Production Methods Research Articles

Towards greener approach: Techno-economic insights into formaldehyde bio production from a hybrid pine and mustard biomass combination

In an era marked by environmental crises and dwindling fossil resources, the need to revolutionize industrial processes for sustainability is paramount. Formaldehyde synthesis, a pivotal precursor in industries spanning polymers, resins, and textiles, stands at a critical juncture where innovation and necessity intersect. Conventional methods of formaldehyde production, despite their efficiency, remain tethered to non-renewable feedstocks and energy-intensive techniques, perpetuating ecological harm and resource constraints. This study explores eco-friendly pathways for formaldehyde production. Recent strides in bio-based chemistry enable the creation of formaldehyde from renewable biomass, reducing energy use and carbon emissions. Decentralized production with locally sourced biomass boosts supply chain resilience and community-centered sustainability. The research employs Aspen Plus® software to model a two-step process: gasification of a hybrid pine and mustard biomass blend to produce bio-methanol, followed by its oxidation into formaldehyde. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate temperature's impact on syngas composition, with higher temperatures favoring hydrogen production. The air-to-biomass ratio affects carbon dioxide content and energy content, crucial for efficient energy production. In formaldehyde synthesis, the air-to-methanol ratio significantly influences yield. Economically, formaldehyde bio- production shows promise, with an 8.50% return on investment and a 22.16-year payback period. An annual net profit of $2.41 million is projected, with a break-even point at $53.47 million in total sales revenue. This research underscores the convergence of sustainability, innovation, and economic viability in formaldehyde bio-production, offering valuable insights for environmentally friendly chemical manufacturing and the broader transition to ecological progress.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: Enhanced production of withanolides and phenolic acids from hairy root culture after application of elicitors

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is an important indigenous medicinal plant with extensive pharmaceutical potential. The root is the main source of major bioactive compounds of this plant species including withanolides, withanine, phenolic acids, etc. Hairy root culture (HRC) is a crucial method for low-cost production of active compounds on a large scale. Four different Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains have been used for the hairy root induction. Maximum transformation efficiency (87.34 ± 2.13%) was achieved with A4 bacterial strain-mediated transformed culture. The genetic transformation was confirmed by using specific primers of seven different genes. Seven HR (Hairy root) lines were selected after screening 29 HR lines based on their fast growth rate and high accumulation of withanolides and phenolic acids content. Two biotic and three abiotic elicitors were applied to the elite root line to trigger more accumulation of withanolides and phenolic acids. While all the elicitors effectively increased withanolides and phenolic acids production, among the five different elicitors, salicylic acid (4.14 mg l–1) induced 11.49 -fold increase in withanolides (89.07 ± 2.75 mg g–1 DW) and 5.34- fold increase in phenolic acids (83.69 ± 3.11 mg g− 1 DW) after 5 days of elicitation compared to the non-elicited culture (7.75 ± 0.63 mg g–1 DW of withanolides and 15.66 ± 0.92 mg g–1 DW of phenolic acids). These results suggest that elicitors can tremendously increase the biosynthesis of active compounds in this system; thus, the HRC of W. somnifera is cost-effective and can be efficiently used for the industrial production of withanolides and phenolic acids.

Cross-validation methods for multi-source precipitation datasets over the sparse-gauge region: applicability and uncertainty

