Materials of biological origin and biofuels: Small environmental footprint and epigenetic impact (Review)

The application of preparations of biological origin in the protection system of soybean grown under conditions of intensive irrigated crop rotations conforms to the modern tendencies of science and production development. The use of them contributes to solving ecological, production and social-economic problems. The study presents the three-year research on the efficiency of systems protecting soybean from pests and diseases based on biological and chemical preparations. The research was conducted in typical soil and climate conditions of the South of Ukraine. Zonal agricultural methods and generally accepted research methodology were used. The purpose of the research was to create a soybean protection system based on preparations of biological origin, ensuring high productivity of high-quality products reducing a negative impact of the crop production on the environment. The study emphasizes that, under irrigated conditions of the South of Ukraine, the application of biological preparations has a positive impact on the indexes of growth, development and formation of the elements of soybean yield structure. There was an increase in the crop biological weight by 13.8 % and 22.1 % and the number of seeds per plant rose by 11.6 and 14.6 % as a consequence of eliminating harmful organisms with the plant protection systems. The larger ground mass was formed by medium-ripe varieties Danai and Svyatogor, on which the increase from protection measures was higher. Weight 1000 pcs. the seeds did not undergo significant changes. It is established that the larger seeds were formed by Danaya and Svyatogor varieties, in which the average weight is 1000 pcs. seeds were 142 and 136 g, respectively, while in the variety Diona this figure was 133 g. There was an increase in the height of the lowest pod when the total plant height rose. For medium-ripe varieties was characterized by a higher attachment of beans, where the highest values of this indicator acquired in the variety Svyatogor. The medium maturing soybean variety Danaia formed the maximum yield of 3.23 and 3.35 t/ha respectively, when biological and chemical protection systems were applied. The research establishes that the application of the bio-fungicide Psevdobakterin 2 (2.0 l/ha) in the crop protection system at the beginning of soybean flowering and the bio-fungicide Baktofit (2.5 l/ha) with the bio-insecticide Lepidotsid-BTU (10.0 l/ha) at the beginning of pod formation does not reduce the productivity of the soybean varieties under study considerably, when compared to the application of chemical preparations. The research determines that the soybean protection system under study ensures a decrease in the coefficient of soybean water uptake by 7.2-13.0 %, increasing the total water intake to an inconsiderable degree. Biologization of the soybean crop protection system leads to a reduction in production costs compared to the chemical protection system. Taking into account the needs for the collection of additional products, costs increase by an average of 1 thousand UAH/ha, while for chemical protection systems by 1.8 thousand UAH/ha. At the same time, the cost is reduced by 220-360 UAH/t and the profitability of growing crops is increased by 3.8-7.8 %. There has been a reduction in the burden of pesticides on the environment and the production of cleaner products. This indicates the prospect of using the biofungicides Pseudobacterin 2 and Bactophyte and the bioinsecticide Lepidocid-BTU on soybeans to protect plants from pests.

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An Improved Methodology for Determination of Fluorine in Biological Samples Using High-Resolution Molecular Absorption Spectrometry via Gallium Fluorine Formation in a Graphite Furnace

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11125493 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 5493

Author(s):

Andrzej Gawor ◽

Andrii Tupys ◽

Anna Ruszczyńska ◽

Ewa Bulska

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Graphite Furnace ◽

Absorption Spectrometry ◽

Biological Tissues ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Molecular Absorption ◽

