Search Results (2,957)

Fructose dietary intake is one of the most common risk factors for hyperuricemia, which is a critical threat to human health, and the lack of an effective biological intervention method is the main problem in preventing hyperuricemia caused by fructose intake. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Fmb14 (L. rhamnosus Fmb14) has a fructose-metabolizing ability to produce extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs), and the yield of EPSs reached 0.50 and 0.42 g/L after 48 h of fermentation in liquid media of glucose-MRS and fructose-MRS. Six pure polysaccharide components were obtained after purification. A hyperuricemic mouse model was subsequently established by feeding a 60% high-fructose diet with potassium oxyazinate for 8 weeks, and the results revealed that L. rhamnosus Fmb14 and fructose-derived EPS (F-EPS) intervention significantly reduced the serum uric acid level of the model mice from 133.6 μmol/L to 106.7 to 111.0 μmol/L. The content of XOD in the liver decreased from 2188.1 ng/L in the model group to 1797.9 ng/L in the H-Fmb14 group and 1906.6 ng/L in the H-F-EPS group, alleviating fatty liver degeneration and improving intestinal barrier (increasing OCLN and ZO1 expression in colon). The abundances of allobaculum, bacteroides, Lactobacilli prevotella, and clostridium, the new potential biomarkers of fructose-induced hyperuricemia, were found to be modulated after Fmb14 and F-EPS intervention. The effects of Fmb14 and F-EPS in reducing uric acid synthesis and protecting the intestinal tract are very promising as food intervention agents in the prevention of hyperuricemia caused by fructose dietary. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal potential of custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) seed extract against Chrysodeixis includens, a major soybean pest, and to assess its toxicological effects on a non-target organism. The extract was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction using water as the solvent. Ingestion bioassays exposed C. includens larvae to aqueous extract concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 10.0 g/L, with Dipel WG^® (5 g/L) and an untreated diet used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Mortality rates ranged from 40 to 97%, increasing with exposure time and concentration up to 1 g/L and remaining statistically stable at higher concentrations after 120 h. Extract concentrations from 1 to 10 g/L did not differ significantly from the positive control. Ecotoxicological assays were conducted using zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to extract concentrations of 0.84–16.80 µg/L, and biomarkers of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress were evaluated. At 16.8 µg/L, the extract caused lower biomarker alterations than Dipel WG^®, indicating reduced oxidative damage. Overall, A. squamosa seed extract effectively controls C. includens at low concentrations with minimal environmental risk to non-target organisms. Full article

This study aimed to systematically optimize the fermentation process for xylanase production by Aspergillus tubingensis FS7Y52, elucidate its enzymatic properties, and evaluate its application potential in the biodegradation of agricultural wastes. Key influencing factors were initially identified through single-factor experiments, followed by the screening of significant factors using the Plackett–Burman design. The optimal values were then approached employing the steepest ascent path method and Response Surface Methodology. The final determined optimal fermentation conditions were: corn husk (20–40 mesh) 40 g/L, tryptone 13.7 g/L, Tween-20 0.75 g/L, pH 6.5, fermentation temperature 42.1 °C, fermentation time 2 days, shaking speed 140 rpm, inoculum size 1 × 10⁷ spores/30 mL, and liquid loading volume 30 mL/250 mL. Under these conditions, xylanase activity reached 115.23 U/mL, representing a significant increase of 90.7% compared to pre-optimization levels. Studies on enzymatic properties revealed that the enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH 5.0 and 55 °C, and demonstrated good stability within the pH range of 4.5–7.0 and at temperatures below 50 °C. In the degradation of agricultural waste, the enzyme system produced by this strain exhibits significant degradation effects on agricultural waste. A pronounced additive effect exists between xylanase and cellulase. When the dosages were 2430 U/g and 15.7 U/g for xylanase and cellulase, respectively, the maximum reducing sugar release reached 23.3%. The degradation rates of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin reached 57.8%, 51.9%, and 55.0%, respectively. Additionally, the strain itself exhibits significant degradation effects on substances such as cellulose in agricultural waste, achieving degradation rates of 78.8%, 70.8%, and 52.5% for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, respectively. This study provides a solid theoretical foundation and technical support for the efficient production of xylanase by A. tubingensis and its industrial application in the resource utilization of agricultural wastes. From an economic perspective, the optimized strategy significantly enhances enzyme production efficiency while reducing substrate consumption and operational costs per unit of enzyme produced. This makes the resulting enzyme mixture more economically viable for large-scale applications. The utilization of this enzyme system to convert tobacco stems into sugars represents a compelling case for agricultural wastes reuse. It transforms residual biomass into high-value products, contributing to a circular bioeconomy by reducing waste and creating new renewable alternatives to conventional products. It provides an economically viable solution for the high-value utilization of woody lignocellulosic biomass. Full article

