Influence of alkaline hydrothermal pretreatment on shrub wood Tamarix ramosissima: Characteristics of degraded lignin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, Ling-Ping; Bai, Yuan-Yuan; Shi, Zheng-Jun; Lu, Qiang; Sun, Run-Cang

2014-01-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of alkaline hydrothermal (AH) pretreatment on the physicochemical properties of the degraded lignins, attempt to upgrade the potential of lignin for value-added chemicals and fuel production. For this purpose, shrub wood Tamarix ramosissima lignin was fractionated using a two-stage process based on an AH pretreatment followed by an alkaline ethanol post-treatment. The recovered lignin fractions were investigated by comparison with milled wood lignin (MWL) in terms of fractionation yield, carbohydrate composition, gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 13 C and 2D heteronuclear single quantum correlation nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The result showed that AH pretreatment led to the degradation of β-O-4 linkages and consequently the increased severity caused a release of more S-units lignin fractions with molecular weights between 1300 and 2500 g/mol in the liquid but higher molecular weights (3000–4400 g/mol) in the residues. Moreover, it was found that the lignin syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G) ratios from analytical pyrolysis slightly changed after AH pretreatment (S/G, 1.8–2.3) but higher than those of MWL (S/G, 1.7). Overall, the present study demonstrates that these lignins dissolved during AH pretreatment and those recovered from the solid residues isolated with alkaline ethanol post-treatment could be profitably exploited as feedstock in integrated forest biorefineries, rather than traditional use as low-value energy sources.- Highlights: • Alkaline hydrothermal pretreatment and alkaline ethanol post-treatment were proposed. • The influence of AH pretreatment on the lignin structural changes was characterized. • Aryl-O-ether linkages of lignin were extensively cleaved. • Lignin recovered from solid residue is a potential resource for the production of value-added chemicals

Biomass pretreatment affects Ustilago maydis in producing itaconic acid

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Klement Tobias

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the last years, the biotechnological production of platform chemicals for fuel components has become a major focus of interest. Although ligno-cellulosic material is considered as suitable feedstock, the almost inevitable pretreatment of this recalcitrant material may interfere with the subsequent fermentation steps. In this study, the fungus Ustilago maydis was used to produce itaconic acid as platform chemical for the synthesis of potential biofuels such as 3-methyltetrahydrofuran. No studies, however, have investigated how pretreatment of ligno-cellulosic biomass precisely influences the subsequent fermentation by U. maydis. Thus, this current study aims to first characterize U. maydis in shake flasks and then to evaluate the influence of three exemplary pretreatment methods on the cultivation and itaconic acid production of this fungus. Cellulose enzymatically hydrolysed in seawater and salt-assisted organic-acid catalysed cellulose were investigated as substrates. Lastly, hydrolysed hemicellulose from fractionated beech wood was applied as substrate. Results U. maydis was characterized on shake flask level regarding its itaconic acid production on glucose. Nitrogen limitation was shown to be a crucial condition for the production of itaconic acid. For itaconic acid concentrations above 25 g/L, a significant product inhibition was observed. Performing experiments that simulated influences of possible pretreatment methods, U. maydis was only slightly affected by high osmolarities up to 3.5 osmol/L as well as of 0.1 M oxalic acid. The production of itaconic acid was achieved on pretreated cellulose in seawater and on the hydrolysed hemicellulosic fraction of pretreated beech wood. Conclusion The fungus U. maydis is a promising producer of itaconic acid, since it grows as single cells (yeast-like in submerged cultivations and it is extremely robust in high osmotic media and real seawater. Moreover, U. maydis can grow on

Modification of Bi:YIG film properties by substrate surface ion pre-treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaposhnikov, A.N.; Prokopov, A.R.; Karavainikov, A.V.; Berzhansky, V.N.; Mikhailova, T.V.; Kotov, V.A.; Balabanov, D.E.; Sharay, I.V.; Salyuk, O.Y.; Vasiliev, M.; Golub, V.O.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Effects of substrates ion beam treatment on magnetoptical properties Bi:YIG films. • Substrate surface damage results in sign inversion of the magneto-optical effects. • Atomically smooth films growth takes place on low energy ions treated substrates. • High energy ions treatment results in selective nucleation mechanism of the growth. - Abstract: The effect of a controlled ion beam pre-treatment of (1 1 1)-oriented Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 substrates on the magneto-optical properties and surface morphology of the ultrathin bismuth-substituted yttrium–iron garnet films with a composition Bi 2.8 Y 0.2 Fe 5 O 12 was studied. It has been shown that the observed sign inversion of magneto-optical effects (Faraday rotation and magnetic circular dichroism) observed in films that were deposited on the GGG substrate pre-treated by 1 keV and 4 keV Ar + ion beams is a result of the substrate surface amorphization caused by the ion bombardment

Optimization of the enzyme system for hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulose substrates; Optimering av enzymsystemet foer hydrolys av foerbehandlade lignocellulosa substrat

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tjerneld, Folke [Lund univ., (Sweden). Dept. of Biochemistry

2000-06-01

This project aims to clarify the reasons for the slow and incomplete enzymatic hydrolysis of certain lignocellulose substrates, particularly softwood e.g. spruce. Based on this knowledge we will optimize the enzyme system so that the yield of fermentable sugars is increased as well as the rate of hydrolysis. We will also study methods for recycling of the enzymes in the process by adsorption on fresh substrate. Progress in these areas will lead to improved process economy in an ethanol process. We collaborate with Chemical Engineering on hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulose substrates and with Analytical Chemistry and Applied Microbiology on analysis of potential inhibitors. Within this main research direction the work at Biochemistry during this project period (since 970701) has been focused on the following areas: (1) Studies of the role of substrate properties in the enzymatic hydrolysis to clarify the reasons for the decrease in the rate of hydrolysis; (2) enzyme adsorption on lignin; (3) studies of recently identified low molecular weight endo glucanases which may be used for more effective penetration of small pores in pretreated substrates (this part is financed by the Nordic Energy Research Program). Central results during the period: In order to study the role of substrate properties for hydrolysis we have initiated investigations on steam pretreated substrates with several techniques. Measurements of pore sizes have been done with probe molecules of known molecular weights. Results show that probe molecules with diameters larger than 50 Aangstroem can more easily penetrate pretreated willow compared with spruce, which can be a part of the explanation for the better hydrolysability of hardwood substrates compared with softwood. We have started studies with electron microscopy of pretreated substrates at different degrees of enzymatic hydrolysis. With scanning electron microscopy (SEM) we can see significant differences in substrate structure in

Analytical Approaches to Understanding the Role of Non-carbohydrate Components in Wood Biorefinery

Science.gov (United States)

Leskinen, Timo Ensio

This dissertation describes the production and analysis of wood subjected to a novel electron beam-steam explosion pretreatment (EB-SE) pretreatment with the aim to evaluate its suitability for the production of bioethanol. The goal of these studies was to: 1) develop analytical methods for the investigation of depolymerization of wood components under pretreatments, 2) analyze the effects of EB-SE pretreatment on the pretreated biomass, 3) define how lignin and extractive components affect the action of enzymes on cellulosic substrates, and 4) examine how changes in lignin structure impact its isolation and potential conversion into value added chemicals. The first section of the work describes the development of a size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) methodology for molecular weight analysis for native and pretreated wood. The selective analysis of carbohydrates and lignin from native wood was made possible by the combination of two selective derivatization methods, ionic liquid assisted benzoylation of the carbohydrate fraction and acetobromination of the lignin in acetic acid media. This method was then used to examine changes in softwood samples after the EB-SE pretreatment. The methodology was shown to be effective for monitoring changes in the molecular weight profiles of the pretreated wood. The second section of the work investigates synergistic effects of the EB-SE pretreatment on the molecular level structures of wood components and the significance of these alterations in terms of enzymatic digestibility. The two pretreatment steps depolymerized cell wall components in different fashion, while showing synergistic effects. Hardwood and softwood species responded differently to similar treatment conditions, which was attributed to the well-known differences in the structure of their lignin and hemicellulose fractions. The relatively crosslinked lignin in softwood appeared to limit swelling and subsequent depolymerization in comparison to hardwood

Mildew and mildew control for wood surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Steve Bussjaeger; George Daisey; R. Simmons; Saul Spindel; Sam Williams

1999-01-01

Mildew growth is an ongoing problem. Fungal spores land on surface and, under the environmental conditions, grow. Ideal conditions are warm, moist climates, oxygen, and a substrate that serves as a nutrient source for mildew. Mildew growth on finishes cause discoloration and premature failure of the finish. Prevention of mildew can be done by pretreating the wood with...

Effect of oxalic acid pretreatment of wood chips on manufacturing medium-density fiberboard

Science.gov (United States)

Xianjun Li; Zhiyong Cai; Eric Horn; Jerrold E. Winandy

2011-01-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oxalic acid (OA) wood chips pretreatment prior to refining, which is done to reduce energy used during the refining process. Selected mechanical and physical performances of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) – internal bonding (IB), modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), water absorption (WA)...

Incorporation of metal nanoparticles into wood substrate and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Rector, Kirk D; Lucas, Marcel

2015-11-04

Metal nanoparticles were incorporated into wood. Ionic liquids were used to expand the wood cell wall structure for nanoparticle incorporation into the cell wall structure. Nanoparticles of elemental gold or silver were found to be effective surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) imaging contrast or sensing agents. Nanoparticles of elemental iron were found to be efficient microwave absorbers and caused localized heating for disrupting the integrity of the lignocellulosic matrix. Controls suggest that the localized heating around the iron nanoparticles reduces losses of cellulose in the form of water, volatiles and CO.sub.2. The ionic liquid is needed during the incorporation process at room temperature. The use of small amounts of ionic liquid combined with the absence of an ionic liquid purification step and a lower energy and water use are expected to reduce costs in an up-scaled pretreatment process.

Modification of Bi:YIG film properties by substrate surface ion pre-treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaposhnikov, A.N.; Prokopov, A.R.; Karavainikov, A.V.; Berzhansky, V.N.; Mikhailova, T.V. [Taurida National V.I. Vernadsky University, Vernadsky Avenue, 4, Simferopol, 95007 (Ukraine); Kotov, V.A. [V.A. Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, RAS, 11 Mohovaya Street, Moscow, 125009 (Russian Federation); Balabanov, D.E. [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700 (Russian Federation); Sharay, I.V.; Salyuk, O.Y. [Institute of Magnetism, NAS of Ukraine, 03142, Kiev (Ukraine); Vasiliev, M. [Electron Science Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup 6027 (Australia); Golub, V.O., E-mail: v_o_golub@yahoo.com [Institute of Magnetism, NAS of Ukraine, 03142, Kiev (Ukraine)

2014-07-01

Highlights: • Effects of substrates ion beam treatment on magnetoptical properties Bi:YIG films. • Substrate surface damage results in sign inversion of the magneto-optical effects. • Atomically smooth films growth takes place on low energy ions treated substrates. • High energy ions treatment results in selective nucleation mechanism of the growth. - Abstract: The effect of a controlled ion beam pre-treatment of (1 1 1)-oriented Gd{sub 3}Ga{sub 5}O{sub 12} substrates on the magneto-optical properties and surface morphology of the ultrathin bismuth-substituted yttrium–iron garnet films with a composition Bi{sub 2.8}Y{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} was studied. It has been shown that the observed sign inversion of magneto-optical effects (Faraday rotation and magnetic circular dichroism) observed in films that were deposited on the GGG substrate pre-treated by 1 keV and 4 keV Ar{sup +} ion beams is a result of the substrate surface amorphization caused by the ion bombardment.

Superhydrophobic coatings on wood substrate for self-cleaning and EMI shielding

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yingjie; Xue, Yaping; Song, Jinlong; Sun, Yankui; Huang, Liu; Liu, Xin; Sun, Jing

2018-04-01

A layer of superhydrophobic coating having good electromagnetic shielding and self-cleaning performance was fabricated on a wood surface through an electroless copper plated process. The superhydrophobic property of the wood surface was measured by contact angle (CA) and roll-off angle (RA) measurements. The microstructure and chemical composition of the superhydrophobic coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analysis revealed that the microscale particles were uniformly distributed on the wood surface and the main component of the coating is metallic copper. The as-prepared Cu coatings on wood substrate exhibit a good superhydrophobicity with water contact angle about 160° and rolling angle less than 5°.

Effects of substrate pretreatments on diamond synthesis for Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} based ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shibuya, Y. [Prefectural Industrial Research Inst., Shizuoka (Japan); Takaya, M. [Chiba Institute of Technology, Tsudanuma 2-chome, Narashino-shi, 275 (Japan)

1998-07-08

Diamond synthesis for Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} ceramics after various substrate pretreatments has been carried out by the microwave-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using a mixture of methane and hydrogen gases. Four types of pretreatments for various substrates were performed as follows: scratching with diamond powder (I), applying O{sub 2}-C{sub 2}H{sub 2} combustion flames (II), polishing with alumina (III), and platinum vapor deposition (IV). The products deposited on the substrate were examined with micro-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). It was found that the application of O{sub 2}-C{sub 2}H{sub 2} flames as a pretreatment of the substrate in diamond synthesis was suitable, because a higher density of diamond nucleation could be obtained, and a film-like diamond could be formed on the surface in a shorter time than without applying them. The diamond could be synthesized on the surface for all four types of substrate pretreatments performed in the present study. The effects of the substrate pretreatments on the surface morphology of grown diamond were that a film-like diamond for (I) or (II), a particle-like diamond for (III) and a particle and/or a film-like diamond for (IV) were formed on the surface. The surface morphology of grown diamond depended very much on the substrate temperature under deposition. (orig.) 18 refs.

Effects of SPORL and dilute acid pretreatment on substrate morphology, cell physical and chemical wall structures, and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of lodgepole pine.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xinping; Luo, Xiaolin; Li, Kecheng; Zhu, J Y; Fougere, J Dennis; Clarke, Kimberley

2012-11-01

The effects of pretreatment by dilute acid and sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) on substrate morphology, cell wall physical and chemical structures, along with the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of lodgepole pine substrate were investigated. FE-SEM and TEM images of substrate structural morphological changes showed that SPORL pretreatment resulted in fiber separation, where SPORL high pH (4.2) pretreatment exhibited better fiber separation than SPORL low pH (1.9) pretreatment. Dilute acid pretreatment produced very poor fiber separation, consisting mostly of fiber bundles. The removal of almost all hemicelluloses in the dilute acid pretreated substrate did not overcome recalcitrance to achieve a high cellulose conversion when lignin removal was limited. SPORL high pH pretreatment removed more lignin but less hemicellulose, while SPORL low pH pretreatment removed about the same amount of lignin and hemicelluloses in lodgepole pine substrates when compared with dilute acid pretreatment. Substrates pretreated with either SPORL process had a much higher cellulose conversion than those produced with dilute acid pretreatment. Lignin removal in addition to removal of hemicellulose in SPORL pretreatment plays an important role in improving the cellulose hydrolysis of the substrate.

Cellulose accessibility limits the effectiveness of minimum cellulase loading on the efficient hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saddler Jack N

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract A range of lignocellulosic feedstocks (including agricultural, softwood and hardwood substrates were pretreated with either sulfur dioxide-catalyzed steam or an ethanol organosolv procedure to try to establish a reliable assessment of the factors governing the minimum protein loading that could be used to achieve efficient hydrolysis. A statistical design approach was first used to define what might constitute the minimum protein loading (cellulases and β-glucosidase that could be used to achieve efficient saccharification (defined as at least 70% glucan conversion of the pretreated substrates after 72 hours of hydrolysis. The likely substrate factors that limit cellulose availability/accessibility were assessed, and then compared with the optimized minimum amounts of protein used to obtain effective hydrolysis. The optimized minimum protein loadings to achieve efficient hydrolysis of seven pretreated substrates ranged between 18 and 63 mg protein per gram of glucan. Within the similarly pretreated group of lignocellulosic feedstocks, the agricultural residues (corn stover and corn fiber required significantly lower protein loadings to achieve efficient hydrolysis than did the pretreated woody biomass (poplar, douglas fir and lodgepole pine. Regardless of the substantial differences in the source, structure and chemical composition of the feedstocks, and the difference in the pretreatment technology used, the protein loading required to achieve efficient hydrolysis of lignocellulosic substrates was strongly dependent on the accessibility of the cellulosic component of each of the substrates. We found that cellulose-rich substrates with highly accessible cellulose, as assessed by the Simons' stain method, required a lower protein loading per gram of glucan to obtain efficient hydrolysis compared with substrates containing less accessible cellulose. These results suggest that the rate-limiting step during hydrolysis is not the catalytic

Seedling Regeneration in the Alpine Treeline Ecotone: Comparison of Wood Microsites and Adjacent Soil Substrates

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Adelaide Chapman Johnson

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Although climate warming is generally expected to facilitate upward advance of forests, conifer seedling regeneration and survival may be hindered by low substrate moisture, high radiation, and both low and high snow accumulation. To better understand substrate-related factors promoting regeneration in the alpine treeline ecotone, this study compared 2 substrates supporting conifer seedlings: rotten downed wood and adjacent soil. Study locations, each with 3 levels of incoming radiation, were randomly selected at forest line–alpine meadow borders in Pacific Northwest wilderness areas extending along an east–west precipitation gradient. Associations among substrate type, seedling density, radiation, site moisture, site temperature, plant water potential, and plant stomatal conductance were assessed. Wood microsites, flush with the ground and supporting Abies spp conifer seedlings, extended up to 20 m into alpine meadows from the forest line. Although wood microsites thawed later in the spring and froze earlier in the fall, they had warmer summer temperatures, greater volumetric water content, and more growing degree hours, and seedlings growing on wood had higher water potentials than seedlings growing on adjacent soil. At drier eastern sites, there was a positive relationship between seedling density and volumetric water content. Further, there was a positive relationship between seedling stomatal conductance and volumetric water content. Our study indicates that in the Pacific Northwest. and likely elsewhere, seedlings benefit from wood microsites, which provide greater water content. Given predictions of increased summer drought in some locations globally, wood microsites at forest line–alpine meadows and forest line–grasslands borders may become increasingly important for successful conifer regeneration.

Xylanase supplementation on enzymatic saccharification of dilute acid pretreated poplars at different severities

Science.gov (United States)

Chao Zhang; Xinshu Zhuang; Zhao Jiang Wang; Fred Matt; Franz St. John; J.Y. Zhu

2013-01-01

Three pairs of solid substrates from dilute acid pretreatment of two poplar wood samples were enzymatically hydrolyzed by cellulase preparations supplemented with xylanase. Supplementation of xylanase improved cellulose saccharification perhaps due to improved cellulose accessibility by xylan hydrolysis. Total xylan removal directly affected enzymatic cellulose...

Enzymatic pretreatment of wood chips for energy reductions in TMP production. A method for ranking of enzymes; Enzymatisk foerbehandling av flis foer energibesparing vid TMP tillverkning. Metod foer rankning av enzymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viforr, Silvia

2010-11-15

The production of thermomechanical pulp (TMP) demands high levels of energy. This, together with current expensive energy prices of nowadays results in significant costs, which is the reason why there is a demand for processes that require less energy. One way of reducing energy consumption in TMP refining could be to pretreat the wood chips with enzymes before the subsequent refining step. However, enzymes molecules are relatively large, which limits the impregnation process, and so the pores in the fibre walls are not large enough to fit the size of the enzymes. By mechanically pretreating wood chips in a screw feeder and press equipment, this opens the wood structure significantly which increases enzyme penetration. If enzymes are used for reducing energy consumption in TMP processes, it is necessary to optimise the enzymatic effect during the pretreatment of wood chips. It is very expensive to evaluate completely the effect of enzymes in large scale refining. Thus there is a need for other relevant methods for rapidly and effectively evaluating the energy saving effects when it comes to refining enzymatic pretreated wood chips. The aim of this project was to find a method for ranking of enzymes for pretreatment of chips for energy savings at TMP production. This method was to be independent of the type of enzyme used and of the type of pretreated wood chips involved. In order to asses the method for ranking enzymes being used in the pretreatment of chips to reduce energy input during refining, a comparison between the method and a mill trial was carried out in the mill trial. A known chemical pretreatment was used; here it was sulphonation of the wood chips before refining with low sulphite levels. Further, a laboratory wing refiner was used as an evaluation equipment. The trial started with the running conditions for a wing refiner that the best correspond with industrial refining. An evaluation was made on the effect of enzymatic pretreatment on energy

Preparation and Characterization of Epoxy Resin Cross-Linked with High Wood Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Substitution by Acetone Pretreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Liu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The use of cost effective solvents may be necessary to store wood pyrolysis bio-oil in order to stabilize and control its viscosity, but this part of the production system has not been explored. Conversely, any rise in viscosity during storage, that would occur without a solvent, will add variance to the production system and render it cost ineffective. The purpose of this study was to modify bio-oil with a common solvent and then react the bio-oil with an epoxy for bonding of wood without any loss in properties. The acetone pretreatment of the bio-oil/epoxy mixture was found to improve the cross-linking potential and substitution rate based on its mechanical, chemical, and thermal properties. Specifically, the bio-oil was blended with epoxy resin at weight ratios ranging from 2:1 to 1:5 and were then cured. A higher bio-oil substitution rate was found to lower the shear bond strength of the bio-oil/epoxy resins. However, when an acetone pretreatment was used, it was possible to replace the bio-oil by as much as 50% while satisfying usage requirements. Extraction of the bio-oil/epoxy mixture with four different solvents demonstrated an improvement in cross-linking after acetone pretreatment. ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed that the polymer achieved a higher cross-linked structure. DSC and TGA curves showed improved thermal stability with the addition of the acetone pretreatment. UV-Vis characterization showed that some functional groups of the bio-oil to epoxy system were unreacted. Finally, when the resin mixture was utilized to bond wood, the acetone pretreatment coupled with precise tuning of the bio-oil:epoxy ratio was an effective method to control cross-linking while ensuring acceptable bond strength.

Alkaline/peracetic acid as a pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for ethanol fuel production

Science.gov (United States)

Teixeira, Lincoln Cambraia

Peracetic acid is a lignin oxidation pretreatment with low energy input by which biomass can be treated in a silo type system for improving enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic materials for ethanol production. Experimentally, ground hybrid poplar wood and sugar cane bagasse are placed in plastic bags and a peracetic acid solution is added to the biomass in different concentrations based on oven-dry biomass. The ratio of solution to biomass is 6:1; after initial mixing of the resulting paste, a seven-day storage period at about 20°C is used in this study. As a complementary method, a series of pre-pretreatments using stoichiometric amounts of sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide based on 4-methyl-glucuronic acid and acetyl content in the biomass is been performed before addition of peracetic acid. The alkaline solutions are added to the biomass in a ratio of 14:1 solution to biomass; the slurry is mixed for 24 hours at ambient temperature. The above procedures give high xylan content substrates. Consequently, xylanase/beta-glucosidase combinations are more effective than cellulase preparations in hydrolyzing these materials. The pretreatment effectiveness is evaluated using standard enzymatic hydrolysis and simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF) procedures. Hybrid poplar wood pretreated with 15 and 21% peracetic acid based on oven-dry weight of wood gives glucan conversion yields of 76.5 and 98.3%, respectively. Sugar cane bagasse pretreated with the same loadings gives corresponding yields of 85.9 and 93.1%. Raw wood and raw bagasse give corresponding yields of 6.8 and 28.8%, respectively. The combined 6% NaOH/15% peracetic acid pretreatments increase the glucan conversion yields from 76.5 to 100.0% for hybrid poplar wood and from 85.9 to 97.6% for sugar cane bagasse. Respective ethanol yields of 92.8 and 91.9% are obtained from 6% NaOH/15% peracetic acid pretreated materials using recombinant Zymomonas mobilis CP4/pZB5. Peracetic acid

Facile and scalable preparation of highly wear-resistance superhydrophobic surface on wood substrates using silica nanoparticles modified by VTES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Shanshan; Liu, Ming [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Wu, Yiqiang, E-mail: wuyq0506@126.com [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Hunan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for High-efficiency Utilization of Wood and Bamboo Resources, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Luo, Sha [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Qing, Yan, E-mail: qingyan0429@163.com [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Hunan Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for High-efficiency Utilization of Wood and Bamboo Resources, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China); Chen, Haibo [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004 (China)

2016-11-15

Graphical abstract: Highly wear-resistance superhydrophobic surface on wood substrates was fabricated using silica nanoparticles modified by VTES. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Superhydrophobic surface on wood substrates was efficiently fabricated using nanoparticles modified by VTES. • The superhydrophobic surface exhibited a CA of 154° and a SAclose to 0°. • The superhydrophobic surface showed a durable and robust wear-resistance performance. - Abstract: In this study, an efficient, facile method has been developed for fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces on wood substrates using silica nanoparticles modified by VTES. The as-prepared superhydrophobic wood surface had a water contact angle of 154° and water slide angle close to 0°. Simultaneously, this superhydrophobic wood showed highly durable and robust wear resistance when having undergone a long period of sandpaper abrasion or being scratched by a knife. Even under extreme conditions of boiling water, the superhydrophobicity of the as-prepared wood composite was preserved. Characterizations by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that a typical and tough hierarchical micro/nanostructure was created on the wood substrate and vinyltriethoxysilane contributed to preventing the agglomeration of silica nanoparticles and serving as low-surface-free-energy substances. This superhydrophobic wood was easy to fabricate, mechanically resistant and exhibited long-term stability. Therefore, it is considered to be of significant importance in the industrial production of functional wood, especially for outdoor applications.

Ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine. Preliminary evaluation of mass balance and process energy efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, J.Y. [USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States). Forest Products Lab.; Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering; Zhu, Wenyuan [South China Univ. of Technology, Guangzhou (China). State Key Lab Pulp and Paper Engineering; OBryan, Patricia; Dien, Bruce S. [USDA Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, IL (United States). National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research; Tian, Shen [Capital Normal Univ., Beijing (China). College of Life Science; Gleisner, Rolland [USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States). Forest Products Lab.; Pan, X.J. [Wisconsin Univ., Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering

2010-05-15

Lodgepole pine from forest thinnings is a potential feedstock for ethanol production. In this study, lodgepole pine was converted to ethanol with a yield of 276 L per metric ton of wood or 72% of theoretical yield. The lodgepole pine chips were directly subjected to sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) pretreatment and then disk-milled; the recovered cellulose substrate was quasi-simultaneously saccharified enzymatically and fermented to ethanol using commercial cellulases and Saccharomyces cerevisiae D5A. The liquor stream from the pretreatment containing hydrolyzed sugars mainly from hemicelluloses was fermented by the same yeast strain after detoxification using an XAD resin column. The SPORL pretreatment was conducted at 180 C for a period of 25 min with a liquor-to-wood ratio of 3:1 (v/w) in a laboratory digester. Three levels of sulfuric acid charge (0.0%, 1.4%, and 2.2% on an oven dried wood basis in w/w) and three levels of sodium bisulfite charge (0.0%, 4.0%, and 8.0% in w/w) were applied. Mechanical and thermal energy consumption for milling and pretreatment were determined. These data were used to determine the efficiency of sugar recoveries and net ethanol energy production values and to formulate a preliminary mass and energy balance. (orig.)

Ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine: preliminary evaluation of mass balance and process energy efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, J Y; Zhu, Wenyuan; Obryan, Patricia; Dien, Bruce S; Tian, Shen; Gleisner, Rolland; Pan, X J

2010-05-01

Lodgepole pine from forest thinnings is a potential feedstock for ethanol production. In this study, lodgepole pine was converted to ethanol with a yield of 276 L per metric ton of wood or 72% of theoretical yield. The lodgepole pine chips were directly subjected to sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) pretreatment and then disk-milled; the recovered cellulose substrate was quais-simultaneously saccharified enzymatically and fermented to ethanol using commercial cellulases and Saccharomyces cerevisiae D5A. The liquor stream from the pretreatment containing hydrolyzed sugars mainly from hemicelluloses was fermented by the same yeast strain after detoxification using an XAD resin column. The SPORL pretreatment was conducted at 180 degrees C for a period of 25 min with a liquor-to-wood ratio of 3:1 (v/w) in a laboratory digester. Three levels of sulfuric acid charge (0.0%, 1.4%, and 2.2% on an oven dried wood basis in w/w) and three levels of sodium bisulfite charge (0.0%, 4.0%, and 8.0% in w/w) were applied. Mechanical and thermal energy consumption for milling and pretreatment were determined. These data were used to determine the efficiency of sugar recoveries and net ethanol energy production values and to formulate a preliminary mass and energy balance.

Biodelignification of lignocellulose substrates: An intrinsic and sustainable pretreatment strategy for clean energy production.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandel, Anuj K; Gonçalves, Bruna C M; Strap, Janice L; da Silva, Silvio S

2015-01-01

Lignocellulosic biomass (LB) is a promising sugar feedstock for biofuels and other high-value chemical commodities. The recalcitrance of LB, however, impedes carbohydrate accessibility and its conversion into commercially significant products. Two important factors for the overall economization of biofuel production is LB pretreatment to liberate fermentable sugars followed by conversion into ethanol. Sustainable biofuel production must overcome issues such as minimizing water and energy usage, reducing chemical usage and process intensification. Amongst available pretreatment methods, microorganism-mediated pretreatments are the safest, green, and sustainable. Native biodelignifying agents such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Pycnoporous cinnabarinus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Cyathus stercoreus can remove lignin, making the remaining substrates amenable for saccharification. The development of a robust, integrated bioprocessing (IBP) approach for economic ethanol production would incorporate all essential steps including pretreatment, cellulase production, enzyme hydrolysis and fermentation of the released sugars into ethanol. IBP represents an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, low energy and low capital approach for second-generation ethanol production. This paper reviews the advancements in microbial-assisted pretreatment for the delignification of lignocellulosic substrates, system metabolic engineering for biorefineries and highlights the possibilities of process integration for sustainable and economic ethanol production.

In vacuo substrate pretreatments for enhancing nanodiamond formation in electron cyclotron resonance plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teii, Kungen; Kouzuma, Yutaka; Uchino, Kiichiro

2006-01-01

Substrate pretreatment conditions at low pressures have been examined for enhancing nanocrystalline diamond formation on silicon in electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma. Three kinds of pretreatments (I) exposure to an ECR H 2 plasma with application of a substrate bias from -100 to +30 V (II) hot-filament heating in H 2 gas, and (III) hot-filament heating in vacuum, were used alone or followed by carburization prior to a two-step process of ion-enhanced nucleation in an ECR plasma and subsequent growth in a hot-filament system. The number density of diamond particles after the final growth step was greatly increased up to the order of 10 7 -10 8 cm -2 when applying pretreatment (I) at the bias of 0 V corresponding to the ion-bombardment energy of around 10 eV. In this treatment, a clean and smooth surface with minimal damage was made by the dominance of anisotropic etching by hydrogen ions over isotropic etching by hydrogen atoms. The number density of diamond particles was still more increased when applying pretreatment (II), but the treated surface was unfavorably contaminated and roughened

Dilute alkali pretreatment of softwood pine: A biorefinery approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Ali; Karimi, Keikhosro; Shafiei, Marzieh

2017-06-01

Dilute alkali pretreatment was performed on softwood pine to maximize ethanol and biogas production via a biorefinery approach. Alkali pretreatments were performed with 0-2% w/v NaOH at 100-180°C for 1-5h. The liquid fraction of the pretreated substrates was subjected to anaerobic digestion. The solid fraction of the pretreatment was used for separate enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. High ethanol yields of 76.9‒78.0% were achieved by pretreatment with 2% (w/v) NaOH at 180°C. The highest biogas yield of 244mL/g volatile solid (at 25°C, 1bar) was achieved by the pretreatment with 1% (w/v) NaOH at 180°C. The highest gasoline equivalent (sum of ethanol and methane) of 197L per ton of pinewood and the lowest ethanol manufacturing cost of 0.75€/L was obtained after pretreatment with 1% NaOH at 180°C for 5h. The manufacturing cost of ethanol from untreated wood was 4.12€/L. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates pretreated by alkali hydrogen peroxide.

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Song, Xueping; Jiang, Yan; Rong, Xianjian; Wei, Wei; Wang, Shuangfei; Nie, Shuangxi

2016-09-01

The surface characterization and chemical analysis of bamboo substrates by alkali hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHPP) were investigated in this study. The results tended to manifest that AHPP prior to enzymatic and chemical treatment was potential for improving accessibility and reactivity of bamboo substrates. The inorganic components, organic solvent extractives and acid-soluble lignin were effectively removed by AHPP. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the surface of bamboo chips had less lignin but more carbohydrate after pre-treatment. Fiber surfaces became etched and collapsed, and more pores and debris on the substrate surface were observed with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Brenauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) results showed that both of pore volume and surface area were increased after AHPP. Although XRD analysis showed that AHPP led to relatively higher crystallinity, pre-extraction could overall enhance the accessibility of enzymes and chemicals into the bamboo structure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Biohydrogen Production from Pineapple Waste: Effect of Substrate Concentration and Acid Pretreatment

Science.gov (United States)

Cahyari, K.; Putri, A. M.; Oktaviani, E. D.; Hidayat, M. A.; Norajsha, J. D.

2018-05-01

Biohydrogen is the ultimate choice of energy carrier in future due to its superior qualities such as fewer greenhouse gases emission, high energy density (142 kJ/gram), and high energy conversion using a fuel cell. Production of biohydrogen from organic waste e.g. pineapple waste offers a simultaneous solution for renewable energy production and waste management. It is estimated that pineapple cultivation in Indonesia generated more than 1 million ton/year comprising of rotten pineapple fruit, leaves, and stems. Majority of this waste is dumped into landfill area without any treatments which lead to many environmental problems. This research was meant to investigate the utilization of pineapple waste i.e. peel and the core of pineapple fruit and leaves to produce biohydrogen through mesophilic dark fermentation (30°C, 1 atm, pH 5.0). Effect of dilute acid treatment and substrate concentration was particularly investigated in these experiments. Peel and core of pineapple waste were subjected to fermentation at 3 various substrate concentration i.e. 8.8, 17.6 and 26.4-gram VS/liter. Meanwhile, pineapple leaves were pretreated using dilute acid (H2SO4) at 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 N and followed by dark fermentation. Results show that the highest yield of biohydrogen was obtained at a substrate concentration of 26.4-gram VS/liter both for peel and core of the waste. Pretreatment using dilute acid (H2SO4) 0.3 N might improve fermentation process with a higher yield at 0.8 ml/gram VS. Hydrogen percentage in biogas produced during fermentation process was in the range between 5 – 32% of volume ratio. In summary, it is possible to utilize pineapple waste for production of biohydrogen at an optimum substrate concentration of 26.4-gram VS/liter and acid pretreatment (H2SO4) of 0.3 N.

Methane fermentation and kinetics of wheat straw pretreated substrates co-digested with cattle manure in batch assay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishania, M.; Vijay, V.K.; Chandra, R.

2013-01-01

Lignocellulosic biomass contains high percentages of lignin, which is hard to biodegrade and therefore, pretreatment is required to enhance energy recovery yield. In this study, five types of pretreatments, i.e., dilute acid, alkali, acid–alkali combination and calcium hydroxide–sodium carbonate combination, and grinding were applied on wheat straw to enhance the efficiency of methane fermentation. Methane fermentation of untreated and pretreated substrates was evaluated at 35 °C temperature in 5 L glass bottle reactors. Cumulative CH 4 yields of these pretreated substrates were found as 0.125 ± 0.002, 0.370 ± 0.02, 0.003 ± 0.005, 0.380 ± 0.017 and 0.241 ± 0.005 m 3 /kg of VS (volatile solids), respectively for, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 treatments compared to that of untreated treatment T0 as 0.191 ± 0.004 m 3 /kg of VS. Alkali (2% NaOH on weight/volume ratio basis) and calcium hydroxide–sodium carbonate combination (3% Ca(OH) 2 + 3% Na 2 CO 3 on weight/volume ratio basis) pretreatments have been found to improve biogas and CH 4 production yields by 94.0% and 99.0%, respectively, in comparison to the untreated wheat straw substrate. Gompertz model used to analyze the kinetic behavior of anaerobic digestion process in present study. Kinetic study indicates that Gompertz equation best describe the cumulative gas production as a function of the digestion time. - Highlights: • H 2 SO 4 , NaOH, H 2 SO 4 + NaOH, Ca(OH) 2 + Na 2 CO 3 , grinding pretreatments were studied on wheat straw. • Wheat straw co-digestion with cattle manure in 40:60 ratio provided maximum methane yield. • 2% NaOH pretreated substrate found to increase biogas and CH 4 production yields by 94.0%. • 3% Ca(OH) 2 + 3% Na 2 CO 3 pretreatment found to improve biogas and CH 4 production yields by 99.0%

Competitive outcomes between wood-decaying fungi are altered in burnt wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Edman, Mattias; Eriksson, Anna-Maria

2016-06-01

Fire is an important disturbance agent in boreal forests where it creates a wide variety of charred and other types of heat-modified dead wood substrates, yet how these substrates affect fungal community structure and development within wood is poorly understood. We allowed six species of wood-decaying basidiomycetes to compete in pairs in wood-discs that were experimentally burnt before fungal inoculation. The outcomes of interactions in burnt wood differed from those in unburnt control wood for two species:Antrodia sinuosanever lost on burnt wood and won over its competitor in 67% of the trials compared to 40% losses and 20% wins on unburnt wood. In contrast, Ischnoderma benzoinumwon all interactions on unburnt wood compared to 33% on burnt wood. However, the responses differed depending on the identity of the competing species, suggesting an interaction between competitor and substrate type. The observed shift in competitive balance between fungal species probably results from chemical changes in burnt wood, but the underlying mechanism needs further investigation. Nevertheless, the results indicate that forest fires indirectly structure fungal communities by modifying dead wood, and highlight the importance of fire-affected dead wood substrates in boreal forests. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Enzymatic saccharification and structural properties of industrial wood sawdust: Recycled ionic liquids pretreatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auxenfans, Thomas; Buchoux, Sébastien; Larcher, Dominique; Husson, Gérard; Husson, Eric; Sarazin, Catherine

2014-01-01

Highlights: • 1-Ethyl-3-metylimidazolium acetate is an effective catalyst for pretreatment of hardwood and softwood sawdust. • Regeneration of cellulosic fraction from ionic liquid is discussed. • 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate can be reused at least 7 times without loss of its efficiency. • Removal of extractives and lignin with slight cellulose and xylan losses were observed. • Better cellulase accessibility to cellulose thanks to the expansion of the powder and the creation of a large porous volume. - Abstract: Wood residues constitute a promising challenge for biochemical processing into bioethanol and chemicals with competitive costs. Here, we report the impacts of pretreatments in a hydrophilic ionic liquid ([C2mim][OAc]), onto the physicochemical properties and enzymatic saccharification of softwood (spruce) and hardwood (oak) sawdust. Enzymatic saccharification of IL- pretreated sawdust is significantly increased (up to 7 times) when compared to untreated ones. Methanol, ethanol or water can be used as polar anti-solvent for the recovery of a cellulose rich fraction after dissolution in IL (i.e regeneration step) without any effect on enzymatic saccharification. Chemical, textural and structural modifications possibly induced by the IL pretreatments have been investigated through various means (Infra-red spectroscopy, NMR, X-ray diffraction) in order to correlate the observed modifications in enzymatic saccharification. This mild pretreatment seemed to mainly act in a breakdown of lignocellulosic organization leading to better cellulase accessibility to cellulose thanks to the expansion of the powder and the creation of a large porous volume (5 times more apparent porous volume). Partial removal of lignin and extractives may also contribute to the best enzymatic performances. The recyclability and reuse up to 7 times of [C2mim][OAc] is shown without the need of strictly anhydrous conditions and any alteration of the pretreatment

Mathematical Simulation of Temperature Profiles within Microwave Heated Wood Made for Wood-Based Nano composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, X.; He, X.; Lv, J.; Wu, Y.; Luo, Y.; Chen, H.

2013-01-01

High intensive microwave pretreatment is a new method to modify wood for the fabrication of wood-based nano composites. Based on the physical law on heat transfer, a mathematical model to describe the temperature profiles within wood heated by high intensive microwave was established and simulated in this research. The results showed that the temperature profiles within wood were related to microwave heating methods; The temperature inside wood firstly increased and then gradually decreased along the direction of microwave transmission when the unilateral microwave heating was applied, and the temperature difference along the thickness direction of wood was very significant; The temperature with wood firstly increased and then gradually decreased from the wood surface to interior when the bilateral microwave heating was applied. Compared with the unilateral microwave heating, bilateral microwave heating is a better microwave heating method for the more uniform wood microwave pretreatment.

Influence of chemical pretreatment of hard metal substrates for diamond deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, V.; Kluwe, H.; Schmiler, B.; Deuerler, F.

2001-01-01

Diamond coated cutting tools are of increasing importance in the fields of high speed cutting, dry machining or machining of special materials such as metal-matrix-composites. A well known problem is the poor adhesion of diamond films on hard metals due to the Co- or Ni-binder that catalyzes the formation of graphite. Several methods - such as the application of intermediate layers or mechanical or chemical pretreatment of the hard metal substrate - have been developed to overcome this effect. Usually chemical pretreatment is used in order to reduce the concentration of binder phase on the surface that is to be coated. Surprisingly pretreatment with agents such as Murakami's solution result in improved adhesion and nucleation of diamond films while the concentration of the binder phase on the surface is enhanced. This 'contradiction' can be explained by proving that the surface is converted into a very thin oxide/hydroxide film. (author)

Pre-treatment of substrates for biogas production - A systems analysis; Foerbehandling av biogassubstrat i systemanalys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlsson, My; Holmstroem, David; Lagerkvist, Anders; Bisaillon, Mattias

2013-09-01

The present expansion of biogas capacity responds to a growing demand for renewable vehicle fuels. Biodegradable wastes are attractive substrates and are also prioritized in national policy. The full potential of the substrates can rarely be used however. This is partly due to impurities, or the availability or degradation speed may be limiting the biogas yield. In both cases there is a need of pre-treatments. This work deals with the system impacts of pre-treatment aiming to remove impurities in food waste and pre-treatments aiming to improve the biogas yield of horse manure and ley. In the latter case steam explosion and extrusion were the treatments studied. Gas yields and the plant and system impacts on energy, climate and economic were studied. The system includes the biogas plant as well as the impact in supplementary systems for heat and power production. The three named substrates were identified to be highly prioritised due to their total potential and the improvements possible in its realisation. Existing information from literature and contacts has form the data basis, with the addition of a few supplementary analyses of substrates. The project has been operated by the authors with participation of a group of facility operators and external reviewers. Four plants have been visited during the study. Operators of digestion plants and all interested in developing the efficiency of biogas plants are the main target group for the study. The rate that the potential yield of food waste can be utilised depends largely on how efficiently contaminants can be separated without loss of substrate. In this case the separation degree has the main impact on the economy, but not a pronounced climate effect. For all types of pre-treatments the water content of substrates is important, a higher water content is detrimental to economy, energy demand and climate impact. For both the energy balance and the climate impact the generation of vehicle fuel has a large impact. An

Robust cellulosic ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine using an adapted strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae without detoxification.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, S; Luo, X L; Yang, X S; Zhu, J Y

2010-11-01

This study reports an ethanol yield of 270L/ton wood from lodgepole pine pretreated with sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) using an adapted strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y5, without detoxification. The enzymatic hydrolysate produced from pretreated cellulosic solids substrate was combined with pretreatment hydrolysate before fermentation. Detoxification of the pretreatment hydrolysate using overliming or XAD-4 resin before being combined with enzymatic hydrolysate improved ethanol productivity in the first 4h of fermentation and overall fermentation efficiency. However, detoxification did not improve final ethanol yield because of sugar losses. The Y5 strain showed excellent ethanol productivities of 2.0 and 0.8g/L/h averaged over a period of 4 and 24h, respectively, in the undetoxified run. The furan metabolization rates of the Y5 strain were significantly higher for the undetoxified run than those for the detoxidfied runs, suggesting it can tolerate even higher furan concentrations than those studied. Preliminary mass and energy balances were conducted. SPORL produced an excellent monomeric sugar recovery value of about 85% theoretical and a net energy output of 4.05GJ/ton wood with an ethanol energy production efficiency of 178% before distillation.

Cellulolytic Enzymes Production via Solid-State Fermentation: Effect of Pretreatment Methods on Physicochemical Characteristics of Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Brijwani, Khushal; Vadlani, Praveen V

2011-01-01

We investigated the effect of pretreatment on the physicochemical characteristics-crystallinity, bed porosity, and volumetric specific surface of soybean hulls and production of cellulolytic enzymes in solid-state fermentation of Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus oryzae cultures. Mild acid and alkali and steam pretreatments significantly increased crystallinity and bed porosity without significant change inholocellulosic composition of substrate. Crystalline and porous steam-pretreated soybean hulls inoculated with T. reesei culture had 4 filter paper units (FPU)/g-ds, 0.6 IU/g-ds β-glucosidase, and 45 IU/g-ds endocellulase, whereas untreated hulls had 0.75 FPU/g-ds, 0.06 IU/g-ds β-glucosidase, and 7.29 IU/g-ds endocellulase enzyme activities. In A. oryzae steam-pretreated soybean hulls had 47.10 IU/g-ds endocellulase compared to 30.82 IU/g-ds in untreated soybean hulls. Generalized linear statistical model fitted to enzyme activity data showed that effects of physicochemical characteristics on enzymes production were both culture and enzyme specific. The paper shows a correlation between substrate physicochemical properties and enzyme production.

Effects of SPORL and dilute acid pretreatment on substrate morphology, cell physical and chemical wall structures, and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of lodgepole pine

Science.gov (United States)

Xinping Li; Xiaolin Luo; Kecheng Li; J.Y. Zhu; J. Dennis Fougere; Kimberley Clarke

2012-01-01

The effects of pretreatment by dilute acid and sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) on substrate morphology, cell wall physical and chemical structures, along with the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of lodgepole pine substrate were investigated. FE-SEM and TEM images of substrate structural morphological changes showed that SPORL...

Ethanol production by Clostridium thermocellum grown on hydrothermally and organosolv-pretreated lignocellulosic materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoermeyer, H F; Bonn, G; Bobleter, O; Tailliez, P; Millet, J; Girard, H; Aubert, J P

1988-12-01

Two strains of the thermophilic anaerobe Clostridium thermocellum, the wild type NCIB 10682 and its ethanol-hyperproductive mutant 647, were tested for their ability to grow on natural lignocellulosic materials (poplar wood, wheat straw) which had been pretreated by either hydrothermolysis or an organosolv process. For both materials and both strains, the dependencies of substrate accessibility on the pretreatment temperature were established in terms of cellulose hydrolysis and of product formation. In addition to the non-pH-controlled shake flask assays, in vitro experiments with cell-free culture supernatant and in vivo cellulolyses under pH regulation in a laboratory fermenter indicated that lignocellulosics pretreated at approx. 230/sup 0/C were degraded efficiently by the Clostridium strains investigated.

Study of buffer substrate and Arenga wood fiber size on hydroponic Kailan (Brassica alboglabra)

Science.gov (United States)

Harjoko, D.; Anggraheny, M. D.; Arniputri, R. B.

2018-03-01

Kailan is a kind of vegetable that has high economic value, however its prospect is not well developed. One of obstacles in Kailan cultivation is the limitation of fertile soil, that can be solved by using hydroponic substrate. Considering its amount and potential, the fiber waste of Arenga wood was selected as substrate candidate. For that, this research aims to study the growth and yield of Kailan with different soaking treatment using buffer solution and size of Arenga wood fiber in the hydroponic substrate. Research was conducted at Green House Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture Sebelas Maret University Surakarta from February to May 2017. The treatments were soaking buffer solution with EC 1.2 mScm-1; 1.4 mScm-1; and 1.6 mScm-1 and the size of Arenga fiber <1 cm, 1-2 cm and 2-3 cm. In this experiment, sand media was used as control. Result show that, soaking in 1.6 mScm-1 EC buffer solution with Arenga fiber size lower than 3 cm gives higher root volume compared to other treatments combination.

Effects of Pretreatment of Single and Mixed Lignocellulosic Substrates on Production of Endoglucanase by Bacillus aerius S5.2

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Mushafau Adebayo Oke

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A mixed substrate (MS comprising oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB, oil palm frond (OPF, and rice husk (RH was evaluated for endoglucanase production by Bacillus aerius S5.2. Effects of sulphuric acid, sodium hydroxide, N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO, and hydrothermal pretreatments on endoglucanase production were investigated. Endoglucanase production by B. aerius on the untreated (0.677 U/mL and pretreated MS (0.305 – 0.630 U/mL was generally similar, except that the acid (0.305 U/mL and hydrothermal (0.549 U/mL pretreatments that were more severe consequently produced significantly lower titres. Alkali pretreatment supported the highest enzyme production (0.630 U/mL among all pretreatments that were studied. When endoglucanase production on the alkali-pretreated MS and single substrates (SS was compared, alkali-pretreated EFB produced a titre (0.655 U/mL similar to the MS, and this was significantly higher than titres recorded on OPF (0.504 U/mL and RH (0.525 U/mL. Lower enzyme production was found to be consistent with higher pretreatment severity and greater removal of amorphous regions in all the pretreatments. Furthermore, combining the SS showed no adverse effects on endoglucanase production.

Gene expression patterns of wood decay fungi Postia placenta and Phanerochaete chrysosporium are influenced by wood substrate composition during degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Oleksandr Skyba; Daniel Cullen; Carl J. Douglas; Shawn D. Mansfield

2016-01-01

Identification of the specific genes and enzymes involved in the fungal degradation of lignocellulosic biomass derived from feedstocks with various compositions is essential to the development of improved bioenergy processes. In order to elucidate the effect of substrate composition on gene expression in wood-rotting fungi, we employed microarrays based on the...

Substrate-Specific Development of Thermophilic Bacterial Consortia by Using Chemically Pretreated Switchgrass.

Science.gov (United States)

Eichorst, Stephanie A; Joshua, Chijioke; Sathitsuksanoh, Noppadon; Singh, Seema; Simmons, Blake A; Singer, Steven W

2014-12-01

Microbial communities that deconstruct plant biomass have broad relevance in biofuel production and global carbon cycling. Biomass pretreatments reduce plant biomass recalcitrance for increased efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. We exploited these chemical pretreatments to study how thermophilic bacterial consortia adapt to deconstruct switchgrass (SG) biomass of various compositions. Microbial communities were adapted to untreated, ammonium fiber expansion (AFEX)-pretreated, and ionic-liquid (IL)-pretreated SG under aerobic, thermophilic conditions using green waste compost as the inoculum to study biomass deconstruction by microbial consortia. After microbial cultivation, gravimetric analysis of the residual biomass demonstrated that both AFEX and IL pretreatment enhanced the deconstruction of the SG biomass approximately 2-fold. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) experiments and acetyl bromide-reactive-lignin analysis indicated that polysaccharide hydrolysis was the dominant process occurring during microbial biomass deconstruction, and lignin remaining in the residual biomass was largely unmodified. Small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene amplicon libraries revealed that although the dominant taxa across these chemical pretreatments were consistently represented by members of the Firmicutes, the Bacteroidetes, and Deinococcus-Thermus, the abundance of selected operational taxonomic units (OTUs) varied, suggesting adaptations to the different substrates. Combining the observations of differences in the community structure and the chemical and physical structure of the biomass, we hypothesize specific roles for individual community members in biomass deconstruction. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Cellulolytic Enzymes Production via Solid-State Fermentation: Effect of Pretreatment Methods on Physicochemical Characteristics of Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khushal Brijwani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effect of pretreatment on the physicochemical characteristics—crystallinity, bed porosity, and volumetric specific surface of soybean hulls and production of cellulolytic enzymes in solid-state fermentation of Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus oryzae cultures. Mild acid and alkali and steam pretreatments significantly increased crystallinity and bed porosity without significant change inholocellulosic composition of substrate. Crystalline and porous steam-pretreated soybean hulls inoculated with T. reesei culture had 4 filter paper units (FPU/g-ds, 0.6 IU/g-ds β-glucosidase, and 45 IU/g-ds endocellulase, whereas untreated hulls had 0.75 FPU/g-ds, 0.06 IU/g-ds β-glucosidase, and 7.29 IU/g-ds endocellulase enzyme activities. In A. oryzae steam-pretreated soybean hulls had 47.10 IU/g-ds endocellulase compared to 30.82 IU/g-ds in untreated soybean hulls. Generalized linear statistical model fitted to enzyme activity data showed that effects of physicochemical characteristics on enzymes production were both culture and enzyme specific. The paper shows a correlation between substrate physicochemical properties and enzyme production.

Ethanol Fermentation of Various Pretreated and Hydrolyzed Substrates at Low Initial pH

Science.gov (United States)

Kádár, Zsófia; Maltha, San Feng; Szengyel, Zsolt; Réczey, Kati; de Laat, Wim

Lignocellulosic materials represent an abundant feedstock for bioethanol production. Because of their complex structure pretreatment is necessary to make it accessible for enzymatic attack. Steam pretreatment with or without acid catalysts seems to be one of the most promising techniques, which has already been applied for large variety of lignocellulosics in order to improve enzymatic digestibility. During this process a range of toxic compounds (lignin and sugar degradation products) are formed which inhibit ethanol fermentation. In this study, the toxicity of hemicellulose hydrolysates obtained in the steam pretreatment of spruce, willow, and corn stover were investigated in ethanol fermentation tests using a yeast strain, which has been previously reported to have a resistance to inhibitory compounds generated during steam pretreatment. To overcome bacterial contamination, fermentations were carried out at low initial pH. The fermentability of hemicellulose hydrolysates of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates at low pH gave promising results with the economically profitable final 5 vol% ethanol concentration corresponding to 85% of theoretical. Adaptation experiments have shown that inhibitor tolerance of yeast strain can be improved by subsequent transfer of the yeast to inhibitory medium.

The influence of lignin on steam pretreatment and mechanical pulping of poplar to achieve high sugar recovery and ease of enzymatic hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Richard P; Chu, QiuLu; Hu, Jinguang; Zhong, Na; Lin, Mandy; Lee, Jin-Suk; Saddler, Jack

2016-01-01

With the goal of enhancing overall carbohydrate recovery and reducing enzyme loading refiner mechanical pulping and steam pretreatment (210°C, 5 min) were used to pretreat poplar wood chips. Neutral sulphonation post-treatment indicated that, although the lignin present in the steam pretreated substrate was less reactive, the cellulose-rich, water insoluble component was more accessible to cellulases and Simons stain. This was likely due to lignin relocation as the relative surface lignin measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy increased from 0.4 to 0.8. The integration of sulphite directly into steam pretreatment resulted in the solubilisation of 60% of the lignin while more than 80% of the carbohydrate present in the original substrate was recovered in the water insoluble fraction after Na2CO3 addition. More than 80% of the sugars present in the original cellulose and xylan could be recovered after 48 h using an enzyme loading of 20 mg protein/g cellulose at a 10% substrate concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High titer ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine by simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and combined fermentation

Science.gov (United States)

T.Q. Lan; Roland Gleisner; J.Y. Zhu; Bruce S. Dien; Ronald E. Hector

2012-01-01

Lodgepole wood chips were pretreated by sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) at 25% solids loading and 180 °C for 20 min with sulfuric acid and sodium bisulfite charges of 2.2 and 8 wt/wt% on an oven-dry wood basis, respectively. The pretreated wood chips were disk-milled with pretreatment spent liquor and water, and the...

