Ionic liquids as a tool for lignocellulosic biomass fractionation

Lignocellulosic biomass composes a diversity of feedstock raw materials representing an abundant and renewable carbon source. In majority lignocellulose is constituted by carbohydrate macromolecules, namely cellulose and hemicellulose, and by lignin, a polyphenilpropanoid macromolecule. Between these biomacromolecules, there are several covalent and non-covalent interactions defining an intricate, complex and rigid structure of lignocellulose. The deconstruction of the lignocellulosic biomass makes these fractions susceptible for easier transformation to large number of commodities including energy, chemicals and material within the concept of biorefinery. Generally, the biomass pre-treatment depends on the final goal in the biomass processing. The recalcitrance of lignocellulose materials is the main limitation of its processing once the inherent costs are excessively high for the conventional pre-treatments. Furthermore, none of the currently known processes is highly selective and efficient for the satisfactory and versatile use, thus, new methodologies are still studied broadly. The ionic liquid technology on biomass processing is relatively recent and first studies were focused on the lignocellulosic biomass dissolution in different ionic liquids (ILs). The dissolution in IL drives to the structural changes in the regenerated biomass by reduction of cellulose crystallinity and lignin content contrasting to the original biomass. These findings provided ILs as tools to perform biomass pre-treatment and the advantageous use of their specific properties over the conventional pre-treatment processes. This review shows the critical outlook on the study of biomass dissolution and changes occurred in the biomass during this process as well as on the influence of several crucial parameters that govern the dissolution and further pre-treatment process. The review of currently known methods of biomass fractionation in IL and aqueous-IL mixtures is also discussed here and perspectives regarding these topics are given as well

Biodegradable ionic liquids in service of biomass upgrade

ABSTRACT: This work presents an up-to-date overview of the use of biodegradable ionic liquids in the conversion of biomass in the context of biorefineries. Special attention is given to works in which biodegradability potentiates advanced application of ionic liquids in terms of process intensification for deployment of technologies towards bioenergy carriers or bioderived valueadded products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Greenwashing and sustainable fashion industry

ABSTRACT: The fashion industry is now in the eye of the storm for what concerns sustainability because of the enormous impact that such a business area has on the environment. To exploit the full potential for circular economy implementation, the fashion industry requires urgent changes adapting much more con-scientious business practices, driving consumers to change their perceptions and behaviors toward circular products and services. The renunciation of greenwashing practices and the use of strategy focused on regaining consumer's trust will in-crease the positive sentiment toward the fashion brands. This work demonstrates to what extent greenwashing may jeopar-dize the fashion industry in addressing challenges related to the implementation of more sustainable circular economy in the context of designing with intention of recycle, reduction of by-products, lower energy consumption, and wise purchase habits. This study provides guides for fashion brands about the risks and gains related to the greenwashing practices and sustain-able fashion industry.This study sketches also future research opportunities in more sustainable holistic approach of a prod-ucts' life cycle and how this can be translated into clear, transparent, or reliable certification schemes to prevent the misleading and dishonest marketing strategies helping the consumers to make a responsible choice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorisation of agri- and aquaculture residues via biogas production for enhanced industrial application

ABSTRACT: Climate changes are nowadays reality and affect all aspects of everyday life. One of the places where these changes influence the society the most is the Brazilian Ceara region and Jaguaribara basin that suffer long-lasting, devastating drought cycles. They have a dramatic negative impact on local economy, forcing change in business models. This work presents the valorisation of wastes and residues from local fish, prawns, and the vegetable-cultivation industry via biogas production forced to adapt to these new circumstances. Along a single year, as much as 189.74 tonnes of wastes and residues can be processed by the biogas production facility, producing as much as 94 GJ of cooling energy and 1 tonne of biofertiliser monthly. Even for such a small biogas production facility, the NPV is positive already after 11 years; its IRR is 6.2%, and accumulated ROI for 20 years of operation is as high as 77.8%. This work demonstrates that a valorisation of industrial wastes and residues via biogas production is a feasible solution for a specific industrial scenario addressing new socio-economic challenges for the particular enterprise.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The small heat shock protein 20 RSI2 interacts with and is required for stability and function of tomato resistance protein I-2

