AEROBIC DIGESTION OF RUM WASTES TO ENHANCE THE MARINE FOOD CHAIN

An experimental study has been conducted on the reduction of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and the simulataneous production of marine organisms by means of aerobic digestion of wastes from a rum distillery (mostos or rum slops)

The results indicate that rum wastes can be reduced in BOD by aeration and agitation in sea water to less than 50% of the original. The resulting digestion products are suitable for growing brine shrimp (Artemia salina). The microorganisms produced appear to be natural marine organisms, and the brine shrimp are known to be valuable as a fish food. Thus this method should be beneficial to the marine food chain if the digestion products are disposed of in the sea, or it could be of possible use in marine aquaculture.

Both the reduction of BOD and growth of biomass increase with pH up to a value of 8, with residence time, and with concentration of BOD and rum wastes up to a level of about 25percnt; rum waste. Toxic or inhibiting effects seem to occur at 50% rum waste. Rough estimates of digestor volumes and biomass production can be obtained based on feed conditions and the desired BOD reduction.     

Antioxidant Activity and Healthy Benefits of Natural Pigments in Fruits: A Review

Natural pigments, including carotenoids, flavonoids and anthocyanidins, determine the attractive color of fruits. These natural pigments are essential secondary metabolites, which play multiple roles in the whole life cycle of plants and are characterized by powerful antioxidant activity. After decades of research and development, multiple benefits of these natural pigments to human health have been explored and recognized and have shown bright application prospects in food, medicine, cosmetics and other industries. In this paper, the research progress of natural fruit pigments in recent years was reviewed, including the structural characteristics and classification, distribution in fruits and analysis methods, biosynthetic process, antioxidant capacity and mechanism, bioaccessibility and bioavailability, and health benefits. Overall, this paper summarizes the recent advances in antioxidant activity and other biological functions of natural fruit pigments, which aims to provide guidance for future research.     

Solventborne paint systems on carbon steel and hot-dip galvanized steel for a wide range of atmospheric exposures

The paper analyzes the performance of solventborne paint systems applied on carbon steel and hot-dip galvanized steel in a wide range of atmospheric exposures. The study has involved paint systems exposure for 3.5 years in eight natural atmospheres. The atmospheric conditions cover from temperate rural climates to tropical severe marine and Antarctic coastal regions. The paint systems included several alkyds formulated with a variety of pigments (anticorrosive and barrier), epoxies, chlorinated rubber, and zinc-rich (ethyl silicate and epoxy). It has been concluded that in rural and urban atmospheres alkyd systems afford equivalent anticorrosive protection of steel to the epoxy/polyurethane system. The toxic red lead pigment may be replaced in long linseed-oil alkyd primer paints by non-toxic pigments, such as a mixture of micaceous iron oxides (MIO) and black iron oxides or zinc phosphate, without affecting the anticorrosive properties of the paint system. In aggressive atmospheres (industrial, marine), paint systems including zinc-rich primers or applied on galvanized steel must be used, especially in surface regions with coating faults (scribes).     

Application of marine biotechnology in the production of natural biocides for testing on environmentally innocuous antifouling coatings

The widely recognized biofouling phenomenon has many negative consequences for artificial structures that are in contact with seawater in the form of structural defects and additional expenses for maritime companies due to cleaning and prevention processes. After having analyzed the serious environmental problems caused by an indiscriminate use of highly toxic biocides coming from organic derivatives of tin compounds and the uncontrolled emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to the atmosphere, the evolving technology of antifouling paintings (further mandated by current environmental standards) aims to develop environmentally innocuous water-based coverings in which extracts of the very same marine world are used as biocide compounds. Water-based coatings are being developed that use low-toxic elements and natural biocides, where bacteria is isolated from surfaces immersed in the marine environment, creating a promising source of natural antifouling compounds. The result is a new environmentally friendly antifouling coating that is able to mitigate the problem of biofouling without affecting the surrounding medium, and which may be applied on any artificial structure in contact with seawater. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Properties which influence marine fouling resistance in polymers containing silicon and fluorine

Our research strives to understand and construct polymer surfaces with no inherent power to interact with other materials, especially with the biological polymers used by marine organisms to bind themselves to objects in the sea. During the past 15 years we have synthesized polymers, formulated them into coatings, and measured their resistance to marine fouling in both static and dynamic testing. The polymer surface property which has been most frequently correlated with bioadhesion is critical surface tension (γ_c); in fact, a generalized relationship between γ_c and marine fouling has been known for more than twenty years. However, this behavior is also influenced by other bulk and surface properties of the polymer. This paper presents several alternative interpretations of the relationship between γ_c and bioadhesion, and uses these insights to develop requirements for polymers which refuse or resist strong bonds to other materials.     