The recycling of fossil-based plastic waste remains a key challenge in reducing environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. An innovative approach is the biotechnological conversion of the n-alkane mixture obtained from thermal pyrolysis of plastic waste. This study focuses on the use of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for the valorization of polyethylene (PE)-derived pyrolysis oil. From a screening of 50 Y. lipolytica strains, the most promising candidate was selected, and its single-cell phenotype was stabilized by MHY1 deletion. In shake flask experiments, this strain grew similarly on 5–20 vol% of n-hexadecane, revealing no inhibitory effects. Subsequently, a high cell density fermentation was established in a 4 L bioreactor using a pulsed fed-batch approach, resulting in biomass concentrations of up to 145.6 g·L⁻¹, which contained 22.0% triacylglycerols. In addition, cultivation at pH 2.5, compared to pH 4.0, reduced citrate formation from 95.6 to 0.8 g·L⁻¹, while biomass and TAG titers remained similar. Overall, these results highlight the potential of integrating plastic waste-derived pyrolysis oil into future bioprocesses using Y. lipolytica as an effective platform for high cell density production. Full article

Acid mine drainages (AMDs) enriched with toxic metals pose a significant environmental risk. Microbial bioremediation offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach for metal removal from AMD. In this study, a wild yeast isolated from the Kavart abandoned mine, identified as Rhodotorula sp., was evaluated for its copper (Cu²⁺) and zinc (Zn²⁺) biosorption ability. Biosorption was strongly pH-dependent. Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ removal was most efficient (48.1% or 10.07 mg/g and 35.7% or 6.07 mg/g, respectively) at pH 6. Increasing the biomass to 3 g/L at the same pH enhanced Cu²⁺ removal to 71.5% (26 mg/g). Biosorption kinetic analysis showed an excellent fit to the pseudo-second-order model (R² > 0.99), indicating that the mechanism is chemisorption-dominated. Equilibrium data followed the Langmuir isotherm (R² = 0.93), consistent with monolayer adsorption on homogeneous binding sites. SEM-EDS analysis confirmed Cu²⁺ association with the yeast surface, supporting the ICP-OES results. The results demonstrate the isolate as a promising biosorbent, particularly for Cu²⁺, and highlight its potential application in the remediation of AMD-contaminated waters. Full article

This study presents the first comprehensive physicochemical and bioactive characterization of the fruit of Chondrodendron tomentosum Ruiz & Pav. (Menispermaceae). Biometric and physicochemical parameters were characterized across three fruit ripening stages (green, turning, ripe). Additionally, proximate composition was determined in ripe fruits, and methanol concentration (25–75%), ultrasonic amplitude (30–70%), and time (1–15 min) were optimized using response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken design. During ripening, weight increased by +47.7% (3.89 to 5.74 g; p < 0.0001), TSS by +26.1% (7.00 to 8.83 °Brix), pH decreased by 32.0% (6.28 to 4.27), and acidity increased by 276% (0.25 to 0.94%). The quadratic models demonstrated high predictive accuracy (R² > 96.5%; p < 0.004). Optimal conditions (57% methanol, 70% amplitude, and 15 min) maximized total anthocyanin content (120.71 ± 1.89 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/L), total phenols (672.46 ± 5.84 mg GAE/100 g), and DPPH radical scavenging capacity (5857.55 ± 60.20 µmol Trolox/100 g) in ripe fruits. Unripe fruits do not contain anthocyanins, reaching 46.01 mg C3G/L in turning fruits and 120.71 mg/L in ripe fruits (162% higher than turning fruits). Principal component analysis (90.6% variance) revealed synchronized co-accumulation of anthocyanins and phenols, enhanced by vacuolar acidification. These results suggest ripe C. tomentosum fruits as a potential source for natural colorants, nutraceuticals, and functional foods, pending prior development of green, human-safe extraction processes. Full article

