Composition Of Oil Research Articles

Chemical Compositions and Enantiomeric Distributions of Foliar Essential Oils of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murray bis) Parl, Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don, and Tsuga heterophylla Sarg.

As part of our continuing interest in the essential oil compositions of gymnosperms, particularly the distribution of chiral terpenoids, we have obtained the foliar essential oils of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (two samples), Thuja plicata (three samples), and Tsuga heterophylla (six samples) from locations in the state of Oregon, USA. The essential oils were obtained via hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques, including chiral gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. The major components in C. lawsoniana foliar essential oil were limonene (27.4% and 22.0%; >99% (+)-limonene), oplopanonyl acetate (13.8% and 11.3%), beyerene (14.3% and 9.0%), sabinene (7.0% and 6.5%; >99% (+)-sabinene), terpinen-4-ol (5.0% and 5.3%; predominantly (+)-terpinen-4-ol), and methyl myrtenate (2.0% and 5.4%). The major components in T. plicata essential oil were (−)-α-thujone (67.1–74.6%), (+)-β-thujone (7.8–9.3%), terpinen-4-ol (2.7–4.4%; predominantly (+)-terpinen-4-ol), and (+)-sabinene (1.1–3.5%). The major components in T. heterophylla essential oil were myrcene (7.0–27.6%), α-pinene (14.4–27.2%), β-phellandrene (6.6–19.3%), β-pinene (6.4–14.9%; >90% (−)-β-pinene), and (Z)-β-ocimene (0.7–11.3%). There are significant differences between the C. lawsoniana essential oils from wild trees in Oregon and those of trees cultivated in other geographical locations. The essential oil compositions of T. plicata are very similar, regardless of the collection site. There are no significant differences between T. heterophylla essential oils from the Oregon Coastal Range or those from the Oregon Cascade Range. Comparing essential oils of the Cupressaceae with the Pinaceae, there are some developing trends. The (+)-enantiomers seem to dominate for α-pinene, camphene, sabinene, β-pinene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol, and α-terpineol in the Cuppressaceae. On the other hand, the (−)-enantiomers seem to predominate for α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, limonene, β-phellandrene, terpinen-4-ol, and α-terpineol in the Pinaceae.

Exploring the Larvicidal and Adulticidal Activity against Aedes aegypti of Essential Oil from Bocageopsis multiflora

This study investigates the chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the leaves of Bocageopsis multiflora (Mart.) R.E.Fr (Annonaceae), examining its effectiveness in combating both the larvae and adult forms of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Additionally, for a deeper understanding of the insecticidal activity, toxicity properties and molecular docking calculations were conducted using the main compounds of this essential oil. GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of 26 constituents, representing 95.2% of the essential oil, with the major components identified as the sesquiterpenes α-selinene, β-selinene, and β-elemene. Larvicidal assays demonstrated potent activity of this essential oil with significant LC50 values of 40.8 and 39.4 μg/mL at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Adulticidal assessments highlighted strong efficacy with LC50 of 12.5 µg/mL. Molecular docking analysis identified optimal interaction activities of α-selinene and β-selinene with key Aedes proteins. The in silico studies comparing synthetic insecticides with the major sesquiterpenes of the essential oil revealed that β-selinene exhibited a significantly higher binding affinity compared to the other two sesquiterpenes. Also, ADMET studies of the three main sesquiterpenes indicated acceptable drug-like properties. In these findings, safety evaluations showed low toxicity and skin sensitization for the main sesquiterpenes, contrasting with commercial synthetic insecticides. Therefore, in silico analyses suggest promising interactions with Aedes proteins, indicating its potential as an effective alternative to conventional insecticides These results show the larvicidal and adulticidal potential of the essential oil from Bocageopsis multiflora against Aedes aegypti, supported by its predominant constituents, α-selinene, β-selinene and β-elemene.

