Effect of steam treatment of alperujo on the composition, enzymatic saccharification, and in vitro digestibility of alperujo

The solid waste from two-phase olive oil extraction or "alperujo" was submitted to steam treatment at high pressure or temperature, 200 degrees C for 5 min, in the presence and absence of mild acid catalyst. This treatment made easier the separation of the solid and liquid fractions. Besides the recovery of certain valuable components from the liquid fraction (the antioxidant hydroxytyrosol, low molecular weight oligosaccharides, glucose, mannitol, etc.), the major components of the solid residue could be also exploited. In this study, changes in composition of alperujo due to steam treatment were determined. The process reduced appreciably the hemicellulose concentrations (75-88%), removed a substantial portion of Klason lignin and protein (50%), and led to an extensive solubilization of alperujo (55-67%). Cellulose was very resistant to autohydrolysis and acid-catalyzed hydrolysis, so the solid residue was enriched in fat (13-18 g/100 g of dry steam-treated alperujo) and cellulose (15-25 g/100 g of dry and defatted steam-treated alperujo). The steam-treated material can be efficiently saccharified with commercial cellulase. The best hydrolysis yields were attained, up to 80%, when the treated material was post-treated with NaOH. The possibility of using this steam-treated alperujo in animal feeding was evaluated by an in vitro digestibility test, using the pepsin-cellulase method. The treatment affected positively the nutritional characteristics of alperujo with an increase in its in vitro (dry and organic matter) digestibility (8-10% higher than untreated material). In vitro digestibility and cellulose accessibility to enzymatic hydrolysis were improved by the alkali post-treatment.     

Effect of thermal treatment on the quality of cloudy apple juice

Apple juice from eight different varieties of apples was heated at high-temperature (60-90 degrees C) and short-time (20-100 s) (HTST) combinations. To determine the effect of heating conditions on enzymatic browning and cloud stability in apple juices, the activity of polyphenol oxidase and pectinesterase was analyzed and correlated with the thermal treatment conditions and the quality of the juice. Additional investigations included the measurement of pH value, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, color, and turbidity after 3 and 6 months. The results showed that HTST treatment at 80 degrees C already inactivated polyphenol oxidase, whereas pectinesterase activity was reduced to half and could even at 90 degrees C not be inactivated completely. In fact, highest residual pectinesterase activity was found at 60 degrees C. Heating at 70 degrees C caused stable pectinesterase activity and even a slight increase for 50 and 100 s heating times. Turbidity and lightness increased after HTST treatment. In particular, differences in cloud stability between the varieties were measured. HTST parameters did not correlate with the residual cloud stability after 6 months. The sensory evaluation revealed that only a few combinations were distinguishable. The best stability of cloud and color in relation to heat impact was achieved by HTST treatment between 70 degrees C/100 s and 80 degrees C/20 s.     

New hydrothermal treatment of alperujo enhances the content of bioactive minor components in crude pomace olive oil

The application of a new process based on the hydrothermal treatment of olive oil waste (alperujo) led to a final solid rich in pomace olive oil (POO) enriched in minor components with functional activities. The effects of the time (15-90 min) and the temperature (150, 160, and 170 °C) of the thermal processing of alperujo on the yield, quality, and enrichment of minor components of crude POO were evaluated. The final treated solid had an increase in oil yield up to 97%, with a reduction in solids up to 35.6-47.6% by solubilization. Sterols increased up to 33%, aliphatic alcohols increased up to 92%, triterpenic alcohols increased up to 31%, squalene increased up to 43%, tocopherols increased up to 57%, and oleanolic acid increased up to 16% by the new treatment. The increase maintains a high concentration of functional substances probably even in the refining POO.     

Model studies on the stability of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation during thermal treatment in combination with high hydrostatic pressure

Stability of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in phosphate buffer (0.2 M; pH 7) toward thermal (above 65 degrees C) and combined high pressure (up to 800 MPa)/thermal (20 up to 65 degrees C) treatments was studied on a kinetic basis. Residual folate concentration after thermal and high pressure/thermal treatments was measured using reverse phase liquid chromatography. The degradation of both folates followed first-order reaction kinetics. At ambient pressure, the estimated Arrhenius activation energy (E(a)) values of folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid thermal degradation were 51.66 and 79.98 kJ mol(-1), respectively. It was noticed that the stability of folic acid toward thermal and combined high pressure thermal treatments was much higher than 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid. High-pressure treatments at room temperature or higher (up to 60 degrees C) had no or little effect on folic acid. In the whole P/T area studied, the rate constant of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation was enhanced by increasing pressure, and a remarkable synergistic effect of pressure and temperature on 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation occurred at temperatures above 40 degrees C. A model to describe the combined pressure and temperature effect on the 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid degradation rate constant is presented.     