Preparation of Stable Superhydrophobic Coatings on Wood Substrate Surfaces via Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine and Electroless Deposition Methods

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Kaili Wang

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA chemistry and electroless deposition approaches were used to prepare stable superhydrophobic coatings on wood surfaces. The as-formed PDA coating on a wood surface exhibited a hierarchical micro/nano roughness structure, and functioned as an “adhesive layer” between the substrate and a metallic film by the metal chelating ability of the catechol moieties on PDA, allowing for the formation of a well-developed micro/nanostructure hierarchical roughness. Additionally, the coating acted as a stable bridge between the substrate and hydrophobic groups. The morphology and chemical components of the prepared superhydrophobic wood surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The PDA and octadecylamine (OA modified surface showed excellent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle (CA of about 153° and a rolling angle (RA of about 9°. The CA further increased to about 157° and RA reduced to about 5° with the Cu metallization. The superhydrophobic material exhibited outstanding stability in harsh conditions including ultraviolet aging, ultrasonic washing, strong acid-base and organic solvent immersion, and high-temperature water boiling. The results suggested that the PDA/OA layers were good enough to confer robust, degradation-resistant superhydrophobicity on wood substrates. The Cu metallization was likely unnecessary to provide significant improvements in superhydrophobic property. However, due to the amazing adhesive capacity of PDA, the electroless deposition technique may allow for a wide range of potential applications in biomimetic materials.

Combined alkali and acid pretreatment of spent mushroom substrate for reducing sugar and biofertilizer production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hong-Ji; Liu, Jia-Heng; Sun, Li-Fan; Hu, Zong-Fu; Qiao, Jian-Jun

2013-05-01

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) was pretreated with alkaline reagents including potassium hydroxide, lime and ammonia to enhance enzymatic saccharification. Under the best pretreatment conditions (1M KOH, 80 °C, 90 min; 1M lime, 80 °C, 120 min; 10 M ammonia, 70 °C, 120 min), the total reducing sugar (TRS) yield reached 258.6, 204.2 and 251.2 mg/g raw SMS, which were respectively 6.15, 4.86, and 5.98 times of untreated SMS. The effects of pretreatment by above alkaline reagents and sulfuric acid on the composition and structure of SMS were evaluated to provide comparative performance data. A new process, combined alkali and acid (CAA) pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, was innovatively proposed to improve the cost-effectiveness and avoid environmental problems. The SMS residue after CAA pretreatment-enzymatic hydrolysis process was converted to biofertilizer with Pichia farinose FL7 and a cell density of 3.0×10(8) cfu/g in biomass was attained. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MILD ALKALINE TREATMENT ACTIVATES SPRUCE WOOD FOR ENZYMATIC PROCESSING: A POSSIBLE STAGE IN BIO-REFINERY PROCESSES

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Yan Wang

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The structure of wood is so compact that enzymes are too large to penetrate into the structure and thereby attack the wood components for modifications that can be valuable for various purposes. Here we present a pretreatment method based on traditional kraft pulping, which opens the wood structure, so that enzymes are able to attack the wood components. To study this kind of chemical pretreatment, spruce wood samples were treated at similar conditions used in kraft cooking at varying intensities (H-factors. To verify if the structure was “opened” for enzymes, the pretreated wood samples were incubated with a cellulolytic culture filtrate, and the released reducing sugar concentration after the enzymatic hydrolysis was measured. The results indicated that un-pretreated wood fibers could not be attacked by the enzymes, but already relatively mild pretreatment was sufficient for letting the culture filtrate attack wood polysaccharides, and more intensive treatments opened the structure further. The mildest treatments did not cause any significant yield losses of lignin (Klason lignin. Some galactogluco-mannans were however lost during the pretreatments. The mechanisms behind the effect and the technical significance of the method are discussed.

Optical monitoring systems for thermal spray processes: droplets behavior and substrate pre-treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Y.; Kobayashi, N.; Yamagata, Y.; Miyazaki, F.; Yamasaki, M.; Tanaka, J.; Muraoka, K.

2017-11-01

Thermal spray is a technique to form molten droplets using either plasma- or combustion-heating, which impinge upon substrates to form coating layers for various purposes, such as anti-corrosion and anti-wear layers. Although it is an established technique having a history of more than a century, operations of spray guns together with preparing suitable substrate surfaces for obtaining good coating layers still rely on experienced technicians. Because of the necessity of meeting more and more stringent requirements for coating quality and cost from customers, there has been a strong need to try to monitor spray processes, so as to obtain the best possible spray coating layers. The basic requirements for such monitoring systems are *reasonably cheap, *easy operation for laypersons, *easy access to targets to be investigated, and *an in-situ capability. The purpose of the present work is to provide suitable optical monitoring systems for (1) droplets behavior and (2) substrate pre-treatments. For the former (1), the first result was already presented at the 17th laser-aided plasma diagnostics meeting (LAPD17) in 2015 in Sapporo, and the results of its subsequent applications into real spray environments are shown in this article in order to validate the previous proposal. Topic (2) is new in the research program, and the proof-of-principle experiment for the proposed method yielded a favorable result. Based on this positive result, an overall strategy is being planned to fulfill the final objective of the optical monitoring of substrate pre-treatments. Details of these two programs (1) and (2) together with the present status are described.

Quality improvement of ZnO thin layers overgrown on Si(100 substrates at room temperature by nitridation pretreatment

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Peng Wang

2012-06-01

Full Text Available To improve the quality of ZnO thin film overgrown on Si(100 substrate at RT (room temperature, the Si(100 surface was pretreated with different methods. The influence of interface on the overgrown ZnO layers was investigated by atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence and X-ray diffraction. We found that the nitridation pretreatment could significantly improve the quality of RT ZnO thin film through two-fold effects: one was to buffer the big lattice mismatch and ease the stress resulted from heterojunction growth; the other was to balance the interface charge, block the symmetric inheritance from the cubic Si (100 substrate and thus restrain the formation of zincblende phase.

Structural properties, crystal quality and growth modes of MOCVD-grown AlN with TMAl pretreatment of sapphire substrate

KAUST Repository

Sun, Haiding; Wu, Feng; Altahtamouni, Talal Mohammed Ahmad; Alfaraj, Nasir; Li, Kun; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Dupuis, Russell; Li, Xiaohang

2017-01-01

The growth of high quality AlN epitaxial films relies on precise control of the initial growth stages. In this work, we examined the influence of the trimethylaluminum (TMAl) pretreatment of sapphire substrates on the structural properties, crystal quality and growth modes of heteroepitaxial AlN films on (0001) sapphire substrates. Without the pretreatment, the AlN films nucleated on the smooth surface but exhibited mixed crystallographic Al- (N-) polarity, resulting in rough AlN film surfaces. With increasing the pretreatment time from 1 to 5 s, the N-polarity started to be impeded. However, small islands were formed on sapphire surface due to the decompostion of TMAl. As a result, small voids became noticeable at the nucleation layer (NL) because the growth started as quasi three-dimensional (3D) but transformed to 2D mode as the film grew thicker and got coalesced, leading to smoother and Al-polar films. On the other hand, longer pretreatment time of 40 s formed large 3D islands on sapphire, and thus initiated a 3D-growth mode of the AlN film, generating Al-polar AlN nanocolumns with different facets, which resulted into rougher film surfaces. The epitaxial growth modes and their correlation with the AlN film crystal quality under different TMAl pretreatments are also discussed.

Structural properties, crystal quality and growth modes of MOCVD-grown AlN with TMAl pretreatment of sapphire substrate

KAUST Repository

Sun, Haiding

2017-08-08

The growth of high quality AlN epitaxial films relies on precise control of the initial growth stages. In this work, we examined the influence of the trimethylaluminum (TMAl) pretreatment of sapphire substrates on the structural properties, crystal quality and growth modes of heteroepitaxial AlN films on (0001) sapphire substrates. Without the pretreatment, the AlN films nucleated on the smooth surface but exhibited mixed crystallographic Al- (N-) polarity, resulting in rough AlN film surfaces. With increasing the pretreatment time from 1 to 5 s, the N-polarity started to be impeded. However, small islands were formed on sapphire surface due to the decompostion of TMAl. As a result, small voids became noticeable at the nucleation layer (NL) because the growth started as quasi three-dimensional (3D) but transformed to 2D mode as the film grew thicker and got coalesced, leading to smoother and Al-polar films. On the other hand, longer pretreatment time of 40 s formed large 3D islands on sapphire, and thus initiated a 3D-growth mode of the AlN film, generating Al-polar AlN nanocolumns with different facets, which resulted into rougher film surfaces. The epitaxial growth modes and their correlation with the AlN film crystal quality under different TMAl pretreatments are also discussed.

APLIKASI THERMAL PRE-TREATMENT LIMBAH TANAMAN JAGUNG (Zea mays SEBAGAI CO·SUBSTRAT PADA PROSES ANAEROBIK DIGESTI UNTUK PRODUKSI BIOGAS

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Darwin Darwin

2016-04-01

mikroorganisme anaerobik untuk mengkonversi polimer yang berupa selulosa dan hemiselulosa menjadi biogas. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk melakukan kajian mengenai penerapan thermal pre-treatment pada limbah tanaman jagung terhadap proses anaerobik digesi yang meliputi efisiensi proses digesi dan produksi biogas yang dihasilkan. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan reaktor tipe batch yang suhunya dipertahankan pada kondisi mesophilic atau di atas rata-rata suhu kamar (33 ± 2 oC. Hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa thermal pre-treatment yang diberikan pada limbah tanaman jagung mampu mempercepat proses produksi biogas pada 10 hari pertama sehingga dapat mengurangi lag-phase pada proses anaerobik digesi. Limbah tanaman jagung yang diberikan thermal pre-treatment mengalami perlambatan produksi biogas pada hari ke 26 dengan rata-rata total produksi 12.412,5 mL untuk limbah tanaman jagung yang diberikan thermal pre- treatment selama 15 menit, dan 12.310 mL untuk limbah tanaman jagung yang diberikan thermal pre-treatment selama 25 menit, sedangkan limbah tanaman jagung yang tidak diberikan pre-treatment menghasilkan produksi biogas sebesar 12.557 mL pada hari ke 26. Produksi biogas harian tertinggi terjadi pada substrat yang diberikan thermal pre-treatment 25 menit, dengan produksi biogas tertinggi pada hari ke 9 dengan rata-rata produksi sebesar 915 mL. Substrat yang diberikan thermal pre-treatment 15 menit juga memproduksi biogas jauh lebih tinggi (772,5 mL pada hari ke 9 jika dibandingkan dengan substrat tanpa diberikan pre-treatment yang hanya memproduksi biogas sebesar 405 mL. Data hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa limbah tanaman jagung yang diberikan thermal pre-treatment memperoleh biogas yield lebih tinggi dari pada yang tidak diberikan pre-treatment dimana 670,39 mL/g volatile solids untuk thermal pre- treatment 15 menit, 690,65 mL/g volatile solids untuk thermal pre-treatment 25 menit dan 456,37 mL/g volatile solids untuk limbah tanaman jagung yang tidak

Preparing Al-Mg Substrate for Thermal Spraying: Evaluation of Surface State After Different Pretreatments

Science.gov (United States)

Lukauskaitė, R.; Valiulis, A. V.; Černašėjus, O.; Škamat, J.; Rębiś, J. A.

2016-08-01

The article deals with the pretreatment technique for preparing the surface of aluminum alloy EN AW 5754 before thermal spray. The surface after different pretreatments, including degreasing with acetone, chemical etching with acidic and alkali solutions, grit-blasting, cathodic cleaning, and some combinations of these techniques, has been studied. The investigation of pre-treated surfaces covered the topographical study (using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and 3D profilometry), the chemical analysis by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the evaluation of surface wettability (sessile drop method), and the assessment of surface free energy. Compared with all the techniques used in present work, the cathodic cleaning and its combination with grit-blasting provide the most preferable chemistry of the surface. Due to the absence of hydroxides at the surface and, possible, due to the diffusion of magnesium to the surface of substrate, the surface wettability and the surface free energy have been significantly improved. No direct correlation between the surface topography and the surface wettability has been established.

Enhanced Ethanol and Biogas Production from Pinewood by NMMO Pretreatment and Detailed Biomass Analysis

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Marzieh Shafiei

2014-01-01

Full Text Available N-Methyl morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO is an environmentally friendly and commercially applied cellulose solvent that is suggested for pretreatment of lignocelluloses to improve biofuel productions. However, the underlying mechanisms of the improvements have been poorly understood yet. In an attempt to investigate the mechanisms, pinewood powder and chips were pretreated with 85% (w/w NMMO at 120°C for 1–15 h. The pretreatment improved ethanol production yield from 7.2% (g/g for the untreated wood powder to 68.1–86.1% (g/g and from 1.7% (g/g for the untreated wood chips to 12.6–51.2% (g/g of theoretical yield. Similarly, the biogas yields of untreated wood chips and powder were improved from 21 and 66 (mL/g volatile solids by 3.5–6.8- and 2.6–3.4-folds, respectively. SEM micrographs indicated major increase in the wood porosity by the pretreatment, which would confirm increase in the water swelling capacity as well as enzyme adsorption. The analysis of X-ray diffraction showed considerable reduction in the cellulose crystallinity by the pretreatment, while FTIR spectroscopy results indicated reduction of lignin on the wood surface by the pretreatment.

Pretreatments for converting wood into paper and chemicals

Science.gov (United States)

William R. Kenealy; Carl J. Houtman; Jose Laplaza; Thomas W. Jeffries; Eric G. Horn

2007-01-01

Biorefining wood into paper and chemicals is not as easy as making a single traditional paper product. Paper is made from the cellulose- containing fractions of wood and processing may remove lignin and hemicellulose components. The yield and composition of the product depend upon the type of paper being produced. The paper process often alters the noncellulose...

Oxalic acid pretreatment of rice straw particles and loblolly pine chips : release of hemicellulosic carbohydrates

Science.gov (United States)

Xianjun Li; Zhiyong Cai; Eric Horn; Jerrold E. Winandy

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of oxalic acid (OA) pretreatment on carbohydrates released from rice straw particles and wood chips. The results showed that OA treatment accelerated carbohydrates extraction from rice straw particles and wood chips. OA pretreatment dramatically increased the amount of carbohydrates extracted, up to 24 times for wood...

Effect of the steam explosion pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis of eucalyptus wood and sweet sorghum baggages; Efecto del pretratamiento con explosion por vapor en la hidrolisis enzimatica de madera de eucalipto y bagazo de sorgo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negro, M J; Martinez, J M; Manero, J; Saez, F; Martin, C

1991-07-01

The effect of steam explosion treatment on the enzymatic hydrolysis yield of two different lignocellulosic substrates is studied. Raw materials have been pretreated in a pilot plant designed to work in batch and equipped with a reactor vessel of 2 1 working volume where biomass was heated at the desired temperature and then exploded and recovered in a cyclone. Temperatures from 190 to 230 degree celsius and reaction times from 2 to 8 min. have been assayed. The efficiency of the steam explosion treatment has been evaluated on the composition of the lignocellulosic materials as well as on their enzymatic hydrolysis yield using a cellulolytic complex from T. reesel. Results show a high solubilization rate of hemicelluloses and variable losses of cellulose and lignin depending on the conditions tested. Enzymatic hydrolysis yields of both substrates experimented remarkable increments, corresponding the highest values obtained to 210 degree celsius; 2 min. and 21O degree celsius; 4 min. for sorghum bagasse and eucalyptus wood respectively. (Author) 13 refs.

Substrate milling pretreatment as a key parameter for Solid-State Anaerobic Digestion optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Motte, J-C; Escudié, R; Hamelin, J; Steyer, J-P; Bernet, N; Delgenes, J-P; Dumas, C

2014-12-01

The effect of milling pretreatment on performances of Solid-State Anaerobic Digestion (SS-AD) of raw lignocellulosic residue is still controverted. Three batch reactors treating different straw particle sizes (milled 0.25 mm, 1 mm and 10 mm) were followed during 62 days (6 sampling dates). Although a fine milling improves substrate accessibility and conversion rate (up to 30% compared to coarse milling), it also increases the risk of media acidification because of rapid and high acids production during fermentation of the substrate soluble fraction. Meanwhile, a gradual adaptation of microbial communities, were observed according to both reaction progress and methanogenic performances. The study concluded that particle size reduction affected strongly the performances of the reaction due to an increase of substrate bioaccessibility. An optimization of SS-AD processes thanks to particle size reduction could therefore be applied at farm or industrial scale only if a specific management of the soluble compounds is established. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pretreatment-dependent surface chemistry of wood nanocellulose for pH-sensitive hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinga-Carrasco, Gary; Syverud, Kristin

2014-09-01

Nanocellulose from wood is a promising material with potential in various technological areas. Within biomedical applications, nanocellulose has been proposed as a suitable nano-material for wound dressings. This is based on the capability of the material to self-assemble into 3D micro-porous structures, which among others have an excellent capacity of maintaining a moist environment. In addition, the surface chemistry of nanocellulose is suitable for various applications. First, OH-groups are abundant in nanocellulose materials, making the material strongly hydrophilic. Second, the surface chemistry can be modified, introducing aldehyde and carboxyl groups, which have major potential for surface functionalization. In this study, we demonstrate the production of nanocellulose with tailor-made surface chemistry, by pre-treating the raw cellulose fibres with carboxymethylation and periodate oxidation. The pre-treatments yielded a highly nanofibrillated material, with significant amounts of aldehyde and carboxyl groups. Importantly, the poly-anionic surface of the oxidized nanocellulose opens up for novel applications, i.e. micro-porous materials with pH-responsive characteristics. This is due to the swelling capacity of the 3D micro-porous structures, which have ionisable functional groups. In this study, we demonstrated that nanocellulose gels have a significantly higher swelling degree in neutral and alkaline conditions, compared to an acid environment (pH 3). Such a capability can potentially be applied in chronic wounds for controlled and intelligent release of antibacterial components into biofilms. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Second-generation bioethanol from industrial wood waste of South American species

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María E. Vallejos

2017-09-01

Full Text Available There is a global interest in replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy. The present review evaluates the significance of South-American wood industrial wastes for bioethanol production. Four countries have been chosen for this review, i.e., Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, based on their current or potential forestry industry. It should be noted that although Brazil has a global bioethanol market share of 25%, its production is mainly first-generation bioethanol from sugarcane. The situation in the other countries is even worse, in spite of the fact that they have regulatory frameworks in place already allowing the substitution of a percentage of gasoline by ethanol. Pines and eucalyptus are the usually forested plants in these countries, and their industrial wastes, as chips and sawdust, could serve as promising raw materials to produce second-generation bioethanol in the context of a forest biorefinery. The process to convert woody biomass involves three stages: pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and fermentation. The operational conditions of the pretreatment method used are generally defined according to the physical and chemical characteristics of the raw materials and subsequently determine the characteristics of the treated substrates. This article also reviews and discusses the available pretreatment technologies for eucalyptus and pines applicable to South-American industrial wood wastes, their enzymatic hydrolysis yields, and the feasibility of implementing such processes in the mentioned countries in the frame of a biorefinery.

Comparative analysis of the effect of pretreating aspen wood with aqueous and aqueous-organic solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid on its reactivity during enzymatic hydrolysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dotsenko, Gleb; Osipov, D. O.; Zorov, I. N.

2016-01-01

The effect of aspen wood pretreatment methods with the use of both aqueous solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids and aqueous-organic solutions (ethanol, butanol) of sulfuric acid (organosolv) on the limiting degree of conversion of this type of raw material into simple sugars during enzymatic...

Improved pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using enzymatically-generated peracetic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, DeLu Tyler; Jing, Qing; AlDajani, Waleed Wafa; Duncan, Shona; Tschirner, Ulrike; Schilling, Jonathan; Kazlauskas, Romas J

2011-04-01

Release of sugars from lignocellulosic biomass is inefficient because lignin, an aromatic polymer, blocks access of enzymes to the sugar polymers. Pretreatments remove lignin and disrupt its structure, thereby enhancing sugar release. In previous work, enzymatically generated peracetic acid was used to pretreat aspen wood. This pretreatment removed 45% of the lignin and the subsequent saccharification released 97% of the sugars remaining after pretreatment. In this paper, the amount of enzyme needed is reduced tenfold using first, an improved enzyme variant that makes twice as much peracetic acid and second, a two-phase reaction to generate the peracetic acid, which allows enzyme reuse. In addition, the eight pretreatment cycles are reduced to only one by increasing the volume of peracetic acid solution and increasing the temperature to 60 °C and the reaction time to 6h. For the pretreatment step, the weight ratio of peracetic acid to wood determines the amount of lignin removed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structures and electrochemical properties of pyrolytic carbon films infiltrated from gas phase into electro-conductive substrates derived from wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohzawa, Yoshimi; Mitani, Masami; Li, Jianling; Nakajima, Tsuyoshi

2004-01-01

Using the pressure-pulsed chemical vapor infiltration technique, pyrolytic carbon (pyrocarbon) films were deposited into two sorts of conductive porous substrates, that is, the carbonized wood (A) and the TiN-coated wood (B). Structures and electrochemical properties were investigated as the negative electrodes of lithium-ion secondary battery. The electrodes had the three-dimensionally continuous current paths in the pyrocarbon-based anodes without the organic binders and the additional conductive fillers. The pyrocarbon films adhered tightly to the carbonized wood or TiN as current collector. These macro-structures of electrodes were effective in improving the high rate property. The sort of substrates affected the nano-structure of pyrocarbon. The pyrocarbon in sample (A) had the relatively high crystallinity, whereas the pyrocarbon in sample (B) was disordered. The capacity of pyrocarbon in sample (B) was higher than that of sample (A), reflecting the disordered microstructure of pyrocarbon film (B). However, sample (A) showed higher Coulombic efficiency at first cycle (i.e. 87%) than that of sample (B), which would result from the high crystallinity, laminar microstructure and low surface area of pyrocarbon in sample (A)

An exploratory study of the effects of the dielectric-barrier-discharge surface pre-treatment on the self-assembly processes of a (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane on glass substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Naiyi; Liu Chaozong; Brown, Norman M.D.; Meenan, Brian J.

2007-01-01

X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), secondary-ion-mass spectrometry (SIMS) and contact angle measurement have been used in study of the enhancement effect of substrate pre-treatment by dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD) for the self-assembly of a (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTS) on glass substrates. In results, the concentration of the APTS molecules self-assembled on the surfaces of both the acetone-washed and the DBD-treated substrates were more than three times of that on the as-supplied substrate. Meanwhile, the self-assembly (SA) layers grown on the DBD-treated substrates have the best quality compared to those grown on the substrates pre-treated in other ways in terms of the silane-substrate bonding and the order of arrangement of the silane molecules

High titer ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine by simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and combined fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, T Q; Gleisner, Roland; Zhu, J Y; Dien, Bruce S; Hector, Ronald E

2013-01-01

Lodgepole wood chips were pretreated by sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) at 25% solids loading and 180 °C for 20 min with sulfuric acid and sodium bisulfite charges of 2.2 and 8 wt/wt% on an oven-dry wood basis, respectively. The pretreated wood chips were disk-milled with pretreatment spent liquor and water, and the solid fraction was separated from the liquor stream. The liquor was neutralized and concentrated through vacuum evaporation. Quasi-simultaneous enzymatic saccharification of the cellulosic solids and combined fermentation with the concentrated liquor was conducted at up to 20% total solids loading. Fed-batching of the solids facilitated liquefaction and saccharification, as well as managing instantaneous inhibitor concentrations. At a commercial cellulase (CTec2) loading of only 9 FPU or 0.06 mL/g untreated wood, a maximum ethanol titer of 47.4 g/L was achieved, resulting in a calculated yield of 285 L/tonne of wood using Saccharomyces cerevisiae YRH400 at 35 °C and pH 5.5. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Direct Succinic Acid Production from Minimally Pretreated Biomass Using Sequential Solid-State and Slurry Fermentation with Mixed Fungal Cultures

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Jerico Alcantara

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Conventional bio-based succinic acid production involves anaerobic bacterial fermentation of pure sugars. This study explored a new route for directly producing succinic acid from minimally-pretreated lignocellulosic biomass via a consolidated bioprocessing technology employing a mixed lignocellulolytic and acidogenic fungal co-culture. The process involved a solid-state pre-fermentation stage followed by a two-phase slurry fermentation stage. During the solid-state pre-fermentation stage, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei were co-cultured in a nitrogen-rich substrate (e.g., soybean hull to induce cellulolytic enzyme activity. The ligninolytic fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was grown separately on carbon-rich birch wood chips to induce ligninolytic enzymes, rendering the biomass more susceptible to cellulase attack. The solid-state pre-cultures were then combined in a slurry fermentation culture to achieve simultaneous enzymatic cellulolysis and succinic acid production. This approach generated succinic acid at maximum titers of 32.43 g/L after 72 h of batch slurry fermentation (~10 g/L production, and 61.12 g/L after 36 h of addition of fresh birch wood chips at the onset of the slurry fermentation stage (~26 g/L production. Based on this result, this approach is a promising alternative to current bacterial succinic acid production due to its minimal substrate pretreatment requirements, which could reduce production costs.

Pretreatment of radiata pine using two white rot fungal strains Stereum hirsutum and Trametes versicolor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirkavand, Ehsan; Baroutian, Saeid; Gapes, Daniel J.; Young, Brent R.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Fungal pretreatment by two New Zealand native white rot fungi was proposed. • Trametes versicolor was more efficient in selective degradation of pine wood chips. • Both fungal strains significantly decreased crystallinity index of biomass only after week 7 of degradation. • Structural analysis showed that Trametes versicolor and Stereum hirsutum increased porous surface area of woody biomass. - Abstract: Stereum hirsutum and Trametes versicolor, were studied over a period of 3–7 weeks for pretreatment of radiata pine wood chips. Chemical analysis of pretreated biomass showed that the two studied strains were able to selectively degrade lignin. Selective lignin degradation was greater in week 3 of the pretreatment by Trametes versicolor compared to the other strain. Lengthening pretreatment time increased both lignin and cellulose losses which caused a reduction in selective lignin degradation for both strains. X-ray diffractometry showed that after seven weeks of pretreatment, the crystallinity of the woody biomass was decreased significantly. It decreased from 46% for untreated wood chips to 37% and 44% for Stereum hirsutum and Trametes versicolor treated biomass, respectively. The pretreatment with these two white rot fungi showed that 3-week pretreatment provided a cellulose rich biomass with the minimum cellulose loss compared to the other time of pretreatment.

Fermentative hydrogen production from agroindustrial lignocellulosic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Reginatto, Valeria; Antônio, Regina Vasconcellos

2015-01-01

To achieve economically competitive biological hydrogen production, it is crucial to consider inexpensive materials such as lignocellulosic substrate residues derived from agroindustrial activities. It is possible to use (1) lignocellulosic materials without any type of pretreatment, (2) lignocellulosic materials after a pretreatment step, and (3) lignocellulosic materials hydrolysates originating from a pretreatment step followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. According to the current literature data on fermentative H2 production presented in this review, thermophilic conditions produce H2 in yields approximately 75% higher than those obtained in mesophilic conditions using untreated lignocellulosic substrates. The average H2 production from pretreated material is 3.17 ± 1.79 mmol of H2/g of substrate, which is approximately 50% higher compared with the average yield achieved using untreated materials (2.17 ± 1.84 mmol of H2/g of substrate). Biological pretreatment affords the highest average yield 4.54 ± 1.78 mmol of H2/g of substrate compared with the acid and basic pretreatment - average yields of 2.94 ± 1.85 and 2.41 ± 1.52 mmol of H2/g of substrate, respectively. The average H2 yield from hydrolysates, obtained from a pretreatment step and enzymatic hydrolysis (3.78 ± 1.92 mmol of H2/g), was lower compared with the yield of substrates pretreated by biological methods only, demonstrating that it is important to avoid the formation of inhibitors generated by chemical pretreatments. Based on this review, exploring other microorganisms and optimizing the pretreatment and hydrolysis conditions can make the use of lignocellulosic substrates a sustainable way to produce H2. PMID:26273246

Ethanol production from residual wood chips of cellulose industry: acid pretreatment investigation, hemicellulosic hydrolysate fermentation, and remaining solid fraction fermentation by SSF process.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Neumara Luci Conceição; Betancur, Gabriel Jaime Vargas; Vasquez, Mariana Peñuela; Gomes, Edelvio de Barros; Pereira, Nei

2011-04-01

Current research indicates the ethanol fuel production from lignocellulosic materials, such as residual wood chips from the cellulose industry, as new emerging technology. This work aimed at evaluating the ethanol production from hemicellulose of eucalyptus chips by diluted acid pretreatment and the subsequent fermentation of the generated hydrolysate by a flocculating strain of Pichia stipitis. The remaining solid fraction generated after pretreatment was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, which was carried out simultaneously with glucose fermentation [saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process] using a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The acid pretreatment was evaluated using a central composite design for sulfuric acid concentration (1.0-4.0 v/v) and solid to liquid ratio (1:2-1:4, grams to milliliter) as independent variables. A maximum xylose concentration of 50 g/L was obtained in the hemicellulosic hydrolysate. The fermentation of hemicellulosic hydrolysate and the SSF process were performed in bioreactors and the final ethanol concentrations of 15.3 g/L and 28.7 g/L were obtained, respectively.

Fungal pretreatment of straw for enhanced biogas yield

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Xinmei; Pilar Castillo, Maria del; Schnuerer, Anna

2013-07-01

Among lignocellulosic materials from the agricultural sector, straw is considered to have the biggest potential as a biofuel and therefore also represents a big potential for biogas production. However, the degradation of lignocellulosic materials is somewhat restricted due to the high content of lignin that binds cellulose and hemicellulose and makes them unavailable for microbial degradation. Consequently, low methane yields are achieved. The biodegradability of the lignocellulosic material can be increased by a pretreatment. Optimally the pre-treatment should give an increase in the formation of sugars while avoiding the degradation or loss of carbohydrates and the formation of inhibitory by-products. The treatment should also be cost-effective. Different methods for pre-treatment of lignocellulosic material have been explored, for example thermal, acid, alkaline and oxidative pretreatments. However, they often have a high energy demand. Biological treatment with fungi represents an alternative method for pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials that could be comparably more environmentally friendly, easier to operate and with low energy input. The fungal groups of interest for lignocellulose degradation are the wood decaying fungi, such as the white-, brown-rot and cellulose degraders. The purpose with this work was to increase the biogas potential of straw by using a pretreatment with fungi. Straw was incubated with fungi at aerobic conditions under certain periods of time. The growth and colonization of the straw by the fungi was expected to increase the availability of the lignocellulosic structure of the straw and thus positively affect the biogas potential. In addition also, the spent lignocellulosic material from the cultivation of edible fungi was investigated. We hypothesized that also growth of edible fungi could give a more accessible material and thus give higher biogas potential compared to the substrate before fungal growth.

Liquefaction of torrefied wood using microwave irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Mengchao Zhou; Thomas Eberhardt; Pingping Xin; Chung-Yun Hse; Hui Pan

2016-01-01

Torrefaction is an effective pretreatment method to improve the uniformity and quality of lignocellulosic biomass before further thermal processing (e.g., gasification, combustion). The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of torrefaction as a pretreatment before liquefaction. Wood chips were torrefied for 2 h at three different temperatures (230, 260,...

Mechanical pre-treatment for enzymatically enhanced energy efficient TMP; Mekanisk foerbehandling av flis foer effektiv enzymatisk paaverkan vid energieffektiv TMP tillverkning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viforr, Silvia

2008-11-15

Thermomechanical pulp (TMP) processes are high energy demanding. This together with the high energy prices of nowadays results in significant costs, why less energy demanding processes are wished. This project has evaluated the potential for energy reductions in a TMP process by a mechanical pre-treatment of the wood chips combined with an enzymatic modification based on a cellulase mixture. The structure of the wood was opened up by the mechanical pre-treatment making it easier for the enzymes to penetrate into the pre-treated wood material. The enzymatic treatment was then run at optimum standard conditions. The EU project - Ecotarget 2004-2008 (www.ecotarget.com) have studied different types of enzymes that could be used for pre-treatment of wood chips in order to save energy during TMP processes. Based on these studies cellulose enzyme was recommended to be used at pre-treatment experiment performed by the Vaermeforsk project. Due to the fact that the Ecotarget-project has also been run during 2008 with activities involving enzymes, the steering board of the Vaermeforsk project took the decision to co-ordinate the experiments from both of the projects. This co-operation increased the funds and also the number of experiments for both of the projects. The experimental results from this project showed that energy reductions at a given tensile index could be achieved if gently mechanical pre-treated wood chips were enzymatically treated. An intensive mechanical pre-treatment gave negative effects on both fibre length and tear index while the light scattering coefficient was promoted, probably due to the fibre shortening. Enzymatic modification of mechanically pre-treated chips showed a favourable modification of the fibres, even regarding the fibre shortening, if compared to mechanical pre-treated chips only. The effects of cellulases was however not as expected, why a high amount of cellulases was used. Other types of enzymes which could attack the primary wall of

How spectroscopy and microspectroscopy of degraded wood contribute to understand fungal wood decay.

Science.gov (United States)

Fackler, Karin; Schwanninger, Manfred

2012-11-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance, mid and near infrared, and ultra violet (UV) spectra of wood contain information on its chemistry and composition. When solid wood samples are analysed, information on the molecular structure of the lignocellulose complex of wood e.g. crystallinity of polysaccharides and the orientation of the polymers in wood cell walls can also be gained. UV and infrared spectroscopy allow also for spatially resolved spectroscopy, and state-of-the-art mapping and imaging systems have been able to provide local information on wood chemistry and structure at the level of wood cells (with IR) or cell wall layers (with UV). During the last decades, these methods have also proven useful to follow alterations of the composition, chemistry and physics of the substrate wood after fungi had grown on it as well as changes of the interactions between the wood polymers within the lignocellulose complex caused by decay fungi. This review provides an overview on how molecular spectroscopic methods could contribute to understand these degradation processes and were able to characterise and localise fungal wood decay in its various stages starting from the incipient and early ones even if the major share of research focussed on advanced decay. Practical issues such as requirements in terms of sample preparation and sample form and present examples of optimised data analysis will also be addressed to be able to detect and characterise the generally highly variable microbial degradation processes within their highly variable substrate wood.

The use of wood waste for energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlopoulos, E.; Pavloudakis, F.

1999-01-01

The paper presents some technical aspects and management issues of wood waste reuse end disposal. It refers to the Greek and European legislation which determines the framework for rational and environmental friendly practices for woos waste management. It refers also to the wood waste classification systems and the currently applied methods of wood waste disposal and reuse. Emphasis is given to the wood waste-to-energy conversion system, particularly to the pretreatment requirements, the combustion techniques, and the environmental constrains. Finally, the decision making process for the investments in the wood waste firing thermal units is discussed

Application of molecular genetic methods for identification of wood-decaying fungi in wood constructions

OpenAIRE

Elena Bobeková; Michal Tomšovský; Petr Horáček

2008-01-01

The aim of the paper is to evaluate the utilization of molecular biology methods for detection of wood decaying fungi directly from decomposed wood using a commercial DNA extraction kit developed for soil substrates (PowerSoil™ DNA isolation kit). The experiment based on dry rot fungus (Serpula lacrymans) detection from inoculated wooden pieces under laboratory conditions was followed by field detection of wood-decaying fungi from wood structures on building constructions. Fungal DNA was ide...

High-temperature pretreatment of biogas substrate by using district heating to increase the biogas production; Hoegtemperaturfoerbehandling av biogassubstrat med fjaerrvaerme foer oekad biogasproduktion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Pilar Castillo, Maria; Ascue, Johnny [JTI, Uppsala (Sweden); Olsson, Marcus; Henriksson, Gunilla; Nordman, Roger [SP, Boraas (Sweden)

2011-12-15

In this study, we have shown that pre-heating sludge from a waste water treatment plant can give a higher biogas production rate. However, pretreatment showed no effect on substrate from a biogas plant at the conditions tested in this study. The study has also shown that there is potential of using district heating in the biogas industry for thermal pretreatment of sludge.

Thermal Properties of Wood-Plastic Composites Prepared from Hemicellulose-extracted Wood Flour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.A. Enayati

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Hemicellulose of Southern Yellow Pine wood spices was extracted by pressurized hot water at three different temperatures: 140°C, 155°C and 170°C. Compounding with PP (polypropylene was performed by extrusion after preparing wood flour and sieving to determine its mesh size. The ratio of wood to polymer was 50:50 based on oven-dry weight of wood flour. All extraction treatments and control samples were compounded under two sets of conditions, without and with 2% MAPP as coupling agent. Injection molding was used to make tensile test samples (dogbone from the pellets made by extrusion. Thermal properties of wood-plastic composites were studied by TGA and DSC while the thermal stability of pretreated wood flours, PP and MAPP were studied by TGA as well. The greater weight loss of wood materials was an indication that higher treatment temperature increases the extractability of hemicellulose. The removal of hemicellulose by extraction improves thermal stability of wood flour, especially for extraction at 170°C. Wood-plastic composites made from extracted fibers at 170°C showed the highest thermal stability. Coupling agent did not have a significant effect on thermal stability but it improved the degree of crystallinity of the composites.Surface roughness of wood fiber increased after treatment. Extraction of hemicellulose increased the degree of crystallinity but it was not significant except for samples from treated wood flour at 170°C and with MAPP.

Enzymatic Xylose Release from Pretreated Corn Bran Arabinoxylan: Differential Effects of Deacetylation and Deferuloylation on Insoluble and Soluble Substrate Fractions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agger, Jane; Viksø-Nielsen, Ander; Meyer, Anne S.

2010-01-01

In the present work enzymatic hydrolysis of arabinoxylan from pretreated corn bran (190 °C, 10 min) was evaluated by measuring the release of xylose and arabinose after treatment with a designed minimal mixture of monocomponent enzymes consisting of α-l-arabinofuranosidases, an endoxylanase......, and a β-xylosidase. The pretreatment divided the corn bran material 50:50 into soluble and insoluble fractions having A:X ratios of 0.66 and 0.40, respectively. Addition of acetyl xylan esterase to the monocomponent enzyme mixture almost doubled the xylose release from the insoluble substrate fraction...

Physical Damages of Wood Fiber in Acacia Mangium due to Biopulping Treatment

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Ridwan Yahya

2016-05-01

chrysosporium to Acacia mangium Willd can reduce lignin and improve holocellulose and cellulose content of the material. Fiber dimension recognized as other important factor for paper properties. The question is how the integrity and dimensions of the wood fiber that has been pretreated with the fungus. The objectives of present study were to know effect of pretreatment of P. chrysosporium to the integrity and dimensions of the fiber. The P. chrysosporium was cultured for 14 days in growth medium, and inoculated to wood chips 5% (w/v and incubated for 0, 15 and 30 days. The inoculated wood chips were chipped into 1 mm x 1 mm x 20 mm and macerated using franklin solution at 60 oC for 48 hours. Forty fibers from each incubated time were analized their physical damages using a light microscope at a 400 magnification. The inoculated fibers were measured theirs dimensions. The physical damage percentage of fibers pretreated using P. chrysosporium was 0%. Length and wall thickness of the pretreated fibers were can be categorized as middle class and thin fibers, respectively.

Biological Pretreatment of Mexican Caribbean Macroalgae Consortiums Using Bm-2 Strain (Trametes hirsuta and Its Enzymatic Broth to Improve Biomethane Potential

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Raúl Tapia-Tussell

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The macroalgae consortium biomass in the Mexican Caribbean represents an emerging and promising biofuel feedstock. Its biological pretreatment and potential for energetic conversion to biomethane were investigated, since some macroalgae have hard cell walls that present an obstacle to efficient methane production when those substrates are used. It has been revealed by anaerobic digestion assays that pretreatment with a Bm-2 strain (Trametes hirsuta isolated from decaying wood in Yucatan, Mexico was 104 L CH4 kg·VS−1; In fact, the fungal pretreatment produced a 20% increase in methane yield, with important amounts of alkali metals Ca, K, Mg, Na of 78 g/L, ash 35.5% and lignin 15.6%. It is unlikely that high concentrations of ash and alkali metals will produce an ideal feedstock for combustion or pyrolysis, but they can be recommended for a biological process.

Brush-Painting and Photonic Sintering of Copper Oxide and Silver Inks on Wood and Cardboard Substrates to Form Antennas for UHF RFID Tags

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erja Sipilä

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Additive deposition of inks with metallic inclusions provides compelling means to embed electronics into versatile structures. The need to integrate electronics into environmentally friendly components and structures increases dramatically together with the increasing popularity of the Internet of Things. We demonstrate a novel brush-painting method for depositing copper oxide and silver inks directly on wood and cardboard substrates and discuss the optimization of the photonic sintering process parameters for both materials. The optimized parameters were utilized to manufacture passive ultra high frequency (UHF radio frequency identification (RFID tag antennas. The results from wireless testing show that the RFID tags based on the copper oxide and silver ink antennas on wood substrate are readable from ranges of 8.5 and 11 meters, respectively, and on cardboard substrate from read ranges of 8.5 and 12 meters, respectively. These results are well sufficient for many future wireless applications requiring remote identification with RFID.

Improved damp heat stability of Ga-Doped ZnO thin film by pretreatment of the polyethylene terephthalate substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, B. B.; Seo, S. G.; Lim, Y. S.; Choi, H.-S.; Seo, W.-S.; Park, H.-H.

2013-09-01

A study on the damp heat stability of transparent conducting ZnO thin film grown on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate (PET) is reported. By thermal annealing of the PET substrate at 100°C with Ar flow in a vacuum chamber prior to the sputtering growth of Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin film, significantly enhanced damp heat stability was achieved at 60°C with a 90% relative humidity. Electrical and structural characterizations of the GZO thin films were carried out and the effects of the pretreatment on the improved damp heat stability are discussed.

Fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface on a wood substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuliang; Shi, Junyou; Liu, Changyu; Xie, Cheng; Wang, Chengyu

2011-09-01

A layer of lamellar superhydrophobic coating was fabricated on a wood surface through a wet chemical process. The superhydrophobic property of the wood surface was measured by contact angle (CA) measurements. The microstructure and chemical composition of the superhydrophobic coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). An analytical characterization revealed that the microscale roughness of the lamellar particles was uniformly distributed on the wood surface and that a zinc stearate monolayer (with the hydrophobic groups oriented outward) formed on the ZnO surface as the result of the reaction between stearic acid and ZnO. This process transformed the wood surface from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic: the water contact angle of the surface was 151°, and the sliding angle was less than 5°.

Pretreatment methods to obtain pumpable high solid loading wood–water slurries for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dãrãbana, Iulia-Maria; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup; Pedersen, Thomas Helmer

2015-01-01

Feedstock pretreatment is a prerequisite step for continuous processing of lignocellulosic biomass through HTL, in order to facilitate the pumpability of biomass aqueous slurries. Until now, HTL feedstock pumpability could only be achieved at solid mass content below 15%. In this work, two...... pretreatment methods to obtain wood-based slurries with more than 20% solid mass content, for continuous processing in HTL systems, are proposed. The effect of biomass particle size and pretreatment method on the feedstock pumpability is analyzed. The experimental results show that pumpable wood-based slurries...

Municipal Solid Waste: Pre-Treatment Options and Benefits on Landfill Emissions

OpenAIRE

Bakare Babatunde Femi

2011-01-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) comprises of a wide range of heterogeneous materials generated by individual, household or organization and may include food waste, garden wastes, papers, textiles, rubbers, plastics, glass, ceramics, metals, wood wastes, construction wastes but it is not limited to the above mentioned fractions. The most common Municipal Solid Waste pretreatment method in use is thermal pretreatment (incineration) and Mechanical Biological pretreatment. This p...

Effect of low severity dilute-acid pretreatment of barley straw and decreased enzyme loading hydrolysis on the production of fermentable substrates and the release of inhibitory compounds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Panagiotopoulos, I.A.; Lignos, G.D.; Bakker, R.R.C.; Koukios, E.G.

2012-01-01

The objective of this work was to investigate the feasibility of combining low severity dilute-acid pretreatment of barley straw and decreased enzyme loading hydrolysis for the high production of fermentable substrates and the low release of inhibitory compounds. For most of the pretreatments at 160

Visual cues for woodpeckers: light reflectance of decayed wood varies by decay fungus

Science.gov (United States)

O'Daniels, Sean T.; Kesler, Dylan C.; Mihail, Jeanne D.; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Werner, Scott J.

2018-01-01

The appearance of wood substrates is likely relevant to bird species with life histories that require regular interactions with wood for food and shelter. Woodpeckers detect decayed wood for cavity placement or foraging, and some species may be capable of detecting trees decayed by specific fungi; however, a mechanism allowing for such specificity remains unidentified. We hypothesized that decay fungi associated with woodpecker cavity sites alter the substrate reflectance in a species-specific manner that is visually discriminable by woodpeckers. We grew 10 species of wood decay fungi from pure cultures on sterile wood substrates of 3 tree species. We then measured the relative reflectance spectra of decayed and control wood wafers and compared them using the receptor noise-limited (RNL) color discrimination model. The RNL model has been used in studies of feather coloration, egg shells, flowers, and fruit to model how the colors of objects appear to birds. Our analyses indicated 6 of 10 decayed substrate/control comparisons were above the threshold of discrimination (i.e., indicating differences discriminable by avian viewers), and 12 of 13 decayed substrate comparisons were also above threshold for a hypothetical woodpecker. We conclude that woodpeckers should be capable of visually detecting decayed wood on trees where bark is absent, and they should also be able to detect visually species-specific differences in wood substrates decayed by fungi used in this study. Our results provide evidence for a visual mechanism by which woodpeckers could identify and select substrates decayed by specific fungi, which has implications for understanding ecologically important woodpecker–fungus interactions.

Fabrication of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film with pre-treated sol coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Sung-Jei; Han, Jeong-In

2004-01-01

A new pre-treated sol-coating method to fabricate an indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film is introduced in this paper. The pre-treatment sol-coating method is to form a seed layer on the substrate before spin coating of ITO sol. The pre-treatment was carried out at room temperature in order not to damage the substrate during the pre-treatment. It is effective to enhance the formation of the ITO sol film on the substrate, owing to the seed layer. The seed layer consists of ultrafine grains, which are observed at the pre-treated substrate. For the optimal pre-treatment condition, we used pre-treatment times of 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours to observe the effect on the characteristics of ITO sol film. As a result, the lowest resistance could be achieved with a pre-treatment time of 72 hours. The optical transmittance of the ITO sol film with the pre-treatment time of 72 hours exceeded 80 % at a wavelength of 400 nm. So, an ITO sol film with good electrical and optical properties could be fabricated by using the pretreatment sol coating.

Application of molecular genetic methods for identification of wood-decaying fungi in wood constructions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Bobeková

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to evaluate the utilization of molecular biology methods for detection of wood decaying fungi directly from decomposed wood using a commercial DNA extraction kit developed for soil substrates (PowerSoil™ DNA isolation kit. The experiment based on dry rot fungus (Serpula lacrymans detection from inoculated wooden pieces under laboratory conditions was followed by field detection of wood-decaying fungi from wood structures on building constructions. Fungal DNA was identified using the PCR–based methods including species-specific PCR and sequencing of amplified ITS region of ribosomal DNA.

Aquatic wood -- an insect perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Peter S. Cranston; Brendan McKie

2006-01-01

Immersed wood provides refugia and substrate for a diverse array of macroinvertebrates, and food for a more restricted genuinely xylophagous fauna. Worldwide, xylophages are found across aquatic insect orders, including Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera and Plecoptera. Xylophages often are specialised, feeding on the wood surface or mining deep within. Many feed...

Optimization of the pretreatment of Prosopis nigra sawdust for the production of fermentable sugars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliana P. Dagnino

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The black carob tree (Prosopis nigra is a particularly valued species in Chaco, Argentina on account of its hard wood. Finding a use for the sawdust, the main industrial residue of wood, could be useful within the furniture industry of any country in the tropics seeking to apply the biorefinery concept. For the conversion of wood carbohydrates to bioethanol, a pretreatment stage is necessary. The objective of this work was to find the acid pretreatment conditions that maximize the extraction of xylose with minimum degradation, while maximizing the concentration of glucans in the pretreated solid to obtain better enzymatic accessibility, using black carob tree sawdust as the raw material. The optimization was carried out by use of a central composite design (CCD with two independent variables: the concentration of the sulfuric acid solution and the heating time. Optimal enzymatic hydrolysis occurred at the mean values of the tested acid solution concentration (1.2% and after shorter heating times (10.2 min. The concentration of sugars after the enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated solid over a time period of 72 h was three times higher than the untreated solid.

High-phase-purity zinc-blende InN on r-plane sapphire substrate with controlled nitridation pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsiao, C.-L.; Wu, C.-T.; Hsu, H.-C.; Hsu, G.-M.; Chen, L.-C.; Liu, T.-W.; Shiao, W.-Y.; Yang, C. C.; Gaellstroem, Andreas; Holtz, Per-Olof; Chen, C.-C.; Chen, K.-H.

2008-01-01

High-phase-purity zinc-blende (zb) InN thin film has been grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy on r-plane sapphire substrate pretreated with nitridation. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the phase of the InN films changes from wurtzite (w) InN to a mixture of w-InN and zb-InN, to zb-InN with increasing nitridation time. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals an ultrathin crystallized interlayer produced by substrate nitridation, which plays an important role in controlling the InN phase. Photoluminescence emission of zb-InN measured at 20 K shows a peak at a very low energy, 0.636 eV, and an absorption edge at ∼0.62 eV is observed at 2 K, which is the lowest bandgap reported to date among the III-nitride semiconductors

Insect-mediated nitrogen dynamics in decomposing wood

Science.gov (United States)

Michael D. Ulyshen

2015-01-01

1.Wood decomposition is characterised by complex and poorly understood nitrogen (N) dynamics with unclear implications for forest nutrient cycling and productivity.Wood-dwelling microbes have developed unique strategies for coping with the N limitations imposed by their substrate, including the translocation of N into wood by cord-forming fungi and the fixation of...

Bioethanol from lignocellulose - pretreatment, enzyme immobilization and hydrolysis kinetics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsai, Chien Tai

, the cost of enzyme is still the bottle neck, re-using the enzyme is apossible way to reduce the input of enzyme in the process. In the point view of engineering, the prediction of enzymatic hydrolysis kinetics under different substrate loading, enzyme combination is usful for process design. Therefore...... lignocellulose is the required high cellulase enzyme dosages that increase the processing costs. One method to decrease the enzyme dosage is to re-use BG, which hydrolyze the soluble substrate cellobiose. Based on the hypothesis that immobilized BG can be re-used, how many times the enzyme could be recycled...... liquid and pretreatment time can be reduced, the influence of substrate concentration, pretreatment time and temperature were investigated and optimized. Pretreatment of barley straw by [EMIM]Ac, correlative models were constructed using 3 different pretreatment parameters (temperature, time...

Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated soybean straw

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Zhong; Wang Qunhui; Jiang Zhaohua; Yang Xuexin; Ji Yongzhen

2007-01-01

In order to produce lactic acid, from agricultural residues such as soybean straw, which is a raw material for biodegradable plastic production, it is necessary to decompose the soybean straw into soluble sugars. Enzymatic hydrolysis is one of the methods in common use, while pretreatment is the effective way to increase the hydrolysis rate. The optimal conditions of pretreatment using ammonia and enzymatic hydrolysis of soybean straw were determined. Compared with the untreated straw, cellulose in straw pretreated by ammonia liquor (10%) soaking for 24 h at room temperature increased 70.27%, whereas hemicellulose and lignin in pretreated straw decreased to 41.45% and 30.16%, respectively. The results of infrared spectra (IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis also showed that the structure and the surface of the straw were changed through pretreatment that is in favor of the following enzymatic hydrolysis. maximum enzymatic hydrolysis rate of 51.22% was achieved at a substrate concentration of 5% (w/v) at 50 deg. C and pH 4.8 using cellulase (50 fpu/g of substrate) for 36 h

Use of spectroscopic and imaging techniques to evaluate pretreated sugarcane bagasse as a substrate for cellulase production under solid-state fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Zúñiga, Ursula Fabiola; Bertucci Neto, Victor; Couri, Sonia; Crestana, Silvio; Farinas, Cristiane Sanchez

2014-03-01

The enzymatic cocktail of cellulases is one of the most costly inputs affecting the economic viability of the biochemical route for biomass conversion into biofuels and other chemicals. Here, the influence of liquid hot water, dilute acid, alkali, and combined acid/alkali pretreatments on sugarcane bagasse (SCB) used for cellulase production was investigated by means of spectroscopic and imaging techniques. Chemical composition and structural characteristics, such as crystallinity (determined by X-ray diffraction), functional groups (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and microstructure (scanning electron microscopy), were used to correlate SCB pretreatments with enzymatic biosynthesis by a strain of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger under solid-state fermentation. The combined acid/alkali pretreatment resulted in a SCB with higher cellulose content (86.7%). However, the high crystallinity (74%) of the resulting biomass was detrimental to microbial uptake and enzyme production. SCB pretreated with liquid hot water yielded the highest filter paper cellulase (FPase), carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), and xylanase activities (0.4, 14.9, and 26.1 U g(-1), respectively). The results showed that a suitable pretreatment for SCB to be used as a substrate for cellulase production should avoid severe conditions in order to preserve amorphous cellulose and to enhance the physical properties that assist microbial access.

High Titer Ethanol and Lignosulfonate Production from SPORL Pretreated Poplar at Pilot Scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Haifeng [Key Laboratory of Low Carbon Energy and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao (China); Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States); Zhu, J. Y., E-mail: jzhu@fs.fed.us; Gleisner, Roland [Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States); Qiu, Xueqing [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Horn, Eric [BioPulping International, Inc., Madison, WI (United States)

2015-04-27

Poplar NE222 (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh × P. nigra L.) wood chips were pretreated in a 390 L pilot-scale rotating wood-pulping digester using a dilute sulfite solution of approximately pH 1.8 at 160°C for 40 min for bioconversion to ethanol and lignosulfonate (LS). An estimated combined hydrolysis factor (CHF) of 3.3 was used to scale the sulfite pretreatment temperature and time from laboratory bench scale experiments, which balanced sugar yield and inhibitor formation to facilitate high titer ethanol production through fermentation using S. cerevisiae YRH400 without detoxification. A terminal ethanol titer of 43.6 g L{sup -1} with a yield of 247 L tonne wood{sup -1} was achieved at total solids loading of 20%. The relatively low ethanol yield compared with yield from Sulfite pretreatment to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL)-pretreated softwoods was due to inefficient utilization of xylose. The LS from SPORL has a substantially higher phenolic group (Ph-OH) content, though it was less sulfonated and had a lower molecular weight than a purified commercial softwood LS, and therefore has potential for certain commercial markets and future novel applications through further processing. The conversion efficiency achieved through process integration and simplification, demonstrated here, has significant importance to the entire supply chain of biofuel production from woody biomass.

