Pleurotus ostreatus Mycelium and Sugarcane Bagasse as Substitute Environment-Friendly Material for Polystyrene Foam

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This manuscript explores the “ Pleurotus Ostreatus mycelium and sugarcane bagasse as substitute biomaterial for polystyrene foam”. The manuscript is elaborately described and contextualized with the help of previous and present theoretical background. All the references cited are relevant to this area of research. The methods/analytical study are clearly stated. The result and discussion section are clearly presented. The manuscript needs the following modifications before the acceptance.

1. Abstract: Mention the research background. What is EPS? Mention the research recommendation.

2. Arrange the key words in alphabetical order. Also, increase the number of key words.

3. Mention the research gap/novelty of your work at the end of introduction section.

4. The paper format is not as per the journal format.

5. The Materials section have too many sun headings. Combine it,

6. Include SEM images if your sample is subjected to SEM test.

7. Include more experimental photos.

8. Conclusion: Mention the research recommendations and scope for the future work

Author Response

Dear colleague, I hope you are very well.
The authors have worked on comments made by you and other reviewers. I hope that the new version and answers to each question are to your liking.

1. Abstract: Mention the research background. What is EPS? Mention the research recommendation.
Ans. Added
2. Arrange the key words in alphabetical order. Also, increase the number of key words.{
Ans. It was modified.
3. Mention the research gap/novelty of your work at the end of introduction section.
4. The paper format is not as per the journal format.
Ans. It was modified.
5. The Materials section have too many sun headings. Combine it,
Ans. Was made.
6. Include SEM images if your sample is subjected to SEM test.
Ans. Unfortunately, we do not have access to the SEM to carry out this characterization, but for future work it will be taken into account.
7. Include more experimental photos.
Ans. In the manuscripts are all the photos of the creation process.
8. Conclusion: Mention the research recommendations and scope for the future work}
Ans.was performed.

kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The reviewer has questions and comments would like to be considered

1. The abstract should provide a brief introduction of the research, objectives, methods used, and results. Consider adding a sentence explaining the novelty or significance of the findings.
2. In the introduction, the author mentioned that this research aims to develop a substitute biomaterial. However, it is not clear what specific properties of the biomaterial are being optimized for this purpose. Can the author clarify this?
3. In the introduction, the author mentioned that the world population is expected to rise to 8.6 billion by 2030 and 9.8 billion by 2050. Can the author provide a reference for this statement?
4. It is mentioned that the bio-material is suitable for non-structural construction and packaging. Can the author provide more details about the potential applications of this material?
5. In section 2.1, it is mentioned that the culture of Pleurotus ostreatus was acquired from a recognized company. Can the author provide more details about the company, such as its location and history?
6. In section 2.2, the author mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was sieved with a No. 10 mesh. Can the author provide more details about the mesh size and why this specific size was chosen?
7. It is mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was hydrated with distilled water. Did the author consider using other types of water, such as tap water or deionized water? Why or why not?
8. In section 2.3, the author sterilized the sugarcane bagasse substrate using an autoclave. Did the author consider using other sterilization methods, such as gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide sterilization? Why or why not?
9. The physical characterization of the biomaterial includes density, water absorption, and texture. Did the author consider other physical properties, such as thermal conductivity or compressive strength? Why or why not?
10. In the bending test, the author mentioned that samples M2 and M3 presented greater stresses. Can the author provide more details about the sample size and how the samples were prepared for this test?
11. It is mentioned that the biomaterials produced can be alternatives to EPS. Can the author provide a comparison of the performance of the biomaterials with EPS in terms of the physical properties tested?
12. It is mentioned that the biomaterial is suitable for a wide number of applications in architecture. Can the author provide more details about the potential architectural applications of this material?
13. The author mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was hydrated with distilled water in a 1:9 ratio. Can the author provide a justification for choosing this specific ratio?
14. In the introduction, it is mentioned that the consumption of polymers or plastics has increased rapidly in the last 5 decades. Can the author provide a reference for this statement?
15. The author mentioned that the biomaterial is composed of Pleurotus Ostreatus mycelium and sugarcane bagasse. Did the author consider using other types of fungi or biomass for this biomaterial? Why or why not?

 

Author Response

Dear colleague, I hope you are very well.
The authors have worked on comments made by you and other reviewers. I hope that the new version and answers to each question are to your liking.

1. The abstract should provide a brief introduction of the research, objectives, methods used, and results. Consider adding a sentence explaining the novelty or significance of the findings.
Ans. It got better.

2. In the introduction, the author mentioned that this research aims to develop a substitute biomaterial. However, it is not clear what specific properties of the biomaterial are being optimized for this purpose. Can the author clarify this?
Ans. It was not about optimizing the properties, but about creating an alternative biomaterial based on biological and non-biological material such as plastic waste. This seeks to take advantage of these residues.

