Feed Material Research Articles

Isothermal oxidation kinetics of industrial South African chromite concentrates in air

The oxidation of chromite pellets prior to smelting in a submerged arc furnace is key to ensuring that maximum benefit can be derived in the subsequent smelting step. Oxidized pellet feed material reduces operating costs by increasing energy and reductant efficiency, as well as increasing chrome recoveries.There is significant compositional variance in chromites used in South African chromite smelting operations due to the different seams from which the materials are mined. The impact of these variances on the extent and rate of oxidation of chromite ores has not been studied before, and it was the impetus for this study.A detailed kinetic study was carried out on three different types of chromite ores, originating from different commercially mined seams in South Africa, specifically the UG2, LG6 and MG seams. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed on these samples in air at temperatures ranging from 873 to 1473 K, which was used as input to the kinetic analysis. The proposed mechanism of chromite oxidation was found to occur in two stages: initially by random nucleation and growth of a sesquioxide phase, followed by a three-dimensional diffusion-controlled mechanism. The activation energy for oxidation was found to be similar for UG2 and LG6 ore, but higher for MG at all tested temperatures.The effect of chromite composition, temperature, and time on the extent of oxidation (α) was further quantified and captured in a single regression equation, confirming that time and temperature increase the extent and rate of oxidation. The Ti content was found to be directly correlated with higher values of α for a given time and temperature. The regression equation partially resembles the functional form of the diffusivity equation for cations in chromite found in the literature. It was also found that the distribution between Cr and Al impedes oxidation, with higher Cr content resulting in lower values of α for a given time and temperature.

Supply Chain Performance Analysis of Corn Processed Animal Feed

The purpose of this study was to analyze the general description of the corn supply chain as a raw material for animal feed in the research area using the Food Supply Chain Networks (FSCN) model, to analyze the performance of the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed in the study area using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The samples in the research were farmers (raw material suppliers), animal feed entrepreneurs, animal feed traders and breeders consisting of 7 farmers (raw material suppliers), 5 animal feed entrepreneurs, 10 animal feed traders and 8 breeders with the research location is in the Simalungun Regency. Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that in general, the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed in this study area is farmers (raw material suppliers) - animal feed entrepreneurs - animal feed traders - breeders (consumers). From a business point of view, the supply chain for corn as a raw material for animal feed has carried out two business processes, namely procurement and customer orders. Supply chain performance in the study area is quite consistent with a consistency ratio value of 0.015. The value points that there is good cooperation from partnerships such as raw material suppliers who are currently still able to meet demands from entrepreneurs, then the consistency obtained from this method is also related to a workforce that is skilled enough to help develop businesses and can support the development of product marketing.

Processing municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash for integration into cement product manufacture

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (BA) contains the elemental composition necessary for cement and concrete production and is a feasible substitute for high-value markets such as cement kiln feed (CKF) and supplementary cementitious material (SCM), providing an opportunity to recycle materials that are typically landfilled. This study explores the physical and chemical properties of individual components of MSWI BA—glass, ceramic, concrete, and slag—for use in cement product manufacture. Elemental oxide data reveals MSWI BA contains a variable composition of elements necessary for clinker formation. For example, MSWI BA concrete has a calcium content (33–40%) similar to that of limestone (64%) used in CKF. Compressive strength of mortar made with MSWI BA glass and ceramic is about 75% that of the control. Elemental analysis and isothermal calorimetry confirm that MSWI BA glass and ceramic fractions have the strength and elemental composition for use as an SCM compared to slag and concrete.

