Extraction Of Organic Acids Research Articles

Determination of pyrolytic water composition forming during thermal processing of automobile tyres

The study of the chemical composition of water formed during pyrolysis of waste tyres was made. The obtained pyrolytic water was characterized by FT-IR techniques, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, dissociation extraction and a distribution chromatography method. It was found out that pyrolytic water consists of about 93 compounds, from which 27 compounds were identified by GC-MS method. Quantitative analysis established that total content of compounds is up 0,90 g/dm3, from which caprolactam – 46 %, cyclohexanone – 5, aniline – 17, benzonitrile – 6, о-cresol – 2,6, p-cresol – 2,8, benzothyazole – 4,9, 2,4-dimethylquinoline – 4,6, phthalimide – 2,5 %. By dissociative extraction of organic acids and bases it was shown that peaks of some components of chromatogram contain minor components. Distribution coefficients in hexane-water system of cyclohexanone, aniline, benzonitrile, о-cresol, p-cresol, 2,5-dimethylphenol, benzoic acid, benzothyazole, caprolactam, 1-methyl-isoquinoline, 2,4-dimethylquinoline and phthalimide were defined.

Organic Phosphorus Extraction in the Fouling of the Circulating Cooling System.

The organophosphate scale inhibitor (HEDP)-containing C–P bond is an agent widely used in the circulating cooling system to ensure the safe operation. In order to explore the effects of its decomposition and migration transformation in the system on the system security, it is necessary to carry out the quantitative and qualitative analysis of organic phosphorus in fouling. According to the Ivanoff method, with the organic phosphorus extraction rate as an indicator, the types and concentrations of extractants, extraction time, and mass of the extracted scale were optimized. When the mass of the extracted scale was 0.4 g, the extraction rates of active organic phosphorus and moderately active organic phosphorus were, respectively, 46.53 and 47.14%, and there was no inactive organic phosphorus and residual phosphorus. The total extraction rate of organic phosphorus was up to 94.32%. The optimum extraction conditions of various organic phosphorus components were determined as follows: 10 h extraction in 0.5 mol/L KHCO3 for active organic phosphorus and 3 h extraction in 1.0 mol/L HCl solution for moderately active organic phosphorus. The optimized extraction process only involves two steps: acid extraction of active organic phosphorus and acid extraction of moderately active organic phosphorus. The optimized method is characterized by the simple operation and good extraction effect and can be applied in the detection and analysis of organic phosphorus in the fouling of the circulating cooling system.

The cost is not enough - An alternative eco-efficiency approach applied to cranberry de-acidification

Food production and transformation have an increasing impact on the environment. Tools to help the agri-food industry improving its environmental performance whilst increasing the value of the products are highly needed. The present study proposes a new approach to calculate eco-efficiency that goes beyond the production costs, but accounts for the functional value of the foodstuff. Instead of using the monetary unit as the product value, we propose value-based metrics closer to consumer interests, such as content of functional nutrients, taste and abatement of harmful substances. The approach was applied to evaluate the eco-efficiency of de-acidified cranberry juice by two alternative technologies in Quebec: ion-exchange resin process and de-acidification by electrodialysis with a bipolar membrane. Both are compared to non-de-acidified cranberry juice. The parameters chosen to quantify cranberry juice are polyphenol content, product taste, and percentage of harmful acid removed. Results show ion-exchange resin de-acidified juice is less eco-efficient than non-de-acidified cranberry juice for polyphenol content and product taste indicator but shows better results for the removed harmful acid parameter. The electrodialysis with a bipolar membrane technology allows the extraction of organic acids in a usable form. We evaluated their re-utilization in four different contexts showing that this context choice might have a key impact on the eco-efficiency conclusion. The most eco-efficient scenario is the utilization of the removed acid in dried cranberry production with the addition of sugar beet. By using an approach closer to consumers' interests, eco-efficiency results can be more relevant for decision making in the context of cleaner production, particularly when the monetary value is not reliable.

Preparation of organic acid lignin submicrometer particle as a natural broad-spectrum photo-protection agent.

