Search Results (176)

Food packaging is the largest segment of the global plastics market, yet its low degradability and limited performance in preserving perishable goods highlight the need for more sustainable alternatives. This study investigates the use of industrial softwood kraft lignin, a renewable polyol, and γ-valerolactone (GVL), an excellent green lignin solvent, to synthesize bio-based polyurethane (PU) coatings for recycled linerboard. PU was synthesized with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), GVL, and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) as a catalyst and applied to recycled linerboard (166.6 g/m²) at three coating weights: 13.5, 16.5, and 23.5 g/m². The coating enhanced water resistance, as shown by the reduced water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and Cobb₁₈₀₀ values. Oil resistance was also significantly improved, reaching a Kit rating of 11 at the highest coating weight. Mechanical performance was maintained or enhanced, with increases in ring crush strength (RCT) and tensile index. These findings confirm the effectiveness of lignin-based PU in improving both the barrier and mechanical properties of packaging paper. Additionally, this approach presents an environmentally responsible alternative to petroleum-based coatings, adding value to lignin as a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry and supporting the transition toward more circular and sustainable packaging materials. Full article

Water contamination by antibiotics has become a critical environmental and public health issue. Among emerging technologies for their removal, heterogeneous photocatalysis has shown remarkable potential. This review provides a systematic analysis of 40 recent studies (2019–2025) that employed green synthesis routes—including sol–gel, hydrothermal, combustion, pyrolysis and co-precipitation methods—for the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics. The comparison of these techniques revealed that biogenic metal oxides and ferrites synthesized with plant extracts achieved outstanding photocatalytic performance, with degradation efficiencies often exceeding 90–100% for antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. These results are attributed to the phytochemical composition of the extracts, which are rich in flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, and alkaloids, which act as natural reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents, promoting uniform nucleation, smaller particle sizes, and enhanced crystallinity. The review also highlights the synergistic relationship between biomolecule-mediated reduction and controlled synthesis conditions, which enables the design of sustainable, reusable, and high-efficiency photocatalysts for wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. Full article

We report a fully biogenic route to ZnO, Fe₃O₄, and their hydrothermally coupled ZnO/Fe₃O₄ heterostructure and establish a synthesis–structure–function link. Phase-pure, quasi-spherical wurtzite ZnO and finer inverse-spinel Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles assemble into a biphasic interface without forming a solid solution; optical analysis yields E_g = 2.36 eV (ZnO), 1.46 eV (Fe₃O₄), and 1.45 eV (ZnO/Fe₃O₄), while PL shows near-band-edge quenching and green–yellow defect reweighting at 490–560 nm, consistent with interfacial band bending. Magnetically, ZnO/Fe₃O₄ is soft-ferrimagnetic with M_S/M_R/H_C = 226 emu g⁻¹/17 emu g⁻¹/0.010 T (at 300 K), enabling rapid magnetic recovery. Under natural sunlight (572.6 ± 32 W m⁻²), adsorption-corrected methylene blue removal (10 mg L⁻¹; 10 mg in 50 mL) gives real degradation rates RDR = 90% (ZnO), 65% (ZnO/Fe₃O₄), and 30% (Fe₃O₄) at 180 min, with pseudo–first-order constants k = 1.9 × 10⁻², 0.7 × 10⁻², and 0.4 × 10⁻² min⁻¹, respectively; dark adsorption baselines are 10%, 14%, and 49%. Reusability over four cycles preserves pseudo-first-order kinetics (ZnO/Fe₃O₄: 65% → 50%). Scavenger tests implicate ${}^{•}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ as the dominant oxidant in ZnO and ZnO/Fe₃O₄, and ${}^{•}\mathrm{O}_2^{-}$ in Fe₃O₄. Taken together, the band alignment, photoluminescence quenching, radical-scavenger profiles, and kinetic synergy are consistent with a defect-rich S/Z-scheme-like ZnO/Fe₃O₄ heterojunction, delivering a green, sunlight-operable, and recyclable platform for affordable wastewater remediation. Full article

Agri-food residues have accumulated globally at unprecedented scales, generating environmental pressures and resource inefficiencies, a core problem addressed in this review, while simultaneously representing rich, underutilized reservoirs of health-promoting phytochemicals. This review synthesizes recent advances (2016–2025) in the green extraction, characterization, and biological validation of phytochemicals from plant-based residues, including polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids, and dietary fibers from key sources such as grape pomace, citrus peels, coffee silverskin, pomegranate peel, cereal brans, and tropical fruit by-products. Emphasis is placed on sustainable extraction methods: ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), supercritical CO₂ extraction (SFE), and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), which enable efficient recovery while minimizing environmental impact. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies demonstrate that residue-derived compounds exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, metabolic-regulating, and prebiotic effects, contributing to health in general and gut microbiota modulation. Integrating these bioactives into functional foods and nutraceuticals supports sustainable nutrition and circular bioeconomy goals by reducing food waste and promoting health-oriented valorization. Regulatory advances, including approvals from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ingredients such as olive phenolics, citrus flavanones, and coffee cascara, further illustrate increasing translational readiness. The convergence of green chemistry, biorefinery design, and nutritional science positions agri-food residues as pivotal resources for future health-promoting and environmentally responsible diets. Remaining challenges include scaling cost-effective green processes, harmonizing life cycle assessment protocols, expanding toxicological datasets, and conducting longer-term clinical trials to support safe and evidence-based commercialization. Full article