Unveiling the potential of Satureja calamintha nepeta: A study on its phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity

AbstractSatureja calamintha nepeta is a plant native to northwestern Morocco. The purpose of this investigation is to identify the chemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial of the essential oil extracted from this plant. Firstly, a quality inspection of the plant was carried out to quantify its level of metals, especially the heavier ones, using the ICP technique. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to characterize the chemical composition of essential oil. The chromatogram analysis shows the presence of 27 compounds, that is, 99.2% of the essential oil, with 1,8‐cineole (34.34%) and cis‐pinocamphone (11.87%) being the most significant. The antibacterial effectiveness of the essential oil was tested using the disc diffusion method against 6 gram‐positive and gram‐negative pathogens. The essential oil shows strong activity against Escherichia coli and Escherichia vekanda strains, with an MIC value of about 2.80 µg/mL. The authors were benefited from the modeling technique to better understand the antibacterial activity.

Micronutrient Deficiency in Indian Diet

Micronutrient deficiency in the Indian diet poses a significant health challenge, impacting millions across the nation. The inadequate intake of essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, vitamin A, and iodine, can lead to severe health issues, including anaemia, impaired cognitive development, and compromised immune function. One crucial factor contributing to micronutrient deficiency is soil pollution, which directly affects the nutritional content of vegetables and fruits. Soil pollution results from the presence of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial waste, negatively impacting soil health and composition. As plants absorb nutrients from the soil, polluted soil leads to diminished nutrient uptake by crops, exacerbating the micronutrient deficiency in the food chain. The contamination of soil with heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium, can inhibit the absorption of essential minerals by plant roots. Consequently, vegetables and fruits grown in polluted soil may exhibit lower concentrations of vital micronutrients, even if individuals consume the same quantity of produce. This compromised nutritional quality directly contributes to the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in the Indian population. Addressing this issue necessitates a multi-faceted approach. Implementing sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming and soil remediation techniques, can help reduce soil pollution and enhance soil fertility. Additionally, promoting awareness about the importance of diversified diets and dietary supplements can empower communities to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Government initiatives, research collaborations, and public-private partnerships are essential to developing and implementing strategies that tackle both soil pollution and micronutrient deficiency in the Indian context, fostering a healthier and more resilient population. Keywords: Nutrients, Micronutrients, Indian diet, Vitamins, Supplements.

The Effect of Extraction by Pressing at Different Temperatures on Sesame Oil Quality Characteristics

Sesame oil has been widely used in the daily diet due to its high nutritional value. Sesame oil is extracted at industrial scales and also in small scale by cold pressing at different temperatures. In this research, sesame oil was extracted by pressing at four temperatures, namely, 30 (control sample), 60, 90 and 120 °C, to evaluate its effects on the quality of extracted oils. Oil extraction yields were increased from 38 to 51% by increasing the pressing temperature. The highest amount of peroxide and acid values were related to the oil extracted at 120 °C. Tocopherols and total phenol content were reduced by the increasing the pressing temperature, and the highest amounts of these bioactive components were related to the control sample. The results of the fatty acids profile showed that the composition of oils extracted at different temperatures did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). The results of the present study give a clear picture about the effects of different pressing temperatures on the sesame oil quality and extraction yield, and can be useful in the extraction unit optimization.

Insights to the Water Balance of a Boreal Watershed Using a SWAT Model.