Growing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) necessitates the development of efficient recycling strategies from secondary sources. This work presents a complete hydrometallurgical process for recovering yttrium (Y) from spent fluorescent lamps, emphasizing the efficient coupling of a conventional acid leaching with a solid–liquid extraction system. Multi-stage sulfuric acid leaching (2 M, 65 °C, an S/L ratio of 0.25 g/L) achieved a cumulative yttrium dissolution of 71.11% over four stages, with individual stage recoveries (based on initial yttrium content) of 44.2%, 21.56%, 7.19%, and 0.68%. Kinetic and spectroscopic analyses (FTIR, SEM-EDS) revealed that the leaching rate is controlled by diffusion through an in situ formed sulfate-rich layer (CaSO₄, Na₂SO₄), as described by the Z-L-T (Zhuravlev–Leshokin–Templeman) model (Ea = 35.5 kJ mol⁻¹). The resulting leachate was subjected to solid–liquid extraction using Amberlite XAD-7 resin impregnated with D₂EHPA. Under optimal conditions, the extraction process was highly efficient, yielding over 99% yttrium recovery at an optimal pH of 0.75 with a low resin dosage of 0.1 g/L. Furthermore, the solvent-impregnated resins exhibited excellent reusability over five consecutive extraction–stripping cycles, maintaining a single-cycle stripping efficiency above 70% and a cumulative recovery exceeding 97%. This study validates the technical feasibility of an integrated leach–extract–strip process based on impregnated resins as an alternative approach for yttrium recycling from electronic waste, potentially supporting the development of a circular economy. Full article

To investigate the treatment performance of a CuTiO₃ photocatalytic system for organic peroxide production wastewater under visible light, CuTiO₃ powder prepared through the hydrothermal method was used for this experiment. The light absorption properties of the CuTiO₃ catalyst were analyzed using Uv-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (Uv-Vis DRS). The effects of the initial pH, photocatalyst dosage, light intensity, and reaction duration on the photocatalytic reaction were examined. Before and after the reaction, the changes in pollutant components in water were characterized via three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectrometry (3D-EEM) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS); the changes in the concentrations of some pollutants were analyzed via wavelength scanning. The results indicated that CuTiO₃ has a good response to visible light. Under the optimized conditions (initial pH = 5, CuTiO₃ dosage = 1.2 g/L, light intensity = 1300 W/m², duration = 4 h), the COD removal rate reached 58%, and the B/C (BOD₅/COD) ratio of wastewater increased from 0.112 to 0.221, demonstrating a good pretreatment effect. GC-MS analysis demonstrated significant degradation effects on amide and hydride substances. Radical capture experiments verified hydroxyl radicals as the dominant species in CuTiO₃ photocatalysis. Visible-light photocatalysis using CuTiO₃ provides an efficient pretreatment pathway for organic peroxide production wastewater. Full article

In this explorative work, molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) and representative doped MoO₃ materials, i.e., Cu-doped MoO₃ (2% Cu, “Cu-MoO₃”) and H-doped MoO₃ (H_0.31MoO₃, “H-MoO₃”), have been tested for the first time as photocatalysts in the UV-vis light-driven depolymerization of lignin. The catalysts have been characterized by XRD, TEM, ATR-FTIR, and UV-vis DRS. Under the adopted conditions (UV-vis irradiation, solvent 0.01 M aqueous NaOH, lignin 200 ppm, catalyst 1 g/L, rt, 5 h), photocatalytic depolymerization of wheat-straw lignin (WSL) produced increasing amounts of bio-oil on changing the catalyst from pristine MoO₃ to Cu-MoO₃ and H-MoO₃ (23%, 28% and 30%, respectively). Also, quantification of vanillin and vanillic acid shows a similar increasing trend. These results appear in line with the estimated band gap energies, which decrease in the order: MoO₃ (2.91 eV) > Cu-MoO₃ (2.86 eV) > H-MoO₃ (2.77 eV). H-MoO₃ shows the best catalytic performance, which was then fruitfully explored in the photocatalytic depolymerization of benchmark commercial Kraft lignin (bio-oil yield 32%, vanillin and vanillic acid yields 1.28% and 0.78%, respectively). In view of the results obtained, this work is expected to provide new ideas for the design of heterogeneous photocatalytic system for lignin cleavage. Full article