Valorization of lignin by-product is an urgent issue in the context of biorefinery. Lignin is a natural anti-UV active ingredient with great potential applications. In this study, a natural broad-spectrum photo-protection agent was prepared using lignin from organic acid extraction process. The submicrometer particles were prepared by dialysis lignin recovered from the pretreatments with organic acid extraction processes (formic acid, formic acid/hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid/hydrogen peroxide/HCl) and they served as active ingredients in sunblock formulation. The structures of the lignin submicrometer particles were characterized by multiple spectroscopies. The submicrometer particles from organic acid lignin showed high capacities to enhance the sun protection factor values of lotion by 2.80-3.53 at the dosage of 5%, and the lotions containing lignin submicrometer particles had good UV-blocking properties. In addition, the UVA/UVB values (i.e., the ratio of absorbance at UVA to that at UVB) were in the range of 0.69-0.72 for the organic acid lignin submicrometer particles, indicating that they exhibited superior properties. The results indicated that the lignin submicrometer-based lotions with excellent antioxidant and UV protection capacities offered a natural source for sunblock cosmetics.

Potential of some tuber peels in bioethanol production using <i>Candida tropicalis</i>

Cassava and sweet potato peels are two potential agro-wastes with high possibility for biofuel production due to the possession of high polysaccharides. Studies were conducted to evaluate the chemical compositions of these wastes as well as determine their potential as feedstock for bioethanol production using indigenously sourced yeast strain; Candida tropicalis (IMI 398401). Cashew nut shell extract was used to hydrolyze and saccharify the gelatinized mashed agro-waste. The results indicates that moisture content (14.16 %), ash content (2.25 %), fibre (5.10 %) and cellulose (734 mg/g) were higher in cassava peels and lower; 13.04 %, 1.12 %, 1.81 % and 498 mg/g respectively in sweet potato peels. Pretreatment of the peels with organic acid extract of Anacardium occidentale nut shell showed maximum reducing sugar yield of 300 mg/g and 471 mg/g in sweet potato peel and cassava peel. The amount of bioethanol (g/L) produced after 72 h of fermentation was higher; 23.90 ± 0.60 in sweet potato peel. The study shows that these peels may be useful for biofuel production after a proper pretreatment.Keywords: Bioethanol; Candida tropicalis; Pretreatment; Proximate composition; Tuber peels

Recycling of cellulose from vegetable fiber waste for sustainable industrial applications

Recently two significant topics that became important for textile industry namely ‘providing sustainability by reusing of textile wastes’ and ‘developing high-valued new textile raw materials. Cellulose, which is a fascinating polymer, has been used for years as a raw material to obtain various products such as papers, fibers and films. In this study, it is aimed to provide sustainability with recycling of cellulose from waste jute fibers, considering the amount of waste jute weft yarns released in the production process of machine carpets. For this purpose, pre-cleaning of waste fibers was carried out at first, and then extraction of cellulose was accomplished, and finally characterization of recycled cellulose was performed. Organic acid extraction method was effective for isolation of cellulose from waste fibers with 43.65% yield performance. Microscopic and experimental analyses confirmed that non-cellulosic part of waste fibers were removed successfully and recycled cellulose has similar structure with control cellulose. Our results suggest that, waste vegetable fibers can be used as a potential source for cellulose. Recycled cellulose can be used in the production of paper, composites, regenerated cellulose fibers and other industrial applications.

<i>In vitro</i> Evaluation of the Anti-scavenging and Anthelmintic Activities of <i>Artocarpus heterophyllus</i> LAM Leaves (Moraceae) in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The extracts of Arthocarpus heterophyllus Lam. leaves were evaluated in vitro for their anthelmintic activity. Benhamia rosea and B. itoleisis were used as animal models and Albendazole as reference product (positive control). After calculating the yield, it appears that the ethanol extracts had given a better yield (0.70%) compared to the organic extracts. The result of the phytochemical screening by TLC (thin layer chromatography) showed the presence of phenolic compounds including anthocyanins, coumarins, anthraquinones, phenol acids and terpenoids. From this study, it appears that A. heterophyllus Lam. contains various secondary metabolites such as flavonoids (2.63±0.007mg EQ/100g MS), phenolic acids, coumarins, anthraquinones, terpenoids and anthocyanins (10.46±1.05 mg/100 MS) and total polyphenols (27.33±9.34 mg EAG/100 g MS). The organic/terpenic acids extract showed very high antioxidant activity against the ABTS radical (IC50: 0.97 ± 0.13 µg/ml). The ethanolic and organic acid extracts from the leaves of this plant species have an anthelminthic activity, but this activity is dose dependent. However, at the lowest concentration (0.625 mg/mL), ethanolic extract showed better activity with a paralysis time of 67.3±1.8 minutes compared to 76±2.1 minutes for the organic extract. But the mortality rate at the lowest concentration was higher for organic extracts, at 62.7% compared to 33.3% for ethanol extracts. It is therefore desirable to test bioactive extracts on gastrointestinal parasites of farm animals in order to confirm the results obtained. Ongoing in-depth phytochemical studies will identify the chemical compound (s) and active principle (s) for the formulation of anthelminthic phytomedicine for managing pathologies due to helminthes in farm animals.

