Pine Sawdust Research Articles

Necessity of Different Lignocellulose on Exopolysaccharide Synthesis and Its Hypoglycemic Activity In Vitro of Inonotus obliquus.

Current work proposes elm sawdust, poplar sawdust, pine sawdust, and cotton straw with different lignocellulose compositions and structures as the research objects to investigate the relationship between the hypoglycemic activity of mycelium polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus and lignocellulose biodegradation. Four kinds of lignocellulosic materials could significantly increase the exopolysaccharide content and α-glucosidase inhibition rate and advance the occurrence time of α-glucosidase inhibition activity. Among all groups, the polysaccharide synthesis promotion effect of the cotton straw group was the best, which exopolysaccharide yield was 92.05% higher than that of the control group after 11-day fermentation. Meanwhile, the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was found in the elm sawdust group on the 11th day (30.99%, which was 137.47% higher than control), and the exopolysaccharide in the elm sawdust group showed its effectiveness on glucose consumption of insulin resistant HepG2 cells at the concentration of 20 µg/mL, significantly higher than that of the metformin group (P < 0.05). The cellulose in the non-crystalline region of elm and pine and the hemicellulose of poplar were mainly used in the fermentation of I. obliquus, while the cellulose in the crystalline zone and amorphous zone of cotton straw was degraded to improve the exopolysaccharide content of I. obliquus. This paper revealed the necessity of different kinds of lignocellulose for the synthesis of active polysaccharide from I. obliquus and provided a new idea for the regulation of polysaccharide synthesis pathway.

Influence of the Component Composition of Coal–Water Suspensions on the Volumes of Anthropogenic Gases Produced on Their Combustion

Experimental studies were carried with coal–water suspensions (CWSs) based on brown coal (grade 2B) with the addition of woody biomass of different types (pine sawdust and pine needles) in various concentrations (2, 4, and 6 wt %) on a fuel basis with a water content of 50%. It was shown that the addition of woody biomass to the coal–water suspensions is promising. An increase in the weight concentration of biomass in the CWSs significantly decreased the volume of anthropogenic emissions generated upon fuel combustion.

Inspired by game theory: A spatial confinement strategy for narrow-pore distribution porous carbons toward high-performance supercapacitors

This work suggests how understanding the Gibbs free energy evolution mechanism recorded for solid activators at high temperatures can provide a simple and general route to targeted tuning in preparing porous carbons. We show that based on a novel spatial confinement strategy, it is likely to target-produce pine sawdust (PS)-derived porous carbons characterized by higher specific surface area than analogous conventionally porous carbons but similar average pore size and pore size distribution (PSD). Notwithstanding the increased specific surface area and total pore volume of PS-derived porous carbon prepared under spatial confinement forces compared to conventional porous carbon, the pore structures recorded for PS-derived porous carbon obtained under spatial confinement forces arise from narrow pores, which leads to a sharp growth in specific capacitance over a range. Specifically, the texture properties can be tuned by various spatial confinement forces, bypassing the activation process tuning, template, sequential activation, and trial-and-error methods. Notably, PC-40-850 achieved higher specific capacitance values. Encouragingly, PC-40-850 offered excellent cycle stability accompanied by great energy density values (e.g., 29.31 Wh/kg upon 499.99 W/kg). Specifically, PC-40-850 realized a surface area-normalized electrical double-layer capacitance of 65.93 mF/m2. Excellent manufacturability and variable narrow-pore distribution permit the spatial confinement strategy to produce numerous advanced and multistage porous carbons for matching specific applications.

Valorization of Sewage Sludge with Pine Sawdust as Biochar: Optimization of the Torrefaction Conditions and Biochar Quality

Valorization of Sewage Sludge with Pine Sawdust as Biochar: Optimization of the Torrefaction Conditions and Biochar Quality

