Volume 20 Issue 3

This article examines the effect of digestate from biogas plants, as well as its combinations with biochar and zeolite, on soil properties, sorghum yield, and heavy metal accumulation. The experiment was carried out in an experimental field in Czeslawice (Poland). The results showed that the incorporation of digestate increased the organic matter content, improved the availability of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), and improved the soil pH. The addition of biochar was demonstrated to support the stabilization of nutrients and limit the bioavailability of heavy metals. In contrast, zeolite has been observed to enhance the mineral content of the soil, although it has also been noted that this can result in an increase in sodium and heavy metal content. The highest sorghum biomass production was obtained in soils with digestate from biogas plants and biochar, while the addition of zeolite reduced the yield. Therefore, the study confirmed that natural additives have different effects on the soil. The utilization of waste material in agriculture requires monitoring of soil quality and the judicious selection of organic waste additives. The results indicate the potential of these additives to promote sustainable agriculture and the circular economy.

During their usage, caustic magnesite composites are susceptible to aggressive microbial action. This paper investigated the resistance of wood-filled caustic magnesite composites in a standard filamentous fungi medium. Caustic magnesite composites based on caustic magnesite, filled with wood sawdust from lime, ash, pine, and aspen trees were studied. The compositions were cured using magnesium chloride. The findings showed that composites filled with fine-fraction wood powders exhibited improved strength and resistance properties of caustic magnesite. If this requirement is met, then optimal conditions are created for the formation of an improved matrix in composites with filler and film phase. Tests in the standard medium showed that wood-filled caustic magnesite composites were fungistatic, but not fungicidal. This means that in case of external contamination, wood-filled caustic magnesite composites are susceptible to biodegradation. Tests demonstrated that exposure to the standard fungal medium resulted in an increased mass content and decreased strength of the samples.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sawdust on the growth, aesthetic quality, photosynthetic pigments, and nutrient uptake of Lavandula officinalis, a widely cultivated medicinal and ornamental plant in Türkiye. Eleven growth media were formulated by mixing peat and perlite with sawdust at concentrations ranging from 5% to 50% (v/v). The results demonstrated that the 25% sawdust treatment significantly enhanced plant height, crown width, fresh weight, and visual appearance. Photosynthetic pigment concentrations (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids) were also optimized at this level, while higher sawdust proportions (≥ 40%) led to notable declines. Contrary to expectations, total nitrogen content increased with sawdust levels, possibly due to nitrogen-rich tissues in the sawdust and enhanced microbial mineralization. Calcium content peaked at 25%, whereas micronutrients such as iron, copper, and zinc decreased with higher sawdust ratios. The findings suggest that Scots pine sawdust, when applied at moderate levels, can serve as a sustainable substrate component in lavender cultivation. This is the first study to systematically assess Scots pine sawdust in lavender growing media, contributing to the development of resource-efficient and environmentally friendly horticultural practices.

The characteristics of vascular bundles vary significantly across different heights in bamboo. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of vascular bundles is crucial for the identification and efficient utilization of bamboo materials. In this work, the structure and type of vascular bundles in Thyrsostachys oliveri at different heights were investigated. The results revealed substantial differences in the types of vascular bundles in T. oliveri at various heights within the bamboo. The radial diameter exhibited no significant differences in the radial variation of fiber sheath area at different heights, whereas the tangential diameter showed differences in the radial variation between the upper and lower middle parts of the bamboo. This study provides insights into the structural variations of vascular bundles in T. oliveri at different heights, which are beneficial for optimizing the use of bamboo materials in various applications.

The effects of adding defatted soybean flour (SF) at different stages of the “alkali-acid-alkali” process were studied relative to the viscosity, impact toughness, bonding strength, and water resistance of melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resin. The results showed that the influence of SF on the strength properties and water resistance of the resin exhibited distinct stage-specific and dosage-dependent characteristics. In the first stage, an appropriate amount of SF (4% to 6%) significantly improved the resin’s viscosity, impact toughness, and bonding strength, demonstrating good toughening and strengthening effects. In the second stage, the addition of SF led to more complex and somewhat unstable effects on viscosity and impact toughness. In the third stage, a moderate amount of SF (2% to 6%) evidently enhanced bonding strength, but high dosages (8% and 10%) resulted in a decrease in water resistance and impact toughness.

Wood’s hygroscopic nature limits its outdoor applications. Technologies such as wood polyesterification, involving the in situ reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acids, densify the wood cell wall and potentially reduce hydroxyl group activity. Whey ultrafiltration permeate, a co-product of whey protein purification, which is rich in lactose, can be a source of OH groups for wood modification. This study explores lactose’s reactivity with biobased carboxylic acids and evaluates the resulting wood properties post-modification. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed that lactose reacts with carboxylic acids when heated above the melting point, and the Maillard reaction and caramelization may occur due to whey ultrafiltration permeate’s non-protein nitrogen substances and acidic medium combined with high temperatures. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy analysis verified that lactose and malic acid react within trembling aspen sawdust, significantly reducing moisture absorption and enhancing thermal stability. This study proposes a novel valorization of whey ultrafiltration permeate and a simple process for improving wood properties.

