Research Articles

This study modeled and optimized energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) production in Adana, Turkey. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms (MOGA) were employed for the analysis. The findings revealed that chemical fertilizers accounted for the largest share of energy use (77.0%), followed by diesel fuel (8.4%), with a total energy consumption of 50,100 MJ ha⁻¹. The ANN 10-8-2 architecture provided the most accurate performance (R²). Using the MOGA method, optimum values ​​were determined for minimum total GHGE and maximum watermelon production. The highest amount of production with minimum energy usage was approximately 10,900 MJ ha^-1. The GHGE of the best production were calculated as approximately 282 kg CO₂_eq ha^-1. The GHGE reduction potential using MOGA was calculated as 903 kg CO₂_eq ha^-1. Furthermore, the highest reduction in GHGE occurred in nitrogen fertilizer by 52.0%. The results also indicated that the highest amount of production with minimum energy usage is approximately 10,900 MJ ha^-1. The GHGE of the best production were calculated as approximately 282 kg CO₂_eq ha^-1. The GHGE reduction potential using MOGA was calculated as 903 kg CO₂_eq ha^-1. Furthermore, the highest reduction in GHGE occurred in nitrogen fertilizer by 52.0%.

Effects of acid and enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as starch content, were compared relative to the amounts of reducing sugars obtained from rice polish. The growth of yeast on various sugar profiles obtained from both hydrolysis was evaluated. The effect of pretreatments of different H₂SO₄ concentrations (1 to 5%) was examined at different incubation periods (1 to 3 h). The impacts of 1% H₂SO₄ and H₃PO₄ on rice polish were also studied, and the reducing sugar release was measured using the DNS assay. For enzymatic hydrolysis, a fungus with high starch-degrading ability was isolated from soil and tentatively identified as Aspergillus niger. The efficiency of amylase produced by A. niger via submerged fermentation was determined at various residence times (48 to 120 h), with reducing sugar release measured by a substrate-based assay and enzyme activity by a product-based assay. Finally, the yeast growth was assessed on hydrolysates from both methods. Proximate analysis revealed 79.5% starch, 35.2% sugar, and 8.5% nitrogen in rice polish. Maximum reducing sugar (19.2 mg/mL) was obtained after pretreatment with 2% H₂SO₄ after 1.0 h, and H₂SO₄ yield (1.08 g/L) outperformed H₃PO₄ (0.59 g/L). Moreover, the substrate-based assay showed optimal starch conversion at 72 h (10.6 µmol/min), and the product-based assay showed maximum enzyme activity after 72 h (409 µmol/min). The evaluation of yeast growth revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis produced more reducing sugars (8.68 mg/mL) compared to acid hydrolysis (6.61 mg/mL), highlighting its potential for ethanol production.

This study adopted a semi‑analytical CFD‑DEM coupling method to simulate the movement and deposition of lignin particles in ceramic membrane pores, with the aim of elucidating the microscopic mechanisms of membrane fouling. The movement of lignin particles is predicted to be primarily governed by local hydrodynamic forces and, for sub‑micron particles, by Brownian motion, whereas van der Waals forces determine the strength of particle–particle and particle–surface adhesion during deposition. Because the magnitude of this adhesive interaction was modeled as being controlled by the ‘surface energy’ parameter in the JKR model, calibration of this parameter was essential for reliable simulation results. Accordingly, this study concentrated on systematically analyzing how ‘surface energy’ could influence coordination number, filter‑cake porosity, and deposition morphology during particle sedimentation. The analysis identified a reasonable and physically consistent range for the ‘surface energy’ parameter. The results indicated that setting the particle ‘surface energy’ between 0.2 and 1.0 J/m² yielded deposition behavior that could closely resemble experimental trends reported for lignin filtration, thereby providing a theoretical basis for more accurate prediction and regulation of membrane‑fouling behavior.

