Reaction Kinetics Modelling for Dry Anaerobic Digestion of Hura Crepitans Invasive Species Lignocellulosic Biomass

In this research study, the impact of the feedstock to the inoculum (F/I) amount ratio in the dry anaerobic digestion (DAD) of Hura crepitans leaves was evaluated. Measured biogas volumes, as well as the chemical kinetic predictions for exponential, logistic and Gompertz model, depicting the agreement of the simulations over time, were also determined. From the F/I equivalents 2, 4 and 6 at 22 % of packed total solids, which were considered in analysis test procedure, the DAD digester with F/I number 4 was the most promising in terms of biogas’ production rate. Its daily methane/carbon dioxide was 690 mL, while cumulative generation productivity was greater than 2 L/sample, respectively. On the other hand, the DAD reaction with F/I contained 6, recorded the lowest related expressed primary matter of < 1 L. An associated early commencement of the organic material breakdown in all bio vessels was indicative of a good start-up phase, which is one of the challenges, often encountered in DAD process. Furthermore, applied experimental methods revealed the direct correlation phenomena between biodegradability physical constants, measured molecular CH4/CO2 synthesis and simulations. Hura crepitans being an invasive plant species makes its lignocellulosic fractions desired in terms of valorisation, as it is not competing with agricultural crop products. Modelling can, moreover, contribute to consecutive operation optimisation, scaling and integrating, also taking dynamics under consideration. As opposed to bio-refining wood residues, where individual cellulose, hemicellulose or lignin biopolymers can be attained, degradation to yield CH4 is robust, as well as compatible in combustion.

Nuevo récord de Trametes hirsuta (Wulfen) Lloyd (Basidiomycota) en Refugio de Vida Silvestre Laguna Mallén, San Pedro de Macorís-República Dominicana

Se reporta por primera vez la especie Trametes hirsuta sobre tronco de Hura crepitans L., en el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Laguna Mallén. T. hirsuta es un hongo fitopatógeno del orden de los polyporales que causa pudrición blanca en madera. Su carpóforo es de color blanquecino a pardoamarillento, con un margen de tonalidad marrón. Son productores de lacasas y degradadores de lignina. Se asientan sobre madera de angiospermas.

MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF HURA CREPITANS L. (EUPHORBIACEAE) AS PROSPECTIVE RESOURCE FOR PULP AND PAPERMAKING

Hura crepitans L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a tropic tree species that was investigated for pulp and paper characteristics in this study. The diameters of five (5) different stands of Hura crepitans trees were first determined using diameter tape. Wood slivers were obtained from sapwood of the trees parallel to grain and at three (3) different positions along the axis, at the base (5%), middle (50%) and top (90%). The wood slivers were macerated in a mixture of equal volumes of glacial acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide at between 80 -100 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. Macerated fibres were washed and used to prepare microscopic slides where 15 fibres were measured per slide. Data recorded was subjected to One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) based on Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Results show that both the primary fibre characteristics and derived characteristics were significantly different at p<0.05? The mean fibre characteristics ranged as follows, Fibre lengths (0.87-1.16 mm), Fibre diameter (18.84 - 24.44 µm), Lumen width (9.92-16.89 µm) and Cell wall thickness (3.93-4.60 µm). The derived mean fibre characteristics ranged as follows; Runkel ratio (0.36-0.78), Elasticity coefficient (44.20-67.91%), Rigidity coefficient (15.98-27.82 %) and Slenderness ratio (0.44-0.80). This result implies that Hura crepitans has short fibres with high flexibility, which can collapse easily and form a fully bonded paper and is therefore recommended for pulp and paper production

Introduction pages

Notulae Scientia Biologicae (http://www.notulaebiologicae.ro), Issue 2, Volume 13, 2021: The papers published in this issue represent interesting novelties in different topics of life science. Among the exciting researches or reviews, we invite readers to find news about: Xenobiology: An expanded semantical review; Hog plums: Its importance, potentials and future prospects; Organic waste utilization and urban food waste composting strategies in China; Antimalarial phytochemicals as inhibitors against COVID-19 ACE2 receptor: Computational screening; Acute and sub-acute toxicity profile of methanol extract of Hura crepitans leaf on Wistar rats; Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis in Ain Sekhouna, Saida, Algeria; Anti-proliferating activity of some toxic and medicinal plants used by Wancho tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India; Apomictic development during different flower development stages in Crataegus tanacetifolia (Lam.) Pers., endemic to Turkey; Endophytic fungal isolation from Blumea axillaris: Identification and biological activity of secondary metabolites; Nutrient and metal concentrations in Nepenthes macfarlanei Hemsl. (Nepenthaceae) from a Malaysian montane forest.

