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Growth properties, oxidation-reduction potential kinetics and hydrogen production of Escherichia coli BW25113 parental strain (PS) and hydrogenase (Hyd)-negative mutants were investigated after fermentative growth using office paper waste and cardboard (PW) hydrolysate (PWH). PWH was obtained by using dilute acid method in a steam sterilizer for 1 h, 121 °C. Optimal conditions for bacterial growth and H 2 production were identified (PWH concentrations, pH 7.5). Recording of redox potential using a platinum electrode revealed a drop to −500 ± 10 mV, with a H 2 yield of ~1.45 mmol H 2 L−1 after 4 h of growth using PWH resulted in the formation of 0.20 ± 0.02 g bacterial cell dry weight L−1. Bacterial biomass formation was stimulated ~3-fold upon addition of 0.5% yeast extract, and H 2 production started early - at the beginning of the exponential phase. Moreover, mutants lacking Hyd-1 and Hyd-2 significantly enhanced H 2 production. The findings would be beneficial for the development of H 2 production biotechnology using cheap solid waste materials. • Office waste paper and cardboard hydrolisate (PWH) was upcycled for biomass and biohydrogen. • Dilute acid method in a steam sterilizer, pH adjustment to 7.5 were used for pretreatment. • E. coli wild type yielded H 2 of ~240 mL H 2 (g sugar)−1 at the 4th h of growth. • H 2 production was observed earlier upon 0.5% yeast extract added. • Mutations of hydrogenases Hyd-1 and Hyd-2 enhanced H 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and pulp industries produce effluents with high phosphorus concentrations, which need to be treated before their discharge in watercourses. The use of microalgae for this purpose has attracted the attention of researchers because: (i) microalgae can assimilate phosphorus (one of the main nutrients for their growth); and (ii) growing on effluents can significantly reduce the costs and environmental impact of microalgal biomass production. This study evaluated the growth and ability of Chlorella vulgaris to remove the phosphorus from a secondary-treated effluent of a Portuguese paper company. Batch experiments were performed for 11 days using different dilutions of the effluent to evaluate its inhibitory effect on microalgae. Results showed that the non-diluted effluent inhibited microalgal growth, indicating that this bioremediation process is possible after a previous dilution of the effluent. Regarding phosphorus removal, promising results were achieved, especially in the experiments conducted with the most diluted effluent: removal efficiencies obtained in these conditions were (54 ± 1)%. Another interesting finding of this study was microalgal growth in flakes’ form (mainly due to the compounds present in the effluent and to the pH values achieved), which can be an important economic advantage for biomass recovery after the remediation step.

Abstract Black liquor, an industrial waste, also generally called spent liquor is a promising feedstock for production of bio-carbon due to its high lignin and energy contents. Mild processing conditions and sustainable resource utilization can drive commercial utilization of this industrial waste. A novel oxidative procedure using hydrogen peroxide as a green liquid oxidant at room temperature for processing of paper recycling neutral sulphite semi-chemical spent liquor was established and evaluations were carried out for its efficiency. Standard hydrothermal carbonization was carried out for comparing bio-carbon production qualitatively and quantitatively using the same spent liquor. The oxidation procedure was performed at room temperature using 5% of H 2 O 2 followed by washing in diluted sulfuric acid (0.15 N) while hydrothermal carbonization was performed at 250 °C. The bio-carbon produced were similar in terms of ash percentage and ranged from 1.25 ± 0.05 to 1.48 ± 0.05% for oxidation method and from 1.11 ± 0.03 to 1.45 ± 0.04% for hydrothermal carbonization. The carbon contents for the oxidation method ranged from 60.54 to 61.50% and 66.81–67.31% for hydrothermal carbonization while higher heating values ranged from 25.32 to 26.11 MJ/kg and from 28.68 to 29.34 MJ/kg respectively. The mass yield ranged from 29.98 to 31.88% by the oxidation, while it was 15.02–16.08% by hydrothermal carbonization. Highlights • Bio-carbon is generated from byproduct of plant that uses recycled paper feedstock. • Oxidation method is a promising approach to obtain pure bio-carbon from spent liquor. • Hydrothermal carbonization demands energy for pure bio-carbon production. • Bio-carbon from both methods differ quantitatively but are similar qualitatively. • Bio-carbon can be a potential platform for environmental friendly fuel and materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Inoculation strategies for microalgae and bacteria consortium for the treatment of paper pulp industry effluents with an increase in biomass sedimentation and algae biomass recovery. The microalgae–bacteria consortium is a promising and sustainable alternative for industrial wastewater treatment, since it may allow good removal of organic matter and nutrients, as well as the possibility of producing products with added value from the algae biomass. This research investigated the best bacterial and microalgae inoculation ratio for system start-up and evaluation of removing organic matter (as chemical oxygen demand (COD)), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+–N), nitrite nitrogen (NO2−–N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−–N), phosphate phosphorus (PO43−–P) and biomass formation parameters in six photobioreactors with a total volume of 1000 mL. Reactors were operated for 14 days with the following ratios of pulp mill biomass aerobic (BA) and Scenedesmus