Abstract Evaluating the accuracy of various precipitation datasets over ungauged or even sparse-gauge areas is a challenging task. Cross-validation methods can evaluate three or more datasets based on the error independence from input data, without relying on ground reference. Here, the triple collocation (TC) method is employed to evaluate multi-source precipitation datasets: gauge-based CGDPA, model-based ERA5, and satellite-derived IMERG-Early, IMERG-Late, GSMaP-NRT, and GSMaP-MVK over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). TC-based results show that ERA5 has better performances than satellite-only precipitation products over mountainous regions with complex terrains. For purely satellite-derived products, IMERG products outperform GSMaP products. Considering the potential existence of error dependency among input datasets, caution should be exercised. Thus, it is necessary to introduce an alternative cross-validation method (generalized Three-Cornered Hat) and explore the applicability of cross-validation from the perspective of error independence. We found that cross-validation methods have high applicability in most TP regions with sparse-gauge density (accounting for about 80.1% of the total area). Additionally, we conducted simulation experiments to discuss the applicability and robustness of TC. The simulation results substantiated that cross-validation can serve as a robust evaluation method over sparse-gauge regions. Although it is generally known that the cross-validation methods can be served in sparse-gauge regions, the application condition of different evaluation methods for precipitation products is identified quantitatively in TP now.

Carbazole-containing covalent triazine frameworks for efficient hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis from natural sunlight

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) photosynthesis via polymer photocatalysts is an environmentally friendly and sustainable method for H2O2 production. However, their efficiency is currently unsatisfactory due to limited dissociation and insufficient migration of photogenerated charge carriers. Constructing donor–acceptor (D-A) type polymer photocatalysts has been demonstrated to be a promising approach to improve their optical and electronic properties related to charge carrier separation and migration. Herein, we design two donor–acceptor (D-A) type carbazole-containing covalent triazine frameworks (CTF-PCZs), namely CTF-BPCZ and CTF-TPCZ. These CTF-PCZs are found to reduce the exciton binding energy (Eb) and enhance charge carriers transfer ability compared to non-D-A type CTF-HUST-1. Remarkably, CTF-TPCZ exhibit excellent H2O2 photosynthesis performance, achieving a rate of up to 10331 μmol g−1 h−1 from pure water under solar simulator (AM 1.5G), and 6039 μmol g−1 h−1 from pure water under natural sunlight irradiation in scaled-up photocatalytic experiments, significantly surpass those of all previously reported polymer-based photocatalysts. In-situ experiments provide direct evidence for intermediates involved in the photocatalytic process. Both experiments and DFT calculations reveal that the triazine ring fragment plays a crucial role in H2O2 photosynthesis through a two-step single-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the carbazolyl group plays a crucial role in one-step two-electron water oxidation reaction (WOR).

Energy-efficient scheduling for a hybrid flow shop problem while considering multi-renewable energy

At present, the concept of green and sustainable development has been recognised by everyone. For industrial applications, the concept is both a matter of energy consumption and a matter of production methods. Based on the hybrid flow shop problem, a multi-energy supply system is constructed, and external renewable energy microgrid is introduced to further improve the low-carbon level. From the perspectives of energy supply and internal load, the output of wind power and photovoltaic, energy storage cost and energy consumption cost in the flow shop on a certain day are analysed under the demand–response electricity price. After considering the natural endowments and demand differences of different microgrids, construct a multi-energy complementarity model, determine the coordination transaction strategy among microgrids and obtain the solution of the subproblem and the equilibrium solution of the whole problem. Finally, an example is given to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy under time-of-use prices. The results show that the proposed strategy can effectively improve the utilisation rate of renewable energy in the flow shop while reducing the overall operating cost.

Simulation of Solidification Structure in the Vacuum Arc Remelting Process of Titanium Alloy TC4 Based on 3D CAFE Method

Vacuum arc remelting is the main production method of titanium alloy ingots at present. In order to obtain good quality ingots, it is of great significance to study the formation of the solidification structure of ingots via vacuum arc remelting. In order to select and optimize the nucleation parameters for the solidification microstructure simulation of an ingot, a 3D CAFE model for microstructure evolution during vacuum arc remelting was established, taking into account heat transfer, flow, and solute diffusion. The Gaussian distribution continuous nucleation model and extended KGT model were used to describe the grain nucleation and dendrite tip growth rates, respectively. The multi-point mass source and moving boundary method were used to simulate the ingot growth. The results show that there are three typical crystal regions in the solidification structure of vacuum arc remelting titanium alloy ingots, namely the surface fine crystal region, columnar crystal region, and central equiaxed crystal region. The proportion of the columnar crystal region in the solidification structure of an ingot increases gradually with the increase in the undercooling of the maximum bulk nucleation. With an increase in the maximum bulk nucleation density, the equiaxed grain zone gradually increases, and the grain size gradually decreases. The proportion of the columnar crystal region in the solidification structure of an ingot increases gradually with an increase in the undercooling of the maximum bulk nucleation. The maximum volume nucleation variance has no obvious effect on the change in the solidification structure. When the maximum volume nucleation undercooling is 5.5 K, the maximum volume nucleation standard deviation is 4 K, and the maximum volume nucleation density is 5 × 108. The solidification structure simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