The growing concern over the environmental impacts caused by plant agriwaste has intensified the search for sustainable alternatives in manufacturing processes. This review explores the valorization of agro-industrial residues, such as those derived from banana, coconut, and pineapple, for example. It highlights their potential to be converted into value-added products, particularly within the textile sectors. Emphasis is given to the environmental and economic benefits of reusing biomass rich in fibers and bioactive compounds while discussing key technological, regulatory, and logistical barriers that still limit large-scale applications. In parallel, it presents recent advances in processing technologies, such as biocomposites and biochar, and the integration of circular economy principles to promote resource efficiency and waste reduction. The analysis also underscores the importance of public policies and financial incentives to drive innovation and ensure the viability of sustainable practices in industrial contexts. The article proposes an ideal circular production flow model that contrasts current linear practices with a regenerative, bio-based alternative. By mapping current challenges and future perspectives, this review expects to contribute to the debate on environmental responsibility, green technologies, and the economic potential of plant residue reuse in manufacturing chains. Full article

Microalgae have been proposed for the bioremediation of wastewater, as well as for biofertilization and biostimulation of several plant species. This study used Limnospira sp. biomass produced in brewery wastewater to formulate a pelletized biofertilizer. Its efficacy in promoting barley (Hordeum vulgare) growth was then compared with chemical fertilizers and a control group without fertilization on lab- and pilot-scale setups. On a 100-day lab-scale experiment under controlled light (260–280 µmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹) and temperature (20 ± 2 °C), minor differences in plant growth were observed, whereas the elemental composition of the barley plants did not differ, including toxic elements. On a pilot-scale agricultural setup (5 m²) under environmental conditions, barley productivity, protein content, and the percentage of class I grains (diameter ≥ 2.5 mm) significantly increased based on the different dressing techniques used (p < 0.05). Using the microalgae-based biofertilizer for both base and top dressing increased productivity, protein content, and grain size (% class I) by 26.9%, 14.4%, and 8.78%, respectively, compared to using chemical fertilizers (NPK 5:20:20 and urea). These results indicate the great potential of using microalgae biomass from wastewater treatment as biofertilizer for more sustainable agriculture. Full article

Global population growth, climate change, and the environmental impact of livestock production have accelerated the search for sustainable and efficient protein sources. Fruiting bodies (mushrooms) and mycelial biomass have emerged as promising alternatives due to their high nutritional quality, low ecological footprint, and compatibility with circular bioeconomy principles. This review highlights the nutritional, biotechnological, and environmental aspects of fungal proteins obtained from both fruiting bodies and mycelial biomass of Basidiomycetes. Emphasis is placed on amino acid composition, protein digestibility, and advances in cultivation and fermentation systems for large-scale production. Submerged and solid-state fermentation processes are analyzed in terms of scalability, resource efficiency, and integration with agro-industrial residues for sustainable bioprocessing. Comparative analyses reveal that mycelial biomass production achieves high protein yields with significantly reduced land, water, and energy requirements compared to conventional protein sources. Emerging fungal species such as Schizophyllum commune and Auricularia polytricha demonstrate strong potential for producing protein-rich mycelia applicable to functional and plant-based foods. Finally, the review discusses current technological innovations, regulatory frameworks, and market perspectives that position fungal biomass as a strategic component in the ongoing global protein transition. Full article

Fungal laccases are promising oxidative enzymes for bioremediation applications, particularly in the degradation of synthetic dyes present in industrial effluents. Here, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) on the activity of Trametes versicolor laccase and its ability to decolorize Congo Red (CR), Malachite Green (MG), and Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR). Enzyme assays revealed concentration-dependent inhibition, with IC₅₀ values of 0.22 ± 0.04 M for NaCl and 1.00 ± 0.09 M for Na₂SO₄, indicating stronger inhibition by chloride. Kinetic modeling showed mixed-type inhibition for both salts. Despite this effect, the enzyme maintained significant activity: after 12 h, decolorization efficiencies reached 95 ± 4.0% for MG, 88 ± 3.0% for RBBR, and 75 ± 3.0% for CR, even in the presence of 0.5 M salts. When applied to a mixture of the three dyes, decolorization decreased only slightly in saline medium (94.04 ± 4.0% to 83.43 ± 5.1%). FTIR spectra revealed minor structural changes, but toxicity assays confirmed marked detoxification, with radicle length in lettuce seeds increasing from 20–38 mm (untreated dyes) to 41–48 mm after enzymatic treatment. Fungal growth assays corroborated reduced toxicity of treated dyes. These findings demonstrate that T. versicolor laccase retains functional robustness under ionic stress, supporting its potential application in saline textile wastewater remediation. Full article

Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases, costing millions of lives and billions of USD every year. There are different ways to identify the biomarkers that can be used to detect cancer types and subtypes. RNA sequencing is steadily taking the lead as the method of choice due to its ability to access global gene expression in biological samples and facilitate more flexible methods and robust analyses. Numerous studies have employed artificial intelligence (AI) and specifically machine learning techniques to detect cancer in its early stages. However, most of the models provided are very specific to particular cancer types and do not generalize. This paper proposes a deep learning and explainable AI (XAI) combined approach to classifying cancer subtypes and a deep learning-based approach for the classification of cancer types using BARRA:CuRDa, an RNA-seq database with 17 datasets for seven cancer types. One architecture is designed to classify cancer subtypes with around 100% accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and G-Mean. This architecture outperforms the previous methodologies for all individual datasets. The second architecture is designed to classify multiple cancer types; it classifies eight types within the neighborhood of 87% of validation accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and G-Mean. Within the same process, we employ XAI, which identifies 99 genes out of 58,735 input genes that could be potential biomarkers for different cancer types. We also perform Pathway Enrichment Analysis and Visual Analysis to establish the significance and robustness of our methodology. The proposed methodology can classify cancer types and subtypes with robust results and can be extended to other cancer types. Full article

Two new long-chain N-alkyl imidazole derivatives, 2-(1-octadecyl-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine and 2-(furan-2-yl)-1-(octadecane-1-yl)-1H-imidazole, were synthesized via the Radziszewski reaction followed by N-alkylation. This is the first report of furan-imidazole obtained by this route using furfuraldehyde as a renewable biomass-derived precursor. FTIR, 1D/2D solution NMR, and HRMS confirmed the structural elucidation, while XRD and solid-state ¹³C CPMAS NMR corroborated the crystal structures of the precursors. Notably, previously misassigned ¹H and ¹³C chemical shifts reported in the literature for pyridine and furan-imidazole precursors were corrected. Furthermore, ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectra of those precursors are reported here for the first time. These findings expand the scope of the Radziszewski reaction and provide new insights into the structural characterization of imidazole-based systems. Full article

The market for plant-based alternatives to animal foods has increased rapidly in the past decade, mainly due to consumer demand. Little evidence is available regarding nutritional impacts, drivers, and barriers to using these products as substitutes for animal foods in real-life conditions. This pilot study followed 16 Danish adults (30 ± 11 years old; 11 females) for 4 weeks with substituting milk, cheese, and yogurt with plant-based analogues to dairy (PBADs) and assessed their drivers and barriers to applying the intervention with a mixed-method approach. PBADs are constantly compared to their animal counterparts, both regarding product characteristics, such as price and sensory properties, as well as cultural roles and subjective memories. The mixed methods showed dairy attachment, price, and taste were the main barriers to consuming PBAD, while changes in life and social circles were drivers (qualitative data). As for the liking of PBADs, plant-based yoghurt was the preferred intervention product (73.5/100, p < 0.05), followed by plant-based drinks (65.9/100), while plant-based cheese was the lowest rated (47.9/100, p < 0.05). As for dietary changes, a lower average intake of sugars, saturated fatty acids, cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc was observed after the intervention. Additionally, this study describes the attachment of the study population to milk and dairy products. It shows that choosing dairy is beyond nourishment but is connected to tradition, culture, pleasure, memories, and a sense of belonging. In contrast, there is no history or attachment to PBADs. Full article

Annona amazonica R.E. Fries (synonyms Annona amazonica var. lancifolia R.E. Fries), popularly known in Brazil as “envireira”, is a tropical tree belonging to the Annonaceae family and is traditionally used as a food source. In this work, the in vitro and in vivo anti-liver cancer effects of essential oil (EO) from A. amazonica leaves were investigated for the first time. The chemical composition of the EO was evaluated via GC–MS and GC–FID. The alamar blue assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of EOs against different cancerous and noncancerous cell lines. Cell cycle analyses, YO-PRO-1/PI staining, and rhodamine 123 staining were performed via flow cytometry in HepG2 cells treated with EO. The in vivo antitumor activity of EO was evaluated in NSG mice that were xenografted with HepG2 cells and treated with EO at a dose of 60 mg/kg. The major constituents (>5%) of the EO were (E)-caryophyllene (32.01%), 1,8-cineole (13.93%), α-copaene (7.77%), α-humulene (7.15%), and α-pinene (5.13%). EO increased apoptosis and proportionally decreased the number of viable HepG2 cells. The induction of DNA fragmentation and cell shrinkage together with a significant reduction in the ΔΨm in EO-treated HepG2 cells confirmed that EO can induce apoptosis. A significant 39.2% inhibition of tumor growth in vivo was detected in EO-treated animals. These data indicate the anti-liver cancer potential of EO from A. amazonica leaves. Full article

