A new spectral simulating method based on near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for evaluation of antibiotic mycelia residues in protein feeds.

Antibiotic mycelia residues (AMRs) contain antibiotic residues. If AMRs are ingested in excess by livestock, it may cause health problems. To address the current problem of unknown pixel-scale adulteration concentration in NIR-HSI, this paper innovatively proposes a new spectral simulation method for the evaluation of AMRs in protein feeds. Four common protein feeds (soybean meal (SM), distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), cottonseed meal (CM), and nucleotide residue (NR)) and oxytetracycline residue (OR) were selected as study materials. The first step of the method is to simulate the spectra of pixels with different adulteration concentrations using a linear mixing model (LMM). Then, a pixel-scale OR quantitative model was developed based on the simulated pixel spectra combined with local PLS based on global PLS scores (LPLS-S) (which solves the problem of nonlinear distribution of the prediction results due to the 0%-100% content of the correction set). Finally, the model was used to quantitatively predict the OR content of each pixel in hyperspectral image. The average value of each pixel was calculated as the OR content of that sample. The implementation of this method can effectively overcome the inability of PLS-DA to achieve qualitative identification of OR in 2%-20% adulterated samples. In compared to the PLS model built by averaging the spectra over the region of interest, this method utilizes the precise information of each pixel, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the detection of adulterated samples. The results demonstrate that the combination of the method of simulated spectroscopy and LPLS-S provides a novel method for the detection and analysis of illegal feed additives by NIR-HSI.

Capsicum leaf protein-based bionanocomposite films for packaging application: Effect of corn starch content on film properties.

The addition of corn starch (CS) enhances the interfacial adhesion of the film-forming liquids (FFLs), weakening the internal relative molecular motion. As a result, the rheological properties and zeta potential values of the FFLs were affected. A tight spatial network structure between capsicum leaf protein (CLP), lignocellulose nanocrystals (LNCs) and CS can be formed through intermolecular entanglement and hydrogen bonding interactions. The crystallinity, thermal degradation temperature, tensile strength and water contact angle of the protein-based bionanocomposite films (PBBFs) increased with increasing CS addition. This is due to the transformation of the secondary space structure of the CLP inside the PBBFs and the increase in cohesion. However, the excessive addition of CS forms aggregated clusters on the surface of PBBFs, which increases the surface roughness of PBBFs and causes more light scattering. Therefore, the brightness and yellowness values of the PBBFs increase, and the transmittance decreases.

Effects of capsaicin loads on the properties of capsicum leaf protein-based nanocellulose composite films.

This study aims to enhance the functionality of conventional protein-based nanocellulose composite films (PNCF) to meet the high demand for natural antimicrobial packaging films. Capsicum leaf protein (CLP) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) extracted from capsicum leaves were used as raw materials. Capsaicin, an essential antibacterial active ingredient in the capsicum plant, was used as an additive. The influence of different capsaicin loads on PNCF physicochemical and material properties was investigated under alkaline conditions. The results show that all film-forming liquids (FFLs) are non-Newtonian fluids with shear thinning behavior. When the capsaicin loading exceeds 20 %, the surface microstructure of PNCF changes from dense lamellar to rod-like. Capsaicin did not alter the PNCF crystal structure, thermal stability or chemical bonding. Capsaicin can be loaded onto the PNCF surface by intermolecular hydrogen bonding reactions with CLP and CNC, preserving capsaicin's biological activity. With increasing capsaicin loads from 0 % to 50 %, the mechanical and hydrophobic properties of PNCF decreased, whereas the diameter of the inhibition zone increased. All PNCFs have UV-blocking properties with potential applications in developing biodegradable food packaging materials. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the high-value utilization of capsicum cultivation waste and the preparation of novel PNCF.

Microbial mechanisms involved in negative effects of amoxicillin and copper on humification during composting of dairy cattle manure.