Green process development for apple-peel pectin production by organic acid extraction

To extract pectin in food industry, HCl is generally used as the major extracting solvent for releasing the pectin from the plant tissues, however it has an environmental issue to use. In this study, food-grade tartaric-, malic, and citric acids were used to produce apple peel pectin as an eco-friendly protocol instead of HCl. Finely-ground lyophilized apple peel was applied as the raw material, and the pectin was extracted by organic acids at 85 °C. The pectin extracted with citric acid displayed greater molecular weight and apparent viscosity compared to other organic acid treatments. Analysis of degree of methyl esterification revealed that the pectins extracted with organic acids were highly methoxylated. From these results, it was suggested that organic acids could be utilized to extract apple peel pectin effectively as a green process. Especially, the extraction process with citric acid as the solvent showed great potential to produce high-viscosity apple peel pectin.

Electro membrane extraction of organic acids in undiluted honey with ion chromatographic analysis

An electro membrane extraction procedure was developed for organic acids on undiluted honey. The procedure involved the application of a potential of 24 V across a supported liquid membrane to extract the organic acids. Determination of the analytes was by ion chromatography. Parameters affecting extraction performance such as pH of the honey (sample solution), the concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution (extractant solution), extraction time and voltage were studied. The optimized conditions were: 24 V potential, 5 min extraction time, pH 4 of the honey and 0.1 M NaOH solution. Good linearity for analyte concentrations of between 0.1 and 100 mg kg−1 with coefficients of correlation of between 0.9930 and 0.9996 were obtained. The limits of detection were between 0.01 and 1.38 mg kg−1 (n = 3). Relative recoveries ranging from 34 to 96% with relative standard deviations (n = 3) of between 2.9 and 12.5% were obtained. The developed methodology was compared with membrane bag liquid-liquid-liquid microextraction and solid-phase extraction.

Partition behavior of monocarboxylic acids in salting-out extraction systems of monohydric alcohols and dipotassium phosphate

Abstract Extraction of organic acids has been attracted much attention due to their hydrophilicity, pH-dependence and structural diversity. Partition behavior of seven monocarboxylic acids with different chemical structures, including formic acid, acetic acid, n-propionic acid, n-butyric acid, n-valeric acid, glycollic acid and lactic acid, have been investigated in salting-out extraction systems (SOES) composed of monohydric alcohol (ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, or tert-butanol)/K2HPO4. The relative hydrophobicity of the equilibrium phases in the SOES has been characterized by the Gibbs energy of transfer for methylene group from the salt-rich bottom phase to the solvent-rich top phase. The effects of the structures of target products and organic extractants, SOES composition, system pH and temperature on partition behavior were investigated. The results showed that natural logarithm of partition coefficient (ln K) of target products increased linearly with their calculated 1-octanol/water partition coefficient (Clog P), but decreased with the calculated 1-octanol/water partition coefficient of organic extractant. The partition coefficient of target products increased or decreased linearly as tie line length, which depends on their hydrophobicity. The partition coefficient and recovery decreased with the increasing of system pH values. In addition, the increasing of temperature will decreased the extraction efficiency of monocarboxylic acids, because the salting-out extraction is an exothermic process.

Tuber Peels in Ethanol Production Using Candida Tropicalis

Cassava and sweet potato peels are two potential agro-wastes with high possibility for biofuel production due to the possession of high polysaccharides. Studies were conducted to evaluate the chemical compositions of these wastes as well as determine their potential as feedstock for bioethanol production using indigenously sourced yeast strain; Candida tropicalis (IMI 398401). The results indicate that moisture content (14.16 %), ash content (2.25 %), fibre (5.10 %) and cellulose (734 mg/g) were higher in cassava peels and lower; 13.04 %, 1.12 %, 1.81 % and 498 mg/g respectively in sweet potato peels. Pretreatment of the peels with organic acid extract of Anacardium occidentale nut shell showed maximum reducing sugar yield of 300 mg/g and 471 mg/g in sweet potato peel and cassava peel. The amount of bioethanol (g/L) produced after 72 h of fermentation was higher; 23.90 ± 0.60 in sweet potato peel. This study shows that these peels may be potentially useful for biofuel production after a proper pretreatment.