A Review of the Potential of Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea Canaliculata) as a Raw Material for Aquaculture Feed

This review offers a overview of the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) as a potential raw material for aquaculture feed. The taxonomy, anatomy, habitat, life cycle, nutritional composition, and utilization prospects of this freshwater snail species are discussed. The golden apple snail's features, including its conical shell, distinct coloration, and unique respiratory system comprising gills and a lung, contribute to its adaptability and mobility in diverse environments. Its life cycle encompasses egg deposition, hatching, and subsequent growth stages, with reproductive maturity and lifespan influenced by environmental factors. With its significant calcium content and variable protein levels, the golden apple snail holds nutritional value. Consequently, it has gained attention as a promising ingredient for aquaculture feed due to its protein-rich meat

Insight into the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in hazardous waste incineration and incinerators: Formation process and reduction strategy

Incineration technology has been widely adopted to safely dispose of hazardous waste (HW). While the incineration process causes the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Due to its extreme toxicity, many scholars have been committed to determining the PCDD/F formation process and reducing emissions in incinerators. Previous studies ignored the impact of incineration and fluctuation of feeding materials on PCDD/F formation in hazardous waste incinerators (HWIs). In this study, differences in PCDD/F formation between HWIs and municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) were pointed out. The incineration section in HWIs should be carefully considered. Laboratory experiments, conventional analysis and thermogravimetry experiments were conducted. An obvious disparity of PCDD/F formation between 12 kinds of HWs was found. Distillation residue was found with remarkably higher PCDD/F concentrations (11.57 ng/g). Except for the Cl content, aromatic rings and C–O bond organics were also found with high correlation coefficients with PCDD/F concentrations (>0.92). And PCDD/Fs were formed through a chlorination process and structure formation process. All of these are helpful to further understand the PCDD/F formation process during HW incineration, optimize the operation conditions in HWIs and reduce the emission pressure of PCDD/Fs in the future.

AN ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF FEED ON THE RESULTS OF BALL MILL GRINDING PROCESS COURSE FOR POLISH COPPER ORES

The article concerns issues related to the copper ore ball mill grinding process, operating at different technological parameters. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of various operating parameters and feed characteristics on selected technological effects (comminution degree, yields of the finest particle size classes, ready for downstream flotation operations). The research program included grinding tests of two lithological types of Polish copper ore (dolomite and sandstone) and their mixtures in the proportions: 70% dolomite +30% sandstone and 30% dolomite +70% sandstone. Material was treated under wet and dry grinding in Bond’s ball mill. Three different grinding time were applied together with three levels of mill’s rotational speed. The feed material with three different particle size compositions was used in the rests. The results show that increases in yields of fine particle size fractions for each sample are dependent on the particle size composition of feed, grinding time and rotational speed of mill. Together with increasing of grinding time, fine particle size fraction contents increase too, especially for the coarse feed without fine particles. In general, higher comminution degrees were obtained for ore mixtures, the most favorable results for a mixture of 30% sandstone +70% dolomite, where S 50 equaled 358 and S 90 = 178. Correlation analysis showed that in fact all technological parameters under investigation were significantly related to the obtained comminution effectiveness.

Low transfer of cadmium, lead and aflatoxin B1 to eggs and meat of laying hens receiving diets with black soldier fly larvae reared on contaminated substrates