溶液培养条件下腐殖酸对铁异化还原的影响

腐殖酸对土壤和水体环境中铁(Fe)的还原过程有重要影响。本文采用从山西大同风化煤、河南巩县褐煤、云南昆明滇池底泥中提取制备的腐殖酸,通过布置培育试验并接种土壤悬液,研究了不同来源的腐殖酸对无定形氧化铁异化还原的影响。结果表明:单独添加腐殖酸对氧化铁的还原几乎没有影响;而当同时添加腐殖酸与葡萄糖时,培养基质中氧化铁的还原过程显著加强;腐殖酸浓度越高对氧化铁还原的促进作用越明显。不同来源的腐殖酸因其复杂程度和结构不同,对氧化铁还原的促进作用有明显差异,其中山西大同风化煤提取的腐殖酸促进作用最大,云南昆明滇池底泥和河南巩县褐煤提取的腐殖酸之间则无显著差异。     

Effect of temperature and moisture on the mineralization and humification of leaf litter in a model incubation experiment

The mineralization and humification of leaf litter collected in a mixed forest of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve depending on temperature (2, 12, and 22°C) and moisture (15, 30, 70, 100, and 150% of water holding capacity ( WHC)) has been studied in long-term incubation experiments. Mineralization is the most sensitive to temperature changes at the early stage of decomposition; the Q ₁₀ value at the beginning of the experiment (1.5–2.7) is higher than at the later decomposition stages (0.3–1.3). Carbon losses usually exceed nitrogen losses during decomposition. Intensive nitrogen losses are observed only at the high temperature and moisture of litter (22°C and 100% WHC). Humification determined from the accumulation of humic substances in the end of incubation decreases from 34 to 9% with increasing moisture and temperature. The degree of humification C_HA/C_FA is maximum (1.14) at 12°C and 15% WHC; therefore, these temperature and moisture conditions are considered optimal for humification. Humification calculated from the limit value of litter mineralization is almost independent of temperature, but it significantly decreases from 70 to 3% with increasing moisture. A possible reason for the difference between the humification values measured by two methods is the conservation of a significant part of hemicelluloses, cellulose, and lignin during the transformation of litter and the formation of a complex of humic substances with plant residues, where HSs fulfill a protectoral role and decrease the decomposition rate of plant biopolymers.     

Effect of ammonium fixation and displacement on the added nitrogen interaction in incubation experiments

A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to study the effect of NH ₄ ⁺ fixation/defixation on the added N interaction (ANI) in three Illinois Mollisols fertilized with 100 or 200 mg N kg^-1 soil. A positive ANI was observed in all three soils, which was greater at the higher rate of applied N. However, very little exchange was observed between applied ¹⁵NH ₄ ⁺ and the native clay-fixed NH ₄ ⁺ , and the ANI observed were attributed largely to microbial immobilization-mineralization. The results suggested that variations in the NH ₄ ⁺ fixation capacity of soils will not have a significant bearing on the interpretation of data obtained from studies of the ANI.     

淹水厌氧培养对水稻土中酶活性的影响

An incubation experiment with soil water content treatments of 0.15 （W1）, 0.20 （W2）, and 0.40 （W3） g g^-1 soil was carried out for two months to investigate the activities of important enzymes involved in C, N, P, and S cycling in a paddy soil from the Taihu Lake region, China, under waterlogged and aerobic conditions. Compared with air-dried soil, waterlogging resulted in a significant decrease （P ≤ 0.05） of fluorescein diacetate （FDA） and /3-D-glucosidase activities, and this effect was enhanced with increasing waterlogging time. Waterlogging also significantly inhibited （P ≤ 0.05） arylsulfatase as well as alkaline and acid phosphatase activities, but did not decrease the activities with the increase in waterlogging time. Short-term waterlogging did not affect urease activity, but prolonged waterlogging decreased it markedly. In contrast, the aerobic incubation （W1 and W2 treatments） significantly increased （P ≤ 0.05） FDA, alkaline phosphatase, and /3-D-glucosidase activities. With aerobic treatments the activities of FDA and alkaline phosphatase increased with incubation time, whereas /3-D-glucosidase activity decreased. A significant difference （P ≤ 0.05） was usually observed between the W1 and W2 treatments for the activities of FDA as well as alkaline and acid phosphatase; however,/3-D-glucosidase and urease were usually not significant （P ≤ 0.05）. No activity differences were observed between waterlogging and aerobic incubation for arylsulfatase and urease.     

