INFLUENCE OF VAPORIZATION AND IMPREGNATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES ON THE DRYING RATE OF Eucalyptus pellita F. MUELL.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vaporization and impregnation of silver nanoparticles on the Eucalyptus pellita wood properties. For that, samples of three radial regions of the wood from three trees were vaporized for 12 and 24 hours and later on, they were immersed in solution of silver nanoparticles with and without application of vacuum (750 mm.Hg). Anatomical, physical and chemical analyzes of the wood were carried out in order to evaluate the effect of the treatments. The drying rate of the wood was determined in moisture bands before and after the fiber saturation point. Generally, the treatments did not modify the anatomical characteristics, permeability, and wood density in the three radial regions; however, the vaporization for 24h reduced the total extractive content in the wood. These results contributed in obtaining gains in the drying rate before and after the fiber saturation point. The effect of impregnation of nanoparticles with vacuum preceded by two periods of vaporization resulted in higher drying rates and the time of 24h stood out, resulting in the best averages among all treatments. The impregnation of nanoparticles had positive effects on the drying rate

Thorough Characterization of Brazilian New Generation of Eucalypt Clones and Grass for Pulp Production

Eucalypt wood is becoming the most important raw material for the pulp industries in South America. However, due to the high wood cost in comparison to other raw material sources, nonwoody materials are also being investigated aiming at pulp production. In this way, this paper aimed at the evaluation of eighteen eucalypt clones obtained from the Brazilian Genolyptus project, regarding their potential characteristics for pulp production. Aiming at the same goal, two species of elephant grass were also evaluated as alternative raw material sources. Through the analyses of the anatomic and chemical characteristics, five eucalypt clones and one elephant grass species were indicated for pulp production and biorefinery application. The results of this study indicate the high technological quality of Eucalyptus clones evaluated and indicate that they can be used for biorefinery applications since they have the suitable characteristics. In general, the eucalypt clones are less moist and denser and contain fewer minerals and extraneous materials than the elephant grass species, which make them more attractive for utilization in deconstruction studies aiming at production of bioproducts

Composição química da madeira de eucalipto com diferentes níveis de desbaste

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509812359The objective of this study was to evaluate different thinning regimes in forest plantations of eucalypt(Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla) clones to produce timber for cellulose and charcoal to verifywhether this effect could affect the proportion of the chemical components of wood. The average initialspacing between plants was 3x3 m and the treatments were: T1= control, T2, T3and T4 with thinning 20%,35% and 50% of the basal area, respectively. The results were analyzed by Tukey test at 5% probability.According to the results found the lignin content from treatment T4 was higher than that of the others; thegroups of uronic acids of the T1 was similar to all other treatments, but the levels of T2 and T4 differedbetween them. The extractives content of T1was similar to the T2 and T3 and lower than that of theT4; thecarbohydrates of T1 were similar to that of T3 and higher than the others. It was concluded that thinningincreases the quality of the wood to be used as energy purposes, such as charcoal production, but it did notincrease productivity for wood pulp and paper production.http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509812359O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar diferentes regimes de desbaste em plantios silviculturais de clones de eucalipto (Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis) para produção de madeira visando à obtenção de celulose e carvão com a finalidade de verificar se este efeito poderia afetar quantitativamente a proporção dos componentes químicos da madeira. O espaçamento inicial médio entre plantas foi de 3 x 3 m e os tratamentos foram: T1= testemunha, T2, T3 e T4 com desbaste de 20%, 35% e 50% da área basal presente, respectivamente. Os resultados foram submetidos ao teste de Tukey com 5% de probabilidade. De acordo com os resultados, constatou-se que o teor de lignina resultante do tratamento T4 foi maior que o dos demais; o de grupos urônicos do T1 foi semelhante ao dos demais tratamentos, mas os teores dos T2 e T4 diferiram entre si. O teor de extrativos do T1 foi semelhante ao dos T2 e T3 e menor que o do T4; o de carboidratos do T1 foi semelhante ao do T3 e superior aos demais. Concluiu-se que o desbaste aumenta a qualidade da madeira para ser utilizada como fins energéticos, como produção de carvão, mas não aumenta a produtividade de madeira destinada à confecção de celulose e papel

Determinação da composição química e potencial de polpação da madeira Pterogyne nitens Tul.

