Optimization of the extraction of galactoglucomannans from Pinus halepensis

The effectiveness of pressurized hot-water extraction conditions for obtaining galactoglucomannans (GGMs) from Pinus halepensis suitable for applications like coatings and films packaging was investigated. For this purpose, high molar masses with high yields are required, presenting a serious challenge for hot-water extraction processes. The extraction of GGMs was carried out in an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) and the isolation was performed by precipitation in ethanol. Three temperatures in the range 160-180 degrees C and five extraction times 5-90 min were tested in order to optimize extraction parameters of GGMs, avoiding thermal and chemical degradation in hotwater. Total dissolved solids (TDS) were determined gravimetrically after freeze-drying and weight average molar masses (Mw) were determined by high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Total non-cellulosic carbohydrates were determined by gas chromatography (GC) after acid methanolysis. Free monomers were additionally analyzed by GC. Lignin in water extracts was measured by an ultraviolet (UV) method. Acetic acid was determined after alkaline hydrolysis of acetyl groups and analyzed by HPSEC. The main parameters influencing the extraction processes of the GGMs, namely, extraction time and temperature were studied. Optimal extraction parameters of GGMs were identified at 170 degrees C and 20 min extraction time, with average Mw of extracted fraction of 7 kDa leading to a GGM yield of approximately 56 mg g(o.d.m)(-1) corresponding to 6% on dry wood basis.This work was part of the doctoral research activities of ((insert author name/s)) at the Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre (PCC) at Abo Akademi University, Finland. We thank The Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for funding support within "Le Projet National Exceptionnel (P.N.E)'

The Opportunities of Applying Reverse Logistics at Belarusian Enterprises

Reverse logistics has been gaining more and more attention in recent years but its importance and its profitability is often overlooked. Let us take as an example one of the largest Belarussian industrial enterprises JSC Belaruskali which shows positive and cost-effective results of applying reverse logistics

Iridescence mimicking in fabrics: a ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy study

Poly(styrene-methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid) photonic crystals (PCs), with five different sizes (170, 190, 210, 230 and 250 nm), were applied onto three plain fabrics, namely polyamide, polyester and cotton. The PC-coated fabrics were analyzed using scanning electronic microscopy and two UV/Vis reflectance spectrophotometric techniques (integrating sphere and scatterometry) to evaluate the PCs’ self-assembly along with the obtained spectral and colors characteristics. Results showed that surface roughness of the fabrics had a major influence on the color produced by PCs. Polyamide-coated fabrics were the only samples having an iridescent effect, producing more vivid and brilliant colors than polyester and cotton samples. It was observed that as the angle of incident light increases, a hypsochromic shift in the reflection peak occurs along with the formation of new reflection peaks. Furthermore, color behavior simulations were performed with an illuminant A light source on polyamide samples. The illuminant A simulation showed greener and yellower structural colors than those illuminated with D50. The polyester and cotton samples were analyzed using scatterometry to check for iridescence, which was unseen upon ocular inspection and then proven to be present in these samples. This work allowed a better comprehension of how structural colors and their iridescence are affected by the textile substrate morphology and fiber type.This research was funded by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (MCTS), project UID/CTM/00264/2021 and PhD grant SFRH/BD/145269/2019

Localization of (+)-Catechin in Picea abies Phloem : Responses to Wounding and Fungal Inoculation

To understand the positional and temporal defense mechanisms of coniferous tree bark at the tissue and cellular levels, the phloem topochemistry and structural properties were examined after artificially induced bark defense reactions. Wounding and fungal inoculation withEndoconidiophora polonicaof spruce bark were carried out, and phloem tissues were frequently collected to follow the temporal and spatial progress of chemical and structural responses. The changes in (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, stilbene glucoside, and resin acid distribution, and accumulation patterns within the phloem, were mapped using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (cryo-ToF-SIMS), alongside detailed structural (LM, TEM, SEM) and quantitative chemical microanalyses of the tissues. Our results show that axial phloem parenchyma cells of Norway spruce contain (+)-catechins, the amount of which locally increases in response to fungal inoculation. The preformed, constitutive distribution and accumulation patterns of (+)-catechins closely follow those of stilbene glucosides. Phloem phenolics are not translocated but form a layered defense barrier with oleoresin compounds in response to pathogen attack. Our results suggest that axial phloem parenchyma cells are the primary location for (+)-catechin storage and synthesis in Norway spruce phloem. Chemical mapping of bark defensive metabolites by cryo-ToF-SIMS, in addition to structural and chemical microanalyses of the defense reactions, can provide novel information on the local amplitudes and localizations of chemical and structural defense mechanisms and pathogen-host interactions of trees.Peer reviewe

Pilot Study of Sap Properties of Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) Trees Used and Not Used for Sap- Feeding by Three-Toed Woodpeckers (Picoides tridactylus)

