Feed Composition Research Articles

Effects of Cassava Pellets and Enzymes Addition on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Serum Biochemical Indices and Cecum Microbiota of Broilers

The composition of feed significantly influences the growth performance and gut microbiota of broiler chicks, impacting their overall health and productivity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cassava pellets and enzymes supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, serum biochemical indices, and cecal microbial community of broiler chicks. A total of 144 healthy 1-day-old AA broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary groups: basal diet (K1), basal diet + 5% cassava pellets (K2), basal diet + 10% cassava pellets (K3), basal diet + 20% cassava pellets (K4), basal diet + 20% cassava pellets + 0.3% tannase (K5), and basal diet + 20% cassava pellets + 0.3% tannase + 2500 U/kg α-amylase (K6). At 21 days, growth performance, meat quality, serum biochemical indices, and cecal microbial composition were analyzed. Compared to K1, the end weight was significantly higher in the K3 and K5 groups (P < 0.05); average daily weight gain was significantly higher in the K3 and K6 groups (P < 0.05); and the feed-to-weight ratio was lower in the K3 group (P < 0.05). Cecal microbiota analysis revealed that the Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla. Alpha diversity showed a significant increase in the Chao index in the K3 group and in the Shannon and Simpson indices in the K6 group compared to the K1 group (P < 0.05). Beta diversity indicated similar microbial compositions across groups. LEfSe analysis showed increased numbers of specific bacteria in treated groups. Serum analysis revealed significantly higher ALT levels in the K4 group and higher IBIL levels in the K5 group (P < 0.05), with Bacteroides plebeius and Megamonas positively correlated with ALT (P < 0.05). The addition of 10% cassava pellets to the diet improved the growth performance and meat quality of broilers from 1 to 21 days of age and enhanced the microbial composition, providing valuable insights for optimizing broiler diets and improving economic returns.

Impact of Germinated off Season Sorghum Dietary on Apparent Digestibility and Small Intestinal Histology of Broilers in Maroua Far North Cameroon

In order to find a solution to maize in the composition of poultry feed, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the substitution of maize by germinated off-season sorghum as an alternative energy source on nutrients digestibility and histological of small intestinal of broilers. To achieve this, 180 of the 1-day-old chicks of the "Cobb 500" strain with a live weight of 34g ± 3.26, were randomly divided into 9 batches corresponding to 3 treatments with 3 replicates of 20 subjects. The batches were subjected to one of 3 diets: 100% maize (R0), 50% maize and 50% germinated off-season sorghum (R1) and 100% germinated off-season sorghum (R2). To achieve these objectives at 18 and then at 35 days of age, a total of 36 broilers were used, i.e. 18 in the start-up phase at a rate of 6 subjects per treatment and 18 in the growth/finishing phase at a rate of 6 subjects per treatment and the droppings and feed from digestibility trials; measured apparent digestibility (Ad) for energy, protein, fiber, mineral matter and organic matter; histological studies of the small intestine were performed. Energy, organic matter, mineral matter, proteins and fibres were not significantly influenced by the experimental diets used at the 0.05% threshold for digestibility and the histological sections did not show any structural and morphological alterations. We can therefore conclude that maize can be substituted at 50% and 100% by germinated off-season sorghum without negatively impacting digestibility in broilers at the start, as well as in growth/finishing.

Optimization, experimental and theoretical investigation of modified guar-gum and poly(acrylic acid) based smart hydrogel for controlled release applications in the agricultural field

A series of smart polymer hydrogels with good uptake and controlled release characteristics were synthesized free-radically by growing poly(acrylic acid) on allylated guar gum using ammonium persulfate as an initiator and trimethylolpropane triacrylate as the crosslinker. The synthesized hydrogels were evaluated using FT-IR and NMR for their structure, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TG) to measure thermal stability, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze surface morphology and swellability by gravimetric method under different pH and temperature conditions. The soil moisture content and gel fractions were measured using gravimetric methods. Additionally, a theoretical investigation was also performed to assess the urea-holding capacity of the synthesized hydrogel matrix using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The uptake study revealed that the hydrogel with optimized monomer feed composition absorbed 851 g/g of water, 78 % and 67 % of urea from 0.5 % and 1 % urea solutions respectively under ambient conditions. The release study showed that 56 and 47 % of absorbed urea were released over 15 days from the urea-loaded hydrogels (0.5 % and 1 % urea solutions respectively). The uptake mechanism obeyed the non-Fickian and first-order kinetics models. The experimental evaluation and DFT calculations conveyed that the synthesized hydrogel could act as a candidature matrix for the controlled release of water and fertilizer in the agricultural field.