Effect of the herbicide fluazifop-butyl on fungal populations and activity in soil

The side effects of fluazifop-butyl on soil fungal populations and oxygen uptake were studied by incubating soil samples with a range of fluazifop-butyl concentrations (0, 0.6, 3 and 6 μg g^?1) over 8 weeks. Cellulose decomposition in soil was also studied in laboratory experiments with the herbicide which was either incorporated in soil or sprayed onto calico squares which were buried in soil. The mycelial dry weight of six fungal species under the effect of the herbicide was also examined. Fluazifop-butyl had no significant effect on total fungal propagule populations at 0.6 μg g^?1. At 3 and 6 μg g^?1, it caused temporary reduction in fungal populations observed after 1 and 2-wk of incubation. The herbicide had no significant effect on OZ uptake. The decay of calico buried in herbicide-treated soil was generally stimulated, while the decomposition of herbicide-treated calico, buried in untreated soil, was temporary delayed. The mycelial dry weight yields of Aspergillus favus (at 2 and 12 μg mL^?1 of fluazifop-butyl) and Cunninghamella echinulata (at 12 μg mL^?1) were significantly increased. At 24 μg mL^?1 the mycelial dry weight of A. flavus and Alternaria alternata was significantly reduced.     

Effect of alkalized magnesic salinity on soil respiration changes with substrate availability and incubation time

Effects of salinities other than NaCl-dominated on soil respiration have been rarely studied. We investigated interactive effect of alkalized magnesic salinity and substrate availability on soil respiration. Topsoil samples (S1, S2, S3, and S4, with total soluble salts 1.4, 24.7, 43.7, and 88.6?g?kg^?1, respectively) were amended without or with glucose or plant residues and incubated in the dark for 62?days at 28°C. Under no organic addition, respiration rate of saline soils (S2–S4) was suppressed in the first 2?weeks, unaffected in the following 4?weeks but stimulated in the remaining 3?weeks, compared to non-saline soil (S1). This shift from the negative to the positive effect of salinity lagged under glucose and lagged more under residue addition, compared to no organic addition. By the end of incubation, cumulative CO₂–C evolution from soils was unaffected by salinity under no organic amendment. On the contrary, cumulative CO₂–C evolution was higher from S2 and S3 but lower from S4 than from S1 under glucose addition, and it was higher from S2 but lower from S3 and S4 than from S1 under plant residue addition. We concluded that the alkalized magnesic salinity effect on soil respiration changes with substrate availability and incubation time.     

Effect of EDTA alone and in combination with polygodial on the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The antifungal activity of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) against Saccharomyces cerevisiae was significantly affected by various conditions such as inoculum size, pH, and metal ions (Mg(2+), Ca(2+)). EDTA was found to be effective against this yeast at the inoculum size of 10(5) colony forming units (CFU)/mL with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 mug/mL and the minimum fungicidal concentration of 6400 mug/mL, but it was not effective at 10(7) CFU/mL up to 6400 mug/mL. The fungicidal activity of EDTA against S. cerevisiae was significantly enhanced in combination with polygodial. Isobolograms, fractional inhibitory concentration, and fractional fungicidal concentration indices were used for evaluating the interaction between combined compounds. This synergistic effect is likely due to polygodial's destructive action on the cellular membrane, which facilitates the transmembrane transport of foreign compounds (EDTA) into yeast cells. Once inside the cells, EDTA forms chelation with divalent metals such as Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), which are required by various essential enzymes.     

Can the extent of degradation of soil fungal mycelium during soil incubation be used to estimate ectomycorrhizal biomass in soil?

The extent of degradation of the fungal biomass in forest soil during laboratory incubation was investigated as a measure of ectomycorrhizal (EM) biomass. The method simulates the disappearance of fungal mycelium after root trenching, where the EM fungi, deprived of its energy source (the tree), will start to die off. Incubating a forest humus soil at 25 °C resulted in a decrease in the relative proportion (mol%) of the phospholipid fatty acid 18:2ω6,9 (a fungal marker molecule) within 3-6 months, indicating that fungal biomass was disappearing. Incubation at 5 °C resulted in essentially no change in the amount of 18:2ω6,9. The measurement of ergosterol, another fungal marker molecule, gave similar results. Incubation of different forest soils (pine, spruce and spruce/oak), and assuming that the disappearance of fungal biomass during this period of time was entirely due to EM fungi, resulted in an estimation of EM biomass of between 47 and 84% of the total fungal biomass in these soils. The humus layer had more EM biomass than deeper mineral layers.     

