BIOTREATMENT OPTIMIZATION FOR A CELLULOSIC/LIGNOCELLULOSIC BLENDED FABRIC

The paper presents a study on the optimization of the bioscouring treatment of 60 % of cotton + 40 % of flax blended material by using a commercial enzymatic product called Beisol PRO, Denimcol Wash RGN (detergent) from Bezema Company, Switzerland and sodium citrate (complexing agent) from Sigma Aldrich. The bioscouring treatment is imposed by the specific natural structure of the fabrics. Both cotton and flax have different organic and mineral compounds which need to be removed during the specific pretreatments applied in textile industry. In this case was chosen an alternative of the classic alkaline treatment. The alternatives propose is an eco-friendly one due to the fact that the temperature use is lower comparative with the classical one (55 oC, respect to 90 oC) and the waste waters pH is in the neutral range. For treatment optimization, a mathematical model of the 2nd order was created by a central, rotatable second order compound program with two independent variables: enzyme concentration and treatment time. Based on the values obtained for the weight loss of the treated samples, the mathematical model obtained was analyzed from the technological and graphic point of view, and the optimum parameters for the bioscouring treatment with commercial product Beisol PRO have been set. The best results were obtained in case of 2.1% of enzymatic product and 39 min. of exposure

WASTE WATER ANALYSIS FROM A NEW GREEN PRETREATMENT OF COTTON FABRICS

In the current context of sustainable development and environmental protection, finding and applying green technologies for textile finishing of cellulosic materials is a priority, being among the main objectives of current researches. Bioscouring treatment is one of the green processes for treating cellulosic textile materials that has successfully replaced classic alkaline treatment. Waste waters resulting from bio preparation are considered biodegradable and with low toxicity unlike alkaline treatment. An analysis and characterization of residual waters from the finishing processes is necessary in order to establish optimal parameters for disposal and low environmental impact, for reducing costs of waste water treatment and for efficient recovery and re-used. The paper presents a characterization of water resulted from a new bioscouring treatment of cotton fabrics using a commercial enzymatic product in ultrasound with sodium citrate as a chelating agent in comparison with bioscouring treatment were EDTA was and alkaline classical treatment. The main quality indicators of the residual waters analyzed were: pH, turbidity, conductivity, TSD, salinity, dry residue, total oxygen dissolved and chemical oxygen demand (COD-CCOMn). After analyzing the obtained data, similar values were observed for the two enzymatic treatments except the pH value which was lower for the process were EDTA was used, requiring a slight correction. For classical alkaline treatment, the obtained values exceeded the allowed limits for almost all analyzed parameters

Optical coherence tomography versus microscopy for the study of Aloe Vera leaves

The aim of this study is to compare the advantages and limitations of two optical methods, namely Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and microscopy for minute investigation of the structure of Aloe Vera leaves. Microscopy has the advantage of a higher resolution, but the disadvantage that the object under investigation is completely damaged (as the leaf must be peeled off). On the contrary, an advantage of OCT is that it is non-invasive with the potential added benefit of on-site measurements (if portable). Depending on the OCT method used, different resolution values are achievable. In principle, Time Domain (TD) OCT can achieve lateral resolutions similar to microscopy but the method is slow for depth investigations. Spectrometer-based and Swept Source (SS) OCT trade lateral resolution for speed of acquisition. In order to acquire sufficient axial range A-scans, low numerical aperture interface optics is used, that exhibits lower transversal resolution. The main limitation of the spectrometer based and swept source OCT is therefore the achievable lateral resolution, which might not be good enough to reveal the detailed structure of noteworthy parts of leaves, for example, their stomata. The present study experimentally compares Aloe Vera data obtained using an optical microscope at different magnifications, and an in-house SS-OCT system with a 1310 nm center wavelength. For gathering additional information, an analysis of the normalized A-scan OCT images was also performed. This reveals additional parts of the leaf structure, while it still falls short of what can be obtained by using conventional microscopy

