Degree Of Biodegradation Research Articles

Production and Kinetic Study of Biogas Formation from Cow Dung and Utilization of Biogas Effluent as Bio-Fertilizer

Biogas is an alternative and eco-friendly renewable power source and biogas effluent is used as a bio-fertilizer. In this research, the kinetic of biogas formation was studied and also the acceptance of biogas effluent as a bio-fertilizer was evaluated. 8000 g of cow dung and 600 ml of inoculum were fed to the digester. The volume of biogas production was observed for 50 days by using Orsat Apparatus and gas chromatography was used to analyze the gas. From the data, it was found that the formation of methane gas didn’t depend upon the concentration of cow-dung hydrocarbon and it followed the mechanism of the zero-order reaction. On the other hand, the elementary analysis of biogas effluent by AAS ensured the property of effluent as a bio-fertilizer. Utilization of Miscanthus fuscus with E. coli and S. aureus ensured a higher degree of biodegradation.

Differential Enrichment of Trace and Major Elements in Biodegraded Oil: A Case Study from Bohai Bay Basin, China

Inorganic elements in crude oil have been used in the reconstruction of the sedimentary environment and oil–oil (source) correlations; however, the effect of biodegradation on these elements has not been investigated sufficiently. In this study, 14 crude oils from the Miaoxi Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China, were analyzed using molecular markers, trace elements, and major elements to determine the effect of biodegradation on inorganic elements. The molecular markers indicated that the oils are in the low maturity stage and are derived from similar parent materials in lacustrine source rocks. The high-sulfur oil came from a more reductive and saltier environment compared with the low-sulfur oil. The oils were subjected to varying degrees of biodegradation. The concentrations of Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Be, Sc, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb, Th, and U increased significantly throughout the biodegradation process, while the concentrations of Na, K, Ti, Al, Cr, Zn, Cs, Nb, Ba, Hf, and Tl increased considerably only during the intense biodegradation stage (PM < 4). The concentrations of P, Li, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Sn, and Ta were not correlated with the level of biodegradation. The V/Ni, V/Co, Ni/Co, Cr/V, Sc/V, and Th/U ratios were affected by biodegradation when PM ≥ 4. Several ratios, including Mg/P, Ca/P, Mn/P, and Fe/P, are proposed as favorable indicators of the level of biodegradation. Differential enrichment of these elements is associated with the effects of organic acids generated by biodegradation on the oil–water–rock interactions in the reservoir.

Analysis, distribution and evolution of individual carboxylic acids in crude oil during biodegradation

Carboxylic acids (CAs) are important molecular markers in the study of petroleum biodegradation. This work presents a vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction (VALLME) method, followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC × GC–MS) analysis for the profiling of CAs in complex oils. The designed extractant containing CAs in VALLME can be silylated immediately and injected into GC × GC–MS without any post-treatment. More than 400 individual CAs, including alkanoic acids, cyclic aliphatic acids and aromatic acids, were putatively or positively identified. With good reproducibility and high sensitivity, VALLME combined with GC × GC–MS was applied to investigate the distribution and evolution of individual CAs in crude oil during laboratory biodegradation. It was found that acyclic acids and monocyclic aliphatic/aromatic acids could be detected at all stages of oil biodegradation, while polycyclic aliphatic/aromatic acids could only be identified in oils at a relatively higher degree of biodegradation. In addition, the contents of each type of CA changed regularly during biodegradation. Targeted analysis on the distributions of individual acyclic acids showed that the abundance ratio of short chain to long chain n-alkanoic acids kept increasing during biodegradation, which might reflect the multiple origins of short chain n-alkanoic acids. Moreover, based on the distributions of pristanic/phytanic acid and pristane/phytane in oils with different biodegradation degrees, pristanic and phytanic acid seemed to be more susceptible to degradation compared to their hydrocarbon analogues, and pristane might be more susceptible to degradation in comparison to phytane.

