Water Chestnut Research Articles

Design and experiment of a combined peeling machine for water chestnut

Water chestnut is a characteristic aquatic vegetable in China, and its demand for peeling fresh fruit is increasing rapidly. Aiming at the existing problems of high labor intensity and low efficiency of manual peeling, a combined water chestnut peeling machine was designed, which used a rotary knife to remove bud and root, and a differential friction belts to remove side peel. The performance of the peeling machine was tested with water chestnut from Xiaogan, Hubei Provence. Under the conditions of 200 g feeding mass and 10 r/min rotation speed, the single factor test was carried out with cutting speed as the influencing factor and the cutting rate of bud and root as the evaluation index. The results showed that the cutting rate of fresh fruit of water chestnut bud and root were 79.04% and 83.77% respectively when the cutting speed of rotary knife was 1.2 m/s. In the differential friction belts, high and low linear velocities were taken as the influencing factors, and the side peel removal rate was used as the evaluation index. The side peel removal rate was 84.93% at the high-speed linear velocity of 2.1 m/s and the low-speed linear velocity of 1.58 m/s. The performance of the whole machine was evaluated, and the results showed that the working loss of the combined water chestnut peeling machine was 43.03% and the comprehensive peeling rate was 77.43%, which reached the design requirements. This study can provide a reference for the research and development of water chestnut peeling device.

Impact of Irrigation with Contaminated Water on Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation in Water Chestnut (Trapa natans L.)

This study investigated the monitoring of six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in pond water, sludge, and cultivated water chestnut (Trapa natans L.) crops in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India. For this purpose, samples of pond water, sludge, and T. natans plant (nut, shoot, and root) were collected in November of 2021 and 2022 from three zones (Zone 1: agricultural area irrigated with borewell water, Zone 2: urban area irrigated with municipal wastewater, and Zone 3: rural area irrigated with mixed type of wastewater) and subsequently analyzed for heavy metal concentration using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the physicochemical and heavy metal characteristics of pond water and sludge were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Zone 2 and 3 than to those in Zone 1. The concentration of heavy metals in T. natans root was comparatively high followed by shoot and nut parts. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was maximum while using pond water as a reference medium compared to pond sludge. Overall, the increasing order of heavy metals in T. natans was observed as Cd < Cr < Cu < Zn < Mn < Fe. In the edible part (nut) of T. natans, the average contents of Cd (0.005 ± 0.002 mg/kg), Cr (0.134 ± 0.009 mg/kg), Cu (1.043 ± 0.104 mg/kg), Fe (9.589 ± 0.957 mg/kg), Mn (4.326 ± 0.753 mg/kg), and Zn (1.540 ± 0.537 mg/kg) were comparatively less than shoot and root parts. Overall, the results revealed that T. natans irrigated with contaminated irrigation supplies at Zone 2 and 3 showed the highest BAF of heavy metals than Zone 1. Because the heavy metal concentrations in edible parts of T. natans did not exceed the threshold limits, the contaminated water sources in the Saharanpur region of India should be used in a safe and controlled manner.

Study on the Mechanism of Phenylacetaldehyde Formation in a Chinese Water Chestnut-Based Medium during the Steaming Process.

The white pulp of the Chinese water chestnut (CWC) is crisp and sweet with delicious flavours and is an important ingredient in many Chinese dishes. Phenylacetaldehyde is a characteristic flavoured substance produced in the steaming and cooking process of CWC. The steaming process and conditions were simulated to construct three Maillard reaction systems which consisted of glucose and phenylalanine, and of both alone. The simulation results showed that glucose and phenylalanine were the reaction substrates for the formation of phenylacetaldehyde. The intermediate α-dicarbonyl compounds (α-DCs) and the final products of the simulated system were detected by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Through the above methods the formation mechanism of phenylacetaldehyde is clarified; under the conditions of the steaming process, glucose is caramelized to produce Methylglyoxal (MGO), 2,3-Butanedione (BD), Glyoxal (GO) and other α-DCs. α-DCs and phenylalanine undergo a Strecker degradation reaction to generate phenylacetaldehyde. The optimal ratio of the amount of substance of glucose to phenylalanine for Maillard reaction is 1:4. The results can provide scientific reference for the regulation of flavour substances and the evaluation of flavour quality in the steaming process of fruits and vegetables.