State-of-the-Art Recovery of Fermentative Organic Acids by Ionic Liquids: An Overview

Abstract The main achievements of liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) of fermentative organic acids from their aqueous sources using a diverse range of ionic liquids are summarized since the first study appeared in 2004. The literature survey is organized in consideration of the distinct chemical structures of the organic acids. The acids discussed include mono– or dicarboxylic ones (butyric, L-malic and succinic acids), acids bearing both carboxyl and hydroxyl groups (L-lactic, citric and mevalonic acids), and volatile organic acids (mainly acetic acid). Information is given about ionic liquids applied in recovery, and the resultant extraction efficiencies and partition coefficients. As the topic is novel and experimental studies scarce, the selection of the ionic liquids that were tested still seems random. This may well change in the future, especially after improving the ecological and toxicological characteristics of the ionic liquids in order to bring about an “in situ” method of extraction without harming the microbial producers of the organic acids.

The use of diluted formic acid in sample preparation for macro- and microelements determination in foodstuff samples using ICP OES

A fast analytical method for determination of macro- and microelements in foodstuff samples by ICP OES using diluted organic acid extraction was developed. The sample preparation was carried out employing ultrapure 50% (v/v) formic acid on a heating block. The elements studied were Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P and Zn. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by analyzing three different certified reference materials (NIST (1577b) bovine liver, NIST (1515) apple leaves and NIST (8435) whole milk powder), and the recovery percentages ranged from 80.7 to 114%. The results obtained showed good agreement at a confidence level of 95% with the certified values, presenting RSD values <20%. The limits of detection ranged from 0.056mg/kg to 0.06g/100g. This solution-based method demonstrated the feasibility of using diluted organic acid, presenting high sample throughput and was considered simple and adequate for determining these analytes in foodstuff samples in routine analysis.

Mechanistic modeling and equilibrium prediction of the reactive extraction of organic acids with amines: A comparative study of two complexation-solvation models using 3-hydroxypropionic acid

Abstract A comprehensive study of equilibrium states involved in the reactive extraction of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) by tri- n -octylamine (TOA) in n -decanol is described. Complexation phenomena between 3-HP and TOA were revealed by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This study demonstrated that the main extraction mechanism is the formation of an ion pair involving the dissociated form of 3-HP. Chemical models were then formulated, taking the formation of the ion pair between 3-HP and TOA and the influence of the amount of solvent in the organic phase into account. Two models are proposed: (1) a stoichiometric model where the solvent is seen as a reagent that is involved in the complexation as a synergistic extractant, but with competition for solvation via H-bond interactions with TOA; (2) a model where the solvent is seen as a phase modifier that improves the physicochemical properties of the extractant and that changes the complexation equilibrium. Both models describe the extraction yields in the investigated ranges, with Model (2) being particularly predictive since it provides a mean absolute prediction error of less than 2% in yield units. According to this latter model, the complexation equilibrium coefficient increases with the increase of the n -decanol proportion in the organic phase. Model (2) shows that solvation effects are better described as non-stoichiometric interactions. Therefore, the two mechanistic models accurately represent extraction yields over a wide range of initial conditions and are potentially transposable to other reactive extraction systems. Such knowledge is essential for further implementation of downstream processes.

The effects of antibiotic, probiotic, organic acid, vitamin C, and Echinacea purpurea extract on performance, carcass characteristics, blood chemistry, microbiota, and immunity of broiler chickens