Livestock manure often contains various pollutants. The aim of this study was to investigate how adding amoxicillin (AMX), Cu, and both AMX and Cu (ACu) affected humification during composting and the microbial mechanisms involved. The cellulose degradation rates were 16.96%, 10.86%, and 9.01% lower, the humic acid contents were 18.71%, 12.89%, and 16.78% lower, and the humification degrees were 24.72%, 24.16%, and 15.73% lower for the AMX, Cu, and ACu treatments, respectively, than the control. Adding AMX and Cu separately or together inhibited humic acid formation and decreased the degree of humification, but the degree of humification was decreased less by ACu than by AMX or Cu separately. The ACu treatment decreased the number of core bacteria involved in humic acid formation and decreased carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism during the maturing period, and thereby delayed humic acid formation and humification. The results support composting manure containing AMX and Cu.

Detoxification of corn stover prehydrolysate by different biochars and its effect on lactic acid fermentation.

During the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass such as corn stover, many by-products are produced in the pretreatment process that can severely inhibit the activity of microbes in the fermentation step. To achieve efficient biomass conversion, detoxification is usually required before microbial fermentation. In this study, the prehydrolysate from dilute acid pretreatment of corn stover was used as a lactic acid fermentation substrate. Biochars made from corn stover (CSB), cow manure (CMB), and a mixture of corn stover and cow manure (MB) were applied for the detoxification of the prehydrolysate. All three types of biochar had a porous structure with a specific surface area ranging from 4.08 m2 g-1 (CMB) to 7.03 m2 g-1 (MB). After detoxification, both the numbers of inhibitors and their concentrations in the prehydrolysate decreased, indicating that the biochars prepared in this study were effective in inhibitor removal. The concentration of lactic acid obtained from the prehydrolysate without detoxification was only 12.43 g L-1 after fermentation for 96 h with a productivity of 0.13 g (L h)-1. Although the specific area of CMB was the lowest among the three biochars, the CMB-treated prehydrolysate resulted in the highest lactic acid concentration of 39.25 g L-1 at 96 h with a productivity of 0.41 g (L h)-1. The lactic acid bacteria in the CMB-treated prehydrolysate grew faster than the other two biochars, reaching an OD value of 8.12 at 48 h. The results showed promise for the use of agricultural wastes to make biochar to increase the yield of lactic acid fermentation through the detoxification process.

In-situ registration subtraction image segmentation algorithm for spatiotemporal visualization of copper adsorption onto corn stalk-derived pellet biochar by micro-computed tomography.

The non-homogeneous structure and high-density ash composition of biochar matrix pose significant challenges in characterizing the dynamic changes of heavy metal adsorption onto biochar with micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT). A novel in-situ registration subtraction image segmentation method (IRS) was developed to enhance micro-CT characterization accuracy. The kinetics of Cu(II) adsorption onto pellet biochar derived from corn stalks were tested. Respectively, the IRS and traditional K-means algorithms were used for image segmentation to the in-situ three-dimensional (3D) visual characterization of the Cu(II) adsorption onto biochar. The results indicated that the IRS algorithm reduced interference from high-density biochar composition, and thus achieved more precise results (R2 = 0.95) than that of K-means (R2 = 0.72). The visualized dynamic migration of Cu(II) from surface adsorption to intraparticle diffusion reflexed the complex mechanism of heavy metal adsorption. The developed Micro-CT method with high generalizability has great potential for studying the process and mechanism of biochar heavy metal adsorption.

Structural identification and combination mechanism of iron (II)-chelating Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) skin active peptides.