This study evaluates keratin as a formaldehyde-free adhesive for three-layer particleboards for EN 312 (2010) P1-type by developing a sustainable alternative to urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins while decreasing reliance on food-derived protein adhesives. Keratin was extracted from duck feathers using ultrasound-assisted alkaline hydrolysis. Particleboards were made with keratin-based adhesives and compared to panels bonded with UF resin and food protein isolates (casein, pea, and soybean). Resination was set at 10% for the core layer and 12% for the face layers. Protein adhesives were activated with NaOH. Mechanical performance was assessed by measuring modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bond strength (IB), and screw withdrawal resistance (SWR), along with thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA). The protein-bonded panels exhibited higher face-layer densities than UF, leading to improved stiffness and strength. Keratin-bonded boards achieved an MOR of 12 N·mm^-2, an MOE above 3000 N·mm^-2, and an SWR of 139 N·mm^-2, surpassing UF performance and meeting EN 312 P1 (2010) requirements. Results demonstrate the potential of feather keratin as a scalable, green, and cost-effective adhesive for dry-use particleboards. This approach promotes renewable adhesive systems, aligning with current regulatory trends toward formaldehyde-free materials and circular bioeconomy strategies.

As the average age of people continues to increase in many countries, compact urban apartments present significant challenges to the functional adaptability of living environments. This creates new difficulties with the design of elderly-friendly furniture. This study explores the modularization and configuration of furniture in limited spaces to satisfy the requirements of aging-in-place, particularly regarding comfort, convenience, and safety. First, the Affinity Diagram (AD) method was employed to systematically categorize user needs and construct an evaluation system. Second, an integrated weighting method combining Order Relation Analysis (ORA) and the Coefficient of Variation (CV) was applied to obtain a comprehensive weighted ranking of these needs, guiding the development of three design schemes for Modular Table-Chair-Storage Nesting Sets. Finally, the VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method was used to select the optimal scheme, Subsequently, verification was conducted through simulation experiments This study proposes a systematic framework to meet user needs, providing reliable support for modular table-chair-storage nesting sets design in space-constrained elderly care scenarios, thereby improving both space utilization and product safety.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) were synthesized using a microwave-assisted green synthesis approach using lemon peel extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, SEM–EDX, and DLS analyses, which confirmed the formation of predominantly spherical nanoparticles with average particle sizes ranging from 25.6 to 38.7 nm. The biological activities of the synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles were evaluated through different in vitro assays. The nanoparticles exhibited promising anticancer activity against HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 85.8 and 104.7 µg/mL, respectively, while showing lower cytotoxicity toward normal Vero cells with an IC₅₀ value of 262.5 µg/mL. In antioxidant assays, the TiO₂ nanoparticles demonstrated DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities with IC₅₀ values of 319 and 211 µg/mL, respectively. The nanoparticles also showed significant antibiofilm activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, achieving maximum inhibition rates of 76.4% and 57.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles displayed antidiabetic potential through inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, with inhibition percentages reaching 63.9% and 79.1%, respectively. Overall, the study showed that green-synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles had multifunctional biological activities and may serve as promising eco-friendly nanomaterials for biomedical and therapeutic applications.

Infrared (IR) processing of chili oil significantly modulated its phytochemical composition and biological activity. GC–MS analysis revealed that unexposed chili oil was rich in eugenol (32.73%), caryophyllene (8.21%), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as 9,12-octadecadienoyl chloride (16.86%). Short-term IR exposure (5 min) reduced eugenol to 25.90% and generated a positional isomer (phenol, 2-methoxy-3-(2-propenyl), 10.93%) along with diynoic acid esters and alkyne fatty-acid derivatives, indicating isomerization and partial PUFA degradation. Prolonged IR exposure (10 min) further decreasd volatile phenolics and PUFA esters while enriching high-molecular-weight alcohols (1-heptatriacotanol, 7.65%) and chlorinated derivatives (9,12-octadecadienoyl chloride, 21.04%). The 5-min IR treatment produced the highest antimicrobial activity, with inhibition zones increasing for B. subtilis (25 ± 0.2 mm), S. aureus (23 ± 0.7 mm), E. coli (18 ± 0.5 mm), S. typhi (19 ± 0.2 mm), and C. albicans (25 ± 0.3 mm), and MIC/MBC values notably reduced (15.62 µg/mL for B. subtilis and C. albicans). IR-treated chili oil also displayed strong dose- and time-dependent biofilm inhibition, reaching up to 95.23 ± 2.0% at 75% MBC. 5-min IR-treated chili oil reduced B. subtilis from 3.2×10⁵ to 2.1×10³ and S. aureus from 2.4×10⁵ to 2.6×10³ CFU/mL. Furthermore, antioxidant activity peaked at 5 min exposure (96.4 ± 1.91% DPPH scavenging; IC₅₀ = 5.65 ± 0.20 µg/mL), while anti-inflammatory activity was enhanced (IC₅₀ = 2.72 ± 0.14 µg/g).