Biological Origin ◽

Molecular Absorption Spectrometry

Nowadays growing attention is paid to the control of fluorine content in samples of biological origin as it is present in the form of various biologically active organic compounds. Due to the chemically-rich matrix of biological tissues, the determination of fluorine becomes a very difficult task. Furthermore, a required complex sample preparation procedure makes the determination of the low contents of F by ion chromatography UV-Vis or ion-selective electrodes not possible. High-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GF MAS) seems to be the best option for this purpose due to its high robustness to matrix interferences, especially in the presence of carefully selected modifiers. In this work the possibility of quantitative F determination in water and animal tissues was examined by measuring the molecular absorption of gallium monofluoride (GaF) at 211.248 nm with the use of a commercially available HR-CS GF MAS system. Experimental conditions for the sensitive and precise determination of fluorine were optimized, including the time/temperature program as well as addition of gallium and modifier mixture in combined mode. Under these conditions the fluoride present in the sample was stabilized up to 600 °C, and the optimum vaporization temperature for GaF was 1540 °C. Palladium and zirconium deposited onto the graphite surface served as solid modifiers; sodium acetate and ruthenium modifiers were added directly to the sample. The limit of detection and the characteristic mass of the method were 0.43 μg/L and 8.7 pg, respectively. The proposed procedure was validated by the use of certified reference materials (CRMs) of lake water and animal tissue; the acceptable recovery was obtained, proving that it can be applied for samples with a similar matrix.

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Influence of biological origin on the tensile properties of cellulose nanopapers

Cellulose ◽

10.1007/s10570-021-03935-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katri S. Kontturi ◽

Koon-Yang Lee ◽

Mitchell P. Jones ◽

William W. Sampson ◽

Alexander Bismarck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tensile Strength ◽

Cell Wall ◽

Bacterial Cellulose ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Cellulose Nanofibers ◽

Nanofibrillated Cellulose ◽

Primary Cell Wall ◽

Biological Origin ◽

Basic Principles ◽

Fiber Mats

Abstract Cellulose nanopapers provide diverse, strong and lightweight templates prepared entirely from sustainable raw materials, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). Yet the strength of CNFs has not been fully capitalized in the resulting nanopapers and the relative influence of CNF strength, their bonding, and biological origin to nanopaper strength are unknown. Here, we show that basic principles from paper physics can be applied to CNF nanopapers to illuminate those relationships. Importantly, it appeared that ~ 200 MPa was the theoretical maximum for nanopapers with random fibril orientation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the contrast in tensile strength for nanopapers prepared from bacterial cellulose (BC) and wood-based nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). Endemic amorphous polysaccharides (hemicelluloses) in NFC act as matrix in NFC nanopapers, strengthening the bonding between CNFs just like it improves the bonding between CNFs in the primary cell wall of plants. The conclusions apply to all composites containing non-woven fiber mats as reinforcement. Graphic abstract

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The evolution of life cycle assessment in European policies over three decades

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment ◽

10.1007/s11367-021-01893-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Serenella Sala ◽

Andrea Martino Amadei ◽

Antoine Beylot ◽

Fulvio Ardente

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Decision Support ◽

General Concept ◽

Life Cycle Thinking ◽

Environmental Footprint ◽

Science And Policy ◽

Policy Domain ◽

Trade Offs ◽

The Eu

Abstract Purpose Life cycle thinking (LCT) and life cycle assessment (LCA) are increasingly considered pivotal concept and method for supporting sustainable transitions. LCA plays a relevant role in decision support, for the ambition of a holistic coverage of environmental dimensions and for the identification of hotspots, possible trade-offs, and burden shifting among life cycle stages or impact categories. These features are also relevant when the decision support is needed in policy domain. With a focus on EU policies, the present study explores the evolution and implementation of life cycle concepts and approaches over three decades. Methods Adopting an historical perspective, a review of current European Union (EU) legal acts and communications explicitly mentioning LCT, LCA, life cycle costing (LCC), and environmental footprint (the European Product and Organisation Environmental Footprint PEF/OEF) is performed, considering the timeframe from 1990 to 2020. The documents are categorised by year and according to their types (e.g. regulations, directives, communications) and based on the covered sectors (e.g. waste, energy, buildings). Documents for which life cycle concepts and approaches had a crucial role are identified, and a shortlist of these legal acts and communications is derived. Results and discussion Over the years, LCT and life cycle approaches have been increasingly mentioned in policy. From the Ecolabel Regulation of 1992, to the Green Deal in 2019, life cycle considerations are of particular interest in the EU. The present work analysed a total of 159 policies and 167 communications. While in some sectors (e.g. products, vehicles, and waste) life cycle concepts and approaches have been adopted with higher levels of prescriptiveness, implementation in other sectors (e.g. food and agriculture) is only at a preliminary stage. Moreover, life cycle (especially LCT) is frequently addressed and cited only as a general concept and in a rather generic manner. Additionally, more stringent and rigorous methods (LCA, PEF/OEF) are commonly cited only in view of future policy developments, even if a more mature interest in lifecycle is evident in recent policies. Conclusion The EU has been a frontrunner in the implementation of LCT/LCA in policies. However, despite a growing trend in this implementation, the development of new stringent and mandatory requirements related to life cycle is still relatively limited. In fact, there are still issues to be solved in the interface between science and policy making (such as verification and market surveillance) to ensure a wider implementation of LCT and LCA.

