Rice straw decomposition in rice-field soil

Rice straw, buried in a rice-field during the dry season decomposed at a rate of 0.0075 day-1. Seventy five percent of the biomass, 70 percent carbon, 50 percent nitrogen and 30 percent phosphorus remained after 139 days of decomposition. Rice straw decomposition furnished 33% N and 8% P of the total nitrogen and phosphorus provided by man.     

Glucose and xylose stimulation of a β-glucosidase from the thermophilic fungus Humicola insolens: A kinetic and biophysical study

β-Glucosidases activated by glucose and xylose are uncommon yet intriguing enzymes that may enhance cellulose saccharification efficiency, and are of interest for application in bioethanol production processes. The molecular mechanisms of activation are completely unknown, and the aim of this study was the kinetic and biophysical characterization of the stimulation of a β-glucosidase from Humicola insolens by glucose and xylose. The effects of the monosaccharides were concentration dependent, where in a stimulatory range (0.1–50 mmol L⁻¹), the activity increased up to 2-fold; in a stimulatory-inhibitory range (50–450 mmol L⁻¹ glucose or 50–730 mmol L⁻¹ xylose), the enzyme continued to be stimulated, but the activity was lower than maximal. Above 450 mmol L⁻¹ glucose or 730 mmol L⁻¹ xylose, increasing inhibition occurred. Dynamic light scattering confirmed that the enzyme is monomeric (54 kDa) and kinetic, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence emission and far ultraviolet circular dichroism analyses indicated that the enzyme possesses a catalytic site (CS) and a modulator binding site (MS). Glucose or xylose binding to the MS induces conformational changes that stimulate the catalytic activity at the CS. Glucose and xylose may compete with the substrate for the CS while the substrate competes with the monosaccharides for binding to the MS. The stimulation of the enzymatic activity by glucose and xylose, which compete for the same sites on the enzyme molecule, is not synergistic. These data reveal allosteric interactions between the MS and the CS in H. insolens β-glucosidase that result in fine modulation of the catalytic activity by the monosaccharides. A kinetic model was developed that accurately described the experimental data for enzyme stimulation by glucose and/or xylose. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of the enzyme activity, with the aid of kinetic models, may be useful for the application of the enzyme in cellulose hydrolysis processes.     

Alcohol fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysate of exploded rice straw by Pichia stipitis

The xylose in an enzymatic hydrolysate of steam-exploded rice straw was not consumed by Pichia stipitis until the glucose was almost exhausted. A diauxic lag of 2 to 3 h in both cell growth and ethanol production occurred as metabolism switched from glucose to xylose utilization. Ethanol production was maximal [6 g ethano/l from 15 g reducing sugars/l (78% theoretical yield)] at an aeration rate of 0.2 vol/vol. min.The author was with the Department of Chemical Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920, Japan, but is now with the Engineering Biosciences Research Center, Cater-Mattil Hall, The Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas 77843-2476, USA.     

An Improved CARV Process for Bioethanol Production from a Mixture of Sugar Beet Mash and Potato Mash

A mixed mash of sugar beet roots and potato tubers with a sugar concentration of 23.7% w/v was used as a feedstock for bioethanol production. Enzymatic digestion successfully reduced the viscosity of the mixture, enabling subsequent heat pretreatment for liquefaction/sterilization. An energy-consuming thick juice preparation from sugar beet for concentration and sterilization was omitted in this new process.     

Amsonia spp. as potential fuel crops for arid lands

The biomass of three desert plants, Amsonia kearneyana, A. grandiflora and A. palmeri, was used for the production of glucose and ethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation techniques. Ethanol yields were 0.46 g g^-1 for A. keurneyana, 0.51 g g^-1 for A. grandiflora and 0.51 g g^-1 for A. palmeri. When the plant materials were saccharified into glucose only, the yields obtained were 0.35 g g^-1 for A. kearneyana, 0.39 g g^-1 for A. grandiflora and 0.22 g g^-1 for A. palmeri.H. Punnapayak is with the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; J.J. Hoffmann is with the Bioresources Research Facility, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ 85706, USA.     

The use of 13C-NMR for studies of wheat straw decomposition

13C-NMR was used to study the field decomposition of surface retained and incorporated wheat straw. Results showed decreasing proportions of straw carbon as carbohydrate and increasing proportions of aromatic compounds during straw decomposition. These changes were greater for the surface retained straw, however greater relative microbial contamination of incorporated straw may have affected results. The cost of 13C-NMR may lessen its role in studies of this nature.     

