Valorization of an Industrial Organosolv-Sugarcane Bagasse Lignin: Characterization and Use as a Matrix in Biobased Composites Reinforced With Sisal Fibers

In the present study, the main focus was the characterization and application of the by-product lignin isolated through an industrial organosolv acid hydrolysis process from sugarcane bagasse, aiming at the production of bioethanol. The sugarcane lignin was characterized and used to prepare phenolic-type resins. The analysis confirmed that the industrial sugarcane lignin is of HGS type, with a high proportion of the less substituted aromatic ring p-hydroxyphenyl units, which favors further reaction with formaldehyde. The lignin-formaldehyde resins were used to produce biobased composites reinforced with different proportions of randomly distributed sisal fibers. The presence of lignin moieties in both the fiber and matrix increases their mutual affinity, as confirmed by SEM images, which showed good adhesion at the biocomposite fiber/matrix interface. This in turn allowed good load transference from the matrix to the fiber, leading to biobased composites with good impact strength (near 500 J m(-1) for a 40 wt% sisal fiber-reinforced composite). The study demonstrates that sugarcane bagasse lignin obtained from a bioethanol plant can be used without excessive purification in the preparation of lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced biobased composites displaying high mechanical properties. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107: 612-621. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Efeitos do tratamento superficial da sílica ativa com soluções de ácidos nítrico e fosfórico em propriedades do concreto

The addition of active silica potentially improves the quality of concrete due to its high reactivity and pore refinement effect. The reactivity of silica is likely related to its charge density. Variations in surface charge alter the reactivity of the material consequently affecting the properties of concrete. The present study aimed at investigating variations in the charge density of silica as a function of acid treatments using nitric or phosphoric acid and different pH values (2.0, 4.0 and 6.0). Effects on concrete properties including slump, mechanical strength, permeability and chloride corrosion were evaluated. To that end, a statistical analysis was carried out and empirical models that correlate studied parameters (pH, acid and cement) with concrete properties were established. The quality of the models was tested by variance analysis. The results revealed that the addition of silica was efficiency in improving the properties of concrete, especially the electrochemical parameters. The addition of silica treated using nitric acid at pH = 4.0 displayed the best cement performance including highest strength, reduced permeability and lowest corrosion current

Adsorção de cobre e cromo utilizando fibra de sisal visando o tratamento da água produzida pela indústria petrolífera

Currently, the oil industry is the biggest cause of environmental pollution. The objective was to reduce the concentration of copper and chromium in the water produced by the oil industry. It was used as adsorbent natural sisal fiber Agave sp treated with nitric acid and sodium hydroxide. All vegetable fibers have physical and morphological properties that enablies the adsorption of pollutants. The basic composition of sisal is cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The features are typically found in the characterization of vegetable fibers, except the surface area that was practically zero. In the first stage of adsorption, it was evaluated the effect of temperature and time skeeking to optimize the execution of the factorial design. The results showed that the most feasible fiber was the one treated with acid in five hours (30°C). The second phase was a factorial design, using acid and five hours, this time was it determined in the first phase. The tests were conducted following the experimental design and the results were analyzed by statistical methods in order to optimize the main parameters that influence the process: pH, concentration (mol / L) and fiber mass/ metal solution volume. The volume / mass ratio factor showed significant interference in the adsorption process of chromium and copper. The results obtained after optimization showed that the highest percentages of extraction (98%) were obtained on the following operating conditions: pH: 5-6, Concentration: 100 ppm and mass/ volume: 1 gram of fiber/50mL solution. The results showed that the adsorption process was efficient to remove chromium and copper using sisal fibers, however, requiring further studies to optimize the process.

Avaliação de metodologia de preparo de amostra de petróleo por digestão ácida auxiliada por microondas para determinação de metais por ICP-OES

