Caracterización de la producción y optimización del procesamiento de extracción de colorantes de AÑIL (Indigofera suffruticosa Mill)

Les tendances actuelles de recherche de produits naturels ainsi que de technologies qui préservent l'environnement stimulent la recherche d'autres sources d'obtention d'indigo, plus particulièrement des sources naturelles. Le manque de connaissances des facteurs que affectent la production et l'extraction de l'indigo des cultures de l'anil (Indigofera suffruticosa Mill) limite son exploitation commerciale. Les objectifs de ce travail sont d'une part la caractérisation de la production du colorant durant le cycle de culture des plantes d'anil et d'autre part la détermination des conditions les plus favorables d'extraction de ce même colorant. Pour réaliser ce travail des cultures en champs ont été établies dans les états de Veracruz et Oaxaca au Mexique pour pouvoir suivre au cours du développement de la plante la production de Poudre de Colorant Bleu (PCB). Cette partie du travail démontre que la production du colorant a lieu a la fin de l'étape de croissance de la plante, juste avant la floraison et que l'étape la plus appropriée pour réaliser la récolte est environ 5 mois après le semis. Une partie de l'étude réalisée en microscopie montre la présence de cellules qui présentent des vacuoles contenant un colorant rouge qui pourrait être le produit de la transformation du précurseur de l'indigo. A partir de différentes expériences d'extraction solide/liquide du colorant réalisées sur des échantillons de feuilles d'anil sèches les meilleures conditions obtenues sont les suivantes : relation matière première/solvant de 1 20 jusqu'à 1:6,5 ; temps d'extraction entre 6 et 8 heures ; température entre 25°C et 35°C ; pH du solvant égale a 7 pour l'extraction de l'indigo et pH=12 pour extraire l'indigo et indirubine ; temps d'aération compris entre 10 et 30 mn, pH=8 pour l'aération. Dans la dernière étape du travail une extraction assistée par ultrasons a été réalisée, à niveau laboratoire (3 litres) et pilote (30 litres). L'effet principal de l'application des ultrasons est la réduction du temps d'extraction de 6 heures en conditions classiques à 2 heures avec ultrasons. Au cours de ces expériences un effet du temps d'extraction ainsi que du pH du solvant a été observé sur les rendements d'extraction d'indigo, d'indirubine et de poudre de colorant bleu. Les rendements maximaux obtenus sont de 1,79 g de PCB/100g de feuilles sèches et 3 mg d'indigo/g de feuilles sèches a pH=7 t de 1,6 mg d'indirubine/g de feuilles sèches à pH=12. ABSTRACT : In this work was found that the best stage by the añil (Indigofera suffruticosa Mill) harvesting is presented to 5 months after seedling, when the Blue Dye Powder (PDP) and indigo maxim yields were reached. The best dyes extraction conditions were : ratio raw material/solvent from 1:20 to 1:6.5, extraction time 6-8 hours, temperature : 25-35°C, extraction pH 7 by indigo extraction and 12 by both indigo and indirubin extraction, aeration time 10-30 min and aeration pH 8. The main effect of the ultrasound during the extraction was the reduction of the extraction time from 6 to 2 hours. The maxim yields obtained were 1.79 g of CAP/100 of dry weight and 3 mg of indigo/g of dry weight to pH 7 and 1.6 mg of indirubin/g of dry weight to pH 12

Valorization of Mexican biomasses through pyrolysis, combustion and gasification processes