水稻秸秆用量对淹水培养土壤表层溶液理化性质的影响

采用模拟培养的方法,研究水稻秸秆用量对淹水培养土壤表层溶液理化性质的影响。试验根据秸秆还田量设0g·盆-1、100g·盆-1、200g·盆-1和300g·盆-14个处理,每盆装土15kg,施尿素2.8g以调节系统碳氮比,分别测定培养液的电导率、pH、全氮、全磷、全钾等指标。研究结果表明,各处理表层溶液电导率在培养初期呈上升趋势,第36d达到最大值,分别为960μs·cm-1、1150μs·cm-1、1467μs·cm-1和1620μs·cm-1,随后略有降低,到培养结束时分别为683μs·cm-1、910μs·cm-1、1083μs·cm-1和1277μs·cm-1。pH值在培养的前3d呈缓慢下降趋势,与秸秆用量呈负相关;从第4d开始pH迅速升高,16d后达到相对稳定状态,到培养结束时变化不大。施加的尿素导致各处理培养液中全氮在20d内保持较高浓度,随后全氮浓度迅速下降,到第76d,下降趋势减缓;施加秸秆对全氮浓度影响较小,施加秸秆能够提高全磷含量。秸秆中钾释放迅速,培养1d后,溶液全钾含量达到较高浓度,分别为6.87mg·L-1、36.10mg·L-1、60.27mg·L-1、114.23mg·L-1,在整个培养期全钾浓度变化不大。淹水培养条件下施加秸秆能够增加培养液中电导率、全磷及全钾浓度,与秸秆用量呈正比,但对pH、全氮影响较小。从养分流失角度考虑,控制田面养分流失主要时期为水稻秸秆还田后30d内。     

Effect of mulches on the thermal regime of soil

The experiment was conducted in the winter season on Beni silty clay loam of Pantnagar with four mulches, viz. polythene (transparent), paddy straw (5 t ha^?11), asphalt emulsion (5000 1 ha^?1, as spray), lime suspension (6000 1 ha^?1, as spray) and on a bare plot (control). Net radiation received at 50 cm above the soil surface was maximum over the asphalt mulched plot (0.88 cal cm^?2 min^?1) and minimum over the lime-sprayed plot (0.63 cal cm^?2 min^?1). Albedo was maximum during early morning hours (about 0.31 for lime and 0.08 for asphalt), it decreased to about 0.21 for lime and 0.015 for asphalt at solar noon, and increased to 0.29 for lime and 0.05 for asphalt by 1700 h. The magnitude of albedo increased as the soil moisture content decreased.Heat flux was positive (upward) for 16 h and negative (downward) for 8 h and depended on the advance of the season and the soil moisture content. Under asphalt it was 1.25 m cal cm^?2 s^?1 on the third day after irrigation and decreased to 0.94 m cal cm^?2 s^?1 on the 27th day after irrigation. It was minimum in the lime-sprayed plot. Since polytheene prevents the long-wave radiation emitted by the soil to pass, due to condensation of water vapour and presence of dust particles on the soil side of the polythene surface, the soil temperature under polythene was maximum.In general, it ranged from 18.8 to 43°C, 16.2 to 40.2°C, 16.0 to 36.1°C, 19.0 to 28.7°C, and 15.2 to 31°C under ploythene, asphalt, bare soil, straw and lime, respectivel     

Effect of natamycin in combination with pure oxygen treatment on postharvest quality and selected enzyme activities of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)

The combined effects of natamycin (NA) and pure oxygen (PO) treatment on microbial and physicochemical characteristics of button mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus ) stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 16 days was investigated. Mushroom respiration rate, weight loss, firmness, color, percent open caps, total soluble solids, microbial and activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) were measured. The results indicate that treatment with natamycin + pure oxygen (NAPO) maintained tissue firmness, inhibited increase of respiration rate, delayed browning and cap opening, and reduced microorganism counts of yeasts and molds compared to control treatment. The efficiency was better than that of NA or PO treatment. Furthermore, NAPO inhibited the activities of PPO, PAL, and POD throughout the storage period. Our study suggests that NAPO treatment has the potential to improve the quality of button mushroom and extend the shelf life.     

