Horn Meal Research Articles

Biodegradable Linseed Oil-Based Cross-Linked Polymer Composites Filled with Industrial Waste Materials for Mulching Coatings

The aim of this work was preparation and initial investigation of biodegradable polymer composites from renewable recourses filled with industrial waste materials for potential application as mulching coatings. Crosslinked polymer of epoxidized linseed oil and 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid was used as polymeric binder in the prepared composites. The following industrial waste materials of natural origin were used as fillers: horn meal, phosphogypsum, rapeseed cake, pine needles, pine bark, grain mill waste, and mix of grain waste and weeds. The composite films can be formed in one day at (20–25) °C. The curing time was increased with an increase of dilution and amount of filler, as well as with reduction of temperature. Mechanical and thermal properties, moisture permeability, surface wetting, swelling in water, combustibility, and biodegradability of the formed polymer composite films were evaluated. It was found that mechanical characteristics of the prepared polymer composites deteriorated with increase of amount of filler. Tensile strength, Young modulus, and elongation at break of composite films were in the range of (0.3–1.8) MPa, (0.8–6.8) MPa, and (17–51) %, respectively. The values of wetting angle varied from 71° to 90° and were lower than that of commercial agrofoil. Swelling values were in the range of (2–22) % and depended on type and amount of filler, particle size, and hydrophobicity. The samples with lower amounts and less hydrophobic fillers having the higher particle size exhibited higher swelling values. Prepared composite films were found to be able to retain moisture in soil in 2–2.5 times more than soil without coating after 1 month, they were by ca. (4–20) % less flammable than conventional synthetic polymer films, biodegradable (their mass loss was (36–60) % during 6 months exposition in soil), and therefore could be applied as sprayable or pre-cured mulching films in agriculture and forestry.

Soil fertility status and nutrient input–output flows of specialised organic cropping systems: a review

The management of specialised organic crops for vegetable and fruit production require the use of imported fertilizers. A wide range of fertilizers is currently available to organic farmers. These include bulky organic materials with a relatively low nutrient concentration commonly used as base dressing (e.g. composts, solid animal manures) and complementary commercial organic fertilizers with relatively high nutrient concentrations to adjust nutrient supply to crop requirements (e.g. feather meal, hoof and horn meal, vinasse, meat and bone meal, etc.). Nutrient imbalances are a major threat affecting the long term sustainability of horticultural and fruit cultivation systems. Major reasons for these imbalances are the biased element composition of base as well as complementary fertilizers in relation to the nutrient offtakes via harvested products. Gaseous nitrogen losses during manure management and gaseous as well as leaching nitrogen losses after application are major reasons for such nutrient imbalances, as they lead to a relative increase in the concentration of other elements. Conceptual weaknesses in the fertilizer approach in organic farming exist, namely the preferred application of slow release nitrogen fertilizers often rich in phosphorus. This review suggests that the current soil fertility approaches based on application of solid fertilizers and simultaneously a low rate of N inputs via N2 fixation do not foster balanced nutrient levels. The key challenge is to design cropping systems with a higher share of N inputs via biological N2 fixation, and to find fertilizers with a nutrient stoichiometry better suited to match the overall specific offtakes of fertilized crops.

Production of Keratinolytic Proteases from Horn Meal by Newly isolated Bacillus sp.

Production of Keratinolytic Proteases from Horn Meal by Newly isolated Bacillus sp.