Race-specific disease resistance in plants depends on the presence of resistance (R) genes. Most R genes encode NB-ARC-LRR proteins that carry a C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR). Of the few proteins found to interact with the LRR domain, most have proposed (co)chaperone activity. Here, we report the identification of RSI2 (Required for Stability of I-2) as a protein that interacts with the LRR domain of the tomato R protein I-2. RSI2 belongs to the family of small heat shock proteins (sHSPs or HSP20s). HSP20s are ATP-independent chaperones that form oligomeric complexes with client proteins to prevent unfolding and subsequent aggregation. Silencing of RSI2-related HSP20s in Nicotiana benthamiana compromised the hypersensitive response that is normally induced by auto-active variants of I-2 and Mi-1, a second tomato R protein. As many HSP20s have chaperone properties, the involvement of RSI2 and other R protein (co)chaperones in I-2 and Mi-1 protein stability was examined. RSI2 silencing compromised the accumulation of full-length I-2 in planta, but did not affect Mi-1 levels. Silencing of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and SGT1 led to an almost complete loss of full-length I-2 accumulation and a reduction in Mi-1 protein levels. In contrast to SGT1 and HSP90, RSI2 silencing led to accumulation of I-2 breakdown products. This difference suggests that RSI2 and HSP90/SGT1 chaperone the I-2 protein using different molecular mechanisms. We conclude that I-2 protein function requires RSI2, either through direct interaction with, and stabilization of I-2 protein or by affecting signalling components involved in initiation of the hypersensitive response

Global Ban on Plastic and What Next? Are Consumers Ready to Replace Plastic with the Second-Generation Bioplastic? Results of the Snowball Sample Consumer Research in China, Western and Eastern Europe, North America and Brazil

Plastic can be used for many things and at the same time is the most versatile material in our modern world. However, the uncontrolled and unprecedented use of plastic comes to its end. The global ban on plastic brings significant changes in technology but even more so in civil perception—changes taking place before our eyes. The aim of this study was to find answers to the questions about the readiness of consumers for a global ban on plastic. Within the research, the differences in consumer acceptance in countries in Europe, South and North America and Asia and the expression of social readiness to change attitudes towards plastic food packaging were analyzed. This work sketches the legal framework related to limiting the use of one-use food packaging made of fossil raw materials at the level of the European Union, Poland and Portugal but also at the level of the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States, as well as lower-income countries, e.g., Ukraine and Brazil. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The performed study demonstrates that, in in all the surveyed countries, appropriate legal acts related to the reduction of plastic in everyday life are already in place. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the full understanding of plastic banning in all surveyed countries. Consumers are aware that every effort should be made to prevent the world from drowning in plastic waste. Society is, in general, open to the use of bioplastics produced from the second-generation resource if second-generation bioplastics contribute to environmental and pollution reduction targets

Global Ban on Plastic and What Next? Are Consumers Ready to Replace Plastic with the Second-Generation Bioplastic? Results of the Snowball Sample Consumer Research in China, Western and Eastern Europe, North America and Brazil

ABSTRACT: Plastic can be used for many things and at the same time is the most versatile material in our modern world. However, the uncontrolled and unprecedented use of plastic comes to its end. The global ban on plastic brings significant changes in technology but even more so in civil perception-changes taking place before our eyes. The aim of this study was to find answers to the questions about the readiness of consumers for a global ban on plastic. Within the research, the differences in consumer acceptance in countries in Europe, South and North America and Asia and the expression of social readiness to change attitudes towards plastic food packaging were analyzed. This work sketches the legal framework related to limiting the use of one-use food packaging made of fossil raw materials at the level of the European Union, Poland and Portugal but also at the level of the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States, as well as lower-income countries, e.g., Ukraine and Brazil. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The performed study demonstrates that, in in all the surveyed countries, appropriate legal acts related to the reduction of plastic in everyday life are already in place. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the full understanding of plastic banning in all surveyed countries. Consumers are aware that every effort should be made to prevent the world from drowning in plastic waste. Society is, in general, open to the use of bioplastics produced from the second-generation resource if second-generation bioplastics contribute to environmental and pollution reduction targets.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Protein–protein interactions as a proxy to monitor conformational changes and activation states of the tomato resistance protein I-2

Plant resistance proteins (R) are involved in pathogen recognition and subsequent initiation of defence responses. Their activity is regulated by inter- and intramolecular interactions. In a yeast two-hybrid screen two clones (I2I-1 and I2I-2) specifically interacting with I-2, a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici resistance protein of the CC-NB-LRR family, were identified. Sequence analysis revealed that I2I-1 belongs to the Formin gene family (SlFormin) whereas I2I-2 has homology to translin-associated protein X (SlTrax). SlFormin required only the N-terminal CC I-2 domain for binding, whereas SlTrax required both I-2 CC and part of the NB-ARC domain. Tomato plants stably silenced for these interactors were not compromised in I-2-mediated disease resistance. When extended or mutated forms of I-2 were used as baits, distinct and often opposite, interaction patterns with the two interactors were observed. These interaction patterns correlated with the proposed activation state of I-2 implying that active and inactive R proteins adopt distinct conformations. It is concluded that the yeast two hybrid system can be used as a proxy to monitor these different conformational states