Numerical modelling of settlement of municipal solid waste in landfills coupled with effects of biodegradation

This paper presents the development of a new settlement model to predict the long-term settlement of municipal solid wastes (MSWs). The total settlement of the MSWs results from the direct loss of solids due to decomposition and compression due to stress variation induced by loss of solids, flow of gas and liquid and mechanical creep. The geotechnical properties of MSWs are considered as functions of degrees of biodegradation (DOB). To validate the model, two settlement profilers (2.5 years) and three geodetic monitoring networks (2 years) were installed at Mugga Lane Landfill, ACT, Australia to monitor the settlement of an MSW lift and three closed landfill cells, respectively. The settlement rates of the landfill cells with the ages of 7, 8, 14, and 8, 9 and 15 years are 0.53, 0.35, 0.06 and 0.46, 0.36, 0.05 mm/day, respectively. In addition, 5 large scale and 3 small scale bioreactors were set up in the field and laboratory to address the long-term physical, mechanical and biochemical behaviours of the MSWs under different stress levels. The predicted settlement is compared to the test results from the bioreactors, in-situ monitoring data and the settlement predicted using an existing model, which has been improved by coupling the geotechnical properties of MSWs with DOBs. The predicted settlement using the proposed model well fits the test results and monitoring data. The settlement strain is predicted to be 28.2 % during the filling stage of the landfill and 5.9 % in 5 years after the closure.

Experimental investigation of water retention curves of municipal solid wastes with different paper contents, dry unit weights and degrees of biodegradation

This paper investigates the drying and wetting water retention curves (WRCs) of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) with different paper contents, dry unit weights and degrees of biodegradation (DOBs). Fresh synthetic samples were prepared based on the field composition of the MSWs at Mugga Lane Landfill, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia. The degraded samples were prepared in simulators with MSWs of different initial dry unit weights and decomposition periods with leachate recirculation. The water retention curves (WRCs) of the MSWs were determined using pressure plate tests, in both drying and wetting phases. The outflow from MSWs was analysed using Gardner’s method to obtain the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The results indicate that the WRCs of the MSWs are greatly affected by the DOB, paper content and dry unit weight. When DOB < 30 %, as DOB increases, the air-entry pressure of MSWs with paper increases, and the residual moisture content decreases regardless of paper content. With DOB > 30 %, the air entry pressure and residual water content depend on the balance between organic matter and highly decomposed organic constituents. The paper content affects the WRCs of MSWs due to its water retention capacity and change in the particle size distribution with decomposition. The increase in the dry unit weight of MSWs significantly increases the air entry pressure and residual moisture content, similar to the borehole samples with combined effects of biodegradation and increase in stress level from literature. Hysteresis effects have been observed during the drying and wetting of MSWs. The hysteresis of WRCs increases with the paper content and DOB.

Treatment of wastewater using Black Soldier Fly larvae: Effect of organic concentration and load

Recent studies have investigated the use of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae as a promising biological treatment process for high organic content wastewater (i.a. Leachate from municipal solid waste landfill, food processing effluents), achieving both high treatment efficiency and production of secondary resources from larval biomass (i.a. Proteins and lipids). The present study was aimed at achieving a better understanding of how organic concentration and load might influence treatment performance. Larvae were fed with three artificial wastewaters characterised by same organic substances quality (degree of biodegradability and oxidation of the organic content measured respectively as BOD/COD and TOC/COD ratios) but different organic concentrations. Each type of wastewater was tested at four different loads. Treatment performance was assessed by monitoring both larval growth (in terms of weight variation, mortality and prepupation), and variation of wastewater quality and quantity to determine organic substrate consumption (measured in terms of Total Organic Carbon, TOC). Larval starvation was observed in all tests when TOC concentrations dropped below approx. 1000 mg C/L, which, for the tested wastewater, could be assumed as the limit value for adopting BSF larvae process. Substrate concentration in the feed (mgC/L) influenced larval growth (in terms of maximum wet weight, prepupation and mortality) only when organic load was above 10 mgC/larva: the higher the load, the higher the positive impact of the substrate concentration. On the contrary, the specific substrate consumption rate (vS, mgC/larva/day) appeared not to be influenced by substrate concentration but only by the organic load, with a Michaelis Menten like relationship. Accordingly, substrate load can be assumed as a design parameter for BSF treatment process, while substrate concentration might only influence potential resource recovery from larval biomass.

