High-fly ash-loaded cellulose foam enabling stable lightweight porosity for efficient β-FeOOH photo-Fenton catalysis in water remediation.

Uranium is the main raw material for nuclear energy, which is an alternative to renewable energy sources. In nature, hexavalent uranium (U(VI)) is the most stable and highly soluble form. U(VI) present in deep repositories created for the disposal of radioactive waste or nuclear reprocessing can leach into water systems, posing environmental and human health risks. Therefore, uranium species must be removed from the environment. Adsorption is considered an efficient technique for removing uranium from water resources based on the ease of adsorption on bioadsorbents such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin compounds. Therefore, this study evaluated the adsorption mechanisms of uranyl ions ( UO 2 2 + ) from an aqueous medium onto cellulose (CE), hemicellulose with arabinose groups (Hm1) and without arabinose groups (Hm2), and lignin with coniferyl and sinapyl groups (GS) matrices via computer simulations. The adsorbate-adsorbent systems were optimized, and it was observed that among the matrices, UO 2 2 + exhibited the highest interaction energy with CE owing to its abundant hydroxyl groups, followed other matrices with increasingly weaker interactions. All evaluated interactions were exothermic (Δ r H < 0) and almost all were spontaneous (Δ r G < 0), except for Hm1– UO 2 2 + 1 and GS– UO 2 2 + 1 . The topological parameters obtained by the quantum theory of atoms in molecules showed that all types of interactions are non-covalent, in which the interactions between uranium atoms and the oxygen atoms in the matrices are partially covalent, and those between the oxygen atoms of UO 2 2 + and the hydrogen atoms of the matrices are electrostatic. These trends were confirmed by the isosurface graphs obtained from non-covalent interaction analyses, which identified strong adsorbent U O interactions and weak Van Der Waals O adsorbate –H adsorbent interactions. Thus, it was concluded that unmodified cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are good adsorbent matrices for removing UO 2 2 + from water resources. The theoretical studies on the adsorption mechanisms of cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose matrices shown in this work can provide insights into the interaction mechanisms and enhance our understanding of UO 2 2 + ∙∙∙biopolymer interactions during environmental remediation processes. • DFT study of uranyl ion UO₂ 2+ adsorption on cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. • Identification of the most stable adsorption sites and coordination modes for U(VI). • Lignocellulosic biopolymers are proven effective eco-friendly adsorbents for uranium recovery. • Calculated Gibbs free energies ($\Delta G < 0$) confirm the spontaneity of the uranium removal process in aqueous media.

Feedstock-dependent methane emissions from kitchen-waste hydrochar are mediated by dissolved organic matter composition in paddy soil.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of combinations of different dietary fiber sources (inulin and cellulose) on broilers from 1 to 42 d of age. A total of 560 Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly divided into seven dietary treatments with eight replicates per treatment and 10 broilers per replicate. A con-soybean control (CON) diet, CON diet supplemented with antibiotics (zinc bacitracin, 50 mg/kg, AB diet), CON diet diluted with 2% of inulin (LNU), CON diet diluted with 1.5% of inulin and 0.5% of cellulose (MIX1), CON diet diluted with 1.0% of inulin and 1.0% of cellulose (MIX2), CON diet diluted with 0.5% of inulin and 1.5% of cellulose (MIX3), and CON diet diluted with 2.0% of cellulose (CEL). Results demonstrated body weight (BW) (d42) and average daily gain (ADG) (d1 to 21, d22 to 42, d1 to 42) were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) (d1 to 21, d22 to 42, d1 to 42) was markedly decreased (p < 0.01) in the MIX1 group than those in the other treatments. Compared to broilers fed CON, AB, or other diets, broilers fed with the MIX1 diet had markedly improved (p < 0.05) nutrients utilization, lactase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and mRNA expression levels of jejunal function-related genes (SGLT1, GLUT2, PepT1, GLP-2, and ZO-1), while significantly decreased (p < 0.05) intestinal pH, TNF-α content and IL-6 mRNA level in jejunum at 21 or 42 days of age. Collectively, dietary fiber was included in broiler diets at a total level of 2%, and the MIX1 combination (combining 1.5% of inulin and 0.5% of cellulose) promoted growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal function, and this diet may be a potential alternative to antibiotics.