Physical and mechanical properties were measured of oil-palm-based hybrid laminated veneer lumber (LVL) from pressed oil-palm wood veneer (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) combined with  jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba Miq.) or mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) veneers. Jabon and mahogany veneers were applied as the surface (face and back) and center-core of a 5-layer oil-palm-based hybrid LVL and glued with phenol-formaldehyde at a spread amount of 200 g/m². Different combinations of veneer layers were used to make oil-palm-based hybrid LVL. The hot-pressing phase occurred at 140 °C under a specific pressure of 10 kg/cm² for 7 min. All hybrid LVLs exhibited better properties than the oil-palm LVL. Specifically, the density, moisture content, horizontal shear flat, horizontal shear vertical, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, compression strength, and hardness of all hybrid LVLs were higher than those of the oil-palm LVLs, showing improvements of about 7.8 to 19.6%, 8.8 to 17.6%, 35.0 to 44.9%, 35.4 to 79.4%, 35.7 to 76.1%, 5.3 to 46.8%, 19.9 to 68.4%, and 9.6 to 56%, respectively. Their thickness swelling and water absorption decreased 10.7 to 24.7% and 2.9 to 27.7%, respectively. The oil-palm-based hybrid LVL incorporating three mahogany veneers possessed the most favorable physical and mechanical properties among other LVLs.

Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was utilized as a coupling agent to prepare composites of Populus tomentosa wood flour (WF) and poly (β-hydroxybutyrate valerate) (PHBV) through the hot-pressing process. The impacts of this coupling agent on the interfacial compatibility and physical-mechanical properties of WF/PHBV composites (WPHBVs) were analyzed and discussed by making use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results indicated that after adding MAPP, a grafting reaction would occur. This reaction improved the interfacial compatibility between Populus tomentosa WF, and PHBV boosted the thermal stability of WPHBVs. When the addition amount of MAPP was 2%, the flexural strength and elastic modulus of WPHBVs reached their maximum levels, up to 27.99 MPa and 3690.47 MPa, respectively, and the strength enhancements were all above 40%. At this stage, the cross-section of the WPHBVs exhibited a smooth surface with no visible gaps. Tight interfacial bonding between phases indicated the highest level of compatibility between Populus tomentosa WF and PHBV.

Increasing demand for bio-based fire-retardant products requires abundant agricultural waste. The nipa palm, found in Malaysian estuaries, especially Sarawak, is an important, underutilized lignocellulosic resource. This study investigates the physicochemical and fire-retardant properties of a composite made from nipa palm biomass. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) was crosslinked with citric acid and reinforced with calcium carbonate to produce the composite with the nipa particles. Microstructural and compositional analyses were performed utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), while mechanical characteristics, dimensional stability, and fire performance were rigorously investigated. The improved composite met JIS A 5908 (2003) structural particleboard standards with a modulus of rupture of 14.8 MPa, an internal bond strength of 3.88 MPa, and a modulus of elasticity of 2.9 GPa. The SEM images showed a compact, uniform cross-section with minimal voids and strong fiber-matrix adhesion. The EDX demonstrated the consistent distribution of CaCO₃ within the composite matrix. Synergistic interactions between PVOH–citric acid crosslinking and mineral filler reinforcement increased flame resistance and char formation in the limiting oxygen index fire analysis. This research showed nipa palm biomass to be a sustainable feedstock for high-performance fire-retardant particleboards. The work offers insight into eco-friendly interior binder systems.