Abstract The hydrological characteristics of a watershed play a crucial role in shaping ecosystems within the Boreal zone and have a significant impact on regional environments. Knowing these characteristics, such as the distinctive topography, vegetation, soil composition, and climatic conditions in the Canadian Boreal zone, is essential for implementing sustainable water management. This study focuses on assessing the hydrological dynamics of the Upper Humber River Watershed (UHRW) in western Newfoundland, Canada, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The UHR watershed includes sub-basins and hydrological response units (HRUs), with diverse land uses, soil types, and slope characteristics. Key parameters influencing streamflow simulation were identified through sensitivity analysis, including the runoff curve number, the effective hydraulic conductivity, the temperature lapse rate, the soil evaporation compensation factor, and the available water capacity of the soil layer. The SWAT model, using data from the Reidville hydrometric station, shows favorable performance metrics, with R2 values of 0.79 and 0.83 during the calibration and evaluation periods, respectively. The model effectively captures seasonal and monthly flow patterns, displaying right-skewed distributions and seasonal variations. The analyzed hydrological parameters, such as precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, surface runoff, and groundwater flow, reveal their significant contributions to the water balance. The flow duration curve analysis indicates the model's capability to estimate peak and low flows, with slight under-prediction during the recession phase. Seasonal analysis further supports the model's performance, with positive Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values ranging from 0.65 to 0.91. The study concludes that the SWAT model is suitable for simulating the hydrological processes in the studied watershed providing valuable insights for sustainable water resource management and decision-making in the UHRW. The results can be useful for other Boreal zone watersheds.

Fungal communities shift with soybean cyst nematode abundance in soils

Plant parasitic nematodes pose a significant threat to food security. Management strategies for these pathogens are limited, and additional tools for their control are needed. Some fungi have shown promise for biocontrol, however, their success in the field has varied. In contrast, some fungal plant pathogens form synergistic associations with nematodes resulting in increased plant disease severity. However, how both groups of fungi change with different plant parasitic nematode abundances in the soil is underexplored. In this study, we used the soybean cyst nematode as a model to understand these changes. We sampled soil from 171 Ohio soybean fields in 2019 and 2021 and determined soybean cyst nematode abundance. We identified the fungi in the samples through amplicon sequencing of the 18S-ITS rDNA regions. Edaphoclimatic factors were used to classify samples into geographic regions to account for environmental differences between sampling locations. We hypothesized that fungal communities would be influenced by both region and soybean cyst nematode abundance. K-near neighbor analysis revealed that fungal communities follow regional patterns. We also found that soybean cyst nematode abundance was associated with changes in these communities regardless of the region. Two potential nematophagous fungi were found to be prevalent in Ohio through core community analysis, although they were enriched when soybean cyst nematode abundance was high. Lastly, differential network analysis showed that interactions among fungal community members change when soybean cyst nematode is present in the soil. Together these results suggest that this nematode significantly shifts the fungal community composition in field soils.

Incidence of resistance to ALS and ACCase inhibitors in Echinochloa species and soil microbial composition in Northern Italy

The increasing amount of weeds surviving herbicide represents a very serious problem for crop management. The interaction between microbial community of soil and herbicide resistance, along with the potential evolutive consequences, are still poorly known and need to be investigated to better understand the impact on agricultural management. In our study, we analyzed the microbial composition of soils in 32 farms, located in the Northern Italy rice-growing area (Lombardy) with the aim to evaluate the relationship between the microbial composition and the incidence of resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting herbicides in Echinochloa species. We observed that the coverage of weeds survived herbicide treatment was higher than 60% in paddy fields with a low microbial biodiversity and less than 5% in those with a high microbial biodiversity. Fungal communities showed a greater reduction in richness than Bacteria. In soils with a reduced microbial diversity, a significant increase of some bacterial and fungal orders (i.e. Lactobacillales, Malasseziales and Diaporthales) was observed. Interestingly, we identified two different microbial profiles linked to the two conditions: high incidence of herbicide resistance (H-HeR) and low incidence of herbicide resistance (L-HeR). Overall, the results we obtained allow us to make hypotheses on the greater or lesser probability of herbicide resistance occurrence based on the composition of the soil microbiome and especially on the degree of biodiversity of the microbial communities.

