A Study on the Impact of the Adhesion of Penicillium expansum on the Physicochemical Surface Properties of Cedar Wood

The sessile drop technique was used to investigate the evolution of the physicochemical properties of cedar wood as a function of contact time with the Penicillium expansum spores. The most important finding showed that the impact of different contact periods (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 24 hr) on the wood surface were very indicative. In fact, after 2 hr of contact, the results have shown a significant impact of the bioadhesion of spores to the substrate on both the hydrophobic character (θ_W = 108.5°; ΔGiwi = ?28.25 mJ/m²), the electron donor (γ^? = 13.63 mJ/m²), and the electron acceptor (γ⁺ = 4.35 mJ/m²) parameters that were significantly reduced compared to the initial wood (θ_W = 118.5°; ΔGiwi = ?6.29 mJ/m²; γ^? = 32.1 mJ/m²; and γ⁺ = 9.1 mJ/m²). In addition, this decrease of parameters continued over time to stabilize after 10 hr of contact. Indeed, after 24 hr, the acid/base properties were almost zero and the contact angle with water decreased to 30°. Moreover, it was found that the coefficient of correlation (r²) was strong between the contact angle with water, the surface energy, and the electron acceptor character with the contact time parameter with values (r² = 0.65), (r² = 0.79), and (r² = 0.68), respectively.     

Optimization of Cellulase Production from Isolated Cellulolytic Bacterium: Comparison between Genetic Algorithms,Simulated Annealing,and Response Surface Methodology

The present study discusses optimization of cellulase production from isolated cellulolytic bacterium. A simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is proposed for optimization of these processes to achieve the desired production goal. The approach was compared to the use of evolutionary algorithms, i.e., genetic algorithms (GAs) and response surface methodology (RSM). Ochrobactrum haematophilum was identified as the isolated bacteria. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) concentration, yeast extract, pH, and incubation temperature were the significant factors screened by Plackett–Burman design and further optimized using a central composite design. The optimum values obtained were CMC concentration = 4.76% (w/v), yeast extract = 2.03% (w/v), pH = 6.3, and temperature = 44.2°C. Carboxy methyl cellulase (CMCase) activity at these values was experimentally determined to be 3.55 ± 0.16 U/ml, which was 2.8 times than the unoptimized system (1.23 U/ml). The growth-associated and non-growth-associated Leudeking–Piret constants, α and β, were respectively determined to be 0.3943 and 0.0105. The Michaelis–Menten constants, V_max and K_m, were determined to be 0.67 µmol/min and 2.42 mg CMC/ml, respectively. The variable-sized SA seems to be the best alternative, outperforming the GAs, showing a fast convergence and low variability among the several runs for optimized production cellulose recovery. The SA models are found to be capable of better predictions of cellulase production. The results of the SA-based RSM model indicate that it is much more robust and accurate in estimating the values of dependent variables when compared with the GA-based RSM models and only RSM models.     

Quantification of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus sp. Adhesion on Fez Medina Cedar Wood

The adhesion of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus sp. isolated from Fez cedar wood decay has been investigated. Furthermore, the physicochemical proprieties including hydrophobicity and electron donor/electron acceptor (Lewis acid–base) of both bacteria and substrata were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The results show that Bacillus subtilis has a hydrophobic character (ΔG _iwi = –20 mJ/m²). In contrast, Bacillus sp. exhibits a hydrophilic (ΔG _iwi = –20 mJ/m²), electron donating (γ^–) and weakly electron accepting (γ⁺) character. With respect to the substrata surface, we found that the cedar wood used in this work, was hydrophobic in character, having relatively more electron-donor that electron-acceptor properties (γ^– = 6 ± 4 mJ/m²; γ⁺ = 0 ± 3 mJ/m²). The phenomena of adhesion were observed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and cell adhesion was quantified using a Matlab program. The analysis of images obtained by ESEM show that the both cells was able to adhere to the wood substrata and the quantitative adhesion results showed that the surface coverage by Bacillus sp. (90%) was higher than that by the Bacillus subtilis strain (40%).     