EFEK PERLAKUAN KIMIAWI DAN HIDROTERMOLISIS PADA BIOMAS TANAMAN JAGUNG (Zea mays L. SEBAGAI SUBSTRAT PRODUKSI BIOETANOL The Effects of Chemical and Hydrothermolysis Pretreatment of Corn Stover Biomass (Zea mays L. as The Bioethanol Production Substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wagiman Wagiman

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to obtain a fermentation substrate with a high content of cellulose and hemicellulose, as well as to decrease the cellulose cystalinity. Dried corn stover was crushed to pass 40 mesh, added by Ca(OH and water, then heated at a certain time. The experimental design was prepared using a four-factor central composite design (CCD. The results of the chemical pretreatment were treated using hydrothermolysis methods for enhancing the lignin removal and decreasing cellulose crystalinity. The suitable process condition for chemical pretreatment was achieved at the loading of 0.075 g Ca(OH /g corn stover and 6.25 ml water/g corn stover, temperature 74.6 OC at 2 hours. After hydrothermolysis, cellulose and hemicellulose were dissolved at the percentages of 52.40 % and 31.84 % respectively, while the fraction of solid substrate had a composition of cellulose of 42.68 % and hemicellulosa of 34.68 %. The crystalinity of cellulose from the leaves, cobs, and cornhusk decreased significantly. The SEM results indicated that the surface of cell wall of corn stover had been perforated by these pretreatment processes. These pores might increase the enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic corn stover. ABSTRAK Tujuan penelitian adalah mendapatkan substrat fermentasi dengan kandungan selulosa dan hemiselulosa tinggi serta menurunkan kristalinitas komponen selulosa. Limbah tanaman jagung yang sudah kering dihancurkan hingga lolos 40 mesh, ditambah Ca(OH dan air, kemudian dipanaskan pada suhu dan waktu tertentu. Rancangan percobaan disusun dengan menggunakan central composite design (CCD dengan empat faktor. Hasil terbaik tahap ini diberi perlakuan hidrotermolisis untuk meningkatkan penyisihan komponen lignin dan menurunkan kristalinitas selulosa. Hasil pene­ litian menunjukkan bahwa kondisi proses terbaik adalah penambahan 0,075 g Ca(OH /g biomas dan 6,25 ml air/g biomas, suhu pemanasan 74,6 OC dengan waktu 2 jam

Pre-treatment and recirculation of wood ashes; Forbehandling og recirkulering af flisaske

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skov, S.; Ingerslev, M.

2011-07-01

Harvest of forest biomass for energy production may lead to a significant export of nutrients from the forest. Ash spreading and recycling of nutrients from wood chip combustion to the forest has come into focus as a means for counteracting the nutrient export. A study was carried out to examine the retention of various elements in the different ash fractions and utilize the nutrient recovery to evaluate the fertilizer quality of the examined ash. The mass and element flux of wood chips, bottom ash, cyclone fly ash and condensation sludge at Ebeltoft central heating plant was studied over a four-day period in spring 2005. Substantial amounts of nutrients were retained in the fly ash (P, Ca, Mg, Mn and Cu have a recovery higher than 60 % and K, S and Fe have a recovery higher than 30 %). The recovery of elements in the bottom ash was smaller. The added recovery of the usable fractions of ashes (both fly ash and bottom ash) exceeded 75 % for the nutrients P, Ca, Mn and Mg. Both these ash fractions should be considered for fertilization. To examine how ash application affects the forest and Christmas tree stand ecosystem and especially the element budget field experiments were established and monitored intensively. Wood ash is alkaline and by spreading ash in the forest ecosystem, the chemistry of soil water and soil is affected. This introduces a risk of scorching the organisms, eg. mosses but also of root damaging and thereby an impaired water and nutrient uptake as a result. The ash contains salts. Some of these salts, especially metal chlorides and metal sulfates can be dissolved quickly and causes a pH decrease in soil water. There may be a risk that the geochemical conditions in the soil changed dramatically within a relatively short period. These changes can affect nutrient concentrations in soil water and mineralization of organic matter in soil. This increases the risk of leaching and permanent loss of nutrients. These adverse effects of wood ash application

Fabrication and Spectral Properties of Wood-Based Luminescent Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianjun Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Pressure impregnation pretreatment is a conventional method to fabricate wood-based nanocomposites. In this paper, the wood-based luminescent nanocomposites were fabricated with the method and its spectral properties were investigated. The results show that it is feasible to fabricate wood-based luminescent nanocomposites using microwave modified wood and nanophosphor powders. The luminescent strength is in positive correlation with the amount of phosphor powders dispersed in urea-formaldehyde resin. Phosphors absorb UV and blue light efficiently in the range of 400–470 nm and show a broad band of bluish-green emission centered at 500 nm, which makes them good candidates for potential blue-green luminescent materials.

Mild-temperature dilute acid pretreatment for integration of first and second generation ethanol processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Ramkumar B; Kalif, Mahdi; Ferreira, Jorge A; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J; Lennartsson, Patrik R

2017-12-01

The use of hot-water (100°C) from the 1st generation ethanol plants for mild-temperature lignocellulose pretreatment can possibly cut down the operational (energy) cost of 2nd generation ethanol process, in an integrated model. Dilute-sulfuric and -phosphoric acid pretreatment at 100°C was carried out for wheat bran and whole-stillage fibers. Pretreatment time and acid type influenced the release of sugars from wheat bran, while acid-concentration was found significant for whole-stillage fibers. Pretreatment led up-to 300% improvement in the glucose yield compared to only-enzymatically treated substrates. The pretreated substrates were 191-344% and 115-300% richer in lignin and glucan, respectively. Fermentation using Neurospora intermedia, showed 81% and 91% ethanol yields from wheat bran and stillage-fibers, respectively. Sawdust proved to be a highly recalcitrant substrate for mild-temperature pretreatment with only 22% glucose yield. Both wheat bran and whole-stillage are potential substrates for pretreatment using waste heat from the 1st generation process for 2nd generation ethanol. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of pretreated wheat straw using both enzyme and substrate feeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palmqvist Benny

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF has been recognized as a feasible option for ethanol production from xylose-rich lignocellulosic materials. To reach high ethanol concentration in the broth, a high content of water-insoluble solids (WIS is needed, which creates mixing problems and, furthermore, may decrease xylose uptake. Feeding of substrate has already been proven to give a higher xylose conversion than a batch SSCF. In the current work, enzyme feeding, in addition to substrate feeding, was investigated as a means of enabling a higher WIS content with a high xylose conversion in SSCF of a xylose-rich material. A recombinant xylose-fermenting strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (TMB3400 was used for this purpose in fed-batch SSCF experiments of steam-pretreated wheat straw. Results By using both enzyme and substrate feeding, the xylose conversion in SSCF could be increased from 40% to 50% in comparison to substrate feeding only. In addition, by this design of the feeding strategy, it was possible to process a WIS content corresponding to 11% in SSCF and obtain an ethanol yield on fermentable sugars of 0.35 g g-1. Conclusion A combination of enzyme and substrate feeding was shown to enhance xylose uptake by yeast and increase overall ethanol yield in SSCF. This is conceptually important for the design of novel SSCF processes aiming at high-ethanol titers. Substrate feeding prevents viscosity from becoming too high and thereby allows a higher total amount of WIS to be added in the process. The enzyme feeding, furthermore, enables keeping the glucose concentration low, which kinetically favors xylose uptake and results in a higher xylose conversion.

High titer ethanol and lignosulfonate production from SPORL pretreated poplar at pilot-scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junyong (J.Y. eZhu

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Poplar NE222 (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh × P. nigra L. wood chips were pretreated in a 390 L pilot-scale rotating wood-pulping digester using a dilute sulfite solution of approximately pH  1.8 at 160°C for 40 min for bioconversion to ethanol and lignosulfonate (LS. An estimated combined hydrolysis factor (CHF of 3.3 was used to scale the pretreatment temperature and time from laboratory bench scale experiments, which balanced sugar yield and inhibitor formation to facilitate high titer ethanol production through fermentation using S. cerevisiae YRH400 without detoxification. A terminal ethanol titer of 43.6 g L-1 with a yield of 247 L tonne wood-1 was achieved at total solids loading of 20%. The relatively low ethanol yield compared with yield from SPORL-pretreated softwoods was due to inefficient utilization of xylose. The LS from SPORL has a substantially higher phenolic group (Ph-OH content although it is less sulfonated and has a lower molecular weight than a purified commercial softwood LS, and therefore has potential for certain commercial markets and future novel applications through further processing.

Two-step sequential pretreatment for the enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of coffee spent waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravindran, Rajeev; Jaiswal, Swarna; Abu-Ghannam, Nissreen; Jaiswal, Amit K

2017-09-01

In the present study, eight different pretreatments of varying nature (physical, chemical and physico-chemical) followed by a sequential, combinatorial pretreatment strategy was applied to spent coffee waste to attain maximum sugar yield. Pretreated samples were analysed for total reducing sugar, individual sugars and generation of inhibitory compounds such as furfural and hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) which can hinder microbial growth and enzyme activity. Native spent coffee waste was high in hemicellulose content. Galactose was found to be the predominant sugar in spent coffee waste. Results showed that sequential pretreatment yielded 350.12mg of reducing sugar/g of substrate, which was 1.7-fold higher than in native spent coffee waste (203.4mg/g of substrate). Furthermore, extensive delignification was achieved using sequential pretreatment strategy. XRD, FTIR, and DSC profiles of the pretreated substrates were studied to analyse the various changes incurred in sequentially pretreated spent coffee waste as opposed to native spent coffee waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of arabinogalactan and dihydroquercetin simultaneously from Larix gmelinii as a pretreatment for pulping and papermaking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunhui Ma

Full Text Available An ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE method using ethanol was applied for extracting arabinogalactan (AG and dihydroquercetin (DHQ simultaneously from larch wood, as a pretreatment for pulping and papermaking. The extraction parameters were optimized by a Box-Behnken experimental design with the yields of AG and DHQ as the response values. Under optimum conditions (three extractions, each using 40% ethanol, for 50 min, 200 W ultrasound power and 1∶18 solid-liquid ratio, the yields of AG and DHQ were 183.4 and 36.76 mg/g, respectively. After UAE pretreated, the wood chips were used for Kraft pulping (KP and high boiling solvent pulping (HBSP. The pulping yield after pretreatment was higher than that of untreated (the pulping yields of untreated HBSP and KP were 42.37% and 39.60%, and the pulping yields of HBSP and KP after UAE-pretreated were 44.23% and 41.50% respectively, as indicated by a lower kappa number (77.91 and 27.30 for untreated HBSP and KP; 77.01 and 26.83 for UAE-pretreated HBSP and KP. Furthermore, the characteristics of paper produced from pretreated wood chips were superior to those from the untreated chips: the basis weight was lower (85.67 and 82.48 g·cm(-2 for paper from untreated KP and HBSP; 79.94 and 80.25 g·cm(-2 for paper from UAE-pretreated KP and HBSP, and the tensile strengths, tearing strengths, bursting strengths, and folding strengths were higher than these of paper after UAE-pretreated, respectively.

Understanding wood chemistry changes during biopulping

Science.gov (United States)

Chris Hunt; William Kenealy; Carl Houtman

2003-01-01

Biopulping is the process of pretreating chips with fungus before mechanical pulping, resulting in significant energy savings and sheet strength improvements. This work presents sugar analysis, methylene blue adsorption, and titration data suggesting an increase in acid group content in wood is common with biopulping treatment. Some discussion of possible mechanisms of...

Combined Mechanical Destruction and Alkaline Pretreatment of Wheat Straw for Enhanced Enzymatic Saccharification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qianqian Wang

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Wheat straw was pretreated by combined mechanical destruction and alkaline pretreatments to enhance enzymatic saccharification. Four strategies were employed to evaluate the potential of wheat straw as a feedstock for fermentable sugar production. The effects of the pretreatments on the substrate morphology, size distribution, chemical composition, and cellulose crystallinity, along with the subsequent enzymatic digestibility, were investigated. Optical microscope images showed that mechanical pretreatment alone resulted in poor fiber defibrillation, wherein samples mostly consisted of rigid fiber bundles, while integrated mechanical destruction and alkaline pretreatment led to relatively good fiber defibrillation. Low temperature NaOH/urea pretreatment can fibrillate the rigid fiber bundles into a relatively loose network and alter the structure of the treated substrate to make cellulose more accessible. The glucan conversion rates were 77% and 95% for integrated mechanical destruction and alkaline pretreatments and mechanical destruction followed by low temperature NaOH/urea and ammonium/urea pretreatments, respectively, after 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis with enzyme loadings of 10 FPU cellulase per g of oven-dry substrate.

Effect of lignin chemistry on the enzymatic hydrolysis of woody biomass.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhiying; Gwak, Ki-Seob; Treasure, Trevor; Jameel, Hasan; Chang, Hou-min; Park, Sunkyu

2014-07-01

The impact of lignin-derived inhibition on enzymatic hydrolysis is investigated by using lignins isolated from untreated woods and pretreated wood pulps. A new method, biomass reconstruction, for which isolated lignins are precipitated onto bleached pulps to mimic lignocellulosic biomass, is introduced, for the first time, to decouple the lignin distribution issue from lignin chemistry. Isolated lignins are physically mixed and reconstructed with bleached pulps. Lignins obtained from pretreated woods adsorb two to six times more cellulase than lignins obtained from untreated woods. The higher adsorption of enzymes on lignin correlates with decreased carbohydrate conversion in enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, the reconstructed softwood substrate has a lower carbohydrate conversion than the reconstructed hardwood substrate. The degree of condensation of lignin increases significantly after pretreatment, especially with softwood lignins. In this study, the degree of condensation of lignin (0.02 to 0.64) and total OH groups in lignin (1.7 to 1.1) have a critical impact on cellulase adsorption (9 to 70%) and enzymatic hydrolysis (83.2 to 58.2%); this may provide insights into the more recalcitrant nature of softwood substrates. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Finishability of CCA pressure-treated wood

Science.gov (United States)

Alan Ross; Richard Carlson; William Feist; Steven Bussjaeger

2000-01-01

Thus, a need arose for the development of surface finishes for CCA-treated wood that could address the special requirements of this substrate and provide protection against the ravages of water, sunlight, mildew, and other aspects of weathering and wear. Initially, this need was not addressed, most wood preserving companies had little expertise in surface finishes and...

Brown rot fungal early stage decay mechanism as a biological pretreatment for softwood biomass in biofuel production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ray, Michael J.; Leak, David J.; Spanu, Pietro D.; Murphy, Richard J. [Division of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Porter Alliance, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2010-08-15

A current barrier to the large-scale production of lignocellulosic biofuels is the cost associated with the energy and chemical inputs required for feedstock pretreatment and hydrolysis. The use of controlled partial biological degradation to replace elements of the current pretreatment technologies would offer tangible energy and cost benefits to the whole biofuel process. It has been known for some time from studies of wood decay that, in the early stages of growth in wood, brown rot fungi utilise a mechanism that causes rapid and extensive depolymerisation of the carbohydrate polymers of the wood cell wall. The brown rot hyphae act as delivery vectors to the plant cell wall for what is thought to be a combination of a localised acid pretreatment and a hydroxyl radical based depolymerisation of the cell wall carbohydrate polymers. It is this quality that we have exploited in the present work to enhance the saccharification potential of softwood forest residues for biofuel production. Here we show that after restricted exposure of pine sapwood to brown rot fungi, glucose yields following enzymatic saccharification are significantly increased. Our results demonstrate the potential of using brown rot fungi as a biological pretreatment for biofuel production. (author)

Wood-plastic composites using thermomechanical pulp made from oxalic acid-pretreated red pine chips

Science.gov (United States)

J.E. Winandy; N.M. Stark; E. Horn

2008-01-01

The characteristics and properties of wood fiber is one of many factors of critical importance to the performance of wood-plastic composites. In commercial thermo-mechanical pulping (TMP) of wood chips to produce fibers, high temperatures (>100°C) are used to separate the fibers during TMP refining. These mechanical pressures and temperatures are usually modulated...

Changes in various physical/chemical parameters of Pinus pinaster wood after steam explosion pretreatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negro, M.J.; Manzanares, P.; Oliva, J.M.; Ballesteros, I.; Ballesteros, M. [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Medioambientales y Tecnologicas, Madrid (Spain). Departamento de Energias Renovables

2003-09-01

Steam-explosion process can be satisfactorily used as a pretreatment in ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Traditionally, pretreatment effectiveness is evaluated in terms of hemicellulose solubilization, enzymatic convertibility of cellulosic fraction, and recovery of both polysaccharides. In this study some parameters different from composition (main components) have been evaluated as an alternative tool to characterise the effect of steaming pretreatment on lignocellulosic materials. The effect of the most important variables in steam explosion pretreatment (temperature, residence time and chip size) on various physical/chemical parameters of pine biomass were investigated. Changes in O/C and H/C atomic ratios, colour analysis, elementary composition, water drop penetration time, organic soluble content, cellulose crystallinity index, and thermogravimetric analysis after the pretreatment were evaluated. Furthermore the influence of operational pretreatment variables on all such parameters and their interactions were examined with the Yates' algorithm. (author)

Changes in various physical/chemical parameters of Pinus pinaster wood after steam explosion pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negro, M.J.; Manzanares, P.; Oliva, J.M.; Ballesteros, I.; Ballesteros, M.

2003-01-01

Steam-explosion process can be satisfactorily used as a pretreatment in ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Traditionally, pretreatment effectiveness is evaluated in terms of hemicellulose solubilization, enzymatic convertibility of cellulose fraction, and recovery of both polysaccharides. In this study some parameters different from composition (main components) have been evaluated as an alternative tool to characterise the effect of steaming pretreatment on lignocellulosic materials. The effect of the most important variables in steam explosion pretreatment (temperature, residence time and chip size) on various physical/chemical parameters of pine biomass were investigated. Changes in O/C and H/C atomic ratios, colour analysis, elementary composition, water drop penetration time, organic soluble content, cellulose cristallinity index, and thermogravimetric analysis after the pretreatment were evaluated. Furthermore the influence of operational pretreatment variables on all such parameters and their interactions were examined with the Yates' algorithm

OSB as substrate for engineered wood flooring

Science.gov (United States)

Costel Barbuta; Pierre Blanchet; Alain Cloutier; Vikram Yadama; Eini. Lowell

2012-01-01

Oriented strand board (OSB) is a commodity product subject to market fluctuation. Development of a specialty OSB could lead to a better, and more stable, market segment for OSB. It was demonstrated in a previous study (Barbuta et al. in Eur. 1. Wood Prod. 2010), that OSB may be designed to obtain a high bending modulus of elasticity in the parallel direction, close to...

Revealing the Molecular Structural Transformation of Hardwood and Softwood in Dilute Acid Flowthrough Pretreatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Libing; Pu, Yunqiao; Cort, John R.; Ragauskas, Arthur J.; Yang, Bin

2016-12-05

To better understand the intrinsic recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, the main hurdle to its efficient deconstruction, the effects of dilute acid flowthrough pretreatment on the dissolution chemistry of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin for both hardwood (e.g. poplar wood) and softwood (e.g. lodgepole pine wood) were investigated at temperatures of 200 °C to 270 °C and a flow rate of 25 mL/minute with 0.05% (w/w) H2SO4. Results suggested that the softwood cellulose was more readily to be degraded into monomeric sugars than that of hardwood under same pretreatment conditions. However, while the hardwood lignin was completely removed into hydrolysate, ~30% of the softwood lignin remained as solid residues under identical conditions, which was plausibly caused by vigorous C5-active recondensation reactions (C-C5). Unique molecular structural features that pronounced the specific recalcitrance of hardwood and softwood to dilute acid pretreatment were identified for the first time in this study, providing important insights to establish the effective biomass pretreatment.

Cellulase digestibility of pretreated biomass is limited by cellulose accessibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeoh, Tina; Ishizawa, Claudia I; Davis, Mark F; Himmel, Michael E; Adney, William S; Johnson, David K

2007-09-01

Attempts to correlate the physical and chemical properties of biomass to its susceptibility to enzyme digestion are often inconclusive or contradictory depending on variables such as the type of substrate, the pretreatment conditions and measurement techniques. In this study, we present a direct method for measuring the key factors governing cellulose digestibility in a biomass sample by directly probing cellulase binding and activity using a purified cellobiohydrolase (Cel7A) from Trichoderma reesei. Fluorescence-labeled T. reesei Cel7A was used to assay pretreated corn stover samples and pure cellulosic substrates to identify barriers to accessibility by this important component of cellulase preparations. The results showed cellulose conversion improved when T. reesei Cel7A bound in higher concentrations, indicating that the enzyme had greater access to the substrate. Factors such as the pretreatment severity, drying after pretreatment, and cellulose crystallinity were found to directly impact enzyme accessibility. This study provides direct evidence to support the notion that the best pretreatment schemes for rendering biomass more digestible to cellobiohydrolase enzymes are those that improve access to the cellulose in biomass cell walls, as well as those able to reduce the crystallinity of cell wall cellulose.

Final Technical Report - Consolidating Biomass Pretreatment with Saccharification by Resolving the Spatial Control Mechanisms of Fungi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schilling, Jonathan [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

2017-07-06

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) of lignocellulose combines enzymatic sugar release (saccharification) with fermentation, but pretreatments remain separate and costly. In nature, lignocellulose-degrading brown rot fungi consolidate pretreatment and saccharification, likely using spatial gradients to partition these incompatible reactions. With the field of biocatalysis maturing, reaction partitioning is increasingly reproducible for commercial use. Therefore, my goal was to resolve the reaction partitioning mechanisms of brown rot fungi so that they can be applied to bioconversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Brown rot fungi consolidate oxidative pretreatments with saccharification and are a focus for biomass refining because 1) they attain >99% sugar yield without destroying lignin, 2) they use a simplified cellulase suite that lacks exoglucanase, and 3) their non-enzymatic pretreatment is facilitative and may be accelerated. Specifically, I hypothesized that during brown rot, oxidative pretreatments occur ahead of enzymatic saccharification, spatially, and the fungus partitions these reactions using gradients in pH, lignin reactivity, and plant cell wall porosity. In fact, we found three key results during these experiments for this work: 1) Brown rot fungi have an inducible cellulase system, unlike previous descriptions of a constitutive mechanism. 2) The induction of cellulases is delayed until there is repression of oxidatively-linked genes, allowing the brown rot fungi to coordinate two incompatible reactions (oxidative pretreatment with enzymatic saccharification, to release wood sugars) in the same pieces of wood. 3) This transition is mediated by the same wood sugar, cellobiose, released by the oxidative pretreatment step. Collectively, these findings have been published in excellent journal outlets and have been presented at conferences around the United States, and they offer clear targets for gene discovery en route to making biofuels and biochemicals

Physicochemical patterns of ozone absorption by wood

Science.gov (United States)

Mamleeva, N. A.; Lunin, V. V.

2016-11-01

Results from studying aspen and pine wood ozonation are presented. The effect the concentration of ozone, the reagent residence time, and the content of water in a sample of wood has on ozone consumption rate and ozone demand are analyzed. The residence time is shown to determine the degree of ozone conversion degree and the depth of substrate destruction. The main patterns of ozone absorption by wood with different moisture content are found. Ways of optimizing the ozonation of plant biomass are outlined.

Preparation of wood-like structured copper with superhydrophobic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tianchi; Liu, Guiju; Kong, Jian

2015-12-01

Here, we report a method to use natural wood lauan as a template to fabricate superhydrophobic biomorphic copper on a carbon substrate (Cu/C). First, a carbon substrate with the microstructure of lauan was obtained by sintering lauan in an oxygen-free environment. A biomorphic Cu/C material was then obtained by immersing this carbon substrate into a Cu(NO3)2 solution and sintering. Finally, the hydrophobicity of the products obtained was investigated. The Cu/C retained the microstructure of the wood well. It exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity after it was modified with fluorine silane. The water contact angle of this modified Cu/C reached 160°.

Two-stage alkaline hydrothermal liquefaction of wood to biocrude in a continuous bench-scale system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sintamarean, Iulia-Maria; Grigoras, Ionela; Jensen, Claus Uhrenholt

2017-01-01

unit. In total, 100 kg of wood paste with 25% dry matter is processed at 400 °C and 30 MPa, demonstrating the usefulness of this two-stage liquefaction strategy. An additional advantage liquefaction of such pretreated wood shows increased biocrude yields with approximately 10% compared to the case...

Feasibility of biodegradation of pentachlorophenol in scrap wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaulieu, G.; Besner, A.; Gilbert, R.; Tetreault, P.; Beaudet, R.; Bisaillon, J. G.; Lepine, F.; Ottou, J. M.; Sansregret, J. L.; Lei, J.

1998-04-01

The feasibility of biological treatment of scrap wood impregnated in pentachlorophenol (PCP) was investigated using wood samples impregnated with PCP for biodegradation experiments by the Hydro-Quebec Research Institute (IREQ). IREQ identified the necessity of pre-treating the wood, first by shredding wood poles into wood shavings, followed by mechanical milling of the shavings to obtain wood dust. Biodegradation experiments under anaerobic conditions were performed by the Armand-Frappier Institute by isolating a consortium of bacteria from a mixture of PCP-contaminated soils and a municipal anaerobic sludge that was able to degrade PCP under anaerobic methanogenic conditions at 29 degrees C. A complementary source of carbon was found to be necessary for the bacterial consortium to degrade the PCP. The best PCP degradation results were obtained with an aerobic fixed-film reactor. Aerobic biodegradation tests were performed on liquor extracted from wood dust contaminated with PCP. The anaerobic fixed field reactor was able to completely degrade the PCP extracted from wood dust in less than one day. Aerobic biodegradation was also investigated using microorganisms and fungi. Over a four month experimental period only low concentrations of PCP were found in effluents treated with the aerobic cultures. 117 refs., 38 tabs., 31 figs

Pretreatment techniques for biofuels and biorefineries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Zhen (ed.) [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, YN (China). Xishuangbanna Tropical Botonical Garden

2013-02-01

The first book focused on pretreatment techniques for biofuels contributed by the world's leading experts. Extensively covers the different types of biomass, various pretreatment approaches and methods that show the subsequent production of biofuels and chemicals. In addition to traditional pretreatment methods, novel techniques are also introduced and discussed. An accessible reference work for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in biorefineries. This book includes 19 chapters contributed by the world's leading experts on pretreatment methods for biomass. It extensively covers the different types of biomass (e.g. molasses, sugar beet pulp, cheese whey, sugarcane residues, palm waste, vegetable oil, straws, stalks and wood), various pretreatment approaches (e.g. physical, thermal, chemical, physicochemical and biological) and methods that show the subsequent production of biofuels and chemicals such as sugars, ethanol, extracellular polysaccharides, biodiesel, gas and oil. In addition to traditional methods such as steam, hot-water, hydrothermal, diluted-acid, organosolv, ozonolysis, sulfite, milling, fungal and bacterial, microwave, ultrasonic, plasma, torrefaction, pelletization, gasification (including biogas) and liquefaction pretreatments, it also introduces and discusses novel techniques such as nano and solid catalysts, organic electrolyte solutions and ionic liquids. This book offers a review of state-of-the-art research and provides guidance for the future paths of developing pretreatment techniques of biomass for biofuels, especially in the fields of biotechnology, microbiology, chemistry, materials science and engineering. It intends to provide a systematic introduction of pretreatment techniques. It is an accessible reference work for students, researchers, academicians and industrialists in biorefineries.

Nitrogen form affects pH and EC of whole pine tree substrate and growth of petunia

Science.gov (United States)

Wood-based substrates are potential alternatives or amendments to traditional peat-based and pine bark substrates. Undesirable changes in substrate pH may result from the application of supplemental fertilizer required by some crops grown in wood-based substrates. Experiments were conducted to evalu...

Potassium methyl siliconate-treated pulp fibers and their effects on wood plastic composites: Water sorption and dimensional stability

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng Piao; Zhiyong Cai; Nicole M. Stark; Charles J. Monlezun

2013-01-01

Potassium methyl siliconate (PMS) was investigated as a new nano modifier of wood fiber and wood flour to improve the compatibility between the fiber/flour and the plastic matrix in fiber reinforced plastic composites. Before injection molding, bleached and brown pulp fibers and mixed species wood flour were pretreated in PMS solutions. The morphology of the treated...

Saccharification of gamma-ray and alkali pretreated lignocellulosics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, A.; Choudhury, N.

1988-01-01

Enzymic saccharification of gamma ray and alkali pretreated sawdust, rice straw, and sugar cane bagasse showed higher release of reducing sugar from pretreated substrates. By gamma ray treatment alone (500 kGy) reducing sugar release of 2.8, 9.2, and 10 g/l was obtained from 7.5% (w/v) sawdust, rice straw, and bagasse and the same substrates showed reducing sugar release of 4.2, 30, and 20 g/l respectively when treated with alkali (0.1 g/g). Combination of gamma ray with alkali treatment further increased the reducing sugar release to 10.2, 33, and 36 g/l from sawdust, rice straw, and bagasse respectively. The effects of gamma ray and alkali treatment on saccharification varied with the nature of the substrate

Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated barley and wheat straw

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosgaard, Lisa

2007-01-01

. The work involved evaluation of 1) possible ways to increase the glucose release from the commercial cellulase product Celluclast by boosting with other enzyme activities to increase the enzymatic hydrolysis, 2) comparing differently pretreated feedstock substrates and 3) evaluating a fed-batch substrate...... mixture resulted in a glucose release corresponding to ~84 % of the glucose release from Celluclast. It was therefore suggested that other enzyme activities than the 4 four main cellulase activities in Celluclast are necessary for optimal hydrolysis of lignocellulose. Even though Celluclast...... is a multicomponent cellulase mixture, there are still possibilities for further improvement in terms of providing the most efficient cellulase mixture for lignocellulose hydrolysis. It was shown that substrates evaluated all had some residual hemicellulose in the solid cellulose fraction after pretreatment...

Evaluation of the Addition of Wood Ash to Control the pH of Substrates in Municipal Biowaste Composting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oviedo-Ocaña Edgar Ricardo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This study evaluates the addition of wood ashes (WA for controlling the pH of substrates in municipal biowaste (MBW composting. Three combinations in wet weight percent (w/w of MBW and WA were tested: i BC1: 2% WA and 98% MBW; ii BC2: 4% WA and 96% MBW; and iii BC3: 8% WA and 92% MBW. Each combination was compared with a control (100% MBW called B1, B2 and B3 respectively. The experiment was conducted to pilot scale, with piles of 510 kg. The results indicate that the addition of WA improved the pH level and nutrients for the composting process; however, it had not substantial benefit in the process (start of the thermophilic phase and the behavior of the substrate degradation rate. Furthermore, a higher presence of salts and phytotoxic compounds in the product was observed. This could limit the product use for agricultural activities.

Optimization of Pretreatment and Enzymatic Saccharification of Cogon Grass Prior Ethanol Production

OpenAIRE

Jhalique Jane R. Fojas; Ernesto J. Del Rosario

2013-01-01

The dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic substrate, cogon grass (Imperata cylindrical, L.) was optimized prior ethanol fermentation using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) method. The optimum pretreatment conditions, temperature, sulfuric acid concentration, and reaction time were evaluated by determining the maximum sugar yield at constant enzyme loading. Cogon grass, at 10% w/v substrate loading, has optimum pretr...

On energy consumption for size-reduction and yields from subsequent enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lodgepole pine

Science.gov (United States)

W. Zhu; Junyong Zhu; Roland Gleisner; X.J. Pan

2010-01-01

This study investigated the effects of chemical pretreatment and disk-milling conditions on energy consumption for size-reduction and the efficiency of enzymatic cellulose saccharification of a softwood. Lodgepole pine wood chips produced from thinnings of a 100-year-old unmanaged forest were pretreated by hot-water, dilute-acid, and two SPORL processes (Sulfite...

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic material with fungi capable of higher lignin degradation and lower carbohydrate degradation improves substrate acid hydrolysis and the eventual conversion to ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuhar, S.; Nair, L.M.; Kuhad, R.C. [Delhi Univ., New Delhi (India). Dept. of Microbiology, Lignocellulose Biotechnology Laboratory

2008-04-15

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant energy resource in the world and is a potential source of carbon substrate for the production of ethanol via fermentation. However, the presence of lignin restricts access to holocellulose. It is necessary to break or remove the lignin in plant residues prior to their hydrolysis. Pretreatment is needed to liberate cellulose and hemicellulose from the lignins. This paper discussed a biological delignification method that avoided the use of toxic and corrosive chemicals. The in situ microbial delignification process used white rot fungi as a basidiomycetes for biological pretreatment. The study examined the capability of 4 basidiomycetes fungi, notably: (1) Phanerochaete chrysosporium; (2) Pycnoporus cinnabarinus; (3) fungal isolate RCK-1; and (4) fungal isolate RCK-3. The fungi were used to delignify wheat straw and improve hydrolysis procedures. Attempts were also made to ferment the acid hydrolysates from fungal-pretreated lignocellulosic materials. Results of the experiment showed that higher yields of ethanol were obtained using selective lignin-degrading fungi as a pretreatment method. 39 refs., 3 tabs., 4 figs.

Ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine : preliminary evaluation of mass balance and process energy efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Junyong Zhu; Wenyuan Zhu; Patricia OBryan; Bruce S. Dien; Shen Tian; Roland Gleisner; X.J. Pan

2010-01-01

Lodgepole pine from forest thinnings is a potential feedstock for ethanol production. In this study, lodgepole pine was converted to ethanol with a yield of 276 L per metric ton of wood or 72% of theoretical yield. The lodgepole pine chips were directly subjected to sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) pretreatment and then disk-...

Ultrasound-Enhanced Biogas Production from Different Substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

González-Fernández, Cristina; Timmers, Rudolphus Antonius; Ruiz, Begona

2015-01-01

Among the biofuel production processes using different substrates, the biogas generation process is one of the simplest. Compared with bioethanol or biodiesel production processes, anaerobic digestion is a process where all the organic matter (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins) can be biologically...... production. The present chapter is dedicated to providing a review of ultrasound pretreatment applied to different substrates (lignocelullosic materials, manures, sludge and microalgae). The advantages and constraints, that ultrasound pretreatment exhibit towards biogas production, are discussed and compared...

Influence of wheat type and pretreatment on fungal growth in solid-state fermentation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogschagen, M.; Zhu, Y.; As, H. van; Tramper, J.; Rinzema, A.

2001-01-01

The respiration kinetics of Aspergillus oryzae on different varieties of whole wheat kernels were studied. Six wheat varieties were pretreated in two different ways. Five of the six substrates fermented similarly and independently of the pretreatment method. However, pretreatment affected

High glucose recovery from direct enzymatic hydrolysis of bisulfite-pretreatment on non-detoxified furfural residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yang; Bu, Lingxi; Sun, Dafeng; Liu, Zhiping; Liu, Shijie; Jiang, Jianxin

2015-10-01

This study reports four schemes to pretreat wet furfural residues (FRs) with sodium bisulfite for production of fermentable sugar. The results showed that non-detoxified FRs (pH 2-3) had great potential to lower the cost of bioconversion. The optimal process was that unwashed FRs were first pretreated with bisulfite, and the whole slurry was then directly used for enzymatic hydrolysis. A maximum glucose yield of 99.4% was achieved from substrates pretreated with 0.1 g NaHSO3/g dry substrate (DS), at a relatively low temperature of 100 °C for 3 h. Compared with raw material, enzymatic hydrolysis at a high-solid of 16.5% (w/w) specifically showed more excellent performance with bisulfite treated FRs. Direct bisulfite pretreatment improved the accessibility of substrates and the total glucose recovery. Lignosulfonate in the non-detoxified slurry decreased the non-productive adsorption of cellulase on the substrate, thus improving enzymatic hydrolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of wood. III. Pretreatment of woods with acidic methanol-water mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimizu, K; Usami, K

1980-01-01

Wood meal of Pinus densiflora (I) and Fagus crenata (II) was heated in aqueous methanol containing 0.1-0.6% HCl for 15-90 minutes at 120-170 degrees Centigrade to remove lignin and hydrolyse hemicelluloses. About 75% of the lignin could be removed from (I) and 90% from (II) under appropriate conditions. The cellulosic residues were hydrolysed with Trichoderma viride; it was necessary to remove more than 70% of the lignin from (I) and 80% from (II) for complete hydrolysis of the cellulose. Lignin was precipitated from the hydrolysis liquor by distilling off the methanol. The effects of composition of the MeOH-H/sub 2/O mixture, temperature, reaction time and HC1 concentration were studied.

Effects of pretreatment processes on improving the formation of ultrananocrystalline diamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Li-Ju; Tai, Nyan-Hwa; Lee, Chi-Young; Lin, I-Nan.

2007-01-01

Effects of pretreatment on the nuclei formation of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) on Si substrates were studied. Either precoating a thin layer of titanium (∼400 nm) or ultrasonication pretreatment using diamond and titanium mixed powder (D and T process) enhances the nucleation process on Si substrates markedly, and the UNCD nuclei formed and fully covered the Si substrate, when deposition was processed using the microwave-plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition process for 10 min. In contrast, during the same period, ultrasonication pretreatment using diamond powders (D process) can only form large UNCD clusters, which were scarcely distributed on Si substrates. The analyses using x-ray diffractometer, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis reveal that the titanium layer reacted with carbon species in the plasma, forming crystalline TiC phase, which facilitates the subsequent formation of UNCD nuclei. The beneficial effect of Ti layer on enhancing the nucleation of UNCD is presumably owing to high solubility and high diffusivity of carbon species in Ti materials, as compared with those of Si materials

Effect of precursor concentration on the growth of zinc oxide nanorod arrays on pre-treated substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urgessa, Z.N.; Oluwafemi, O.S.; Botha, J.R.

2012-01-01

Well aligned zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZNAs) synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition method were fabricated on pre-treated Si substrates. By keeping the molar VI/II ratio constant, the effect of precursor concentration on the growth and optical quality of the ZNAs was investigated. The as-synthesized ZNAs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). FESEM images show that both the diameter and aspect ratio of the ZNAs increase dramatically as the precursor concentration increases. The XRD analysis indicates that all the as-grown ZNAs are crystalline and are preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The high intensity ratio of the UV emission to visible emission in the room temperature PL spectra illustrate that high optical quality ZNAs were produced.

Effect of precursor concentration on the growth of zinc oxide nanorod arrays on pre-treated substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urgessa, Z.N. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Oluwafemi, O.S., E-mail: oluwafemi.oluwatobi@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha Campus, Private Bag XI, 5117 (South Africa); Botha, J.R. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)

2012-05-15

Well aligned zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZNAs) synthesized by a simple chemical bath deposition method were fabricated on pre-treated Si substrates. By keeping the molar VI/II ratio constant, the effect of precursor concentration on the growth and optical quality of the ZNAs was investigated. The as-synthesized ZNAs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). FESEM images show that both the diameter and aspect ratio of the ZNAs increase dramatically as the precursor concentration increases. The XRD analysis indicates that all the as-grown ZNAs are crystalline and are preferentially oriented along the c-axis. The high intensity ratio of the UV emission to visible emission in the room temperature PL spectra illustrate that high optical quality ZNAs were produced.

Mechanical pretreatment for improved adhesion of diamond coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toenshoff, H.K.; Mohlfeld, A.; Gey, C.; Winkler, J.

1999-01-01

Diamond coatings are mainly used in cutting processes due to their tribological characteristics. They show a high hardness, low friction coefficient, high wear resistance and good chemical inertness. In relation to polycrystalline diamond (PCD)-tipped cutting inserts, especially the advantageous chemical stability of diamond coatings is superior as no binder phases between diamond grains are used. However, the deposition of adherent high-quality diamond coatings has been found difficult. Thus, substrate pretreatment is utilised to improve film adhesion. This investigation is based on water peening of the substrate material before coating. The investigation revealed best results for diamond film adhesion on pretreated substrates compared to conventional diamond coatings on cemented carbide tools applied with the CVD hot-filament process. In final cutting tests with increased film adhesion trough water peened cutting tools an improved wear behavior was detected. (orig.)

Detoxification of Corncob Acid Hydrolysate with SAA Pretreatment and Xylitol Production by Immobilized Candida tropicalis

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Li-Hong; Tang, Yong; Liu, Yun

2014-01-01

Xylitol fermentation production from corncob acid hydrolysate has become an attractive and promising process. However, corncob acid hydrolysate cannot be directly used as fermentation substrate owing to various inhibitors. In this work, soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) pretreatment was employed to reduce the inhibitors in acid hydrolysate. After detoxification, the corncob acid hydrolysate was fermented by immobilized Candida tropicalis cell to produce xylitol. Results revealed that SAA pretreatment showed high delignification and efficient removal of acetyl group compounds without effect on cellulose and xylan content. Acetic acid was completely removed, and the content of phenolic compounds was reduced by 80%. Furthermore, kinetic behaviors of xylitol production by immobilized C. tropicalis cell were elucidated from corncob acid hydrolysate detoxified with SAA pretreatment and two-step adsorption method, respectively. The immobilized C. tropicalis cell showed higher productivity efficiency using the corncob acid hydrolysate as fermentation substrate after detoxification with SAA pretreatment than by two-step adsorption method in the five successive batch fermentation rounds. After the fifth round fermentation, about 60 g xylitol/L fermentation substrate was obtained for SAA pretreatment detoxification, while about 30 g xylitol/L fermentation substrate was obtained for two-step adsorption detoxification. PMID:25133211

Ethanol from wood. Cellulase enzyme production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szengyel, Zsolt

2000-03-01

Conversion of biomass to liquid fuels, such as ethanol, has been investigated during the past decades. First due to the oil crisis of the 1970s and lately because of concerns about greenhouse effect, ethanol has been found to be a suitable substitute for gasoline in transportation. Although ethanol is produced in large quantities from corn starch, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol is rather problematic. However, cellulosic raw materials are important as they are available in large quantities from agriculture and forestry. One of the most extensively investigated processes is the enzymatic process, in which fungal cellulolytic enzymes are used to convert the cellulose content of the biomass to glucose, which is then fermented to ethanol. In order to make the raw material accessible to biological attack, it has to be pretreated first. The most successful method, which has been evaluated for various lignocellulosic materials, is the steam pretreatment. In this thesis the utilization of steam pretreated willow (hardwood) and spruce (softwood) was examined for enzyme production using a filamentous fungus T. reesei RUT C30. Various carbon sources originating from the steam pretreated materials have been investigated. The replacement of the solid carbon source with a liquid carbon source, as well as the effect of pH, was studied. The effect of toxic compounds generated during pretreatment was also examined. Comparative study of softwood and hardwood showed that steam pretreated hardwood is a better carbon source than softwood. The hydrolytic potential of enzyme solutions produced on wood derived carbon sources was better compared to commercial cellulases. Also enzyme solutions produced on steam pretreated spruce showed less sensitivity towards toxic compounds formed during steam pretreatment.

Waste wood as bioenergy feedstock. Climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties from waste wood based energy systems in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Röder, Mirjam; Thornley, Patricia

2018-04-01

Considering the urgent need to shift to low carbon energy carriers, waste wood resources could provide an alternative energy feedstock and at the same time reduce emissions from landfill. This research examines the climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties of waste wood based energy. For this, different grades of waste wood and energy application have been investigated using lifecycle assessment. Sensitivity analysis has then been applied for supply chain processes and feedstock properties for the main emission contributing categories: transport, processing, pelletizing, urea resin fraction and related N 2 O formation. The results show, depending on the waste wood grade, the conversion option, scale and the related reference case, that emission reductions of up to 91% are possible for non-treated wood waste. Compared to this, energy from treated wood waste with low contamination can achieve up to 83% emission savings, similar to untreated waste wood pellets, but in some cases emissions from waste wood based energy can exceed the ones of the fossil fuel reference - in the worst case by 126%. Emission reductions from highly contaminated feedstocks are largest when replacing electricity from large-scale coal and landfill. The highest emission uncertainties are related to the wood's resin fraction and N 2 O formation during combustion and, pelletizing. Comparing wood processing with diesel and electricity powered equipment also generated high variations in the results, while emission variations related to transport are relatively small. Using treated waste wood as a bioenergy feedstock can be a valid option to reduce emissions from energy production but this is only realisable if coal and landfill gas are replaced. To achieve meaningful emission reduction in line with national and international climate change targets, pre-treatment of waste wood would be required to reduce components that form N 2 O during the energy conversion. Copyright © 2017

Influence of Biomass Pretreatment Process Time on Furfural Extraction from Birch Wood

Science.gov (United States)

Brazdausks, Prans; Puke, Maris; Vedernikovs, Nikolajs; Kruma, Irena

2013-12-01

Furfural is a biomass derived-chemical that can be used to replace petrochemicals. In this study, dilute sulphuric acid hydrolysis was used for hemicelluloses secession from birch wood. The reaction was investigated at different biomass treatment times (10-90 min, increasing it by 10 min). We found that the greatest amount of furfural 1.4-2.6%, which is 9.7-17.7% from theoretical possible yield, was formed in the first 30 min of the beginning of birch wood pentoses monosaccharide dehydration, but the greatest yield of furfural 10.3%, which is 70.0% from the theoretical yield, can be obtained after 90 min. Given that furfural yield generally does not exceed 50% from the theoretical amount, the result can be considered as very good.

Effect of ozonation on the reactivity of lignocellulose substrates in enzymatic hydrolyses to sugars

Science.gov (United States)

Ben'ko, E. M.; Manisova, O. R.; Lunin, V. V.

2013-07-01

The efficiency of pre-treatment of aspen wood with ozone for subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis into sugars is determined by the amount of absorbed ozone. The ozone absorption rate depended on the water content in the sample being ozonized and was maximum at a relative humidity of wood of ˜40%. As a result of ozone pre-treatment, the initial rate of the enzymatic hydrolysis of wood under the action of a cellulase complex increased eightfold, and the maximum yield of sugars increased tenfold depending on the ozone dose. The ozonation at ozone doses of more than 3 mol/PPU (phenylpropane structural unit of lignin) led to a decrease in the yield of sugars because of the oxidative destruction of cellulose and hemicellulose. The alkaline ozonation in 2 and 12% NaOH was inefficient because of the accompanying oxidation of carbohydrates and considerably decreased the yield of sugars.

Detoxification of Corncob Acid Hydrolysate with SAA Pretreatment and Xylitol Production by Immobilized Candida tropicalis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li-Hong Deng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Xylitol fermentation production from corncob acid hydrolysate has become an attractive and promising process. However, corncob acid hydrolysate cannot be directly used as fermentation substrate owing to various inhibitors. In this work, soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA pretreatment was employed to reduce the inhibitors in acid hydrolysate. After detoxification, the corncob acid hydrolysate was fermented by immobilized Candida tropicalis cell to produce xylitol. Results revealed that SAA pretreatment showed high delignification and efficient removal of acetyl group compounds without effect on cellulose and xylan content. Acetic acid was completely removed, and the content of phenolic compounds was reduced by 80%. Furthermore, kinetic behaviors of xylitol production by immobilized C. tropicalis cell were elucidated from corncob acid hydrolysate detoxified with SAA pretreatment and two-step adsorption method, respectively. The immobilized C. tropicalis cell showed higher productivity efficiency using the corncob acid hydrolysate as fermentation substrate after detoxification with SAA pretreatment than by two-step adsorption method in the five successive batch fermentation rounds. After the fifth round fermentation, about 60 g xylitol/L fermentation substrate was obtained for SAA pretreatment detoxification, while about 30 g xylitol/L fermentation substrate was obtained for two-step adsorption detoxification.

Simulated long-term effects of varying tree retention on wood production, dead wood and carbon stock changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Santaniello, Francesca; Djupström, Line B; Ranius, Thomas; Weslien, Jan; Rudolphi, Jörgen; Sonesson, Johan

2017-10-01

Boreal forests are an important source of timber and pulp wood, but provide also other products and services. Utilizing a simulation program and field data from a tree retention experiment in a Scots pine forest in central Sweden, we simulated the consequences during the following 100 years of various levels of retention on production of merchantable wood, dead wood input (as a proxy for biodiversity), and carbon stock changes. At the stand level, wood production decreased with increased retention levels, while dead wood input and carbon stock increased. We also compared 12 scenarios representing a land sharing/land sparing gradient. In each scenario, a constant volume of wood was harvested with a specific level of retention in a 100-ha landscape. The area not needed to reach the defined volume was set-aside during a 100-year rotation period, leading to decreasing area of set-asides with increasing level of retention across the 12 scenarios. Dead wood input was positively affected by the level of tree retention whereas the average carbon stock decreased slightly with increasing level of tree retention. The scenarios will probably vary in how they favor species preferring different substrates. Therefore, we conclude that a larger variation of landscape-level conservation strategies, also including active creation of dead wood, may be an attractive complement to the existing management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrolysis of alkaline pretreated banana peel

Science.gov (United States)

Fatmawati, A.; Gunawan, K. Y.; Hadiwijaya, F. A.

2017-11-01

Banana peel is one of food wastes that are rich in carbohydrate. This shows its potential as fermentation substrate including bio-ethanol. This paper presented banana peel alkaline pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. The pretreatment was intended to prepare banana peel in order to increase hydrolysis performance. The alkaline pretreatment used 10, 20, and 30% w/v NaOH solution and was done at 60, 70 and 80°C for 1 hour. The hydrolysis reaction was conducted using two commercial cellulose enzymes. The reaction time was varied for 3, 5, and 7 days. The best condition for pretreatment process was one conducted using 30% NaOH solution and at 80°C. This condition resulted in cellulose content of 90.27% and acid insoluble lignin content of 2.88%. Seven-day hydrolysis time had exhibited the highest reducing sugar concentration, which was7.2869 g/L.

The effect of varying organosolv pretreatment chemicals on the physicochemical properties and cellulolytic hydrolysis of mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Rio, Luis F; Chandra, Richard P; Saddler, Jack N

2010-05-01

Mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) chips were pretreated using the organosolv process, and their ease of subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis was assessed. The effect of varying pretreatment chemicals and solvents on the substrate's physicochemical characteristics was also investigated. The chemicals employed were MgCl2, H2SO4, SO2, and NaOH, and the solvents were ethanol and butanol. It was apparent that the different pretreatments resulted in variations in both the chemical composition of the solid and liquid fractions as well in the extent of cellulolytic hydrolysis (ranging from 21% to 82% hydrolysis after 12 h). Pretreatment under acidic conditions resulted in substrates that were readily hydrolyzed despite the apparent contradiction that pretreatment under alkaline conditions resulted in increased delignification (approximately 7% and 10% residual lignin for alkaline conditions versus 17% to 19% for acidic conditions). Acidic pretreatments also resulted in lower cellulose degree of polymerization, shorter fiber lengths, and increased substrate porosity. The substrates generated when butanol/water mixtures were used as the pretreatment solvent were also hydrolyzed more readily than those generated with ethanol/water. This was likely due to the limited miscibility of the solvents resulting in an increased concentration of pretreatment chemicals in the aqueous layer and thus a higher pretreatment severity.

Interactions between soil- and dead wood-inhabiting fungal communities during the decay of Norway spruce logs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mäkipää, Raisa; Rajala, Tiina; Schigel, Dmitry; Rinne, Katja T; Pennanen, Taina; Abrego, Nerea; Ovaskainen, Otso

2017-09-01

We investigated the interaction between fungal communities of soil and dead wood substrates. For this, we applied molecular species identification and stable isotope tracking to both soil and decaying wood in an unmanaged boreal Norway spruce-dominated stand. Altogether, we recorded 1990 operational taxonomic units, out of which more than 600 were shared by both substrates and 589 were found to exclusively inhabit wood. On average the soil was more species-rich than the decaying wood, but the species richness in dead wood increased monotonically along the decay gradient, reaching the same species richness and community composition as soil in the late stages. Decaying logs at all decay stages locally influenced the fungal communities from soil, some fungal species occurring in soil only under decaying wood. Stable isotope analyses suggest that mycorrhizal species colonising dead wood in the late decay stages actively transfer nitrogen and carbon between soil and host plants. Most importantly, Piloderma sphaerosporum and Tylospora sp. mycorrhizal species were highly abundant in decayed wood. Soil- and wood-inhabiting fungal communities interact at all decay phases of wood that has important implications in fungal community dynamics and thus nutrient transportation.

Chemical and physicochemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodeur, Gary; Yau, Elizabeth; Badal, Kimberly; Collier, John; Ramachandran, K B; Ramakrishnan, Subramanian

2011-01-01

Overcoming the recalcitrance (resistance of plant cell walls to deconstruction) of lignocellulosic biomass is a key step in the production of fuels and chemicals. The recalcitrance is due to the highly crystalline structure of cellulose which is embedded in a matrix of polymers-lignin and hemicellulose. The main goal of pretreatment is to overcome this recalcitrance, to separate the cellulose from the matrix polymers, and to make it more accessible for enzymatic hydrolysis. Reports have shown that pretreatment can improve sugar yields to higher than 90% theoretical yield for biomass such as wood, grasses, and corn. This paper reviews different leading pretreatment technologies along with their latest developments and highlights their advantages and disadvantages with respect to subsequent hydrolysis and fermentation. The effects of different technologies on the components of biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) are also reviewed with a focus on how the treatment greatly enhances enzymatic cellulose digestibility.

Mechanism of waste biomass pyrolysis: Effect of physical and chemical pre-treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Oisik; Sarmah, Ajit K.

2015-01-01

To impart usability in waste based biomass through thermo-chemical reactions, several physical and chemical pre-treatments were conducted to gain an insight on their mode of action, effect on the chemistry and the change in thermal degradation profiles. Two different waste biomasses (Douglas fir, a softwood and hybrid poplar, a hardwood) were subjected to four different pre-treatments, namely, hot water pre-treatment, torrefaction, acid (sulphuric acid) and salt (ammonium phosphate) doping. Post pre-treatments, the changes in the biomass structure, chemistry, and thermal makeup were studied through electron microscopy, atomic absorption/ultra violet spectroscopy, ion exchange chromatography, and thermogravimetry. The pre-treatments significantly reduced the amounts of inorganic ash, extractives, metals, and hemicellulose from both the biomass samples. Furthermore, hot water and torrefaction pre-treatment caused mechanical disruption in biomass fibres leading to smaller particle sizes. Torrefaction of Douglas fir wood yielded more solid product than hybrid poplar. Finally, the salt pre-treatment increased the activation energies of the biomass samples (especially Douglas fir) to a great extent. Thus, salt pre-treatment was found to bestow thermal stability in the biomass. - Highlights: • Pre-treatments reduce ash, extractives, alkalines and hemicellulose from biomass. • Torrefaction of Douglas fir yields more solid product than hybrid poplar. • Salt pretreatment significantly increases the activation energy of biomass. • Acid and salt pretreatment bestows thermal stability in biomass.