Monte Carlo Simulation of the CO2 Flooding Efficiency at a Core Scale for Different Oil Compositions

The evaluation of water-alternating-gas (WAG) efficiency and profitability is complicated by a large number of reservoir, operating, and economic parameters and constraints. This study aims at understanding the influence of the oil composition on different WAG injections. By employing compositional reservoir modeling and the Monte Carlo method to characterize the diversity of oils occurring in nature, we simulate the microscopic displacement efficiency of CO2 flooding when it is applied to both light- and heavy-oil reservoirs. We find that the economic performance of WAG in both miscible and immiscible scenarios is mainly characterized by the dimensionless injection rate and the oil density at surface conditions. Neither the bubble point pressure nor the minimum miscibility pressure can be used for the quantification of the optimal WAG parameters. We present our estimates of the best strategies for the miscible and immiscible injections and verify some of our previous results for randomly sampled oils. In particular, we demonstrate that CO2 flooding is better to apply at higher-dimensionless injection rates. We show that the injection of CO2 organized at a light-oil reservoir results in a higher profitability of WAG, although this comes at the cost of lower carbon storage efficiency.

Vegetative propagation of Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. by rhizome cuttings: a step towards conservation and cultivation approach

IntroductionPhytolacca acinosa Roxb. is a highly valuable multipurpose herb native to the Himalayan region. Unsustainable harvesting of this species due to its diverse uses has resulted in a rapid decline in its population across natural habitats, thereby necessitating its propagation and conservation. To overcome this challenge, the potential of P. acinosa rhizomes for ex situ regeneration was evaluated.MethodsThe current study aims to develop a standard propagation protocol for P. acinosa. Rhizome cuttings derived by splitting whole rhizomes were used to study the effect of various hormones and soil compositions on their sprouting and growth performance.ResultsSoil compositions SC10 and SC5 consisting of soil, sand, pebbles, and vermicompost (1:1:1:1) and soil, sand, and vermicompost (1:1:1), respectively, were the most suitable compositions for the optimum growth of this species. The rhizome segments treated with GA3 (150ppm) induced the highest sprouting percentage (91.67%), with a minimum sprouting time of 23.25 days. The maximum root length (9.25 cm), shoot length (16.5 cm), and leaf number (11.25) were recorded for GA3 (150ppm) treated rhizome cuttings.ConclutionsOverall, the results of the present study helped in establishing a cost-effective, rapid, efficient, and simple mass propagation method for the target species. The results of this study will serve as a guide for the large-scale cultivation, effective conservation, and sustainable utilization of this economically valuable medicinal herb.

No sex difference in preen oil chemical composition during incubation in Kentish plovers.

Preen oil, the secretion from the uropygial gland of birds, may have a specific function in incubation. Consistent with this, during incubation, the chemical composition of preen oil is more likely to differ between sexes in species where only one sex incubates than in species where both sexes incubate. In this study, we tested the generality of this apparent difference, by investigating sex differences in the preen oil composition of a shorebird species, the Kentish plover (Anarhynchus, formerly Charadrius, alexandrinus). As both sexes incubate in this species, we predicted the absence of sex differences in preen oil composition during incubation. In the field, we sampled preen oil from nine females and 11 males during incubation, which we analysed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Consistent with predictions, we found no sex difference in preen oil composition, neither in beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarities) nor in alpha diversity (Shannon index and number of substances). Based on these results, we cannot conclude whether preen oil has a function during incubation in Kentish plovers. Still, we discuss hypothetical roles, such as olfactory crypsis, protection against ectoparasites or olfactory intraspecific communication, which remain to be tested.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Contamination and Quality of Locally Produced Crude Palm Oil in South-South Zone, Nigeria