3. In the introduction, the author mentioned that the world population is expected to rise to 8.6 billion by 2030 and 9.8 billion by 2050. Can the author provide a reference for this statement?
Ans. Fixed, added a reference to that data,

4. It is mentioned that the bio-material is suitable for non-structural construction and packaging. Can the author provide more details about the potential applications of this material?
Ans. Mycelium materials offer a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to recycling agricultural waste at a low cost, this can potentially reduce the use of fossil fuels. Companies like "Dell" use mycelium foams to ship products, there is still a low demand compared to EPS, it could be due to a lack of industrial viability, a lack of confidence in these living materials or a lack of public awareness in general. However, interest in these mycelium-based materials is growing in companies that now operate in the USA, Italy, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the research already covers Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Austria and Switzerland.

5. In section 2.1, it is mentioned that the culture of Pleurotus ostreatus was acquired from a recognized company. Can the author provide more details about the company, such as its location and history?
Ans. It was modified in the manuscript.

6. In section 2.2, the author mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was sieved with a No. 10 mesh. Can the author provide more details about the mesh size and why this specific size was chosen?
Ans. It was explained why the No. 10 sieve was used and the following statement was added:
Taming was performed to standardize the particle size and make it easily usable by the fungus, since the smaller the particle, the larger the colonized surface.

7. It is mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was hydrated with distilled water. Did the author consider using other types of water, such as tap water or deionized water? Why or why not?
Ans. Tap water could not be used as it may contain impurities and a greater amount of minerals that could interfere with the procedures. On the other hand, while deionized water might simply have fewer ions, it would increase the cost of the biomaterial.

8. In section 2.3, the author sterilized the sugarcane bagasse substrate using an autoclave. Did the author consider using other sterilization methods, such as gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide sterilization? Why or why not?
Ans. autoclaving is more suitable and cheaper than the other sterilization methods (gamma radiation and ethylene oxide). Gamma radiation is used for smooth surfaces or liquid media that will be preserved for a long time, and without counting the high cost of implementing it in a laboratory.

9. The physical characterization of the biomaterial includes density, water absorption, and texture. Did the author consider other physical properties, such as thermal conductivity or compressive strength? Why or why not?
Ans. At first, it was taken into consideration, but it was not carried out due to setbacks with the laboratory where the analyzes were carried out.

10. In the bending test, the author mentioned that samples M2 and M3 presented greater stresses. Can the author provide more details about the sample size and how the samples were prepared for this test?

Ans. To determine the physical and mechanical tests of the biomaterial, destructive tests had to be carried out, these were carried out in test tubes or samples of the biomaterial, because they were subjected to different analyzes and forces until some change in their composition occurs. The TA.HDplus from Stable Micro Systems was used, this equipment is ideal for testing materials of a few grams accurately, the six replicates for each sample were cut into fragments of approximately 7 x 6 cm, and then placed covering the bed test in a double column frame exerting a force perpendicular to them, a P/75 was used at a speed of 1 mm/sec and a distance.

11. It is mentioned that the biomaterials produced can be alternatives to EPS. Can the author provide a comparison of the performance of the biomaterials with EPS in terms of the physical properties tested?

Ans. The EPS results have been carried out, in the discussion part some comparisons were added.
12. It is mentioned that the biomaterial is suitable for a wide number of applications in architecture. Can the author provide more details about the potential architectural applications of this material?
Ans. To date, in different parts of the world, mycelium materials have been used in inventive ways in construction projects one company that stands out is The Living (York based architectural firm) showing a vision of how materials Made from mycelium can achieve structural stability, this opens the possibility of using the material structurally and safely within the construction industry.
Mycelium materials have also been explored for uses ranging from architectural interior design of apartments to furniture even for sound/thermal insulation of buildings. Various authors are investigating a number of approaches to improve the thermal insulation performance of mycelium materials. light weight, future experiments are needed to improve the density of the substrates.

13. The author mentioned that the sugarcane bagasse was hydrated with distilled water in a 1:9 ratio. Can the author provide a justification for choosing this specific ratio?
Ans. The pH tests were carried out to verify if it was within the optimal ranges (6.5 - 6.8) the electrode was submerged in the solution and the pH measurement was carried out and a pH of 6.00 was obtained, being a low range for the development of P. ostreatus
For the disinfection of the substrate, the procedure was followed according to (Peña, et al., 2016, p. 79) it is necessary to humidify to generate an ideal habitat for growth, this process is carried out by immersing the substrate in a bucket with distilled water. This process is carried out by raising the pH, hydrating it by 70% until it reaches a value of around 6.71, which is within the ideal range, and then draining it to reduce the amount of water.

14. In the introduction, it is mentioned that the consumption of polymers or plastics has increased rapidly in the last 5 decades. Can the author provide a reference for this statement?
Ans. Email address added.
United Nations Environment Programme. From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution Available online: https://malaysia.un.org/en/171922-pollution-solution-global-assessment-marine-litter-and-plastic-pollution (accessed on 17 May 2023).