In order to utilize salmon skin for high value, and investigate the structural identification and combination mechanism of iron (II)-chelating peptides systemically, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) skin, a by-product of Atlantic salmon processing, was treated by two-step enzymatic hydrolysis to obtain salmon skin active peptides (SSAP). Then they reacted with iron (II) to obtain iron (II)-chelating salmon skin active peptides (SSAP-Fe) with a high iron (II) chelating ability of 98.84%. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid ammonium salt hydrate (ANS) combined fluorescence measurement, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and full wavelength ultraviolet (UV) scanning showed that the structural characteristics of SSAP changed before and after chelating iron (II). Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and mass spectrometry were used to identify and quantify the peptides in SSAP-Fe. Four peptide sequences (STEGGG, GIIKYGDDFMH, PGQPGIGYDGPAGPPGPPGPPGAP and QNQRESWTTCRSQSSLPDG) were identified. The content of PGQPGIGYDGPAGPPGPPGPPGAP was the highest, at 25.17 µg/mg. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of these four peptides were also investigated, and the results indicated that they have satisfactory predicted ADMET properties. Molecular docking technology was used to analyze the binding sites between iron (II) and SSAP, and it was found that PGQPGIGYDGPAGPPGPPGPPGAP had the lowest predicted binding energy with iron (II) and the most stable predicted binding energy with iron (II). This results showed that the stability of SSAP-Fe were closely related to the number of covalent bonds and the types of amino acids. This study revealed the structure and combination mechanism of SSAP-Fe, and indicated that SSAP-Fe prepared by chelation may be used as a Fe supplement that can be applied in functional foods or ingredients.

Wheat straw biochar as an additive in swine manure Composting: An in-depth analysis of mixed material particle characteristics and interface interactions.

In recent research, biochar has been proven to reduce the greenhouse gases and promote organic matter during the composting. However, gas degradation may be related to the microstructure of compost. To investigate the mechanism of biochar additive, composting was performed using swine manure, wheat straw and biochar and representative solid compost samples were analyzed to characterize the mixed biochar and compost particles. We focused on the microscale, such as the particle size distributions, surface morphologies, aerobic layer thicknesses and the functional groups. The biochar and compost particle agglomerations gradually became weaker and the predominant particle size in the experiment group was < 200 µm. The aerobic layer thickness (Lp) was determined by infrared spectroscopy using the wavenumbers 2856 and 1568 cm-1, which was 0-50 µm increased as composting proceeded in both groups. The biochar increased Lp and facilitated oxygen penetrating the compost particle cores. Besides, in the biochar-swine manure particle interface, the aliphatic compound in the organic components degraded and the content of aromaticity increased with the composting process, which was indicated by the absorption intensity at 2856 cm-1 decreasing trend and the absorption intensity at 1568 cm-1 increasing trend. In summary, biochar performed well in the microscale of compost pile.

Insight into the effect of different nanocellulose types on protein-based bionanocomposite film properties.

This paper investigates the effect of five different types of nanocellulose on the properties of protein-based bionanocomposite films (PBBFs) and the mechanism of action. The results show that TEMPO-oxidized nanocellulose (TNC) PBBFs have the smoothest surface structure. This is because some hydroxyl groups in TNC are converted to carboxyl groups, increasing hydrogen bonding and cross-linking with proteins. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) PBBFs have the highest crystallinity. Filamentous BNC can form an interlocking network with protein, promoting effective stress transfer in the PBBFs with maximum tensile strength. The PBBFs of lignin nanocellulose (LNC) have superior elasticity due to the presence of lignin, which gives them the greatest creep properties. The PBBFs of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have the largest water contact angle. This is because the small particle size of CNC can be uniformly distributed in the protein matrix. The different types of nanocellulose differ in their microscopic morphology and the number of hydroxyl groups and hydrogen bonding sites on their surfaces. Therefore, there are differences in the spatial distribution and the degree of intermolecular cross-linking of different types of nanocellulose in the protein matrix. This is the main reason for the differences in the material properties of PBBFs.

Machine learning-aided hydrothermal carbonization of biomass for coal-like hydrochar production: Parameters optimization and experimental verification.

Biomass to coal-like hydrochar via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising route for sustainability development. Yet conventional experimental method is time-consuming and costly to optimize HTC conditions and characterize hydrochar. Herein, machine learning was employed to predict the fuel properties of hydrochar. Random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) models were developed, presenting acceptable prediction performance with R2 at 0.825---0.985 and root mean square error (RMSE) at 1.119---5.426, and XGB outperformed RF and SVM. The model interpretation indicated feedstock ash content, reaction temperature, and solid to liquid ratio were the three decisive factors. The optimized XGB multi-task model via feature re-examination illustrated improved generalization ability with R2 at 0.927 and RMSE at 3.279. Besides, the parameters optimization and experimental verification with wheat straw as feedstock further demonstrated the huge application potential of machine learning in hydrochar engineering.