Adhesive cryogel particles for bridging confined and irregular tissue defects

BackgroundReconstruction of damaged tissues requires both surface hemostasis and tissue bridging. Tissues with damage resulting from physical trauma or surgical treatments may have arbitrary surface topographies, making tissue bridging challenging.MethodsThis study proposes a tissue adhesive in the form of adhesive cryogel particles (ACPs) made from chitosan, acrylic acid, 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). The adhesion performance was examined by the 180-degree peel test to a collection of tissues including porcine heart, intestine, liver, muscle, and stomach. Cytotoxicity of ACPs was evaluated by cell proliferation of human normal liver cells (LO2) and human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2). The degree of inflammation and biodegradability were examined in dorsal subcutaneous rat models. The ability of ACPs to bridge irregular tissue defects was assessed using porcine heart, liver, and kidney as the ex vivo models. Furthermore, a model of repairing liver rupture in rats and an intestinal anastomosis in rabbits were established to verify the effectiveness, biocompatibility, and applicability in clinical surgery.ResultsACPs are applicable to confined and irregular tissue defects, such as deep herringbone grooves in the parenchyma organs and annular sections in the cavernous organs. ACPs formed tough adhesion between tissues [(670.9 ± 50.1) J/m2 for the heart, (607.6 ± 30.0) J/m2 for the intestine, (473.7 ± 37.0) J/m2 for the liver, (186.1 ± 13.3) J/m2 for muscle, and (579.3 ± 32.3) J/m2 for the stomach]. ACPs showed considerable cytocompatibility in vitro study, with a high level of cell viability for 3 d [(98.8 ± 1.2) % for LO2 and (98.3 ± 1.6) % for Caco-2]. It has comparable inflammation repair in a ruptured rat liver (P = 0.58 compared with suture closure), the same with intestinal anastomosis in rabbits (P = 0.40 compared with suture anastomosis). Additionally, ACPs-based intestinal anastomosis (less than 30 s) was remarkably faster than the conventional suturing process (more than 10 min). When ACPs degrade after surgery, the tissues heal across the adhesion interface.ConclusionsACPs are promising as the adhesive for clinical operations and battlefield rescue, with the capability to bridge irregular tissue defects rapidly.

Anaerobic biodegradation of disposable PLA-based products: Assessing the correlation with physical, chemical and microstructural properties

In the present study commercial Polylactic Acid-based disposable cups and plates were selected for lab scale anaerobic degradability tests. The experiments were carried out under thermophilic conditions at different inoculum to substrate ratios and test material sizes, and the specific biogas production and associated kinetics were evaluated. Maximum biogas production was comparable for almost all the experimental runs (1620 and 1830 NmL/gTOCPLA) and a biodegradation degree in the range 86–100% was attained. Moreover, physical, chemical and microscopical analyses were used to characterize the tested materials before and after the degradation. The products composition was assessed and the presence of some additives (mainly Ca-based) was detected. Potential correlations among the process parameters and product composition were derived and a delay in process kinetics with increasing amount of additives embedded in the polymeric matrix was observed, confirming the relevant influence of the chemical blend on the biodegradation process.

Hydroxyapatite or Fluorapatite-Which Bioceramic Is Better as a Base for the Production of Bone Scaffold?-A Comprehensive Comparative Study.

Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is the most common calcium phosphate ceramic that is used in biomedical applications, e.g., as an inorganic component of bone scaffolds. Nevertheless, fluorapatite (FAP) has gained great attention in the area of bone tissue engineering in recent times. The aim of this study was a comprehensive comparative evaluation of the biomedical potential of fabricated HAP- and FAP-based bone scaffolds, to assess which bioceramic is better for regenerative medicine applications. It was demonstrated that both biomaterials had a macroporous microstructure, with interconnected porosity, and were prone to slow and gradual degradation in a physiological environment and in acidified conditions mimicking the osteoclast-mediated bone resorption process. Surprisingly, FAP-based biomaterial revealed a significantly higher degree of biodegradation than biomaterial containing HAP, which indicated its higher bioabsorbability. Importantly, the biomaterials showed a similar level of biocompatibility and osteoconductivity regardless of the bioceramic type. Both scaffolds had the ability to induce apatite formation on their surfaces, proving their bioactive property, that is crucial for good implant osseointegration. In turn, performed biological experiments showed that tested bone scaffolds were non-toxic and their surfaces promoted cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, the biomaterials did not exert a stimulatory effect on immune cells, since they did not generate excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), indicating a low risk of inflammatory response after implantation. In conclusion, based on the obtained results, both FAP- and HAP-based scaffolds have an appropriate microstructure and high biocompatibility, being promising biomaterials for bone regeneration applications. However, FAP-based biomaterial has higher bioabsorbability than the HAP-based scaffold, which is a very important property from the clinical point of view, because it enables a progressive replacement of the bone scaffold with newly formed bone tissue.

