Valorization of orange bagasse through one-step physical and chemical combined processes to obtain a cellulose-rich material.

BACKGROUND: Orange bagasse (OB) is an agroindustrial residue of great economic importance that has been little explored for the extraction of cellulose. The present study aimed to investigate different combinations of chemical (sodium hydroxide, peracetic acid and alkaline peroxide) and physical (autoclaving and ultrasonication) treatments performed in one-step processes for cellulose extraction from OB and to characterize the materials obtained according to their composition, morphology, crystallinity and thermal stability. RESULTS: The processing yields ranged from 140 to 820 g kg-1 , with a recovery of 720-1000 g kg-1 of the original cellulose. Treatments promoted morphological changes in the fiber structure, resulting in materials with higher porosity, indicating partial removal of the noncellulosic fractions. The use of combined chemical treatments (NaOH and peracetic acid) with autoclaving was more efficient for obtaining samples with the highest cellulose contents. CONCLUSION: Therefore, ACSH (processed by autoclaving with NaOH) was the most effective one-step treatment, resulting in 71.1% cellulose, 0% hemicellulose and 19.0% lignin, with a crystallinity index of 42%. The one-step treatments were able to obtain materials with higher cellulose contents and yields, reducing reaction times and the quantity of chemical reagents employed in the overall processes compared to multistep conventional processes. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of two disinfection/sterilization methods on silicon rubber-based composite finishing instruments.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection/sterilization methods and their effects on polishing capacity, micomorphology, and composition of two different composite fiishing and polishing instruments. METHODS: Two brands of finishing and polishing instruments (Jiffy and Optimize), were analyzed. For the antimicrobial test, 60 points (30 of each brand) were used for polishing composite restorations and submitted to three different groups of disinfection/sterilization methods: none (control), autoclaving, and immersion in peracetic acid for 60 minutes. The in vitro tests were performed to evaluate the polishing performance on resin composite disks (Amelogen) using a 3D scanner (Talyscan) and to evaluate the effects on the points' surface composition (XRF) and micromorphology (MEV) after completing a polishing and sterilizing routine five times. RESULTS: Both sterilization/disinfection methods were efficient against oral cultivable organisms and no deleterious modification was observed to point surface.

Disinfection of tertiary wastewater effluent prior to river discharge using peracetic acid; treatment efficiency and results on by-products formed in full scale tests.

This is an investigation of chemical disinfection, with peracetic acid (PAA), in a tertiary sand filter at a full scale activated sludge plant with nitrification/denitrification and P-removal. The reduction efficiency of Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci in the sand filter is reported. E. coli log reductions of between 0.4 and 2.2 were found with contact times from 6 to 37 min and with dosing from 0 to 4.8 mg L(-1). The average log reduction was 1.3. The decomposition products, bromophenols, chlorophenols and formaldehyde and residual H2O2 were measured before and after the sand filter. The residual H2O2 concentration in the effluent was critical at short contact times and high dosages of PAA due to the discharge limit of 25 µg L(-1). The other three products could not be detected at 0.1 µg L(-1) levels. The chemical cost of PAA dosing is estimated to be 0.039 US$ m(-3) treated wastewater.

The effect of peracetic acid on removing calcium hydroxide from the root canals.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficiencies of different irrigation solutions in the removal of calcium hydroxide (CH). METHODS: Forty-eight maxillary central incisor teeth were used. Root canals were prepared with the ProTaper system (Dentsply Maillefer, Baillagues, Switzerland). Five milliliters 2% NaOCl, 5 mL 17% EDTA, and 10 mL saline were used for final irrigation. The canals were filled with CH paste. Specimens were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups (n = 10) according to irrigation protocols. Positive and negative control groups (n = 4) were used. Group 1 used 2.5 mL 17% EDTA, group 2 used 2.5 mL 2.5% NaOCl + 2.5 mL 17% EDTA, group 3 used 2.5 mL 1% peracetic acid (PAA), and group 4 used 2.5 mL 0.5% PAA. The specimens were evaluated with scanning electron microscope analysis and scored. Kruskal-Wallis and Student Newman-Keuls post hoc tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In the apical thirds, 1% PAA was superior to the other groups (P < .05); however, there were no significant differences among the other groups (P > .05). In the middle thirds, no significant differences were found among the groups (P > .05). In the coronal thirds, 1% PAA was superior to the other groups. There were significant differences among all the other groups (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings of the present study, 1% PAA could be recommended for the removal of CH from the root canals.

A potential prodrug for a green tea polyphenol proteasome inhibitor: evaluation of the peracetate ester of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate [(-)-EGCG].

Green tea has been shown to have many biological effects, including effects on metabolism, angiogenesis, oxidation, and cell proliferation. Unfortunately, the most abundant green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate or (-)-EGCG is very unstable in neutral or alkaline medium. This instability leads to a low bioavailability. In an attempt to enhance the stability of (-)-EGCG, we introduced peracetate protection groups on the reactive hydroxyls of (-)-EGCG (noted in text as 1). HPLC analysis shows that the protected (-)-EGCG analog is six times more stable than natural (-)-EGCG under slightly alkaline conditions. A series of bioassays show that 1 has no inhibitory activity against a purified 20S proteasome in vitro, but exhibits increased proteasome-inhibitory activity in intact leukemic cells over natural (-)-EGCG, indicating an intercellular conversion. Inhibition of cellular proteasome activity by 1 is associated with induction of cell death. Therefore, our results indicate that the protected analog 1 may function as a prodrug of the green tea polyphenol proteasome inhibitor (-)-EGCG.

Optimization of the peroxy acid treatment of alpha-methylnaphthalene and benzo[a]pyrene in sandy and silty-clay sediments.

The majority of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released to the environment come from anthropogenic sources involving the incomplete combustion of organic compounds. Several techniques are available for the degradation of PAHs. Among the abiotic/biotic processes used to degrade PAHs, an alternative strategy utilizing a primary chemical oxidative step to be combined with a biological was created. The degradation of alpha-methylnaphthalene and benzo[a]pyrene using an advanced oxidation process was optimized over a period of 24 h by varying the ratio of acetic acid to hydrogen peroxide, the compounds that form peroxy acids. The optimization process was performed using sandy and silty-clay sediment types. Gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector was used to determine the varied rates of degradation depending on acetic acid:hydrogen peroxide ratios and the characteristics of the sediment sample. Reduction of 20-90% of alpha-methylnaphthalene and benzo[a]pyrene was observed when 2-5 mL of hydrogen peroxide was used, respectively. A peracetic acid solution (e.g., a commercial form of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide) was used to compare the results from the peroxy acid experiments. In all the experiments, peracetic acid was more reactive than the combination of acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Acetic acid, deionized water, and hydrogen peroxide served as controls and demonstrated minimal degradation over the time course study. Therefore, the use of a peroxy acid process to target electron dense pollutants may have a great utility.