This project describes a methodology optimization that would allow for a more efficient microwave assisted digestion process for petroleum samples. With the possible chance to vary various factors at once to see if any one factor was significant enough in the answers, experimental planning was used. Microwave assisted digestion allows, through the application of potency, an increasing number of collisions between the HNO3 and H2O2 molecules, favoring sample opening for complex matrixes. For this, a 24 factorial experimental planning was used, varying potency, time and the volumes for HNO3 65% and H2O2 30%. To achieve the desired answers, several elements were monitored (C, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn and V) through Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). With this initial study it was noticed that the HNO3 was not a significant factor for any of the statistical studies for any of the analytes and the other 3 factors and their interactions showed statistical significance. A Box Behnken experimental planning was used taking in consideration 3 factors: H2O2 volume, time (min) and Potency (W), Nitric Acid kept at 4mL for a mass of 0,1g of petroleum. The results were extremely satisfying showing higher efficiency in the digestion process and taking in a responsibility between the answers for each analyte and the carbon monitoring was achieved in the following conditions: 7mL of H2O2, 700 Watts of potency and a reaction time of 7 minutes with 4mL de HNO3 for a mass of 0,1g of petroleum. The optimized digestion process was applied to four different petroleum samples and the analytes determined by ICP-OES

Metacromasia para identificação de basófilos sanguíneos em surubim híbrido: contribuição metodológica

Padua S.B. & Ishikawa M.M. [Metachromasia for blood basophils identification in hybrid surubim catfish: methodological contribution]. Metacromasia para identificacao de basofilos sanguineos em surubim hibrido: contribuicao metodologica. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinaria, 33(3):147-150, 2011. Centro de Aquicultura da Unesp/Jaboticabal Rod. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, 14884-900, SP. Brasil. E-mail: santiagopadua@live.comDifferent protocols of fixation and hydrolysis of blood smears of hybrid surubim catfish for metachromasia to marking blood basophils were evaluated. For this reason, methanol, acid-alcohol and formalin vapor were tested as fixatives. For hydrolysis of blood smears, HCl, citric acid and 2-Mercaptoethanol + Urea + NaCl solutions was evaluated. After procedures, the blood smears was stained with toluidine blue (0.025%) diluted in McIlvaine buffer (pH 4). The different protocols for fixation and hydrolysis of blood smears for metachromasia influenced the quality of the reaction. Hydrolysis with 2-Mercaptoethanol + Urea + NaCl solutions provided negative results when using methanol and acid-alcohol as fixatives. The fixation with acid-alcohol associated with citric acid hydrolysis provides highest quality reason.

Air-assisted boom sprayer and spray deposition on bean plants

A possibilidade do desenvolvimento de técnicas de aplicação de produtos fitossanitários mais seguras, com menores volumes de calda, número de aplicações e deriva, aliados à necessidade de se obter melhores níveis de controle dos agentes nocivos às plantas cultivadas, justificam o uso da assistência de ar junto à barra de pulverização. Com o objetivo de avaliar a deposição da pulverização na cultura do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris), em presença e ausência da assistência de ar junto à barra de pulverização, com diferentes pontas de pulverização e volumes de calda, foi conduzido um experimento em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, utilizando-se como traçador o óxido cuproso. Alvos artificiais (papel filtro com 3 x 3 cm) foram afixados nas superfícies adaxial e abaxial de folíolos posicionados nos terços superior e inferior de plantas, selecionadas ao acaso, distribuídas perpendicularmente ao deslocamento do pulverizador. Após a aplicação do traçador os coletores foram lavados individualmente em solução extratora de ácido nítrico a 1,0 mol L-1. A determinação quantitativa dos depósitos foi realizada com o uso da espectrofotometria de absorção atômica. A assistência de ar junto à barra de pulverização não aumentou a deposição do traçador em folíolos de feijoeiro, aos 48 dias após a emergência da cultura.

Deposição e perdas da calda em feijoeiro em aplicação com assistência de ar na barra pulverizadora

Com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da assistência de ar na deposição da calda de pulverização, em plantas de feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris) aos 26 dias após a emergência (DAE), com pontas de pulverização de jato cônico vazio (JA-0,5 e JA-1) e jato plano (AXI-110015), e volumes de calda, foi realizado um experimento em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, utilizando como traçador o íon cobre. Alvos coletores (papel de filtro com 3 x 3 cm) foram afixados nas superfícies adaxial e abaxial de folíolos posicionados nas partes superior e inferior das plantas. Para aplicar a solução traçadora, utilizou-se pulverizador com barras de 14 metros, com e sem assistência de ar, volumes de 60 e 100 L.ha-1, e velocidade do ar correspondente a 50% da rotação máxima do ventilador. Após a aplicação, os coletores foram lavados individualmente em solução extratora de ácido nítrico a 1,0 mol.L-1, e a quantificação dos depósitos através de espectrofotometria. A assistência de ar não influenciou na deposição da calda tanto a 60 quanto a 100 L.ha-1. O maior volume proporcionou maiores depósitos, sendo constatadas elevadas perdas para o solo (mais de 60%).

