Mixture Of Wheat Straw Research Articles

Tracing potentially toxic elements in button mushroom cultivation and environmental implications: Insights via stable lead (Pb) isotope analysis

Elevated levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) have been frequently detected in substrates used for cultivating edible mushrooms. However, the distribution and accumulation pathways of PTEs within mushrooms and their cultivation substrates remain inadequately understood. This study specifically aims to clarify these aspects of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). A systematic analysis was conducted on the distribution of PTEs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and stable Pb isotope fingerprints across various components of the button mushroom cultivation systems, including the cultivation substrates (a mixture of wheat straw, chicken manure, soil, and additives), fruiting bodies (MR), and spent mushroom substrate (SMS). The methodology involved inductively coupled plasma mass‒spectrometry for PTE quantification and Pb isotope ratio analysis for source identification. The results demonstrated that wheat straw and additives were the main contributors to the endogenous accumulation of PTEs in MR, accounting for 35.0% and 33.2% of Pb accumulation, respectively. Furthermore, MR, wheat straw, and soil together contributed to more than 67% of the Pb loads in SMS. The study also revealed that the occurrence of PTEs in these substrates is predominantly driven by exogenous sources, particularly the significant contribution from anthropogenic activities. Overall, these findings provide valuable biogeochemical insights into the accumulation pathways and patterns of PTEs in button mushroom cultivation systems, with potential applications for cleaner food management and environmentally sustainable practices.

Morphology and phosphate distribution in bottom ash particles from fixed-bed co-combustion of sewage sludge and two agricultural residues

The purpose of this study was to provide detailed knowledge of the morphological properties of ash particles, including the volumetric fractions and 3D distributions of phosphates that lay within them. The ash particles came from digested sewage sludge co-combusted with K- and Si-rich wheat straw or K-rich sunflower husks. X-ray micro-tomography were combined with elemental composition and crystalline phase information to analyse the ash particles in 3D.Analyses of differences in the X-ray attenuation enabled calculation of 3D phosphate distributions that showed high heterogeneity in the slag particles. This is underscored by a distinct absence of phosphates in iron-rich and silicon-rich parts. The slag from silicate-based wheat straw mixtures had lower average attenuation than that from sunflower husks mixtures, which contained more calcium. Calculated shares of phosphates between 7 and 17 vol% were obtained, where the highest value for a single assigned phosphate was observed in hard slag from wheat straw with 10 % sewage sludge. The porosity was notably higher for particles from pure wheat straw combustion (62 vol%), compared to the other samples (15–35 vol%). A high open pore volume fraction (60–97 vol%) indicates that a large part of the pores can be accessed by the surroundings. For all samples, more than 60 % of the discrete (closed) pores had an equivalent diameter < 30 μm, while the largest volume fraction consisted of pores with an equivalent diameter > 75 μm. Slag from sunflower husk mixtures had larger pore volumes and a greater relative number of discrete pores >75 µm compared to wheat straw mixtures.

Potential Use of Wheat Straw, Grape Pomace, Olive Mill Wastewater and Cheese Whey in Mixed Formulations for Silage Production