The Anti-Adherent Activity of Plant Extracts on Penicillium Commune Spores Causing Cedar Wood Decay: An ESEM Analysis

Decay and deterioration of wood by bacteria and fungi are becoming very serious problems because of the resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial agents. Thus, this study was aimed at investigating the anti-adhesion effect of Myrtus communis and Thymus vulgaris extracts obtained by classical and ultrasonic extraction, against of Penicillium commune spores isolated from fez Medina cedar wood. According to environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis, the results showed that all extracts tested have proven their ability to inhibit the adhesion of the fungal spores studied. In addition, the extract of each plant obtained by ultrasonication showed a low percentage (47% and 33%) of fungal spores adherent to a wood substrate compared to those recovered by maceration (68%). Furthermore, M. communis extracts have shown outstanding anti-adhesive activity, similar to that demonstrated by those of T. vulgaris. Finally, the treatment of wood by M. communis extracts obtained by ultrasonication showed a very important anti-adhesive activity at a concentration of 20 mg/mL compared to that at 5 mg/mL. Therefore, these extracts can be considered a potential source of bioactive metabolites acting as anti-adhesion molecules in novel formulations for the cedar wood preservation.     

Reforming of Diesel Fuel for Hydrogen Production over Catalysts Derived from LaCo1−x M x O3 (M = Ru, Fe)

Catalysts derived from perovskite type oxides LaCo_1?x M _x O₃ (M = Ru or Fe, x = 0.2) synthesized by a modified citrate sol–gel method were tested in the oxidative reforming of diesel for hydrogen production. Physicochemical characterization of the samples revealed differences in the surface area, crystalline size, reducibility and relative distribution of the cobalt active phase on the surface of catalyst. These properties have important implications in the catalytic behaviour of the samples in the oxidative reforming of diesel. The increase in reducibility and metal exposition implies higher reforming activity as it was observed for the catalyst derived from LaCo_0.8Ru_0.2O₃.     

Monofunctional compatibilizer with long alkyl end for fabrication of superior tensile wood flour‐polyolefin composites

A novel monofunctional compatibilizer (OID) was prepared and used as compatibilizer for fabrication of wood‐plastic composites. OID was successfully synthesized by esterification reaction of isophorone diisocyanate and octadecanol as confirmed by Fourier transform‐infrared spectra. After OID modification, the hydrophobicity of wood flour surface was enhanced as indicated by the increase of surface water contact angle. By using OID as compatibilizer, an obvious enhancement of the interfacial adhesion between wood flour and polyolefin was observed by scanning electron microscopy. As a result, the tensile properties of the obtained polypropylene/wood flour composites and polyethylene/wood flour composites were significantly enhanced. Besides, the processability of polyolefin/wood flour composites was also improved by adding OID. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44429.     

Study of marine bacteria adhesion on sea-immersed 304 and 316 stainless steels: experimental and theoretical investigations

In this study, we investigated the potential adhesion of marine bacteria isolated from seawater in the port of Chmaâla, Morocco, to sea-immersed 304 and 316 stainless steels using thermodynamic approach and the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM). Furthermore, the physicochemical properties including hydrophobicity and electron donor / electron acceptor (Lewis acid-base) of bacterial isolates and both substrates were evaluated using the contact angle measurements. The molecular identification indicated that the isolated strains were Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus amyloliquefascience. Results also showed that both bacterial strains’s cells have a hydrophilic character with Δ_Giwi values of 29.30 and 24.12 mJ m^?2 respectively for Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus amyloliquefascience, and are strong electron donating (γ^?) and weakly electron accepting (γ⁺). For substrates surfaces, we found that both sea-immersed stainless steels types were hydrophilic and present strong electron-donor character (γ^? = 49 ± 0.2 mJ m^?2 for 304 and γ^? = 55.07 ± 0.02 mJ m^?2 for 316) and weak electron-acceptor character (γ⁺ = 5.4 ± 0.1 mJ m^?2 for 304 and γ⁺ = 8.3 ± 0.06 mJ m^?2 for 316). The theoretical prediction showed that both tested strains, B. thuringiensis and B. amyloliquefascience, exhibited positive values of ΔG^Total vis-à-vis the two sea-immersed stainless steels types which indicates unfavorable adhesion while the ESEM electro-micrographs show that both strains were able to adhere to both strainless steels surfaces.     

