Kinetic parameters for thermal decomposition of microcrystalline, vegetal, and bacterial cellulose

Cellulose can be obtained from innumerable sources such as cotton, trees, sugar cane bagasse, wood, bacteria, and others. The bacterial cellulose (BC) produced by the Gram-negative acetic-acid bacterium Acetobacter xylinum has several unique properties. This BC is produced as highly hydrated membranes free of lignin and hemicelluloses and has a higher molecular weight and higher crystallinity. Here, the thermal behavior of BC, was compared with those of microcrystalline (MMC) and vegetal cellulose (VC). The kinetic parameters for the thermal decomposition step of the celluloses were determined by the Capela-Ribeiro non-linear isoconversional method. From data for the TG curves in nitrogen atmosphere and at heating rates of 5, 10, and 20 A degrees C/min, the E(alpha) and B(alpha) terms could be determined and consequently the pre-exponential factor A(alpha) as well as the kinetic model g(alpha). The pyrolysis of celluloses followed kinetic model g(alpha) = [-ln(1 - alpha)](1.63) on average, characteristic for Avrami-Erofeev with only small differences in activation energy. The fractional value of n may be related to diffusion-controlled growth, or may arise from the distributions of sizes or shapes of the reactant particles.

Preparation and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles impregnated in bacterial cellulose

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

Synthesis and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose produced from bacterial cellulose

In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was prepared from the acid hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose (BC) produced in culture medium of static Acetobacter xylinum. The MCC-BC produced an average particle size between 70 and 90 mu m and a degree of polymerization (DP) of 250. The characterization of samples was performed by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The MCC shows a lower thermal stability than the pristine cellulose, which was expected due to the decrease in the DP during the hydrolysis process. In addition, from X-ray diffractograms, we observed a change in the crystalline structure. The images of SEM for the BC and MCC show clear differences with modifications of BC fiber structure and production of particles with characteristics similar to commercial MCC.

Asymmetric microbial reduction of ketones: absolute configuration of trans-4-ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol

A set of five fungal species, Botrytis cinerea, Trichoderma viride and Eutypa lata, and the endophytic fungi Colletotrichum crassipes and Xylaria sp., was used in screening for microbial biocatalysts to detect monooxygenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities (for the stereoselective reduction of carbonyl compounds). 4-Ethylcyclohexanone and acetophenone were biotransformed by the fungal set. The main reaction pathways involved reduction and hydroxylations at several positions including tertiary carbons. B. cinerea was very effective in the bioreduction of both substrates leading to the chiral alcohol (S)-1-phenylethanol in up to 90% enantiomeric excess, and the cis-trans ratio for 4-ethylcyclohexanol was 0:100. trans-4-Ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol, obtained from biotransformation by means of an acyloin-type reaction, is reported here for the first time. The absolute configurations of the compounds trans-4-ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol and 4-(1S- and 4-(1R-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanone were determined by NMR analysis of the corresponding Mosher's esters. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal behavior of cellulose acetate produced from homogeneous acetylation of bacterial cellulose

Cellulose acetate (CA) is one of the most important cellulose derivatives and its main applications are its use in membranes, films, fibers, plastics and filters. CAs are produced from cellulose sources such as: cotton, sugar cane bagasse, wood and others. One promissory source of cellulose is bacterial cellulose (BC). In this work, CA was produced from the homogeneous acetylation reaction of bacterial cellulose. Degree of substitution (DS) values can be controlled by the acetylation time. The characterization of CA samples showed the formation of a heterogeneous structure for CA samples submitted to a short acetylation time. A more homogeneous structure was produced for samples prepared with a long acetylation time. This fact changes the thermal behavior of the CA samples. Thermal characterization revealed that samples submitted to longer acetylation times display higher crystallinity and thermal stability than samples submitted to a short acetylation time. The observation of these characteristics is important for the production of cellulose acetate from this alternative source. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-supported silver nanoparticles containing bacterial cellulose membranes

Hydrated bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes obtained from cultures of Acetobacter xylinum were used in the preparation of silver nanoparticles containing cellulose membranes. In situ preparation of Ag nanoparticles was achieved from the hydrolytic decomposition of silver triethanolamine (TEA) complexes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns both lead to the observation of spherical metallic silver particles with mean diameter of 8 nm well adsorbed onto the BC fibriles. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bacterial cellulose-laponite clay nanocomposites

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

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles impregnated into bacterial cellulose

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

Antimicrobial Bacterial Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticles Composite Membranes

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

Alchornea glandulosa Ethyl Acetate Fraction Exhibits Antiangiogenic Activity: Preliminary Findings from In Vitro Assays Using Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Anti-inflammatory activity of Alchornea triplinervia ethyl acetate fraction: Inhibition of H2O2, NO and TNF-alpha

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

Eficácia de imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl em aplicações de pré-semeadura da cultura da soja

