Testing the performance and the disintegration of biodegradable bags for the collection of organic wastes

The biodegradability of five different biodegradable garbage bags were analyzed according to the DIN‐Standard draft 54'900 “Measurement of the compostability of polymers”. The tests have to prove that a “biodegradable polymer” can be degraded under controlled composting conditions. Five different types of bags were tested. The bags were made from cornstarch, polycaprolactone and Kraft paper. To claim compostability the material has to biodegrade and to disintegrate in a composting system, to mineralize completely to carbon dioxide and water, and to fulfill several quality criteria such as a limited amount of heavy metals, no toxic organic compounds and no organic non‐biodegradable additives. The analysis of the heavy metal content showed that the polymers themself contained very low amounts of heavy metals. However, the printing with green and blue colors with copper pigments was increasing the copper content in all products. The mineralization experiments showed that all five materials disintegrated during the rotting process in standardized compost and all five tested products also fulfilled the mineralization rate of 60% within six months.     

The performance of degradable polymer bags

The use of degradable polymers for the collection and composting of organic wastes is explored within this paper. With reference to one trial where the performance of a ‘degradable’ polyethylene based sack for the kerbside collection of organic wastes was investigated. Areas for consideration were the impacts of the degradable polymer on the composting process and the quality of the finished product. This trial also included a comparative study of two different types of ‘degradable’ polymer sacks currently on the European market (polyethylene and starch). A number of quantitative tests were conducted on the different polymers to assess the mechanisms of degradation and how this affected their suitability for the treatment of organic wastes. Provisional results have indicated that the polyethylene (PE) sacks are not degrading as anticipated within open windrow conditions, adversely affecting both the composting process and the quality of the finished compost product. Whilst the degradable starch based sacks appear to actively degrade within open windrow compost conditions.     

Biodegradability of polylactide bottles in real and simulated composting conditions

As new biodegradable polymers and their packaging applications are emerging, there is a need to address their environmental performance. In particular, there is a need to understand the time required for their complete disintegration, before these materials are deployed in commercial composting processes. Standards developed by ASTM and ISO evaluate the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic materials in simulated controlled composting conditions. However, a more detailed understanding of the biodegradation of complete packages is needed in order to have a successful composting operation. This paper investigates the biodegradation performance of polylactide (PLA) bottles under simulated composting conditions according to ASTM and ISO standards, and these results are compared with a novel method of evaluating package biodegradation in real composting conditions. Two simulated composting methods were used in this study to assess biodegradability of PLA bottles: (a) a cumulative measurement respirometric (CMR) system and (b) a gravimetric measurement respirometric (GMR) system. Both CMR and GMR systems showed similar trends of biodegradation for PLA bottles and at the end of the 58th day the mineralization was 84.2±0.9% and 77.8±10.4%, respectively. PLA bottle biodegradation in real composting conditions was correlated to their breakdown and variation in molecular weight. Molecular weight of 4100 Da was obtained for PLA bottles in real composting conditions on the 30th day. The biodegradation observed for PLA bottles in both conditions explored in this study matches well with theoretical degradation and biodegradation mechanisms; however, biodegradation variability exists in both conditions and is discussed in this paper.     

A Combined Experimental and Computational Study on the Adsorption Sites of Zinc-Based MOFs for Efficient Ammonia Capture

Ammonia (NH₃) is a common pollutant mostly derived from pig manure composting under humid conditions, and it is absolutely necessary to develop materials for ammonia removal with high stability and efficiency. To this end, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have received special attention because of their high selectivity of harmful gases in the air, resulting from their large surface area and high density of active sites, which can be tailored by appropriate modifications. Herein, two synthetic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), 2-methylimidazole zinc salt (ZIF-8) and zinc-trimesic acid (ZnBTC), were selected for ammonia removal under humid conditions during composting. The two MOFs, with different organic linkers, exhibit fairly distinctive ammonia absorption behaviors under the same conditions. For the ZnBTC framework, the ammonia intake is 11.37 mmol/g at 298 K, nine times higher than that of the ZIF-8 framework (1.26 mmol/g). In combination with theoretical calculations, powder XRD patterns, FTIR, and BET surface area tests were conducted to reveal the absorption mechanisms of ammonia for the two materials. The adsorption of ammonia on the ZnBTC framework can be attributed to both physical and chemical adsorption. A strong coordination interaction exists between the nitrogen atom from the ammonia molecule and the zinc atom in the ZnBTC framework. In contrast, the absorption of ammonia in the ZIF-8 framework is mainly physical. The weak interaction between the ammonia molecule and the ZIF-8 framework mainly results from the inherent severely steric hindrance, which is related to the coordination mode of the imidazole ligands and the zinc atom of this framework. Therefore, this study provides a method for designing promising MOFs with appropriate organic linkers for the selective capture of ammonia during manure composting.     

