Domestic Plants Research Articles

Prevention of environmental risks when designing wastewater treatment facilities

Economic development leads to increased negative impacts on the environment, including water resources. Domestic wastewater treatment plants are an integral part of the sustainable development of the infrastructure of settlements and cities. Treatment facilities are a multifunctional complex and are engineering and environmental protection structures, the activities of which are aimed at protecting surface water bodies. At the same time, this activity is associated with environmental risks and negative impacts on the environment. It is most effective to predict risks and develop effective engineering measures to prevent them at the design stage of technical systems. The purpose of the work is to identify possible environmental risks during the implementation of the life cycle and to propose the necessary engineering measures to prevent them when developing a wastewater treatment plant project. The article is the first to identify and systematize the main environmental risks at the stages of design, construction, operation and reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities. A classification of environmental risks according to other criteria (frequency, predictability, degree of damage) is presented. Research has been carried out to model possible events at wastewater treatment plants and their connection with negative consequences for the environment. Recommendations have been developed for the prevention of environmental risks, including technological, production and operational, and organizational aspects of environmental protection.

Modern design solutions in the design of boiler units, ovens and fireboxes burning solid fuel in a fluidified bed

Coal fuel has always played an important role in Russia’s fuel and energy balance due to its extensive reserves, availability in a number of regions and relatively low cost. Currently, coal flaring technology is widely used in domestic boiler plants, but it should be noted that this approach is more applicable for high-quality high-calorie coals with low ash content. In addition, flaring is sensitive to changes in the composition of the fuel and deviations from the specified values can lead to a decrease in the reliability of the boiler unit. There are also regions where there are deposits of low-grade coal that are not suitable for flaring. The problem of boiler sensitivity to the use of unspecified fuels, as well as the involvement of local low-grade fuels, can be solved by introducing circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion technology.

Energy Potential from Waste Activated Sludge in Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant South Jakarta

Wasted activated sludge (WAS) a byproduct of wastewater treatment, holds significant untapped energy value. Conventional practice in DKI Jakarta involves collecting and directly disposing of WAS into landfill sites, overlooking the potential benefits of the sludge. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a sustainable process that converts organic matter in the absence of oxygen offering a promising solution to harness this potential. The study aims to emphasize waste into energy by analyzing the volume of biogas through the Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) value of WAS from the domestic WWTP in Setiabudi, South Jakarta. Characterization of WAS and its suitability for AD will be explored using DIN standards for 21 days. The experiment was duplicated into variants I1 and I2 and the parameters tested were pH, COD, TKN, VS, TS, concentration and volume of methane gas. In this study, the biogas yield from WAS obtained at 54,98 and 89,62 ml CH4/g VS along with the composition of biogas determined through GC readings at 61,78% CH4 and 56,08% CH4 from I1 dan I2, respectively. By optimizing AD processes, this study seeks to contribute to sustainable waste management and renewable energy production. Further research is needed regarding pre-treatment that may influence the formation of biogas.

Phytochemicals, Nutritional and Antibacterial Evaluation of a Domestic Plant –Tetradenia riparia

Phytochemicals, Nutritional and Antibacterial Evaluation of a Domestic Plant –Tetradenia riparia

Feet on the ground: Marine archaeomalacology resources during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula is the ideal setting for the study of the use of marine resources in the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. Previous studies have focused on specific geographical areas and on a single chronological period. Instead, we offer here a synthesis of the peninsula covering a broad period of time, thus allowing a study of the role of marine resources in the Neolithisation process. Published data on the exploitation of marine molluscs from 59 archaeological levels, close to the coast and dated between 10,400 and 4650 cal BP, in the Iberian Peninsula are reviewed in order to examine the change that occurred in the consumption of marine resources following the introduction of domestic plants and animals. The analysis of the composition and diversity of assemblages collected at each site has allowed us to identify specialisation in the management strategy of marine molluscs during the Neolithic. Regional variability in the diversity of species collected, particularly in the Cantabrian region, where there is continuity in the management of molluscs between the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, could be linked to the pace at which agriculture and animal husbandry were adopted. In short, together with environmental factors, the establishment of farming practices may have had a slight impact on the specialisation in the management of coastal environments.

Debate: Seeds as Deep Time Technologies.