sp. microalgae (MA): 0:1 (PBR1), 1:0 (PBR2), 1:1 (PBR3), 3:1 (PBR4), 5:1 (PBR5), and 1:3 (PBR6). Results show that COD removal was observed in just two days of operation in PBR4, PBR5, and PBR6, whereas for the other reactors (with a lower rate of initial inoculation) it took five days. The PBR5 and PBR6 performed better in terms of NH4+–N removal, with 86.81% and 77.11%, respectively, which can be attributed to assimilation by microalgae and nitrification by bacteria. PBR6, with the highest concentration of microalgae, had the higher PO43−–P removal (86%), showing the advantage of algae in consortium with bacteria for phosphorus uptake. PBR4 and PBR5, with the highest BA, led to a better biomass production and sedimentability on the second day of operation, with flocculation efficiencies values over 90%. Regarding the formation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), protein production was substantially higher in PBR4 and PBR5, with more BA, with average concentrations of 49.90 mg/L and 49.05 mg/L, respectively. The presence of cyanobacteria and Chlorophyceae was identified in all reactors except PBR1 (only MA), which may indicate a good formation and structuring of the microalgae–bacteria consortium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that filamentous microalgae were employed as a foundation for the fixation of bacteria and other algae colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and pulp industries produce effluents with high phosphorus concentrations, which need to be treated before their discharge in watercourses. The use of microalgae for this purpose has attracted the attention of researchers because: (i) microalgae can assimilate phosphorus (one of the main nutrients for their growth); and (ii) growing on effluents can significantly reduce the costs and environmental impact of microalgal biomass production. This study evaluated the growth and ability of Chlorella vulgaris to remove the phosphorus from a secondary-treated effluent of a Portuguese paper company. Batch experiments were performed for 11 days using different dilutions of the effluent to evaluate its inhibitory effect on microalgae. Results showed that the non-diluted effluent inhibited microalgal growth, indicating that this bioremediation process is possible after a previous dilution of the effluent. Regarding phosphorus removal, promising results were achieved, especially in the experiments conducted with the most diluted effluent: removal efficiencies obtained in these conditions were (54 ± 1)%. Another interesting finding of this study was microalgal growth in flakes' form (mainly due to the compounds present in the effluent and to the pH values achieved), which can be an important economic advantage for biomass recovery after the remediation step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid poplars (Populus sp.) are increasingly implemented in agroforestry systems across the U.S., mainly for their biomass production, carbon allocation, and ecosystem services. While agroforestry systems are usually established on marginal land, soil amendments, such as paper mill fibercake residuals, can provide necessary nutrients such as nitrogen (N) to increase poplar yield. To assess the effects of such amendments on poplar early growth and establishment, three clones (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh × P. maximowiczii A. Henry 'DM114'; P. deltoides × P. nigra L. 'DN170'; P. nigra × P. maximowczii 'NM2') were grown in a greenhouse for 35 days in soils amended with fibercake residuals from two northern Wisconsin sources (Expera Specialty Solutions, EXP, Rhinelander, WI; Packaging Corporation of America, PCA, Tomahawk, WI). Trees were grown in eleven different soil treatments (one potting mix control, one nursery soil treatment, and nine nursery soil-fibercake blends), with soils mixed according to tillable depth and N application rates. Expera treatments produced 4–30% greater values for growth parameters (excluding root number) and 2% greater values for biomass parameters (excluding root dry mass and root–shoot ratio) than other treatments containing fibercake (i.e., PCA and combined EXP + PCA treatments). Clone 'NM2' produced the greatest values for all parameters tested, while 'DM114' and 'DN170' values were typically intermediate and low, respectively. 'NM2' grown in Expera soils produced the highest values for all parameters, suggesting that 'NM2' has potential for greater early growth and biomass production on agroforestry sites amended with Expera fibercake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Waste office paper was utilized as a substrate for microbial lipid production. • A detailed optimization study has been conducted for biomass and lipid yield. • Optimization results in10.55 g/L biomass, 6.13 g/L lipid with 58% lipid content. • Biodiesel properties of the produced lipids met with the international standards. • A solution to mitigate the hazardous effects caused by waste and fossil fuel. Environmental issues caused by fossil fuel and its rapid depletion demand the need to produce biofuel from renewable energy resources. The disposal of waste paper in landfills causes air pollution and contaminates groundwater. Hence, exploiting paper waste as a renewable resource for microbial lipid production can solve these environmental issues in a greener way. Further, these microbial lipids are a reliable source for biodiesel production. In this study, waste office paper was utilized as a substrate to produce microbial lipids through fermentation by the oleaginous yeast, Rhodosporidium toruloides, using a biorefinery approach. The production conditions were optimized using the Box-Behnken design; a fermentation time of 116.16 h, a C/N ratio of 60, and an inoculum concentration of 9.67% yielded