Emerging applications of green coconut: A promising lignocellulosic biomass

Waste accumulation is a grave concern and becoming a transboundary challenge for environment. During Covid-19 pandemic, diverse type of waste were collected due to different practices employed in order to fight back the transmission rate of the virus. Covid-19 was proved to be capricious catastrophe of this 20th century and even not completely eradicated from the world. The havoc created by this imperceptible quick witted, pleomorphic deadly virus can't be ignored. Though a number of vaccines have been developed by the scientists but there is a fear of getting this virus again in our life. Medical studies prove that immunity drinks will help to reduce its reoccurrences. Coconut water is widely used among all drinks available globally. Its massive consumption created an incalculable pile of green coconut shells around the different corners of the world. This practice generating enormous problem of space acquisition for the environment. Both the environment and public health will benefit from an evaluation of quantity of coconut waste that is being thrown and its potential to generate value added products. With this context, present article has been planned to study different aspects like, coconut waste generation, its biological properties and environmental hazards associated with its accumulation. Additionally, this review illustrates, green technologies for production of different value added products from coconut waste.     

Racemic,R-, and S-tebuconazole altered chitinase and chitobiase activity of Daphnia magna

Tebuconazole is a chiral trizole fungicide and widely used in many crops for controlling disease. Tebuconazole is potential toxic to some aquatic organisms but relative information of its isomers is scarce. To detect the endocrine disrupting effects and difference of rac-, R-, and S-tebuconazole, the chitinase activity in Daphnia magna and chitobiase activity in each test medium were used as biomonitors after a 14-day exposure. Results showed that chitinase activity was significantly reduced by rac-, R-, and S-tebuconazole. The chitobiase activity in the test medium was reduced by rac- and R-tebuconazole before day 10, and only one peak was observed at day 10 or day 12 compared with two obvious peaks in the control group (days 6 and 12). S-tebuconazole delayed and reduced the reproduction of D. magna, but did not delay the first chitobiase activity peak, whereas the second peak could not be characterized as the exposure concentration and time increased. Compared with chitinase activity, chitobiase activity can still be used as a rudimentary model for identifying molt-interfering xenobiotics, and further studies should focus on the analysis of correlations between these parameters.     

Diminution of migration of phthalic acid esters in tequila beverage by the year of production

Abstract

The presence of diethyl-phthalate (DEP), dibutyl-phthalate (DBP), butylbenzyl-phthalate (BBP), diethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl-phthalate (DINP) was determined in 295 tequila samples. They were grouped by age of maturation (white, aged, extra aged or ultra aged) and year of production (between 2013 and 2018). Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry was used for identification and quantification. The results showed that 65 samples (22% of the total) were phthalate free. DEP (0.13-0.27?mg/kg), BBP (0.05–2.91?mg/kg) and DINP (1.64–3.43?mg/kg) were detected in 11 (3.73%), 37 (12.54%) and 5 (1.69%) samples, respectively. But, these concentrations did not exceed the maximum permitted limits (MPL) of phthalates for alcoholic beverages. DBP (0.01–2.20?mg/kg) and DEHP (0.03–4.64?mg/kg) were detected in 96 (32.54%) and 224 (75.93%) samples, from them only 10 (3.39%) and 15 (5.08%) samples, respectively, exceeded the MPL for alcoholic beverages and they were few tequilas produced in the year 2014 or before. DEHP was the most frequent phthalate found in tequila and observed DEHP concentrations were 2-times higher in ultra aged tequilas compared to those in white tequilas. We concluded that all tequilas produced in 2015 and after, satisfied the international standards for these compounds.     

山东半岛典型海湾中烷基酚及双酚A的分布特征

烷基酚和双酚A是环境中最常见的内分泌干扰物。本研究对烟台四十里湾和套子湾以及青岛胶州湾表层海水中的壬/辛基酚(NP/OP)、壬/辛基酚单聚氧乙烯醚(NP1EO/OP1EO)以及双酚A(BPA)的浓度水平进行分析,结果显示:NP和NP1EO是最主要的污染物,河口和港口是海湾中污染物浓度最高的区域。总体而言,四十里湾中各污染物的浓度最高,其次为胶州湾,套子湾最低,与国内其他海湾区域相比,污染状况处于中等水平。相对于2005年,胶州湾水体中的烷基酚浓度明显降低。文章同时分析了几个湾的主要入海河流河水样品以及烟台污水处理厂出厂水样,发现污水处理厂出水是烟台四十里湾烷基酚的主要来源。在三个海湾中,烷基酚的分布主要受河流输入、生活污水排放和港口经济活动影响,同时,洋流和潮汐的稀释作用对污染物分布有明显影响。     

中国大气中重金属钒的排放特征

化石燃料原油和原煤的燃烧、含钒矿石的开采和冶炼是大气中重金属钒的主要来源。文章利用重金属钒的排放系数分析了中国1978-2010年人为过程释放到大气中重金属钒的总量和行业重金属钒的排放,预测了2020年和2030年中国大气中重金属钒的排放量。结果表明,自1978年以来,中国钒的排放量增加了4倍,中国2010年人类活动向大气排放的重金属钒总量达3.18万吨,约占世界总量的12%。原油燃烧释放到大气中的钒约占总量的85%,煤炭燃烧的排放量占10.5%,其中工业耗油向大气中释放重金属钒的比例从1980的71%下降到2008年的42%,总量从3 721 t增加至9 361 t;交通运输行业从10%上升到36%,总量从547 t增加至7 967 t;其它行业(农林牧渔水利业、批发零售业和住宿餐饮业、生活消费)基本维持在20%左右,总量从986 t增加至5 052 t。因此,应加强大气中钒的监测和管理,预防大气钒污染事件的发生。     