Recent Production and Marketing Scenarios of Water Chestnut (Trapa spp.) in India: A Review

Water chestnut (Trapa spp.) is an important annual, floated but rooted aquatic plant of temperate and tropical freshwater wetlands of India. The water chestnut is native to Europe, Asia and Africa and has been widely cultivated for a long time for food in Asia. It thrives best in nutrient-rich water with a pH range of 6.7 to 8.2. The plant Trapa spp. has also been recognized as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-microbial. The kernels of water chestnut act as a diuretic, aphrodisiac, nutrient, appetizer, astringent, coolant, anti-diarrheal and tonic. It is an excellent source of minerals such as K, Ca and Mg, as well as carbohydrates and protein. In the creation of mixed products, many food products derived from the chestnut kernel and its flour are used. The yield per hectare is approximately 4-4.5 tones of fresh fruit and 1-1.5 tones of dry nuts. As fresh, canned fruit, dry nuts and flour, it has a very promising market in India and internationally. Fresh fruits are extremely delicious. TSS values varied from 7.0 to 9.00B. It is a very lovely and low-cost nutritious food that has the potential to manipulate the food market by making available various water chestnut mix flour items that might play an essential role in addressing malnutrition in India. This study of enumerated areas, production and marketing potential may be of immense value and great interest to researchers and academicians.

Water chestnut biomass estimates using density as a proxy: Facilitating multiyear comparisons with a streamlined approach

Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an invasive macrophyte negatively impacting native aquatic communities in the United States. In New York state, water chestnut occurrence is monitored through iMapInvasives, a public database that includes several data fields for all records, such as distribution type (or categorical density). Biomass is not regularly recorded in iMapInvasives but is important as a secondary measurement to gauge primary production, nutrient uptake, and invasive impact. Lack of biomass data in iMapInvasives may be addressed with alternative methods of acquiring biomass information from records. The primary goal of this project was to develop methods that allow comparable biomass estimates to be made using a measured area and an observed distribution type in the iMapInvasives database. Nine locations were sampled for water chestnut in June and July 2021. Areas of sparse, dense, and monoculture growth were recorded along with trace points. Collected plants were cleaned, measured, and dried to obtain final dry biomass density values for each distribution type. Density values were highest in monocul-ture and lowest in sparse but also varied based on location and date. ANOVA testing indicated that plant density, rosette growth, and rosette width varied among distribution types. Our water chestnut measurements were used to create formulas that can estimate biomass using presence-and distribution-type data in iMapInvasives. These formulas may be useful for stakeholders and managers seeking to understand the invasive impact of water chestnut and assess its change in abundance over time.

Phenology of two-horned water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa Roxb. var. iinumai Nakano)in northern Virginia ponds

Species of water chestnut, specifically Eurasian water chestnut (Trapa natans), have plagued the northeastern United States, including the tidal Potomac, for over 100 years. In 2014 a new species of invasive water chestnut identified as two-horned water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa Roxb. var. iinumai Nakano) was discovered in the Potomac River, and in subsequent years it has spread to nearby waterbodies. The purpose of this study is to describe the phenology of T. bispinosa to assist managers in developing effective approaches for management. Structured observa-tional studies were conducted at two ponds in northern Virginia in 2019 and 2020. Trapa bispinosa initiated growth in late April, increasing rapidly to a maximum of 100% cover in June. Rosette diameters increased gradually from late April to a maximum in August and September. This increase in rosette size was strongly correlated with degree days and calendar days and is consistent among ponds and between years. Flower counts were zero from April through June, then increased rapidly to maximum in late August. Fruit counts were zero from April through June; fruit started to appear in July, and counts increased to a maximum in early September. Since the species is annual and dependent on sexual reproduction, control efforts for T. bispinosa should be initiated before fruits are produced. Based upon our data, in the mid-Atlantic region, May would be an ideal time to begin because rosettes should be observable, but flowers and fruit should not appear until late June. These studies indicate aquatic managers may have a 4-to-6-wk window in the late spring to prevent seed production and should focus resources on management during that period.

