Effect of Lignosilicon on the Content and Antioxidant Activity of the Polyphenols of Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Moench

Lignin preparations, introduced into soil jointly with buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, variety 'Aiva' (cultivated throughout Latvia) seeds during the sowing in quantities of 20 kg ha-1 and 40 kg ha-1, exerted a favourable effect on the ned in alcohol extracts from the biomass of different morphological parts of buckwheat, were represented mainly by rutin. The content of rutin in the ethanol extracts from the biomass of flowers with bract reached the maximum values in the phase of accomplishing blooming - beginning of fruit formation to be 2.74% in terms of dry mass (exceeding the rutin content development of plants and the synthesis of flavonoids in flowers with bract. Flavonoids, determin the control by 65%) in the variant with 40 kg ha-1 of Lignosilicon. Lignin preparations favoured the increase in the radical scavenging capacity of the alcohol extracts of the biomass of flowers with bract of buckwheat, as well as grain and hulls. The increment of the buckwheat grain crop, in comparison with the control on the background of 40 kg ha-1 of lignin, was 12%, and that on the background of 20 kg ha-1 and 40 kg/ha of Lignosilicon 10% and 15%, respectively

Role of paramagnetic polyconjugated clusters in lignin antioxidant activity (in vitro)

Using physico-chemical methods (EPR, SEC, Py-GC/MS and UV/VIS spectroscopy) and wet chemical analysis, the characteristics of 6 hardwood lignins in terms of functionality, molecular weight and composition of lignin substructures were determined and considered together with the results of DPPH•, ABTS •+ and O2•- antioxidant assays with the aim to understand the relationships governing antioxidant properties of lignin. The strong positive linear correlation between lignin antioxidant capacity in the three assays used and the extent of conjugation of paramagnetic polyconjugated clusters in lignin macromolecules was found. The biological activity of the most active alkaline lignins was assessed by in vitro experiment with human blood.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Use Of Plants To Remediate Soil Polluted With Oil

In the present investigation the growing and development ability of various annual and perennial plants to grow on model peat substrate artificially polluted with oil products in the range of concentrations from 1 to 5% was evaluated. The highest tolerance towards peat contamination by oil products has been demonstrated by three annual crops (maize, oat and lupine). These plants were tested for phytoremediation of polluted black soil from the area of oil refinery plant (Mazeikiai, Lithuania), which was treated by association of oil oxidizing bacteria up to residual concentration of the oil products of 4.5 %. The maize plants revealed the highest remediation ability: oil content in the soil decreased by ~ 1.5 times in one month plant vegetation

Evaluation of the changes induced by gasification biochar in a peat-sand substrate

Gasification biochar represents one of the biochar types tested for agricultural needs. The aim of this study was to clarify the physico-chemical and biological changes occurring in a peat-sand substrate amended with hardwood-derived gasification biochar in the rates of 2, 4 and 20 g l-1. The pH(H2O) of the substrate with 4 g l-1 and 20 g l-1 biochar was increased from 5.6 to 6.2 and 6.7, respectively. The testing of the substrate in the re- spirometry device showed that the increase in the biochar rate led to a decrease in the amount of CO2 evolved at the maximum pressure drop. The continuous decrease in pressure observed in the respirometry bottles filled with pure biochar allows explaining this effect by biochar sorption activity. Addition of 2 and 4 g l-1 biochar to the peat-sand substrate stimulated the growth of cucumbers in an 18-day pot vegetation experiment. An increase in the number of root tips and root volume with a decreasing average root diameter was shown in the presence of biochar. Stimulation of plant growth on the background of low rates of biochar requires a further study with emphasis on the specific combination of biochar, soil type, plant species, and climatic conditions

Characteristics of Wheat Straw Lignins from Ethanol-based Organosolv Treatment

Non-purified lignins resulting from ethanol-based organosolv fractionation of wheat straw were characterized for the presence of impurities (carbohydrates and ash), functional groups (hydroxyl, carboxyl and methoxyl), phenyl-propanoid structural moieties, molar mass distribution and thermal behavior. In accordance with its herbaceous nature, the syringyl/guaiacyl-ratio of the wheat straw lignins was substantially lower than of Alcell lignin. In addition, the content of p-hydroxyphenyl and carboxyl groups is substantially higher for the wheat straw lignins. The non-purified organosolv lignins had a high purity with 0.4–5.2% carbohydrate impurities, both originating from lignin to carbohydrate complexes and residual organosolv liquor. The use of H2SO4 in the organosolv process improved the lignin yield, but at low acid doses increased the carbohydrate impurities. For applications where a low amount of carbohydrates is important, lignin from a high-temperature autocatalytic organosolv process was found to be preferred. The highest content of total hydroxyl groups was determined when lignins were produced using 30 mM H2SO4 as catalyst or 50% w/w aqueous ethanol as solvent for the organosolv process. Aliphatic hydroxyl groups, the most predominant type of hydroxyl groups present originating for a substantial part from residual carbohydrates, were found to decrease with reaction time and ethanol proportion of the organosolv solvent. The correlations between organosolv process conditions and lignin characteristics determined can facilitate the use of organosolv lignins in value-added applications such as in polymers and resins and as a feedstock for bio-based aromatics

Functionality and physico-chemical characteristics of wheat straw lignin, BioligninTM, derivatives formed in the oxypropylation process

The new organosolv process of wheat straw fractionation elaborated by Compagnie Industrielle de la matiere Vegetale (France) corresponds to the biorefinery approach, which allows separating cellulose, hemicel -luloses, and lignin. The straw lignin (Biolignin) is an attractive product, for which new applications are sought. In the present work, straw lignin (L) was converted into liquid lignopolyols via a batch reaction with propylene oxide (PO). The effects of the lignin content (L%) in the initial reaction mixture (L/(L+PO) on the oxypropylation process and the properties of whole lignopolyols and L/PO copolymers were studied. Almost complete disappearance of L-OHphen and L-COOH groups in copolymers was accompanied by an increase in the L-OHaliph groups’ content therein. The polydispersity (Mw/Mn) of all copolymers obtained decreased essentially compared to the reference. The extent of PO grafting onto OH groups increased with decreasing lignin content in the initial reaction mixture. At a lignin content of 15–30% in the initial reaction mixture, the lignopolyols fulfil the requirements of polyol polyethers for rigid polyurethane foam production. The further increase in the lignin content leads to the appearance of the non-liquefied fraction and the undesirable increase in the viscosity of the liquefied part

Py-GC/MS for Characterization of Non-Hydrolyzed Residues from Bioetanol Production from Softwood

Analytical pyrolysis combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was used to analyze chemical composition of non-hydrolyzed residues (LHRs) obtained by three methods of bioethanol production: softwood acid hydrolysis (AH), separate enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). Complementary techniques, such as EPR- and FTIR-spectroscopy, and routine chemical analysis procedures were used for this study as well. The Py-GC/MS analysis of the LHRs has shown a higher efficiency of carbohydrates hydrolysis upon SSF process in comparison with SHF and AH processes. Comparison of chemical analysis results and data obtained by Py-GC/MS of LHRs brought the direct evidence of incorporation of carbohydrates-derived fragments into the lignin matrix and formation of so-called pseudo-lignin upon different stages of softwood processing. Modifications of lignin component of LHRs on various stages of the process of bioethanol production, such as oxidation and condensation reactions, cleavage of ether bonds and destruction of side propane chain, were revealed using Py-GC/MS