitol might be due to the nitrogen source, which plays an important role. The maximum improvement on the thermal stability of the composites was achieved when mannitol was used in H medium. In addition, the crystallinity was higher in BC formed in H medium compared to other media. FE-SEM micrographs illustrated that the BC pellicles, synthesized in the culture media H and Z, were stable, unlike those in medium Y that were unstable. The micrographs of BC produced in media containing mannitol and sucrose provided evidence of the strong interfacial adhesion between the BC fibers without noticeable aggregates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of Mercury by Foam Fractionation Using Surfactin, a Biosurfactant

PubMed Central

Chen, Hau-Ren; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Reddy, A. Satyanarayana; Chen, Chien-Yen; Li, Wun Rong; Tseng, Min-Jen; Liu, Hung-Tsan; Pan, Wei; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Atla, Shashi B.

2011-01-01

The separation of mercury ions from artificially contaminated water by the foam fractionation process using a biosurfactant (surfactin) and chemical surfactants (SDS and Tween-80) was investigated in this study. Parameters such as surfactant and mercury concentration, pH, foam volume, and digestion time were varied and their effects on the efficiency of mercury removal were investigated. The recovery efficiency of mercury ions was highly sensitive to the concentration of the surfactant. The highest mercury ion recovery by surfactin was obtained using a surfactin concentration of 10 × CMC, while recovery using SDS required < 10 × CMC and Tween-80 >10 × CMC. However, the enrichment of mercury ions in the foam was superior with surfactin, the mercury enrichment value corresponding to the highest metal recovery (10.4%) by surfactin being 1.53. Dilute solutions (2-mg L−1 Hg2+) resulted in better separation (36.4%), while concentrated solutions (100 mg L−1) enabled only a 2.3% recovery using surfactin. An increase in the digestion time of the metal solution with surfactin yielded better separation as compared with a freshly-prepared solution, and an increase in the airflow rate increased bubble production, resulting in higher metal recovery but low enrichment. Basic solutions yielded higher mercury separation as compared with acidic solutions due to the precipitation of surfactin under acidic conditions. PMID:22174661

Removal of mercury by foam fractionation using surfactin, a biosurfactant.

PubMed

Chen, Hau-Ren; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Reddy, A Satyanarayana; Chen, Chien-Yen; Li, Wun Rong; Tseng, Min-Jen; Liu, Hung-Tsan; Pan, Wei; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Atla, Shashi B

2011-01-01

The separation of mercury ions from artificially contaminated water by the foam fractionation process using a biosurfactant (surfactin) and chemical surfactants (SDS and Tween-80) was investigated in this study. Parameters such as surfactant and mercury concentration, pH, foam volume, and digestion time were varied and their effects on the efficiency of mercury removal were investigated. The recovery efficiency of mercury ions was highly sensitive to the concentration of the surfactant. The highest mercury ion recovery by surfactin was obtained using a surfactin concentration of 10 × CMC, while recovery using SDS required < 10 × CMC and Tween-80 >10 × CMC. However, the enrichment of mercury ions in the foam was superior with surfactin, the mercury enrichment value corresponding to the highest metal recovery (10.4%) by surfactin being 1.53. Dilute solutions (2-mg L(-1) Hg(2+)) resulted in better separation (36.4%), while concentrated solutions (100 mg L(-1)) enabled only a 2.3% recovery using surfactin. An increase in the digestion time of the metal solution with surfactin yielded better separation as compared with a freshly-prepared solution, and an increase in the airflow rate increased bubble production, resulting in higher metal recovery but low enrichment. Basic solutions yielded higher mercury separation as compared with acidic solutions due to the precipitation of surfactin under acidic conditions.

Energy yields for hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde syntheses - The HCN and amino acid concentrations in the primitive ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stribling, Roscoe; Miller, Stanley L.

1987-01-01

Simulated prebiotic atmospheres containing either CH4, CO, or CO2, in addition to N2, H2O, and variable amounts of H2, were subjected to the spark from a high-frequency Tesla coil, and the energy yields for the syntheses of HCN and H2CO were estimated from periodic (every two days) measurements of the compound concentrations. The mixtures with CH4 were found to yield the highest amounts of HCN, whereas the CO mixtures produced the highest yields of H2CO. These results model atmospheric corona discharges. From the yearly energy yields calculated and the corona discharge available on the earth, the yearly production rate of HCN was estimated; using data on the HCN production rates and the experimental rates of decomposition of amino acids through the submarine vents, the steady state amino acid production rate in the primitive ocean was calculated to be about 10 nmoles/sq cm per year.

Evaluation of Strains of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana against Spodoptera litura on the Basis of Their Virulence, Germination Rate, Conidia Production, Radial Growth and Enzyme Activity.

PubMed

Petlamul, Wanida; Prasertsan, Poonsuk

2012-06-01

Ten strains of the entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana were evaluated to find the most effective strain for optimization studies. The first criterion tested for strain selection was the mortality (> 50%) of Spodoptera litura larvae after inoculation of the fungus for 4 days. Results on several bioassays revealed that B. bassiana BNBCRC showed the most virulence on mortality S. litura larvae (80% mortality). B. bassiana BNBCRC also showed the highest germination rate (72.22%). However, its conidia yield (7.2 × 10(8) conidia/mL) was lower than those of B. bassiana B 14841 (8.3 × 10(8) conidia/mL) and M. anisopliae M6 (8.2 × 10(8) conidia/mL). The highest accumulative radial growth was obtained from the strain B14841 (37.10 mm/day) while the strain BNBCRC showed moderate radial growth (24.40 mm/day). M. anisopliae M6 possessed the highest protease activity (145.00 mU/mL) while M. anisopliae M8 possessed the highest chitinase activity (20.00 mU/mL) during 96~144 hr cultivation. Amongst these criteria, selection based on virulence and germination rate lead to the selection of B. bassiana BNBCRC. B. bassiana B14841 would be selected if based on growth rate while M. anisopliae M6 and M8 possessed the highest enzyme activities.

Concentrations, fluxes, and yields of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment in the Illinois River basin, 1996-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terrio, Paul J.

2006-01-01

Concentrations, spatial and temporal variations, and fluxes of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment were determined for 16 streams in the Illinois River Basin, Illinois from October 1996 through September 2000. Water samples were collected through the National Water-Quality Assessment's Lower Illinois River Basin (LIRB) and Upper Illinois River Basin (UIRB) Study Units on a monthly to weekly frequency from watersheds representing predominantly agricultural and urban land, as well as areas of mixed land-use. Streams in agricultural watersheds had high concentrations and fluxes of nitrate nitrogen, whereas streams in predominantly urban watersheds had high concentrations (above background levels) of ammonia nitrogen, organic nitrogen, and phosphorus. Median concentrations of nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus were similar at the two Illinois River sampling stations (Illinois River at Ottawa, Ill. and Illinois River at Valley City, Ill.) that represented the downstream points of the UIRB and LIRB Study Units, respectively, and integrated multiple land-use areas. Concentrations of nitrogen were typically highest in the spring and lowest in the fall in agricultural watersheds, but highest in the winter in urban watersheds. Phosphorus concentrations in urban watersheds were highest in the fall and winter, but there was minimal seasonal variation in phosphorus concentrations in agricultural watersheds. Concentrations of nitrate and total nitrogen were affected primarily by non-point sources and hydrologic factors such as streamflow, storm intensity, watershed configuration, and soil permeability, whereas concentrations of phosphorus were affected largely by point-source contributions that typically have little seasonal variation. Seasonal variation in hydrologic conditions was an important factor for seasonal variation in nutrient concentration. Fluxes and yields of nitrogen and phosphorus forms varied substantially throughout the Illinois River Basin, and yields of specific nutrient forms were determined primarily by upstream land uses. Yields of nitrate nitrogen were highest in predominantly agricultural watersheds, whereas yields of phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen were highest in urban watersheds with wastewater effluent contributions. Yields of both total nitrogen and total phosphorus were similar at the two Illinois River stations representing the integrated UIRB and LIRB Study Units. Concentrations of suspended sediment ranged from 1 to 3,110 milligrams per liter (mg/L), with median concentrations generally higher in the UIRB. Suspended-sediment concentrations were highest and most variable in the LaMoine River Basin. The median concentration of suspended sediment in the Illinois River at Valley City, Ill. (155 mg/L) was twice as high as that at Ottawa, Ill. (80 mg/L). Fluxes of suspended sediment generally corresponded to watershed size and yields from agricultural watersheds were larger than yields from urban watersheds. The flux in the Illinois River at Valley City, Ill. (4,880,000 tons per year) was approximately four times the flux in the Illinois River at Ottawa, Ill. (1,060,000 tons per year).

Application of response surface methodology to optimise supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of volatile compounds from Crocus sativus.

PubMed

Shao, Qingsong; Huang, Yuqiu; Zhou, Aicun; Guo, Haipeng; Zhang, Ailian; Wang, Yong

2014-05-01

Crocus sativus has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. The volatile compounds of C. sativus appear biologically active and may act as antioxidants as well as anticonvulsants, antidepressants and antitumour agents. In order to obtain the highest possible yield of essential oils from C. sativus, response surface methodology was employed to optimise the conditions of supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction of the volatile compounds from C. sativus. Four factorswere investigated: temperature, pressure, extraction time and carbon dioxide flow rate. Furthermore, the chemical compositions of the volatile compounds extracted by supercritical fluid extraction were compared with those obtained by hydro-distillation and Soxhlet extraction. The optimum extraction conditions were found to be: optimised temperature 44.9°C, pressure 34.9 MPa, extraction time 150.2 min and CO₂ flow rate 10.1 L h⁻¹. Under these conditions, the mean extraction yield was 10.94 g kg⁻¹. The volatile compounds extracted by supercritical fluid extraction and Soxhlet extraction contained a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Response surface methodology was successfully applied for supercritical fluid CO₂ extraction optimisation of the volatile compounds from C. sativus. The study showed that pressure and CO₂ flow rate had significant effect on volatile compounds yield produced by supercritical fluid extraction. This study is beneficial for the further research operating on a large scale. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mannitol production by lactic acid bacteria grown in supplemented carob syrup.

PubMed

Carvalheiro, Florbela; Moniz, Patrícia; Duarte, Luís C; Esteves, M Paula; Gírio, Francisco M

2011-01-01

Detailed kinetic and physiological characterisation of eight mannitol-producing lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc citreum ATCC 49370, L. mesenteroides subsp. cremoris ATCC19254, L. mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum ATCC 19255, L. ficulneum NRRL B-23447, L. fructosum NRRL B-2041, L. lactis ATCC 19256, Lactobacillus intermedius NRRL 3692 and Lb. reuteri DSM 20016, was performed using a carob-based culture medium, to evaluate their different metabolic capabilities. Cultures were thoroughly followed for 30 h to evaluate consumption of sugars, as well as production of biomass and metabolites. All strains produced mannitol at high yields (>0.70 g mannitol/g fructose) and volumetric productivities (>1.31 g/l h), and consumed fructose and glucose simultaneously, but fructose assimilation rate was always higher. The results obtained enable the studied strains to be divided mainly into two groups: one for which glucose assimilation rates were below 0.78 g/l h (strains ATCC 49370, ATCC 19256 and ATCC 19254) and the other for which they ranged between 1.41 and 1.89 g/l h (strains NRRL B-3692, NRRL B-2041, NRRL B-23447 and DSM 20016). These groups also exhibited different mannitol production rates and yields, being higher for the strains with faster glucose assimilation. Besides mannitol, all strains also produced lactic acid and acetic acid. The best performance was obtained for L. fructosum NRRL B-2041, with maximum volumetric productivity of 2.36 g/l h and the highest yield, stoichiometric conversion of fructose to mannitol.

Anaerobic co-digestion of sugarcane press mud with vinasse on methane yield.

PubMed

López González, Lisbet Mailin; Pereda Reyes, Ileana; Romero Romero, Osvaldo

2017-10-01

The conversion efficiency of high solids waste digestion as sugarcane press mud (P) may be limited due to hydrolysis step. The option of co-digestion with vinasse, main liquid waste generated from ethanol production, was investigated under batch regime at mesophilic conditions (37.5±1°C) and the best mixture was evaluated under semicontinuous regime in stirred-tank reactors. The maximum values for methane yield in batch tests were for V 75 /P 25 and V 50 /P 50 mixtures (on basis of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) percentage added in the mixture), with an average value of 246NmL CH 4 g -1 COD fed , which was 13% higher than that of press mud alone. A highest methane production rate of 69.6NmL CH 4 g -1 COD fed -1 d -1 was obtained for the mixtureV 75 /P 25 . During the experiment carried out in CSTR reactors, the organic loading rate (OLR) was increased from 0.5 up to 2.2gVSL -1 d -1 . Methane yields of 365L CH 4 kg -1 VS and biogas productivities of 1.6LL -1 were obtained in co-digestion, which was 64% higher in comparison to mono-digestion. The performance of the process in mono-digestion was less stable than in co-digestion, with a significant fall of methane yield to 1.8kgVSm -3 d -1 , and a partial inhibition of the methanogenic archaeas when the OLR was increased up to 2.2kgVSm -3 d -1 . The co-digestion of vinasse with press mud is a good option for the treatment of streams at the alcohol-sugar industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of pH and butyric acid on butanol production during batch fermentation using a new local isolate of Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1.

