Sunflower Seed Hulls Research Articles

Non-Destructive Analysis Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Predict Albumin, Globulin, Glutelin, and Total Protein Content in Sunflower Seeds

This pilot study explores the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for predicting sunflower seed protein content, focusing on both crushed and husked samples to address agricultural sustainability concerns. Sunflower seeds are renowned for their richness in both oil and protein content. The important role of sunflower seeds in the food and feed industries underscores the importance of using precise analytical tools to determine their composition. In essence, the nature of the hull of sunflower seeds, which skews the interaction between the seed and light, necessitates a sophisticated analysis. This study analyzes 326 samples using a near-infrared spectrometer to develop robust partial least squares (PLS) models. High accuracy is achieved in predicting total protein for crushed samples (r²c = 0.97, RMSEC 0.54%, RPDc 6; r²p = 0.78, RMSEP 1.24%, RPDp 2.1). Extending the scope to husked samples, promising results emerge for crude protein prediction (r²c = 0.93, RMSEC 0.86%, RPDc 3.9; r²cv = 0.83, RMSECV 1.39%, RPDcv 2.4). Additionally, this study delves into protein fractions (globulin, albumin, and glutelin) in crushed seeds, adding depth to the analysis. In conclusion, NIR spectroscopy proves valuable for rapid prescreening in breeding, especially when working with hulled grains, offering non-destructive efficiency and predictive accuracy in agricultural analysis. The novel exploration of protein fractions in sunflower seeds further enhances this study’s importance, providing a valuable contribution to the field and underscoring the practical applications of NIR spectroscopy in sustainable agriculture. In conclusion, the opacity of sunflower seed hulls poses challenges in infrared spectroscopy, limiting light penetration and accuracy. Dehulled seeds are preferred for reliable results, overcoming hull-related limitations. Although grinding provides the advantages of uniformity and reproducibility for near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, the preference for dehulled grains persists. The practical need for accurate analysis in agriculture and breeding drives the choice of spectroscopy on dehulled seeds, allowing for replanting.

Comparison and Optimization of Operational Parameters in Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Low-Cost Adsorbents

Removal of heavy metal ions such as cadmium, lead, chromium, and iron from industrial wastewater is one of the most critical environmental problems. In this research, natural and low-cost adsorbents like the tangerine peel, bovine gut, tea waste, and sunflower seed hull were used for adsorption of heavy metals, such as chromium and iron, from contaminated solutions. The effects of environmental factors such as contact time, pH, the amount of adsorbent dose, and the initial concentration of metal ions in synthetic solution were investigated to obtain optimal conditions for the adsorption of heavy metal ions. For separation of chromium metal ion from aqueous solution, tea waste, tangerine peel, bovine gut, and sunflower seeds hull showed adsorption capacity of 85%, 51%, 46%, and 34%, respectively, while for the adsorption of iron (III), the adsorption capacities of tea waste, bovine gut, tangerine peel, and sunflower seeds hull were 96%, 96%, and 87%, respectively. The adsorption isotherms were in decent correlation with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption kinetics of iron and chromium has a proper validation with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The BET and FTIR analyses were also reported to investigate the adsorption properties. This study suggests these adsorbents as low-cost and economical materials for the adsorption of chromium and iron ions with a high adsorption rate.

Sunflower seed hulls waste as a novel source of insecticidal product: Pyrolysis bio-oil bioactivity on insect pests of stored grains and products