Pyrolysis, combustion and gasification processes of six different types of biomass, which were obtained from Mexico (Castor husk, Castor stem, Agave bagasse, Coffee pulp, Opuntia stem and Pinus sawdust) were investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TG-MS). The selection of biomass, for each thermochemical process, depended on its main physico-chemical properties (moisture content, volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash content, calorific value, mineral content, etc.). For pyrolysis processes, the desirable characteristics of biomass are high volatile matter and low ash content. For combustion processes, the biomass has to show high low heating value (LHV) and low ash content. In the case of gasification processes, the biomass ought to have high fixed carbon. Pinus sawdust had the highest volatile matter and the lowest ash content, Castor stem showed the highest LHV and Coffee pulp had the highest fixed carbon content. The pyrolysis process was divided in three main stages (dehydration, devolatilization and char formation). Moreover, for Agave bagasse two more peaks at high temperature were found due to the decomposition of lignin and cellulose but it could also be related to its high mineral content. On the other hand, three main different stages (dehydration, devolatilization and char oxidation) for the combustion process were found. It is noticeable that Coffee pulp showed one more peak than other studied biomasses, which is related to its high lignin content. Due to its high heat released, Castor husk could be considered as the best candidate for combustion process. However, Pinus sawdust can be considerate more suitable for this process because of its low amount of NOx released. In addition, for gasification process the effect of the gas flow was studied. Coffee pulp resulted to be the most suitable for gasification process due to the amount and quality of the fuel gas produced.Se investigaron los procesos de pirólisis, combustión y gasificación de seis tipos diferentes de biomasa, que se obtuvieron de México (cáscara de higuerilla, tallo de higuerilla, bagazo de agave , pulpa de café, tallo de Opuntia y aserrín de Pinus ) mediante análisis termogravimétrico acoplado con espectrometría de masas (TG -EM). La selección de la biomasa, para cada proceso termoquímico , dependió de sus principales propiedades físico-químicas (contenido de humedad, materia volátil, carbono fijo, contenido de cenizas, poder calorífico , contenido mineral, etc.). Para los procesos de pirólisis, las características deseables de la biomasa son alta materia volátil y bajo contenido de cenizas. Para los procesos de combustión, la biomasa tiene que mostrar altabajo poder calorífico (LHV) y bajo contenido de cenizas. En el caso de los procesos de gasificación, la biomasa debe tener un alto contenido de carbono fijo. El aserrín de pinotuvo la materia volátil más alta y el contenido de ceniza más bajo, el tallo de ricino mostró el LHV más alto y la pulpa de café tuvo el contenido de carbono fijo más alto. El proceso de pirólisis se dividió en tres etapas principales (deshidratación,desvolatilizacióny formación de carbón). Además, paraAgaveEn el bagazo se encontraron dos picos más a alta temperatura debido a la descomposición de la lignina y la celulosa pero también podría estar relacionado con su alto contenido mineral. Por otro lado, se encontraron tres etapas principales diferentes (deshidratación, desvolatilización y oxidación del carbón) para el proceso de combustión. Se destaca que la pulpa de café presentó un pico más que otras biomasas estudiadas, lo cual está relacionado con su alto contenido de lignina. Debido a su alto calor liberado, la cáscara de ricino podría considerarse como el mejor candidato para el proceso de combustión. Sin embargo, el aserrín de Pinus puede considerarse más adecuado para este proceso debido a su baja cantidad de NO xpublicado. Además, para el proceso de gasificación se estudió el efecto del flujo de gas. La pulpa de café resultó ser la más adecuada para el proceso de gasificación debido a la cantidad y calidad del gas combustible producido

Environmental and economic analysis of bioethanol production from sugarcane molasses and agave juice

In this article, sugarcane molasses and agave juice were compared as potential feedstocks for producing bioethanol in Mexico in terms of their environmental impact and economic factors. Life cycle assessment (LCA) using SimaPro was carried out to calculate environmental impacts by using a cradle-to-gate approach. A preliminary economic analysis was performed to determine the economic feasibility of the studied options. Also, capital goods costs were obtained using the Aspen Plus economy package. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was involved to compare the environmental and economic viability of producing bioethanol from sugarcane molasses and agave juice. LCA results revealed that cultivation and fermentation were the most harmful stages when producing bioethanol from sugarcane molasses and agave juice, respectively. Furthermore, when it was derived from agave juice rather than sugarcane molasses, it had more environmental benefits. This was ascribed to the lower consumption rate of fertilizers, pesticides, and emissions given off from the former. Regarding financial aspects, the preliminary analysis showed that producing bioethanol was not economically viable when grid energy alone was used. However, if power from the grid is partially replaced with renewable energy, producing bioethanol becomes economically feasible, and sugarcane molasses is the most suitable feedstock.En este artículo, se compararon la melaza de caña de azúcar y el jugo de agave como materias primas potenciales para producir bioetanol en México en términos de su impacto ambiental y factores económicos. Se llevó a cabo una evaluación del ciclo de vida (LCA) utilizando SimaPro para calcular los impactos ambientales utilizando un enfoque de la cuna a la puerta. Se realizó un análisis económico preliminar para determinar la factibilidad económica de las opciones estudiadas. Asimismo, los costos de bienes de capital se obtuvieron utilizando el paquete económico Aspen Plus. Además, se realizó un análisis de sensibilidad para comparar la viabilidad ambiental y económica de producir bioetanol a partir de melaza de caña de azúcar y jugo de agave. Los resultados de LCA revelaron que el cultivo y la fermentación fueron las etapas más dañinas al producir bioetanol a partir de melaza de caña de azúcar y jugo de agave, respectivamente. Es más, cuando se derivaba del jugo de agave en lugar de la melaza de caña de azúcar, tenía más beneficios ambientales. Esto se atribuyó al menor consumo de fertilizantes, plaguicidas y emisiones de los primeros. En cuanto a los aspectos financieros, el análisis preliminar mostró que la producción de bioetanol no era económicamente viable cuando se utilizaba únicamente la energía de la red. Sin embargo, si la energía de la red se reemplaza parcialmente con energía renovable, la producción de bioetanol se vuelve económicamente factible y la melaza de caña de azúcar es la materia prima más adecuada. el análisis preliminar mostró que la producción de bioetanol no era económicamente viable cuando se utilizaba únicamente la energía de la red. Sin embargo, si la energía de la red se reemplaza parcialmente con energía renovable, la producción de bioetanol se vuelve económicamente factible y la melaza de caña de azúcar es la materia prima más adecuada. el análisis preliminar mostró que la producción de bioetanol no era económicamente viable cuando se utilizaba únicamente la energía de la red. Sin embargo, si la energía de la red se reemplaza parcialmente con energía renovable, la producción de bioetanol se vuelve económicamente factible y la melaza de caña de azúcar es la materia prima más adecuada

