Structural and physicochemical properties of lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared using ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis

Lotus seed starch nanoparticles were prepared by ultrasonic (ultrasonic power: 200 W, 600 W, 1000 W; time: 5 min, 15 min, 25 min; liquid ratio (starch: buffer solution): 1%, 3%, 5%) assisted enzymatic hydrolysis (LS-SNPs represent lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis and U-LS-SNPs represent lotus seed starch nanoparticles prepared by high pressure homogenization-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis). The structure and physicochemical properties of U-LS-SNPs were studied by laser particle size analysis, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography system. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface of U-LS-SNPs was cracked and uneven after ultrasonic-assisted enzymolysis, and there was no significant difference from LS-SNPs. The results of particle size analysis and gel permeation chromatography showed that the particle size of U-LS-SNPs (except 5% treatment group) was smaller than that of LS-SNPs. With the increase of ultrasonic power and time, the weight average molecular gradually decreased. The results of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed that ultrasonic waves first acted on the amorphous region of starch granules. With the increase of ultrasonic power and time, the relative crystallinity of U-LS-SNPs increased first and then decreased. The group (600 W, 15 min, 3%) had the highest relative crystallinity. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance studies showed that the hydrogen bond and double helix structure of starch were destroyed by ultrasound, and the double helix structure strength of U-LS-SNPs was weakened compared with LS-SNPs. In summary, U-LS-SNPs with the small-sized and the highest crystallinity can be prepared under the conditions of ultrasonic power of 600 W, time of 15 min and material-liquid ratio of 3%.     

Ultrasound-assisted cyanide extraction of gold from gold concentrate at low temperature

A sonochemical reactor was developed to study the ultrasound-assisted cyanide extraction of gold from gold ore at low temperature. The effects of ultrasound on gold leaching in low temperature and conventional conditions were investigated. At the low temperature of 10 °C, ultrasound-assisted extraction increased extraction rate of gold by 0.6%–0.8% and reduced the gold content of cyanide tailings to 0.28 g/t in the leaching of gold concentrate and cyanide tailings, respectively. At the conventional temperature of 25 °C, ultrasound-assisted extraction obtained a 0.1% higher extraction rate of gold compared with conventional extraction, with the unit consumption of NaCN reduction of 15%. The analysis of kinetic model also demonstrated that sonication indeed improved the reaction of gold leaching greatly. The mineralogy and morphology of ore were further analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and particle size analyzer to explore the strengthening mechanism of gold leaching. The results showed that the ore particles were smashed, the ore particle surface was peeled, the passive film was destroyed and the reaction resistance decreased under ultrasonic processing. Therefore, the extraction rate of gold was improved and the extraction time was shortened significantly in ultrasound-assisted cyanide extraction.     

Effect of ultrasound power on HCl leaching kinetics of impurity removal of aphanitic graphite

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasonic power and temperature on the impurity removal rate during conventional and ultrasonic-assisted leaching of aphanitic graphite. The results showed that the ash removal rate increased gradually (∼50 %) with the increase in ultrasonic power and temperature but deteriorated at high power and temperature. The unreacted shrinkage core model was found to fit the experimental results better than other models. The Arrhenius equation was used to calculate the finger front factor and activation energy under different ultrasonic power conditions. The ultrasonic leaching process was significantly influenced by temperature, and the enhancement of the leaching reaction rate constant by ultrasound was mainly reflected in the increase of the pre-exponential factor A. Ultrasound treatment improved the efficiency of impurity mineral removal by destroying the inert layer formed on the graphite surface, promoting particle fragmentation, and generating oxidation radicals. The poor reactivity of hydrochloric acid with quartz and some silicate minerals is a bottleneck limiting the further improvement of impurity removal efficiency in ultrasound-assisted aphanitic graphite. Finally, the study suggests that introducing fluoride salts may be a promising method for deep impurity removal in the ultrasound-assisted hydrochloric acid leaching process of aphanitic graphite.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and properties of polysaccharide from Ginkgo biloba leaves

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions of Ginkgo biloba leaves polysaccharide (GBLP). The optimum extraction conditions for the ultrasound-assisted extraction of GBLP were obtained as liquid to material ratio of 30 mL/g, ultrasonic power of 340 W, and extraction time of 50 min. Under these conditions, the yield of GBLP was 5.37 %. Two chemically modified polysaccharides, CM-GBLP and Ac-GBLP, were obtained by carboxymethylation and acetylation of GBLP. The physicochemical properties of these three polysaccharides were comparatively studied and their in vitro antioxidant activities were evaluated comprehensively. The results showed that the solubility of the chemically modified polysaccharides was significantly enhanced and the in vitro antioxidant activity was somewhat improved. This suggests that carboxymethylation and acetylation are effective methods to enhance polysaccharide properties, but the results exhibited some uncontrollability. At the same time, GBLP has also shown high potential for research and application.     