Anaerobic Biodegradability of Commercial Bioplastic Products: Systematic Bibliographic Analysis and Critical Assessment of the Latest Advances.

Bioplastics have entered everyday life as a potential sustainable substitute for commodity plastics. However, still further progress should be made to clarify their degradation behavior under controlled and uncontrolled conditions. The wide array of biopolymers and commercial blends available make predicting the biodegradation degree and kinetics quite a complex issue that requires specific knowledge of the multiple factors affecting the degradation process. This paper summarizes the main scientific literature on anaerobic digestion of biodegradable plastics through a general bibliographic analysis and a more detailed discussion of specific results from relevant experimental studies. The critical analysis of literature data initially included 275 scientific references, which were then screened for duplication/pertinence/relevance. The screened references were analyzed to derive some general features of the research profile, trends, and evolution in the field of anaerobic biodegradation of bioplastics. The second stage of the analysis involved extracting detailed results about bioplastic degradability under anaerobic conditions by screening analytical and performance data on biodegradation performance for different types of bioplastic products and different anaerobic biodegradation conditions, with a particular emphasis on the most recent data. A critical overview of existing biopolymers is presented, along with their properties and degradation mechanisms and the operating parameters influencing/enhancing the degradation process under anaerobic conditions.

ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИ БЕЗОПАСНЫЙ ЖИДКИЙ СМАЗОЧНЫЙ МАТЕРИАЛ ДЛЯ ПИЛЬНЫХ ЦЕПЕЙ НА ОСНОВЕ КОМБИНИРОВАННОЙ ДИСПЕРСИОННОЙ СРЕДЫ

The realization of the synergistic effect is shown on the example of creating of the composite liquid lubricant with improved properties using the combined dispersion medium obtained by mixing of the vegetable and mineral oils. The lubricant for the saw chains and the method of its production are developed. The highly purified mineral oil of group III of the NS-4 brand is added to the rapeseed oil in the amount of 20.0…25.0 wt.%, and the complex of the calcium sulfonate with calcium carbonate in the amount of 1.5…2.0 wt.% is used as a multifunctional additive in the manufacture of this lubricant. The developed lubricant has the following characteristics: kinematic viscosity at 40 °C — 61…63 mm2/s; solidification temperature is –29 °C; flash point — 242…246 °C; welding load — 2,764 N; wear index — 0.39…0.41 mm; mass fraction of free organic acids — 1.3...4.7 mg KOH/g; degree of biodegradability — 88–89 %; warranty period of storage in an open container — 12 months.

Long-Bone-Regeneration Process in a Sheep Animal Model, Using Hydroxyapatite Ceramics Prepared by Tape-Casting Method.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramic implants (HA cylinders, perforated HA plates, and nonperforated HA plates) on the healing of bone defects, addressing biocompatibility, biodegradability, osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, and osteointegration with the surrounding bone tissue. The HA ceramic implants were prepared using the tape-casting method, which allows for shape variation in samples after packing HA paste into 3D-printed plastic forms. In vitro, the distribution and morphology of the MC3T3E1 cells grown on the test discs for 2 and 9 days were visualised with a fluorescent live/dead staining assay. The growth of the cell population was clearly visible on the entire ceramic surfaces and very good osteoblastic cell adhesion and proliferation was observed, with no dead cells detected. A sheep animal model was used to perform in vivo experiments with bone defects created on the metatarsal bones, where histological and immunohistochemical tissue analysis as well as X-ray and CT images were applied. After 6 months, all implants showed excellent biocompatibility with the surrounding bone tissue with no observed signs of inflammatory reaction. The histomorphological findings revealed bone growth immediately over and around the implants, indicating the excellent osteoconductivity of the HA ceramic implants. A number of islands of bone tissue were observed towards the centres of the HA cylinders. The highest degree of biodegradation, bioresorption, and new bone formation was observed in the group in which perforated HA plates were applied. The results of this study suggest that HA cylinders and HA plates may provide a promising material for the functional long-bone-defect reconstruction and further research.