Proximate Analysis On Nile Tilapia Artificial Feed From Shrimp Waste

Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the most widely cultivated freshwater fish because it can grow well in tropical countries and temperate regions. This research aims to create artificial feed that matches the nutritional parameters needed by nile tilapia. This artificial feed will use the basic ingredients of shrimp waste, with addition of oilcake, bran, starch flour, vitamins, squid oil, and water. There are four variables used to make artificial feed with different basic and additional ingredients, as well as varied processing techniques. After artificial feed is completed, proximate analysis will be carried out to test composition of crude fiber, carbohydrates, water, fat, ash, and protein using various methods. The test method for the composition of crude fiber, carbohydrates, fat, ash, and protein follows the method set by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Based on the results of proximate analysis, variable 1 (V1) has fulfilled the nutritional content of protein and moisture content needed by nile tilapia. This shows that artificial feed formulations from shrimp waste can be used because protein is an important element for nile tilapia growth, but the content of crude fiber, carbohydrates, fat, and ash exceeds ideal value for nile tilapia nutrition. This also occurs in variables 2, 3, and 4 that have not met nutritional needs, especially protein. However, the composition of artificial feed with shrimp waste and addition of meal, bran, starch flour, vitamins, and water in V1 can be further investigated to reduce the content of crude fiber, carbohydrates, fat, and ash.

The design and control of heat-integrated EDWC processes for the separation of THF/IPA/water

Extractive dividing wall columns (EDWC) and heat integration are effective process intensification strategies for separating azeotropes. In this study, the steady-state and dynamic control for the separation of tetrahydrofuran/isopropanol/water using a combination of EDWC and heat integration with intermediate reboilers are systematically investigated. The feasibility of the extractive distillation process is evaluated by analyzing the thermodynamic characteristics of the mixture through phase diagrams, and the three-column extractive distillation (TCED) process is established as the basic process. To enhance the energy and economic efficiencies, as well as environmental sustainability, three improved processes are proposed. Compared with TCED, the optimal process (E-EDWC-HI2) reduces the total annual costs, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions by 22.35 %, 41.77 %, and 26.28 %, respectively. In addition, a dynamic control structure is proposed for the E-EDWC-HI2, which exhibits robustness against disturbances in the feed flow rate and composition. This study provides guidance for the design and dynamic control of complex distillation processes.

The Effects of Ghrelin on Spike Activity of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurones of the Rat

In one of the most important non-photic mechanisms of the circadian biological clock synchronization with environmental geophysical 24 h rhythm, information on feeding schedule, composition and calorie content of food is used. Hormone ghrelin, a product of the neuroendocrine oxyntic cells of the gastric mucosa to be a signal molecule within this mechanism. In experiments on sagittal hypothalamic slices of male Wistar rats, the effects of 25 nM ghrelin on spike activity and parameters of spike information coding were investigated. Application of ghrelin induced an increase in spike frequency and a decrease in entropy of interspike interval distribution in 32.1% of the neurones recorded. In 29.6% of the cells, opposite responses in the form of a reduction of activity and an increase in the entropy of interspike interval distribution were observed. Parameters of spike activity of the reminder 38.3% neurones of the suprachiasmatic nucleus did not change. The observed responses of the entropy of interspike interval distribution indicate the appropriate changes in a degree of irregularity of interspike interval induced by ghrelin. Application of selective high-affinity antagonist of GHS-R1a receptor, JMV 2959 (100 nM) did not induce responses of the investigated parameters of spike activity but completely prevented changes of both, spike frequency and entropy of interspike interval distribution observed in the presence of ghrelin. The obtained data show that hormone ghrelin by a direct influence on the suprachiasmatic nucleus in vitro modulates the activity level and spike code of relatively numerous population of neurones of the nucleus, wherein the effects of ghrelin are implemented via GHS-R1a receptors. The results of the current study provide additional evidence in favour of the hypothesis on the involvement of ghrelin in mechanisms of non-photic entrainment of the circadian biological clock in accordance with severity of food motivation and level of metabolism.