Hypocholesterolemic Effect and In Vitro Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Activity of an Opuntia ficus-indica Extract

Cholesterol control is fundamental for prevention of cardiovascular disorders. In this work, the hypocholesterolemic activity of an aqueous Opuntia ficus-indica extract (AOE) was tested in triton-induced mice. The inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase enzyme was evaluated in vitro by the same extract. Furthermore, polyphenol content of the extract was evaluated. Hypercholesterolemia was induced in three groups of mice by intraperitoneal administration of Triton WR-1339. After induction of hypercholesterolemia, the groups were treated with an AOE (500 mg/kg) and saline solution and the positive control group with orlistat, respectively. Cholesterol levels were measured 24 h later in peripheral blood. The levels of blood cholesterol after administration of AOE significantly decreased compared to negative control. The inhibitory activity of AOE on pancreatic lipase enzyme was evaluated at concentrations from 60 to 1000 g/mL. The AOE inhibited the pancreatic lipase with an IC 50 = 588.5 g/mL. The AOE had a high content of polyphenolic compounds. These results show that AOE is able to prevent hypercholesterolemia by pancreatic lipase inhibition, in part due to its polyphenolic compounds

Food insecurity was negatively associated with adherence to the “fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in animal protein” dietary pattern among university students’ households: the 2018 Mexican National Household Survey

Background: University students are often affected by food insecurity (FI) and this situation has been associated with low consumption of fruit/vegetables and high intake of added sugars and sweet drinks. However, there needs to be more evidence on the association between FI and dietary patterns (DPs), assessing the overall diet and allowing analysis of commonly consumed food combinations. We aimed to analyze the association between FI and DPs in university students’ households. Methods: We used data from 7659 university student households from the 2018 Mexican National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH, for its acronym in Spanish). We obtained FI levels (mild, moderate, and severe) using the validated Mexican Food Security Scale (EMSA, Spanish acronym). Two DPs were identified by principal component analysis based on the weekly frequency of consumption of 12 food groups. Multivariate logistic regression adjusted by university student and household’s characteristics was applied. Results: Compared to food security, households with mild-FI (OR:0.34; 95%CI:0.30, 0.40), moderate-FI (OR:0.20; 95%CI:0.16, 0.24) or severe-FI (OR:0.14; 95%CI:0.11, 0.19) were less likely to adhere to the dietary pattern “Fruits, vegetables and foods rich in animal protein” (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish or seafood, dairy products, and starchy vegetables). In addition, people with severe-FI (OR:0.51; 95% CI:0.34, 0.76) were also less likely to adhere to the dietary pattern “Traditional-Westernized” (pulses, oils or fats, sugar, sweets, industrialized drinks, foods made from corn/maize, wheat, rice, oats or bran, coffee, tea and eggs). Conclusions: In these households FI impairs the ability to consume a healthy dietary pattern (fruits/vegetables and foods rich in animal protein). In addition, the intake of foods typical of the Mexican food culture reflecting the local Western dietary pattern is compromised in households with severe-FI

A Biorefinery Approach to Biodiesel Production from Castor Plants

The high consumption of fossil fuels has significant environmental implications. An alternative to reduce the use of fossil fuels and develop ecological and economic processes is the bio-refinery approach. In the present study, the authors present the production of biodiesel from castor plants through a biorefinery approach. The process includes sub-processes associated with the integral use of castor plants, such as biodiesel production, oil extraction, fertilizer, and solid biomass production. Economic analyses show that producing only biodiesel is not feasible, but economic indicators (NPV, IRR, and profitability index) show it is much more feasible to establish businesses for the valorization of products and subproducts of castor plants, such as biomass densification. The internal rate return for the second scenario (E2) was 568%, whereas, for the first scenario (E1), it was not possible to obtain a return on investment

Caractérisation de la production et optimisation du processus d'extraction des colorants de la plante de Anil (Indigofera suffruticosa Mill)

