Sustainable Means Research Articles

Research on Whether Quality Policies Can Promote the High-Quality Development of China’s Manufacturing Industry and Its Configuration Paths in the Context of Sustainable Development

High-quality development enhances economic quality and resource allocation efficiency through various effective and sustainable means, with particularly notable results in the manufacturing sector. Quality policies, through establishing standards, norms, and incentive measures, aim to foster technological innovation, efficient resource utilization, and quality improvement in manufacturing, thereby supporting its high-quality development. This study explores the impact of quality policies on high-quality development in manufacturing and their configurational pathways, providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing policy combinations and promoting sustainable development. This analysis is based on quality policies released from 2013 to 2022 and sample data from 30 Chinese provinces. The findings reveal that quality policies significantly promote high-quality development in manufacturing, particularly through incentive, capacity building, and system changing instruments, while command instruments may exert certain pressures on high-quality development. Configuration analysis further indicates that a single instrument is insufficient to support high-quality development in manufacturing fully; the synergistic effect of multiple policy instruments is essential, and regions should optimize policy combinations according to their characteristics. This study provides valuable insights for sustainable development, offering a deeper understanding of the complex causal relationship between quality policies and high-quality development in manufacturing.

The benefits and potential of pre-emptive weed biological control: Three case studies in Queensland, Australia

Invasive weed species can have significant impacts on agriculture, biodiversity and livelihoods. The cost and feasibility of managing these species using conventional means can be prohibitive depending on the size of the infestations or the habitats in which they invade. Under these conditions, biological control is seen as a viable, sustainable means to manage many weeds. However, biological control can take many years and at considerable cost to achieve the desired level of control, due to the numerous steps that are involved, including native range surveys and host-specificity testing of potential agents. Pre-emptive biological control targeting particularly high-risk species prior to their arrival in a country or emerging weeds can be cost-effective, especially if the respective biological control agents have been utilized in other countries. While pre-emptive biological control of arthropods has been investigated previously, there are few examples of pre-emptive biological control of weed species. The invasive weed species, Chromolaena odorata, Mikania micrantha and Coccinia grandis have all been or are currently targets of pre-emptive biological control in Australia. Research on the gall fly Cecidochares connexa was initiated prior to its host, C. odorata being detected in Australia. Cecidochares connexa was eventually released in Australia to control C. odorata, after initial research on the agent found it to be suitably host specific and effective against the target weed. Cecidochares connexa has also been released in numerous other countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, where it is providing very good control. Australia funded research on the rust Puccinia spegazzinii as part of a project involving Fiji and Papua New Guinea while the target weed, M. micrantha was a target for eradication in Queensland. The rust was later approved for release in Australia to control M. micrantha following additional host-specificity testing. However, research funded by Australia overseas suggests that the rust may not be able to suppress M. micrantha populations below current levels. Consequently, while P. spegazzinii has been released in numerous countries now, it has not yet been field released in Australia. Biological control research in Australia on C. grandis is relatively new as the weed is relatively minor and not yet declared a target for biological control. Consequently, no biological control agents have yet been released in the country. Pre-emptive biological control of C. odorata and M. micrantha has been particularly cost-effective, not just for Australia, but subsequently for numerous other countries where these weeds were well-established and problematic and the respective biological control agents were later released.

Sustainable mobility challenges – case study of the offshore center in Gdansk transport accessibility

Urban mobility planning is one of the key elements in building a sustainable future. Strategic management of urban transport traffic not only reduces congestion and minimises the negative impact on the environment but also positively affects the improvement of residents' quality of life. Furthermore, following the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive approved by the European Union in 2023, companies are obliged to submit annual reports on their environmental impact. One of its elements is the calculation of the organization's carbon footprint, which includes emissions caused by means of transport, including emissions from commuting to work. This case study investigates the impact of transport accessibility on employee preferences and behaviour in the context of changing the premises location, using the example of the Maritime Institute of Gdynia Maritime University (GMU), located at the newly opened Offshore Center in Gdansk seaport. The research hypothesis states that the relocation to new premises with limited transport accessibility may, as a consequence, influence the choice of commuting transportation methods among employees, potentially leading to a shift towards less sustainable means of transport. The results of the research survey prove that there is a complex interconnection between transport accessibility, commuting behaviours, and sustainable mobility initiatives. This pilot study aims to contribute to urban mobility planning by exploring how to transport accessibility influences employee behaviour and by proposing strategies to improve commuting conditions and promote more sustainable solutions.