Mechanical behaviour of biodegradable agricultural films under real field conditions

The mechanical behaviour of various types of biodegradable materials depends on their chemical composition and additives, the processing characteristics and the application conditions. The environmental conditions during storage and usage of these materials strongly influence their mechanical properties and behaviour. Ageing and degradation during the useful lifetime of biodegradable agricultural films causes losses in the mechanical performance of the material, as measured by monitoring the evolution of some of the critical mechanical properties. Such losses may be comparable to the corresponding losses of the conventional polyethylene agricultural films due to ageing, or they may be more drastic. In the present paper, the overall mechanical and ageing/degradation behaviour of experimental specially designed and manufactured low-tunnel and mulching biodegradable films, exposed to full-scale field conditions is analysed. Selected critical mechanical properties of these films manufactured with different grades of Mater-Bi material and additives, different thickness and processing schemes and exposed to real cultivation conditions in four different locations in Europe are investigated in the laboratory and compared against the corresponding behaviour of conventional agricultural films at various stages of their exposure time.     

Development of a Piezoelectric Crystal Sorption Detector for Monitoring of Total Organic Compounds in Air

Abstract

A light and portable organic vapours monitor has been developed using piezoelectric (P/Z) quartz crystal to determine Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) commonly found in workplace air. Out of the eight coating material studied, High Vacuum Grease (HVG) was found to be the best for determining commonly encountered organic vapours such as 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, Chloroform, Benzene and Toluene in room air. The optimised coating weight was 23 μg HVG at a flow rate of 200 mL/min. Moisture was found to interfere and the use of a Nafion gas dryer was found to reduce the relative humidity to a constant 37 % for room air with 43–81 % relative humidity. Under optimised conditions, a mean sensitivity of 1.9 × 1^?2 Hz/ppm was obtained for total VOCs with 17.2% RSD variation towards different VOCs. Excellent linear working ranges were obtained from 40 to 2400 ppm (v/v), with response time and recovery time within one minute up to 500 ppm (v/v) of analyte. High and relatively constant response factors were obtained for different VOCs. The reliability of the mcthod has been established by parallel method comparison using established GC-FID method. The P/Z detector developed could also be used to monitor individual VOCs.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Photoactive Amphiphilic Polymers

We have synthesized light sensitive nano micelles for their applications as drug delivery agents. Various azo compounds having different dipole moment values have been covalently attached to an amphiphilic pegylated co‐polymer and their light sensitive behavior has been studied in both aqueous and organic media with ultra violet light to understand the light dependent supramolecular organization.     

Geometry versus basicity of bilatrienes: Stretched and helical protonated biliverdins

Summary The ease of protonation of bilatrienes at the pyrrolenine nitrogen critically depends on their conformation. The biliverdin2 being constrained to a helical (Z, Z, Z, syn, syn, syn) geometry by its four link chain is ca. three orders of magnitude less basic than flexible open-chain bilatrienes like biliverdin-IX dimethyl ester (1), which is shown to adopt a stretched conformation in its monoprotonated form. These results are obtained by a comparative investigation of the titrations of1 and2 with sulfuric acid in methanol and methanol-water by means of UV-VIS and NMR spectroscopy.