15. The author mentioned that the biomaterial is composed of Pleurotus Ostreatus mycelium and sugarcane bagasse. Did the author consider using other types of fungi or biomass for this biomaterial? Why or why not?
Ans. We do not consider it for this research, however, our work leaves a vast research gap where other fungi or a combination of these can be used, as well as the use of other substrates.

kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

This is a very interesting research and nicely written paper

Mention the reason for selecting fungus Pleurotus Ostreatus for this research

What are the other possible fungi for this purpose.

The comparison between the physical characteristics of biomaterial and the synthetic polymer is not clear. I suggest to present it clearly briefly in abstract and deeply in discussion 

Author Response

Dear colleague, I hope you are very well.
The authors have worked on comments made by you and other reviewers. I hope that the new version and answers to each question are to your liking.

This is a very interesting research and nicely written paper
Mention the reason for selecting fungus Pleurotus Ostreatus for this research
Ans. This fungus was used based on references that it is a good degrader of cellulolytic and lignocellulosic material, which makes it a good candidate for this type of test where this type of waste such as sugarcane bagasse is used. However, the use of other species is not ruled out, which can be considered in future research.
What are the other possible fungi for this purpose.
Ans. This process recycles agricultural and forestry waste into profitable, environmentally sustainable and highly versatile materials as they take the shape of the mold in which they are grown. Now that they are emerging as alternatives for products such as bovine leather, substitutes for synthetic foams, thermal insulation, textiles and high-performance paper-like materials. Manufacturing feasibility and scalability is limited by the use of repurposed equipment instead of purpose-built systems, leading to deficiencies in material quality.
The comparison between the physical characteristics of biomaterial and the synthetic polymer is not clear. I suggest to present it clearly briefly in abstract and deeply in discussion
Ans. It got better

kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 4 Report

The authors have described the preparation of a substitute biomaterial, which is an interesting topic. but some descriptions can improve  the quality of the paper.

1- The authors have shown some images of the prepared product, but did not represent any characterization data to justify the structure. It is recommended to characterize the physical and chemical structure of the compound, to make it easier for the readers to differentiate this composite from other similar materials.

2- Is the prepared composite stable in aqueous medium? sine one of the applications of this biomaterial is for packaging, the degradation of the material in different conditions is important.

3-  usually the term "biodegradation" refers to degradation of materials in biological media. And also, "biomaterials" are materials that are used in physiological conditions, where related biocompatibility test should be performed. So, the term "biomaterial" in the title is not suitable for this paper. It is suggested to use " environment friendly material" in the title in stead of " biomaterial".

4- can this preparation method be employed to fabricate the product in any shape such as sheet? and preserve in consistency?

Author Response

Dear colleague, I hope you are very well.
The authors have worked on comments made by you and other reviewers. I hope that the new version and answers to each question are to your liking.

1- The authors have shown some images of the prepared product, but did not represent any characterization data to justify the structure. It is recommended to characterize the physical and chemical structure of the compound, to make it easier for the readers to differentiate this composite from other similar materials.
Ans. Although the results show a novel product, the characterization of the chemical properties has not been considered for this part of the investigation; the authors will take this into account for future research. The apologies of the case.
2- Is the prepared composite stable in aqueous medium? Sine one of the applications of this biomaterial is for packaging, the degradation of the material in different conditions is important.
One of the drawbacks of the materials made from mycelium is its moisture absorption, since it is higher compared to the standard values of expanded polystyrene (0.03 - 9% by weight), which can be a possible difficulty if it is applied indoors. of the construction sector (roofs, walls, among others). It is recommended to investigate supplements that can help develop and improve mycelial growth such as eggshells, plaster, molasses and even chicken feathers.

3- usually the term "biodegradation" refers to degradation of materials in biological media. And also, "biomaterials" are materials that are used in physiological conditions, where related biocompatibility tests should be performed. So, the term "biomaterial" in the title is not suitable for this paper. It is suggested to use "environment friendly material" in the title instead of "biomaterial".
Ans. The title was changed according to the suggestion: Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium and sugarcane bagasse as substitute environment-friendly material for polystyrene foam
4- Can this preparation method be used to manufacture the product in any shape such as sheet? and preserve in consistency?
Ans. This process recycles agricultural and forestry waste into profitable, environmentally sustainable and highly versatile materials as they take the shape of the mold in which they are grown. Now that they are emerging as alternatives for products such as bovine leather, substitutes for synthetic foams, thermal insulation, textiles and high-performance paper-like materials. Manufacturing feasibility and scalability is limited by the use of repurposed equipment instead of purpose-built systems, leading to deficiencies in material quality. For this reason, it is recommended to synthesize information from the scientific literature, patent documents and own experience to identify barriers and possibilities for an effective implementation of mycelium-based compounds in industrial manufacturing, especially when applied to decorative objects used in design. of architectural interiors of apartments or in the packaging sector

kind regards

Author Response File: Author Response.docx