Turbulent Streams: An Environmental History of Japan's Rivers, 1600–1930 by Roderick I. Wilson

Reviewed by: Turbulent Streams: An Environmental History of Japan's Rivers, 1600–1930 by Roderick I. Wilson Mark Metzler (bio) Turbulent Streams: An Environmental History of Japan's Rivers, 1600–1930. By Roderick I. Wilson. Brill, 2021. xiv, 294 pages. €94.00, cloth; €94.00, E-book. Roderick Wilson's Turbulent Streams is the first major study in English of the history of Japan's rivers. It focuses primarily on riparian works and the complex state-society-environment interactions they involve. Secondary focuses include river transport, river communities, fishing, and irrigation, and for the modern period, the social dynamics of engineering and policy. Geographically, it centers on the radical transformations of the Tone River system on the north side of Edo/Tokyo but also has much to say about the Yodo River system in the Kansai region, about other Japanese rivers, and about river engineering internationally. The book introduces multiple bodies of relevant scholarly literature on subjects ranging from the nature of the [End Page 162] Tokugawa state to the development of modern hydrology and civil engineering. Wilson's careful attention to the literature in Japanese and English and to questions of method and approach are present throughout. Altogether this is an important new contribution to the fast-developing field of Japanese environmental history and has major implications for the urban history of Edo/Tokyo especially. Wilson's approach to environmental history focuses on webs of environmental relations and describes human environments as places that are always in the making. To illustrate this approach, the book opens with a brief history of the former Ogura Lake, which was a wide, shallow lotus-filled lake south of Kyoto. Well represented in literature and art, Ogura Lake was a place of dense and diverse human activity, a kind of marshy "satoyama" landscape whose usage resembled that of Lake Biwa's former lagoons as described in the path-breaking analysis by Shizuya Sano. 1 Villagers dredged lake-bottom muck and used it as fertilizer, and the lake was a rich resource for fishing and for harvesting reeds and water chestnuts. As a result of the great Yodo River re-engineering project of the 1890s–1910s, it became stagnant and malarial. Ultimately it was decided to entirely fill the lake and its surrounding marshes. This was completed by 1941, creating 2,300 hectares of rice fields. Here as later, however, Wilson does not tell a simple story of decline and loss, explaining that Ogura Lake itself had long since been reshaped and recreated by human action, most notably after 1594 when Hideyoshi ordered the Uji River to be rerouted in order to construct the castle town and river port of Fushimi. The regimes the lake operated under for 250 years were varied in their goals and in their environmental and social effects. Close historical analysis of these changes will help us understand what questions to ask when it comes to planning and managing large-scale coupled human-natural systems and will widen our imagination concerning their multiple possibilities. The book is divided into two major sections, the first on the period of Tokugawa rule from 1600 to 1868 and the second on the first part of the modern period, from 1868 into the 1930s. It concludes with some discussion of the years since then. By taking in such a wide span of time, Wilson's work provides rich material for macrohistorical analysis, and in the spirit of offering a review that furthers the discussion Wilson has opened, I'll focus here on some points concerning long-run regimes in river governance and the limits they encounter. One could describe this history as a long Tokugawaera river-control cycle followed by the first phase of a long modern cycle. [End Page 163] Wilson's detailed analysis of Tokugawa-era river works is essential to his larger argument. How was it possible, in terms of supply and logistics, for the shogunal capital of Edo to grow from a fishing village into what was probably the world's largest city in 1700? This book offers some answers by elucidating the development of the Kanto region as a supply zone, with riverboat transportation being a basic part of...