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone and therapeutic agent for Type II diabetes mellitus. However, recombinant production in E. coli yields insufficient quantities, increasing manufacturing costs and limiting patient access. Improving yield and productivity is crucial to make GLP-1 treatments more affordable. An optimized bioprocess was developed to enhance the yield of recombinant GLP-1 (rGLP-1) analogues. Expression constructs encoding monomeric and concatemeric GLP-1 fused to GST were designed. Batch fermentations of these clones at varying pre-induction specific growth rates guided the fed-batch strategy for yield enhancement. The specific yield of monomer construct exhibited higher yields than the concatemer. Process optimization achieved a specific yield (Yp/x) of 116.7 mg/g, a dry cell weight of 88.9 g/L, and a volumetric yield of 10.3 g/L. The specific productivity of soluble rGLP-1 reached 0.4 g/L/h. Purification via affinity chromatography and enterokinase cleavage yielded authentic GLP-1 peptide confirmed by Western blot and mass spectrometry. The developed high-yield fermentation process significantly enhances rGLP-1 productivity in E. coli, potentially reducing upstream production costs by 20–30% and enabling wider accessibility to affordable GLP-1 therapies. Full article

Fermented forest litter (FFL) is a biofertilizer obtained by anaerobic fermentation of forest litter combined with agricultural by-products. Its production involves an initial one-month solid-state fermentation of oak litter mixed with whey, molasses and wheat bran, followed by a one-week submerged fermentation-called the “activation” phase-during which the solid FFL is fermented with sugarcane molasses diluted in water. This study aimed to evaluate the effects storage duration (6, 18 and 30 months), and temperature (ambient and 29 °C) on the activation phase. For this purpose, pH, sugar consumption and metabolite production dynamics were monitored. Under all experimental conditions, the pH dropped to values close to 3.5, sucrose was rapidly hydrolyzed, and glucose was preferentially consumed over fructose. Fructose was metabolized only after glucose was depleted, suggesting the involvement of fructophilic microorganisms. The time-course evolution of lactic acid (LA) concentration was adequately fitted by the Gompertz model (R² > 0.970). The highest LA_max concentration (6.30 g/L) and production rate (2.16 g/L·d) were obtained with FFL stored for 6 months. Acetic acid (AA) and ethanol were also detected reaching maxima values of 1.19 g/L and 0.96 g/L, respectively. Their profiles varied depending on the experimental conditions. Notably, the AA/LA ratio increased with the age of the FFL. Overall, sugar consumption and metabolite production were significantly slower at ambient temperature, than at 29 °C. These results contribute to a better understanding of the metabolic dynamics during FFL activation and highlight key parameters that should be considered to optimize future biofertilizer production processes. Full article

Porous photocatalysts from agricultural waste, i.e., apricot and peach shell, with titanium dioxide were prepared by a carbonaceous method, the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation and its kinetics about methylene blue (MB) were studied systematically. The properties of the prepared composite sorbents were characterized using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, surface area, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses. Several key factors, including radiation, pH, temperature, initial MB concentration, contact time, and sorbent dosage, as well as photocatalytic activity were investigated. All the waste-TiO₂ adsorbents showed improved adsorption and photodegradation performance compared to commercial charchoal-TiO₂. The produced materials presented high specific surface areas especially those derived from apricot shell-TiO₂ with a combination of type I and IV adsorption isotherms with a hysteresis loop indicating micro and mesopore structures. In addition, under UV radiation, the composite sorbents exhibited greater MB removal efficiency than non-radiated composite sorbents. The examined conditions have shown the best MB adsorption results at pH greater than 7.5, temperature 30 °C, contact time 120 min, initial concentration 0.5 mg/L MB, and sorbent dosage equal to 2.0 g/L C/MB. The total removal rate of MB is 98.5%, while the respective amount of commercial charcoal-TiO₂ is equal to 75.0%. The kinetic model that best describes the experimental data of MB degradation from the photocatalytic materials is the pseudo-second order model. In summary, this work highlights the effectiveness and feasibility of transforming agricultural waste into carbonaceous composite sorbent for the removal of cationic dyes from wastewater. Future work will involve scaling up the synthesis of the catalyst and evaluating its performance using bed reactors for industrial processes. Full article