The demand for healthier and more sustainable meat products is increasing, and hybrid meat products have garnered consumer interest due to their nutritional and environmental benefits. This study aimed to formulate hybrid patties using chicken boneless meat and isolated soy protein (ISP), with varying concentrations of microbial transglutaminase (mTG) and methyl cellulose (CL), to improve physicochemical, textural, and sensory attributes. A secondary objective was to identify an effective mTG–CL combination as a bioadhesive for hybrid and plant-based meat analogs. A two-factor factorial design with mTG (0–3%) and CL (0–3%) was employed to evaluate their individual and combined effects on hybrid patties. The combination of 3% mTG and 2% CL produced the most desirable balance of textural and sensory properties, significantly increasing hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and springiness, while maintaining TBARS values within acceptable sensory limits (≈1.10 mg MDA/kg). Increasing CL levels slightly reduced pH and increased lightness and yellowness, whereas redness remained stable across treatments. Sensory evaluation revealed the highest preference for patties containing 3% mTG and 2% CL in terms of texture, surface moisture, and overall quality (p &lt; 0.05). These results demonstrate that enzymatic–hydrocolloid synergy between mTG and CL effectively enhances textural integrity, while color attributes and oxidative stability are primarily governed by additive effects.

Constipation is a global health issue, with a prevalence of approximately 16%, and insufficient dietary fiber intake is a major contributing factor. Citrus peel residue contains a high proportion of dietary fiber, accounting for about 20–44% of its composition. In this study, the constipation-relieving effects of three functional components derived from citrus peel residue—cellulose (CEL), pectin (PEC), and citrus peel powder (CPP)—were systematically compared using a loperamide-induced mouse model. All groups were administered an equivalent dose of 200 mg/kg daily. The results showed that supplementation with CEL, PEC, and CPP improved defecation parameters. Among these, PEC effectively modulated the SCF/C-kit and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways. Compared with the model group, PEC increased Akkermansia abundance by approximately 34% and reduced Desulfovibrio abundance by about 26% Additionally, the smaller particle size and improved solubility of PEC promote the production of beneficial metabolites, thereby alleviating constipation. In contrast, CEL primarily alleviates constipation through its physical properties. At equivalent doses, CPP provides less constipation relief due to its lower component concentrations and a primary composition of insoluble dietary fiber. These findings provide preliminary mechanistic insights and support further exploration of citrus by-products as functional food candidates for the management of constipation.

High-molecular-weight cellulose (CL) is generally insoluble in most common solvents due to its dense hydrogen-bonding network. In this study, we investigate the molecular origin of cellulose dissolution in two simple organic acids, formic acid (FA) and pyruvic acid (PA), which enable unusually high CL solubility, using a combination of experimental (infrared (IR) spectroscopy and high-energy X-ray total scattering (HEXTS)) and computational (density functional theory (DFT) calculations and all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations) approaches. IR and DFT results reveal that FA and PA react with hydroxyl groups on the cellulose backbone, forming formyl and ester derivatives, primarily at the C6 and C2 (or C3) positions. These covalent modifications disrupt the native hydrogen-bonding network and alter the solute-solvent interaction landscape. HEXTS experiments, aided by MD simulations, further demonstrate that the modified cellulose chains are thermodynamically stabilized through directional hydrogen bonding with unreacted solvent molecules. These results provide molecular-level insights into the dual role of FA and PA as both reactive solvents (via chemical modification) and stabilizing solvents (via solvation), offering a new physicochemical perspective on cellulose dissolution in nontraditional media.

Pyrolysis is a promising thermochemical process for waste reduction and energy recovery. Natural rubber (NR) composites filled with 30, 45, and 55 phr silanised cellulose (CELS) were prepared and characterised by SEM and FTIR techniques. Thermogravimetric curves for heating rates of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 20 °C·min−1 were measured in an inert gas. Kinetic parameters were determined by isoconversional kinetic analysis using the Friedman model-free method and a model-based method. By applying the generalised master plot method, it was found that the pyrolysis process follows an autocatalytic mechanism involving two kinetically independent, parallel pathways, each pathway consisting of two sequential steps. The results show that silanisation of cellulose has a positive effect on composite thermal stability, but only up to a specific content of CELS. At high loadings, the resulting silica-rich ash can act as a solid acid catalyst, accelerating secondary cracking reactions during pyrolysis.Innovative approaches for determining the formal thermodynamic parameters have been presented. The first method is based on the Eyring equation and the knowledge of Eα = f(α) and Aα = f(α) from the model-free method, providing the thermodynamic parameters as a function of the entire conversion range, α. The second method is based on the results of model-based kinetic analysis. The method makes it possible to determine these parameters for individual steps of a multi-step model and, thus, to compare the energy demand, spontaneity, and change in disorder of the system in the transition state for these steps.