How vulnerable are Wular Lake fishing communities compared to non‐fishing communities in rural Kashmir? Insights and interventions for development

AbstractWular Lake, one of the largest wetlands in Asia (13,000 ha in Kashmir Valley) is a biodiversity‐rich Ramsar site supporting nearly 32,000 rural people involved in harvesting fish, water chestnuts, lotus stems and fodder. With 2914 active fishers, Wular Lake contributes 54% of Kashmir's total fish catch. Large‐scale land‐use changes and global warming have resulted in siltation, reduced lake area and alterations in the water flow regime, threatening lake ecology and human livelihoods. A novel census‐based multi‐criteria Socio‐Economic Vulnerability Index (SEVI) was used to assess the vulnerability status of 23 fishing and 115 non‐fishing adjacent villages. All the fishing villages exhibited ‘low’ (0.21–0.40) vulnerability levels, except Kunas village (0.42). Interestingly, no significant differences could be found in vulnerability levels between fishing (23) and non‐fishing (115) villages, although the former exhibited relatively higher social sensitivity. A graphical decision matrix based on sensitivity and adaptive capacity scores provided a snapshot of vulnerability status for each village. Using SEVI scores, drivers (i.e., key indicators responsible for high sensitivity & low adaptive capacity) were identified and corresponding village‐specific development interventions are suggested with Kunas as an illustrative case village. Improving education levels, strengthening community and rural infrastructure, and expanding livelihood options were key short‐term strategies for improving resilience in Kashmir's Wular region.

Water chestnut starch: extraction, chemical composition, properties, modifications, and application concerns

The increase in non-biodegradable waste has prompted research on the development of new biodegradable compounds that can act as substitutes for the prevalent synthetic materials used for packaging.

Development of Polymorphic SSR Markers in Chinese Water Chestnut Based on RAD-seq

Development of Polymorphic SSR Markers in Chinese Water Chestnut Based on RAD-seq

Effect of seven non-conventional starch rich sources on physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of extruded snacks

Starch-rich foods, such as cereal sources (rice, maize, and barley), are commonly used raw materials for extrusion cooking due to their excellent expansion characteristics. Other nonconventional starch sources like green banana, water chestnut, and potato can also be employed for extrusion cooking. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the extrusion behavior and sensory acceptability of nonconventional starch-rich food sources like rice, maize, barley, wheat, water chestnut, potato, and green banana. Maize, rice, wheat, potato, water chestnuts, barley, and green banana flour samples were evaluated for various physicochemical, pasting, and morphological properties, and were subjected to extrusion cooking at the moisture content of 15%, screw speed of 300 rpm, and barrel temperature of 125°C. The developed extruded snacks from selected crops were also evaluated for various physicochemical, pasting, and morphological properties. Potato flour and green banana flour recorded the highest starch content of 78.27 and 76.61%, respectively. The highest peak viscosity (6025 cp), trough viscosity (2968 cp), breakdown viscosity (3057 cp), pasting temperature (92°C), and minimum peak time (4.67 min) were recorded in the case of green banana flour. The structural assessment of all the flour samples was done through scanning electron microscopy. The highest expansion ratio (5.06), as well as overall acceptability (4.28), was recorded in the case of corn-based snacks. The highest bulk density and hardness were recorded in the case of barley-based snacks. The highest values of water absorption index and water solubility index were recorded in the case of green banana flour–based snacks.

Dofarmers use waterlogged wastelands efficiently? An economic study on water chestnut farming in Bangladesh.