Applicability of Crude Glycerol as the Multifunctional Additive for the Preparation of Mulching Coatings

Crude glycerol represents ca. 10 % of the product output in biodiesel production. As the biodiesel production increases exponentially, the amount of resulting crude glycerol is extensively high. The problem of its disposal or effective utilization is of increasing importance. In this work, the composities of poly(vinyl alcohol), horn meal and crude glycerol with the mass ratios of crude glycerol and poly(vinyl alcohol) 0.75, 1.5 and 2.25 were prepared and used for the formation of mulching coatings. The influence of the addition of crude glycerol to the composites on the mechanical, viscoelastic properties, swelling and dimensional stability in water of the composite films was examined. The increase of the amount of glycerol resulted in the increase of elasticity and dimensional stability of the composite films. The effect of the mulch films containing the different amount crude glycerol on evaporation of water from the substrate, vegetation of plants, soil properties and weeds (wild mustard and mixture of weed seeds of 10 moieties) germination was examined. The lowest loss of moisture was observed for the substrates coated with the layers of the composites containing the highest amount of glycerol. Mulching coatings inhibited the germination of weeds. Enhancement of this effect was observed with the increase of the amount of glycerol in the composites used for mulching.

Biodegradable glycerol-based polymeric composites filled with industrial waste materials

The aim of this work was preparation and investigation of the polymeric composites from naturally occurring materials with the properties similar to those of conventional polymer composites and which can degrade to harmless substances after use. The other target of this work was to estimate the applicability of industrial waste materials as fillers in the polymeric composites and thus to offer a potential exploitation of biodegradable waste materials as an alternative to disposal. In this study, the polymeric composites were prepared by photopolymerization of glycerol diglycidyl ether and different industrial waste materials (rapeseed cake, phosphogypsum and horn meal) using a mixture of triarylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonates as photoinitiator. The effect of the amount and nature of the industrial waste materials on the kinetics of photopolymerization, values of contact angle and surface free energy, mechanical, thermal, rheological properties, swelling in water and biodegradability of the polymeric composites was studied. The incorporation of the selected industrial waste fillers into glycerol-based polymeric composites increased swelling in water, adhesiveness, biodegradability and reduced Young modulus values.

Biodegradable Polymer Composites as Coating Materials for Granular Fertilizers

The composites consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol), horn meal, rapeseed cake, glycerol and phosphogypsum were proposed for the encapsulation of mineral fertilizers. Poly(vinyl alcohol) was used as a binder. The other components making ca. 70% of the mass of the composites were waste materials or by-products. They contain phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, potassium and sulphur, which are useful nutrients for plants. The effect of the amount of glycerol and of the composition of the mixture of the fillers on the mechanical, sorption properties, water vapour permeability, solubility in water, dimensional stability of the composite films was studied. The addition of phosphogypsum and increase of the concentration of glycerol in the composites lead to the decrease of the tensile strength, water vapour permeability and to the increase of elongation at break and of the solubility of the composite films in water. The composites prepared were used for encapsulation of fertilizers. It was established that encapsulation resulted in the increase of the time of release of the fertilizers. In addition, encapsulation improved mechanical properties of the fertilizers. The fertilizer granules were coated with composite films and tested in the cultivation of tomato sprouts. They showed considerable positive effect on the development of the roots of the plants.

Polymer Composites from Poly(vinyl alcohol), Horn Meal and Crude Glycerol for Mulching Coatings

In this article we report on the preparation of polymer composites from poly(vinyl alcohol), cattle horn meal and glycerol, which is the byproduct of biodiesel production. The effect of the amount of glycerol as well as of the particle size of horn meal on the mechanical, sorption properties, water vapour permeability, content of water soluble nitrogen and carbon in the films of the composites was studied. The composites were used for the preparation of coatings for the mulching of plants cultivated in pots. The liquid mulching composition was spread out on the surface of the growing substrate. After evaporation of water the polymer coatings, acting as a mulch films, were obtained. It was established that the proposed mulch films retain moisture in the pots and stimulate microbial activity of the soil. The rate of evaporation of water from the substrate coated with the mulch films was by 26–33 % lower than that from the unmulched substrate. The number of the fungal colony forming units in the substrates depended on the particle size of the horn meal in the mulch composite and was by 1.7 × 104–4.1 × 104 times higher compared with that found in the unmulched substrate. The composites were used for the mulching of the tomato sprouts cultivated in pots. It was established that the proposed mulch films stimulate growth of plants.

