Research Articles

Kraft pulp and wood powder rom Acacia Spp. were selected for the development of rapid, minimally-destructive, and predictions of kappa number and pulp yield, by means of near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectra. The models, based on Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS-R), were established with fifty-four calibration samples selected by Principle Component Analysis (PCA), while the validation models resulted from nineteen samples that were not included in the calibration set. The and stability of calibration models were evaluated by coefficient of determination for calibration (R2cal) and root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV). The coefficient of determination for validation (R2val) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) were used for validation models. The main results showed that: (1) the predictive models from pulp were more credible in terms of the R2cal and R2val values than those from wood powder by 25 to 70%; and (2) a validation model for kappa number from pulp showed a better stability than the corresponding calibration model, since RMSEP was 23.5% less than RMSECV, while calibration models for pulp yield were more steady than validation models. This study provided reliable models for predicting kappa number and pulp yield rapidly and with a minimal need for physical sampling.

Flax shive (FS) is a byproduct from flax fiber separation. The use of absorbent prepared from chitosan-modified flax shive (CFS) has been studied for removal of reactive red dye (RR228) from aqueous solutions. CFS was characterized by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A batch adsorption study was conducted under various contact time, initial concentration, solution pH, and adsorbent dosage. It was found that the BET and Langmuir surface area of CFS were 1.772 m2 g-1 and 3.057 m2 g-1, respectively. Results showed that CFS has the same pores as FS and that the –NH2 group on CFS is the main adsorption site for dye sorption. Equilibrium adsorption capacity could be reached within 480 min, and RR228 uptake was satisfactory at a pH of 2.0. The percentage removal were 100%, 100%, 90%, and 85% at pH 2.0 under dye concentrations of 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L, 30 mg/L, and 40 mg/L, respectively. The adsorption accurately fitted a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and a Langmuir isotherm model. It is proposed that CFS could be applied as a low-cost absorbent in removal of dyes from wastewater.

Commercial bamboo chips were evaluated as raw material for dissolving pulp production. The chips were auto-hydrolyzed (AH) and subsequently cooked by the NaOH/AQ process and bleached to full brightness with the O-CCE-D-(EP)-D-P sequence. The term CCE designates a cold caustic extraction stage. The bamboo chip chemistry (22.4% lignin, 19.5% xylans, 49.3% cellulose, 16.8% total extractives, and 1.5% ash) was apparently unfavorable; however high quality dissolving pulp was produced using the aforementioned technologies, even when compared to results obtained with traditional eucalypt commercial wood chips. The pulp showed high brightness (92.4 % ISO) and α-cellulose content (94.9%). Its contents of hemicelluloses, extractives and ash were within acceptable levels for a dissolving pulp aimed at viscose rayon production. Thus, the bamboo chip furnish investigated can be regarded as a viable raw material for dissolving pulp production.

The tensile strength and bending strength of natural coir fiber are lower than many other natural fibers. Therefore, coir fiber is unsuitable for many fiber reinforcement applications. This study exploits the better shock resistance and toughness of coir fiber, which suggest that coir fiber can be used as a type of replacement material in plywood. Fast-growing poplar was chosen as the surface material, and coir fiber was selected as the core layer material for their buffering ability and toughness, and fiberglass fabrics were added in the core layer as strengthening components. The optimization of this plywood structure was carried out with an orthogonal experiment and the intuitive analysis method. The mechanical performance of some samples even exceeded that of natural wood. Through analysis of test results and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations, the buffering and toughening mechanisms of the coir fiber mats were revealed. This new material can be used to replace wood in plywood and in the transportation industry as a packaging material and as platform floors for freight vehicles.

Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) and other wood-feeding insects have the ability to digest cellulose and structurally modify or degrade lignin. We examined the physical and chemical changes to lignocellulosic components of Chinese red pine (Pinus massoniana) after passing through the termite (C. formosanus) digestive system. The purpose of this research was to evaluate biochemical digestive processes in the C. formosanus gut as potential models for biofuels processing. Results suggest that demethylation, demethoxylation, and propyl side-chain modification are responsible for higher lignin removal and cellulose crystallinity reduction after structural alteration. SEM images also further indicated that unlike the fungus- growing termites Odontotermes formosanus, the lower termites C. formosanus disrupted the lignocellulose structure, and thus resulted in an increase of surface area to cellulase. Comparative enzymatic hydrolysis tests between raw wood and C. formosanus faeces revealed an enhanced level of enzymatic digestibility in digested material. Based on the results, C. formosanus can efficiently modify lignin at ambient temperatures and pressures in contrast to current methods used in biofuels production.