Alkaline and ultrasound assisted alkaline pretreatment for intensification of delignification process from sustainable raw-material

Alkaline and ultrasound-assisted alkaline pretreatment under mild operating conditions have been investigated for intensification of delignification. The effect of NaOH concentration, biomass loading, temperature, ultrasonic power and duty cycle on the delignification has been studied. Most favorable conditions for only alkaline pretreatment were alkali concentration of 1.75 N, solid loading of 0.8% (w/v), temperature of 353 K and pretreatment time of 6 h and under these conditions, 40.2% delignification was obtained. In case of ultrasound-assisted alkaline approach, most favorable conditions obtained were alkali concentration of 1 N, paper loading of 0.5% (w/v), sonication power of 100 W, duty cycle of 80% and pretreatment time of 70 min and the delignification obtained in ultrasound-assisted alkaline approach under these conditions was 80%. The material samples were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD and TGA technique. The lignin was recovered from solution by precipitation method and was characterized by FTIR, GPC and TGA technique.     

The physical,mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of starch nanoparticle (SNP)/polyurethane (PU) nanocomposite films synthesised by an ultrasound-assisted process

This article reports on the ultrasound-assisted acid hydrolysis for the synthesis and evaluation of starch nanoparticles (SNP) as nanofillers to improve the physical, mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of polyurethane (PU) films. During the ultrasonic irradiation, dropwise addition of 0.25 mol L^-1 H₂SO₄ was carried out to the starch dispersion for the preparation of SNPs. The synthesized SNPs were blended uniformly within the PU matrix using ultrasonic irradiation (20 kHz, 220 W pulse mode). The temperature was kept constant during the synthesis (4 °C). The nanocomposite coating films were made with a regulated thickness using the casting method. The effect of SNP content (wt%) in nanocomposite coating films on various properties such as morphology, water vapour permeability (WVP), glass transition temperature (Tg), microbial barrier, and mechanical properties was studied. The addition of SNP to the PU matrix increased the roughness of the surface, and Tg by 7 °C, lowering WVP by 60% compared to the PU film without the addition of SNP. As the SNP concentration was increased, the opacity of the film increased. The reinforcement of the SNP in the PU matrix enhanced the microbial barrier of the film by 99.9%, with the optimal content of SNP being 5%. Improvement in the toughness and barrier properties was observed with an increase in the SNP content of the film.     

Optimization of ultrasonic cell grinder extraction of anthocyanins from blueberry using response surface methodology

Ultrasonic cell grinder extraction (UCGE), using water as the solvent, was firstly applied to extract anthocyanins from blueberry. Extraction yield was related with four variables, including ratio of solution to solid, extraction power, buffer time, and extraction time. On the basis of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal conditions were determined to be the ratio of solution to solid as 25:1 (mL/g), the extraction power as 1500 W, the buffer time as 3.0 s, and the extraction time as 40 min. The experimental yield of anthocyanins using UCGE was 2.89 mg/g higher than that of conventional ultrasound-assisted extraction (CUAE). This study indicated that UCGE was an innovative, efficient, and environment friendly method in ultrasonic extraction fields, and had a potential to effectively extract other bioactive constituents.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of d-pinitol from carob pods using Response Surface Methodology

This study reports on the optimization of the conditions of extraction of d-pinitol compound from carob pods by using ultrasonication. For this purpose, the Box–Behnken design, which is a widely used form of Response Surface Methodology, was used to investigate the effects of parameters on the ultrasound-assisted extraction. Four independent variables, temperature (°C), ultrasonic power (W), dilution rate (material:water ratio) and time (min), were studied. The results showed that the highest d-pinitol concentration of 11.98 g/L was obtained with an extraction temperature of 50 °C, ultrasonic power of 207 W, a dilution rate of 1:4 and an extraction time of 120 min. It was found that the d-pinitol concentration of carob extract increased with the effect of ultrasonication during the extraction process. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted extraction could be used as an alternative to conventional hot water extraction with respect to the recovery of d-pinitol from carob pods with the advantages of lower extraction temperatures, shorter extraction time and reduced energy consumption.     