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the chemical and fermentative characteristics of by-product-mixed silages consisting of wheat straw (WS), grape pomace (GP), olive mill wastewater (OMWW) and cheese whey (CW) at 7, 30 and 90 days. The silage formulations were based on a ratio of 60% solids (WS + GP) and 40% liquids (CW + OMWW), with the addition of water (W) where necessary to achieve 40% of liquids. In experiment 1, the effects of the inclusion of GP or CW in a mixture of WS and OMWW were studied according to two silage formulations: SIL-A, WS40% + OMWW5% + GP20% + W35%; SIL-B, WS60% + OMWW5% + CW35%. In experiment 2, the effects of two levels of CW and the inclusion of OMWW in mixed silages based on WS, GP, and CW were studied according to four silage formulations: SIL-C, WS40% + GP20% + CW20% + W20%; SIL-D, WS40% + GP20% + CW20% + OMWW5% + W15%; SIL-E, WS40% + GP20% + CW35% + W5%; SIL-F, WS40% + GP20% + CW35% + OMWW5%. In experiment 1, the silage formulation affected the chemical composition showing a greater (p &lt; 0.05) content of DM in SIL-B; crude protein, ether extract and ADL contents were higher (p &lt; 0.05) in SIL-A. In experiment 2, no differences (p &gt; 0.05) in the chemical characteristics of the silages were found. In both of the experiments, the chemical composition and total phenol content did not change (p &gt; 0.05) during the ensiling period. Fermentative characteristics were not affected (p &gt; 0.05) by the by-product combination nor the ensiling period and proved to be adequate for good-quality silages. The Flieg’s scores at D30 and D90 were greater than a 100 score in all the experimental silages, leading to the conclusion that WS, GP, OMWW and CW can be effective for producing silage.

Horse Manure and Lignocellulosic Biomass Characterization as Methane Production Substrates

This paper aimed to study the value of horse manure through anaerobic digestion. The study involved characterization of different components of horse waste and the evaluation of their biochemical composition, physicochemical characterization and the influence of the composition of horse waste on biochemical methane potential. More specifically, two bedding mixtures were studied: the first one was composed of wheat straw (WS), wood chips (WC) and horse manure (HM) with a volumetric composition of 85%, 14% and 1%, respectively; and the second one was a mixture of WS and HM with a volumetric composition of 99% and 1%, respectively. The analysis was carried out on the two bedding mixtures and on each substrate separately with 406 samples from May 2017 to October 2019. Biochemical methane potential tests conducted on these samples showed that the composition and structure of the substrate influenced the BMP. WS had the highest mono-digestion methane production with 176.1 NmL·gVS−1. The second bedding mixture (99% WS, 1% HM) showed a production of 189.4 NmL·gVS−1 compared to 127 NmL·gVS−1 by bedding mixture 1 (85% WS, 14% WC, 1% HM). The difference was due to a dilution effect on methane production caused by the presence of WC rich in lignin.

Economics of Feeding Rice DDGS and Mixture of Wheat Straw and Groundnut Straw to Growing Crossbred Heifers

Feeding of growing heifers is generally ignored by the farmers as they do not want to spend their limited recourses during their non-productive growing phase. This deprives heifers of essential nutrients. Present study was planned on twenty-four HF×Kankrej heifers (avg. BW=116.13±4.74kg) and conducted for 168 days to note the effect of feeding rice DDGS and mixture of wheat straw and groundnut straw on feeding cost and feed efficiency. Three different concentrates containing 0%, 20% and 40% rice DDGS (RDDGS) were offered to T1, T2 and T3 group heifers, respectively. Under each group half of the heifers were offered wheat straw and another half a mixture of wheat straw (50%) and groundnut straw (50%). The protein requirement of heifers was fulfilled as per ICAR (2013) feeding standards. Cost of feeding under different treatments was calculated from the records of daily feed consumption and by considering the procurement cost of feeds and fodders. The recorded data was analyzed by RBD factorial design. Daily feed cost (₹/head/d) reduced linearly and significantly (p&lt;0.05) on replacing soyaDOC with RDDGS. Feed cost (₹/kg BW gain) also reduced linearly but there was significant (p&lt;0.05) reduction only when 40% soyaDOC in concentrate was replaced with RDDGS. There was net saving of ₹ 11.91 and ₹ 23.83/kg BW gain on replacing half and full soyaDOC with RDDGS. Daily feed cost (₹/head/d) increased significantly on feeding mixture of groundnut straw and wheat straw but the feed efficiency improved as feed cost (₹/kg BW gain) reduced by 4.74 % in heifers.