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The Effect of Elicitors and Canopy Management in the Chemical Composition of Vitis vinifera Red Varieties in Warm and Hot Areas in Spain

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11061192 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1192

Author(s):

Natalia Gutiérrez ◽

Leyre López-de-Silanes ◽

Carlos Escott ◽

Iris Loira ◽

Juan Manuel del Fresno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Vitis Vinifera ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Management Practices ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Phenolic Fraction ◽

Biological Origin ◽

Phenolic Index ◽

Canopy Management

Canopy management practices in vineyards, such as sprawling systems and shoot trimming, can change the accumulation of metabolites in grapes. The use of elicitors of biological origin on grapevines of Vitis vinifera red grape varieties may also modulate the chemical composition of the berries. These modifications are often observed in the accumulation of phenolic compounds, including pigments. Both technical approaches are alternatives involved in minimizing the effects of global climate change in warm areas. The increase of temperature related to climate change accelerates the accumulation of sugars, but produces unbalanced grapes. This work establishes the use of button sensors to monitor the climate changes occurring at grape cluster level. Together with climate monitoring, conventional instrumental analytical techniques are used to follow up the chemical composition and the phenolic fraction of grapes in four different production areas in Spain. The effect of either treatment seems variable and to be affected by external factors besides the treatment itself and the climate conditions. While there is a fine effect that correlates with the use of elicitors in varieties like Merlot and Tempranillo, there is minimal improvement observed in Tintilla de Rota. The total phenolic index increases were between 2.3% and 11.8% in the first two parcels. The same happened with the vineyard’s canopy management systems, with increased pigment accumulation and the total phenolic index rising (37.7% to 68.7%) after applying intense shoot trimming, or a variation in sugar concentrations when using sprawl conduction. This study aims to provide viticulturists and oenologists in particular, and farmers in general, with data on the field regarding the use of alternative sustainable practices in the cultivation of grapes. The techniques used involved 100% natural products without adjuvants. The benefits obtained from applying some of these practices would be to produce technically mature grapes despite climate changes, and the elaboration of more balanced wines.

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Moving Consumers along the Innovation Adoption Curve: A New Approach to Accelerate the Shift toward a More Sustainable Diet

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084477 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4477

Author(s):

Antje Gonera ◽

Erik Svanes ◽

Annechen Bahr Bugge ◽

Malin Myrset Hatlebakk ◽

Katja-Maria Prexl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diffusion Of Innovation ◽

Food System ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Innovation Adoption ◽

Environmental Footprint ◽

New Approach ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Dietary Shift ◽

Research And Innovation ◽

Sustainable Diet

Unsustainable food production and consumption contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Adopting a more plant-based diet has been identified as a necessary change toward a more sustainable food system. In response to the call for transdisciplinary research on the sustainability of food consumption, this exploratory study combined consumer science, nutrition and health, sustainability research, and innovation to develop a new approach that can accelerate the shift toward a more sustainable diet. Quantitative data on the eating habits and attitudes of 1785 consumers was combined with data on environmental impacts via a life cycle assessment for different consumer segments. We studied the sustainable dietary shift using the diffusion of innovation theory, as well as qualitative and quantitative approaches. We identified and characterized seven consumer segments and related habits and attitudes toward an increase in plant-based foods and meat reduction. The nutritional quality and the environmental footprint of the segments’ dinners showed large differences. The results indicate that moving consumers along the innovation adoption curve with targeted interventions can reduce the environmental footprint of people’s diets and improve dietary health. We also discussed the value of user-centric innovation tools for the translation of insights into interventions by working with personas.

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