РОЛЬ КОНВЕРСИИ В СЛОВООБРАЗОВАНИИ СОВРЕМЕННОГО АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА

The Role of Conversion in Word-formation of Modern English Summary Conversion is considered a productive method in Modern English as one of the methods of word-formation. Due to the simplicity of its structure, new word-formation rules and patterns conversion is gradually replacing traditional word-building methods. Conversion exists in many European languages, but is more common in English due to its analytical structure and lack of morphological indicators of parts of speech. Key words: derivations, word-stock, morphological indicators, word-formation, parts of speech

Advancements in the Application of Ribosomally Synthesized and Post-Translationally Modified Peptides (RiPPs).

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) represent a significant potential for novel therapeutic applications because of their bioactive properties, stability, and specificity. RiPPs are synthesized on ribosomes, followed by intricate post-translational modifications (PTMs), crucial for their diverse structures and functions. PTMs, such as cyclization, methylation, and proteolysis, play crucial roles in enhancing RiPP stability and bioactivity. Advances in synthetic biology and bioinformatics have significantly advanced the field, introducing new methods for RiPP production and engineering. These methods encompass strategies for heterologous expression, genetic refactoring, and exploiting the substrate tolerance of tailoring enzymes to create novel RiPP analogs with improved or entirely new functions. Furthermore, the introduction and implementation of cutting-edge screening methods, including mRNA display, surface display, and two-hybrid systems, have expedited the identification of RiPPs with significant pharmaceutical potential. This comprehensive review not only discusses the current advancements in RiPP research but also the promising opportunities that leveraging these bioactive peptides for therapeutic applications presents, illustrating the synergy between traditional biochemistry and contemporary synthetic biology and genetic engineering approaches.

Arrangements for environmental costs analytical accounting at crop production enterprises

Subject. This article analyzes the approaches to the arrangements for analytical accounting of environmental costs in the application of process and job-order methods of cost accounting by enterprises specializing in the production of crop products. Objectives. The article aims to systematize and summarize knowledge about the problems and possibilities of analytical accounting of environmental costs at crop production enterprises. Methods. For the study, I used a dialectical approach, observation, synthesis and analysis, and the elements of accounting methods such as calculation, accounts etc. Results. The article formulates that the accounting of environmental costs requires greater detailing, which contradicts the essence of absorption costing analytics, and that the grouping of costs by individual order for the cultivation of environmentally friendly products does not guarantee the elimination of absorption costing approaches in accounting. The article proposes to include in the Methodological Recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia information on absorption costing analytics with a detailed disclosure of the shortcomings of this approach in the context of job-order and process methods used at enterprises growing crop products. Conclusions. In financial accounting, the task of generating a calculation with a complete list of environmental costs is not feasible due to the heterogeneity of costs and regulatory constraints. To solve this problem, it is necessary to abandon absorption costing analytics, which contradicts the accounting of environmental costs, which, on the contrary, requires deeper detailing. The use of the job-order method in crop production does not solve the problem of absorption costing analytics.

Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Refolding through Flash-Change Reaction Conditions.

