Volume 19 Issue 4

The objective of this study was to determine suitable tree species to monitor and reduce Sn concentrations in the environment of Düzce province in Türkiye. A further goal was to test the hypothesis that, possibly due to air transport, the uptake of Sn in tree rings would show a significant and consistent dependency on compass direction. The timber samples were from the trunks of Tilia tomentosa (linden), Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust), Cedrus atlantica (cedar), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir), and Fraxinus excelsior (European ash), which are commonly used in landscaping in Düzce province. Levels of Sn concentrations in annual rings were determined. Cedrus atlantica and F. excelsior were found to be suitable biomonitors that can be used to monitor changes in annual amounts of Sn contamination. Among the studied tree species, R. pseudoacacia had the highest average values and C. atlantica had the second-highest levels of Sn uptake. However, no consistent dependency on compass direction was found. It follows that rather than depending on the direction of prevailing winds, the uptake of metals to the xylem of trees must be due to direction-independent processes, such as transport via roots and xylem or absorption into leaves and subsequent transport via the phloem.

Macroalgae (Ulva fasciata, Gracilaria corticata, and Sargassum wightii) were collected from the marine environment and used as the substrate for lactic acid production. These macroalgae were pretreated with hydrochloric acid (0.2 to 0.4 N) for various times (20 to 60 min). Additionally, the algal hydrolysate was incubated with cellulase for 24 h at 30 ± 1 °C to achieve enzymatic saccharification. Proximate analysis of these macroalgae was performed, and the yield was high in G. corticata. The G. corticata hydrolysate was composed of 10.01 ± 0.12% ash content, 1.25 ± 0.2% total fat, 10.2 ± 0.1% crude protein, 9.2 ± 0.2% moisture content, and a higher level of total carbohydrate (69.33 ± 1.5%) than the other two macroalgae. In G. corticata, the enzymatic treatment showed the maximum reducing sugar (33.5 ± 2.3%) relative to the other macroalgal hydrolysates and was considered for optimization of lactic acid production. Lactobacillus acidophilus (MTCC447) utilized pretreated G. corticata hydrolysate (enriched with 5% yeast extract), and maximum lactic acid yield was achieved after 72 h, 30 °C incubation temperature, and 6% inoculum (1×10⁸ CFU/mL) in static culture condition. Batch fermentation was performed in the 1-L bioreactor at room temperature (30 °C) for 96 h. Lactic acid production was maximum within 72 h and the pH value was depleted. The present finding indicates that G. corticata could be used as a substrate for lactic acid production.

Zoysia japonica Steud. (zoysia grass), with its high drought, shade, and salt tolerance, it is an excellent choice for green areas. However, in regions with subtropical climates, it goes into winter dormancy with a loss of green color and functionality, which is a main barrier to its widespread use. The application of silicon and nitrogen in fall was hypothesized to enhance winter color retention of Z. japonica. This study assessed the impact of fall (late-season) nitrogen (0, 2.5, or 5.0 g/m² ammonium sulfate) and foliar silicon (0, 3, or 6 mL/L potassium silicate) applications on the winter color retention of Z. japonica grown in the field. The experiment was conducted over two consecutive growing seasons in Antalya, Türkiye. Turfgrass quality, color, chlorophyll content, shoot density, and winter dormancy were all improved by late-season nitrogen application. Overall, two sequential nitrogen applications at 5 g/m² in fall provided 65% to 100% green coverage with acceptable turfgrass quality during fall and winter, indicating the possibility of maintaining the year-round green color of Z. japonica in subtropical climates. However, the silicon treatment did not affect the winter color retention of Z. japonica. The apparent lack of a beneficial response of Z. japonica to the silicon application might be due to the dose, application methods, and silicon source.

Global climate change is one of the most critical challenges facing natural ecosystems. As sedentary organisms, plant communities are especially vulnerable, with climate change significantly impacting their development, productivity, and distribution. This study focuses on modelling and mapping the potential distribution of black pine (Pinus nigra) within the Antalya Regional Forest Directorate under the SSP1 2.6 climate scenario for the years 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100. The MaxEnt modelling method, combined with the HadGEM3-GC31-LL climate model from WorldClim, was used to assess the impact of climate change on black pine. The current distribution model results showed “good” predictive performance, with AUC values of 0.855 for training data and 0.851 for testing data. Key variables influencing the model included precipitation during the wettest quarter, annual precipitation, maximum temperature of the warmest month, and elevation. Projections indicate that the black pine’s distribution will shrink by 2040, become increasingly fragmented by 2060, and decline further by 2080, with near-total disappearance by 2100. In conclusion, this study highlights the urgent need for adaptive management strategies to address the effects of climate change on black pine forests.