Litter is an important hinge connecting plants and soil, and its decomposition is a crucial process of nutrient cycling. However, the litter mixing effects (ME) on main functions related to soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling, particularly in alpine ecosystems, remain unclear. Here, we incubated four single litters and six mixtures formed by pairwise combinations of single litter in the field for 630 days in an alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau, to determine ME (additive, synergistic or antagonistic effect) on soil functional indicators, including total and dissolved soil nutrients, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities. The results showed that: (1) Mixed litter decomposition produced mostly non-additive effects on soil indicators, of which synergistic effects were more prevalent than antagonistic effects. Specifically, soil dissolved organic carbon (SDOC), soil dissolved organic nitrogen (SDON), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN), soil β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity, and soil acid phosphatase (AP) activity exhibited mostly synergistic effects, accounting for 66.7%, 50.0%, 60.0%, 53.3%, and 40.0% of all cases, respectively. In contrast, only three indicators were dominated by additive effects, with 83.3% for soil organic carbon (SOC), 60.0% for soil total phosphorus (STP), and 56.7% for soil urease (URE) activity. (2) Strength of ME on soil functional indicators exhibited variability, with an average of 17.10% for SDOC, 18.65% for SDON, 28.74% for SMBN, 8.64% for BG activity, and 5.26% for AP activity due to synergistic effects. In contrast, there was an average decrease of 16.57% for STP due to antagonistic effects. (3) Strength of ME on SDOC, SDON, SMBN, and activities of BG and AP was correlated with cellulose (CE), P, and C/N ratio of litter. Our findings highlight litter mixtures enhance the accumulation of soil active C, N, and promote hydrolase activities in a synergistic way, and strengths of these effects were regulated by litter chemical traits. These findings suggest that the coexistence of plant species with contrasting litter chemical traits can accelerate the recovery of soil fertility through synergistic litter mixing effects in degraded alpine grasslands, thereby contributing to the functional maintenance of alpine grassland ecosystems.

Texture is a critical quality attribute of strawberry fruit, and phytohormones play a pivotal role in fruit softening, which mainly results from cell wall metabolism, which is governed by genes and enzymes. To gain further insights into strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa, Duch. cv. Akihime ) softening, our study investigated changes across five stages in fruits in their firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), cell microstructure, cell wall materials, activities of cell wall-modifying enzymes, gene expression, endogenous phytohormone levels, and their correlation. During strawberry ripening, firmness decreased, while SSC, intercellular space, and separation of the cell wall from the plasma membrane increased. Meanwhile, the contents of ionic pectin (ISP) and cellulose (CE), pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, FaPME expression, and the levels of zeatin (Z) and strigolactone (SL) decreased, showing a positive correlation with firmness. In contrast, the activities of pectate lyase (PL) and cellulase (Cx), the expression of FaPL and FaCx, and the contents of gibberellin A4 (GA4), GA9, and abscisic acid (ABA) increased during ripening, and these were negatively correlated with firmness. These results suggest that Z and SL are associated with the maintenance of cell wall integrity and firmness, whereas increases in GA4, GA9, and ABA are linked to enhanced cell wall disassembly and fruit softening.

A review on biopolymer nanocomposite-based membranes for oil/water separation and life cycle assessment.