Enhanced Enzymatic Sugar Recovery of Dilute-Acid-Pretreated Corn Stover by Sodium Carbonate Deacetylation.

The prehydrolysate from dilute acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic feedstocks often contains inhibitory compounds that can seriously inhibit the subsequent enzymatic and fermentation processes. Acetic acid is one of the most representative toxic compounds. In this research, alkaline deacetylation of corn stover was carried out using sodium carbonate under mild conditions to selectively remove the acetyl groups of the biomass and reduce the toxicity of the prehydrolysate. The deacetylation process was optimized by adjusting factors such as temperature, treatment time, and sodium carbonate concentration. Sodium carbonate solutions (2~6 wt%) at 30~50 °C were used for the deacetylation step, followed by dilute acid pretreatment with 1.5% H2SO4 at 121 °C. Results showed that the acetyl content of the treated corn stover could be reduced up to 87%, while the hemicellulose loss remained low. The optimal deacetylation condition was found to be 40 °C, 6 h, and 4 wt% Na2CO3, resulting in a removal of 80.55% of the acetyl group in corn stover and a hemicellulose loss of 4.09%. The acetic acid concentration in the acid prehydrolysate decreased from 1.38 to 0.34 g/L. The enzymatic hydrolysis of solid corn stover and the whole slurry after pretreatment increased by 17% and 16%, respectively.

CO2-mediated catalytic upcycling of plastic waste for H2-rich syngas and carbon nanomaterials.

To establish a reliable disposal platform of plastic waste, this work developed a novel dual-stage CO2-medaited decomposition-catalysis route by applying multi-functional zeolite-supported bimetallic catalysts. Catalytic upcycling of plastic was first performed in Ar as a reference environment. Bimetallic Fe-Co/ZSM5 catalyst achieved the highest gas yield (53.98 mmol/g), with a H2 proportion of 62.17 vol%. It was evidenced that the Fe-Co alloy had an apparent positive synergistic effect on catalytic cracking and reforming of intermediate volatiles into H2-rich fuel gas and pure carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Regarding CO2-mediated decomposition-catalysis of plastic, there was an apparent synergistic effect between metallic Ni and Fe on gas production so that bimetallic Ni-Fe catalyst gained the maximum cumulative gas yield of 82.33 mmol/g, with a syngas purity of ∼74%. Ni-Fe/ZSM5 also achieved the maximum hydrogen efficiency (87.38%) and CO2-to-CO conversion efficiency (98.62%), implying hydrogen content in plastic and oxygen content in CO2 were essentially converted into gases. Additionally, bimetallic Ni-Fe catalyst revealed the highest carbon production (33.74 wt%), witnessing a synergistic enhancement of 43.45%; specially, approximately 257 mg/g CNTs were anchored on Ni-Fe/ZSM5, with a CNTs purity of over 76%. Overall, this study offers a superb solution in plastic waste valorization and greenhouse gas emission management.

Nitrogen evolution during membrane-covered aerobic composting: Interconversion between nitrogen forms and migration pathways.

Aerobic composting is a promising technology for converting manure into organic fertilizer with low capital investment and easy operation. However, the large nitrogen losses in conventional aerobic composting impede its development. Interconversion of nitrogen species was studied during membrane-covered aerobic composting (MCAC) and conventional aerobic composting, and solid-, liquid-, and gas-phase nitrogen migration pathways were identified by performing nitrogen balance measurements. During the thermophilic phase, nitrogenous organic matter degradation and therefore NH3 production were faster during MCAC than uncovered composting. However, the water films inside and outside the membrane decreased NH3 release by 13.92%-22.91%. The micro-positive pressure environment during MCAC decreased N2O production and emission by 20.35%-27.01%. Less leachate was produced and therefore less nitrogen and other pollutants were released during MCAC than uncovered composting. The nitrogen succession patterns during MCAC and uncovered composting were different and NH4+ storage in organic nitrogen fractions was better facilitated during MCAC than uncovered composting. Overall, MCAC decreased total nitrogen losses by 33.24%-50.07% and effectively decreased environmental pollution and increased the nitrogen content of the produced compost.

