BioResources (E-Journal)
Not a member yet
1916 research outputs found
Sort by
Mesoporous Bamboo Biochar from Microwave-assisted Template/Hydrothermal Treatment for Adsorption of Organics
No full textRecycling of residual biomass in the form of carbonaceous materials is a sustainable and economically viable management option with zero net carbon dioxide emissions. Mesoporous bamboo biochars were produced via microwave-assisted hydrothermal/soft template treatment. Then they were characterized and evaluated for their adsorption capabilities for three organics. The biochars were found to have mesoporous structures with BET surface areas of 13.0 to 288 m2/g, total pore volumes in the range of 0.017 to 0.313 cm3/g, and average pore diameters between 4.0 and 6.7 nm in size. The surface areas and pore volumes were highly related to the hydrothermal treatment conditions. The mesoporous bamboo biochars showed adsorption amounts for 2-naphthol, berberine hydrocholoride, and Congo red in the range of 35.0 to 155.7, 76.1 to 129.6, 57.9 to 114.4 mg/g, respectively, at the adsorbate concentration of 0.5 mg/mL, and their adsorption capabilities depended on both the porosity and the surface groups. The adsorption of the three organics on the selected sample was a spontaneous and exothermic process with physical adsorption as the dominant mechanism. The adsorption could achieve equilibrium within 20, 40, and 60 min for 2-naphthol, berberine hydrochloride, and Congo red, respectively. This study provides a prospective method to produce biomass-derived mesoporous carbon adsorbents for adsorptive separation of organics from water
Exploring the Potential of Whey Ultrafiltration Permeate in Wood Modification: Changes in Wood Hygroscopic and Thermal Behaviors
No full textWood’s hygroscopic nature limits its outdoor applications. Technologies such as wood polyesterification, involving the in situ reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acids, densify the wood cell wall and potentially reduce hydroxyl group activity. Whey ultrafiltration permeate, a co-product of whey protein purification, which is rich in lactose, can be a source of OH groups for wood modification. This study explores lactose’s reactivity with biobased carboxylic acids and evaluates the resulting wood properties post-modification. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed that lactose reacts with carboxylic acids when heated above the melting point, and the Maillard reaction and caramelization may occur due to whey ultrafiltration permeate’s non-protein nitrogen substances and acidic medium combined with high temperatures. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy analysis verified that lactose and malic acid react within trembling aspen sawdust, significantly reducing moisture absorption and enhancing thermal stability. This study proposes a novel valorization of whey ultrafiltration permeate and a simple process for improving wood properties
Formulations and Performance of Eco-Friendly Raw Starch Sizing Process
No full textIn response to the green development concept of the textile industry, this article describes the development of a biodegradable and eco-friendly raw starch sizing agent formulation. The sizing agent performance, sizing quality, biodegradation, weave efficiency, and production cost of the raw starch formulation in raw starch sizing process were compared with three other formulations. The results showed that the formulation prepared with raw starch achieved a lower viscosity and higher stability compared with the other three formulations. The raw starch sizing exhibited excellent moisture regain, moisture absorption performance and breaking strength, high enhancement rate and low elongation, high penetration, low coating, and abrasion resistance. The raw starch formulation was shown to be energy-saving and environmentally friendly, with higher weave efficiency and lower production costs. The BOD5/COD was 0.65, which means that the desizing wastewater is easy to degrade. Sizing agent cost was 17 to 61% lower and loom efficiency was 5% to 12% higher. This research provides a theoretical basis for promoting the usage of raw starch sizing in practical production, which contributes to green and eco-friendly processing
Evaluation of Porang Flour (Amorphophallus muelleri) as Natural Filler for Enhancing Urea Formaldehyde and Citric Acid Adhesives in Plywood Production
No full textThis study explores the potential of porang flour (Amorphophallus muelleri) as a sustainable filler in urea formaldehyde (UF) and citric acid (CA) adhesives, highlighting its effect on enhancing plywood performance. The physical and mechanical properties of plywood bonded with varying compositions of porang flour (0%, 10%, 20%) were evaluated according to Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS 233:2003) for plywood. Three-layer plywood panels were manufactured using sengon wood and both types of adhesives. The results showed that adding porang flour to UF and CA adhesives significantly increased the solids content and improved physical and mechanical properties. Plywood bonded with UF exhibited superior density, water absorption, thickness swelling, and shear strength properties. Conversely, plywood bonded with CA adhesive showed better results in moisture content, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and modulus of rupture (MOR). Overall, adding 10% porang flour was optimal for improving plywood’s physical and mechanical properties. These findings suggest that porang flour is an eco-friendly additive that can enhance the performance of natural adhesives in plywood manufacturing, providing a greener alternative to conventional adhesives
Review of Factors Influencing the Competitiveness of Bumiputera Furniture Entrepreneurs in the Domestic Market
No full textBumiputera furniture entrepreneurs’ share of the domestic market is about 5%. Despite incentives and assistance provided by the Government, their performance vis-à-vis the non-Bumiputera entrepreneurs still lag far behind. This review aims to shed some light for future improvement on related studies. The factors identified for review are raw material, networking, culture, product, technology, market, e-commerce, government assistance, and incentives. Lack of control of raw material and poor networking among Bumiputera entrepreneurs remain a problem, while culture plays an important role in shaping their entrepreneurship skills. Years of supplying the government contract market has led them to manufacture mostly mass-produced furniture such as kitchen cabinets, school furniture, and sofas. The use of more high-tech machinery among some entrepreneurs helps to increase their production efficiency while providing no guarantee of more sales without exploring more of the open market and taking advantage of the trend in e-commerce. While the numerous government assistance and incentives extended to Bumiputera furniture entrepreneurs have succeeded in assisting and developing some of the entrepreneurs, their performance in the domestic market still has not improved significantly