The present study demonstrates the isolation of pure cellulose (CU) from Cedrus deodara (C. deodara) wood wool. Further, CU and modified mercaptobenzothiazole-functionalized CU (CU-MBT) were evaluated for adsorptive removal of Hg(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) ions and bacterial strains from water. Advanced characterizations through TGA, HR-TEM, FE-SEM, FTIR, XRD, EDX, BET and XPS were performed to analyze the adsorbents. The optimal pH for Pb(II) adsorption observed was 6, and for Cd(II) and Hg(II) was 7 with adsorption capacities 89.22, 103.09, 80.64mg/g for Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) with CU, while CU-MBT exhibited 185.18, 178.57, and 140.84mg/g for Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) respectively. CU and CU-MBT followed pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.99) with equilibrium achieved in 90min, showing high regeneration efficiency (9898.71%, 98.8% and 96.21%) and minimal loss over five cycles. Thermodynamic studies confirmed favourable adsorption (ΔG° values of -2.364, -2.338 and -12.781kJ/mol), while DFT analysis revealed CU-MBT's superior stability, lower energy gap (5.09eV), and enhanced reactivity. Later, in the antibacterial analysis, the developed adsorbents revealed good antibacterial properties. In conclusion, CU-MBT has considerable calibre to adsorb Pb(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) as well as bacterial species from water, demonstrating its potential in water treatment.

Gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus Kunth) is a promising forage alternative for Brazil’s Cerrado regions, attracting increasing research interest due to its potential to complement or replace widely planted species such as Urochloa and Megathyrsus. Despite the release of three cultivars, significant improvements in dry matter (DM) yield and forage quality are needed to fully realize its agronomic potential. This study aimed to evaluate genetic variability, estimate narrow sense heritability, and predict expected genetic gains for DM yield and key forage quality traits in two gamba grass populations derived from the cultivars BRS Sarandi and Planaltina. Trials were established in spring 2017 in Planaltina, DF, and evaluated during February–March 2018 and January–March 2019. Crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose (CEL), and hemicellulose (HEMIC) were quantified alongside DM yield. BRS Sarandi exhibited higher CP (12.3% vs. 9.8%) and lower NDF (57.1% vs. 63.4%), ADF (36.2% vs. 41.5%), CEL (20.8% vs. 23.7%), and HEMIC (20.9% vs. 21.9%) compared to Planaltina, while DM yield did not differ significantly between populations (4.57 t·ha−1 vs. 4.50 t·ha−1 per harvest, p &gt; 0.05). Heritability estimates for individual harvests ranged from 0.31 to 0.68 for DM yield and 0.28 to 0.62 for quality traits, whereas multi-harvest models across years yielded lower estimates (0.07–0.27). Expected annual genetic gains were modest, with the highest predicted increase for CP (0.45% per year) and the largest decrease for NDF (−0.78% per year), reflecting the quantitative nature of trait inheritance and strong environmental influence. This study provides novel insights by simultaneously comparing two populations for multiple harvests and quantifying both yield and detailed forage quality traits, offering practical guidance for gamba grass breeding strategies. Results indicate that breeding programs should prioritize multiple selection cycles, precise phenotyping, genotypic and potentially genomic selection to accelerate improvement in both DM yield and forage quality, overcoming the constraints of low heritability and multi-trait selection.