Lactic acid is a crucial bio-based chemical with widespread applications in industries such as the food, chemical, bioplastic, and pharmaceutical industries. As demand for lactic acid rises, the search for efficient fermentation strains has become increasingly important. This study aimed to optimize fermentation conditions to enhance lactic acid production using Latilactobacillus sakei L-7. We began by screening key medium components and process parameters through single-factor experiments. Subsequently, we applied response surface methodology for a more comprehensive optimization. The optimal medium formulation was determined to be 40 g/L glucose, 39.54 g/L yeast extract, 10 g/L CH₃COONa, 6 g/L K₂HPO₄, 0.2 g/L MnSO₄, 0.4 g/L MgSO₄, and 1 mL/L Tween 80. Under the optimized fermentation conditions of 30.27 °C and pH 8.46, the lactic acid production reached 26.18 ± 0.44 g/L, a 50.6% increase compared to pre-optimization levels. These results offered preliminary support for utilizing L. sakei L-7 in the industrial production of lactic acid. Full article

Maintaining water quality and fish well-being in newly established, small, unfiltered betta (Betta splendens) aquaria is a significant challenge. To improve betta fish breeding and welfare, this study set up four groups: the Sagittaria subulata (S.su) group, the Alternanthera reineckii (A.re) group, the Wolffia globosa (W.gl) group, and the plant-free (CG) group. We evaluated the effects of aquatic plants on water quality, fish behavior, and microbial community in newly established tanks over 25 days. The results demonstrated that both the dissolved oxygen (DO) and potential of hydrogen (pH) decreased with the experimental duration, while ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) increased over time in all groups. Compared to the CG group, all aquatic plants significantly reduced the NH₃-N accumulation. The S.su group exhibited the lowest mean NH₃-N concentration of only 0.14 mg·L⁻¹, which was considerably lower than that of the other groups (p < 0.05). The behavioral analysis revealed that, during the 25-day randomized monitoring period, bettas in the S.su group exhibited the lowest surface breathing, with an average of only 0.36 events per 5 min, which was significantly lower than that of the CG group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the S.su and W.gl groups demonstrated longer average swimming durations than the other groups, suggesting a potential trend toward improved welfare in betta fish. Aquatic plants shaped the microbial diversity and composition within the experimental aquatic system. The W.gl group had the highest microbial diversity, and the A.re and S.su groups enriched Verrucomicrobiota. These results demonstrate the preferential shaping of microbial communities by aquatic plants, suggesting a potential pathway for enhancing water quality. In conclusion, S. subulata demonstrates the greatest benefits under the experimental conditions, making it a more suitable choice for this experiment. Full article

The rising levels of Co(II) in aquatic environments present considerable risks, thereby necessitating the development of effective remediation strategies. This study introduces an innovative pre-hydration method for synthesizing carbonated calcined clay dolomite (CCCD) to efficiently remove Co(II) from contaminated water. This pre-hydration treatment successfully reduced the complete carbonation temperature of the material from 500 °C to 400 °C, significantly enhancing energy efficiency. The Co(II) removal performance was systematically investigated by varying key parameters such as contact time, initial Co(II) concentration, pH, and solid/liquid ratio. Optimal removal was achieved at 318 K with pH of 4 and a solid/liquid ratio of 0.5 g·L⁻¹. Continuous flow column experiments confirmed the excellent long-term stability of CCCD, maintaining a consistent Co(II) removal efficiency of 99.0% and a stable effluent pH of 8.5 over one month. Isotherm and kinetic models were used to empirically describe concentration-dependent and time-dependent uptake behavior. The equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir model, while kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model. An apparent maximum removal capacity of 621.1 mg g⁻¹ was obtained from Langmuir fitting of equilibrium uptake data. Mechanistic insights from Visual MINTEQ calculations and solid phase characterizations (XRD, XPS, and TEM) indicate that Co(II) removal is dominated by mineral water interface precipitation. The gradual hydration of periclase (MgO) forms Mg(OH)₂, which creates localized alkaline microenvironments at particle surfaces and drives Co(OH)₂ formation. Carbonate availability further favors CoCO₃ formation and retention on CCCD. Importantly, this localized precipitation pathway maintains a stable, mildly alkaline effluent pH (around 8.5), reducing downstream pH adjustment demand and improving operational compatibility. Overall, CCCD combines high Co(II) immobilization efficiency, strong long-term stability, and an energy-efficient preparation route, supporting its potential for scalable remediation of Co(II) contaminated water. Full article