Mechanism of waste biomass pyrolysis: Effect of physical and chemical pre-treatments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Oisik [Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6120, WA (United States); Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Sarmah, Ajit K., E-mail: a.sarmah@auckland.ac.nz [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand)

2015-12-15

To impart usability in waste based biomass through thermo-chemical reactions, several physical and chemical pre-treatments were conducted to gain an insight on their mode of action, effect on the chemistry and the change in thermal degradation profiles. Two different waste biomasses (Douglas fir, a softwood and hybrid poplar, a hardwood) were subjected to four different pre-treatments, namely, hot water pre-treatment, torrefaction, acid (sulphuric acid) and salt (ammonium phosphate) doping. Post pre-treatments, the changes in the biomass structure, chemistry, and thermal makeup were studied through electron microscopy, atomic absorption/ultra violet spectroscopy, ion exchange chromatography, and thermogravimetry. The pre-treatments significantly reduced the amounts of inorganic ash, extractives, metals, and hemicellulose from both the biomass samples. Furthermore, hot water and torrefaction pre-treatment caused mechanical disruption in biomass fibres leading to smaller particle sizes. Torrefaction of Douglas fir wood yielded more solid product than hybrid poplar. Finally, the salt pre-treatment increased the activation energies of the biomass samples (especially Douglas fir) to a great extent. Thus, salt pre-treatment was found to bestow thermal stability in the biomass. - Highlights: • Pre-treatments reduce ash, extractives, alkalines and hemicellulose from biomass. • Torrefaction of Douglas fir yields more solid product than hybrid poplar. • Salt pretreatment significantly increases the activation energy of biomass. • Acid and salt pretreatment bestows thermal stability in biomass.

Pretreatment of sweet sorghum bagasse for hydrogen production by Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Panagiotopoulos, I.A.; Bakker, R.R.; Vrije, de G.J.; Koukios, E.G.; Claassen, P.A.M.

2010-01-01

Pretreatment of sweet sorghum bagasse, an energy crop residue, with NaOH for the production of fermentable substrates, was investigated. Optimal conditions for the alkaline pretreatment of sweet sorghum bagasse were realized at 10% NaOH (w/w dry matter). A delignification of 46% was then observed,

Effects of Pretreatment on the Structure And Properties of Electroless Nickel Coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Per; Deng, Hong

1994-01-01

The pretreatment process can significantly affect the corrosion resistance of electroless nickel (EN) coatings One of the most important reasons is that different pretreatment processes can give different surface morphologies of the substrate. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the scanni...

Reduction in interface defect density in p-BaSi2/n-Si heterojunction solar cells by a modified pretreatment of the Si substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Yudai; Yachi, Suguru; Takabe, Ryota; Sato, Takuma; Emha Bayu, Miftahullatif; Toko, Kaoru; Suemasu, Takashi

2018-02-01

We have investigated defects that occurred at the interface of p-BaSi2/n-Si heterojunction solar cells that were fabricated by molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that BaSi2 (a-axis-oriented) was subjected to in-plane compressive strain, which relaxed when the thickness of the p-BaSi2 layer exceeded 50 nm. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy revealed defects in the Si layer near steps that were present on the Si(111) substrate. Deep level transient spectroscopy revealed two different electron traps in the n-Si layer that were located at 0.33 eV (E1) and 0.19 eV (E2) below the conduction band edge. The densities of E1 and E2 levels in the region close to the heterointerface were approximately 1014 cm-3. The density of these electron traps decreased below the limits of detection following Si pretreatment to remove the oxide layers from the n-Si substrate, which involved heating the substrate to 800 °C for 30 min under ultrahigh vacuum while depositing a layer of Si (1 nm). The remaining traps in the n-Si layer were hole traps located at 0.65 eV (H1) and 0.38 eV (H2) above the valence band edge. Their densities were as low as 1010 cm-3. Following pretreatment, the current versus voltage characteristics of the p-BaSi2/n-Si solar cells under AM1.5 illumination were reproducible with conversion efficiencies beyond 5% when using a p-BaSi2 layer thickness of 100 nm. The origin of the H2 level is discussed.

External Microflora of a Marine Wood-Boring Isopod

OpenAIRE

Boyle, Paul J.; Mitchell, Ralph

1981-01-01

Bacteria associated with the marine wood-boring isopod Limnoria lignorum were enumerated by acridine orange epifluorescence microscopy and by plate counts on several media; the plate-viable bacteria were isolated and identified. Similar procedures were followed to enumerate and identify bacteria associated with the wood substrate from which the isopods were collected and with the surrounding water from the isopod habitat. Approximately 1.4 × 107 bacterial cells were associated with each indiv...

An experimental study on the effect of aqueous hypophosphite pre-treatment used on an Al-alloy substrate before electroless Ni plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szirmai, G.; Toeroek, T.I.

2009-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. A new surface pre-treatment method is under development for electroless nickel plating, which appears to be an effective and environmentally benign treatment for the following deposition of a sound and high quality surface nickel coating with good adhesion. The aluminium substrate is immersed in a mildly acidic solution (lactic acid) of sodium hypophosphite in order to modify the passive surface and make it suitable for the reductive chemical precipitation of the nickel-phosphorus nuclei from the electroless nickel plating bath. During this novel pre-treatment procedure the surface adsorption of the hypophosphite anions might play an important role, therefore, several advanced surface testing and analytical techniques (SEM-EPMA-EDXRS, TEM, XPS) were applied in order to monitor and characterize the surface reactions and adsorption phenomena taking place during the pre-treatment. For the XPS study a home built XPS machine was applied.The Al excited XPS (studying P 2s, P 2p, O 1s, C 1s, Al 2p, Ni 2p photoelectron lines) proved to be one of the most powerful technique in the identification of the chemical species formed and present on the surfaces examined in this study. Acknowledgements One of the authors J.T. is indebted for the support of the Hungarian Science Foundation OTKA: (No K67873).

A Sequential Combination of Laccase Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Glucose Production from Furfural Residues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hailong Yu

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Furfural residues (FRs were pretreated with laccase or a laccase-mediator (1-hydroxybenzotriazole, HBT system to produce fermentable sugar for bioethanol production. Compared to laccase-only pretreatment, laccase-mediator pretreatment dissolved more lignin. Approximately 10.5% of the initially present lignin was removed when FRs were treated with a laccase loading of 100 U/g of dry substrate in 1% (w/w HBT at 48 °C for 24 h in an acetate buffer (pH 4.8. The enzymatic saccharification process was carried out by a combined laccase or laccase-mediator pretreatment without washing of the treated solids. The results showed that active laccase had a negative effect on the rate and yield of enzymatic hydrolysis. Laccase-oxidized HBT seriously reduced glucose yield. However, non-oxidized HBT increased glucose yield when laccase was deactivated at 121 °C for 20 min prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. The highest glucose yield, 80.9%, was obtained from the substrate pretreated with 100 U/g of dry substrate laccase and 1% (w/w HBT at 48 °C for 24 h in an acetate buffer (pH 4.8. Furthermore, the structures of FRs before and after laccase-mediator pretreatment were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR.

Stabilization of Pb(II) accumulated in biomass through phosphate-pretreated pyrolysis at low temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Saijun; Zhang, Tao; Li, Jianfa, E-mail: ljf@usx.edu.cn; Shi, Lingna; Zhu, Xiaoxiao; Lü, Jinhong; Li, Yimin

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Phosphate-pretreated pyrolysis can stabilize Pb(II) accumulated in biomass. • More than 95% of Pb(II) in celery and wood biomass was stabilized. • Pb from biomass was almost totally retained in char. • Most Pb was transformed into phosphates according to XRD and SEM/EDX analyses. - Abstract: The remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil and water using plant biomass is considered to be a green technological approach, although the harmless disposal of biomass accumulated with heavy metals remains a challenge. A potential solution to this problem explored in this work involves combining phosphate pretreatment with pyrolysis. Pb(II) was accumulated in celery biomass with superior sorption capacity and also in ordinary wood biomass through biosorption. The Pb(II)-impregnated biomass was then pretreated with phosphoric acid or calcium dihydrogen phosphate (CaP) and pyrolyzed at 350 or 450 °C. Pb(II) from biomass was in turn almost totally retained in chars, and the percentage of DTPA-extractable Pb(II) was reduced to less than 5% of total Pb(II) in chars through CaP pretreatment. Pb(II) stabilization was further confirmed through a sequential extraction test, which showed that more than 95% of Pb(II) was converted into stable species composed mainly of lead phosphates according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) analyses. Overall, phosphate-pretreated pyrolysis can stabilize both Pb(II) and degradable biomass, so as to control efficiently the hazards of heavy metal-contaminated biomass.

PRETREATMENT OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS FOR ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doan Thai Hoa

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The cost of raw materials continues to be a limiting factor in the production of bio-ethanol from traditional raw materials, such as sugar and starch. At the same time, there are large amount of agricultural residues as well as industrial wastes that are of low or negative value (due to costs of current effluent disposal methods. Dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of elephant grass and wood residues for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose has been investigated in this study.    Elephant grass (agricultural residue and sawdust (Pulp and Paper Industry waste with a small particulate size were treated using different dilute sulfuric acid concentrations at a temperature  of 140-170°C within 0.5-3 hours. The appropriate pretreatment conditions give the highest yield of soluble saccharides and total reducing sugars.

Chemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic agroindustrial waste for methane production.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effect of different chemical pretreatments on the solubilization and the degradability of different solid agroindustrial waste, namely winery waste, cotton gin waste, olive pomace and juice industry waste. Eight different reagents were investigated, i.e. sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ), sodium chloride (NaCl), citric acid (H 3 Cit), acetic acid (AcOH), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), acetone (Me 2 CO) and ethanol (EtOH), under three condition sets resulting in treatments of varying intensity, depending on process duration, reagent dosage and temperature. Results indicated that chemical pretreatment under more severe conditions is more effective on the solubilization of lignocellulosic substrates, such as those of the present study and among the investigated reagents, H 3 Cit, H 2 O 2 and EtOH appeared to be the most effective to this regard. At the same time, although chemical pretreatment in general did not improve the methane potential of the substrates, moderate to high severity conditions were found to generally be the most satisfactory in terms of methane production from pretreated materials. In fact, moderate severity treatments using EtOH for winery waste, H 3 Cit for olive pomace and H 2 O 2 for juice industry waste and a high severity treatment with EtOH for cotton gin waste, resulted in maximum specific methane yield values. Ultimately, the impact of pretreatment parameters on the different substrates seems to be dependent on their characteristics, in combination with the specific mode of action of each reagent. The overall energy balance of such a system could probably be improved by using lower operating powers and higher solid to liquid ratios. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and Physicochemical Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass: A Review

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Gary Brodeur

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Overcoming the recalcitrance (resistance of plant cell walls to deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass is a key step in the production of fuels and chemicals. The recalcitrance is due to the highly crystalline structure of cellulose which is embedded in a matrix of polymers-lignin and hemicellulose. The main goal of pretreatment is to overcome this recalcitrance, to separate the cellulose from the matrix polymers, and to make it more accessible for enzymatic hydrolysis. Reports have shown that pretreatment can improve sugar yields to higher than 90% theoretical yield for biomass such as wood, grasses, and corn. This paper reviews different leading pretreatment technologies along with their latest developments and highlights their advantages and disadvantages with respect to subsequent hydrolysis and fermentation. The effects of different technologies on the components of biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin are also reviewed with a focus on how the treatment greatly enhances enzymatic cellulose digestibility.

[Pretreatment of oil palm residues by dilute alkali for cellulosic ethanol production].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haiyan; Zhou, Yujie; Li, Jinping; Dai, Lingmei; Liu, Dehua; Zhang, Jian'an; Choo, Yuen May; Loh, Soh Kheang

2013-04-01

In the study, we used oil palm residues (empty fruit bunch, EFB) as raw material to produce cellulosic ethanol by pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Firstly, the pretreatment of EFB with alkali, alkali/hydrogen peroxide and the effects on the components and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose were studied. The results show that dilute alkali was the suitable pretreatment method and the conditions were first to soak the substrate with 1% sodium hydroxide with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10 at 40 degrees C for 24 h, and then subjected to 121 degrees C for 30 min. Under the conditions, EFB solid recovery was 74.09%, and glucan, xylan and lignin content were 44.08%, 25.74% and 13.89%, respectively. After separated with alkali solution, the pretreated EFB was washed and hydrolyzed for 72 h with 5% substrate concentration and 30 FPU/g dry mass (DM) enzyme loading, and the conversion of glucan and xylan reached 84.44% and 89.28%, respectively. We further investigated the effects of substrate concentration and enzyme loading on enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). The results show that when enzyme loading was 30 FPU/g DM and substrate concentration was increased from 5% to 25%, ethanol concentration were 9.76 g/L and 35.25 g/L after 72 h fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (inoculum size 5%, V/V), which was 79.09% and 56.96% of ethanol theory yield.

Ursodeoxycholic acid pretreatment reduces oral bioavailability of the multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 substrate baicalin in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tao; Li, Xi-Ping; Xu, Yan-Jiao; Du, Guang; Liu, Dong

2013-11-01

Baicalin is a major bioactive component of Scutellaria baicalensis and a substrate of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Expression of multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2 is regulated by NF-E2-related factor 2. The aim of this study was to explore whether ursodeoxycholic acid, an NF-E2-related factor 2 activator, could influence the oral bioavailability of baicalin. A single dose of baicalin (200 mg/kg) was given orally to rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid (75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, per day, intragastrically) or normal saline (per day, intragastrically) for six consecutive days. The plasma concentration of baicalin was measured with the HPLC method. The result indicated that the oral bioavailability of baicalin was significantly and dose-dependently reduced in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid. Compared with control rats, the mean area under concentration-time curve of baicalin was reduced from 13.25 ± 0.24 mg/L h to 7.62 ± 0.15 mg/L h and 4.97 ± 0.21 mg/L h, and the C(max) value was decreased from 1.31 ± 0.03 mg/L to 0.62 ± 0.05 mg/L and 0.36 ± 0.04 mg/L in rats pretreated with ursodeoxycholic acid at doses of 75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, respectively, for six consecutive days. Hence, ursodeoxycholic acid treatment reduced the oral bioavailability of baicalin in rats, probably due to the enhanced efflux of baicalin from the intestine and liver by multiple drug resistance-associated protein 2. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Occurrence and elimination of in-plane misoriented crystals in AlN epilayers on sapphire via pre-treatment control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hu; Xiong Hui; Wu Zhi-Hao; Yu Chen-Hui; Tian Yu; Dai Jiang-Nan; Fang Yan-Yan; Zhang Jian-Bao; Chen Chang-Qing

2014-01-01

AlN epilayers are grown directly on sapphire (0001) substrates each of which has a low temperature AlN nucleation layer. The effects of pretreatments of sapphire substrates, including exposures to NH 3 /H 2 and to H 2 only ambients at different temperatures, before the growth of AlN epilayers is investigated. In-plane misoriented crystals occur in N-polar AlN epilayers each with pretreatment in a H 2 only ambient, and are characterized by six 60°-apart peaks with splits in each peak in (101-bar 2) phi scan and two sets of hexagonal diffraction patterns taken along the [0001] zone axis in electron diffraction. These misoriented crystals can be eliminated in AlN epilayers by the pretreatment of sapphire substrates in the NH 3 /H 2 ambient. AlN epilayers by the pretreatment of sapphire substrates in the NH 3 /H 2 ambient are Al-polar. Our results show the pretreatments and the nucleation layers are responsible for the polarities of the AlN epilayers. We ascribe these results to the different strain relaxation mechanisms induced by the lattice mismatch of AlN and sapphire. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Environmental assessment of post-consumer wood and forest residues gasification: The case study of Barcelona metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puy, Neus; Rieradevall, Joan; Bartroli, Jordi

2010-01-01

An energy and environmental analysis of post-consumer wood and forest residues gasification in metropolitan areas is carried out to determine the most critical stages of their life cycle. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodology is used to identify the environmental load of three defined scenarios: (1) Post-consumer wood from recycling points; (2) Post-consumer wood from bulky wastes; and (3) Forest residues. The stages considered are biomass pre-treatment, transport and gasification. Biomass pre-treatment comprise different steps: separation, chipping, sifting, post-chipping for all the scenarios; except for the drying step which is only entailed to Scenario 3. The midpoint impact categories taken into account are: abiotic depletion (AD), global warming (GW), ozone layer depletion (ODP), human toxicity (HT), acidification (A) and eutrophication (E). Results show that, due to the high physical requirements for biomass gasification, the most appropriate biomass is that of Scenario 1, since forest residues require a drying stage, which involves high energy consumption and high environmental impact. Energy consumption in biomass pre-treatment and transport stages is low compared to the energy obtained from gasification, which represents the 5% in Scenario 1; 7% in Scenario 2; and 13% in Scenario 3. Biomass pre-treatment is associated to an important contribution in AD and ODP impact categories, calculated as 71% and 98% of the overall impact. The transport stage is of no significant influence either in the scenarios or in the impact categories (less than 24% of the overall impact). Finally, gasification represents an impact of 3-78% of the different impact categories. (author)

Understanding of alkaline pretreatment parameters for corn stover enzymatic saccharification

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Chen Ye

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous research on alkaline pretreatment has mainly focused on optimization of the process parameters to improve substrate digestibility. To achieve satisfactory sugar yield, extremely high chemical loading and enzyme dosages were typically used. Relatively little attention has been paid to reduction of chemical consumption and process waste management, which has proven to be an indispensable component of the bio-refineries. To indicate alkali strength, both alkali concentration in pretreatment solution (g alkali/g pretreatment liquor or g alkali/L pretreatment liquor and alkali loading based on biomass solids (g alkali/g dry biomass have been widely used. The dual approaches make it difficult to compare the chemical consumption in different process scenarios while evaluating the cost effectiveness of this pretreatment technology. The current work addresses these issues through pretreatment of corn stover at various combinations of pretreatment conditions. Enzymatic hydrolysis with different enzyme blends was subsequently performed to identify the effects of pretreatment parameters on substrate digestibility as well as process operational and capital costs. Results The results showed that sodium hydroxide loading is the most dominant variable for enzymatic digestibility. To reach 70% glucan conversion while avoiding extensive degradation of hemicellulose, approximately 0.08 g NaOH/g corn stover was required. It was also concluded that alkali loading based on total solids (g NaOH/g dry biomass governs the pretreatment efficiency. Supplementing cellulase with accessory enzymes such as α-arabinofuranosidase and β-xylosidase significantly improved the conversion of the hemicellulose by 6–17%. Conclusions The current work presents the impact of alkaline pretreatment parameters on the enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover as well as the process operational and capital investment costs. The high chemical consumption for alkaline

Rooting Rose Cuttings in Whole Pine Tree Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Increased demand for alternatives to pine bark (PB) and peat moss (P) has led to extensive research on wood-based substrates, such as processed whole pine trees (WPT), for nursery and greenhouse crop production. Limited information is available on how WPT may perform as a rooting substrate for cutti...

Processing bulk natural wood into a high-performance structural material

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jianwei; Chen, Chaoji; Zhu, Shuze; Zhu, Mingwei; Dai, Jiaqi; Ray, Upamanyu; Li, Yiju; Kuang, Yudi; Li, Yongfeng; Quispe, Nelson; Yao, Yonggang; Gong, Amy; Leiste, Ulrich H.; Bruck, Hugh A.; Zhu, J. Y.; Vellore, Azhar; Li, Heng; Minus, Marilyn L.; Jia, Zheng; Martini, Ashlie; Li, Teng; Hu, Liangbing

2018-02-01

Synthetic structural materials with exceptional mechanical performance suffer from either large weight and adverse environmental impact (for example, steels and alloys) or complex manufacturing processes and thus high cost (for example, polymer-based and biomimetic composites). Natural wood is a low-cost and abundant material and has been used for millennia as a structural material for building and furniture construction. However, the mechanical performance of natural wood (its strength and toughness) is unsatisfactory for many advanced engineering structures and applications. Pre-treatment with steam, heat, ammonia or cold rolling followed by densification has led to the enhanced mechanical performance of natural wood. However, the existing methods result in incomplete densification and lack dimensional stability, particularly in response to humid environments, and wood treated in these ways can expand and weaken. Here we report a simple and effective strategy to transform bulk natural wood directly into a high-performance structural material with a more than tenfold increase in strength, toughness and ballistic resistance and with greater dimensional stability. Our two-step process involves the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the natural wood via a boiling process in an aqueous mixture of NaOH and Na2SO3 followed by hot-pressing, leading to the total collapse of cell walls and the complete densification of the natural wood with highly aligned cellulose nanofibres. This strategy is shown to be universally effective for various species of wood. Our processed wood has a specific strength higher than that of most structural metals and alloys, making it a low-cost, high-performance, lightweight alternative.

Comparison of microwave and conduction-convection heating autohydrolysis pretreatment for bioethanol production.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-Reynosa, Alejandra; Romaní, Aloia; Rodríguez-Jasso, Rosa M; Aguilar, Cristóbal N; Garrote, Gil; Ruiz, Héctor A

2017-11-01

This work describes the application of two forms of heating for autohydrolysis pretreatment on isothermal regimen: conduction-convection heating and microwave heating processing using corn stover as raw material for bioethanol production. Pretreatments were performed using different operational conditions: residence time (10-50 min) and temperature (160-200°C) for both pretreatments. Subsequently, the susceptibility of pretreated solids was studied using low enzyme loads, and high substrate loads. The highest conversion was 95.1% for microwave pretreated solids. Also solids pretreated by microwave heating processing showed better ethanol conversion in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process (92% corresponding to 33.8g/L). Therefore, microwave heating processing is a promising technology in the pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMPARISON OF PRETREATMENT STRATEGIES FOR CONVERSION OF COCONUT HUSK FIBER TO FERMENTABLE SUGARS

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Teck Y. Ding,

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In the present study, coconut husk was employed as biomass feedstock for production of bioethanol, due to its abundance in Malaysia. Due to the complex structures of coconut husk, a pretreatment process is crucial in extracting fermentable sugars from the embedded cellulose matrix for subsequent ethanol fermentation process. The ground coconut husk was subjected to three different pretreatment processes inclusive of thermal, chemical, and microwave-assisted-alkaline techniques, prior to enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation process. The composition profile of coconut husk was significantly altered upon the microwave-assisted-alkaline treatment as compared to the untreated sample, with the cellulose content increasing from 18-21% to 38-39% while lignin content decreased from 46-53% to 31-33%. Among the pretreatment methods applied, enzymatic hydrolysis of coconut husk pretreated by microwave-assisted-alkaline method recorded the highest yield of fermentable sugars, 0.279 g sugar/g substrate. SEM imaging showed the obvious and significant disruption of coconut husks’ structure after microwave-assisted-alkaline pretreatment. In conclusion, by employing suitable pretreatment technique in treating the lignocellulosic materials of coconut husk, the extracted fermentable sugar is a potential substrate for bioethanol production.

Comparison of different pretreatment strategies for enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat and barley straw

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosgaard, Lisa; Pedersen, Sven; Meyer, Anne Boye Strunge

2007-01-01

In biomass-to-ethanol processes a physico-chemical pretreatment of the lignocellulosic biomass is a critical requirement for enhancing the accessibility of the cellulose substrate to enzymatic attack. This report evaluates the efficacy on barley and wheat straw of three different pretreatment pro...

Application of Alkaline Ionic Liquids in the Pretreatment Process of Eucalyptus Kraft Pulping

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Yi Hou

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In order to explore the potential application of green solvent ionic liquids (ILs in the kraft pulping process, eucalyptus wood was pretreated by [Mmim]DMP before normal pulping. The results showed that materials pretreated shortly by the ionic liquid had a higher yield and viscosity coupled with a lower potassium permanganate value and residual lignin content in the pulp, as a result of the cooking process. It was also inferred that alkaline [Mmim]DMP pretreatment could dissolve lignin effectively from fiber to result in a stronger binding force and more entangled properties. Paper tensile and burst strength were improved by about 40% and 60%, respectively. These results provide a new way for eucalyptus to be utilized in the kraft pulping process.

Study of UV curing in the wood industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haider Osama Al-Mahdi

1999-01-01

Although mass production is the primary demand, the wood finishing must nevertheless conform to certain minimal standards. The surface should be protected and sealed against heat, dirt and abrasion, and insulated from the ingress and evaporation of moisture which would cause dimensional changes in the timber. The finish should be clear (unclouded) and smooth to enhance the natural beauty of the figure and the grain. The finish should also maintain its appearance, and adhesion, as well as protection given to the wood. The film should not seriously be degrading during the lifetime of the article. All the standards mentioned above are available in the 100% solid acrylic UV finishing system. A thorough study of the timber wood anatomy and of the physical and chemical properties of polymerized film is essential in order to match these properties with the wood substrate

Fungal bio-treatment of spruce wood with Trametes versicolor for pitch control: Influence on extractive contents, pulping process parameters, paper quality and effluent toxicity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beek, van T.A.; Kuster, B.; Claassen, F.W.; Tienvieri, T.; Bertaud, F.; Lennon, G.; Petit-Concil, M.; Sierra-Alvarez, R.

2007-01-01

Lipophilic low molar-mass constituents in wood chips for the paper industry result in low quality pulp, pitch deposition, and effluent toxicity. New biotechnological solutions such as fungal pre-treatment of wood chips can reduce pitch problems. This laboratory-scale study focuses on the potential

The properties of the wood-polystyrene interphase determined by inverse gas chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

John Simonsen; Zhenqiu Hong; Timothy G. Rials

1997-01-01

The properties of the interphase in wood-polymer composites are important determinants of the properties of the final composite. This study used inverse gas chromatography (IGC) to measure interphasal properties of composites of polystyrene and two types of wood fiber fillers and an inoranic substrate (CW) with varying amounts of surface coverage of polystyrene. Glass...

Wood decomposition as influenced by invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulyshen, Michael D

2016-02-01

The diversity and habitat requirements of invertebrates associated with dead wood have been the subjects of hundreds of studies in recent years but we still know very little about the ecological or economic importance of these organisms. The purpose of this review is to examine whether, how and to what extent invertebrates affect wood decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Three broad conclusions can be reached from the available literature. First, wood decomposition is largely driven by microbial activity but invertebrates also play a significant role in both temperate and tropical environments. Primary mechanisms include enzymatic digestion (involving both endogenous enzymes and those produced by endo- and ectosymbionts), substrate alteration (tunnelling and fragmentation), biotic interactions and nitrogen fertilization (i.e. promoting nitrogen fixation by endosymbiotic and free-living bacteria). Second, the effects of individual invertebrate taxa or functional groups can be accelerative or inhibitory but the cumulative effect of the entire community is generally to accelerate wood decomposition, at least during the early stages of the process (most studies are limited to the first 2-3 years). Although methodological differences and design limitations preclude meta-analysis, studies aimed at quantifying the contributions of invertebrates to wood decomposition commonly attribute 10-20% of wood loss to these organisms. Finally, some taxa appear to be particularly influential with respect to promoting wood decomposition. These include large wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera) and termites (Termitoidae), especially fungus-farming macrotermitines. The presence or absence of these species may be more consequential than species richness and the influence of invertebrates is likely to vary biogeographically. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Effect of pre-treatments on the germination of jasmin box (Phillyrea latifolia) seeds in Greece

OpenAIRE

Spyroglou, Gavriil; Radoglou, Kalliopi

2017-01-01

The major problem in seedlings production of jasmin box (Phillyrea latifolia) is the poor and irregular germination due to seed dormancy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate methods of seed pre-treatments to increase germination. The effect of different solutions of KOH and NaOH, wood ash lye, GA3 and cold or warm stratification on germination were evaluated. Sets of four replicates of 25 seeds were soaked for 24 hours in KOH and NaOH solutions of 0.2, 0.5, 1 and 2 %, in wood a...

Mechanical Pretreatment to Increase the Bioenergy Yield for Full-scale Biogas Plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsapekos, Panagiotis; Kougias, Panagiotis; Angelidaki, Irini

% compared to the untreated one. The digestion of meadow grass as an alternative co-substrate had positive impact on the energy yield of full-scale biogas reactors operating with cattle manure, pig manure or mixture of both. A preliminary analysis showed that the addition of meadow grass in a manure based...... biogas reactor was possible with biomass share of 10%, leading to energy production of 280 GJ/day. The digestion of pretreated meadow grass as alternative co-substrate had clearly positive impact in all the examined scenarios, leading to increased biogas production in the range of 10%-20%.......This study investigated the efficiency of commercially available harvesting machines for mechanical pretreatment of meadow grass, in order to enhance the energy yield per hectare. Excoriator was shown to be the most efficient mechanical pretreatment increasing the biogas yield of grass by 16...

Corrosion resistance of biomimetic calcium phosphate coatings on magnesium due to varying pretreatment time

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waterman, J., E-mail: jay.waterman@pg.canterbury.ac.nz [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand); Pietak, A. [Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago, Dunedin (New Zealand); Birbilis, N. [Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University (Australia); Woodfield, T. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand); Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Otago, Christchurch (New Zealand); Dias, G. [Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago, Dunedin (New Zealand); Staiger, M.P., E-mail: mark.staiger@canterbury.ac.nz [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand)

2011-12-15

Calcium phosphate coatings were prepared on magnesium substrates via a biomimetic coating process. The effects of a magnesium hydroxide pretreatment on the formation and the ultimate corrosion protection of the coatings were studied. The pretreatment layer was found to affect the amount of defects present in the coatings. Corrosion resistance of the coatings was studied in vitro using two simulated body fluids, 0.8% NaCl and Hanks solution. In NaCl, the resistance to corrosion of all samples decreases with time as corrosion proceeded through cracks and other defects in the coatings. Samples with no pretreatment displayed the highest corrosion resistance as these samples had the fewest defects in the coating. However, in Hanks solution, corrosion resistance increased with time due to additional nucleation of calcium phosphate from the fluid on to the substrate. In this solution, additional pretreatment time was beneficial to the overall corrosion resistance.

Enhanced cellulase hydrolysis of eucalyptus waste fibers from pulp mill by Tween80-assisted ferric chloride pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Liheng; Fu, Shiyu

2013-04-03

Pretreatment combining FeCl3 and Tween80 was performed for cellulose-to-ethanol conversion of eucalyptus alkaline peroxide mechanical pulping waste fibers (EAWFs). The FeCl3 pretreatment alone showed a good effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis of EAWFs, but inhibited enzyme activity to some extent. A surfactant, Tween80, added during FeCl3 pretreatment was shown to significantly enhance enzyme reaction by eluting enzymatic inhibitors such as iron(III) that are present at the surface of the pretreated biomass. Treatment temperature, liquid-solid ratio, treatment time, FeCl3 concentration, and Tween80 dosage for pretreatment were optimized as follows: 180 °C, 8:1, 30 min, 0.15 mol/L, and 1% (w/v). Pretreated EAWFs under such optimal conditions provided enzymatic glucose (based on 100 g of oven-dried feedstock) and substrate enzymatic digestibility of EAWFs of 34.8 g and 91.3% after 72 h of enzymatic hydrolysis, respectively, with an initial cellulase loading of 20 FPU/g substrate.

Effect of pre-treatments on methane production potential of energy crops and crop residues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lehtomaki, A.; Ronkainen; Rintala, J.A. [Jyvaskla Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences; Viinikainen, T.A. [Jyvaskla Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Chemistry

2004-07-01

Energy crops, that is, crops grown specifically for energy purposes are an alternative to food production in areas with sufficient agricultural land. Crop residues are also a potential source of energy. The anaerobic digestion of solid materials is limited by hydrolysis of complex polymeric substances such as lignocellulose. The methane producing potential of ligno cellulosic material is to pretreat the substrate in order to break up the polymer chains to more easily accessible soluble compounds. In this study, three different substrates were used: sugar beet tops, grass hay, and straw of oats. Biological pretreatments were the following: enzyme treatment, composting, white-rot fungi treatment. Also, pretreatment in water was tried. Chemical pretreatments included peracetic acid treatment, and treatment with two different alkalis. Alkaline pretreatments of hay and sugar beet tops have the potential to improve the methane yield. For instance, the yield of grass hay was increased 15 per cent by one particular alkaline treatment. Straw did not respond to any of the treatments tried. 18 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

The pretreatment of corn stover with Gloeophyllum trabeum KU-41 for enzymatic hydrolysis

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Gao Ziqing

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pretreatment is an essential step in the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass for bio-ethanol production. The dominant concern in this step is how to decrease the high cost of pretreatment while achieving a high sugar yield. Fungal pretreatment of biomass was previously reported to be effective, with the advantage of having a low energy requirement and requiring no application of additional chemicals. In this work, Gloeophyllum trabeum KU-41 was chosen for corn stover pretreatment through screening with 40 strains of wood-rot fungi. The objective of the current work is to find out which characteristics of corn stover pretreated with G. trabeum KU-41 determine the pretreatment method to be successful and worthwhile to apply. This will be done by determining the lignin content, structural carbohydrate, cellulose crystallinity, initial adsorption capacity of cellulase and specific surface area of pretreated corn stover. Results The content of xylan in pretreated corn stover was decreased by 43% in comparison to the untreated corn stover. The initial cellulase adsorption capacity and the specific surface area of corn stover pretreated with G. trabeum were increased by 7.0- and 2.5-fold, respectively. Also there was little increase in the cellulose crystallinity of pretreated corn stover. Conclusion G. trabeum has an efficient degradation system, and the results indicated that the conversion of cellulose to glucose increases as the accessibility of cellulose increases due to the partial removal of xylan and the structure breakage of the cell wall. This pretreatment method can be further explored as an alternative to the thermochemical pretreatment method.

Pretreatment of Miscanthus for hydrogen production by Thermotoga elfii

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrije, de T.; Haas, de G.G.; Tan, G.B.; Keijsers, E.R.P.; Claassen, P.A.M.

2002-01-01

Pretreatment methods for the production of fermentable substrates from Miscanthus, a lignocellulosic biomass, were investigated. Results demonstrated an inverse relationship between lignin content and the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides. High delignification values were

Role of carbon source in the shift from oxidative to hydrolytic wood decomposition by Postia placenta.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiwei; Schilling, Jonathan S

2017-09-01

Brown rot fungi initiate wood decay using oxidative pretreatments to improve access for cellulolytic enzymes. These pretreatments are incompatible with enzymes, and we recently showed that Postia placenta overcomes this issue by delaying glycoside hydrolase (GH) gene upregulation briefly (wood wafers and spatially mapped expression (via quantitative PCR) of twelve ORs and GHs targeted using functional genomics analyses. By layering expression patterns over solubilized sugar data (via HPLC) from wood, we observed solubilization of wood glucose, cellobiose, mannose, and xylose coincident with the OR-GH transition. We then tested effects of these soluble sugars, plus polymeric carbon sources (spruce powder, cellulose), on P. placenta gene expression in liquid cultures. Expression of ORs was strictly (aox1, cro5) or progressively repressed over time (qrd1, lcc1) by all soluble sugars, including cellobiose, but not by polymeric sources. Simple sugars repressed hemicellulase gene expression over time, but these sugars did not repress cellulases. Cellulase genes were upregulated, however, along with hemicellulases in the presence of soluble cellobiose and in the presence of polymeric carbon sources, relative to starvation (carbon-free). This verifies an inducible cellulase system in P. placenta that lacks carbon catabolite repression (CCR), and it suggests that brown rot fungi use soluble sugars, particularly cellobiose, to cue a critical oxidative-hydrolytic transition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DETERMINATION OF ENZYMES PRODUCED BY CERIPORIOPSIS SUBVERMISPORA DURING PRETREATMENT OF DIFFERENT BIOMASS SOURCES

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Miroslav Ondrejovič

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to study of lignocellulolytic enzymes producing by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora during its cultivation on three types of plant biomass differentiated by chemical composition and physical properties (wheat straw, pine and poplar wood. The activity of lignocellulolytic enzymes in cultivation medium was determined by catalytic transformation of their natural substrates to products which were detected by photometric methods. Cellulase activities were very low while xylanases predominated. Wheat straw was best substrate for production of cellulases (4.38 U/mL and xylanases (23.34 U/mL. The maximum activity of cellulase and xylanase was reached at 8th and 3rd day, respectively. Laccase activity reached the maximum after 16 days and then gradually decreased. The best substrate for production of laccases was poplar wood (1.67 U/mL.

Large wood and in-stream habitat for juvenile coho salmon and larval lampreys in a Pacific Northwest stream

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Rosalinda; Dunham, Jason B.; Lightcap, Scott W.; McEnroe, Jeffery R.

2017-01-01

The influences of large wood on Pacific salmon are well-studied, but studies of nonsalmonid species such as lampreys are uncommon. To address this need, we evaluated the potential effects of large wood on larval lampreys (Pacific Lamprey, Entosphenus tridentatus; and potentially Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni), as well as juvenile Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, in a small coastal Oregon stream. Our objectives were to 1) identify in-stream habitat characteristics associated with the presence of larval lampreys and abundance of juvenile Coho Salmon; and 2) evaluate how these characteristics were associated with in-stream wood. To address habitat use, we quantified presence of larval lampreys in 92 pools and abundance of juvenile Coho Salmon in 44 pools during summer low flows. We focused on a study reach where large wood was introduced into the stream between 2008 and 2009. Results indicated that presence of larval lampreys was significantly associated with availability of fine sediment and deeper substrate. The abundance of juvenile Coho Salmon (fish/pool) was strongly associated with pool surface area and to a weaker extent with the proportion of cobble and boulder substrates in pools. Pools with wood, regardless of whether they were formed by wood, had significantly greater coverage of fine sediment, deeper substrate, and greater pool surface area. Taken together, these results suggest that in-stream wood can provide habitat associated with presence of larval lampreys and greater abundance of juvenile Coho Salmon.

Pretreatment of Biomass by Aqueous Ammonia for Bioethanol Production

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Hyun; Gupta, Rajesh; Lee, Y. Y.

The methods of pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using aqueous ammonia are described. The main effect of ammonia treatment of biomass is delignification without significantly affecting the carbohydrate contents. It is a very effective pretreatment method especially for substrates that have low lignin contents such as agricultural residues and herbaceous feedstock. The ammonia-based pretreatment is well suited for simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) because the treated biomass retains cellulose as well as hemicellulose. It has been demonstrated that overall ethanol yield above 75% of the theoretical maximum on the basis of total carbohydrate is achievable from corn stover pretreated with aqueous ammonia by way of SSCF. There are two different types of pretreatment methods based on aqueous ammonia: (1) high severity, low contact time process (ammonia recycle percolation; ARP), (2) low severity, high treatment time process (soaking in aqueous ammonia; SAA). Both of these methods are described and discussed for their features and effectiveness.

Enzymic hydrolysis of woods. IV. The effect of pretreatment with aqueous ammonia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishihara, T; Ishihara, M

1979-01-01

In the hydrolysis of Betusa platyphylla, B. Maximowiczii, and Populus mazimowiczee with cellulase (I) at room temperature, treatment with 5% NH/sub 4/OH resulted in the formation of reducing sugars corresponding to aporoximately half of the amount of wood polysaccharides. The NH/sub 3/-treated B. platyphylla in the presence of I gave yeast in a yield of 40% of the sugar.

Diversity of macro-detritivores in dead wood is influenced by tree species, decay stage and environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuo, Juan; Fonck, Myrthe; van Hal, Jurgen; Cornelissen, J. Hans C.; Berg, Matty P.

Diplopoda (millipedes) and Isopoda (woodlice) are among the most abundant macro-detritivores in temperate forests. These key regulators of plant litter decomposition are influenced by habitat and substrate quality, including that of dead wood. Dead wood provides shelter and resources to

Diversity of macro-detritivores in dead wood is influenced by tree species, decay stage and environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zuo, J.; Fonck, M.; van Hal, J.R.; Cornelissen, J.H.C.; Berg, M.P.

2014-01-01

Diplopoda (millipedes) and Isopoda (woodlice) are among the most abundant macro-detritivores in temperate forests. These key regulators of plant litter decomposition are influenced by habitat and substrate quality, including that of dead wood. Dead wood provides shelter and resources to

Assessing mechanical deconstruction of softwood cell wall for cellulosic biofuels production

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jinxue

Mechanical deconstruction offers a promising strategy to overcome biomass recalcitrance for facilitating enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated substrates with zero chemicals input and presence of inhibitors. The goal of this dissertation research is to gain a more fundamental understanding on the impact of mechanical pretreatment on generating digestible micronized-wood and how the physicochemical characteristics influence the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of micronized wood. The initial moisture content of feedstock was found to be the key factor affecting the development of physical features and enzymatic hydrolysis of micronized wood. Lower moisture content resulted in much rounder particles with lower crystallinity, while higher moisture content resulted in the milled particles with larger aspect ratio and crystallinity. The enzymatic hydrolysis of micronized wood was improved as collectively increasing surface area (i.e., reducing particle size and aspect ratio) and decreasing crystallinity during mechanical milling pretreatment. Energy efficiency analysis demonstrated that low-moisture content feedstock with multi-step milling process would contribute to cost-effectiveness of mechanical pretreatment for achieving more than 70% of total sugars conversion. In the early stage of mechanical pretreatment, the types of cell fractures were distinguished by the initial moisture contents of wood, leading to interwall fracture at the middle lamella region for low moisture content samples and intrawall fracture at the inner cell wall for high moisture content samples. The changes in cell wall fractures also resulted in difference in the distribution of surface chemical composition and energy required for milling process. In an effort to exploit the underlying mechanism associated with the reduced recalcitrance in micronized wood, we reported the increased enzymatic sugar yield and correspondingly structural and accessible properties of micronized feedstock. Electronic

Effect of temperature during wood torrefaction on the formation of lignin liquid intermediates

Science.gov (United States)

Manuel Raul Pelaez-Samaniego; Vikram Yadama; Manuel Garcia-Perez; Eini Lowell; Armando G. McDonald

2014-01-01

Torrefaction enhances physical properties of lignocellulosic biomass and improves its grindability. Energy densification, via fuel pellets production, is one of the most promising uses of torrefaction. Lignin contributes to self-bonding of wood particles during pelletization. In biomass thermal pretreatment, part oflignin (in the form of lignin liquid intermediates –...

Adhesion of rhodium films on metallic substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marot, L.; Covarel, G.; Tuilier, M.-H.; Steiner, R.; Oelhafen, P.

2008-01-01

Rhodium coated metallic films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on metallic substrates. All films were elaborated in same conditions on copper, molybdenum and stainless steel. Adhesion strength tests were carried out by scratch test. The results reveal that the adhesion strength between the film and the substrate is influenced by the hardness of the substrate. Increase of deposition temperature improves the adhesion of the coating. In addition, pre-treatment of substrates by a filtered cathodic vacuum arc and the layer thickness have has some effects on the final adhesion strength

Adhesion of rhodium films on metallic substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marot, L. [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)], E-mail: laurent.marot@unibas.ch; Covarel, G.; Tuilier, M.-H. [Laboratoire Mecanique, Materiaux et Procedes de Fabrication, Pole STIC-SPI-Math 61 rue Albert Camus, Universite de Haute-Alsace, F-68093 - Mulhouse Cedex (France); Steiner, R.; Oelhafen, P. [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)

2008-09-01

Rhodium coated metallic films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on metallic substrates. All films were elaborated in same conditions on copper, molybdenum and stainless steel. Adhesion strength tests were carried out by scratch test. The results reveal that the adhesion strength between the film and the substrate is influenced by the hardness of the substrate. Increase of deposition temperature improves the adhesion of the coating. In addition, pre-treatment of substrates by a filtered cathodic vacuum arc and the layer thickness have has some effects on the final adhesion strength.

Downregulation of RWA genes in hybrid aspen affects xylan acetylation and wood saccharification.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, Prashant Mohan-Anupama; Ratke, Christine; Balasubramanian, Vimal K; Chong, Sun-Li; Gandla, Madhavi Latha; Adriasola, Mathilda; Sparrman, Tobias; Hedenström, Mattias; Szwaj, Klaudia; Derba-Maceluch, Marta; Gaertner, Cyril; Mouille, Gregory; Ezcurra, Ines; Tenkanen, Maija; Jönsson, Leif J; Mellerowicz, Ewa J

2017-06-01

High acetylation of angiosperm wood hinders its conversion to sugars by glycoside hydrolases, subsequent ethanol fermentation and (hence) its use for biofuel production. We studied the REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION (RWA) gene family of the hardwood model Populus to evaluate its potential for improving saccharification. The family has two clades, AB and CD, containing two genes each. All four genes are expressed in developing wood but only RWA-A and -B are activated by master switches of the secondary cell wall PtNST1 and PtMYB21. Histochemical analysis of promoter::GUS lines in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides) showed activation of RWA-A and -B promoters in the secondary wall formation zone, while RWA-C and -D promoter activity was diffuse. Ectopic downregulation of either clade reduced wood xylan and xyloglucan acetylation. Suppressing both clades simultaneously using the wood-specific promoter reduced wood acetylation by 25% and decreased acetylation at position 2 of Xylp in the dimethyl sulfoxide-extracted xylan. This did not affect plant growth but decreased xylose and increased glucose contents in the noncellulosic monosaccharide fraction, and increased glucose and xylose yields of wood enzymatic hydrolysis without pretreatment. Both RWA clades regulate wood xylan acetylation in aspen and are promising targets to improve wood saccharification. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Life cycle assessment of cellulose nanofibrils production by mechanical treatment and two different pretreatment processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Arvidsson, Rickard; Nguyen, Duong; Svanström, Magdalena

2015-06-02

Nanocellulose is a bionanomaterial with many promising applications, but high energy use in production has been described as a potential obstacle for future use. In fact, life cycle assessment studies have indicated high life cycle energy use for nanocellulose. In this study, we assess the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of three production routes for a particular type of nanocellulose called cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) made from wood pulp. The three production routes are (1) the enzymatic production route, which includes an enzymatic pretreatment, (2) the carboxymethylation route, which includes a carboxymethylation pretreatment, and (3) one route without pretreatment, here called the no pretreatment route. The results show that CNF produced via the carboxymethylation route clearly has the highest environmental impacts due to large use of solvents made from crude oil. The enzymatic and no pretreatment routes both have lower environmental impacts, of similar magnitude. A sensitivity analysis showed that the no pretreatment route was sensitive to the electricity mix, and the carboxymethylation route to solvent recovery. When comparing the results to those of other carbon nanomaterials, it was shown that in particular CNF produced via the enzymatic and no pretreatment routes had comparatively low environmental impacts.

Combination of dry dark fermentation and mechanical pretreatment for lignocellulosic deconstruction: An innovative strategy for biofuels and volatile fatty acids recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motte, Jean-Charles; Sambusiti, Cecilia; Dumas, Claire; Barakat, Abdellatif

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel combination of solid-state fermentation and fine milling was developed. • Biological pretreatment produces valuable bioproducts (VFA and biohydrogen). • Solid-state dark fermentation improves considerably the milling efficiency. • Bioethanol yield was higher after a strong particle size reduction. • Substrate conversion was two times higher than conventional processes. - Abstract: In the present study, the feasibility of combining dry dark fermentation and mechanical pretreatment of wheat straw was studied in order to improve substrate valorization, save energy input, decrease the environmental impact and diversify biofuels and volatile fatty acids production. To this end, dark fermentation of wheat straw was performed at 55 °C and 35 °C under solid-state conditions (23% of total solid content) and it was considered as a biological pretreatment. Both biologically treated and raw straws were reduced at four particles size to cover the range of fine (50 < X < 500 μm) and ultrafine milling (<50 μm). Biological pretreatment led to a substrate conversion of 16% and 14%, mainly into volatile fatty acids and biohydrogen. Biological pretreatment improved the substrate grindability with a reduction of mean particle size up to 31% and a reduction of the milling specific energy consumption up to 35% compared to untreated straw. Finally, related to untreated straw, this combination of biological and mechanical treatments improved the bioethanol yield up to 83%, which leads to an enhancement of the overall substrate conversion up to 131%. Based on these high yields, this combination of dry biological–mechanical pretreatments appears more attractive and efficient in terms of bioproducts production, energy efficiency and environmental impact, compared to conventional pretreatments

Alkali-explosion pretreatment of straw and bagasse for enzymic hydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Puri, V P; Pearce, G R

1986-04-01

Sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw were subjected to alkali treatment at 200 degrees C for 5 min and at 3.45 MPa gas pressure (steam and nitrogen), followed by an explosive discharge through a defibrating nozzle, in an attempt to improve the rate and extent of digestibility. The treatment resulted in the solubilization of 40-45% of the components and in the production of a pulp that gave saccharification yields of 80 and 65% in 8 h for bagasse and wheat straw, respectively. By comparison, alkali steaming at 200 degrees C (1.72 MPa) for 5 min gave saccharification yields of only 58 and 52% in 48 h. The increase in temperature from 140 to 200 degrees C resulted in a gradual increase in in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) for both the substrates. Also, the extent of alkalinity during pretreatment appears to effect the reactivity of the final product towards enzymes. Pretreatment times ranging from 5 to 60 caused a progressive decline in the IVOMD of bagasse and wheat straw by the alkali explosion method and this was accompanied by a progressive decrease in pH values after explosion. In the alkali-steaming method, pretreatment time had no apparent effect with either substrate. An analysis of the alkali-exploded products showed that substantial amounts of hemicellulose and a small proportion of the lignin were solubilized. The percentage crystallinity of the cellulose did not alter in either substrate but there was a substantial reduction in the degree of polymerization. The superiority of the alkali-explosion pretreatment is attributed to the efficacy of fiber separation and disintegration; this increases the surface area and reduces the degree of polymerization.

Substrate in the emergence and initial growth of seedlings of Caesalpinia pulcherrima

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Magnólia Martins Alves

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Caesalpinia pulcherrima is an exotic species belongs to the Fabaceae family commonly known as flamboyant-mirim, and widely used for urban forestry. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different substrates on the emergence and early seedlings growth of C. pulcherrima . The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse belonging to the Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Paraíba. The experimental design was completely randomized and treatments had 14 substrates: sand, vegetable soil, vermiculite, wood dust, carbonized rice straw, vegetable soil + sand 1:1, sand + wood dust 1:1, sand + carbonized rice straw 1:1, earth + wood dust 1:1, vegetable soil + carbonized rice straw 1:1, vermiculite + sand 1:1, vermiculite + wood dust 1:1, vermiculite + earth 1:1 and vermiculite + carbonized rice straw 1:1. Evaluation of the effect of the treatments was through the following determinations: percentage of emergency, first count, index of germination speed, length and dry weight of roots and shoots. The vermiculite, vegetable soil + sand 1:1, vermiculite + sand 1:1, vermiculite + saw dust 1:1, are suitable for emergence and early growth of seedlings of Caesalpinia pulcherrima . Substrates saw dust and carbonized rice straw were responsible for the worst performers on emergence and seedling development.

Wood-inhabiting beetles in low stumps, high stumps and logs on boreal clear-cuts: implications for dead wood management.

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Jon Andersson

Full Text Available The increasing demand for biofuels from logging residues require serious attention on the importance of dead wood substrates on clear-cuts for the many forestry-intolerant saproxylic (wood-inhabiting species. In particular, the emerging harvest of low stumps motivates further study of these substrates. On ten clear-cuts we compared the species richness, abundance and species composition of saproxylic beetles hatching from four to nine year old low stumps, high stumps and logs of Norway spruce. By using emergence traps we collected a total of 2,670 saproxylic beetles among 195 species during the summers of 2006, 2007 and 2009. We found that the species assemblages differed significantly between high stumps and logs all three years. The species assemblages of low stumps, on the other hand, were intermediate to those found in logs and high stumps. There were also significant difference in species richness between the three examined years, and we found significant effect of substrate type on richness of predators and fungivores. As shown in previous studies of low stumps on clear-cuts they can sustain large numbers of different saproxylic beetles, including red-listed species. Our study does, in addition to this fact, highlight a possible problem in creating just one type of substrate as a tool for conservation in forestry. Species assemblages in high stumps did not differ significantly from those found in low stumps. Instead logs, which constitute a scarcer substrate type on clear-cuts, provided habitat for a more distinct assemblage of saproxylic species than high stumps. It can therefore be questioned whether high stumps are an optimal tool for nature conservation in clear-cutting forestry. Our results also indicate that low stumps constitute an equally important substrate as high stumps and logs, and we therefore suggest that stump harvesting is done after carefully evaluating measures to provide habitat for saproxylic organisms.

Wood-inhabiting beetles in low stumps, high stumps and logs on boreal clear-cuts: implications for dead wood management.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Jon; Hjältén, Joakim; Dynesius, Mats

2015-01-01

The increasing demand for biofuels from logging residues require serious attention on the importance of dead wood substrates on clear-cuts for the many forestry-intolerant saproxylic (wood-inhabiting) species. In particular, the emerging harvest of low stumps motivates further study of these substrates. On ten clear-cuts we compared the species richness, abundance and species composition of saproxylic beetles hatching from four to nine year old low stumps, high stumps and logs of Norway spruce. By using emergence traps we collected a total of 2,670 saproxylic beetles among 195 species during the summers of 2006, 2007 and 2009. We found that the species assemblages differed significantly between high stumps and logs all three years. The species assemblages of low stumps, on the other hand, were intermediate to those found in logs and high stumps. There were also significant difference in species richness between the three examined years, and we found significant effect of substrate type on richness of predators and fungivores. As shown in previous studies of low stumps on clear-cuts they can sustain large numbers of different saproxylic beetles, including red-listed species. Our study does, in addition to this fact, highlight a possible problem in creating just one type of substrate as a tool for conservation in forestry. Species assemblages in high stumps did not differ significantly from those found in low stumps. Instead logs, which constitute a scarcer substrate type on clear-cuts, provided habitat for a more distinct assemblage of saproxylic species than high stumps. It can therefore be questioned whether high stumps are an optimal tool for nature conservation in clear-cutting forestry. Our results also indicate that low stumps constitute an equally important substrate as high stumps and logs, and we therefore suggest that stump harvesting is done after carefully evaluating measures to provide habitat for saproxylic organisms.

Significance of wood extractives for wood bonding.