Seasonal dynamics of indicators of mineral metabolism in horses in the conditions of the Leningrad region

The article analyzes the seasonal dynamics of mineral metabolism indicators in adult horses kept in private stables in the Leningrad region. As a result of the research, knowledge of the concentration and dependence of indicators on the seasonality of the year was obtained. It is important to remember that macro- and microelements are not synthesized in the body, they come from food, water, and air. The degree of their assimilation depends on the state of the respiratory and digestive organs. The most difficult period for animals is winter, when there is a decrease in the resistance of the body as a whole due to poor climatic conditions and minimizing physical activity in the fresh air. All these are predisposing factors for the imbalance of indicators at the level of the whole organism.It is established that in the autumn-winter period there is a decrease in indicators relative to the average annual digital values. Thus, there is a linear relationship between the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in blood serum – the minimum values are observed in winter and are 2.53±0.27 mmol/l and 1.76± 0.11 mmol/l, respectively. And the maximum values are typical for the autumn period and are 3.63±0.29 mmol/l for calcium and 2.33±0.12 mmol/l for phosphorus. Similar dynamics is observed in other indicators of the body's mineral metabolism. Thus, for trace elements such as copper, iron, protein-bound iodine, the minimum values were noted in the spring period. This can be explained by a decrease in the mineral components of the feed itself, as a result of long-term storage, resulting in changes in the chemical composition of vegetable feed with fat oxidation. Microelementoses and osteodystrophic processes are observed in animals. The autumn period is characterized by the highest concentrations of minerals in the blood serum of horses, on average by 8-12% compared with the average annual figures, This is explained by the fact that it was in the summer period that the greatest benefit was obtained from juicy plant substances of feed and proper exercise.This knowledge is necessary to understand the processes occurring in the body of horses at different times of the year and the possibility of correcting mineral supplements based on the data obtained

Feeding global aquaculture.

The growth of animal aquaculture requires ever more feed. Yet, fish and crustacean farming is argued to be sustainable because wild fish use is low and has improved over time. Here, accounting for trimmings and by-products from wild fish in aquaculture feed, and using four different sources of industry-reported feed composition data, we find ratios of fish inputs to farmed outputs of 0.36 to 1.15-27 to 307% higher than a previous estimate of 0.28. Furthermore, a metric that incorporates wild fish mortality during capture and excludes unfed systems raises the wild fish mortality-to-farmed fish output ratio to 0.57 to 1.78. We also evaluate terrestrial ingredients in aquaculture feeds. Widely cited estimates of declines in wild fish use from 1997 to 2017 entailed a trade-off of more than fivefold increase in feed crops over the same period. Our assessment challenges the sustainability of fed aquaculture and its role in food security.

A perspective on alignment between steady‐state design and control for a distillation system in the context of flexibility analysis

AbstractThis perspective paper discusses the alignment between steady‐state design and control (dynamic) simulation in the context of flexibility analysis for distillation systems. Operational variations, such as fluctuations in feed composition or flowrate, can stem from external factors like raw material quality or temperature variations. These disturbances need to be mitigated to ensure optimal industrial performance. Traditionally, these process uncertainties are usually considered in a sequential manner, where the steady‐state flowsheet is established first, and control performance is analyzed afterwards. However, recent studies have started integrating flexibility index into the design phase to account for process uncertainties. While this integration has improved design strategies, aligning steady‐state and dynamic control simulations for comprehensive flexibility analysis remains underexplored. In this paper, we wish to share new perspectives and insights we have observed by analyzing the existing literature. We highlight some points not immediately apparent in our previous studies, hoping these insights will serve as guidelines for future research in this direction. We believe that validating results between steady‐state and control simulations is a long‐term endeavor that cannot be conclusively addressed soon. However, we hope this paper will be valuable to future researchers, contributing to advancing this field and reaching those who will appreciate and build upon these insights. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). Published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd

Proximate and Amino Acid Composition of Freshwater Fish of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Background: The study aimed to evaluate proximate and amino acids profile of selected freshwater species from Nagpur, India. Nutritional composition of calbasu (Labeo calbasu), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and pangasius (Pangasianodon pangasius) was investigated to make aware the consumer about the present nutrient composition of these fish. Methods: Iced Calbasu, Silver carp, Tilapia and Pangasius fish were procured from Mayo fish market, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India and brought to the laboratory of Fish Processing Technology, College of Fishery Science, Nagpur. The marketable sized (average weight of 0.5-1.3 kg) fish were used for evaluation of proximate composition the methods of AOAC (2005). The amino acids profiling of fish samples were assessed by using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, Shimadzu LC-6A). Result: The variation (p less than 0.05) in nutrient composition viz. proximate and amino acids of these fish mainly due the effect of feed composition, feeding habits, geographical condition and availability of feed etc. The major components of proximate composition, moisture (75.75-77.53%), protein (14.52-18.01%), lipids (2.45-6.71%) and ash (1.10-2.09%) were recorded. The protein content was relatively stable in all species. The carbohydrate was found to be lower than 1.5%. The energy value of the fish species was between 94.81-123.51 Kcal. The pangasius had higher energy value due to high amount of fat content. During the study, the concentrations of essential amino acids (EAA) in all fish species ranged from 25.48 g/100 g to 29.41 g/100 g, while amounts of non-essential amino acids (NEAA) ranged between 27.94 g/100 g and 31.27 g/100 g. Lysine (5.14-6.31 g/100 g) and glutamic acid (6.26-8.72 g/100 g) were the most predominant amino acids found in EAA and NEAA respectively in all species. The higher level of essential amino acids was found in tilapia fish followed by silver carp, calbasu and pangasius. The results of the present study revealed that, all species have high nutritional value in terms of proximate and amino acids to offer positive health benefits upon consumption.

Enhanced methane and energy generation from sewage water using microbial fuel cells with paddy field soil substrate

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have potential in wastewater treatment, biogas production and clean energy generation. MFCs provide an interdisciplinary research approach incorporating engineering and natural sciences. This study explores MFCs’ capabilities to produce electricity and biogas from wastewater and field soil substrates with different compositions. A two-chamber MFC system was operated anaerobically. Household sewage water used as the organic substrate with different soil amounts. Six different process feed compositions, labeled MFC-1–6, were investigated. MFC-1 exhibited the highest biogas generation volume of 245 cm³ and 42 mW/cm² power density. MFC-5 and −6 yielded 100 cm³ and 130 cm³, respectively. Wastewater treatment was effective on day 20, with pH, conductivity, turbidity, and total dissolved solids decreased to 7.3, 2.6 mS, 326 NTUs, and 1114 mg/L, respectively. Since, MFC-1 autonomously generated −800 mV, an external battery supplied an additional 600 mV to meet the methane generation voltage requirements. MFCs’ effectiveness in addressing wastewater treatment and renewable energy production was highlighted.

Effects of Chitosan-Based Additive on Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Community, Nutrients Digestibility and Lactation Performance in Goats.