Biodegradable Polymer Composites with Nitrogen- and Phosphorus-Containing Waste Materials as the Fillers/Biodegradowalne Kompozyty Polimerowe Wypełnione Odpadami Zawierającymi Azot I Fosfor

Abstract Composites consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing waste materials were prepared and studied as materials for encapsulation of mineral fertilizers By-products of biodiesel production (rapeseed cake, crude glycerol), horn meal (waste product of haberdashery) and phosphogypsum (by-product of the production of phosphorus fertilizers) were used as the fillers of the composites. The films of the composites with the different amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus were prepared using different fillers or their mixtures. Mechanical, properties of the films, hygroscopicity, solubility in water were studied. The composites developed were used for the encapsulation of mineral fertilizers. It was established that encapsulation resulted in the increase of the time of release of the fertilizers. The developed slow-release fertilizers represent a combination of inorganic and organic compounds. The organic part consists of nitrogen- and phosphorus containing horn meal and rapeseed cake. Since assimilation of organic substances is considerably longer, nitrogen and phosphorus of these components will be available for plants much later than inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Thus the composite film will not only decrease the rate of desorption of the components from the granules of the fertilizers but will also prolong the impact of the fertilizers on the plants.

Effects of fertilizers and plant strengtheners on the susceptibility of tomatoes to single and mixed isolates of Phytophthora infestans

Three organic fertilizers, Horn meal, i.e., BioFeed Basis and Bio-ILSA, and three plant strengtheners, i.e., Alfalfa extract, PEN and QUALITY were compared to chemical fertilizer (NPK) application and the synthetic inducer BABA (DL-3-amino-butyric acid) for reactions of leaf disks of six different tomato cultivars to three isolates of Phytophthora infestans. Late blight severity was significantly reduced on plants fertilized with Bio-ILSA and BioFeed Basis compared to plants fertilized with Horn meal and chemical fertilizer. There were no interactions between fertilizers and isolates or between fertilizers and cultivars. All plant strengtheners significantly reduced susceptibility of all tomato cultivars. However, effects were isolate and tomato cultivar specific. The reductions in area under the disease progress curve compared to the water control for the different tomato cultivars and isolates were 23–78%, 21–77%, 17–66%, and 37–100% for Alfalfa extract, PEN, QUALITY and BABA, respectively. Similar, but somewhat smaller reductions were observed for sporulation capacity. The plant strengtheners were more effective in controlling disease on plants challenged with isolate mixtures than on plants challenged with single isolates. BABA performed significantly better than the plant strengtheners in 65% (i.e., 34 out of 54) of the tested cultivar-isolate combinations, when single isolates were used. When two isolates were mixed, the percentage was reduced to 45% (25 out of 54 cases) and to 33%, (6 out of 18 cases) with a mixture of three isolates.

Porous keratin scaffold–promising biomaterial for tissue engineering and drug delivery

A porous keratin scaffold, prepared from the reduced keratin solution, has shown good cell viability which makes it a potential candidate for cell seeding. An aqueous solution of reduced keratin was extracted from horn meal using a mixture of urea, sodium dodecyl sulfate, mercaptoethanol, and water at 60 degrees C. The molecular mass of the extracted keratin is found to be ranging between 225 and 150 KDa. The CD spectrum of aqueous solution of keratin shows the presence of infinity-helical structure with beta-turns as negative absorption band at 225 nm and as positive absorption band at 195 nm. The FTIR spectrum of the same confirms infinity-helical structure with beta-turns. Its characteristic absorption bands are assigned mainly to the peptide bonds for amide I, II, and III respectively. DSC and TGA data of the reduced keratin peaks fall in region 200 degrees C-250 degrees C and 200 degrees C-400 degrees C temperatures, respectively. They correspond to the infinity-helix denaturation of the material.