Effects of lignin content on the properties of lignocellulose-based biocomposites

The paper is focused on the analysis of the behaviour of biocomposites (biodegradable composites) which are reinforced with different fillers fractions, with varying lignin contents. These materials have been carried-out by extrusion and injection moulding. The matrix, an aromatic copolyester (polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate), is biodegradable. The lignocellulose fillers are a by-product of an industrial fractionation process of wheat straw. From the raw agro-material and by lignin extractions, various fillers fractions have been obtained by varying the fractionation conditions, both on the liquid media (aqueous or organic) and on the temperature. The fillers lignin contents vary from 30 to 14 wt% with a resultant increase of the cellulose content. We have analysed the impact of the different extraction conditions on the fillers surface and size distribution, and also on the final thermal and mechanical properties of the biocomposites. These materials present significant differences of behaviour which can fulfil some requirements for applications, such as non-food packaging or other short-lived applications (agriculture, sport …) where long-lasting polymers are not entirely adequate.     

热氧老化对麦秸秆/橡胶/PE仿藤条性能的影响

秸塑复合材料(SPC)是一种使用秸秆纤维替代木材纤维的新型木塑复合材料。以麦秸秆和低密度聚乙烯为原料,利用天然橡胶增韧的特性开发出了麦秸秆/橡胶生物质仿藤条。在100℃条件下加速热氧老化60天,观察分析其力学性能和微观结构的变化规律。结果表明,初始条件下,一方面麦秸秆纤维的加入降低了仿藤条的力学性能;另一方面橡胶的加入增强了仿藤条的韧性,起到了弥补作用。老化过程中,材料表面出现裂纹,生物质和PE界面的结合官能团丧失,界面结合能力降低,力学性能下降。结合动力学模型,0~15天为快速降解阶段,材料断裂伸长率降低较快,橡胶的加入降低了老化速率,老化系数降低了70%。含有橡胶的仿藤条在15~60天的老化过程中保持较低的老化速率,起到了抗老化作用。     

粘性丝孢酵母的诱变及以玉米秸秆水解液为原料产油条件优化

对粘性丝胞酵母进行紫外诱变,获得一株产油率较高的菌株,较原菌株提高了1.53倍。将该菌株接种于用1%硫酸和酶水解处理并浓缩至还原糖浓度为5%的玉米秸秆水解液中培养,生长较好。通过四因素三水平正交实验,确定培养条件为初始pH值7.0、接种量1%、发酵温度30℃、发酵时间5 d时产油率最高。对最佳产油条件进行验证,测得油脂含量为21.3%。从而为利用农业废弃物大规模生产微生物油脂提供了试验数据。气相色谱-质谱联用分析仪显示油脂脂肪酸组成为棕榈酸28.36%,油酸55.86%,10-十八烯酸9.23%,硬脂酸6.70%,可以作为原料生产生物柴油。     

深松和秸秆还田对甘肃引黄灌区土壤物理性状和玉米生产的影响

通过在甘肃引黄灌区灰钙土2015—2017年的田间试验,研究深松35 cm秸秆还田、深松35 cm秸秆不还田与传统旋耕秸秆不还田对土壤紧实度、容重、入渗率和0～100 cm土层土壤水分、玉米产量、养分吸收量的影响.结果表明: 与深松35 cm秸秆不还田及旋耕秸秆不还田相比,深松35 cm秸秆还田使0～40 cm土层土壤紧实度和容重降低最明显,2017年收获后紧实度与容重较2015年试验前分别下降42.6%、7.0%,且2016和2017年播种前与收获后0～40 cm土层紧实度和容重的变幅最小,紧实度变异系数平均为6.1%,容重为3.2%,土壤入渗率较旋耕秸秆不还田提高33.6%;深松35 cm秸秆还田可显著提高春秋两季0～100 cm土层剖面含水量,降低剖面水分变异,0～100 cm土层土壤贮水量较旋耕秸秆不还田春季增加15.5%,秋季增加5.6%,水分利用效率提高32.4%;此外,深松35 cm秸秆还田能促进玉米生产,较旋耕秸秆不还田的经济产量两年平均分别增产25.6%,生物产量提升33.3%,玉米氮、磷、钾养分吸收量分别提高49.6%、51.5%和37.6%.综上,深松35 cm秸秆还田能改善物理土壤特性,稳定耕层物理性状,提高0～100 cm土层剖面水分含量及春秋两季土壤平均贮水量,降低水分变异,是促进玉米水肥高效利用,实现高产的最优措施,为甘肃引黄灌区耕层构建技术的深入研究提供理论依据.