Ruminants are significant contributors to methane (CH₄) emissions due to methanogenesis by their gut microbiomes. The enzyme methyl coenzyme M reductase (MCR) is crucial for this process in rumen archaea. Targeting MCR via computational tools has emerged as a novel approach to reduce CH₄ emissions in ruminants by inhibiting methanogenesis. This study focused on evaluating wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) compounds as potential MCR inhibitors using in silico methods. Initially, 21 wheatgrass compounds were selected, and their drug-likeness traits were assessed using Lipinski’s rule of five. Five compounds, namely 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine, Caryophyllene oxide, Caryophyllene, N,N-tetramethylene-.alpha.-(aminomethylene) glutaconic anhydride, and n-hexadecanoic acid met all criteria. These compounds were further analysed for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties using the Swiss ADME tool, confirming their drug-likeness traits with no Lipinski’s violation. Molecular docking analysis was performed using the CB-Dock2 tool to assess binding interactions with MCR. The compounds showed binding affinities in the following order: N,N-tetramethylene-.alpha.-(aminomethylene) glutaconic anhydride (-7.3 kcal/mol) > Caryophyllene (-6.8 kcal/mol) > Caryophyllene oxide (-6.7 kcal/mol) > n-hexadecanoic acid (-6.3 kcal/mol) > 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine (-6.0 kcal/mol). These findings suggest that the selected wheatgrass compounds have potential as anti-methanogenic agents, positioning them as promising MCR inhibitors for mitigating CH₄ emissions in ruminants.

This research aimed to provide a comprehensive model to identify the factors that affect growth in production within the wooden furniture industry in the post-corona era. A mixed research method was used, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. The statistical population consisted of experts and academics, with the effective factors being explored through interviews. In the qualitative section, through thematic analysis and the use of MAXQDA software, 10 themes were identified after 10 interviews. To determine the final indicators, a researcher-made questionnaire was distributed to five experts, resulting in the presentation of the conceptual model. In the quantitative section, 120 individuals were selected (112 responded). The questionnaire, including the final indicators, was then distributed to them. In this section, the SEM method and Smart-Pls software were used for factor analysis. The results indicated that factors such as the political environment, supply chain, and improvement of the business climate had the greatest impact on production growth. A significant relationship was found between factors influencing technological developments, productivity, procedural modifications, monetary policies, financial policies, rules and regulations, political environment, administrative bureaucracy, improvement of the business climate, supply chain, and production growth in the wooden furniture industry in Iran during the post-corona era.

The addition of graphene oxide promotes electron transfer between microorganisms in a photo-fermentative biohydrogen production system, while biochar improves the efficiency of hydrogen production by buffering the pH. In order to improve the efficiency of biohydrogen production, the effects of two redox mediators (ROMs), biochar and graphene oxide, at different concentrations on photo-fermentation biohydrogen production were studied. The results showed that the addition of graphene oxide and biochar decreased the redox potential (ORP) of the system. The lowest ORP was -286 mV (graphene oxide) and -290 mV (biochar), which represent that the reducing power of fermentation broth increased. When the addition of graphene oxide was 150 mg/L, the cumulative biohydrogen production reached the maximum of 404 mL, which was 46.3% higher than that of the control group without graphene oxide; When biochar was added at 1 g/L, the cumulative biohydrogen production reached the maximum of 383 mL, which was 45.9% higher than that of the control group. At the same time, the cumulative biohydrogen production was fitted by Gompertz equation, indicating that the kinetic parameters were very suitable to describe the effect of the addition of graphene oxide and biochar on the biohydrogen production from corn stalks by photo-fermentation.

A shape-stabilized lauric acid-activated carbon composite was prepared using a one-step impregnation method. Activated carbon (AC) was produced from different wood waste (Scots pine (Pi) and poplar (Pop)), and lauric acid (LA) was used as a phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage. Wood waste from Scots pine and poplar was activated with phosphoric acid (A) and zinc chloride (S) at 600 °C for 90 min to produce AC. The AC was examined by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and the properties of the LA/AC composites were investigated by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscope (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TG), and thermal conductivity. The BET surface area of the produced AC was 1050, 1130, 625 m²/g, and 746 m²/g for PiA, PiS, PopA, PopS, respectively. The porous structure of AC reduced the leaching of LA during phase change. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a latent heat capacity of 29 J/g and a melting temperature of 48.9 °C for the LA/AC composite. The DSC results indicated that the composites exhibited the same phase change characteristics as those of the LA and their latent heats decreased. The TG results indicated that the AC could improve the thermal stability of the composites. Thermal conductivity decreased by 7.48% in PiA-PCM samples but increased by 6.86% in the PopS-PCM by AC.