PubMed

Al-Shorgani, Najeeb Kaid Nasser; Kalil, Mohd Sahaid; Yusoff, Wan Mohtar Wan; Hamid, Aidil Abdul

2018-02-01

The effect of pH and butyric acid supplementation on the production of butanol by a new local isolate of Clostridium acetobutylicum YM1 during batch culture fermentation was investigated. The results showed that pH had a significant effect on bacterial growth and butanol yield and productivity. The optimal initial pH that maximized butanol production was pH 6.0 ± 0.2. Controlled pH was found to be unsuitable for butanol production in strain YM1, while the uncontrolled pH condition with an initial pH of 6.0 ± 0.2 was suitable for bacterial growth, butanol yield and productivity. The maximum butanol concentration of 13.5 ± 1.42 g/L was obtained from cultures grown under the uncontrolled pH condition, resulting in a butanol yield ( Y P / S ) and productivity of 0.27 g/g and 0.188 g/L h, respectively. Supplementation of the pH-controlled cultures with 4.0 g/L butyric acid did not improve butanol production; however, supplementation of the uncontrolled pH cultures resulted in high butanol concentrations, yield and productivity (16.50 ± 0.8 g/L, 0.345 g/g and 0.163 g/L h, respectively). pH influenced the activity of NADH-dependent butanol dehydrogenase, with the highest activity obtained under the uncontrolled pH condition. This study revealed that pH is a very important factor in butanol fermentation by C. acetobutylicum YM1.

Batch culture characterization and metabolic flux analysis of succinate-producing Escherichia coli strains.

PubMed

Sánchez, Ailen M; Bennett, George N; San, Ka-Yiu

2006-05-01

This study presents an in-depth analysis of the anaerobic metabolic fluxes of various mutant strains of Escherichia coli overexpressing the Lactococcus lactis pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) for the production of succinate. Previously, a metabolic network design that includes an active glyoxylate pathway implemented in vivo increased succinate yield from glucose in an E. coli mutant to 1.6 mol/mol under fully anaerobic conditions. The design consists of a dual succinate synthesis route, which diverts required quantities of NADH through the traditional fermentative pathway and maximizes the carbon converted to succinate by balancing the carbon flux through the fermentative pathway and the glyoxylate pathway (which has a lower NADH requirement). Mutant strains previously constructed during the development of high-yield succinate-producing strains were selected for further characterization to understand their metabolic response as a result of several genetic manipulations and to determine the significance of the fermentative and the glyoxylate pathways in the production of succinate. Measured fluxes obtained under batch cultivation conditions were used to estimate intracellular fluxes and identify critical branch point flux split ratios. The comparison of changes in branch point flux split ratios to the glyoxylate pathway and the fermentative pathway at the oxaloacetate (OAA) node as a result of different mutations revealed the sensitivity of succinate yield to these manipulations. The most favorable split ratio to obtain the highest succinate yield was the fractional partition of OAA to glyoxylate of 0.32 and 0.68 to the fermentative pathway obtained in strains SBS550MG (pHL413) and SBS990MG (pHL413). The succinate yields achieved in these two strains were 1.6 and 1.7 mol/mol, respectively. In addition, an active glyoxylate pathway in an ldhA, adhE, ack-pta mutant strain is shown to be responsible for the high succinate yields achieved anaerobically. Furthermore, in vitro activity measurements of seven crucial enzymes involved in the pathways studied and intracellular measurements of key intermediate metabolite pools provided additional insights on the physiological perturbations caused by these mutations. The characterization of these recombinant mutant strains in terms of flux distribution pattern, in vitro enzyme activity and intracellular metabolite pools provides useful information for the rational modification of metabolic fluxes to improve succinate production.

Sequential parametric optimization of methane production from different sources of forest raw material

PubMed Central

Matsakas, Leonidas; Rova, Ulrika; Christakopoulos, Paul

2015-01-01

The increase in environmental problems and the shortage of fossil fuels have led to the need for action in the development of sustainable and renewable fuels. Methane is produced through anaerobic digestion of organic materials and is a biofuel with very promising characteristics. The success in using methane as a biofuel has resulted in the operation of several commercial-scale plants and the need to exploit novel materials to be used. Forest biomass can serve as an excellent candidate for use as raw material for anaerobic digestion. During this work, both hardwood and softwood species—which are representative of the forests of Sweden—were used for the production of methane. Initially, when untreated forest materials were used for the anaerobic digestion, the yields obtained were very low, even with the addition of enzymes, reaching a maximum of only 40 mL CH4/g VS when birch was used. When hydrothermal pretreatment was applied, the enzymatic digestibility improved up to 6.7 times relative to that without pretreatment, and the yield of methane reached up to 254 mL CH4/g VS. Then the effect of chemical/enzymatic detoxification was examined, where laccase treatment improved the methane yield from the more harshly pretreated materials while it had no effect on the more mildly pretreated material. Finally, addition of cellulolytic enzymes during the digestion improved the methane yields from spruce and pine, whereas for birch separate saccharification was more beneficial. To achieve high yields in spruce 30 filter paper units (FPU)/g was necessary, whereas 15 FPU/g was enough when pine and birch were used. During this work, the highest methane yields obtained from pine and birch were 179.9 mL CH4/g VS and 304.8 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. For mildly and severely pretreated spruce, the methane yields reached 259.4 mL CH4/g VS and 276.3 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. We have shown that forest material can serve as raw material for efficient production of methane. The initially low yields from the untreated materials were significantly improved by the introduction of a hydrothermal pretreatment. Moreover, enzymatic detoxification was beneficial, but mainly for severely pretreated materials. Finally, enzymatic saccharification increased the methane yields even further. PMID:26539186

Feasibility of biodiesel production by microalgae Chlorella sp. (FACHB-1748) under outdoor conditions.

PubMed

Zhou, XuPing; Xia, Ling; Ge, HongMei; Zhang, Delu; Hu, ChunXiang

2013-06-01

Chlorella sp. (FACHB-1748) was cultivated outdoors under natural sunlight to evaluate its potential for biofuel production. Urea was selected as nitrogen source, and the concentration was optimized. When the culture reached the late exponential stage, a triggering lipid accumulation test was conducted using different concentrations of sodium chloride and acetate. A scaling-up experiment was also conducted in a 70L photobioreactor. The highest biomass productivity (222.42, 154.48 mg/L/d) and lipid productivity (64.30, 33.69mg/L/d) were obtained with 0.1g/L urea in 5 and 70 L bioreactors, respectively. The highest lipid content (43.25%) and lipid yield (1243.98 mg/L) were acquired with the combination of 10 g/L sodium chloride and acetate. Moreover, the qualities of biodiesel, cetane number, saponification value, iodine value, and cold filter plugging point complied with the standards set by the National Petroleum Agency (ANP255), Standard ASTMD6751, and European Standard (EN 14214). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High throughput, detailed, cell-specific neuroanatomy of dendritic spines using microinjection and confocal microscopy

PubMed Central

Dumitriu, Dani; Rodriguez, Alfredo; Morrison, John H.

2012-01-01

Morphological features such as size, shape and density of dendritic spines have been shown to reflect important synaptic functional attributes and potential for plasticity. Here we describe in detail a protocol for obtaining detailed morphometric analysis of spines using microinjection of fluorescent dyes, high resolution confocal microscopy, deconvolution and image analysis using NeuronStudio. Recent technical advancements include better preservation of tissue resulting in prolonged ability to microinject, and algorithmic improvements that compensate for the residual Z-smear inherent in all optical imaging. Confocal imaging parameters were probed systematically for the identification of both optimal resolution as well as highest efficiency. When combined, our methods yield size and density measurements comparable to serial section transmission electron microscopy in a fraction of the time. An experiment containing 3 experimental groups with 8 subjects in each can take as little as one month if optimized for speed, or approximately 4 to 5 months if the highest resolution and morphometric detail is sought. PMID:21886104

Argon behaviour in an inverted Barrovian sequence, Sikkim Himalaya: The consequences of temperature and timescale on 40Ar/39Ar mica geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mottram, Catherine M.; Warren, Clare J.; Halton, Alison M.; Kelley, Simon P.; Harris, Nigel B. W.

2015-12-01

40Ar/39Ar dating of metamorphic rocks sometimes yields complicated datasets which are difficult to interpret in terms of timescales of the metamorphic cycle. Single-grain fusion and step-heating data were obtained for rocks sampled through a major thrust-sense shear zone (the Main Central Thrust) and the associated inverted metamorphic zone in the Sikkim region of the eastern Himalaya. This transect provides a natural laboratory to explore factors influencing apparent 40Ar/39Ar ages in similar lithologies at a variety of metamorphic pressure and temperature (P-T) conditions. The 40Ar/39Ar dataset records progressively younger apparent age populations and a decrease in within-sample dispersion with increasing temperature through the sequence. The white mica populations span 2-9 Ma within each sample in the structurally lower levels (garnet grade) but only 0-3 Ma at structurally higher levels (kyanite-sillimanite grade). Mean white mica single-grain fusion population ages vary from 16.2 ± 3.9 Ma (2σ) to 13.2 ± 1.3 Ma (2σ) from lowest to highest levels. White mica step-heating data from the same samples yields plateau ages from 14.27 ± 0.13 Ma to 12.96 ± 0.05 Ma. Biotite yield older apparent age populations with mean single-grain fusion dates varying from 74.7 ± 11.8 Ma (2σ) at the lowest structural levels to 18.6 ± 4.7 Ma (2σ) at the highest structural levels; the step-heating plateaux are commonly disturbed. Temperatures > 600 °C at pressures of 0.4-0.8 GPa sustained over > 5 Ma, appear to be required for white mica and biotite ages to be consistent with diffusive, open-system cooling. At lower temperatures, and/or over shorter metamorphic timescales, more 40Ar is retained than results from simple diffusion models suggest. Diffusion modelling of Ar in white mica from the highest structural levels suggests that the high-temperature rocks cooled at a rate of 50-80 °C Ma- 1, consistent with rapid thrusting, extrusion and exhumation along the Main Central Thrust during the mid-Miocene.

Variations in Volatile Oil Yield and Composition of "Xin-yi" (Magnolia biondii Pamp. Flower Buds) at Different Growth Stages.

PubMed

Hu, Mingli; Bai, Mei; Ye, Wei; Wang, Yaling; Wu, Hong

2018-06-01

Dried flower buds of Magnolia biondii Pamp. are the main ingredient in "Xin-yi" in China, and the volatile oils of M. biondii flower buds are the principal medicinal component. Gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS) and microscopic techniques were employed to detect the volatile yields of M. biondii flowers at various growth stages. The volatile oil yields of M. biondii flowers differed significantly at different growth stages and were closely related to flower dry weight, oil cell density and degree of oil accumulation. In February 2016, flower buds had the highest dry weight, the maximum percentage of oil cells at the oil saturation stage and the highest density of oil cells, which coincided with the highest oil yield. In March 2016, flower buds had a lower dry weight, a higher percentage of oil cells at the oil-degrading stage and the lowest oil cell density, resulting in decreased oil yields. The total amounts of the major medicinal components in the M. biondii flower also showed regular changes at different growth stages. In January and February of 2016, M. biondii flowers had a higher dry weight, volatile oil yield and total content of medicinal ingredients, which was the best time for harvesting high-quality medicinal components. Our study reveals that volatile oil content and chemical composition are closely related to the growth stage of M. biondii flower buds. The results provide a scientific morphology and composition index for evaluating the medicinal value and harvesting of high-quality M. biondii medicinal herbs.

Alkaline-sulfite pretreatment and use of surfactants during enzymatic hydrolysis to enhance ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse.

PubMed

Mesquita, Jéssica Faria; Ferraz, André; Aguiar, André

2016-03-01

Sugarcane bagasse is a by-product from the sugar and ethanol industry which contains approximately 70 % of its dry mass composed by polysaccharides. To convert these polysaccharides into fuel ethanol it is necessary a pretreatment step to increase the enzymatic digestibility of the recalcitrant raw material. In this work, sugarcane bagasse was pretreated by an alkaline-sulfite chemithermomechanical process for increasing its enzymatic digestibility. Na2SO3 and NaOH ratios were fixed at 2:1, and three increasing chemical loads, varying from 4 to 8 % m/m Na2SO3, were used to prepare the pretreated materials. The increase in the alkaline-sulfite load decreased the lignin content in the pretreated material up to 35.5 % at the highest chemical load. The pretreated samples presented enhanced glucose yields during enzymatic hydrolysis as a function of the pretreatment severity. The maximum glucose yield (64 %) was observed for the samples pretreated with the highest chemical load. The use of 2.5 g l(-1) Tween 20 in the hydrolysis step further increased the glucose yield to 75 %. Semi-simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation of the pretreated materials indicated that the ethanol yield was also enhanced as a function of the pretreatment severity. The maximum ethanol yield was 56 ± 2 % for the sample pretreated with the highest chemical load. For the sample pretreated with the lowest chemical load (2 % m/m NaOH and 4 % m/m Na2SO3), adding Tween 20 during the hydrolysis process increased the ethanol yield from 25 ± 3 to 39.5 ± 1 %.

Oil palm frond juice as future fermentation substrate: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Maail, Che Mohd Hakiman Che; Ariffin, Hidayah; Hassan, Mohd Ali; Shah, Umi Kalsom Md; Shirai, Yoshihito

2014-01-01

Oil palm frond (OPF) juice is a potential industrial fermentation substrate as it has high sugars content and the OPF are readily available daily. However, maximum sugars yield and storage stability of the OPF juice are yet to be determined. This study was conducted to determine the effect of physical pretreatment and storage duration of OPF petiole on sugars yield. Storage stability of OPF juice at different storing conditions was also investigated. It was found that OPF petiole squeezed by hydraulic pressing machine gave the highest sugars recovery at almost 40 g/kg, accounting for a recovery yield of 88%. Storage of OPF petiole up to 72 hrs prior to squeezing reduced the free sugars by 11 g/kg. Concentrated OPF juice with 95% water removal had the best storage stability at both 4 and 30°C, when it was stored for 10 days. Moreover, concentrated OPF syrup prepared by thermal processing did not give any Maillard effect on microbial growth. Based on our results, OPF juice meets all the criteria as a good fermentation substrate as it is renewable, consistently available, and easy to be obtained, it does not inhibit microbial growth and product formation, and it contains no impurities.