Physical, geotechnical and biochemical behaviours of municipal solid waste in field and laboratory bioreactors

This paper investigates the effects of degrees of compaction (initial dry unit weights), recirculation liquid and rate, and environmental temperature on the long-term physical, geotechnical, and biochemical properties of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) biodegraded for approximately 800 days. Four field bioreactors were filled with fresh MSWs collected from a landfill site. Three laboratory bioreactors were filled with synthetic MSWs with the composition same as that used in the field bioreactors. The bioreactors were recirculated with water or leachate at different rates. Compared to water recirculation, leachate recirculation further promotes the settlement of the MSWs and methane generation. Increasing the recirculation rate does not significantly increase the settlement of the MSWs. The biocompression ratio increases with the environmental temperature. The MSWs with lower dry unit weights are more sensitive to the change in temperature, especially with leachate recirculation. However, opposite to common sense, the decomposition of MSWs may not significantly contribute to the settlement after analysing the relationship between the degrees of biodegradation and settlement of the MSWs. Over 90 % of the settlement during the test period was completed within 25 % degrees of biodegradation. The major change in the physical, geotechnical, and biochemical properties occurs at low (less than20 %) degrees of biodegradation. A new equation is proposed to describe the nonlinear variation in the methane generation rate. The modelled methane generation rate and accumulated volume of methane well match the test results from the laboratory scale bioreactors and other studies.

Characteristics of light hydrocarbons under the superimposed influence of biodegradation and subsequent thermal maturation

Recently, several large light oil and condensate reservoirs were discovered in the Tarim and Junggar basins (China). In these superimposed petroliferous basins, the early formed palaeo-oil reservoirs experienced complex tectonic movements, resulting in complex secondary alterations (e.g., biodegradation and water washing), known to alter the chemical composition of crude oils. Thus, crude oils previously modified by biodegradation exhibit significantly different generation potential, chemical composition, and timing of generation (in terms of light oils/condensates), during subsequent thermal alteration. To elucidate the influence of biodegradation on crude oil cracking (to form light hydrocarbons), we artificially matured four crude oils of the same origin (with varying degrees of biodegradation) to various maturity levels, using programmed-temperature gold tube closed-system pyrolysis. The yields, molecular parameters, and stable carbon isotope ratios of the light hydrocarbon products derived from the matured oils were analysed and compared. The preferential removal of n-alkanes and branched alkanes during biodegradation significantly reduced the generation potential of light hydrocarbons. Under the superimposed influence of biodegradation and subsequent thermal alteration, referred to as superimposed secondary alteration (SSA), a few hydrocarbon ratios used for oil–oil correlations were severely modified. Most maturity-related light hydrocarbon parameters of the pyrolysis products derived from the biodegraded oils achieved maximum values at a lower maturity (Easy%Ro) than that observed for non-biodegraded crude oil. At 0.5–1.4 Easy%Ro, SSA caused the depletion of 13C in most light hydrocarbons, due to an increased sourcing from the biodegradation-resistant fractions of the oil. Such carbon isotopic differences decreased with increasing maturity.

Polymer in hemostasis and follow‐up wound healing

AbstractPolymers offer unique functional properties that lead to some novel applications every other day. Bioactive polymers with high degree of biodegradability, nonimmunogenicity, and biocompatibility are considered for applications in wound healing. The most basic form of wound protection is by gauge dressing that isolates the wound from contaminants. Natural polymers for example, cellulose, alginate, chitosan, starch, dextran, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, glycan, collagen, and synthetic polymers including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) are candidates for these applications. Biopolymers, when applied as wound dressing promote tissue healing and repair by (i) regulating the moist environment, and (ii) providing the needed growth factors, while offering anti‐inflammatory, immune‐modulatory, and cell proliferative properties. It induces hemostasis via direct interaction with erythrocytes and platelets. These polymers in cross linked state offer a scaffold for cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell migration. Further, these polymeric materials can be utilized to form permeable envelopes around the hemostatic and wound healing agents to leverage a favorable release kinetics. The fabrication strategies and their reported efficacy are reviewed in this article.

CHARACTERIZATION AND USE OF SYNTHESIZED ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDE IN THE COMPOSITION OF BIODEGRADABLE FOOD FILM

One direction in the development of food packaging involves the use of biodegradable safe materials along with antimicrobial agents. Among the promising prescribed ingredients for biodegradable films are biopeptides with antimicrobial properties. The research goal was to develop a biodegradable food film using a synthesized antimicrobial peptide. The objects of the study were the peptide, test strains of C. albicans, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis. The confirmation of the purity and primary structure of the peptide was conducted using mass spectrometry. The antimicrobial activity of the peptide was studied using the disc diffusion method on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The degree of film biodegradation was determined after 1, 3, and 6 months by exposing it to microorganisms. The peptide ACSAG was synthesized, and its quantitative and qualitative composition of amino acids, sequence, and molecular mass corresponded to a known antimicrobial peptide. It was estab­lished that the synthesized peptide possesses antimicrobial activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 and B. subtilis. A composition for the biodegradable film was developed, incorporating agar-agar, glycerin, antimicrobial peptide, and distilled water. It was demonstrated that the addition of the peptide to the film composition reduces its biodegradability.