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a ação dos herbicidas imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl em aplicações de pré-semeadura da cultura da soja, visando o controle das plantas daninhas presentes antes da semeadura e a redução na emergência de plantas daninhas durante o ciclo da cultura. O experimento foi conduzido a campo, em área de produção de soja em sistema de plantio direto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial (4 x 4 + 1), sendo quatro tratamentos herbicidas [glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + imazethapyr (100 g ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + chlorimuron-ethyl (10 g ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + chlorimuron-ethyl (20 g ha-1)] e quatro intervalos entre a aplicação dos herbicidas e a semeadura da soja (0, 1, 3 e 7 dias), mais uma testemunha não-dessecada. A adição dos herbicidas imazethapyr (100 g ha¹) e chlorimuron-ethyl (10 ou 20 g ha-1) junto ao glyphosate não melhorou o controle e também não diminuiu a rebrota posterior das plantas daninhas Digitaria insularis, Tridax procumbens e Leptochloa filiformis. Três dias antes da semeadura da soja foi o intervalo mínimo para que o controle dessas três espécies de plantas daninhas não fosse prejudicado pela operação de semeadura mecânica. Constatou-se que os tratamentos herbicidas não afetaram o número de plantas emergidas das espécies Sida santaremnensis, Digitaria insularis, Eleusine indica, Chamaesyce hirta, Bidens pilosa e Senna obtusifolia. Apenas para a espécie Althernantela tenella foi verificado que a adição de imazethapyr ou de chlorimuron-ethyl junto ao glyphosate reduziu a emergência dessa planta daninha na área, mostrando eficiência em pré-emergência. Todos os tratamentos herbicidas aplicados em pré-semeadura proporcionaram maior produtividade da cultura da soja em relação à testemunha não-dessecada, mas o incremento dos herbicidas imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl ao glyphosate não resultou em aumento de produtividade da soja.

Mefenpyr-diethyl action on fenoxaprop-p-ethyl detoxification in wheat varieties

Protetores ou safeners protegem culturas contra a injúria de herbicidas. O propósito deste estudo foi investigar a suscetibilidade diferencial de cinco variedades de trigo (Triticum aestivum) ao herbicida fenoxaprop-p-ethyl e o efeito do protetor mefenpyr-diethyl na minimização da injúria do herbicida e sobre o conteúdo de lipídios. As variedades BRS 49, CD 104, CEP 24, IAPAR 78 e Rubi foram pulverizadas com fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (69 g ha-1), fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + mefenpyr‑diethyl (69 g + 18,75 g ha¹) ou mefenpyr-diethyl (18,75 g ha¹). A injúria das plantas foi avaliada visualmente aos 7 e 14 dias após o tratamento (DAT). A atividade da glutationa S-transferase (GST) foi analisada na parte aérea aos 7 DAT, e o conteúdo de lipídios, aos 14 DAT. As variedades CEP 24, IAPAR 78 e Rubi foram mais tolerantes ao fenoxaprop-p-ethyl do que a BRS 49, e a variedade CD 104 rapidamente se recuperou dos sintomas de intoxicação produzidos pelo herbicida. Mefenpyr-diethyl preveniu a injúria da cultura pelo herbicida. A atividade da GST não foi correlacionada diretamente com a desintoxicação do fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. Contudo, o conteúdo de lipídios esteve relacionado à suscetibilidade de trigo ao tratamento de fenoxaprop-p-ethyl.

Experimental lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits using microfibrilar cellulose membrane: clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical findings

Avaliaram-se aspectos clínicos, histopatógicos e imunoistoquímicos da córnes de coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia adultos e machos em ceratoplastias lamelares com membrana de celulose microfibrilar. Trinta animais distribuídos em cinco grupos (n=6) foram estudados por até 60 dias de pós-operatório. A avaliação clínica revelou manifestações moderadas de edema, blefaroespasmo e fotofobia ao segundo dia, evoluindo para formas discretas ou ausentes a partir do sétimo dia, período em que se observou, clinicamente, reparo do defeito corneal. A histopatologia revelou uma fina camada de células escamosas, recobrindo a área lesada já aos sete dias, com discreto infiltrado de células polimorfonucleares. Observaram-se vasos no epitélio a partir do 15o dia, com regressão ao 48o dia. A marcação com o anticorpo Ki67 mostrou aumento de células em proliferação aos 15 dias no epitélio e aos 30 dias no estroma. Nesse período, ocorreram remodelamento e adesão epitealial. Considerando a boa integração do implante, admite-se a membrana de celulose como um bom material a ser utilizado em ceratoplastia lamellar.

Characterization of methylcellulose produced from sugar cane bagasse cellulose: Crystallinity and thermal properties

In the present work, methylcellulose produced from sugar cane bagasse was characterized by FTIR, WAXD, DTA and TGA techniques. Two samples were synthesized: methylcellulose A and rnethylcellulose B. The only difference in the process was the addition of fresh reactants during the preparation of methylcellulose B. The ratio between the absorption intensities of the C-H stretching band at around 2900 cm(-1) and C-H stretching at around 3400 cm(-1) for methylcellulose B is higher than for methylcellulose A, indicating that methylcellulose B showed an increase in the degree of substitution (DS). Methylcellulose A presents a more heterogeneous structure, which is similar to the original cellulose as seen through FTIR and DTA. Methylcellulose B showed thermal properties similar to commercial methylcellulose. The modification of rnethylcellulose preparation method allows the production of a material with higher DS, crystallinity and thermal stability in relation to the original cellulose and to methylcellulose A. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.