Oxygen permeability and structural stability of La<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>O<Subscript>3−<Emphasis Type="Italic">δ</Emphasis></Subscript> membrane

La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3−δ oxides were synthesized by citrate method and hydrothermal method. The oxides prepared by citrate method are perovskite type structure, while the oxides by hydrothermal method have a small amount of secondary phase in the powder. Pyrex glass seal and Ag melting seal provided reliable gas-tight sealing of disk type dense membrane in the range of operation temperature, but commercial ceramic binder could not be removed from the support tube without damage to the tube or membrane. Though the degree of gas tightness increases in the order of glass>Ag>ceramic binder, in the case of glass seal, the undesired spreading of glass leads to an interfacial reaction between it and the membrane and reduction of effective permeation area. The oxygen flux of La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3−δ membrane increases with increasing temperature and decreasing thickness, and the oxygen permeation flux through 1.0 mm membrane exposed to flowing air (P _h =0.21 atm) and helium (P₁=0.037 atm) is ca. 0.33 ml/cm²·min at 950 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis for the membrane after permeation test over 160 h revealed that La₂O₃ and unknown compound were formed on the surface of membrane. The segregation compounds of surface elements formed on both surfaces of membrane irrespective of spreading of glass sealing material. This paper was presented at the 6 ^th Korea-China Workshop on Clean Energy Technology held at Busan, Korea, July 4–7, 2006.     

A Novel System for Source Characterization and Controlled Human Exposure to Nanoparticle Aggregates Generated During Gas–Metal Arc Welding

Pulmonary surfactant is believed to be involved in the alveolar clearance both due to its direct influence on the flow of the liquid alveolar hypophase and due to the stimulating effect on the alveolar macrophages activity. In the present work, interaction between aerosol particles and liquid material containing pulmonary surfactant was investigated in a model physicochemical system. Interfacial activity of the surfactant material used in clinical practice (Infasurf) was evaluated with the Pulsating Bubble Surfactometer (PBS). Dynamic surface properties were compared for the surfactant before and after contact with soot particles (MMAD: 0.3 microns, GSD: 1.56). Concentration of soot in the surfactant suspension was adjusted to 0.2 mg per ml and 1 mg per ml based on the calculations of maximum alveolar deposition for the particles of that size during 6 h inhalation at 2 harmful occupational concentrations: 750 mu g /m³ and 3.7 mg /m³, respectively. The average minimum surface tension measured under dynamic conditions was 3.2 mN /m for control surfactant, while for the surfactant mixed with soot it was equal to 4.5 and 6.8 mN /m for 0.2 mg soot per ml and 1 mg soot per ml, respectively. Other surfactant properties (hysteresis, stability index) determined from the experimental data confirmed surfactant inactivation. Results of the studies indicate that the amount and activity of the surfactant in the suspensions were reduced after contact with soot particles, probably due to adsorption of the surfactant molecules on solid particles characterized by a large interfacial area. Reduction of the activity of the surfactant in the presence of a significant number of airborne insoluble particles (e.g., soot), as suggested by this study, can lead to disturbance of the physiological role of the surfactant, including alveolar clearance. This physicochemical phenomenon can be considered as a contributing factor to alveolar clearance retardation in the overloaded lungs.     