STUDY OF OIL DEGRADATION IN OIL-CONTAMINATED SOIL DURING PURIFICATION USING A BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT

During a scientific study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the degradation of oil by various microorganisms in a liquid mineral medium containing 2% oil. This experiment was conducted at temperatures of 24ºC and 5ºC for a duration of 10 days. Using infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy), the degree of oil decomposition by each microorganism was determined. Based on these data, four associations of microorganisms were created, which proved to be effective in breaking down oil hydrocarbons. Using gravimetry and IR spectrometry, the degree of oil biodegradation by these microorganism associations was assessed, ranging from 30% to 70%. Based on the data obtained regarding microbial associations, a new bio-preparation was developed, containing the Pseudomonas sp. K3-H strain and two Rhodococcus strains (F2/2-Н4, F2/1-Н4). Subsequently, fieldwork was conducted on the premises of oil waste of the company "TOO Company – Daulet Asia." Over a period of 12 weeks, the population of oil-degrading microorganisms at the oil-contaminated site reached the required level, resulting in an 89.67% reduction in the amount of oil. It is worth noting that the ambient temperature varied from 05 to 39°C during the day and from 0 to 24°C at night during this period. The results of the field studies demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed bio-preparation based on the Rhodococcus erythropolis KZ1, Rhodococcus erythropolis KZ2, and Pseudomonas putida KZ3 strains. Thus, the proposed bioremediation strategy utilizing the developed bio-preparation successfully passed the testing phase at the landfill of "TOO Company - Daulet Asia" in the Kyzylorda region of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Impact of Octacalcium Phosphate/Gelatin (OCP/Gel) Composite on Bone Repair in Refractory Bone Defects.

In clinical settings, bone grafting is frequently used to treat bone defects. Therefore, the development of bone graft substitutes with superior bone formation ability is expected, instead of autogenous bone grafting. Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) has been developed as a bone graft substitute, and preclinical studies using OCP have reported superior bone formation ability compared with β-tricalcium phosphate. Furthermore, OCP has been used in composite forms with natural polymers such as collagen and gelatin to improve the usability of OCP, and OCP/collagen composite forms have been clinically applied in the dental field because of their excellent usability and osteogenic potential. This review describes the development and preclinical results of OCP and OCP/gelatin (OCP/Gel) composites and prospects for future applications in orthopedics. The development of bone graft substitutes that achieve a high degree of biodegradability and strength will be needed for the clinical application of OCP composites in orthopedics in the future.

The use of phytobiotics-based films as a condition of improving food quality and reducing waste

The study analyses the biodegradation degree of biodegradable phytobiotic-based films for packaging food products of animal origin. During the research the authors have completed the following tasks: studied the biodegradation degree of starch-and gelatin-based films, the structure of biodegradable natural polysaccharides-based polymers, water absorption of biodegradable edible films, the chemical stability of biodegradable natural polysaccharides-based polymers, pH and water activity. The study of the biodegradation parameters of phytobiotic edible films will allow the development of a new approach to the production process of edible packaging with an extended shelf life based on concentrated cranberry and lingonberry juice. The study has also evaluated the biodegradation parameters of edible protective coatings for products of animal origin. All the samples had almost complete biodegradation in one month’s time. The biodegradation rate is directly proportional to the presence of plant polysaccharides. The article presents the product characteristics of boiled-smoked meat products in biodegradable packages and describes a production process of meat products with phytobiotic coatings, including additional operations for preparing coating compositions, their application to raw smoked products, as well as drying of coatings on product’s surface. The research has shown that all studied firm samples are biodegradable.

New Biodegradation Degree Proxies Based on Acids and Neutral Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Containing Compounds Characterized by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

New Biodegradation Degree Proxies Based on Acids and Neutral Nitrogen- and Oxygen-Containing Compounds Characterized by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry