Ceiba Research Articles

Sacred Pathway, Devotional Praxis: Actors, Aché, and Landscape at the Sanctuary of Regla, Cuba

The ferry from Havana to Regla, Cuba, transports visitors from today’s cruise ship docks across a brief stretch of water in about 20 min. Despite its brevity, this watery passage symbolically foregrounds the Marian devotion on the southern rim of the grand harbor. In this way, water conjoins African diasporic histories of enslavement, labor, survival, resistance, daily life, and religiosity within Havana Bay, into which two urban geographies project. Regla historically served as a municipality for dockworkers and shipwrights and became an enclave for identity creation, civil association, and religious worship for people of African descent. The church and sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Regla (“Our Lady of Regla”) has nurtured this connection as it houses effigies of the venerated Virgin, adorned in blue. The Virgin of Regla represents one of two, along with El Cobre, of the most important Marian devotions on the island of Cuba and is the focus of insular and diasporic pilgrimage. In Regla, the Virgin’s nautical iconography decorates the sanctuary and historically connects her to the working populations who sustained this devotion as they serviced Havana Harbor with their labor. Adjacent to the church is a waterfront park that looks out on the water and the city of Havana beyond. Bordered on one side by a low wall, the park incorporates a large ceiba tree, ceiba pentandra, also known as the silk cotton or kapok tree, a tropical species with a large trunk and spreading tree canopy native to Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, and West Africa (with a similar variety found in South and Southeast Asia). This article considers landscape as a methodology for examining the interplay of this tree and the adjacent church as interwoven and mutually reinforcing sites of devotion for the worship of the Virgin Mary and the oricha Yemayá in Regla, Cuba, with a view toward a broader set of local and global spaces.

Comparative analysis of triboelectric behavior of natural waste biomaterials and green energy harvesting

This study examines the triboelectric behavior of fibers that are readily available and were obtained from the bombax ceiba tree (BOM) and the calotropis plant (CALO). A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is fabricated from these fibers as charge-generating layers that produce a charge by contact electrification. The properties of these fibers which include surface morphology and crystallographic nature are examined using different characterization techniques. Scanning electron microscopy images reflect more roughness in CALO as compared to BOM whereas both materials show an almost amorphous nature in X-ray diffraction data. Further, both materials show tribopositive nature when tested against polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and nylon. While examining their electrical performance, the CALO–PTFE pair produced 11.1 V while 10.7 V is generated from the BOM–PTFE pair. These combinations are capable of illuminating multiple light-emitting diodes of the green spectrum and can derive one digital calculator. Lastly, the dependency of TENG performance on the contact area of active layers is analyzed. From the results obtained, it is concluded that these materials can potentially power small electronic gadgets and can contribute to the growth of a sustainable civilization.

Single-cell RNA landscape of the special fiber initiation process in Bombax ceiba

As a new source of natural fibers, the Bombax ceiba tree can provide thin, light, extremely soft and warm fiber material for the textile industry. Natural fibers are an ideal model system for studying cell growth and differentiation, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate fiber initiation are not fully understood. In B. ceiba, we found that fiber cells differentiate from the epidermis of the inner ovary wall. Each initiated cell then divides into a cluster of fiber cells that eventually develop into mature fibers, a process very different from the classical fiber initiation process of cotton. We used high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to examine the special characteristics of fiber initiation in B. ceiba. A total of 15 567 high-quality cells were identified from the inner wall of the B. ceiba ovary, and 347 potential marker genes for fiber initiation cell types were identified. Two major cell types, initiated fiber cells and epidermal cells, were identified and verified by RNA in situ hybridization. A developmental trajectory analysis was used to reconstruct the process of fiber cell differentiation in B. ceiba. Comparative analysis of scRNA-seq data from B. ceiba and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) confirmed that the additional cell division process in B. ceiba is a novel species-specific mechanism for fiber cell development. Candidate genes and key regulators that may contribute to fiber cell differentiation and division in B. ceiba were identified. This work reveals gene expression signatures during B. ceiba fiber initiation at a single-cell resolution, providing a new strategy and viewpoint for investigation of natural fiber cell differentiation and development.