PART II. STUDY REGARDING THE INFLUENCE OF BIOSCOURING TREATMENT ON 60 % COTTON + 40 % COTTONISED FLAX MATERIALS FOLLOWED BY A WHITENING TREATMENT USING ALTERNATIVE METHODS

A comparative study of whitening treatment using various methods for 60 % cotton +40 % flax materials was made. The samples materials were scoured by bioscouring treatment in ultrasound as was described in our previous work (part I). The removal of noncellulosic impurities using the bioscouring treatment was evaluated by weight loss and hydrophilicity of the treated samples. Some of these bio-scoured samples were further bleached using the folowing procedures: Classical procedure with hydrogen peroxide (30 %), bleaching with catalyst and with laccase enzyme. Hydrogen peroxide is usually used as oxidative bleaching agent for cotton and cotton blends. A high and stable degree of whiteness is obtained by this treatment. The advantages of the treatment are: low costs, flexibility of application and the possibility of a one-bath (scour/bleach) procedure. But, high temperature of bleaching under alkaline conditions necessitates high energy utilization that can cause considerable fiber damage. Different solutions like the use of enzymes and catalysts have been investigated to overcome such problems. In order to characterize the quality of the enzymatic pretreatment compared to the classical one, the values of the whiteness degree after different type of bleaching (hydrogen peroxide, catalyst and laccase) for the samples treated with the same concentration of enzyme were studied. The tensile strength and elongation at break of treated materials were investigated

STUDY REGARDING THE INFLUENCE OF THE BIOSCOURING TREATMENT IN ULTRASOUND ON 60 % COTTON + 40 % HEMP MATERIALS PART I. STUDY REGARDING THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE BIOSCOURING TREATMENT

The paper presents the optimization of the Bioscouring treatment in ultrasound on 60 % cotton + 40 % hemp materials, using the commercial product SERA ZYME C-PE (Roglyr Eco 183), based on 5-15 % Pectate Lyase (E.C.4.2.2.2). In order to assess more accurately the influence of some process parameters of the BIOSCORING treatment in ultrasound of 40 % hemp + 60 % cotton blended fabric - the concentration of enzyme (%) and treatment time (minutes) – on the weight loss, a mathematical modeling of the process was made, using a central compound rotatable program with two independent variables. The Bioscouring treatment was performed in ultrasound under the following conditions: (1-3 %) SERA ZYME C-PE (ROGLYR ECO 183) – Pectate Lyase; 2 mL/L HEPTOL NWS – sequestrant agen t which have a binding role for the metal ions in water with high hardness, regardless of temperature; 2 mL/L SULFOLEN 148 - wetting and scouring agent; 10 % of the fleet of treatment was buffer (0.1 Molar sodium phosphate/disodium phosphate, pH = 7.5); liquid to fabricratio - H 10:1, at temperature T = 550C and time - t = (20-60) minutes. Using the data obtained by measuring the weight loss, the optimum working parameters for the Bioscouring treatment in ultrasound with commercial enzyme SERA ZYME C-PE (ROGLYR ECO 183) were determined

PART I. STUDY REGARDING THE OPTIMIZATION OF THE BIOSCOURING TREATMENT IN ULTRASOUND ON 60 % COTTON + 40 % COTTONISED FLAX MATERIALS

In the past years the commercial products for the bioscouring treatment were usually dedicated only for 100 % cotton or only for 100% lignocelluloses fabrics. The development of hemp/cotton or flax/cotton mixtures fabrics leds to the necessity of finding of the most apropiate products that could be used for different enzymatic treatments on these types of fabrics.The usage of the commercial product SERA ZYME C-PE for bioscouring treatment in ultrasound conditions on 60 % cotton + 40 % cottonised flax was studied in this work. The optimization of the Bioscouring treatment in ultrasound on 60 % cotton + 40 % hemp materials using the same commercial product was previous published. In order to assess more accurately the influence of some process parameters of the bioscouring treatment in a mathematical modeling of the process was made and a central compound rotatable program with two independent variable: x1 - the concentration of enzyme (%) and x 2 - treatment time (minutes) was used. The independent variable considered was y 1 – the weight loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the behaviour of cottonised flax/cotton mixtures for the same conditions of bioscouring treatment used as for hemp/cotton mixtures

