Nanocellulose: Preparation, Characterization and Applications

The growth of nanocellulose has attracted outstanding interest in the last few decades due to its unique and potentially useful features. Novel nanocelluloses improve the strongly expanding field of sustainable materials and nanocomposites.CNCs and CNFs are two kind of nanocelluloses (NCs), and they own various superior properties, such as large specific surface area, high tensile strength and stiffness, low density, and low thermal expansion coefficient.Their application includesnanocellulose in transdermal drug delivery, Hydrogels, Aerogel Systems, Nanocellulose in Tablet Formulations and Nanocellulose in Microparticulate Drug Delivery (1). Different methods of nanocellulose like pretreatment method, mechanical process and chemical hydrolysis used for the synthesis of nanocellulose. Characterization of cellulose includes scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of samples and thermogravimetric analysis.

Bioconversion of Industrial Cassava Solid Waste (Onggok) to Bioethanol Using a Saccharification and Fermentation process

Cassava solid waste (Onggok) is a by-product of the starch industry containing a lot of fiber, especially cellulose and hemicellulose. It has the potential to be converted to bioethanol. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of feedstocks ratio for the optimal bioethanol production via enzymatic and acidic hydrolysis process in a batch fermentation process. The effect of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase activities was studied. The sulfuric acid concentrations in the hydrolysis process in converting cassava into reducing sugar were also investigated. The reducing sugar was then fermented to produce ethanol. Enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis was carried out with the ratio of onggok(g)/water(L), 50/1, 75/1, and 100/1 (w/v). In the enzymatic hydrolysis, 22.5, 45, and 67.5 KNU (Kilo Novo alpha-amylase Unit) for liquefaction; and 65, 130, and 195 GAU (Glucoamylase Unit) for saccharification, respectively of enzymes were applied. The liquefaction was carried out at 90-100⁰C for 2 hours. The saccharification was executed at 65 ⁰C for 4 hours. Meanwhile, the acidic hydrolysis operating condition was at 90-100 ⁰C for 3 hours. The fermentation was performed at pH 4.5 for 3 days. Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) analysis was conducted to evaluate the hydrolysis process. The highest ethanol was yielded in the fermentation at 8.89% with the ratio of onggok to water 100:1, 67.5 KNU of alpha-amylase, and 195 GAU of glucoamylase. Ethanol was further purified utilizing fractional distillation. The final ethanol concentration was at 93-94%.

Effects of fermentation on the degree of breaking up of bone particles in meat and bone paste from cattle bones

Bone processing is an urgent task of rational use of meat industry waste. Disposal of cattle bones can be carried out by different methods. Various methods are used for processing bone raw materials, such as mechanical processing, chemical hydrolysis, ultrasonic processing, etc. Processed meat and bone raw materials in meat and bone paste are chemically exposed to ascorbic acid (0.05 M, 1 h, 25 ° C) and pepsin (pH 2.0, t=10...40 ° C, τ=1...8 h). This allows you to reduce the mass of bone particles in meat and bone paste by 70%. Meat and bone paste subjected to enzyme processing can be used in the technology of meat products.

Secondary Metabolites with α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity from Mangrove Endophytic Fungus Talaromyces sp. CY-3

Eight new compounds, including two sambutoxin derivatives (1–2), two highly oxygenated cyclopentenones (7–8), four highly oxygenated cyclohexenones (9–12), together with four known sambutoxin derivatives (3–6), were isolated from semimangrove endophytic fungus Talaromyces sp. CY-3, under the guidance of molecular networking. The structures of new isolates were elucidated by analysis of detailed spectroscopic data, ECD spectra, chemical hydrolysis, 13C NMR calculation, and DP4+ analysis. In bioassays, compounds 1–5 displayed better α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than the positive control 1-deoxynojirimycin (IC50 = 80.8 ± 0.3 μM), and the IC50 value was in the range of 12.6 ± 0.9 to 57.3 ± 1.3 μM.

Biodegradation of Keratin-Rich Husbandry Waste as a Path to Sustainable Agriculture

Every year, the size of the human population grows; with it, the need for agricultural products increases. This leads to an increment in the volume of waste, including hard-to-degrade keratin-rich ones, such as feathers. Currently, most of the agro-industrial complex protein by-products are utilized by incineration, landfilling, and chemical hydrolysis. Such methods do not meet modern trends in the development of a sustainable economy, negatively affecting the environment and humans, and preventing the reusing of waste. An alternative is biodegradation, which consists of the application of living organisms and their enzymes to recycle by-products. This approach is not only sustainable, but also makes it possible to obtain products of waste hydrolysis that are in demand for the manufacture of fertilizers and feed additives. This brings the development of agriculture closer to a circular economy and makes the recycling process more profitable. This review article emphasizes the significance of keratinolytic microorganisms and keratinases for the improvement of green methods for processing hard-to-degrade protein waste of the agro-industrial complex, which is necessary for sustainable economic development.