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Zusammenhang zwischen Basizität und Konformation von Bilatrienen: Gestreckte und helikale protonierte Biliverdine

Zusammenfassung Die Leichtigkeit der Protonierung von Biliverdinen am Pyrrolenin-Stickstoff hängt von ihrer Konformation ab. Das Biliverdin2, das durch eine viergliedrige Brücke in einer helikalen (Z, Z, Z, syn, syn, syn-Geometrie festgehalten wird, ist um ca. drei Größenordnungen weniger basisch als flexible offenkettige Bilatriene, wie der Biliverdin-IX-dimethylester (1), der — wie gezeigt wird — in seiner monoprotonierten Form eine gestreckte Konformation einnimmt. Diese Ergebnisse werden durch eine vergleichende Untersuchung der Titrationen von1 und2 mit Schwefelsäure in Methanol bzw. Methanol-Wasser-Gemischen mithilfe der UV-VIS- und NMR-Spektroskopie erhalten.

     

Synthesis and anti-diabetic activity evaluation of phosphonates containing thiazolidinedione moiety

Abstract

A sequence of substituted phosphonates containing the thiazolidinedione moiety was synthesized with good yields. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were confirmed by NMR (³¹P, ¹H and ¹³C) and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and C, H, N elemental analyses. In silico molecular docking study was also carried out to evaluate their interaction and binding modes on ligands against human PPAR γ protein for their anti-diabetic activity. From the docking results, it was determined that the compounds (Z)-dimethyl 5-(3-nitrobenzylidene)?2,4-dioxothiazolidin-3-ylphosphonate (7a), (Z)-dimethyl 5-(3-chloro-4-fluorobenzylidene)?2,4-dioxothiazolidin-3-ylphosphonate (7f), (Z)-dimethyl 5-(2,4-dichlorobenzylidene)?2,4-dioxothiazolidin-3-ylphosphonate (7e) and (Z)-dimethyl 5-((5-methoxypyridin-2-yl)methylene)?2,4-dioxothiazolidin-3-ylphosphonate (7j) have shown better binding energies (?7.8, ?7.6, ?7.5 and ?7.6 Kcal/mol) with the target gene, PPAR γ than the reference drug, Rosiglitazone (?7.4 Kcal/mol). In vitro anti-diabetic activity of the title compounds was also screened by standard α-amylase inhibition assay. Some of the tested compounds proved to possess promising activity when compared with the reference drug.     

α-FUNCTIONAL CYCLOALKYLPHOSPHONATES I. SYNTHESIS

Abstract

Cycloalkylphosphonates 2 of different sizes (from cyclopropyl to cycloheptyl) bearing various functional groups Z in a position were synthesized by bis-alkylation of α-functional methylphosphonates 1 and Ω-dibromoalkanes in presence of base. The choice of the basic system is determined by the nature of Z. With powerful electron-withdrawing groups, NaH-THF/DMSO (Method A, for Z=CN, SO₂R) or liquid-solid phase transfer process [Method B, for Z=COOR, P(O) (OEt)₂] proved to be the more suitable systems. For Z=aryl or SR, lithium diisopropylamide is required to achieve the deprotonation. A wide range of new phosphonates were obtained in high yields on preparative scale.     

Biodegradation of Starch-Based Materials

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare three different test methods for assaying the biodegradability of starch-based materials. The materials tested included some commercial starch-based materials and thermoplastic starch film prepared by extrusion from native potato starch and glycerol. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed using excess Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase and Aspergillus niger glucoamylase at 37°C. The degree of degradation was assayed by measuring the dissolved carbohydrates and the weight loss of the samples. The head-space test was based on carbon dioxide evolution using sewage sludge as an inoculum. The composting experiments were carried out in an insulated commercial composter bin. The degradation was evaluated visually at weekly intervals, and the weight loss of the samples was measured after composting. Good correlation was found among the three different test methods.     

Blue-luminescent poly(p-phenylenevinylene) derivatives: Synthesis and effect of side-group size on the optical properties

New conjugated polymers based on separated PPV-type chromophores and incorporating different types of solubilizing side-groups (ethoxy: P1, hexyloxy: P2, dodecyloxy: P3 and benzyloxy: P4) were synthesized via Wittig polycondensation, using a series of bisphenol A-derived di(triphenylphosphonium) salts as starting monomers. The polymers are soluble in common organic solvents and their structures were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopies. The optical properties of these materials were investigated by UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. In dilute solution, quasi-identical fluorescence spectra were obtained and all the polymers showed a blue emission (420, 445 nm) and a narrow spectrum. In thin solid films, the polymers show side-group-dependent optical behavior and, whereas the emission remains blue in the case of P2, P3 and P4, a green fluorescence was observed for the ethoxylated polymer P1. From cyclic voltammetry analysis, the electrochemical band gaps were estimated to be 2.99, 3.07, 3.15 and 3.06 eV for P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively. Single-layer diode devices of the [indium tin oxide/polymer/aluminum] configuration have been fabricated and show relatively low turn-on voltages between 2.6 and 4.9 V.     