Background: Oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq is a perennial crop mainly cultivated for its vegetable oil. The fatty acid composition of crude palm oil (CPO) is mostly composed of palmitic, stearic oleic, and linoleic acids. Objectives: This study evaluated the quality of locally produced CPO from six states of South-South zone, Nigeria. Methods: The parameters of CPOs were characterized by specific gravity (SG), acid value (AV), percentage of free fatty acid (%FFA), and saponification value (SV) and peroxide value (PV). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in CPO were quantified using standard procedures, the related risk due to daily consumption of 25 g was characterized by lifetime cancer risk (LCR) and margin of exposure (MOE). Results: The study observed that the mean values of the parameters were 0.931 SG; 5.01 mgKOH g-1 AV; 2.28% FFA; 177.27 mgKOH g-1 SV and 29.65 meqO2 kg-1 PV. Apart from %FFA, the others did not meet the requirements recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the joint WHO/FAO. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs suggested a mixture of petrogenic and pyrogenic origins. The MOEs showed low health concern while 16PAH-LCR values which ranged from 2.48E-04 - 4.48E-04 were unacceptable. The screening value 0.003 was significantly (p> 0.05) lower than the computed total BaP equivalent (BaPeq) values indicating potential human health concerns. It is recommended that CPO processing and storage methods should be properly monitored to prevent quality reduction and contamination, which might have adverse effect on consumers.

SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND CROP SUGGESTION BASED DEEP LEARNING

Agriculture is one of the most important components of our society. Soil is a critical factor for a successful agriculture. The composition of soil differs from soil to soil. The Growth of Crops is affected by these chemical features of soil. Choosing the right type of crops for that particular type of soil is also important. Machine Learning techniques can be used to classify the soil series data. The results of such classification can further be combined with crop dataset to predict the crops that are suitable for the soil series of a particular region and its climatic conditions. Soil dataset and crop dataset are used. The datasets comprise of chemical attributes and geographical attributes of soil and crops. Algorithms like SVM and Ensembling technique can be used to classify the soil series data and predict the suitable crops. Index Terms— Soil, Crop, Agriculture, crop recommendation, soil classification, machine learning.

Natural soil as the peroxymonosulfate activator for efficient remediation and detoxification of bisphenol A: Nonradical-dominated mechanism and the change of soil properties

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has been extensively applied in soil refractory organics remediation, but studies without an activator were scarce. Besides, the role of soil as well as the interaction between the soil constituents and PMS remained unclear. Using bisphenol A (BPA) as a model contaminant, our findings demonstrated that soil could efficiently activate PMS for BPA abatement in water and slurry. Free Fe oxides, especially crystalline Fe oxides in soil, were primarily responsible for PMS activation through nonradical pathways (singlet oxygen) for BPA removal, but soil organic matter (SOM) might inhibit the process. Moreover, BPA elimination was almost not inhibited by the addition of anions (Cl−, NO3−, HCO3−, and SO42−) and humic acid, but could be promoted by cations (Fe3+ and Mn2+). PMS oxidation caused an insignificant impact on the bioavailability of heavy metals, except for Fe, Mn, SOM, pH, total phosphorus (TP) content, soil composition, and crystal structure have not changed obviously after PMS treatment. BPA decomposition pathways were proposed based on the intermediates identified. Furthermore, the phytotoxicity of BPA − polluted soil was significantly reduced after PMS remediation in terms of crop growth indexes. Overall, the study provided new insights into the crucial role of soil constituents in PMS activation and inspired more energy or catalyst − saving soil remediation strategies.

Mineral composition and heavy metal risk assesment of selected geophagic soils from Tanzania