The laccase activity of a low-temperature strain of Volvariella brumalis was studied using different lignocellulosic biomasses for liquid fermentation. The results showed that the laccase activity induced by wheat bran or pressed rapeseed residue was higher than the other auxiliary cultivation substrates. Compared to other primary cultivation substrates, Quercus acutissima sawdust and rice straw not only stimulated V. brumalis to produce more laccase in liquid fermentation, but also promoted better mycelial growth in solid-state fermentation. Therefore, these agricultural and forestry wastes should be prioritized as culturing materials of V. brumalis for laccase high-secretion and hyphal growth to increase production of V. brumalis.

Oak bark, which is commonly used in the wood industry, has by-products often repurposed as fuel. Its extracts are rich in compounds with anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study synthesized platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) using aqueous extracts from Quercus dalechampii (QD), Q. frainetto (QF), and Q. petraea (QP). Key factors during nanoparticle formation included reaction time, metal ion concentration, pH, extract-to-metal ion ratio, and temperature. The PtNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The average diameters were 58.5 ± 7.6 nm for QD-PtNPs, 41.6 ± 5.4 nm for QF-PtNPs, and 41 ± 5.3 nm for QP-PtNPs. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were also analyzed. The QP-PtNPs had the highest DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power), and CUPRAC (Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity) free radical scavenging activities, while QD-PtNPs excelled in ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) scavenging. All PtNPs showed strong antimicrobial properties, particularly against Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Candida krusei, and Candida auris. These findings suggest that Quercus-mediated PtNPs have significant potential for developing treatments against bacterial and fungal infections, with promising applications in medicine.

This study investigated the effects of shredded waste office paper as a raw material on the physical and mechanical properties of fiberboard. Two amounts of urea formaldehyde (UF) resin (10 and 15%) and five shredded waste office paper/wood fiber mixing ratios (0/100, 25/75, 50/50, 75/25, and 100/0) were selected. The findings showed that all characteristics of boards were improved with an increase in resin content at various wastepaper participation ratios. The 15% UF-bonded board with 100% wood fiber had the highest modulus of rupture (MOR) value, but there was no statistically significant difference between it and the board with 50% wastepaper. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) values of the 15% UF-bonded boards increased as the wastepaper participation ratio increased, and the highest was obtained from the board with 75% wastepaper. The highest internal bond (IB) strength value was also recorded from the 15% UF-bonded board with 50% wastepaper. This was due to the presence of sufficient bonding potential and smoother surfaces in the shredded wastepaper, which allowed for a synergistic interaction between the wastepaper and wood fiber.

Ornamental trees are being promoted to supplement wood for industrial applications in China. To determine the wood utilization potential of an ornamental tree species, Sorbus alnifolia, this study investigated the radial variation of anatomical characteristics of its wood cross-section. The results showed that S. alnifolia is porous with high cell wall percentage, fiber percentage, and vessel percentage, small fiber and vessel sizes, and low vessel frequency. The transition age between juvenile wood and mature wood is 7 to 11 years for vessels, 12 to 16 years for axial parenchyma, and 18 to 24 years for fibers. Mature wood exhibits a higher percentage of cell walls, thicker fiber walls, and a lower percentage of vessels than juvenile wood. This result implies that wood is easy to dry, has strong permeability, good physical and mechanical properties, and a high fiber yield.

The influence of pre-treating Kappa number of 18.0 industrial birch kraft pulp with peracetic acid (Paa) before oxygen delignification (OD) was studied relative to the pulps’ level of delignification, yield, brightness, intrinsic viscosity (IV), FS-number, tear index (TI), and the consumption of chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) in its subsequent Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) bleaching. The study showed that such pretreatment is a way to extend the delignification of such pulp quite selectively in OD based on values of IV, FS-number, and TI, and to reduce significantly the consumption of ClO₂ required to bleach this pulp to a brightness of 87%. This reduction depended on the amount of Paa used for pulp pretreatment. For example, when 0.33% and 0.66% as active oxygen (A.O.) of Paa were used, ClO₂ consumption to bleach the pulp to 87% was lowered by 15.4% and 42.3%, respectively. As high as a 61.5% reduction in ClO₂ consumption in its bleaching could be obtained using 0.66% as A.O. on pulp and change of time of OD. This result allows for a significant decrease in the chlorine passing to the filtrates from washing the pulp after the D₀ and E stages to the pulp mill wastewater treatment plant.

Appropriate seating environments and comfort during educational activities at worktables are prerequisites for educational institutions in general. In this regard, special attention should be given to children enrolling in early childhood and kindergarten education within the pertinent institutions. Many researchers have concluded that a bad posture among children can be indicative of health problems and stagnation in the education process. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the chairs and tables are suitable ergonomically for children aged 3 to 6. Also, in the study, the dimensions of children were analyzed and calculated to design ergonomic chairs and tables for this age group. The research was carried out within early childhood and kindergarten institutions in the southwest region of the Republic of Kosovo. Measurements were taken of 210 children in public and private institutions. According to (ISO 7250-1: 2017), field measurements include 12 body parts needed to determine furniture dimensions. The study’s findings indicate a significant mismatch between anthropometric measurements and the dimensions of furniture across all the institutions examined.