Electrical energy generation using fish scale of Rohu fish by harvesting human motion mechanical energy for self powered battery-less devices

A green electrical energy source is suggested in this study to reduce carbon emissions for application in wearable flexible smart sensors/electronics/medical devices. Fish scales of Rohu fish are used to produce electricity by designing and fabricating triboelectric nanogenerators which need only human motion instead of a battery to produce electricity for self powered sensors and IoT devices. These fish scales are available in abundance in a fish market as a waste material globally. These scales are transparent, flexible, non-toxic, biodegradable, biocompatible, and cheaper (free of cost) material. A very simple design, fabrication, and operation technique is proposed in this study. The various characterization techniques SEM, EDX, FTIR, and XRD are performed on the fish scale because triboelectricity generation depends upon the material composition and surface morphology. The SEM results show a distinct surface pattern of the scale which is helpful for triboelectric charge generation. The EDX shows the basic elemental composition in which Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen are dominant. Further, the FTIR spectrum shows the presence of different bio proteins including keratin, collagens, chitin, etc. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that a fish scale-based fabricated device is capable of working under 200 0 C. A comparative analysis of the triboelectric performance of fish scale with other already reported biomaterials eggshell membrane, dog hair, and bombax ceiba tree cotton is also presented in this study along with highly tribonegative material PTFE. The results of this study help to estimate the position of the novel fish scale material in the triboelectric series. The electrical output of this fish scale-based device is used to light up 90 commercial green LEDs which is equivalent to 180 V. The current of value 1.7 µA has been measured across the 1MΩ resistor. To present the potential application of the fabricated device, a digital calculator is Switch ON using electricity produced from the fish scale based device. • Fabrication of Fish market waste Fish Scale based electrical energy generation device. • Clean and green electrical energy generation to power-up battery-less IoT devices. • Fabrication of Fish Scale based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). • Comparative TENG analysis of Fish Scale with other biomaterials. • Fabricated fish scale based device light up 90 green LEDs and Switch ON a calculator.

The Xtabay: From Forest Guardian to Hungry Demon

The Xtabay is a legendary Mayan forest entity associated with the sacred ceiba tree. The prose-poem by native ethnologist Antonio Mediz Bolio, translated here, represents the version of her story that he knew a century ago, where she appears as a temptress who lures young men under the tree to become her slaves. Behind the romantic sensibility that pervades this poem may lurk the combined shadow of two avatars, an ancient goddess of the hunt and a hybrid bird-woman who regards as prey those who threaten her forest or the creatures that call it their home.

Effect of Dust Types on the Eco-Physiological Response of Three Tree Species Seedlings: Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Conocarpus erectus and Bombax ceiba

Dust is the collection of fine particles of solid matter, and it is a major issue of atmospheric pollution. Dust particles are becoming the major pollutants of the urban environment due to hyperbolic manufacturing and automobile pollution. These atmospheric pollutants are not only hazardous for human beings, but they also affect tree growth, particularly in urban environments. This study was designed to examine the changes in morphological and physiological traits of three tree species seedlings (Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Conocarpus erectus, and Bombax ceiba) in response to different dust types. In a pot experiment under controlled conditions, three-month-old seedlings of selected trees species were subjected to four treatments of dust: T1 = controlled; T2 = wood dust; T3 = soil dust; and T4 = carbon dust. During the whole experiment, 10 g/plant/dose was applied in 8 doses with a one-week interval. The results depicted that the growth was the maximum in T1 (control) and the minimum in T4 (carbon dust). In our findings, B. ceiba performed better under the same levels of dust pollution as compared with the other two tree species. The B. ceiba tree species proved to be the most tolerant to dust pollution by efficiently demolishing oxidative bursts by triggering SOD, POD, and CAT under different dust types compared to controlled conditions. Stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate were negatively influenced in all three tree species in response to different dust applications. Based on the findings, among these three tree species, B. ceiba is recommended for dust polluted areas followed by E. camaldulensis and Conocarpus erectus due to their better performance and efficient dust-foraging potential.

Review on Traditional uses, Biological activities, Phytoconstituents of Bombax ceiba Linn.

Review on Traditional uses, Biological activities, Phytoconstituents of Bombax ceiba Linn.