a biomass of 10.55 g/L and a lipid yield of 6.13 g/L with a total lipid content of 58%. The major lipids produced were oleic acid (42%), palmitic acid (36%), stearic acid (9.8%), and myristic acid (8%), which clearly indicates the suitability of the lipids produced by R. toruloides for biodiesel production. The predicted biodiesel properties of the transesterified product met the international standard specifications. Hence, utilizing waste office paper for biodiesel production will be an effective way of mitigating the environmental pollution caused by waste paper and the harvesting of fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common Reed ( Phragmites australis) is a wetland plant which is distributed worldwide, has a high biomass production, and provides important ecosystem services. In many developing and emerging countries it is an easily available and cheap raw material for diverse utilization, which may contribute significantly to employment and income generation for the local population. This case study investigates the reed utilization for pulp and paper production at the eutrophic Wuliangsuhai Lake, Inner Mongolia, China. We analysed the fluxes of materials and money along the supply chain (reed harvesting, processing and supply to final users, i.e. paper mills) as well as the division of work and costs at each production layer (network), based on the Netchain theory. The results make evident the importance of the paper industry and reed harvesting for local livelihood. They further reveal that the reed economy at Wuliangsuhai Lake is threatened by rising environmental standards for paper mills, change of market conditions and dependency on only two customers. Increasing revenues by finding new consumers or/and products, come to long-term contracts and improving harvesting efficiency are presented as ways to convert these threats into new opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competence of novel fungal consortium, consisting of Nigrospora sp. LDF00204 (accession no. KP732542) and Curvularia lunata LDF21 (accession no. KU664593), was investigated for the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent. Fungal consortium exhibited enhanced biomass production under optimized medium conditions, i.e., glucose as carbon (C), sodium nitrate as nitrogen (N), C/N 1.5:0.5, pH 5, temperature 30 °C, and agitation 140 rpm, and significantly reduced biochemical oxygen demand (85.6%), chemical oxygen demand (80%), color (82.3%), and lignin concentration (76.1%) under catalytic enzyme activity; however, unutilized ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccase (Lac), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and lignin peroxidase (LiP), were observed to be 13.5, 11.4, and 9.4 U/ml after the third cycle of effluent treatment in repeated batch process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of fungal consortium revealed their compatibility through intermingled hyphae and spores, while the FTIR spectra confirmed the alteration of functional groups ensuring structural changes during the effluent treatment. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis showed the reduction of complex compounds and development of numerous low-molecular-weight metabolites, such as 1-3-dimethyl benzene, 2-chloro-3-methyl butane, pentadecanoic acid, and 1-2-benzene dicarboxylic acid, during the treatment, demonstrating the massive potential of the novel fungal consortium to degrade recalcitrant industrial pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates heat integrated production of FT (Fischer–Tropsch) crude, where excess heat from the FT crude plant is delivered to a typical Scandinavian pulp and paper mill that produces fine paper. The sizes of FT crude plants are quantified, when the amount of excess heat from the FT plant exactly matches the heating demand otherwise satisfied by the bark boiler at the mill, considering a number of development pathways at the mill, including various degrees of steam savings and biorefinery options, such as lignin extraction. Performance of integrated production is compared with that of an FT stand-alone plant on the basis of wood fuel-to-FT crude efficiency, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions balances and FT crude production cost. The results show that there exists a heat integration opportunity for an FT crude plant ranging from 0 up to 350 MW (LHV) of wood fuel depending on the development pathway for the mill. The results indicate higher overall efficiency and a generally lower production cost for the heat integrated, co-located production. Heat integrated production has a larger potential to contribute to GHG emission mitigation, assuming a future generation of grid electricity emitting equal to or less than an NGCC (natural gas combined cycle) power plant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Integration of biomass gasification with a pulp and paper mill is a possible route to create more value-added products. This route facilitates, for example, more advanced electricity generation and production of biomass based transportation fuels or chemical feedstock. Each unit operation in such a process affects overall efficiency as well as possibilities for process integration. In this paper, the impact of different dryer types in a biomass gasification combined cycle (BIGCC) has been evaluated in terms of efficiency and economic performance. The BIGCC was sized so that the excess heat would replace the current steam production from bark and oil. The results show that the dryer type can have a significant impact on economic performance and efficiencies. A BIGCC with an integrated belt dryer, utilizing excess heat to heat the drying air from the mill, can result in electrical efficiencies of up to around 