Adsorption of Hexavalent Chromium Ions Using Pine Sawdust Cellulose Fibres

In developing countries, agriculture generates not only income but also waste. Therefore, it is essential to recycle this waste for different purposes. This study explored an affordable way to modify pine sawdust to treat chromium-containing wastewater, with successful outcomes. The biosorbent’s surface area was enhanced through pretreatment steps, including NaOH treatment, bleaching, and acid hydrolysis for cellulose fibre extraction. SEM–EDS, TEM, and XRD were used to study the chemical composition and morphology. XRD measurements also revealed a rise in the sizes of crystallites. FTIR results revealed shifts in bands (-OH), (-C-H), and (-COOH), suggesting their involvement in Cr (VI) ion adsorption. TGA/DTA indicated enhanced thermal stability for cellulose extracted from pine sawdust compared to untreated pine sawdust. The adsorption parameters for Cr (VI) ions were investigated through mass, pH, stirring time, and temperature studies. The optimal Cr (VI) adsorption conditions were 2.0 g mass, pH 6, 90 min stirring, 100 mg/L concentration, and 313 K temperature. The adsorption of Cr (VI) ions was best-fit to the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.9991, kL = 0.09). Pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.9999) provided the best description for Cr (VI) biosorption on cellulose fibres (CF). The analysis results confirmed the isotherm and kinetics models. The negative thermodynamic parameters (ΔG° and ΔH°) indicated that the uptake of Cr (VI) ions on the adsorbent was exothermic and spontaneous.

Effect of Smoke Caused by Fires on the Enzymatic Activity of Forest Soils in the North Caucasus (Russian Federation)

Forest fires can have a significant impact on soils, resulting in changes in biological indicators. Due to fire, high temperatures, and intensive generation of smoke from burning materials of different origin, the activity of soil enzymes is decreased. In this study are presented the results of modelling experiments on the impact of smoke on forest soils (Cambisols according to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources rating) of the Republic of Adygea, Nickel settlement (Russia). The findings demonstrated significant smoke exposure on the enzymatic activity of this type of soil. A decrease in the activity of such enzymes as catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and invertase within 60 min after soil treatment with smoke from burning materials of plant origin (pine sawdust) was established. A significant decrease in the activity of catalase relative to the control by 36%, phenoloxidases by 54–58%, and invertase from the hydrolase class by 31% was found. The integral index of soil enzymatic activity (IIEA) of the studied soils was also calculated. In addition, one of the informative diagnostic indicators is the pH of the soil suspension. The pH value for fumigated water was also determined to identify differences with the suspension. A reduction in the pH towards acidification was observed. The obtained findings may be used in a comprehensive assessment of pyrogenic effects on forest soils. Moreover, indicators are sensitive to this effect, which was confirmed by the results of the present research.

Adsorption Removal of Phosphate from Rural Domestic Sewage by Ca-Modified Biochar Derived from Waste Eggshell and Sawdust

In recent years, in order to improve the rural living environment, rural domestic sewage treatment has received more and more attention in China. However, the standard compliance rate of total phosphorus (TP) in rural domestic sewage after treatment is very low, and TP has become the main pollutant that prevents rural domestic sewage treatment facilities from meeting water pollutants discharge standards. In this study, to prepare calcium-modified biochar composites (E-BC) by one-step pyrolysis, waste eggshell (E) was employed as a calcium source and waste pine sawdust (BC) was employed as a carbon source. The E-BC composites produced were effective in adsorbing phosphate (P) from aqueous solutions in a broad pH range of 3–11, with good adsorption selectivity. E-BC’s adsorption capacity for P increased as the pyrolysis temperature increased from 700 °C to 900 °C, which was attributed to the higher specific surface area and calcium oxide content at higher pyrolysis temperatures. The E-BC sample, which was made from eggshell (filtered through 100 mesh sieves) and pine sawdust (filtered through 100 mesh sieves) with a mass ratio of 2:1 and a pyrolysis temperature of 900 °C, had a maximum adsorption capacity of 301 mg/g. The Langmuir model and pseudo second-order model were the best at describing the adsorption process, and the predominant sorption mechanism for P is the chemisorption reaction of calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide with phosphate to create hydroxyapatite. E-BC can effectively remove P from rural domestic sewage. The total phosphorus (TP) removal rate in rural domestic sewage ranges from 95.3 to 99.5%. After adsorption treatment, the discharge of TP in rural sewage meets the second-grade (TP &lt; 3 mg/L) or even the first-grade (TP &lt; 2 mg/L). This study provides an experimental basis for efficient P removal using E-BC adsorbent materials and suggests possible applications in rural domestic sewage.

Enhanced laccase activity in Trametes versicolor (L.: Fr.) Pilát by host substrate and copper.

