Principal Component Analysis in Biometric, Pulp Quality and Anatomical Properties of Thronless Bamboo (Bambusa balcooa)

Aims: To estimate the impact, connection and association among the biometric attributes, pulping qualities and anatomical characters in Bambusa balcooa. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted across the agro climatic regions viz., North Eastern Zone, Northern Zone, Western Zone, Cauvery Delta Zone and Southern Zone of Tamil Nadu, India during 2017-2018. Methodology: The Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was examined to establish the numbers of clusters using Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) version 16.0.1 software in order to identify the patterns of variation (PCA). The principal component analysis was computed using the equation PCA = Σa jXj. Results: The PCA separated into three cluster principal components among the nineteen parameters studied. Out of nineteen principal components generated, twelve principal components had contributed positively on pulp yield. Among these twelve traits, maximum contribution to the pulp yield was observed by the traits viz., numbers of culms, hollocellulose, kappa number, tear index, burst index, fibre wall thickness and vessel diameter with respect to Bambusa balcooa. Conclusion: The results showed some relationships between the biometric attributes, pulping qualities and anatomical characters in Bambusa balcooa. PCA was shown to be a useful tool for assessing the impact and connection for further research.

Evaluation of Lysinibacillus SP, isolated from coptotermes curvignathus gut, for the delignification of oil palm residues / Avaliação de Lysinibacillus SP, isolado a partir do intestino de Coptotermes curvignathus, para a deslignificação de resíduos de óleo de palma (Dendê)

The application of ligninolytic bacteria and enzymes is a green pre-treatment alternative in the production of paper and biofuel from oil palm residues. In this study we investigated the ability of Lysinibacillus pakistanensis isolated from termite gut in degrading the lignin component of oil palm residues. The residues were biotreated with the bacterial strain in an aerated submerged fermentation system for 7 days at 30 , pH 7 and compared with untreated control. Enzyme activities were determined using specific substrates. Peak lignin peroxidase (377.6 U/L), manganese peroxidase (218.19 U/L), and laccase (405.4 U/L) activity were recorded after 4,4, and 5 days of incubation respectively, using oil palm leaf as substrates. Lignin loss of 4.5%, 5.7% and 6.6% in oil palm leaf, oil palm trunk and empty fruit bunch respectively was achieved after treatment with the microorganism. SEM images revealed structural changes in the cell wall of the residues. Pre-treatment with this bacterial strain has promising prospects of improving the efficiency of the pulping process in an environmentally safe manner.

A aplicação de bactérias e enzimas ligninolíticas é uma alternativa verde de pré-tratamento na produção de papel e biocombustível a partir de resíduos de óleo de palma. Neste estudo, investigamos a capacidade de Lysinibacillus pakistanensis isolado do intestino de cupins na degradação do componente de lignina dos resíduos de dendê. Os resíduos foram biotratados com a estirpe bacteriana num sistema de fermentação submersa arejado durante 7 dias a 30ºC, pH 7 e comparados com controle não tratado. As atividades enzimáticas foram determinadas usando substratos específicos. Pico de lignina peroxidase (377,6 U/L), peroxidase de manganês (218,19 U/L) e atividade de lacase (405,4 U/L) foram registradas após 4,4 e 5 dias de incubação, respectivamente, utilizando como substratos a folha da palmeira de dendê. A perda de lignina de 4,5%, 5,7% e 6,6% na folha da palmeira, no tronco do dendezeiro e cacho de frutas vazio, respectivamente, foi alcançada após o tratamento com o microorganismo. Imagens de MEV revelaram alterações estruturais na parede celular dos resíduos. O pré-tratamento com esta cepa bacteriana tem perspectivas promissoras de melhorar a eficiência do processo de polpação de maneira ambientalmente segura.

Macauba ( Acrocomia aculeata ) pulp oil quality is negatively affected by drying fruits at 60 ºC

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine if the quality of macauba pulp oil is affected by drying the whole fruits at 60 ºC. Mature fruits were collected at every five days on the ground under 10 palm trees. A mixed batch of 3 kg of whole fruits, with three replications each, was dried in an oven with air circulation for 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h at 60 ºC. After every drying time, dried fruits were pulped using an automated device, followed by oil extraction with hexane. Moisture and oil content were determined in the pulp, and the pulp oil quality was analyzed for fatty acid composition, free fatty acids content, peroxide value, molar absorptivity at 232 and 270 nm, refractive index, and total carotene content. The tested temperature was sufficient to decrease moisture to a range suitable for automated pulping, with the best combination and easier pulping being reached after 24 h of drying. In the first 12 h there was an apparent synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and carotenes. The tested temperature was insufficient to avoid the enhancement of acidity since the beginning and throughout the drying period, nor the degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thus, it is concluded that drying of fresh fruits of macauba palm at 60 ºC is not appropriate to obtain an overall good quality pulp oil for industrial purposes.

Comprehensive kinetic study of delignification, carbohydrate degradation, cellulose chain scissions and hexenuronic acid reactions during kraft pulping prosopis chinensis.