40%, while e.g. a steam dryer can reach 36–37%. Choice of oxidant, air or oxygen, in the gasifier affects both capital and operational cost. Air was proven to be the most cost efficient solution for the cases evaluated in this study. The investment of around 100 to 140 million Euros for a BIGCC facility is profitable for most evaluated cases for an annuity factor of 0.1, while the net annual profit is negative for most cases when the annuity factor was increased to 0.2, even when including financial support for renewable electricity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work evaluates the environmental performance of using pulp and paper sludge as feedstock for the production of second generation ethanol. An ethanol plant for converting 5400 tons of dry sludge/year was modelled and evaluated using a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment approach. The sludge is a burden for pulp and paper mills that is mainly disposed in landfilling. The studied system allows for the valorisation of the waste, which due to its high polysaccharide content is a valuable feedstock for bioethanol production. Eleven impact categories were analysed and the results showed that enzymatic hydrolysis and neutralisation of the CaCO 3 are the environmental hotspots of the system contributing up to 85% to the overall impacts. Two optimisation scenarios were evaluated: (1) using a reduced HCl amount in the neutralisation stage and (2) co-fermentation of xylose and glucose, for maximal ethanol yield. Both scenarios displayed significant environmental impact improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pretreated organic wastes such as waste paper cups, cardboard waste, and vegetable waste were screened for the growth and lipid production of oleaginous bacteria DS-7 (isolated from the dairy effluent scum). The pretreated vegetable waste was found to be the best feedstock for biomass and lipid production by the DS-7. Further, process parameters such as inoculation time, substrate concentration (w/v) (amount of pretreated vegetable waste), pH, and inoculum size were optimized using a multi-objective optimization technique to enhance the biomass and lipid productions. The optimization study successfully enhanced the biomass concentration (g/L) and lipid content (%) by 47.9% and 15.84%, respectively in comparison with the unoptimized state. The biomass and lipid productivities were 42% (1.449 g/L/d) and 51% (1.267 g/L/d) greater than unoptimized conditions. The characteristics of the biodiesel obtained from the valorization of vegetable waste were comparable to the standard. Thus, the vegetable waste can be utilized as a potential feedstock for microbial biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gozdarski Vestnik is the property of Federation of Forestry Associations of Slovenia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The efficacy of different Pleurotus ostreatus (L.) isolates to treat pulp and paper industrial effluent on a shake flask were studied. In the shake flask studies, Pleurotus ostreatus (L.) decolorized the effluent 69.68%, on 7th day of incubation. Various cultural conditions including different glucose concentrations, nitrogen sources, pH, temperature and incubation period influence on biomass and different enzymes viz; xylanase, CMCase and laccase production by Pleurotus ostreatus were optimized in shake flask cultures. The results indicated that the optimum fermentation medium in shake flask studies contained a carbon (glucose 4%), nitrogen (0.5% ammonium chloride), inoculation level (three disks, 0.5 cm in diameter), temperature (30 °C), incubation period (at 7 days) and initial pH 5.0. Under these culture conditions, the maximum level of xylanase activity (9.29 Uml-1), CMCase (7.37 Uml-1), laccase (13.57 Uml-1) and effluent decolorization (69.68%) were observed on 7th day during shake flask studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A fundamental goal of second generation ethanol production is to increase the ethanol concentration to 10% (v/v) or more to optimise distillation costs. Semi simultaneous saccharification and fermentations (SSSF) were conducted at small pilot scale (5L) utilising fed-batch additions of solid shredded copier paper substrate. Early addition of Accellerase® 1500 at 16FPU/g substrate and 30U/g β-glucosidase followed by substrate only batch addition allowed low final equivalent enzyme concentrations to be achieved (3.7FPU/g substrate) whilst maintaining digestion. Batch addition resulted in a cumulative substrate concentration equivalent to 65% (w/v). This in turn resulted in the production of high concentrations of ethanol (11.6% v/v). The success of this strategy relied on the capacity of the bioreactor to perform high shear mixing as required. Further research into the timing and number of substrate additions could lead to further improvement in overall yields from the 65.5% attained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Land application of organic wastes to short rotation woody crops (SRWC) can reduce the environmental impacts associated with waste disposal and enhance the productivity of biomass production systems. Understanding the potential impacts of organic amendments however, requires the examination of changes in soil characteristics and plant productivity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of paper sludge and dairy manure on biomass production of shrub willow (Salix dasyclados SV1) and to determine the impacts of these amendments on soil chemical properties. Treatments included urea, dairy manure and paper sludge separately and in combination, and a control. These materials were applied in the summer of 2005 to two fields of SV1 at different stages of growth: An old field with one year old shoots on a 10 year