Quantitative determination of organic priority pollutants in the composts of sewage sludge with rice straw by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

In order to investigate the occurrence and distribution of organic contaminants in the compost of sewage sludge with rice straw, four different composting treatments at a low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio (13:1) were conducted. Thirty semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) listed as priority pollutants by both China and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were Soxhlet-extracted, separated and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that after composting (56 days) most of SVOCs were detected in the final composts. The total concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalic acid esters ranged from 1.8 to 10 mg/kg dry weight (d.w.) and from 9.8 to 18 mg/kg d.w., respectively, being significantly higher than those of chlorobenzenes and nitroaromatic compounds which were generally less than 1.0 mg/kg d.w. The concentrations and predominant compounds of organic contaminants in the different composts varied, and were affected by their physico-chemical properties and the composting processes. Concentrations of SVOCs in the static aerated composting processes especially intermittently aerated composting treatment were considerably lower than those in the manual-turned composting treatments. Concentrations of organic contaminants especially PAHs and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the final composts were in agreement with the maximum permissible limits for agricultural purposes proposed by the European Union and by the EPA.     

Evaluation of the aerobic composting process of winery and distillery residues by thermal methods

The possibility of using thermal analysis for a quick characterization of chemical changes was tested in the organic matter from composting materials. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG) and the first derivative of the TG (DTG) were calculated in oxidizing conditions on compost samples obtained from three composting piles. The composting piles were made by mixing winery and distillery residues with sewage sludge (pile 1), with cow manure (pile 2) and hen droppings (pile 3). The temperature values in the pile 1 showed a different evolution during the thermophilic stage of the composting process in relation to the piles 2 and 3. The thermophilic stage for pile 1 was 17 days, meanwhile for the piles 2 and 3 were around 80 and 110 days, respectively, and probably pile 1 was not well composted. The curves of ion current of CO₂ have been recorded in order to shed light on changes occurring in organic matter during composting. Particularly DTG curves allowed us to distinguish between well (piles 2 and 3) and poor (pile 1) stabilized organic matter. The energy released was calculated for each sample by integrating the DTA curves and these results are agreed with the previous hypothesis. Information deriving from weight losses, registered by the TG and DTG curves, enables to follow the evolution state of the organic matter and therefore changes in its stability. These data could determine the final point of the composting process of winery and distillery residues and then reduce the time for compost harvest.     

Beiträge zur Chemie der Pyrrolpigmente, 25. Mitt. Die diastereomeren (geometrisch isomeren) Biliverdindimethylester—Struktur,Konfiguration und Konformation

Photoisomerization of the symmetrically substituted bilatrienes-abc1 and2 adsorbed on aluminum oxide yields the photoisomers1 and2, whereas the biliverdindimethylester (3) gives rise to two isomers3 and3. By X-ray photoelectron spectrometry of the N_1s-level all these diastereomers were shown to have a bislactam structure. From¹H-NMR experiments (chemical shifts, Lanthanide induced shifts, double resonance experiments) the configurations (Z,Z,Z) at the methin positions were assigned to the educts—the photoisomers1 and2 having the configurations (Z,Z,E). The configurations (Z,Z,E) and (E,Z,Z) could be assigned to the diastereomers3 and3. The conformational aspects within these series are discussed and on the basis of several studies asyn-syn-syn-helical arrangement is deduced for the systems of configuration (Z,Z,Z). For the (Z,Z,E) isomers in the region of (Z)-configuration a conformation resembling the (Z,Z,Z)-systems is reasonable, but in the region of configuration (E) a stronger twisting at the methin single bond due to steric crowding should be favoured.

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24. Mitt.:H. Falk undG. Höllbacher, Mh. Chem.109, 1429 (1978).     