Replacing soybeans with insects in egg and poultry meat production could improve environmental sustainability. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have a favorable nutrient composition and can be reared on low-grade waste, but this is associated with the risk of feed and food contamination. The aim of this study was to assess the transfer of selected contaminants from larval substrates to poultry-derived food. Two different control substrates were used. Substrate CCH (produced in Switzerland) was based on side streams approved for insect rearing in the European Union (EU), while substrate CIND (produced in Indonesia) included non-EU approved waste. In addition, substrate CIND was spiked with either heavy metals (HM; 1.9 mg cadmium and 18.8 mg lead/kg dry matter (DM)) or 1.5 mg aflatoxin B1/kg DM (AF)). The larvae fed HM contained 7 mg cadmium and 16 mg lead/kg DM. These values were about 30 times the concentrations of cadmium and 30–60 times the concentrations of lead found on average in the BSFL reared with the two non-spiked substrates. Although substrate AF contained 842 μg aflatoxin B1/kg DM as analysed, the AF larvae contained only 4 μg aflatoxin B1/kg DM. Larval meals were integrated at 200 g/kg in two control diets (diets CCH and CIND) and two diets based on contaminated BSFL (diets HM and AF) designed for late-laying hens (n = 9/treatment). After feeding these diets for 4 weeks, the hens were slaughtered. Diet HM and AF did not affect laying performance or egg quality compared with the control diets. In the body tissue, the cadmium concentrations (per kg DM) were nearly doubled by diet HM in the breast meat (13.3 μg), kidneys (12.3 mg) and liver (1.86 mg) compared to diet CIND. The same diet increased lead in kidneys from below 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg DM. No lead was detected in the meat and eggs, and no cadmium was found in the eggs. In conclusion, despite cadmium and lead also occurring in BSFL meals of CCH and CIND, the levels in all corresponding hen-based feed and food materials were below the maximum content, except for the kidneys. The aflatoxin B1 level of diet AF (1 μg/kg DM) suggests that the risk might also be small when BSFL are reared on moldy substrate containing aflatoxin-producing fungi. In conclusion, postconsumer waste apparently poses a lower risk than expected in poultry food chains for these contaminants when used as larval substrate.

Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Duckweed (Lemna minor) Produced on Growth Media with Pig Slurry

Duckweed is a plant with high phytoremediation abilities, which is why it is used in the process of cleaning the aquatic environment. The present study aimed to determine the effect of various concentrations of pig slurry added to the growth media used to produce duckweed (Lemna minor) (laboratory Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW) (experimental groups 1–9, pig slurry concentration (%): 1—2.00, 2—1.50, 3—1.00, 4—0.75, 5—0.50, 6—0.25, 7—0.12, 8—0.06, 9—0.03, control group 0—0.00). The contents of nutrients in the growth media could be classified as high (gr. 1–3), optimal (gr. 4–6), and deficient (gr. 7–9). Analyses were conducted for duckweed yield and growth medium parameters (pig slurry concentration, pH, salinity, temperature, TDS, and EC) on days 0, 10, 20, and 30 of the experiment. No growth or poor growth of duckweed were noted in groups 1, 6–9, and 0. In turn, satisfactory yields of duckweed green mass were recorded in groups 3–5, which allowed choosing them for further observations and analyses, including proximate composition (including protein content); contents of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Al, Cr, and α-tocopherol; and carotenoids—β-carotene, α-carotene, violaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, amino acids, fatty acids as well as N-NH4 and N-NO3. The plant material had an acceptable proximate composition and nutritionally safe analyzed component contents. Appropriate, stable growth medium conditions allowed the production of satisfactory duckweed yields. The study results allowed us to conclude that it is feasible to obtain feed material meeting basic quality standards by maintaining a closed circuit of duckweed culture, and use in the agricultural environment is possible through harnessing pig slurry for its production and ensuring its optimal growth conditions.

Multi-Omics Revealed the Molecular Mechanism of Maize (Zea mays L.) Seed Germination Regulated by GA3

Maize is a valuable raw material for feed and food production. Healthy seed germination is important for improving the yield and quality of maize. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate maize seed germination remain unclear. In this study, multi-omics was used to reveal the molecular mechanism of seed germination induced by gibberellin (GA) in maize. The results indicated that 25,603 genes were differentially expressed (DEGs) and annotated in the GO database, of which 2515 genes were annotated in the KEGG database. In addition, 791 mature miRNAs with different expression levels were identified, of which 437 were known in the miRbase database and 354 were novel miRNAs. Integrative analysis of DEGs and miRNAs suggested that carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid, and energy metabolisms are the primary metabolic pathways in maize seed germination. Interestingly, a lipid metabolism-related gene named ZmSLP was found to negatively regulate maize germination. We transformed this gene into Arabidopsis thaliana to verify its function. The results showed that the germination rate of transgenic Arabidopsis seeds was obviously decreased, and the growth of seedlings was weaker and slower than that of WT plants, suggesting that this gene plays an important role in promoting seed germination. These findings provide a valuable reference for further research on the mechanisms of maize seed germination.