城市污水处理厂内分泌干扰物浓度分布和去除规律

采集南方某城市3个污水处理厂进出水及各工艺单元的水样,通过固相萃取-衍生化过程对水样进行预处理,并用气相色谱-质谱联用仪定量检测水样中的17α-雌二醇(17α-E2)、雌酮(E1)、雌二醇(E2)、雌炔醇(EE2)、雌三醇(E3)、辛基酚(OP)、正壬基酚(NP)和双酚A(BPA)等8种内分泌干扰物(EDCs).连续4个季度的分析结果显示,3个污水厂进出水及各工艺单元中均有EDCs检出,EE2和BPA是含量最高的两种EDCs,出水中最高浓度分别达到498.9ng.L-1和2652.5ng.L-1,其他6种EDCs浓度均不超过100ng.L-1;生物处理工艺对EE2、E3、NP、OP和BPA有较高的去除率,平均去除率约为57%～85%,但对于E1、E2和17α-E2的去除率较低且不稳定;一级处理工艺对EDCs仅有低于18%的去除率;紫外辐照消毒工艺对EDCs的去除没有明显效果;EDCs浓度季节差异显著,由于雨水的稀释作用,旱季浓度约为雨季的2.5～7.8倍.本文对于了解我国南方地区污水处理工艺中EDCs类物质的分布和转化特点有一定的参考意义.     

17β-雌二醇在水体中的分布水平及去除方法研究现状

17β-雌二醇(E2)是一种常见的天然雌激素,普遍存在于各类水体环境,在水环境分布水平已经达到干扰鱼类内分泌系统的水平,被认为是作用最强烈、最具潜在影响的环境内分泌干扰物之一。文章重点介绍了17β-雌二醇在水体环境中的分布水平及去除方法,指出由于传统的污水处理工艺和净水工艺无法将其完全去除,增加深度处理工序已经迫在眉睫。针对E2的特点,现有水处理工艺宜增加能够生成强氧化剂.OH的工序。     

环氧化PVA载体固定漆酶的最佳工艺条件研究

在T=35℃,HAc-NaAc缓冲溶液pH为4的条件下,用环氧化PVA载体对漆酶进行固定化,固定后酶活为游离酶活的95%。用该固定化漆酶处理制浆造纸废水,反复使用6次后,酶活仍保持为初始酶活的45%,且每次COD去除率在40%以上,处理后的废水BOD增大了50%,废水可生化性得到很大提高。     

高效木薯渣分解复合菌群RXS的构建及其发酵特性研究

从富含腐烂纤维质的环境中取样,通过以木薯渣及滤纸为碳源的蛋白胨纤维素培养基不断地富集培养,构建了一组高效稳定的纤维质分解复合菌群.考察了该复合菌群对不同纤维质底物的分解性能及其在木薯渣水解过程中主要参数的变化.研究发现该复合菌群对滤纸、脱脂棉、微晶纤维素、麦秸秆和木薯渣等原料均能够进行有效的降解.在该复合菌群应用于木薯渣的水解过程中,监测发现纤维素酶、半纤维素酶、果胶酶等关键酶的酶活力分别在第2～3 d达到最大值34.4、90.5和15.8U;经过10 d的发酵后,木薯渣中的纤维素、半纤维素及木质素分别降解了79.8%、85.9%和19.4%,且木薯渣的失重高达61.5%;此外,代谢产物主要是乙酸、丁酸、己酸和甘油;而溶解性COD、总糖和总挥发酸的变化表明第2 d时木薯渣的水解率最高.上述结果表明,该复合菌群能够有效地水解木薯燃料酒精生产过程中的废弃物木薯渣,并有望用于木薯渣高效沼气发酵的前处理中.     

Modelling sulphate-enhanced cadmium uptake by Zea mays from nutrient solution under conditions of constant free Cd2+ ion activity

A controlled hydroponic experiment was undertaken to investigate Cd uptake in relation to the activity of Cd species in solution other than the free ion (Cd²⁺) by maintaining a constant Cd²⁺ activity under variable SO₄₂⁻ and Cl⁻ concentrations exposed to maize (Zea mays var. Cameron) plants. The objectives of these experiments were: (1) to distinguish and quantify the different uptake rates of free and inorganic-complexed Cd from nutrient solution, and (2) to model the uptake of Cd by maize with a Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) in a system which facilitates the close examination of root characteristics. Results of the current experiments suggest that, in addition to the free ion, CdSO₄⁰ complexes are important factors in determining Cd uptake in nutrient solution by maize plants. Higher nominal SO₄²⁻ concentrations in solution generally resulted in a greater Cd accumulation by maize plants than predicted by the Cd²⁺ activity. A better integration of the complete dataset for the 3 harvest times (6, 9 and 11 days after treatment) was achieved by including consideration of both the duration of Cd exposure and especially the root surface area to express Cd uptake. Similarly, the fit of the BLM was also improved when taking into account exposure time and expressing uptake in terms of root morphological parameters.