Kinetic improvement of olive leaves’ bioactive compounds extraction by using power ultrasound in a wide temperature range

In this study, the effect of temperature and ultrasonic application on extraction kinetics of polyphenols from dried olive leaf was investigated. Conventional (CVE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) were performed at 10, 20, 30, 50 and 70 °C using water as solvent. Extracts were characterized by measuring the total phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity and the oleuropein content (HPLC–DAD/MS–MS). Moreover, Naik’s model was used to mathematically describe the extraction kinetics. The experimental results showed that phenolic extraction was faster in UAE (ultrasonic-assisted extraction) than in CVE (conventional extraction), being extraction kinetics satisfactorily described using Naik model (include VAR > 98%). Besides, the total phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity and the oleuropein content were significantly (p < 0.05) improved by increasing the temperature in both CVE and UAE. Oleuropein content reached 6.57 ± 0.18 being extracted approximately 88% in the first minute for UAE experiments.     

Ultrasound induced green solvent extraction of oil from oleaginous seeds

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of rapeseed oil was investigated and compared with conventional extraction for energy efficiency, throughput time, extraction yield, cleanness, processing cost and product quality. A multivariate study enabled us to define optimal parameters (7.7 W/cm² for ultrasonic power intensity, 40 °C for processing temperature, and a solid/liquid ratio of 1/15) for ultrasound-assisted extraction of oil from oilseeds to maximize lipid yield while reducing solvent consumption and extraction time using response surface methodology (RSM) with a three-variable central composite design (CCD). A significant difference in oil quality was noted under the conditions of the initial ultrasound extraction, which was later avoided using ultrasound in the absence of oxygen. Three concepts of multistage cross-current extraction were investigated and compared: conventional multistage maceration, ultrasound-assisted maceration and a combination, to assess the positive impact of using ultrasound on the seed oil extraction process. The study concludes that ultrasound-assisted extraction of oil is likely to reduce both economic and ecological impacts of the process in the fat and oil industry.     

Multi-mode S-type ultrasound-assisted protein extraction from walnut dregs and in situ real-time process monitoring

This study aimed to investigate the impact of multi-mode S-type ultrasound treatment on the protein extraction level of walnut dregs. The structural properties of the walnut protein (WP) were characterized, and the correlation between protein structure and extraction level was analyzed. The in situ real-time monitoring model for the ultrasound-assisted WP extraction process was established by a miniature fiber near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Results showed that the protein yield, purity, and comprehensive extraction index (CEI) of extracted WP were 71.07 %, 72.69 %, and 71.72, respectively, under optimal conditions (dual-frequency 20/28 kHz, ultrasonic treatment duration 30 min, and ultrasound power density 120 W/L). The secondary structure of extracted WP displayed that the proportion of α-helix and β-sheet reduced, while the contents of β-turn and random coil increased after ultrasonic treatment. Besides, sonication decreased the disulfide bond content and increased free sulfhydryl (-SH) and surface hydrophobicity compared to the control. The microstructures of WP confirmed that appropriate sonication could unfold the protein aggregates and reduce the particle size. The extraction level of WP is positively correlated with the -SH content (p < 0.01). The quantitative prediction model of Si-PLS for -SH content in the ultrasound-assisted WP extraction process was established and performed a good correction and prediction performance (Rc = 0.9736; RMSECV = 0.446 μmol/L; Rp = 0.9342; RMSEP = 0.807 μmol/L). This study exploited a high-efficiency way for the WP extraction industry, and provided theoretical support for the development of the intelligent system in industrial protein extraction process.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of rare-earth elements from carbonatite rocks

