Bioinspired cellulose-based membranes in oily wastewater treatment

It is challenging to purify oily wastewater, which affects water-energy-food production. One promising method is membrane-based separation. This paper reviews the current research trend of applying cellulose as a membrane material that mimics one of three typical biostructures: superhydrophobic, underwater superoleophobic, and Janus surfaces. Nature has provided efficient and effective structures through the evolutionary process. This has inspired many researchers to create technologies that mimic nature’s structures or the fabrication process. Lotus leaves, fish scales, and Namib beetles are three representative structures with distinct functional and surface properties: superhydrophobic, underwater superoleophobic, and Janus surfaces. The characteristics of these structures have been widely studied and applied to membrane materials to improve their performance. One attractive membrane material is cellulose, whichhas been studied from the perspective of its biodegradability and sustainability. In this review, the principles, mechanisms, fabrication processes, and membrane performances are summarized and compared. The theory of wettability is also described to build a comprehensive understanding of the concept. Finally, future outlook is discussed to challenge the gap between laboratory and industrial applications.

Helminth infection and human mobility in sambaquis: Paleoparasitological, paleogenetic, and microremains investigations in Jabuticabeira II, Brazil (2890 ± 55 to 1805 ± 65 BP)

Sambaquis or shellmounds are archeological sites constructed by hunter-fisher-gatherers that inhabited the Brazilian coast about 10,000–2000 yrs BP. Jabuticabeira II (JABII: 2890 ± 55 to 1805 ± 65 BP) is one of dozens of contemporaneous sambaquis of the Santa Catarina state, South Brazil, and contains hundreds of neatly organized burials, indicating great population density. In order to gather information about the health, diet and way of life of people in JABII, a paleoparasitological, paleogenetic, and micro-human remains investigation was carried out. Pelvic region and environmental control samples from six individuals exhumed from JABII were submitted to microscopic and ancient DNA (aDNA) investigation. Paleoparasitological analyses based on light microscopy were negative. However, a variety of informative microremains were found. Diatoms, fish scales, and algae characterize the marine and estuarine environment. Ipomoea batatas and Zea mays starch grains suggested cultivated items as part of their diet in agreement with the literature. The finding of Podocarpus sp. pollen grain, characteristic of highlander vegetation, suggests human mobility of JABII individuals which were settlement in the coast. Paleogenetic analyses showed Ascaris sp. helminth infection based on nad1 gene fragment detected from an individual excavated at L3 FS7 burial (1826 ± 40 BP). This aDNA result places the antiquity of Ascaris sp. infection, and haplotypes that are circulating in humans and other animals nowadays, in Pre-Columbian South American times.

Dielectric properties of bionano-composites modified by fish scales

The presented work presents the results of studying the temperature dependences of the dielectric constant and the tangent of the dielectric loss angle of biocomposites modified with fish scales. It was found that with an increase in the volumetric content of the bio-filler, the dielectric constant of the biocomposites increases, and the tangent of the dielectric loss angle decreases. By varying the volumetric content of the bio-filler, it is possible to control the properties of biocomposites in the desired direction.

Application of Chitosan From Waste Gurami Fish Scales (Osphronemus goramy) and Clove Powder (Syzygium aromaticum) As Edible Coating on Chicken Meat

Chicken meat is a nutritious food that can increase immunity but has perishable food properties that are easily damaged so it is necessary to add preservatives, namely chitosan as an edible coating to protect the meat from microbial contamination. Gourami (Osphronemus goramy) scales have the potential to be processed as chitosan. Through 3 stages, namely deproteination, demineralization, and deacetylation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding chitosan with gourami fish scales and cloves as an edible coating on the quality of raw chicken meat at room temperature for 9 h. This study used a factorial completely randomized design (3×3), with factor A: concentration of chitosan solution (0%, 1%, and 2%) and factor B: concentration of clove solution (0%, 1%, and 2%) and repeated 3 times. The results showed that the control treatment without clove and chitosan after 9 h of storage at room temperature had a significant difference in effect on the treated samples. The best treatment was found in the interaction of 2% chitosan (K2) and 2% cloves (C2) with microbial contamination of 2×10 5 CFU/g so that it still meets the standards of the National Standardization Agency (BSN) namely, chicken meat has a maximum requirement of 1×106 CFU/g, which can maintain the quality of meat, both in terms of pH, water content, and acceptability of organoleptic values which are still favored by panelists.