Science.gov (United States)

Roffael, Edmone

2016-02-01

Wood contains primary extractives, which are present in all woods, and secondary extractives, which are confined in certain wood species. Extractives in wood play a major role in wood-bonding processes, as they can contribute to or determine the bonding relevant properties of wood such as acidity and wettability. Therefore, extractives play an immanent role in bonding of wood chips and wood fibres with common synthetic adhesives such as urea-formaldehyde-resins (UF-resins) and phenol-formaldehyde-resins (PF-resins). Extractives of high acidity accelerate the curing of acid curing UF-resins and decelerate bonding with alkaline hardening PF-resins. Water-soluble extractives like free sugars are detrimental for bonding of wood with cement. Polyphenolic extractives (tannins) can be used as a binder in the wood-based industry. Additionally, extractives in wood can react with formaldehyde and reduce the formaldehyde emission of wood-based panels. Moreover, some wood extractives are volatile organic compounds (VOC) and insofar also relevant to the emission of VOC from wood and wood-based panels.

Enhanced hydrolysis and methane yield by applying microaeration pretreatment to the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Jun Wei; Wang, Jing-Yuan

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Microaeration pretreatment was effective for brown water and food waste mixture. ► The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms. ► Enhanced solubilization, acidification and breakdown of SCFAs to acetate. ► Microaeration pretreatment improved methane yield by 10–21%. ► Nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration. - Abstract: Microaeration has been used conventionally for the desulphurization of biogas, and recently it was shown to be an alternative pretreatment to enhance hydrolysis of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Previous studies on microaeration pretreatment were limited to the study of substrates with complex organic matter, while little has been reported on its effect on substrates with higher biodegradability such as brown water and food waste. Due to the lack of consistent microaeration intensities, previous studies were not comparable and thus inconclusive in proving the effectiveness of microaeration to the overall AD process. In this study, the role of microaeration pretreatment in the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste was evaluated in batch-tests. After a 4-day pretreatment with 37.5 mL-O 2 /L R -d added to the liquid phase of the reactor, the methane production of substrates were monitored in anaerobic conditions over the next 40 days. The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms and a reducing environment for organic matter degradation was maintained. Other than higher COD solubilization, microaeration pretreatment led to greater VFA accumulation and the conversion of other short chain fatty acids to acetate. This could be due to enhanced activities of hydrolytic and acidogenic bacteria and the degradation of slowly biodegradable compounds under microaerobic conditions. This study also found that the nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration as a 21% and 10% increase in methane yield was observed when pretreatment was applied

Enhanced hydrolysis and methane yield by applying microaeration pretreatment to the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Jun Wei [Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 06-08 CleanTech One, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141 (Singapore); School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Wang, Jing-Yuan, E-mail: jywang@ntu.edu.sg [Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 06-08 CleanTech One, 1 Cleantech Loop, Singapore 637141 (Singapore); School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2013-04-15

Highlights: ► Microaeration pretreatment was effective for brown water and food waste mixture. ► The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms. ► Enhanced solubilization, acidification and breakdown of SCFAs to acetate. ► Microaeration pretreatment improved methane yield by 10–21%. ► Nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration. - Abstract: Microaeration has been used conventionally for the desulphurization of biogas, and recently it was shown to be an alternative pretreatment to enhance hydrolysis of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Previous studies on microaeration pretreatment were limited to the study of substrates with complex organic matter, while little has been reported on its effect on substrates with higher biodegradability such as brown water and food waste. Due to the lack of consistent microaeration intensities, previous studies were not comparable and thus inconclusive in proving the effectiveness of microaeration to the overall AD process. In this study, the role of microaeration pretreatment in the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste was evaluated in batch-tests. After a 4-day pretreatment with 37.5 mL-O{sub 2}/L{sub R}-d added to the liquid phase of the reactor, the methane production of substrates were monitored in anaerobic conditions over the next 40 days. The added oxygen was consumed fully by facultative microorganisms and a reducing environment for organic matter degradation was maintained. Other than higher COD solubilization, microaeration pretreatment led to greater VFA accumulation and the conversion of other short chain fatty acids to acetate. This could be due to enhanced activities of hydrolytic and acidogenic bacteria and the degradation of slowly biodegradable compounds under microaerobic conditions. This study also found that the nature of inoculum influenced the effects of microaeration as a 21% and 10% increase in methane yield was observed when pretreatment was

Assessment of chemical and material contamination in waste wood fuels--A case study ranging over nine years.

Science.gov (United States)

Edo, Mar; Björn, Erik; Persson, Per-Erik; Jansson, Stina

2016-03-01

The increased demand for waste wood (WW) as fuel in Swedish co-combustion facilities during the last years has increased the import of this material. Each country has different laws governing the use of chemicals and therefore the composition of the fuel will likely change when combining WW from different origins. To cope with this, enhanced knowledge is needed on WW composition and the performance of pre-treatment techniques for reduction of its contaminants. In this study, the chemical and physical characteristics of 500 WW samples collected at a co-combustion facility in Sweden between 2004 and 2013 were investigated to determine the variation of contaminant content over time. Multivariate data analysis was used for the interpretation of the data. The concentrations of all the studied contaminants varied widely between sampling occasions, demonstrating the highly variable composition of WW fuels. The efficiency of sieving as a pre-treatment measure to reduce the levels of contaminants was not sufficient, revealing that sieving should be used in combination with other pre-treatment methods. The results from this case study provide knowledge on waste wood composition that may benefit its management. This knowledge can be applied for selection of the most suitable pre-treatments to obtain high quality sustainable WW fuels. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Reducing Sugar Hydrolyzed from High-Lignin Coconut Coir Dust Pretreated by the Recycled Ionic Liquid [mmim][dmp] and Combination with Alkaline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanny Frans Sangian

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This study aims to produce reducing sugar hydrolyzed from substrate, coconut coir dust pretreated by recycled ionic liquid and its combination with alkaline. The 1H NMR and FTIR were performed to ver-ify the synthesized ionic liquid methylmethylimidazolium dimethyl phosphate ([mmim][dmp]. The structure of pretreated substrates was analyzed by XRD measurement. The used ionic liquid was recy-cled twice to re-employ for substrate pretreatment. The treated- and untreated-coconut coir dust were hydrolyzed into sugars using pure cellulase. The reaction, which called an enzymatic hydrolysis, was conducted at 60 °C, pH 3, for 48 h. The yields of sugar hydrolyzed from fresh IL-pretreated, 1R*IL-pretreated and 2R*IL-pretreated substrates were of 0.19, 0.15 and 0.15 g sugar / g cellu-lose+hemicellulose, respectively. Pretreatment with NaOH or the combination of NaOH+IL resulted in yields of reducing sugars of 0.25, 0.28 g/g, respectively. When alkaline combined with the recycled ionic liquids, NaOH+1R*IL, NaOH+2R*IL in the pretreatment, the yields of sugar were relatively similar to those obtained using alkaline followed by fresh ionic liquid. If the mixture enzymes, cellu-lase+xylanase, used to liberate sugars from fresh IL-pretreated, or recycled IL-pretreated substrates, the amount of sugar (concentration or yield increased slightly compared to that employing a single cel-lulase. These findings showed that recycled IL pretreatment of the high-lignin lignocellulose, coconut coir dust, is a new prospect for the economical manufacture of fermentable sugars and biofuel in the coming years. © 2015 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 1st July 2014; Revised: 5th September 2014; Accepted: 5th September 2014 How to Cite: Sangian, H.F., Kristian, J., Rahma, S., Dewi, H., Puspasari, D., Agnesty, S., Gunawan, S., Widjaja, A. (2015. Preparation of Reducing Sugar Hydrolyzed from High-Lignin Coconut Coir Dust Pretreated by the Recycled Ionic Liquid [mmim

SOL-GEL SILICA-BASED Ag–Ca–P COATINGS WITH AGRESSIVE PRETREATMENT OF TITANIUM SUBSTRATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ELENA BORSHCHEVA

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the experiment was the obtaining of thin silica coatings on titanium by sol-gel method, using mechanical (SiC - paper No.180 and chemical (leaching in HF pretreatments of the titanium substrates. The solutions were based on TEOS. For the sol-gel dipping process 4 different solutions were prepared: silica, silica with AgNO3 and silica + AgNO3 with brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O or monetite (CaHPO4 powders. The solutions were aged for 7 and 14 days at laboratory temperature. After sol-gel dip-coating process the samples were dried and fired. The adhesion of fired coatings was measured by tape test according to ASTM procedure and the bioactivity of the coatings was tested using in vitro test. The surfaces of the samples after firing, tape test and in vitro test were observed with the optical and electron microscopes. The firing results showed that silica-silver coatings did not change, brushite sol-gel coatings have cracked and the monetite sol-gel coatings have cracked also, but less than brushite ones. In spite of coating´s crackings, the square’s frames made on the surfaces were without any breakdowns after tape tests and the adhesion of all coatings was very good, classified by the highest grade 5. The results of in vitro tests showed that all coatings interacted with simulated body fluid (SBF. After exposition in SBF the new layer formed on substrates. In case of 7 days aged coatings containing brushite the new layer was uniform and compact. In case of 7 days aged coatings containing monetite the new layer was formed by crystals aggregated tightly together. The monetite and brushite coatings prepared from 14 days aged sol were the same as previous ones, but they were thicker. X-ray analyses after in vitro test confirmed dellaite, titanate and hydroxyapatite phases.

Combinatorial pretreatment and fermentation optimization enabled a record yield on lignin bioconversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhi-Hua; Xie, Shangxian; Lin, Furong; Jin, Mingjie; Yuan, Joshua S

2018-01-01

Lignin valorization has recently been considered to be an essential process for sustainable and cost-effective biorefineries. Lignin represents a potential new feedstock for value-added products. Oleaginous bacteria such as Rhodococcus opacus can produce intracellular lipids from biodegradation of aromatic substrates. These lipids can be used for biofuel production, which can potentially replace petroleum-derived chemicals. However, the low reactivity of lignin produced from pretreatment and the underdeveloped fermentation technology hindered lignin bioconversion to lipids. In this study, combinatorial pretreatment with an optimized fermentation strategy was evaluated to improve lignin valorization into lipids using R. opacus PD630. As opposed to single pretreatment, combinatorial pretreatment produced a 12.8-75.6% higher lipid concentration in fermentation using lignin as the carbon source. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that combinatorial pretreatment released more aromatic monomers, which could be more readily utilized by lignin-degrading strains. Three detoxification strategies were used to remove potential inhibitors produced from pretreatment. After heating detoxification of the lignin stream, the lipid concentration further increased by 2.9-9.7%. Different fermentation strategies were evaluated in scale-up lipid fermentation using a 2.0-l fermenter. With laccase treatment of the lignin stream produced from combinatorial pretreatment, the highest cell dry weight and lipid concentration were 10.1 and 1.83 g/l, respectively, in fed-batch fermentation, with a total soluble substrate concentration of 40 g/l. The improvement of the lipid fermentation performance may have resulted from lignin depolymerization by the combinatorial pretreatment and laccase treatment, reduced inhibition effects by fed-batch fermentation, adequate oxygen supply, and an accurate pH control in the fermenter. Overall, these results demonstrate that combinatorial

Factors effecting paint performance on wood siding

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher G. Hunt; R. Sam Williams; Mark Knaebe; Peter Sotos; Steven Lacher

2009-01-01

Several different studies are compared to assess the effectiveness of commercial water repellent preservatives (WRP’s) in the late 1990’s on vertical and horizontal siding. Besides WRP, variables included wood species, exposure location (Wisconsin or Mississippi), and solid color stain vs. primer + paint. Data on substrate checking and paint flaking are presented....

Aureobasidium melanogenum: a native of dark biofinishes on oil treated wood.

Science.gov (United States)

van Nieuwenhuijzen, Elke J; Houbraken, Jos A M P; Meijer, Martin; Adan, Olaf C G; Samson, Robert A

2016-05-01

The genus Aureobasidium, which is known as a wood staining mould, has been detected on oil treated woods in the specific stain formation called biofinish. This biofinish is used to develop a new protective, self-healing and decorative biotreatment for wood. In order to understand and control biofinish formation on oil treated wood, the occurrence of different Aureobasidium species on various wood surfaces was studied. Phenotypic variability within Aureobasidium strains presented limitations of morphological identification of Aureobasidium species. PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of ITS and RPB2 were used to identify the culturable Aureobasidium species composition in mould stained wood surfaces with and without a biofinish. The analysed isolates showed that several Aureobasidium species were present and that Aureobasidium melanogenum was predominantly detected, regardless of the presence of a biofinish and the type of substrate. A. melanogenum was detected on wood samples exposed in the Netherlands, Cameroon, South Africa, Australia and Norway. ITS-specific PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing of DNA extracted from biofinish samples confirmed results of the culturing based method: A. melanogenum is predominant within the Aureobasidium population of biofinishes on pine sapwood treated with raw linseed oil and the outdoor placement in the Netherlands.

Wood handbook : wood as an engineering material

Science.gov (United States)

Robert J. Ross; Forest Products Laboratory. USDA Forest Service.

2010-01-01

Summarizes information on wood as an engineering material. Presents properties of wood and wood-based products of particular concern to the architect and engineer. Includes discussion of designing with wood and wood-based products along with some pertinent uses.

Effects of plasma pretreatment on the process of self-forming Cu–Mn alloy barriers for Cu interconnects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jae-Hyung Park

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effect of plasma pretreatment on the process of a self-forming Cu–Mn alloy barrier on porous low-k dielectrics. To study the effects of plasma on the performance of a self-formed Mn-based barrier, low-k dielectrics were pretreated with H2 plasma or NH3 plasma. Cu–Mn alloy materials on low-k substrates that were subject to pretreatment with H2 plasma exhibited lower electrical resistivity values and the formation of thicker Mn-based interlayers than those on low-k substrates that were subject to pretreatment with NH3 plasma. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS, and thermal stability analyses demonstrated the exceptional performance of the Mn-based interlayer on plasma-pretreated low-k substrates with regard to thickness, chemical composition, and reliability. Plasma treating with H2 gas formed hydrophilic Si–OH bonds on the surface of the low-k layer, resulting in Mn-based interlayers with greater thickness after annealing. However, additional moisture uptake was induced on the surface of the low-k dielectric, degrading electrical reliability. By contrast, plasma treating with NH3 gas was less effective with regard to forming a Mn-based interlayer, but produced a Si–N/C–N layer on the low-k surface, yielding improved barrier characteristics.

Research Into Ni-Cr-Si-B Coating Sprayed Onto Aluminium Substrate Using the Method of Plasma Spray

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Raimonda Lukauskaitė

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The article deals with Ni base coatings deposited on aluminium substrate applying the method of plasma spray. The purpose of the conducted research is to improve the physical and mechanical properties of coatings on the surface of aluminium alloy work pieces. Spraying on aluminium alloys encounters serious problems, and therefore this work analyses the ways to make the situation more favourable. Before spraying, the surfaces of substrates were modified employing chemical and mechanical pre-treatment methods. The aim of pre-treating aluminium alloys was to remove oxide layers from the aluminium surface. Coating microstructures and porosity were characterised applying optical microscopy. Differences in the roughness of pre-treated surfaces have been determined referring to profilometry. The paper investigates the influence of the adhesion of plasma spray coatings on aluminium surface pretreatment. Microhardness technique was applied for measuring the hardness of coatings. The study also describes and compares the mechanical properties of Ni base coatings deposited on different pre-treated aluminium substrates using plasma spray.Article in Lithuanian

Research Into Ni-Cr-Si-B Coating Sprayed Onto Aluminium Substrate Using the Method of Plasma Spray

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raimonda Lukauskaitė

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with Ni base coatings deposited on aluminium substrate applying the method of plasma spray. The purpose of the conducted research is to improve the physical and mechanical properties of coatings on the surface of aluminium alloy work pieces. Spraying on aluminium alloys encounters serious problems, and therefore this work analyses the ways to make the situation more favourable. Before spraying, the surfaces of substrates were modified employing chemical and mechanical pre-treatment methods. The aim of pre-treating aluminium alloys was to remove oxide layers from the aluminium surface. Coating microstructures and porosity were characterised applying optical microscopy. Differences in the roughness of pre-treated surfaces have been determined referring to profilometry. The paper investigates the influence of the adhesion of plasma spray coatings on aluminium surface pretreatment. Microhardness technique was applied for measuring the hardness of coatings. The study also describes and compares the mechanical properties of Ni base coatings deposited on different pre-treated aluminium substrates using plasma spray.Article in Lithuanian

WOOD PROPERTIES AND EFFECT OF WOOD PROPERTIES ON THE WOOD FINISHING

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Abdulkadir Malkoçoğlu

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Wood is basic raw material for furniture and joinery industries with wood structures. Wood is a biological material that has widely different properties depending on species, geographic area where the tree grew, the growth condition, size of the tree at harvest, sawing, and other manufacturing processes. Wood properties have been characterized within two groups as natural and manufacturing factors that effects finishing performance. Grow rate, density, knots, moisture content, extractives and juvenile wood are natural characteristics. Grain orientation, texture, drying and performance expectations are manufacturing characteristics. In this review, the effects of natural and manufacturing characteristics are discussed on the surface finishing performance of wood.

The bioconversion of mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine to fuel ethanol using the organosolv process.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xuejun; Xie, Dan; Yu, Richard W; Saddler, Jack N

2008-09-01

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) killed by mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) (BLP) was compared with healthy lodgepole pine (HLP) for bioconversion to ethanol and high-value co-products. The BLP and HLP chips were pretreated using an ethanol organosolv process at a variety of severities. It was shown that the BLP was easier to pretreat and delignify than were the HLP chips. The resulting pretreated BLP substrate had a lower residual lignin, lower degree of polymerization of cellulose, lower cellulose crystallinity, smaller fiber size and thereby a better enzymatic hydrolysability than did the HLP substrates. However, under the same conditions, the BLP showed lower substrate yield and cellulose recovery than did the HLP, which likely resulted from the excessive hydrolysis and subsequent decomposition of the cellulose and hemicellulose during the pretreatment. The BLP wood yielded more ethanol organosolv lignin than was obtained with the HLP material. The HLP lignin had a lower molecular weight and narrower distribution than did the BLP lignin. It appears that the beetle killed LP is more receptive to organosolv pretreatment other than a slightly lower recovery of carbohydrates.

Examining the Potential of Plasma-Assisted Pretreated Wheat Straw for Enzyme Production by Trichoderma reesei

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodríguez Gómez, Divanery; Lehmann, Linda Olkjær; Schultz-Jensen, Nadja

2012-01-01

Plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw was investigated for cellulase and xylanase production by Trichoderma reesei fermentation. Fermentations were conducted with media containing washed and unwashed plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw as carbon source which was sterilized by autoclavation....... To account for any effects of autoclavation, a comparison was made with unsterilized media containing antibiotics. It was found that unsterilized washed plasma-assisted pretreated wheat straw (which contained antibiotics) was best suited for the production of xylanases (110 IU ml(-1)) and cellulases (0...... other nonrefined feedstocks suggests that plasma pretreated wheat straw is a promising and suitable substrate for cellulase and hemicellulase production....

An overview of key pretreatment processes for biological conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol

OpenAIRE

Maurya, Devendra Prasad; Singla, Ankit; Negi, Sangeeta

2015-01-01

Second-generation bioethanol can be produced from various lignocellulosic biomasses such as wood, agricultural or forest residues. Lignocellulosic biomass is inexpensive, renewable and abundant source for bioethanol production. The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol could be a promising technology though the process has several challenges and limitations such as biomass transport and handling, and efficient pretreatment methods for total delignification of lignocellulosics. P...

Regulation of Gene Expression during the Onset of Ligninolytic Oxidation by Phanerochaete chrysosporium on Spruce Wood

Science.gov (United States)

Premsagar Korripally; Christopher G. Hunt; Carl J. Houtman; Don C. Jones; Peter J. Kitin; Dan Cullen; Kenneth E. Hammel; A. A. Brakhage

2015-01-01

Since uncertainty remains about how white rot fungi oxidize and degrade lignin in wood, it would be useful to monitor changes in fungal gene expression during the onset of ligninolysis on a natural substrate. We grew Phanerochaete chrysosporium on solid spruce wood and included oxidant-sensing beads bearing the fluorometric dye BODIPY 581/591 in...

State-of-the-art of waste wood supply chain in Germany and selected European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Carlos A; Hora, Guido

2017-12-01

According to the statistic office of the European Union (Eurostat), Germany is the main producer of waste wood in Europe followed by France, United Kingdom, Italy and Finland. Based on the characteristics of the waste wood, it can be classified in four (4) categories: A I, A II, A III and A IV. This paper focuses in the A I waste wood since is the only category able to be used directly for both material and energy purposes without a previously pre-treatment. Currently, most of this waste wood is used for direct energy production due to the previous government legislation that promoted its use directly in incineration facilities. However, the newest Renewable Energy Act (EEG 2017) may promote the cascade-use of A I waste wood prior to be intended for energy purposes. Nonetheless, the government incentives to the energy sector is not the only bottleneck that the use of A I waste wood as raw material in the wood-based industry has to overcome. The peak availability, collection logistics (collection centers and transportation) and recycling facility location are some of the parameters that must be considered in order to design the "best" supply chain network for A I waste wood. This work presents a detailed description of the effect of the hierarchical strategic decision in the proper design of the waste wood supply chain. Additionally, the global picture of waste wood recycling in different European countries (UK, Italy and Finland) is briefly presented. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Wood : adhesives

Science.gov (United States)

A.H. Conner

2001-01-01

This chapter on wood adhesives includes: 1) Classification of wood adhesives 2) Thermosetting wood adhesives 3) Thermoplastic adhesives, 4) Wood adhesives based on natural sources 5) Nonconventional bonding of wood 6) Wood bonding.

Rehabilitating agricultural streams in Australia with wood: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, Rebecca E; Boulton, Andrew J

2008-08-01

Worldwide, the ecological condition of streams and rivers has been impaired by agricultural practices such as broadscale modification of catchments, high nutrient and sediment inputs, loss of riparian vegetation, and altered hydrology. Typical responses include channel incision, excessive sedimentation, declining water quality, and loss of in-stream habitat complexity and biodiversity. We review these impacts, focusing on the potential benefits and limitations of wood reintroduction as a transitional rehabilitation technique in these agricultural landscapes using Australian examples. In streams, wood plays key roles in shaping velocity and sedimentation profiles, forming pools, and strengthening banks. In the simplified channels typical of many agricultural streams, wood provides habitat for fauna, substrate for biofilms, and refuge from predators and flow extremes, and enhances in-stream diversity of fish and macroinvertebrates.Most previous restoration studies involving wood reintroduction have been in forested landscapes, but some results might be extrapolated to agricultural streams. In these studies, wood enhanced diversity of fish and macroinvertebrates, increased storage of organic material and sediment, and improved bed and bank stability. Failure to meet restoration objectives appeared most likely where channel incision was severe and in highly degraded environments. Methods for wood reintroduction have logistical advantages over many other restoration techniques, being relatively low cost and low maintenance. Wood reintroduction is a viable transitional restoration technique for agricultural landscapes likely to rapidly improve stream condition if sources of colonists are viable and water quality is suitable.

Piezoelectric paper fabricated via nanostructured barium titanate functionalization of wood cellulose fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadeva, Suresha K; Walus, Konrad; Stoeber, Boris

2014-05-28

We have successfully developed hybrid piezoelectric paper through fiber functionalization that involves anchoring nanostructured BaTiO3 into a stable matrix with wood cellulose fibers prior to the process of making paper sheets. This is realized by alternating immersion of wood fibers in a solution of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) PDDA (+), followed by poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) PSS (-), and once again in PDDA (+), resulting in the creation of a positively charged surface on the wood fibers. The treated wood fibers are then immersed in a BaTiO3 suspension, resulting in the attachment of BaTiO3 nanoparticles to the wood fibers due to a strong electrostatic interaction. Zeta potential measurements, X-ray diffraction, and microscopic and spectroscopic analysis imply successful functionalization of wood fibers with BaTiO3 nanoparticles without altering the hydrogen bonding and crystal structure of the wood fibers. The paper has the largest piezoelectric coefficient, d33 = 4.8 ± 0.4 pC N(-1), at the highest nanoparticle loading of 48 wt % BaTiO3. This newly developed piezoelectric hybrid paper is promising as a low-cost substrate to build sensing devices.

Effects of enzymatic hydrolysis and ultrasounds pretreatments on corn cob and vine trimming shoots for biogas production.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Rodríguez, N; García-Bernet, D; Domínguez, J M

2016-12-01

Due to their lignocellulosic nature, corn cob and vine trimming shoots (VTS) could be valorized by anaerobic digestion for biogas production. To enhance the digestibility of substrates, pretreatments of lignocellulosic materials are recommended. The effect of enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasounds pretreatments (US) and the combination of both was assayed in lignocellulosic composition, methane, and biogas yields. The pretreatments leaded to a reduction in lignin and an increase in neutral detergent soluble compounds making corn cob and VTS more amendable for biogas conversion. The US were negative for biogas production from both substrates and in particular strongly detrimental for VTS. On the opposite side, the enzymatic hydrolysis was certainly beneficial increasing 59.8% and 14.6% the methane production from VTS and corn cob, respectively. The prior application of US did not potentiate (or not sufficiently) the improvement in the methane production reflected by the enzymatic hydrolysis pretreatment of VTS and corn cob. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Au/n-ZnO rectifying contact fabricated with hydrogen peroxide pretreatment

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Q. L.; Cheung, C. K.; Ling, C. C.; Ng, A. M. C.; Djurišić, A. B.; Lu, L. W.; Chen, X. D.; Fung, S.; Beling, C. D.; Ong, H. C.

2008-05-01

Au contacts were deposited on n-type ZnO single crystals with and without hydrogen peroxide pretreatment for the ZnO substrate. The Au/ZnO contacts fabricated on substrates without H2O2 pretreatment were Ohmic and those with H2O2 pretreatment were rectifying. With an aim of fabricating a good quality Schottky contact, the rectifying property of the Au/ZnO contact was systemically investigated by varying the treatment temperature and duration. The best performing Schottky contact was found to have an ideality factor of 1.15 and a leakage current of ˜10-7 A cm-2. A multispectroscopic study, including scanning electron microscopy, positron annihilation spectroscopy, deep level transient spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence, showed that the H2O2 treatment removed the OH impurity and created Zn-vacancy related defects hence decreasing the conductivity of the ZnO surface layer, a condition favorable for forming good Schottky contact. However, the H2O2 treatment also resulted in a deterioration of the surface morphology, leading to an increase in the Schottky contact ideality factor and leakage current in the case of nonoptimal treatment time and temperature.

Fibrillation of Aspen by Alkaline Cold Pre-treatment and Vibration Milling

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Kärt KÄRNER

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this article an attempt to fibrillate aspen bleached chemi-thermo mechanical pulp (BCTMP fibre in an environmentally friendly way is reported. The effects of various NaOH, KOH, urea and ethanol aqueous solutions at lowered temperature were tested for pre-treatment. The pre-treatment was followed by vibration milling aiming to peel off outer cell wall layers and to fibrillate S2 layer of the aspen wood fibre. The effects of the treatments were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The results show that it is possible to fibrillate BCTMP aspen fibres by using alkaline aqueous solutions at low temperatures followed by a mechanical treatment. A strong dependence on fibrillation of cellulose on temperature, time and alkali concentration was established.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.3.7412

EB-curing of coatings on wood composite boards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czvikovszky, T.; Czajlic, I.; Takacs, E.; Ille, A.; Salleh, N.G.; Alpar, T.

1988-01-01

The industrial radiation processing using low energy electron beam (EB) accelerators lower than 300 keV offers high speed, safe technologies for the chemical conversion of thin layer coatings. Because of the nonselective mode of initiating chain reaction polymerization involving free radicals in synthetic coating layers and suitable substrates, the EB curing of the coatings on woods and papers has particular advantage. Hungary decided to start an up-to-date EB line to process cement-bound (CB) wood chipboards with pigmented acrylic coatings. The CB wood chipboards contain more than 60 % of portland cement and up to 40 % of wood particles. They are produced as large boads of 6 - 16 mm thickness. In their fireproof character and other aspects, they are similar to asbestos-cement boards without containing carcinagenic asbestos, and are stable against moisture and atmospheric influences. EB-cured acrylate coating improved further those properties, and makes them valuable structural material. Oligomers and monomers as the main components of EB curable coatings, the irradiation with a Van de Graaff type electron accelerator of 2 MeV and the results are reported. The oligomers play the most important role in the formation of radiation curable coatings. (K.I.)

Influence of thin film nickel pretreatment on catalytic thermal chemical vapor deposition of carbon nanofibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiggelaar, R.M. [Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA" + Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Thakur, D.B.; Nair, H.; Lefferts, L.; Seshan, K. [Catalytic Processes and Materials, MESA" + Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Gardeniers, J.G.E., E-mail: j.g.e.gardeniers@utwente.nl [Mesoscale Chemical Systems, MESA" + Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

2013-05-01

Nickel and other metal nanoparticles are known to be active as catalysts in the synthesis of carbon nanofibers. In this paper we investigate how dewetting and break-up of nickel thin films depends on film thickness, film–substrate interaction and pretreatment conditions. This is evaluated for films evaporated on oxidized silicon and fused silica substrates with or without tantalum coating, which were subsequently exposed to different pretreatment atmospheres (vacuum, nitrogen, air and hydrogen; 1 h, 650 °C). Atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis were used to characterize the films. Pretreated Ni films were subjected to a thermal catalytic chemical vapor deposition procedure with brief ethylene exposures (0.5–3 min, 635 °C). It was found that only on the spherical nanoparticles originating from a hydrogen pretreatment of a Ni film with Ta adhesion layer, homogeneously distributed, randomly-oriented, well-attached, and semi-crystalline carbon nanofibers be synthesized. - Highlights: • On the formation of nanoparticles required for carbon nanofiber (CNF) synthesis • Various evaporated thin films on oxidized silicon and fused silica: Ni and Ni/Ta • Pretreatment of nickel-based thin films in vacuum, nitrogen, air and hydrogen • Only on reduced Ni/Ta fast – within 3 min – initiation of CNF nucleation and growth.

Surface Effects and Challenges for Application of Piezoelectric Langasite Substrates in Surface Acoustic Wave Devices Caused by High Temperature Annealing under High Vacuum.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Marietta; Rane, Gayatri K; Kirbus, Benjamin; Menzel, Siegfried B; Gemming, Thomas

2015-12-19

Substrate materials that are high-temperature stable are essential for sensor devices which are applied at high temperatures. Although langasite is suggested as such a material, severe O and Ga diffusion into an O-affine deposited film was observed during annealing at high temperatures under vacuum conditions, leading to a damage of the metallization as well as a change of the properties of the substrate and finally to a failure of the device. Therefore, annealing of bare LGS (La 3 Ga 5 SiO 14 ) substrates at 800 ∘ C under high vacuum conditions is performed to analyze whether this pretreatment improves the suitability and stability of this material for high temperature applications in vacuum. To reveal the influence of the pretreatment on the subsequently deposited metallization, RuAl thin films are used as they are known to oxidize on LGS at high temperatures. A local study of the pretreated and metallized substrates using transmission electron microscopy reveals strong modification of the substrate surface. Micro cracks are visible. The composition of the substrate is strongly altered at those regions. Severe challenges for the application of LGS substrates under high-temperature vacuum conditions arise from these substrate damages, revealing that the pretreatment does not improve the applicability.

Surface Effects and Challenges for Application of Piezoelectric Langasite Substrates in Surface Acoustic Wave Devices Caused by High Temperature Annealing under High Vacuum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marietta Seifert

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Substrate materials that are high-temperature stable are essential for sensor devices which are applied at high temperatures. Although langasite is suggested as such a material, severe O and Ga diffusion into an O-affine deposited film was observed during annealing at high temperatures under vacuum conditions, leading to a damage of the metallization as well as a change of the properties of the substrate and finally to a failure of the device. Therefore, annealing of bare LGS (La 3 Ga 5 SiO 14 substrates at 800 ∘ C under high vacuum conditions is performed to analyze whether this pretreatment improves the suitability and stability of this material for high temperature applications in vacuum. To reveal the influence of the pretreatment on the subsequently deposited metallization, RuAl thin films are used as they are known to oxidize on LGS at high temperatures. A local study of the pretreated and metallized substrates using transmission electron microscopy reveals strong modification of the substrate surface. Micro cracks are visible. The composition of the substrate is strongly altered at those regions. Severe challenges for the application of LGS substrates under high-temperature vacuum conditions arise from these substrate damages, revealing that the pretreatment does not improve the applicability.

Impact of the environmental conditions and substrate pre-treatment on whey protein hydrolysis: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheison, Seronei Chelulei; Kulozik, Ulrich

2017-01-22

Proteins in solution are subject to myriad forces stemming from interactions with each other as well as with the solvent media. The role of the environmental conditions, namely pH, temperature, ionic strength remains under-estimated yet it impacts protein conformations and consequently its interaction with, and susceptibility to, the enzyme. Enzymes, being proteins are also amenable to the environmental conditions because they are either activated or denatured depending on the choice of the conditions. Furthermore, enzyme specificity is restricted to a narrow regime of optimal conditions while opportunities outside the optimum conditions remain untapped. In addition, the composition of protein substrate (whether mixed or single purified) have been underestimated in previous studies. In addition, protein pre-treatment methods like heat denaturation prior to hydrolysis is a complex phenomenon whose progression is influenced by the environmental conditions including the presence or absence of sugars like lactose, ionic strength, purity of the protein, and the molecular structure of the mixed proteins particularly presence of free thiol groups. In this review, we revisit protein hydrolysis with a focus on the impact of the hydrolysis environment and show that preference of peptide bonds and/or one protein over another during hydrolysis is driven by the environmental conditions. Likewise, heat-denaturing is a process which is dependent on not only the environment but the presence or absence of other proteins.

Experimental Study on Dry Torrefaction of Beech Wood and Miscanthus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eyerusalem M. Gucho

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Torrefaction is a thermochemical pre-treatment process for upgrading the properties of biomass to resemble those of fossil fuels such as coal. Biomass properties of particular interest are chemical composition, physical property and combustion characteristics. In this work, torrefaction of beech wood and miscanthus (sinensis was carried out to study the influence of torrefaction temperature (240–300 °C and residence time (15–150 min on the aforementioned properties of the biomass. Results of the study revealed that torrefaction temperature has a significant influence on mass and energy yields, whereas the influence of the residence time becomes more apparent for the higher torrefaction temperatures (>280 °C. Torrefied miscanthus resulted in higher energy densification compared to beech wood for a residence time of 30 min. A significant improvement in grindability of the torrefied beech wood was obtained even for lightly torrefied beech wood (at 280 °C and 15 min of residence time. Observation from the combustion study showed that the ignition temperature is slightly affected by the torrefaction temperature. As a whole, the torrefaction temperature determines the characteristics of the torrefied fuel compared to other process parameters like residence time. Furthermore, with optimal process conditions, torrefaction produces a solid fuel with combustion reactivity and porosity comparable to raw biomass, whereas grindability and heating value are comparable to low quality coal.

Enhanced bioprocessing of lignocellulose: Wood-rot fungal saccharification and fermentation of corn fiber to ethanol

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Prachand

no improvement in ethanol yields. We showed that saccharification of lignocellulosic material with a wood-rot fungal process is quite feasible. Corn fiber from wet milling was best degraded to sugars using aerobic solid state fermentation with the soft-rot fungus T. reesei. However, it was shown that both the white-rot fungus P. chrysosporium and brown-rot fungus G. trabeum had the ability to produce additional consortia of hemi/cellulose degrading enzymes. It is likely that a consortium of enzymes from these fungi would be the best approach in saccharification of lignocellulose. In all cases, a subsequent anaerobic yeast process under submerged conditions is required to ferment the released sugars to ethanol. To our knowledge, this is the first time report on production of cellulolytic enzymes from wet-milled corn fiber using white- and brown-rot fungi for sequential fermentation of corn fiber hydrolyzate to ethanol. Keywords: lignocellulose, ethanol, biofuel, bioeconomy, biomass, renewable resources, corn fiber, pretreatment, solid-substrate fermentation, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), white-rot fungus, brown-rot fungus, soft-rot fungus, fermentable sugars, enzyme activities, cellulytic enzymes Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Gloleophyllum trabeum, Trichoderma reesei, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Eco-friendly wood-based solid-state flexible supercapacitors from wood transverse section slice and reduced graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Shaoyi; Fu, Feng; Wang, Siqun; Huang, Jingda; Hu, La

2015-07-01

An interesting wood-based all-solid-state supercapacitor is produced using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) coated on wood transverse section slice (WTSS) as electrode material by means of a low-cost, eco-friendly, and simple method for the first time. The RGO-coated WTSS electrode has a porous 3D honeycomb framework due to the hierarchical cellular structure of the WTSS substrate and can function as an electrolyte reservoir. This special construction endows this novel electrode with good areal capacitance (102 mF cm-2) and excellent cyclic stability (capacitance retention of 98.9% after 5000 cycles). In addition, the supercapacitors exhibit good mechanical flexibility and preserve almost constant capacitive behavior under different bending conditions. Our study introduces a new and eco-friendly material design for electrodes in future flexible energy storage devices that closely resemble natural materials. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Saponification pretreatment and solids recirculation as a new anaerobic process for the treatment of slaughterhouse waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Affes, R; Palatsi, J; Flotats, X; Carrère, H; Steyer, J P; Battimelli, A

2013-03-01

Different configurations of anaerobic process, adapted to the treatment of solid slaughterhouse fatty waste, were proposed and evaluated in this study. The tested configurations are based on the combination of anaerobic digestion with/without waste saponification pretreatment (70 °C during 60 min) and with/without recirculation of the digestate solid fraction (ratio=20% w/w). After an acclimation period of substrate pulses-feeding cycles, the reactors were operated in a semi-continuous feeding mode, increasing organic loading rates along experimental time. The degradation of the raw substrate was shown to be the bottleneck of the whole process, obtaining the best performance and process yields in the reactor equipped with waste pretreatment and solids recirculation. Saponification promoted the emulsification and bioavailability of solid fatty residues, while recirculation of solids minimized the substrate/biomass wash-out and induced microbial adaptation to the treatment of fatty substrates. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Critical cellulase and hemicellulase activities for hydrolysis of ionic liquid pretreated biomass

Science.gov (United States)

Critical cellulase and hemicellulase activities are identified for hydrolysis of ionic liquid (IL) pretreated poplar and switchgrass; hemicellulase rich substrates with amorphous cellulose. Enzymes from Aspergillus nidulans were expressed and purified: an endoglucanase (EG) a cellobiohydrolase (CBH)...

STORAGE OF CHEMICALLY PRETREATED WHEAT STRAW – A MEANS TO ENSURE QUALITY RAW MATERIAL FOR PULP PREPARATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Terttu Heikkilä

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of chemical pretreatment and storage on non-wood pulping and on pulp quality. The processes studied were hot water treatment followed by alkaline peroxide bleaching or soda cooking. The results showed that it is possible to store wheat straw outside for at least one year without significant changes in the raw material chemical composition and without adverse effects on the resulting pulp quality. The results are significant to the industry using non-woods to ensure the availability and the quality of the raw-material throughout the year in spite of the short harvesting time.

Chemical characterisation of the whole plant cell wall of archaeological wood: an integrated approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoia, Luca; Tamburini, Diego; Orlandi, Marco; Łucejko, Jeannette Jacqueline; Salanti, Anika; Tolppa, Eeva-Liisa; Modugno, Francesca; Colombini, Maria Perla

2017-07-01

Wood artefacts undergo complex alteration and degradation during ageing, and gaining information on the chemical composition of wood in archaeological artefacts is fundamental to plan conservation strategies. In this work, an integrated analytical approach based on innovative NMR spectroscopy procedures, gel permeation chromatography and analytical pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) was applied for the first time on archaeological wood from the Oseberg collection (Norway), in order to evaluate the chemical state of preservation of the wood components, without separating them. We adopted ionic liquids (ILs) as non-derivatising solvents, thus obtaining an efficient dissolution of the wood, allowing us to overcome the difficulty of dissolving wood in its native form in conventional molecular solvents. Highly substituted lignocellulosic esters were therefore obtained under mild conditions by reacting the solubilised wood with either acetyl chloride or benzoyl chloride. A phosphytilation reaction was also performed using 2-chloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholan. As a result, the functionalised wood developed an enhanced solubility in molecular solvents, thus enabling information about modifications of lignin, depolymerisation of cellulose and structure of lignin-carbohydrate complexes to be obtained by means of spectroscopic (2D-HSQC-NMR and 31 P-NMR) and chromatographic (gel permeation chromatography) techniques. Py-GC-MS was used to investigate the degradation undergone by the lignocellulosic components on the basis of their pyrolysis products, without any pre-treatment of the samples. The application of all these combined techniques enabled a comprehensive characterisation of the whole cell wall of archaeological wood and the evaluation of its state of preservation. High depletion of carbohydrates and high extent of lignin oxidation were highlighted in the alum-treated objects, whereas a good preservation state was found

Evaluation of Mucor indicus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae capability to ferment hydrolysates of rape straw and Miscanthus giganteus as affected by the pretreatment method.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewandowska, Małgorzata; Szymańska, Karolina; Kordala, Natalia; Dąbrowska, Aneta; Bednarski, Włodzimierz; Juszczuk, Andrzej

2016-07-01

Rape straw and Miscanthus giganteus was pretreated chemically with oxalic acid or sodium hydroxide. The pretreated substrates were hydrolyzed with enzymatic preparations of cellulase, xylanase and cellobiase. The highest concentration of reducing sugars was achieved after hydrolysis of M. giganteus pretreated with NaOH (51.53gdm(-3)). In turn, the highest yield of enzymatic hydrolysis determined based on polysaccharides content in the pretreated substrates was obtained in the experiments with M. giganteus and oxalic acid (99.3%). Rape straw and M. giganteus hydrolysates were fermented using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae 7, NRRL 978 or filamentous fungus Mucor rouxii (Mucor indicus) DSM 1191. The highest ethanol concentration was determined after fermentation of M. giganteus hydrolysate pretreated with NaOH using S. cerevisiae (1.92% v/v). Considering cellulose content in the pretreated solid, the highest degree of its conversion to ethanol (86.2%) was achieved after fermentation of the hydrolysate of acid-treated M. giganteus using S. cerevisiae. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of nutrient enrichment on the decomposition of wood and associated microbial activity in streams

Science.gov (United States)

Vladislav Gulis; Amy D. Rosemond; Keller Suberkropp; Holly S. Weyers; Jonathan P. Benstead

2004-01-01

We determined the effects of nutrient enrichment on wood decomposition rates and microbial activity during a 3-year study in two headwater streams at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, NC, U.S.A. After a 1-year pretreatment period, one of the streams was continuously enriched with inorganic nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) for 2 years while the other stream served as a...

Pretreatment of grass waste using combined ionizing radiation-acid treatment for enhancing fermentative hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang; Wang, Jianlong

2018-05-01

In this study, the combined ionizing radiation-acid pretreatment process was firstly applied to enhance hydrogen fermentation of grass waste. Results showed that the combined pretreatment synergistically enhanced hydrogen fermentation of grass waste. The SCOD and soluble polysaccharide contents of grass waste increased by 1.6 and 2.91 times after the combined pretreatment, respectively. SEM observation and crystallinity test showed the combined pretreatment effectively disrupted the grass structure. Owing to the more favorable substrate conditions, the hydrogen yield achieved 68 mL/g-dry grass added after the combined pretreatment, which was 161.5%, 112.5% and 28.3% higher than those from raw, ionizing radiation pretreated and acid pretreated grass waste, respectively. The VS removal also increased from 13.9% to 25.6% by the combined pretreatment. Microbial community analysis showed that the abundance of dominant hydrogen producing genus Clostridium sensu stricto 1 increased from 37.9% to 69.4% after the combined pretreatment, which contributed to more efficient hydrogen fermentation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulated nitrogen deposition affects wood decomposition by cord-forming fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Bebber, Daniel P; Watkinson, Sarah C; Boddy, Lynne; Darrah, Peter R

2011-12-01

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition affects many natural processes, including forest litter decomposition. Saprotrophic fungi are the only organisms capable of completely decomposing lignocellulosic (woody) litter in temperate ecosystems, and therefore the responses of fungi to N deposition are critical in understanding the effects of global change on the forest carbon cycle. Plant litter decomposition under elevated N has been intensively studied, with varying results. The complexity of forest floor biota and variability in litter quality have obscured N-elevation effects on decomposers. Field experiments often utilize standardized substrates and N-levels, but few studies have controlled the decay organisms. Decomposition of beech (Fagus sylvatica) blocks inoculated with two cord-forming basidiomycete fungi, Hypholoma fasciculare and Phanerochaete velutina, was compared experimentally under realistic levels of simulated N deposition at Wytham Wood, Oxfordshire, UK. Mass loss was greater with P. velutina than with H. fasciculare, and with N treatment than in the control. Decomposition was accompanied by growth of the fungal mycelium and increasing N concentration in the remaining wood. We attribute the N effect on wood decay to the response of cord-forming wood decay fungi to N availability. Previous studies demonstrated the capacity of these fungi to scavenge and import N to decaying wood via a translocating network of mycelium. This study shows that small increases in N availability can increase wood decomposition by these organisms. Dead wood is an important carbon store and habitat. The responses of wood decomposers to anthropogenic N deposition should be considered in models of forest carbon dynamics.

Effect of pretreating technologies on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion property of Zn coated NdFeB specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Pengjie [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co. Ltd., Hefei (China); Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials, Hefei (China); State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials (Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co., Ltd.), Hefei (China); Xu, Guangqing, E-mail: gqxu1979@hfut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Liu, Jiaqin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Yi, Xiaofei [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co. Ltd., Hefei (China); Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials, Hefei (China); State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials (Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co., Ltd.), Hefei (China); Wu, Yucheng, E-mail: ycwu@hfut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China); Chen, JingWu [Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co. Ltd., Hefei (China); Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials, Hefei (China); State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Materials (Earth-Panda Advance Magnetic Material Co., Ltd.), Hefei (China)

2016-02-15

Graphical abstract: Zn coated NdFeB specimens pretreated with different technologies possess different adhesive strengths and anticorrosion properties. And the combined technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s) achieves the best comprehensive performance. - Highlights: • Zn coated NdFeB specimens are achieved with different pretreating technologies. • Combined technology possesses the highest adhesive strength. • Combined technology possesses excellent anticorrosion property. - Abstract: Zinc coated NdFeB specimens were prepared with different pretreating technologies, such as polishing, pickling (50 s), sandblasting and combined technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s). Morphologies of the NdFeB substrates pretreated with different technologies were observed with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer and an atomic force microscope. The tensile test was performed to measure the adhesive strength between Zn coating and NdFeB substrate. The self-corrosion behavior of the NdFeB specimen was characterized by potentiodynamic polarization curve. The anticorrosion properties of Zn coated NdFeB specimens were characterized by neutral salt spray tests. The pretreating technologies possess obvious impact on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion property of Zn coated NdFeB specimens. Combined pretreating technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s) achieves the highest adhesive strength (25.56 MPa) and excellent anticorrosion property (average corrosion current density of 21 μA/cm{sup 2}) in the four pretreating technologies. The impacting mechanisms of the pretreating technology on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion properties are deeply discussed.

Effect of pretreating technologies on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion property of Zn coated NdFeB specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Pengjie; Xu, Guangqing; Liu, Jiaqin; Yi, Xiaofei; Wu, Yucheng; Chen, JingWu

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Zn coated NdFeB specimens pretreated with different technologies possess different adhesive strengths and anticorrosion properties. And the combined technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s) achieves the best comprehensive performance. - Highlights: • Zn coated NdFeB specimens are achieved with different pretreating technologies. • Combined technology possesses the highest adhesive strength. • Combined technology possesses excellent anticorrosion property. - Abstract: Zinc coated NdFeB specimens were prepared with different pretreating technologies, such as polishing, pickling (50 s), sandblasting and combined technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s). Morphologies of the NdFeB substrates pretreated with different technologies were observed with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer and an atomic force microscope. The tensile test was performed to measure the adhesive strength between Zn coating and NdFeB substrate. The self-corrosion behavior of the NdFeB specimen was characterized by potentiodynamic polarization curve. The anticorrosion properties of Zn coated NdFeB specimens were characterized by neutral salt spray tests. The pretreating technologies possess obvious impact on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion property of Zn coated NdFeB specimens. Combined pretreating technology of sandblasting and pickling (5 s) achieves the highest adhesive strength (25.56 MPa) and excellent anticorrosion property (average corrosion current density of 21 μA/cm 2 ) in the four pretreating technologies. The impacting mechanisms of the pretreating technology on the adhesive strength and anticorrosion properties are deeply discussed.

Assessment of hydrothermal pretreatment of various lignocellulosic biomass with CO2 catalyst for enhanced methane and hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Eskicioglu, Cigdem; Monlau, Florian; Barakat, Abdellatif; Ferrer, Ivet; Kaparaju, Prasad; Trably, Eric; Carrère, Hélène

2017-09-01

Hydrothermal pretreatment of five lignocellulosic substrates (i.e. wheat straw, rice straw, biomass sorghum, corn stover and Douglas fir bark) were conducted in the presence of CO 2 as a catalyst. To maximize disintegration and conversion into bioenergy (methane and hydrogen), pretreatment temperatures and subsequent pressures varied with a range of 26-175 °C, and 25-102 bars, respectively. Among lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses, hydrothermal pretreatment caused the highest reduction (23-42%) in hemicelluloses while delignification was limited to only 0-12%. These reductions in structural integrity resulted in 20-30% faster hydrolysis rates during anaerobic digestion for the pretreated substrates of straws, sorghum, and corn stover while Douglas fir bark yielded 172% faster hydrolysis/digestion due to its highly refractory nature in the control. Furans and phenolic compounds formed in the pretreated hydrolyzates were below the inhibitory levels for methane and hydrogen production which had a range of 98-340 ml CH 4 /g volatile solids (VS) and 5-26 ml H 2 /g VS, respectively. Results indicated that hydrothermal pretreatment is able to accelerate the rate of biodegradation without generating high levels of inhibitory compounds while showing no discernible effect on ultimate biodegradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pretreatment of corn stover for sugar production using dilute hydrochloric acid followed by lime.

Science.gov (United States)

Zu, Shuai; Li, Wen-zhi; Zhang, Mingjian; Li, Zihong; Wang, Ziyu; Jameel, Hasan; Chang, Hou-min

2014-01-01

In this study, a two stage process was evaluated to increase the sugar recovery. Firstly, corn stover was treated with diluted hydrochloric acid to maximize the xylose yield, and then the residue was treated with lime to alter the lignin structure and swell the cellulose surface. The optimal condition was 120 °C and 40 min for diluted hydrochloric acid pretreatment followed by lime pretreatment at 60 °C for 12h with lime loading at 0.1 g/g of substrate. The glucose and xylose yield was 78.0% and 97.0%, respectively, with cellulase dosage at 5 FPU/g of substrate. The total glucose yield increased to 85.9% when the cellulase loading was increased to 10 FPU/g of substrate. This two stage process was effective due to the swelling of the internal surface, an increase in the porosity and a decrease in the degree of polymerization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Late Permian wood-borings reveal an intricate network of ecological relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Zhuo; Wang, Jun; Rößler, Ronny; Ślipiński, Adam; Labandeira, Conrad

2017-09-15

Beetles are the most diverse group of macroscopic organisms since the mid-Mesozoic. Much of beetle speciosity is attributable to myriad life habits, particularly diverse-feeding strategies involving interactions with plant substrates, such as wood. However, the life habits and early evolution of wood-boring beetles remain shrouded in mystery from a limited fossil record. Here we report new material from the upper Permian (Changhsingian Stage, ca. 254-252 million-years ago) of China documenting a microcosm of ecological associations involving a polyphagan wood-borer consuming cambial and wood tissues of the conifer Ningxiaites specialis. This earliest evidence for a component community of several trophically interacting taxa is frozen in time by exceptional preservation. The combination of an entry tunnel through bark, a cambium mother gallery, and up to 11 eggs placed in lateral niches-from which emerge multi-instar larval tunnels that consume cambium, wood and bark-is ecologically convergent with Early Cretaceous bark-beetle borings 120 million-years later.Numerous gaps remain in our knowledge of how groups of organisms interacted in ancient ecosystems. Here, Feng and colleagues describe a late Permian fossil wood-boring beetle microcosm, with the oldest known example of complex tunnel geometry, host tissue response, and the presence of fungi within.

A comparative study on Cu, Cr and As removal from CCA-treated wood waste by dialytic and electrodialytic processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Velizarova, Emiliya; Ribeiro, Alexandra B.; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2002-01-01

with the performance of a pure dialytic experiment (without an external power supply) in order to reveal transport of charged particles induced solely by internal electrochemical potential differences in the system. Oxalic acid proved to be a more suitable pre-treatment solution than deionised water for wood chips...

Cord Wood Testing in a Non-Catalytic Wood Stove

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Butcher, T. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Trojanowski, R. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Wei, G. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2014-06-30

EPA Method 28 and the current wood stove regulations have been in-place since 1988. Recently, EPA proposed an update to the existing NSPS for wood stove regulations which includes a plan to transition from the current crib wood fuel to cord wood fuel for certification testing. Cord wood is seen as generally more representative of field conditions while the crib wood is seen as more repeatable. In any change of certification test fuel, there are questions about the impact on measured results and the correlation between tests with the two different fuels. The purpose of the work reported here is to provide data on the performance of a noncatalytic stove with cord wood. The stove selected has previously been certified with crib wood which provides a basis for comparison with cord wood. Overall, particulate emissions were found to be considerably higher with cord wood.

Tailoring degradation of AZ31 alloy by surface pre-treatment and electrospun PCL fibrous coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanas, T. [Medical Materials Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); School of Nano Science and Technology, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut, Kerala 673601 (India); Sampath Kumar, T.S., E-mail: tssk@iitm.ac.in [Medical Materials Laboratory, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India); Perumal, Govindaraj; Doble, Mukesh [Department of Biotechnology - Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India)

2016-08-01

AZ31 magnesium alloy was coated with polycaprolactone (PCL) nano-fibrous layer using electrospinning technique so as to control degradation in physiological environment. Before coating, the alloy was treated with HNO{sub 3} to have good adhesion between the coating and substrate. To elucidate the role of pre-treatment and coating, samples only with PCL coating as well as HNO{sub 3} treatment only were prepared for comparison. Best coating adhesion of 4B grade by ASTM D3359–09 tape test was observed for pre-treated samples. The effect of coating on in vitro degradation and biomineralization was studied using supersaturated simulated body fluid (SBF 5 ×). The weight loss and corrosion results obtained by immersion test showed that the combination of HNO{sub 3} pre-treatment and PCL coating is very effective in controlling the degradation rate and improving bioactivity. Cytotoxicity studies using L6 cells showed that PCL coated sample has better cell adhesion and proliferation compared to uncoated samples. Nano-fibrous PCL coating combined with prior acid treatment seems to be a promising method to tailor degradation rate with enhanced bioactivity of Mg alloys. - Highlights: • PCL electrospun coating on HNO{sub 3} pre-treated AZ31 alloy controls biodegradation. • Acid pre-treatment stabilizes the substrate - coating interface. • Electrospun porous coating improves biomineralization. • Coating similar to extracellular matrix enhances cell adhesion.