Effect of Feeding Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), and Legume Non-Legume Roughage on Growth Rate and Haematological Profile of Crossbred Heifers

The study was undertaken on HF x K heifers (n=24) to evaluate the effect of feeding distillers dried grains with soluble (DDGS) and Soy DOC alone or in combination with cereal and/or legume straws as TMR from average 8 months till 19 months of age on their growth, health and haematological profile. Heifers were uniformly distributed into six treatment groups and were fed concentrate and roughage 50-50 ratio. They were offered three different types of concentrates containing 0, 20 and 40% rice DDGS, each half with wheat straw (25%) and another half as a mixture of wheat straw and groundnut gotar. Heifers were also offered green hybrid Napier @ 2 kg/h/d up to 100 kg BW and 4 kg/h/d for above 100 kg BW and Amul’s Chelated Mineral Mixture @ 35 g/animal/d. The protein requirement was met as per the ICAR (2013) feeding standard. Heifers were offered measured extra wheat straw if no leftover was observed from next day. Higher body weight gain (BWG) was observed in 40% DDGS and legume straw fed groups as compared to 40% soy DOC and cereal straw fed groups. The average Hb, PCV and MCHC were significantly (p&lt;0.05) higher, while WBCs and Platelets were lower in T2 group heifers fed concentrate with 20% soya DOC + 20% RDDGS, irrespective of roughage, as compared to 40% soya DOC (T1) and 40% RDDGS (T3), and there was no significant effect on RBCs, granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes. When concentrate source was ignored, only the platelet count was significantly higher in R2 group fed a mixture of legume-nonlegume than R1 group fed only the wheat straw in TMR. There was significant (p&lt;0.05) interaction between concentrate and roughage source on WBC count. Lowest WBC (103/µL) count was found in T1R1 and highest in T1R2 group crossbred heifers. The effect of period x treatment was significant particularly on WBCs, granulocytes and monocytes for first 3-4 months of feeding, perhaps due to adaptive effect of solvent present in RDDGS. Overall the average haematological profile in experimental heifers was close to the reference range for healthy bovine. So it can be concluded that feeding DDGS in place of soy DOC in concentrate and feeding a mixture of groundnut gotar and wheat straw to growing crossbred heifers from 8 months till puberty/19 months improves growth rate without adverse effect on the health and haematological profile.

Winter mulching practice alters soil bacterial communities and networks in lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forests

AbstractWinter mulching is widely used to raise soil temperature and promote earlier harvesting in agroforestry, but successive years of mulching can lead to soil degradation. The effect of winter mulch on soil bacterial community composition and co‐occurrence patterns is not clear. The influence of different mulches (a defatted seed cake of Camellia oleifera, DS; a mixture of wheat straw and chicken manure, MWC; and wheat straw, WS) on soil bacterial communities and networks in lei bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) forests over a four‐month mulching period was studied using Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that mulching time and mulching material treatment significantly influenced bacterial community composition and diversity, mainly driven by nutrient availability. MWC and WS mulching treatments decreased α‐diversity of the bacterial communities, whereas the DS treatment had no significant impact. The oligotrophs, Gryllotalpicola, Granulicella, and Verrucomicrobia, were enriched before and at the end of mulching, while the copiotrophs, Deltaproteobacteria, were enriched in the middle of the mulching period (Jan). Comparing the three mulching treatments, Proteobacteria were enriched in DS mulching soils in Jan. The complexity of the four networks decreased with pre‐mulching, DS mulching, WS mulching, and MWC mulching networks, with a reduction in the number of edges and average degree observed. The results suggested that winter mulching practices adversely affected soil bacterial community diversity and interactions, which may be detrimental to the resistance of bacterial communities to environmental changes and soil sustainability. Mulching MWC and WS has a greater risk of loss of soil bacterial biodiversity than DS.

