Important Raw Material Research Articles

Quantitative trait loci mapping for agronomic and leaf chemistry traits using high density linkage map in flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is one of the most important economic crops in the world, and is the most important raw material in the cigarette industry. Construction of a high-density linkage map and identification of agronomic and leaf traits quantitative trail loci (QTLs) are prerequisites for molecular marker-assisted selective breeding projects. In the present study, an integrated high-density linkage map for flue-cured tobacco was constructed using a doubled haploid (DH) population based on SSR and SNP markers. The integrated genetic map spans 2618.89 cM and contains 607 SSR marker loci, and 917 SNP marker loci. Using the newly constructed map, QTL mapping was performed using the method of composite interval mapping (CIM) for six plant and six leaf chemistry traits. A total of 102 QTLs associated with 1.77–27.65% of the phenotypic variation were identified on 22 linkage groups in two years (2021 and 2022). Eighty-four and 89 QTLs were detected using 2021 and 2022 field experiments, respectively. Seventy-one QTLs were detected in both years. Most QTLs presented small effects, but six QTLs presented relatively large effects in both two years, with each explaining 15–28% of the phenotypic variation in the DH population. The twelve measured traits were strongly correlated with each other. Consistent with this finding, many QTLs identified for one trait overlapped with those identified for alternative traits.

Instruments of state risk management of innovative import substitution projects

Today, the key priority of state policy is to protect the Russian economy from external threats aimed at reducing the rate of economic growth and scientific and technological development in the country. In these conditions, the primary task facing the state is to overcome dependence on imported supplies of critical goods, components, and raw materials. To quickly solve this problem, it is necessary to intensify innovative activities in the field of import substitution, which, in turn, can be achieved by creating favorable conditions for the implementation of innovative projects to create high–tech products capable of replacing foreign analogues.The subject of the research is the instruments for supporting innovative development in the country in order to ensure economic security. The results consist in the development of a model of the system of state support of innovative activity in order to ensure the economic and technological sovereignty. It is distinguished by the use of the mechanism of public–private partnership for the successful implementation of programs in the field of import substitution of critically important products, components and raw materials. To respond to the risks that may arise during the implementation of such programs, a set of instruments was proposed. They represent a set of measures of state support implementing various options for processing project risks (acceptance, evasion, transfer and distribution).

Highly Sensitive Ethylene Glycol Gas Sensor Based on MIL-68(In)@ZIF-8 Derivative.

Ethylene glycol, as a colorless and tasteless organic compound, is an important industrial raw material but can be hazardous to the environment and human health. Thus, the development of high-performance sensing materials is required for the monitoring of ethylene glycol. In this paper, a method to synthesize In2O3@ZnO using MIL-68(In)@ZIF-8 to serve as a sacrificial template is proposed for testing ethylene glycol sensing capabilities. For verifying an effective improvement in gas-sensitive performance by bimetallic organic skeleton (MOF) synthesized heterojunctions, we performed gas-sensitive tests on In2O3, ZnO, and In2O3@ZnO. In2O3@ZnO has the best sensitivity to ethylene glycol, including ultrahigh response value (20 ppm-200.12), moderate response/recovery time (53/50 s), and excellent selectivity. The construction of heterojunction is the main reason for enhancing the ethylene glycol response of the sensor. On this basis, the gas-sensitive enhancement mechanism of composites is analyzed. The results show that the design method of synthesizing heterojunctions using bis-MOFs proposes a new approach that enhances the properties of ethylene glycol.

Design and Optimizing of Precision Seeder of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica L. Bud-Seeds for Containerized Nursery Production

