Effect of different substrates on composting of poultry litter

The objective was to evaluate the differences between distinct types of litter material and their combinations in the dynamics of degradation on the organic matter fractions and the quality of the final compound. The treatments were established according to material used as substrate for broiler litter: treatment 1 - rice husks; 2 - sugar cane bagasse; 3 - wood shavings; 4 - wood shavings + sugar cane bagasse; 5 - rice husks + sugar cane bagasse; and 6 - Napier grass. The following variables were monitored: temperature, levels of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), mass and volume of the pile, fibrous fraction, and levels and reductions of N, P and K during the process. Piles formed with Napier grass and sugar cane bagasse presented the highest average temperatures during composting. The greater average reductions in TS and VS were attained in piles with sugar cane bagasse (68.12 and 73.07%, for TS and VS, respectively). The reductions of greatest volume occurred in piles with sugar cane bagasse (52.08%), followed by Napier grass (50.56%). Poultry litters composed of rice husks and wood shavings presented 13.21 and 10.23% of lignin, respectively, which contributed to the lower degradation of fibrous fraction and degradability. Substrates with lower lignin content were those with greatest organic matter degradation rate and had reduced losses of N levels during the process. Composting performance is affected by the initial substrate used to compose the poultry litter.

Flotation of blocolloids suspended in liquid phases of different compositions and pH values

The flotation capacity was determined for cells of yeasts strains belonging to the genera Hansenula, Candida and Saccharomyces. A heterogeneous group of yeasts, comprising strains from the three genera, was identified as showing high flotation capacities (degrees of flotation above 50%), which were practically not affected by variations in medium pH in both the synthetic medium and 2% molasses. Thus, the flotation capacity of the cells in this yeast group seemed strongly dependent on the liquid phase properties and/or growth medium composition, more than on the simple variation in pH of the cell suspensions. A second group of strains, belonging to the Saccharomyces genus, including also brewing yeast strains, was identified as having lower flotation capacities (degrees of flotation below 50% at pH 1.5), which showed no alterations or variations significantly affected by the medium pH. Foam volumes obtained with Saccharomyces strains were greater in synthetic media than in molasses owing to the higher air flow rates required for flotation in molasses. The flotation efficiency decreased in molasses in all cases as well as the foam volume, except in the case of Hansenula cells, which showed an increased foam volume. This was probably due to variations in product excretion by the different yeasts and/or differences in cell wall composition.

Avaliação da vinhaça líquida em substituição à água na terminação de bovinos em confinamento 2. Parâmetros etológicos e perfil metabólico

Fifteen animals from Canchim group and fifteen from Nelore were observed in the following treatments: water (A), molasses soluble + magnesium oxide (V) and molasses soluble + magnesium oxide + sodium bicarbonate (V+B). They were observed during continuous 24 hours every 30 days up to 90 days periods. During the weighting, every 28 days blood samples were collected to determine metabolic outline. Treatments did not affect (P>.05) animal behaviour on metabolic and the obtained mean values were within the normal range. They were, respectively for Canchim and Nelore: Feeding 270 and 223 minutes; Rumination 374 and 356 minutes; Idleness 745 and 863 minutes; Glicose 86 and 88 mg/dl; Urea 10 and 23 mg/dl: Uric acid 1,3 and 1,2 mg/dl; Total protein 7,0 and 6,8 g/dl; Albumin 3,1 and 3,1 g/dl; Creatinin 1,5 and 1,6 mg/dl; Sodium 140 and 142 meq/dl; Potassium 4,2 and 4,3 meq/1 and Calcium 10,0 and 9,8 mg/dl. It was concluded that molasses soluble as a substitute of water has not changed the ethologic parameters neither metabolic outline of both genetic group when in finishing feedlot.

