Post-extraction Residues Research Articles

Biofortification of maize with micronutrients by Spirulina

Abstract The aim of the present work was to examine the effect of the application of Spirulina platensis post-extraction residues enriched with Zn(II), Mn(II), Cu(II) via biosorption as micronutrient fertilizer for the biofortification of maize grains with micronutrients in field tests. As a nominal dose 2.5 kg ha-1 of zinc, 1.0 kg ha-1 of manganese and 0.5 kg ha-1 of copper were applied. The preparation was applied also in higher doses (150%, 200%) to investigate agronomic biofortification of maize grains. In field trials, obtained grain yield (7.2 Mg ha-1 for Spirulina 100%) was higher than in control group (6.2 Mg ha-1) and commercial reference product (6.6 Mg ha-1). For the same dose of micronutrients, their bioavailability was higher for bio-preparations than for reference fertilizer. The highest content of micronutrients delivered to plants (2.15 mg kg-1 – Cu, 7.07 mg kg-1 – Mn, 29.0 mg kg-1 – Zn) was observed for maize grains fertilized with preparation of Spirulina 150%, which signifies that biofortified maize grain was obtained. Corn grains biofortified with micronutrients can be used as staple food or feed preventing from micronutrient malnutrition. The application of micronutrient biocomponents based on Spirulina biomass allows to manufacture a valuable fertilizer with bioavailable micronutrients.

Nitrogen fractions in spent mushroom substrate

In the last decade, Poland has become the leader in mushroom production in Europe. Mushroom cultivation generates large amounts of spent substrate, which is a waste material and must be recycled. The substantial content of macroelements, including nitrogen, prompts using this organic material as a soil fertilizer. The objective of the paper was to determine the proportion of nitrogen in different forms extracted from spent mushroom substrates. The studies were aimed at determining the potential for the rational use of spent mushroom substrate in soil fertilization. The sequential extraction of nitrogen compounds was performed with a 0.25 M KCl solution (for the extraction of mineral nitrogen forms and the most labile organic nitrogen compounds) and with 0.25 M and 0.25 M H 2 SO 4 (hot hydrolysis for sequencing of organic nitrogen linkage that are easily hydrolysing and difficult to hydrolyse). The prepared solutions were tested for the total content of nitrogen with the method by Kjeldahl and for carbon with the oxidative-potentiometric method. The samples were also subjected to extraction of nitrogen bound to humic substances. It was found that spent mushroom substrate had a substantial potential for enriching fertilized soil with organic nitrogen compounds, which are, to a large extent, potentially liable to degradation. In summary, approximately 2/3 of the total nitrogen pool in the organic complexes and about 1/3 of the carbon pool were extracted using sequential extraction with a neutral salt solution and acid hydrolysis at different concentrations of hydrogen ions. The calculated C/N values suggest that the extracted organic compounds are vulnerable to degradation and indicate the resistance of compounds present in post-extraction residues. While fractioning organic matter, it was found that a relatively large amount of nitrogen was sequenced at the stage of decalcification of the samples, and the proportion of humic substances equalled about 1/5 of the total content of this element.

The application of biosorption for production of micronutrient fertilizers based on waste biomass.

In the present paper, new environmental-friendly fertilizer components were produced in biosorption process by the enrichment of the biomass with zinc, essential in plant cultivation. The obtained new preparations can be used as controlled release micronutrient fertilizers because microelements are bound to the functional groups present in the cell wall structures of the biomass. It is assumed that new fertilizing materials will be characterized by higher bioavailability, gradual release of micronutrients required by plants, and lower leaching to groundwater. The biological origin of the material used in plant fertilization results in the elimination of toxic effect towards plants and groundwater mainly caused by low biodegradability of fertilizers. Utilitarian properties of new formulations enable to reduce negative implications of fertilizers for environmental quality and influence ecological health. In this work, the utilitarian properties of materials such as peat, bark, seaweeds, seaweed post-extraction residues, and spent mushroom substrate enriched via biosorption with Zn(II) ions were examined in germination tests on Lepidium sativum. Obtained results were compared with conventional fertilizers—inorganic salt and chelate. It was shown that zinc fertilization led to biofortification of plant in these micronutrients. Moreover, the mass of plants fertilized with zinc was higher than in the control group.

Dual-fuel production from restaurant grease trap waste: Bio-fuel oil extraction and anaerobic methane production from the post-extracted residue

An effective way for restaurant grease trap waste (GTW) treatment to generate fuel oil and methane by the combination of physiological and biological processes was investigated. The heat-driven extraction could provide a high purity oil equivalent to an A-grade fuel oil of Japanese industrial standard with 81–93wt% of extraction efficiency. A post-extracted residue was treated as an anaerobic digestion feedstock, and however, an inhibitory effect of long chain fatty acid (LCFA) was still a barrier for high-rate digestion. From the semi-continuous experiment fed with the residual sludge as a single substrate, it can be concluded that the continuous addition of calcium into the reactor contributed to reducing LCFA inhibition, resulting in the long-term stable operation over one year. Furthermore, the anaerobic reactor performed well with 70–80% of COD reduction and methane productivity under an organic loading rate up to 5.3g-COD/L/d.

CFD simulation on the gasification of asphalt water slurry in an entrained flow gasifier

Gasification technology is suggested to utilize asphalt particles, which are produced in the heavy oil deep separation process of using coupled low temperature separation of solvent and post extraction residue. In this work, the asphalt particles were first slurried with water and then gasified to produce synthesis gas. The gasification process of asphalt water slurry in an entrained flow gasifier was simulated using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian method. The trajectories and residence time of asphalt particles, and the reaction rates, gas species distribution, temperature field and carbon conversion in the entrained flow gasifier were obtained. The predicted results indicated that the asphalt water slurry was a good feedstock for gasification. Moreover, the effects of particle size, oxygen equivalence ratio, and mass content of asphalt particles on the gasification performance of asphalt water slurry were investigated. These results are helpful for industrial application of asphalt water slurry gasification technology.

