BioResources (E-Journal)
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Investigation of the Thermal Properties of Sayote (Sechium edule) Fiber Loaded Starch/PVOH Composite Blends
No full textThe thermal properties of starch/PVOH formulations gelatinized with glycerol, cross-linked with boric acid, incorporated with clay and loaded with 2 wt%, 4 wt%, and 7 wt% sayote fibers were investigated. The FTIR spectra, SEM micrographs, DSC, and TGA results revealed a successful blending in starch/PVOH (50/50) and starch/PVOH (65/35) fomulations with glycerol as plasticizer and boric acid as cross-linking agent. Plasticized and cross-linked starch/PVOH reinforced with clay and varying amounts of sayote fiber suggest more inter- and intra- molecular hydrogen bonding interactions, making the composite more crystalline and thermally stable. The SEM micrographs showed a smoother surface with the addition of boric acid and a more orderly woven surface with 2 wt% sayote fiber loading. DSC thermograms reveal that the formulations were compatible and had good blending interactions, since the experimental enthalpies of melting were higher than their theoretical values. The addition of sayote fiber increased the thermal stability of starch/PVOH composite blends and prevented the re-crystallization of starch. TGA curves showed that the addition of sayote fibers formed stronger blends that delayed the degradation of the composite. The starch/PVOH (50/50) and starch/PVOH (65/35) composite blends were more crystalline and thermally stable at 2 wt% to 4 wt% sayote fiber loading
Detection of Corn Quality Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Electronic Nose Technology
No full textThis study explored a corn quality detection method based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and electronic nose technology. The content of aflatoxin (AFB1) and ochratoxin (OTA) in corn samples was detected by fluorescence immunoassay as the basic data for the experiment. Subsequently, the SERS curve of the corn samples was measured, and the electronic nose was used to analyze the odor of the samples. Combining the relationship between SERS curves, electronic nose data, and the toxin content in corn, a prediction model was established by using the random forest (RF) method. The results showed that the model’s coefficient of determination of the test set for predicting AFB1 reached 0.70, and the model’s coefficient of determination of the test set for predicting OTA reached 0.74. This experiment showed that SERS and electronic nose technology can effectively detect the mycotoxin content in corn samples, which provides a new method to predict the toxin content in corn
Simulation Analysis of Key Component Structure Optimization of Corn Mixed Flow Drying Device
No full textThis study designed a corn kernel drying device and optimized the structure of key components. FLUENT software was used for numerical simulation of wet heat coupling. The differences in physical fields were compared within the drying section before and after optimization. The optimized drying section exhibited improved drying uniformity, drying efficiency, and drying quality. The optimized drying section took 180 seconds for the temperature at the center point to reach the expected value, while the mixed flow drying section took 240 seconds. The moisture content of the optimized drying section decreased to 3.79% at this point, while that of the mixed flow drying section was 2.89%. The results indicated that the drying uniformity and efficiency of the optimized drying structure were higher than those of the mixed flow drying structure. This research provides important data for the design of corn drying equipment
Evaluating Sampling Uncertainty in the Quantitative 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Lignin
No full textIn recent years, lignin analysis utilizing quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) has attracted considerable interest and has been the subject of numerous studies. However, evaluating the measurement uncertainty of qNMR results of lignin remains a challenge. Specifically, uncertainty originating from lignin sampling or subsampling has been overlooked in a large majority of articles. Although lignin is a reasonably homogeneous substance, it is nevertheless a solid, and individual samples collected from the same bulk may have somewhat different compositions depending on mixing and the amount of sample taken. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of sampling uncertainty on qNMR analysis of lignin-based analysis as a case study, with an exclusive focus on the relative quantification method. The results from this study demonstrate that sample-to-sample variations can contribute to approximately half of the variability in actual qNMR measurements. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of sample-to-sample variability was 2.4%. In contrast, the other sources of variability related to qNMR, including measurement, baseline irregularities, and partial peak overlap, caused an RSD of 4.4%. The total variability RSD was 5.0%. In this article, two calculation approaches were presented for evaluating the uncertainty due to sampling from replicate measurement data of different samples, which may be helpful for practitioners in the field
Selenium/Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared with Urtica urens Extract: Their Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antihemolytic, Anticoagulant, and Plant Growth Effects
No full textUrtica urens extract was applied for Se/CuO NPs synthesis with investigation of its biological activities and bio-stimulant qualities for Zea mays L. More antimicrobial activity was documented using Se/CuO NPs than U. urens extract against C. albicans, E. coli, S. typhi, B. subtilis, and S. aureus. Moreover less MIC and MBC values of Se/CuO NPs compared to U. urens extract against examined bacteria were recorded. Excellent antioxidant activity of Se/CuO NPs and U. urens extract was documented, with IC50 4.2±0.41 and 5.12 ±0.19 µg/mL, respectively. Anti-hemolysis of U. urens extract was higher than Se/CuO NPs with IC50 4.1±0.12 and 12.26±0.22 µg/mL, respectively. Anticoagulant potential of Se/CuO NPs was better than the U. urens extract via partial thromboplastin time (PPT) and prothrombin time (PT). Se/CuO NPs at 10 ppm caused the highest significant improvement in chlorophyll a and b of maize plants, but the highest value of carotenoids appeared at 20 ppm compared to the control and other treatments. The increase of shoot and root lengths was shown at 10 ppm of Se/CuO NPs by increasing 32.6 and 17.9%, respectively, compared to the control. Thus, novel bimetallic Se/CuO NPs synthesized using U. urens extract displayed antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-hemolysis, and plant biostimulant effects
A Comparative Study of the Analysis Model for Timber Structures: Addressing Nonlinearities and Connection Behaviour