Ce travail démontre que l'étape la plus appropriée pour réaliser la récolte de la plante Anil (Indigofea suffruticosa Mill) est environ 5 mois après le semis, à la fin de l'étape de croissance de la plante, car les rendements maxima de Poudre de Colorant Bleu (PCB) et indigo sont obtenus dans cette étape. Les meilleures conditions d'extraction obtenues sur des échantillons de feuille d'anil sèches sont les suivantes : relation matière première/solvant de 1:20 jusqu'à 1:6,5 ; temps d'extraction entre 6 et 8 heures ; température entre 25C et 35C ; pH du solvant 7 pour l'extraction de l'indigo et pH 12 pour extraire l'indigo et indirubine ; temps d'aération compris entre 10 et 30 mn, pH 8 pour l'aération. L'effet principal de l'application des ultrasons pendant l'extraction est la réduction du temps de 6 à 2 heures. Les rendements maxima obtenus sont de 1,79 g de PCB/100 g de feuilles sèches et 3 mg d'indigo/g de feuilles sèches à pH7 et 1,6 mg d'indirubine/g de feuilles sèches à pH 12.TOULOUSE-ENSIACET (315552325) / SudocSudocFranceF

Efecto del tiempo de cosecha sobre la producción de colorantes en Indigofera suffruticosa mill

El desconocimiento de los factores que afectan la producción y la extracción de índigo en cultivos de añil (Indigofera suffruticosa Mill) ha limitado su explotación comercial. El objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizar el crecimiento vegetal y la producción de colorante azul en esta especie y determinar el tiempo de cosecha que permita obtener los mejores rendimientos. Para ello se establecieron cultivos de añil en el Estado de Veracruz, México, y se evaluó su desarrollo en talla y peso, y la producción de colorante azul en polvo y de índigo por HPTLC-densitometría. Los cultivos de añil crecieron exponencialmente a partir de 45 d después de la siembra (dds). Al principio se observó desarrollo en altura y posteriormente desarrollo foliar. Las concentraciones más altas de colorante azul en la hoja de añil se presentaron entre 136 a 170. La acumulación de índigo en las hojas se mantuvo cercana a 1g 100 g-----1 en base seca desde 118 hasta 164 dds. En las condiciones de la región de estudio se estableció que los rendimientos por hectárea más altos de colorante azul en polvo e índigo se obtienen a los 150 dds

Evaluation of Wastewater Treatment by Microcosms of Vertical Subsurface Wetlands in Partially Saturated Conditions Planted with Ornamental Plants and Filled with Mineral and Plastic Substrates

The current knowledge about the role terrestrial ornamental plants play in constructed wetlands (CWs) has scarcely been evaluated. Likewise, little attention has been given towards the use of new support or fill media for subsurface flow CWs, which may result in the reduction of costs when implemented on a large scale. This study evaluated, during nine months, the effect of three terrestrial ornamental plants and two substrates on the elimination of pollutants in wastewaters by using fill-and-drain vertical subsurface flow CWs (FD-CWs). Sixteen microcosms were used, nine filled with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and nine with porous river stone (PRS). For each type of substrate, duplicates of microcosms were used, utilizing Anthurium sp., Zantedeschia aethiopica, and Spathiphyllum wallisii as vegetation and two other CWs without vegetation as controls. The environmental conditions, number of flowers, and height of the plants were registered. The results revealed that both substrates in the FD-CWs were efficient in removing pollutants. The average removal of pollutants in systems with vegetation revealed a positive effect on the reduction of the biochemical oxygen demand (55–70%), nitrates (28–44%), phosphates (25–45%), and fecal coliforms (52–65%). Meanwhile, in units without vegetation, the reduction of pollutants was nearly 40–50% less than in those with vegetation. The use of PET as a filling substrate in CWs did not affect the growth and/or the flowering of the species; therefore, its use combined with the species studied in CWs may be replicated in villages with similar wastewater problems. This may represent a reduction in implementation costs when utilizing PET recycled wastes and PRS as substrates in these systems in comparison with the typical substrates used in CWs. More studies are needed to better understand the interactions among these novel support media and the commercial terrestrial ornamental plants

Dietary Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility: Counteracting Oxidative Stress

Infertility affects about 15% of the population and male factors only are responsible for ~25–30% of cases of infertility. Currently, the etiology of suboptimal semen quality is poorly understood, and many environmental and genetic factors, including oxidative stress, have been implicated. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the capacity of the body to counteract their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. The purpose of this review, by employing the joint expertise of international researchers specialized in nutrition and male fertility areas, is to update the knowledge about the reproductive consequences of excessive ROS concentrations and oxidative stress on the semen quality and Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) clinical outcomes, to discuss the role of antioxidants in fertility outcomes, and finally to discuss why foods and dietary patterns are more innocuous long term solution for ameliorating oxidative stress and therefore semen quality results and ART fertility outcomes. Since this is a narrative review and not a systematic/meta-analysis, the summarized information in the present study should be considered cautiously