Characterisation of Bioactive Ingredients in Extracts of Fresh and Dried Coniferous Trees for the Development of Sustainable Packaging Materials

Background: Coniferous woods (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach, Abies procera Rehd, Picea abies (L.) H.Karst, and Picea pungens Engelm.) could contain useful secondary metabolites to produce sustainable packaging materials, e.g., by substitution of harmful petrol-based additives in plastic packaging. This study aims to characterise the antioxidant and light-absorbing properties and ingredients of different coniferous wood extracts with regard to different plant fragments and drying conditions. Furthermore, the valorisation of used Christmas trees is evaluated. Methods: Different drying and extraction techniques were applied with the extracts being characterised by determining the total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and absorbance in the ultraviolet range (UV). Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and an acid–butanol assay (ABA) were used to characterise the extract constituents. Results: All the extracts show a considerably high UV absorbance while interspecies differences did occur. All the fresh and some of the dried biomass extracts reached utilisable TAC and TPC values. A simplified extraction setup for industrial application is evaluated; comparable TAC results could be reached with modifications. Conclusion: Coniferous woods are a promising renewable resource for preparation of sustainable antioxidants and photostabilisers. This particularly applies to Christmas trees used for up to 12 days. After extraction, the biomass can be fully valorised by incorporation in paper packaging.

Synthesis of Magnetic Biochar for Efficient Removal of Cr(III) Cations from the Aqueous Medium

Porous biochars obtained from coniferous woods, and magnetic biochars based on them, which showed high sorption properties when extracting Cr(III) from aqueous solutions (from 0.005 to 0.0125 mol/L), were studied. The adsorption properties of the magnetic biochar are compared with the initial biochar. It has been established that the preparation of materials by the method of pyrolysis and subsequent treatment in a plasma reactor makes it possible to bring the samples under study into a number of promising adsorbents for the extraction of chromium from aqueous solutions.

INTEGRAL EVALUATION OF PROSPECT OF CONIFEROUS INTRODUCERS AT DENDROLOGIAL GARDEN OF SABY TRAINING AND EXPERIMENTAL FORESTRY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN.

The peculiarity of the chosen theme is the necessity to increase the resource potential of forests and forest parks in the Republic of Tatarstan, by introducing the prospective types of coniferous introducers. The arboreal and shrubby plantations play an important role in the urban ecosystem. They perform many functions, such as: aesthetic, sanitary and hygienic and other functions. Many of introduced woody plants are the basis of landscaping. The paper discusses the coniferous introducers, its status, survival in dendrological garden of Saby forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as inventory was held on. The measures for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainability of coniferous woods were described in the paper.

Growth ring analysis of fossil coniferous woods from early cretaceous of Araripe Basin (Brazil)

Growth ring analysis on silicified coniferous woods from the Missão Velha Formation (Araripe Basin - Brazil) has yielded important information about periodicity of wood production during the Early Cretaceous in the equatorial belt. Despite warm temperatures, dendrological data indicate that the climate was characterized by cyclical alternation of dry and rainy periods influenced by cyclical precipitations, typical of tropical wet and dry or savanna climate. The abundance of false growth rings can be attributed to both occasional droughts and arthropod damage. The present climate data agree with palaeoclimatic models that inferred summer-wet biomes for the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous boundary in the southern equatorial belt.

Ramaria rubella (Schaeff.) R.H. Petersen - The first record in Central and Eastern Europe

<em>Ramaria rubella</em> (Schaeff.) R.H. Petersen is a very rare species in Europe. Until now it was known only from a few countries. A new site in Poland is the first record from Central and Eastern Europe. <em>Ramaria rubella</em> (sub-gen. <em>Lentoramaria</em>) belongs to xylobiontic species connected with coniferous woods. The paper includes detailed description of carpophores and microscopic features, distribution and synonyms.