Production of Keratinase by Free and Immobilized Cells of Bacillus halodurans Strain PPKS-2: Partial Characterization and Its Application in Feather Degradation and Dehairing of the Goat Skin

An extremely alkaliphilic bacterial strain, Bacillus sp. PPKS-2, was isolated from rice mill effluents and screened for the production of extracellular keratinase. The maximum production of keratinase occurred after 48 h in shaking culture at pH 11.0 and 37 degrees C in a medium containing 0.5% soybean flour. The strain grew and produced alkaline keratinase using chicken feather and horn meal as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. An addition of 0.1% soybean flour or feather hydrolysate and sodium sulfite to feather medium increased the production and complete solubilization of feather took place within 5 days under solid-state fermentation conditions. The partially purified enzyme displayed maximum activity at pH 11.0 and 60 degrees C in a broad range of NaCl, 0-16%, and was not inhibited by sodium dodecyl sulfate (10%), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (10 mM), H2O2 (15%), and other commercial detergents. Immobilization of the whole cells proved to be useful for continuous production of keratinase and feather degradation. The enzyme was effectively used to remove hair from goat hide. The strain PPKS-2 can be effectively used for solid waste management of poultry feather in submerged as well as solid-state fermentation.

Optimization of Influential Parameters for Extracellular Keratinase Production by Bacillus subtilis (MTCC9102) in Solid State Fermentation Using Horn Meal—A Biowaste Management

A Bacillus subtilis (MTCC9102) isolate was shown to produce significant amount of keratinase under optimized conditions in solid-state fermentation using Horn meal as a substrate. Optimized value for moisture, inoculum, and aeration were found to be 100% (v/w), 50% (v/w), and 150% (w/w), respectively, and the optimum nitrogen source was peptone and carbon source was dextrose. Maximum keratinolytic activity was observed at 48 h after incubation, and the optimum age (24 h) of inoculum was significant. The influence of cultivation temperature and initial pH of the medium on keratinase production revealed the optimum values for the temperature and pH as 37 degrees C and 7, respectively. Maximum keratinase activity of the crude extract was 15,972 U/mg/ml. These results indicate that this bacterial strain shows a high biotechnological potential for keratinase production in solid-state fermentation, and use of the horn meal as the substrate can be implemented for keratinous solid wastes management.

Horn meal hydrolysate–chromium complex as a high exhaust chrome tanning agent––pilot scale studies

Acid hydrolysis of horn meal (obtained from raw horns of slaughtered cattle and buffaloes) yields a mixture of water soluble and low molecular weight peptides with average particle size of 3,838 nm (3.84 μm) and mean intensity of 5,243.7 nm (5.24 μm) and mean volume of 6,228.1 nm (6.23 μm). These peptides on reaction with Cr(III) yield a product that exhibits high exhaustion of chromium bath (above 92%) during tanning of hides and skins. To consolidate the results, the process was up-scaled in Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) pilot plant for commercial trials. This material is applied directly to the pickled pelts at 8% w/w level and then the pelt is converted to wet blues and crust leathers. Control leathers were also processed concurrently using standard chrome tanning salts (8% w/w). Leathers showed the desired level of softness, fullness, shrinkage temperature and physical properties, and are comparable with control ones. Our results have indicated the use of Cr(III)–keratin complex could considerably reduce pollution load of Cr salts in leather processing.

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sink capacity of amended soils evaluated under laboratory conditions

Soil sequestration of atmospheric CO 2 through land application of organic residues may have beneficial effects as a strategy to offset the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. The significance of different variables on GHG production and soil C sink capacity was investigated by monitoring CO 2 and N 2O fluxes from amended soils under laboratory conditions. In the first experiment, the effects of the chemical composition and complexity of three N-rich organic fertilisers (blood meal, hydrolysed leather, and hoof and horn meal) on the CO 2 and N 2O productions were studied. A second experiment was aimed at evaluating the effects of the degree of transformation of composts prepared from two-phase olive mill waste on soil C sink capacity. The three N-rich organic fertilisers caused different CO 2 and N 2O evolution patterns in the amended soils, despite their similar elemental composition. The total amount of added C that was mineralised in the soil ranged from 10.4% to 15.5%, while N 2O–N originating from horn and hoof meal was 6 and 13 times higher than that coming from hydrolysed leather and blood meal, respectively. Mineralisation of the C added to the soil was inversely correlated to the degree of stabilisation of the composting mixtures. Soils amended with the initial composting mixture evolved from 2 to 7.3 times more CO 2–C than the soil amended with the more stabilised compost. However, the C conservation efficiency of organic residues, calculated by the combined losses during composting, and after land application, was higher for the less transformed organic materials. Both studies showed the key importance of the variables studied on the GHG emissions and C sink efficiency of amended soils under controlled conditions. Laboratory experiments could be a useful tool to assist in the designing of field scale experiments for an effective quantification and monitoring of the overall changes in soil C and N pools.