Mongolian pine holds immense ecological and economic values as a vital biobased material. Its wood fiber, rosin and turpentine are important raw materials suitable for multiple industrial applications, it also exhibited soil and water conservation capabilities. To improve its seeding efficiency, this study designed a precision seeding machine for Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica L.) bud-seeds, and optimized the technical seeding parameters, which utilized a combined vibration-air blowing fluidization device to overcome seed flowability limitations and facilitate accurate seed selection. A particle model was established based on the seeds’ physical characteristics, and EDEM software was utilized to simulate the spatial distribution of seed particles under various seeding parameters through seeding experiments. The optimal air pressure for the combined seed supply was approximately 0.24 kPa, with a frequency of 20 Hz and an amplitude of 5 mm, to obtain an optimal spatial distribution of the seed particles. The most effective seeding area for seed adhesion was determined to be 5–15 mm from the bottom of the seeding plate. When the seed suction negative pressure is set to 6.7 kPa, with an upper hole diameter of 0.9 mm, a lower hole diameter of 3 mm, and a hole depth of 1.5 mm, the seedling emergence rate reached 89.06%, and the fastest emergence time was 2 days. One month after sowing, the seedlings exhibited a height growth rate of 16.1%, and a ground diameter growth rate of 20.9%. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the precision seeding machine and optimized parameters in achieving efficient and accurate sowing of Mongolian pine bud-seeds. This work provides basic technical and data support for advancing the development and sustainable utilization of Mongolian pine as a vital biobased material resource.

Halal procurement strategy for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to develop a halal procurement strategy for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research is based on in-depth interviews, followed by a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis (using analytical network process technique) to develop halal procurement strategies for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia. Findings Access to halal-certified raw materials is the most difficult issue for pharmaceutical business procurement departments. Because Indonesia is heavily dependent on raw material imports, developing the raw material industry should be a top priority. Recommendations are drafted for the government, pharmaceutical industry and education to strengthen Indonesia’s halal pharmaceutical sector and procurement strategies. Research limitations/implications Few studies have been conducted on halal procurement in the pharmaceutical industry, and case studies are recommended to further explore halal procurement best practices. Quantitative research is also recommended to better understand existing halal procurement strategies and the purchasing process of halal critical items for pharmaceutical industries in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia. Practical implications Halal critical items sourced for the halal pharmaceutical industry require halal certification, multiple supplier sourcing, evaluation mechanisms and benefit from horizontal collaboration. The main bottleneck for the halal pharmaceutical industry is lack of raw materials with the right halal certificates. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on halal procurement strategies in the pharmaceutical industry. Its findings are relevant to regulatory, technical and business strategies in Muslim-majority countries.

Gas adsorption and separation applications of MOF materials

Abstract. Low-carbon hydrocarbons (C1-C4) are really important raw materials used in making different kinds of big molecules and stuff in industries. Before, people mostly used super cold cooling and a method where stuff gets soaked up. But these ways need big machines and use a lot of energy. So, scientists are trying to make new ways to separate things that don't use as much energy. One great idea is using how different gases stick to things to separate them. This idea could be a brilliant way to replace the old methods. The most important part of this idea is making things that can stick to the gases. There's this special material called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that's a mix of things from nature and chemicals. It has tiny holes and places that can do special things, and it's being studied a lot for separating gases. Traditional porous materials like activated carbon, silica gel, and molecular sieves have been widely used in industries, which has greatly contributed to industrial growth and people's living standards. MOFs have changeable structures and spots that can do special things. By changing the metal bits or the organic parts, we can control the size of the holes in MOFs, the special spots, and how much surface they have. These things make MOFs useful for storing gases, separating stuff by sticking and making reactions happen in fields like chemistry [1-3]. This paper explores the categories of MOF applications.

Particle Size as an Indicator of Wheat Flour Quality: A Review

Wheat flour is one of the most important food raw materials, with its quality determined by various indicators. One such indicator is particle size and granulometric distribution. In recent years, numerous studies have focused on the effect of flour and bran particle size on the properties of cereal products such as bread, pasta, noodles, and cookies. The aim of this review was to analyze the extent to which this parameter influences the properties of these cereal products. Additionally, the relationships between flour particle size and its chemical composition were presented. Key factors affecting the granulometric composition of flour, related to wheat grain properties and the grinding process, were also discussed. The study specifically focuses on research conducted in the last five years.

Plasma Tailoring of NH2-MIL-53 with Enhanced Fluorescence Emission for Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Heavy Metals in Water.