old root system and a young field which was beginning regrowth after being coppiced at the end of its first growing season. Foliar nutrient concentrations and soil chemical properties were analyzed at the end of the second growing season after treatment application to determine plant response to the fertilization regimes and to determine the effects of fertilization on soil characteristics. Fertilization did not increase biomass production in either field. However, application of the N-poor paper sludge did not reduce yield either. In general, fertilization did not influence soil or foliar chemistry, although there were some exceptions. The lack of response observed in this study is probably related to the nutrient status of the site or losses of applied nutrients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Conventional ecological risk assessment (ERA) predominately evaluates the impact of individual chemical stressors on a limited range of taxa, which are assumed to act as proxies to predict impacts on freshwater ecosystem function. However, it is recognized that this approach has limited ecological relevance. We reviewed the published literature to identify measures that are potential functional indicators of down‐the‐drain chemical stress, as an approach to building more ecological relevance into ERA. We found wide variation in the use of the term "ecosystem function," and concluded it is important to distinguish between measures of processes and measures of the capacity for processes (i.e., species' functional traits). Here, we present a classification of potential functional indicators and suggest that including indicators more directly connected with processes will improve the detection of impacts on ecosystem functioning. The rate of leaf litter breakdown, oxygen production, carbon dioxide consumption, and biomass production have great potential to be used as functional indicators. However, the limited supporting evidence means that further study is needed before these measures can be fully implemented and interpreted within an ERA and regulatory context. Sensitivity to chemical stress is likely to vary among functional indicators depending on the stressor and ecosystem context. Therefore, we recommend that ERA incorporates a variety of indicators relevant to each aspect of the function of interest, such as a direct measure of a process (e.g., rate of leaf litter breakdown) and a capacity for a process (e.g., functional composition of macroinvertebrates), alongside structural indicators (e.g., taxonomic diversity of macroinvertebrates). Overall, we believe that the consideration of functional indicators can add value to ERA by providing greater ecological relevance, particularly in relation to indirect effects, functional compensation (Box 1), interactions of multiple stressors, and the importance of ecosystem context. Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1135–1147. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points: Considering functional indicators in addition to structural indicators adds value to ERA, but wide variation in the use of the term "ecosystem function" limits implementation.We classify different types of potential functional indicators and argue it is important to distinguish between measures of processes and measures of the capacity for processes (i.e., species' functional traits).Some measures have great potential to be developed as functional indicators (such as rate of leaf litter breakdown, oxygen production, carbon dioxide consumption, and biomass production), but further study is needed before these measures can be implemented and interpreted within a regulatory context.It is valuable for ERA to include multiple types of indicators relevant to each function of interest (e.g., both rate of leaf litter breakdown and functional composition of macroinvertebrates), alongside structural indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algae are being explored as a sustainable energy feedstock, having potential to reduce dependence on petrofuels and offset greenhouse gas emissions. Economic considerations and principles of green design suggest that if algae-to-fuel technology is to be successful, biofuels must be produced simultaneously with value-added co-products. At present, the algae industry is centered around a limited number of products, such as low-volume/high-value speciality nutrients. New products for medium- and high-volume markets will be needed as biomass production increases in scale. This Perspective highlights non-fuel applications of algal biomass that have received relatively little attention to date but are promising for future development. It is our goal to draw attention to some of the unique opportunities that algae present with respect to biochemical composition as compared to lignocellulosic energy crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Once again Swedish forest industries are supposed to face a new threatening shortage of wood. Therefore, demonstration of new ideas of producing wood for pulp and fuels (heat, ethanol, hydrogen gas, dimethylether, electricity) in the most southern part of Sweden was very welcome. One example of new ideas is that some farmers planted hybrid poplars on abandoned farming land at Sångletorp (33ha), Johannesholm (15ha), Kadesjö (11ha) and Näsbyholm (2ha) in the southernmost part of Sweden in 1991. Some of these plantations were harvested in 2004, but some are still growing. The harvested wood had been used for pulp and fuel. The results of the harvest and of the plantations that are still growing are analysed here from an economic, ecologic and energy point of view. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nippon Paper Industries Co Ltd is introducing biomass power generation plant to its Fuji and Iwakuni mills, mainly using scrap wood and refuse paper and plastic fuel. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Genetic minimal cut sets (gMCS) are genes that must be deactivated simultaneously to avoid unwanted states in a metabolic model. The concept of gMCS can be applied to two different scenarios. First, it can be used to identify potential gene toxicities in generic or healthy cell models. Second, it can be used to develop genetic strategies to target cancer cells and prevent their proliferation. Up to now, gMCS have been evaluated using the traditional procedure of preventing biomass production. This paper proposes an additional way: using essential metabolic tasks, which any human cell should perform, to enlarge the set of unwanted states. Including this addition can significantly improve the study of toxicities and reveal targets that can be used to treat unhealthy cells. Excluding metabolic tasks can cause important information to be overlooked, which could impact the study's success. Regarding toxicities, using the generic Human model, the number of detected generic toxicities with metabolic tasks increases from 106 to 281 (136 gMCSs of length 1 and 49 of length 2). We have used the following context-specific models to evaluate specific toxicities in different healthy tissues: blood, pancreas, liver, heart, and kidney. Again, considering metabolic tasks, we have found new toxicities (lengths 1 and 2) whose inactivation could damage these healthy tissues.Our research strategy has been applied to identify new cancer drug targets in two myeloma cell lines. We obtained new therapeutic targets of lengths 1 and 2 for each cell line. After analyzing the data, we conclude that incorporating metabolic tasks into cancer models can reveal important therapeutic targets previously disregarded by the conventional method of inhibiting biomass production. This approach also improves the evaluation of potential drug toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korean spruce (Picea koraiensis Nakai) is one of the most important wood resources for pulp and paper industry. However, a long production cycle is required for spruce to obtain mature timber, which may negatively influence the biomass production. In this study, fiber morphology, chemical composition, and pulping properties of Korean spruce with different tree ages and vertical locations were investigated. The results show that, along with the increase of tree ages, the contents of extractives, lignin, and pentosan increase to different extents. There are also some differences of pulping properties with different tree ages. As a pulpwood, the Korean spruce with tree ages of around 22 to 32 years is more suitable for kraft pulping, compared to that with 32-46 years. In addition, the middle segment of the bole had better pulp strength properties than the upper or lower bole segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass from waste newspaper (WP) was first co-pyrolyzed with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in order to enhance the oil yield and its fuel properties. The synergistic effects during co-pyrolysis were investigated in terms of entire pyrolysis process, products yield and properties of liquid products (aqueous phase and oil phase) using thermogravimetric analysis coupled with infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), physical properties analysis, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that synergistic effect occurred at 400–500 °C resulting in an obviously increase in oil phase by 31.59% as compared to theoretical data. Positive synergistic effects on fuel properties of co-pyrolysis oil were observed, especially demonstrating dramatically decrease in viscosity and total acid number by 75.96% and 216.04% in comparison to theoretical data. WP pyrolyzed alone gives mainly oxygenated compounds in its derived oil, while HDPE give hydrocarbons. No cross reaction products appeared in co-pyrolysis oil, implying that the synergistic effects were determined by altering its compounds content rather than generating cross reaction products. Unfortunately, aqueous phase and oil phase exhibit similar composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

At present, the main raw material for producing graphene is graphite ore. However, researchers actively seek alternative resources due to their high cost and environmental problems. Biomass waste has attracted much attention due to its carbon-rich structure and renewability, emerging as a potential raw material for graphene production to be used in sports equipment. However, further progress is required on the quality of graphene produced from waste biomass. This paper, therefore, summarizes the properties, structures, and production processes of graphene and its derivatives, as well as the inherent advantages of biomass waste-derived graphene. Finally, this paper reviews graphene's importance and application prospects in sports since this wonder material has made sports equipment available with high-strength and lightweight quality. Moreover, its outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity is exploited to prepare wearable sensors to collect more accurate sports data, thus helping to improve athletes' training levels and competitive performance. Although the large-scale production of biomass waste-derived graphene has yet to be realized, it is expected that its application will expand to various other fields due to the associated low cost and environmental friendliness of the preparation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon sequestration potential in coastal soils is linked to aboveground and belowground plant productivity and biomass, which in turn, is directly and indirectly influenced by nutrient input. We evaluated