双螺杆物化组合预处理对秸秆产沼气的影响

为解决沼气工程实践中秸秆预处理的问题,该研究提出一种双螺杆物化组合处理途径用于秸秆的预处理。以稻草为原料,设计4组试验：双螺杆物化组合预处理组、单纯双螺杆物理预处理组、单纯化学预处理组和未预处理组,每组投料量均为干质量20 g。试验结果是：1）各组累积产气量依次为2 275.5、1 750、2 025.5和1 868.5 mL;2）单位原料产气量方差分析结果（P<0.05）,化学作用P=0.0158,物理作用P=0.4828,物化交互作用P=0.0422,表明物化组合预处理效果显著;3）双螺杆疏解原料的长度在5～10 mm,宽度在0.1～0.2 mm。研究表明：双螺杆物化组合预处理是秸秆沼气原料预处理有潜力的处理手段。此外,原料形态的改变符合工程中全混式沼气池对进出料的要求,也改善了发酵池内搅拌时的流态条件。     

Effect of chemical fumigation on soil fungal communities in Spanish strawberry nurseries

Strawberry runners are a high-value cash crop in Spain that requires vigorous transplants free of pathogens. Pre-plant soil fumigation with methyl bromide (MB), or with mixtures of MB and chloropicrin (Pic), are standard practices for controlling soil-borne diseases. However, use of MB will be forbidden in European Union countries by the year 2005; for this reason several soil fumigants have been tested as chemical alternatives to MB in Spanish strawberry nurseries. Because of the known broad activity of these compounds, their effects on strawberry soil fungal communities were studied. Experiments were conducted over a 5-year period, with pre-plant applications at two different locations each year. Soil fungal populations were estimated in each plot before and after treatments on potato-dextrose agar amended with 0.5 g l⁻¹ streptomycin sulphate and selective media for Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Verticillium spp., Phytophthora spp., and Rhizoctonia spp. Soil fungal populations in Spanish strawberry nurseries were clearly reduced in number and composition after pre-plant soil fumigation. Differences in the level of reduction was obtained with some treatments. Penicillium sp., following by Alternaria sp., Fusarium sp., Morteriella sp., Cladosporium sp., Pythium sp., and Verticillium spp. were usually presented in Spanish nursery soils from March to April, whereas Phytophthora spp. and Rhizoctonia spp. were only sporadically isolated. All the fumigants reduced the soil fungal population quantitatively, but only MB:Pic and dazomet caused a clear change in their fungal genera composition. A total reduction was observed on Pythium and Morteriella populations after application of all the fumigants, except for DMDS. Populations of Verticillium spp. were also reduced by the applied fumigants in the strawberry nursery soils tested; the lowest reductions were obtained with 1,3-D:Pic + Virtually Impermeable Film, metam sodium, metam potassium and DMDS.     

秸秆还田条件下腐熟剂对不同质地土壤真菌多样性的影响

为因地制宜鉴选适宜的秸秆腐熟剂,在西辽河平原灌区选择秸秆还田的砂壤土和中壤土连作玉米地,分别配施中农绿康腐熟剂、人元腐熟剂和农富康腐熟剂(简称中农、人元、农富康),以秸秆还田不施腐熟剂为对照,在玉米吐丝期取0～15 cm、15～30 cm、30～45 cm土层样品,采用高通量测序技术,研究不同质地土壤秸秆还田配施腐熟剂情况下土壤真菌群落结构的多样性。结果表明,砂壤土秸秆还田配施腐熟剂处理特有OTU(operational taxonomic units)数均比对照多,中壤土则相反。所有处理土壤中被孢霉门(Mortierellomycota)、子囊菌门(Ascomycota)、担子菌门(Basidiomycota)相对丰度较高;优势属均为被孢霉属(Mortierella)和低温酵母(Guehomyces)。不同腐熟剂对土壤质地产生不同影响,中壤土秸秆还田配施中农和农富康对土壤真菌组成及丰度无显著影响,而配施人元显著改变中壤土真菌组成及丰度;砂壤土秸秆还田配施中农和人元显著增加土壤真菌组成及丰度。LEfSe分析可知,砂壤土秸秆还田配施中农、中壤土秸秆还田配施人元和农富康3个处理土壤真菌多样性存在差异,对真菌多样性差异发挥显著性作用的门为担子菌门、子囊菌门,纲为伞菌纲(Agaricomycetes),目为腔菌目(Pleosporales)和伞菌目(Agaricales),种为Mortierella fimbricystis。这种响应差异也体现在同一腐熟剂对中壤土和砂壤土不同土层真菌的影响;随土层的下移,砂壤土和中壤土对照中被孢霉属相对丰度先增加后下降,低温酵母相对丰度下降;施用腐熟剂后(中壤土农富康除外),深层土壤低温酵母相对丰度比表层土壤高。砂壤土秸秆还田配施中农后0～15 cm土层中上述2个优势菌属相对丰度显著提高;而中壤土秸秆还田配施人元增加0～15 cm土层低温酵母相对丰度和15～30 cm、30～45 cm土层被孢霉属相对丰度。由此可见,秸秆还田条件下腐熟剂与土壤质地间响应不同,所以秸秆腐熟剂配施应因地制宜。