Development of composite tissue scaffolds containing naturally sourced mircoporous hydroxyapatite

The aims of this work were to investigate the conversion of a marine alga into hydroxyapatite (HA), and furthermore to design a composite bone tissue engineering scaffold comprising the synthesised HA within a porous bioresorbable polymer. The marine alga, Phymatolithon calcareum, which exhibits a calcium carbonate honeycomb structure, with a natural architecture of interconnecting permeable pores (microporosity 4–11 μm), provided the initial raw material for this study. The objective was to convert the alga into hydroxyapatite while maintaining its porous morphology using a sequential pyrolysis and chemical synthesis processes. Semi-quantitative XRD analysis of the post-hydrothermal material (pyrolised at 700–750 °C), indicated that the calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramic most likely consisted of a calcium carbonate macroporous lattice, with hydroxyapatite crystals on the surface of the macropores. Cell visibility (cytotoxicity) investigations of osteogenic cells were conducted on the CaP ceramic (i.e., the material post-hydrothermal analysis) which was found to be non-cytotoxic and displayed good biocompatibility when seeded with MG63 cells. Furthermore, a hot press scaffold fabrication technique was developed to produce a composite scaffold of CaP (derived from the marine alga) in a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix. A salt leaching technique was further explored to introduce macroporosity to the structure (50–200 μm). Analysis indicated that the scaffold contained both micro/macroporosity and mechanical strength, considered necessary for bone tissue engineering applications.     

生物源杀虫剂的研究进展

从生物中寻找杀虫活性成分是目前杀虫剂研究的热点之一,现将从海洋天然产物及植物源中寻找杀虫活性成分的研究内容作一综述。海洋来源的杀虫剂从结构上讲主要是生物碱和大环内酯类化合物;植物来源的杀虫剂主要包括芳香成分、挥发油、萜类、黄酮类、生物碱类、大环内酯类和乙酸原化合物等。     

船用内燃机润滑油的分类及检测

介绍了船舶柴油机分类,阐述了船舶柴油机润滑油的选用及船舶在用油的检测方法。船舶在用油的检测项目一般有6项,包括运动粘度、闪点、戊烷不溶物、水分、碱值和元素。详细分析了怎样依据油品质量的变化来判断设备可能出现的问题。     

Effect of mechanical stress on kinetics of degradation of marine coatings

Water, UV and temperature are well-known factors for organic coating degradation. Mechanical stress can also affect long-term lifetime in marine environments and probably is conducive to synergistic effects with other ageing parameters. The present work proposes a method to estimate the role of a stress–strain state on the protective properties of two marine epoxy coatings onto mild steel (with and without VOC). Preliminary mechanical measurements on free films by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) indicated that the two coatings have a visco-elastic behaviour for a stress level lower than 3.3 MPa. Consequently, a stress equal to 3 MPa was applied on coated substrates using bent samples which were immersed in 3% NaCl solution and in natural seawater (“Les Minimes” yachting harbour in La Rochelle). This test is innovative because a visco-elastic deformation implies that the chain motion remain unchanged after a time of recovery (total restoration of strain in unloading stage) so coatings are not disturbed without applied stress. Non-bent coated samples were also immersed in the same environments as references. The coating degradation was followed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) on both sides of the sample (compressed and stretched sides). The results allowed evaluation of the influence of mechanical state on the coatings degradation in visco-elastic regime and also demonstrate that the mechanical effect depends on the direction of the stress loading.     

Natural products from marine organisms and their associated microbes

The marine environment is distinguished by unique groups of organisms being the source of a wide array of fascinating structures. The enormous biodiversity of marine habitats is mirrored by the molecular diversity of secondary metabolites found in marine animals, plants and microbes. The recognition that many marine invertebrates contain endo- and epibiotic microorganisms and that some invertebrate-derived natural products are structurally related to bacterial metabolites suggests a microbial origin for some of these compounds. Other marine natural products, however, are clearly located in invertebrate tissue and microbial involvement in the biosynthetic process seems unlikely. The complexity of associations in marine organisms, especially in sponges, bryozoans and tunicates, makes it extremely difficult to definitively state the biosynthetic source of many marine natural products or to deduce their ecological significance. Whereas many symbiotic marine microorganisms cannot be isolated and cultured, numerous epi- and endobiotic marine fungi produce novel secondary metabolites in laboratory cultures. The potent biological activity of many marine natural products is of relevance for their ecological function but is also the basis of their biomedical importance.     

Ceramic Pigments with the Mullite Structure Based on Topaz and Kaolinite

The possibility of obtaining ceramic pigments with the mullite structure based on natural minerals (kaolinite and topaz) is considered. It is established that these minerals are promising for the synthesis of ceramic pigments. The obtained pigments are resistant to high temperatures and have various tints.     

