Contact angle of modified fibrovascular bundle of salacca (Salacca sumatrana Becc.) frond by NaOH+Na2SO3 combination

The fibrovascular bundle (FVB) of the salacca frond is one of the potential raw materials in the development of bio-composite technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the wettability of FVB using the contact angle method after the alkali modification treatment. The method of this research was to use FVB frond of Salacca sumatrana Becc. which was treated with alkaline modification of the combination of NaOH+Na2SO3 at various concentrations. The results showed that the combination of NaOH 1M+Na2SO3 0.4 M had the smallest contact angle, which means that the FVB has a good wettability value compared to the control treatment. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the modification of NaOH+Na2SO3 can increase the wettability of FVB.

Influence of alkaline modification on selected properties of banana fiber paperbricks

In a bid to develop paper bricks as alternative masonry units, unmodified banana fibers (UMBF) and alkaline (1 Molar aqueous sodium hydroxide) modified banana fibers (AMBF), fine sand, and ordinary Portland cement were blended with waste paper pulp. The fibers were introduced in varying proportions of 0, 0.5, 1.0 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 wt% (by weight of the pulp) and curing was done for 28 and 56 days. Properties such as water and moisture absorption, compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity were appraised. The outcome of the examinations carried out revealed that water absorption rose with fiber loading while AMBF reinforced samples absorbed lesser water volume than UMBF reinforced samples; a feat occasioned by alkaline treatment of banana fiber. Moisture absorption increased with paper bricks doped with UMBF, while in the case of AMBF-paper bricks, property value was noted to depreciate with increment in AMBF proportion. Fiber loading resulted in improvement of compressive, flexural, and splitting tensile strengths and it was noted that AMBF reinforced samples performed better. The result of the thermal test showed that incorporation of UMBF led to depreciation in thermal conductivity while AMBF infusion in the bricks initiated increment in value. Opposite behaviour was observed for specific heat capacity as UMBF enhanced heat capacity while AMBF led to depreciation. Experimental trend analysis carried out indicates that curing length and alkaline modification of fiber were effective in maximizing the properties of paperbricks for masonry construction.

Assessment of DNA damage by the method of DNA comets in cryopreserved samples of human leukocytes and fibroblasts of the human lung embryo FLECh-104

Представлены результаты оценки повреждения ДНК в щелочной модификации метода комет в образцах свежих и криоконсервированых клеток при температуре -80С и -196С. The results of the assessment of DNA damage using an alkaline modification of the comet method in samples of fresh and cryopreserved cells at -80 ° C and -196 ° C are presented.