Potential mineralization of nitrogen from organic wastes to ryegrass and wheat crops

Two-pot experiments with ryegrass and wheat plants were conducted in a Cambic Arenosol to test the reliability of N fate predicted by incubation experiments previously performed, with the same soil, to assess potentially mineralizable nitrogen from six organic wastes (municipal solid waste compost, secondary pulp mill sludge, horn meal, poultry manure, solid phase from pig slurry and composted pig manure). Two treatments, corresponding to 80 and 160 kg N/ha were tested, with or without mineral N fertilization. Experimental data obtained in the pot trials was consistent with nitrogen net mineralization trend observed in the aerobic incubations with all the wastes tested. Values of potentially mineralizable nitrogen (N 0) from the equations obtained by model fitting, to the incubation data, were well correlated to ryegrass and wheat N uptake. Poultry manure was the most efficient N supplier to crops.

Organic fertilizers derived from plant materials Part I: Turnover in soil at low and moderate temperatures

AbstractThe aim was to investigate different organic fertilizers derived from plant materials with respect to their nitrogen and carbon turnover in soil in comparison with organic fertilizers derived from animal‐waste products. In a 64‐day incubation study at 5°C and 15°C, the following fertilizers were used: coarse faba bean–seed meal (Vicia faba L.), coarse meals of yellow and white lupin seeds (Lupinus albus L. and Lupinus luteus L.), Phytoperls® (waste products of maize [Zea mays L.] processing), coarse meal of castor cake (Ricinus communis L.) as a widely used organic fertilizer, and horn meal as a reference fertilizer‐derived from animal waste products. At 15°C, horn meal showed the highest apparent net N mineralization of fertilizer‐derived N, followed by castor cake and the two lupin meals. At 5°C, apparent net N mineralization of fertilizer‐derived N from horn meal and coarse meal of yellow lupin seeds was nearly identical, followed by castor‐cake meal. Net N mineralization from legume‐seed meals showed no or even a negative temperature response, at least temporarily. In contrast, the other fertilizers showed a positive temperature response of net N mineralization. The content in recalcitrant structural components and the decoupling of decomposition of N‐rich and C‐rich tissue components in time are discussed as controlling factors of fertilizer‐N turnover at low temperature. Microbial residues seem to be an important temporary sink of fertilizer‐derived C and N. Legume‐seed meals induced considerable N‐priming effects. Temperature induced differences in the decomposition of total fertilizer C, indicated by changes in the sum of cumulative CO2‐C evolution, total K2SO4‐soluble organic C and microbial‐biomass C were much smaller than indicated by cumulative CO2‐C evolution alone. Our results indicate that legume‐seed meals have the potential to replace horn meal and castor‐cake meal in organic vegetable production, especially when soil temperatures in early spring are still low.

Utilization of waste materials in nematode control: A review

The addition of waste materials from animals and plants to soil has been explored as an alternative means of nematode control. These materials include agricultural wastes in the form of green manures and dried-crop residues in general and industrial by-products, such as oilcakes, sawdust, cellulosic waste, and sugar-cane bagasse in particular. Besides these, other biological wastes (chitin, bone meal, horn meal, sewage-sludge, municipal refuse, and livestock wastes) have been proved succesful in controlling nematodes for several years. The beneficial effects of organic incorporation have been generally considered to be due to direct or indirect stimulation of predators and parasites of plant-parasitic nematodes. Very often, when there was a decrease in the soil-pathogen population, there was a consequent increase in crop yield. This review reveals a promising area of ‘non-conventional’ nematode-management.