The edible oil industry produces abundant sunflower seed hulls (SSH) as waste. Pyrolysis offers a sustainable method for producing high-value bioproducts from this lignocellulosic residue. This paper reports on the bioefficacy of SHH pyrolysis bio-oils from raw SSH (named SSH bio-oil) and acid pretreated hulls (named PTH bio-oil) as bioinsecticides against Sitophilus oryzae, Lasioderma serricorne and Tribolium castaneum. Raw SSH and pretreated hulls with 10% H3PO4 were subjected to fast pyrolysis in a vertical reactor at 450 °C. Results show that PTH bio-oil is a furfural enriched bio-liquid with storage stability and a yield of 33%. SSH bio-oil was unsuitable for evaluating biological activity since it produce high variability in mortality data. In contrast, PTH bio-oil produces high insecticidal activity in S. oryzae (LC50 = 0.51 mg cm−2) by contact toxicity bioassay, followed by L. serricorne and T. castaneum. In behavioral assays, PTH bio-oil shows a slight repellent effect and mobility reduction. Moreover, PTH bio-oil affects the nutritional physiology of S. oryzae and T. castaneum producing a modification of nutritional indices and antifeedant effects. Our study provides information on the potential of fast pyrolysis bio-oils from SSH waste to develop novel bioinsecticides as an alternative to the use of conventional synthetic pesticides.

Use of aminated hulls of sunflower seeds for the removal of anionic dyes from aqueous solutions

In this study, we analyzed the effectiveness of sorption of dyes popular in the textile industry (Reactive Black 5, Reactive Yellow 84, Acid Yellow 23, and Acid Red 18) on aminated and non-aminated seed hulls of common sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The scope of the study included: determination of the effect of pH on dye sorption effectiveness, sorption kinetics analyses (sorption equilibrium time, pseudo-first-order/pseudo-second-order model, intramolecular diffusion model), and determination of the maximum sorption capacity against dyes (Langmuir/Freundlich isotherm). The sorbent was subjected to the FTIR analysis. The sorption capacity of the aminated sunflower seed hulls against reactive dyes RB5 and RY84 accounted for 51.02 mg/g and 63.27 mg/g, respectively, and was higher by 1665% (17.6 times higher) and 1425% (15.3 times higher) compared to that of non-modified hulls. In the case of acidic dyes, Acid Yellow 23 and Acid Red 18, the sorption capacity of the aminated sunflower seed hulls reached 44.78 mg/g and 42.19 mg/g, respectively, and was higher by 1881% (19.8 times higher) and 2284% (23.8 times higher), respectively, compared to the non-modified hulls.

Bioprocessing of agro-industrial residues into lactic acid and probiotic enriched livestock feed.

Growing challenges of resource depletion, food security and environmental protection are putting stress on the development of biorefinery processes for bioprocessing of residues from food and agro-industry into value-added products. In this study, the simultaneous production of lactic acid (LA) and livestock feed on a combined substrate based on molasses and potato stillage by Lactobacillus paracasei NRRL B-4564 immobilized onto sunflower seed hull (SSH), brewer's spent grain (BSG) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) was studied. The highest total LA concentration of 399 g L-1 with overall productivity of 1.27 g L-1 h-1 was achieved in repeated batch fermentation by SBP-immobilized biocatalyst, followed by BSG- and SSH-immobilized cells. Fermentation improved the content of proteins and ash, and decreased the content of fibers in all three support materials. In addition, the fermentation had favorable effect on in vitro dry matter digestibility and energy values of SSH and BSG. According to assessment of probiotic potential, L. paracasei demonstrated a favorable probiotic profile, exhibiting high resistance to simulated ruminant digestive tract and significant antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The proposed strategy enables valorization of agro-industrial residues as value-added ruminant feed and simultaneous LA production. Following principles of circular economy, the developed process combines different raw materials and integrates them into a biorefinery process, improving the overall profitability and productivity. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Biorefining via solid-state fermentation of rice and sunflower by-products employing novel monosporic strains from Pleurotus sapidus

Pleurotus sapidus monokaryotic strains (Mk) were screened as a novel source of mycelia to valorize rice straw (RS), rice husks (RH) and sunflower seed hulls (SSH) into value-added products through solid-state fermentation (SSF). P. sapidus Dk3174 basidiospores were cultured in the presence of Remazol Brillant Blue R for strain selection, revealing the ligninolytic ability of emerging colonies. Further screening demonstrated the intraspecific variability in dye degradation and enzyme production of 63 strains. Growth rate, biomass and enzyme production in plates containing RS, RH or SSH pointed at MkP6 as a suitable strain for pilot-scale SSF. MkP6 presented a similar laccase profile as the parental Dk3174, being greater in pasteurized substrates (300–1200 U/Kg) than in sterilized substrates (30–250 U/Kg). Peroxidase represented 25% of the total ligninolytic activity measured. The SSH fermented biomass with MkP6 obtained good yields of nanocellulose (67%) and the saccharide release for ethanol production increased by 3–4 times.