The strong dependence on wood from species like Eucalyptus and Pinus genus, associated to the search for products of different qualities, led to studies about alternative wood for industrial use, mainly about species from the Caatinga biome and which is understudied for forest purposes. The aim of this study was to characterize chemically the wood from the species Pterogyne nitens and analyze its potential for pulp production. Three representative trees of 9 years old were harvested in an experimental plantation located in the southwest of Bahia state, the University of Vitória da Conquista Campus, and sampled five short logs at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the commercial height. Logs were transformed in chips and homogenized to obtain a representative composed sample for the total chemical analysis (cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, extractives and ashes content) and Kraft pulping (five cooking using different effective alkali loads to establish Kappa number 18). Pterogyne nitens wood basic density was 641 kg/m³, its chemical composition showed contents of cellulose (41.9%), hemicelluloses (24.7%), lignin (26.5%), extractives (7.3%) and ashes (0.5%). Pulping yield at Kappa number 18 was 46.4% and viscosity 1075 dm3/kg. The species did not suggest as an interesting alternative for pulp production (low cellulose content and screened yield), but very promising for application in the biomass energy area.A grande dependência por madeiras das espécies dos gêneros Eucalyptus e Pinus associada à busca por produtos de diferentes qualidades impulsionam estudos acerca de madeiras alternativas para fins industriais, principalmente de espécies do bioma Caatinga, pouco estudado para fins florestais. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar quimicamente a madeira da espécie Pterogyne nitens assim como analisar seu potencial para produção de polpa celulósica. Foram colhidas três árvores representativas de 9 anos, em um plantio experimental localizado na Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia – Campus Vitória da Conquista, e amostradas cinco seções do fuste entre as posições 0, 25, 50, 75 e 100% da altura comercial. Os toretes foram transformados em cavacos e homogeneizados formando uma amostra composta representativa para a análise de densidade básica e composição química completa, bem como para a realização da polpação Kraft (cinco cozimentos utilizando diferentes cargas de álcali efetivo objetivando um Número Kappa 18). A densidade básica da madeira Pterogyne nitens foi de 641 kg/m³, sua composição química apresentou 41,9% de celulose, 24,7% de hemiceluloses, 26,5% de lignina, 7,3% de extrativos e 0,5% de cinzas. O rendimento do cozimento para Número Kappa 18 foi 46,4% e viscosidade 1075 dm3/kg. A espécie não se apresentou como uma alternativa interessante para a produção de polpa celulósica (baixo teor de celulose e rendimento depurado), mas bastante promissora para aplicação na área de energia da madeira

Avaliação da linfoproliferação de células mononucleares de pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea frente a Libidibia ferrea

American integumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is a neglected disease that mostly affects vulnerable populations. Its broad spectrum of clinical manifestations is related to the type of immune response produced by the host and the species of Leishmania involved. In recent years, the use of medicinal plants has become a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of infectious parasitic diseases. This research aimed to evaluate the lymphoproliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) before and after treatment, and healthy individuals. The lymphoproliferative response was evaluated in cell culture using stimuli of the dichloromethane fraction (DCM) obtained from Libidibia ferrea, Glucantime® and phytohemagglutinin - PHA using a BrdU Cell Proliferation after 72 h of incubation. In cultures treated with the DCM fraction, intense induction of lymphoproliferation was observed (p<0.0001), as was also observed in response to the PHA mitogen, and there was a significant difference when compared with the conventional treatment (p<0.0135). In the post-treatment and healthy groups, although the compound induced lymphoproliferation, there was no statistical difference. These results suggest that the organic compound played an important inducing role in lymphoproliferation, which highlights the importance of continuity involving new studies in order to evaluate its immunomodulatory activity.A leishmaniose tegumentar americana (LTA) é uma doença negligenciada que acomete majoritariamente populações vulneráveis. Seu amplo espectro de manifestações clínicas é relacionado ao tipo de resposta imunológica produzida pelo hospedeiro e a espécie de Leishmania envolvida. Nos últimos anos, o uso de plantas medicinais vem sendo uma alternativa terapêutica no tratamento de doenças infectoparasitárias. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar as respostas linfoproliferativas de células mononucleares do sangue periférico (PBMCs) de pacientes com leishmaniose cutânea (LC) antes e após tratamento e de indivíduos sadios. A resposta linfoproliferativa foi avaliada em cultura de células frente a estímulos da fração diclorometânica (DCM) obtida de Libidibia ferrea, Glucantime® e phytohemagglutinin - PHA utilizando BrdU Cell Proliferation após 72h de incubação. Nas culturas tratadas com a fração DCM foi observada em todos os grupos intensa indução da linfoproliferação (p<0,0001), apresentando diferença significativa ao comparar com o tratamento convencional no grupo de pacientes pós-tratamento (p<0,0135). Estes resultados sugerem que o composto orgânico desempenhou importante ação indutora na linfoproliferação ressaltando a importância da continuidade com novos estudos a fim de avaliar sua atividade imunomodulatória