Development of Educational Tourism Based on Guangxi’s Traditional Papermaking Techniques
No full textThis editorial piece examines the integration of Guangxi’s traditional papermaking techniques with educational tourism, demonstrating the potential to combine cultural preservation and modern tourism development. Through data analysis, it highlights the increasing interest in cultural tourism and educational experiences, proposing practical strategies such as interactive program design, cultural integration, industry chain extension, and digital promotion. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of policy support and infrastructure improvement to enhance the visitor experience. Guangxi’s papermaking educational tourism serves as a model for successfully merging intangible cultural heritage with tourism, contributing to cultural sustainability and local economic growth
Antiepileptic Activity of Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun Extract in Pilocarpine Induced Epilepsy in Mice via Modulating GABAergic and DAergic Transmission
No full textThe effect of Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun (CKC) was evaluated in Pilocarpine (P350, 350 mg/kg)-induced epilepsy in mice. The behavioral patterns of experimental mice were investigated by the number of convulsed animals, survivors, after P350-induced convulsions, latency to 1st convulsion, and latency to death. The administration of CNC extended both the latency to the first convulsion and the time to death in a dose-dependent manner. The role of receptors in the anti-convulsive action of CNC was investigated using a combination of atropine (cholinergic receptor antagonist), memantine (NMDA-type glutamate receptors blocker), and diazepam (GABA agonist). The CNC increased latency to the 1st convulsion and to death in diazepam combination while there was no significant alteration in other two combination, suggesting that CNC anticonvulsive action is mediated through the GABA receptor. The CNC increased the striatal concentration of dopamine (DA) and DOPAC in the brain, suggesting that it prevents convulsion in animals by inhibiting DA metabolism. The CNC improved the antioxidant status of brain as evidenced by decrease in level of TABARS, carbonyl protein, and nitric oxide, whereas the levels of sulfhydryl protein, SOD, and CAT were increased. Thus, the anti-epileptic potential of Callicarpa kwangtungensis Chun is accomplished by modulating GABAergic and DAergic transmission
Morphological and Volatile Profiles of Phlomis russeliana and Phlomis armeniaca from Uludağ, Türkiye
No full textThe medicinal and aromatic plant species naturally found in Türkiye are particularly noteworthy. Among them, Phlomis L., a genus within the Lamiaceae family, stands out for its numerous species. This study, conducted in Uludağ (Bursa), aimed to analyze the morphological traits, volatile components, ratios, and molecules present in the leaves and flowers of Phlomis russeliana (Sims) Bentham and P. armeniaca Willd. Samples were collected during their flowering period using a random sampling method. Their morphological characteristics were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS software, while the volatile components of the leaf and flower samples were identified through the HS-SPME/GC-MS method. The morphological characteristics of Phlomis russeliana and P. armeniaca were examined in detail. The leaf widths and lengths, petiole lengths, number of flowers, petal lengths, sepal lengths were measured. 32 different components were identified in P. russeliana and 43 different components in P. armeniaca, summing up to 56 different components. The main components identified were caryophyllene (31.6%; 26.4%), (E)-β-farnesene (19.6%; 25.2%), and germacrene-D (25.7%; 16.5%), respectively. Such studies are crucial for enhancing the protection and sustainable management of non-wood forest products, which significantly contribute to our country’s economy and play a pivotal role, especially in rural economies
Flexural Performance and Failure Mode of Wood-Based Sandwich Structure Plate Members
No full textPyramid-type and lattice-type sandwich structure plate members were designed and fabricated using oriented strand board as the panel and larch finger-joined lumber as the core material, while glass fiber was used as the panel reinforcing material. The mechanical properties of the four types of sandwich structure plate members were tested by four-point bending test. The test results showed that the damage forms of the plate members were mainly the debonding between the core and the panel and the bending failure of the core. It can be concluded from the mechanical properties of plate members with sandwich structure that the transfer path and efficiency between the panel and the core layer of a sandwich structure plate members have a decisive influence on the flexural performance of the specimen. The core configuration determines the relative stiffness ratio between the panel and the core. This study was able to provide reliable experimental data and theoretical support for the application of wood-based sandwich structure plate members in prefabricated temporary buildings, landscape timber structures, and other fields, in order to promote their optimized design and wide application
Hydrolytic Enzymes for Lignocellulose Materials and their Impacts on Food Additives and Health Promotion: A Review
No full textOne of the most prevalent and renewable forms of biomass on Earth is lignocellulose, which has an enormous potential for bioconversion into valuable bioproducts. However, this resource is not fully exploited. This review considers the enzymatic hydrolyses of these materials and the impact of their bioproducts on the nutritional and health levels. Understanding lignocellulolytic enzymes and their uses in industry would aid in the development of innovative procedures that lower costs and increase the uptake of biomass, both of which are more beneficial. The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass is achieved by pre-treating biological process that considered inexpensive, feasible, and ecologically acceptable approach followed hydrolysis via enzymes. These enzymes can be applied in several industries, such as the textile, meals and beverages, personal hygiene, medicinal products, and in biofuel manufacturing sectors. Several products are based on lignocellulosic biomass conversion such as bioenergy compounds, organic acids, single cell protein, and Xylitol. Pretreatment and type of biological process of lignocellulosic biomass conversion plays a critical factor for quantitative and qualitative yields of bioproduct of lignocellulosic biomass conversion. Finally, the nutrition and health benefits of some end products of lignocellulosic biomass conversion are covered in this review.