Identification and Quantification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Polyhydroxyalkanoates Produced from Mixed Microbial Cultures and Municipal Organic Wastes at Pilot Scale

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are well-known biodegradable plastics produced by various bacterial strains, whose major drawback is constituted by the high cost of their synthesis. Producing PHAs from mixed microbial cultures and employing organic wastes as a carbon source allows us to both reduce cost and valorize available renewable resources, such as food waste and sewage sludge. However, different types of pollutants, originally contained in organic matrices, could persist into the final product, thus compromising their safety. In this work, the exploitation of municipal wastes for PHA production is evaluated from the environmental and health safety aspect by determining the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in both commercial and waste-based PHA samples. Quantification of PAHs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on 24 PHA samples obtained in different conditions showed very low contamination levels, in the range of ppb to a few ppm. Moreover, the contaminant content seems to be dependent on the type of PHA stabilization and extraction, but independent from the type of feedstock. Commercial PHA derived from crops, selected for comparison, showed PAH content comparable to that detected in PHAs derived from organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Although there is no specific regulation on PAH maximum levels in PHAs, detected concentrations were consistently lower than threshold limit values set by regulation and guidelines for similar materials and/or applications. This suggests that the use of organic waste as substrate for PHA production is safe for both the human health and the environment.     

Upgrading Solid Digestate from Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Waste as Performance Enhancer for Starch-Based Mulching Biofilm

Developing a green and sustainable method to upgrade biogas wastes into high value-added products is attracting more and more public attention. The application of solid residues as a performance enhancer in the manufacture of biofilms is a prospective way to replace conventional plastic based on fossil fuel. In this work, solid digestates from the anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes, such as straw, cattle and chicken manures, were pretreated by an ultrasonic thermo-alkaline treatment to remove the nonfunctional compositions and then incorporated in plasticized starch paste to prepare mulching biofilms by the solution casting method. The results indicated that solid digestate particles dispersed homogenously in the starch matrix and gradually aggregated under the action of a hydrogen bond, leading to a transformation of the composites to a high crystalline structure. Consequently, the composite biofilm showed a higher tensile strength, elastic modulus, glass transition temperature and degradation temperature compared to the pure starch-based film. The light, water and GHG (greenhouse gas) barrier properties of the biofilm were also reinforced by the addition of solid digestates, performing well in sustaining the soil quality and minimizing N₂O or CH₄ emissions. As such, recycling solid digestates into a biodegradable plastic substitute not only creates a new business opportunity by producing high-performance biofilms but also reduces the environmental risk caused by biogas waste and plastics pollution.     

From Fish Waste to Value: An Overview of the Sustainable Recovery of Omega-3 for Food Supplements

The disposal of food waste is a current and pressing issue, urging novel solutions to implement sustainable waste management practices. Fish leftovers and their processing byproducts represent a significant portion of the original fish, and their disposal has a high environmental and economic impact. The utilization of waste as raw materials for the production of different classes of biofuels and high-value chemicals, a concept known as “biorefinery”, is gaining interest in a vision of circular economy and zero waste policies. In this context, an interesting route of valorization is the extraction of omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs) for nutraceutical application. These fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have received attention over the last decades due to their beneficial effects on human health. Their sustainable production is a key process for matching the increased market demand while reducing the pressure on marine ecosystems and lowering the impact of waste production. The high resale value of the products makes this waste a powerful tool that simultaneously protects the environment and benefits the global economy. This review aims to provide a complete overview of the sustainable exploitation of fish waste to recover ω-3 FAs for food supplement applications, covering composition, storage, and processing of the raw material.     

Valorization of Apple Peels through the Study of the Effects on the Amyloid Aggregation Process of κ-Casein

Waste valorization represents one of the main social challenges when promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability. Here, we evaluated the effect of the polyphenols extracted from apple peels, normally disposed of as waste, on the amyloid aggregation process of κ-casein from bovine milk, a well-used amyloidogenic model system. The effect of the apple peel extract on protein aggregation was examined using a thioflavin T fluorescence assay, Congo red binding assay, circular dichroism, light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. We found that the phenolic extract from the peel of apples of the cultivar “Fuji”, cultivated in Sicily (Caltavuturo, Italy), inhibited κ-casein fibril formation in a dose-dependent way. In particular, we found that the extract significantly reduced the protein aggregation rate and inhibited the secondary structure reorganization that accompanies κ-casein amyloid formation. Protein-aggregated species resulting from the incubation of κ-casein in the presence of polyphenols under amyloid aggregation conditions were reduced in number and different in morphology.     