Abstract Previous work has demonstrated that hindgut microbes in the horse can utilize various nitrogen sources for microbial metabolism. While microbes prefer soluble non-protein nitrogen, forages have hemicellulose-bound nitrogen (HBN) that improves fiber digestion for ruminants via hemicellulose (HEMI) and cellulose (CELL) digestion. However, it is unknown if increases in HBN-to-HEMI ratios (HBN/HEMI) improve fiber digestion in horses. Our objective was to determine if titrating HBN/HEMI increased in vitro HEMI digestibility (IVHD) and in vitro cellulose digestibility (IVCD) in horses and if fiber digestibility increased with extended incubation time (48 vs. 72 h). Four Quarter Horse geldings were fed 1.5% BW DM/d of coastal Bermudagrass hay (CBH) and 0.5 kg/d of a commercial concentrate for 14 d. On Day 14, fresh feces were collected for microbial inoculum. Feed mixtures [alfalfa hay (ALF), CBH, 60-40 ALF-CBH (A60), and 60-40 CBH-ALF (C60)] were formulated to have different HBN/HEMI. Dried, ground feed mixtures (0.5 g) sealed in F57 filter bags (n = 8/mixture; n = 16/incubation time) were pre-washed with neutral detergent solution and placed in duplicate into 8 jars between 2 DaisyII incubators (48- vs. 72-h incubation; 4 jars/incubator) in a split-split-plot batch-culture design. After incubation, samples were washed with water, dried, and weighed for residual neutral detergent fiber (NDF) then washed with acid detergent solution and 72% sulfuric acid to analyze for residual acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). A duplicate set of samples were analyzed for pre-fermentation NDF, ADF, ADL, neutral detergent insoluble crude protein (NDICP) and acid detergent insoluble crude protein (ADICP). Fiber fractions were determined as HEMI = NDF – ADF, and CELL = ADF – ADL, with HBN calculated as HBN = NDICP – ADICP. Digestibility measures were expressed as IVHD and IVCD. Data were analyzed within R Statistical Program (v4.4.0) using an ANOVA and a Pearson’s correlation with significance set at P ≤ 0.05. Mixture IVHD decreased in ALF versus all other mixtures (P &amp;lt; 0.001) with A60 similar to C60 (P = 0.12) but less than CBH (P &amp;lt; 0.01). No mixture effect occured for IVCD (P = 0.74). The 72-h incubation did not affect IVHD (P = 0.28), but increased IVCD (P &amp;lt; 0.001) compared to 48-h. Mixture IVHD was only moderately correlated to HBN/HEMI (r = -0.57; P &amp;lt; 0.01) and HBN (r = 0.61; P = 0.001), but more correlated to the ADL-to-HEMI ratio (ADL/HEMI; r = -0.88; P &amp;lt; 0.001). Overall, increasing HBN/HEMI did not improve IVHD or IVCD, likely due to increases in ADL/HEMI. However, increased retention time improved IVCD, indicating a shift in microbial fermentation from HEMI to CELL over time due to the enzymatic lag time required for CELL degradation in the hindgut of the horse.

High-strength cellulose separator with high porosity inhibited irregular Zn dendrite for zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors.

Bio-based adhesives from spent coffee grounds: A sustainable pathway using medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates.

Abstract This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the catalytic effect using desulfurized fly ash (DFA) as a catalyst on the pyrolysis reaction mechanism of cotton stalk (CS) and its main components, cellulose (CE) and lignin (LG). The analysis is based on laboratory data. We obtained the relationship between the pyrolysis product yield of each pyrolysis combination and the mixing ratio of the corresponding pyrolysis combination. We identified differences in the yields of pyrolysis products and pyrolysis gas components for the two main biomass components. Based on this analysis, we constructed a reaction kinetic model. Finally, we proposed a novel quadratic regression prediction model, which demonstrated superior fitting for high-yield products through F-test validation.

Cellulose (CEL), a large polysaccharide composed of glucose units, is indigestible in the human gastrointestinal system due to the absence of cellulase. This study has resented a pioneering approach to the photoelectrochemical (PEC) direct decomposition of CEL, employing a novel lactobacillus acidophilus/NiFe layered double hydroxide (LA/LDH) composite. This composite was synthesized via a simple two-step hydrothermal method, resulting in a highly effective catalyst. Remarkably, LA/LDH demonstrated complete decomposition of cellulose into carbon dioxide, attributed to the potent oxidative capability of photo-excited holes in the valence band of LA/LDH. Leveraging this decomposition, the highly sensitive PEC sensor based on the LA/LDH-CEL interface, achieved dual linear response ranges from 0.5 to 200 μM and 200 to 1400 μM, and an impressive detection limit of 0.16 μM for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The LA/LDH-CEL photoelectrode exhibits outstanding stability and sensitivity, underscoring its potential as a powerful tool for advanced PEC analysis and environmental monitoring. This work not only expands the frontiers of cellulose decomposition but also opens new avenues for developing sustainable, high-performance PEC sensors.

Analysis of biodegradable films made from cassava starch and oregano essential oil using hyperspectral imaging and portable NIR spectroscopy.

The growing threat of multidrug-resistant bacteria requires innovative therapies beyond traditional antibiotics. This review highlights the potential of endolysin biocomposites using alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs) and modified cellulose (CL) as stabilizers. AOSs could enhance endolysin stability and potentially support colonic fermentation, producing short-chain fatty acids that may synergize with endolysins to combat pathogens and improve gut health. KZ144 and LysPA26 are proposed as optimal candidates for their broad pH range, divalent cation tolerance, and potential effectiveness against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Integrating AOSs and CL into biocomposites could offer a novel dual-action strategy against gastrointestinal diseases while potentially reducing antibiotic dependence.