Investigation and optimization of Supercritical CO2 dyeing of cotton with Laccaic acid for sustainable textile production with improved fastness

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) was employed as a sustainable and ecological means for cotton dyeing using Laccaic acid also known as lac dye. Cotton was pre-treated with polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG) and dyed with benzamide which resulted in a considerable increase in colour strength, fastness properties, and dye adsorption. Colour strength was increased by raising dye intensity from 1% to 3% o.w.f (on weight of fibre) which was evaluated using color strength (K/S) measurements. The optimal K/S of cotton was obtained at 110 °C, 20 MPa and 3h with a dye intensity of 3% o.w.f. Dyeing results implied that pretreated cotton had improved K/S and better fastness with benzamide. The breaking force of dyed cotton was studied. The system parameters affecting the dyeing properties, including the effect of dye auxiliaries, dye concentration, temperature, pressure, and dyeing time were also examined.

Sustainability in street food: Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and image theory perspective

Street food has become an essential sector that attracts tourists' attention daily. Despite its positive impact on local development, the street food sector does not receive sufficient attention from policymakers. The contributions of the local street food industry are linked to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. This research examined the relationship between tourists' cognitive and affective evaluations of street food in the context of sustainability. In addition, it investigated the role of tourists’ attitudes towards organic food and their pursuit of health and naturalness in this relationship. Data were collected online using a survey technique, with 343 volunteer tourists participating in the study. A convenience sampling technique was used, and the research model was analysed using the PLS-SEM technique. The findings supported that cognitive evaluations of sustainability in the context of street food influence the construction of the meaning of sustainability. In addition, the mediating effect of attitudes towards organic food and the pursuit of health and naturalness in this relationship was identified. The results provide theoretical and practical implications for the relationships explored.

The higher the fraction of maximal oxygen uptake is during interval training, the greater is the cycling performance gain.

It has been suggested that time at a high fraction (%) of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) plays a decisive role for adaptations to interval training. Yet, no study has, to date, measured the % of VO2max during all interval sessions throughout a prolonged training intervention and subsequently related it to the magnitude of training adaptations. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between % of VO2max achieved during an interval training intervention and changes in endurance performance and its physiological determinants in well-trained cyclists. Twenty-two cyclists (VO2max 67.1 (6.4) mL·min-1·kg-1; males, n=19; females, n=3) underwent a 9-week interval training intervention, consisting 21 sessions of 5×8-min intervals conducted at their 40-min highest sustainable mean power output (PO). Oxygen uptake was measured during all interval sessions, and the relationship between % of VO2max during work intervals and training adaptations were investigated using linear regression. A performance index was calculated from several performance measures. With higher % of VO2max during work intervals, greater improvements were observed for maximal PO during the VO2max test (R2 adjusted=0.44, p=0.009), PO at 4mmol·L-1 [blood lactate] (R2 adjusted=0.25, p=0.035), the performance index (R2 adjusted=0.36, p=0.013), and VO2max (R2 adjusted=0.54, p=0.029). Other measures, such as % of maximal heart rate, were related to fewer outcome variables and exhibited poorer session-to-session repeatability compared to % of VO2max. In conclusion, improvements in endurance measures were positively related to the % of VO2max achieved during interval training. Percentage of VO2max was the measure that best reflected the magnitude of training adaptations.

Predicting and Analyzing Electric Bicycle Adoption to Enhance Urban Mobility in Belgrade Using ANN Models

The development of alternative environmentally friendly modes of transportation is becoming an increasingly promising solution in traffic-congested and polluted urban areas. E-bikes, as one of them, are recognized as an ecologically sustainable means of transportation that has significant potential to replace motorized modes of transportation that can improve urban mobility. Relying on artificial intelligence and considering an ecological approach when considering the acceptability of e-bikes by setting a direct question for users influences the development of an innovative way of understanding and evaluating the use of more sustainable modes of transportation. In this regard, this study aims to elucidate the main variables influencing the acceptability of e-bike use using artificial neural network (ANN) models—multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF). For training and testing the models, data from a random sample obtained through an online questionnaire, which was answered by 626 residents of Belgrade (Serbia), were used. A multilayer perceptron with nine and seven neurons in two hidden layers, respectively, hyperbolic tangent activation function in the hidden layer and identity function in the output layer, gave better results than the radial basis function model. With an accuracy of 89%, a precision of 83%, a recall of 79%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.927, the multilayer perceptron model recognized the influential variables in predicting acceptability. The results of the model indicate that the mileage traveled, the frequency of motorcycle use, the respondents’ awareness of the pollution in Belgrade, and the age of the respondents have the greatest influence on the acceptability of using e-bikes. In addition to majority acceptability (69.8%), the results obtained by the model can represent a useful basis for decision-makers when defining strategies for the development and application of e-bikes while reducing traffic congestion and environmental pollution in Belgrade.

