Volume 21 Issue 1

Torrefaction is a promising technique for improving the thermochemical characteristics, including calorific value and hydrophobicity, of wood pellets. These properties of torrefied pellets are attributed to the degradation of the cell wall polymers, such as the hemicellulose structure, during the torrefaction process. This study investigated the effects of torrefaction on the chemical components of the cell wall polymers and hemicellulose structure in Japanese cedar. Wood chips were subjected to torrefaction at different temperatures (230 to 500 ºC) and characterized using various techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and liquid chromatography. The torrefied samples exhibited lower hemicellulose content (glucomannan/galacto-glucomannan (GM/GGM) and arabinoglucuronoxylan (AGX)) than the control sample. In addition, the hemicellulose content of the cell wall decreased with increasing torrefaction temperature. The GM/GGM-to-AGX ratio remarkably changed after torrefaction. As the torrefaction temperature increased, high-molecular-weight assemblies of GM/GGM and AGX shifted toward low-molecular-weight assemblies. Furthermore, the side-chain structure and molecular-weight distribution of AGX decomposed at a lower torrefaction temperature (230 °C), indicating that the AGX polymeric structure had lower thermal stability than GM/GGM. These results provide information concerning the thermal degradation of the behavior of each hemicellulose polymeric structure during the torrefaction.

To investigate the influence of reinforced fiber size on the service performance of wood-plastic composites (WPCs), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were prepared using poplar fibers of seven different sizes. Their bending and impact properties, dynamic thermal mechanical properties, and 24 h creep-24 h recovery performance were analyzed. The WPCs reinforced with 80 to 120 mesh fibers had the worst mechanical properties. The WPCs reinforced with 10 to 120 mesh fibers had the highest bending strength, reaching 28.1 MPa, while WPCs reinforced with 20 to 40 mesh fibers had the greatest bending modulus of 2.73 GPa. The WPCs with 20 to 80 mesh fibers had the highest impact strength, reaching 7.75 kJ/m². Excessively large or small fiber sizes did not benefit the mechanical properties of WPCs. As the temperature increased, the storage modulus of WPCs decreased. Additionally, as the mesh size of wood fibers increased, the loss modulus increased, while the loss tangent gradually decreased, resulting in reduced toughness and more pronounced elastic behavior. Under a 50 N load, WPCs with the mixed mesh fiber outperformed WPCs with single mesh fibers in 24 h creep performance, WPCs reinforced with 20 to 80 mesh fiber showing the best creep resistance.

Analytical and simulation models were used to investigate the formation mechanism and enhancement pathways of green supply chain resilience (GSCR) in customized home furnishing enterprises. A mixed-methods research approach was employed, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data collection. For the qualitative component, anchored in resilience theory and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, a resilience indicator system was developed that integrates both capability and risk factors, proposing 21 mechanistic hypotheses. For the quantitative component, 179 targeted questionnaires were collected, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS software for factor analysis and hypothesis testing. This was followed by a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of the case enterprise’s resilience level. Furthermore, a system dynamics model was constructed to simulate resilience development trends under four distinct scenarios. The results indicate that factors such as environmental compliance monitoring maturity and production disruption risks due to adverse events exert the most significant influence on the GSCR of customized home furnishing enterprises.

Methanol extracts (MEs) were obtained from pruning parts of some cultivated plants in Egypt, namely Mangifera indica (leaves), Moringa oleifera (seeds), Psidium guajava (leaves), and Citrus limon (branches). The chemical components present in the MEs were identified by HPLC. The cytotoxic activity of the four natural MEs was assessed for the HepG2 cell line after 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation using the sulforhodamine-B (SRB) assay. The antifungal effect was assessed against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus terreus. Based on HPLC, the MEs from M. indica leaf extract contained eugenol and ellagic acid; α-tocopherol, and p-coumaric acid in M. oleifera seeds; eugenol and caffeic acid in P. guava leaves; and ferulic acid and caffeic acid in C. limon branches. After 24 h of treatment, the EC₅₀ for cell growth was 205 µg/mL from M. indica leaf ME. At 1000 µg/mL, M. oleifera seed ME, M. indica leaf ME, and C. limon branch ME showed the greatest fungal growth inhibition (FGI) percentages against A. flavus. At 1000 and 500 µg/mL M. oleifera, M. indica at 1000 µg/mL, and M. oleifera at 250 µg/mL, MEs exhibited the highest FGI% values against A. terreus.

The biochemical compositions and bioactive properties of red seaweed species Gelidiella acerosa, Gelidiella papillosa, Kappaphycus alvarezii, Sargassum pachycarpum, and Sargassum wightii were characterized. The crude protein (13.9 ± 0.28%) and dry matter (91.4 ± 2.1%) contents were highest in K. alvarezii and G. acerosa, respectively. The ash content was high in S. pachycarpum (28.9 ± 0.22%). The highest phenolic (3.27 ± 0.019 gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry wt) and flavonoid (3.372 ± 0.002 catechin equivalents (CAE)/g dry wt) contents were detected in S. wightii. The antioxidant activity ranged from 58.5 ± 0.44 to 81.5 ± 1.1% in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values (IC₅₀ values) of the seaweed extracts ranged from 0.61 ± 0.021 mg/mL to 0.79 ± 0.027 mg/mL according to the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, which were lower than those of the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method (0.76 ± 0.027 to 1.39 ± 0.015 mg/mL). The seaweed extracts exhibited moderate acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition activity. The highest inhibition activity was observed for the K. alvarezii extract (49.3 ± 1.3%), while S. wightii presented the highest α-glucosidase (83.2 ± 1.8%) inhibition activity. The G. papillosa extract exhibited the highest a-amylase inhibition activity (57.4 ± 2.4%).

