Volume 10 Issue 3

A response surface methodology with 2k full factorial design was applied to obtain optimum conditions for bioethanol production using coffee mucilage (CM) as the substrate and Saccharomyces cerevisiae NRRL Y-2034 as the inoculum. CM is an agro-industrial residue mainly composed of simple sugars; the product yield and productivity process were analyzed with respect to the fermentation, pH, temperature, and the initial sugar concentration. Employing the following predicted optimum operational conditions attained the highest bioethanol production: pH 5.1, temperature 32 °C, and initial sugar concentration 61.8 g/L. The estimated bioethanol production was 15.02 g/L, and the experimental production was 16.29 g/L ± 0.39 g/L, with a bioethanol yield of 0.27 g/L and a productivity process of 0.34 g/Lh. Glycerol was the predominant byproduct of the fermentative metabolism of S. cerevisiae. The response surface methodology was successfully employed to optimize CM fermentation. In the fermentative processes with yeast, optimizing the conditions of the culture medium is needed to fully exploit the potential of the strains and maximize the production of bioethanol.

Biocomposite packaging sheets made of cassava leaves (CL) and cassava starch acetate (CSA) were successfully prepared in this study, and using the surface impregnation method, the sheets were able to obtain desirable properties. The CL sheets were impregnated with CSA at various concentrations to improve the sheets’ performance. This newly developed packaging material exhibited low moisture uptake and had a viable tear index value when the CSA impregnation level was 6%. Moreover, the sheets’ properties were comparable to that of available paper or plastic sheets, having low moisture uptake, good wetting time and tear strength, smooth sheet formation, and enhanced thermal stability. Using agro-based materials from cassava plants for packaging materials could reduce the dependency on paper- and plastic-based packaging. Suitable utilization of this material includes as bag, carton and wrap.

Newly developed packaging paper made of biopulped pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) and poly(lactic acid)(PLA) was studied. PALF packaging sheets were solvent impregnated with PLA at different concentrations in order to improve their moisture barrier and mechanical performance. With the impregnation of PLA at a concentration of 4%, the packaging material exhibited a low moisture uptake and a high tear index. An electron micrograph of the sample at 4% impregnation revealed uniform and packed PLA reversed microsphere morphology. These results suggest that surface coating via biodegradable polymers, such as PLA, may be utilized for manufacturing packaging materials in industrial applications. This new packaging material could reduce the dependency on wood-based paper and plastic-based packaging.

This work aimed at improving the hydrolysis and fermentation processes of rice straw through different ammonia-based pretreatments to aid in bioethanol production. For this purpose, pretreatment was performed at 70 °C for 12 h, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis at 50 °C for 24 h and 72 h using 15 FPU cellulase and 30 CBU cellobiase. The best hydrolysis yield, based on the production yield and rate, for the 24-h digestion period was samples that had been soaked in methanolic aqueous ammonia (SMAA), with 72% of the theoretical maximum. However, for the 72-h digestion period, soaking in ethanolic aqueous ammonia (SEAA) was the best method, with 88% yield. In the case of ethanol production after 24 h, the SMAA pretreatment and SSF resulted in the highest yield at 72%. However, after 72 h of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), SMAA-pretreated rice straw showed a yield of 85%, while the SEAA-pretreated sample resulted in a noteworthy yield of 89% of the theoretical maximum. However, with regard to the production yield and rate and pretreatment cost, the best method for ethanol production was judged to be the SMAA with 5% methanol, particularly after 24 h of SSF.

The properties of phosphorylated kraft fibers, including their flame retardancy and behavior in water, such as electrical charge and swelling capacity, were investigated in this study. Two different phosphorus contents and three forms of phosphorylated fibers (ammonium, acid, and sodium) were analyzed. All types of phosphorylated fibers exhibited high char formation and limiting oxygen index (LOI) values, indicating good flame retardancy. In particular, the ammonium form exhibited the best flame retardancy behavior and the highest LOI value. The charge density and swelling capacity of the kraft fibers were significantly increased by phosphorylation. Alkaline treatment following the phosphorylation reaction further increased the water retention value (WRV) and surface charge of the kraft fibers. Compared to unmodified kraft fibers, the phosphorylated fibers had lower absolute values of the negative zeta potentials, and these values were less affected by conductivity.