Granulated Animal Feed and Fuel Based on Sea Buckthorn Agro-Waste Biomass for Sustainable Berry Production

The industrial harvesting of sea buckthorn (SBT) berries with twigs and subsequent pruning creates a large volume of lignocellulosic agro-waste. This study aimed to valorize this agro-waste as a raw material for animal feed and fuel granules, for developing a sustainable cascading SBT production scheme. Five SBT cultivars’ biomasses were characterized by analytical pyrolysis, mass spectrometry, and GC analysis. Condensed tannins, which are undesirable components for animal feed, were separated by extraction. The residue was analyzed for total protein, vitamins (A, C, and E), ash, crude fat, wood fiber, and macroelements (P, K, Ca, and Na), and showed great potential. The heavy metal (Cd, Hg, and Pb) content did not exceed the permitted EU maximum. Granulation regimes were elaborated using a flat-die pelletizer, KAHL 14-175. The digestibility and the amount of produced gas emissions were determined using in vitro systems that recreate the digestion of small ruminants. The investigation proved that SBT leaves and stems are a unique underutilized source of animal feed, used alone or in combination with others. Twigs, due to their thorns, were granulated and valorized according to standards for application as fuel. The scheme offered in this study enables SBT agro-waste utilization and sustainable SBT berry production.

Reactive inkjet printed zinc oxide film processing

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is a material with decades of investigation, used in coatings, biochemistry, and electronics. The rise of additive manufacturing and printed electronics shows increased interest in ZnO as a feed material for inkjet printing of multifunctional devices. Within this study, a ZnO precursor, Zinc Acetylacetonate Dihydrate [Zn(AcAc)2], is formulated into a reactive inkjet-printable ink using Hansen Solubility Parameter (HSP), in which the precursor was estimated to possess the parameters (mPa−1/2) δD = 16.5, δP = 9.9, δD = 13.2, and an HSP radius r of 6.5. Processing conditions for the reaction of the precursor into ZnO (thermal, chemical, and UV-irradiative) are investigated to develop in-situ morphological control and tunability of ZnO films.

Quality of Fermented Coffee Skin Waste with Several Types of Probiotics and Fermentation Time


 
 
 
 Coffee skin waste, which is abundant in Bali's coffee-producing regions, has not been utilized and has become a public health hazard. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort to utilize it as a beneficial raw material for animal feed, while simultaneously enhancing its quality through fermentation. Using various types of probiotics, the research conducted seeks to improve the quality of the fermentation of coffee skin waste. The study employed a completely randomized design with four kinds of probiotics: EM-4 (P1), Bio Bali Tani (P2), MOL from coffee husk (P3), and Aspergillus niger (P4), with each treatment being administered three times. In weeks 1, 2, and 3, the grade of the fermented product was evaluated in the laboratory. The results demonstrated that fermentation of coffee skin residue improved the quality of coffee skin by reducing the crude fiber content from 27.17–29.46% to 19.18–19.44% and increasing the crude protein content from 9.53–10.23% to 11.56–17.67%. The optimal fermentation period was 2 weeks, with a protein concentration of 14.67%, which was significantly different (P 0.05) from 1 week and 3 weeks. It was statistically significant (P 0.05) that LMO probiotics were 16.67% higher than EM-4 probiotics, Bio-Bali Tani, and Aspergillus niger probiotics. It can be concluded that the fermentation of coffee skin waste as animal feed can enhance the crude protein (CP) content, with local microorganisms (LMO) and a fermentation time of two weeks being optimal.
 
