1,721,307 research outputs found
Mycotoxins: Are They Perceived as a Serious Threat for the Human Health?
No full textMycotoxins contamination and the associated risks are well known from the scientific community as it is possible to desume from the huge amount of the related scientific publications. Although the threat for human and animal health is really high and the worldwide diffusion of the contamination is for the most part uncontrollable, the public opinion is not really conscious of the problem and sometimes ignores it. In the present paper, a brief description of different aspects related to mycotoxins contamination is reported as regard toxicology and risks for the health, recent European and global regulations, and laboratory methods for mycotoxins determinatio
Production of polyhydroxyalcanoates (PHAs) using milk whey and dairywastewater activated sludgeProduction of bioplastics using dairy residues
No full textThe production of polyhydroxyalcanoates (PHAs), which are biodegradable plastics, was studied using milk whey and dairy wastewater activated sludge to define a suitable C/N ratio, the pre-treatments required to reduce the protein content, and the effect of pH correction. The results show good production of PHAs at a C/N=50 and without pH correction. The use of dairy wastewater activated sludge has the advantage of not requiring aseptic conditions
Applicazione di un test di fitotossicità acuta a principi farmacologici presenti in reflui urbani
No full textFreeze-drying and cultural heritage: An overview
Full text linkThis paper aims to provide an overview of the application of freeze-drying in the field of cultural heritage. The possibility of removing water from an object at low temperature, thus preserving most of its specific features that would be lost at high temperature, makes the process the elective choice when restoring water damaged materials. Flooded archives and libraries, due to natural events or to the intervention of fire extinguishing systems, are a typical case where freeze-drying can be applied since the material, after flooding, is brought to a low temperature as soon as possible to cause the water to freeze and, therefore, to block the degradation of the material. Besides, freeze-drying may be used to preserve archaeological finds, e.g. waterlogged woods or wet textiles, by means of water removal. Anyway, in all these cases specific issues must be faced, aiming to preserve the mechanical properties of the object, and this may require ad hoc pretreatments. It must be highlighted that in some cases the occurrence of a freeze-drying process, in particular of the atmospheric freeze-drying process, is undesired for the preservation of finds, and this must be carefully managed. Finally, the possibility of using freeze-drying to create works of art will also be addressed
Valorisation Proposal of Brewery Spent Grain: Carotenoids and Protein Films Production
Full text linkThe preliminary Brewery Spent Grain (BSG) valorisation proposed is based on the production of cultural media for the growth of the carotenogenic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa; the realisation of protein-rich films is also presented. First experiments, carried out with three BSGs, allowed to define the best extraction set-up, realizing water extraction in agitation (ratio BSG/water= 0.05, at 25 °C, for 2 hrs). Then, using the same water extraction conditions, BSG with the highest total solid content was applied to produce a concentrated syrup (BSG/water= 0.2). Yeast growth and carotenoid production were tested on solid media prepared with water extracts and syrup. Later on, to define the best cultural medium, extracts and syrup were applied in different set of liquid cultures, carried out in 96-well plates, maintained at 25 °C, in agitation. Syrup was utilized as it is or supplemented with inorganic and organic N sources, and the addition of these latter returned better results. Afterward, a scale-up carried out into Erlenmeyer flasks (500 mL) allowed to evidence the possibility of using the syrup as it is for the growth of R. mucilaginosa and carotenoids production. Finally, a high protein content syrup (BSG/water= 0.2), prepared in autoclave (at 121 °C, 2 atm, for 20 min), was evaluated for the production of films: best filming conditions were investigated and amorphous semi-transparent films were obtained
Decolorization of Congo Red by Phanerochaete chrysosporium: the role of biosorption and biodegradation
No full textThe degradation of Congo Red by means of Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 is reported in this work. Solid and liquid cultures have been prepared to evaluate in vivo biodegradation as well as the role of biosorption phenomena on mycelium. Moreover, in vitro tests have been performed to define the influence of MnP on dye decolorization. P. chrysosporium, cultivated on Malt Extract Agar in the presence of Congo Red 0.005% (w/v), has shown good growth and the ability to decolorize the dye in the 25-39°C temperature range. It has also been cultivated in a low NMM liquid medium with the aforementioned dye concentration in immobilized stationary cultures inducted for Lignin Peroxidase (LiP) and Manganese Peroxidase (MnP) production. Congo Red was absorbed on the biomass and then decolorized (93% and 85% for the LiP and MnP cultures, respectively). The cultures with added Congo Red have shown a higher MnP synthesis rate than a control without the dye. The enzymatic degradation of Congo Red has also been investigated by means of the extracellular fluid for different MnP activities (0-300 IU/l); the decolorization percentage has been found to be clearly related to the enzyme concentration up to a value of about 200 IU/l
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