Chickpea-Derived Prebiotic Substances Trigger Biofilm Formation by Bacillus subtilis

Chickpea-based foods are known for their low allergenicity and rich nutritional package. As an essential dietary legume, chickpea is often processed into milk or hummus or as an industrial source of protein and starch. The current study explores the feasibility of using the chickpea-derived prebiotic substances as a scaffold for growing Bacillus subtilis (a prospective probiotic bacterium) to develop synbiotic chickpea-based functional food. We report that the chickpea-derived fibers enhance the formation of the B. subtilis biofilms and the production of the antimicrobial pigment pulcherrimin. Furthermore, electron micrograph imaging confirms the bacterial embedding onto the chickpea fibers, which may provide a survival tactic to shield and protect the bacterial population from environmental insults. Overall, it is believed that chickpea-derived prebiotic substances provide a staple basis for developing functional probiotics and synbiotic food.

Extraction of proteins and other functional components from red seaweed (Rhodophyta)

Red seaweeds are a major industrial source of agar and carrageenan. They also contain high amounts of other polysaccharides and higher amounts of proteins than brown seaweeds. Some species of red seaweed also contain polyphenols with antioxidant activities as well as being a source of carotenoids and phycobiliproteins. However, there are currently no commercial-scale methods for extracting those bioactive compounds. This chapter provides an overview of various methods for extracting all these functional compounds from red seaweeds. Whereas the main emphasis is on the extractions of proteins, extractions of polysaccharides (carrageenan and agar) and antioxidants (phenolic compounds) are covered. Multi-extraction approaches for extractions of bioactive compounds from red seaweeds are also described.

Monitoring of Heavy Metals and Nitrogen Concentrations in Mosses in the Vicinity of an Integrated Iron and Steel Plant: Case Study in Czechia

A biomonitoring study using terrestrial mosses was performed in the vicinity of an Integrated Iron and Steel plant near the Czech–Polish border. Moss samples were collected in two seasons (June, October) in order to embrace the effect of the heating season on the pollution levels. The contents of metals (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, As, Sb and Hg) were determined using the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and contents of N, C, H via elemental analysis. The influence of the proximity of the factory, the heating season and modelled concentrations of particulate matter <10 µm (PM10) on determined concentrations of elements were studied via multivariate statistical methods using clr-transformed data. This approach led to the first-time demonstration that not only the distance from the industrial source but also the sampling season and PM10 concentrations significantly affect the elemental content in mosses; the association of the emissions from the source and the determined concentrations of elements in moss samples were more evident outside the heating season (October). The analyses of transformed data revealed the association of Fe, Cr, V, As and Al with the coarse particles and their dominant spatial distribution depending on the prevailing wind directions. The spatial distribution of Mn, Zn and Cd, which are carried by fine particles, appears to depend more on atmospheric dispersion and long-range transport, and, thus, these metals should be considered weak markers of the pollution load in the close surroundings of an industrial source.

Extraction and characterization of β-fructofuranosidases produced by Kluyveromyces marxianus CCMB 322

Invertase (β-fructofuranosidase, EC 3.2.1.26) catalyzes sucrose hydrolysis into glucose and fructose and it is one of the simplest carbohydrases. These enzymes occur widely in nature and their presence has been reported in microorganisms and plants. Since yeasts are the main industrial source, most researches concerning this enzyme have focused on invertase extracted from such source. This study extracted and characterized inverted intracellular (Inv-I) and extracellular (Inv-E) of Kluyveromyces marxianus CCMB 322 isolated in the baiano semi-arid region. Kluyveromyces marxianus CCMB 322 produces intracellular and extracellular invertase with different characteristics. The optimum activity was achieved at approximately pH 3.9 and 45ºC, in Inv-I and Inv-E. The invertases produced by K. marxianus CCMB 322 showed thermal stability similar to that found in other studies. The Km and Vmax values of the Inv-I enzyme were 61.12mM and 5.56 µmol/mL.min-1, but the Km and Vmax values of the Inv-E enzyme were 76.5mM and 0.364 µmol/mL.min-1. Inverted from K. marxianus is a higher affinity for sucrose compared to enzymes from other sources.

Source apportionment of soil contamination based on multivariate receptor and robust geostatistics in a typical rural–urban area, Wuhan city, middle China

In this study topsoil samples were collected from 57 sites of Dongxihu District which is a typical Chinese urban–rural combination area, to analyze the causes and effects of 6 heavy elements. (Ni, Pb, As, Cu, Cd, and Hg) Pollution of Enrichment factor, multivariate statistics, geostatistics were adopted to study the spatial pollution pattern and to identify the priority pollutants and regions of concern and sources of studied metals. Most importantly, the study area was creatively divided into central urban, semi-urbanized, and rural areas in accordance with the characteristics of urban development and land use. The results show that the pollution degree of potential ecological risk assessment is Hg>Ni>Cu>As>Cd>Pb, and semi-urban regions> city center> rural areas. Results based on the proposed integrated source identification method indicated that As was probably sourced from agricultural sources (33.99%), Pb was associated with atmospheric deposition (50.11%), Cu was related to industrial source 1 (45.97%), Cd was mainly derived from industrial source 2 (42.97%) and Hg come mainly from industrial source 3 (56.22%). The pollution in semi-urban areas in urbanization need more attention.

Influence of the variability of the odour emission rate on its impact range: a case study of the selected industrial source

Odour concentration measurements in a chosen industrial source were made in this study using the method of dynamic olfactometry. The two different scenarios considered the variation of the odour emission rate as input for the dispersion model were compared for the period 2017 (before installation of the equipment for gas treatment) and 2018 (after implementation of purifying technologies). In this paper the odour impact range was determined by applying model calculations conducted in the Polish reference dispersion model – OPERAT FB software for the grid size 2 x 2 km. The conducted research shows a significant improvement in the odour impact range of chosen industrial source in year 2018 compared to 2017.