The suburban forest as a habitat of eagles (Accipitridae): a case study in Gunung Bromo University Forest, Karanganyar, Central Java, Indonesia

Eagles (Accipitridae) are sensitive to environmental disturbance such as fragmented environment. This study was aimed to describe the forest in Gunung Bromo as a habitat of the eagles. The research method used was the case study, habitat observation, monitoring presence of eagles, and literature review. Gunung Bromo University Forest is totally fragmented suburban forest with four types of habitat such as oligoculture forest, mixed forest, cropland and riverstream. Two species of eagles were found in the area namely Nisaetus cirrhatus and Spilornis cheela. Potential prey for the eagles found in the area was six species of snakes, eight species of amphibians, five species of lizards, 32 species of birds, and three species of small mammals. Inactive eagle’s nest was also found, and the shape of nest is a big circle with neat plaits created from branches placed in the upper canopy of Bombax ceiba tree. The nest presumed to be used by N. cirrhatus. The study also noted the competitor namely Artamus leucorynchus which often aggressively mobbing the eagles when soaring. Gunung Bromo University Forest was a good habitat for eagles, although it was fragmented. It provided four different habitats, diverse preys, and nesting site. Threats for conservation of eagles in the forest were illegal hunter and noise from visitors’ motocross.

10.4314/gjf.v11i2.36893

10.4314/gjf.v11i2.36893

Vegetación arbórea de selvas bajas caducifolias en suelos litosoles y regosoles eutricos degradados

En México, las selvas bajas caducifolias (SBC) son perturbadas por actividades agrícolas. Su regeneración origina el restablecimiento de vegetación arbórea secundaria que, con menor cobertura vegetal y arraigo, produce suelos termófilos e hidrófobos vulnerables a la erosión, que impiden la regeneración de SBC. Se determinó la estructura, composición y diversidad de la vegetación arbórea en dos SBC en suelos litosoles y regosoles degradados en dos áreas de conservación ubicadas en el municipio de San Pedro Mixtepec (SBC-M) y la segunda en San Pedro Pochutla (SBC-P) de la costa de Oaxaca. En cada área se establecieron cuatro unidades de muestreo de 0.25 ha, divididas en 25 cuadros de 100 m² cada uno, en las que se midieron los individuos arbóreos con diámetro normal > 2.5 cm. Se determinó la composición de especies, la estructura vertical (altura) y horizontal (diámetro), el Índice de Valor de Importancia (IVI) y Valor forestal (IVF). La riqueza registrada se evaluó mediante estimadores paramétricos y no-paramétricos (Chao2), los índices de Simpson (1-Dp) modif icados por Pielou, Shannon-Weaver (H´), la equidad (JH´), dominancia y semejanza (IS) entre SBC. Se colectaron muestras de suelo de la SBC-M y se realizó la caracterización físico‑química. Los resultados indican que la riqueza de especies entre condiciones de desarrollo (SBC-M = 33; SBC-P = 47) tuvo diferencias significativas (P < 0.05). La estructura vertical fue entre 1 - 10 m y la horizontal se mantuvo en la clase diamétrica 5 (2.5 - 7.5 cm), para ambas condiciones. Las especies con mayor IVI e IVF fueron: Ceiba parvifolia, Heliocarpus donnell smithii, Dalbergia congestiflora y Amphipterygium adstringens. La SBC-M y SBC-P presentaron un índice I-Dp = 0.911 y 0.919 para H´ = 2.73 y 3.00, en ambas JH’ = 0.78; la dominancia fue de 0.157 a 0.219. La semejanza de especies entre selvas fue del 60%.

Animal Hair-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG): A Substitute for the Positive Polymer Layer in TENG

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a sustainable solution for the development of smart battery-less devices. It is clean, pollution-free, and cost-effective. Various studies have investigated the fabrication of TENGs using different materials. Biomaterials have great potential in this area. Hair, a natural biomaterial, is made of keratinized proteins having different chains of amino acids. These amino acids act as an active layer for the TENG. In this investigation, animal hair is used to fabricate an active layer of a TENG. This layer is tested with active layers of different biomaterials including egg shell membrane and cellulose from different sources (Bombax ceiba tree cotton, tissue paper cellulose), synthetic materials including Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene—PTFE) and zinc oxide (ZnO), and metals including copper (Cu) and aluminium (Al). The TENG generated 200 volts peak-to-peak voltage using dog hairs and a PTFE combination. A series combination of 124 light-emitting diodes was also lighted with this TENG. Finally, a smart device was powered using this combination. This work provides a basis for further research using different biomaterials for TENG fabrication.

