ECO-COMPASS

Today, mainly man-made materials, such as carbon and glass fibers, are used to produce composite parts in aviation. Renewable materials, such as natural fibers or bio-sourced resin systems, have not yet found their way into aviation. The project ECO-COMPASS aims to evaluate the potential applications of ecologically improved composite materials in the aviation sector in an international collaboration of Chinese and European partners. Natural fibers such as flax and ramie will be used for different types of reinforcements and sandwich cores. Furthermore, bio-based epoxy resins to substitute bisphenol-A based epoxy resins in secondary structures are under investigation. Adapted material protection technologies to reduce environmental influence and to improve fire resistance are needed to fulfil the demanding safety requirements in aviation. Modelling and simulation of chosen eco-composites aims for an optimized use of materials while a Life Cycle Assessment aims to prove the ecological advantages compared to synthetic state-of-the-art materials. This Special Issue provides selected papers from the project consortium partners

Banana Nutrition

Banana Nutrition - Function and Processing Kinetics covers the nutritional aspects of the banana plant and fruit. The book contains substantial scientific information written in an easy-to-understand format. The chapters include information on pharmacological aspects of banana; banana bioactives: absorption, utilization, and health benefits; banana pseudo-stem fiber: preparation, characteristics, and applications; banana drying kinetics and technologies; and integrating text mining and network analysis for topic detection from published articles on banana sensory characteristics. All the chapters contain recent advances in science and technology regarding the banana that will appeal to farmers, plant breeders, food industry, investors, and consumers as well as students and researchers. Readers will harness valuable information about the banana in controlling food security and non-communicable nutrition-related human illnesses

Hemp nanocellulose: fabrication, characterisation and application

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonNanocellulose has gained lots of attentions in recent years due to the development of nanotechnology. Thousands of publications have been reported about the fabrication, characterization and application of nanocellulose, among which most of the nanocelluloses were fabricated from the microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or pulp, and only two methods about the nanocellulose fabrication have been reported, i.e. sulphuric acid hydrolysis and mechanical treatment. The sulphuric acid method can only obtain low yield of nanocellulose and the mechanical treatment can not fabricate nanocellulose with high crystallinity index (CI) and well separation. These problems limit the scale up of nanocellulose to industrial area. Moreover, none of works has reported the application of nanocellulose for the modification of natural fibres and only a few works reported the reinforcement of epoxy with nanocellulose. In this this research, we fabricated nanocellulose directly from hemp fibres by employing oxidation/sonication method with the aim to solve the main problems of nanocellulose fabrication with sulphuric acid hydrolysis or mechanical. By using this method the yield of nanocellulose could up to 54.11 % and the crystallinity of nanocellulose was 86.59 %. In order to expand the application of nanocellulose, we investigated the modification of natural fibres (hemp) with nanocellulose and the fabrication of nanocomposite. Two-step modification, i.e. dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) pretreatment and nanocellulose modification, was used to modify hemp fibres. In this process, we systematically investigated the deformation of hemp fibres, revealed the mechanism of deformation on the mechanical property of single fibre by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and investigated the effect of deformation on the hemp fibre modification with nanocellulose by using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The two-step modification increased the mechanical properties of hemp fibres significantly. Compared with raw hemp fibres, the modulus, tensile stress and tensile strain of the two-step nanocellulose modified hemp fibres increase by 36.13 %, 72.80 % and 67.89 %, respectively. Moreover, two-step modification facilitated the improvement of interfacial property of fibres. This novel natural fibre modification provides new clue to exploit nanocellulose as a green chemical agent for natural fibres modification. We modified nanocellulose by using curing agent of epoxy---diethylenetriamine (DETA). This modification could increase the dispersity of nanocellulose in epoxy and reinforce epoxy. Compared with epoxy, the modulus, tensile stress and tensile strain of the modified nanocellulose/epoxy nanocomposite increased 1.42 %, 15.44 % and 27.47 %, respectively