Geophagy or Pica is the unintentional traditional behavior of eating soil by indigenous people in different countries. practiced in many countries due to nausea among pregnant women and mineral deficiencies without knowing the associated health risks. In this study the mineral composition of geophagic soil and its associated health risk among consumers was determined. Dry soil sticks consumed by women were obtained from open markets in Morogoro, Njombe and Mwanza regions in Tanzania. The elemental concentration of geophagic soil was analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer. Health risk assessment methods were used to obtain health information after chronic exposure to geophagic soils. The tests used were Target Hazard Quotients (THQ), Total Target Hazard Quotients (TTHQ) and Cancer Risks (CR). The concentration range of metals in samples obtained from three different regions were 16,335.7–47,773.7 mg/kg for Fe, 46.2–1073.5 mg/kg for Ca, 155.3–514.9 mg/kg for K, 44.5–112.4 mg/kg for Zn, 40.7–95.1 mg/kg for Na, 2.4–66.7 mg/kg for Cu, 109.5–572.6 mg/kg for Mn, 3.8–6.85 mg/kg for Pb, 3.1–93 mg/kg for Ni, 62.7–638.6 mg/kg for Cr and 0.4 mg/kg for Cd. The Provisional Daily Intake (PDI), THQ, TTHQ and CR ranged between 3.0 × 10−3 –34.12 mg/kg/day bw, 0.043–48.75, 34.52–77.36 and 2.55×10−5- 0.23 respectively. The TTHQ>1 was evident for metals in all sampling sites which is indicative of non-carcinogenic health effects. Prolonged exposure to Pb at low concentrations in samples from all the sites can cause pathological effects. The cancer risk values for Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd were <1 in which the consumer is likely not to develop cancer in a life time. Essential minerals – Fe, Ca, Zn, Na, K and toxic metals Pb, Cr, Ni and Cu were detected in all the samples. Cd occurred only in samples from Mwanza region that was below the tolerable daily intake. According to WHO/FAO expert’s joint committee any amount of Pb consumption is not permitted. Given the presence of essential minerals in the geophagic soils which are however accompanied by toxic minerals in some cases which might have carcinogenic effects, prolonged consumption should be discouraged to avoid risks of serious adverse effects to the health of the general population.

High-resolution soil erosion mapping in croplands via Sentinel-2 bare soil imaging and a two-step classification approach

Erosion-induced lateral soil redistribution leads to spatially heterogenous soil composition, which can be captured through the distinctive spectral reflectance of soils under varying levels of erosion influence. This points to the potential of using remotely sensed soil spectra to detect severe erosion and deposition hotspots in exposed croplands and, importantly, further differentiate the intra-class spectral variability of moderate erosion that often occupies the largest proportion. Here, we aim to develop a two-step erosion classification and mapping approach based on multitemporal compositing of Sentinel-2 bare soil images of a typical agricultural region (11,500 km2) of northeast China. A random forest classifier was firstly trained against the ground-truth data derived from very high resolution (VHR) imagery in Google Earth, with an overall accuracy of 91 % that allowed for clear delineation of severe erosion and deposition areas based on their distinct topographic and spectral features particularly in the red and red-edge bands. In the second step, the remaining area of moderate erosion (60.30 %) was further differentiated using Iterative Self-Organizing cluster unsupervised classification to yield a five-class soil erosion map at 10 m spatial resolution. The accuracy of the predicted map was successfully validated by independent Caesium-137 (137Cs) and soil organic carbon observations at catchment and regional scales, as revealed by significant inter-class differences in soil redistribution rates estimated from 137Cs inventory. The severe erosion class had a soil loss rate of 5.5 mm yr−1, suggesting that previous assessments have underestimated erosion severity. The spatial accordance of crop growth with soil erosion intensity, particularly in localized settings, further highlighted the potential of bare soil imaging for mapping the spatiotemporal development of soil erosion and its response to targeted sustainable cropland management efforts.

Anaerobic biodegradation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and microbial community composition in soil amended with a dechlorinating culture and chlorinated solvents

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), one of the most frequently detected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurring in soil, surface water, and groundwater near sites contaminated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), has proven to be recalcitrant to many destructive remedies, including chemical oxidation. We investigated the potential to utilize microbially mediated reduction (bioreduction) to degrade PFOS and other PFAS through addition of a known dehalogenating culture, WBC-2, to soil obtained from an AFFF-contaminated site. A substantial decrease in total mass of PFOS (soil and water) was observed in microcosms amended with WBC-2 and chlorinated volatile organic compound (cVOC) co-contaminants — 46.4 ± 11.0 % removal of PFOS over the 45-day experiment. In contrast, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) concentrations did not decrease in the same microcosms. The low or non-detectable concentrations of potential metabolites in full PFAS analyses, including after application of the total oxidizable precursor assay, indicated that defluorination occurred to non-fluorinated compounds or ultrashort-chain PFAS. Nevertheless, additional research on the metabolites and degradation pathways is needed. Population abundances of known dehalorespirers did not change with PFOS removal during the experiment, making their association with PFOS removal unclear. An increased abundance of sulfate reducers in the genus Desulfosporosinus (Firmicutes) and Sulfurospirillum (Campilobacterota) was observed with PFOS removal, most likely linked to initiation of biodegradation by desulfonation. These results have important implications for development of in situ bioremediation methods for PFAS and advancing knowledge of natural attenuation processes.