Tree of Dreams by Laura Resau

Reviewed by: Tree of Dreams by Laura Resau Natalie Berglind Resau, Laura Tree of Dreams. Scholastic, 2019 [336p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-545-80088-4 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-545-80090-7 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys M Gr. 5-8 Thirteen-year-old Coco Hidden and her mother run a failing bean-to-bar chocolate shop in an increasingly expensive Colorado resort town. Coco, a chocolate connoisseur, will do anything to keep the shop; when she dreams of an Amazonian ceiba tree that promises treasure inside its roots, she is determined to use the treasure to save the business. Luckily, Coco and her former friend Leo win a trip to the Amazon; there the two repair their friendship, educate the native Huaorani people on cacao-harvesting practices, and witness the tragic deforestation of the Amazon and the effect on its people firsthand. Unfortunately, the series of coincidences that allows for these unlikely events to happen is artificial and contrived, including a painfully unrealistic scene where the children bribe an oil logger with chocolate and then (successfully) gamble to save the ceiba tree with a magic trick. The characters fall flat, Coco’s eccentricities are forced rather than quirky, and the prose is often stiff. Additionally, the conclusion, wherein Coco and her mother move to the Amazon to live among the Huaorani people, is as implausible as the rest of the story and leaves readers with the iffy narrative of white people educating indigenous communities. Readers with environmental inclinations should look to Helget’s The End of the Wild (BCCB 5/17) or others for a more compelling environmentally themed book. An author’s note includes information on Huaorani culture and deforestation in the Amazon. Copyright © 2019 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Effects of the Tanaka Line on the genetic structure of Bombax ceiba (Malvaceae) in dry-hot valley areas of southwest China.

Southwest China is an important biodiversity hotspot. The interactions among the complex topography, climate change, and ecological factors in the dry‐hot valley areas in southwest China may have profoundly affected the genetic structure of plant species in this region. In this study, we determined the effects of the Tanaka Line on genetic variation in the wild Bombax ceiba tree in southwest China. We sampled 224 individuals from 17 populations throughout the dry‐hot valley regions. Six polymorphic expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeat primers were employed to sequence the PCR products using the first‐generation Sanger technique. The analysis based on population genetics suggested that B. ceiba exhibited a high level of gene diversity (H E: 0.2377–0.4775; I: 0.3997–0.7848). The 17 populations were divided into two groups by cluster analysis, which corresponded to geographic characters on each side of the Tanaka Line. In addition, a Mantel test indicated that the phylogeographic structure among the populations could be fitted to the isolation‐by‐distance model (r 2 = .2553, p < .001). A barrier test indicated that there were obstacles among populations and between the two groups due to complex terrain isolation and geographic heterogeneity. We inferred that the Tanaka Line might have promoted the intraspecific phylogeographic subdivision and divergence of B. ceiba. These results provide new insights into the effects of the Tanaka Line on genetic isolation and population differentiation of plant species in southwest China.

Effect of dietary levels of cooked kapok (Ceiba pentandra) seed meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of weaner rabbits

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding varying levels of cooked kapok seed meal (CKSM) on the performance and carcass characteristics of weaner rabbits. Forty 5-week old rabbits with average weight 514.10±0.78g were randomly divided into five groups of 8 rabbits per treatment in a completely randomized design. Each group was randomly assigned to one of the diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% CKSM. On the 56th day of the experiment, four rabbits from each treatment group were randomly selected for carcass and internal organs evaluation. Results of growth performance revealed no significant differences (P>0.05) across the treatment groups for all the parameters evaluated. Feed cost/kg decreased as the levels of CKSM increased in the diet. Rabbits fed 0%CKSM had the highest (P 0.05). Digestibility of all the nutrients was not affected (P> 0.05) by the dietary levels of CKSM. It was concluded that CKSM could replace soybean meal up to 100% in weaner rabbit diet without any adverse effect on performance, carcass characteristics and internal organ weights.Key words: cooked kapok seed meal, performance, carcass, organ weights, rabbits

El Patrimonio Cultural Edificado sin Rostro: Diagnóstico de Percepción Ciudadana, El Caso de San Pedro Sula

El propósito de la presente investigación, está centrado en la descripción de las percepciones y actitudes de los habitantes de San Pedro Sula, en relación con la pérdida de su patrimonio.Años de adoctrinamiento en el sistema educativo nacional para admirar la civilización maya del occidente y el legado de la colonia española convierten todo aquello perteneciente al siglo XX en algo normal o cotidiano y, por lo tanto, no digno de ningún orgullo y mucho menos, de esfuerzo en su preservación.Esta investigación se realizó mediante la recopilación bibliográfica, recorrido de campo, encuestas, entrevistas a profundidad; es la esperanza del autor que esta iniciativa genere un efecto multiplicador y que en toda la vieja “ruta del banano”, la de los puertos de Tela, Cortés, La Ceiba, Trujillo, en las antiguas estaciones ferroviarias de Potrerillos, Villanueva, Pimienta, Choloma, El Progreso, Olanchito, San Manuel, se despierte el deseo de proteger un legado visual que junto a la forma de ser, idiosincrasia de sus habitantes, música, gastronomía y tradición oral, forman parte de un país distinto al de teja, barro y maíz de los macizos montañosos del interior de la república, y que dicho espíritu sea celebrado en condiciones de igualdad con el legado colonial y precolombino.