Correlation between cell surface physicochemical properties of bacterial strains and their chromium removal potential

Physicochemical characterization of microbes has gained recently a great interest by scientific community. It is proved of extreme importance in several fields of science and technology applications such as bioremediation. In this work, we investigated the establishment of a possible correlation between chromium removal capacity of seven bacterial strains isolated from contaminated sites with industrial wastes including tanning processing and their cell surface physicochemical properties. Thus, hydrophobicity and donor/acceptor electrons character were obtained using contact angle measurements. Statistical analysis showed a high significant positive correlation between hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) removal by the strains and their acceptor electron character γ⁺(r = 0.90). While significant negative correlation between the Cr(VI) removal potential and the ΔGiwi value (r = ?0.844) and also with their donor electron character γ^? (r = ?0.746) were observed. These results may contribute to determine a selectrion criteria of bacteria that can be operated in bioremediation applications.     

Physicochemical characterization of actinomycetes isolated from decayed cedar wood: contact angle measurement

Physicochemical characterization of microorganism is very important in a wide range of scientific and technological fields. In this study, we reported the isolation and the molecular identification of actinomycetes recovered from cedar wood decay. The isolates named H5 and H8 were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and were shown to belong to the genus Nocardia and Streptomyces, respectively. Furthermore, physicochemical proprieties including hydrophobicity, electron donor/acceptor, and the Lifshitz–van der Waals (γ^LW) of these strains were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The results showed that Nocardia sp. (H5) had a hydrophobic (ΔGiwi?=??78.56?mJ/m²) and a weak electron donor/acceptor character. In contrast, results from contact angle measurements showed that the surface free energy of Streptomyces strains (H2, H3, and H8) were ΔGiwi?=?20.71?mJ/m², ΔGiwi?=?30.63?mJ/m², and ΔGiwi?=?15.35?mJ/m², respectively, classifying these microorganisms as hydrophilic bacterium. Moreover, the three strains were predominantly electron donating (γ^–?) and exhibit a weak electron-accepting (γ⁺) character.     

Efficient Extraction of Fuel Oil Hydrocarbons from Wood

Abstract

Sequential cold (room temperature) extraction from aged contaminated wood samples (southern yellow pine) with acetone followed by n‐pentane (upon a 3–4 days of sample incubation with each solvent) yielded more than 90% analyte recovery for both ambient (natural moisture content) and water‐submerged wood, significantly exceeding the recoveries obtained with one‐step extraction using single solvents and/or their mixtures. By contrast, a much faster ultrasound/Soxhlet extraction led to a virtually complete analyte recovery while using a 1∶1 mixture of these two solvents. Evidence obtained indicates that a possible role for the first solvent, acetone (in addition to collection of loose analyte), is the removal of an aqueous barrier surrounding the strongly adsorbed hydrocarbon, thus enabling its extraction by the second (non‐polar) solvent. For larger analyte concentrations (>60 mg n‐hexadecane/g wood), the high‐affinity binding sites became saturated (yielding 5–10 mg unrecovered analyte/g wood), and then a single solvent was sufficient for a near‐quantitative extraction.     

Improved catalytic hydrolysis of carboxy methyl cellulose using cellulase immobilized on functionalized meso cellular foam

Cellulase from Penicillium funiculosum was immobilized on functionalized MCF (Meso Cellular Foam) silica by imine bond formation followed by reduction using NaBH₄. The specific activities of free and immobilized enzyme were measured for hydrolysis of soluble carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The highest activity of MCF immobilized and native enzyme was obtained at optimum pH 5 and 4.5 respectively. Kinetic parameters, Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) and maximum reaction velocity (Vmax), were calculated as Km = 0.025 × 10⁻² mg/mL, Vmax = 5.327 × 10⁻³ U/mg for the free enzyme and Km = 0.024 × 10⁻² mg/mL, Vmax = 9.794 × 10⁻³ U/mg for MCF immobilized enzyme respectively. The reusability of immobilized enzymes showed that 66% of its activity is retained even after 15 cycles. The availability of polar groups (–NH–, –OH) and large pore size of surface modified MCF could be electrostatically stabilizing the cellulase. Functionalized MCF was found to be a promising material for stabilizing cellulase with 16.4 wt% loading of enzyme.     