Recently, the potential of using chitosan (CHI) as a feed additive to enhance ruminal fermentation and improve animal performance has gained increasing attention in ruminant nutrition. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with increasing doses of CHI on rumen fermentation attributes and microbial composition, digestibility and milk performance in Dhofari goats. Twenty-four lactating goats (27 ± 1.8 kg of initial live body weight) were fed a control diet comprising of Rhodes grass hay plus a concentrate feed mixture. Goats were assigned to one of three experimental treatments (n = 8 per treatment) as: (1) control diet with no supplement (CTRL), (2) control diet with 0.300 g/day CHI (CHI0.3) and (3) control diet supplemented with 0.600 g/day CHI (CHI0.6) for a 45-day experimental period. Dietary supplementation with increasing doses of CHI decreased (p < 0.05) linearly ruminal pH (p = 0.023), total short chain fatty acids concentrations (p = 0.011), acetate (p = 0.013) and butyrate (p = 0.042) proportions, acetate to propionate ratio (p < 0.001), estimated methane (CH4) production (p < 0.001), ammonia nitrogen concentrations (p = 0.003) and protozoa abundance (p = 0.003). However, the ruminal propionate proportion augmented (p = 0.002) linearly with increasing doses of CHI in the diet. Increasing doses of CHI linearly increased the abundance of the ruminal propionate-producing bacteria, while diminished acetate and CH4-producing bacteria (p < 0.05). Serum total protein (p = 0.037) and glucose (p = 0.042) levels linearly increased as CHI doses increased in the diet. However, serum UREA levels decreased linearly (p = 0.002) by 21% with increasing CHI amounts in the diet. The digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre increased linearly with the increasing CHI doses (p < 0.05). Neither linear nor quadratic responses (p > 0.05) were observed in daily milk yield and feed efficiency by supplementing the diet with CHI. In conclusion, supplementing the diet with CHI at a dose of 0.600 g/day as a feed additive for dairy goats reduced estimated CH4 generation and improved fibre and protein digestion, with no influence on feed intake, milk yield or composition.

Computational Analysis of Permeance Prediction for Gas Separation Membrane Using Countercurrent Flow Model

Gas separation polymeric membranes have gained significant attention in various industries, including gas processing, petrochemicals, and environmental applications. Accurately predicting the permeance of these membranes is crucial for optimizing their design and performance. This paper presented a numerical prediction model for the permeance of a binary gas mixture under various process conditions, using only algebraic equations to minimize the calculation effort. The model considers input parameters such as feed and permeate flow rates, feed pressure, feed and permeate mole fraction, and membrane area. It demonstrates the behavior of permeance and selectivity in this study. The study also presented two case studies that utilize predicted selectivity to model counter-current flow and compare the results with experimental data from the literature. The first case study involves recovering helium from natural gas using an asymmetric high-flux membrane. The second case study separates air using nano-porous carbon as the membrane material. The numerical analysis successfully accurately predicted the permeance of gas separation polymeric membranes. The model accounted for variations in membrane thickness, feed composition, and operating conditions, providing valuable insights into the overall performance of the membrane system. It also allowed for the optimization of membrane design and operational parameters to enhance separation efficiency and productivity. The study showcased the effectiveness of numerical techniques in accurately predicting membrane performance. The developed model can be a valuable tool for membrane designers and engineers, enabling them to optimize the design and operation of gas separation systems.

Comparative analysis of features extraction protocols for LC-HRMS untargeted metabolomics in mountain cheese ‘identitation’

This study presents a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of Parmigiano Reggiano samples to differentiate between those designated as Mountain Quality Certification (QC) and conventional Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Despite following the same production protocol, these cheese varieties differ in the cows’ feeding regimes and milk stable locations, with mountain-certified samples adhering to specific requirements regarding milk origin and feed composition. An untargeted approach with Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was proposed to characterize the cheese metabolome. High-resolution LC-MS data can generate gigabyte-sized files, making data compression essential for manageable multivariate analysis and noise reduction. This study employs the Region of Interest-Multivariate Curve Resolution (ROI-MCR) protocol to achieve effective data compression and chromatographic resolution, thereby extracting the most informative features. This method was compared with a classical approach for feature extraction from chromatographic data, namely Compound Discoverer (CD) software. The features extracted by both methods were analysed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and ASCA (ANOVA Simultaneous Component Analysis). The comparison of ROI-MCR and CD approaches demonstrated that while both methods yielded similar overall conclusions, ROI-MCR provided a more streamlined and manageable dataset, facilitating easier interpretation of the metabolic differences. Both approaches indicated that amino acids, fatty acids, and bacterial activity-related compounds played significant roles in distinguishing between the two sample types.