Correction to: Adsorption, Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies on Removal of Catechol and Resorcinol from Aqueous Solution Using Low-Cost Activated Carbon Prepared from Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Seed Hull Residues

This study reports on the feasibility of remediation of catechol- and resorcinol-contaminated water using low-cost sunflower seed hull activated carbon (SSHAC). Sunflower seed hull (SSH), an abundant agricultural waste in Malawi, was used as precursor to prepare highly porous activated carbon by physicochemical activation, with zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as an activating agent. The activated carbon was characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDS, XRD and BET analyses. In this work, pertinent parameters that affect the adsorption efficiency—pH, initial adsorbate concentration, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and solution temperature—were investigated in batch mode. At the same experimental conditions, more catechol was adsorbed than resorcinol may be due to the compound’s affinity towards water and the position of the hydroxyl group on the benzene ring. A maximum equilibrium adsorption of 271 and 250 mg/g was obtained at pH 9.0 and pH 8.0 for catechol and resorcinol, respectively. The adsorption behaviour of both adsorbates (catechol and resorcinol) on SSHAC can be well described by Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The value ∆G, ∆S and ∆H indicated spontaneous and endothermic adsorption process. The adsorption process was readily reversible allowing reusability of the adsorbate. This study’s outcome is value addition to this category of wastes for environmental protection.

Analysis of the Influence of Substrate Formulations on the Bioactive Chemical Profile of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) by Conventional and Chemometrics Methods.

Ganoderma lucidum, a mushroom with medicinal properties, can grow on diverse lignocellulosic substrates. Substrate enrichment with additives has been used as a strategy to increase mushroom productivity. In this study, we evaluated the impact of substrate formulation on the bioactive chemical profile of the basidiome. The bioactive chemical profile of basidiomes cultivated on rice agro-residues (RA) or sunflower seed hulls (SSH) enriched with olive oil and/or copper was evaluated using conventional colorimetric methods and FT-MIR spectrometry coupled with chemometrics. The contents of total triterpenoids, ganoderic acids, high-molecular-weight carbohydrates, and phenolic compounds were sensitive to substrate formulation and harvest time. Moreover, cluster analysis and principal component analysis of the mid-IR spectra were able to discriminate between basidiomes cultivated on either RA or SSH substrates, and for SSH substrates between enriched and nonenriched formulas. These results indicate that the bioactive composition of G. lucidum can be influenced by the formulation of the cultivation substrate.

Lactic acid production on molasses enriched potato stillage by Lactobacillus paracasei immobilized onto agro-industrial waste supports

In this study, the production of lactic acid (LA) on sugar beet molasses enriched potato stillage by immobilized Lactobacillus paracasei NRRL B-4564 was examined. Three agro-industrial materials, such as sunflower seed hull (SSH), brewers’ spent grain (BSG), and sugar beet pulp (SBP) were studied as carriers for cell immobilization. The carriers were physically characterized in terms of water adsorption index (WAI), critical humidity point (CHP) and porosity. Further, the stability and efficiency of the immobilized biocatalysts were evaluated in repeated batch fermentation of molasses enriched potato stillage and compared with free cell system. A strong cell attachment onto agro-industrial supports allowed easy separation from the fermentation media and efficient biocatalyst reuse in five successive batch cycles. The highest cell number attached on the support surface during the fermentation was detected for material with higher WAI and lower CHP. Porosimetry measurements showed that the attachment of L. paracasei cells to support materials and overall LA productivities achieved with different immobilized biocatalysts were not determined by the support porosity and surface morphology, but with the material characteristics such as electrostatic charge, chemical composition and hydrophilicity. LA productivity of 1.48 g/L h, maximal LA concentration of 80.10 g/L and average yield coefficient of 0.97 g/g were achieved in fermentation of molasses enriched potato stillage using SBP as a support material, followed by BSG and SSH. The studied approach showed to be an interesting alternative strategy for increasing the LA productivities on low-cost and abundant substrate.