Automated solid-phase radiofluorination using polymer-supported phosphazenes.

PubMed

Mathiessen, Bente; Zhuravlev, Fedor

2013-08-30

The polymer supported phosphazene bases PS-P₂(tBu) and the novel PS-P₂(PEG) allowed for efficient extraction of [¹⁸F]F⁻ from proton irradiated [¹⁸O]H₂O and subsequent radiofluorination of a broad range of substrates directly on the resin. The highest radiochemical yields were obtained with aliphatic sulfonates (69%) and bromides (42%); the total radiosynthesis time was 35-45 min. The multivariate analysis showed that the radiochemical yields and purities were controlled by the resin load, reaction temperature, and column packing effects. The resins could be reused several times with the same or different substrates. The fully automated on-column radiofluorination methodology was applied to the radiosynthesis of the important PET radiotracers [¹⁸F]FLT and [¹⁸F]FDG. The latter was produced with 40% yield on a 120 GBq scale and passed GMP-regulated quality control required for commercial production of [1¹⁸F]FDG. The combination of compact form factor, simplicity of [¹⁸F]F⁻ recovery and processing, and column reusability can make solid phase radiofluorination an attractive radiochemistry platform for the emerging dose-on-demand instruments for bedside production of PET radiotracers.

Influence of quantum dot's quantum yield to chemiluminescent resonance energy transfer.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Qiao; Li, Yong-Qiang; Wang, Jian-Hao; Xu, Qiao; Li, Xiu-Qing; Zhao, Yuan-Di

2008-03-03

The resonance energy transfer between chemiluminescence donor (luminol-H2O2 system) and quantum dots (QDs, emission at 593 nm) acceptors (CRET) was investigated. The resonance energy transfer efficiencies were compared while the oil soluble QDs, water soluble QDs (modified with thioglycolate) and QD-HRP conjugates were used as acceptor. The fluorescence of QD can be observed in the three cases, indicating that the CRET occurs while QD acceptor in different status was used. The highest CRET efficiency (10.7%) was obtained in the case of oil soluble QDs, and the lowest CRET efficiency (2.7%) was observed in the QD-HRP conjugates case. This result is coincident with the quantum yields of the acceptors (18.3% and 0.4%). The same result was observed in another similar set of experiment, in which the amphiphilic polymer modified QDs (emission at 675 nm) were used. It suggests that the quantum yield of the QD in different status is the crucial factor to the CRET efficiency. Furthermore, the multiplexed CRET between luminol donor and three different sizes QD acceptors was observed simultaneously. This work will offer useful support for improving the CRET studies based on quantum dots.

Extraction of aucubin from seeds of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. using supercritical carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Li, Hui; Hu, Jiangyu; Ouyang, Hui; Li, Yanan; Shi, Hui; Ma, Chengjin; Zhang, Yongkang

2009-01-01

Supercritical CO2 was used as solvent for the extraction of aucubin from the seeds of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. The co-solvent composition was tested and extraction conditions were optimized. Results showed that the best co-solvent was a water-ethanol mixture (1 + 3, v/v), and the highest yield was obtained when the extraction was performed under 26 MPa at extraction and separation temperatures of 55 and 30 degrees C for 120 min, using 6 mL co-solvent/g material at a CO2 flow rate of 20 L/h. In a comparison of the supercritical CO2 and Soxhlet extraction methods, the Soxhlet method needed 3 h to extract 10 g material, whereas the supercritical CO2 extraction technique needed only 2 h to extract 100 g material, thus showing a high extraction capability. The supercritical CO2 extraction produced a higher yield, with a lower cost for the extraction. Owing to the advantages of low extraction temperature, high yield, and ease of separating the product from the solvent, supercritical CO2 extraction is likely to be developed into an ideal technique for the extraction of aucubin, a compound with thermal instability, from the seeds of this plant.

Measurement and significance of the equilibrium reaction C-13/+/ + /C-12/O yields C-12/+/ + /C-13/O for alteration of the C-13/C-12 ratio in interstellar molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, W. D.; Anicich, V. G.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.

1976-01-01

Laboratory measurements using the ion-cyclotron resonance technique yield a rate constant of 2 by 10 to the -10th power cu cm/sec at 300 K for the isotope exchange C-13(+) + (C-12)O yields C-12(+) + (C-13)O. According to the usual ideas about ion-molecule reactions, this rate constant should also be appropriate at temperatures not exceeding about 100 K. Then the observed C-13/C-12 ratio obtained from radio observation of interstellar molecules may be either larger or smaller than the actual value in the interstellar medium by factors of 2 or so. If the ratio is altered from the actual interstellar value, it will not be the same in all molecules, and CO will tend to have the highest value. The chief astronomical uncertainty for the occurrence of this isotope fractionation is the abundance of 'unobservable' molecules which can react rapidly with C(+): e.g., O2, H2O, CO2, and CH4. If their abundance is greater than about one-tenth that of CO, the isotope fractionation will be inhibited.

Enhancement of anaerobic digestion efficiency of wastewater sludge and olive waste: Synergistic effect of co-digestion and ultrasonic/microwave sludge pre-treatment.

PubMed

Alagöz, B Aylin; Yenigün, Orhan; Erdinçler, Ayşen

2015-12-01

This study investigates the effect of ultrasonic and microwave pre-treatment on biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of olive pomace and wastewater sludges. It was found that co-digestion of wastewater sludge with olive pomace yielded around 0.21 L CH4/g VS added, whereas the maximum methane yields from the mono-digestion of olive pomace and un-pretreated wastewater sludges were 0.18 and 0.16L CH4/g VS added. In the same way, compared to mono-digestion of these substrates, co-digestion increased methane production by 17-31%. The microwave and ultrasonic pre-treatments applied to sludge samples prior to co-digestion process led to further increase in the methane production by 52% and 24%, respectively, compared to co-digestion with un-pretreated wastewater sludge. The highest biogas and methane yields were obtained from the co-digestion of 30 min microwave pre-treated wastewater sludges and olive pomace to be 0.46 L/g VS added and 0.32 L CH4/g VS added, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Approach for Predicting Essential Genes Using Multiple Homology Mapping and Machine Learning Algorithms.

PubMed

Hua, Hong-Li; Zhang, Fa-Zhan; Labena, Abraham Alemayehu; Dong, Chuan; Jin, Yan-Ting; Guo, Feng-Biao

Investigation of essential genes is significant to comprehend the minimal gene sets of cell and discover potential drug targets. In this study, a novel approach based on multiple homology mapping and machine learning method was introduced to predict essential genes. We focused on 25 bacteria which have characterized essential genes. The predictions yielded the highest area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.9716 through tenfold cross-validation test. Proper features were utilized to construct models to make predictions in distantly related bacteria. The accuracy of predictions was evaluated via the consistency of predictions and known essential genes of target species. The highest AUC of 0.9552 and average AUC of 0.8314 were achieved when making predictions across organisms. An independent dataset from Synechococcus elongatus , which was released recently, was obtained for further assessment of the performance of our model. The AUC score of predictions is 0.7855, which is higher than other methods. This research presents that features obtained by homology mapping uniquely can achieve quite great or even better results than those integrated features. Meanwhile, the work indicates that machine learning-based method can assign more efficient weight coefficients than using empirical formula based on biological knowledge.

Aqueous extraction of pectin from sour orange peel and its preliminary physicochemical properties.

PubMed

Hosseini, Seyed Saeid; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Yarmand, Mohammad Saeid

2016-01-01

Sour orange peel, a by-product of the fruit juice industry, was used as a source of pectin. The effects of temperature (75-95°C), time (30-90 min), and liquid-solid ratio (20-40, v/w) were investigated on yield, methoxylation degree (DE), and galacturonic acid content using a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. The highest extraction yield (17.95 ± 0.3%) was obtained at temperature of 95°C, time of 90 min, and liquid-solid ratio of 25 (v/w). The DE values for the pectin ranged from 17% to 30.5%, indicating that the pectin was low in methoxyle. The emulsifying activity of pectin extracted under optimal conditions was 45%. The emulsions were 86.6% stable at 4°C and 71.4% at 23°C after 30 days of storage. The pectin exhibited Newtonian flow at low concentrations (≤ 1.0%, w/v); as the concentration increased, pseudoplastic flow became dominant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phenolic compounds, organic acids and antioxidant activity of grape juices produced in industrial scale by different processes of maceration.

PubMed

Lima, Marcos dos Santos; da Conceição Prudêncio Dutra, Maria; Toaldo, Isabela Maia; Corrêa, Luiz Claudio; Pereira, Giuliano Elias; de Oliveira, Débora; Bordignon-Luiz, Marilde Terezinha; Ninow, Jorge Luiz

2015-12-01

The effect of maceration process on the profile of phenolic compounds, organic acids composition and antioxidant activity of grape juices from new varieties of Vitis labrusca L. obtained in industrial scale was investigated. The extraction process presented a high yield without pressing the grapes. The use of a commercial pectinase resulted in an increase on extraction yield and procyanidins B1 and B2 concentrations and a decrease on turbidity and concentration of catechins. The combination of 60 °C and 3.0 mL 100 kg(-1) of enzyme resulted in the highest extraction of phenolic compounds, reducing the content of acetic acid. The juices presented high antioxidant activity, related to the great concentration of malvidin, cyanidin, catechin and caffeic, cinnamic and gallic acids. Among the bioactive compounds, the juices presented high concentration of procyanidin B1, caffeic acid and trans-resveratrol, with higher levels compared to those reported in the literature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A spent coffee grounds based biorefinery for the production of biofuels, biopolymers, antioxidants and biocomposites.

PubMed

Karmee, Sanjib Kumar

2018-02-01

Spent coffee grounds are composed of lipid, carbohydrates, carbonaceous, and nitrogen containing compounds among others. Using n-hexane and n-hexane/isopropanol mixture highest oil yield was achived during soxhlet extraction of oil from spent coffee grounds. Alternatively, supercritical carbon dioxide can be employed as a green solvent for the extraction of oil. Using advanced chemical and biotechnological methods, spent coffee grounds are converted to various biofuels such as, biodiesel, renewable diesel, bioethanol, bioethers, bio-oil, biochar, and biogas. The in-situ transesterification of spent coffee grounds was carried out in a large scale (4 kg), which led to 80-83% biodiesel yield. In addition, a large number of value added and diversified products viz. polyhydroxyalkanoates, biosorbent, activated carbon, polyol, polyurethane foam, carotenoid, phenolic antioxidants, and green composite are obtained from spent coffee grounds. The principles of circular economy are applied to develop a sustanaible biorefinery based on valorisation of spent coffee grounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient production of succinic acid from herbal extraction residue hydrolysate.

PubMed

Wang, Caixia; Su, Xinyao; Sun, Wei; Zhou, Sijing; Zheng, Junyu; Zhang, Mengting; Sun, Mengchu; Xue, Jianping; Liu, Xia; Xing, Jianmin; Chen, Shilin

2018-06-15

In this study, six different herbal-extraction residues were evaluated for succinic acid production in terms of chemical composition before and after dilute acid pretreatment (DAP) and sugar release performance. Chemical composition showed that pretreated residues of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch (GUR) and Morus alba L. (MAR) had the highest cellulose content, 50% and 52%, respectively. Higher concentrations of free sugars (71.6 g/L total sugar) and higher hydrolysis yield (92%) were both obtained under 40 FPU/g DM at 10% solid loading for GUR. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), GUR was found to show a less compact structure due to process of extraction. Specifically, the fibers in pretreated GUR were coarse and disordered compared with that of GUR indicated by SEM. Finally, 65 g/L succinic acid was produced with a higher yield of 0.89 g/g total sugar or 0.49 g/g GUR. Our results illustrate the potential of GUR for succinic acid production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of fatty acid methyl ester from used vegetable cooking oil by solid reusable Mg 1-x Zn 1+x O2 catalyst.

PubMed

Olutoye, M A; Hameed, B H

2011-02-01

Fatty acid methyl ester was produced from used vegetable cooking oil using Mg(1-)(x) Zn(1+)(x)O(2) solid catalyst and the performance monitored in terms of ester content obtained. Used vegetable cooking oil was employed to reduce operation cost of biodiesel. The significant operating parameters which affect the overall yield of the process were studied. The highest ester content, 80%, was achieved with the catalyst during 4h 15 min reaction at 188°C with methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 and catalyst loading of 2.55 wt% oil. Also, transesterification of virgin oil gave higher yield with the heterogeneous catalyst and showed high selectivity towards ester production. The used vegetable cooking oil did not require any rigorous pretreatment. Catalyst stability was examined and there was no leaching of the active components, and its performance was as good at the fourth as at the first cycle. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Some fluorescence properties of dimethylaminochalcone and its novel cyclic analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomečková, Vladimíra; Poškrobová, Martina; Štefanišinová, Miroslava; Perjési, Pál

2009-12-01

This paper demonstrates the basic character (polarity, solubility, colour, absorption and fluorescence quantum yield) of synthetic dimethylaminochalcone ( 1) and its cyclic analogues measured in toluene, chloroform, dimethylsulfoxide and ethanol, which have been studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The biologically active dye 4'-dimethylaminochalcone ( 1b) and its less flexible analogues 4-dimethylaminoindanone ( 2b), -tetralone ( 3b), and -benzosuberone ( 4b) are lipophilic molecules that displayed the best solubility in toluene and chloroform. The highest fluorescence and quantum yields of compounds 1 and 2 have been obtained in DMSO and chloroform. Quenching effect of fluorescence compounds ( 1- 4) has been studied in the mixture of the most polar organic solvents DMSO and water. In the presence of water, fluorescence of compound 1 has been quenched the best from all studied chalcones and emission maxima of molecules 1- 4 have been shifted to the longer wavelengths. Quenching effect of fluorescence by water was in order 1 > 2 > 3 > 4.