Purification and structural characterisation of (1 -> 3 ; 1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucans (botryosphaerans) from Botryosphaeria rhodina grown on sucrose and fructose as carbon sources: a comparative study

Two botryosphaerans, exopolysaccharides (EPS) secreted by the ascomyceteous fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina, when grown on sucrose and fructose as sole carbon sources, were structurally compared after their isolation from the culture medium. Both EPS were submitted to trypsin digestion, and eluted as a single peak on gel filtration. Total acid hydrolysis yielded only glucose, and data from methylation analysis and Smith degradation indicated that both EPS constituted a main chain of glucopyranosyl beta(1 -> 3) linkages substituted at O-6. The products obtained after partial acid hydrolysis demonstrated side chains consisting of glucosyl- and gentiobiosyl- linked beta(1 -> 6) residues. C-13-NMR spectroscopy studies showed that all glucosidic linkages were of the beta-configuration. The carbon source affected the side chain structures of botryosphaeran but not the main chain makeup. Sucrose produced less branching (21%) than fructose (31%). (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Structural characterization of Botryosphaeran: a (1 -> 3;1 -> 6)-beta-D-glucan produced by the ascomyceteous fungus, Botryosphaeria sp.

The exopolysaccharide, Botryosphaeran, produced by the ligninolytic, ascomycetcous fungus Botryosphaeria sp., was isolated from the extracellular fluid by precipitation with ethanol, and purified by gel permeation chromatography to yield a carbohydrate-rich fraction (96%) composed mainly of glucose (98%). Infra-red and C-13 NMR spectroscopy showed that all the glucosidic linkages were in the beta-configuration. Data from methylation analysis and Smith degradation indicated that Botryosphaeran was a (1 --> 3)-beta-(D)-glucan with approx 22% side branching at C-6. The products obtained from partial acid hydrolysis demonstrated that the side branches consisted of single (1 --> 6)-beta-linked glucosyl, and (1 --> 6)-beta-linked gentiobiosyl residues.[GRAPHICS](C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Botryosphaeran production by the ascomyceteous fungus Botryosphaeria sp., grown on different carbohydrate carbon sources, and their partial structural features

The influence of glucose concentration and other carbohydrates (monosaccharides: fructose, galactose, mannose; polyols: mannitol and sorbitol; disaccharides: lactose, sucrose and commercial sucrose; and industrial sugarcane molasses) were compared as sole carbon sources for the production of Botryosphaeran, an exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Botryosphaeria sp. The optimum glucose concentration for EPS production was 50 g 1(-1). With the exception of mannitol, the fungus produced EPS on all carbon sources studied, with highest yields occurring with sucrose followed by glucose. All EPS showed exclusively glucose after acid hydrolysis and monosaccharide analysis. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of beta-anomers indicating that all the EPS produced by Botryosphaeria sp. on the different carbon sources were essentially of the beta-D-glucan type.

Projected length annealing of etched Sm-152 ion tracks in apatite

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Purificação e caracterização de uma gentioexaose obtida de botriosferana por hidrólise ácida parcial

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Oleanane Saponins and Glycerogalactolipids from the Leaves of Guapira graciliflora

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Off line extraction of phenol from human urine sample with isoamyl alcohol and determination by HPLC

This method has been developed for extraction and determination of phenol in a urine sample by high performance liquid chromatography.After acid hydrolysis, the free phenol was extracted with isoamyl alcohol solvent, followed by back extraction with 0.5 mol.L-1 sodium hydroxide solution and analyzed by an isocratic HPLC Varian System, equipped with reverse-phase column (MicroPak-C-18). The mobile phase was acetonitrile in 0.01 mol.L-1 hydrochloric acid solution, (20:80 v/v), and at a now-rate of 1.0 mL.min-1. The chromatogram was monitored at 220 nm in room temperature. The identification was based on retention time and the quantification was performed by automatic peak-area determination, corrected for the external standards method.The recovery was higher than 99.5 % for phenol and reproducibility of method was shown to be 2.3% standard deviation and 5.6% coefficient of variance (n=20). The limit detection was 0.05 mgL(-1) and a range of 0.05 to 20.0 mgL(-1) of phenol for linearity.

NOVEL CELLULOSE/NbOPO4 center dot nH(2)O HYBRID MATERIAL FROM SUGARCANE BAGASSE

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)