Pilot-scale bioconversion of rice and sunflower agro-residues into medicinal mushrooms and laccase enzymes through solid-state fermentation with Ganoderma lucidum

Solid-state fermentation was evaluated at the pilot-scale for the bioconversion and valorization of rice husks and straw (RSH), or sunflower seed hulls (SSH), into medicinal mushrooms and crude extracts, with laccase activity. The average mushroom yield was 56kg dry weight per ton of agro-residues. Laccase activity in crude aqueous extracts showed its maximum value of 10,927Ukg−1 in RSH (day 10, Exudate phase) and 16,442Ukg−1 in SSH (day 5, Full colonization phase), the activity at the Residual substrate phase being 511Ukg−1 in RSH and 803Ukg−1 in SSH, respectively. Crude extracts obtained with various protocols revealed differences in the extraction yields. Lyophilization followed by storage at 4°C allowed the preservation of laccase activity for more than one month. It is proposed that standard mushroom farms could increase their profits by obtaining laccase as a byproduct during the gaps in mycelium running.

Efficient adsorption of Cr(VI) on sunflower seed hull derived porous carbon

Highly porous activated carbon prepared from sunflower seed hull (SSH), an abundant agriculture byproduct, was demonstrated as low-cost and efficient adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal. The porous carbon can be micropore or mesopore dominant depending on the impregnation ratio of the ZnCl2 activating reagent and SSH. The micropore dominant samples exhibited superior Cr(VI) adsorption capacity as compared to the samples with higher percentage of mesopore volume. It was interesting to note that the optimum pH for Cr(VI) removal in higher concentration solutions was lower as more H+ ions were required to produce an appropriate amount of the easily absorbable HCrO4− ions. However, hexavalent chromium was reduced to trivalent chromium in solution at pH≤2.0, which reduced the overall removal rate of the total chromium. The adsorption behaviors of Cr(VI) on SSH activated carbons can be well described by Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, implying that the adsorption occurred through monolayer formation on the surface of adsorbents via chemical interactions.

Solid-state fermentation of cereal grains and sunflower seed hulls by Grifola gargal and Grifola sordulenta

Grifola gargal and Grifola sordulenta are edible and medicinal mushrooms from Andino-Patagonian forests. There is a need to find an alternative source for these mushrooms other than gathering them due to increasing pressure on their habitats. Thus, in order to find an appropriate technological pathway to grow these mushrooms, solid-state fermentation (SSF) in different substrates was studied. Mycelia cultivation on grains exhibited the best results when using wheat grains at pH 5.3, 24 °C, in darkness. When using sunflower seed hulls (SSH) the protein content of the growth medium increased significantly after 45 days SSF and a good laccase activity was measured. Further mycelium growth optimization was achieved in the presence of 0.01 N H2SO4, 20 μg/g Mn(II) and 100 μg/g Zn(II) in G. gargal (50% SSH and 30% milled SSH, 15% residual substrate of Pleurotus ostreatus, and 5% wheat bran) and in G. sordulenta (80% SSH, 15% residual substrate of P. ostreatus and 5% wheat bran). Present preliminary studies on basidiome production showed that cultivation conditions should require at least a sterile substrate, 10–12 % inoculation rate, cold shock for primordia induction, and control from air borne contamination.

Optimization of the Yield of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes), Cultivated on a Sunflower Seed Hull Substrate Produced in Argentina: Effect of Olive Oil and Copper.