 
 
 
 

The Recycling of End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries and the Phase Characterisation of Black Mass

Black mass is the industry term applied to end-of-life (EoL) lithium-ion batteries that have been mechanically processed for potential use as a recycled material to recover the valuable metals present, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel and copper. A significant challenge to the effective processing of black mass is the complexity of the feed material. Two samples of black mass from a European source were analysed using a combination of methods including automated SEM-EDS (AMICS) to characterise and quantify the phases present and particle chemistry. Micro X-CT imaging, overlain onto automated mineralogy images, enabled the 3D morphology of the particles to be determined. Micro-XRF was used to map the copper, nickel, manganese and cobalt-bearing phases. Since Li cannot be detected using SEM-EDS, its abundance was semi-quantified using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The integration of these complimentary analytical methods allowed for detailed phase characterisation, which may guide the potential hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical recycling routes and chemical assaying.

Mitigating marine hazardous contaminants: A sustainable management perspective

Marine hazardous contaminants, such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), pose significant risks to both human health and aquatic organisms. Traditional methods may not remove contaminants to safe levels, leading to the release of hazardous materials into marine environments. This research proposes polymeric membrane bioreactors as a potential solution to this problem. We determined Cd and Pb levels in three freshwater fish species (Rita, Ompok bimaculatus, and Heteropneustes fossils) from two distinctive regions (Zone 1 and Zone 2). Additionally, Cd and Pb concentrations in feeding materials, water, and sediments were analyzed to estimate daily intake and potential hazardous effects of these contaminants on the fish species. These findings underscore the need for effective regulatory measures and policies to reduce the discharge of hazardous contaminants into freshwater and marine environments, protecting both human health and the environment. Implementing polymeric membrane bioreactors in wastewater treatment and industrial facilities could mitigate the risks associated with consuming contaminated fish species. Significantly, the Cd and Pb levels in all three fish species from both fishponds exceeded the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) maximum permissible limits. These findings carry important implications for policymakers, regulators, and industries, urging them to act appropriately to ensure the safety of the environment and public health. This study suggests that polymeric membrane bioreactors are a promising technological approach to address marine contamination, emphasizing their potential role in safeguarding human health and aquatic ecosystems.

First Report of a Root Lesion Nematode (Pratylenchus brachyurus) on Cassava in Taiwan.

The root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus spp., has a wide host range affecting many economically important crops (Castillo and Vovlas 2007). Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food crop in several countries, commonly used for the material of bioethanol, animal feed, and starch extraction (Howeler 2014). Soil samples were collected from a mono-cropping cassava farm located in the Houbi district, Tainan city, in Southern Taiwan in October 2021 in a routine soil survey, and there is no obvious above ground symptoms. The cassava is a local cultivar, the sampled tuber did not have lesions, but small brown lesions were present on the roots. Nematodes were extracted using the modified Baermann funnel method (Tsay et al. 2004) for 24 h. Root lesion nematodes were the dominant genera in this sample, containing over 20 individuals per 100 cm3 of soil. Females of the root lesion nematodes were picked, and surface-sterilized with 2000 ppm malachite green for 30 sec and streptomycin for 30 mins. After sterilization, a single female was transferred onto the carrot discs to establish a pure line (Coyne et al. 2014). After 2 months, nematodes were extracted from that pure culture for morphometric, molecular identification, and pathogenicity tests. The female has a moderately slender body, a low and flat lip region, a sclerotized head frame, and a short ventral overlap of the esophagus, monovarial, prodelphic, and post-uterine sac. The tail is conical and the tip is rounded or flattened. The body measures of 20 females were: body length 564.43 μm (511 to 619 μm), stylet length 18.64 μm (18.1 to 19.5 μm), tail length 32.43 μm (27.1 to 38.5 μm), post uterine sac length 12.79 μm (9.41 to 16.9 μm), and V value 85.16% (84.1 to 86.6%). Values of a, b, c, and c' ratios were 22.32 (18.9 to 26.1), 6.11 (5.36 to 6.73), 17.55 (13.8 to 20.5), and 1.18 (0.92 to 1.5), respectively. All morphometric data were similar to the previous description of P. brachyurus (Castillo and Volvlas 2007). DNA was extracted from three nematodes of the pure cultures using Viagen DirectPCR lysis buffer, and used for PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA fragment and the D2-D3 expansion segment of 28S rRNA using primer sets D2A/D3B and 988F/2646R, respectively (Holterman et al. 2006; Subbotin et al. 2006). The sequence of 18S ribosomal RNA (OP020594) shared 99% similarity with the P. brachyurus sequence deposited in the GenBank database (KY424148), and the sequence of 28S rRNA (OP020593) also shared 99% similarity with several P. brachyurus sequences (e.g. KF712473, MG745329). Bayesian consensus trees, constructed from both 18S and 28S sequences revealed that the nematodes collected in this study are clustered together with P. brachyurus sequences from other countries(Subbotin, et al. 2008). Therefore, the nematodes collected from cassava were identified as P. brachyurus based on morphology, molecular data, and phylogenetic relationship. To determine the pathogenicity, three eight-week-old cassava plants (cv. TMS 60444) were planted in 12-cm-diameter pots filled with 600 cm3 of sterile peat moss: sand (1:1, W: W) and inoculated with 50 nematodes containing different stages. Two plants treated with water were used as the mock control. Seventy-five days after inoculation, nematodes in the soil were recovered using the modified Baermann funnel method for 24 h, and the nematodes inside the root were stained with acid fuchsin. The average reproduction factor (final population/initial population) was 3.93, thus confirming cassava as a host of P. brachyurus. P. brachyurus was previously reported on peanuts and bananas in Taiwan, and wasn't a dominant species in the field. Finding this nematode on this cassava farm suggests this nematode might have a wider distribution than expected.