This essay theorizes crop seeds as deep time technologies, surveying a range of materialist approaches to the study of agriculture, from historical materialism to agroecology and actor-network theory. Recent studies of plant domestication suggest that the long history of human-plant relations and agrarian knowledge defy the reduction of seeds to products of nature or objects of property. Approaching seeds as technologies allows us to understand the actors and processes of improvement that demarcate biological material according to commercial and scientific logics. Framing seeds as a collaborative technological project with a 19,000-year history unseats industrial time as the dominant frame in the history of technology. It recasts political economy not simply as a construction of human social relations of production but also as it imagines the material used to produce life itself.

한국 신석기시대 복합수렵채집사회론 검토

The present essay critically reviews the recent attempt to conceptualize the Neolithic society in Korea as complex hunter-gatherers. While large scale settlements with 20 to 30, and even 60 subterranean houses are well recognized in the Neolithic Korea, many archaeologists still consider that the occupants were mainly hunters and gatherers. The concept of complex hunter-gatherers were originally proposed to denote large village societies with prominent social hierarchies relying on abundant marine resources, and some archaeologists extended its use to prehistory. Aside from the archaeological applicability of the concept itself, the Korean Neolithic archaeological record lacks critical elements of the complex hunter-gatherers. While the discussion and application of the concept in the context of Korean Neolithic have opened the new theoretical landscape, it is true that many burials and associated goods, let alone habitations sites, do not suggest the development of social hierarchies. The characteristics of burial goods are consistent with sexual differences which is widely observable with most hunter-gatherers societies. Furthermore, many Korean Neolithic sites yielded evidence of broomcorn and foxtail millet domestication, which most archaeologists try to explain in the context of complementary subsistence activities still dominated by hunting and gathering. The existence of material evidence of plant domestication strongly suggests that the Neolithic people were not ‘typical’ hunter-gatherers, which begs further discussions of the role of domestication in the Neolithic and its implications to the development of settled village lives. While the concept of the complex hunter-gatherers was coined to embrace cases that do not fit into the traditional hunter-gatherer society, it has become another stereotype that does not allow wide range of variability in prehistoric societies. Rather, we need to pay more attention to the role of mixed economy or horticulture and dynamics of orderly egalitarian societies in the Neolithic Korea.

A Battery of Simple Bioassays for Domestic and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants in Konya, Turkey

Wastewater ingredients present risks to the environment and can cause health problems. The aim of this study was to identify the toxicological effects of influent and effluent wastewater from Konya Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant (KU WWTP) and Konya Organized Industrial Zone Wastewater Treatment Plant (KOI WWTP). Three different trophic level toxicity tests were conducted to determine the possible harmful effects of wastewater on the environment. The base toxic unit values of the Lepidium sativum toxicity test for the inlet and outlet samples of KU WWTP were found to be 1.43 and 1.10, respectively. Both values classified the analyzed wastewater into the “toxic” category. Wastewater entering the KU wastewater treatment facility was classified as “toxic” for the presence of toxic substances according to the Vibrio fischeri toxicity testing. Influent samples from the KOI wastewater treatment plant were classified as “toxic” with the Vibrio fischeri toxicity test. In addition, based on the fish bioassay value (TDF), wastewater from the KOI treatment facility was also classified as “toxic”. It was concluded that increased chemical oxygen demand and concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorus and of certain heavy metals above the limits played a decisive role in classifying the samples as “toxic”. The results of this study suggest that all three tests have the potential to assess wastewater toxicity and that changes in wastewater properties may result in differences in test sensitivity.

Socio-Economic Effects of Domestication of Plants and Animals in the Historical Process

Tarihte ilk besin üretilmesi, Bereketli Hilal bölgesinde yaşayan toplayıcı ve avcı toplulukları tarafından başlatılmıştır. Yabani bitki ve hayvanların insanın denetimine geçmesi sonucunda tarım toplumları süratle büyümüştür. Bu da nüfus artışına sebep olmuş; ortaya çıkan işgücü ve geliştirilen zirai tekniklerle elde edilip silolarda depolanan artı ürün de tarım sektörü dışındaki sektörlerin gelişmesine zemin hazırlamıştır.
 Toplayıcı ve avcı toplulukların yiyecek üretmeye başlaması, ilk yerleşim yerlerinin kurulması, yiyecek kaynaklarının çeşitlendirilmesi, topluluklar arasında takasın başlaması, hayvanların ehlileştirilerek besiciliğe geçilmesi, nüfus artışının yaşanması, güvenli ve teşkilatlı bir hayat tarzının ortaya çıkması, kasaba şehirleriyle medeniyete geçiş yapılması, pek çok yeniliklerin önünün açılması gibi tarihte pek çok ilklerin yaşandığı bölge Bereketli Hilal bölgesidir.
 Zirai faaliyetin çeşitli sanatlar ile birlikte gelişmesiyle, gıda güvenliğine kavuşan insanların yiyecek alışkanlıkları değişmiş, et, süt, süt ürünleri tüketimi artmış, açlık ve kıtlık problemi ortadan kalkmış, kalıcı evler inşa edilmiş, mimari yapılar oluşmuş, kimi kurumları oluşmaya başlamıştır.