Annona neoinsignis H. Rainer (Annonaceae) is a tree native to the Amazon rainforest. Its fruits are also suitable for human consumption in their natural state or are processed to make desserts. In this work, we characterized the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) from the leaves of A. neoinsignis and evaluated its anti-liver-cancer potential via in vitro and in vivo approaches. Chemical composition analysis revealed β-elemene, (E)-caryophyllene, germacrene D, and germacrene B as the main constituents. The EO had IC₅₀ values ranging from 12.28 to 37.50 μg/mL for B16-F10 cells and MCF-7 cells, whereas an IC₅₀ value of >50 μg/mL was found for noncancerous MRC-5 cells. DNA fragmentation, YO-PRO-1 staining, and loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential were detected in EO-treated HepG2 cells, indicating the induction of apoptosis. Significant in vivo growth inhibition of 53.7% was observed in mice bearing HepG2 cell xenografts treated with EO at a dosage of 40 mg/kg. These data suggest that EO from A. neoinsignis leaves is a drug source for liver cancer. Full article

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have emerged as a promising technology for converting sunlight into electricity at a low cost; however, it is still necessary to find a photostable, low-cost, and efficient photosensitizer. In this sense, the natural product bixin (Dye 1) has previously been reported as a potential photosensitizer. Thus, the present work reports the full synthesis of diester and diacid hybrids (Dyes 2 and 3, respectively, with corresponding yields of 93% and 52%) using the natural product bixin as a starting material and 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring as a connected point. The hydrolysis step of Dye 2 aims to obtain Dye 3 with a structural capacity to anchor the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanofilms via the carboxylic acid group. Both compounds (Dyes 1 and 3) can be adsorbed via pseudo-first order on the surface of TiO₂ nanofilms, reaching saturation after 10 and 6 min of exposure in an organic solution (1 × 10⁻⁵ M), respectively, with adsorption kinetics of the semisynthetic compound almost twofold higher than the natural product. Contrary to expectations, Dye 3 had spectral behavior similar to Dye 1, but with better frontier molecular orbital (FMO) parameters, indicating that Dye 3 will probably behave very similarly or have slightly better photovoltaic performance than Dye 1 in future DSSC measurements. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of local use of Brazilian Green Propolis (BGP), either as an ethanolic extract (the most common formulation) or incorporated into lipid-based nanostructures, as an adjuvant therapy for non-surgical periodontal treatment in managing experimental periodontitis (EP) in ovariectomized rats. Methods: Fifty-six female Wistar rats underwent bilateral ovariectomies. After 10 weeks, a cotton ligature was placed around the lower first molar and remained in place for two weeks to induce EP. The ligature was removed, and the rats were randomly assigned in the groups NLT (n = 14), SRP (n = 14), SRP-BGPee (n = 14), and SRP-BGPlns (n = 14). In the NLT group, no local treatment was performed. The SRP group received scaling and root planing (SRP), along with irrigation using a physiological saline solution. The SRP-BGPee group underwent SRP and irrigation with ethanolic extract of BGP. The SRP-BGPlns group underwent SRP and irrigation with BGP-loaded lipid nanostructure (BGPlns). Each group received one SRP session followed by four irrigation sessions with the specified solutions, which were conducted immediately after SRP and subsequently after 2, 4, and 6 days. Euthanasia was performed at 7 and 28 days following the removal of the ligatures. The hemimandibles were processed for the following analyses: microtomographic analysis; histological analysis; histometric analysis of the percentage of bone tissue in the furcation region (PBT); and immunohistochemical analysis for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity (TRAP), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1), and osteocalcin (OCN). Results: The SRP-BGPlns group demonstrated superior periodontal tissue repair, reduced alveolar bone loss, fewer TRAP-positive cells (at 7 days), and higher levels of immunolabeling for TGFβ1 (at both 7 and 28 days) and OCN (at 28 days) compared to the other experimental groups. Conclusions: The irrigation with BGP is an effective adjuvant therapy for non-surgical periodontal treatment in managing EP in ovariectomized rats. Its application in lipid-based nanostructures proved to be more effective than the ethanolic extract form. Full article