A-204 Commitment to Sustainability From Laboratory Medicine

Abstract Background According to McGill University, sustainability means “meeting our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainable environmental practices improve water and air quality, reduce landfills, and increase renewable energy sources in the long term. In response to the growing urgency of global sustainability challenges, the healthcare industry is taking a step forward to reduce its environmental impact. University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) is a government-funded teaching hospital and medical institution, which processes about 3.95 million chemistry and 371,000 immunoassay tests per year. This study aims to evaluate the sustainability aspects of Atellica Solution, focusing on water usage, power consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and plastic waste generations. Methods Power and water consumption for the analysers Advia Chemistry 2400 & XPT and Advia Centaur XPT were obtained from Atellica Solution using the year 2022 test volumes and compared with those of Siemens legacy system for the year 2019 test volumes. In addition, the reduction of plastic usage was also assessed for the year 2019 and 2022. Results With innovative Atellica Solution replacing Siemens legacy system, the data showed reduction in water and energy consumption by 36.44% and 47.74% respectively, whereas the annual throughput increased by 13.7%. By using Atellica INTELIQ QC management, fewer aliquot tubes were used and thus plastic waste was reduced by 168 kg. These reductions combined to lower CO2 emissions by about 16 tons. Conclusions Atellica Solution is designed for high throughput and sustainability, reducing water and energy consumption while also significantly reducing CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it enables faster, streamlined quality control management with Atellica INTELIQ QC management system. UMMC is strongly committed to minimizing laboratories’ environmental footprint and provide better access to care eventually contributing to the well-being of patients.

Sustainability in diabetes care: building an environment for change

Sustainability is increasing with regard to its recognition and consideration in healthcare – from a policy level through to clinical practice. The implications for the environment and the healthcare system make the understanding of what sustainability means and how best to achieve it all the more important. The healthcare considerations have generally been broad, covering healthcare as a whole, but more interest in grassroots change and specialty-specific understanding is developing. This article aims to highlight some of the key concepts when discussing sustainability, with a specific focus on the field of diabetes and clinical care. It additionally provides possible considerations about how to develop sustainable practice and diabetes care-specific considerations.

What matters for sustainable psychosocial interventions and who decides? Critical ethnography of a lay counselling program in Nepal

Lay counselling, or the delivery of talk-based therapeutic support by people without a clinical degree, is gaining popularity as a way of addressing global shortages of mental health professionals. In Nepal, lay counselors have made significant contributions to mental health and psychosocial care over the last two decades, particularly in the aftermath of major emergencies. However, research on the longer-term integration and sustainability of lay counselling interventions remains limited. This ethnographic study explored the meaning and importance of sustainability to different stakeholders in a lay counselling program implemented following Nepal’s 2015 earthquake. We conducted participant observation in the everyday lives of five counsellors as well as four focus group discussions and 51 semi-structured interviews with counsellors and other key stakeholders. Our analysis revealed significant discrepancies in perceptions of sustainability; while organizations involved in implementing the program described it as a sustainability success due to continued government financing, counsellors emphasized their own and the government’s failure to sustain high-quality service delivery in practice. Program-level barriers included inadequate budget and remuneration, lack of clinical supervision, and poor integration within existing systems. We also identified wider sociopolitical influences on sustainability, including the social positioning of counsellors, low understanding and acceptability of counselling, and a rapidly changing political landscape. These findings reveal the need for a critical approach to sustainability in global mental health, warning against superficial engagement that prioritizes continuity of government financing over quality of care and workers’ rights. Advocating for an ecological orientation within sustainability research, we also discuss the importance of looking beyond program design factors to consider how local and national sociopolitical dynamics influence frontline service provision.