Waterlogging due to rain-fed floods is considered a natural calamity worldwide that causes lands in the north region of Bangladesh to remain underwater and uncultivable for most crops during the rainy season. This unused wasteland has immense potential for additional earnings for the marginal farmer by converting it to cultivable land through proper utilization by cultivating water chestnuts. Increasing the productivity and efficiency of water chestnut farming in these wastelands would facilitate higher food production for the growing populations. Therefore, this study estimates the farmers' profitability of water chestnut production along with technical efficiency (TE) and land use efficiency (LUE). Primary data from 150 farmers of Natore, Naogaon, and Jamalpur districts were used and stochastic frontier analysis was employed. Results reveal that no farmers had any training in water chestnut farming. Human labor and land use costs incur more than 80% of the total cost and laborers shortage was found due to skin problems working in the water. However, water chestnut farming was profitable in all districts and the average benefit-cost ratio was 1.37. TE results indicate that there was an opportunity to increase the water chestnut production by 20.2% using the same amount of inputs. LUE by the water chestnut farmers was found to be very low; hence, they were using their land inefficiently and this inefficiency was positively affected by farm size and number of family members and negatively affected by age, year of schooling, and income. The study suggests research focusing on improved management of water chestnut without affecting laborers and training to facilitate higher productivity and LUE.

Hepatoprotective potential of isolated flavonoids from Trapa natans L. against the paracetamol induced oxidative stress in rats

Overdose of paracetamol causes liver toxicity, due to oxidative stress by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) that increases the levels of ALT and AST, and reduces the level of the antioxidant enzymes. Flavonoids are a source of natural antioxidants that assist in neutralization of ROS. Several studies have suggested that flavonoids can help protect the liver. The Water Chestnut, Trapa natans L. plants have long been used in the traditional system of medicine and possess considerable antioxidant potential. In this study, we tried to isolate flavonoids from T. natans L. and evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of the isolated compound. We isolated flavonoids from the extract of the aerial part of plant and characterized by UV, IR, NMR and Mass spectroscopy. The isolated flavonoid was induced orally once a day (30 mg/kg). The test drug (isolated compound) could lower the elevated levels of serum enzymes such as glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin. Silymarin (30 mg/kg) was taken as a standard drug that exhibits significant hepatoprotective activity against the paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity model in Wistar albino rats. The histopathological study of rat liver also strengthens biochemical evaluation analysis. Based on the experimental results, it can be concluded that the isolated flavonoids act as hepatoprotective agents in rats.

Ecological problems of irrigated soils in the south of Ukraine

Problem formulation. Ecological quality of soils and agricultural products depends on the level of irrigation water mineralization. The quality of mineralized irrigation water has a negative impact on soils, agricultural products and ecosystems. This is especially negative in the conditions of Southern Ukraine within the Black Sea territories where the formation of irrigation waters in the Ingulets river basin depends on the influence of the Kryvyi Rih iron ore basin located in the river basin. The aim of the article is to assess the impact of mineralized irrigation waters on soils and natural ecosystems. Materials and methods. Field sampling of water and dark chestnut saline soils and southern chernozem soils to determine the impact of mineralized water quality on soils and ecosystems, statistical analysis of the obtained data. Results. Discharges of highly mineralized mine waters into the river basin lead to a change in the flow velocity in the river from 4 m³/s to 20 m³/s, which negatively affects the flora and fauna living conditions. Depending on the chemical composition of the discharges, the mineralization of irrigation water varies from 1.393 g/dm³ to 1.7608 g/dm³, and sometimes reaches 4.349 g/dm³. In terms of chemical composition, irrigation water is formed as a hydrocarbonate-sulfate-chloride with almost the same content of sulfates and chlorides, calcium-magnesium-sodium with a significant advantage of sodium. The dynamics of irrigation water quality indicators during 2013-2021 testifies to an increase of the most dangerous indicators for soils: hydrogen index of soil solution (pH) from 7.7 to 8.4, chlorine ion content (Cl–) – from 9.52 to 10.77 meq/dm³ and sodium (Na+) from 9.52 to 13.33 meq/dm³. By means of correlation and regression analyzes, the regularities of water hydrochemical composition formation were revealed and a strong functional connection between mineralization and chlorine ions (r = 0.99) and sulfate ions (r = 0.99), between mineralization and hydrocarbonate ions was established (r = 0.47). As the mineralization of water increases, the content of chlorine ions and sulfate ions increases proportionally, and hydrocarbonate ions play a secondary role in the formation of the hydrochemical composition. To prevent the chlorine ions excess of more than 350 meq/dm³ and sulfate ions excess – 500 meq/dm³, irrigation water mineralization should not exceed 1500 mg/dm³, and to prevent the chlorine ions excess of more than 350 meq/dm³, water flow from the canal should be at least 9.0 m³/s. Scientific novelty. New mathematical models of the irrigation water mineralization, its anionic composition, its chloride content dependence on water consumption from the Ingulets river and the interdependence between mineralization and cationic composition of water are offered. Practical significance. The obtained results are of practical importance for the implementation of agro-ameliorative measures for soil and ecosystem conservation.

