Polyphenols and sugars recovery from autohydrolysis of pineapple waste

[Excerpt] The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of temperature, time and mass/ volume ratio on the release of sugars and polyphenols using an autohydrolysis procedure from pineapple waste. A Box-Bhenken design was used with three factors (time, temperature and mass/volume ratio) and three levels was used. All treatments were performed in triplicate. Nine central points were used. For autohydrlosysis treatments, an oil bath was used [1]. After autohydrolysis, liquid phases or hydrolysates were analyzed for glucose and fructose concentration by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [2]. The FolinCiocalteu assay was used to measure total polyphenols of hydrolysates [3] and HPLC to identify these molecules [4]. (...

Integral valorization of Acacia dealbata wood in organic medium catalyzed by an acidic ionic liquid

In this work, a novel delignification process was proposed for the fractionation of invasive species such as Acacia dealbata wood. Organosolv process catalyzed with an acidic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrosulfate was evaluated to obtain cellulose-enriched solids and liquid fractions rich in hemicelluloses derived compounds and lignin. Under selected operating conditions (190 °C, 60% ethanol, 60 min of reaction time and 0.6 g 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrosulfate/g wood), high solubilization of lignin and hemicelluloses and cellulose recovery (87.5%, 88.7% and 88.3%, respectively), with a pulp yield of 43.1% were achieved. Moreover, 62.6 % of lignin was recovered by precipitation from the black liquor (composed mainly by 4.43 g xylose/L, 7.66 g furfural/L and 3.59 g acetic acid/L). In addition, enzymatic digestibility of delignified wood was also assayed. Overall, this work presents an alternative biorefinery scheme based in the use of environmentally friendly solvent and catalyst for selective fractionation of A. dealbata wood.The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Spanish “Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness” (Project CTQ2017- 82962-R) and from “Xunta de Galicia” (GRC ED431C 2018/47 and Centro Singular de Investigacion ´ Biom´edica “CINBIO”). These projects are partially funded by the FEDER Program of the European Union (“Unha maneira de facer Europa”). A. Romaní thanks BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01–0145-FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioethanol production from vine pruning residue by sequential steps of autohydrolysis

Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable raw material, widespread and with a huge potential for the manufacture of biofuels as bioethanol. In Portugal, the most abundant exploitable lignocellulosic biomass derives from the agro-industrial and forestry sectors. Large amounts of residues are generated during wine processing, specially pruning residues of vine. Approximately 1.2-3.5 t/ha of vine pruning residues (VPR) are estimated to be produced per year, which are usually burnt in the field. VPR are composed by 30.6 % of cellulose, 18.2 % of hemicellulose and 29.5 % of lignin. In order to produce ethanol from this agro-industrial residue, autohydrolysis treatment in two sequential steps were proposed for solubilization of hemicellulose in a separate stream and improving the enzymatic susceptibility of cellulose following the biorefinery concept. In a first stage, VPR was submitted to autohydrolysis treatment at 180 ºC for 60 min (Severity factor, So=4.13) at liquid to solid ratio = 6 g of distilled water/g of VPR. In liquid phase, 55 g of xylan/100 g of xylan in raw material was recovered as xylooligosaccharides (13 g/L). Autohydrolyzed VPR was evaluated in a second step of autohydrolysis treatment under temperature in the range 180- 200 ºC and time 30-40 min. After sequential treatments, 90-99 % of cellulose was recovered in solid phase and enzymatic saccharification of pretreated solid was assayed using 25 FPU/g of cellulase CTec2 and solid loading of 5 and 10 % of pretreated VPR. Sequential treatment of VPR significantly improved the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose from 70 % to 100 % of cellulose to glucose conversion for second autohydrolysis at 200 ºC for 30 min. Under these conditions of pretreatment, two configurations of saccharification and fermentation (simultaneously –SSF- and separately –SHF-) were carried out. Ethanol production was successfully obtained from two processes achieving cellulose to ethanol conversion of 93 and 97 % for SHF and SSF, respectively

Desarrollo de formas multietapa en varias situaciones geomorfológicas y a diferentes escalas

[Abstract] That many landforms have their origins in the distant past is highlighted by the multistage concept, whereby the structural properties of bedrock which have been exploited by shallow groundwaters are taken fully into account. Fractures of various types are par- ticularly vulnerable to weathering and hence to erosion. Examples are discussed from various lithological and environmental settings - plutonic, volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and different climates

The imperative of happiness in positive psychology : Towards a psychopolitics of wellbeing