Preparation and Storage of High-Titer Lactic Streptococcus Bacteriophages1

PubMed Central

Nyiendo, J.; Seidler, Ramon J.; Sandine, W. E.; Elliker, P. R.

1974-01-01

Various techniques were employed for preparation of high-titer bacteriophage lysates of Streptococcus lactis, S. cremoris, and S. diacetilactis strains. Infection of a 4-h host culture in litmus milk at 30 C yielded the highest titers (2 × 109 to 4 × 1011 plaque-forming units/ml) for most phages. Host infection in lactose-containing broth produced similar virus numbers only when 0.1 M tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer stabilized the pH. The pH at the time of infection as well as the inoculum phage titer were critical in obtaining high titers. Optimum conditions for infection in broth were coupled with a polyethylene glycol concentration procedure to routinely produce milligram quantities of phage from 1 liter of lysate. Neutralization of whey lysates, as a means of storage, offered no survival advantage over unneutralized samples. Storage of phage lysates in a 15% glycerol whey solution at -22 C yielded a high rate of survival in most cases, even with repeated freezing and thawing, over a period of 24 months. PMID:16349981

Potential use of the facultative halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. as substrate for biogas production cultivated with different concentrations of sodium chloride under hydroponic conditions.

PubMed

Turcios, Ariel E; Weichgrebe, Dirk; Papenbrock, Jutta

2016-03-01

This project analyses the biogas potential of the halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. In a first approach C. quinoa was grown with different concentrations of NaCl (0, 10 and 20 ppt NaCl) and the crop residues were used as substrate for biogas production. In a second approach, C. quinoa was grown with 0, 10, 20 and 30 ppt NaCl under hydroponic conditions and the fresh biomass was used as substrate. The more NaCl is in the culture medium, the higher the sodium, potassium, crude ash and hemicellulose content in the plant tissue whereas the calcium, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon content in the biomass decrease. According to this study, it is possible to produce high yields of methane using biomass of C. quinoa. The highest specific methane yields were obtained using the substrate from the plants cultivated at 10 and 20 ppt NaCl in both experiments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Black liquor-derived carbonaceous solid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of pretreated rice straw in ionic liquid.

PubMed

Bai, Chenxi; Zhu, Linfeng; Shen, Feng; Qi, Xinhua

2016-11-01

Lignin-containing black liquor from pretreatment of rice straw by KOH aqueous solution was applied to prepare a carbonaceous solid acid catalyst, in which KOH played dual roles of extracting lignin from rice straw and developing porosity of the carbon material as an activation agent. The synthesized black liquor-derived carbon material was applied in catalytic hydrolysis of the residue solid from the pretreatment of rice straw, which was mainly composed of cellulose and hemicellulose, and showed excellent activity for the production of total reducing sugars (TRS) in ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium chloride. The highest TRS yield of 63.4% was achieved at 140°C for 120min, which was much higher than that obtained from crude rice straw under the same reaction conditions (36.6% TRS yield). Overall, this study provides a renewable strategy for the utilization of all components of lignocellulosic biomass. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oil.

PubMed

Tian, Yuting; Xu, Zhenbo; Zheng, Baodong; Martin Lo, Y

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) was evaluated using a variety of solvents. Petroleum ether was the most effective for oil extraction, followed by n-hexane, ethyl acetate, diethyl ether, acetone, and isopropanol. Several variables, such as ultrasonic power, extraction temperature, extraction time, and the ratio of solvent volume and seed weight (S/S ratio) were studied for optimization using response surface methodology (RSM). The highest oil yield, 25.11% (w/w), was obtained using petroleum ether under optimal conditions for ultrasonic power, extraction temperature, extraction time, and S/S ratio at 140 W, 40 °C, 36 min, and 10 ml/g, respectively. The PSO yield extracted by UAE was significantly higher than by using Soxhlet extraction (SE; 20.50%) and supercriti cal fluid extraction (SFE; 15.72%). The fatty acid compositions were significantly different among the PSO extracted by Soxhlet extraction, SFE, and UAE, with punicic acid (>65%) being the most dominant using UAE. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated waste paper--source of raw material for production of liquid biofuels.

PubMed

Brummer, Vladimir; Jurena, Tomas; Hlavacek, Viliam; Omelkova, Jirina; Bebar, Ladislav; Gabriel, Petr; Stehlik, Petr

2014-01-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of waste paper is becoming a perspective way to obtain raw material for production of liquid biofuels. Reducing sugars solutions that arise from the process of saccharification are a precursors for following or simultaneous fermentation to ethanol. Different types of waste paper were evaluated, in terms of composition and usability, in order to select the appropriate type of the waste paper for the enzymatic hydrolysis process. Novozymes® enzymes NS50013 and NS50010 were used in a laboratory scale trials. Technological conditions, which seem to be the most suitable for hydrolysis after testing on cellulose pulp and filter paper, were applied to hydrolysis of widely available waste papers - offset paper, cardboard, recycled paper in two qualities, matte MYsol offset paper and for comparison again on model materials. The highest yields were achieved for the cardboard, which was further tested using various pretreatment combinations in purpose of increasing the hydrolysis yields. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal Growth and Scintillation Properties of Ho-Doped Lu3Al5O12 Single Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Makoto; Yanagida, Takayuki; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Totsuka, Daisuke; Yokota, Yuui; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Futami, Yoshisuke; Yoshikawa, Akira

2012-10-01

The crystals of 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 3% Ho doped Lu3Al5O12 (Ho:LuAG) grown by the micro-pulling-down method were examined for their scintillation properties. At wavelengths longer than 300 nm, Ho:LuAG crystals demonstrated around 60% transparency with many absorption peaks attributed to Ho3+ 4f10-4 f10 transitions. When excited by 241Am α-ray to obtain radio luminescence spectra, broad host emission and four sharp Ho3+ 4f10-4 f10 emission peaks were detected in the visible region. Light yields and decay time profiles of the samples irradiated by 137Cs γ-ray were measured using photomultiplier tubes R7600 (Hamamatsu). Ho 0.5%:LuAG showed the highest light yield of 3100 ±310 photons/MeV among the present samples. The decay time profiles were well reproduced by two components exponential approximation consisting of 0.5-1 μs and 3-6 μs.

Effects of process parameters on peanut skins extract and CO2 diffusivity by supercritical fluid extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, N. R.; Yian, L. N.; Nasir, H. M.; Idham, Z. Binti; Yunus, M. A. C.

2018-03-01

Peanut skins (Arachis hypogea) are an agricultural waste product which has received much attention because they contain high nutritional values and can be potentially utilized in difference industries. At present, only a few studies have been conducted to study the effects of parameters on the peanut skins oil extraction. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the best extraction condition in order to obtain the highest extract yield using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) with co-solvent Ethanol as compared to Soxhlet extraction method. Diffusivity of carbon dioxide in supercritical fluid extraction was determined using Crank model. The mean particle size used in this study was 425 µm. The supercritical carbon dioxide was performed at temperature (40 – 70 °C), flow rate of co-solvent ethanol (0 - 7.5% Vethanol/Vtotal), and extraction pressure (10 – 30 MPa) were used in this studies. The results showed that the percentage of oil yields and effective diffusivity increase as the pressure, rate of co-solvent, and temperature increased.

Effect of surfactant assisted sonic pretreatment on liquefaction of fruits and vegetable residue: Characterization, acidogenesis, biomethane yield and energy ratio.

PubMed

Shanthi, M; Rajesh Banu, J; Sivashanmugam, P

2018-05-15

The present study explored the disintegration potential of fruits and vegetable residue through sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) assisted sonic pretreatment (SSP). In SSP method, initially the biomass barrier (lignin) was removed using SDS at different dosage, subsequently it was sonically disintegrated. The effect of SSP were assessed based on dissolved organic release (DOR) of fruits and vegetable waste and specific energy input. SSP method achieved higher DOR rate and suspended solids reduction (26% and 16%) at optimum SDS dosage of 0.035 g/g SS with least specific energy input of 5400 kJ/kg TS compared to ultrasonic pretreatment (UP) (16% and 10%). The impact of fermentation and biomethane potential assay revealed highest production of volatile fatty acid and methane yield in SSP (1950 mg/L, 0.6 g/g COD) than UP. The energy ratio obtained was 0.9 for SSP, indicating proposed method is energetically efficient. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transesterification of edible, non-edible and used cooking oils for biodiesel production using calcined layered double hydroxides as reusable base catalysts.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, Sivashunmugam; Antonyraj, Churchil A; Kannan, S

2012-04-01

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from edible, non-edible and used cooking oils with different fatty acid contents by transesterification with methanol using calcined layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as solid base catalysts. Among the catalysts, calcined CaAl2-LDH (hydrocalumite) showed the highest activity with >90% yield of FAME using low methanol:oil molar ratio (<6:1) at 65 °C in 5 h. The activity of the catalyst was attributed to its high basicity as supported by Hammett studies and CO(2)-TPD measurements. The catalyst was successfully reused in up to four cycles. Some of the properties such as density, viscosity, neutralization number and glycerol content of the obtained biodiesel matched well with the standard DIN values. It is concluded that a scalable heterogeneously catalyzed process for production of biodiesel in high yields from a wide variety of triglyceride oils including used oils is possible using optimized conditions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic substrates as electron donors in permeable reactive barriers for removal of heavy metals from acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Kijjanapanich, P; Pakdeerattanamint, K; Lens, P N L; Annachhatre, A P

2012-12-01

This research was conducted to select suitable natural organic substrates as potential carbon sources for use as electron donors for biological sulphate reduction in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB). A number of organic substrates were assessed through batch and continuous column experiments under anaerobic conditions with acid mine drainage (AMD) obtained from an abandoned lignite coal mine. To keep the heavy metal concentration at a constant level, the AMD was supplemented with heavy metals whenever necessary. Under anaerobic conditions, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) converted sulphate into sulphide using the organic substrates as electron donors. The sulphide that was generated precipitated heavy metals as metal sulphides. Organic substrates, which yielded the highest sulphate reduction in batch tests, were selected for continuous column experiments which lasted over 200 days. A mixture of pig-farm wastewater treatment sludge, rice husk and coconut husk chips yielded the best heavy metal (Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn) removal efficiencies of over 90%.

Distillation time effect on lavender essential oil yield and composition.

PubMed

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D; Cantrell, Charles L; Astatkie, Tess; Jeliazkova, Ekaterina

2013-01-01

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) is one of the most widely grown essential oil crops in the world. Commercial extraction of lavender oil is done using steam distillation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the length of the distillation time (DT) on lavender essential oil yield and composition when extracted from dried flowers. Therefore, the following distillation times (DT) were tested in this experiment: 1.5 min, 3 min, 3.75 min, 7.5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 60 min, 90 min, 120 min, 150 min, 180 min, and 240 min. The essential oil yield (range 0.5-6.8%) reached a maximum at 60 min DT. The concentrations of cineole (range 6.4-35%) and fenchol (range 1.7-2.9%) were highest at the 1.5 min DT and decreased with increasing length of the DT. The concentration of camphor (range 6.6-9.2%) reached a maximum at 7.5-15 min DT, while the concentration of linalool acetate (range 15-38%) reached a maximum at 30 min DT. Results suggest that lavender essential oil yield may not increase after 60 min DT. The change in essential oil yield, and the concentrations of cineole, fenchol and linalool acetate as DT changes were modeled very well by the asymptotic nonlinear regression model. DT may be used to modify the chemical profile of lavender oil and to obtain oils with differential chemical profiles from the same lavender flowers. DT must be taken into consideration when citing or comparing reports on lavender essential oil yield and composition.

Biodiesel production using waste frying oil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Charpe, Trupti W.; Rathod, Virendra K., E-mail: vk.rathod@ictmumbai.edu.in

2011-01-15

Research highlights: {yields} Waste sunflower frying oil is successfully converted to biodiesel using lipase as catalyst. {yields} Various process parameters that affects the conversion of transesterification reaction such as temperature, enzyme concentration, methanol: oil ratio and solvent are optimized. {yields} Inhibitory effect of methanol on lipase is reduced by adding methanol in three stages. {yields} Polar solvents like n-hexane and n-heptane increases the conversion of tranesterification reaction. - Abstract: Waste sunflower frying oil is used in biodiesel production by transesterification using an enzyme as a catalyst in a batch reactor. Various microbial lipases have been used in transesterification reaction tomore » select an optimum lipase. The effects of various parameters such as temperature, methanol:oil ratio, enzyme concentration and solvent on the conversion of methyl ester have been studied. The Pseudomonas fluorescens enzyme yielded the highest conversion. Using the P. fluorescens enzyme, the optimum conditions included a temperature of 45 deg. C, an enzyme concentration of 5% and a methanol:oil molar ratio 3:1. To avoid an inhibitory effect, the addition of methanol was performed in three stages. The conversion obtained after 24 h of reaction increased from 55.8% to 63.84% because of the stage-wise addition of methanol. The addition of a non-polar solvent result in a higher conversion compared to polar solvents. Transesterification of waste sunflower frying oil under the optimum conditions and single-stage methanol addition was compared to the refined sunflower oil.« less

Evaluation of vegetable-faba bean (Vicia faba L.) intercropping under Latvian agro-ecological conditions.