Thermal Behavior of Deteriorated Wood Waste

Abstract

This paper investigates the thermal behavior of woody biomass waste—demolition wood of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and insect-attacked forest residue of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora)—using proximate analyses, thermogravimetry (TG), and differential thermal analysis (DTA), with comparison to virgin wood. For the pine samples, there was no significant difference in thermal behavior or elemental composition between the virgin pine and pine that had been damaged by insects, indicating that insect-damaged pine received here can be treated as virgin pine in terms of energy utilization. The cedar demolition wood used here was partly degraded by termites or fungi. Its degraded part had a lower weight loss rate under nitrogen and a broader exothermic peak in the char combustion stage under air than cedar virgin wood. The changes in the relative levels of the chemical components and the resultant chemical changes that occur upon fungal degradation might complicate char formation.     

Bio‐Chemimechanical Pulps from Eucalyptus grandis: Strength Properties,Bleaching, and Brightness Stability

Abstract

Eucalyptus grandis wood chips were treated with the white‐rot fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora in a 100‐L bioreactor for 15 days. The treatment was characteristic of a selective biodelignification (7.6±0.2% and 0.3±0.2% of lignin and glucan losses, respectively) with concomitant extractive removal (17.7±0.2%). Biotreated samples and non‐inoculated controls were pre‐cooked in alkaline sulfite and post‐refined in a Jokro mill. The biotreated pulps fibrillated more rapidly and contained lower amounts of rejects than the control. To achieve a freeness of 400 mL, the control pulp required 125 min of beating, whereas the biopulp required only 95 min, a reduction of 24%. Unbleached biopulps had better strength properties than control pulps because higher tensile indexes were obtained for the entire range of tear indexes. Bleaching with 8% hydrogen peroxide increased the brightness of these pulps by 17 points. At low peroxide loads, the brightness increase for biopulps was lower than for the control pulps. Still, the bleachability of sboth pulps was similar for peroxide loads higher than 2%. After a two‐stage H₂O₂‐bleaching sequence, final brightnesses for the control and biopulps were 59.7±0.8% and 60.5±0.4%, respectively. Brightness stability of the bleached control and bio‐CMP pulps to photo and thermal aging were very similar.     

Improving the strength of adhesively bonded joints through the introduction of various surface treatments

The aim of this paper is to model an interface adhesion and failure mechanism of single lap joints, subjected to tensile loading, focusing on the effects of various surface treatments, including surface characterization parameters, such as surface roughness and contact angle of adherend surfaces. The applied surface treatments are sandblasting, etching, anodic oxidation and hybrid processes. The influence of surface treatment techniques and conditions on single lap joint strength and interfacial properties is investigated by performing a static tensile test. A numerical approach, which is a cohesive zone model, is implemented using ABAQUS? and introduced to create a correlation between maximum interface traction and surface processing parameters, such as surface roughness and work of adhesion. As a result of experiments, an etching plus sanding process was found to provide the best single lap joint performance (8726 N), having surface roughness of Ra = 2.93 μm and work of adhesion, W_a = 119.4 mJ/m². Based on numerical solutions, a correlation between maximum interface traction and type of surface treatment process has been established, taking certain assumptions into consideration.     

Effects of different surface treatments of zirconia on the bond strength of self-adhesive resinous cement

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different zirconia surface treatments on the bond strength of two self-adhesive resinous cements (SARC).

Methods: Two hundred and eight cylindrical specimens were obtained from Y-TZP zirconia (half with diameter 3.2 mm and half with 4.8 mm). After sintering and polishing, specimens were divided into four groups (n = 26), according to surface treatment: Control (no treatment); Sandblasting (Al₂O₃ particles); Rocatec (Al₂O₃ particles, tribochemical silica coating and silane application); Laser (Nd: YAG laser: 20 Hz, 100 mJ, 0.2 J/cm²). The surface roughness (Ra) was evaluated after the surface treatments, and the groups were divided into two subgroups (n = 13), according to the SARC tested: RelyX U200 and Bifix SE. The 2.2-mm cylinders were bonded to 4.8-mm cylinders and stressed until failure under shear using a universal testing machine. Bond strength and Ra were analyzed using ANOVA, and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05).