Reinforced Polymer Composites

This book, consisting of 21 articles, including three review papers, written by research groups of experts in the field, considers recent research on reinforced polymer composites. Most of them relate to the fiber-reinforced polymer composites, which are a real hot topic in the field. Depending on the reinforcing fiber nature, such composites are divided into synthetic and natural fiber-reinforced ones. Synthetic fibers, such as carbon, glass, or basalt, provide more stiffness, while natural fibers, such as jute, flax, bamboo, kenaf, and others, are inexpensive and biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly. To acquire the benefits of design flexibility and recycling possibilities, natural reinforcers can be hybridized with small amounts of synthetic fibers to make them more desirable for technical applications. Elaborated composites have great potential as structural materials in automotive, marine and aerospace application, as fire resistant concrete, in bridge systems, as mechanical gear pair, as biomedical materials for dentistry and orthopedic application and tissue engineering, as well as functional materials such as proton-exchange membranes, biodegradable superabsorbent resins and polymer electrolytes

Biodegradation Technology of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants

Bioremediation technologies for environments contaminated by organic and inorganic pollutants are a major focus of researchers and scientists worldwide. The chemical control of agricultural pests and advocacy for sustainable agriculture have led to the development of new paradigms in environmental remediation. This book covers recent advances in the bioremediation technology of organic and inorganic pollutants in the environment

Polymer Materials in Environmental Chemistry

The book entitled “Polymer Materials in Environmental Chemistry” focuses on functionalized natural/synthetic polymeric materials and their preparation, characterization, and multidimensional applications. This book extensively appraises the research papers on the latest developments of the functionalized natural/synthetic polymers, such as the effect of functionalized polymeric additives on the degradation of aliphatic polyesters, development of nanoparticle functionalized bio-based or composite polymeric structures, water or wastewater purification, natural fibers or clay-based hybrid polymers and their applications, environmental remediation of antibiotics and dyes using polymer-based nanofibers, bio-based polymeric conjugate for the synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles and their catalytic degradation of ecological pollutant, polymeric-grafted membranes based on ethyl cellulose for gas separation, and polyamide–laccase nanofiber membranes for the degradation of organic and antibiotics from water. Additionally, the book envisages the reviews on recent developments in the techniques and visualization of biopolymer structures and their derivatives and fabrication and characterization of polymeric nanofibers via multidimensional electrospinning techniques and their appliances in environmental pollutant removal

Biomass Processing for Biofuels, Bioenergy and Chemicals

Biomass can be used to produce renewable electricity, thermal energy, transportation fuels (biofuels), and high-value functional chemicals. As an energy source, biomass can be used either directly via combustion to produce heat or indirectly after it is converted to one of many forms of bioenergy and biofuel via thermochemical or biochemical pathways. The conversion of biomass can be achieved using various advanced methods, which are broadly classified into thermochemical conversion, biochemical conversion, electrochemical conversion, and so on. Advanced development technologies and processes are able to convert biomass into alternative energy sources in solid (e.g., charcoal, biochar, and RDF), liquid (biodiesel, algae biofuel, bioethanol, and pyrolysis and liquefaction bio-oils), and gaseous (e.g., biogas, syngas, and biohydrogen) forms. Because of the merits of biomass energy for environmental sustainability, biofuel and bioenergy technologies play a crucial role in renewable energy development and the replacement of chemicals by highly functional biomass. This book provides a comprehensive overview and in-depth technical research addressing recent progress in biomass conversion processes. It also covers studies on advanced techniques and methods for bioenergy and biofuel production

New strategies on sample preparation and on platforms development for targeted and untargeted metabolomics analysis