STRUCTURE AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF QUINCE FRUITS (CYDONIA OBLONGA MILL.) FOR BREEDING CULTIVATED IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE MOSCOW REGION

In accordance with the policy of the Russian Federation, which, on the one side, is aimed at maintaining health and increasing the life expectancy of the country's population, and, on the other side, at import substitution, the maximum use of the food potential of domestic plants is required. One such plant is the quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.). The range of wild quince is concentrated only on the Western and Southern coasts of the Caspian Sea. The aim of this work is to study the fruits of quince, cultivated in the conditions of the Moscow region and establishing the possibility of using it in breeding. The structure, morphometric and biochemical characteristics of quinces fruits, growing in the Moscow region, have been studied. It is shown that quince fruit well in the conditions of the Moscow region. Quinces fruits, ripen in the conditions of the Moscow region, have a typical morphologo-anatomical structure, the content of absolutely dry matter comparable with cultural forms, as well as a high content of ascorbic acid. The increased content of ascorbic acid in the fruits of quince plants, resistant to the conditions of the Moscow region, allows us to recommend them for use in breeding, to obtain high-vitamin cultivars. Nutritional use of fruits of quince can be non-waste, because both pericarp and seeds are rich in biologically active substances; there is a possibility of additional extraction of oils from oilcake after using the fruit pulp. Under the conditions of import substitution, the competitiveness and economic benefits from the use in the food industry of significantly smaller fruits of the quince, introduced in the northern regions, compared to imported fruits have been presuppose.

New insights into the subsistence economy of the Late Bronze Age (1100–400 cal BC) communities in the southeastern Baltic

This paper presents the findings of a research project aimed at reconstructing the subsistence economy of the Late Bronze Age communities in eastern Lithuania. We focused on examining archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological assemblages from three hillforts alongside δ13C and δ15N stable isotope analysis of plant and animal remains. Our results suggest that local populations primarily relied on growing domestic plants and animals for their subsistence. By the Late Bronze Age, they had already adopted a diverse package of cultivated plants, with barley and millet being the main crops. Also, inhabitants relied on pig and goat/sheep as a primary source for their protein intake. Finally, δ13C and δ15N measurements suggest that farmers engaged in intensive agriculture with semi-permanent field systems and moderate application of manure.

Development of industrial technology of plant substance of viburnum opulus fruit liquid extract

Nowadays, the development of domestic herbal medicines for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system remains one of the current problems in the health care system of Ukraine. Some types of plant raw materials that can be successfully used in the complex therapy of cardiovascular diseases include viburnum fruits (Viburnum opulus L.). Pharmacological activity, the antimicrobial, antioxidant and cardioprotective properties of the extract developed on their basis from the fruits of the viburnum opulus fruit liquid extract (VOFLE) have studied by preclinical in vitro researches.
 The aim of the work was the development of industrial technology of the domestic plant substance Viburnum opulus fruit liquid extract (VOFLE) for the purpose of it further introduction into the tablet dosage form.
 Experimental samples of viburnum opulus fruits of domestic origin were used as object of research, harvested in the experimental fields of the Institute of Vegetable and Melon growing of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (Kharkiv region) to obtain the plant substance VOFLE. Physicochemical and pharmacotechnological methods of research have been used in our work.
 As a result of physical, chemical and pharmacotechnological researches, a domestic plant substance – Viburnum opulus fruit liquid extract (VOFLE) has been developed and standardized by extracting viburnum fruits (Viburni opuli fructus) by water-ethanol mixture 50% at the general ratio of raw material: extractant – 1:10, the analysis of each production stage of the technological process was carried out in order to establish the main technological parameters that are subjected to monitoring during the introduction of plant substances in industrial production and during the validation of the technological process.
 The technology of the domestic herbal substance viburnum opulus fruit liquid extract (VOFLE) obtaining was theoretically justified and experimentally developed with the aim of its further introduction into a tablet medicinal form of cardioprotective and membrane-stabilizing activity. A technological block diagram was developed with the definition of its main critical stages of the production process of the herbal substance, as well as a production equipment scheme, which was tested in industrial conditions of the LLC «Pharmaceutical Company "Zdorovya"», Kharkiv.