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABPositive Psychology has reconstructed how we understand happiness. The practices and discourses it presents to perform that reconceptualization appear as if free from political interest or intentionality. However, this article will show that its proposals define a subtle new form of government which we will call Psychopolitics. Instead of placing the population or the body of the citizen at the centre of political struggles, it focuses on the psyche. Through an extreme defence of positive emotions and happiness as the key to a good life, Positive Psychology promotes a type of friendly power relations, which instead of punishing motivates and empowers the individual's creativity. To illustrate all of this, we conducted a case study with a Positive Psychology training course taught in a Spanish state university. Content analysis was used to explain the recurring themes and practices of this new discipline of positivity, showing how health is redefined around the happiness axis, and how happiness becomes an individual responsibility. We conclude that all these dimensions are simply a categorical definition of a new type of power relations which may characterise the 21st century

Autohydrolysis extraction of bioactive compounds from pineapple waste

The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of temperature, time and mass/volume ratio on the release of sugars and polyphenols using an autohydrolysis procedure from pineapple waste and determine its antioxidant activity. A Box-Bhenken design was used with three factors (time, temperature and mass/volume ratio) at three levels. All treatments were performed in triplicate. For autohydrolysis treatments, an oil bath was used [1]. After extraction process, liquid phases or hydrolysates were analyzed for glucose and fructose concentration by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [2]. The Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to measure total polyphenols of hydrolysates [3] and HPLC to identify these molecules [4]. Free radical scavenging activity (DPPH assay) and radical cation decolorization assay (ABTS) were assayed [5]. Figure 1, shows the antioxidant activity obtained from experimental matrix Box-Bhenken design from autohydrolysis treatments of pineapple waste. It was observed most treatments have higher activity than control, this is due to the abundance of bioactive compounds present in the hydrolysates. Conclusion: Autohydrolysis process is a good alternative for an effective extraction (using water as only reaction medium) of value-added compounds that can be used for alcoholic drinks enriched with natural antioxidants. In addition, this technology is an environmentally friendly extraction alternative in compared with traditional chemical process

Use of whole-slurry from autohydrolyzed Eucalyptus wood for bioethanol production

The development of a cost-effective process on large-scale is one of the most important targets in the second generation bioethanol. The use of pretreated whole-slurry allows savings in washing-steps and water consumption. In this work the whole-slurry from pretreated Eucalyptus wood (EW) was used for the bioethanol production by saccharification and fermentation process. Firstly, EW was submitted to autohydrolysis treatment and the slurry obtained was employed for the optimization of enzymatic saccharification using an experimental design. The optimized conditions were employed for bioethanol production using a robust industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. The highest ethanol concentration obtained was 50 g/L corresponding to an ethanol conversion of 95 %

Integrated approach for effective bioethanol production using whole slurry from autohydrolyzed Eucalyptus globulus wood at high-solid loadings

One of the most important targets and challenges in the second generation bioethanol is the development of a cost-effective process on large-scale. In this context, the high solid loading on saccharification and fermentation and the use of whole-slurry from pretreatment could be promising alternatives to obtain high ethanol concentrations and to decrease operational costs and wastewater. In this work, Eucalyptus globulus wood was submitted to non-isothermal autohydrolysis treatment (Tmax = 210 °C) and the whole-slurry obtained was assayed for the optimization of enzymatic saccharification at different solid and enzymes (CTec2 and HTec2) loadings using a Box–Behnken experimental design. Under the optimized conditions (liquid solid ratio 6.4 g/g, cellulase to substrate ratio 22.5 FPU/g and hemicellulase to substrate ratio 500 UI/g), two strategies were evaluated for ethanol production (Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation, SSF and Presaccharification and Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation, PSSF), using an industrial and robust Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. High concentrations of ethanol (50.2 and 48.8 g/L) and productivities (0.63 and 0.55 g/L h) were obtained by SSF and PSSF, respectively. The SSF process proved to be an advantageous strategy to obtain concentrations >6% (v/v) of ethanol with elevated conversion (95%) even employing high solid loading and non-detoxified hydrolysate. Following an integrated optimization process, cost-effective bioethanol production conditions from whole-slurry E. globulus wood were determined and validated experimentally, representing a step-forward towards its industrial implementation.The authors A. Roman and F.B. Pereira thank to the "Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Techologia" (FCT, Portugal) for their fellowships (grant number, SFRH/BPD/77995/2011 and SFRH/BD/64776/2009, respectively) and Gil Garrote (University of Vigo, Spain) for assistance in the pre-treatment of EGW. Research described in this article was financially supported by FEDER and FCT: Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013, Project "BioInd-Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes, REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028'' Co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON. 2 - O Novo Norte) QREN, FEDER