No full textTimber has been studied as a material of construction from many perspectives, including strength and durability. Despite many studies showing a good correlation between material models, connection behaviour, and structural modelling, it is still not clear which approach is suitable under what constraints. This study was performed to clarify the problem. The basis for the analysis of timber structures is emphasized in this work in terms of problem dimension, material constitution, and geometrical nonlinearities. The modelling and the idealisation methods of structures are categorised into five different groups and briefly explained. An experiment available in the literature is used as a reference to illustrate modelling capabilities of different techniques, and models from five different groups is used to perform analysis. By comparing the analysis results and the experiment, key notes on the analysis proficiency are highlighted, including failure load, maximum displacement, and failure mode. The results show that most of the errors occurred in the displacements. Furthermore, the divergence between test and analysis results are investigated, and an approximate method for calculating actual displacements is proposed
Effect of Cryogenic Process on Trametes versicolor and Fomitopsis palustris Fungal Destruction in ThermoWood® Products of Some Wood Species
No full textAspen, ash, spruce, and fir trees naturally grown in Turkey were obtained directly from the forest and processed using ThermoWood®(TM) processing at two different temperatures (190 °C: TW1 and at 212 °C: TW2). Then, cryogenic treatment (Cr) was applied to the samples, and they were placed in a jar containing Trametes versicolor (COV) and Fomitopsis palustris (TYP) mushrooms. Their weight loss (WL) was measured after 12 weeks. Although WL results varied depending on the tree type and the applied processes, it has been understood that Cr application can be effective in reducing WL. According to the study, the lowest WL was determined to be in COV fungus with 1.2% in cryogenically treated fir tree TW2 samples. The highest WL was in TYP mushrooms with 56.1% in spruce TW1 samples that received heat treatment (HT). The results obtained from the study show that cryogenic treatment may be an alternative method for reducing WL in heat treated wood species
Optimization of Low-Temperature Oxygen-Alkali Pulping Process for Reed and Analysis Using Response Surface Methodology
No full textReed was used as a raw material to develop a low-temperature oxygen-alkali pulping process, and a mathematical prediction model was established to evaluate the impact of process variables on pulping performance. Additionally, the dissolution behavior of reed’s chemical components was analyzed to elucidate the synergistic mechanism of oxygen-alkali pulping. The results revealed that optimal pulp performance was achieved at a maximum temperature of 114.5 °C, a retention time of 3.88 hours, and a sodium carbonate-to-sodium hydroxide molar ratio of 1/10. Under these conditions, the pulp yield reached 50.5%, with a brightness of 55.5% ISO, a viscosity of 465 mL/g, and a kappa number of 16.2. Notably, most of the silicon remains in the pulp, with only 34.1% migrating to the black liquor, thereby mitigating silica-related interference during alkali recovery. Variance analysis of the response surface confirmed that the investigated variables had significant impacts on all response indices, and the developed predictive model demonstrated high accuracy in forecasting the pulping performance of reed. Furthermore, the physical properties of the paper produced under these optimal conditions were superior to those of the paper obtained by using conventional high-temperature oxygen-alkali pulping processes
Effects of Adhesives on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Chip Block Pallets from Mixed Forest Group Wood Biomass
No full textThe rapid development of the manufacturing industry has increased the demand for sustainable and efficient logistics solutions. Chip block pallets (CBPs) made from mixed forest group sawdust offer a promising alternative to traditional pallets due to their reliance on lower-cost, renewable materials. This study aims to evaluate the effects of different adhesives, phenol-formaldehyde (PF), urea-formaldehyde (UF), and poly-urea-formaldehyde (PUF), and varying pressing times on the physical and mechanical properties of CBPs. The CBPs were produced using 30, 60, and 90 min pressing times at 180 °C. The results showed that PF demonstrated the highest compressive strength (6.93 MPa) and screw-holding strength (343 N), making it suitable for applications requiring high mechanical performance. The PUF exhibited lower mechanical strength but provided significant environmental advantages with reduced formaldehyde emissions. Meanwhile, UF displayed adequate performance at shorter pressing durations but decreased efficiency with prolonged pressing. Optimal results were achieved at a pressing time of 60 min, which improved physical and mechanical properties while minimizing water absorption. These findings highlight the potential of CBPs as an eco-friendly and effective alternative, with adhesive and pressing parameters tailored to meet specific application requirements
Investigation into the Antibacterial and Freshness Preservation Efficacy of Dry Porous Bags of Biomass Ash from Agricultural Residues
No full textBiomass ash from agricultural residues, which is typically discarded and causing waste and pollution, was evaluated in tea-bag form as a natural food preservative in this study, addressing research gaps on its effects and safety. In vitro tests on six biomass ash extracts demonstrated significant antibacterial activity. Specifically, the golden leaf fine branch camellia extract exhibited the highest efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Alternaria brassicicola, with an inhibition zone of 21 mm and an antibacterial efficiency of 70.2%. Fruit storage tests confirmed its preservative ability. Golden leaf fine branch camellia twig and leaves ash exhibited the most effective weight loss reduction for potatoes, corn stalks ash was found to be optimal for green peppers, rice straw ash offered the most effective preservation for sugar oranges, and soybean straw ash yielded favorable outcomes for mangoes. Safety evaluations revealed no genotoxicity, with lead content below the 0.2 mg/kg safety threshold and the micronucleus tests within safe limits. Elemental analysis detected high potassium content (103.127 g/kg), while SEM and FTIR revealed a porous structure and functional groups that may contribute to its antibacterial and preservative properties. In conclusion, biomass ash has strong antimicrobial and preservative properties, is non-genotoxic, and shows great potential as a natural food preservative, providing a new avenue for biomass ash resource utilization