Energy-Efficient Advanced Ultrafine Grinding of Particles Using Stirred Mills—A Review

The present literature review explores the energy-efficient ultrafine grinding of particles using stirred mills. The review provides an overview of the different techniques for size reduction and the impact of energy requirements on the choice of stirred mills. It also discusses the factors, including the design, operating parameters, and feed material properties, influencing the grinding performance. The review concludes that stirred mills have significant potential for achieving the energy-efficient ultrafine grinding of particles. Stirred mills have unique designs and operations, which provide higher grinding efficiency, lower energy consumption, and reduced media consumption compared to traditional tumbling mills. The review highlights the advantages of stirred mills over conventional grinding methods and their potential to revolutionise industrial processes while lowering the environmental impacts.

Fast and Efficient Evaluation of the Mass Composition of Shredded Electrodes from Lithium-Ion Batteries Using 2D Imaging.

With the increasing number of electrical devices, especially electric vehicles, the need for efficient recycling processes of electric components is on the rise. Mechanical recycling of lithium-ion batteries includes the comminution of the electrodes and sorting the particle mixtures to achieve the highest possible purities of the individual material components (e.g., copper and aluminum). An important part of recycling is the quantitative determination of the yield and recovery rate, which is required to adapt the processes to different feed materials. Since this is usually done by sorting individual particles manually before determining the mass of each material, we developed a novel method for automating this evaluation process. The method is based on detecting the different material particles in images based on simple thresholding techniques and analyzing the correlation of the area of each material in the field of view to the mass in the previously prepared samples. This can then be applied to further samples to determine their mass composition. Using this automated method, the process is accelerated, the accuracy is improved compared to a human operator, and the cost of the evaluation process is reduced.

Sensory Evaluation of Rabbit Meat from Individuals Fed Functional and More Sustainable Diets Enriched with Freshwater Cladophora glomerata Macroalgal Biomass.