Synthesis of Mutual Prodrugs of Secnidazole and Ciprofloxacin and study Their Physicochemical Properties

Secnidazole was linked with ciprofloxacin as mutual prodrugs to get antibiotics with broader spectrum of activity, improved physicochemical properties and given by single dose to improve patient’s compliance. Furthermore, they provide structural modifications to overcome bacterial adaptation. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed using FT-IR, mass spectrometry, elemental microanalysis (CHNO) and some physiochemical properties. This modification was led to an increase in Log P values for Mutual I (Log P 1.114) and Mutual II (Log P 1.97) compared with its values for Secnidazole (Log P -0.373) and ciprofloxacin (Log P -0.832). The solubility of prodrugs had been determined in different media, Mutual II showed 144-fold increase in aqueous solubility compared to ciprofloxacin. Taste evaluation by panel method showed palatable taste in prodrugs compared to the parent drugs. The synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity against different bacterial strains which are, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. The prodrugs have revealed excellent antibacterial activities compared with the parent compounds. Chemical hydrolysis study at pH (1.2 and 7.4) has indicated that these compounds may pass unhydrolyzed through the stomach and produce enough stability to be absorbed from the intestine as indicated by t1/2 values.

Synergetic Physical Freezing and Chemical Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Sugarcane Bagasse Followed by Enzymatic Hydrolysis

This study focuses on employing an eco-friendly pretreatment approach for lignocellulosic Sugarcane Bagasse (SCB) as a major problematic solid waste in Egypt, complying with the standard legislation as well. The applied technique depended on SCB physical fractionation via freezing, followed by chemical hydrolysis using alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) and enzymatic hydrolysis. The changes occurred in macrostructure and the entire lignocellulosic compounds during the pretreatment stages were evaluated. Freezing fractionation resulted in relatively low glucose yield and saccharification ratio at -20°C for 2 h of 307.52 mg/gm native SCB and 48.5%, respectively, where no total reducing sugars (TRS) was obtained. Further AHP pretreatment was performed for the frozen-fractionated SCB at -20°C and 2 h with assistance of Box–Behnken Design response surface methodology (RSM). The investigated key parameters were H2O2 concentration (3, 5.5 and 8 %v/v), temperature (25, 42.5 and 60°C) and pretreatment duration (1, 3 and 5 h). The results revealed that the statistical modelling was able to predict the response of glucose yield and TRS production with R2 = 0.8221 and 0.8814, respectively. Applying the optimization tool of RSM, the optimum predicted values of glucose yield and TRS production were (886.51 mg/gm native SCB and 1.44 mg/mL), respectively; confirmed by the experimental analysis (898.5 mg/gm native SCB and 1.32 mg/mL), respectively. The coincided saccharification ratio was 97.5%. These results were obtained at H2O2 of 3 % (v/v), 56.93°C and 1 h which were 4.32 and 2.01 times higher than that obtained during the freezing pretreatment phase for glucose yield and saccharification ratio, respectively.

Sisymbrium Officinale (the Singers’ Plant) as an Ingredient: Analysis of Somatosensory Active Volatile Isothiocyanates in Model Food and Drinks

Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop. (hedge mustard) is a wild common plant of the Brassicaceae family. It is known as “the singers’ plant” for its traditional use in treating aphonia and vocal disability. The plant is rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates; the latter has been demonstrated to be a strong agonist in vitro of the Transient Receptor Potential Ankirine 1 (TRPA1) channel, which is involved in the somatosensory perception of pungency as well as in the nociception pathway of inflammatory pain. Volatile ITCs are released by the enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis of GLSs (glucosinolates) during sample crushing and/or by the mastication of fresh plant tissues when the plant is used as an ingredient. Some functional food and drink model preparations have been realised: honey enriched with seeds and flowers, infusions, cold drink (voice drink), artisanal beer, and a fermented tea (kombucha). Using SPME-GCMS chromatography, we analysed samples of the plant and of the food preparations adopting conditions that simulate the release of isothiocyanates (ITCs) during oral assumption. Two active compounds, iso-propylisothiocyanate and 2-butylisothiocyanate, have been assayed. The concentration of ITCs varies according to temperature, pH, grinding conditions, and different plant organs used. Kombucha-type fermentation seems to eliminate the ITCs, whereas they are retained in beer. The ITCs’ concentration is higher when entire seeds and flowers are used.