Indium, copper, and mercury are important raw materials in the electronics industry and often coexist in factory wastewater. Therefore, the development of a highly sensitive and selective method for the simultaneous detection of these heavy metal ions is of great significance for water quality monitoring and environmental protection. Herein, we report a NH2-MIL-53 fluorescent probe for the simultaneous detection of trace In3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ in water. After a low-temperature NH3 plasma tailoring treatment for grafting electron-donor amine groups, the obtained NH2-MIL-53-M exhibited enhanced fluorescence emission intensity (∼6 times) coupled with selective adsorption of In3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+. This quenched the NH2-MIL-53-M fluorescence and allowed to significantly increase the selectivity and sensitivity for detection of In3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+. The fluorescence quenching constant (Ksv) values were 2.23 × 105, 1.00 × 105, and 2.74 × 104 M-1, while the limit of detection (LODs) values were 0.06, 0.14, and 0.53 μM, for In3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+, respectively. The concentrations of In3+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ in real environmental samples could be determined by addition of appropriate masking agents, and the recoveries were within the range of 94-110%. This study not only supplied a strategy for constructing a highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe but also established a platform for simultaneous detection of multiple heavy metal ions in water.

Process development and optimization of sustainable and integrated large scale ammonia production process using water electrolysis based green hydrogen: Investigating process, energy, economic & environmental perspectives

Ammonia is an important raw material for fertilizer production and significantly contributes globally to agricultural systems. The multi-objective optimization of a large-scale integrated ammonia production process using water electrolysis-based green hydrogen is carried out using the Hybrid Multi-Objective Differential Evolution-Distance Learning Scheme (Hybrid MODE-DLS) algorithm. Three optimization cases are solved with the objectives of ammonia production rate, total production cost, and total energy by considering nine decision variables, and multiple constraints. The maximum ammonia production (66.51 kmol/h) and minimum total production cost (105.07 $/yr × 105) are obtained in Case 1 whereas the minimum energy value (7863.45 kWh) is obtained in Case 2. The minimum heat credit value of 3057300.5 $/annum exists in Case 2 solutions whereas the maximum heat credit value of 7992076 $/annum is seen in Case 3. The ammonia production rate increased by 82.79% in Case 2 results compared to the base case results.

Engineering a fluorescent probe for the visual and wearable detection of N2H4 in foods, environment samples and biological imaging

Hydrazine (N2H4), as an important chemical raw material widely used in many fields, caused serious harm to human, food and environment. Therefore, a smart fluorescent probe TPC-N2H4 with intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process was fabricated for colorimetric and fluorescent differentiating of N2H4 in many samples. When TPC-N2H4 met N2H4, blue emission at 451 nm was obviously observed attributed to the interruption of ICT process, resulting in the formation of the hydrazone structure. Additionally, smartphone-assisted colorimetric and fluorescent sensing platforms had been developed for real-time monitoring of N2H4. Importantly, TPC-N2H4 with low toxicity revealed its ability to image N2H4 in HeLa cells, onion and Arabidopsis thaliana. Interestingly, a hydrogel-coated cotton swab sensor was developed with TPC-N2H4 as recognition unit, which showed obvious color and emission changes after N2H4 fumigation with fast response speed. Flexible fluorescent TPC-N2H4-glove was constructed for wearable N2H4 detection and used to monitor N2H4 in food and environment samples. In brief, the TPC-N2H4 probe not only showed great potential in N2H4 detection for environmental and food safety, but also provided a new method for wearable tracking platforms in toxic substance detection.

Analysis on microbial communities and characteristic flavor metabolic of PXDB-meju by partially substituting wheat flour with soybean flour and gluten flour