Laccases are appealing biocatalysts for various industrial utilizations. The fungus Trametes versicolor (L.: Fr.) Pilát causes white rot in wood and has been identified as an important fungal laccase producer. To investigate laccase production and activity in T. versicolor, the native isolate was collected from the host (Quercus castaneifolia) in the forests of Guilan province, northern Iran, and then purified and identified using the molecular marker. Its ability to produce laccase enzyme in the presence of different plant substrates including sawdust and wood chips of oak, poplar, and pine was evaluated. Also, the effect of copper as an enzyme inducer was investigated in vitro. The results showed that adding the wood to the culture medium increased laccase production, and among these, oak sawdust had the greatest effect, a 1.7-fold increase from that in the control (4.8 u/l vs. 2.8 u/l). Also, the enzyme extraction time effect on the optimal recovery yield showed that the 5-h enzyme extraction cycle resulted in the highest yield of the enzyme (18.97 u/l). Moreover, adding different concentrations of copper to the fungal culture medium increased the production of laccase, and the highest amount of enzyme (92.04 u/l) was obtained with 3.5 mM of CuSO4 along with oak sawdust. Based on the results, the addition of host wood sawdust ("oak" in this work) and copper particles together stimulates the fungal growth and the laccase production during submerged cultivation of T. versicolor. Therefore, it would be a safe and cheap strategy for the commercial production of laccase by filamentous fungi.

Evaluation of Effective Composite Biosorbents Based on Wood Sawdust and Natural Clay for Heavy Metals Removal from Water.

Bentonitic clay and wood sawdust are natural materials widely available in nature at low cost with high heavy metals sorption properties that, in this work, were combined to achieve an effective composite biosorbent with high sorption properties and enhanced mechanical stability. Pine, aspen, and birch wood sawdust, as well as different bentonite clays and different sawdust modification methods (H3PO4 or HCl) were used for preparing new composite biosorbents. A mixture of wood sawdust and bentonite in a ratio of 2:1 was used. All materials were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) methods and tested for Cu and Ni ions removal from water. The adsorption process for all composite biosorbents was well described from a pseudo-second order kinetic model (R2 > 0.9999) with a very high initial adsorption rate of Cu and Ni ions and a maximum uptake recorded within 2 h. The results have shown that the adsorption capacity depends mainly on the kind of wood and the acid treatment of the wood that enhances the adsorption capacity. At a concentration of 50 mg/L, the biosorbent prepared using birch wood sawdust showed the worst performance, removing barely 30% of Cu and Ni ions, while aspen wood sawdust improved the adsorption of Cu (88.6%) and Ni (52.4%) ions. Finally, composite biosorbent with pine wood sawdust showed the best adsorption be haviour with an efficiency removal of 98.2 and 96.3% of Cu and Ni ions, respectively, making it a good candidate as an inexpensive and effective biosorbent for the removal of heavy metals.

Production of activated carbon by lithium activation and determination of hydrogen storage capacity

The main reason for environmental problems is the ever-increasing demand for energy. Hydrogen in combustion products; does not have side effects such as the greenhouse effect, hole formation in the ozone layer, acid rain, or emission pollutants. Today, hydrogen is the most crucial alternative energy carrier, with the potential to replace fossil fuel mechanisms compared to other systems. In this study, two pyrolysed tree species (pine and beech) from various regions of Kastamonu Province were used as raw materials to store hydrogen. Nitric acid and Lithium chloride were used as activating agents, and their surface areas were compared by obtaining activated carbon at different temperatures. Hydrogen storage capacities were observed that the highest hydrogen adsorption occurs with activated carbon obtained from the activation of 1.39% (w/w) pine sawdust with LiOH at 900 °C at approximately 12 bar pressure. Hydrogen adsorption increased with increasing pressure. It is seen in studies that the amount of hydrogen stored at 77 K is much higher. For this reason, it is more advantageous to conduct investigations at low temperatures, such as cryogenic temperatures, rather than high ones.

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of pine sawdust (Pinus patula) with subsequent bio-oil transesterification for biodiesel production

This study aims to thermochemically convert pine sawdust to crude bio-oil via the microwave-assisted pyrolysis technique with subsequent bio-oil transesterification. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards were followed in the characterization of the feedstock and pyrolysis products. The thermal degradation behaviour of pine sawdust was studied using thermogravimetric analysis. The components in the bio-oil organic phase were upgraded to fatty acid methyl esters via the transesterification process. The composition of the organic phase and the fatty acid methyl esters was analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The thermal degradation behaviour of pine sawdust showed three distinct phases of weight loss. These were the drying stage (30–200 °C), the devolatilization stage (200–450 °C), and the char formation stage (>450 °C). The process yielded 42.28 wt.% of bio-oil, constituting 24 and 76 wt.% of the organic and aqueous phases, respectively. GC-MS and FT-IR compositional analysis identified various organic compounds and functional groups, with phenolics contributing a greater percentage. Transesterification improved the bio-oil properties by converting the organic acids and oxygenated compounds to methyl esters with a concentration of 510.05 mg/L. The bio-oil has proven to be a promising sustainable raw material for the production of biofuels and value-added biochemicals.