Botanical resources and pre-Columbian subsistence in Nuevo Corinto, Costa Rica

Archaeobotanical studies are rare in Costa Rica, which has limited the knowledge regarding the management of natural resources and foodways, sociopolitical differences, ethnicity, ritual practices, and more. The present study analyzed the vegetation changes at the Nuevo Corinto archaeological site (300–1200/1300 CE). In Mound-01, a stratigraphic profile was sampled to recover phytolith microbotanical remains. The archaeobotanical evidence was first described according to the morphological attributes and identified to taxonomical affiliation. Taxa abundances were correlated with construction features (occupation floors or construction fills), and archaeological phases (La Selva, La Union, La Cabaña). A total of 35 morphotypes and 16 vegetation taxa were identified and comprised a variety of grasses, palms, herbs, trees, and crops. Although the taxa diversity was similar throughout the three archaeological phases, the data showed different patterns between the occupation floors and the construction fills. These variations were related to changes in vegetation abundance, richness, and plant uses. The phytolith results suggest the continuous management of botanical resources at Nuevo Corinto for over a thousand years. The occupation floors illustrated the change of construction materials through time. Similarly, the construction fills indicated the vegetation patterns regarding the exploitation of wild and domesticated plants.

Global WWTP Microbiome-based Integrative Information Platform: From experience to intelligence

Domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing formidable challenges in effectively eliminating emerging pollutants and conventional nutrients. In microbiome engineering, two approaches have been developed: a top-down method focusing on domesticating seed microbiomes into engineered ones, and a bottom-up strategy that synthesizes engineered microbiomes from microbial isolates. However, these approaches face substantial hurdles that limit their real-world applicability in wastewater treatment engineering. Addressing this gap, we propose the creation of a Global WWTP Microbiome-based Integrative Information Platform, inspired by the untapped microbiome and engineering data from WWTPs and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). This open platform integrates microbiome and engineering information globally and utilizes AI-driven tools for identifying seed microbiomes for new plants, providing technical upgrades for existing facilities, and deploying microbiomes for accidental pollution remediation. Beyond its practical applications, this platform has significant scientific and social value, supporting multidisciplinary research, documenting microbial evolution, advancing Wastewater-Based Epidemiology, and enhancing global resource sharing. Overall, the platform is expected to enhance WWTPs’ performance in pollution control, safeguarding a harmonious and healthy future for human society and the natural environment.

The Tomato’s Tale: Exploring taxonomy, biogeography, domestication and microbiome for enhanced resilience

Plant domestication and breeding not only resulted in multiple phenotypic changes, but also impacted agricultural ecosystems where our current crops are cultivated. Most crops to date rely on the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides to support crop growth and health. To minimize the environmental impact of these management practices, the plant microbiome got renewed attention as a large, yet untapped resource of microorganisms with beneficial effects on plant growth and health. In the past decade, it has become evident that the microbiome of plants plays a key role in nutrient acquisition, plant development and tolerance to diverse abiotic and biotic stresses. Here we review past and present knowledge of the microbiome of tomato as a model for unraveling the functional potential of plant microbiomes, the impact of domestication and the underlying genetics of microbiome assembly and activity. We also provide perspectives on how this knowledge can be adopted to enhance crop productivity and strengthen the sustainability of agricultural management practices.

Seed-to-Seed: Plant Core Vertically Transmitted Microbiota.

The plant core microbiota transmitted by seeds have been demonstrated to exist in seeds and adult plants of several crops for multiple generations. They are closely related to plants and are relatively conserved throughout evolution, domestication, and breeding. These microbiota play a vital role in the early stages of plant growth. However, information about their colonization routes, transmission pathways, and final fate remains fragmentary. This review delves into the concept of these microbiota, their colonization sources, transmission pathways, and how they change throughout plant evolution, domestication, and breeding, as well as their effects on plants, based on relevant literature. Finally, the significant potential of incorporating the practical application of seed-transmitted microbiota into plant microbial breeding is emphasized.