Utilization of Agricultural and Forestry by-Products in Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. Production

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of some local agricultural and forestry by-products as Ganoderma lucidum growing subsrate. In the study, 8 different growing media prepared by mixing agricultural and forestry wastes such as oak sawdust (OS), poplar sawdust (PS), wheat straw (WS), wood chips (WCH), green almond hulls (AH) and green walnut hulls (GWH) alone or in different proportions, were used for G. lucidum cultivation and the effects of these substrates on spawn run time (SRT), days to pinhead initiation (DPI), days to the first harvest (DFH), yield (g/kg) and biological efficiency (BE%) were investigated. The results demonstrated that spawn run time (SRT) of G. lucidum was shorter in PS and WS:GWH12.5 (19.7 days and 20.8 days) as compared to other substrates and mixtures (22.2-28.5 days). The pinheads emerged in substrates between 43th- 49th days and the fruiting bodies were collected between 80.3 -93.5 days after the spawning. Total fresh mushroom yield and BE(%) varied from 71.39 to 110.10 g/kg of substrate and from 21.0% to 31.46, respectively. Moreover, PS substrate produced fruitbody also earlier compared with the other investigated substrates. The study revealed that although higher total yields were obtained by sawdust substrates, considering the difficulty of finding sawdust in some areas, WS and the mixture of WS and GHW (87.5:12.5%) could be also successfully used inof G. lucidum production.

Evaluation of molasses on fermentation profiles of wheat straw ensiled with tall fescue in the southwest Tibet.

Two experiments were carried out to determine the optimal proportion of mixed silage made with wheat straw and tall fescue, and further to evaluate the effects of molasses on fermentation quality. In Experiment 1, wheat straw and tall fescue were mixed at proportions of 10:0 (Control), 8:2 (WT20), 6:4 (WT40) and 4:6 (WT60) on fresh weight (FW) basis. Inclusion of tall fescue significantly (p < 0.05) increased lactic acid, water-soluble carbohydrate contents and ratio of lactic to acetic acid, and significantly (p < 0.05) decreased pH and contents of dry matter, NH3 -N and volatile fatty acids. WT60 had the highest (p < 0.05) lactic acid content, and the lowest (p < 0.05) pH and butyric acid content. In Experiment 2, the mixture of wheat straw and tall fescue (4/6) were treated with 0%, 3%, 4%and 5% molasses on FW basis (defined as control, WTM3, WTM4 and WTM5respectively). Molasses addition significantly (p < 0.05) increased lactic acid and water-soluble carbohydrate contents, and significantly (p < 0.05) decreased pH and ammonia-nitrogen content as compared with control. Acetic acid content slightly (p > 0.05) decreased during ensiling, while trace amounts of propionic and butyric acids were observed. WTM5 had the lowest pH and the highest (p < 0.05) lactic acid, water-soluble carbohydrate contents and ratio of lactic to acetic acid at end of ensiling. In conclusion, the fermentation quality was maximally improved when the addition rate of molasses was 5% in 40% wheat straw ensiled with 60% tall fescue.

Properties of lightweight pedestrian paving blocks incorporating wheat straw: Micro-to macro-scale investigation

This study elucidates the manufacture of lightweight pedestrian paving blocks (LPPB) by partially substituting sand with wheat straw fibres. Sodium silicate was used to treat wheat straw fibres before their integration into the mixtures. The physical, mechanical, and long-term properties of all LPPB mixtures were evaluated by running the slump, compressive and splitting tensile strength, and water absorption tests, respectively. The interfacial transition zone and interaction mechanism between wheat straw and the cementitious matrix were thoroughly investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses, respectively. The results demonstrated the formation of a relatively strong interphase bonding between wheat straw and cement when the wheat straw is treated with sodium silicate. However, evident delamination in mixtures is noticed when untreated wheat straw is employed. A maximum reduction of 62% in the water absorption of LPPB mixtures containing 5% treated wheat straw was achieved, compared to control, due to the influence of sodium silicate in sealing the pores of wheat straw fibres. All LPPB mixtures experienced a drop in their compressive and splitting tensile strength values after the integration of wheat straw (treated and untreated). Still, the drop was less severe in the case of treated wheat straw mixtures attributable to the better bonding that sodium silicate forms.