Enhanced syngas production through dry reforming of methane with Ni/CeZrO2 catalyst: Kinetic parameter investigation and CO2-rich feed simulation

Natuna's natural gas reserve, which contains 70 %–v CO2 and 30 %–v CH4, opens a prospective method for producing syngas through the dry reforming of methane (DRM). This study used the equation and determination of kinetic parameters in a fixed-bed reactor to develop the operating conditions for the DRM process. The catalyst used was 10 %Ni/CeZrO2 and followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, with CH4 dissociation (activation of C–H bonds) on the Ni catalyst as the rate-determining step. According to the results, the simulation and experimental data have error values of ≤ 5 % and RMSE < 0.046. This indicates that the equation and kinetic parameters used in the simulation are valid for reactor modeling. Steady-state modeling was then conducted using a 1D quasihomogeneous model. The feed composition of CO2:CH4 = 70:30 (Natuna gas field composition) has optimized results with temperature 700 °C, CH4 conversion at 92 %, CO2 conversion at 28 %, and H2/CO ratio 1.42, and carbon formation at 7.1 mgC/gcat. This study also found that a higher CO2:CH4 feed ratio could reduce carbon formation during DRM.

Optimization of Poultry Physiological Condition in the Post-Antibiotic Era through Nutritional Intervention – A Review

The intestinal microbe population has a considerable impact on the physiological state of poultry. Nutritional intervention can be used to enhance the equilibrium of the gut microbiota in chickens, leading to good physiological effects. Various nutritional interventions have been implemented, including feed additives, vitamins, and fermented and functional feeds. While numerous studies have shown the efficacy of nutritional strategies, others have noted the variability of these interventions on poultry’s physiological state. Various factors can influence the effectiveness of nutritional interventions on the physiological conditions of poultry, such as the types of feed additives or active components, duration and method of administration, feed composition, environmental conditions during rearing, quality of day-old-chick, type and age of poultry, hygiene, infection, stress, and other related variables. Feed additives, when combined with nutritional components or other active chemicals, can have synergistic and complementary effects. These impacts could improve the effectiveness and reliability of the nutritional interventions on physiological parameters and poultry productivity. Furthermore, combinations can include feed additives or active components like probiotics and acidifiers, probiotics and enzymes, phytobiotics and enzymes, and plant-based materials and chitosan. The combinations show synergistic and complementary benefits, improving physiological conditions in chickens more than using feed additives or active substances alone. Overall, nutritional intervention can be used to improve the microbial balance in poultry intestines and boost their physiological state. Moreover, integrating feed additives with other active components might enhance the physiological circumstances of chickens due to the synergistic effect produced by their combination.

Hop as a phytogenic alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production.

With the rapid growth of the world's population, the demand for food is also increasing. Poultry accounts for 40% of the global meat sector and therefore represents a significant area for further growth. One starting point for increasing production is to refine the composition of feed to improve the efficiency of growth and nutrient utilization, prevent disease and at the same time reduce environmental impact. Similar considerations have led to the long-standing sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal husbandry, which is associated with the threat of rising antimicrobial resistances and the resulting consequences for human and animal health. In order to circumvent these drawbacks, an increasing number of alternative feed additives are becoming more prevalent. The use of phytogenic feed additives, which includes hops (Humulus lupulus), is regarded as a viable alternative. In addition to its natural availability, hops have been demonstrated to exhibit antimicrobial effects and there is increasing evidence of growth-promoting effects in vivo. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Energy and cost-efficient ionic liquids extractive distillation for producing electronic and polymer-grade propylene with emphasis on feedstock variability