Anticancer Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides: Focus on Buforins

In seeking alternative cancer treatments, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), sourced from various life forms, emerge as promising contenders. These endogenous peptides, also known as host defense peptides (HDPs), play crucial roles in immune defenses against infections and exhibit potential in combating cancers. With their diverse defensive functions, plant-derived AMPs, such as thionins and defensins, offer a rich repertoire of antimicrobial properties. Insects, amphibians, and animals contribute unique AMPs like cecropins, temporins, and cathelicidins, showcasing broad-spectrum activities against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Understanding these natural peptides holds significant potential for developing effective and targeted therapies against cancer and infectious diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit diverse structural characteristics, including α-helical, β-sheet, extended, and loop peptides. Environmental conditions influence their structure, connecting to changes in cell membrane hydrophobicity. AMPs’ actions involve direct killing and immune regulation, with additional activities like membrane depolarization. In this review, we focus on antimicrobial peptides that act as anticancer agents and AMPs that exhibit mechanisms akin to antimicrobial activity. Buforin AMPs, particularly Buforin I and II, derived from histone H2A, demonstrate antibacterial and anticancer potential. Buforin IIb and its analogs show promise, with selectivity for cancer cells. Despite the challenges, AMPs offer a unique approach to combat microbial resistance and potential cancer treatment. In various cancer types, including HeLa, breast, lung, ovarian, prostate, and liver cancers, buforins demonstrate inhibitory effects and apoptosis induction. To address limitations like stability and bioavailability, researchers explore buforin-containing bioconjugates, covalently linked with nanoparticles or liposomes. Bioconjugation enhances specificity-controlled release and combats drug resistance, presenting a promising avenue for targeted cancer treatment. Clinical translation awaits further evaluation through in vivo studies and future clinical trials

Innovative Solution for Reducing Yarns Hairiness on Ring Spinning Machines

Yarn’s hairiness represents a continuous challenge for spinning technologies. To keep this aspect under control, an almost perfect combination between the construction and performance of the machines, the control of the technological processes through appropriate settings, and the experience of the producers are required. As a consequence, the researchers were preoccupied to adapt or modify the ring frame to produce yarns with a lower degree of hairiness. Spinning triangles as a very demanding area exert a crucial impact both on the distribution of fiber tension and their spatial location in the staple yarn structure. Our study encompasses yarn hairiness reduction employing a device composed of two bars. Various combinations of spindle speeds and contact angles between yarns and bars were tested to examine their effects on yarn hairiness. The study was completed with the optimization of technological parameters using a central, composite, rotating program with two independent variables (spindle speed and contact angle) to establish mathematical models and optimize technological parameters for the reduction of hairiness. The effectiveness and efficiency of this device consist of the easy execution and installation on the existing machines in spinning mills without any constructive adjustments and additional energy consumption

The Influence of Elevated CO₂ on Volatile Emissions, Photosynthetic Characteristics, and Pigment Content in <i>Brassicaceae</i> Plants Species and Varieties

Climate change will determine a sharp increase in carbon dioxide in the following years. To study the influence of elevated carbon dioxide on plants, we grew 13 different species and varieties from the Brassicaceae family at three carbon dioxide concentrations: 400, 800, and 1200 ppmv. The photosynthetic parameters (assimilation rate and stomatal conductance to water vapor) increase for all species. The emission of monoterpenes increases for plants grown at elevated carbon dioxide while the total polyphenols and flavonoids content decrease. The chlorophyll content is affected only for some species (such as Lipidium sativum), while the β-carotene concentrations in the leaves were not affected by carbon dioxide