PubMed

Lepse, Līga; Dane, Sandra; Zeipiņa, Solvita; Domínguez-Perles, Raul; Rosa, Eduardo As

2017-10-01

Monoculture is used mostly in conventional agriculture, where a single crop is cultivated on the same land for a period of at least 12 months. In an organic and integrated growing approach, more attention is paid to plant-environment interactions and, as a result, diverse growing systems applying intercropping, catch crops, and green manure are being implemented. Thus, field experiments for evaluation of vegetable/faba bean full intercropping efficiency, in terms of vegetable and faba bean yield and protein content, were set up during two consecutive growing seasons (2014 and 2015). Data obtained showed that the most efficient intercropping variants were cabbage/faba bean (cabbage yield 1.27-2.91 kg m -2 , immature faba bean pods 0.20-0.43 kg m -2 ) and carrot/faba bean (carrot yield 1.67-2.28 kg m -2 , immature faba bean pods 0.10-0.52 kg m -2 ), whilst onion and faba bean intercrop is not recommended for vegetable growing since it induces a very low onion yield (0.66-1.09 kg m -2 ), although the highest immature faba bean pod yield was found in the onion/faba bean intercropping scheme (up to 0.56 kg m -2 ). Vegetable/faba bean intercropping can be used in practical horticulture for carrot and cabbage growing in order to ensure sustainable farming and environmentally friendly horticultural production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antimicrobial activity and composition profile of grape (Vitis vinifera) pomace extracts obtained by supercritical fluids.

PubMed

Oliveira, Daniela A; Salvador, Ana Augusta; Smânia, Artur; Smânia, Elza F A; Maraschin, Marcelo; Ferreira, Sandra R S

2013-04-10

The possibility of increasing the aggregated value of the huge amount of residues generated by wineries around the world foment studies using the grape pomace - the residue from the wine production, composed by seed, skin and stems - to obtain functional ingredients. Nowadays, consumers in general prefer natural and safe products mainly for food and cosmetic fields, where the supercritical fluid extraction is of great importance due to the purity of the extracts provided. Therefore, the objective of this work is to evaluate the global extraction yield, the antimicrobial activity and the composition profile of Merlot and Syrah grape pomace extracts obtained by supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) and CO2 added with co-solvent at pressures up to 300 bar and temperatures of 50 and 60 °C. The results were compared with the ones obtained by Soxhlet and by ultrasound-assisted leaching extraction methods. The main components from the extracts, identified by HPLC, were gallic acid, p-OH-benzoic acid, vanillic acid and epicatechin. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the extracts were evaluated using four strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and three fungi strains (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei). Despite lower extraction yield results, the supercritical fluid extracts presented the highest antimicrobial effectiveness compared to the other grape pomace extracts due to the presence of antimicrobial active compounds. Syrah extracts were less efficient against the microorganisms tested and Merlot extracts were more active against Gram-positive bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells grown on flexible polymer films.

PubMed

Chirilă, Adrian; Buecheler, Stephan; Pianezzi, Fabian; Bloesch, Patrick; Gretener, Christina; Uhl, Alexander R; Fella, Carolin; Kranz, Lukas; Perrenoud, Julian; Seyrling, Sieghard; Verma, Rajneesh; Nishiwaki, Shiro; Romanyuk, Yaroslav E; Bilger, Gerhard; Tiwari, Ayodhya N

2011-09-18

Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se(2) absorber layers have yielded the highest conversion efficiency among all thin-film technologies, and the use of flexible polymer films as substrates offers several advantages in lowering manufacturing costs. However, given that conversion efficiency is crucial for cost-competitiveness, it is necessary to develop devices on flexible substrates that perform as well as those obtained on rigid substrates. Such comparable performance has not previously been achieved, primarily because polymer films require much lower substrate temperatures during absorber deposition, generally resulting in much lower efficiencies. Here we identify a strong composition gradient in the absorber layer as the main reason for inferior performance and show that, by adjusting it appropriately, very high efficiencies can be obtained. This implies that future manufacturing of highly efficient flexible solar cells could lower the cost of solar electricity and thus become a significant branch of the photovoltaic industry.

Dry matter yields and quality of forages derived from grass species and organic production methods (year 111).

PubMed

Pholsen, S; Rodchum, P; Higgs, D E B

2014-07-01

This third year work was carried on at Khon Kaen University during the 2008-2009 to investigate dry matter yields of grass, grass plus legumes, grown on Korat soil series (Oxic Paleustults). The experiment consisted of twelve-treatment combinations of a 3x4 factorial arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The results showed that Dry Matter Yields (DMY) of Ruzi and Guinea grass were similar with mean values of 6,585 and 6,130 kg ha(-1) whilst Napier gave the lowest (884 kg ha(-1)). With grass plus legume, grass species and production methods gave highly significant dry matter yields where Guinea and Ruzi gave dry matter yields of 7,165 and 7,181 kg ha(-1), respectively and Napier was the least (2,790 kg ha(-1)). The production methods with the use of cattle manure gave the highest DMY (grass alone) of 10,267 kg ha(-1) followed by Wynn and Verano with values of 6,064 and 3,623 kg ha(-1), respectively. Guinea plus cattle manure gave the highest DMY of 14,599 kg ha(-1) whilst Ruzi gave 12,977 kg ha(-1). Guinea plus Wynn gave DMY of 7,082 kg ha(-1). Ruzi plus Verano gave DMY of 6,501 kg ha(-1). Forage qualities of crude protein were highest with those grown with grass plus legumes. Some prospects in improving production were discussed.

Effects of Plant Growth Hormones on Mucor indicus Growth and Chitosan and Ethanol Production.

PubMed

Safaei, Zahra; Karimi, Keikhosro; Golkar, Poorandokht; Zamani, Akram

2015-07-22

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and kinetin (KIN) on Mucor indicus growth, cell wall composition, and ethanol production. A semi-synthetic medium, supplemented with 0-5 mg/L hormones, was used for the cultivations (at 32 °C for 48 h). By addition of 1 mg/L of each hormone, the biomass and ethanol yields were increased and decreased, respectively. At higher levels, however, an inverse trend was observed. The glucosamine fraction of the cell wall, as a representative for chitosan, followed similar but sharper changes, compared to the biomass. The highest level was 221% higher than that obtained without hormones. The sum of glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine (chitin and chitosan) was noticeably enhanced in the presence of the hormones. Increase of chitosan was accompanied by a decrease in the phosphate content, with the lowest phosphate (0.01 g/g cell wall) being obtained when the chitosan was at the maximum (0.45 g/g cell wall). In conclusion, IAA and KIN significantly enhanced the M. indicus growth and chitosan production, while at the same time decreasing the ethanol yield to some extent. This study shows that plant growth hormones have a high potential for the improvement of fungal chitosan production by M. indicus.

Structural elucidation of sorghum lignins from an integrated biorefinery process based on hydrothermal and alkaline treatments.

PubMed

Sun, Shao-Long; Wen, Jia-Long; Ma, Ming-Guo; Sun, Run-Cang

2014-08-13

An integrated process based on hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) (i.e., 110-230 °C, 0.5-2.0 h) and alkaline post-treatment (2% NaOH at 90 °C for 2.0 h) has been performed for the production of xylooligosaccharide, lignin, and digestible substrate from sweet sorghum stems. The yield, purity, dissociation mechanisms, structural features, and structural transformations of alkali lignins obtained from the integrated process were investigated. It was found that the HTP process facilitated the subsequent alkaline delignification, releasing lignin with the highest yield (79.3%) and purity from the HTP residue obtained at 190 °C for 0.5 h. All of the results indicated that the cleavage of the β-O-4 linkages and degradation of β-β and β-5 linkages occurred under the harsh HTP conditions. Depolymerization and condensation reactions simultaneously occurred at higher temperatures (≥ 170 °C). Moreover, the thermostability of lignin was positively related to its molecular weight, but was also affected by the inherent structures, such as β-O-4 linkages and condensed units. These findings will enhance the understanding of structural transformations of the lignins during the integrated process and maximize the potential utilizations of the lignins in a current biorefinery process.

Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation of Sugar Beet Pulp with Mixed Bacterial Cultures for Lactic Acid and Propylene Glycol Production.

PubMed

Berlowska, Joanna; Cieciura, Weronika; Borowski, Sebastian; Dudkiewicz, Marta; Binczarski, Michal; Witonska, Izabela; Otlewska, Anna; Kregiel, Dorota

2016-10-17

Research into fermentative production of lactic acid from agricultural by-products has recently concentrated on the direct conversion of biomass, whereby pure sugars are replaced with inexpensive feedstock in the process of lactic acid production. In our studies, for the first time, the source of carbon used is sugar beet pulp, generated as a by-product of industrial sugar production. In this paper, we focus on the simultaneous saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass and fermentation of lactic acid, using mixed cultures with complementary assimilation profiles. Lactic acid is one of the primary platform chemicals, and can be used to synthesize a wide variety of useful products, including green propylene glycol. A series of controlled batch fermentations was conducted under various conditions, including pretreatment with enzymatic hydrolysis. Inoculation was performed in two sequential stages, to avoid carbon catabolite repression. Biologically-synthesized lactic acid was catalytically reduced to propylene glycol over 5% Ru/C. The highest lactic acid yield was obtained with mixed cultures. The yield of propylene glycol from the biological lactic acid was similar to that obtained with a water solution of pure lactic acid. Our results show that simultaneous saccharification and fermentation enables generation of lactic acid, suitable for further chemical transformations, from agricultural residues.

Enhancement of Bacillus subtilis Lipopeptide Biosurfactants Production through Optimization of Medium Composition and Adequate Control of Aeration.

PubMed

Ghribi, Dhouha; Ellouze-Chaabouni, Semia

2011-01-01

Interest in biosurfactants has increased considerably in recent years, as they are potentially used in many commercial applications in petroleum, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, and food processing industries. Since improvement of their production was of great importance to reduce the final coast, cultural conditions were analyzed to optimize biosurfactants production from Bacillus subtilis SPB1 strain. A high yield of biosurfactants was obtained from a culture of B. subtilis using carbohydrate substrate as a carbon source; among carbohydrates, glucose enhanced the best surfactin production. The optimum glucose concentration was 40 g/L. Higher amount of biosurfactants was obtained using 5 g/L of urea as organic nitrogen source and applying C/N ratio of 7 with ammonium chloride as inorganic nitrogen source. The highest amount of biosurfactants was recorded with the addition of 2% kerosene. Moreover, it was shown, using an automated full-controlled 2.6 L fermenter, that aeration of the medium, which affected strongly the growth regulated biosurfactants synthesis by the producing cell. So that, low or high aerations lead to a decrease of biosurfactants synthesis yields. It was found that when using dissolved oxygen saturation of the medium at 30%, biosurfactants production reached 4.92 g/L.

Low-energy-electron interactions with DNA: approaching cellular conditions with atmospheric experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizadeh, Elahe; Sanche, Léon

2014-04-01

A novel technique has been developed to investigate low energy electron (LEE)-DNA interactions in the presence of small biomolecules (e.g., N2, O2, H2O) found near DNA in the cell nucleus, in order to simulate cellular conditions. In this technique, LEEs are emitted from a metallic surface exposed by soft X-rays and interact with DNA thin films at standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP). Whereas atmospheric N2 had little effect on the yields of LEE-induced single and double strand breaks, both O2 and H2O considerably modified and increased such damage. The highest yields were obtained when DNA is embedded in a combined O2 and H2O atmosphere. In this case, the amount of additional double strand breaks was supper-additive. The effect of modifying the chemical and physical stability of DNA by platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents (Pt-drugs) including cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin was also investigated with this technique. The results obtained provide information on the role played by subexcitation-energy electrons and dissociative electron attachment in the radiosensitization of DNA by Pt-drugs, which is an important step to unravel the mechanisms of radiosensitisation of these agents in chemoradiation cancer therapy.

31 CFR 356.21 - How are awards at the high yield or discount rate calculated?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... discount rate calculated? 356.21 Section 356.21 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money... high yield or discount rate calculated? (a) Awards to submitters. We generally prorate bids at the highest accepted yield or discount rate under § 356.20(a)(2) of this part. For example, if 80.15% is the...

Growth and yield of western larch under controlled levels of stocking in the Blue Mountains of Oregon.

Treesearch

P.H. Cochran; K.W. Seidel

1999-01-01

Repeated thinning to five growing-stock levels resulted in widely differing tree sizes and volumes per acre after 30 years. Largest trees but the least cubic-volume yield per acre were produced in the heaviest thinning level, whereas highest board-foot yields were found in intermediate thinning levels. Partial defoliation by larch casebearer (Coleophora...

Influence of inocula and grains on sclerotia biomass and carotenoid yield of Penicillium sp. PT95 during solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Han, Jian-Rong; Yuan, Jing-Ming

2003-10-01

Various inocula and grains were evaluated for carotenoid production by solid-state fermentation using Penicillium sp. PT95. Millet medium was more effective in both sclerotia growth and carotenoid production than other grain media. An inoculum in the form of sclerotia yielded higher sclerotia biomass compared to either a spore inoculum or a mycelial pellet inoculum. Adding wheat bran to grain medium favored the formation of sclerotia. However, neither the inoculum type nor addition of wheat bran resulted in a significant change in the carotenoid content of sclerotia. Among grain media supplemented with wheat bran (wheat bran:grain =1:4 w/w, dry basis), a medium consisting of rice and wheat bran gave the highest sclerotia biomass (15.10 g/100 g grain), a medium consisting of buckwheat and wheat bran gave the highest content of carotenoid in sclerotia (0.826 mg/g dry sclerotia), and a medium consisting of millet and wheat bran gave the highest carotenoid yield (11.457 mg/100 g grain).

Production of anti-streptococcal liamocins from agricultural biomass by Aureobasidium pullulans.