Influence of one-pot and two-step preparation on the quality of carbon nanotubes using pine sawdust as the catalyst support

In this paper, a novel low-cost process for preparing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by loading transition metals (Fe, Co, Ni) on carbon materials (pine sawdust) is investigated. Among three metal catalysts, nickel catalyst exhibits the best catalytic performance including the highest carbon yield (23.8 wt%) and the best quality of the grown CNTs (ID/IG = 1.01). Meanwhile, the nickel content of 2.5 wt% was confirmed to be the most suitable metal content for CNTs growth. Based on the prepared CNTs with pine sawdust as the catalyst support, the two-step method and the one-pot method were proposed. In the two-step method, the Ca(OH)2 powder as a reactive assistant and the introduction of CO2 can obtain CNTs with the least defects and the highest purity. The comparative experiments show that the mere introduction of CO2 without any reactive assistants will cause greater damage to CNTs. In the one-pot method, the addition of Ca(OH)2 improves the quality and thermal stability of CNTs, which verifies the feasibility of the one-pot method reported in this study.

Quality Properties and Torrefaction Characteristics of Pellets: Rose Oil Distillation Solid Waste and Red Pine Sawdust

Two different biomass types, rose oil (Rosa damascena Mill.) distillation solid wastes (RDWs) and red pine sawdust (RPS), were pelletized in this study at different moisture and additives. The prepared pellets were also torrefied. This study revealed that the strength of the RPS and RDW pellets decreased as their moisture content increased in both their raw and torrefied forms. However, the tensile strength of the torrefied pellets increased with the increased binder ratio, which is similar to raw pellets. Compared to their raw form, the torrefied pellets generally had higher ash contents, fixed carbon contents, and higher heating values. As a result of torrefaction, the higher heating value of the RPS pellets increased from 17.51–18.80 MJ/kg to 20.20–21.73 MJ/kg, while the higher heating value of the RDW pellets increased from 17.42–18.54 MJ/kg to 19.13–20.92 MJ/kg. For the torrefied RPS and RDW pellets in this study, there was no statistically significant difference between initial moisture content and energy efficiency, energy density, or mass yield. On the other hand, energy density ratios in both the torrefied RPS and torrefied RDW pellets generally increased with increasing binder content. Furthermore, the torrefied pellets were found to be more stable in moisture absorption than the raw pellets.

Coupling hydropyrolysis and vapor-phase catalytic hydrotreatment to produce biomethane from pine sawdust

This study investigated hydropyrolysis and subsequent vapor-phase hydrotreatment over a NiAl2O4 catalyst to produce biomethane (CH4) from pine sawdust. The non-catalytic pressurized hydropyrolysis generated tar, CO2, and CO as the primary products. However, using a NiAl2O4 catalyst in the second-stage reactor significantly increased the formation of CH4 and reduced CO and CO2 in gas products. The catalyst also fully converted tar intermediates to produce CH4, resulting in a maximum carbon yield of 77.7% with 97.8% selectivity. The temperature plays a crucial role in CH4 generation, with both its yield and selectivity showing a positive correlation with the reaction temperature. Increasing the reaction pressure from 0.2 to 1.2 MPa notably inhibited the production of CH4, leading to a shift towards cycloalkanes due to a competitive reaction. This tandem approach shows great potential as an innovative technique for producing alternative fuels from biomass wastes.

Aspen plus simulation of sargassum for quality synthesis gas

Biomass is widely considered as a raw material for the production of biochemicals and biofuels and among all the options for its use, the gasification process is the most popular due to its environmental advantages. The great arrival of sargassum to the coasts of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, which has taken place for several years, forces us to study its energy use. In this study, the experimental results of the gasification of four biomasses (pine sawdust, bamboo dust, rice husk, and cane bagasse) from three different bibliographical references were simulated and validated, using the Aspen Plus computer software. The simulation model used considers the combustion of 30% of the biomass and therefore an energy balance, in addition to an estimate of the tar generated in the process. Based on the comparison of the percentage molar composition and the heating value of the syngas obtained the performance of the process was evaluated, where the lowest error per difference was for the validation of rice husk (RH) with an ER of 0.35. Subsequently, the sargassum gasification simulation was carried out with information on the properties of this biomass from five bibliographic references, obtaining as a result a syngas with a lower heating value (LHV) that varies between 2.6 and 4.8 MJ/Nm3 for ER of 0.3 and 0.35, respectively.