Einfluß von 2 Herbiziden auf den Kohlenstoff — und Stickstoffumsatz im Boden unter Laborbedingungen bei unterschiedlicher Stickstoffdüngung

Summary Under laboratory conditions the influence of the herbicides “Aretit flussig” (dinoseb acetate) and “Goltix” (Metamitron) on nitrogen transformation (ammonification, nitrification) and carbon transformation (long-term respiration) was investigated up to 4 months. Depending on its dosage Aretit frequently stimulated ammonification, whereas long-term respiration was not as much affected. The influence of Goltix was less marked. The soil as well as the form of nitrogen fertilization (without nitrogen amendment, with lucerne meal, with horn meal or with ammonium sulphate) modified the herbicidal effects. In most cases inhibitions of the nitrification caused by the herbicides only occurred with horn meal or ammonium sulphate. The effects of the herbicides on nitrogen transformation were similar with constant temperature (20°G) and daily fluctuating temperatures (5 to 20°C).

Extracellular Proteases from Soil Aetinomycetes: III. Effect of Growth Medium and Temperature on the Protease Production by an Actinomycete, Isolated from Peat

The ability of an actinomycete, isolated from peat (labelled A IV 17), to produce extracellular protease in various low-cost media has been examined. It has been found that for protease production with the strain A IV 17 glucose can be replaced as energy source by xylose or glycerol. Horn meal, representing a cheap slaughtery waste product, has been found to be a favourable nitrogen source for the production of A IV 17-protease. With small changes in the composition of the medium, used for protease production, the productivity of the organism in question has been more than doubled, as compared with the protease yields achieved in the skim-milk medium, originally used for the screening of extracellular proteases produced by actinomycetes, isolated from soil. Die Fähigkeit eines Actinomyceten (A IV 17 genannt), der von Torf isoliert worden war, extrazellulare Protease in verschiedenen billigen Medien zu produzieren, wurde erforscht. Als Energiequelle für die Proteaseproduktion mit Stamm A IV 17 kann Glukose durch Xylose oder Glyzerin ersetzt werden. Hornmehl, das einen billigen Schlachtabfall darstellt, hat sich als eine beachtenswerte Stickstoffquelle in der Produktion von A IV 17- Protease erwiesen. Mit einigen kleinen Veränderungen in der Zusammensetzung des Produktionmediums wurde die Enzymerzeugung mehr als verdoppelt im Vergleich mit der im Milchpulvermedium (ohne Fett), das ursprünglich für den Vergleich der Produktion extrazellularer Proteasen verschiedener Boden-Actinomyceten benutzt worden war.

Keratins as Sources of Protein for the Growing Chick: 4. Processing of Tannery By-Product Cattle Hair into a Nutritionally Available High Protein Meal: Metabolizable Energy, Amino Acid Composition and Utilization in Practical Diets by the Chick

BOTH feathers and hog hair can be converted through high pressure steam processing into nutritionally valuable high protein meals (Binkley and Vasak, 1950; Naber, 1961; Moran et al., 1966, 1967 a). The only outstanding change in these keratin products upon treatment; other than substantial meal density increases, was the significant reduction in cystine concentration (Gregory et al., 1956; Davis et al., 1961; Moran et al., 1967b). Because feathers and hog hair supported chick growth and contained reasonable quantities of metabolizable energy only when these keratin sources were autoclaved long enough to emit hydrogen sulfide and go to a structurally flaccid state, Moran et al. (1966, 1967 b) contended that reduction of the large inherent quantities of molecular structure stabilizing cystine was a prerequisite to nutritional availability. Unpublished observations mentioned by Almquist et al. (1966) with another keratin product supports the aforementioned contention. Pressure-steam treatment of raw hoof and horn meal .