Introgression of Thrips Resistance from Pima Cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) into Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Thrips are major early season insect pests that cause significant economic damage in Upland cotton in the U.S. Development and deployment of resistant cultivars is the most effective and ecologically sustainable means of reducing thrips damage in cotton. Interspecific hybridization and backcrossing were performed to introgress thrips resistance from Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) accession Coastland 320 into Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars Acala Maxxa (AM) and Fiber Max 966 (FM966). Backcross populations were screened for thrips resistance in thrips screening summer field nurseries in North Carolina. Thirty-two BC2F2 plants with thrips resistance were identified and backcrossed further to develop BC3F2 plants. Eleven AM derived BC2F2 resistant plants and 21 FM966 derived BC2F2 resistant plants were genotyped using CottonSNP63K array to identify the Pima chromatin in the introgression lines (ILs). In the ILs, introgressed Pima chromatin was detected on chromosomes A01, A08, A09, A10, A11, D10, D11, D12, and D13. Of these, four ILs, two each in AM and FM966 background, showed overlapped introgressed Pima chromatin on chromosomes A10 and D11. Further, four introgression lines, two each in AM and FM966 background, shared a common Pima introgression on chromosome D13. Characterization of thrips species in the screening nursery showed that predominant thrips species were tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca (Hinds)) followed by western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)). The identified ILs with thrips resistance should be a useful source of genetic variability for developing Upland cotton cultivars with pest resistance.

Perspectives of a Sustainable Intercultural and Inclusive Education to Shape Life-Changers of Tomorrow

Aim. Reforming the HE Institutions in the context of integration requires new inputs in upgrading the curricula and adapting them to the needs of students for higher performance and productivity in all walks of life. The primary aim is to influence the policy agenda on sustainable education. Methods. Reinventing creative ways of teaching and learning, focusing on interdisciplinary and plurilingual modalities empowers students to think critically and solve daily problems by exploring and experimenting with digital techniques, thus promoting quality in teaching for academic success. Results. Plurilingual modalities and findings resulting thereof from the application of best practices will be carefully drafted through dedicated group projects to address the current problems for sustainable education. Challenges related to IT and education, whether the digital skills gap or the future of digital education, will also be at the forefront of the critical reflection. At the same time, it very much focuses on its mission to transform curricula and teaching methods towards sustainable education in the region and at large by organising dedicated workshops on sustainable development for students and teachers to better serve the respective communities and have a greater impact on our societies. Conclusions. Sustainable education means redefining the aim and impact of the interdisciplinary knowledge and results of teaching and learning by taking into account the needs of the job market and geopolitics.

Artificial Intelligence, Smart Applications and Sustainable Consumption: A Theoretical Overview

Sustainable consumption means consuming natural resources consciously, considering future generations. In today's technological age, artificial intelligence and smart applications are used to achieve sustainability goals. In this context, this article examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and smart applications on promoting sustainable consumption behavior. Providing a comprehensive theoretical framework, this article explores how AI technologies support informed decision-making, maximize resource management, and deliver positive environmental impact across a variety of industries. Through a variety of examples, from energy management plans to environmentally friendly retail platforms, the effects of artificial intelligence and smart applications on sustainable consumption are highlighted. This article includes examples of smart applications used to promote sustainable consumption around the world and in Türkiye. Natural challenges that need to be overcome, such as algorithmic biases, data privacy issues and the digital divide, are also mentioned. The article offers recommendations for Türkiye, highlighting the importance of financing digital infrastructure, data privacy laws, digital literacy initiatives and innovation ecosystems, with the aim of emphasizing the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and smart applications for sustainable consumption.

Exploring carbon dioxide sequestration in desalination reject brine via NaOH reaction: A kinetics study

