REINFORCING STARCH BIOPLASTICS WITH AGRICULTURAL WASTE

The work is focused on the study of the influence of different types of inorganic fillers, in combination with modifiers, on the rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties of a biodegradable mixture based on PLA/PHB. Ten types of inorganic fillers based on talc, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and silicon dioxide were used in the study, along with three types of modifiers. It was concluded that fillers containing reactive OH groups on their surface act as strong pro-degradants in PLA/PHB blends, and their degrading effect can be suppressed by the addition of reactive modifiers. Each modifier acts specifically with different types of fillers. Therefore, it is necessary to select a suitable filler/modifier combination not only for fillers with different chemical compositions but also for fillers with different morphologies within the same chemical type. Moreover, the preparation of PLA/PHB/magnesium hydroxide blends with suitable processing and application properties opens the possibility of developing environmentally friendly polymeric materials with a reduced flammability. The addition of talc, which has a platelet structure, can increase the barrier properties of the mixture.

The effects of different types of fillers and filler loadings on the properties of carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR) latex were identified. Silica, mica, carbon black (CB; N330), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) were used as fillers with filler loadings of 10, 15, and 20 parts per hundred rubber. Furnace ashing and Fourier transform infrared analysis proved that interaction existed between the fillers and XNBR latex films. The morphology of the filled XNBR films was significantly different for different types of fillers. Mica and CaCO3 fillers showed uneven distribution within the XNBR film, whereas other fillers, such as silica and CB, showed homogeneous distribution within the films. In the observation, silica and mica fillers also illustrated some degree of agglomeration. The mechanical properties (e.g., tensile and tear strengths) showed different trends with different types of fillers used. For silica and mica fillers, the mechanical properties increased with filler loadings up to a certain loading, and decreased with higher filler loadings. For CB filler, the mechanical properties increased gradually with increasing filler loadings. CaCO3 fillers did not increase the mechanical properties. The crosslinking density of the XNBR films increased when they were incorporated with fillers because of the presence of elastomer–filler and filler–filler interactions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010

  A study was performed to correlate the stipe length, pileus width and stipe girth of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) grown in different farm substrates. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with eight treatments and four replications. The farm substrates (treatments) were composed of mixtures of different types of agricultural wastes with lime and water as additives to each substrate. Also single agricultural waste supplemented with lime and water was also used to prepare some farm substrates. Higher mean values of stipe length, pileus width and stipe girth were obtained from mushrooms grown in the substrates composed of two different types of agricultural wastes while lower values were obtained from those grown in the substrate composed of single agricultural waste. Highest coefficient of determination was obtained from the correlation between biological efficiency and pileus width. The changes in the stipe length, pileus width and stipe girth of the mushrooms grown in the different farm substrates depended on the type of agricultural wastes, single or mixtures of two different agricultural wastes used in preparing the farm substrates. Biological efficiency was highest (97.9%) in the substrate made from maize cob and palm kernel cake. Farm substrates that were composed of two different agricultural wastes were recommended. The use of single agricultural waste for farm substrate production is not encouraged.   Key words: Pleurotus ostreatus, farm substrates, sprouting, maturity, correlation.

In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was extracted from various types of local agricultural wastes. Four types of agricultural waste such as coconut coir, banana stem, sugarcane bagasse and pineapple leaves were collected, extracted and hydrolyzed into microcrystalline cellulose, using pre-treatment (alkaline and bleaching) and acid hydrolysis, respectively. The extracted MCC were analyzed and compared with those of commercially available MCC. The study of crystallinity behaviors of the obtained MCC was performed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The XRD of MCC revealed that the crystallinity of pineapple leaves has the highest crystallinity index with 75% in value and closest compared to commercial MCC, 81.25%. The value of crystallinity index for banana stem is 74.55% followed by coconut coir, 72.73% and sugarcane bagasse, 66.50%. All of the MCC samples showed the similar pattern with the typical crystalline structure of cellulose I. The crystallite size of all MCC samples was calculated and found in the range of 4.04 – 5.14 nm. These extracted MCC that obtained from several agricultural wastes was supposed to have a high potential as value-added products in industrial applications.

Surface treatment of TiO2 was done by immersing filler particles in 2 and 4 % sulphuric acid (H2SO4) aqueous solutions. Untreated, 2 and 4 % H2SO4-treated TiO2 were referred as neutral, weakly acidic, and acidic TiO2, respectively. Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) based on hexanoyl chitosan–polystyrene blend were prepared by using lithium trifluromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3) as the doping salt and three different types of the TiO2 fillers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the addition of TiO2 reduced the crystalline fraction of the electrolytes. The conductivity performance of the CPEs varied in the order: acidic < weakly acidic < TiO2 free < neutral TiO2. A model based on the interaction between Lewis acid–base sites of TiO2 with ionic species of LiCF3SO3 has been proposed to understand the conductivity mechanism brought about by the different types of fillers. The conductivity enhancement by neutral TiO2 is attributed to the increase in the mobility of Li+ cations. Acidic TiO2 decreased the conductivity by decreasing the anionic contribution. The conductivity variation with filler content was discussed on the basis of the number of free ions.