Taste Compound Generation and Variation in Chinese Water Chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis (Burm.f.) Trin. ex Hensch.) Processed with Different Methods by UPLC-MS/MS and Electronic Tongue System.

Chinese water chestnut (CWC) is popular among consumers due to its unique flavor and crisp and sweet taste. Thus far, the key substances affecting the taste compound of CWC are still unclear. In this study, we used UPLC-MS/MS and an electronic tongue system to study the effects of four typical steaming and cooking methods, cooking without peel for 10 min (PC), steaming without peel for 15 min (PS), cooking with peel for 30 min (WPC), steaming with peel for 30 min (WPS), on the taste compound generation and variation of CWC, and revealed the secret of its crisp and sweet taste. The results show that the electronic tongue can effectively identify the taste profile of CWC, and the effective tastes of CWC were umami, bitterness, saltiness, and sweetness. We screened 371 differential compounds from 640 metabolic species. Among them, nucleotides and their derivatives, carbohydrates, organic acids and their derivatives, and amino acids and their derivatives are closely related to the key taste of CWC, and these compounds affected the taste of CWC through six related metabolic pathways: oxidative phosphorylation and purine metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate; bile secretion; amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism; the phenylpropane pathway; and toluene degradation. This study reveals the potential metabolic causes of taste compound generation and variation in the taste of CWC.

Studies on a novel method for the determination of nitrosamines in food by HPLC-UV-FLD coupling with terbium-doped carbon dots

In this paper, a novel, selective and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-UV photolysis-fluorescence detection (HPLC-UV-FLD) method for nitrosamines (NAs) is proposed based on terbium-doped carbon dots (Tb-CDs). Experimental studies have shown that nitrosamines can be degraded by UV photolysis with wavelength at 254 nm to produce NO2−, while NO2− can rapidly and specifically quench the fluorescence of Tb-CDs. Based on this principle, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), Nnitrosomorpholine (NMor), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP) are separated within 8 min by HPLC. These five kinds of NAs showed a good linear relationship in the range of 10–2000 μg/L, and the limit of detection was as low as 2.25 μg/L. The proposed method is successfully applied to the detection of sweet potato, lotus root, potato, water chestnut, tomato and cucumber. The sample recoveries range from 77.35 % to 119.3 %.

Identification of compounds from chufa (Eleocharis dulcis) peels by widely targeted metabolomics.

The Chinese water chestnut (CWC) is among the most widespread and economically important vegetables in Southern China. There are two different types of cultivars for this vegetable, namely, big CWC (BCWC) and small CWC (SCWC). These are used for different purposes based on their metabolic profiles. This study aimed to investigate the metabolite profile of CWC and compare the profiles of peels collected in different harvest years using ultraperformance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS)-based metabolomics analysis. Three hundred and twenty-one metabolites were identified, of which 87 flavonoids, 25 phenylpropanoids, and 33 organic acids and derivatives were significantly different in the content of the two varieties of BCWC and SCWC. The metabolite profiles of the two different cultivars were distinguished using principle component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis, and the results indicated differences in the metabolite profile of Eleocharis dulcis (Burm. f.) Trin. ex Hensch. Three isomers of hydroxycoumarin, namely, O-feruloyl-4-hydroxycoumarin, O-feruloyl-3-hydroxycoumarin, and O-feruloyl-2-hydroxycoumarin, exhibited increased levels in BCWC, while p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid did not show any significant differences in their content in BCWC and SCWC peels. This study, for the first time, provides novel insights into the differences among metabolite profiles between BCWC and SCWC.