In view of the increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE) in many areas of high technology, alternative methods for the extraction of these elements have been developed. In this work, a process based on the use of ultrasound for the extraction of REE from carbonatite (an igneous rock) is proposed to avoid the use of concentrated reagents, high temperature and excessive extraction time. In this pioneer work for REE extraction from carbonatite rocks in a preliminary investigation, ultrasonic baths, cup horn systems or ultrasound probes operating at different frequencies and power were evaluated. In addition, the power released to the extraction medium and the ultrasound amplitude were also investigated and the temperature and carbonatite mass/volume of extraction solution ratio were optimized to 70 °C and 20 mg/mL, respectively. Better extraction efficiencies (82%) were obtained employing an ultrasound probe operating at 20 kHz for 15 min, ultrasound amplitude of 40% (692 W dm⁻³) and using a diluted extraction solution (3% v/v HNO₃ + 2% v/v HCl). It is important to mention that high extraction efficiency was obtained even using a diluted acid mixture and relatively low temperature in comparison to conventional extraction methods for REE. A comparison of results with those obtained by mechanical stirring (500 rpm) using the same conditions (time, temperature and extraction solution) was carried out, showing that the use of ultrasound increased the extraction efficiency up to 35%. Therefore, the proposed ultrasound-assisted procedure can be considered as a suitable alternative for high efficiency extraction of REE from carbonatite rocks.     

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative process for sulfur removal from petroleum product feedstock

A procedure using ultrasonic irradiation is proposed for sulfur removal of a petroleum product feedstock. The procedure involves the combination of a peroxyacid and ultrasound-assisted treatment in order to comply with the required sulfur content recommended by the current regulations for fuels. The ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process was applied to a petroleum product feedstock using dibenzothiophene as a model sulfur compound. The influence of ultrasonic irradiation time, oxidizing reagents amount, kind of solvent for the extraction step and kind of organic acid were investigated. The use of ultrasonic irradiation allowed higher efficiency for sulfur removal in comparison to experiments performed without its application, under the same reactional conditions. Using the optimized conditions for UAOD, the sulfur removal was about 95% after 9 min of ultrasonic irradiation (20 kHz, 750 W, run at 40%), using hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, followed by extraction with methanol.     

Effects of ultrasound-assisted glycosylation on the interface and foaming characteristics of ovotransferrin

Ovotransferrin (OVT) is one of the major functional proteins in egg white protein. Most of the industry only paid attention the biological activity of OVT in iron supplement, antibacterial and other aspects, few reports were carried out on its processing characteristics such as foaming, interfacial behavior such as emulsification and foaming, which was an important processing functional attribute affecting its application scenario. In this study, the effects of ultrasound-assisted glycosylation on the interface and foaming characteristics of OVT were investigated. The results showed that proper ultrasonic treatment had a significant effect on the structure and physicochemical properties of OVT glycosylation products. When ultrasonic treatment lasted for 20 min, the grafting degree of OVT was 20.98%, the particle size decreased and the absolute value of potential increased. The foaming ability of OVT increased first and then decreased after ultrasonic-assisted glycosylation treatment. The foaming ability of OVT increased from 43.54% to 96.73% and the foaming stability increased from 68.92% to 89.19% after ultrasonic-assisted glycosylation treatment for 20 min. The experimental study effectively discovered the effect of ultrasound-assisted glycosylation on the foaming property of OVT, and would provide important technical references for expanding its application in food, biology, medicine and other fields.     

Ultrasonic-assisted immersion of parboiled treatment improves head rice yield and nutrition of black rice and provides a softer texture of cooked black rice

Parboiling is gaining increasing attention as it can enhance the head rice yield (HRY) and nutritional quality of non-pigmented rice. The traditional parboiling process with high-temperature immersion requires a long immersion period and results in hard texture of cooked parboiled black rice (PBR), which may be addressed by ultrasound-assisted immersion. In this study, we evaluated the effect of power, time and temperature of ultrasonic immersion on the HRY, texture profile and nutritional quality of PBR. Proper ultrasound-assisted immersion could increase the HRY by about 20% and the GABA content by up to 133%, as well as reduce the arsenic and cadmium content by up to 61% and 79% relative to untreated black rice (UBR), respectively. Moreover, it could increase the content of essential minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc to some extent, and free and bound polyphenols, despite of a certain loss of anthocyanins. It could also improve the palatability of cooked rice. Furthermore, response surface experiments based on the Box-Behnken design were performed to obtain and validate the optimal conditions of ultrasound-assisted immersion (540 W, 45 min, 57 °C). On this basis, morphological changes might be one reason for the improved HRY, nutrition and texture of PBR compared with those of UBR, namely the disappearance of cracks near the aleurone layer and formation of new cracks in the interior of rice.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction,analysis and antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from the rinds of Garcinia mangostana L.