Buildings in cold climates are often exposed to extreme weather events, including heatwaves and prolonged power outages. In this study, three lightweight experimental buildings were instrumented in Québec to assess their thermal resilience. Each building featured a different wall assembly insulated with bio-based materials. The dynamic thermal behavior was analyzed during winter heating interruptions and summer heatwaves, using in situ measurements and specific performance indicators. Although all three wall systems met high thermal resistance levels, results showed that this static property alone was not able to predict thermal resilience. One building, despite having lower static performance, maintained cooler indoor temperatures during a heat wave due to a higher share of bio-based materials. This study emphasizes the importance of moving beyond static indicators and relying on real-world performance assessments to inform sustainable building design in cold regions affected by climate change.

Thymol, a natural phenolic compound with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and high antioxidant capacity, faces limitations in food preservation due to its volatility. This study developed a thymol-loaded Pickering emulsion stabilized by zein/pectin (ZP) composite colloidal particles. The effects of thymol concentration (0.5 to 2.5 wt%) on encapsulation efficiency, colloidal stability, and functional properties were investigated. The resultant functionalized paper was evaluated for cherry tomato preservation. Optimal performance was achieved at 2 wt% thymol, yielding a high encapsulation efficiency of 91.4% and superior stability. The paper demonstrated robust antimicrobial efficacy, sustained release, and a 98.2% DPPH radical scavenging efficacy. In storage trials, it significantly outperformed controls by better maintaining firmness, mitigating weight loss, and reducing the spoilage rate to 7.3% after 15 days, while most effectively preserving soluble solids content. This work demonstrates the ZP particle-stabilized, thymol-loaded Pickering emulsion-based paper as a highly effective strategy for postharvest preservation.

The fungus Aspergillus caespitosus was cultivated under solid-state fermentation (SSF) using wheat bran (WB) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as agro-industrial substrates to produce xylanase. WB supported the highest enzymatic activity (approximately 1100 U g⁻¹ dry substrate), while pretreatment of SCB with NaOH (AT-SCB) enhanced productivity to about 1500 U g⁻¹, confirming the positive effect of lignocellulosic modification. The optimal moisture ratio (1:3 water: solid) yielded approximately 2400 U g⁻¹, and supplementation with 1% NH₄NO₃ and trace salts further increased xylanase synthesis by approximately 40%. The crude extract retained more than 80% of its activity after 72 h at 50 °C, indicating good thermal stability. In kraft pulp biobleaching, treatment with WB-derived xylanase (10 U g⁻¹ pulp, 50 °C, 3 h) resulted in a 15% reduction in the kappa number and a 2.5 ISO-point increase in brightness, with no detectable cellulose degradation. These findings demonstrate that A. caespitosus efficiently produced a thermostable and selective xylanase under SSF, highlighting the potential of agro-residue valorization for developing environmentally friendly processes in the pulp and paper industry.

In an era defined by digital transformation and the pursuit of sustainability, education functions both as a reflection of societal change and as a catalyst for it. This study examines how students’ interest in topics of digital and sustainability competencies affects their self-perceived proficiency and the extent to which they attribute their competency acquisition to formal education. The research employs established frameworks for digital and sustainability competencies, along with a set of professional competencies. Data were collected from 453 final-year students enrolled in upper secondary vocational and technical education, short-cycle higher vocational education, bachelor’s, and master’s programs in wood science and technology education in Slovenia and analyzed using multiple regression models. All six competence dimensions identified through exploratory factor analysis showed significant positive effects of topic interest on self-perceived competence, with the strongest association observed for generic sustainability competencies. Topic interest also positively predicted the share of competencies students reported acquiring through formal education, with the largest effects for technical professional and generic sustainability competencies. These findings highlight topic interest as an important motivational factor shaping students’ perceptions of their digital and sustainability competencies, while the educator’s role appears especially crucial at this early stage of interest development for digital and sustainability topics.

In the context of global carbon neutrality and circular economy, this study proposes a circular furniture trading service model driven by user needs to address the underutilization of furniture waste, promote resource efficiency, and support carbon peaking and neutrality goals. Drawing on SIVA theory, circular economy principles, the Kano model, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), this study establishes a research framework to obtain, classify, and prioritize user needs through surveys, interviews, and mixed qualitative-quantitative methods. Based on these analyses, an optimized recycled furniture service system was designed to enhance information access, value perception, and the purchasing process. The Kano and AHP analyses identified price, environmental friendliness, and service convenience as core priorities. The model integrates green and information technologies to deliver a convenient, efficient, and eco-friendly service via trade-in, refurbishment, and one-stop solutions, thereby significantly enhancing user satisfaction and resource utilization efficiency. The findings provide a reference for green transformation of the furniture industry and the development of a low-carbon economy.