the influence of long-term and near-term nutrient input on aboveground and belowground carbon accumulation in seagrass beds, using a nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus) experiment embedded within a naturally occurring, long-term gradient of phosphorus availability within Florida Bay (USA). We measured organic carbon stocks in soils and above- and belowground seagrass biomass after 17 months of experimental nutrient addition. At the nutrient-limited sites, phosphorus addition increased the carbon stock in aboveground seagrass biomass by more than 300%; belowground seagrass carbon stock increased by 50-100%. Soil carbon content slightly decreased (~10%) in response to phosphorus addition. There was a strong but non-linear relationship between soil carbon and Thalassia testudinum leaf nitrogen: phosphorus (N : P) or belowground seagrass carbon stock. When sea grass leaf N: P exceeded a threshold of 75 : 1, or when belowground seagrass carbon stock was less than 100 gm-2, there was less than 3% organic carbon in the sediment. Despite the marked difference in soil carbon between phosphorus-limited and phosphorus-replete areas of Florida Bay, all areas of the bay had relatively high soil carbon stocks near or above the global median of 1.8% organic carbon. The relatively high carbon content in the soils indicates that seagrass beds have extremely high carbon storage potential, even in nutrient-limited areas with low biomass or productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White birch ( Betula papyrifera Marsh.) seedlings were grown under two carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) (360 vs 720 μmol mol−1), three soil temperatures (Tsoil) (5, 15, 25°C initially, increased to 7, 17, 27°C, respectively, one month later), and three moisture regimes (low: 30-40%, intermediate: 45-55%, high: 60-70% field water capacity) for four months in environment-controlled greenhouses. The dry mass of stem, leaves, and roots was measured after 2 and 4 months of treatment. Low Tsoil decreased stem, leaf and total biomass in both measurements, however, the decrease was significantly greater in the elevated than ambient [CO2] after 4 months. Intermediate Tsoil increased root biomass in both measurements. Low moisture reduced stem, leaf, root and total biomass after both 2 and 4 months of treatment. There was a significant Tsoil-moisture interactive effect on leaf, root, and total biomass after 4 months of treatment, suggesting that the magnitude of biomass enhancement in warmer Tsoil was dependent on the moisture regime. For instance, the increase in total biomass from the low to high Tsoil was 22, 50, and 47% under the low, intermediate and high moisture regimes, respectively. In contrast, the Tsoil×moisture effect on stem biomass was significant after 2 months, but not after 4 months of treatment. High Tsoil increased leaf mass ratio (LMR) after 4 months of treatment, but decreased both root mass ratio (RMR) after both 2 and 4 months, and root:shoot ratio (RSR) after 4 months of treatment. The low moisture regime decreased LMR after 2 and 4 months of treatment, but increased RSR after 4 months of treatment. There were no significant [CO2] effects on biomass allocation or [CO2]×Tsoil×moisture interactions on biomass production/allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Responses to ocean acidification in plankton communities were studied during a CO2- enrichment experiment in the Arctic Ocean, accomplished from June to July 2010 in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (78° 56, 20 N, 11° 53, 60 E). Enclosed in 9 mesocosms (volume: 43.9-47.6m³ ), plankton was exposed to CO2 concentrations, ranging from glacial to projected mid-next-century levels. Fertilization with inorganic nutrients at day 13 of the experiment supported the accumulation of phytoplankton biomass, as indicated by two periods of high Chl a concentration. This study tested for CO2 sensitivities in primary production (PP) of particulate organic carbon (PPPOC) and of dissolved organic carbon (PPDOC). Therefore, 14 C-bottle incubations (24 h) of mesocosm samples were performed at 1m depth receiving about 60% of incoming radiation. PP for all mesocosms averaged 8.06±3.64 µmolCl-1 d-1 and was slightly higher than in the outside fjord system. Comparison between mesocosms revealed significantly higher PPPOC at elevated compared to low pCO2 after nutrient addition. PPDOC was significantly higher in CO2 enriched mesocosms before as well as after nutrient addition, suggesting that CO2 had a direct influence on DOC production. DOC concentrations inside the mesocosms increased before nutrient addition and more in high CO2 mesocosms. After addition of nutrients, however, further DOC accumulation was negligible and not significantly different between treatments, indicating rapid utilization of freshly produced DOC. Bacterial biomass production (BP) was coupled to PP in all treatments, indicating that 3.5±1.9% of PP, or 21.6±12.5% of PPDOC provided suffcient carbon for synthesis of bacterial biomass. The response of 14C-based PP rates to CO2 enrichment was at odds with O2-based net community production (NCP) rates that were also determined during this study, albeit at lower light level. We conclude that the enhanced release of labile DOC during autotrophic production at high CO2 exceedingly stimulated activities of heterotrophic microorganisms. As a consequence, increased PP induced less NCP, as suggested earlier for carbon limited microbial systems in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the methods for the generation of the first global fuel dataset, containing all the parameters required to be input in the Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS). The dataset was developed from different spatial