Pixian Douban (PXDB) is one of the most popular condiments in China due to its unique flavor. Wheat flour that contains abundant nutrients is an important raw material in producing flavors during PXDB fermentation. In this study, wheat flour was substituted with soybean flour and gluten flour that have higher proteins in portions of 10.4% and 4.2% (F1), 8.9% and 7.2% (F2), 9.6% and 5.8% (F3). The results indicated that the substitutions increased the amino acid nitrogen content and improved flavor quality compared with traditional group (CT). Especially, the key amino acids including spartate, glutamic, arginine and lysine, and the phenylacetaldehyde as one of the most important volatile compounds exhibited preferable higher contents in F2 group than those in CT group. Metagenomic analysis showed that the abundances of predominant bacteria, including Kosakonia_cowanii, unclassified_f__Enterobacteriaceae and unclassified_g__Enterobacter, were higher in the F2 compared to the CT. Lupinus_albus and Plutella_xylostella were the top two fungi in relative abundance, with higher growth rates in F2 than in CT. Furthermore, metabolism pathway analysis revealed higher relative abundance of enzymes producing key amino acids and phenethylaldehyde in the F2 compared to the CT. Meanwhile, these enzymes were exclusively annotated to the Kosakonia_cowanii, Bacillus_velezensis and Escherichia_coli in F2. This study provided a theoretical foundation for improving PXDB flavor quality in industry production.

Reiβscheiben ingots as markers of copper imports to the market of Medieval Novgorod

During the Middle Ages, massive ingots were the standard type of copper raw material obtained from European mines and exported across the Baltic and North Seas over vast distances. In Russian literature, they are known as “flat cakes” and “loafs”, while in the foreign one they are referred to as Reißscheiben (torn out disk). The article provides information about 24 cases of finding massive ingots. Most of the finds are concentrated on international trade routes and mark the main directions of movement of copper raw materials from mining operations located in the Western Carpathians, Erzgebirge and Eastern Alps, to the North and Baltic Seas. Recording and mapping of Reißscheiben that were not subject to remelting, and, therefore, retained the primary “isotopic marks”, provide valuable information for identifying sources of metal and establishing the routes of importing metal raw materials to the territory of medieval Rus. Huge volumes of copper shipwreck cargoes can be considered as reference samples when interpreting Pb-Pb data obtained for both different types of ingots and finished products.

Organic Compound Modified Cu‐Based Catalysts for the Hydrogenation of Esters

AbstractCu/SiO2 catalysts are widely applied to the hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate and ethylene carbonate to the corresponding ethylene glycol and methanol simultaneously, whereas ethylene glycol and methanol are important bulk commodities and raw materials for the production of oxygen‐containing chemicals and fuels. However, Cu particles usually aggregate or sinter to deactivate and the ratio of surface Cu0/Cu+ species is also difficult to control under the reaction conditions, so that the catalyst activity and stability is still a big challenge. It was found that modification of Cu‐based catalysts with certain organic compound inhibited the agglomeration of Cu particles, regulated the ratio of surface Cu0/Cu+ species, and even generated carbon layers to protect the Cu particles, which definitely improved the stability of the catalyst along with the enhanced catalytic performance. In this review, recent developments in ester hydrogenation over organic compound‐modified Cu/SiO2 catalysts were summarized and the issues to be further clarified are discussed as well.

FDM 3D Printing and Properties of WF/PBAT/PLA Composites.

Fused deposition molding (FDM) is a commonly used 3D printing method, and polylactic acid (PLA) has become one of the most important raw materials for this technology due to its excellent warping resistance. However, its mechanical properties are insufficient. Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) is characterized by high toughness and low rigidity, which can complement the performance of PLA. The biodegradable polymers produced by blending the two have thus been used to replace petroleum-based plastics in recent years, but the high cost of the blends has limited their wide applications. Introducing plant fibers into the blends can not only maintain biodegradability and improve the overall performance of the plastics but also reduce their costs greatly. In this study, the PBAT/PLA blends with a mass ratio of 70/30 were selected and mixed with wood flour (WF) to prepare ternary composites using a FDM 3D printing technique. The effects of WF dosage on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, surface wettability, and melt flowability of the composites were investigated. The results showed that the proper amount of WF could improve the tensile and flexural moduli of the composites, as well as the crystallinity and hydrophobicity of the printed specimens increased with the content of WF, while the melt flow rate decreased gradually. Compared to PBAT/PLA blends, WF/PBAT/PLA composites are less costly, and the composite containing 20 wt.% WF has the best comprehensive performance, showing great potential as raw material for FDM 3D printing.