Antibacterial and Antifungal Studies of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles against Plant Parasitic Nematode Meloidogyne incognita,Plant Pathogens Ralstonia solanacearum and Fusarium oxysporum

The possibility of using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to enhance the plants growth, crop production, and control of plant diseases is currently being researched. One of the most effective approaches for the production of AgNPs is green synthesis. Herein, we report a green and phytogenic synthesis of AgNPs by using aqueous extract of strawberry waste (solid waste after fruit juice extraction) as a novel bioresource, which is a non-hazardous and inexpensive that can act as a reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent. Successful biosynthesis of AgNPs was monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy showing a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at ~415 nm. The X-ray diffraction studies confirm the face-centered cubic crystalline AgNPs. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques confirm the rectangular shape with an average size of ~55 nm. The antibacterial and antifungal efficacy and inhibitory impact of the biosynthesized AgNPs were tested against nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, plant pathogenic bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum and fungus, Fusarium oxysporum. These results confirm that biosynthesized AgNPs can significantly control these plant pathogens.     

Characterization of Food Packaging Films with Blackcurrant Fruit Waste as a Source of Antioxidant and Color Sensing Intelligent Material

Chitosan and pectin films were enriched with blackcurrant pomace powder (10 and 20% (w/w)), as bio-based material, to minimize food production losses and to increase the functional properties of produced films aimed at food coatings and wrappers. Water vapor permeability of active films increased up to 25%, moisture content for 27% in pectin-based ones, but water solubility was not significantly modified. Mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break and Young’s modulus) were mainly decreased due to the residual insoluble particles present in blackcurrant waste. FTIR analysis showed no significant changes between the film samples. The degradation temperatures, determined by DSC, were reduced by 18 °C for chitosan-based samples and of 32 °C lower for the pectin-based samples with blackcurrant powder, indicating a disturbance in polymer stability. The antioxidant activity of active films was increased up to 30-fold. Lightness and redness of dry films significantly changed depending on the polymer type. Significant color changes, especially in chitosan film formulations, were observed after exposure to different pH buffers. This effect is further explored in formulations that were used as color change indicators for intelligent biopackaging.     

Preparation of Catechin Nanoemulsion from Oolong Tea Leaf Waste and Its Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Cells DU-145 and Tumors in Mice

Anti-cancer activity of catechin nanoemulsions prepared from Oolong tea leaf waste was studied on prostate cancer cells DU-145 and DU-145-induced tumors in mice. Catechin nanoemulsions composed of lecithin, Tween-80 and water in an appropriate proportion was prepared with high stability, particle size of 11.3 nm, zeta potential of −67.2 mV and encapsulation efficiency of 83.4%. Catechin nanoemulsions were more effective than extracts in inhibiting DU-145 cell growth, with the IC₅₀ being 13.52 and 214.6 μg/mL, respectively, after 48 h incubation. Furthermore, both catechin nanoemulsions and extracts could raise caspase-8, caspase-9 and caspase-3 activities for DU-145 cell apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle at S and G2/M phases. Compared to control, catechin nanoemulsion at 20 μg/mL and paclitaxel at 10 μg/mL were the most effective in reducing tumor volume by 41.3% and 52.5% and tumor weight by 77.5% and 90.6% in mice, respectively, through a decrease in EGF and VEGF levels in serum.     

MnO2纳米粒子固载纤维素酶用于高效水解农业废弃物制备生物乙醇

纤维素酶是一种有效的纤维质类物质水解催化剂,工业应用时可通过固定化纤维素酶来降低其成本。本文将烟曲霉原变种JCF产生的纤维素酶固定在MnO2纳米颗粒上。 MnO2可提高纤维素酶的活性,并充当一个更好的载体。采用扫描电镜表征了所制MnO2纳米粒子及其负载纤维素酶的表面性质,以傅里叶变换红外光谱分析了固定在MnO2纳米粒子上纤维素酶的官能团性质。纤维素酶在MnO2纳米粒子上最大的固定化效率为75%。考察了固定化纤维素酶的活性、操作pH值、温度、热稳定性和重复使用性等性质。结果表明,所制固定化酶的稳定性比游离酶更高。固定于MnO2纳米粒子上的纤维素酶可用于纤维质类物质的水解反应,且能在较宽的温度和pH值范围内使用。表征结果证实了该催化剂具有非常高的催化纤维素类物质水解的活性。     

放射性废物微波处理装置有效输出功率的测定

以微波为热源处理放射性废物的相关技术和装备的研究,在国外已经达到较高水平,在我国的相关研究较少。微波加热即物料在微波场中吸收消耗微波能量,并转化为热能用于物料温度升高。对于物料的处理效果主要与微波的有效输出功率有关。参考Schillman法测定了包括放射性废物微波处理装置的微波炉的有效输出功率,且经验证测定结果准确。微波有效输出功率的确定将对放射性废物微波处理工艺的研究打下基础。     

A fast and reliable detection of indigo in historic and prehistoric textile samples

We present a method requiring no sample preparation for the direct identification of indigoid colorants in tiny amounts in ancient historic fabrics using ASAP®‐MS. Exact determinations were completed in less than 1 min. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.