Corrosion aspects of alkyd paints modified with linseed and soy oils

The anticorrosive performance of medium-long (54-59%) alkyd paints modified with linseed and soy oils was compared by accelerated tests (Prohesion Cycle) and natural exposition in marine and industrial atmospheres. Differences on the protection mechanism of anticorrosive pigments due to substitution of linseed oil by soy oil were investigated by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Complementary tests such as water vapor and ions permeability in freestanding films were also performed. Results suggested that the type of oil influenced the barrier properties of the paint pigmented with zinc phosphate. The same tendency was verified by resistance values obtained from impedance diagrams. Polarization curves suggest that the action of the pigments in the alkyd paintings is practically the same for both oils. The substitution of linseed oil by soy oil did not impair the anticorrosive performance of alkyd paints and from the economic point of view this substitution could be very interesting.     

PBS/天然黄芩色素复合材料的制备与性能研究

采用天然植物黄芩色素添加在可生物降解的聚丁二酸丁二醇酯(PBS)中,以取代对环境有害的化学物质,制备了PBS/黄芩色素复合材料。研究了黄芩色素对复合材料结晶性、热稳定性和力学性能的影响,探讨了复合材料的抗菌性及生物降解性。结果表明,黄芩色素对PBS的晶型几乎没有影响,但使结晶度有很大提高。随着黄芩色素含量的增加,复合材料的热稳定性呈先升高后降低的趋势;拉伸强度和断裂伸长率先增大后减少,但均比纯PBS要小;复合材料的抗菌能力增强,并且对微生物降解有较大的促进。     

Application of Lipase from Marine Bacteria Bacillus sonorensis as an Additive in Detergent Formulation

The efficacy of lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolases EC 3.1.1.3) as a detergent additive from a newly isolated marine halophilic bacteria Bacillus sonorensis from marine clams Paphia malabarica collected in the Kalbadevi Estuary, Mumbai, has been assessed and reported. In terms of activity and stability, the lipase exhibited maximum activity in alkaline conditions and was observed to be stable over a temperature range from room temperature to 60 °C. The activity of the lipase increased in the presence of surfactants and detergents. Due to these properties of the lipase from marine bacteria, it was used as an additive in detergents to study its efficiency at corn oil removal from fabrics. The washing studies indicated that the efficiency of corn oil removal from the cotton fabrics increased by 20 % when lipase was incorporated in the detergent as compared to the treatment with detergent alone. The lipase was also capable of removing corn oil from natural as well as synthetic fabrics dyed with a respective, preferred class of dyes.     

新型海洋防污剂的研究现状及发展趋势

介绍了海洋生物污损的危害、海洋防污剂的发展历程及未来发展趋势,同时还介绍了目前效果较好的三种主流海洋防污剂,并对其作了展望,为新型海洋防污剂的研究提供借鉴。     

Marine tannins: the importance of a mechanistic framework for predicting ecological roles

Since chemical ecology emerged as a field of marine science, it has been strongly influenced by studies of chemically mediated interactions in land-based systems. Marine chemical ecologists, like their terrestrial counterparts, initially focused on identifying natural products and evaluating the potential ecological roles of these products as defenses, attractants, or other cues. Now, like our land-based colleagues, we must increase our focus on the physiological and biochemical mechanisms that underlie the chemical interactions, paying particular attention to regulation of biosynthetic pathways, within-plant and between-plant signaling cues, and comparative and functional genomics. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding a heterogenous group of macrophyte natural products, the marine tannins and simple phenolics, to illustrate how such information is critical to future attempts to predict their ecological roles.     

天然色素的提取和研究进展

随着科学水平和生活质量的不断提高,合成色素的安全性问题也逐渐呈现,从天然产物中提取天然色素是未来发展的主要方向.主要介绍了常见天然色素的提取方法及其特点和一些天然色素的性质研究.     

The molecular mechanism of bee venom phospholipase A2 inactivation by bolinaquinone

The molecular basis of the inactivation of bee venom PLA2 by the marine natural product bolinaquinone (BLQ) was studied by several spectral techniques (CD, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry), biomimetic reactions, and molecular modeling. Our data suggest competitive inhibition based on a BLQ-PLA2 noncovalent molecular recognition. However, BLQ is also able to react selectively with Lys133 through conjugate addition followed by a beta elimination. The biological implications of both the covalent and noncovalent molecular events are discussed.     

天然色素的提取方法和应用

随着科学水平和生活质量的不断提高,合成色素的安全性问题也逐渐呈现,所以从天然产物中提取天然色素是现在和未来发展的主要方向。本文主要介绍天然色素的几种提取方法及其特点和一些天然色素在某些方面的应用。     

黏土矿物基无机杂化颜料研究进展

近年来,无机杂化颜料成为无机颜料领域的研究热点之一。黏土矿物是储量丰富、廉价易得的天然纳米物质,因具有独特的纳米片状、棒状和管状结构,成为构筑各种无机杂化颜料的理想基体材料。本文介绍了黏土矿物的结构特点,综述了黏土矿物基钴蓝、铋黄、铁红和其它色系杂化颜料的研究和应用进展,展望了黏土矿物基无机杂化颜料的未来发展方向。