Recombinant protein production is an essential aspect of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, with Escherichia coli serving as a primary host organism. Protein refolding is vital for protein production; however, conventional refolding methods face challenges such as scale-up limitations and difficulties in controlling protein conformational changes on a millisecond scale. In this study, we demonstrate the novel application of flow microreactors (FMR) in controlling protein conformational changes on a millisecond scale, enabling efficient refolding processes and opening up new avenues in the science of FMR technology. FMR technology has been primarily employed for small-molecule synthesis, but our novel approach successfully expands its application to protein refolding, offering precise control of the buffer pH and solvent content. Using interleukin-6 as a model, the system yielded an impressive 96% pure refolded protein and allowed for gram-scale production. This FMR system allows flash changes in the reaction conditions, effectively circumventing protein aggregation during refolding. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use FMR for protein refolding, which offers a more efficient and scalable method for protein production. The study results highlight the utility of the FMR as a high-throughput screening tool for streamlined scale-up and emphasize the importance of understanding and controlling intermediates in the refolding process. The FMR technique offers a promising approach for enhancing protein refolding efficiency and has demonstrated its potential in streamlining the process from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale production, making it a game-changing technology in the field.

Comparative study of a two-step enzymatic process and conventional chemical methods for biodiesel production: Economic and environmental perspectives

The urgent need to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions underscores the significance of biodiesel as a key liquid biofuel. Compared to chemical biodiesel production, enzymatic technology offers a more sustainable alternative. This article presents a comparative study between a two-step enzymatic biodiesel production technology, already successfully industrialized, and conventional chemical technologies utilizing soybean oil (SBO) and waste cooking oil (WCO) as feedstock, respectively. The economic analysis demonstrates significant cost savings with the enzymatic process resulting in reductions of 16.33% and 36.54% for SBO and WCO, respectively. Enzymatic technology also exhibits substantial reductions in energy consumption, with a decrease of 86.8% and 60.2% for SBO and WCO, respectively. LCA findings indicate that enzymatic technology diminishes environmental impacts and GHG emissions are less than 78.86% and 63.05% for SBO and WCO, respectively. This study provides crucial insights for decision-makers, marking a significant paradigm shift in biodiesel production.

In vitro chronic wound healing using collagen and plant extract along with zinc nanoparticles

INTRODUCTION: While the use of zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) as an antibacterial agent in the biomedical industry has recently attracted significant attention, collagen has aroused significant interest as a biomaterial in medical and tissue engineering applications.
 OBJECTIVES: In order to create biofilm loaded with biosynthesized ZnNPs for use in chronic wound healing applications, type-I collagen was extracted from the study's subject. by the acid soluble collagen technique, collagen was isolated from the fish skin of the trevally and identified by SDS-PAGE. Aqueous extract from Cassia fistula leaves was also used to greenly manufacture stable ZnNPs, which were then characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, and XRD measurements.
 METHODS: Collagen and ZnNPs were then added to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), creating a thin biofilm that had a high biocompatibility due to the production method's absence of a chemical reducer and crosslinking agent. When tested against the harmful bacteria, both ZnNPs alone and PVA/Collagen/ZnNPs biofilms showed potent antibacterial activity.
 RESULTS: By using the MTT test, the cytotoxic effects of collagen and ZnNPs on the Vero cell line were evaluated. With 97.76% wound closure, the PVA/Collagen/ZnNPs biofilm demonstrated strong in vitro wound scratch healing efficacy.
 CONCLUSION: The findings show that the PVA/Collagen/ZnNPs film dramatically increased cell migration by 40.0% at 24 hours, 79.20% at 48 hours, and 97.76% at 74 hours.