The ecophysiology of the Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees that were used by three-toed woodpeckers (TTW) (Picoides tridactylus) for their sap-feeding activities were investigated. The pilot study was conducted in southern Finland (61°15′ N, 25°00′ E). During April–June 2015, three different tree categories of Norway spruce were selected for monitoring: trees that were frequently used by the TTWs for phloem sap-feeding for several previous years; trees that were only recently used by TTWs for sap-feeding; and control trees that were not used at all for sap-feeding. Phloem sap and phloem tissue samples were frequently extracted from tree trunks and analyzed for the content and composition of nonstructural carbohydrates, phloem sap osmolality, solute, and water content, as well as for the content and composition of secondary metabolites typical for defense reactions in the phloem. Simple crown characteristics were also measured, including tree height, diameter at breast height, and their ratio (slenderness index). According to our results, the TTWs preferred Norway spruce trees that showed advanced spring phenology to feed on, as evidenced especially by the lower ratio of raffinose (typically high during the winter months) to total soluble sugars of phloem tissues as compared to non-used control trees. The lower slenderness index of the trees chosen by the TTWs indicates low canopy competition pressure with good access to light (i.e., the sun heats the trunks well in spring). There were no differences in the phloem osmolality or solute content between the used or unused control trees. The trees used by the TTWs had significantly higher concentrations of antioxidant phenolic (+)-catechins and stilbene glycosides in phloem tissue, and the stilbene content was also higher in the extracted sap. The phenolics content of the phloem tissue had a clear seasonal trend, being the highest in the early spring and lower towards the onset of the cambial growth processes. The phloem sap is rich in antioxidants and soluble sugars that are potentially beneficial for the TTWs, but more quantitative research is needed to explore the importance of the sap properties to TTWs

Printing with tonalli: Reproducing featherwork from precolonial Mexico using structural colorants

Two of the most significant cases of extant 16th-century featherwork from Mexico are the so-called Moctezuma’s headdress and the Ahuizotl shield. While the feathers used in these artworks exhibit lightfast colors, their assembly comprises mainly organic materials, which makes them extremely fragile. Printed media, including books, catalogs, educational materials, and fine copies, offer an accessible means for audiences to document and disseminate visual aspects of delicate cultural artifacts without risking their integrity. Nevertheless, the singular brightness and iridescent colors of feathers are difficult to communicate to the viewer in printed reproductions when traditional pigments are used. This research explores the use of effect pigments (multilayered reflective structures) and improved halftoning techniques for additive printing, with the objective of enhancing the reproduction of featherwork by capturing its changing color and improving texture representation via a screen printing process. The reproduced images of featherwork exhibit significant perceptual resemblances to the originals, primarily owing to the shared presence of structural coloration. We applied structure-aware halftoning to better represent the textural qualities of feathers without compromising the performance of effect pigments in the screen printing method. Our prints show angle-dependent color, although their gamut is reduced. The novelty of this work lies in the refinement of techniques for printing full-color images by additive printing, which can enhance the 2D representation of the appearance of culturally significant artifact

Lignans in Knotwood of Norway Spruce : Localisation with Soft X-ray Microscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

Lignans are bioactive compounds that are especially abundant in the Norway spruce (Picea abiesL. Karst.) knotwood. By combining a variety of chromatographic, spectroscopic and imaging techniques, we were able to quantify, qualify and localise the easily extractable lignans in the xylem tissue. The knotwood samples contained 15 different lignans according to the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. They comprised 16% of the knotwood dry weight and 82% of the acetone extract. The main lignans were found to be hydroxymatairesinols HMR1 and HMR2. Cryosectioned and resin-embedded ultrathin sections of the knotwood were analysed with scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). Cryosectioning was found to retain only lignan residues inside the cell lumina. In the resin-embedded samples, lignan was interpreted to be unevenly distributed inside the cell lumina, and partially confined in deposits which were either readily present in the lumina or formed when OsO(4)used in staining reacted with the lignans. Furthermore, the multi-technique characterisation enabled us to obtain information on the chemical composition of the structural components of knotwood. A simple spectral analysis of the STXM data gave consistent results with the gas chromatographic methods about the relative amounts of cell wall components (lignin and polysaccharides). The STXM analysis also indicated that a torus of a bordered pit contained aromatic compounds, possibly lignin.Peer reviewe

Environmentally-compatible alkyd paints stabilized by wood hemicelluloses

Wood biorefining currently involves large-scale industrial processes where a notable portion of raw materials, namely hemicelluloses and lignin, are either lost with the process water, degraded, or burnt for energy. Value added utilization of polymeric hemicelluloses is challenging due to their intermediate molar mass and the presence of other wood components, such as phenolic residues or wood extractives. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions represent a diverse and abundant class of applications in which the natural properties of wood hemicelluloses are beneficial. In the current work, we present highly promising new technical alkyd paint emulsion systems stabilized with hardwood glucuronoxylans (GX) and softwood galactoglucomannans (GGM). Samples from three isolation methods and their further fractionation by ethanol precipitation were systematically compared with regard to hemicellulose composition, interfacial activity, and functionality in emulsions. Emulsification of alkyd resins was successful with both GX and GGM obtained by various biorefining strategies. The highest emulsion stability over storage was achieved using crude non-purified GX and GGM fractions, and was correlated with the presence of phenolic compounds and extractives, interfacial activity, and small droplet size. Hardwood GX and softwood GGM are envisioned as natural emulsifiers of alkyd O/W emulsions, which are examples of diverse and abundantly-used technical dispersions. This study can be utilized as a guideline for targeted extraction of hemicelluloses with desired functionality, and as a protocol for developing environmentally-compatible industrial dispersions.Peer reviewe