Improving hydrogen-rich gas production from biomass catalytic steam gasification over metal-doping porous biochar.

Biomass to green H2 is a new route to produce sustainable energy. This study aimed to boost H2-enriched gas production via gasification-catalytic steam reforming (GCSR) process of wheat straw (WS) over Ni, Fe, or Zn-doped carbon materials (MDCMs). Initially, steam injection rate (1 g/min) and residence time (15 min) was optimized based on the tradeoff between energy consumption and H2-rich gas generation. The largest gas yield (90.77 mmol/g) and the lowest H2 production efficiency (ƞ: 7.89 g CO2/g H2) were observed for WS-derived biochar. Clearly, it was found MDCMs were favorable for reducing CO2 production due to the strengthened CO2 reforming reactions catalyzed by metal active sites. A higher ƞ (6.72 g CO2/g H2) was achieved for Ni-doping biochar (Ni/C). Importantly, Ni/C showed the ultrahigh carbon conversion efficiency (99.47%) and great tar elimination performance. Overall, GCSR process over MDCMs is a newly promising way to valorize biomass into H2-rich gas.

Kinetics and modeling of Pb (II) adsorption in pellet biochar based on micro-computed tomography characterization.

Biochar, a cost-effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions, has gained increasing attention. In this study, an advanced micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) system was used to investigate the adsorption kinetics by direct localization and visualization of Pb (II) on wheat straw pellet biochar. The normalized digital images indicating the dynamic changes of Pb (II) adsorption on biochar samples at different initial Pb (II) concentrations of 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/L and adsorption times were obtained. It was found that image grayscale (GS) changes over adsorption time (t) followed the power function, GSe/GSt=2.45∗t-0.27. Based on this finding, modified pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) models incorporated with time-dependent kinetic constants kPFOt=KPFO∗GSe/GSt and kPSOt=KPSO∗GSe/GSt were proposed, resulting in a better interpretation of the adsorption mechanism. The micro-CT-guided novel approach demonstrated visual evidence-based superiority and should prove valuable to the existing body of research in related fields.

Preparation, characterization, identification, and antioxidant properties of fermented acaí (Euterpe oleracea).

Fermentation technology was used to prepare the acaí (Euterpe oleracea) fermentation liquid. The optimal fermentation parameters included a strain ratio of Lactobacillus paracasei: Leuconostoc mesenteroides: Lactobacillus plantarum = 0.5:1:1.5, a fermentation time of 6 days, and a nitrogen source supplemental level of 2.5%. In optimal conditions, the ORAC value of the fermentation liquid reached the highest value of 273.28 ± 6.55 µmol/L Trolox, which was 55.85% higher than the raw liquid. In addition, the FRAP value of the acaí, as well as its scavenging ability of DPPH, hydroxyl, and ABTS free radicals, increased after fermentation. Furthermore, after fermentation treatment, the microstructure, basic physicochemical composition, amino acid composition, γ-aminobutyric acid, a variety of volatile components, and so on have changed. Therefore, fermentation treatment can significantly improve the nutritional value and flavor of the acaí. This provides a theoretical basis for the comprehensive utilization of acaí.

Combined effects of amoxicillin and copper on nitrogen transformation and the microbial mechanisms during aerobic composting of cow manure.

Pollutants in livestock manure have a compound effect during aerobic composting, but research to date has focused more on single factors. This study investigated the effects of adding amoxicillin (AMX), copper (Cu) and both (ACu) on nitrogen transformation and the microbial mechanisms in cow manure aerobic composting with wheat straw. In this study, compared with CK, AMX, Cu, and ACu increased NH3 cumulative emissions by 32.32%, 41.78% and 8.32%, respectively, due to their inhibition of ammonia oxidation. Coexisting AMX and Cu decreased the absolute abundances of amoA/ nxrA genes and increased the absolute abundances of nirS /nosZ genes, but they had an antagonistic effect on the changes in functional gene abundances. Pseudomonas and Luteimonas were enriched during the thermophilic and cooling periods due to the addition of AMX and ACu, which enhanced denitrification in these two groups. Moreover, adding AMX and/or Cu led to more complex bacterial networks, but the effect of the two pollutants was lower than those of the individual pollutants. These findings provide theoretical and experimental support for controlling typical combined pollution with antibiotics and heavy metals in livestock manure.