Improvement of the enzymatic hydrolysis of furfural residues by pretreatment with combined green liquor and ethanol organosolv.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hailong; Xing, Yang; Lei, Fuhou; Liu, Zhiping; Liu, Zuguang; Jiang, Jianxin

2014-09-01

Furfural residues (FRs) were pretreated with ethanol and a green liquor (GL) catalyst to produce fermentable sugar. Anthraquinone (AQ) was used as an auxiliary reagent to improve delignification and reduce cellulose decomposition. The results showed that 42.7% of lignin was removed and 96.5% of cellulose was recovered from substrates pretreated with 1.0 mL GL/g of dry substrate and 0.4% (w/w) AQ at 140°C for 1h. Compared with raw material, ethanol-GL pretreatment of FRs increased the glucose yield from 69.0% to 85.9% after 96 h hydrolysis with 18 FPU/g-cellulose for cellulase, 27 CBU/g-cellulose for β-glucosidase. The Brauner-Emmett-Teller surface area was reduced during pretreatment, which did not inhibit the enzymatic hydrolysis. Owing to the reduced surface area, the unproductive binding of cellulase to lignin was decreased, thus improving the enzymatic hydrolysis. The degree of polymerization of cellulose from FRs was too low to be a key factor for improving enzymatic hydrolysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Liquid fuel production from hemicellulose. 2 Volumes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1983-03-01

Hemicellulose was derived from a variety of pretreated wood substrates. A variety of different fungi was screened for the ability of their culture filtrates to hydrolyse hemicellulose to its composite sugars. Three strains of Clostridia were screened to see which could produce higher amounts of solvents from those sugars. C. acetobutylicum proved to produce highest amounts of butanol and conditions for maximum solvent production by this anaerobe were defined. Six strains of facultative anaerobes were screened for their ability to produce power solvents from hemicellulose derived sugars. Klebsiella pneumoniae could efficiently utilize all the major sugars present in wood hemicellulose with 2,3-butanediol being the major end product. The conditions for maximum diol production by K. pneumoniae grown on sugars normally found in hemicellulose hydrolysates were defined. The utilization of wood hemicellulose hydrolyzates by microorganisms for the production of liquid fuels was investigated. Pretreatment of aspen wood by steam-explosion was optimized with respect to maximizing the pentosan yields in the water-soluble fractions of steam-treated substrates. These fractions were then hydrolyzed by dilute sulphuric acid or by the xylanase enzyme(s) present in the culture filtrates of Trichoderma harzianum. The relative efficiencies of hydrolysis were compared with respect to the release of reducing sugars and monosaccharides. The hemicellulose hydrolyzates were then used as substrates for fermentation. Butanediol yields of 0.4-0.5 g per g of sugar consumed were achieved using K. pneumoniae up to 0.16 g butanol could be attained per g of hemicellulose sugar utilized. 102 refs., 50 figs., 169 tabs.

Carbon Nanotube Fiber Pretreatments for Electrodeposition of Copper

OpenAIRE

Hannula, Pyry-Mikko; Junnila, Minttu; Janas, Dawid; Aromaa, Jari; Forsén, Olof; Lundström, Mari

2018-01-01

There is increasing interest towards developing carbon nanotube-copper (CNT-Cu) composites due to potentially improved properties. Carbon nanotube macroscopic materials typically exhibit high resistivity, low electrochemical reactivity, and the presence of impurities, which impede its use as a substrate for electrochemical deposition of metals. In this research, different CNT fiber pretreatment methods, such as heat treatment, immersion in Watts bath, anodization, and exposure to boric acid (...

Comparative Study of the Preparation of Reducing Sugars Hydrolyzed from High-Lignin Lignocellulose Pretreated with Ionic Liquid, Alkaline Solution and Their Combination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanny F. Sangian

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The ionicliquid [MMIM][DMP] was synthesized from the reactants methyl imidazole [MIM] and trimethylphosphate [TMP] and verified using 1HNMR and FTIR. Coconut coir dust was pretreated with a 1% alkaline solution.Its crystalline structure increased significantly due to the dissolution of lignin and hemicelluloses under alkaline conditions, exposing the cellulose. After NaOH and IL were employed, the XRD showed that peak (002 decreased significantly and peak (101 almost vanished. This significant decrease in crystallinity was related to the alteration of the substrate from the cellulose I structure to the cellulose II structure. The pretreated substrates were hydrolyzed to convert them to reducing sugars by pure cellulase and xylanase,and the reaction was conducted at 60°C, pH 3, for 12 or 48 hours. The yields of sugar hydrolyzed from untreated and NaOH-pretreated substrates were 0.07 and 0.12 g sugar/g lignocellulose, respectively. Pretreatment with IL or the combination of NaOH+IL resulted in yields of reducing sugars of 0.11 and 0.13 g/g, respectively. These findings showed that IL pretreatment of the high-lignin lignocellulose is a new prospect for the economical manufacture of reducing sugars and bioethanol in the coming years.

The Effect of Nitrogen Form on pH and Petunia Growth in a WholeTree Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of our research was to investigate the effect of nitrogen form and proportion on peat-lite (PL) and WholeTree (WT) substrate pH and petunia growth. Chipped whole pine trees (consisting of needles, limbs, bark, wood and cones) were obtained from a commercial fuel wood chipping operation...

Effect of plasma pretreatment on the structure and emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uh, Hyung Soo; Lee, Soo Myun; Choi, Seok Rim; Park, Sang Sik; Cho, Euo Sik; Lee, Jong Duk; Kwon, Sang Jik

2003-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on Ni-coated TiN/Si substrates by using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition with a gas mixture of H 2 /CH 4 at a low temperature of 500 .deg. C. The effect of H 2 plasma pretreatment on the diameter of grown CNTs was investigated. We found that the average diameter of CNTs could be easily controlled by using the H 2 -plasma pretreatment time before CNTs growth and varied from 36 nm to 26 nm as the pretreatment time changed from 5 min to 15 min. However, any further increase in the pretreatment time gave rise to a rapid decrease in CNTs growth. After 25 min of the plasma pretreatment, scanning electron microscopy observation exhibited the destruction of the CNTs. The impact of the plasma pretreatment time on the emission behavior of CNTs was also investigated in a diode-type electron-emission configuration. The variation of the CNT diameter due to the plasma pretreatment caused a drastic change in emission properties. The turn-on voltages of CNT emitters varied from 3.5 V/μm to 9 V/μm, depending on the hydrogen-plasma pretreatment conditions. The close relationship between the electron-emission characteristics and the pretreatment time indicates that the pretreatment condition may be a key process parameter in CNTs growth for field-emission displays and should be optimized.

Hydrodynamic cavitation as a novel approach for pretreatment of oily wastewater for anaerobic co-digestion with waste activated sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

Habashi, Nima; Mehrdadi, Nasser; Mennerich, Artur; Alighardashi, Abolghasem; Torabian, Ali

2016-07-01

Application of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was investigated with the objective of biogas production enhancement from co-digestion of oily wastewater (OWW) and waste activated sludge (WAS). Initially, the effect of HC on the OWW was evaluated in terms of energy consumption and turbidity increase. Then, several mixtures of OWW (with and without HC pretreatment) and WAS with the same concentration of total volatile solid were prepared as a substrate for co-digestion. Following, several batch co-digestion trials were conducted. To compare the biogas production, a number of digestion trials were also conducted with a mono substrate (OWW or WAS alone). The best operating condition of HC was achieved in the shortest retention time (7.5 min) with the application of 3mm diameter orifice and maximum pump rotational speed. Biogas production from all co-digestion reactors was higher than the WAS mono substrate reactors. Moreover, biogas production had a direct relationship with OWW ratio and no major inhibition was observed in any of the reactors. The biogas production was also enhanced by HC pretreatment and almost all of the reactors with HC pretreatment had higher reaction rates than the reactors without pretreatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS AFTER EXPLOSIVE AUTOHYDROLYSIS AS SUBSTRATE TO BUTANOL OBTAINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tigunova

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of the work was investigation of the effect of the explosive autohydrolysis on lignocellulosic biomass (saving, switchgrass biomass for consequent use as a substrate to produce biofuels such as butanol. Butanol-producing strains, switchgrass Panicum virgatum L. biomass and its components after autohydrolysis were used in study. The thermobaric pressure pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass was carried out using specially designed equipment. The effect of explosive autohydrolysis on lignocellulosic biomass for further use in producing biofuels using microbial conversion was studied. Components of lignocellulosic biomass were fractionated after undergoing thermobaric treatment. The possibility of using different raw material components after using explosive autohydrolysis processing to produce biobutanol was found. Products of switchgrass biomass autohydrolysis were shown to need further purification before fermentation from furfural formed by thermobaric pretreatment and inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. The ability of strains of the genus Clostridium to use cellulose as a substrate for fermentation was proved. It was found that using explosive autohydrolysis pretreatment to savings allowed boosting the butanol accumulation by 2 times.

Can Acceptable Pulp be Obtained from Eucalyptus globulus Wood Chips after Hemicellulose Extraction?

OpenAIRE

Francisco López; M. Trinidad García; Vicente Mena; J. Mauricio Loaiza; Minerva A. M. Zamudio; Juan C. García

2014-01-01

This study investigates the operating conditions used in the soda-anthraquinone pulping of Eucalyptus globulus wood after autohydrolysis pretreatment on the yield, kappa number, and brightness of the resulting unbleached pulp. Moreover, strength-related properties of the resulting handsheets was examined to identify the best pulping conditions and compare the outcome with that of a conventional soda-anthraquinone pulping process. The paper strength properties of the pulp were similar to or be...

Assessment of the wood waste resource and its position in the wood / wood-energy sector - Synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guinard, Ludovic; Deroubaix, Gerard; Roux, Marie-Lise; Levet, Anne-Laure; Quint, Vincent

2015-04-01

The first objective of this study is to obtain a better knowledge of the 'wood wastes' issue, to propose a photography of the wood waste sector (productions, trades, consumptions), and then to elaborate different prospective scenarios on the use of wood waste volumes while taking into account possible evolutions on the medium or short term of the regulation and market of the wood/wood energy sector. The considered wastes come from industrial production, from the use of wood-based products, and from the end of life of products potentially containing wood. The authors present bibliographical sources and the adopted methodology, briefly describe the 'wood waste' system with its actors, and then report their assessment of wood wastes. They propose a global assessment as well as detailed assessments with respect to waste origins: wood trade and distribution, industries, craft, households and communities, building sector, public and private tertiary sector, packaging. They also address the collection and management of wood wastes by public services, and present the different types of valorisation (panel fabrication, energy, and others). They discuss exports, and then present different scenarios: a trend-based scenario, and two prospective scenarios with a priority to energetic valorisation or to material valorisation of wood wastes. These scenarios are compared

Quantifications of dendrochronological information from contrasting microdensitometric measuring circumstances of experimental wood samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helama, S.; Bégin, Y.; Vartiainen, M.; Peltola, H.; Kolström, T.; Meriläinen, J.

2012-01-01

We analyzed how the pretreatment method of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood specimens together with X-ray methodology applied for density analyses affect resulting tree-ring data and derived proxy-based climate information. We also evaluated whether these results from two contrasting laboratory circumstances could be homogenized by applying dendroclimatic statistical methods. For this study, we measured a pair of X-ray based microdensitometry datasets using double samples of subfossil and recent wood specimens. Dendrochronological information of earlywood and latewood series was examined to determine for alterations in the resulting data. We found that the level of overall density, its trend over cambial ages and the growth amplitude altered due to the sample pretreatment/density measuring exercise, which means that comparisons of heterogeneous datasets should be, in general, regarded cautiously. Dendrochronological standardization did, however, even out several potentially biasing influences from the differing overall densities and their trends. The two latewood (maximum) density chronologies yielded paleoclimatic reconstructions which both calibrated and verified satisfactorily with the instrumental warm-season (March–September) mean temperatures. The transfer functions were found to further equalize the differences between the two proxy records. We recommend (if no strictly homogenous data are available) reconciling similar data assemblages through transfer functions with multiple independent variables. - Highlights: ► We applied X-ray microdensitometry to treering analysis of modern and subfossil wood. ► We reveal the spectrum of methodology-dependent differences. ► We evaluate the climate change signals in X-ray based data of modern and subfossil tree-rings. ► Data homogenization was done using standardization and transfer function techniques. ► Methods allow careful utilization of tree-ring databases for climate change studies.

Ethanol production from non-detoxified whole slurry of sulfite-pretreated empty fruit bunches at a low cellulase loading

Science.gov (United States)

Jinlan Cheng; Shao-Yuan Leu; J.Y. Zhu; Thomas W. Jeffries

2014-01-01

Sulfite pretreatment to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) was applied to an empty fruit bunches (EFB) for ethanol production. SPORL facilitated delignification through lignin sulfonation and dissolution of xylan to result in a highly digestible substrate. The pretreated whole slurry was enzymatically saccharified at a solids loading of 18% using a...

Mechanism study of multimode ultrasound pretreatment on the enzymolysis of wheat gluten.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanyan; Li, Jing; Li, Suyun; Ma, Haile; Zhang, Hua

2018-03-01

Ultrasound pretreatment could improve the angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of hydrolysates of wheat gluten (WG). The working mode of ultrasound has an important effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis of protein. The results showed that the optimum working mode of ultrasound was alternate dual-frequency mode (20/35 kHz), substrate concentration was 30 g L -1 , initial temperature of the suspension was 30 °C, ultrasound pretreatment time was 10 min and power density was 150 W L -1 . Under optimised conditions, ACE inhibitory activity of WG hydrolysates reached to its maximum value in advance. The surface hydrophobicity (H 0 ) of WG and the content of small peptides at the beginning of the enzymolysis were improved by the ultrasound pretreatment. The structure of WG was destroyed by the ultrasound pretreatment. The enzymatic residue of ultrasound pretreated WG were damaged greater than control. It was concluded that alternate dual-frequency ultrasound pretreatment improved the ACE inhibitory activity. Ultrasonic pretreatment may loosen the tissue of WG aggregate, and help the enzyme alcalase to attack the interior of WG aggregate easily, which resulted in the release of low molecular weight peptides from WG aggregate. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Glycerol Pretreatment on Levoglucosan Production from Corncobs by Fast Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liqun Jiang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this manuscript, glycerol was used in corncobs’ pretreatment to promote levoglucosan production by fast pyrolysis first and then was further utilized as raw material for chemicals production by microbial fermentation. The effects of glycerol pretreatment temperatures (220–240 °C, time (0.5–3 h and solid-to-liquid ratios (5–20% were investigated. Due to the accumulation of crystalline cellulose and the removal of minerals, the levoglucosan yield was as high as 35.8% from corncobs pretreated by glycerol at 240 for 3 h with a 5% solid-to-liquid ratio, which was obviously higher than that of the control (2.2%. After glycerol pretreatment, the fermentability of the recovered glycerol remaining in the liquid stream from glycerol pretreatment was evaluated by Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results showed that the recovered glycerol had no inhibitory effect on the growth and metabolism of the microbe, which was a promising substrate for fermentation. The value-added applications of glycerol could reduce the cost of biomass pretreatment. Correspondingly, this manuscript offers a green, sustainable, efficient and economic strategy for an integrated biorefinery process.

Effects of phenobarbital pretreatment on the in vivo metabolism of carbaryl in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knight, E.V.; Alvares, A.P.; Chin, B.H.

1987-01-01

Phenobarbital (PB) pretreatment of animals is known to induce the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes in liver microsomes. Previous studies showed that incubation of carbaryl with microsomes obtained from livers of untreated or PB-treated rats resulted in little or no oxidative metabolism of the substrate. In addition, no spectral interactions were observed when carbaryl was added to hepatic microsomal suspensions. The present study was carried out to determine the effect of PB pretreatment on the in vivo metabolism of carbaryl in rats

A comparison of reactive plasma pre-treatments on PET substrates by Cu and Ti pulsed-DC and HIPIMS discharges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Audronis, M., E-mail: m.audronis@yahoo.co.uk [Gencoa Ltd, Physics Road, Speke, Liverpool, L24 9HP (United Kingdom); Hinder, S.J. [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Mack, P. [ThermoFisher Scientific Ltd, Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead, Sussex, RH19 1UB (United Kingdom); Bellido-Gonzalez, V. [Gencoa Ltd, Physics Road, Speke, Liverpool, L24 9HP (United Kingdom); Bussey, D.; Matthews, A. [Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD (United Kingdom); Baker, M.A. [The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

2011-12-30

PET web samples have been treated by magnetically enhanced glow discharges powered using either medium frequency pulse direct current (p-DC) or low frequency high power pulse (HIPIMS) sources. The plasma pre-treatment processes were carried out in an Ar-O{sub 2} atmosphere using either Cu or Ti sputter targets. XPS, AFM and sessile drop water contact angle measurements have been employed to examine changes in surface chemistry and morphology for different pre-treatment process parameters. Deposition of metal oxide onto the PET surface is observed as a result of the sputter magnetron-based glow discharge web treatment. Using the Cu target, both the p-DC and HIPIMS processes result in the formation of a thin CuO layer (with a thickness between 1 and 11 nm) being deposited onto the PET surface. Employing the Ti target, both p-DC and HIPIMS processes give rise to a much lower concentration of Ti (< 5 at.%), in the form of TiO{sub 2} on the PET treated surface. The TiO{sub 2} is probably distributed as an island-like distribution covering the PET surface. Presence of Cu and Ti oxide constituents on the treated PET is beneficial in aiding the adhesion but alone (i.e. without oxygen plasma activation) is not enough to provide very high levels of hydrophilicity as is clear from sessile drop water contact angle measurements on aged samples. Exposure to the plasma treatments leads to a small amount of roughening of the substrate surface, but the average surface roughness in all cases is below 2.5 nm. The PET structure at the interface with a coating is mostly or wholly preserved. The oxygen plasma treatment, metal oxide deposition and surface roughening resulting from the HIPIMS and p-DC treatments will promote adhesion to any subsequent thin film that is deposited immediately following the plasma treatment.

Expression of Aspergillus niger CAZymes is determined by compositional changes in wheat straw generated by hydrothermal or ionic liquid pretreatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, Paul; van Munster, Jolanda M; Blythe, Martin J; Ibbett, Roger; Kokolski, Matt; Gaddipati, Sanyasi; Lindquist, Erika; Singan, Vasanth R; Barry, Kerrie W; Lipzen, Anna; Ngan, Chew Yee; Petzold, Christopher J; Chan, Leanne Jade G; Pullan, Steven T; Delmas, Stéphane; Waldron, Paul R; Grigoriev, Igor V; Tucker, Gregory A; Simmons, Blake A; Archer, David B

2017-01-01

The capacity of fungi, such as Aspergillus niger, to degrade lignocellulose is harnessed in biotechnology to generate biofuels and high-value compounds from renewable feedstocks. Most feedstocks are currently pretreated to increase enzymatic digestibility: improving our understanding of the transcriptomic responses of fungi to pretreated lignocellulosic substrates could help to improve the mix of activities and reduce the production costs of commercial lignocellulose saccharifying cocktails. We investigated the responses of A. niger to untreated, ionic liquid and hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw over a 5-day time course using RNA-seq and targeted proteomics. The ionic liquid pretreatment altered the cellulose crystallinity while retaining more of the hemicellulosic sugars than the hydrothermal pretreatment. Ionic liquid pretreatment of straw led to a dynamic induction and repression of genes, which was correlated with the higher levels of pentose sugars saccharified from the ionic liquid-pretreated straw. Hydrothermal pretreatment of straw led to reduced levels of transcripts of genes encoding carbohydrate-active enzymes as well as the derived proteins and enzyme activities. Both pretreatments abolished the expression of a large set of genes encoding pectinolytic enzymes. These reduced levels could be explained by the removal of parts of the lignocellulose by the hydrothermal pretreatment. The time course also facilitated identification of temporally limited gene induction patterns. The presented transcriptomic and biochemical datasets demonstrate that pretreatments caused modifications of the lignocellulose, to both specific structural features as well as the organisation of the overall lignocellulosic structure, that determined A. niger transcript levels. The experimental setup allowed reliable detection of substrate-specific gene expression patterns as well as hitherto non-expressed genes. Our data suggest beneficial effects of using untreated and IL-pretreated

Adsorption of β-glucosidases in two commercial preparations onto pretreated biomass and lignin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haven, Mai Østergaard; Jørgensen, Henning

2013-01-01

adsorbed strongly to lignin.The extent of adsorption of β-glucosidase from Cellic® CTec2 was affected by both type of biomass and pretreatment method. With approximately 65% of the β-glucosidases from Cellic® CTec2 adsorbed onto lignin from pretreated wheat straw, the activity of the β......Background: Enzyme recycling is a method to reduce the production costs for advanced bioethanol by lowering the overall use of enzymes. Commercial cellulase preparations consist of many different enzymes that are important for efficient and complete cellulose (and hemicellulose) hydrolysis...... commercial preparations (Novozym 188 and Cellic® CTec2) to substrates mimicking the components in pretreated wheat straw revealed that the Aspergillus niger β-glucosidase in Novozym 188 did not adsorb significantly to any of the components in pretreated wheat straw, whereas the β-glucosidase in Cellic® CTec2...

Chapter 6: Wood energy and competing wood product markers

Science.gov (United States)

Kenneth E. Skog; Robert C. Abt; Karen Abt

2014-01-01

Understanding the effect of expanding wood energy markets is important to all wood-dependent industries and to policymakers debating the implementation of public programs to support the expansion of wood energy generation. A key factor in determining the feasibility of wood energy projects (e.g. wood boiler or pellet plant) is the long-term (i.e. 20-30year) supply...

Wood adhesives : vital for producing most wood products

Science.gov (United States)

Charles R. Frihart

2011-01-01

A main route for the efficient utilization of wood resources is to reduce wood to small pieces and then bond them together (Frihart and Hunt 2010). Although humankind has been bonding wood since early Egyptian civilizations, the quality and quantity of bonded wood products has increased dramatically over the past 100 years with the development of new adhesives and...

Evolution of wood anatomical characters in Nepenthes and close relatives of Caryophyllales.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwallier, Rachel; Gravendeel, Barbara; de Boer, Hugo; Nylinder, Stephan; van Heuven, Bertie Joan; Sieder, Anton; Sumail, Sukaibin; van Vugt, Rogier; Lens, Frederic

2017-05-01

Nepenthes attracts wide attention with its spectacularly shaped carnivorous pitchers, cultural value and horticultural curiosity. Despite the plant's iconic fascination, surprisingly little anatomical detail is known about the genus beyond its modified leaf tip traps. Here, the wood anatomical diversity of Nepenthes is explored. This diversity is further assessed with a phylogenetic framework to investigate whether the wood characters within the genus are relevant from an evolutionary or ecological perspective, or rather depend on differences in developmental stages, growth habits, substrates or precipitation. Observations were performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ancestral states of selected wood and pith characters were reconstructed using an existing molecular phylogeny for Nepenthes and a broader Caryophyllales framework. Pairwise comparisons were assessed for possible relationships between wood anatomy and developmental stages, growth habits, substrates and ecology. Wood anatomy of Nepenthes is diffuse porous, with mainly solitary vessels showing simple, bordered perforation plates and alternate intervessel pits, fibres with distinctly bordered pits (occasionally septate), apotracheal axial parenchyma and co-occurring uni- and multiseriate rays often including silica bodies. Precipitation and growth habit (stem length) are linked with vessel density and multiseriate ray height, while soil type correlates with vessel diameter, vessel element length and maximum ray width. For Caryophyllales as a whole, silica grains, successive cambia and bordered perforation plates are the result of convergent evolution. Peculiar helical sculpturing patterns within various cell types occur uniquely within the insectivorous clade of non-core Caryophyllales. The wood anatomical variation in Nepenthes displays variation for some characters dependent on soil type, precipitation and stem length, but is largely conservative. The helical-banded fibre

SIMULTANEOUS PRETREATMENT OF LIGNOCELLULOSE AND HYDROLYSIS OF STARCH IN MIXTURES TO SUGARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamzeh Hoseinpour

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Mixtures of starch and lignocelluloses are available in many industrial, agricultural, and municipal wastes and residuals. In this work, dilute sulfuric acid was used for simultaneous pretreatment of lignocellulose and hydrolysis of starch, to obtain a maximum amount of fermentable sugar after enzymatic hydrolysis with cellulase and β-glucosidase. The acid treatment was carried out at 70-150°C with 0-1% (v/v acid concentration and 5-15% (w/v solids concentration for 0-40 minutes. Under the optimum conditions, obtained at 130°C, 1% acid, and 7.5% solids loading for 30 min, the starch was almost completely converted to glucose. However, the acid treatment was not successful for efficient hydrolysis of pure cellulose. A mixture of pine softwood and potato as representatives of lignocellulosic and starch components, respectively, were treated at the optimum conditions for acid hydrolysis of starch. The dilute-acid treatment resulted in 1.2, 60.5, and 23.6% hydrolysis of glucan, xylan, and mannan of pine wood and 67% of potato starch to fermentable sugars. After the acid treatment, the solid residue of the mixture was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. The enzymatic hydrolysis under the optimum conditions resulted in conversion of 76% of the glucan in the treated softwood. Therefore, using acid treatment of the mixture is a promising process for pretreatment of wood in addition to the hydrolysis of starch.

Improvement of mechanical robustness of the superhydrophobic wood surface by coating PVA/SiO2 composite polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Wang, Shuliang; Zhang, Ming; Ma, Miaolian; Wang, Chengyu; Li, Jian

2013-09-01

Improvement of the robustness of superhydrophobic surfaces is crucial for the purpose of achieving commercial applications of these surfaces in such various areas as self-cleaning, water repellency and corrosion resistance. We have investigated a fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/silica (SiO2) composite polymer coating on wooden substrates with super repellency toward water, low sliding angles, low contact angle hysteresis, and relatively better mechanical robustness. The composite polymer slurry, consisting of well-mixing SiO2 particles and PVA, is prepared simply and subsequently coated over wooden substrates with good adhesion. In this study, the mechanical robustness of superhydrophobic wood surfaces was evaluated. The effect of petaloid structures of the composite polymer on robustness was investigated using an abrasion test and the results were compared with those of superhydrophobic wood surfaces fabricated by other processes. The produced wood surfaces exhibited promising superhydrophobic properties with a contact angle of 159̊ and a sliding angle of 4̊, and the relatively better mechanical robustness.

Microbial pretreatment of corn stovers by solid-state cultivation of Phanerochaete chrysosporium for biogas production.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shan; Wu, Shubiao; Pang, Changle; Li, Wei; Dong, Renjie

2014-02-01

The microbial pretreatment of corn stover and corn stover silage was achieved via the solid-state cultivation of Phanerochaete chrysosporium; pretreatment effects on the biodegradability and subsequent anaerobic production of biogas were investigated. The peak levels of daily biogas production and CH₄ yield from corn stover silage were approximately twice that of corn stover. Results suggested that ensiling was a potential pretreatment method to stimulate biogas production from corn stover. Surface morphology and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses demonstrated that the microbial pretreatment of corn stover silage improved biogas production by 10.5 to 19.7% and CH4 yield by 11.7 to 21.2% because pretreatment could decrease dry mass loss (14.2%) and increase substrate biodegradability (19.9% cellulose, 32.4% hemicellulose, and 22.6% lignin). By contrast, the higher dry mass loss in corn stover (55.3%) after microbial pretreatment was accompanied by 54.7% cellulose, 64.0% hemicellulose, and 61.1% lignin degradation but did not significantly influence biogas production.

Rapid near infrared spectroscopy for prediction of enzymatic hydrolysis of corn bran after various pretreatments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baum, Andreas; Wittrup Agger, Jane; Meyer, Anne S.

2012-01-01

Efficient generation of a fermentable hydrolysate is a primary requirement in the utilization of fibrous plant biomass as feedstocks in bioethanol processes. The first biomass conversion step usually involves a hydrothermal pretreatment before enzymatic hydrolysis. The purpose of the pretreatment...... step is to increase the responsivity of the substrate to enzymatic attack and the type of pretreatment affects the enzymatic conversion efficiency. Destarched corn bran is a fibrous, heteroxylan-rich side-stream from the starch industry which may be used as a feedstock for bioethanol production...... release of different levels of arabinose, xylose and glucose from all the differently pretreated destarched corn bran samples. The present study also demonstrates a generic, non-destructive solution to determine the enzymatic monosaccharide release from polymers in biomass side-streams, thereby...

Investigation Of The Color Changing Properties Of Wood Stain Derived From Pinar Leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdi Atılgan

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This study was designed to develop an environmentally friendly wood stain derived pinar (Quercus aucheri leaves and determine the color stability of this stain when exposed to UV light irradiation. Wood stains derived from pinar leaves were prepared from aqueous solution with %3 iron (FeSO4.7H2O , % 5 alum ((KAl(SO42.12H2O, and % 10 vinegar mordant mixtures. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L., Turkish oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky and oak (Quercus petraea L. wood specimens were used as staining substrates. After treatment with the stain, the wood panels were exposed to UV light irradiation for periods of 100, 200, and 300 hours and determinated the total color changes was according to ISO 2470 standards. Results showed that wood stain derived from pinar extract provided some color stability after UV irradiation. According to results, Scots pine specimens treated with the pinar extract + iron mixture provided the smallest total color changes. Meanwhile the highest total color change provided on the Scots pine treated with pinar extract+alum mixture.

Wood frame systems for wood homes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio Cesar Molina

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The use of constructive systems that combine strength, speed, with competitive differential techniques and mainly, compromising with the environment, is becoming more popular in Brazil. The constructive system in wood frame for houses of up to five stories is very interesting, because it is a light system, structured in reforested treated wood which allows the combination of several materials, besides allowing speed in the construction and total control of the expenses already in the project phase for being industrialized. The structural behavior of the wood frame is superior to the structural masonry in strength, thermal and acoustic comfort. However, in Brazil, the wood frame is still little known and used, due to lack of technical knowledge about the system, prejudice associated the bad use of the wood as construction material, or still, in some cases, lack of normalization. The aim of this manuscript consists of presenting the main technical characteristics and advantages of the constructive system in wood frame homes, approaching the main stages of the constructive process through examples, showing the materials used in the construction, in addition the main international normative recommendations of the project. Thus, this manuscript also hopes to contribute to the popularization of the wood frame system in Brazil, since it is a competitive, fast and ecologically correct system. Moreover, nowadays, an enormous effort of the technical, commercial and industrial section has been accomplished for the development of this system in the country.

Anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass and wheat straw with and without thermo-alkaline pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Solé-Bundó, Maria; Eskicioglu, Cigdem; Garfí, Marianna; Carrère, Hélène; Ferrer, Ivet

2017-08-01

This study aimed at analyzing the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass grown in wastewater and wheat straw. To this end, Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests were carried out testing different substrate proportions (20-80, 50-50 and 80-20%, on a volatile solid basis). In order to improve their biodegradability, the co-digestion of both substrates was also evaluated after applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment (10% CaO at 75°C for 24h). The highest synergies in degradation rates were observed by adding at least 50% of wheat straw. Therefore, the co-digestion of 50% microalgae - 50% wheat straw was investigated in mesophilic lab-scale reactors. The results showed that the methane yield was increased by 77% with the co-digestion as compared to microalgae mono-digestion, while the pretreatment only increased the methane yield by 15% compared to the untreated mixture. Thus, the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgae and wheat straw was successful even without applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Silane pre-treatments on copper and aluminium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deflorian, F.; Rossi, S.; Fedrizzi, L.

2006-01-01

environmentally friendly protective system, an epoxy-polyester powder coating was deposited on the silane treated metal surfaces. The influence of the pre-treatments on the adhesion of an organic coating was evaluated by adhesion tests in dry and wet conditions and the delamination of the coating, starting from a defect under specific environmental conditions, was measured. Some preliminary results appear very interesting and the deposition conditions were optimised, in particular the thermal curing (200 deg. C) of the silane layer is necessary to have a good coverage in the case of a copper substrate. The good adhesion also in wet conditions of the silane pre-treatments was also proven

Wood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Unterrainer, Walter

2014-01-01

come from? How is it harvested? How is it manufactured and treated ? How are the buildings detailed and protected against weather during construction to keep them dry and make them long-life ? In a period of climate change, forests are the last lungs of the planet to sequestrate CO2. Their global size......Wood – a sustainable building material ? For thousands of years and all over the planet, wood has been used as a building material and exciting architecture has been created in wood. The fantastic structural, physical and aesthetic properties of the material as well as the fact that wood...

Wood burning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winkelmann, H

1955-01-01

Discussed are the use of wood as a fuel, the technique of wood combustion and the operation of wood-burning stoves for cooking and heating. In addition, there is a section which reviews the use of wood stoves in various countries and lists manufacturers of stoves, central heating furnaces and in some cases sawdust burners.

Microwave heating processing as alternative of pretreatment in second-generation biorefinery: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar-Reynosa, Alejandra; Romaní, Aloia; Rodríguez-Jasso, Rosa Ma.; Aguilar, Cristóbal N.; Garrote, Gil; Ruiz, Héctor A.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Microwave heating pretreatment for lignocellulosic material. • Fundament of lignocellulosic material fractionation using microwave irradiation. • Energy consumption in microwave pretreatments and microwave reactors description. • Microwave heating as pretreatment in a biorefinery concept. - Abstract: The development of a feasible biorefinery is in need of alternative technologies to improve lignocellulosic biomass conversion by the suitable use of energy. Microwave heating processing (MHP) is emerging as promising unconventional pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials (LCMs). MHP applied as pretreatment induces LCMs breakdown through the molecular collision caused by the dielectric polarization. Polar particles movement generates a quick heating consequently the temperatures and times of process are lower. In this way, MHP has positioned as green technology in comparison with other types of heating. Microwave technology represents an excellent option to obtain susceptible substrates to enzymatic saccharification and subsequently in the production of bioethanol and high-added compounds. However, it is still necessary to study the dielectric properties of materials, and conduct economic studies to achieve development in pilot and industrial scale. This work aims to provide an overview of recent progress and alternative configurations for combining the application of microwave technology on the pretreatment of LCMs in terms of biorefinery.

Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of peracetic acid pretreated sugar cane bagasse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teixeira, L.C. [Fundacao Centro Tecnologico de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte (Brazil); Linden, J.C.; Schroeder, H.A. [Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (United States)

1999-07-01

Previous work in our laboratory has demonstrated that peracetic acid improves the enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic materials. From the same studies, use of dilute alkali solutions as a pre-pretreatment prior to peracetic acid lignin oxidation increases sugar conversion yields in a synergistic, not additive, manner. Deacetylation of xylan is conducted easily by use of dilute alkali solutions at mild conditions. In this paper, the effectiveness of peracetic acid pretreatment of sugar cane bagasse combined with an alkaline pre-pretreatment, is evaluated through simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) procedures. A practical 92% of theoretical ethanol yield using recombinant Zymomonas mobilis CP4/pZB5 is achieved using 6% NaOH/I5% peracetic acid pretreated substrate. No sugar accumulation is observed during SSCF; the recombinant microorganism exhibits greater glucose utilization rates than those of xylose. Acetate levels at the end of the co-fermentations are less than 0.2% (w/v). Based on demonstrated reduction of acetyl groups of the biomass, alkaline pre-pretreatments help to reduce peracetic acid requirements. The influence of deacetylation is more pronounced in combined pretreatments using lower peracetic acid loadings. Stereochemical impediments of the acetyl groups in hemicellulase on the activity of specific enzymes may be involved. (author)

Understanding the influence of wood as a substrate on the permeability of coatings by NMR imaging and wet-cup

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gezici-Koç, Ö.; Erich, S.J.F.; Huinink, H.P.; van der Ven, L.G.J.; Adan, O.C.G.

2018-01-01

An important reason to apply coatings on wood is to protect wood against moisture. As a result of regulations and ecological concerns, there has been a shift towards waterborne coatings, which make coatings intrinsically more sensitive to water. As a consequence of the higher sensitivity to water,

Chemical changes and increased degradability of wheat straw and oak wood chips treated with the white rot fungi Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Lentinula edodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijk, van Sandra J.A.; Sonnenberg, Anton S.M.; Baars, Johan J.P.; Hendriks, Wouter H.; Río, del José C.; Rencoret, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Ana; Ruijter, de Norbert C.A.; Cone, John W.

2017-01-01

Wheat straw and oak wood chips were incubated with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Lentinula edodes for 8 weeks. Samples from the fungal treated substrates were collected every week for chemical characterization. L. edodes continuously grew during the 8 weeks on both wheat straw and oak wood chips,

Bioethanol production: Pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of softwood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tengborg, Charlotte

2000-05-01

The enzymatic hydrolysis process can be used to produce bioethanol from softwood, which are the dominating raw material in the Northern hemisphere. This thesis deals with the development of the process focusing on the pretreatment and the enzymatic hydrolysis stages. The influence of pretreatment conditions on sugar yield, and the effect of inhibitors on the ethanol yield, were investigated for spruce and pine. The maximum yields of hemicellulose sugars and glucose were obtained under different pretreatment conditions. This indicates that two-stage pretreatment may be preferable. The added catalysts, H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} and SO{sub 2}, resulted in similar total sugar yields about 40 g/100 g dry raw material. However, the fermentability of SO{sub 2}-impregnated material was better. This pretreatment resulted in the formation of inhibitors to the subsequent process steps, e.g. sugar and lignin degradation products. The glucose yield in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage was affected by various parameters such as enzyme loading, temperature, pH, residence time, substrate concentration, and agitation. To decrease the amount of fresh water used and thereby waste water produced, the sugar-rich prehydrolysate from the pretreatment step was included in the enzymatic hydrolysis of the solid fraction, resulting in a reduction in the cellulose conversion of up to 36%. Different prehydrolysate detoxification methods, such as treatment with Ca(OH){sub 2}, laccase, and fermentation using yeast, were investigated. The latter was shown to be very efficient. The amount of fresh water used can be further reduced by recycling various process streams. This was simulated experimentally in a bench-scale process. A reduction in fresh water demand of 50% was obtained without any further negative effects on either hydrolysis or fermentation.

The effect of adding urea, manganese and linoleic acid to wheat straw and wood chips on lignin degradation by fungi and subsequent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijk, van S.J.A.; Sonnenberg, A.S.M.; Baars, J.J.P.; Hendriks, W.H.; Cone, J.W.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was optimizing Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Lentinula edodes pre-treatment of wheat straw and wood chips by adding urea, manganese and linoleic acid. Optimization was defined as more lignin degradation and an increase in in vitro gas

Bioconversion of plant biomass to ethanol. Annual report and revised research plan, January 1977--January 1978

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooks, R.E.; Bellamy, W.D.; Su, T.M.

1978-03-23

The objective of this research is to demonstrate on a laboratory scale the technical feasibility of the direct microbial conversion of pretreated wood to ethanol. During the first year of this contract, we investigated the feasibility of biologically delignifying wood with C. pruinosum and directly fermenting the pretreated wood to ethanol with a mixed culture. Bench-top fermentations of a thermophilic bacillus growing on glucose and of a mixed culture of thermophilic sporocytophaga (US) and a thermophilic bacillus growing on microcrystalline and amorphous cellulose were evaluated for growth and ethanol production. In the mixed culture fermentation of amorphous and microcrystalline cellulose, the specific rate of substrate depletion was calculated to be 0.087 hr/sup -1/ and 0.0346 hr/sup -1/, respectively. However, defining the growth requirements of C. pruinosum and sporocytophaga (US) proved more difficult than originally anticipated. In order to achieve the program objectives within the contract period, a revised research plan was developed based upon chemical pretreatment and the direct fermentation of pretreated hardwood to ethanol. In place of the biological delignification pretreatment step, we have substituted a chemically supplemented steam pretreatment step to partially delignify wood and to enhance its accessibility to microbial utilization. Clostridium thermocellum, which ferments cellulose directly to ethanol and acetic acid, has replaced the mixed culture fermentation stage for ethanol production. Research on the production of ethanol from xylose by the thermophilic bacillus ZB-B2 is retained as one means of utilizing the hemicellulose fraction of hardwood. Work on the genetic improvement of the ethanol yields of both cultures by suppressing acetic acid production is also retained. The rationale, experimental approach, and economic considerations of this revised research plan are also presented.

Pretreatment of spent mushroom substrate for enhancing the conversion of fermentable sugar

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Wu, S.; Lan, Y.; Wu, Z.; Peng, Y.; Chen, S.; Huang, Z.; Xu, L.; Gelbič, Ivan; Guan, X.; Zhang, L.; Zou, S.

2013-01-01

Roč. 148, NOV 9 (2013), s. 596-600 ISSN 0960-8524 Grant - others:National High Technology Research and Development Program 863(CN) 2011AA10A203; National Natural Science Foundation of China(CN) 31301724; Forestry University(CN) xjq201203; China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology(CN) JCJJ13021 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Bacillus thuringiensis * high performace liquid chromatography * pretreatment Subject RIV: GC - Agronomy Impact factor: 5.039, year: 2013 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852413013734#

Production of 2^nd generation Bioethanol from Lucerne - Optimization of Hydrothermal Pretreatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Sune Tjalfe; Jensen, Morten; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2012-01-01

Lucerne (Medicago sativa) has many qualities associated with sustainable agriculture such as nitrogen fixation and high biomass yield. Therefore, there is interest in whether lucerne is a suitable biomass substrate for bioethanol production, and if hydrothermal pretreatment (HTT) of lucerne impro...

Enhancement of low pressure cold sprayed copper coating adhesion by laser texturing on aluminum substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Wolfgang; Gillet, Vincent; Courant, Bruno; Aubignat, Emilie; Costil, Sophie; Langlade, Cécile

2017-02-01

Surface pre-treatment is fundamental in thermal spraying processes to obtain a sufficient bonding strength between substrate and coating. Different pre-treatments can be used, mostly grit-blasting for current industrial applications. This study is focused on Cu-Al2O3 coatings obtained by Low Pressure Cold Spray on AW5083 aluminum alloy substrate. Bonding strength is measured by tensile adhesion test, while deposition efficiency is measured. Substrates are textured by laser, using a pattern of equally spaced grooves with almost constant diameter and variations of depth. Results show that bonding strength is improved up to +81% compared to non-treated substrate, while deposition efficiency remains constant. The study of the samples after rupture reveals a modification of the failure mode, from mixed failure to cohesive failure. A modification of crack propagation is also noticed, the shape of laser textured grooves induces a deviation of cracks inside the coating instead of following the interface between the layers.

Ultrasound Pretreatment as an Useful Tool to Enhance Egg White Protein Hydrolysis: Kinetics, Reaction Model, and Thermodinamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Jovanović, Jelena R; Stefanović, Andrea B; Šekuljica, Nataša Ž; Tanasković, Sonja M Jakovetić; Dojčinović, Marina B; Bugarski, Branko M; Knežević-Jugović, Zorica D

2016-09-28

The impact of ultrasound waves generated by probe-type sonicator and ultrasound cleaning bath on egg white protein susceptibility to hydrolysis by alcalase compared to both thermal pretreatment and conventional enzymatic hydrolysis was quantitatively investigated. A series of hydrolytic reactions was carried out in a stirred tank reactor at different substrate concentrations, enzyme concentrations, and temperatures using untreated, and pretreated egg white proteins (EWPs). The kinetic model based on substrate inhibition and second-order enzyme deactivation successfully predicts the experimental behavior providing an effective tool for comparison and optimization. The ultrasound pretreatments appear to greatly improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of EWPs under different conditions when compare to other methods. The apparent reaction rate constants for proteolysis (k 2 ) are 0.009, 0.011, 0.053, and 0.045 min -1 for untreated EWPs, and those pretreated with heat, probe-type sonicator, and ultrasound cleaning bath technologies, respectively. The ultrasound pretreatment also decreases hydrolysis activation (E a ) and enzyme deactivation (E d ) energy, enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) of activation and for the probe-type sonication this decrease is 61.7%, 61.6%, 63.6%, and 32.2%, respectively, but ultrasound has little change in Gibbs free energy value in the temperature range of 318 to 338 K. The content of sulfhydryl groups and ζ potential show a significant increase (P < 0.05) for both applied ultrasound pretreatments and the reduction of particle size distribution are achieved, providing some evidence that the ultrasound causes EWP structural changes affecting the proteolysis rate. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Laboratory Validation and Demonstrations of Non-Hexavalent Chromium Conversion Coatings for Steel Substrates (Briefing Charts)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-01

UNCLASSIFIED: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. Laboratory Validation and Demonstrations of Non- Hexavalent Chromium Conversion...00-00-2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Laboratory Validation and Demonstrations of Non- Hexavalent Chromium Conversion Coatings for Steel Substrates 5a...to MRAP II Acquisition Pretreatment /conversion coatings omitted: • Hex- chrome pretreatments prohibited for new ground vehicles • Hydrogen

Thermostable endoglucanases in the liquefaction of hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siika-aho Matti

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Thermostable enzymes have several benefits in lignocellulose processing. In particular, they potentially allow the use of increased substrate concentrations (because the substrate viscosity decreases as the temperature increases, resulting in improved product yields and reduced capital and processing costs. A short pre-hydrolysis step at an elevated temperature using thermostable enzymes aimed at rapid liquefaction of the feedstock is seen as an attractive way to overcome the technical problems (such as poor mixing and mass transfer properties connected with high initial solid loadings in the lignocellulose to ethanol process. Results The capability of novel thermostable enzymes to reduce the viscosity of high-solid biomass suspensions using a real-time viscometric measurement method was investigated. Heterologously expressed enzymes from various thermophilic organisms were compared for their ability to liquefy the lignocellulosic substrate, hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw. Once the best enzymes were identified, the optimal temperatures for these enzymes to decrease substrate viscosity were compared. The combined hydrolytic properties of the thermostable preparations were tested in hydrolysis experiments. The studied mixtures were primarily designed to have good liquefaction potential, and therefore contained an enhanced proportion of the key liquefying enzyme, EGII/Cel5A. Conclusions Endoglucanases were shown to have a superior ability to rapidly reduce the viscosity of the 15% (w/w; dry matter hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw. Based on temperature profiling studies, Thermoascus aurantiacus EGII/Cel5A was the most promising enzyme for biomass liquefaction. Even though they were not optimized for saccharification, many of the thermostable enzyme mixtures had superior hydrolytic properties compared with the commercial reference enzymes at 55°C.

Potential wood protection strategies using physiological requirements of wood degrading fungi

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sailer, M.F.; Etten, B.D. van

2004-01-01

Due to the increasing restrictions in the use of wood preserving biocides a number of potential biocide free wood preserving alternatives are currently assessed. Wood degrading fungi require certain conditions in the wood in order to be able to use wood as a food source. This paper discusses the

Influence of ethylene glycol pretreatment on effectiveness of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of polyethylene fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Ying; Li Ranxing; Cai Fang; Fu Kun; Peng Shujing; Jiang Qiuran; Yao Lan; Qiu Yiping

2010-01-01

For atmospheric pressure plasma treatments, the results of plasma treatments may be influenced by liquids adsorbed into the substrate. This paper studies the influence of ethylene glycol (EG) pretreatment on the effectiveness of atmospheric plasma jet (APPJ) treatment of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers with 0.31% and 0.42% weight gain after soaked in EG/water solution with concentration of 0.15 and 0.3 mol/l for 24 h, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the surface of fibers pretreated with EG/water solution does not have observable difference from that of the control group. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that the oxygen concentration on the surface of EG-pretreated fibers is increased less than the plasma directly treated fibers. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of plasma directly treated fibers to epoxy is increased almost 3 times compared with the control group while that of EG-pretreated fibers to epoxy does not change except for the fibers pretreated with lower EG concentration and longer plasma treatment time. EG pretreatment reduces the water contact angle of UHMWPE fibers. In conclusion, EG pretreatment can hamper the effect of plasma treatment of UHMWPE fibers and therefore longer plasma treatment duration is required for fibers pretreated with EG.

Biogas production from pretreated coffee-pulp waste by mixture of cow dung and rumen fluid in co-digestion

Science.gov (United States)

Juliastuti, Sri Rachmania; Widjaja, Tri; Altway, Ali; Iswanto, Toto

2017-05-01

Coffee is an excellent commodity in Indonesia that has big problem in utilizing its wastes. As the solution, the abundant coffee pulp waste from processing of coffee bean industry has been used as a substrate of biogas production. Coffee pulp waste (CPW) was approximately 48% of total weight, consisting 42% of the coffee pulp and 6% of the seed coat. CPW holds good composition as biogas substrate that is consist of cellulose (63%), hemicellulose (2.3%) and protein (11.5%). Methane production from coffee pulp waste still has much problems because of toxic chemicals content such as caffeine, tannin, and total phenol which can inhibit the biogas production. In this case, CPW was pretreated by ethanol/water (50/50, v/v) at room temperature to remove those inhibitors. This study was to compare the methane production by microbial consortium of cow dung and rumen fluid mixture coffee pulp waste as a substrate with and without pretreatment. The pretreated CPW was fermented with mixture of Cow Dung (CD) and Rumen Fluid (RF) in anaerobic co-digestion for 30 days at mesophilic temperature (30-40°C) and the pH was maintained from 6.8 to 7.2 on a reactor with working volume of 3.6 liters. There were two reactors with each containing the mixture of CPW without pretreatment, cow dung and rumen fluid (CD+RF+CPW) and then compared with the CPW with pretreatment (CD+RF+PCPW) reactor. The measured parameters included the decreasing of inhibitor compound concentration, Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Solid (TS), Volatile Solid (VS), Methane and the Calorific value of gas (heating value) were studied as well. The result showed a decrease in inhibitor component concentration due to methanol pretreatment was 90% of caffeine; 78% of polyphenols (total phenol) and 66% of tannins. The highest methane content in biogas was produced in CD+RF+PCPW digester with concentration amounted of 44.56% with heating value of 27,770 BTU/gal.

Improving Methane Production through Co-Digestion of Canola Straw and Buffalo Dung by H2O2 Pretreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALTAF ALAM NOONARI

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study an effect of acidic pre-treatment on the CS (Canola Straw and BD (Buffalo Dung by anaerobic co-digestion was investigated. H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide is a mainly accustomed reagent, used as a bleaching agent in the different industries such as paper and wood. In the present study, it was used as a pre-treatment chemical at varying concentrations in batch reactors. The co-digestion of CS and BD was carried out in SAMPTS (Semi-Automatic Methane Potential Test System at mesophilic (37±1oC conditions. The CS was pretreated in glass bottles with different concentrations of the H2O2 for seven days. The inoculum used in the present study was an effluent of the CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor, which was treating BD at mesophilic conditions. The specific methane production from the codigestion of canola straw and BD, by the pre-treatment of H2O2 at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% were 530.8, 544.5, and 510.3 NmL CH4 g/VS, respectively. The significant reduction in the volatile solids of CS was observed at the optimum pre-treatment of 1.0% H2O2.

Bacteria associated with decomposing dead wood in a natural temperate forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Tláskal, Vojtech; Zrustová, Petra; Vrška, Tomáš; Baldrian, Petr

2017-12-01

Dead wood represents an important pool of organic matter in forests and is one of the sources of soil formation. It has been shown to harbour diverse communities of bacteria, but their roles in this habitat are still poorly understood. Here, we describe the bacterial communities in the dead wood of Abies alba, Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica in a temperate natural forest in Central Europe. An analysis of environmental factors showed that decomposing time along with pH and water content was the strongest drivers of community composition. Bacterial biomass positively correlated with N content and increased with decomposition along with the concurrent decrease in the fungal/bacterial biomass ratio. Rhizobiales and Acidobacteriales were abundant bacterial orders throughout the whole decay process, but many bacterial taxa were specific either for young (<15 years) or old dead wood. During early decomposition, bacterial genera able to fix N2 and to use simple C1 compounds (e.g. Yersinia and Methylomonas) were frequent, while wood in advanced decay was rich in taxa typical of forest soils (e.g. Bradyrhizobium and Rhodoplanes). Although the bacterial contribution to dead wood turnover remains unclear, the community composition appears to reflect the changing conditions of the substrate and suggests broad metabolic capacities of its members. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hydrogen–argon plasma pre-treatment for improving the anti-corrosion properties of thin Al2O3 films deposited using atomic layer deposition on steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Härkönen, Emma; Potts, Stephen E.; Kessels, Wilhelmus M.M.; Díaz, Belén; Seyeux, Antoine; Światowska, Jolanta; Maurice, Vincent; Marcus, Philippe; Radnóczi, György; Tóth, Lajos; Kariniemi, Maarit; Niinistö, Jaakko; Ritala, Mikko

2013-01-01

The effect of H 2 –Ar plasma pre-treatment prior to thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of Al 2 O 3 films on steel for corrosion protection was investigated. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the changes in the interface. The electrochemical properties of the samples were studied with polarization measurements, and the coating porosities were calculated from the polarization results for easier comparison of the coatings. Prior to thermal ALD the plasma pre-treatment was observed to reduce the amount of impurities at the interface and coating porosity by 1–3 orders of magnitude. The anti-corrosion properties of the PEALD coatings could also be improved by the pre-treatment. However, exposure of the pre-treatment plasma activated steel surface to oxygen plasma species in PEALD led to facile oxide layer formation in the interface. The oxide layer formed this way was thicker than the native oxide layer and appeared to be detrimental to the protective properties of the coating. The best performance for PEALD Al 2 O 3 coatings was achieved when, after the plasma pre-treatment, the surface was given time to regrow a thin protective interfacial oxide prior to exposure to the oxygen plasma. The different effects that thermal and plasma-enhanced ALD have on the substrate-coating interface were compared. The reactivity of the oxygen precursor was shown to have a significant influence on substrate surface in the early stages of film growth and thereafter also on the overall quality of the protective film. - Highlights: • Influence of H 2 –Ar plasma pre-treatment to ALD coatings on steel was studied. • The pre-treatment modified the coating–substrate interface composition and thickness. • The pre-treatment improved the barrier properties of the coatings

Molecular-beam epitaxial growth of insulating AlN on surface-controlled 6H-SiC substrate by HCl gas etching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onojima, Norio; Suda, Jun; Matsunami, Hiroyuki

2002-01-01

Insulating AlN layers were grown on surface-controlled 6H-SiC subtrates by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) using elemental Al and rf plasma-excited nitrogen (N*). HCl gas etching was introduced as an effective pretreatment method of substrate for MBE growth of AlN. 6H-SiC substrates pretreated by HCl gas etching had no surface polishing scratches and an atomically flat surface. In addition, evident ( 3 √x 3 √)R30 deg. surface reconstruction was observed even before thermal cleaning. AlN layers grown on this substrate had no defects related to surface polishing scratches and excellent insulating characteristics

Wood Identification of 18th Century Furniture. Interpreting Wood Naming Inventoires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rocio Astrid BERNAL

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The 18th century Portuguese church furniture represents an extraordinary richness recognised worldwide, which demands safeguarding and valorisation. The identification of the wood of furniture artworks is the most important component for its comprehension and preservation. In this work wood anatomical characters of an 18th century Portuguese decorative furniture set from the Colegiada de São Martinho de Cedofeita, in Porto, were analysed to identify the woods used for manufacturing and to clarify their common names. Furthermore, the objectives were to recognise some of the criteria for choice of wood as well as the source of each wood. The woods identified from 16 fragments belong to Apuleia sp., Acacia sp., Neolamarckia sp. and Castanea sativa. Apuleia sp. and Acacia sp. woods most likely arrived from Brazil, while the Neolamarckia sp. woods likely arrived from India and the C. sativa woods from Portugal. The results are in accordance with the known Portuguese colonial sea routes of the 15th -18th centuries. Interestingly the terms found in the inventories can refer to finishing methods instead to the name of the woods, as for instance “oil wood” can refer to “oiled wood” or “linseed oiled wood”. The species choice may be related to the mechanical properties of the wood as well as the original tree size. Two large planks of Acacia sp. were used for the top of the “Portuguese arcaz”, and Apuleia sp. was found on main structural elements of this set of furniture, suggesting that wood colour was also important. Woods from Neolamarckia sp. and C. sativa, were also identified, being Castanea wood present only in the most recent pieces of the furniture set.