Sunflower seed hulls were used as the main component of a solid substrate for the cultivation of the lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum. This study evaluated the effects of supplementing the substrate with olive oil and copper (II) on the mushroom production (MP) parameters and fruiting body total triterpenoid content. The addition of 1.5% olive oil increased total MP by 21.7% (dry basis) in 3 flushes. Copper (60 ppm) increased the daily productivity of the first flush (MP per day) by both reducing the time needed to harvest the crop and increasing the MP. However, the MP at the second and third flushes was reduced. When both supplements were combined, the MP at the first flush was 43% higher than with control treatment. No significant change in mushroom total triterpenoid content was observed by the addition of supplements to the substrate. An increase of 145-155% in the mushroom copper content was obtained by the addition of 60 ppm copper to the substrate. It is thus recommended to use substrate formulations containing both olive oil and copper (II) and harvest just the first flush.

Pyrolysis of sunflower seed hulls for obtaining bio-oils

Bio-oils from pyrolysis of as received sunflower seed hulls (SSH), hulls previously washed with acid (SSHA) and hulls submitted to a mushroom enzymatic attack (BSSH) were analyzed. The concentration of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose varied with the pre-treatment. The liquid corresponding to SSH presented a relatively high concentration of acetic acid and a high instability to storage. The bio-oil from SSHA showed a high concentration of furfural and an appreciable amount of levoglucosenone. Lignin was degraded upon enzymatic activity, for this reason BSSH led to the highest yield of bio-oil, with relative high concentration of acetic acid and stability to storage.

The Liquefaction of Sunflower Seed Hulls

Liquefaction of a biomass waste material, namely, sunflower seed hulls, was studied in a laboratory scale stainless-steel reactor. The key parameters investigated were temperature, cold hydrogen pressure, and tetralin to solvent mixture ratio within the ranges of 325–375°C, 10–30 atm., and 0/1–1/1, respectively. A Box-Behnken experimental design was used fixing the liquefaction period at 45 minutes. The effects of parameters on dependent variables, namely, oil + gas, asphaltene, and preasphaltene yields and total conversion were evaluated, and the model equations for dependent variables were developed. It was shown that temperature and tetralin to solvent mixture ratio were the variables of highest significance on liquefaction yields. An optimization study was also done by using the desirability function approach.

Removal of Acid Blue 158 from Solution by Sunflower Seed Hull

The removal of Acid Blue 158, acid dye for textile dyeing, from aqueous solution by sunflower seed hull was studied. The extent of adsorption capacity was studied as a function of heating temperature, sulphuric acid treatment, adsorbent size and pH of the solution. Sunflower seed hull was heated at 200, 300 and 400oC in oxygen deficient conditioned furnace. As the results, the sunflower seed hull heated at 200oC was the best absorbent for the dye removal with the maximum value of 30.84% at pH 4. Furthermore, removal ratio of Acid Blue 158 increased when the adsorbent was treated with 2M sulphuric acid. Particle sizes examined in this study were 250-355, 710-2000 and over 2000 micrometer. It was showed that the size of adsorbent affected on the removal capacity, i.e. the removal capacity increased along with the decrease of the size of absorbent. pH of the solution was studied between 1 and 6, and it was found that the optimum pH was pH 2. At the optimum condition, the modified adsorbent showed the removal ability of about 50%. The results obtained under the conditions of pH 4, 2M H2SO4 treatment of sunflower seed hull and the size of 500-710 micrometer at room temperature, the adsorption isotherm was fitted to Langmuir adsorption model, and the maximum adsorption capacity, qm, of 18.52 mg/g and Langmuir adsorption constant, Kl, of 5.25x10-3 L/mg were obtained.