Results: Surface treatment was significant (p < 0.0001), but cement type (p = 0.73) was not. Related to roughness, significant differences were found for the treatment type (p < 0.0001), with laser being the treatment with higher Ra values.

Conclusions: Nd:YAG laser produced a rougher surface and a higher bond strength compared with sandblasting, silicatization, and control groups.     

Composite–composite adhesion in dentistry: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Controversy exists in the literature regarding the most optimal repair procedure for improving the adhesion between the repair resin and the existing resin composite materials. This systematic review analyzed the adhesion potential of resin-based composites to similar and dissimilar composites. Original scientific papers on adhesion to composites published in MEDLINE (PubMed) database between 1 January 1955 and 1 June 2010 were included in this systematic review. Bond-strength data were evaluated for different factor levels, namely surface conditioning methods (control, physical, chemical, physicochemical), substrate–adherent type (being of the same kind or dissimilar), substrate aging (thermocycling or water storage), and test methods (macroshear, microshear, macrotensile, microtensile). The selection process resulted in the final sample of 41 studies. In total, 160 different surface conditioning methods, being mainly combinations of the use of etching agents, application of grinding or air-abrasion protocols, and adhesive promoters (silanes, adhesive resins), have been investigated. When substrate is aged with thermocycling, bond-strength results for composite–composite combinations of the same material were significantly influenced by the surface conditioning method (p = 0.010) and with the test method (p = 0.014), but for dissimilar composite–composite combinations, only test method (p = 0.000) showed a significant effect on the results. When substrate is aged with water storage, bond-strength results for composite–composite combinations of the same material were significantly influenced by the surface conditioning method (p = 0.000), but for dissimilar material combinations only test method showed a significant effect (p = 0.000) on the results. For the composite combinations of the same kind, the impact of surface conditioning type and the test method in thermocycled group was higher on the results.     

Effect of High-Temperature Treatment on the Mechanical Properties of Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) Wood

Heat treatment is a wood modification method that has been used to some extent in improving timber quality. The high temperature thermal treatment of wood is an environmentally friendly method for wood preservation. This technique has attracted considerable attention both in Europe and in North America in recent years.

This article presents the results of experimental studies on influence of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) wood performed in order to understand its role in wood processing. Samples were exposed to temperature levels of 120, 150, and 180°C for time spans ranging from 2 to 10 h. Mechanical properties including compression strength, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, Janka hardness, impact bending strength, tension strength perpendicular to grain, tension strength parallel to grain, shear strength, and cleavage strength of heat-treated samples were determined. Maximum reduction values of 34.12, 28.40, and 26.37% were found for impact bending strength, tension strength parallel to grain, and cleavage strength for the samples exposed to 180°C for 10 h, respectively. Overall, the results showed that treated samples had lower mechanical properties than those of the control samples. Statistically significant difference was determined (P = 0.05) between mechanical properties of the control samples and those treated at 180°C for 10 h.     

Separation and Purification of α-Cyperone from Cyperus rotundus with Supercritical Fluid Extraction and High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography

Abstract

α-Cyperone was separated and purified for the first time from essential oil of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Cyperus rotundus L. by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). Essential oil was obtained by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide under the pressure of 20 MPa and temperature of 40°C. The separation was performed in one step with a two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:0.2:1.1:0.2, v/v), in which the lower phase was used as the mobile phase at a flow-rate of 2.0 ml/min in the head-to-tail elution mode. A total of 60 mg α-cyperone at 98.8% purity was yielded from 0.9 g essential oil as determined by HPLC analysis. The structure of the target compound was performed by electron impact ionization mass spectrometry (EI-MS) and further conformed by comparison with an authentic sample (National Institute of the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, Beijing, China).