Effect of physicochemical activation on CO2 adsorption of activated porous carbon derived from pine sawdust

The study reports on cost-effective and novel method for synthesis of activated porous carbon (APC) suitable for post-combustion CO2 capture. Inexpensive and abundant pine sawdust was utilized as a precursor. A hybrid synthesis protocol of physicochemical activation utilizing KOH + CO2 as activating agents was proposed. Effectiveness of APC derived via physicochemical activation was compared with that derived via chemical (only KOH) and physical (only CO2) activation. Also, the effect of carbonization condition on APC performance was investigated. Yield of APC (from precursor to final product) ranged within 20–24 wt.%. The maximum BET surface area of 2216 m2/g and the maximum CO2 adsorption capacity of 6.35 mmol/g at 0 °C/1 bar, 3.82 mmol/g at 25 °C/1 bar and 2.81 mmol/g at 40 °C/1 bar was obtained. Following the ideal adsorbed solution theory, CO2/N2 selectivity was computed at 0 °C, 25 °C and 40 °C and found to be within 10–19. For all the APCs, the isosteric heat of adsorption < 40 kJ/mol indicated physisorption as dominating mechanism for CO2 adsorption. Even after five consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles, multi-cyclic recyclability > 99.5% was observed.

Optimizing performance of iron-rich sludge ash as cost-effective oxygen carrier by calcium-based additive for syngas production from biomass chemical-looping gasification

Chemical-looping gasification tests were conducted on pine sawdust using thermogravimetric analyzer and horizontal sliding resistance furnace to investigate the regulation effects of calcium-based additive on iron-rich sludge ash oxygen carrier. The impacts of temperature, CaO/C in mole, multiple redox cycles, CaO addition modes on gasification performances were analyzed. The TGA results indicated that the CaO addition could effectively capture CO2 from syngas to from CaCO3, which subsequently decomposed at high temperatures. From in-situ CaO addition experiments, the temperature rise resulted in higher syngas yields, while a decrease in syngas LHV. With the CaO/C growing, the H2 yield grew from 0.103 to 0.256Nm3/kg at 800.0℃, and the CO yield boosted from 0.158 to 0.317Nm3/kg. Multiple redox manifested that the SA oxygen carrier and calcium-based additive kept higher reaction stability. The possible reaction mechanisms showed that the syngas variations from BCLG were influenced by the calcium roles and valence change of iron.

Pleurotus ostreatus and a novel fungal composite: Development and bioremediation of plastic wastes

The enormous amount of plastic waste produced by mankind pollutes the environment, harms human health, and, associated with organic wastes such as malt bagasse and pine sawdust, causes the filling of sanitary landfills. The present study proposed the development of fungal composites using organic waste and non-recyclable plastics as substrates. A strain of P. ostreatus was isolated and identified, and the growth of this fungus was evaluated in these wastes. Composites were produced using a mixture design, and their compressive strength was assessed. During the growth of the microorganism, ligninolytic enzymes were released, causing molecular and morphological changes to the plastic waste, as observed in infrared spectra and scanning electron micrographs of plastic materials incubated with the fungus. Our results demonstrated that the isolated strain of P. ostreatus shows promise in the production of composites using organic waste and non-recyclable plastics as substrates and the bioremediation of synthetic polymers.

Electrochemical performance evaluation of pine sawdust derived carbons by incorporating with Mn, Mn–Fe or Mn–Ni oxides

Electrochemical performance evaluation of pine sawdust derived carbons by incorporating with Mn, Mn–Fe or Mn–Ni oxides

Effect of Physico-chemical Activation on Sorption Activity of Bio-coal from Pine Sawdust

Pine sawdust, 0.5–1 mm in size, was made carbonized. The resulting biochar was activated. This activated KOH biochar was confirmed to be a better methylene blue dye sorbent than the original charcoal. The conclusion was made about the possibility of using the study results in the processing of timber industry waste into carbon sorbents for water treatment systems and ensuring environmental safety of production sites.