Development of micro-mesoporous carbons from several seed hulls under varying conditions of activation

Seed hulls (or coats) of peanut, soybean, cottonseed, lupine, broad beans, and sunflower seeds, were subjected to various treatments in order to get adsorbing carbons. Characterization of porosity was determined by N 2/77 K adsorption isotherms. Simple pyrolysis at 500 °C yields low adsorbing carbons of meso-/macroporous character, whereas steam activation of these chars at 850 °C enhances porosity, in micropores, to a limited extent. Chemical activation with H 3PO 4 at 500 °C exerts the best recommending influence in producing high adsorbing carbons with evenly distributed porosity within micro-mesopore ranges. It was found that phosphoric acid activation of the studied precursors enhanced the yield, surface area and pore volume; 32–46%, 437–1022 m 2/g and 0.444–0.809, respectively, as compared to other treatments. The capacity to remove methylene blue, in single bottle experiments, complements the state of porosity deduced from the gas phase adsorption of N 2. Peanut shells proved the best feasible raw material under all treatment processes, whereas lupine seeds and sunflower seed hulls show relatively the least affected. Dye removal capacity was enhanced by carbon mesoporosity, whereas adversely affected by its increased surface pH and ash content was observed. Low-cost by-products of oil producing industry seem, thus, to be promising precursors for the production of highly valuable adsorbing carbons.

Energy utilisation of biowaste — Sunflower-seed hulls for co-firing with coal

Sunflower-seed hulls (SSH) represent a source of combustible biomass characterised by high contents of potassium and phosphorus and a low silica content. The relatively high net calorific value of 20 MJ/kg d.m. is mainly influenced by the lignin content. Potassium and phosphorus are very important elements in biomass combustion for fuel, influencing slagging and fouling problems. Mixtures with different ratios of brown coal and sunflower-seed hulls (0–22% SSH) were co-fired in the Olomouc power plant. The behaviour of elements in the fly ash and the bottom ash (SiO 2, Al 2O 3, K 2O, P 2O 5, Zn, Cu and Cd) varied in relation to the amount of SSH added to the coal. The fly ash from the co-firing of 20% SSH with coal had a high content of water-leachable sulphates and total dissolved solids. The utilisation of fly ash in civil engineering (land reclamation) should fulfil criteria established by the Council Decision 2003/33/EC for non-hazardous waste. To ensure that the required water-leachable sulphate concentrations are within regulatory limits the fuel may contain a maximum of 14% SSH.

Removal of Acid Violet 17 from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto activated carbon prepared from sunflower seed hull

The adsorption of Acid Violet 17 (AV17) was carried out using various activated carbons prepared from sunflower seed hull (SSH), an agricultural solid waste by-product. The effect of parameters such as agitation time, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH and temperature were studied. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied and the Langmuir model was found to best report the equilibrium isotherm data. Langmuir adsorption capacity was found to be 116.27 mg/g. Kinetic data followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Maximum colour removal was observed at pH 2.0. It was observed that the rate of adsorption improves with increasing temperature and the process is endothermic. The adsorbent surface was analysed with a scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that activated sunflower seed hull could be an attractive option for colour removal from dilute industrial effluents.

Growth and productivity of different Pleurotus ostreatus strains on sunflower seed hulls supplemented with N–NH 4+ and/or Mn(II)

The mycelial growth rates in lineal growth assay, yield, and production rate of five Pleurotus ostreatus strains were evaluated in response to different levels of Mn(II) and/or NH 4 + in a substrate containing sunflower seed hulls as a main energy and nutritional component. Each strain showed different basal values for mycelial growth rate and biological efficiency on sunflower seed-hull substrate. Adding growth limiting mineral nutrients increased the mycelial growth rate by 13–25%. Primordia initiation for the first flush appeared between day 24 and 28 and days to the second crop ranged from 39 to 51. Biological efficiency increased over control values and reached 60–112%, depending on the strain and the concentration of Mn(II) and NH 4 +. This study demonstrated the advantage of selecting the most productive P. ostreatus strains in a substrate formulated with sunflower seed hulls to provide the main energy and nutritional ingredients and supplemented with Mn(II) and/or NH 4 +.