Dinámica sucesional del bosque luego de establecer fajas de enriquecimiento, El Caimital, Barinas -Venezuela

Se determinó la composición florística, estructura y dinámica, luego de 57 años de haber sido establecidas fajas de enriquecimiento en un sector del Bosque Universitario “El Caimital”, municipio Obispo, estado Barinas, Venezuela. Se seleccionaron dos áreas: una conformada por el bosque primario (testigo) y otra por un lote del bosque donde se establecieron las fajas de enriquecimiento. En campo se utilizaron: a) tres parcelas de 1,3 ha para evaluar el lote completo donde se encuentra ubicado el sistema silvicultural; b) tres parcelas de 1 ha para el levantamiento de las testigos seleccionadas al azar, donde fueron evaluados los individuos mayores a 10 cm de diámetro a la altura de pecho (DAP), en cada una de ellas se establecieron tres sub-parcelas de 20 m2 para estudiar todas las especies presentes en el sotobosque. El sector del bosque estudiado está ubicado sobre la unidad fisiográfica de banco. En el bosque no intervenido (BNI), se encontraron 49 especies arbóreas agrupadas en 24 familias y en el bosque intervenido (BI) se encontraron 45 especies en 23 familias, siendo las familias Arecaceae, Leguminosae, Moracea, Malvaceae y Euphorbiaceae las más representativas para ambos tipos de bosques. Según el Índice de Valor de Importancia (IVI) e Índice de Importancia Ampliado (IIA), las especies más importantes del (BNI): Trophis racemosa, Attalea butyraceae y Lonchocarpus pictus. Para el (BI) son las especies Attalea butyracea, Hura crepitans y Lonchocarpus pictus. El área de estudio presentó alta diversidad con un Índice de Margalef mayor a 5,0.

Acute and sub-acute toxicity profile of methanol extract of Hura crepitans leaf on Wistar rats

This study investigated the toxicity profile of methanol extract of Hura crepitans leaf on albino rats. The up-and-down method at a dose limit of 2000 mg/kg was used in the oral acute toxicity test. Twenty-four (24) albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups (A –D, n = 6). Group A (control) received distilled water, while groups B-D received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract, respectively. The rats were dosed once daily for 21 consecutive days and weighed weekly. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment on day 21, the rats were fasted overnight and blood was collected into EDTA and plain bottles for hematological evaluation and serum preparation respectively. A manual method was used to determine the full blood cell count, while Randox kit was used to estimate the serum markers of liver and kidney functions. The extract was tolerated by the rat; the LD50 was greater than 2000 mg/kg. At 21 days of treatment, the extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) treated groups had 27.53, 25.98 and 25.33% weight gain respectively, while the distilled water treated group had 8.38% weight gain. The extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) reduced (p < 0.05) the packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration and red cell count, serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities, but increased the total white blood cell in the treated groups when compared with the control group. This study suggests that methanol extract of Hura crepitans has hepatoprotective activity, promotes weight gain and could precipitate anemia when taken for a long period.

Effects of Parameters on Solvent Extraction of Oil From Sandbox (Hura Crepitans) Seed Oil Using 2^4 Factorial Design

The present work deals with the production of biodiesel from Sandbox (Hura crepitans) seed oil and the optimization of the parameters that influence the transesterification of Sandbox (Hura crepitans)seed oil into biodiesel using Response Surface Methodology. Hura crepitans oil was obtained from by using hydraulic press for Mechanical and n-hexane for solvent extraction. Esterification was done using methanol and sodium hydroxide. A total of 48 experiments using Central Composite Design were carried out. The R-Squared, Adequate Precision, Predicted and Adjusted R-Squared values were 0.9367, 19.219, 0.8576 and 0.9070 respectively. The result of the extraction of oil, physiochemical properties, and optimization process shows that sandbox (Hura crepitans) seed oil has characteristics that are more favorable to biodiesel production. The optimal conditions for extraction of oil from sandbox seed oil were given as alcohol/ oil ratio of 5.0, catalyst amount of 20 g/ml, extraction temperature of 60 ºC, and extraction time of 45.01 minutes, with the predicted oil yield as 97.33% respectively which shows that the experimental values are in good agreement with predicted values.

Evaluation Of The Hura Crepitans Seed Oil On Lipidomics Of Some Tissues In Albino Rats

Nuts and seeds are good sources of oil. Most of these oil are edible and are of industrial use. In term of edibility, some seed oils are hyperlipidemic, while some are hypolipidemic. The Hura crepitans (sandbox tree) is one of the plants that bear seeds however, the seeds has not been fully utilized. This study investigated the effects of Hura crepitans seed oil on lipidomics of some tissues (blood, liver, heart, kidney and brain) in albino rats. The Hura crepitans seed oil (HCSO) was extracted with Soxhlet extractor using petroleum ether as solvent. Twenty-four male albino rats allocated to four groups of 6 rats each were used. Groups 1-3 were fed diet containing 5 %, 10 % and 15 % HCSO respectively while group 4 was fed diet containing 15% groundnut oil (GO) (control) for 8 weeks. Whole blood was collected and the tissues (liver, heart, brain and kidney) were harvested. Cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipid levels were determined in plasma, RBC and tissues of the rats spectrophotometrically. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity was indirectly determined using spectrophotometric method. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukeys test were used to analyse the results. The lipids analyses showed that HDL and VLDL cholesterol levels decreased significant (p < 0.05) in the 5 % and 15 % HCSO groups and in plasma, liver and kidney of 10% HCSO group. Also a significantly ( p< 0.05) increase was observed in RBC cholesterol level in 5 % and 15 % HCSO groups while cardiac cholesterol level increased significantly in 10 % HCSO group. Triacylglycerol level increased significantly in plasma, VLDL and liver (5 % and 10% HCSO group), kidney and brain (5 % HCSO group), RBC and heart (15 % HCSO group) while a decrease ensued in HDL across the groups. The phospholipids level decreased significantly in all the organs except kidney of 15 % HCSO group whereas an increase was observed in plasma, HDL, VLDL and RBC of all the groups. Hura crepitans seed oil is considerably hypolipidemic and could be edible and be beneficial to health especially at 10 % composition.