Evaluation of the Chemical Quality of Based Rations Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) through Combination of Different Swamp Forages

Swamp forage has the potential as an alternative feed for ruminants. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical quality of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) based rations through a combination of different types of swamp forage. This research was conducted for 3 months at the Animal Feed Nutrition Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya University. The design used in this study was a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments consisted of R0 (70% Guinea grass + 30% Concentrate), R1 (40% Guinea grass + 30% water mimosa + 30% Concentrate), R2 (40% Guinea grass + 30% giant molesta + 30% Concentrate), R3 (40% Guinea grass + 30% water chestnut + 30% Concentrate). The variables observed were dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), extract ether (EE), tannin and saponins. The results showed that the treatment had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on the content of DM, OM, CP, CF, Tannins and Saponins, while the extract ether content had no significant effect (P > 0.05). Furthermore, highest DM (82.45%), OM (76.96%) and CP (16.35% were obtained in R1, CF (22.34%) in R0. Tannin best concentration (1.09%) in R3 and saponins (2.16%) in R1. The conclusion of this study showed that the combination of 40% Guinea grass + 30% water mimosa + 30% concentrate could improve the chemical quality of the ration.

Electrospun Benzimidazole-Based Polyimide Membrane for Supercapacitor Applications.

A benzimidazole-containing diamine monomer was prepared via a simple one-step synthesis process. A two-step procedure involving polycondensation in the presence of aromatic dianhydrides (4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride, ODPA) followed by thermal imidization was then performed to prepare a benzimidazole-based polyimide (BI-PI). BI-PI membranes were fabricated using an electrospinning technique and were hot pressed for 30 min at 200 °C under a pressure of 50 kgf /cm2. Finally, the hot-pressed membranes were assembled into supercapacitors, utilizing high-porosity-activated water chestnut shell biochar as the active material. The TGA results showed that the BI-PI polymer produced in the two-step synthesis process had a high thermal stability (Td5% = 527 °C). Moreover, the hot-press process reduced the pore size in the BI-PI membrane and improved the pore-size uniformity. The hot-press procedure additionally improved the mechanical properties of the BI-PI membrane, resulting in a high tensile modulus of 783 MPa and a tensile strength of 34.8 MPa. The cyclic voltammetry test results showed that the membrane had a specific capacitance of 121 F/g and a capacitance retention of 77%. By contrast, a commercial cellulose separator showed a specific capacitance value of 107 F/g and a capacitance retention of 49% under the same scanning conditions. Finally, the membrane showed both a small equivalent series resistance (Rs) and a small interfacial resistance (Rct). Overall, the results showed that the BI-PI membrane has significant potential as a separator for high-performance supercapacitor applications.

Effect and mechanism of eugenol on storage quality of fresh-peeled Chinese water chestnuts.

The study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of eugenol treatment on fresh-peeled Chinese water chestnuts (CWCs). The results found that eugenol treatment maintained the appearance of fresh-peeled CWCs, accompanied by higher L* value, total solids and O2 contents, as well as lower browning degree, weight loss rate, CO2 content, a* and b* values. In addition, eugenol treatment significantly reduced the activities of peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and polyphenol oxidase, as well as the total content of soluble quinone in fresh-peeled CWCs. Meanwhile, fresh-peeled CWCs treated with eugenol showed markedly lower content of total flavonoids, which may be related to yellowing. Furthermore, eugenol treatment suppressed the rates of O2·- and OH·- production as well as the contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde in fresh-peeled CWCs. During the storage, eugenol treatment not only increased the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase as well as the DPPH free radical scavenging rate, but also increased the total phenolics, ascorbic acid and glutathione contents. In summary, eugenol treatment delayed the surface discoloration of fresh-peeled CWCs by improving the antioxidant capacity, inhibiting the phenolic compound metabolism and scavenging ROS, thus effectively maintaining the quality of fresh-peeled CWCs while extending their shelf life.