In this work, biomorphic ceramics were produced from various rattan templates, and sol infiltration was used with vacuum/positive pressure technology. Finally, the samples were sintered to form TiO2 ceramics with a rattan microstructure. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric (TG) data, dimensional variation analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of biomorphic ceramics, the results of this experiment showed that the times of sol-gel infiltration were decreased due to use of the vacuum/positive pressure technology. In order to further supply the TiO2 content and fill the pyrolysis gaps in the charcoal/TiO2 composites sintered at 800 °C, it was necessary to repeat the sol-gel process. In the transverse section, ceramics for the rattan templates without the rattan edge, more perfect biomorphic features were achieved. Conversely, deformations occurred along the transverse section of the ceramics for the templates made with the rattan edge. Meanwhile, the fracture phenomenon took place along the ceramic axial section. The main reason for deformation and fracture was that the anisotropic structure of the template was stressed during the sintering process. Furthermore, the micrometer-sized pores were found in the ceramics along the axial section because of the removal of the charcoal templates.

In this study, spruce sapwood was administered an alkaline enzyme treatment to improve the flow of wood liquid so that more preservative chemicals could be injected. Spruce wood is recognised as a refractory wood species. Pit membranes play an important role in liquid flow. In this study, an alkaline pectinase enzyme was applied to remove the pectin layer on the torus of the pits and margo. After enzymatic treatment, the pectin layers on the pit membrane were removed. When samples were investigated by both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), it was evident that pit membranes were destroyed and the permeability increased. In addition, no noteworthy weight loss was observed.

An empirical analysis was undertaken to quantify the utilization of the primary, first-generation agriculture and forestry feedstocks within the industrial bioeconomy. Institutional policies and incentives, and their role in driving the bioeconomy are also explored. In doing so, we present a detailed analysis of global agricultural and roundwood forestry production, including both intermediate and final uses. In addition to deciphering the internal flows of commodities within the bioeconomy, we present the spatial distribution of key industrial bioeconomy feedstock crops and their influence within the global economy, including flows in exportation and importation across ten geographical regions. Finally, along with the many advantages for industrial biofeedstocks, there are also environmental trade-offs. The results from this examination will equip researchers, industries, and governments with a superior ability to address the multi-dimensional feedbacks and synergies of the bioeconomy, as well as predict potential areas of risk and those that may prosper from future production increases.

An effective and rapid drying stress relieving technique was developed using microwave conditioning. The process was analyzed by measuring the stress factor and moisture content gradient through the thickness of the board. The experiments showed that the drying quality of E. urophylla x E. tereticornis was improved after microwave conditioning during the wood drying process. The drying stress relaxation increased with the duration of the microwave radiation. Stress and moisture content gradient through the thickness of the board were compared and are discussed in this report.

The suitability of dried mango peel as substrate for biobutanol production was investigated. The amount of mango waste generated can be very high; it has been recorded as high as 30% to 50% of the total weight of the fruit. The utilization of this waste is both a necessity and a challenge. Dried mango peel contains 30 ± 2.5% (w/w) of reducing sugars. Fermentation of mango peel extract by Clostridium acetobutylicum 2878 yielded 10.5 ± 0.4 g/L of butanol. The fermentation process was completed in seven days. Nutrients such as yeast extract, peptone, and beef extract were tested for supplementation of the mango peel medium. It was observed that nutrient supplementation improved both the rate and butanol production significantly, up to 13.3 ± 1.0 g/L of butanol. Scaling up studies using a bioreactor, with optimized mango peel extract medium and fermentation conditions, further improved the butanol production (15.42 ± 1.3 g/L). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the utilization of mango peel for butanol production.