Fifty-three algal cultures were isolated from freshwater lakes in Hainan, China. Four microalgal isolates were selected because they could be successfully cultivated at high density and demostrated a strong fluorescence after being stained with nile red. These cultures were identified as strains of Chlorella sp. C11, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii C22, Monoraphidium dybowskii C29, and Chlorella sp. HK12 through microscopic and 18S rDNA analysis. Under similar conditions, the lipid productivity of Chlorella sp. C11, Chla. reinhardtii C22, M. dybowskii C29 , and Chlorella sp. HK12 were 1.88, 2.79, 2.00, and 3.25 g L-1, respectively. Chla. reinhardtii C22 yielded a higher lipid content (51%), with a lower biomass concentration (5.47 g dwt L-1). Chlorella sp. HK12 reached a growth rate of 0.88 day-1 at OD540nm and yielded a biomass concentration of 7.56 g dwt L-1, with a high lipid content of 43%. Gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry analysis indicated that lipid fraction mainly comprises hydrocarbons including palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acids. Our results suggest that Chlorella sp. HK12 is a promising species for biodiesel production, because of its high lipid productivity and a relatively high content of oleic acid.

The decay resistance of oil-heat treated aspen wood (Populus tremula l.) against white rot fungi (Coriolus versicolor) and brown rot fungi (Coniophora puteana) was investigated. Three different temperature stages and two time levels for oil heat treatment for the selection of optimum conditions were determined. Linseed oil as a heating medium was used. The mass loss of treated samples that were exposed to both fungi was significantly lower than that of the control samples. Results also showed improvement in dimensional stability after oil heat treatment. Decay resistance and dimensional stability of aspen wood were increased significantly with temperature increasing, but time seemed to have no effect on those properties. Oil heat treatment is a suitable method to improve decay resistance of aspen wood as it reduced the mass loss by 71% and 77% against Coriolus versicolor and Coniophora puteana compared with control samples, respectively. On the other hand, oil heat treatment improved the dimensional stability by about 20.5%.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia AAP56, laccase-producing bacteria, growing under different conditions, exhibit laccase activity that is highly affected by some environmental factors. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the determination of laccase factor dependence using two substrates: ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and DMP (2,6 Dimethoxy-phenol). RSM was carried out with a 24 factorial design using four variables, namely, dye (0 to 0.1 mg mL-1), Cu in Med (0 to 400 µM), shaking (0 to 150 rpm), and CuSO4 in assay (0 to 0.2 mM). Significant correlation between the effects of these variables on R1 (ABTS oxidase activity) and R2 (DMP oxidase activity) responses was detected. Astonishing results showed differences between these two activities with respect to copper activity dependence. Anoxic conditions exhibited a significant ability to induce the enzyme. This bacterial laccase activity (produced under optimal conditions according to RSM) was used to decolorize an azoic dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5). It was efficient only in the presence of a redox mediator to degrade RB5 after 20 min of incubation time.

The biochemical properties of a purified enzyme of a new alkalophillic endo-1,4-beta-xylanase gene, KRICT PX2 (GU967374), which was isolated from Paenibacillus sp. HPL-002 (KCTC11410BP) and expressed in E. coli, were investigated. The specific activity of the purified xylanase was 51.26 μmol/min/mg proteins. The Km and Vmax values of the protein for birch wood xylan were also verified to have 0.061 μM and 55.3 μmol/min/mg proteins, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for the activity of the enzyme were pH 8~9 and 50oC, respectively, and, the activity was stably maintained at 40oC. Most metallic salts, ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol, phenylmethane-sulphonyl fluoride, and furfural, have no impact on the enzyme’s activity at 1 mM. The simulated 3-D structure of this xylanase is similar to Xyn10B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis. Further research on the degradation of different-origin xylans and enzyme production will be necessary for practical applications.

The biochemical properties of a purified enzyme of a new alkalophillic endo-1,4-beta-xylanase gene, KRICT PX2 (GU967374), which was isolated from Paenibacillus sp. HPL-002 (KCTC11410BP) and expressed in E. coli, were investigated. The specific activity of the purified xylanase was 51.26 μmol/min/mg proteins. The Km and Vmax values of the protein for birch wood xylan were also verified to have 0.061 μM and 55.3 μmol/min/mg proteins, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for the activity of the enzyme were pH 8~9 and 50oC, respectively, and, the activity was stably maintained at 40oC. Most metallic salts, ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol, phenylmethane-sulphonyl fluoride, and furfural, have no impact on the enzyme’s activity at 1 mM. The simulated 3-D structure of this xylanase is similar to Xyn10B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis. Further research on the degradation of different-origin xylans and enzyme production will be necessary for practical applications.