Barriers to the safe preservation of the traditional herbal practice in Ghana

AbstractThe preservation of the culturally important traditional herbal medicine practice in Ghana is threatened by the growth of allopathic medicine. It is argued that two main factors comprise this threat: significant safety concerns over many traditional herbal preparations, and a conflict in therapeutic frameworks which provides a substrate for the production of misinformation regarding allopathic medicine. Poorly enforced regulation of the commercial herbal market and a total lack of regulation of the traditional herbal market have led to prevalent contamination of herbal preparations with pathogenic bacteria and an unacceptable risk of pharmacological toxicity due to inconsistent production methods and understanding of the active components in these preparations. Simultaneously, misinformation spread by traditional herbal practitioners about allopathic medicine has caused significant morbidity and mortality in Ghana. Evidence from the literature and experience from clinical practice in a hospital in the Eastern region of Ghana are used to explore these factors and provide recommendations. First, thorough regulation of the herbal practice is needed to allay safety concerns. Second, the overall healthcare landscape will have to change to resolve the current tensions between practices. One solution would be the formation of a cooperative healthcare system which incorporates both the allopathic and herbal practices with well‐defined, nonoverlapping scopes of practice. However, such a novel landscape may be unrealistic, with the potential for traditional herbal practices being relegated to secondary role, mainly providing pharmacologically inert preparations while continuing to benefit patients through spiritual, cultural and pastoral interventions.

Planting and Harvesting Mechanization on Productivity, Energy Efficacy and Profitability of Potato Production

Potato occupied the first position among all the vegetables in respect of area and total production in Bangladesh. Effective and efficient use of energy are necessary for an improved agricultural production. Therefore, this research was undertaken for potato production to assess productivity, quantify energy flow and financial profitability of different production systems. The experimented four systems were manual planting and manual harvesting, machine planting and manual harvesting, manual planting and machine harvesting and machine planting and machine harvesting, respectively. The experiment was conducted at Farm Machinery and Postharvest Process (FMP) Engineering Division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) during 2017-18. Yield of potato including yield contributing characters for different treatments was not significantly varied. Direct energy was the highest in mechanical planting and harvesting system (25%) and the lower manual planting and harvesting system (18%). Indirect energy shared 82% in manual planting and harvesting system, 78% in machine planting and manual harvesting system, 80% in manual planting and mechanical harvesting system, and 75% in machine planting and machine harvesting system, respectively. The largest source of indirect energy consumption was from fertilizer (22-27% of the total energy). The higher specific energy of 1.93 MJ/kg was found in manually planted and mechanized harvesting system. The higher product value was from manual planting and mechanical harvesting system. The highest BCR (2.25) was found from machine planted and machine harvested followed by manually planted and mechanically harvested plot (2.16), machine planted and manually harvested plot (1.93) and manual planting and harvesting plot (1.91). Thus, mechanically planted and harvested system can be recommended for potato production since it can reduce 52% labour requirement than manual method and can give higher BCR among the tested production methods.

Monitoring Indian “Superfood” Moringa oleifera Lam. – species-specific PCR-fingerprint-based authentication for more consumer safety

Moringa oleifera Lam. has become one of the major new superfoods commonly available in the aisles of bio-shops and health-food sections in supermarkets of North America and Europe. While most of these products appear under the generic and scientifically inconclusive term “Moringa”, the European Union, so far, has allowed commercialisation for the use in food and feed for M. oleifera only. M. oleifera is indigenous to India and South Asia, but large-scale cultivation of this species has spread to the tropical regions on all continents, with a strong focus on Africa, leading to a high risk of admixture with species like M. stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. that is native to Africa. In the present study, we have characterised six species of Moringa in order to develop a simple and robust authentication method for commercial products. While the plants can be discriminated based on the pinnation of the leaves, this does not work for processed samples. As alternative, we use the plastidic markers psbA-trnH igs and ycf1b to discern different species of Moringa and develop a diagnostic duplex-PCR that clearly differentiates M. oleifera from other Moringa species. This DNA-based diagnostic assay that does not rely on sequencing was validated with commercial products of “Moringa” (including teas, powders, or capsules). Our method provides a robust assay to detect adulterations, which are economically profitable for costly superfood products such as “Moringa”.

Advances in biotin biosynthesis and biotechnological production in microorganisms.

Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, acts as a crucial cofactor in the central metabolism processes of fatty acids, amino acids, and carbohydrates. Biotin has important applications in food additives, biomedicine, and other fields. While the ability to synthesize biotin de novo is confined to microorganisms and plants, humans and animals require substantial daily intake, primarily through dietary sources and intestinal microflora. Currently, chemical synthesis stands as the primary method for commercial biotin production, although microbial biotin production offers an environmentally sustainable alternative with promising prospects. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the pathways involved in de novo biotin synthesis in various species of microbes and insights into its regulatory and transport systems. Furthermore, diverse strategies are discussed to improve the biotin production here, including mutation breeding, rational metabolic engineering design, artificial genetic modification, and process optimization. The review also presents the potential strategies for addressing current challenges for industrial-scale bioproduction of biotin in the future. This review is very helpful for exploring efficient and sustainable strategies for large-scale biotin production.

A Review of Catalysts for Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is widely used as an intermediate and solvent in the organic chemical industry. In recent years, compared with the traditional DMC production methods (phosgene method, transesterification method), methanol oxidation carbonylation method, gas-phase methyl nitrite method, and the direct synthesis of CO2 and methanol method have made much progress in the synthesis process and development of catalysts. The key to the industrial application of DMC synthesis technology is the design and development of high-performance catalysts. Therefore, this paper reviews the research status of the methanol oxidative carbonylation method, gas-phase methyl nitrite method, and direct synthesis method of CO2 and methanol in the aspects of new catalyst design, catalyst preparation, and catalytic mechanism, and puts forward the problems to be solved and the future development direction of DMC catalysts.

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

From Niche Narrative to Audio Blockbusters

Analysis of the machining process of short carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide additive manufactured parts

In recent years, additive manufacturing technologies have revolutionized the production of parts, particularly in the aeronautical sector. This new manufacturing paradigm has created significant challenges and opportunities for researchers in materials and manufacturing processes. One important aspect is the development of optimal strategies for finishing-oriented machining of parts produced through additive manufacturing.This article focuses on the analysis of reinforced polyamide materials and the integration of large-scale additive manufacturing using Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) technology, along with robotic systems for subtractive machining. The aim is to explore the potential of integrating additive and subtractive processes to produce high-quality, large-scale components.The study examines the production and subsequent machining of reinforced polyamide parts using BAAM technology, showcasing the advantages and promising results observed. By combining additive manufacturing with subtractive machining, this research contributes to the ongoing advancements in the field of manufacturing, particularly in relation to reinforced polyamide materials. The findings presented in this article shed light on the potential of integrating additive and subtractive processes in the manufacturing industry, paving the way for more efficient and high-quality production methods.

Light-triggered reactions in a new “light” of nanoparticles engineering

This study presents an innovative light-triggered synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) utilizing UV radiation (λ = 254 nm), thiols (non-toxic mercaptosuccinic acid, MSA), and metal ions (Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Se4+). Efficient formation of various nanoparticles is achieved by exposing a precursor blend of metal ions and thiols (MSA) to ultraviolet light in compact volumes, like UV-transparent 96-well plates (50 – 300 μL per well) or plastic tubes (1.5 – 50 mL). This process effectively produces different types of nanoparticles, including fluorescent zinc-cadmium quantum dots (ZnCd QDs), non-fluorescent copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). The scalability of the method allows for easy upscaling using larger test tubes or downsizing by depositing precursors (10 – 100 μL) on a paper matrix, where UV treatment not only induces NP formation in solution but also facilitates their anchoring to the paper surface. The developed one-pot in situ approach offers a cost-effective, user-friendly, and energy-efficient method for NP production and chemical engineering on paper surfaces. The technique is promising for a wide range of applications, such as interferometric measurement using ZnCd QDs, bactericidal effects of CuNPs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC100 = 0.14 mg/mL), and visible light switchable (ON/OFF) nanozymatic reactors employing SeNPs. We suggest light-triggered chemistry based on thiols and metal ions for effective “soft” synthesis of various nanoparticles and NPs-based devices.