Extraction and characterization of hydroxyapatite-based materials from grey triggerfish skin and black scabbardfish bones

The conversion of food industry by-products to compounds with high added value is nowadays a significant topic, for social, environmental, and economic reasons. In this paper, calcium phosphate-based materials were obtained from black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) bones and grey triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) skin, which are two of the most abundant fish by-products of Madeira Island. Different calcination temperatures between 400 and 1000°C were employed. Materials obtained from calcination of bones of black scabbard fish were composed by homogeneous mixtures of hydroxyapatite (Ca₁₀(PO4)₆(OH)₂, HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-Ca₃(PO₄)₂, β-TCP). Because of the high biocompatibility of HAp and the good resorbability of β-TCP, these natural biphasic materials could be very relevant in the field of biomaterials, as bone grafts. The ratio between HAp and β-TCP in the biphasic compound was dependent on the calcination temperature. Differently, the material obtained from skin of grey triggerfish contained HAp as the main phase, together with small amounts of other mineral phases, such as halite and rhenanite, which are known to enhance osteogenesis when used as bone substitutes. In both cases, the increase of calcination temperature led to an increase in the particles size with a consequent decrease in their specific surface area. These results demonstrate that from the fish by-products of the most consumed fishes in Madeira Island it is possible to obtain bioceramic materials with tunable composition and particle morphology, which could be promising materials for the biomedical field.     

Autolysis and the endogenous proteinases characterised in beardless barb (Anematichthys apogon) muscle

Beardless barb is a common fish species used in fermentation of fish paste Ka-pi-plaa. Autolytic profile of beardless barb muscle showed the maximum autolysis was at 50 °C, at both acidic and alkaline pH values. With augmentation concentration of NaCl, autolytic activity slightly decreased. Endogenous proteinases isolated from fish muscle in crude extract forms were also characterised. The acidic proteinases had optimum activity at pH 3.0 and 50°C, and they showed higher proteolytic activity than the alkaline proteinases which were optimally active at pH 9.0 and 50 °C. Proteinases in peak at pH 3.0 were inhibited by pepstatin A, but those in peak at pH 9.0 were highly inhibited by PMSF, TLCK and soybean trypsin inhibitor, suggesting that both aspartic and serine proteinases were existed in beardless barb muscle. The proteinases were stable in pH range of 2.0-5.0 but unstable at the temperatures higher than 40 °C. NaCl suppressed the proteolytic activity, ATP activated the proteinase activity, while CaCl₂, MgCl₂ and CoCl₂ exhibited no influence on the activity. The results implied that cathepsin D is the predominant proteinase responsible for autolysis in beardless barb. The findings were useful to improve the processing and qualities of Ka-pi-plaa product using beardless barb as raw material.     

Effect of select parameters on the properties of edible film from water-soluble fish proteins in surimi wash-water

Edible film from water-soluble fish proteins were developed by casting film solution on leveled trays and effects of pH (9.5, 10.0 and 10.5), heating temperature (60, 70 and 80 °C), and heating time (10, 20 and 30 min) of the film solution on various film properties were determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The impact of pH and heating temperature of film solution was more significant, overall, on the film's properties than heating time. Contour plots of tensile strength and elongation at break was highest at pH of 10.0 at 70 °C (2.75-3.02 MPa) but low in elongation at break (6.35-9.16%), while water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability were at their lowest (58.55-65.96 g mm/m² d kPa and 351.33-624.18 cm³ μm/m² d kPa). There was a direct correlation between the films’ and proteins’ solubility on one hand, and heating temperature of film solution on the other, which reversed with change in pH of film solution. Film color was darker and more yellowish with increase in the pH of film solution.     

电潜泵大修打捞配套工具研制

随着采液时间的延长,电潜泵井事故不断增加,仅辽河油田每年就有30口左右的电泵井需要转大修.由于没有专用的打捞工具,作业设备的能力有限,其处理事故的周期往往较长,效果不理想.因此,在已有φ139.7mm套管内电泵打捞工具的基础上,研制开发了φ177.8 mm套管内电泵打捞工具,解决了油田电泵打捞的难题.