The present context investigated the comparative study on the supplementation of antibiotic, probiotic, organic acid, vitamin C, and herbal extract after vaccination into drinking water and their effects on performance, carcass quality, blood biochemical parameters, immune system, and intestinal flora in broiler chicks for 42 days. A total of 420 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned into 7 treatments with 3 replicates (pens) per treatment and 20 male chicks for each replicate (pen). The experimental treatments consisted of drinking water (control, without additive); drinking water + antibiotic sulfamet; drinking water + C-Vet-50; drinking water + antibiotic sulfamet + C-Vet-50; drinking water + probiotic Primalac; drinking water + butyric acid; and drinking water + extract of Echinacea purpurea Moench (coneflower). There were no differences observed among the treatments for feed intake, but during the whole experimental period, the highest body weight gain was found in the chicks fed with drinking water + antibiotic sulfamet + 50 cc vitamin C (P < 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) observed among the treatments for feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05). Moreover, there were no differences reported among treatments for carcass characteristics at the end of the experiment. Among the treatments, drinking water + 50 cc vitamin C, and drinking water + extract of E. purpurea reduced (P < 0.05) the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins. Drinking water + 50 cc vitamin C, drinking water + Primalac, and drinking water + extract of E. purpurea increased (P < 0.05) the lymphocytes count and decreased the heterophils count and heterophil:lymphocyte ratio. The highest Escherichia coli count and lowest Lactobacillus count in ileal content of the broilers were observed in the control group (P < 0.05). The additives used in this study may be incorporated in the drinking water of broiler chickens as growth promoters and for improved performance. A further, wider supplementation study is required to understand the performance, immune system, variation in the intestinal microbial counts, and any other possible alteration in the intestinal biota of the broilers.

Fabrication of porous ionic liquid polymer as solid-phase microextraction coating for analysis of organic acids by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry

A kind of porous ionic liquid polymer was designed as coating material for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers to extract polar organic acids. The synthesized ionic liquids (1-vinyl-3-(4-vinyl-benzyl)imidazolium chloride) were polymerized in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), and subsequently coated on stainless steel wires with physical adhesion. To guarantee the adhesion between coating and the surface of stainless steel wires, micro-wave induced plasma was applied to modify the stainless steel wires. The derivatives of extracted organic acids were analyzed by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with N-tert-Butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) as the derivatization reagent. Under the optimal condition, a calibration study was carried out to evaluate the performance of the SPME fibers. The calibration curves were linear (R2>0.99) in the range from 0.01μg/ml to 1μg/ml for six organic acids. Detection limits were detected down to 0.07ng/ml. To further validate the extraction efficiency of the fibers, experiments were conducted in comparison with commercial fibers. Lower LOD and LOQ values were obtained by the in-house fabricated fibers especially for polyatomic acids. Good repeatability (RSD≤16%) and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility (RSD≤20%) were obtained. The acceptable recovery of the spiked grape wine samples ranged from 78.19% to 98.11%. Additionally, long lifetime and good durability of the fibers have been demonstrated. The performance of the established SPME-GC-MS method for analysis of organic acids was shown to be greatly improved in comparison to the direct HPLC/CE method or other SPME materials as reported in the literature. In summary, a feasible and effective approach has been demonstrated to fabricate the in-house fabricated fibers based on porous ionic liquid polymers, which were proved to be advantageous and sensitive for extraction of polar organic acids. Simultaneously, application of the SPME derivatization GC-MS method for analysis of organic acids has been successfully verified as feasible and reliable.

Reassessment of the succession of lactic acid bacteria in commercial cucumber fermentations and physiological and genomic features associated with their dominance

A compositional re-assessment of the microbiota present in commercial cucumber fermentation using culture independent and dependent methods was conducted, with emphasis on lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Two commercial cucumber fermentation tanks were monitored by measuring pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature, and used as sources of samples for microbial plating, genomic DNA extraction and measurement of organic acids and carbohydrates by HPLC. Six additional commercial tanks were included to identify the dominant microorganisms using molecular methods. A comparative analysis of the publically available genome sequences corresponding to the LAB found in cucumber fermentations was completed to gain an understanding of genomic features possibly enabling dominance. Analyses of the microbiota suggest Lactobacillales prevail in cucumber fermentations, including in order of prevalence Lactobacillus pentosus, Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis, Weissella spp., Pediococcus ethanolidurans, Leuconostoc spp. and Lactococcus spp. It was observed that Lb. pentosus and Lb. plantarum have comparatively larger genomes, higher gene counts, uniquely distribute the ribosomal clusters across the genome as opposed to close to the origin of replication, and possess more predicted amino acids prototrophies and selected biosynthesis related genes. It is theorized that Lb. pentosus and Lb. plantarum dominance in cucumber fermentations is the result of their genetic make-up.