The Diet of the Cave Nectar Bat (Eonycteris spelaea Dobson) Suggests it Pollinates Economically and Ecologically Significant Plants in Southern Cambodia.

Hoem Thavry, Julien Cappelle, Sara Bumrungsri, Lim Thona, and Neil M. Furey (2017) The importance of the cave nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea as a pollinator of economically significant crops and ecologically important plant species is increasingly documented, although information on the plants visited by this widely distributed bat species is currently confined to Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. We undertook a dietary study on E. spelaea by sampling faecal rain produced by a colony in Kampot, southern Cambodia each month for one year and identifying plant taxa visited by the bats by their pollen. Our results indicate the diet of E. spelaea in Cambodia includes at least 13 plant taxa, eight of which were identi ed to genus or species. Pollen of Sonneratia spp. and Musa spp. had the highest mean monthly frequency at 30.9% and 16.9% respectively, followed by Oroxylum indicum (11.3%), Bombax anceps (11.2%), Parkia spp. (9.8%), Durio zibethinus (6.3%), Ceiba pentandra (6.0%) and Eucalyptus spp. (0.3%). With one exception, all of the plant taxa recorded at our study site are also visited by the bat species in Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand, although their relative dietary contributions differ. This variation likely reflects local differences in the availability, proximity and flowering phenology of chiropterophilous plants between regions, but also suggests a reliance of Cambodian bats on species that ower continuously, coupled with periodic shifts to species that ower profusely for short periods. Only three signi cant colonies (> 1,000 bats) of cave-roosting pteropodids are currently known in Cambodia, all of which are in Kampot and threatened by bushmeat hunting and roost disturbance. We recommend public education and law enforcement e orts to conserve these colonies, not least because Kampot is the premier region for Cambodian durian and this crop depends on nectarivorous bats for fruit set. Protection of mangroves would also bene t durian farmers because these are an important resource for nectarivorous bat populations.

Reproductive effort and success in Bombax ceiba L. in a tropical forest of Mizoram, Indo-Burma region of North-East India

Ecologically, the interaction between plant and pollinators is mutually beneficial for the survival and adaptability. It leads to a higher level of fitness of both interacting partners. Birds play significant roles in plant reproduction and the fitness of ecosystem in tropical forest. This study was carried out with the objective to analyze legitimate floral visitors of Bombax ceiba Linn. in tropical forests of Indo-Burma region of India in relation to pollen production and mating system. The study was performed at two different locations, namely Bethlehem Vengthlang (23°43′N latitude and 92°43′E longitude) and Tanhril (43° 37’ N latitudes and 38° 39’ E longitudes). Both study sites are located 30 km apart from each other. Analysis revealed that the pollination in B. ceiba was mostly carried out by the birds, and the flowers were visited and foraged by thirteen (13) species of birds belonging to five families of the order of Passeriformes. One species of squirrel (Funambulus sp.) was also recorded visiting the flowers of B. ceiba. Study on mating-system evaluation revealed that the B ceiba is an outcrossing tree species, requiring the services of adequate pollinators for successful pollination and reproductive fitness. However, geitonogamy was partly functional. The index of self-incompatibility (ISI) value exposed that the species is mostly self-incompatible. All the species of birds were efficient pollinators for B. ceiba in the present study sites. The fruit and seed sets following natural pollination are fairly high compared with other bird-pollinated species. High pollen-production capacities per flower and per tree along with the high visitation of bird pollinators would have promoted the maximum reproductive success in B. ceiba. This also depicts that the species does not have the problem of pollen and resource limitations in Indo-Burma region of North-East India. B. ceiba tree is often used in urban forestry, and these results can be used for a comparative study of natural and human-altered ecosystems.