Pretreatment of different waste streams for improvement in biogas production; Foerbehandlingsteknikers betydelse foer oekat biogasutbyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarvari Horvath, Ilona (Hoegskolan i Boraas (Sweden)); del Pilar Castillo, Maria (JTI (Sweden)); Loren, Anders; Brive, Lena; Ekendahl, Susanne; Nordman, Roger (SP, Boraas (Sweden)); Kanerot, Mija (Boraas Energi och Miljoe AB (Sweden))

2010-07-01

Biological breakdown of organic municipal and industrial waste to biogas is already in use today. The technology is of outmost importance to attain the environmental goals that our society has set regarding to sustainable development. Of decisive economic importance is the ability to obtain an increased amount of biogas from the same amount of substrate. Alternative resources for biogas production are at the same time of great interest in order to enable a large expansion of biogas production. The goal of applying a suitable pre-treatment step before anaerobic digestion is to open up the molecular structure of inaccessible biopolymers in order to facilitate access to the carbon for microorganisms involved in biological breakdown and fermentation to biogas. Our study shows that introducing a pretreatment step opens new perspectives for biogas production. Treatment of paper residuals by steam explosion increased methane production up to 400 Nm3/ton dry matter, to a double amount of methane yield compared to that of untreated paper. A novel method for pretreatment with an environment-friendly solvent N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) was also tested on lignocellulose-rich waste fractions from forest and agricultural. The NMMO-treatment increased the methane yields of spruce chips and triticale straw by 25 times (250 Nm3/ton dry matter), and by 6 times (200 Nm3/ton dry matter), respectively, compared to that of the untreated materials. Keratin-rich feather waste yielded around 200 Nm3 methane/ton dry matter, which could be increased to 450 Nm3/ton after enzymatic treatment and to 360 Nm3/ton after either chemical treatment with lime, or after biological treatment with a recombinant bacterial strain of Bacillus megaterium. However, the gain in increased amount of methane after a pretreatment step should be weighted against a possible increase in energy usage generated by the pretreatment. We have therefore performed a case study in which the energy balance for a biogas

Energy wood. Part 2b: Wood pellets and pellet space-heating systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nussbaumer, T.

2002-01-01

The paper gives an overview on pellet utilization including all relevant process steps: Potential and properties of saw dust as raw material, pellet production with drying and pelletizing, standardization of wood pellets, storage and handling of pellets, combustion of wood pellets in stoves and boilers and applications for residential heating. In comparison to other wood fuels, wood pellets show several advantages: Low water content and high heating value, high energy density, and homogeneous properties thus enabling stationary combustion conditions. However, quality control is needed to ensure constant properties of the pellets and to avoid the utilization of contaminated raw materials for the pellet production. Typical data of efficiencies and emissions of pellet stoves and boilers are given and a life cycle analysis (LCA) of wood pellets in comparison to log wood and wood chips is described. The LCA shows that wood pellets are advantageous thanks to relatively low emissions. Hence, the utilization of wood pellet is proposed as a complementary technology to the combustion of wood chips and log wood. Finally, typical fuel cost of wood pellets in Switzerland are given and compared with light fuel oil. (author)

Wood-related occupations, wood dust exposure, and sinonasal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, R B; Gerin, M; Raatgever, J W; de Bruyn, A

1986-10-01

A case-control study was conducted to examine the relations between type of woodworking and the extent of wood dust exposure to the risks for specific histologic types of sinonasal cancer. In cooperation with the major treatment centers in the Netherlands, 116 male patients newly diagnosed between 1978 and 1981 with primary malignancies of epithelial origin of this site were identified for study. Living controls were selected from the municipal registries, and deceased controls were selected from the national death registry. Interviews were completed for 91 (78%) cases and 195 (75%) controls. Job histories were coded by industry and occupation. An index of exposure was developed to classify the extent of occupational exposure to wood dust. When necessary, adjustment was made for age and usual cigarette use. The risk for nasal adenocarcinoma was elevated by industry for the wood and paper industry (odds ratio (OR) = 11.9) and by occupation for those employed in furniture and cabinet making (OR = 139.8), in factory joinery and carpentry work (OR = 16.3), and in association with high-level wood dust exposure (OR = 26.3). Other types of nasal cancer were not found to be associated with wood-related industries or occupations. A moderate excess in risk for squamous cell cancer (OR = 2.5) was associated with low-level wood dust exposure; however, no dose-response relation was evident. The association between wood dust and adenocarcinoma was strongest for those employed in wood dust-related occupations between 1930 and 1941. The risk of adenocarcinoma did not appear to decrease for at least 15 years after termination of exposure to wood dust. No cases of nasal adenocarcinoma were observed in men whose first exposure to wood dust occurred after 1941.

Effect of thermal, chemical and thermo-chemical pre-treatments to enhance methane production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rafique, Rashad; Nizami, Abdul-Sattar; Murphy, Jerry D.; Kiely, Gerard [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College Cork (Ireland); Poulsen, Tjalfe Gorm [Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University (Denmark); Asam, Zaki-ul-Zaman [Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland Galway (Ireland)

2010-12-15

The rise in oil price triggered the exploration and enhancement of various renewable energy sources. Producing biogas from organic waste is not only providing a clean sustainable indigenous fuel to the number of on-farm digesters in Europe, but also reducing the ecological and environmental deterioration. The lignocellulosic substrates are not completely biodegraded in anaerobic digesters operating at commercial scale due to their complex physical and chemical structure, which result in meager energy recovery in terms of methane yield. The focus of this study is to investigate the effect of pre-treatments: thermal, thermo-chemical and chemical pre-treatments on the biogas and methane potential of dewatered pig manure. A laboratory scale batch digester is used for these pre-treatments at different temperature range (25 C-150 C). Results showed that thermo-chemical pretreatment has high effect on biogas and methane potential in the temperature range (25-100 C). Maximum enhancement is observed at 70 C with increase of 78% biogas and 60% methane production. Thermal pretreatment also showed enhancement in the temperature range (50-10 C), with maximum enhancement at 100 C having 28% biogas and 25% methane increase. (author)

Chemical studies on oils derived from aspen poplar wood, cellulose, and an isolated aspen poplar lignin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eager, R L; Pepper, J M; Roy, J C; Mathews, J F

1983-01-01

An initial study has been made of the chemical nature of the oil phase resulting from the conversion of aspen poplar wood, cellulose, and an isolated lignin from the aspen poplar as a result of their interactions with water and carbon monoxide in the presence of sodium carbonate at 360 degrees C. Gas chromatographic analysis of the sodium hydroxide soluble fractions from each substrate revealed similar spectra of alkyl-substituted phenols. The relative abundance of identified low molecular weight phenolic compounds decreased from lignin to wood to cellulose. This was in agreement with the known phenolic nature of lignin. As well, it confirmed the synthesis during reaction of such compounds from a carbohydrate substrate. Gas chromatographic analysis of the whole oils also revealed the presence in each case of several alkyl-substituted cyclopentanones whose relative abundance decreased from cellulose to wood to lignin. Silica gel column separation of the oils, after a charcoal treatment, followed by capillary gas chromatographic - mass spectrometric analyses of the resulting fraction indicated the presence of other higher molecular weight phenols, napthols, cycloalkanols, and polycyclic and long chain alkanes and alkenes.

Effect of cement/wood ratios and wood storage conditions on hydration temperature, hydration time, and compressive strength of wood-cement mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Andy W.C. Lee; Zhongli Hong; Douglas R. Phillips; Chung-Yun Hse

1987-01-01

This study investigated the effect of cement/wood ratios and wood storage conditions on hydration temperature, hydration time, and compressive strength of wood-cement mixtures made from six wood species: southern pine, white oak, southern red oak, yellow-poplar, sweetgum, and hickory. Cement/wood ratios varied from 13/1 to 4/1. Wood storage conditions consisted of air-...

Study of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Dilute Acid Pretreated Coconut Husk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rudy Agustriyanto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Coconut husk is classified as complex lignocellulosic material that contains cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and some other extractive compounds. Cellulose from coconut husk can be used as fermentation substrate after enzymatic hydrolysis. In contrary, lignin content from the coconut husk will act as an inhibitor in this hydrolysis process. Therefore, a pretreatment process is needed to enhance the hydrolysis of cellulose. The objective of this research is to investigate the production of the glucose through dilute acid pretreatment and to obtain its optimum operating conditions. In this study, the pretreatment was done using dilute sulfuric acid in an autoclave reactor. The pretreatment condition were varied at 80°C, 100°C, 120°C and 0.9%, 1.2%, 1.5% for temperature and acid concentration respectively. The acid pretreated coconut husk was then hydrolyzed using commercial cellulase (celluclast and β-glucosidase (Novozyme 188. The hydrolysis time was 72 hours and the operating conditions were varied at several temperature and pH. From the experimental results it can be concluded that the delignification temperature variation has greater influence than the acid concentration. The optimum operating condition was obtained at pH 4 and 50°C which was pretreated at 100°C using 1.5% acid concentration. Copyright © 2012 by BCREC UNDIP. All rights reserved. (Selected Paper from International Conference on Chemical and Material Engineering (ICCME 2012Received: 28th September 2012, Revised: 2nd October 2012, Accepted: 4th October 2012[How to Cite: R. Agustriyanto, A. Fatmawati, Y. Liasari. (2012. Study of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Dilute Acid Pretreated Coconut Husk. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 7(2: 137-141. doi:10.9767/bcrec.7.2.4046.137-141] [How to Link / DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.7.2.4046.137-141 ] | View in 

Enhancing biochar yield by co-pyrolysis of bio-oil with biomass: impacts of potassium hydroxide addition and air pretreatment prior to co-pyrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Veksha, Andrei; Zaman, Waheed; Layzell, David B; Hill, Josephine M

2014-11-01

The influence of KOH addition and air pretreatment on co-pyrolysis (600 °C) of a mixture of bio-oil and biomass (aspen wood) was investigated with the goal of increasing biochar yield. The bio-oil was produced as a byproduct of the pyrolysis of biomass and recycled in subsequent runs. Co-pyrolysis of the biomass with the recycled bio-oil resulted in a 16% mass increase in produced biochar. The yields were further increased by either air pretreatment or KOH addition prior to co-pyrolysis. Air pretreatment at 220 °C for 3 h resulted in the highest mass increase (32%) compared to the base case of pyrolysis of biomass only. No synergistic benefit was observed by combining KOH addition with air pretreatment. In fact, KOH catalyzed reactions that increased the bed temperature resulting in carbon loss via formation of CO and CO2. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of biochar as peat substitute for growing substrates of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dispenza, V.; Pasquale, C. de; Fascella, G.; Mammano, M.M.; Alonzo, G.

2016-01-01

Biochar from conifers wood was used in soilless culture as growing substrate alternative to peat for ornamental crops. Potted plants of Euphorbia × lomi Rauh cv. ‘Ilaria’ were grown with different mixtures (v:v) of brown peat and biochar in order to evaluate main physical and chemical characteristics of this biomaterial as well as its effect on plant growth, ornamental characteristics and nutrients uptake. Biochar addition to peat increased pH, EC and K content of the growing substrates, as well as air content and bulk density. Biochar content of substrates significantly affected plant growth and biomass partitioning: higher number of shoots and leaves, leaf area and leaf dry weight were recorded in plants grown in 40% peat-60% biochar, with respect to plants grown in 100% peat and secondarily in 100% biochar. Leaf chlorophyll content was higher in plants grown in 60% and 80% biochar, while biomass water use efficiency was higher with 60% biochar. Plant uptake of K and Ca increased as biochar content of the substrates increased. Hence, a growing substrate containing 40% brown peat and 60% conifers wood biochar was identified as the more suitable mixture allowing to have a high-quality production of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants.

Use of biochar as peat substitute for growing substrates of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Dispenza

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Biochar from conifers wood was used in soilless culture as growing substrate alternative to peat for ornamental crops. Potted plants of Euphorbia × lomi Rauh cv. ‘Ilaria’ were grown with different mixtures (v:v of brown peat and biochar in order to evaluate main physical and chemical characteristics of this biomaterial as well as its effect on plant growth, ornamental characteristics and nutrients uptake. Biochar addition to peat increased pH, EC and K content of the growing substrates, as well as air content and bulk density. Biochar content of substrates significantly affected plant growth and biomass partitioning: higher number of shoots and leaves, leaf area and leaf dry weight were recorded in plants grown in 40% peat-60% biochar, with respect to plants grown in 100% peat and secondarily in 100% biochar. Leaf chlorophyll content was higher in plants grown in 60% and 80% biochar, while biomass water use efficiency was higher with 60% biochar. Plant uptake of K and Ca increased as biochar content of the substrates increased. Hence, a growing substrate containing 40% brown peat and 60% conifers wood biochar was identified as the more suitable mixture allowing to have a high-quality production of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants.

Use of biochar as peat substitute for growing substrates of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dispenza, V.; Pasquale, C. de; Fascella, G.; Mammano, M.M.; Alonzo, G.

2016-07-01

Biochar from conifers wood was used in soilless culture as growing substrate alternative to peat for ornamental crops. Potted plants of Euphorbia × lomi Rauh cv. ‘Ilaria’ were grown with different mixtures (v:v) of brown peat and biochar in order to evaluate main physical and chemical characteristics of this biomaterial as well as its effect on plant growth, ornamental characteristics and nutrients uptake. Biochar addition to peat increased pH, EC and K content of the growing substrates, as well as air content and bulk density. Biochar content of substrates significantly affected plant growth and biomass partitioning: higher number of shoots and leaves, leaf area and leaf dry weight were recorded in plants grown in 40% peat-60% biochar, with respect to plants grown in 100% peat and secondarily in 100% biochar. Leaf chlorophyll content was higher in plants grown in 60% and 80% biochar, while biomass water use efficiency was higher with 60% biochar. Plant uptake of K and Ca increased as biochar content of the substrates increased. Hence, a growing substrate containing 40% brown peat and 60% conifers wood biochar was identified as the more suitable mixture allowing to have a high-quality production of Euphorbia × lomi potted plants.

Wood pellet seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aarniala, M.; Puhakka, A.

2001-01-01

The objective of the wood pellet seminar, arranged by OPET Finland and North Karelia Polytechnic, was to deliver information on wood pellets, pellet burners and boilers, heating systems and building, as well as on the activities of wood energy advisors. The first day of the seminar consisted of presentations of equipment and products, and of advisory desks for builders. The second day of the seminar consisted of presentations held by wood pellet experts. Pellet markets, the economy and production, the development of the pellet markets and their problems (in Austria), the economy of heating of real estates by different fuel alternatives, the production, delivery and marketing of wood pellets, the utilization of wood pellet in different utilization sites, the use of wood pellets in detached houses, pellet burners and fireplaces, and conversion of communal real estate houses to use wood pellets were discussed in the presentations. The presentations held in the third day discussed the utilization of wood pellets in power plants, the regional promotion of the production and the use of pellets. The seminar consisted also of visits to pellet manufacturing plant and two pellet burning heating plants

Pretreatment Technologies of Lignocellulosic Materials in Bioethanol Production Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Rusdi Hidayat

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Bioethanol is one type of biofuel that developed significantly. The utilization of bioethanol is not only limited for fuel, but also could be used as material for various industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food. With wide utilization and relatively simple production technology has made bioethanol as the most favored biofuel currently. The use of lignocellulosic biomass, microalgae, seaweeds, even GMO (Genetically modified organisms as substrates for bioethanol production has been widely tested. Differences in the materials eventually led to change in the production technology used. Pretreatment technology in the bioethanol production using lignocellulosic currently experiencing rapid development. It is a key process and crucial for the whole next steps. Based on the advantages and disadvantages from all methods, steam explotion and liquid hot water methods are the most promising  pretreatment technology available.

Specific surface to evaluate the efficiencies of milling and pretreatment of wood for enzymatic saccharification

Science.gov (United States)

Junyong Zhu; G.S. Wang; X.J. Pan; Roland Gleisner

2009-01-01

Sieving methods have been almost exclusively used for feedstock size-reduction characterization in the biomass refining literature. This study demonstrates a methodology to properly characterize specific surface of biomass substrates through two dimensional measurement of each fiber of the substrate using a wet imaging technique. The methodology provides more...

Removal of fermentation inhibitors from alkaline peroxide pretreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed wheat straw: Production of butanol from hydrolysate using Clostridium beijerinckii in batch reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, Nasib; Saha, Badal C.; Hector, Ronald E.; Cotta, Michael A.

2008-01-01

In these studies, alkaline peroxide pretreatment of wheat straw was investigated. Pretreated wheat straw was hydrolyzed using cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes, and the hydrolysate was used to produce butanol using Clostridium beijerinckii P260. The culture produced less than 2.59 g L -1 acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) from alkaline peroxide wheat straw hydrolysate (APWSH) that had not been treated to reduce salt concentration (a neutralization product). However, fermentation was successful after inhibitors (salts) were removed from the hydrolysate by electrodialysis. A control glucose fermentation resulted in the production of 21.37 g L -1 ABE, while salt removed APWSH resulted in the production of 22.17 g L -1 ABE. In the two fermentations, reactor productivities were 0.30 and 0.55 g L -1 h -1 , respectively. A comparison of use of different substrates (corn fiber, wheat straw) and different pretreatment techniques (dilute sulfuric acid, alkaline peroxide) suggests that generation of inhibitors is substrate and pretreatment specific

Projected wood energy impact on US forest wood resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skog, K.E. [USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI (United States)

1993-12-31

The USDA Forest Service has developed long-term projections of wood energy use as part of a 1993 assessment of demand for and supply of resources from forest and range lands in the United States. To assess the impact of wood energy demand on timber resources, a market equilibrium model based on linear programming was developed to project residential, industrial, commercial, and utility wood energy use from various wood energy sources: roundwood from various land sources, primary wood products mill residue, other wood residue, and black liquor. Baseline projections are driven by projected price of fossil fuels compared to price of wood fuels and the projected increase in total energy use in various end uses. Wood energy use is projected to increase from 2.67 quad in 1986 to 3.5 quad in 2030 and 3.7 quad in 2040. This is less than the DOE National Energy Strategy projection of 5.5 quad in 2030. Wood energy from forest sources (roundwood) is projected to increase from 3.1 billion (10{sup 9}) ft{sup 3} in 1986 to 4.4. billion ft{sup 3} in 2030 and 4.8 billion ft{sup 3} in 2040 (88, 124 and 136 million m{sup 3}, respectively). This rate of increase of roundwood use for fuel -- 0.8 percent per year -- is virtually the same as the projected increase rate for roundwood for pulpwood. Pulpwood roundwood is projected to increase from 4.2 billion ft{sup 3} in 1986 to 6.0 billion ft{sup 3} in 2030 and 6.4 billion ft{sup 3} in 2040 (119, 170 and 183 million m{sup 3}, respectively).

Delignification of Sawdust White Teak (Gmelina arborea Roxb. by Fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium Irradiated Gamma Ray

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurhasni Nurhasni

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Biomassa lignoselulosa yang merupakan limbah pemanenan kayu harus dilakukan proses untuk memisahkan selulosa, hemiselulosa dan lignin sehingga dapat termanfaatkan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas inokulan fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium iradiasi gamma dan pretreatment kimia terhadap percepatan delignifikasi serbuk kayu jati putih (Gmelina arborea Roxb. sehingga dapat dimanfaatkan dalam proses pulping. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan pretreatment substrat kayu jati putih (Gmelina arborea Roxb. menggunakan larutan NaOH 1% dan H2SO4 1% serta iradiasi gamma Co-60, yang mempunyai daya ionisasi kecil, daya tembus yang tinggi serta Co-60 dapat memancarkan sinar gamma dengan waktu paruh pendek. Penelitian ini dilakukan dalam dua tahap, tahap pertama penentuan dosis optimum iradiasi gamma terhadap fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium (0 Gy, 200 Gy, 400 Gy, 600 Gy, 800 Gy, dan 1000 Gy dan tahap kedua analisis karakteristik substrat kayu jati putih yang telah di pretreatment dengan metode Solid State Fermentation (SSF selama 21 hari. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dosis optimum pemberian iradiasi gamma pada fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium yaitu pada dosis 600 Gy yang dapat meningkatkan aktivitas enzim lignin peroksidase (LiP sebesar 22.18 U/mL. Proses pretreatment kimia dengan menggunakan H2SO4 1% dapat mempercepat proses biodelignifikasi yang menghasilkan efisiensi degradasi lignin tertinggi yaitu sebesar 25.65%.   Kata kunci: Lignoselulosa, delignifikasi, Solid State Fermentation (SSF, Phanerochaete chrysosporium,iradiasi gamma.   Abstract   Lignocellulose biomass is waste wood harvesting should be a process for separating cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin that can be utilized. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the inoculant fungi Phanerochaete chrysosphorium gamma irradiation and chemical pretreatment to accelerate delignification powder white teak (Gmelina arborea Roxb.. In this research

The effect of dilute acid pre-treatment process in bioethanol production from durian (Durio zibethinus) seeds waste

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazali, K. A.; Salleh, S. F.; Riayatsyah, T. M. I.; Aditiya, H. B.; Mahlia, T. M. I.

2016-03-01

Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the promising feedstocks for bioethanol production. The process starts from pre-treatment, hydrolysis, fermentation, distillation and finally obtaining the final product, ethanol. The efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass depends heavily on the effectiveness of the pre-treatment step which main function is to break the lignin structure of the biomass. This work aims to investigate the effects of dilute acid pre-treatment on the enzymatic hydrolysis of durian seeds waste to glucose and the subsequent bioethanol fermentation process. The yield of glucose from dilute acid pre-treated sample using 0.6% H2SO4 and 5% substrate concentration shows significant value of 23.4951 g/L. Combination of dilute acid pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis using 150U of enzyme able to yield 50.0944 g/L of glucose content higher compared to normal pre-treated sample of 8.1093 g/L. Dilute acid pre-treatment sample also shows stable and efficient yeast activity during fermentation process with lowest glucose content at 2.9636 g/L compared to 14.7583g/L for normal pre-treated sample. Based on the result, it can be concluded that dilute acid pre-treatment increase the yield of ethanol from bioethanol production process.

Production of ethanol from wheat straw by pretreatment and fermentation at high dry matter concentrations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenestijn, J.W. van; Slomp, R.S.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of substrate and product are important for the economy of second-generation bioethanol production. By a dilute acid thermal pretreatment of large pieces of relatively dry wheat straw using a novel rapid heating method, followed by fed-batch preliquefaction with hydrolytic

Evaluation of efficient glucose release using sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid as pretreating agents from the biomass of Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers.: A fast growing tree legume.

Science.gov (United States)

Mund, Nitesh K; Dash, Debabrata; Barik, Chitta R; Goud, Vaibhav V; Sahoo, Lingaraj; Mishra, Prasannajit; Nayak, Nihar R

2017-07-01

Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. is one of the fast growing tree legumes having the efficiency to produce around 50tha -1 above ground dry matters in a year. In this study, biomass of 2years old S. grandiflora was selected for the chemical composition, pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis studies. The stem biomass with a wood density of 3.89±0.01gmcm -3 contains about 38% cellulose, 12% hemicellulose and 28% lignin. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomass revealed that phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ) pretreated samples even at lower cellulase loadings [1 Filter Paper Units (FPU)], could efficiently convert about 86% glucose, while, even at higher cellulase loadings (60FPU) alkali pretreated biomass could convert only about 58% glucose. The effectiveness of phosphoric acid pretreatment was also supported by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of alkaline-pretreated corn stover to ethanol using a recombinant yeast strain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Jing; Xia, Liming [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2009-10-15

Bio-ethanol converted from cheap and abundant lignocellulosic materials is a potential renewable resource to replace depleting fossil fuels. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of alkaline-pretreated corn stover for the production of ethanol was investigated using a recombinant yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae ZU-10. Low cellobiase activity in Trichoderma reesei cellulase resulted in cellobiose accumulation. Supplementing the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation system with cellobiase greatly reduced feedback inhibition caused by cellobiose to the cellulase reaction, thereby increased the ethanol yield. 12 h of enzymatic prehydrolysis at 50 C prior to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was found to have a negative effect on the overall ethanol yield. Glucose and xylose produced from alkaline-pretreated corn stover could be co-fermented to ethanol effectively by S. cerevisiae ZU-10. An ethanol concentration of 27.8 g/L and the corresponding ethanol yield on carbohydrate in substrate of 0.350 g/g were achieved within 72 h at 33 C with 80 g/L of substrate and enzyme loadings of 20 filter paper activity units (FPU)/g substrate and 10 cellobiase units (CBU)/g substrate. The results are meaningful in co-conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose fraction of lignocellulosic materials to fuel ethanol. (author)

Acid Pretreatment of Sago Wastewater for Biohydrogen Production

Science.gov (United States)

Illi Mohamad Puad, Noor; Rahim, Nurainin Farhan Abd; Suhaida Azmi, Azlin

2018-03-01

Biohydrogen has been recognized to be one of the future renewable energy sources and has the potential in solving the greenhouse effects. In this study, Enterobacter aerogenes (E. aerogenes) was used as the biohydrogen producer via dark fermentation process using sago wastewater as the substrate. However, pretreatment of sago wastewater is required since it consists of complex sugars that cannot be utilized directly by the bacteria. This study aimed to use acid pretreatment method to produce high amount of glucose from sago wastewater. Three different types of acid: sulfuric acid (H2SO4); hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO3) were screened for the best acid in producing a maximum amount of glucose. H2SO4 gave the highest amount of glucose which was 9.406 g/L. Design of experiment was done using Face-centred Central Composite Design (FCCCD) tool under Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Design Expert 9 software. The maximum glucose (9.138 g/L) was recorded using 1 M H2SO4 at 100 °C for 60 min. A batch dark fermentation using E. aerogenes was carried out and it was found that pretreated sago wastewater gave a higher hydrogen concentration (1700 ppm) compared to the raw wastewater (410 ppm).

Compositional and structural changes in Phoenix canariensis and Opuntia ficus-indica with pretreatment: Effects on enzymatic hydrolysis and second generation ethanol production.

Science.gov (United States)

Udeh, Benard Anayo; Erkurt, Emrah Ahmet

2017-01-01

Two different plants namely Phoenix canariensis and Opuntia ficus-indica were used as substrate for reducing sugar generation and ethanol production. Dilute acid, alkaline and steam explosion were used as pretreatment methods in order to depolymerize lignin and/or hemicellulose and recover cellulose. By using alkaline pretreatment with 2.5% NaOH 71.08% for P. canariensis and 74.61% for O. ficus-indica lignin removal and 81.84% for P. canariensis and 72.66% for O. ficus-indica cellulose recovery yields were obtained. Pretreated materials were hydrolyzed by cellulase with high efficiency (87.0% and 84.5% cellulose conversion yields for P. canariensis and O. ficus-indica) and used as substrate for fermentation. Maximum ethanol production of 15.75g/L and 14.71g/L were achieved from P. canariensis and O. ficus-indica respectively. Structural differences were observed by XRD, FTIR and SEM for untreated, pretreated, hydrolyzed and fermented samples and were highly correlated with compositional analysis results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of lime and hydrothermal pretreatments for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis of raw sugarcane bagasse.

Science.gov (United States)

Grimaldi, Maira Prearo; Marques, Marina Paganini; Laluce, Cecília; Cilli, Eduardo Maffud; Sponchiado, Sandra Regina Pombeiro

2015-01-01

substrate, resulting in an increase of cellulose hydrolysis rate. These results indicate that the use of raw sugarcane bagasse (without prior screening) pretreated with lime (cheaper and environmentally friendly reagent) may represent a cost reduction in the cellulosic ethanol production.

Subcritical Water-Carbon Dioxide Pretreatment of Oil Palm Mesocarp Fiber for Xylooligosaccharide and Glucose Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norlailiza Ahmad

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to investigate the pretreatment of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF in subcritical H2O-CO2 at a temperature range from 150–200 °C and 20–180 min with CO2 pressure from 3–5 MPa. The pretreated solids and liquids from this process were separated by filtration and characterized. Xylooligosaccharides (XOs, sugar monomers, acids, furans and phenols in the pretreated liquids were analyzed by using HPLC. XOs with a degree of polymerization X2–X4 comprising xylobiose, xylotriose, xylotetraose were analyzed by using HPAEC-PAD. Enzymatic hydrolysis was performed on cellulose-rich pretreated solids to observe xylose and glucose production. An optimal condition for XOs production was achieved at 180 °C, 60 min, 3 MPa and the highest XOs obtained was 81.60 mg/g which corresponded to 36.59% of XOs yield from total xylan of OPMF. The highest xylose and glucose yields obtained from pretreated solids were 29.96% and 84.65%, respectively at cellulase loading of 10 FPU/g-substrate.

PEI detoxification of pretreated spruce for high solids ethanol fermentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cannella, David; Sveding, Per Viktor; Jørgensen, Henning

2014-01-01

.e. spruce) this has been difficult to reach. The main reason behind this difference is the higher recalcitrance of woody substrates which require harsher pretreatment conditions, thus generating higher amounts of inhibitory compounds, ultimately lowering fermentation performances. In this work we studied...... ethanol production from spruce performing the whole process, from pretreatment to hydrolysis and fermentation, at 30% dry matter (equivalent to similar to 20% WIS). Hydrolysis and fermentation was performed in a horizontal free fall mixing reactor enabling efficient mixing at high solids loadings....... In batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), up to 76% cellulose to ethanol conversion was achieved resulting in a concentration of 51 g/kg of ethanol. Key to obtaining this high ethanol yield at these conditions was the use of a detoxification technology based on applying a soluble...

Finishing of wood

Science.gov (United States)

R. Sam Williams

1999-01-01

The primary function of any wood finish (paint, varnish, and stain, for example) is to protect the wood surface, help maintain a certain appearance, and provide a cleanable surface. Although wood can be used both outdoors and indoors without finishing, unfinished wood surfaces exposed to the weather change color, are roughened by photodegradation and surface checking,...

Effects of feeding level and the presence of a foraging substrate on the behaviour and stress physiological response of individually housed gilts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuw, de J.A.; Ekkel, E.D.

2004-01-01

The effects of feeding level (unrestricted, UR and restricted, R) and the presence of a foraging substrate (no substrate, NS and substrate, S; wood chips on the floor) on both the behaviour and stress physiological response were studied in a 2 x 2 factorial design. In three batches and two rooms, 96

Wood fuels utilization in Central Europe - the wood fuels consumption and the targets of utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alakangas, E.

1999-01-01

Following subjects are discussed in this presentation: The share of bioenergy of the total energy consumption in EU region; the wood fuels consumption in EU region in 1995; the division of bioenergy utilization (households, wood- based district heating, wood consumption in industry, power generation from wood and residues, biofuels, biogas and sludges); wood fuels consumption in households in EU countries in 1995; wood consumption in France; the additional wood fuel consumption potential in France; Blan bois - wood energy program; French wood energy markets; German wood energy markets; energy consumption in Germany; wood consumption in Bavaria; the wood fuels potential in Bavaria; wood fuels consumption in households in Bavaria; wood fuels consumption for district heating in Bavaria; fuel prices in Bavaria; Environmental regulations in Germany; small boiler markets in Germany; Energy consumption in Austria; small-scale utilization of wood fuels; utilization of wood energy. (Slides, additional information from the author)

Wood construction and magnetic characteristics of impregnated type magnetic wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oka, Hideo; Hojo, Atsushi; Seki, Kyoushiro; Takashiba, Toshio

2002-01-01

The results of experiments involving the AC and DC magnetic characteristics of impregnated type magnetic wood were studied by taking into consideration the wood construction and fiber direction. The experimental results show that the sufficient amount of impregnated magnetic fluid varies depending on the fiber direction and length, and the grain face of the wood material. The impregnated type magnetic wood sample that is fully impregnated by magnetic fluid has a 60% saturation magnetization compared to the saturation magnetization of magnetic fluid. Samples for which the wood fiber direction was the same as the direction of the magnetic path had a higher magnetization intensity and permeability

Synergistic Effect of Nanosilica Aerogel with Phosphorus Flame Retardants on Improving Flame Retardancy and Leaching Resistance of Wood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaodan Zhu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nanosilica (Nano-SiO2 sol fabricated by a sol-gel process was introduced into wood modification with phosphorus flame retardants to improve the flame retardancy and leaching resistance of wood. The obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, cone calorimetric (CONE, and infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR. The residual rate of flame retardants before and after leaching was determinated by a leaching resistance. The results showed that the phosphorus flame retardants and SiO2 sol could reside in the poplar wood and are widely distributed in the vessels, pits, wood timber, and the spaces between wood cells of poplar substrate. TGA and CONE results indicated that the introduction of nano-SiO2 aerogel with phosphorus flame retardants had a significantly synergistic effect on improving the flame retardancy and inhibiting the release of smoke and toxic gases. In addition, the leaching resistance test, combined with infrared analysis and EDS analysis, confirmed that the phosphorus flame retardants were able to be fixed by SiO2 aerogel in the wood.

Tin anode for sodium-ion batteries using natural wood fiber as a mechanical buffer and electrolyte reservoir.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hongli; Jia, Zheng; Chen, Yuchen; Weadock, Nicholas; Wan, Jiayu; Vaaland, Oeyvind; Han, Xiaogang; Li, Teng; Hu, Liangbing

2013-07-10

Sodium (Na)-ion batteries offer an attractive option for low cost grid scale storage due to the abundance of Na. Tin (Sn) is touted as a high capacity anode for Na-ion batteries with a high theoretical capacity of 847 mAh/g, but it has several limitations such as large volume expansion with cycling, slow kinetics, and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. In this article, we demonstrate that an anode consisting of a Sn thin film deposited on a hierarchical wood fiber substrate simultaneously addresses all the challenges associated with Sn anodes. The soft nature of wood fibers effectively releases the mechanical stresses associated with the sodiation process, and the mesoporous structure functions as an electrolyte reservoir that allows for ion transport through the outer and inner surface of the fiber. These properties are confirmed experimentally and computationally. A stable cycling performance of 400 cycles with an initial capacity of 339 mAh/g is demonstrated; a significant improvement over other reported Sn nanostructures. The soft and mesoporous wood fiber substrate can be utilized as a new platform for low cost Na-ion batteries.

Wood preservatives and pressure-treated wood: considerations for historic-preservation projects

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald W. Anthony; Stan T. Lebow

2015-01-01

Wood, an abundant resource throughout most of the world, has been used as a building material for thousands of years. Many historic buildings have been built primarily of wood, and masonry and stone buildings generally have wood elements, both structural and architectural. As a biological material, wood is both remarkably complex and yet quite durable if well...

A technical and economic evaluation of wood conversion processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Douglas, L J

1990-08-08

A technical and economic evaluation of the Iogen wood-to-ethanol bioconversion process was carried out using a computer simulation model based on an engineering analysis of the process. The model was used to run sensitivity analyses for the process and to estimate the parameters with significant economic impact and promise for future improvement to process economics. The most important parameters were then used in Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the potential for future improvements and to assess the commercial potential of the process. Finally, the process was subjected to second-law analysis, in which its thermodynamic efficiency was assessed in terms of lost work potential. The Iogen process is a highly optimized process using state-of-the-art enzymatic hydrolysis with steam explosion pretreatment; lactose sugar from cheese whey is used as the carbon source for enzyme production. The base case design would use 1000 tonnes/d of aspen wood and would produce 91 Ml/y of ethanol. Assuming no value for byproducts, the break-even price for ethanol would be 45-70{cents}/l, depending on the financing method employed. If byproduct credit is added for lignin and molasses, the required ethanol selling price would drop to 30-50{cents}/l. Forecasts for future technology improvements show that it is possible to construct scenarios where the ethanol price could be as low as 10-20{cents}/l including byproduct credits. Potential improvements to the process include reduced enzyme production cost; xylose fermentation to ethanol; lower-cost feedstock; and substitution of wood sugars for lactose. 48 refs., 39 figs., 21 tabs.

Recycle of enzymes and substrate following enzymatic hydrolysis of steam-pretreated aspenwood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mes-Hartree, M.; Hogan, C.M.; Saddler, J.N.

1987-09-01

The commercial production of chemicals and fuels from lignocellulosic residues by enzymatic means still requires considerable research on both the technical and economic aspects. Two technical problems that have been identified as requiring further research are the recycle of the enzymes used in hydrolysis and the reuse of the recalcitrant cellulose remaining after incomplete hydrolysis. Enzyme recycle is required to lower the cost of the enzymes, while the reuse of the spent cellulose will lower the feedstock cost. The conversion process studied was a combined enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation (CHF) procedure that utilized the cellulolytic enzymes derived from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum E58 and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The rate and extent of hydrolysis and ethanol production was monitored as was the activity and hydrolytic potential of the enzymes remaining in the filtrate after the hydrolysis period. When a commercial cellulose was used as the substrate for a routine 2-day CHF process, 60% of the original filter paper activity could be recovered. When steam-treated, water-extracted aspenwood was used as the substrate, only 13% of the original filter paper activity was detected after a similar procedure. The combination of 60% spent enzymes with 40% fresh enzymes resulted in the production of 30% less reducing sugars than the original enzyme mixture. Since 100% hydrolysis of the cellulose portion is seldom accomplished in an enzymatic hydrolysis process, the residual cellulose was used as a substrate for the growth of T. harzianum E58 and production of cellulolytic enzymes. The residue remaining after the CHF process was used as a substrate for the production of the cellulolytic enzymes. The production of enzymes from the residue of the Solka Floc hydrolysis was greater than the production of enzymes from the original Solka Floc. (Refs. 14).

Biomass pretreatment

Science.gov (United States)

Hennessey, Susan Marie; Friend, Julie; Elander, Richard T; Tucker, III, Melvin P

2013-05-21

A method is provided for producing an improved pretreated biomass product for use in saccharification followed by fermentation to produce a target chemical that includes removal of saccharification and or fermentation inhibitors from the pretreated biomass product. Specifically, the pretreated biomass product derived from using the present method has fewer inhibitors of saccharification and/or fermentation without a loss in sugar content.

Improving methane production through co-digestion of canola straw and buffalo dung by H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ pretreatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noonari, A.A.; Sahito, A.R.; Brohi, K.M.

2017-01-01

In this study an effect of acidic pre-treatment on the CS (Canola Straw) and BD (Buffalo Dung) by anaerobic co-digestion was investigated. H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) is a mainly accustomed reagent, used as a bleaching agent in the different industries such as paper and wood. In the present study, it was used as a pre-treatment chemical at varying concentrations in batch reactors. The co-digestion of CS and BD was carried out in SAMPTS (Semi-Automatic Methane Potential Test System) at mesophilic (37+-1oC) conditions. The CS was pretreated in glass bottles with different concentrations of the H2O2 for seven days. The inoculum used in the present study was an effluent of the CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor), which was treating BD at mesophilic conditions. The specific methane production from the codigestion of canola straw and BD, by the pre-treatment of H2O2 at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% were 530.8, 544.5, and 510.3 NmL CH4 g/VS, respectively. The significant reduction in the volatile solids of CS was observed at the optimum pre-treatment of 1.0% H2O2. (author)

Complex effect of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid on various aspects of ethanol and fumaric acid production by immobilized cells within SSF.

Science.gov (United States)

Dotsenko, Anna S; Dotsenko, Gleb S; Senko, Olga V; Stepanov, Nikolay A; Lyagin, Ilya V; Efremenko, Elena N; Gusakov, Alexander V; Zorov, Ivan N; Rubtsova, Ekaterina A

2018-02-01

The pretreatment of softwood and hardwood samples (spruce and hornbeam wood) with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) was undertaken for further simultaneous enzymatic saccharification of renewable non-food lignocellulosic biomass and microbial fermentation of obtained sugars to ethanol and fumaric acid. A multienzyme cocktail based on cellulases and yeast or fungus cells producing ethanol and fumaric acid were the main objects of [Bmim]Cl influence studies. A complex effect of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with [Bmim]Cl on various aspects of the process (both action of cellulases and microbial conversion of hydrolysates to target products) was revealed. Positive effects of the pretreatment with [Bmim]Cl included decreasing the lignin content in the biomass, and increasing the effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial transformation of pretreated biomass. Immobilized cells of both yeasts and fungi possessed improved productive characteristics in the biotransformation of biomass pretreated with [Bmim]Cl to ethanol and fumaric acid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Process for Ethanol, Biogas, and Edible Filamentous Fungi-Based Animal Feed Production from Dilute Phosphoric Acid-Pretreated Wheat Straw.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Ramkumar B; Kabir, Maryam M; Lennartsson, Patrik R; Taherzadeh, Mohammad J; Horváth, Ilona Sárvári

2018-01-01

Integration of wheat straw for a biorefinery-based energy generation process by producing ethanol and biogas together with the production of high-protein fungal biomass (suitable for feed application) was the main focus of the present study. An edible ascomycete fungal strain Neurospora intermedia was used for the ethanol fermentation and subsequent biomass production from dilute phosphoric acid (0.7 to 1.2% w/v) pretreated wheat straw. At optimum pretreatment conditions, an ethanol yield of 84 to 90% of the theoretical maximum, based on glucan content of substrate straw, was observed from fungal fermentation post the enzymatic hydrolysis process. The biogas production from the pretreated straw slurry showed an improved methane yield potential up to 162% increase, as compared to that of the untreated straw. Additional biogas production, using the syrup, a waste stream obtained post the ethanol fermentation, resulted in a combined total energy output of 15.8 MJ/kg wheat straw. Moreover, using thin stillage (a waste stream from the first-generation wheat-based ethanol process) as a co-substrate to the biogas process resulted in an additional increase by about 14 to 27% in the total energy output as compared to using only wheat straw-based substrates. ᅟ.

Integrated control of wood destroying basidiomycetes combining Cu-based wood preservatives and Trichoderma spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribera, Javier; Fink, Siegfried; Bas, Maria Del Carmen; Schwarze, Francis W M R

2017-01-01

The production of new generation of wood preservatives (without addition of a co-biocide) in combination with an exchange of wood poles on identical sites with high fungal inoculum, has resulted in an increase of premature failures of wood utility poles in the last decades. Wood destroying basidiomycetes inhabiting sites where poles have been installed, have developed resistance against wood preservatives. The objective of the in vitro studies was to identify a Trichoderma spp. with a highly antagonistic potential against wood destroying basidiomycetes that is capable of colonizing Cu-rich environments. For this purpose, the activity of five Trichoderma spp. on Cu-rich medium was evaluated according to its growth and sporulation rates. The influence of the selected Trichoderma spp. on wood colonization and degradation by five wood destroying basidiomycetes was quantitatively analyzed by means of dry weight loss of wood specimens. Furthermore, the preventative effect of the selected Trichoderma spp. in combination with four Cu-based preservatives was also examined by mass loss and histological changes in the wood specimens. Trichoderma harzianum (T-720) was considered the biocontrol agent with higher antagonistic potential to colonize Cu-rich environments (up to 0.1% CuSO4 amended medium). T. harzianum demonstrated significant preventative effect on wood specimens against four wood destroying basidiomycetes. The combined effect of T. harzianum and Cu-based wood preservatives demonstrated that after 9 months incubation with two wood destroying basidiomycetes, wood specimens treated with 3.8 kg m-3 copper-chromium had weight losses between 55-65%, whereas containers previously treated with T. harzianum had significantly lower weight losses (0-25%). Histological studies on one of the wood destroying basidiomycetes revealed typical decomposition of wood cells by brown-rot fungi in Cu-impregnated samples, that were notably absent in wood specimens previously exposed to T

Integrated control of wood destroying basidiomycetes combining Cu-based wood preservatives and Trichoderma spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Ribera

Full Text Available The production of new generation of wood preservatives (without addition of a co-biocide in combination with an exchange of wood poles on identical sites with high fungal inoculum, has resulted in an increase of premature failures of wood utility poles in the last decades. Wood destroying basidiomycetes inhabiting sites where poles have been installed, have developed resistance against wood preservatives. The objective of the in vitro studies was to identify a Trichoderma spp. with a highly antagonistic potential against wood destroying basidiomycetes that is capable of colonizing Cu-rich environments. For this purpose, the activity of five Trichoderma spp. on Cu-rich medium was evaluated according to its growth and sporulation rates. The influence of the selected Trichoderma spp. on wood colonization and degradation by five wood destroying basidiomycetes was quantitatively analyzed by means of dry weight loss of wood specimens. Furthermore, the preventative effect of the selected Trichoderma spp. in combination with four Cu-based preservatives was also examined by mass loss and histological changes in the wood specimens. Trichoderma harzianum (T-720 was considered the biocontrol agent with higher antagonistic potential to colonize Cu-rich environments (up to 0.1% CuSO4 amended medium. T. harzianum demonstrated significant preventative effect on wood specimens against four wood destroying basidiomycetes. The combined effect of T. harzianum and Cu-based wood preservatives demonstrated that after 9 months incubation with two wood destroying basidiomycetes, wood specimens treated with 3.8 kg m-3 copper-chromium had weight losses between 55-65%, whereas containers previously treated with T. harzianum had significantly lower weight losses (0-25%. Histological studies on one of the wood destroying basidiomycetes revealed typical decomposition of wood cells by brown-rot fungi in Cu-impregnated samples, that were notably absent in wood specimens

Wood composites

Science.gov (United States)

Lars Berglund; Roger M. Rowell

2005-01-01

A composite can be defined as two or more elements held together by a matrix. By this definition, what we call “solid wood” is a composite. Solid wood is a three-dimensional composite composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin (with smaller amounts of inorganics and extractives), held together by a lignin matrix. The advantages of developing wood composites are (...

Bacteria in decomposing wood and their interactions with wood-decay fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Sarah R; Boddy, Lynne; Weightman, Andrew J

2016-11-01

The fungal community within dead wood has received considerable study, but far less attention has been paid to bacteria in the same habitat. Bacteria have long been known to inhabit decomposing wood, but much remains underexplored about their identity and ecology. Bacteria within the dead wood environment must interact with wood-decay fungi, but again, very little is known about the form this takes; there are indications of both antagonistic and beneficial interactions within this fungal microbiome. Fungi are hypothesised to play an important role in shaping bacterial communities in wood, and conversely, bacteria may affect wood-decay fungi in a variety of ways. This minireview considers what is currently known about bacteria in wood and their interactions with fungi, and proposes possible associations based on examples from other habitats. It aims to identify key knowledge gaps and pressing questions for future research. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Visible-light activate Ag/WO3 films based on wood with enhanced negative oxygen ions production properties

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Likun; Gan, Wentao; Cao, Guoliang; Zhan, Xianxu; Qiang, Tiangang; Li, Jian

2017-12-01

The Ag/WO3-wood was fabricated through a hydrothermal method and a silver mirror reaction. The system of visible-light activate Ag/WO3-wood was used to produce negative oxygen ions, and the effect of Ag nanoparticles on negative oxygen ions production was investigated. From the results of negative oxygen ions production tests, it can be observed that the sample doped with Ag nanoparticles, the concentration of negative oxygen ions is up to 1660 ions/cm3 after 60 min visible light irradiation. Moreover, for the Ag/WO3-wood, even after 60 min without irradiation, the concentration of negative oxygen ions could keep more than 1000 ions/cm3, which is up to the standard of the fresh air. Moreover, due to the porous structure of wood, the wood acted as substrate could promote the nucleation of nanoparticles, prevent the agglomeration of the particles, and thus lead the improvement of photocatalytic properties. And such wood-based functional materials with the property of negative oxygen ions production could be one of the most promising materials in the application of indoor decoration materials, which would meet people's pursuit of healthy, environment-friendly life.

Non_standard Wood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tamke, Martin

. Using parametric design tools and computer controlled production facilities Copenhagens Centre for IT and Architecture undertook a practice based research into performance based non-standard element design and mass customization techniques. In close cooperation with wood construction software......, but the integration of traditional wood craft techniques. The extensive use of self adjusting, load bearing wood-wood joints contributed to ease in production and assembly of a performance based architecture....

Influence of substrate pre-treatments by Xe{sup +} ion bombardment and plasma nitriding on the behavior of TiN coatings deposited by plasma reactive sputtering on 100Cr6 steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vales, S., E-mail: sandra.vales@usp.br [Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense 400, São Carlos, SP CEP 13566-590 (Brazil); Brito, P., E-mail: ppbrito@gmail.com [Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC-MG), Av. Dom José Gaspar 500, 30535-901 Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Pineda, F.A.G., E-mail: pipe8219@gmail.com [Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense 400, São Carlos, SP CEP 13566-590 (Brazil); Ochoa, E.A., E-mail: abigail_ochoa@hotmail.com [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campus Universitário Zeferino Vaz, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP CEP 13083-970 (Brazil); Droppa, R., E-mail: roosevelt.droppa@ufabc.edu.br [Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Av. dos Estados, 5001, Santo André, SP CEP 09210-580 (Brazil); Garcia, J., E-mail: jose.garcia@sandvik.com [Sandvik Coromant R& D, Lerkrogsvägen 19, SE-12680, Stockholm (Sweden); Morales, M., E-mail: monieriz@gmail.com [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campus Universitário Zeferino Vaz, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP CEP 13083-970 (Brazil); Alvarez, F., E-mail: alvarez@ifi.unicamp.br [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campus Universitário Zeferino Vaz, Barão Geraldo, Campinas, SP CEP 13083-970 (Brazil); and others

2016-07-01

In this paper the influence of pre-treating a 100Cr6 steel surface by Xe{sup +} ion bombardment and plasma nitriding at low temperature (380 °C) on the roughness, wear resistance and residual stresses of thin TiN coatings deposited by reactive IBAD was investigated. The Xe{sup +} ion bombardment was carried out using a 1.0 keV kinetic energy by a broad ion beam assistance deposition (IBAD, Kaufman cell). The results showed that in the studied experimental conditions the ion bombardment intensifies nitrogen diffusion by creating lattice imperfections, stress, and increasing roughness. In case of the combined pre-treatment with Xe{sup +} ion bombardment and subsequent plasma nitriding, the samples evolved relatively high average roughness and the wear volume increased in comparison to the substrates exposed to only nitriding or ion bombardment. - Highlights: • Effect of Xe ion bombardment and plasma nitriding on TiN coatings was investigated. • Xe ion bombardment with 1.0 KeV increases nitrogen retention in plasma nitriding. • 1.0 KeV ion impact energy causes sputtering, thus increasing surface roughness. • TiN coating wear is minimum after plasma nitriding due to lowest roughness.

Seedling regeneration in the alpine treeline ecotone: Comparison of wood microsites and adjacent soil substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Adelaide Chapman Johnson; J. Alan Yeakley

2016-01-01

Although climate warming is generally expected to facilitate upward advance of forests, conifer seedling regeneration and survival may be hindered by low substrate moisture, high radiation, and both low and high snow accumulation. To better understand substrate-related factors promoting regeneration in the alpine treeline ecotone, this study compared 2 substrates...

Lignin-Retaining Transparent Wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuanyuan; Fu, Qiliang; Rojas, Ramiro; Yan, Min; Lawoko, Martin; Berglund, Lars

2017-09-11

Optically transparent wood, combining optical and mechanical performance, is an emerging new material for light-transmitting structures in buildings with the aim of reducing energy consumption. One of the main obstacles for transparent wood fabrication is delignification, where around 30 wt % of wood tissue is removed to reduce light absorption and refractive index mismatch. This step is time consuming and not environmentally benign. Moreover, lignin removal weakens the wood structure, limiting the fabrication of large structures. A green and industrially feasible method has now been developed to prepare transparent wood. Up to 80 wt % of lignin is preserved, leading to a stronger wood template compared to the delignified alternative. After polymer infiltration, a high-lignin-content transparent wood with transmittance of 83 %, haze of 75 %, thermal conductivity of 0.23 W mK -1 , and work-tofracture of 1.2 MJ m -3 (a magnitude higher than glass) was obtained. This transparent wood preparation method is efficient and applicable to various wood species. The transparent wood obtained shows potential for application in energy-saving buildings. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Elementary budget of stag beetle larvae associated with selective utilization of nitrogen in decaying wood

Science.gov (United States)

Tanahashi, Masahiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kubota, Kôhei

2018-06-01

Wood degradation by insects plays important roles for the forest matter cycling. Since wood is deficient in nitrogen compared to the insect body, wood-feeding insects need to assimilate the nitrogen selectively and discard an excess carbon. Such a stoichiometric imbalance between food and body will cause high metabolic cost; therefore, wood-feeding insects may somehow alleviate the stoichiometric imbalance. Here, we investigated the carbon and nitrogen budgets of the larvae of stag beetle, Dorcus rectus, which feed on decaying wood. Assimilation efficiency of ingested wood was 22%, and those values based on the carbon and nitrogen were 27 and 45%, respectively, suggesting the selective digestion of nitrogen in wood. Element-based gross growth efficiency was much higher for nitrogen (45%) than for carbon (3%). As a result, the larvae released 24% of the ingested carbon as volatile, whereas almost no gaseous exchange was observed for nitrogen. Moreover, solubility-based elementary analysis revealed that the larvae mainly utilized alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble fraction of wood, which is rich in nitrogen. Actually, the midgut of the larvae was highly alkaline (pH 10.3). Stag beetle larvae are known to exhibit coprophagy, and here we also confirmed that alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble nitrogen increased again from fresh feces to old feces in the field. Stable isotope analysis suggested the utilization of aerial nitrogen by larvae; however, its actual contribution is still disputable. Those results suggest that D. rectus larvae selectively utilize alkaline-soluble nitrogenous substrates by using their highly alkaline midgut, and perhaps associate with microbes that enhance the nitrogen recycling in feces.