Maintaining meat quality is essential to sustainable livestock management. Therefore, identifying alternative feed materials while considering consumer acceptance is crucial. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of C. glomerata-biomass-supplemented feeds on rabbit muscles' physical properties, sensory profiles, and evaluators' emotional responses to them. A total of thirty 52-day-old weaned Californian breed rabbits were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments: standard compound diet (SCD), SCD supplemented with 4% C. glomerata (CG4), or SCD supplemented with 8% C. glomerata (CG8). After the 122-day-old rabbits were slaughtered, post-mortem dissection of the rabbit Longissimus dorsi (LD) and hind leg (HL) muscles was conducted. The physical and histomorphometric features, sensory analyses, and emotional responses to the rabbit's muscles were determined. Study results revealed CG4 and CG8 treatments significantly increased rabbit muscle moisture, while CG8 increased cooking losses in HL muscles (p < 0.05). Moreover, both CG treatments reduced the darkness and redness of fresh and cooked rabbit muscles compared to SCD (p < 0.05). CG8 treatment compared to SCD resulted in longer LD muscle fibers (p < 0.05). Evaluators discovered that the average scores for each sensory description of rabbit meat are acceptable and that consuming CG8-HL muscles can increase happiness based on emotional responses. Consequently, replacing traditional feed materials in rabbit feed with C. glomerata can lead to not only more sustainable production but also more consumer-acceptable rabbit meat.

The Effect of Graphene Addition on the Microstructure and Properties of Graphene/Copper Composites for Sustainable Energy Materials

Graphene is a single thin layer (mono layer) of a hexagon-bound carbon atom and is an allotropic carbon in the form of a hybrid atomic plane, with a molecular bond length of 0.142 nm. Graphene is the thinnest and lightest material with 0.77 mg square meters, which exhibited excellent electricity and heat conductor. However, the perfect uniform microstructure, strength and optimum thermal properties of copper-graphene composites cannot be achieved because the amount of graphene does not reach the optimum level. In order to solve this problem, copper-graphene composites were produced by metal injection molding method (MIM) with various percentage of graphene, specifically 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% in the composite, to compare the physical and mechanical properties of these samples. MIM process involves the preparation of feed materials, pre-mixing process, mixing process, mold injection process, binding process and sintering processes. Feeding materials were used are copper and graphene, which have the powder loading of 62% with a mix of binder comprising 73% polyethylene glycol (PEG), 25% polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and 2% stearic acid (SA). Densification and tensile test were conducted to determine the mechanical properties. Scanning electron microstructure (SEM) was performed to obtain the microstructure of the composites. From the research, the result revealed that the 0.5% graphene content had the optimum parameter, which the hardness and tensile stress values were at 94.2 HRL and 205.22 MPa.

Review: Composition and utilisation of feed by monogastric animals in the context of circular food production systems.

Food production has a major impact on environmental emissions, climate change and land-use. To reduce this impact, the circularity of future food production systems is expected to become increasingly important. In a circular food system, crop land is primarily used for plant-based food production, while low-opportunity cost feed materials (LCF), i.e. crop residues, co-products of the food industry, grass from marginal land and food waste form the basis of future, animal feeds. Animal diets thus contain much less cereals and soybean meal and include a higher proportion of diverse co-products, residues and novel human-inedible ingredients. These diets are characterised by a lower starch content, and a higher content of fibre, protein, fat, and phytate compared to present diets. In this review, possible consequences of the development towards a more circular food system for the type, volume and nutritional characteristics of feed materials and complete feeds are addressed and related research questions in the area of animal nutrition, physiology and metabolism are discussed. Additional attention is given to possible effects on intestinal health and gut functionality and to (bio)technological processing of LCF to improve their suitability for feeding farm animals, with a focus on the effects in pigs and poultry. It is concluded that an increased use of LCF may limit the use of presently used criteria for the efficiency of animal production and nutrient utilisation. Development of characteristics that reflect the efficacy and efficiency of the net contribution of animal production in a circular food system is required. Animal scientists can have an important role in the development of more circular food production systems by focussing on the optimal use of LCF in animal diets for the production of animal-source food, while minimising the use of human-edible food in animal feed.