variables, both based on satellite Earth observation products and fuel databases, and is comprised by a global fuelbed map and a database that includes the parameters of each fuelbed that affect fire behavior and effects. A total of 274 fuelbeds were created and parameterized, and can be input into FCCS to obtain fire potentials, surface fire behavior and carbon biomass for each fuelbed. To assess the results, FCCS was used to calculate the carbon biomass of each fuelbed, and the results were compared to the values obtained for four other regional or global biomass products. The results showed reasonable agreement both in terms of geographical distribution and biomass loads when compared to other biomass data, with the best results found for Tropical and Boreal forests (Spearman's coefficient of 0.79 and 0.77). This global fuel dataset could be used for a varied range of applications, including fire danger assessment, fire behavior estimations, fuel consumption calculations and emissions inventories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California has large and diverse biomass resources and provides a pertinent example of how biomass use is changing and needs to change, in the face of climate mitigation policies. As in other areas of the world, California needs to optimize its use of biomass and waste to meet environmental and socioeconomic objectives. We used a systematic review to assess biomass use pathways in California and the associated impacts on climate and air quality. Biomass uses included the production of renewable fuels, electricity, biochar, compost, and other marketable products. For those biomass use pathways recently developed, information is available on the effects—usually beneficial—on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and there is some, but less, published information on the effects on criteria pollutants. Our review identifies 34 biomass use pathways with beneficial impacts on either GHG or pollutant emissions, or both—the "good." These included combustion of forest biomass for power and conversion of livestock‐associated biomass to biogas by anaerobic digestion. The review identified 13 biomass use pathways with adverse impacts on GHG emissions, criteria pollutant emissions, or both—the "bad." Wildfires are an example of one out of eight pathways which were found to be bad for both climate and air quality, while only two biomass use pathways reduced GHG emissions relative to an identified counterfactual but had adverse air quality impacts. Issues of high interest for the "future" included land management to reduce fire risk, future policies for the dairy industries, and full life‐cycle analysis of biomass production and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, decision-makers around the world look for alternatives to fossil resources. Among these alternatives is biomass, such as wood pulp, macroalgae, and grasses. Although refined biomass can replace oil, plastics, and petrochemicals within many industries, increased use of biomass may cause land-use changes, biodiversity loss, and disruption of ecosystems. On our path towards a fossil-free society, we must therefore combine intensified biomass production with conservation of critical natural resources. As these resources are often abundant in rural and coastal regions, the resource strategies of these regions are important for the environmental sustainability of this transition. Constructing a game of resource exploitation and conservation in rural regions, this paper models various scenarios for sustainable development and identifies the conditions under which these scenarios are most likely to occur. Based on a game theoretic analysis, three hypotheses are formulated on the costs and benefits that motivate rural regions to manage their biomass resources sustainably. These hypotheses shed light on dynamics that much of the existing literature seems to overlook. Thus, this paper holds novel insights that may contribute to theory development on environmentally sustainable resource exploitation at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting cover crops can improve soil health and help to sustain agricultural crop yields. In northern climates where corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) are grown, cover crop biomass production can be low. This has led to people investigating the potential of interseeding cover crops into the growing main crop. This paper sought to determine biomass production and the benefit to grain yields, weed control and soil properties from interseeding cover crops into corn and soybean. This review included 70 studies published prior to 15 March 2024. Interseeded cover crops that were winter-hardy such as cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) produced more biomass in the spring (1.04 Mg ha−1 average biomass production) than any of the interseeded cover crops did in fall (0.35 Mg ha−1 average biomass production), primarily at crop row spacings of 76 cm. Factors that affected cover crop biomass production were crop stage, planting method, tillage practice, irrigation and row spacing. There was not a consistent widely planted cover crop species that produced the most biomass. Interseeded cover crops reduced weed biomass by 46% compared to weed control and generally did not affect crop grain yields when planted after V4 crop stage. Interseeded cover crops reduced soil nitrate concentration but generally did not affect other soil properties including soil water content. However, most of these studies planted cover crops at the same site for less than three years. Early interseeded cover crops generally did not perform better than interseeded winter-hardy cover crops planted around crop physiological maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]