New Polymers for Needleless Electrospinning from Low-Toxic Solvents.

Wortmann M, Frese N, Sabantina L, et al. New Polymers for Needleless Electrospinning from Low-Toxic Solvents. Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland). 2019;9(1): 52

Growth of Pleurotus Ostreatus on Different Textile Materials for Vertical Farming

The mycelium of the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus can be used for diverse technical applications, such as packaging materials or wastewater treatment, besides the more obvious use for nutrition. While P. ostreatus usually grows on sawdust, wood or similar materials, a former study investigated mycelium growth on different nanofiber mats. Here, we report on growing P. ostreatus on fabrics knitted from different materials, enabling the use of this mushroom in textile-based vertical farming. Our results underline that P. ostreatus grows similar on natural fibers and on synthetic fibers. The agar medium used to provide nutrients was found to support mycelium growth optimally when applied by dip-coating, suggesting that, in this way, P. ostreatus can also be grown on vertically aligned textile fabrics for vertical farming

Comparative Study of <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i> Mushroom Grown on Modified PAN Nanofiber Mats

Pleurotus ostreatus is a well-known edible mushroom species which shows fast growth. The fungus can be used for medical, nutritional, filter, or packaging purposes. In this study, cultivation experiments were carried out with Pleurotus ostreatus growing on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber mats in the presence of saccharose and Lutrol F68. The aim of this study was to find out whether modified PAN nanofiber mats are well suited for the growth of fungal mycelium, to increase growth rates and to affect mycelium fiber morphologies. Our results show that Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium grows on nanofiber mats in different morphologies, depending on the specific substrate, and can be used to produce a composite from fungal mycelium and nanofiber mats for biomedical and biotechnological applications

Halocarbon distributions and emissions in the western tropical Pacific during the SHIVA SONNE expedition in November 2011

Marine brominated and iodinated halocarbons participate in catalytic ozone destruction and aerosol formation in the troposphere and they also have a significant impact on stratospheric ozone. While the tropical oceans are a known source of these very short lived substances (VSLS), including e.g. bromoform (CHBr3) and methyliodide (CH3I), the tropical Western Pacific waters are largely uncharacterized for these compounds. Coastal macro algae, regionally enhanced phytoplankton abundance, photochemical reactions and local anthropogenic sources are expected to contribute to strong marine emissions. As high convective activity with fast efficient uplift takes place throughout the year, the western Pacific is projected to be a hot spot for oceanic VSLS supply to the stratosphere. In this study, we present first results from the SHIVA Sonne expedition to the South China Sea during November 2011. The research cruise was embedded within the framework of the EU-project SHIVA (Stratospheric ozone: Halogen Impacts in a Varying Atmosphere). During the cruise we investigated the large variability of the VSLS concentrations in both ocean and atmosphere using several methods, including in-situ atmospheric measurements, air canister sampling, purge and trap gas chromatography with electron capture and mass spectrometric detection. We will intercompare the results from various methods and present highlights from the expedition including atmospheric and oceanic VSLS data, as well as first estimates of emissions