Integrating Tillage and Mulching Practices as an Avenue to Promote Soil Water Storage, Growth, Production, and Water Productivity of Wheat under Deficit Irrigation in Arid Countries

Ensuring food security with limited water resources in arid countries requires urgent development of innovative water-saving strategies. This study aimed to investigate the effects of various tillage and mulching practices on soil water storage (SWS), growth, production, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and water productivity (WP) of wheat under full (FL) and limited (LM) irrigation regimes in a typical arid country. The tillage practices comprised the conventional tillage (CT) and reduced tillage (RT), each with five mulching treatments (MT), including non-mulched (NM), plastic film mulch (PFM), wheat straw mulch (WSM), palm residues mulch (PRM), and a mixture of wheat straw and palm residues at 50/50 ratio (MM). Results showed higher SWS at different measured time points in CT than RT at 20–40 cm, 40–60 cm, and 0–60 cm soil depth under FL regime, and at 40–60 cm under LM regime, while the opposite was observed at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil depth under LM regime. SWS at different soil depths under MT, in most cases, followed the order of PFM &gt; PRM ≈ MM &gt; WSM &gt; NM under FL, and PFM ≈ PRM &gt; MM &gt; WSM &gt; NM under LM regimes. No significant differences were observed for traits related to growth between CT and RT, but RT increased the traits related to yield, IWUE, and WP by 5.9–11.6% than did CT. PFM and PRM or PRM and MM showed the highest values for traits related to growth or yield, IWUE, and WP, respectively. No significant differences in all traits between CT and RT under the FL regime were observed, however, RT increased all traits by 8.0–18.8% than did CT under the LM regime. The yield response factor (Ky) based on plant dry weight (KyPDW) and grain yield (KyGY) under RT was acceptable for four MT, while KyGY under CT was acceptable only for PRM, as the Ky values in these treatments were &lt;1 under the LM regime. The interrelationships of plant dry weight (PDW), grain yield (GY), IWUE, and WP with evapotranspiration (ET), and of WP and IWUE with PDW and GY were best described by a second-order polynomial. SWS measured before irrigation exhibited strong linear relationships with PDW and GY (R2 range 0.57 to 0.92), while they exhibited a second order polynomial and moderate correlation with IWUE and WP (R2 range 0.29 to 0.54). Overall, combining RT with plant residue mulching, particularly using the readily available palm residues in sufficient amount is a feasible and sustainable water-saving strategy for enhancing wheat yield and WP in irrigated arid countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Role of selenite on the nitrogen conservation and greenhouse gases mitigation during the goat manure composting process.

This study aimed to explore the roles of selenite (Se) on nitrogen conservation and greenhouse gases (GHGs) mitigation during the composting process. Six levels of Se(IV) dosages (i.e. 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mg/kg) were examined for 80-day composting of goat manure and wheat straw mixtures, where the different blending proportions were marked as T1 (Control), T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. The results showed that adding Se(IV) was beneficial for reducing NH3 by 3.50-42.41% by buffering pH and promoting nitrification. For N2O, it showed different responses to different Se(IV) dosages, and it was increased by 29.62-71.29% in T2-T4 but reduced by 30.45-69.54% in T5-T6. Methane (CH4), another main component of GHGs, was increased by 1.35-107.42% by adding 2-10 mg/kg Se(IV). To further evaluate the effect of Se(IV) on GHGs, global warming potential value was calculated, which was 103.32-499.80 and minimum value was in T5. Furthermore, the physicochemical indexes, especially temperature and OM, had vital effects on microbial community. Overall, the results obtained from this study demonstrated that the application of Se (IV) in composting was reasonable to generate Se-rich organic fertilizer, and the 8 mg/kg was suggested from perspectives of nitrogen conservation and GHGs reduction.

Effect of molasses on fermentation quality of wheat straw ensiled with perennial ryegrass

Context Insufficient supply of silage has limited the development of animal husbandry in Tibet, where natural pasture may not meet requirements. Although wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw could be a supplementary forage, it is difficult to ensile. Mixing perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and adding molasses may help to facilitate successful ensilage. Aims The objectives were to determine the proper mixing ratios of wheat straw and perennial ryegrass for silage, and to evaluate the effects of different levels of molasses on fermentation quality. Methods In Experiment 1, wheat straw was ensiled without perennial ryegrass or mixed at ratios of 4:1, 3:2 and 2:3 (fresh-weight basis). Fermentation quality was evaluated when the laboratory silos were opened after 7, 14, 30 and 60 days. In Experiment 2, a mixture of wheat straw and perennial ryegrass (2:3) was treated with 0%, 3%, 4% and 5% molasses (fresh-weight basis) and ensiled. Fermentation quality was determined at 7, 14, 30 and 60 days. Key results In Experiment 1, inclusion of perennial ryegrass significantly (P &lt; 0.05) increased lactic acid and water-soluble carbohydrate contents and the lactic acid:acetic acid ratio, and significantly (P &lt; 0.05) decreased pH and contents of ammonia-nitrogen, acetic acid, butyric acid and total volatile fatty acids. The 2:3 mixture of wheat straw ensiled with perennial ryegrass was judged the best, with the highest lactic acid content and lowest pH and butyric acid content (P &lt; 0.05). In Experiment 2, molasses addition significantly (P &lt; 0.05) increased lactic acid, water-soluble carbohydrate and dry matter contents, and significantly (P &lt; 0.05) decreased pH and ammonia-nitrogen content compared with the control. Trace amounts of propionic and butyric acids were observed in all silages. Fermentation quality was similar among all treatments with added molasses. Conclusions Considering the costs of additives, 3% molasses was most suitable for practical application when ensiling wheat straw with perennial ryegrass at an optimum ratio of 2:3. Implications This work may help to inform producers on efficient utilisation of wheat straw for silage making by demonstrating successful ensiling with perennial ryegrass and added molasses.

Will mixing rule or chemical reactions dominate the ash behavior of biomass mixtures in combustion processes on laboratory and pilot scales?

Mixing biomasses has a good potential to solve operational problems in thermochemical valorization processes related to ash behavior. Chemical reactions within the ash of the blend, and not only a mixing effect without reaction, need to take place to form new solid phases in the mixture at the expense of getting rid of the problematic liquid one to decrease the slagging tendency. The present work focuses on assessing the presence of a chemical reaction in comparison with a simple mixing effect within the ash of mixtures of wheat straw - oak bark biomass and ash in two laboratory setups and in a fixed and in a moving bed pilot combustion reactors. The operating conditions were varied to study their effects on the reactivity of the ash within the mixtures. This aimed to optimize the ash reactivity and to assess the capabilities of the laboratory test to predict the ash behavior in pilot-scale reactors.Mixing without reaction effect was more evident when mixtures of biomass were used on both laboratory and pilot scales. In this case, the simple mixing rule was able to simulate the general ash behavior of biomass mixture to a certain extent that exact prediction was always limited by the presence of certain chemical reactions. However, chemical reactions effect was dominant when mixtures of ash of biomass were applied as feedstock. Solid crystalline phases K2Ca2Si2O7 and K2Ca6Si4O15 were the direct end products of these chemical reactions. Their relative proportion was inversely proportional to the problematic amorphous phase in the final ash. Hence, optimizing the blend proportion to increase their concentrations has the potential to solve slagging problematic. These two compounds were mostly stable at 1000 ℃, at which equilibrium was reached after 6 h. However, they existed at a lower proportion at 850℃ and disappeared at 1200℃. The developed laboratory pellet test was also able to predict very efficiently the pilot ash behavior of both individual biomasses and their mixture in terms of crystalline and amorphous composition and proportion along with agglomeration distribution.