Enhanced Product Recovery from Glycerol Fermentation into 3-Carbon Compounds in a Bioelectrochemical System Combined with In Situ Extraction

Given the large amount of crude glycerol formed as a by-product in the biodiesel industries and the concomitant decrease in its overall market price, there is a need to add extra value to this biorefinery side stream. Upgrading can be achieved by new biotechnologies dealing with recovery and conversion of glycerol present in wastewaters into value-added products, aiming at a zero-waste policy and developing an economically viable process. In microbial bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), the mixed microbial community growing on the cathode can convert glycerol reductively to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO). However, the product yield is rather limited in BESs compared with classic fermentation processes, and the synthesis of side-products, resulting from oxidation of glycerol, such as organic acids, represents a major burden for recovery of 1,3-PDO. Here, we show that the use of an enriched mixed-microbial community of glycerol degraders and in situ extraction of organic acids positively impacts 1,3-PDO yield and allows additional recovery of propionate from glycerol. We report the highest production yield achieved (0.72 mol1,3-PDO mol−1glycerol) in electricity-driven 1,3-PDO biosynthesis from raw glycerol, which is very close to the 1,3-PDO yield reported thus far for a mixed-microbial culture-based glycerol fermentation process. We also present a combined approach for 1,3-PDO production and propionate extraction in a single three chamber reactor system, which leads to recovery of additional 3-carbon compounds in BESs. This opens up further opportunities for an economical upgrading of biodiesel refinery side or waste streams.

Assessment of bioavailable organic phosphorus in tropical forest soils by organic acid extraction and phosphatase hydrolysis

Soil organic phosphorus contributes to the nutrition of tropical trees, but is not accounted for in standard soil phosphorus tests. Plants and microbes can release organic anions to solubilize organic phosphorus from soil surfaces, and synthesize phosphatases to release inorganic phosphate from the solubilized compounds. We developed a procedure to estimate bioavailable organic phosphorus in tropical forest soils by simulating the secretion processes of organic acids and phosphatases. Five lowland tropical forest soils with contrasting properties (pH4.4–6.1, total P 86–429mgPkg−1) were extracted with 2mM citric acid (i.e., 10μmolg−1, approximating rhizosphere concentrations) adjusted to soil pH in a 4:1 solution to soil ratio for 1h. Three phosphatase enzymes were then added to the soil extract to determine the forms of hydrolysable organic phosphorus. Total phosphorus extracted by the procedure ranged between 3.22 and 8.06mgPkg−1 (mean 5.55±0.42mgPkg−1), of which on average three quarters was unreactive phosphorus (i.e., organic phosphorus plus inorganic polyphosphate). Of the enzyme-hydrolysable unreactive phosphorus, 28% was simple phosphomonoesters hydrolyzed by phosphomonoesterase from bovine intestinal mucosa, a further 18% was phosphodiesters hydrolyzed by a combination of nuclease from Penicillium citrinum and phosphomonoesterase, and the remaining 51% was hydrolyzed by a broad-spectrum phytase from wheat. We conclude that soil organic phosphorus can be solubilized and hydrolyzed by a combination of organic acids and phosphatase enzymes in lowland tropical forest soils, indicating that this pathway could make a significant contribution to biological phosphorus acquisition in tropical forests. Furthermore, we have developed a method that can be used to assess the bioavailability of this soil organic phosphorus.

Wine of Cool-climate Areas in South Poland

A number of new vinery production regions, especially in the southern parts of Poland, have appeared in the last ten-odd years. This study was aimed at completing the chemical characterisation of wine produced from ten Polish grape cultivars planted near Krakow. The wine was analysed to determine organic acid concentrations, total polyphenols and extract content, antioxidant activity, alcohol content, total acidity and pH. Moreover, a sensory analysis was performed on the wine. Significant differences were recorded between red and white wine. The total acidity expressed as tartaric acid, and tartaric and malic acid concentrations, were significantly higher in white and red wines, whereas antioxidant activity and phenolic content were significantly higher in the red wines. Similarities and relationships between various parameters and specific wine brands were further examined with cluster analysis. Our results show that, under Polish climatic conditions, it is possible to produce wine with quality comparable to wine from established wine denomination regions. Selected wine brands showed high antioxidant activity (FRAP – ferric reducing antioxidant power) and a high level of polyphenols. This study also provides confirmation that wines from colder climates frequently reveal unique and desirable properties.