Influence of agricultural biomass burning on aerosol size distribution and dry deposition in southeastern Brazil

The size distributed composition of ambient aerosols is used to explore seasonal differences in particle chemistry and to show that dry deposition fluxes of soluble species, including important plant nutrients, increase during periods of biomass (sugar cane trash) burning in São Paulo State, Brazil. Measurements were made at a single site centrally located in the State's sugar cane growing region but away from the immediate vicinity of burns, so that the air sampled was representative of the regional background. Calculation of ion equivalent balances showed that during burning periods smaller particles (Aitken and accumulation modes) were more acidic, containing higher concentrations of SO(4)(2-), oxalate, NO(3)(-), HCOO(-), CH(3)COO(-), and Cl(-), but insufficient NH(4)(+) and K(+) to achieve neutrality. Larger particles showed an anion deficit due to the presence of unmeasured ions and comprised resuspended dusts modified by accumulation of nitrate, chloride, and organic anions. Increases of resuspended particles during the burning season were attributed to release of earlier deposits from the surfaces of burning vegetation as well as increased vehicle movement on unsurfaced roads. During winter months the relative contribution of combined emissions from road transport and industry diminished due to increased emissions from biomass combustion and other activities specifically associated with the harvest period. Positive increments in annual particulate dry deposition fluxes due to higher fluxes during the sugar cane harvest were 44.3% (NH(4)(+)), 42.1 % (K(+)), 31.8% (Mg(2+)), 30.4% (HCOO(-)), 12.8% (Cl(-)), 6.6% (CH(3)COO(-)), 5.2% (Ca(2+)), 3.8% (SO(4)(2-)), and 2.3% (NO(3)(-)). Na(+) and oxalate fluxes were seasonally invariant. Annual aerosol dry deposition fluxes (kg ha(-1)) were 0.5 (Na(+)), 0.25 (NH(4)(+)), 0.39 (K(+)), 0.51 (Mg(2+)), 3.19 (Ca(2+)), 1.34 (Cl(-)), 4.47 (NO(3)(-)), 3.59 (SO(4)(2-)), 0.58 (oxalate), 0.71 (HCOO(-)), and 1.38 (CH(3)COO(-)). Contributions of this mechanism to combined aerosol dry deposition and precipitation scavenging (inorganic species, excluding gaseous dry deposition) were 31% (Na(+)), 8% (NH(4)(+)), 26% (K(+)), 63% (Mg(2+)), 66% (Ca(2+)), 32% (Cl(-)), 33% (NO(3)(-)), and 36% (SO(4)(2-)).

Morphologic changes in the vesical transition epithelium of alcoholic rats

Few studies are available about the effect of alcohol on the epithelium of the urinary bladder. In the present investigation we studied the ultrastructure of the vesical transition epithelium of normal rats and of rats submitted to experimental chronic alcoholism. Adult rats were submitted to experimental chronic alcoholism by the ingestion of sugar cane liquor. The vesical epithelium was examined after 60, 120, 180 and 240 days of alcohol treatment by transmission electron microscopy. Surface cells presented nuclear and cytoplasmic changes and marked cellular desquamation. There was an increase in multivesicular bodies and lysosomes suggesting cell degeneration. Mast cell infiltration was observed, possibly related to increased epithelial sensitivity. Intercellular spaces were frequently observed. The transition epithelium of the urinary bladder was found to be sensitive to the action of alcohol, as demonstrated by the changes in the components of the blood-urine barrier, the greater sensitivity to inflammation, the increase in cell desquamation and the greater recycling of the apical membrane and of the fusiform vesicles of surface cells observed in alcoholic rats.

Nanostructured films employed as sensing units in an electronic tongue system

Nanostructured films of lignin (macromolecule extracted from sugar cane bagasse), polypyrrole (conducting polymer) and bis butylimido perylene (organic dye) were used in the detection of trace levels of fluorine (from H2SiF6), chlorine (from NaCIO), Pb+2, Cu+2, and Cd+2 in aqueous solutions. Langmuir monolayers on ultrapure water were characterised by surface pressure-mean molecular area (II-A) isotherms. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films were transferred onto gold interdigitated electrodes and used as individual sensing units of an electronic tongue system. Impedance spectroscopy measurements were taken with the sensor immersed into aqueous solutions containing the ions described above in different molar concentrations. Fourier transform infrared absorption (FTIR) was employed to identify possible interactions between the LB films and the analytes in solution, and no significant changes could be observed in the FTIR spectra of BuPTCD and Ppy. Therefore, the results for lignin point to an interaction involving the electronic cloud of the phenyl groups with the metallic ions.

