Simple and efficient furfural production from xylose in media containing 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate

The acidic 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([bmim][HSO4]) ionic liquid was explored as both a reaction medium and a catalyst in the furfural production from xylose. Preliminary experiments were carried out at 100–140 °C for 15–480 min in systems containing just xylose dissolved in [bmim][HSO4] in the absence of externally added catalysts. More than 95% xylose conversion was achieved when operating at 120 or 140 °C for 300 and 90 min, respectively; but just 36.7% of the initial xylose was converted to furfural. Operation in biphasic reaction systems (in the presence of toluene, methyl-isobutyl ketone or dioxane as extraction solvents) at 140 °C under selected conditions resulted in improved furfural production (73.8%, 80.3%, and 82.2% xylose conversion to furfural for the cited extraction solvents, respectively)

Manufacture of Furfural from Xylan-containing Biomass by Acidic Processing of Hemicellulose-Derived Saccharides in Biphasic Media Using Microwave Heating

Furfural was produced in biphasic media using a microwave-heated reactor. Diverse substrates were considered: xylose (considered as a reference compound) or hemicellulosic saccharides from Eucalyptus globulus wood or corncobs. Operation was carried out at 170°C for the desired reaction time in the presence of an acidic catalyst (sulfuric acid or HCl). The best furfural yields (67.8% and 72.5% from E. globulus wood and corncobs, respectively) were obtained operating for 10 min or 20 min with 1% or 0.5% HCl, respectively. These results were slightly lower than the ones obtained using xylose (a model substrate) under comparable reaction conditions, a fact ascribed to differences in the complexity of substrates and to the presence of contaminants

Peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and infants: NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe: A prospective European multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND: Little is known about current clinical practice concerning peri-operative red blood cell transfusion in neonates and small infants. Guidelines suggest transfusions based on haemoglobin thresholds ranging from 8.5 to 12 g dl-1, distinguishing between children from birth to day 7 (week 1), from day 8 to day 14 (week 2) or from day 15 (≥week 3) onwards. OBJECTIVE: To observe peri-operative red blood cell transfusion practice according to guidelines in relation to patient outcome. DESIGN: A multicentre observational study. SETTING: The NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) trial recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. PATIENTS: The data included 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Inclusion criteria was a peri-operative red blood cell transfusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the haemoglobin level triggering a transfusion for neonates in week 1, week 2 and week 3. Secondary endpoints were transfusion volumes, 'delta haemoglobin' (preprocedure - transfusion-triggering) and 30-day and 90-day morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Peri-operative red blood cell transfusions were recorded during 447 procedures (6.9%). The median haemoglobin levels triggering a transfusion were 9.6 [IQR 8.7 to 10.9] g dl-1 for neonates in week 1, 9.6 [7.7 to 10.4] g dl-1 in week 2 and 8.0 [7.3 to 9.0] g dl-1 in week 3. The median transfusion volume was 17.1 [11.1 to 26.4] ml kg-1 with a median delta haemoglobin of 1.8 [0.0 to 3.6] g dl-1. Thirty-day morbidity was 47.8% with an overall mortality of 11.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate lower transfusion-triggering haemoglobin thresholds in clinical practice than suggested by current guidelines. The high morbidity and mortality of this NECTARINE sub-cohort calls for investigative action and evidence-based guidelines addressing peri-operative red blood cell transfusions strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02350348

Obtaining of furans using ionic liquid

La creciente escasez y el encarecimiento de las materias primas utilizadas tradicionalmente en los procesos industriales requieren un uso eficiente de los recursos que tenemos a nuestra disposición, en particular las de carácter renovable. Una de las iniciativas relacionadas con el desarrollo sostenible implica el uso de materiales residuales de la naturaleza como materia prima para nuevos procesos basados en tecnologías avanzadas, que permiten la obtención de productos de alto valor añadido. Cabe señalar que cuando se utiliza subproductos como materias primas alcanzaron un doble beneficio: por un lado, la rentabilidad económica inherente en cualquier actividad industrial, y también las mejoras ambientales que implica la desaparición de sus propios residuos. El proyecto que se describe en este informe tiene como objetivo contribuir al desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías de procesamiento (de bajo impacto ambiental, de alta eficiencia energética y fácilmente escalable a niveles industriales) siguiendo la filosofía de la refinería "biomasa": a través de tratamientos químicos seleccionados, los diversos componentes de las materias primas (extracto, celulosa, hemicelulosa y lignina) separados selectivamente, dando lugar a fracciones (o compuesto) con diferentes aplicaciones. Esta forma de pensar permite un uso eficiente de las materias primas, y aumentar el valor añadido de los productos obtenidos a partir de ellos.A crecente escasez e aumento das materias primas tradicionalmente usadas en procesos industriais requiren o uso eficiente dos recursos que temos á nosa disposición, especialmente de carácter renovable. Unha das iniciativas relacionadas co desenvolvemento sostible implica o uso de materiais residuais da natureza como materia prima para novos procesos baseados en tecnoloxías avanzadas, que permiten a obtención de produtos de alto valor engadido. Débese notar que, cando subprodutos utilizados como materias primas alcanzaron un beneficio dobre: por unha banda, a rendibilidade económica inherente a calquera actividade industrial, e as melloras ambientais inclúen a desaparición dos seus propios residuos. O proxecto descrito neste informe pretende contribuír ao desenvolvemento de novas tecnoloxías de procesamento (baixo impacto ambiental, e facilmente escalable para niveis industriais de eficiencia enerxética) seguindo a filosofía da refinería "biomasa" a través de tratamentos químicos seleccionados, os distintos compoñentes de materias primas (extracto, celulosa, hemicelulosa e lignina) selectivamente separados, resultado fraccións (ou compostos) con distintas aplicacións. Esta forma de pensar permite o uso eficiente de materias primas, e aumentar o valor engadido dos produtos obtidos a partir deles.The increasing scarcity and rising raw materials traditionally used in industrial processes require efficient use of the resources we have at our disposal, particularly renewable character. One of the initiatives related to sustainable development involves the use of residual materials from nature as raw material for new processes based on advanced technologies, which allow obtaining products of high added value. It should be noted that when by-products used as raw materials reached a double benefit: on the one hand, the economic profitability inherent in any industrial activity, and environmental improvements involving the disappearance of their own waste. The project described in this report aims to contribute to the development of new processing technologies (low environmental impact, energy-efficient and easily scalable to industrial levels) following the philosophy of "biomass" refinery: through treatments selected chemical, the various components of raw materials (extract, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) selectively separated, resulting fractions (or compound) with different applications. This way of thinking allows efficient use of raw materials, and increase the added value of the products obtained from them

Manufacture of furfural in biphasic media made up of an ionic liquid and a co-solvent

Xylose was converted into furfural operating in a medium containing the acidic ionic liquid (AIL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, in the presence of toluene as a co-solvent. No catalytic species different from the AIL were needed for furfural production from xylose. Operating at 100.140 .C for 15.480 min in media containing 10 g xylose/100 g AIL and 2.4 g toluene/g (AIL + xylose), most furfural generated in the AIL phase was transferred to the co-solvent, limiting the losses caused by undesired side reactions. Operating under optimal conditions (140 .C for 240 min using 4.4 g toluene/g initial AIL phase), xylose was almost completely consumed, and furfural was obtained at 73.8% of the stoichiometric yield