La investigación realizada ha implicado: -Un estudio en profundidad de la bibliografía relacionada con el trabajo planteado, complementado con una actualización continua durante todo el desarrollo de la tesis para mantener la investigación en primera línea. Se prestó especial atención a temas relacionados con la preparación de la muestra y la metabolómica, incluyendo una herramienta comúnmente utilizada por el grupo de investigación al que pertenece la doctoranda: los ultrasonidos (US) usados como energía auxiliar para favorecer etapas analíticas. De hecho, la extracción asistida por US (USAE) [1], los US y la metabolómica [2] y el controvertido efecto de los US en la actividad enzimática [3] han dado lugar a tres publicaciones que constituyen la Sección A de la tesis. -La hidrólisis de la oleuropeína en extractos de hojas de olivo acelerada por diferentes hidrolasas y por la acción de los US (USAEH) [4] (que abre la puerta al complejo mundo del binomio enzimas–US), el uso de una plataforma basada en cromatografía líquida y espectrometría de masas en tándem (LC–QTOF MS/MS) que proporcionó los datos para la identificación tentativa de 123 metabolitos de extractos que habían producido la inhibición de la proteasa NS3 del virus de la hepatitis-C [5] constituyen logros plasmados en publicaciones. Otro de los logros fue la exhaustiva identificación de los componentes de una planta controvertida, Cannabis sativa L., mediante plataformas basadas en cromatografía de gases–espectrometría de masas de tiempo de vuelo (GC–TOF/MS) y LC– QTOF MS/MS [6]. Estas investigaciones, que constituyen la Sección B de la tesis, abren nuevas líneas de trabajo en metabolómica vegetal. -El exhaustivo estudio de una muestra apenas usada en clínica, el sudor, que ha consistido en: (1) el desarrollo de procedimientos para el muestreo y la preparación de la muestra — los primeros basados en estimulación de la sudoración mediante ejercicio moderado, mediante la forma convencional basada en estimulación química+eléctrica y por disolución de sudor seco utilizando soportes sólidos impregnados de los disolventes adecuados. (2) El análisis metabolómico de los dos primeros tipos de muestras y su comparación con sudor obtenido mediante el último tipo de muestreo [8,9]; todo lo cual forma parte de la Sección C. En todos los casos, el análisis no dirigido permitió establecer el perfil del tipo de muestra que debe obtenerse dependiendo de los metabolitos de interés (compuestos polares, no polares o de polaridad media), que se sometieron a análisis no dirigido para su identificación tentativa en todos los tipos de sudor muestreado. La Sección C también recoge un estudio sobre muestreo de sudor después de ejercicio moderado, en el que se comparó su composición con la de sudor obtenido mediante muestreo pasivo utilizando diferentes procedimientos de inducción. Se ensayaron diferentes estrategias de preparación de muestra incluyendo estrategias de derivatización para obtener instantáneas representativas del metaboloma del sudor, especialmente de los metabolitos no polares, como corresponde al uso de una plataforma GC–MS [8]. Además, en la Sección C, se usaron como muestreadores de sudor seco diferentes soportes sólidos impregnados con diferentes disolventes y las composiciones de las muestras se compararon entre sí y también con la composición del sudor fresco. Todas las muestras se analizaron mediante dos plataformas, GC–MS y LC–MS/MS, y los resultados mostraron que el sudor seco es más adecuado para el análisis de los metabolitos de baja polaridad, mientras que el sudor fresco es más apropiado para compuestos polares [9]. La última de las investigaciones contenidas en la Sección C se refiere a aminoácidos existentes en sudor. Estos compuestos son metabolitos claves en la diagnosis y tratamiento de diversas enfermedades, como el cáncer, por lo que se determinan en diferentes biofluidos. La determinación cuantitativa de estos compuestos en sudor requirió la optimización de la preparación de la muestra que, dependiendo de la concentración, puede consistir en simple dilución o en microextracción centrífuga en fase sólida (c-SPμE) como etapa previa a la inserción en un cromatógrafo de líquidos conectado a un espectrómetro de masas de triple cuadrupolo [7]. En los estudios de metabolómica clínica que se recogen en la Sección D se compararon diferentes estrategias de preparación de la muestra para la obtención del perfil de metabolitos en sudor con el uso de una plataforma GC–TOF/MS en modo de alta resolución [10]. La comparación mostró que una etapa de metoximación más sililación tras la desproteinización era la opción más adecuada para conocer la situación instantánea del metaboloma del sudor. También la Sección D recoge el estudio de muestras de sudor procedentes de dos cohortes de pacientes de cáncer de pulmón, analizadas mediante LC–QTOF MS/MS para configurar paneles de biomarcadores con los que discriminar estos pacientes de fumadores como individuos con factor de riesgo [11]. El uso de una herramienta como PanelomiX permitió reducir los falsos negativos (95% de especificidad) y los falsos positivos (95% de sensibilidad) y la proposición de dos