scholarly journals Purification of Chitin from Pupal Exuviae of the Black Soldier Fly

Author(s):  
Thomas Hahn ◽  
Elena Tafi ◽  
Nils von Seggern ◽  
Patrizia Falabella ◽  
Rosanna Salvia ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Chitin purification from remains (pupal exuviae after metamorphosis to adult flies) of Hermetia illucens farming was optimized performing demineralization, deproteinization and bleaching under different conditions. The optimal parameters to obtain high-purity chitin were determined. Methods Dried and ground pupal exuviae, whose composition was initially determined, were demineralized using six different acids. Proteins were removed with a NaOH treatment in which temperature, molarity and duration were varied in a randomized experiment. Bleaching was carried out testing ten different chemicals, including NaOCl, H2O2, solvent mixtures and enzymes. The efficiency of each step was determined to assess the optimal conditions for each of them. The resulting chitin was subjected to spectroscopic characterization. Results The highest demineralization efficiency (90%) was achieved using 0.5 M formic acid for 2 h at 40 °C, confirming the validity of organic acids as a more sustainable alternative to inorganic acids. The treatment with 1.25 M NaOH at 90 °C for 4 h showed the highest deproteinization efficiency, removing 96% of the proteins. Temperature and NaOH concentration were the significant parameters for deproteinization efficiency. The most efficient bleaching treatment was with 6% NaOCl at 60 °C for 1 h (67% efficiency). H2O2 could also be a valid alternative to avoid environmental risk related to chlorine-containing compounds. At the end of the purification process 17% of the original biomass was retained with a chitin content of 85%, corresponding to a chitin yield of 14% related to the initial biomass. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance showed that the purified chitin had a degree of acetylation of 96% and X-ray powder diffraction gave a crystallinity index of 74%. Conclusion This investigation shows an optimized method for extraction of high-purity chitin from H. illucens pupal exuviae, supporting the validity of insect-farming remains as source of this versatile biopolymer. Graphical Abstract

Author(s):  
E. B. Steel

High Purity Germanium (HPGe) x-ray detectors are now commercially available for the analytical electron microscope (AEM). The detectors have superior efficiency at high x-ray energies and superior resolution compared to traditional lithium-drifted silicon [Si(Li)] detectors. However, just as for the Si(Li), the use of the HPGe detectors requires the determination of sensitivity factors for the quantitative chemical analysis of specimens in the AEM. Detector performance, including incomplete charge, resolution, and durability has been compared to a first generation detector. Sensitivity factors for many elements with atomic numbers 10 through 92 have been determined at 100, 200, and 300 keV. This data is compared to Si(Li) detector sensitivity factors.The overall sensitivity and utility of high energy K-lines are reviewed and discussed. Many instruments have one or more high energy K-line backgrounds that will affect specific analytes. One detector-instrument-specimen holder combination had a consistent Pb K-line background while another had a W K-line background.


Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 530
Author(s):  
Tobias Rieger ◽  
Jessen C. Oey ◽  
Volodymyr Palchyk ◽  
Alexander Hofmann ◽  
Matthias Franke ◽  
...  

More than 200 kg real waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) shredder residues from a German dismantling plant were treated at 650 °C in a demonstration scale thermochemical conversion plant. The focus within this work was the generation, purification, and analysis of pyrolysis oil. Subsequent filtration and fractional distillation were combined to yield basic chemicals in high purity. By means of fractional distillation, pure monocyclic aromatic fractions containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX aromatics) as well as styrene and α-methyl styrene were isolated for chemical recycling. Mass balances were determined, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as well as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements provided data on the purity and halogen content of each fraction. This work shows that thermochemical conversion and the subsequent refining by fractional distillation is capable of recycling WEEE shredder residues, producing pure BTEX and other monocyclic aromatic fractions. A significant decrease of halogen content (up to 99%) was achieved with the applied methods.


Molbank ◽  
10.3390/m1227 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (2) ◽  
pp. M1227
Author(s):  
Bibi Hanifa ◽  
Muhammad Sirajuddin ◽  
Zafran Ullah ◽  
Sumera Mahboob ◽  
See Mun Lee ◽  
...  

The synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of the glutaric acid-amide derivative, 2,4-Cl2C6H3N(H)C(=O)(CH2)3C(=O)OH (1), are described. The X-ray crystal structure determination of (1) shows the backbone of the molecule to be kinked about the methylene-C–N(amide) bond as seen in the C(p)–N–C(m)–C(m) torsion angle of −157.0(2)°; m = methylene and p = phenyl. An additional twist in the molecule is noted between the amide and phenyl groups as reflected in the C(m)–N–C(p)–C(p) torsion angle of 138.2(2)°. The most prominent feature of the molecular packing is the formation of supramolecular tapes assembled through carboxylic acid-O–H…O(carbonyl) and amide-N–H…O(amide) hydrogen bonding.


2021 ◽  
pp. 2000546
Author(s):  
Jürgen Weippert ◽  
Seyithan Ulaş ◽  
Patrick Per Meyer ◽  
Dmitry V. Strelnikov ◽  
Artur Böttcher

Polyhedron ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (17) ◽  
pp. 3774-3780 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Machura ◽  
A. Świtlicka ◽  
J. Mroziński ◽  
J. Kłak ◽  
R. Kruszynski ◽  
...  

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 4723
Author(s):  
Sara Dalle Vacche ◽  
Vijayaletchumy Karunakaran ◽  
Alessia Patrucco ◽  
Marina Zoccola ◽  
Loreleï Douard ◽  
...  

Nanocellulose was extracted from short bast fibers, from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) plants harvested at seed maturity, non-retted, and mechanically decorticated in a defibering apparatus, giving non-aligned fibers. A chemical pretreatment with NaOH and HCl allowed the removal of most of the non-cellulosic components of the fibers. No bleaching was performed. The chemically pretreated fibers were then refined in a beater and treated with a cellulase enzyme, followed by mechanical defibrillation in an ultrafine friction grinder. The fibers were characterized by microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction after each step of the process to understand the evolution of their morphology and composition. The obtained nanocellulose suspension was composed of short nanofibrils with widths of 5–12 nm, stacks of nanofibrils with widths of 20–200 nm, and some larger fibers. The crystallinity index was found to increase from 74% for the raw fibers to 80% for the nanocellulose. The nanocellulose retained a yellowish color, indicating the presence of some residual lignin. The properties of the nanopaper prepared with the hemp nanocellulose were similar to those of nanopapers prepared with wood pulp-derived rod-like nanofibrils.


Holzforschung ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis García Esteban ◽  
Paloma de Palacios ◽  
Francisco García Fernández ◽  
Antonio Guindeo ◽  
Marta Conde ◽  
...  

Abstract The hygroscopicity and thermodynamic properties of juvenile Pinus sylvestris L. wood taken from the submerged piles of a bridge built in 1903 over the Jiloca River, in Spain, were compared with the corresponding values of juvenile wood of the same species from recently cut trees. The 35°C and 50°C isotherms were plotted and subsequently fitted using the Guggenheim-Anderson-Boer-Dent method, and the isosteric heat of sorption was obtained through the integration method of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The isotherms were compared by means of the hysteresis coefficients. Infrared spectra were recorded to study the chemical modifications, and the crystal structure of the cellulose was studied by X-ray diffractograms. The submersion in water resulted in hemicellulose degradation and a decrease in the crystallinity index and the crystallite length, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the proportion of amorphous zones. Owing to this, the equilibrium moisture contents of the water logged wood are higher than in the recent wood, both in adsorption and in desorption. In terms of the thermodynamic properties, the bond energy is higher in the recent wood than in the water logged wood.


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