Seawater desalination is one of the most sustainable means of water supply in arid and semi-arid regions. Despite its undeniable potential to meet the global water demands, there are several environmental impacts associated with its operation, including the generation of reject brine and the emission of considerable amounts of CO2. Recently, the mineralization of carbon dioxide using desalination reject brine has emerged as a potential solution for simultaneous brine management and CO2 sequestration. In this study, the reaction kinetics of desalination reject brine with CO2 in the presence of NaOH are evaluated. The effect of various operating parameters, such as the temperature, CO2 concentration, NaOH dosage, brine salinity, CO2 flowrates and inert particles volume percent were investigated by varying them within the range of 15–55 °C, 3–20 %, 6–16 g/L, 5–72 g/L, 1–5 L/min and 0–20 %, respectively. The experimental data showed that the overall rate of CO2 conversion is equal to the sum of the rates observed for Ca2+ and Mg2+ carbonation reactions and increases proportionally with the increase in CO2 concentration. The addition of NaOH improved the Ca2+ carbonation reaction rate but had no effect on Mg2+ carbonation reactions within the investigated reaction conditions. Interestingly, increasing brine salinity had a negative effect on the reaction rate, while the change in temperature and inert particles had minimal effect on the overall reaction rate. Analysis of the solid products showed that Hydromagnesite and Calcite were the two major products obtained. Finally, experimental data were used to develop a rate model representing the CO2-Brine-NaOH system. The developed model will assist in successfully predicting the performance of the process and pave the way for efficient brine management and CO2 sequestration.

A Native Bacillus Thuringiensis Strain with Higher Insecticidal Activity Against Adult Aedes Aegypti Than the Larvae

Mosquitoes of several species cause the deaths of millions of people annually, making them the major disease vectors. Bioinsecticide formulations derived from Bacillus thuringiensis are widely acknowledged as highly efficient, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and safe means of controlling insect pests. In this study, a strain of B. thuringiensis exhibiting significant efficacy in controlling Aedes aegypti was isolated from the local environment, identified, and physiologically characterized. The isolated B. thuringiensis strain exhibited positive insecticidal activity against the larvae and adult Aedes aegypti, causing mortality of the insect larvae at a rate of 3.33% and adult at 53.33 – 93.33% in 48 hours. Experiments conducted in a controlled laboratory setting showed that B. thuringiensis toxin exhibited higher levels of activity against the adult mosquito than the larvae. This study demonstrates that bioinsecticide formulation using B. thuringiensis as the active agent has the potential to effectively and sustainably manage larvae and adult Aedes aegypti.

A Study of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Khunti District of Jharkhand through the Mukhyya Mantri Anusuchit Jan Jati Gram Vikas Yojna

The Khunti District primarily comprises rural areas with high migration rates due to rural unemployment. In addition, the lack of alternative livelihood options outside of agriculture has contributed to this trend. To address this issue, the government of Jharkhand launched the MMAJJGVY program in 2015, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurship and providing employment opportunities for educated youth and local women. However, traditional small-scale businesses in rural areas need help adapting to an increasingly globalized environment, hindering their growth and development. Obstacles in rural entrepreneurship also drive the unbalanced development of the region. This study examines the nature of entrepreneurship practices and their challenges, offering recommendations for overcoming these obstacles. The future development of the Khunti area is sustainable entrepreneurial opportunities, with rural tourism being identified as a sustainable means of livelihood for the rural population.

Preventive conservation – a means of sustainability of cultural heritage: The case of the M’Zab Valley

Abstract The management of heritage sites is fundamental to their conservation and sustainability, and more broadly, it contributes to the preservation of the environment. This article highlights the conservation plan developed for one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Algerian context: the M’Zab Valley in Ghardaïa. It has managed to preserve its specific character over the centuries thanks to the management operations that have been necessary for its continuity. The main question of this study is what are the management actions adopted in the M’Zab Valley with regard to the Ksourian architectural heritage to ensure its sustainability? Given the exploratory nature of this research, we chose a qualitative and inductive method. The study is based on a combination of several investigative tools: interviews, observations and photographs. The aim of the article is to highlight the efforts made by the Algerian public authorities and the local community to implement cultural heritage management measures in a particular context. The results of the analysis reveal, first, that the implementation of the permanent plan for the safeguarding and enhancement of the protected sector of the M’Zab Valley has proven itself in the preservation of monuments, sites and historic buildings, but also all the contexts associated with the daily life of people. Second, the rehabilitation operations of the historic ksour shall ensure the authenticity of the buildings and their integrity with the environment will be kept while adapting them to the current needs of users. Third, the combination of efforts between public institutions, the Office for the Protection and Promotion of the Valley of M’Zab, the local community and associations avoided the weakening of traditions and ancestral values through awareness missions, heritage education programmes, the application of heritage laws and regulations, and scientific and historical documentation of local heritage. Finally, the involvement of the local community in all operations on their local heritage ensures the transfer of local knowledge.