The transformations of cellulose after concentrated sulfuric acid treatment and its impact on the enzymatic saccharification.

BACKGROUND: The dense structure of cellulose lowers its reactivity and hinders its applications. Concentrated sulfuric acid is an ideal solvent to dissolve cellulose and thus has been used widely to treat cellulose. However, the changes of cellulose after reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid at near-limit S/L ratio and its effect on enzymatic saccharification still need further investigation. RESULTS: In this study, the interactions between cellulose (Avicel) and 72% sulfuric acid at very low acid loading conditions of 1:2 to 1:3 (S/L ratio) were studied for the enhanced production of glucose. The Avicel gradually transformed from cellulose I structure to cellulose II structure during the sulfuric acid treatment. Other physicochemical characteristics of Avicel also changed dramatically, such as the degree of polymerization, particle size, crystallinity index, and surface morphology. After acid treatment, both the yield and productivity of glucose from cellulose increased significantly under a very low enzyme loading of 5 FPU/g-cellulose. The glucose yields for raw cellulose and acid-treated (30 min) were 57% and 85%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Low loadings of concentrated sulfuric acid were proven to be effective to break the recalcitrance of cellulose for enzymatic saccharification. A positive correlation between cellulose CrI and glucose yield was found for concentrated sulfuric acid-treated cellulose, which was opposite to previous reports. Cellulose II content was found to be an important factor that affects the conversion of cellulose to glucose.

Effects of functional membrane coverings on carbon and nitrogen evolution during aerobic composting: Insight into the succession of bacterial and fungal communities.

Carbon and nitrogen evolution and bacteria and fungi succession in two functional membrane-covered aerobic composting (FMCAC) systems and a conventional aerobic composting system were investigated. The micro-positive pressure in each FMCAC system altered the composting microenvironment, significantly increased the oxygen uptake rates of microbes (p < 0.05), and increased the abundance of cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading microorganisms. Bacteria and fungi together influenced the conversion between carbon and nitrogen forms. FMCAC made the systems less anaerobic and decreased CH4 production and emissions by 22.16 %-23.37 % and N2O production and emissions by 41.34 %-45.37 % but increased organic matter degradation and NH3 production and emissions by 16.91 %-90.13 %. FMCAC decreased carbon losses, nitrogen losses, and the global warming potential by 7.97 %-11.24 %, 15.43 %-34.00 %, and 39.45 %-42.16 %, respectively. The functional membrane properties (pore size distribution and air permeability) affected fermentation process and gaseous emissions. A comprehensive assessment indicated that FMCAC has excellent prospects for application.

Effects of micro-positive pressure environment on nitrogen conservation and humification enhancement during functional membrane-covered aerobic composting.

Aerobic composting is a humification process accompanied by nitrogen loss. This study is the first research systematically investigating and elucidating the mechanism by which functional membrane-covered aerobic composting (FMCAC) reduces nitrogen loss and enhances humification. The variations in bioavailable organic nitrogen (BON) and humic substances (HSs) in different composting systems were quantitatively studied, and the functional succession patterns of fungal groups were determined by high-throughput sequencing and FUNGuild. The FMCAC improved oxygen utilization and pile temperature, increased BON by 29.95 %, reduced nitrogen loss by 34.00 %, and enhanced humification by 26.09 %. Meanwhile, the FMCAC increased the competitive advantage of undefined saprotroph and significantly reduced potential pathogenic fungi (<0.10 %). Structural equation modeling indicated that undefined saprotroph facilitated the humification process by increasing the production of BON and storing BON in stable humic acid. Overall, the FMCAC increased the safety, stability, and quality of the final compost product.