ESTRUCTURA Y COMPOSICIÓN FLORÍSTICA DEL BOSQUE DE LA LLANURA ALUVIAL EN LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA: I . EL BOSQUE ALTO

En la llanura aluvial del Perú, adyacentes al río Ucayali, fueron muestreados tres tipos de bosques, usando 9 parcelas permanentes de 1 ha, identificándose y midiéndose los árboles con tallos mayores a 10 cm DAP. Estas parcelas han sido medidas 4 veces, entre 1993-1997, y proporcionan las bases para los resultados reportados aquí. Tres parcelas fueron establecidas en cada uno de los tres tipos de bosque: restinga alta, restinga baja y tahuampa, caracterizada en parte por una inundación anual de 1, 2 y 4 meses por año, respectivamente. La densidad de los tallos varía desde 446 a 601 por ha y los rangos de área basal entre 20-29 m2 /ha. Un total de 321 especies fueron registradas en las 9 ha de muestra, con 88-141 especies en cada una de las parcelas. La composición de las especies indica similaridad relativamente baja entre los tipos de bosque. Las parcelas con inundaciones más prolongadas son las que contienen más especies, expresadas ambas tanto por unidad de área como por 1 000 tallos. Los bosques de llanura aluvial contienen menor cantidad de especies arbóreas que los bosques de tierra firme no inundables. Valores de importancia de las familias son calculados para cada bosque. En los tres tipos de bosques las Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Anonaceae y Lauraceae son importantes. La familia Moraceae es conspícua en restinga alta y baja. Las Arecaceae y Meliaceae son notables en restinga alta como lo es la Rubiaceae en restinga baja. Lecythidaceae, Sapotaceae y Chrysobalanaceae, exhiben relativamente altos valores en los bosques de tahuampa. Valores de las especies de mayor importancia son obtenidos para Maquira coriacea, Guarea macrophylla, Terminalia oblonga, Spondias mombin, Ceiba pentandra, Hura crepitans, Eschweilera spp., Campsiandra angustifolia, Pouteria spp., Licania micrantha, Parinari excelsa y Calycophyllum spruceanum. Entre las especies de más pequeña estatura alcanzan altos valores: Drypetes amazonica, Leonia glycicarpa, Theobroma cacao y Protium nodulosum.

El Templete: Civic Monument, African Significations, and the Dialectics of Colonial Urban Space in Early Nineteenth-Century Havana, Cuba

On March 19, 1828, Havana, Cuba inaugurated a civic memorial for the east side of the city’s Plaza de Armas. The event climaxed a three-day festival officially designated to honor the founding of the city and the name-day of Spain’s Queen Maria Josepha, wife of his Majesty Ferdinand VII (r. 1813–29, 1833). The work commemorated the site of a symbolic ceiba tree, under which the Spanish conquistadors established Havana in the sixteenth century according to eighteenth-century sources. The colon...

Strength properties and calorific values of sawdust-briquettes as wood-residue energy generation source from tropical hardwoods of different densities

Agricultural and wood residues are principal energy sources for domestic and industrial activities. However, they are often hardly utilized. Conventional wood material for briquetting optimizes combustion and efficient power production. The relationship between strength properties, resistance to humidity and calorific values of sawdust-briquettes from three tropical hardwoods of different densities [Cylicodiscus gabunensis (heavy), Antiaris toxicaria (medium) and Ceiba pentandra (light)] and a Mixed/Composite type was determined. Wood density influenced all the briquette properties and positively correlated with their Calorific Values (CVs) as: C. gabunensis > A. toxicaria > Mixed type > C. pentandra. However, light timber briquettes had greater Compressive Strength, Swelling Value (i.e., less resistance to humidity) and Shatter Index than dense wood briquettes: C. pentandra > Mixed type > A. toxicaria > C. gabunensis. C. gabunensis briquette recorded less elongation value (8.85%) than the standard stipulated (i.e., 20–50%/min.) specifying its quality to resist deterioration on exposure to humidity/water in open sheds. Enormous briquette Swelling Values for A. toxicaria (60.04%), Mixed type (66.16%) and C. pentandra (70.88%) indicate they would deteriorate fast and require great care to store, handle and transport. However, the large Shatter Indices for the Mixed type (98.8%) and C. pentandra (99.16%) denote their high durability to gravitational deterioration. Briquette technology, a “waste-to-energy method”, contributes to offset bio-residue management problems and reduce toxic emissions from its incomplete carbonization. Thus, comprehensive understanding of wood-residue briquette characteristics is significant for fuel-energy generation.