Elementary budget of stag beetle larvae associated with selective utilization of nitrogen in decaying wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanahashi, Masahiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kubota, Kôhei

2018-05-03

Wood degradation by insects plays important roles for the forest matter cycling. Since wood is deficient in nitrogen compared to the insect body, wood-feeding insects need to assimilate the nitrogen selectively and discard an excess carbon. Such a stoichiometric imbalance between food and body will cause high metabolic cost; therefore, wood-feeding insects may somehow alleviate the stoichiometric imbalance. Here, we investigated the carbon and nitrogen budgets of the larvae of stag beetle, Dorcus rectus, which feed on decaying wood. Assimilation efficiency of ingested wood was 22%, and those values based on the carbon and nitrogen were 27 and 45%, respectively, suggesting the selective digestion of nitrogen in wood. Element-based gross growth efficiency was much higher for nitrogen (45%) than for carbon (3%). As a result, the larvae released 24% of the ingested carbon as volatile, whereas almost no gaseous exchange was observed for nitrogen. Moreover, solubility-based elementary analysis revealed that the larvae mainly utilized alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble fraction of wood, which is rich in nitrogen. Actually, the midgut of the larvae was highly alkaline (pH 10.3). Stag beetle larvae are known to exhibit coprophagy, and here we also confirmed that alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble nitrogen increased again from fresh feces to old feces in the field. Stable isotope analysis suggested the utilization of aerial nitrogen by larvae; however, its actual contribution is still disputable. Those results suggest that D. rectus larvae selectively utilize alkaline-soluble nitrogenous substrates by using their highly alkaline midgut, and perhaps associate with microbes that enhance the nitrogen recycling in feces.

Mechanics of Wood Machining

CERN Document Server

Csanády, Etele

2013-01-01

Wood is one of the most valuable materials for mankind, and since our earliest days wood materials have been widely used. Today we have modern woodworking machine and tools; however, the raw wood materials available are continuously declining. Therefore we are forced to use this precious material more economically, reducing waste wherever possible. This new textbook on the “Mechanics of Wood Machining” combines the quantitative, mathematical analysis of the mechanisms of wood processing with practical recommendations and solutions. Bringing together materials from many sources, the book contains new theoretical and experimental approaches and offers a clear and systematic overview of the theory of wood cutting, thermal loading in wood-cutting tools, dynamic behaviour of tool and work piece, optimum choice of operational parameters and energy consumption, the wear process of the tools, and the general regularities of wood surface roughness. Diagrams are provided for the quick estimation of various process ...

Soil-wood interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wal, van der Annemieke; klein Gunnewiek, Paulien; Boer, de Wietse

2017-01-01

Wood-inhabiting fungi may affect soil fungal communities directly underneath decaying wood via their exploratory hyphae. In addition, differences in wood leachates between decaying tree species may influence soil fungal communities. We determined the composition of fungi in 4-yr old decaying logs

Improved Activity of a Thermophilic Cellulase, Cel5A, from Thermotoga maritima on Ionic Liquid Pretreated Switchgrass

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhiwei; Pereira, Jose H.; Liu, Hanbin; Tran, Huu M.; Hsu, Nathan S. Y.; Dibble, Dean; Singh, Seema; Adams, Paul D.; Sapra, Rajat; Hadi, Masood Z.; Simmons, Blake A.; Sale, Kenneth L.

2013-01-01

Ionic liquid pretreatment of biomass has been shown to greatly reduce the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, resulting in improved sugar yields after enzymatic saccharification. However, even under these improved saccharification conditions the cost of enzymes still represents a significant proportion of the total cost of producing sugars and ultimately fuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Much of the high cost of enzymes is due to the low catalytic efficiency and stability of lignocellulolytic enzymes, especially cellulases, under conditions that include high temperatures and the presence of residual pretreatment chemicals, such as acids, organic solvents, bases, or ionic liquids. Improving the efficiency of the saccharification process on ionic liquid pretreated biomass will facilitate reduced enzyme loading and cost. Thermophilic cellulases have been shown to be stable and active in ionic liquids but their activity is typically at lower levels. Cel5A_Tma, a thermophilic endoglucanase from Thermotoga maritima, is highly active on cellulosic substrates and is stable in ionic liquid environments. Here, our motivation was to engineer mutants of Cel5A_Tma with higher activity on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]) pretreated biomass. We developed a robotic platform to screen a random mutagenesis library of Cel5A_Tma. Twelve mutants with 25–42% improvement in specific activity on carboxymethyl cellulose and up to 30% improvement on ionic-liquid pretreated switchgrass were successfully isolated and characterized from a library of twenty thousand variants. Interestingly, most of the mutations in the improved variants are located distally to the active site on the protein surface and are not directly involved with substrate binding. PMID:24244549

Improved activity of a thermophilic cellulase, Cel5A, from Thermotoga maritima on ionic liquid pretreated switchgrass.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiwei Chen

Full Text Available Ionic liquid pretreatment of biomass has been shown to greatly reduce the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass, resulting in improved sugar yields after enzymatic saccharification. However, even under these improved saccharification conditions the cost of enzymes still represents a significant proportion of the total cost of producing sugars and ultimately fuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Much of the high cost of enzymes is due to the low catalytic efficiency and stability of lignocellulolytic enzymes, especially cellulases, under conditions that include high temperatures and the presence of residual pretreatment chemicals, such as acids, organic solvents, bases, or ionic liquids. Improving the efficiency of the saccharification process on ionic liquid pretreated biomass will facilitate reduced enzyme loading and cost. Thermophilic cellulases have been shown to be stable and active in ionic liquids but their activity is typically at lower levels. Cel5A_Tma, a thermophilic endoglucanase from Thermotoga maritima, is highly active on cellulosic substrates and is stable in ionic liquid environments. Here, our motivation was to engineer mutants of Cel5A_Tma with higher activity on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc] pretreated biomass. We developed a robotic platform to screen a random mutagenesis library of Cel5A_Tma. Twelve mutants with 25-42% improvement in specific activity on carboxymethyl cellulose and up to 30% improvement on ionic-liquid pretreated switchgrass were successfully isolated and characterized from a library of twenty thousand variants. Interestingly, most of the mutations in the improved variants are located distally to the active site on the protein surface and are not directly involved with substrate binding.

Capsaicin pretreatment enhanced the bioavailability of fexofenadine in rats by P-glycoprotein modulation: in vitro, in situ and in vivo evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedada, Satish Kumar; Appani, Ramgopal; Boga, Praveen Kumar

2017-06-01

Capsaicin is the main pungent principle present in chili peppers has been found to possess P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibition activity in vitro, which may have the potential to modulate bioavailability of P-gp substrates. Therefore, purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of capsaicin on intestinal absorption and bioavailability of fexofenadine, a P-gp substrate in rats. The mechanistic evaluation was determined by non-everted sac and intestinal perfusion studies to explore the intestinal absorption of fexofenadine. These results were confirmed by an in vivo pharmacokinetic study of oral administered fexofenadine in rats. The intestinal transport and apparent permeability (P app ) of fexofenadine were increased significantly by 2.8 and 2.6 fold, respectively, in ileum of capsaicin treated rats when compared to control group. Similarly, absorption rate constant (K a ), fraction absorbed (F ab ) and effective permeability (P eff ) of fexofenadine were increased significantly by 2.8, 2.9 and 3.4 fold, respectively, in ileum of rats pretreated with capsaicin when compared to control group. In addition, maximum plasma concentration (C max ) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) were increased significantly by 2.3 and 2.4 fold, respectively, in rats pretreated with capsaicin as compared to control group. Furthermore, obtained results in rats pretreated with capsaicin were comparable to verapamil (positive control) treated rats. Capsaicin pretreatment significantly enhanced the intestinal absorption and bioavailability of fexofenadine in rats likely by inhibition of P-gp mediated cellular efflux, suggesting that the combined use of capsaicin with P-gp substrates may require close monitoring for potential drug interactions.

Wood energy-commercial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kennel, R. P.

1978-01-01

Wood energy is being widely investigated in many areas of the country because of the many obvious benefits of wood fuel such as the low price per million Btus relative to coal, oil, and gas; the wide availability of noncommercial wood and the proven ability to harvest it; established technology which is reliable and free of pollution; renewable resources; better conservation for harvested land; and the potential for jobs creation. The Southeastern United States has a specific leadership role in wood energy based on its established forest products industry experience and the potential application of wood energy to other industries and institutions. Significant questions about the widespread usage of wood energy are being answered in demonstrations around the country as well as the Southeast in areas of wood storage and bulk handling; high capitalization costs for harvesting and combustion equipment; long term supply and demand contracts; and the economic feasibility of wood energy outside the forest products industry.

Digestibility of Betung Bamboo Fiber Following Fungal Pretreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widya Fatriasari

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This research evaluated the effect of fungal pretreatment of betung bamboo fibers and enzymatic- and microwave-assisted hydrolysis on the reducing sugar yield. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated biomass was carried out with cellulase and 10 and 20 FPU/g of substrate in a shaking incubator at 50 °C and 150 rpm for 48 h. The sulfuric acid concentration used in the microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis was 1.0, 2.5, and 5%, either with or without the addition of activated carbon. Microwave irradiation (330 Watt was applied for 5–12.5 min. The yield of reducing sugar was better with the microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis, and the yield tended to increase with an increase in the irradiation time. Based on the dry weight of the initial biomass (bamboo, pretreatment with 5% inoculum loading resulted in a higher reducing sugar yield (17.06% than with 10% inoculum loading (14.54%. At a 1% acid concentration, the formation of brown compounds decreased, followed by a reduction in the reducing sugar yield. The addition of activated carbon at a 1% acid concentration seemed to be of no benefit with respect to the yield in the microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis. The pretreatment with the 5% inoculum loading for 12.5 min at 1% acid concentration resulted in the highest reducing sugar yield. Under these conditions, the yield was 6.3-fold that of the reducing sugar yield using 20 FPU/g of cellulase. The rate of bamboo hollocellulose hydrolysis reached 22.75% of the maximum theoretical reducing sugar reducing sugar of dry biomass.

POLYPYRROLE AND POLYPYRROLE/WOOD-DERIVED MATERIALS CONDUCTING COMPOSITES: A REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davide Beneventi Mail

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Wood and cellulose derivatives, in both fibrous and water-soluble macromolecular form, are emerging as outstanding candidates for organic electronics applications due to their large-scale availability, low cost, and easy processability. Paper and wood fibre-based derivatives are considered to be materials of choice as supports for communication world-wide. The interest in producing inexpensive and universally available conducting polymer/cellulose fibres substrates resides in the possibility of creating new materials that can be used for a broad range of advanced applications. For instance, PPy/cellulose fibres composites can be used for the preparation of energy storage devices thanks to the conjugation of the high specific area of cellulose fibres and the electrochemical properties of PPy. Other possible applications of such composites are in the area of the antistatic materials, sensors, electromagnetic interference shielding materials, smart packaging, and tissues. Concerning the woody polymers, some of them (i.e. cellulose derivatives also exhibit biocompatibility, as well as film-forming properties and transparency. In combination with the electrical properties of PPy, these features make PPy/macromolecular cellulose composites suitable for applications as displays, lighting, and photovoltaics. Due to their chemical structure, macromolecular wood derivatives have been proposed with success as enhancing conductivity additives in Py polymerisation. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of PPy chemistry and of the most relevant advances attained in the production of PPy/wood derived materials conducting composites.

Who's Counting Dead Wood ?

OpenAIRE

Woodall, C. W.; Verkerk, H.; Rondeux, Jacques; Ståhl, G.

2009-01-01

Dead wood in forests is a critical component of biodiversity, carbon and nutrient cycles, stand structure, and fuel loadings. Until recently, very few countries have conducted systematic inventories of dead wood resources across their forest lands. This may be changing as an increasing number of countries implement dead wood inventories. A recent survey looks at the status and attributes of forest dead wood inventories in over 60 countries. About 13 percent of countries inventory dead wood gl...

Ethanol production from sugars obtained during enzymatic hydrolysis of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum.) pretreated by steam explosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholl, Angélica Luisi; Menegol, Daiane; Pitarelo, Ana Paula; Fontana, Roselei Claudete; Zandoná Filho, Arion; Ramos, Luiz Pereira; Dillon, Aldo José Pinheiro; Camassola, Marli

2015-09-01

In this work, steam explosion was used a pretreatment method to improve the conversion of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) to cellulosic ethanol. This way, enzymatic hydrolysis of vaccum-drained and water-washed steam-treated substrates was carried out with Penicillium echinulatum enzymes while Saccharomyces cerevisiae CAT-1 was used for fermentation. After 48 h of hydrolysis, the highest yield of reducing sugars was obtained from vaccum-drained steam-treated substrates that were produced after 10 min at 200 °C (863.42 ± 62.52 mg/g). However, the highest glucose yield was derived from water-washed steam-treated substrates that were produced after 10 min at 190 °C (248.34 ± 6.27 mg/g) and 200 °C (246.00 ± 9.60 mg/g). Nevertheless, the highest ethanol production was obtained from water-washed steam-treated substrates that were produced after 6 min at 200 °C. These data revealed that water washing is a critical step for ethanol production from steam-treated elephant grass and that pretreatment generates a great deal of water soluble inhibitory compounds for hydrolysis and fermentation, which were partly characterized as part of this study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

INCREASE OF ADHESION OF PAINT-AND-LACQUER MATERIALS TO WOOD THROUGH THE MODIFICATION OF ITS SURFACE BY BORON-NITROGEN COMPOUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koteneva Irina Vasil'evna

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The authors demonstrate that the efficiency of protection of wooden structures, covered with paints and lacquer materials, from the influence of the environment, depends on the adhesion size. It is common knowledge that improvement of adhesion of capillary-porous materials to the wood, and, hence, the increase of the service life of the sheeting requires the reduction in the dimensions of the wood surface, as the reduction of diameters of capillaries leads to the growth of forces of capillary condensation and to the increase in the depth of penetration of paints into the material. Adhesion of a water-soluble acrylic paint and organic-soluble enamels to the surface of the wood modified by boron-nitrogen compounds and to unmodified wood is the subject of the research. It is identified that the increase in the adhesive durability of paint and varnish coverings if glued to the surface of the wood modified by boron-nitrogen compounds, is driven by the growth of the polarity of a substrate and the reduction of dimensions of the wood surface.

Antioxidative Peptides Derived from Enzyme Hydrolysis of Bone Collagen after Microwave Assisted Acid Pre-Treatment and Nitrogen Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Sun

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This study focused on the preparation method of antioxidant peptides by enzymatic hydrolysis of bone collagen after microwave assisted acid pre-treatment and nitrogen protection. Phosphoric acid showed the highest ability of hydrolysis among the four other acids tested (hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and/or citric acid. The highest degree of hydrolysis (DH was 9.5% using 4 mol/L phosphoric acid with a ratio of 1:6 under a microwave intensity of 510 W for 240 s. Neutral proteinase gave higher DH among the four protease tested (Acid protease, neutral protease, Alcalase and papain, with an optimum condition of: (1 ratio of enzyme and substrate, 4760 U/g; (2 concentration of substrate, 4%; (3 reaction temperature, 55 °C and (4 pH 7.0. At 4 h, DH increased significantly (P < 0.01 under nitrogen protection compared with normal microwave assisted acid pre-treatment hydrolysis conditions. The antioxidant ability of the hydrolysate increased and reached its maximum value at 3 h; however DH decreased dramatically after 3 h. Microwave assisted acid pre-treatment and nitrogen protection could be a quick preparatory method for hydrolyzing bone collagen.

Biogas production from wheat straw in batch and UASB reactors: the roles of pretreatment and seaweed hydrolysate as a co-substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkemka, Valentine Nkongndem; Murto, Marika

2013-01-01

This research evaluated biogas production in batch and UASB reactors from pilot-scale acid catalysed steam pretreated and enzymatic hydrolysed wheat straw. The results showed that the pretreatment was efficient and, a sugar yield of 95% was obtained. The pretreatment improved the methane yield (0.28 m(3)/kg VS(added)) by 57% compared to untreated straw. Treatment of the straw hydrolysate with nutrient supplementation in a UASB reactor resulted in a high methane production rate, 2.70 m(3)/m(3).d at a sustainable OLR of 10.4 kg COD/m(3).d and with a COD reduction of 94%. Alternatively, co-digestion of the straw and seaweed hydrolysates in a UASB reactor also maintained a stable anaerobic process and can thus reduce the cost of nutrients addition. We have shown that biogas production from wheat straw can be competitive by pretreatment, high methane production rate in UASB reactors and also by co-digestion with seaweed hydrolysate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beam radiation curing of adhesives for flocking on heat-sensitive substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nablo, S.V.; Fussa, A.D.

1979-01-01

A process is described for curing the adhesive used to hold flock fiber material to a heat-sensitive substrate consisting of temperature-sensitive plastic, natural fibers, wood, paper, or paper-foil laminates. An electron-curable adhesive layer (acrylic, epoxy, epoxy esters, acrylic latex, or urethane) a few mils thick is applied to the substrate and a layer of texturing material is attached to the adhesive layer with fibers substantially perpendicular to the layer. The assembly of substrate and adhesively secured material is passed at a rate of about 20 to 80 meters per minute under an unscanned electron curtain beam which possesses an energy of 150 keV +- 30 percent and delivers an electron dose of 2 megarads +- 50 percent to the adhesive layer. (LL)

Occurrence patterns of dead wood and wood-dependent lichens in managed boreal forest landscapes

OpenAIRE

Svensson, Måns

2013-01-01

Dead wood is a key resource for biodiversity, on which thousands of forest organisms are dependent. Because of current forest management, there has been a large-scale change in dead wood amounts and qualities, and consequently, many wood-dependent species are threatened. The general aim of this thesis is to increase our understanding of habitat requirements and occurrence patterns of wood-dependent lichens in managed, boreal forest landscapes. We surveyed dead wood and wood-dependent lichens ...

Energy from wood - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nussbaumer, T.

2000-01-01

The present publication is the introduction to a series of papers on fundamentals and applications of wood energy. It summarizes figures and data of the actual situation of fuel wood utilization in Switzerland and its potential for the future. Further, the advantages of bio-energy are discussed and the possibilities of funding for bio-energy in Switzerland are described. Wood contributes with 2.5% to the total energy demand in Switzerland nowadays. However, the utilization of wood energy can be more than doubled, which is one of the targets of the Swiss energy policy. The supply chains for the different types of fuel wood are described and specifications and prices of log wood, forestry wood chips and wood residues are presented. The main applications of wood energy are residential heating with manually operated wood boilers and stoves, on the one hand, and heat production with automatic wood furnaces in industry and communities, on the other hand. Automatic furnaces have been promoted in the past ten years and hence they contribute nowadays with more than 50% to the energy supply from wood with a further growing share. As an assistance for further information, a list of institutions and addresses in the field of wood energy in Switzerland is given in the paper. (author)

Wood preservative testing

Science.gov (United States)

Rebecca Ibach; Stan T. Lebow

2012-01-01

Most wood species used in commercial and residential construction have little natural biological durability and will suffer from biodeterioration when exposed to moisture. Historically, this problem has been overcome by treating wood for outdoor use with toxic wood preservatives. As societal acceptance of chemical use changes, there is continual pressure to develop and...

Wood Dust

Science.gov (United States)

Learn about wood dust, which can raise the risk of cancers of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. High amounts of wood dust are produced in sawmills, and in the furniture-making, cabinet-making, and carpentry industries.

Wood Smoke

Science.gov (United States)

Smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine, microscopic particles produced when wood and other organic matter burn. The biggest health threat from wood smoke comes from fine particles (also called particulate matter).

Ethanol production from bamboo using mild alkaline pre-extraction followed by alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Zhaoyang; Wen, Yangbing; Kapu, Nuwan Sella

2018-01-01

A sequential two-stage pretreatment process comprising alkaline pre-extraction and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHP) was investigated to convert bamboo carbohydrates into bioethanol. The results showed that mild alkaline pre-extraction using 8% (w/w) sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 100°C for 180min followed by AHP pretreatment with 4% (w/w) hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was sufficient to generate a substrate that could be efficiently digested with low enzyme loadings. Moreover, alkali pre-extraction enabled the use of lower H 2 O 2 charges in AHP treatment. Two-stage pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with only 9FPU/g cellulose led to the recovery of 87% of the original sugars in the raw feedstock. The use of the pentose-hexose fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8u strain enabled the utilization of 95.7% sugars in the hydrolysate to reach 4.6%w/v ethanol titer. The overall process also enabled the recovery of 62.9% lignin and 93.8% silica at high levels of purity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE IMPACT OF EXTRUSION ON THE BIOGAS AND BIOMETHANE YIELD OF PLANT SUBSTRATES

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Krzysztof Pilarski

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The objective of the present work was to determine the effect of pretreatment by extrusion on the biogas and biomethane yield of lignocellulosic substrates such as maize silage and maize straw silage. The biogas yields of the substrates before and after treatment were compared. Moreover, energy efficiency of pretreatment by extrusion was analyzed in order to assess the applicability of the process in an agricultural biogas plant. Extrusion tests were carried out in a short single-screw extruder KZM-2 in which the length-to-diameter ratio of the screw was 6:1 and rotational speed was 200 rpm. The biogas yield tests of the plant substrates after extrusion were carried out in a laboratory scale, using 15 biofermenters operated in a periodic manner, at a constant temperature of 39°C (mesophilic digestion and controlled pH conditions. The gas-emission analysis was performed using a certified gas analyzer from Geotech GA5000. Pretreatment by extrusion was observed to improve the quantity of methane generated: in terms of fresh matter for maize silage subjected to extrusion, the methane yield was 16.48% higher than that of the non-extruded silage. On the other hand, maize straw silage after extrusion gave 35.30% more methane than did the same, non-extruded, material. Differences in yields relative to dry organic matter are also described in this paper. Taking into account the amount of energy that is spent on pretreatment and the generated amount of methane, the energy balance for the process gives an idea of the economics of the operation. For maize silage, energy efficiency was lower by 13.21% (-553.2 kWh/Mg, in contrast to maize straw silage, where the increase in energy was 33.49% (678.4 kWh/Mg. The obtained results indicate that more studies on the pretreatment and digestion of maize silage are required in order to improve the efficiency of its use for making biogas. To fully utilize its potential, it is necessary to know thoroughly the effect of

Cold Gas-Sprayed Deposition of Metallic Coatings onto Ceramic Substrates Using Laser Surface Texturing Pre-treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Kromer, R.; Danlos, Y.; Costil, S.

2018-04-01

Cold spraying enables a variety of metals dense coatings onto metal surfaces. Supersonic gas jet accelerates particles which undergo with the substrate plastic deformation. Different bonding mechanisms can be created depending on the materials. The particle-substrate contact time, contact temperature and contact area upon impact are the parameters influencing physicochemical and mechanical bonds. The resultant bonding arose from plastic deformation of the particle and substrate and temperature increasing at the interface. The objective was to create specific topography to enable metallic particle adhesion onto ceramic substrates. Ceramic did not demonstrate deformation during the impact which minimized the intimate bonds. Laser surface texturing was hence used as prior surface treatment to create specific topography and to enable mechanical anchoring. Particle compressive states were necessary to build up coating. The coating deposition efficiency and adhesion strength were evaluated. Textured surface is required to obtain strong adhesion of metallic coatings onto ceramic substrates. Consequently, cold spray coating parameters depend on the target material and a methodology was established with particle parameters (diameters, velocities, temperatures) and particle/substrate properties to adapt the surface topography. Laser surface texturing is a promising tool to increase the cold spraying applications.

The impacts of pretreatment on the fermentability of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass: a comparative evaluation between ammonia fiber expansion and dilute acid pretreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dale Bruce E

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pretreatment chemistry is of central importance due to its impacts on cellulosic biomass processing and biofuels conversion. Ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX and dilute acid are two promising pretreatments using alkaline and acidic pH that have distinctive differences in pretreatment chemistries. Results Comparative evaluation on these two pretreatments reveal that (i AFEX-pretreated corn stover is significantly more fermentable with respect to cell growth and sugar consumption, (ii both pretreatments can achieve more than 80% of total sugar yield in the enzymatic hydrolysis of washed pretreated solids, and (iii while AFEX completely preserves plant carbohydrates, dilute acid pretreatment at 5% solids loading degrades 13% of xylose to byproducts. Conclusion The selection of pretreatment will determine the biomass-processing configuration, requirements for hydrolysate conditioning (if any and fermentation strategy. Through dilute acid pretreatment, the need for hemicellulase in biomass processing is negligible. AFEX-centered cellulosic technology can alleviate fermentation costs through reducing inoculum size and practically eliminating nutrient costs during bioconversion. However, AFEX requires supplemental xylanases as well as cellulase activity. As for long-term sustainability, AFEX has greater potential to diversify products from a cellulosic biorefinery due to lower levels of inhibitor generation and lignin loss.

Steam explosion pretreatment of softwood: the effect of the explosive decompression on enzymatic digestibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Pielhop, Thomas; Amgarten, Janick; von Rohr, Philipp Rudolf; Studer, Michael H

2016-01-01

Steam explosion pretreatment has been examined in many studies for enhancing the enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass and is currently the most common pretreatment method in commercial biorefineries. The information available about the effect of the explosive decompression on the biochemical conversion is, however, very limited, and no studies prove that the latter is actually enhanced by the explosion. Hence, it is of great value to discern between the effect of the explosion on the one hand and the steaming on the other hand, to identify their particular influences on enzymatic digestibility. The effect of the explosive decompression in the steam explosion pretreatment of spruce wood chips on their enzymatic cellulose digestibility was studied systematically. The explosion had a high influence on digestibility, improving it by up to 90 % compared to a steam pretreatment without explosion. Two factors were identified to be essentially responsible for the effect of the explosion on enzymatic digestibility: pretreatment severity and pressure difference of the explosion. A higher pretreatment severity can soften up and weaken the lignocellulose structure more, so that the explosion can better break up the biomass and decrease its particle size, which enhances its digestibility. In particular, increasing the pressure difference of the explosion leads to more defibration, a smaller particle size and a better digestibility. Though differences were found in the micro- and nanostructure of exploded and non-exploded biomass, the only influence of the explosion on digestibility was found to be the macroscopic particle size reduction. Steam explosion treatments with a high severity and a high pressure difference of the explosion lead to a comparatively high cellulose digestibility of the-typically very recalcitrant-softwood biomass. This is the first study to show that explosion can enhance the enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass. If the

Wood thermoplastic composites

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel F. Caulfield; Craig Clemons; Roger M. Rowell

2010-01-01

The wood industry can expand into new sustainable markets with the formation of a new class of composites with the marriage of the wood industry and the plastics industry. The wood component, usually a flour or fiber, is combined with a thermoplastic to form an extrudable, injectable or thermoformable composite that can be used in many non-structural applications....

Production of enzymes by a newly isolated Bacillus sp. TMF-1 in solid state fermentation on agricultural by-products: The evaluation of substrate pretreatment methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Salim, Abdalla Ali; Grbavčić, Sanja; Šekuljica, Nataša; Stefanović, Andrea; Jakovetić Tanasković, Sonja; Luković, Nevena; Knežević-Jugović, Zorica

2017-03-01

Study on potential of different agro-industrial waste residues for supporting the growth of newly isolated Bacillus sp. TMF-1 strain under solid-state fermentation (SSF) was conducted aiming to produce several industrially valuable enzymes. Since the feasibility of the initial study was confirmed, further objectives included evaluation of several pretreatments of the studied agricultural by-products (soybean meal, sunflower meal, maize bran, maize pericarp, olive oil cake and wheat bran) on the microbial productivity as means of enhancing the yields of produced proteases, α-amylases, cellulases and pectinases. Among acid/alkaline treatment, ultrasound and microwave assisted methods, chemical treatments superiorly affected most of the studied substrates. Highest yields of produced proteases (50.5IUg -1 ) and α-amylases (50.75IUg -1 ) were achieved on alkaline treated corn pericarp. Alkaline treatment also promoted the secretion of cellulases on maize bran (1.19IUg -1 ). Highest yield of pectinases was obtained on untreated soybean meal (64.90IUg -1 ). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PRODUKSI BIOETANOL DARI ALKALI-PRETREATMENT JERAMI PADI DENGAN PROSES SIMULTANEOUS SACHARIFICATION AND FERMENTATION (SSF

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Iryanti Fatyasari Nata

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Rice straw is an agricultural waste which contains 39% cellulose and 27.5% hemicelluloses. Rice straw can be converted into bio ethanol by Simultaneous Saccharification Fermentation (SSF process. The aims of this research are to investigate the influence of rice straw pretreatment and operation condition (number of cellulose enzyme and Saccharomyces cereviseae for bioethanol production. The bioethanol conversion was devided by 2 steps, there were delignification and SSF. Delignification process was done by soak rice straw in NaOH 2% heated at temperature 85 oC for 1 hour then washed with water. The pretreatment rice straw was used as substrate in SSF. SSF was conducted in the presence of cellulase enzyme (20, 30, and 40 FPU and Sacharomyces Cerevisiae (2,4 and 6 ose for 3 days. The bioethanol concentration produced for 20 FPU, 30 FPU, and 40 FPU in 2 ose S.careviseae are 0,45%, 0,44%, and 0,43% respectively. The addition number of Saccharomyces cereviseae was gave high concentration of bioethanol. The result shown that bioethanol concentration of 2 ose, 4 ose and 6 ose are 0,45%, 0,46% and 1,07%, respectively. In the same concentration of enzyme (20 FPU which pretreatment and non pretretament substrate was increased of bioethanol concentration up to 82,2%. The pretretment process was broken the structure of lignin and made enzyme easy to attached cellulose and converted to glucose.

Comparison of steam and ammonia pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mes-Hartree, M.; Dale, B.E.; Craig, W.K.

1988-11-01

Aspenwood, wheat straw, wheat chaff and alfalfa stems were treated under pressure with either steam or ammonia. The material was then water or methanol/water extracted. The extent of enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose portion of the treated substrates was compared using two different cellulases, a commercial preparation, Celluclast, and those from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. Both steam and ammonia treatment enhanced the accessibility of the cellulose as measured by hydrolysis. Methanol extraction of steamed material generally reduced the access of the enzyme to the cellulose, whereas methanol extraction of ammonia-treated material increased accessibility. The optimum combinations of pretreatment and extraction method depended on the substrate and on the enzyme system; no treatment suitable for all situations could be selected.

Early benthic successional processes at implanted substrates in Barkley Submarine Canyon affected by a permanent oxygen minimum zone

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera De Leo, F.; Smith, C. R.; Levin, L. A.; Fleury, A.; Aguzzi, J.

2016-02-01

With the advent of cabled observatories scientists are now able to have a permanent presence in the deep-seafloor, being able to reveal previously unseen faunal behavior as well as to track long-term changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function. The Ocean Networks Canada 800-km loop seafloor observatory array (NEPTUNE) located in the NE Pacific has instruments measuring a variety of environmental variables ranging from temperature, salinity, oxygen, currents, turbidity, fluorescence, etc, at multiple and very high temporal resolution scales. High-definition video cameras also monitor benthic communities in multiple deep-sea habitats, all at some extent influenced by an oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). In the present study, whale-bone and wood substrates are being used to evaluate bathymetric, regional and inter-basin variations in benthic biodiversity and connectivity, as well as interactions between biodiversity and ecosystem function. In May of 2014 three humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) rib sections, one 20x20x10 cm block of Douglas Fir (Pseudotsunga meniziesii), and a 30x30x30 block of authigenic carbonate were placed with the use of an ROV at 890 m depth inside Barkley Canyon. The substrate packages were placed concentrically, 45-cm away from a HD video camera. Five-minute videos were captured at 2-hr intervals. Preliminary data analysis from 8 months of deployment showed very distinct early community succession patterns between the two organic substrates (bones and wood) and the authigenic carbonate. Whalebones and wood showed amphipod (Orchomene obtusa) abundance peaks mostly contained during the first 60 days after deployment; Amphipod peak abundance rapid decline coincides with rapid growth of bacterial mat on whalebone and wood surfaces. Low abundance, species richness and substrate degradation rates are in agreement with a low oxygen environment of the OMZ in the canyon. Despite the early stages of data analysis, this experiment demonstrates how

Rapid optimization of enzyme mixtures for deconstruction of diverse pretreatment/biomass feedstock combinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walton Jonathan D

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Enzymes for plant cell wall deconstruction are a major cost in the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. The goal of this research was to develop optimized synthetic mixtures of enzymes for multiple pretreatment/substrate combinations using our high-throughput biomass digestion platform, GENPLAT, which combines robotic liquid handling, statistical experimental design and automated Glc and Xyl assays. Proportions of six core fungal enzymes (CBH1, CBH2, EG1, β-glucosidase, a GH10 endo-β1,4-xylanase, and β-xylosidase were optimized at a fixed enzyme loading of 15 mg/g glucan for release of Glc and Xyl from all combinations of five biomass feedstocks (corn stover, switchgrass, Miscanthus, dried distillers' grains plus solubles [DDGS] and poplar subjected to three alkaline pretreatments (AFEX, dilute base [0.25% NaOH] and alkaline peroxide [AP]. A 16-component mixture comprising the core set plus 10 accessory enzymes was optimized for three pretreatment/substrate combinations. Results were compared to the performance of two commercial enzymes (Accellerase 1000 and Spezyme CP at the same protein loadings. Results When analyzed with GENPLAT, corn stover gave the highest yields of Glc with commercial enzymes and with the core set with all pretreatments, whereas corn stover, switchgrass and Miscanthus gave comparable Xyl yields. With commercial enzymes and with the core set, yields of Glc and Xyl were highest for grass stovers pretreated by AP compared to AFEX or dilute base. Corn stover, switchgrass and DDGS pretreated with AFEX and digested with the core set required a higher proportion of endo-β1,4-xylanase (EX3 and a lower proportion of endo-β1,4-glucanase (EG1 compared to the same materials pretreated with dilute base or AP. An optimized enzyme mixture containing 16 components (by addition of α-glucuronidase, a GH11 endoxylanase [EX2], Cel5A, Cel61A, Cip1, Cip2, β-mannanase, amyloglucosidase, �

Life cycle environmental impacts of different construction wood waste and wood packaging waste processing methods

OpenAIRE

Manninen, Kaisa; Judl, Jáchym; Myllymaa, Tuuli

2016-01-01

This study compared the life cycle environmental impacts of different wood waste processing methods in three impact categories: climate impact, acidification impacts and eutrophication impacts. The wood waste recovery methods examined were the use of wood waste in terrace boards made out of wood composite which replace impregnated terrace boards, incineration of wood waste in a multi-fuel boiler instead of peat and the use of wood waste in the production of particleboard in either Finland or ...

EXTRACELLULAR PROTEINS PRODUCED BY DIFFERENT SPECIES OF THE FUNGUS TRICHODERMA ON SECONDARY PAPER MILL SLUDGE SUBSTRATE

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Ida Vaskova,

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Kraft pulping is the most commonly used pulping process in the pulp and paper industry. In this process wood chips are chemically delignified using sodium sulfide and sodium hydroxide. Delignification is usually followed by mechanical fiberization and a bleaching process of the resulting wood pulp. In addition to lignin-free wood pulp, this process also produces waste that contains residues of used chemicals, lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses, and small amounts of other wood components. Because of the worldwide large-scale production of paper, the sludge from paper mills contributes significantly to environmental pollution. Although there have been great efforts being made to utilize this lignin-rich material, sludge is mostly disposed in landfills or incinerated in a boiler. This research project used secondary sludge as a substrate for 7 wood-decay fungi taxonomically belonging to the genus Trichoderma. The examined fungi expressed the capability of consuming sludge components as a carbon source to produce extracellular proteins. The proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis. Before and after fungi cultivation, the sludge was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR.

Ammonium carboxylate production from sugarcane trash using long-term air-lime pretreatment followed by mixed-culture fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nachiappan, Balasubramaniyan; Fu, Zhihong; Holtzapple, Mark T

2011-03-01

Sugarcane trash (ST) was converted to ammonium carboxylates using a novel bioprocessing strategy known as long-term air-lime pretreatment/mixed-culture fermentation. At mild conditions (50°C, 5 weeks, 1-atm air, and excess lime loading of 0.4 g Ca(OH)(2)/(g dry biomass)), air-lime pretreatment of ST had moderate delignification (64.4%) with little loss in polysaccharides. Without employing detoxification, sterility, expensive nutrients, or costly enzymes, the feedstock (80% treated ST/20% chicken manure) was fermented to primarily ammonium acetate (>75%) and butyrate by a mixed culture of marine microorganisms at 55°C. In the best four-stage countercurrent fermentation, the product yield was 0.36 g total acids/(g VS fed) and the substrate conversion was 64%. Model predictions indicate both high acid concentrations (>47.5 g/L) and high substrate conversions (>70%) are possible at industrial scale. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FeCl3-catalyzed ethanol pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse boosts sugar yields with low enzyme loadings and short hydrolysis time.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongdan; Zhang, Shuaishuai; Yuan, Hongyou; Lyu, Gaojin; Xie, Jun

2018-02-01

An organosolv pretreatment system consisting of 60% ethanol and 0.025 mol·L -1 FeCl 3 under various temperatures was developed in this study. During the pretreatment, the highest xylose yield was 11.4 g/100 g raw material, representing 49.8% of xylose in sugarcane bagasse. Structural features of raw material and pretreated substrates were characterized to better understand how hemicellulose removal and delignification affected subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. The 160 °C pretreated solid presented a remarkable glucose yield of 93.8% for 72 h. Furthermore, the influence of different additives on the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated solid was investigated. The results indicated that the addition of Tween 80 shortened hydrolysis time to 6 h and allowed a 50% reduction of enzyme loading to achieve the same level of glucose yield. This work suggested that FeCl 3 -catalyzed organosolv pretreatment could improve the enzymatic hydrolysis significantly and reduce the hydrolysis time and enzyme dosage with the addition of Tween 80. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of pretreatment techniques on anaerobic digestion of pulp and paper mill sludge: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Veluchamy, C; Kalamdhad, Ajay S

2017-12-01

Pulp and paper industry is one of the most polluting, energy and water intensive industries in the world. Produced pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) faces a major problem for handling and its management. An anaerobic digestion has become an alternative source. This review provides a detailed summary of anaerobic digestion of PPMS - An overview of the developments and improvement opportunities. This paper explores the different pretreatment methods to enhance biogas production from the PPMS. First, the paper gives an overview of PPMS production, and then it reviews PPMS as a substrate for anaerobic digestion with or without pretreatment. Finally, it discuss the optimal condition and concentration of organic and inorganic compounds required for the anaerobic metabolic activity. Future research should focus on the combination of different pretreatment technologies, relationship between sludge composition, reactor design and its operation, and microbial community dynamics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Many Roles of Wood Adhesives

Science.gov (United States)

Charles R. Frihart

2014-01-01

Although wood bonding is one of the oldest applications of adhesives, going back to early recorded history (1), some aspects of wood bonds are still not fully understood. Most books in the general area of adhesives and adhesion do not cover wood bonding. However, a clearer understanding of wood bonding and wood adhesives can lead to improved products. This is important...

Urban Wood Waste Resource Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiltsee, G.

1998-11-20

This study collected and analyzed data on urban wood waste resources in 30 randomly selected metropolitan areas in the United States. Three major categories wood wastes disposed with, or recovered from, the municipal solid waste stream; industrial wood wastes such as wood scraps and sawdust from pallet recycling, woodworking shops, and lumberyards; and wood in construction/demolition and land clearing debris.

ETHANOL ORGANOSOLV PRETREATMENT OF BAMBOO FOR EFFICIENT ENZYMATIC SACCHARIFICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiqiang Li,

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Bamboo is a potential lignocellulosic biomass for the production of bioethanol because of its high cellulose and hemicelluloses content. In this research, ethanol organosolv pretreatment with dilute sulfuric acid as the catalyst was studied in order to enhance enzymatic saccharification of moso bamboo. The addition of 2% (w/w bamboo dilute sulfuric acid in 75% ethanol had a particularly strong effect on fractionation of bamboo. It yielded a solids fraction containing 83.4% cellulose in the treated substrate. The cellulose conversion to glucose yield reached 77.1 to 83.4% after enzymatic hydrolysis of the solids fraction for 48 h at an enzyme loading of 15 FPU cellulase/g cellulose and 30 IU β-glucosidase/g cellulose. The enzymatic hydrolysis rate was significantly accelerated as the ethanol organosolv pretreatment time increased, reaching the highest enzymatic glucose yield of 83.4% after 48 h at 50 °C. The concentrations of fermentation inhibitors such as HMF (5-hydroxy-2-methyl furfural and furfural were 0.96 g/L and 4.38 g/L in the spent liquor after the ethanol organosolv pretreatment, which were slightly lower than the concentrations quantified during H2SO4-water treatment. Spent liquor was diluted with water, and more than 87.2% of lignin in raw bamboo was recovered as ethanol organosolv lignin through the filtration process.

Priority effects of early successional insects influence late successional fungi in dead wood.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsen, Rannveig Margrete; Birkemoe, Tone; Sverdrup-Thygeson, Anne

2015-11-01

Community assembly is an integral process in all ecosystems, producing patterns of species distributions, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning. Environmental filters and colonization history govern the assembly process, but their relative importance varies depending on the study system. Dead wood decomposition is a slow process, allowing decomposer communities to develop within a slowly changing substrate for decades. Despite this, there are few long-term studies of priority effects from colonization history in this ecosystem. In this study, we investigate the importance of insects in early succession of dead wood on the fungal community present one decade later. Sixty aspen trees were killed in two study landscapes, each tree producing one aspen high stump and log. Insects were sampled with flight interception traps during the first 4 years after tree death, and fungal fruiting bodies were registered in year twelve. We found positive priority effects of two fungivorous beetles, the sap beetle Glischrochilus quadripunctatus and the round fungus beetle Agathidium nigripenne, on the Artist's bracket (Ganoderma applanatum) and a positive priority effect of wood-boring beetles on the ascomycete Yellow fairy cup (Bisporella citrina). The Aspen bracket (Phellinus tremulae) did not respond to insects in early succession of the dead wood. Our results suggest that early successional insects can have significant, long-lasting effects on the late successional fungal community in dead wood. Also, the effect can be specific, with one fungus species depending on one or a few fungivorous beetle species. This has implications for decomposition and biodiversity in dead wood, as loss of early colonizing beetles may also affect the successional pathways they seem to initiate.

Radioactivity of Wood and Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hus, M.; Kosutic, K.; Lulic, S.

2003-01-01

Nuclear experiments in the atmosphere and nuclear accidents caused global deposition of artificial radionuclides in the soil of Earth's northern hemisphere, the territory of the Republic of Croatia included. Soil contamination by radionuclides resulted in their deposition in plants growing on the contaminated soil as well as in the trees. Large area of the Republic of Croatia is covered with wood, which is exploited in manufacture of industrial wood and for firewood. From approximately 3 million cubic metres of wood exploited annually, nearly one third serves for firewood. In the process of burning a smaller portion of radionuclides deposited in the wood evaporates and goes to atmosphere while a larger portion is retained in the ash. In this paper are presented the results of natural radionuclides 4 0K , 2 32T h and 2 38U as well as of artificial radionuclide 1 37C s content determination in the wood, wood briquette, charcoal and in ash remained after burning the wood, wood briquette and charcoal. The obtained results are discussed from wood radiocontamination aspect and from the aspect of potential environmental radiocontamination by the products from wood burning process. (author)

Effect of steam pretreatment on oil palm empty fruit bunch for the production of sugars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shamsudin, Saleha; Md Shah, Umi Kalsom; Zainudin, Huzairi; Abd-Aziz, Suraini; Mustapa Kamal, Siti Mazlina; Shirai, Yoshihito; Hassan, Mohd Ali

2012-01-01

Lignocellulose into fuel ethanol is the most feasible conversion route strategy in terms of sustainability. Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) generated from palm oil production is a huge source of cellulosic material and represents a cheap renewable feedstock which awaits further commercial exploitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using steam at 0.28 MPa and 140 °C generated from the palm oil mill boiler as a pretreatment to enhance the digestibility of EFB for sugars production. The effects of steam pretreatment or autohydrolysis on chemical composition changes, polysaccharide conversion, sugar production and morphology alterations of four different types of EFB namely fresh EFB (EFB1), sterilized EFB (EFB2), shredded EFB (EFB3) and ground EFB (EFB4) were evaluated. In this study, the effects of steam pretreatment showed major alterations in the morphology of EFB as observed under the scanning electron microscope. Steam pretreated EFB2 was found to have the highest total conversion of 30% to sugars with 209 g kg −1 EFB. This production was 10.5 fold higher than for EFB1 and 1.6 fold and 1.7 fold higher than EFB3 and EFB4, respectively. The results suggested that pretreatment of EFB by autohydrolysis using steam from the mill boiler could be considered as being a suitable pretreatment process for the production of sugars. These sugars can be utilized as potential substrates for the production of various products such as fuel ethanol. -- Highlights: ► We investigate the feasibility of steam pretreatment to enhance digestibility of EFB. ► Steam pretreatment increased sugars to 3.4 fold and caused major alteration in EFB morphology under SEM. ► Autohydrolysis which does not require the addition of chemicals is an attractive pretreatment approach to EFB.

[Effects of hot-NaOH pretreatment on Jerusalem artichoke stalk composition and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qing; Qiu, Jingwen; Li, Yang; Shen, Fei

2015-10-01

In order to explore the possibility of Jerusalem artichoke stalk for bioenergy conversion, we analyzed the main composition of whole stalk, pitch, and core of the stalk. Meanwhile, these parts were pretreated with different NaOH concentrations at 121 degrees C. Afterwards, enzymatic hydrolysis was performed to evaluate the pretreatment efficiency. Jerusalem artichoke stalk was characterized by relatively high lignin content (32.0%) compared with traditional crop stalks. The total carbohydrate content was close to that of crop stalks, but with higher cellulose content (40.5%) and lower hemicellulose (19.6%) than those of traditional crop stalks. After pretreatment, the lignin content in the whole stalk, pitch, and core decreased by 13.1%-13.4%, 8.3%-13.5%, and 19.9%-27.2%, respectively, compared with the unpretreated substrates. The hemicellulose content in the whole stalk, pitch, and core decreased 87.8%-96.9%, 87.6%-95.0%, and 74.0%-90.2%, respectively. Correspondingly, the cellulose content in the pretreated whole stalk, pitch, and core increased by 56.5%-60.2%, 52.2%-55.4%, and 62.7%-73.2%, respectively. Moreover, increase of NaOH concentration for pretreatment could improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of the whole stalk and pitch by 2.3-2.6 folds and 10.3-18.5 folds, respectively. The hydrolysis of pretreated stalk core decreased significantly as 2.0 mol/L NaOH was employed, although the increased NaOH concentration can also improve its hydrolysis performance. Based on these results, hot-NaOH can be regarded as an option for Jerusalem artichoke stalk pretreatment. Increasing NaOH concentration was beneficial to hemicellulose and lignin removal, and consequently improved sugar conversion. However, the potential decrease of sugar conversion of the pretreated core by higher NaOH concentration suggested further optimization on the pretreatment conditions should be performed.

Substrate attributes determine gait in a terrestrial gastropod.

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Amberle; Voltzow, Janice; Pernet, Bruno

2013-02-01

Some terrestrial gastropods are able to move using two gaits: adhesive crawling, where the entire foot is separated from the substrate only by a thin layer of mucus and the snail leaves a continuous mucus trail; and loping, where regions of the foot arch above the substrate and the snail leaves a discontinuous mucus trail. Loping has been interpreted as a means of rapidly escaping predators. We found that the pulmonate Cornu aspersum moved using adhesive crawling on dry acrylic or glass substrates, but loped on dry concrete or wood. Loping snails did not move more rapidly than snails using adhesive crawling. Snails moving on concrete secreted a greater volume of pedal mucus per area of trail than those moving on acrylic; locomotion on concrete thus requires greater expenditure of mucus than does locomotion on acrylic. Because loping snails deposit a smaller area of mucus per distance traveled than do snails using adhesive crawling, loping may conserve mucus when moving on porous, absorbent substrates. Members of several other terrestrial pulmonate taxa can also lope on concrete, suggesting that this plasticity in gait is widespread among terrestrial snails.

Wood construction under cold climate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Xiaodong; Hagman, Olle; Sundqvist, Bror

2014-01-01

As wood constructions increasingly use engineered wood products worldwide, concerns arise about the integrity of the wood and adhesives system. The glueline stability is a crucial issue for engineered wood application, especially under cold climate. In this study, Norway spruce (Picea abies...... affected shear strength of wood joints. As temperature decreased, the shear strength decreased. PUR resin resulted in the strongest shear strength at all temperatures tested. MF resin responded to temperature changes in a similar ways as the PUR resin. The shear strength of wood joints with EPI resins...... specimens need to be tested in further work to more completely present the issue. The EN 301 and EN 302 may need to be specified based on wood species....

European wood-fuel trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hillring, B.; Vinterbaeck, J.

2001-01-01

This paper discusses research carried out during the l990s on European wood fuel trade at the Department of Forest Management and Products, SLU, in Sweden. Utilisation of wood-fuels and other biofuels increased very rapidly in some regions during that period. Biofuels are replacing fossil fuels which is an effective way to reduce the future influence of green house gases on the climate. The results indicate a rapid increase in wood-fuel trade in Europe from low levels and with a limited number of countries involved. The chief products traded are wood pellets, wood chips and recycled wood. The main trading countries are, for export, Germany and the Baltic states and, for import, Sweden, Denmark and to some extent the Netherlands. In the future, the increased use of biofuel in European countries is expected to intensify activity in this trade. (orig.)

Controversy. The wood war

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, O.

2010-01-01

The author comments the conflict emerging in France between industries exploiting wood for construction and those exploiting it as a heating material for power generation. The first ones accuse the others to steal their raw material, to pull the prices up, and to destabilize the sector. This conflict takes place notably around sawmill wastes which are used either by wood panel fabricators or by wood pellets producers. Both sectors are claiming they are creating more jobs than the other. The French forest indeed offers good opportunities for both sectors, but other countries which are lacking forest surfaces, are buying wood in France. Several issues are matter of discussion: burning wood seems to go against the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, subsidies awarded to big heater projects. The situation of the wood sector in Austria, Finland and Poland is briefly presented

Comparison of Different Biomass Pretreatment Techniques and Their Impact on Chemistry and Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Seema; Cheng, Gang; Sathitsuksanoh, Noppadon; Wu, Dong; Varanasi, Patanjali; George, Anthe; Balan, Venkatesh; Gao, Xiadi; Kumar, Rajeev; Dale, Bruce E.; Wyman, Charles E.; Simmons, Blake A.

2015-01-01

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is a prerequisite to overcome recalcitrance and allow enzyme accessibility to cellulose and maximize product recovery for improved economics of second-generation lignocellulosic bio-refineries. Recently, the three US-DOE funded Bioenergy Research Centers [Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI), Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), and BioEnergy Science Center (BESC)] compared ionic liquid (IL), dilute sulfuric acid (DA), and ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX TM ) pretreatments and published comparative data on mass balance, total sugar yields, substrate accessibility, and microbial fermentation [Biotechnology for Biofuels 7: 71; 72 (2014)]. In this study, corn stover solids from IL, DA, and AFEX pretreatments were compared to gain comprehensive, in-depth understanding of induced morphological and chemical changes incorporated to corn stover, and how they overcome the biomass recalcitrance. These studies reveal that biomass recalcitrance is overcome by combination of structural and chemical changes to carbohydrates and lignin after pretreatment. Thermal analysis indicates that AFEX and IL pretreated corn stover showed a lower thermal stability while DA pretreated corn stover showed the opposite. The surface roughness variations measured by small-angle neutron scattering were correlated to the removal and redistribution of biomass components and was consistent with compositional analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal fluorescence imaging results. With AFM and confocal fluorescent microscopy, lignin was found to be re-deposited on cellulose surface with average cellulose fiber width significantly decreased for DA pretreated corn stover (one-third of IL and AFEX). HSQC NMR spectra revealed a ~17.9% reduction of β-aryl ether units after AFEX, ~59.8% reduction after DA, and >98% reduction after IL. Both NMR and size exclusion chromatography showed similar patterns of lignin de-polymerization with highest degree of de

Comparison of Different Biomass Pretreatment Techniques and Their Impact on Chemistry and Structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Seema, E-mail: seesing@sandia.gov; Cheng, Gang; Sathitsuksanoh, Noppadon; Wu, Dong; Varanasi, Patanjali; George, Anthe [Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Sandia National Laboratories, Biological and Materials Sciences Center, Livermore, CA (United States); Balan, Venkatesh [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, DOE Great Lakes BioEnergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, Lansing, MI (United States); Gao, Xiadi [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, Riverside, CA (United States); Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA (United States); Kumar, Rajeev [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA (United States); Dale, Bruce E. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, DOE Great Lakes BioEnergy Research Center (GLBRC), Michigan State University, Lansing, MI (United States); Wyman, Charles E. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, Riverside, CA (United States); Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA (United States); Simmons, Blake A. [Deconstruction Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Sandia National Laboratories, Biological and Materials Sciences Center, Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-02-06

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is a prerequisite to overcome recalcitrance and allow enzyme accessibility to cellulose and maximize product recovery for improved economics of second-generation lignocellulosic bio-refineries. Recently, the three US-DOE funded Bioenergy Research Centers [Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI), Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), and BioEnergy Science Center (BESC)] compared ionic liquid (IL), dilute sulfuric acid (DA), and ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX{sup TM}) pretreatments and published comparative data on mass balance, total sugar yields, substrate accessibility, and microbial fermentation [Biotechnology for Biofuels 7: 71; 72 (2014)]. In this study, corn stover solids from IL, DA, and AFEX pretreatments were compared to gain comprehensive, in-depth understanding of induced morphological and chemical changes incorporated to corn stover, and how they overcome the biomass recalcitrance. These studies reveal that biomass recalcitrance is overcome by combination of structural and chemical changes to carbohydrates and lignin after pretreatment. Thermal analysis indicates that AFEX and IL pretreated corn stover showed a lower thermal stability while DA pretreated corn stover showed the opposite. The surface roughness variations measured by small-angle neutron scattering were correlated to the removal and redistribution of biomass components and was consistent with compositional analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal fluorescence imaging results. With AFM and confocal fluorescent microscopy, lignin was found to be re-deposited on cellulose surface with average cellulose fiber width significantly decreased for DA pretreated corn stover (one-third of IL and AFEX). HSQC NMR spectra revealed a ~17.9% reduction of β-aryl ether units after AFEX, ~59.8% reduction after DA, and >98% reduction after IL. Both NMR and size exclusion chromatography showed similar patterns of lignin de-polymerization with highest degree