The separation of propylene/propane is the main source of electronic or polymer-grade propylene. However, the current industrial method faces significant challenges due to high theoretical stages and energy consumption. In this work, an extractive distillation process using ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate ([BMIM][TFA]) is proposed to overcome these difficulties. Based on quantum chemical calculations, the mechanism of separation of propylene/propane is analyzed, and the mechanism behind the performance differences of various anions is explored. Optimal designs for extractive distillation processes are investigated for varying propylene/propane feed compositions, targeting electronic and polymer-grade propylene. A comparison of traditional distillation, heat pump distillation, and ILs extractive distillation evaluates both energy consumption and economic factors. The results suggest that both the cation and anion contribute to the separation of propylene/propane, with the cation having a greater effect than the anion. The separation is enhanced by the π-π stacking, C-H···π, and π···H···O interactions between [BMIM][TFA] and propylene, which strengthen the affinity for propylene over propane. Compared to traditional distillation, ILs extractive distillation reduces energy costs by 64.1% to 82.1% for polymer-grade propylene and by 69.5% to 84.0% for electronic-grade propylene, with theoretical stages dropping from 210 to 240 to 46–78 and 250–280 to 64–98, respectively. It also cuts total annual cost by 2.0% to 37.4% for polymer-grade and 7.4% to 39.2% for electronic-grade propylene compared to heat pump distillation. The extractive distillation using [BMIM][TFA] performs best, indicating substantial potential for separating propylene/propane.

Human health risk from co-occurring mycotoxins in dairy: A feed-to-fork approach

The presence of multiple mycotoxins in bovine dairy products can lead to potentially harmful health effects. This study examined the risk to human health from multiple mycotoxins in bovine dairy products using a feed-to-fork approach. It conducted a component-based risk assessment, using the toxicity of the most potent mycotoxin as a reference for others. The model also accounted for the influence of varying feed composition on mycotoxin contamination, considering monthly feeding pattern changes in Ireland. The probabilistic risk assessment uses Monte Carlo simulation to capture uncertainty and variability present in the model. The risk characterisation was undertaken using the Margin Of Exposure (MOE) method, where if the MOE was below 10,000, then the population's health was considered at risk. This study investigated the risk to human health from single mycotoxins and a combination of mycotoxins. The results showed that all mycotoxins were of low risk. However, the risk increased when aflatoxin was included in the co-occurring groups. Since 5% of the MOE was less than 10,000, the Irish population (male and female) was at relatively low risk of consuming aflatoxin or other co-occurring mycotoxin-contaminated milk. In comparison, the age group 8-12 years were at a relatively higher risk, with 10% of the MOE less than 10,000. The carry-over rates, the concentration of mycotoxin in feed components and the feeding composition were the most sensitive parameters. An increase in aflatoxin production in feed components can occur under climate scenarios and thus needs to be monitored, preventing any risks from aflatoxin or a combination of co-occurring mycotoxins. This study underscores the need for continuous monitoring and preventive measures, especially in feed components that are sensitive to aflatoxin-producing fungi that may contaminate bovine feed.

A thermodynamic consideration on the synthesis of methane from CO, CO2, and their mixture by hydrogenation

The synthesis of methane from CO and CO2 by hydrogenation is now considered as a promising route in effectively storing hydrogen energy as well as sustainably producing fuels and chemicals, while many reaction details involved in such processes, in particular for the hydrogenation of the CO and CO2 mixture, are not yet adequately understood. As a supplement to our previous works on the hydrogenation of CO and CO2 into alcohols and hydrocarbons, a thermodynamic consideration is made in this work to evaluate the potential and limit for the synthesis of methane from CO, CO2, and their mixture in particular. The results consolidate that in comparison with single CO or CO2, their mixture is probably more credible in practice for the production of methane by hydrogenation, where the overall C-based methane yield can be used as the major index to evaluate the process efficiency. The hydrogenation of CO shows a higher equilibrium yield of methane than the hydrogenation of CO2, while the overall C-based equilibrium yield of methane for the hydrogenation of the CO and CO2 mixture just lies in between and decreases almost lineally with the increase of the CO2/(CO+CO2) molar ratio in the feed, despite the great change in the equilibrium conversions of CO and CO2 with the feed composition. Nevertheless, an adequate overall C-based equilibrium yield of methane (> 85%) can be achieved at a temperature lower than 400 °C and a pressure higher than 0.1 MPa for the stoichiometric hydrogenation of CO, CO2, or their mixture whichever. These results should be beneficial to the design of more efficient catalysts and processes for the hydrogenation of CO/CO2 to methane.