N-(R-Cyclopropyl) Trifluoroacetimidoyl Phosphonates

Abstract

A convenient synthetic approach for previously unknown N-(R-cyclopropyl)trifluoroacetimidoyl phosphonates 5a,b (R?H, CF₃) was developed on the basis of the reaction of respective trifluoroacetimidoyl chlorides with triethyl phosphite. It was shown that imidoyl phosphonates 5a,b exist as equilibrium mixture of Z/E isomers (Z:E ～92:8). Activation parameters of Z–E isomerization were evaluated by ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. Catalytic hydrogenation of 5a,b can serve as a convenient method for the synthesis of trifluoroethylaminophosphonates with a rigid N-cyclopropyl group.     

The Chemical Characterization of Potential Organic Interferences in Two Commercially Available Polymeric Adsorbents

Abstract

Current use of synthetic adsorbents for the collection of trace organics in environmental samples is quite extensive. It has been suggested that high levels of organic contaminants in these resins may interfere with subsequent analyses, however, the identity of these suspected contaminants has not been reported.

This paper reports a qualitative and quantitative characterization of the residual organics in two polymeric adsorbents.

Both resins are commercially available polymers of styrene divinyl-benzene. The structures of the contaminants were verified by combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). High artifact levels are typical for both of the Amberite® resins studied. The majority of these materials, as verified by capillary GC/MS, were alkyl derivatives of benzene, styrene, naphthalene and biphenyl.     

Metabolomic profiling and anti-infective potential of Zinnia elegans and Gazania rigens (Family Asteraceae)

Abstract

The present study evaluates the chemical composition of Zinnia elegans and Gazania rigens based on their metabolomic profiles using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC‐HR-MS), alongside with the anti-infective activities of their ethanol extracts, as well as, different fractions. A significant difference was observed between the LC-MS profiles of the two plants such as, coumarins, sesquiterpene lactones and phenylethanoids which were characteristic for Z. elegans, while amides and phenolic acid derivatives were characteristic for G. rigens. These results highlight the chemical potential of Z. elegans and G. rigens. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate fraction of Z. elegans showed a significant antimalarial activity with IC₅₀ values of 21.03 and 13.72?µg/mL against Plasmodium falciparum D₆ and P. falciparum W₂, respectively.     

Sex Pheromone of Chilo Suppressalis: Efficient Syntheses of (Z)-11-Hexadecenal, (Z)-13-Octadecenal And (Z)-9-Hexadecenal

The constituents of the sex attractant pheromone of Chilo suppressalis: (Z)-11-Hexedecenal 1, (Z)-13-octadecenenal 2 and (Z)-9-Hexadecenal 3 have been synthesized as their ethylene acetals 19, 15 and 13, in six steps from easily available compounds. The synthetic methodology can be applied to preparative scale.     

Electron Transfer Capacities of Dissolved Organic Matter Derived from Swine Manure Based on Eletrochemical Method

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the most active fraction of compost organic matter. The presence of the redox-active functional groups in DOM allows it to act an electron shuttle to promote the electron transfer between microorganisms and terminal electron acceptors. In this study, the electron transfer capacities (ETCs) of compost DOM samples at eight different composting stages were determined by electrochemical method. 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and Diquat dibro-mide monohydrate (DQ) were used to measured electron donating capacity (EDC) and electron accepting capacity (EAC) at working voltage 0.61 V/–0.49 V, respectively. The evolution characteristics of the chemical structures and components were analyzed by combining the three-dimensional fluorescence spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and elemental analysis. The results showed that the EDC of DOM increased from 16.850 μmol e^? (g C)^?1 to 22.077 μmol e^? (g C)^?1, The EAC decreased from 1.866 μmol e^? (g C)^?1 to 1.779 μmol e^? (g C)^?1. The results of three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the relative contents of humic-like and protein-like components gradually increased and decreased, respectively, during the composting process. The humuc-like components were the main contributor for the ETC of DOM. FTIR spectra showed that there was no significant change in the hydroxyl and carboxyl group contents of DOM during composting, suggesting no contribution of these function groups to the ETC of DOM. The elemental analysis showed that the content of oxygen in the DOM increased during the composting process, while the sulfur-containing group might be dominated contributor for its ETC.