paneles de biomarcadores: uno, con 96.9% de especificidad y 83.8% de sensibilidad, compuesto por el monoglicérido MG(22:2), los ácidos mucónico, subérico y urocánico y una tetrahexosa; el otro con 81.2% de especificidad y el 97.3% de sensibilidad, compuesto por el monoglicérido MG(22:2), los ácidos mucónico, nonanodioico y urocánico, y una tetrahexosa.The performed research has involved: -An in-depth study of the literature related to the planned work, complemented with a continuous updating during the development of the target studies that will keep the research in the front line. Especial attention have been paid to sample preparation and metabolomics, including a tool commonly used by the PhD student research team: ultrasound (US) used as auxiliary energy to favor analytical steps. Thus, US-assisted extraction (USAE) [1], US and metabolomics [2] and the controversial effect of US on enzymatic activity [3] gave place to three publications that constitute Section A of the thesis. -The hydrolysis of oleuropein in olive leaf extracts accelerated by different hydrolases and by US action (USAEH) [4] (which opens the door to the complex enzymes–US world), and the use of a liquid chromatography–time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF MS/MS) platform to obtain the data for tentative identification of 123 metabolites in extracts that had shown inhibition of the protease NS3 of hepatitis-C virus (HCV) [ 5] constitute key achievements. Another achievement was the in-depth identification of the components of a controversial plant, Cannabis sativa L., by gas chromatography–time-offlight mass spectrometry (GC–TOF/MS) and LC–QTOF MS/MS platforms [6]. All these investigations, which constitute Section B of the thesis, open new research lines in plant metabolomics. -An in-depth study of an almost not used sample in clinical, sweat, has consisted of : (1) the development of sampling and sample preparation procedures —the first ones based on sweat stimulation of sweat by moderate exercise, by the conventional via based on chemical+electrical stimulation and on dissolution of dry sweat by using solid supports impregnated with appropriate solvents. (2) The metabolomics analysis of the first two types of samples and their comparison with sweat obtained by the last kind of sampling [8,9]; all of which is part of Section C. The untargeted analysis in all cases allowed setting the pattern of the type of sample to be obtained depending on the metabolites of interest (polar, no polar or medium polarity compounds), all which were subjected to untargeted analysis for tentative identification in all types of sampled sweat. Section C also includes a study on sweat sampling after moderate exercise, in which the composition of this biofluid was compared with that of sweat obtained by passive sampling using different sweat induction procedures. Different sample preparation strategies, including derivatization strategies, were assayed to obtain a representative snapshot of sweat metabolome, mainly of no polar metabolites as corresponds to the use of a GC–MS platform [8]. Moreover, different solid supports impregnated with different solvents were used as dry sweat samplers and the composition of the collected samples was compared among them, and also with the composition of fresh sweat. All the samples were analyzed by a dual approach, GC–MS and LC–MS/MS, and the results showed that dry sweat is better for analysis of low polar metabolites and fresh sweat is more suited for polar compounds [9]. The last of the research contained in Section C refers to amino acids existing in sweat. These compounds are key metabolites in the diagnosis and treatment of several diseases such as cancer; therefore, they are determined in common biofluids. Quantitative determination of these compounds in sweat has required optimization of the sample preparation step which, depending on the concentration, can consist either on simple dilution or centrifugal microsolid-phase extraction (c-SPμE) prior to insertion into a liquid chromatograph connected to a triple quadrupole mass detector [7]. In the clinical metabolomics studies that constitute Section D, different sample preparation strategies were compared to obtain the profile of sweat metabolites by a GC– TOF/MS platform in high resolution mode [10]. The comparison showed that methoxymation plus silylation after deproteination was the most suited option to obtain a representative snapshot of sweat metabolome. Section D also contains the study of sweat samples, from two cohorts of lung-cancer patients, subjected to analysis by LC–QTOF MS/MS to configure biomarker panels to discriminate these patients from smokers as risk factor individuals [11]. The use of the PanelomiX tool allowed reducing false negatives (95% specificity) and false positives (95% sensitivity), and proposing two biomarker panels: one, with 96.9% specificity and 83.8% sensitivity, composed by monoglyceride MG(22:2), muconic, suberic and urocanic acids and a tetrahexose; and the other with 81.2% specificity and 97.3% sensitivity, and composed by monoglyceride MG(22:2), muconic, nonanodioic and urocanic acids, and a tetrahexose