EPR Spectroscopy as a Tool to Characterize the Maturity Degree of Humic Acids.

The major indicator of soil fertility and productivity are humic acids (HAs) arising from decomposition of organic matter. The structure and properties of HAs depend, among others climate factors, on soil and anthropogenic factors, i.e., methods of soil management. The purpose of the research undertaken in this paper is to study humic acids resulting from the decomposition of crop residues of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and plant material of thuja (Thuja plicata D.Don.ex. Lamb) using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. In the present paper, we report EPR studies carried out on two types of HAs extracted from forest soil and incubated samples of plant material (mixture of wheat straw and roots), both without soil and mixed with soil. EPR signals obtained from these samples were subjected to numerical analysis, which showed that the EPR spectra of each sample could be deconvoluted into Lorentzian and Gaussian components. It can be shown that the origin of HAs has a significant impact on the parameters of their EPR spectra. The parameters of EPR spectra of humic acids depend strongly on their origin. The HA samples isolated from forest soils are characterized by higher spin concentration and lower peak-to-peak width of EPR spectra in comparison to those of HAs incubated from plant material.

Biochar-assisted bio-cementation of a sand using native bacteria

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is a ground improvement method often driven by ureolytic bacteria to precipitate calcite in a soil mass. While in previous studies MICP was often accomplished by the injection of exogenous bacterial solutions, this study utilizes the soil’s native ureolytic microorganisms. The roles of yeast extract, molasses, and biochar as different sources of carbon and nutrients for stimulating native microorganisms are examined and compared with MICP induced by bioaugmentation. Biochar as a carbonized biomass has the potential to enhance a soil’s enzymatic activity by providing high concentrations of organic carbon, phosphorus, and ammonium nitrogen, making it an attractive substance to catalyze ureolysis and bio-cementation in the field. In this research, a mixture of wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse is used to produce biochar. This material is then enriched with sugarcane molasses and mixed with specimens of a natural sand to stimulate native microorganisms with a long-lasting source of energy and produce ureolytic enzymes for bio-cementation. After 5, 10, and 15 cycles of injecting the cementation solution, shear strength and permeability of treated specimens were measured in direct shear and hydraulic conductivity tests. The specimens’ structural changes were also examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results show a higher gain in strength and lower permeability in biochar-assisted microbially treated sand specimens compared to the untreated sand. Physical model experiments conducted in this study further demonstrated the application of this technique along with natural microorganisms for stabilizing a model slope against wave-induced erosion.

Kinetics of nutrients remediation from sugar industry effluent-treated substrate using Agaricus bisporus: mushroom yield and biochemical potentials.

This study investigated the yield and biochemical potential of Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivated on agricultural waste substrate supplemented with treated sugar industry effluent (SIE). Laboratory-scale experiments were performed for the cultivation of A. bisporus on a mixture of wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse moistened with different doses of borewell water (BWW) and treated SIE (0-100%). Besides this, the simultaneous effects of the SIE amendment on total Kjeldahl's nitrogen (TKN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents of substrate and kinetics of their utilization by A. bisporus were studied. Results showed a relatively higher utilization of TKN (38.10 ± 1.60%) and TP (47.4 ± 6.44%) in a 25:75 ratio of BWW and SIE, respectively. The kinetics studies of TKN and TP utilization using Lineweaver-Burk models described the maximum specific utilization rates (V max) of 0.165 and 0.125mg·kg-1·d-1 and saturation points (K m ) of 72.401 and 33.283mg·kg-1, respectively, which are in good agreement as indicated by R 2 values (> 0.90). In addition, the maximum significant (P < 0.01) yield (159.31 ± 8.85g·Kg-1), biological efficiency (106.21 ± 3.84%), total phenols (3.03 ± 0.07mg·g-1), ascorbic acid (0.44 ± 0.03mg·g-1), and β-carotene (3.36 ± 0.05μg·g-1) of A. bisporus were observed using the same treatment. Therefore, this paper reported sustainable utilization of TKN and TP nutrients from SIE for A. bisporus mushroom cultivation.