Wettability of Different Mineral Surfaces in Supercritical CO2 Extraction: Interpretations from the Molecular Composition of Crude Oil

Wettability of Different Mineral Surfaces in Supercritical CO₂ Extraction: Interpretations from the Molecular Composition of Crude Oil

Modification of the composition of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil based on the quality of the light

Objective: To identify the changes in the concentration of the main components of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil in response to five different LED colors. Design/Methodology/Approach: A completely randomized experimental design was used. The design included five treatments (white light; blue light; red light; 75% blue light and 25% red light; and 75% red light and 75% blue light) and 10 repetitions, at a 25 μmol m−2 s−1 luminous intensity, during a 16 h photoperiod. The thyme plants were sown in a pot with a substrate made up of 50% peat, 48% perlite, and 2% vermicompost. Each plant was an experimental unit. The plants were placed in light isolation chambers and subjected to the treatment for 35 days. Results: The concentration of the main molecules in the essential oil recorded considerable changes between treatments: the concentration of thymol (its main component) increased in the white light treatments, as well as in the red light (75%) and blue light (75%) treatments. In addition, the composition of the essential oil resulting from these treatments is different to the composition reported in the references. Study Limitations/Implications: The light intensity used in this experiment was lower than the light intensity required for plant growth; however, it was enough to produce changes in the secondary metabolism. Findings/Conclusions: The changes in the quality of the light modify the composition of the thyme essential oil. Even at a low light intensity (25 µmol m-2 s-1), the changes in the spectrum composition under which the plants grow influence the composition of the essential oil.

Assessing the efficacy of utilizing biochar derived from oil palm biomass as a planting medium for promoting the growth and development of oil palm seedlings

The recent adoption of biochar in Malaysia's oil palm industry offers numerous benefits, including soil enhancement, resource efficiency improvement, pollution remediation, and greenhouse gas mitigation. With approximately 66.15% of agricultural land dedicated to oil palm cultivation, a substantial amount of biomass, mainly from empty fruit bunch (EFB) and mesocarp fibre (MF), is generated. This study focused on carbonizing MF and EFB at temperatures ranging from 580 to 695 °C to produce biochar. The assessment of biochar's effectiveness as a planting medium in nurseries revealed significantly accelerated growth rates in seedlings cultivated in a composite of biochar and soil. At 8 months-after-treatment (MAT), the BMF-75 treatment showed remarkable growth enhancements, with the highest increase in height (64.9%), number of leaflets (60.5%), and girth size (55.3%) compared to the initial values at 3 MAT, indicating its effectiveness in promoting growth in oil palm seedlings. Additionally, compared to the control group, the biochar-mixed media resulted in favourable outcomes regarding the assimilation of both macro- and micro-nutrients. For instance, nitrogen uptake increased by 2.7% with BMF-50, magnesium by 25.2%, phosphorus by 24.1% with BEFB-75, calcium by 36.8% with BMF-75, chlorine by 10.5% with BMF-50, iron by 25.5% with BEFB-25, copper by 20.1% with BMF-25, and zinc by 6.3% with BMF-25. Additionally, biochar-treated soil exhibited higher organic carbon content, improved cation exchange capacity (CEC), enhanced nitrogen retention with greater biochar proportions, and likely improved soil fertility due to biochar's porous structure. Further potential research can be explored to investigate its long-term effects on oil palm plantation.