According to response surface methodology (RSM), the extraction conditions of ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharide from the rinds of Garcinia mangostana L. (GMRP) were optimized and determined. The optimal conditions obtained through optimization were: the liquid to material ratio was 40 mL/g, ultrasonic power was 288 W and extraction time was 65 min. The average extraction rate of GMRP was 14.73%. Ac - GMRP was obtained by acetylation of GMRP, and the antioxidant activities of the two polysaccharides were compared in vitro. The results indicated that the antioxidant capacity of polysaccharide obtained after acetylation was significantly improved compared with that of GMRP. In conclusion, chemical modification of polysaccharide is an effective measure to improve its properties to a certain extent. Meanwhile, it implies that GMRP has great research value and potential.     

Effects of ultrasound treatment on the starch properties and oil absorption of potato chips

As a non-thermal processing method, the ultrasound treatment prior to the frying process has been demonstrated with great potential in reducing the oil absorption of fried food. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasound pretreatment on starch properties, water status, pore characteristics, and the oil absorption of potato slices. Ultrasound probe set with two power (360 W and 600 W) at the frequency of 20 kHz for 60 min was applied to perform the pretreatments. The results showed that ultrasound pretreatment led to the surface erosion of starch granules and higher power made the structure of starch disorganized. Moreover, the fraction of bound water and immobilized water were changed after ultrasonic pretreatment. Pores with the minor diameters (0.4–3 μm and 7–12 μm) were formed after ultrasound pretreatment. The penetrated surface oil (PSO) content, and structure oil (STO) content were reduced by 27.31% and 22.25% respectively with lower power ultrasound pretreatment. As the ultrasound power increased, the surface oil (SO) content and PSO content increased by 25.34% and 12.89% respectively, while STO content decreased by 38.05%. By using ultrasonic prior to frying, the quality of potato chips has been greatly improved.     

Effect of ultrasonic power on the emulsion stability of rice bran protein-chlorogenic acid emulsion

In this study, rice bran protein–chlorogenic acid (RBP–CA) emulsion was subjected to an ultrasonic-assisted treatment technique. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of chlorogenic acid (CA), and the morphology, particle size, zeta (ζ)-potential, atomic force microscopy image, viscosity, turbidity, and interfacial protein content of the emulsion under different ultrasonic power were investigated. The results revealed that the emulsion exhibited an encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of 86.26 ± 0.11% and 17.25 ± 0.06 g/100 g, respectively, at an ultrasonic power of 400 W. In addition, the size of the emulsion droplets decreased and became more evenly distributed. Furthermore, the viscosity of the emulsion decreased significantly, and it exhibited a turbidity and interfacial protein content of 24,758 and9.34 mg/m², respectively. Next, the storage, oxidation, thermal, and salt ion stabilities of the emulsion were evaluated. The results revealed that the ultrasonic-assisted treatment considerably improved the stability of the emulsion.     

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seed oil

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 supercritical 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.     

Ultrasound-assisted green extraction methods: An approach for cosmeceutical compounds isolation from Macadamia integrifolia pericarp

This study aimed was to examine the potential of several green extraction methods to extract cosmetic/cosmeceutical components from Macadamia integrifolia pericarps, which were a by-product of the macadamia nut industry. M. integrifolia pericarps were extracted by conventional solvent extraction process using 95% v/v ethanol and various green extraction methods, including infusion, ultrasound, micellar, microwave, and pulsed electric field extraction using water as a clean and green solvent. The extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activities were evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing/antioxidant power, and ferric-thiocyanate method. The anti-skin ageing activities were investigated by means of collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase inhibition using enzyme-substrate reaction assay. The irritation profile of the extracts was evaluated by the hen’s egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) test. The results noted that ultrasound-assisted extraction yielded the significantly highest extract amount with the significantly highest total phenolic content (p < 0.05), especially when the extraction time was 10 min. The aqueous extract from ultrasound-assisted extraction possessed the most potent antioxidant and anti-skin ageing activities (p < 0.05). Its antioxidant activities were comparable to ascorbic acid and Trolox, whereas the anti-skin ageing activities were equivalent to epigallocatechin-3-gallate and oleanolic acid. Besides, the extract was safe since it induced no irritation in the HET-CAM test. Therefore, ultrasound-assisted extraction was suggested as an environmentally friendly extraction method for M. integrifolia pericarp extraction and further application in the cosmetic/cosmeceutical industries.