PubMed

Leathers, Timothy D; Price, Neil P J; Manitchotpisit, Pennapa; Bischoff, Kenneth M

2016-12-01

Liamocins are unique heavier-than-water "oils" produced by certain strains of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans. Liamocins have antibacterial activity with specificity for Streptococcus sp. Previous studies reported that liamocin yields were highest from strains of A. pullulans belonging to phylogenetic clades 8, 9, and 11, cultured on medium containing sucrose. In this study, 27 strains from these clades were examined for the first time for production of liamocins from agricultural biomass substrates. Liamocin yields were highest from strains in phylogenetic clade 11, and yields were higher from cultures grown on sucrose than from those grown on pretreated wheat straw. However, when supplementary enzymes (cellulase, β-glucosidase, and xylanase) were added, liamocin production on pretreated wheat straw was equivalent to that on sucrose. Liamocins produced from wheat straw were free of the melanin contamination common in sucrose-grown cultures. Furthermore, MALDI-TOF MS analysis showed that liamocins produced from wheat straw were under-acetylated, resulting in higher proportions of the mannitol A1 and B1 species of liamocin, the latter of which has the highest biological activity against Streptococcus sp.

Evaluation of a microwave high-power reception-conversion array for wireless power transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickinson, R. M.

1975-01-01

Initial performance tests of a 24-sq m area array of rectenna elements are presented. The array is used as the receiving portion of a wireless microwave power transmission engineering verification test system. The transmitting antenna was located at a range of 1.54 km. Output dc voltage and power, input RF power, efficiency, and operating temperatures were obtained for a variety of dc load and RF incident power levels at 2388 MHz. Incident peak RF intensities of up to 170 mW/sq cm yielded up to 30.4 kW of dc output power. The highest derived collection-conversion efficiency of the array was greater than 80 percent.

Radiation effects on hole drift mobility in polysilanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Shu; Shibata, Hiromi; Yoshida, Yoichi; Ishigure, Kenkichi; Tagawa, Seiichi

1997-03-01

The radiation effects on hole drift mobility in polysilane derivatives were studied in the present paper. The values of hole drift mobility (about 10 -4 cm 2/V·s) obtained by the DC Time-of-Flight (TOF) measurement were improved by ion beam irradiation for poly(methylphenylsilane) (PMPS) and poly(di-n-hexylsilane) (PDHS). The irradiated PMPS showed five times higher values of hole drift mobility than the non irradiated one. Their low photo-induced carrier yield, one of the highest barrier to use polysilanes as photoconductors, was also improved by the irradiation. The mechanism of the mobility improvement will be discussed in relation to the model of changes in the silicon skeleton structure induced by the radiation.

Increase of ethanol productivity by cell-recycle fermentation of flocculating yeast.

PubMed

Wang, F Z; Xie, T; Hui, M

2011-01-01

Using the recombinant flocculating Angel yeast F6, long-term repeated batch fermentation for ethanol production was performed and a high volumetric productivity resulted from half cells not washed and the optimum opportunity of residual glucose 20 g l(-1) of last medium. The obtained highest productivity was 2.07 g l-(1) h(-1), which was improved by 75.4% compared with that of 1.18 g l(-1) h(-1) in the first batch fermentation. The ethanol concentration reached 8.4% corresponding to the yield of 0.46 g g(-1). These results will contribute greatly to the industrial production of fuel ethanol using the commercial method with the flocculating yeast.

Effect of initial temperature and concentration of catalyst in polyeugenol production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Widayat, E-mail: yayat-99@yahoo.com; Center of Biomass and Renewable Energy Center of Research and Service Diponegoro University Jln Prof. Soedarto, SH. Semarang 50 239, Tel / Fax:; Fatuchrohman, Alviano

2015-12-29

Objective of this research to study influencing of sulfuric acid concentration and initials temperature on polymerization of eugenol. Eugenol is the largest compound in the clove oil that used as raw material. Eugenol was polymerized laboratory scale. Polymerization processing conducted in reactor at 30 minutes. Polyeugenol was obtained in polymerization was conducted at temperature 40°C and ratio eugenol to sulfuric acid 1:15 mole. This research was pbtained the highest yield 81.49%. However, the weight would be increase in according with increasing of initial temperature. The polymerization in temperature 50°C with 1:1.5 mole ratio has the heaviest molecule weight; 47,530.76 gr/mole.

Stable isotope and DNA evidence for ritual sequences in Inca child sacrifice

PubMed Central

Wilson, Andrew S.; Taylor, Timothy; Ceruti, Maria Constanza; Chavez, Jose Antonio; Reinhard, Johan; Grimes, Vaughan; Meier-Augenstein, Wolfram; Cartmell, Larry; Stern, Ben; Richards, Michael P.; Worobey, Michael; Barnes, Ian; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.

2007-01-01

Four recently discovered frozen child mummies from two of the highest peaks in the south central Andes now yield tantalizing evidence of the preparatory stages leading to Inca ritual killing as represented by the unique capacocha rite. Our interdisciplinary study examined hair from the mummies to obtain detailed genetic and diachronic isotopic information. This approach has allowed us to reconstruct aspects of individual identity and diet, make inferences concerning social background, and gain insight on the hitherto unknown processes by which victims were selected, elevated in social status, prepared for a high-altitude pilgrimage, and killed. Such direct information amplifies, yet also partly contrasts with, Spanish historical accounts. PMID:17923675

Pyrolysis of sunflower seed hulls for obtaining bio-oils.

PubMed

Casoni, Andrés I; Bidegain, Maximiliano; Cubitto, María A; Curvetto, Nestor; Volpe, María A

2015-02-01

Bio-oils from pyrolysis of as received sunflower seed hulls (SSH), hulls previously washed with acid (SSHA) and hulls submitted to a mushroom enzymatic attack (BSSH) were analyzed. The concentration of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose varied with the pre-treatment. The liquid corresponding to SSH presented a relatively high concentration of acetic acid and a high instability to storage. The bio-oil from SSHA showed a high concentration of furfural and an appreciable amount of levoglucosenone. Lignin was degraded upon enzymatic activity, for this reason BSSH led to the highest yield of bio-oil, with relative high concentration of acetic acid and stability to storage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Demonstration of X-Ray Drive Enhancement with Rugby-Shaped Hohlraums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philippe, F.; Casner, A.; Caillaud, T.; Landoas, O.; Monteil, M. C.; Liberatore, S.; Park, H. S.; Amendt, P.; Robey, H.; Sorce, C.; Li, C. K.; Seguin, F.; Rosenberg, M.; Petrasso, R.; Glebov, V.; Stoeckl, C.

2010-01-01

Rugby-shaped hohlraums have been suggested as a way to enhance x-ray drive in the indirect drive approach to inertial confinement fusion. This Letter presents an experimental comparison of rugby-shaped and cylinder hohlraums used for D2 and DHe3-filled capsules implosions on the Omega laser facility, demonstrating an increase of x-ray flux by 18% in rugby-shaped hohlraums. The highest yields to date for deuterium gas implosions in indirect drive on Omega (1.5×1010 neutrons) were obtained, allowing for the first time the measurement of a DD burn history. Proton spectra measurements provide additional validation of the higher drive in rugby-shaped hohlraums.

A preliminary study on the synthesis of monosaccharide palmitate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, Nor Hamidah Abu; Jafri, Nur Hafifah Nahdirah; Salimon, Jumat

2018-04-01

The esterification reaction between palmitic acid and different monosaccharides using 1.5% sulfuric acid as the catalyst to produce monosachharide palmitate was studied. The highest percentage yield obtained was 20% from tripalmitate (TAG01) whereas the lowest percentage formed was 0.8% from glucose pentapalmitate (GPP01). Functional group analysis was conducted using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Infrared spectroscopy showed C=O ester stretching at 1735, 1697, 1732 and 1729 cm-1, C-O ester stretching at 1265, 1269, 1284 and 1265 while C-H sp3 stretching was observed at 2847-2914 cm-1 for tripalmitate (TAG), glucose pentapalmitate (GPP), xylitol pentapalmitate (XPP) and sorbitol hexapalmitate (SHP) with no observed -OH stretch after esterification to produce monosaccharide palmitate.

Increase of protein extraction yield from rapeseed meal through a pretreatment with phytase.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Ivo M; Carvalho, M Graça Vs; Rocha, Jorge Ms

2017-06-01

Rapeseed meal is a good source of high-quality vegetal protein but contains antinutritional compounds that limit its use for human and animal feed. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology to enhance alkaline protein extraction of rapeseed meal and to produce protein-rich products with low levels of phytic acid. Different phytase dosages and operating conditions were used for rapeseed meal pretreatment followed by alkaline extraction at different temperatures, time, pH and solid/liquid ratios (S/L). The highest protein extraction yield attained was 72.1%, for 2 h at 55 °C, with a phytase dosage of 0.8 U g -1 when the alkaline extraction was performed at 75 °C, pH 12.5 and 60 min for an S/L ratio of 10 g 100 mL -1 water. The extraction yields were higher than those previously obtained without enzymatic pretreatment. Phytase pretreatment enhanced alkaline extraction yield of proteins from rapeseed meal. This procedure allowed also the production of rapeseed protein concentrates with very low levels of phytic acid, ∼1 g kg -1 , improving their nutritional properties and commercial value. Moreover, after the pretreatment, the amount of phytic acid in the remaining rapeseed meal decreases about 25%. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of beer factory sludge on soil properties and growth of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris saccharifera L.).

PubMed

Kütük, Cihat; Cayci, Gökhan; Baran, Abdullah; Başkan, Oguz; Hartmann, Roger

2003-10-01

The possible use of beer factory sludge (BFS) for an agricultural purpose was investigated with sugar beet (Beta vulgaris saccharifera L.). BFS was air dried and sieved through a 4 mm mesh before application to a soil (Typic Xerofluvent). Afterwards, the BFS was mixed with soil at a rate 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 tonnes ha(-1). The mixtures were than put into pots and kept in the greenhouse for an incubation of five months. During the incubation, pH, the electrical conductivity, the organic matter content, NH4+-N and NO3--N content were regularly measured. At the end of the incubation period, sugar beet seeds were sown into the same pots. After a growing period of six-months the sugar beet plants were harvested, and yield and quality parameters were determined. BFS increased leaf and root yield. However, the effect of BFS on leaf growth was more pronounced than on root growth. The highest sugar content, refined sugar content and refined sugar yield were obtained with the application rate of 10 tonnes BFS per hectare. Ten tonnes of BSF per hectare was the most suitable on the basis of root quality parameters and root yield. However BFS should be applied to the soil six or seven months in advance due to the high level of nitrogen released through mineralization.

Random Regression Models Using Legendre Polynomials to Estimate Genetic Parameters for Test-day Milk Protein Yields in Iranian Holstein Dairy Cattle.

PubMed

Naserkheil, Masoumeh; Miraie-Ashtiani, Seyed Reza; Nejati-Javaremi, Ardeshir; Son, Jihyun; Lee, Deukhwan

2016-12-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of milk protein yields in Iranian Holstein dairy cattle. A total of 1,112,082 test-day milk protein yield records of 167,269 first lactation Holstein cows, calved from 1990 to 2010, were analyzed. Estimates of the variance components, heritability, and genetic correlations for milk protein yields were obtained using a random regression test-day model. Milking times, herd, age of recording, year, and month of recording were included as fixed effects in the model. Additive genetic and permanent environmental random effects for the lactation curve were taken into account by applying orthogonal Legendre polynomials of the fourth order in the model. The lowest and highest additive genetic variances were estimated at the beginning and end of lactation, respectively. Permanent environmental variance was higher at both extremes. Residual variance was lowest at the middle of the lactation and contrarily, heritability increased during this period. Maximum heritability was found during the 12th lactation stage (0.213±0.007). Genetic, permanent, and phenotypic correlations among test-days decreased as the interval between consecutive test-days increased. A relatively large data set was used in this study; therefore, the estimated (co)variance components for random regression coefficients could be used for national genetic evaluation of dairy cattle in Iran.

Random Regression Models Using Legendre Polynomials to Estimate Genetic Parameters for Test-day Milk Protein Yields in Iranian Holstein Dairy Cattle

PubMed Central

Naserkheil, Masoumeh; Miraie-Ashtiani, Seyed Reza; Nejati-Javaremi, Ardeshir; Son, Jihyun; Lee, Deukhwan

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of milk protein yields in Iranian Holstein dairy cattle. A total of 1,112,082 test-day milk protein yield records of 167,269 first lactation Holstein cows, calved from 1990 to 2010, were analyzed. Estimates of the variance components, heritability, and genetic correlations for milk protein yields were obtained using a random regression test-day model. Milking times, herd, age of recording, year, and month of recording were included as fixed effects in the model. Additive genetic and permanent environmental random effects for the lactation curve were taken into account by applying orthogonal Legendre polynomials of the fourth order in the model. The lowest and highest additive genetic variances were estimated at the beginning and end of lactation, respectively. Permanent environmental variance was higher at both extremes. Residual variance was lowest at the middle of the lactation and contrarily, heritability increased during this period. Maximum heritability was found during the 12th lactation stage (0.213±0.007). Genetic, permanent, and phenotypic correlations among test-days decreased as the interval between consecutive test-days increased. A relatively large data set was used in this study; therefore, the estimated (co)variance components for random regression coefficients could be used for national genetic evaluation of dairy cattle in Iran. PMID:26954192

Extraction methods of Amaranthus sp. grain oil isolation.