Agricultural waste sourced from various activities that occur along the agricultural supply chain including post-harvest, processing, and consumption processes, can pose a threat to ecosystem balance and community welfare. Data shows that agricultural by-products have the potential to be utilized because they contain antioxidant compounds. This systematic review study aims to identify and assess the antioxidant activity of agricultural by-products through various extraction methods. This systematic review collected literature in the last 10 years (2013-2023) from Google Scholar, Semantic, and Scopus-indexed articles with the help of Publish or Perish. Using the help of boolean operators (AND) and (OR) in searching using keywords. The steps applied adapt the PRISMA method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), including identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. Literature collection data shows that the dominant processing method used is the solvent extraction method to determine the antioxidant value of various agricultural waste by-products. Followed by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) methods. A wide range of antioxidant activity values were found depending on the type of agricultural waste and processing technique. One potential utilization of agricultural wastes rich in antioxidant content is as additives in formulations in the cosmetic industry. Agricultural waste by-products have high potential of antioxidant content, depending on the type of waste and extraction method. The dominant agricultural waste used is by-products from the fruit group. The utilization of agricultural waste that is rich in antioxidants has the potential to be utilized in the cosmetic industry.

ABSTRACTBackground: With the introduction of new injectable filler substances and the discontinuation of others, the combination of different types of fillers in a same area is more likely to happen. Naturally, a growing number of concerns regarding the combining of different types of fillers in single area may increase the risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, it has been recommended not to inject a filler in an area previously injected with another type of a filler, especially if that filler is a permanent filler. However, until now, no experimental study has been conducted to estimate the adverse reaction caused by sequential different filler injections. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the reactions after consecutive injections of different types of fillers in the same region in in vivo model in order to estimate the safety of the combination method. Methods: We used six healthy rats and three different types of fillers to make single injection or consecutive injections in order to compare adverse reactions. Results: Histopathology showed a granulomatous reaction in combined filler areas that were identified with different types of micro-implants in the same biopsy.

Effect of Agricultural Waste Types and Em4 Concentration on Nutrition Content of Liquid Organic Fertilizer. Agricultural waste has not been used optimally. This waste can be used as liquid organic fertilizer to get healthy agricultural products and free of pesticide residues. The type of agricultural waste and the concentration of EM4 are factors that play a role in determining the nutrient content of liquid organic fertilizer. The purpose of this study was to obtain the type of agricultural waste, the concentration of EM4, and the best interaction with the nutrient content of liquid organic fertilizer. The research treatment consisted of two factors using a randomized block design. The first factor is the type of agricultural waste consists of three levels, namely (1) vegetable waste + pig waste, (2) vegetable waste + straw + pig waste, and (3) vegetable waste + straw + gamal leaves + pig waste. The second factor is the concentration of EM4 consists of three levels, namely the concentration of 5%, 10% and 15%. The results showed that there was a very significant interaction between types of agricultural waste with EM4 concentration on available P, organic C, pH, and total microbes with the best values of 333.38 ppm (very high), 1.95% (very low), 4.75 (acid), and 19.56 x 106 cfu ml-1. Vegetable waste + straw + gamal leaves + pig waste, and 10% EM4 concentration gave the best effect compared to other treatment combinations on nutrient content. It is recommended that to makes liquid organic fertilizer should use vegetable waste + straw + gamal leaves + pig waste with an EM4 concentration of 10%.

The use of different types of fillers in preparation and characterization of rubber based nanocomposites is depicted in this chapter followed by different types of techniques used for dispersion of nanofillers in the rubber matrix. The effects of the different fillers (CNT, CNF, nanographite) are generally discussed in terms of morphology (investigated by electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering, AFM), mechanical properties (modulus, stress and strain) and electrical properties (impedance, percolation threshold etc.). The main aim of this research is the dispersion of the carbonaceous materials in the elastomers and TPE gels which is a significant obstacle to the scientists. In this chapter we have tried to overcome this problem by using different types of fillers and it has been proved by the results obtained from different types of characterization methods.

Compatibilizing effect of mesoporous fillers on the mechanical properties and morphology of polypropylene and polystyrene blend