Bioconversion of lignocellulosic ‘waste’ to high‐value food proteins: Recombinant production of bovine and human αS1‐casein based on wheat straw lignocellulose

AbstractLignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant bio‐resource on earth, mainly composed of D‐glucose, D‐xylose and L‐arabinose. It is widely considered to be a promising alternative feedstock for biotechnological processes. Here we evaluated its potential to be the carbon source for growth of broadly distributed and well‐established Escherichia coli laboratory and protein expression strains as well as a classic probiotic E. coli strain. E. coli DH5α, E. coli K12‐MG1655, E. coli K12‐W3110, E. coli BL21(DE3) and E. coli Nissle 1917 were cultivated in mineral media containing single lignocellulosic sugar components. Sugar consumption in these cultures and growth parameters of the different strains were characterized. enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) was chosen as a first easy to measure and prominent model recombinant target protein to demonstrate lignocellulose‐dependent recombinant protein production in E. coli. To open new production routes for high value food proteins based on lignocellulose, structural genes encoding bovine αS1‐casein and human αS1‐casein were synthesized, cloned and then expressed in an E. coli T7 expression system in different media based on single sugars and a synthetic wheat straw mixture. Successful recombinant production of both bovine and human αS1‐caseins in E. coli under these experimental conditions was demonstrated and quantified by densitometric analysis after protein separation in polyacrylamide gels. Finally, efficient casein production in E. coli based on a real hydrolysate obtained by steam explosion of wheat straw lignocellulose in a bioreactor‐based batch production process was successfully demonstrated. We believe that this proof‐of‐concept presented here is a promising starting point to open new routes for the production of food or feed proteins with high nutritional and economic value. As such, a valorization of bulk residual biomass like lignocellulose is envisioned as a key support of a growing and truly sustainable bioeconomy.

Integrated use of treated dairy wastewater and agro-residue for Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivation: Experimental and kinetics studies

Abstract In this study, the combined application of treated dairy wastewater and agricultural residues for Agaricus bisporus mushroom cultivation is presented. For this, laboratory-scale cultivation of A. bisporus was done on a mixture of wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse substrates moistened with different concentrations of treated dairy wastewater (DWW) including, 0 (borewell water), 25, 50, 75, and 100%, respectively. Additionally, the mushroom growth patterns were analyzed using different kinetics models. The results revealed that substrate moistening using DWW showed a significant increase (P

Investigation of Buckwheat Hulls as Additives in the Production of Solid Biomass Fuel from Straw

The aim of this study was to further increase the amount of straw that can be used to produce solid biofuels, as currently only about 130–140 thousand of the 3 million tonnes of straw collected annually in Lithuania are used for solid biofuel production. Therefore, the use of buckwheat hulls as an additive in solid biofuel production was investigated. Mixtures of wheat straw and buckwheat hulls were used for this research, with an increase in buckwheat hulls from 25% to 75% of the total weight of the mixture. Results of the analysis of the chemical composition, moisture, ash, and volatile matter content of the mixtures, as well as their ash properties, were compared with the corresponding results obtained with pure buckwheat hulls, wheat straw, and wood chips. It is observed an increase in all ash melting temperatures by increasing the portion of buckwheat hulls in the mixture. Additionally, the ash shrinkage starting temperature was shown to increase as the total content of buckwheat hulls also increased in the mixture. This increase ranged from 90 °C to 210 °C. Furthermore, the Cl concentration in fuel mixtures and the corrosion risk of equipment are accordingly reduced by using buckwheat hulls, as an addition that does not contain Cl.