PubMed

Krulj, Jelena; Brlek, Tea; Pezo, Lato; Brkljača, Jovana; Popović, Sanja; Zeković, Zoran; Bodroža Solarov, Marija

2016-08-01

Amaranthus sp. is a fast-growing crop with well-known beneficial nutritional values (rich in protein, fat, dietary fiber, ash, and minerals, especially calcium and sodium, and containing a higher amount of lysine than conventional cereals). Amaranthus sp. is an underexploited plant source of squalene, a compound of high importance in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. This paper has examined the effects of the different extraction methods (Soxhlet, supercritical fluid and accelerated solvent extraction) on the oil and squalene yield of three genotypes of Amaranthus sp. grain. The highest yield of the extracted oil (78.1 g kg(-1) ) and squalene (4.7 g kg(-1) ) in grain was obtained by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) in genotype 16. Post hoc Tukey's HSD test at 95% confidence limit showed significant differences between observed samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used for assessing the effect of different genotypes and extraction methods on oil and squalene yield, and also the fatty acid composition profile. Using coupled PCA and CA of observed samples, possible directions for improving the quality of product can be realized. The results of this study indicate that it is very important to choose both the right genotype and the right method of extraction for optimal oil and squalene yield. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of Rotylenchulus reniformis on Cotton Yield as Affected by Soil Texture and Irrigation

PubMed Central

Herring, Stephanie L.; Heitman, Joshua L.

2010-01-01

The effects of soil type, irrigation, and population density of Rotylenchulus reniformis on cotton were evaluated in a two-year microplot experiment. Six soil types, Fuquay sand, Norfolk sandy loam, Portsmouth loamy sand, Muck, Cecil sandy loam, and Cecil sandy clay, were arranged in randomized complete blocks with five replications. Each block had numerous plots previously inoculated with R. reniformis and two or more noninoculated microplots per soil type, one half of which were irrigated in each replicate for a total of 240 plots. Greatest cotton lint yields were achieved in the Muck, Norfolk sandy loam, and Portsmouth loamy sand soils. Cotton yield in the Portsmouth loamy sand did not differ from the Muck soil which averaged the greatest lint yield per plot of all soil types. Cotton yield was negatively related to R. reniformis PI (initial population density) in all soil types except for the Cecil sandy clay which had the highest clay content. Supplemental irrigation increased yields in the higher yielding Muck, Norfolk sandy loam, and Portsmouth loamy sand soils compared to the lower yielding Cecil sandy clay, Cecil sandy loam, and Fuquay sand soils. The Portsmouth sandy loam was among the highest yielding soils, and also supported the greatest R. reniformis population density. Cotton lint yield was affected more by R. reniformis Pi with irrigation in the Portsmouth loamy sand soil with a greater influence of Pi on lint yield in irrigated plots than other soils. A significant first degree PI × irrigation interaction for this soil type confirms this observation. PMID:22736865

Impact of Rotylenchulus reniformis on Cotton Yield as Affected by Soil Texture and Irrigation.

PubMed

Herring, Stephanie L; Koenning, Stephen R; Heitman, Joshua L

2010-12-01

The effects of soil type, irrigation, and population density of Rotylenchulus reniformis on cotton were evaluated in a two-year microplot experiment. Six soil types, Fuquay sand, Norfolk sandy loam, Portsmouth loamy sand, Muck, Cecil sandy loam, and Cecil sandy clay, were arranged in randomized complete blocks with five replications. Each block had numerous plots previously inoculated with R. reniformis and two or more noninoculated microplots per soil type, one half of which were irrigated in each replicate for a total of 240 plots. Greatest cotton lint yields were achieved in the Muck, Norfolk sandy loam, and Portsmouth loamy sand soils. Cotton yield in the Portsmouth loamy sand did not differ from the Muck soil which averaged the greatest lint yield per plot of all soil types. Cotton yield was negatively related to R. reniformis PI (initial population density) in all soil types except for the Cecil sandy clay which had the highest clay content. Supplemental irrigation increased yields in the higher yielding Muck, Norfolk sandy loam, and Portsmouth loamy sand soils compared to the lower yielding Cecil sandy clay, Cecil sandy loam, and Fuquay sand soils. The Portsmouth sandy loam was among the highest yielding soils, and also supported the greatest R. reniformis population density. Cotton lint yield was affected more by R. reniformis Pi with irrigation in the Portsmouth loamy sand soil with a greater influence of Pi on lint yield in irrigated plots than other soils. A significant first degree PI × irrigation interaction for this soil type confirms this observation.

Diagnostic Yield of CT-Guided Percutaneous Transthoracic Needle Biopsy for Diagnosis of Anterior Mediastinal Masses.

PubMed

Petranovic, Milena; Gilman, Matthew D; Muniappan, Ashok; Hasserjian, Robert P; Digumarthy, Subba R; Muse, Victorine V; Sharma, Amita; Shepard, Jo-Anne O; Wu, Carol C

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and accuracy of CT-guided percutaneous biopsy of anterior mediastinal masses and assess prebiopsy characteristics that may help to select patients with the highest diagnostic yield. Retrospective review of all CT-guided percutaneous biopsies of the anterior mediastinum conducted at our institution from January 2003 through December 2012 was performed to collect data regarding patient demographics, imaging characteristics of biopsied masses, presence of complications, and subsequent surgical intervention or medical treatment (or both). Cytology, core biopsy pathology, and surgical pathology results were recorded. A per-patient analysis was performed using two-tailed t test, Fisher's exact test, and Pearson chi-square test. The study cohort included 52 patients (32 men, 20 women; mean age, 49 years) with mean diameter of mediastinal mass of 6.9 cm. Diagnostic yield of CT-guided percutaneous biopsy was 77% (40/52), highest for thymic neoplasms (100% [11/11]). Non-diagnostic results were seen in 12 of 52 patients (23%), primarily in patients with lymphoma (75% [9/12]). Fine-needle aspiration yielded the correct diagnosis in 31 of 52 patients (60%), and core biopsy had a diagnostic rate of 77% (36/47). None of the core biopsies were discordant with surgical pathology. There was no statistically significant difference between the diagnostic and the nondiagnostic groups in patient age, lesion size, and presence of necrosis. The complication rate was 3.8% (2/52), all small self-resolving pneumothoraces. CT-guided percutaneous biopsy is a safe diagnostic procedure with high diagnostic yield (77%) for anterior mediastinal lesions, highest for thymic neoplasms (100%), and can potentially obviate more invasive procedures.

Flame exposure time on Langmuir probe degradation, ion density, and thermionic emission for flame temperature.

PubMed

Doyle, S J; Salvador, P R; Xu, K G

2017-11-01

The paper examines the effect of exposure time of Langmuir probes in an atmospheric premixed methane-air flame. The effects of probe size and material composition on current measurements were investigated, with molybdenum and tungsten probe tips ranging in diameter from 0.0508 to 0.1651 mm. Repeated prolonged exposures to the flame, with five runs of 60 s, resulted in gradual probe degradations (-6% to -62% area loss) which affected the measurements. Due to long flame exposures, two ion saturation currents were observed, resulting in significantly different ion densities ranging from 1.16 × 10 16 to 2.71 × 10 19 m -3 . The difference between the saturation currents is caused by thermionic emissions from the probe tip. As thermionic emission is temperature dependent, the flame temperature could thus be estimated from the change in current. The flame temperatures calculated from the difference in saturation currents (1734-1887 K) were compared to those from a conventional thermocouple (1580-1908 K). Temperature measurements obtained from tungsten probes placed in rich flames yielded the highest percent error (9.66%-18.70%) due to smaller emission current densities at lower temperatures. The molybdenum probe yielded an accurate temperature value with only 1.29% error. Molybdenum also demonstrated very low probe degradation in comparison to the tungsten probe tips (area reductions of 6% vs. 58%, respectively). The results also show that very little exposure time (<5 s) is needed to obtain a valid ion density measurement and that prolonged flame exposures can yield the flame temperature but also risks damage to the Langmuir probe tip.

Comprehensive characterization of hydrothermal liquefaction products obtained from woody biomass under various alkali catalyst concentrations.

PubMed

Hwang, Hyewon; Lee, Jae Hoon; Choi, In-Gyu; Choi, Joon Weon

2018-01-29

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of lignocellulosic biomass has been widely investigated for the production of renewable and alternative bio-crude oil. In this study, catalytic hydrothermal processing of two biomasses (larch and Mongolian oak) was performed using different K 2 CO 3 concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 wt% of solvent) to improve fuel yield and properties. HTL oil, hydrochar, water-soluble fraction (WSF) and gas were characterized, and carbon balance was investigated. As a result, the maximum yield of HTL oil, 27.7 wt% (Mongolian oak) and 25.7 wt% (larch), and the highest carbon conversion ratio was obtained with 0.5 wt% of catalyst. The high catalyst concentration also resulted in an increase in higher heating values up to 31.9 MJ/kg. In addition, the amount of organic compounds in HTL oil also increased, specifically for lignin-derived compounds including catechol and hydroquinone which can be derived from secondary hydrolysis of lignin. On the other hand, formation of hydrochar was suppressed with the addition of alkali catalyst and the yield dramatically decreased from 30.7-40.8 wt.% to 20.0-21.8 wt.%. Furthermore, it was revealed that WSF had low organic carbon content less than 3.4% and high potassium content mostly derived from alkali catalyst, indicating that it may be reusable with simple purification. This work suggests that the addition of the proper amount of alkali catalyst can improve the production efficiency and quality of bio-crude oil, and another potential of WSF to be recyclable in further work.

Use of Pleurotus eous Strain P-31 Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) as Soil Conditioner on the Growth and Yield Performance of Capsicum annuum L. and Solanum lycopersicon L. Seedlings under Greenhouse Conditions in Ghana

PubMed Central

Wiafe-Kwagyan, M; Odamtten, G T

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of spent mushroom compost of Pleurotus eous strain P-31 on the growth and yield performance of pepper and tomato seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Sandy loam soil was combined with different percentages of SMC to obtain the following combinations (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30) %. Lower concentrations SMC5, SMC10 and SMC15 promoted vegetative growth (plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll content, number of leaves and axillary branches) of the two test plants. Tomato seedlings grown in SMC10 recorded the highest plant height (50.3 ± 7.2cm); leaf area (378.8 ± 1.2cm2); number of floral buds (51) and flowers (28) whereas SMC5 recorded the highest chlorophyll content 34.1 ± 0.9CCI though SMC15 recorded the highest number of leaves (8). Tomato seedlings grown in SMC30 produced both the maximum number of fruits (8) with corresponding high weight (34.2 ± 7.7g). Pepper seedlings grown in lower concentrations (SMC5–15) recorded the highest plant heights (29.8–30.8cm), chlorophyll content (20.3CCI) and leaf area (53.5–66.2 cm2). Although the different combinations of sandy loam soil and SMC did not significantly (p ≥ 0.05) affect the number of axillary branches developed; different combinations significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affected the number of floral bud, flower and fruit, weight of fruits formed and value of each of these increased with increasing percentage of SMC. Pepper seedlings grown on SMC30 recorded the maximum number of floral buds (32.0 ± 3.6), number of flowers (19.4 ± 1.3), number of fruits (10.8 ± 1.2) and weight of fruits (31.9 ± 3.4g). Tomato seedlings raised on SMC100 (spent mushroom compost only) and soil only did not significantly (p ≥ 0.05) differ from each other however, was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) from amended sandy loam soil by all criteria investigated. The study shows that SMC provide favourable soil conditioners for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and foliage crops as it improved growth and yield of tomato and pepper seedlings. PMID:29644023

Effective production of resistant starch using pullulanase immobilized onto magnetic chitosan/Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Long, Jie; Zhang, Bao; Li, Xingfei; Zhan, Xiaobei; Xu, Xueming; Xie, Zhengjun; Jin, Zhengyu

2018-01-15

In this study, pullulanase was firstly immobilized by covalent bonding onto chitosan/Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles or encapsulation in sol-gel after bonding onto chitosan/Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, and then the immobilized pullulanase was used for the effective production of resistant starch (RS). The highest RS content (35.1%) was obtained under the optimized condition of pH 4.4, enzyme concentration of 10ASPU/g and hydrolysis time of 12h when debranched by free pullulsanase, indicating that RS content was significantly (p<0.05) increased when compared to native starch (4.3%) and autoclaved starch (12.5%). Under these conditions, the immobilized pullulanase (10ASPU/g dry starch) yielded higher RS content compared to free enzyme (10ASPU/g dry starch), especially, the pullulanse immobilized by sol-gel encapsulation yielded the highest RS content (43.4%). Moreover, compared to starches hydrolyzed by free pullulanase, starches hydrolyzed by immobilized pullulanase showed a different saccharide profile of starch hydrolysate, including a stronger peak C (MW=5.0×10 3 ), as well as exhibited an additional absorption peak around 140°C. Reusability results demonstrated that pullulanase immobilized by sol-gel encapsulation had the advantages of producing higher RS content as well as better operational stability compared to pullulanase immobilized by cross-linking. The resulting enhanced RS content generated by the process described in this work could be used as an adjunct in food processing industries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of feed supplements on dry season milk yield and profitability of crossbred cows in Honduras.

PubMed

Reiber, Christoph; Peters, Michael; Möhring, Jens; Schultze-Kraft, Rainer

2013-06-01

The contribution of dry season silage feeding on daily milk yield (MY) and dairying profitability in terms of income over feed cost (IOFC) was evaluated in dual-purpose cattle production systems in Honduras. MY records of 34 farms from two milk collection centres were collected over a 2-year period. Farms were surveyed to obtain information on the type, quantity and cost of supplemented feed, breed type and number of lactating cows in each month. Farms were classified in silage farms (SF, with a short silage supplementation period), non-silage farms (NSF) and prototype farms (PF, with an extended silage supplementation period). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a linear mixed model approach. PF had significantly higher MY than SF and NSF but, due to higher expenses for both concentrate and silage, similar IOFC compared to NSF. SF had similar MY but lower IOFC compared to NSF, due to higher feed expenses. The effect of silage feeding, particularly maize silage, on MY was significant and superior to that of other forage supplements. Silage supplementation contributed to the highest MY and IOFC on farms with crossbred cows of >62.5 % Bos taurus and to the second highest profitability on farms with >87.5 % Bos indicus share. It is concluded that silage can play an important role in drought-constrained areas of the tropics and can contribute to profitable dairying, irrespective of breed.