Biodiesel from Lagoon Microalgae

One main reason for the popularity of microalgae as an acceptable fuel source is their potential to maximize productivity (e.g., gallons of oil or fuel produced per acre per year) by converting the energy of solar photons during the process of carbon dioxide fixation into biomass energy, benefiting the environment. Marketing the coproducts generated (i.e., postextraction algal residue) could make transportation fuel from microalgae a viable product. The biofuel obtained from microalgae is qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, with a focus on the energetic and environmental feasibility of this fuel for use in the transportation sector. Obstacles to and limitations of the process, in terms of energy and environmental performance, are identified. An important aspect of this issue is the need to improve product processing and recovery, which include mechanical and energy-intensive processes such as centrifugation, filtration, flocculation, and cell disruption. Results obtained so far indicate that the various strains of microalgae obtained from lagoons in Portugal and Spain offer a huge prospect for biodiesel production. However, results of life-cycle analysis with the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation model (updated with Portuguese data) lead to the conclusion that, at this stage, biodiesel from microalgae is not a valid option for the large-scale replacement of conventional fuels. Specifically, the extraction step for biodiesel production is detrimental in terms of energy and solvent use and must be refined.

Evaluation of total and non-fatty ether extract in feeds and cattle feces using two analytical methods

The objective of this study was to evaluate ether extract (EE) concentrations, pigments, and wax in forages (n=14), concentrates (n=23), and cattle feces (n=100) using extraction methods recommended by Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC; method 920.39) and American Oil Chemist's Society (AOCS; method Am 5-04). The EE contents were compared by adjusting a linear regression model for each sample type. For the feces and forage samples, the EE contents produced by the AOCS method were greater (P<0.05) compared to those obtained using the AOAC method. No differences between methods were observed in EE content of concentrates (P>0.05). Concentration of vegetable pigments and wax were evaluated by using analysis for variance. Vegetable pigments were lower (P<0.05) in the post-extraction residues using the AOCS method, than the AOAC method, indicating greater participation of vegetable pigments in the EE. No differences were observed between the methods in wax concentration of the post-extraction residues (P>0.05). The quantification method of the EE content that is recommended by AOCS is not suggested for analyses of forage and feces of ruminants because it possibly increases the removal of non-fatty material, mostly pigments, in comparison to the method recommended by AOAC.

Investigation of the influence of the polarity of the solvent on the composition of the extractive substances and post-extraction residues of the bark ofAbies sibirica

The chemical compositions of the initial bark of the Siberian firAbies sibirica and of the solid residues after extraction with carbon dioxide, water, and alcohol have been studied. On successive extraction, the yield of extractive substances amounted to 25.05% of the absolutely dry bark. The carbon dioxide, aqueous, and alcoholic extracts obtained have been investigated. The carbon dioxide extract was found to contain 34.97% of essential oil, while only traces of it were detected in the aqueous and alcoholic extracts.

Defense Chemistry of Solidago altissima: Effects on the Generalist Herbivore Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effects of the defensive chemistry of Solidago altissima on the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), were shown using artificial diet bioassays. Lyophilized S. altissima leaves were incorporated into an artificial diet. Leaf powder also was extracted in hexane, methanol, and water, and the extracts and postextraction residue were incorporated separately into artificial diets. The control contained cellulose powder in place of leaf material. Also, larvae were grown on live, intact S. altissima plants. The mortality rate was 100% in the whole-leaf powder and methanol extract diets, 97.2% in the hexane extract diet, and 96% in the live-plant experiment. Mortality on the water extract diet (12%) and on the residue-containing diet (13%) was lower than that on the cellulose powder control (17.4%). S. altissima contains chemicals that severely reduce larval survivorship of T. ni , but once these chemicals are removed through extraction, the larvae are able to use the nutrients contained in the leaves. These nutrients increase survivorship to adulthood above that on the cellulose control hut do not significantly affect time to pupation, pupal mass, or fecundity.

Characteristics of Soot Formation and Oxidation Regions in Turbulent-Diffusion Flames of Heavy Oils

Abstract Characteristics of soot formation and burn out processes during combustion of liquid fuels have been presented. Turbulent diffusion flames of heavy fuel oil and its water-emulsion with 10% water were tested. These fuels were equivalent with respect to their thermal parameters in the combustion chamber. Combustion tests were carried out in a large laboratory-scale furnace reproducing practical combustion conditions Samples of soot were collected by a suction probe with water injection. The post-extraction (soxhlet apparatus) carbonaceous residue was classified as soot. It occurred in two forms: -as individual particles usually joined in simple, short chains, -as branched clusters of these chains Soot formation was dominant in the region 0.2-0.4 m from the burner nozzle (the high-temperature combustion zone), slightly shifted from the flame axis, while soot particles growth was fastest strictly at the axis. At a distance over 0.5 m from the burner, soot oxidation predominated. During combustion the...

A new technology for the production of valuable vitamin extracts from wheat and rye germs.

A method for nearly complete extraction of the lipid fraction from wheat and rye germs was developed, and the technological parameters of the production process were specified. The resulting preparations are extracts rich in vitamin E and other biologically active components. Dermatological studies and application in the cosmetic industry have testified to the suitability of these preparations for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Owing to their high content of unsaturated fatty acids and to a natural combination of biologically active compounds, the preparations from wheat and rye germs obtained by our method on an industrial scale find increasingly wider application. The post-extraction residue free from the lipid fraction is high-value feed.