The amount of agricultural waste has grown as agricultural output has expanded globally. Therefore, in order to protect the environment, agricultural waste needs to be disposed of appropriately. Many studies used various types of agricultural wastes in concrete production as a partial replacement of cement to reduce carbon footprint. In order to produce sustainable high-strength concrete (SHSC), this study focusses on employing two promising pozzolanic materials: rice sugarcane leaf ash (SLA) and sugar beetroot ash (SBA) in SHSC production with different replacement levels up to 20%. This research provides a wide-ranging assessment of the mechanical, physical, durability and microstructural characteristics of SHSC. With a focus on advancing eco-friendly construction, the study also includes fly ash (FA) to assess its combined effects on SHSC’s mechanical and durability characteristics. SHSC mixtures were exposed to various tests to evaluate the influence of replacement from different aspects: slump test, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity, chloride penetration resistance, sorptivity, water permeability and scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). According to the findings, replacing cement with SLA and FA up to 20% presented the optimum tests results, which led to significant enhancements in all physical, mechanical and durability properties of SHSC. Additionally, the inclusion of SBA with replacement level of 10% resulted significant enhancements to all SHCS characteristics whereas, compressive strength increased by 16%, tensile splitting strength increased by 10.8%, flexural strength increased by 12.4% and modulus of elasticity increased by 7.66% compared to the control specimens. With 20% FA replacement level, the optimum durability levels ware obtained; the lowest chloride permeability by 1342 Coulomb, the lowest sorptivity coefficient by 0.051 mm/√s and the lowest water permeability by 2.61 × 10–11 cm/sec. In addtion, these improvements extended to FA replacement level of 10% mixtures’, including mechanical properties and also obtained lower durability terms results. Generally, cement replacement in all mixtures caused decrease in slump values comparing to control mixture. The SBA replacement level of 20% is technically useless, did not led to the expected improvement in all tested properties, and affected negatively SHSC mixtures. SEM images of new SHSC mixtures revealed that adding agricultural waste improved the SHSC’s microstructure by decreasing pore size, forming a denser SHSC structure and increasing the production of C–S–H. This study confirms the potential of SLA, SBA and FA as valuable supplementary cementitious materials, offering a sustainable alternative for producing durable SHSC with significant minimizing environmental impact.

The type and quantity of filler influences the property of the asphalt mix. The filler quantity, similar to fine and coarser aggregates, is typically specified in proportions of weight. If the specific gravity of the filler is significantly different than the rest of the aggregates (for example, alternative fillers derived from industrial and domestic wastes), weight proportioning may lead to undesirably low or high quantity of filler in the mix. To investigate this issue further, in the present work filler concentration (in terms of percentage area occupancy) is studied at the microscopic level with the help of a scanning electron microscope. Three different types of fillers are chosen and are separately added to asphalt mix in varying proportions. The indirect tensile strength values and the corresponding filler concentration levels of these samples are noted. From limited data gathered in the present study, it appears that the average filler concentration values corresponding to the maximum indirect tensile strength levels for the mixes are statistically same. That means, even though optimum filler quantities (by weight) are different for these three mixes, the filler concentration values are almost the same. Subsequently, design chart is suggested to estimate the optimum quantity (by weight) of filler for asphalt mix for any given type of filler.

The article presents the results of biogas production from municipal and agricultural waste. The mesophilic digestion of feedstocks was evaluated. Fermentation process was performed according to the DIN 38414-S8. Five types of agricultural waste were used for the research: 100% maize silage, 25% apple pomace – 75% maize silage, 50% apple pomace – 50% maize silage, 75% apple pomace – 25% maize silage and under – size fraction of municipal waste from the sorting drum. Fermentation of waste was carried out for 30 days. In the produced biogas, there were measured the content of: CH4, CO2, O2 and the total yield of biogas. The combination of different groups of waste in the fermentation process causes a higher efficiency of biogas production. Additionally thermal analysis (TG, DSC) of biogas digestate were conducted. Due to the impurities present in the biogas digestate derived from municipal waste, it becomes impossible to use it as fertilizer in agriculture.

The cultivation of edible mushroom on agricultural and industrial waste can be considered as one of the most effective solutions. The use of waste as a substrate for mushroom not only increases its nutritional value and contributes to food security in the community, but also reduces environmental pollution. In this study, Sweet fruit pleurotus Floridain Florida was cultivated on two types of agricultural waste (rice straw and wheat straw) and then the amount of yield, fat, ash, sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc and iron was evaluated. Statistical studies indicated that cultivation mushroom on the wheat straw was more suitable for fruiting and nutritional value.

This study focus on the development agent of biological control based on technologies used Trichoderma mix with bokashi fertilizer from agricultural waste. This study arranged in a randomized block design (RBD) in a factorial pattern, factor I is a type of decomposer microorganism that consisted of three treatments (M1: EM4 decomposer, M2: Trichoderma decomposer, M3: EM4 decomposer and Trichoderma), and factor II is the type of agricultural waste, consisted of four treatments (L1: soybean plant waste, L2: rice crop waste, L3: corn plant waste, and L4: a mixture of various agricultural waste) so there were 12 combinations of treatments with three repetitions. The observations data have been analyzed used variance and continued with the Duncan multiple distance test (DMRT) at the 95% confidence level. The result showed the application of bokashi from agricultural waste using EM4 and Trichoderma can increase plant growth, plant production, and resistance from plant pathogenic both independently and interactively, especially for Cucumber Mozaic Virus (CMV) and Soybean Mozaic Virus (SMV). In the other hand, the experimental study confirms that the Legume agricultural waste (L1), EM4 decomposers, and Trichoderma (M3) are the best combination to increase the growth, production, and durability of soybean crops either by main-treatment or interaction treatment compared to other treatments.