A case study of crushed stone for road construction application: amphibolite and basalt varieties from Croatia

Crushed stone is one of the most exploited and important mineral raw material. Emphasis is given to determination of mineralogical and petrographic properties, of two genetically different rocks of silicate composition, commonly used as crushed stone for road constructions, as their physical properties depend on them. First is amphibolite from Vetovo, and second is basalt from Vratnik locality, both sourced from Croatia. Tests conducted according to European and Croatian norms evaluated the real and apparent density, open and total porosity, and water absorption of stones. The relationship between mineralogical and physical properties led to the following conclusions: the open porosity values of amphibolite samples are low, which is a consequence of the medium to high degree of metamorphism, (plagioclase and hornblenda), sosiritization, and undisturbed rock features. The total water saturation was achieved in a brief time, confirming this statement. The basalts have different porosity and water absorption values, which are consequences of differences their textural-structural properties (glassy, intersertal or intergranular groundmass), amount of amygdules, presence or absence of chlorite/volcanic glass. Furthermore, the percentage of plagioclase in the modal composition differs, and the plagioclase itself has been altered, and the amount of clay, sericite and calcite vary in two different varieties of basalt. Compared to amphibolites, basalts have notably higher water absorption values as well. Accordingly, the studied amphibolite has water absorption less than 0.5% and is suitable for use in a road construction application for wearing course in the asphalt pavement, and studied basalt is not.

An Enzymatic Method to Obtain Enantiopure 3-Pyridyl andSubstituted Phenyl Alanine.

Chiral phenylalanine derivatives are important raw materials and building blocks for the synthesis of peptides and drug molecules. Enantiomerically pure D/L-3-pyridyl- and phenylalanine has shown wide application potential in the synthesis of various drug intermediates. This article focuses on two synthetic routes from different feedstocks. The first approach is an Erlenmeyer-Plöchl route study using N-acetylglycine as starting material, whereas the second is an alkylation route study using diethyl acetamidomalonate as starting material. The key step is the resolution of N-acetamido-alanine esters using different quantities of fairly inexpensive Protamex proteinase to obtain pure enantiomeric D/L-3-pyridyl- and substituted phenylalanine or its derivative, with the ee value and purity of all products exceeding 99%. The different chiral arylalanine derivatives that can be prepared using the above two methods have good versatility.

The influence of CeO2 different morphologies effects on hydrodeoxygenation for guaiacol on Ni/CeO2 catalysts

Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is an effective way to produce high–value products from lignin-derived phenolic compounds. In this work, three different morphologies of Ni/CeO2 catalysts (amorphous, cubic, and rod-shaped) have been prepared through the conventional wet impregnation method. They can be used for the HDO of guaiacol to prepare cyclohexanol, an important chemical raw material. The influence of different morphologies of CeO2 on catalytic activity was explored. The research results indicate that Ni/CeO2–r catalysts with rod-shaped structures exhibit excellent catalytic properties. As a result, a 100 % conversion rate and 96.9 % cyclohexanol yield were achieved on the Ni/CeO2–r catalyst at 240 °C. The catalytic performance of the three catalysts follows this order: Ni/CeO2–r (rod-shaped) > Ni/CeO2–c (cubic) > Ni/CeO2–p (amorphous). The results of Raman and XPS indicate significant differences in the surface oxygen vacancy in catalysts with different morphologies. The Ni/CeO2–r catalyst has the highest oxygen vacancy concentration and defect. In addition, Ni/CeO2–r also has the largest specific surface area (SBET) and the highest nickel dispersion, and forms more Ni0 because of the strong interaction of Ni species and CeO2 support. Therefore, Ni/CeO2–r exhibits the most excellent catalytic performance for the hydrogenation of guaiacol than the other two catalysts. Moreover, the cycling activity test was also investigated over the Ni/CeO2–r catalyst. After five cycles, the conversion rate of guaiacol and the yield of cyclohexanol hardly decrease. This work provides vital ideas for the development of higher-activity, higher-stability, and low-cost catalysts for the conversion of lignin-derived phenolic compounds in the future.

Physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic alterations in Castor (Ricinus communis L.) under polyethylene glycol-induced oxidative stress

BackgroundCastor is an important industrial raw material. Drought-induced oxidative stress leads to slow growth and decreased yields in castor. However, the mechanisms of drought-induced oxidative stress in castor remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, physiological, biochemical, and RNA-seq analyses were conducted on the roots of castor plants under PEG-6000 stress for 3 d and 7 d followed by 4 d of hydration.ResultsThe photosynthetic rate of castor leaves was inhibited under PEG-6000 stress for 3 and 7 d. Biochemical analysis of castor roots stressed for 3 d and 7 d, and rehydrated for 4 d revealed that the activities of APX and CAT were highest after only 3 d of stress, whereas the activities of POD, GR, and SOD peaked after 7 d of stress. RNA-seq analysis revealed 2926, 1507, and 111 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the roots of castor plants under PEG-6000 stress for 3 d and 7 d and after 4 d of rehydration, respectively. GO analysis of the DEGs indicated significant enrichment in antioxidant activity. Furthermore, KEGG enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed significantly enriched metabolic pathways, including glutathione metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. WGCNA identified the core genes PP2C39 and GA2ox4 in the navajowhite1 module, which was upregulated under PEG-6000 stress. On the basis of these results, we propose a model for the response to drought-induced oxidative stress in castor.ConclusionsThis study provides valuable antioxidant gene resources, deepening our understanding of antioxidant regulation and paving the way for further molecular breeding of castor plants.

The influence of myrcene on anionic copolymerization of 1,3-pentadiene and styrene

C5-dienes including 1,3-pentadiene (PD) and isoprene (IP) as by-products of naphtha cracking are important industrial raw materials for the production of thermoplastic elastomers, synthetic rubber and resins. The research on living anionic polymerization (LAP) of myrcene (MY) is also of great significance for the development of new bio-based materials and products. Focusing on the optimal utilization of C5 resources and the high-value utilization of biomass resources and the realization of green chemical production, this article reports the synthesizing of a novel terpolymer by LAP of PD, styrene (ST) and the biomass monomer MY. The discovery of the alternating sequence structure of ST and PD inspires us to further explore the development of copolymers containing this unique sequence structure. The special long branched side chain of MY and its low glass transition temperature are also conducive to the synthesis of new integrated rubbers. The 1H NMR tracking analysis indicates that the polymerization pattern changes from alternating sequence to gradient block sequence with the increase of MY content. Combined with FTIR analysis, the PD monomeric units are mainly trans-1,4 structure and MY monomeric units are predominant cis-1,4 structure. Considering the extremely high polymerization activity of MY compared to ST and PD, the copolymerization rate is significantly dependent on the concentration of the PD monomer. Despite this, due to the interactions between ST and PD ([ST¦PD] intermediate), ST still tends to form alternating segments with PD. The ternary copolymerization can be viewed as a “binary gradient copolymerization” of [ST¦PD] and MY (rMY > r[ST¦PD]).

A Theoretical Perspective for Ammonia Synthesis: Nitric Oxide or Nitrate Electroreduction?

Ammonia is an important raw material for agricultural production, playing a key role in global food production. However, conventional ammonia synthesis resulted in extensive greenhouse gas emissions and huge energy consumption. Recently, researchers have proposed electrocatalytic reverse artificial nitrogen cycle (eRANC) routes to circumvent these issues, which can be driven by electrocatalysis and sustainable electricity. Here, a theoretical and computational perspective on the challenges and opportunities with the comparison with experimental results: electrochemical reduction of nitrate (eNO3RR) and nitrite (eNO2RR), electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (eNORR) combined with oxidative nitrogen fixation are presented. By comparison, the N2→NO→NH3 route is proposed as the most promising in case the NO solubility can be solved well in reactor design. Its high efficiency of ammonia production is demonstrated. Instead, the eNO3RR can be another choice because it is non-toxic and the solid-liquid interface is usually efficient for electrochemical reactions, while its low selectivity at low overpotentials is an issue. These fundamentals highlight the potential and key factors of eRANC as an efficient and sustainable route for ammonia production.