Energy balance optimization of sugarcane crop residual biomass

This work presents a mathematical model for helping mills choose sugarcane varieties for planting. It maximizes crop residual biomass energy balance by considering the difference between generated and consumed energy in the process of transferring this biomass from the field to the processing center; it takes into account enterprise demand restrictions and cane planting area. For this full zero-one linear programming techniques were proposed. The model is viable for choosing sugarcane varieties that would benefit sugarcane production and industrial systems, by reducing crop residue and increasing final energy production. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

NEW YEAST STRAINS FOR ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION AT HIGHER SUGAR CONCENTRATION

New yeast strains for alcoholic fermentation were isolated from samples collected from Brazilian alcohol factories at the end of the sugar cane crop season. They were selected by their capacity of fermenting concentrated sugar cane syrup as well as high sucrose concentrations in synthetic medium with a conversion efficiency of 89-92%. The strains were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Avaliação química e microbiológica do capim-elefante, cultivar taiwan A-148, preparado para ensilagem com bagaço de cana-de-açúcar

Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), was cut after nine weeks of regrowth and mixed with 10, 20, 30 and 40% of sugar cane bagasse (SCB) with the objective of reducing the moisture content of the ensiled mass. Willing of the grass for eight and twelve hours was used as a comparative treatment. Initial dry matter of the grass (13%) increased in the forage mass to 17, 23, 24 and 27% by the addition of 10, 20, 30 and 40% of the SCB respectively. Wilting for eight and twelve hours increased initial dry matter to 18 and 24% respectively. Buffering capacity of elephant grass was reduced by the addition of 40% of SCB. Clostridium spores in the ensiled mass tended to be lower due to the effect of the two pre-treatments. Initial dry matter and number of spores of Clostridium were negatively correlated although without statistic significance. The addition of SCB reduced (P < 0.0.5) soluble carbohydrates and crude protein percentages in the ensiled mass. It was concluded that wilting is more effective than the addition of SCB in the practice of ensiling elephant grass.

Effect of 3,4,4 '-trichlorocarbanilide on growth of lactic acid bacteria contaminants in alcoholic fermentation

3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide (TCC) was rested as a new method of bacterial growth control for S. cerevisiae alcoholic fermentations of diluted high test molasses (HTM). Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was tested to determine the necessary concentration of TCC to control bacterial growth. The fed-batch alcoholic fermentation process was used with cell recycle similar to industrial conditions and Lactobacillus fermentum CCT 1407 was mixed in the first inoculum to grow with the yeast. Yeast extract was added into the must to stimulate bacterial growth. The best results of TCC's MIC to bacterial growth of Lactobacillus fermentum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides (< 0.125-1.0 mu g/ml) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (16 mu g/ml) occurred when it was combined with sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) in a 1: 4 TCC/SDS ratio (wt/wt) in distilled water solution. 1.8 g/l TCC entrapped in calcium alginate added to the must with yeast extract inhibited the growth of Lactobacillus fermentum CCT 1407 maintaining a controlled acidity, higher yeast viability and up to 20.8% of improvement in the average of alcoholic efficiency. Addition of 0.075 g/l TCC entrapped in calcium alginate and 1.67 mg/l SDS in the wort with yeast extract (0-5.0 g/l), inhibited and controlled the extensive bacterial contamination for 19 cycles of fermentation. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier B.V. Ltd.

Compact disks, a new source for gold electrodes. Application to the quantification of copper by PSA

In this work we describe a versatile and very sensitive way for copper quantification by potentiometric stripping analysis using gold electrodes obtained from recordable compact disks (CDs). This new source of electrodes (CDtrodes) shown similar performance to the commercial gold electrodes with superior versatility and lower cost. Recordable CDs contains a highly pure gold film with thickness between 50 and 100 nm and superficial area of ca. 100 cm(2). The working electrode developed was used successfully in stationary cell and many experimental parameters have been optimized. For copper, the detection limit attained was 30 ng L-1 (600 s deposition time) with remarkable precision (standard deviation of 1.8 % for 20 repetitive measurements using 25 mu gL(-1) of copper with 60 s of deposition time). The gold electrode developed was used for analysis of copper in sugar cane spirits and tap water samples. The results were compared with those obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy.