Combined dilute alkali and milling process enhances the functionality and gut microbiota fermentability of insoluble corn fiber.

In this study, we developed a process combining dilute alkali (NaOH or NaHCO3) and physical (disk milling and/or ball milling) treatments to improve the functionality and fermentability of corn fiber. The results showed that combining chemical with physical processes greatly improved the functionality and fermentability of corn fiber. Corn fiber treated with NaOH followed by disk milling (NaOH-DM-CF) had the highest water retention (19.5 g/g), water swelling (38.8 mL/g), and oil holding (15.5 g/g) capacities. Moreover, NaOH-DM-CF produced the largest amount (42.9 mM) of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) during the 24-hr in vitro fermentation using porcine fecal inoculum. In addition, in vitro fermentation of NaOH-DM-CF led to a targeted microbial shifting to Prevotella (genus level), aligning with a higher fraction of propionic acid. The outstanding functionality and fermentability of NaOH-DM-CF were attributed to its thin and loose structure, decreased ester linkages and acetyl groups, and enriched structural carbohydrate exposure.

Polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms in one EBPR system for liquid dairy manure.

Two enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) sequencing batch reactors (SBR1, SBR2) treating liquid dairy manure were operated with the same hydraulic retention time (HRT) and solids retention time (SRT), but with different aeration cycles. During eight months of operation, both SBRs achieved good removal of total phosphorus (P) (TP; 56.8 and 73.5% for SBR1 and SBR2 respectively) and of orthophosphate (OP; 76.2 vs. 82.7%, P < 0.05). Growth dynamics of presumptive phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) were examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). SBR1 was enriched with a greater abundance of PAOs while SBR2 was characterized by a greater abundance of GAOs. These results demonstrate the capability of EBPR of dairy manure and challenge conventional wisdom, since greater abundance of PAOs in EBPR system was not associated with improved OP removal and greater abundance of GAOs did not indicate deterioration of the EBPR system.

Occurrence, fate and removal of synthetic oral contraceptives (SOCs) in the natural environment: a review.

Synthetic oral contraceptives (SOCs) are a group of compounds with progestagenic and/or androgenic activities, with some also possessing estrogenic activities. Recent research has documented that some of these emerging contaminants have adverse effects on aquatic organisms at very low concentrations. To facilitate the evaluation of their latent risks, published works on their occurrence and fate in the environment are reviewed. Androgenic/progestagenic relative potencies or relative binding affinity of these SOCs as well as their physicochemical properties and toxicity are summarized. Appropriate analytical methods are outlined for various environmental sample types, including methods of sample preparation and limit of detection/quantification (LOD/LOQ). Finally results on their occurrence and fate in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and other environments are critically examined.