Air Quality Awareness—Empirical Evidence from a Comparative Perspective between Two European Cities

This research, conducted as part of the European project PA-MAP (Participatory Approach to Monitoring Air Quality in Urban Environments), investigates citizens’ perceptions of air pollution in two European cities: Turin (Italy) and Dublin (Ireland). We systematically collected social data through semi-structured surveys distributed via online platforms. Our aim was to gather comprehensive information on the perception of pollution sources and the effectiveness of control systems. We examined citizens’ habits and their suggestions to improve air quality. The results revealed the following: (1) In Turin, the perception of air pollution significantly influences individuals’ self-assessments of health. Consequently, increased vigilance is required to mitigate environmental health risks and to disseminate information on air quality and effective practices for reducing air pollution. (2) The use of sustainable transportation in Turin is hindered due to the inadequate maintenance of cycling infrastructure. Citizens prefer to use cars or trains, which facilitate rapid travel. (3) In Dublin, greater sensitivity to the problem of air pollution has emerged, and the use of sustainable means of transport is facilitated via ad hoc infrastructure. These results provide empirical evidence to policymakers to support the promotion of concrete local actions through which to improve air quality.

Osilodrostat treatment in patients with Cushing's disease of Asian or non-Asian origin: a pooled analysis of two Phase III randomized trials (LINC 3 and LINC 4).

Cushing's disease is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Osilodrostat, a potent oral 11β-hydroxylase inhibitor, provided rapid, sustained mean urinary free cortisol (mUFC) normalization in Cushing's disease patients in two Phase III studies (LINC 3, NCT02180217; LINC 4, NCT02697734). Here, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of osilodrostat in Cushing's disease in patients of Asian origin compared with patients of non-Asian origin. Pooled data from LINC 3 and LINC 4 were analyzed. Outcomes were evaluated separately for Asian and non-Asian patients. For the analysis, 210 patients were included; 56 (27%) were of Asian origin. Median (minimum-maximum) osilodrostat dose was 3.8 (1-25) and 7.3 (1-47) mg/day in Asian and non-Asian patients, respectively. mUFC control was achieved at weeks 48 and 72 in 64.3% and 68.1% of Asian and 68.2% and 75.8% of non-Asian patients. Improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic-related parameters, physical manifestations of hypercortisolism, and quality of life were similar in both groups. Most common adverse events (AEs) were adrenal insufficiency (44.6%) in Asian and nausea (45.5%) in non-Asian patients. AEs related to hypocortisolism and pituitary tumor enlargement occurred in more Asian (58.9% and 21.4%) than non-Asian patients (40.3% and 9.1%). Of Asian and non-Asian patients, 23.2% and 13.6%, respectively, discontinued because of AEs. Asian patients with Cushing's disease generally required numerically lower osilodrostat doses than non-Asian patients to achieve beneficial effects. Hypocortisolism-related AEs were reported in more Asian than non-Asian patients. Together, these findings suggest that Asian patients are more sensitive to osilodrostat than non-Asian patients.

Green extraction of pigment from astaxanthin-producing algae using natural deep eutectic solvents

The high-value carotenoid astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant with various purported health benefits. The alga Haematococcus lacustris (formerly pluvialis) represents the main natural (farmed) source of astaxanthin. Additionally, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been engineered to produce ketocarotenoids including canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, and intermediates that accumulate with its native carotenoids and chlorophylls. Carotenoid extraction from biomass conventionally employs organic solvents such as acetone and ethanol. Here, the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), composed of food-grade components, was explored as green alternative for the extraction of total pigments, including astaxanthin, from engineered C. reinhardtii and wild-type H. lacustris. Hydrophobic menthol-based NADES extracted up to 2.0 mg of astaxanthin g−1 of dry algal biomass from engineered C. reinhardtii and 13.4 mg g−1 of wildtype H. lacustris, respectively, in single two-hour extractions, giving an extraction efficiency of 79 % and 204 % compared to organic-solvents, respectively. The extractions were carried out at room temperature without necessitating additional energy inputs like heating or sonication and without any pretreatments. The food-grade nature of NADES suggests the feasibility of utilizing the extracted materials in supplements and health applications, offering a cost-effective and sustainable means of converting waste biomass into valuable products.