A review of the de novo domestication and cultivation of edible Australian native plants as food crops

AbstractAustralia has a diverse and unique native flora with thousands of edible plant taxa, many of which are wild relatives of important food crops. These have the potential to diversify and improve the sustainability of Australian farming systems. However, the current level of domestication and cultivation of Australian plants as food crops is extremely limited by global standards. This review examines the current status and potential for future de novo domestication and large-scale cultivation of Australian plants as food crops. This is done in the context of international new crop development and factors that impact the success or failure of such efforts. Our review finds considerable potential for native Australian plants to be developed as food crops, but the industry faces several significant challenges. The current industry focuses on niche food markets that are susceptible to oversupply. It also suffers from inconsistent quantity and quality of product, which is attributed to a reliance on wild harvesting and the cultivation of unimproved germplasm. More active cultivation is necessary for industry growth, but attempts have historically failed due to poorly adapted germplasm and a lack of agronomic information. The de novo domestication and large-scale cultivation of Australian plants as food crops will require an investment in publicly supported multidisciplinary research and development programmes. Research programmes must prioritize the exploration of plants throughout Australia and the collection and evaluation of germplasm. Programmes must also seek to engage relevant stakeholders, pursue participatory research models and provide appropriate engagement and benefit-sharing opportunities with Indigenous Australian communities.

Genomic profiling and characteristics of a C1 degrading heterotrophic fresh-water bacterium Paracoccus sp. strain DMF.

Paracoccus species are metabolically versatile gram-negative, aerobic facultative methylotrophic bacteria showing enormous promise for environmental and bioremediation studies. Here we report, the complete genome analysis of Paracoccus sp. strain DMF (P. DMF) that was isolated from a domestic wastewater treatment plant in Kanpur, India (26.4287°N, 80.3891°E) based on its ability to degrade a recalcitrant organic solvent N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The results reveal a genome size of 4,202,269 base pairs (bp) with a G + C content of 67.9%. The assembled genome comprises 4141 coding sequences (CDS), 46 RNA sequences, and 2 CRISPRs. Interestingly, catabolic operons related to the conventional marine-based methylated amines (MAs) degradation pathway were functionally annotated within the genome of an obligated aerobic heterotroph that is P. DMF. The genomic data-based characterization presented here for the novel heterotroph P. DMF aims to improve the understanding of the phenotypic gene products, enzymes, and pathways involved with greater emphasis on facultative methylotrophic motility-based latent pathogenicity.

Роль севооборота в экономике производства подсолнечника в Российской Федерации

On the territory of the Russian Federation, the main cultivated oilseed crop is sunflower. The share of acreage under this agriculture has been steadily growing in recent years. In 2022, they increased by 280 thousand hectares and amounted to 10.0 million hectares, while over the period from 2013 to 2022, the acreage occupied by the crop increased by 38%. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, in 2022 the sunflower harvest increased by 4.5% compared to 2021 and amounted to 16.4 million tons, which in turn allowed to increase the production of sunflower oil by 14%. Sunflower seeds are in stable demand from domestic oil extraction plants, as well as on the international market, which in turn encourages farmers to increase the area of sowing. However, an increase in the share of sunflower in the structure of sown areas above the scientifically justified level is associated with a real risk of reducing crop yields and reducing the productivity of all crop rotations. According to the research result, the highest crop yield was obtained in the regions where the scientifically justified proportion of sunflower in the structure of crops is maintained.

The Zacatín rock shelter (Granada, Spain): New data on the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the south-eastern Iberian coast

This study presents a holistic analysis of the occupation sequence at the rock shelter of Zacatín (Gualchos-Castell de Ferro, Granada, Spain), a site in the cliffs along Andalusia's Mediterranean coastline. Despite being disturbed by cave-ins and erosion, it offers valuable information on the transition between the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and the first Neolithic farming communities in southern Iberia. The study adopted an approach combining stratigraphical and radiocarbon analyses with typological, archaeozoological and archaeobotanical classifications. The stratigraphical sequence comprises four main phases. The uppermost level (Phase 4) yielded a combination of modern and displaced prehistoric elements. Intermediate Phases 3 and 2 correspond to Early Neolithic layers ranging between the mid-6th to the beginning of the 5th millennium cal BC. The Neolithic finds consist of incised and impressed potsherds, stone tools, ornaments (perforated shells and discoidal beads) as well as domestic animals (caprines) and plant (cereals) species. Although the older Mesolithic horizon (Phase 1) yielded few characteristic artifacts, radiocarbon datings place it in the 7th millennium cal BC. In any case, an original aspect of the site is the key role played by marine resources throughout both its Mesolithic and Neolithic phases.