Thermotolerant Kluyveromyces marxianus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains representing potentials for bioethanol production from Jerusalem artichoke by consolidated bioprocessing.

PubMed

Hu, Nan; Yuan, Bo; Sun, Juan; Wang, Shi-An; Li, Fu-Li

2012-09-01

Thermotolerant inulin-utilizing yeast strains are desirable for ethanol production from Jerusalem artichoke tubers by consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). To obtain such strains, 21 naturally occurring yeast strains isolated by using an enrichment method and 65 previously isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were investigated in inulin utilization, extracellular inulinase activity, and ethanol fermentation from inulin and Jerusalem artichoke tuber flour at 40 °C. The strains Kluyveromyces marxianus PT-1 (CGMCC AS2.4515) and S. cerevisiae JZ1C (CGMCC AS2.3878) presented the highest extracellular inulinase activity and ethanol yield in this study. The highest ethanol concentration in Jerusalem artichoke tuber flour fermentation (200 g L(-1)) at 40 °C achieved by K. marxianus PT-1 and S. cerevisiae JZ1C was 73.6 and 65.2 g L(-1), which corresponded to the theoretical ethanol yield of 90.0 and 79.7 %, respectively. In the range of 30 to 40 °C, temperature did not have a significant effect on ethanol production for both strains. This study displayed the distinctive superiority of K. marxianus PT-1 and S. cerevisiae JZ1C in the thermotolerance and utilization of inulin-type oligosaccharides reserved in Jerusalem artichoke tubers. It is proposed that both K. marxianus and S. cerevisiae have considerable potential in ethanol production from Jerusalem artichoke tubers by a high temperature CBP.

Effect of jasmonic acid elicitation on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of essential oil of lettuce leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Złotek, Urszula; Michalak-Majewska, Monika; Szymanowska, Urszula

2016-12-15

The effect of elicitation with jasmonic acid (JA) on the plant yield, the production and composition of essential oils of lettuce leaf basil was evaluated. JA-elicitation slightly affected the yield of plants and significantly increased the amount of essential oils produced by basil - the highest oil yield (0.78±0.005mL/100gdw) was achieved in plants elicited with 100μM JA. The application of the tested elicitor also influenced the chemical composition of basil essential oils - 100μM JA increased the linalool, eugenol, and limonene levels, while 1μM JA caused the highest increase in the methyl eugenol content. Essential oils from JA-elicited basil (especially 1μM and 100μM) exhibited more effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential; therefore, this inducer may be a very useful biochemical tool for improving production and composition of herbal essential oils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste activated sludge fermentation: effect of solids retention time and biomass concentration.

PubMed

Yuan, Q; Sparling, R; Oleszkiewicz, J A

2009-12-01

Laboratory scale, room temperature, semi-continuous reactors were set-up to investigate the effect of solids retention time (SRT, equal to HRT hydraulic retention time) and biomass concentration on generation of volatile fatty acids (VFA) from the non-methanogenic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) originating from an enhanced biological phosphorus removal process. It was found that VFA yields increased with SRT. At the longest SRT (10d), improved biomass degradation resulted in the highest soluble to total COD ratio and the highest VFA yield from the influent COD (0.14g VFA-COD/g TCOD). It was also observed that under the same SRT, VFA yields increased when the biomass concentration decreased. At a 10d SRT the VFA yield increased by 46%, when the biomass concentration decreased from 13g/L to 4.8g/L. Relatively high nutrient release was observed during fermentation. The average phosphorus release was 17.3mg PO(4)-P/g TCOD and nitrogen release was 25.8mg NH(4)-N/g TCOD.

[Yield and chemical composition of the vegetal parts of the amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus, L.) at different physiological stages].

PubMed

Alfaro, M A; Martínez, A; Ramírez, R; Bressani, R

1987-03-01

The genus Amaranthus comprises species which, consumed as vegetables, provide essential nutrients to man; they also have a high acceptability among the population. These two factors justify the need to increase their cultivation. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to establish the most adequate physiological state of maturity, to harvest the leaves for human consumption. The field experiment utilized a randomized block design with three treatments and eight replications. These treatments consisted in harvesting the plants at 25, 40 and 60 days after emergence of the seedlings, samples which served to evaluate: plant height, number of leaves, leaf surface area, gross weight (leaves and stems), net weight (leaves), green matter and dry matter yield, as well as protein. The chemical composition of the harvested material was evaluated also in terms of moisture, protein, crude fiber, ether extract, ash, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphorus, iron, beta-carotene and oxalates. The results obtained in the agronomic study were subjected to analysis of variance for the respective design, with significant differences found between treatments for all the variables studied. In its turn, the results of the chemical analysis were analyzed by a completely randomized design, with significant differences obtained for most of the variables studied, except for ether extract, calcium, iron and oxalates. From the nutritional point of view, the first harvest was the most acceptable due to the chemical composition of the plant, in particular protein (29.5%), beta-carotene (33.7 mg%), calcium (2,356.1 mg%), phosphorus (759.1 mg%) and due to its low crude fiber content, only 11.1 g%. It did not occur so from the agronomic point of view, since during this stage, very low yields of green matter (575.9 kg/ha), dry matter (66.6 kg/ha) and protein (19.7 kg/ha) were obtained. At the second harvest, besides obtaining adequate yields of green matter (6,530.4 kg/ha), dry matter (681.8 kg/ha) and protein 154.3 kg/ha), an acceptable composition in its protein content (22.7 g%), beta-carotene (24.1 mg%), calcium (2,279.8 mg%), phosphorus (740.9 mg%) and iron (52.7 mg%) was also obtained. The crude fiber content, on the other hand, was not excessively increased (14.3 g%), from which findings it was concluded that this is the best stage for harvesting, in comparison with the harvests carried out 25 and 60 days after emergence. Finally, it was observed that harvesting at 60 days gave the highest yields in green matter (24,272.8 kg/ha), dry matter (3,452.0 kg/ha) and protein (510.7 kg/ha).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Management of the potato cyst nematode (Globodera pallida) with bio-fumigants/stimulants.

PubMed

Martin, T J G; Turner, S J; Fleming, C C

2007-01-01

Field trials evaluated the effect of four plant-based bio-fumigants/stimulants on population levels of G. pallida and the resulting potato yields and quality. Three formulations contained seaweed biostimulants (Algifol, Nutridip and Metastim) and one bio-fumigant containing mustard and chilli pepper extracts (Dazitol). These were compared with the fumigant nematicide Nemathorin and untreated control plots. The effect of G. pallida on growing potato crops was assessed by recording haulm characteristics which indicated that the nematicide treatment gave most protection. Levels of PCN juveniles and migratory nematodes were assessed during the trial. Plots treated with Nemathorin and Dazitol had fewest PCN, whilst the highest number of migratory nematodes occurred in fallow plots. Sixteen weeks after planting the nematicide treatment produced highest yield and tuber numbers. Dazitol treatment produced a lower yield but the largest tubers.

Bone protein “extractomics”: comparing the efficiency of bone protein extractions of Gallus gallus in tandem mass spectrometry, with an eye towards paleoproteomics

PubMed Central

DeHart, Caroline J.; Schweitzer, Mary H.; Thomas, Paul M.; Kelleher, Neil L.

2016-01-01

Proteomic studies of bone require specialized extraction protocols to demineralize and solubilize proteins from within the bone matrix. Although various protocols exist for bone protein recovery, little is known about how discrete steps in each protocol affect the subset of the bone proteome recovered by mass spectrometry (MS) analyses. Characterizing these different “extractomes” will provide critical data for development of novel and more efficient protein extraction methodologies for fossils. Here, we analyze 22 unique sub-extractions of chicken bone and directly compare individual extraction components for their total protein yield and diversity and coverage of bone proteins identified by MS. We extracted proteins using different combinations and ratios of demineralizing reagents, protein-solubilizing reagents, and post-extraction buffer removal methods, then evaluated tryptic digests from 20 µg aliquots of each fraction by tandem MS/MS on a 12T FT-ICR mass spectrometer. We compared total numbers of peptide spectral matches, peptides, and proteins identified from each fraction, the redundancy of protein identifications between discrete steps of extraction methods, and the sequence coverage obtained for select, abundant proteins. Although both alpha chains of collagen I (the most abundant protein in bone) were found in all fractions, other collagenous and non-collagenous proteins (e.g., apolipoprotein, osteonectin, hemoglobin) were differentially identified. We found that when a standardized amount of extracted proteins was analyzed, extraction steps that yielded the most protein (by weight) from bone were often not the ones that produced the greatest diversity of bone proteins, or the highest degree of protein coverage. Generally, the highest degrees of diversity and coverage were obtained from demineralization fractions, and the proteins found in the subsequent solubilization fractions were highly redundant with those in the previous fraction. Based on these data, we identify future directions and parameters to consider (e.g., proteins targeted, amount of sample required) when applying discrete parts of these protocols to fossils. PMID:27812413

Heat treatment of wheat straw by immersion in hot water decreases mushroom yield in Pleurotus ostreatus.

PubMed

Jaramillo Mejía, Santiago; Albertó, Edgardo

2013-01-01

The oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, is cultivated worldwide. It is one of the most appreciated mushrooms due to its high nutritional value. Immersion of the substrate in hot water is one of the most popular and worldwide treatment used for mushroom farmers. It is cheap and easy to implement. To compare the yields obtained during mushroom production of P. ostreatus using different pre-treatments (immersion in hot water, sterilization by steam and the use of fungicide) to determine if they influence mushroom crop. Four different treatments of substrate (wheat straw) were carried out: (i) immersion in hot water (IHW); (ii) steam sterilization; (iii) chemical; and (iv) untreated. The residual water from the IHW treatment was used to evaluate the mycelium growth and the production of P. ostreatus. Carbendazim treatment produced highest yields (BE: 106.93%) while IHW produced the lowest BE with 75.83%. Sugars, N, P, K and Ca were found in residual water of IHW treatment. The residual water increased the mycelium growth but did not increase yields. We have proved that IHW treatment of substrate reduced yields at least 20% when compared with other straw treatments such as steam, chemical or untreated wheat straw. Nutrients like sugars, proteins and minerals were found in the residual water extract which is the resultant water where the immersion treatment is carried out. The loss of these nutrients would be the cause of yield decrease. Alternative methods to the use of IHW as treatment of the substrate should be considered to reduce economical loss. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Development of parmesan cheese production from local cow milk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliwarga, Lienda; Christianti, Elisabeth Novi; Lazarus, Chrisella

2017-05-01

Parmesan cheese is one of the dairy products which is used in various foods, such as pasta, bakery product, and pizza. It has a hard texture due to aging process for at least two years. Long aging period inhibited the production of parmesan cheese while consumer demands were increasing gradually. This research was conducted to figure out the effect of starter culture and rennet dose to the production of parmesan cheese. This research consists of (1) pasteurization of 1,500 ml milk at 73°C; and (2) main cheese making process that comprised of fermentation process and the addition of rennet. In latter stage, milk was converted into curd. Variations were made for the dose of bacteria culture and rennet. Both variables correlated to the fermentation time and characteristics of the produced cheese. The analysis of the produced cheese during testing stage included measured protein and cheese yield, whey pH, water activity, and moisture content. Moreover, an organoleptic test was done in a qualitative manner. The results showed that the dose of bacteria culture has a significant effect to the fermentation time, protein yield, and cheese yield. Meanwhile, rennet dose significantly affected cheese yield, pH of whey, and water activity. The highest protein yield (93.1%) was obtained at 0.6 ml of culture and 0.5 ml of rennet while the maximum cheese yield (6.81%) was achieved at 0.4 ml of culture and 0.1 ml of rennet. The water activity of produced cheeses was lower compared to the water activity of common parmesan cheese (ca. 0.6). For the organoleptic test, 0.4 ml of bacterial culture and 0.5 ml of rennet produced the most preferred cheese flavor compared to other variations.

East Europe Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-30

Instead it was imperative to develop and offer an integrated system, because that alone would yield the great total national usefulness for management...to for the period through 1990 (50-52 GE [grain units] per hectare and year- based on an annual 12 million ton grain yield ), it would be necessary to...soil and the plants was gaining ever increasing importance, because the highest possible yields presume the optimum interaction of all intensification

Secretory immunoglobulin purification from whey by chromatographic techniques.

PubMed

Matlschweiger, Alexander; Engelmaier, Hannah; Himmler, Gottfried; Hahn, Rainer

2017-08-15

Secretory immunoglobulins (SIg) are a major fraction of the mucosal immune system and represent potential drug candidates. So far, platform technologies for their purification do not exist. SIg from animal whey was used as a model to develop a simple, efficient and potentially generic chromatographic purification process. Several chromatographic stationary phases were tested. A combination of two anion-exchange steps resulted in the highest purity. The key step was the use of a small-porous anion exchanger operated in flow-through mode. Diffusion of SIg into the resin particles was significantly hindered, while the main impurities, IgG and serum albumin, were bound. In this step, initial purity was increased from 66% to 89% with a step yield of 88%. In a second anion-exchange step using giga-porous material, SIg was captured and purified by step or linear gradient elution to obtain fractions with purities >95%. For the step gradient elution step yield of highly pure SIg was 54%. Elution of SIgA and SIgM with a linear gradient resulted in a step yield of 56% and 35%, respectively. Overall yields for both anion exchange steps were 43% for the combination of flow-through and step elution mode. Combination of flow-through and linear gradient elution mode resulted in a yield of 44% for SIgA and 39% for SIgM. The proposed process allows the purification of biologically active SIg from animal whey in preparative scale. For future applications, the process can easily be adopted for purification of recombinant secretory immunoglobulin species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.