Prosopis Chinensis represents one of the most suited fiber sources for the production of a wide range of high quality papers and high-purity dissolving pulps. The optimization of kraft pulping covering both continuous and batch processes demands kinetic models suitable for advanced control and offline optimization of the cooking operation. Quite recently, an improved kinetic model structure for softwood kraft cooking has been published, which considers varying alkali and temperature profiles during the cooking [1]. Unfortunately, most alkaline cooking models are based solely on softwood [2, 3]. This work contributes to an improved kinetic model for kraft cooking of Prosopis, suitable for advanced control of modern displacement cooking processes such as the continuous batch cooking process (CBC). After impregnation where the initial lignin has been removed, the bulk and residual delignification have been studied in a batch reactor as a function of the [OH-], [HS-], ionic strength, [Na+], and temperature. The underlying kinetic expressions are similar to those used in the Andersson model also including a mechanism for determining kraft pulping of Prosopis chinensis,the distribution of lignin and carbohydrate species 2 and 3 as a function of the cooking conditions. The kinetic equations were successfully validated against experimental data from a pilot plant digester applying conventional batch cooks. Furthermore, the formation of hexenuronic acid bound to the xylan backbone and its degradation / dissolution were described by a consecutive first-order reaction. In agreement to other studies, the temperature and the effective alkali charge revealed a strong influence on the hexenuronic acid content in the pulp while the effect of sulfidity proved to be insignificant. The role of ionic strength on the HexA content remained unclear. An increase in the ionic strength resulted in a higher maximum HexA content shifted to a higher kappa number (about 58), but with progressive delignification to a kappa number typical for unbleached Prosopis Chinensis, kraft pulp (about 15), the HexA content decreased to a level more than 20% lower as compared to pulps cooked at lower ionic strength.

Utilization of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in kraft pulping process.

Aim of this study is to investigate the effect of adding sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in kraft pulping. First of all, six kraft cooks were carried out for varying active alkali and sulfidity. Then, kraft methods for K1 and K6 cooks were modified by adding 1, 2 and 3 % NaBH4. The results indicated that modifying kraft method (K1) by adding 3% NaBH4 (KB13) resulted in 9.97% (relative percentage) yield increase and 10.1% (relative percentage) kappa reduction. Although the mechanical properties of NaBH4 modified pulps were lower compared to the kraft pulps, NaBH4 modified pulps were much brighter.

An environmentally friendly organosolv (ethanol-water) pulping of poplar wood.

In this study, pulp production from the fast growing plant, poplar, was examined for organosolv pulping with or without catalysts. In order to find the optimum cooking conditions, 18 different cooking experiments were carried out. The effect of ethanol ratio, cooking time as well as catalyst was studied. It was observed that even at lower temperature (90oC), cooking without catalyst was able to cause sufficient defiberization. It was seen that the increasing proportion of catalyst and cooking temperature resulted in an increased delignification. However in the case of using 0.02% acid catalyst pulp yield and viscosity were lowered to an unacceptable level. The most important cooking factors were found to be the proportion of acid catalyst. Furthermore, the delignification performance was found to be depending on the pH of the black liquor. In a result, the optimum pulp properties were obtained by cooking at 180oC for 90 min with 50 % ethanol mixture without catalyst. The pulp yield was noted as 44.49 %, viscosity was 892 cm2 g-1 and the kappa number was 67.

Thermal and spectroscopic analyses on the molecular interaction between eucalyptus kraft pulp components and offset printing inks

Thermal and infrared spectroscopic analyzes were carried out in order to study the kind of interaction between the anatomical components of the bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp with offset inks. A Bauer-McNett fiber classifier was used in order to obtain the anatomical components of the pulp, separately. The determinations of the enthalpy of the processes occurring in the samples of inks and pulp, as well as the enthalpy of these components interactions were obtained by Differential Scanning Calorimetry. In the interaction between pulp and offset ink, the reduced enthalpy values of the endothermic peak were interpreted as due to the released energy for adhesion of the ink pigment to the substratum. The low enthalpy value, 58 to 121 cal.g -, ¹indicated that the settling of the ink occurs by physical interactions. The pulp fraction enriched with vessel elements caused a higher energy release during the adherence of the pigment into the pulp.

O conhecimento técnico-científico das interações que ocorrem no processo de impressão offset é escasso, embora várias observações mostrem sua importância. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar por análises térmicas e espectroscópicas, na região 1do infravermelho, o tipo de interação dos componentes anatômicos da polpa branqueada kraft de eucalipto com tintas de impressão offset. Foi utilizado um classificador de fibras Bauer-McNett com o intuito de se obter os componentes anatômicos da polpa separadamente. As determinações da entalpia dos processos que ocorrem com as amostras de tintas, polpa e também a entalpia de interação destes componentes foram obtidas por Calorimetria Diferencial de Varredura. Na interação entre polpa e tinta offset, a redução dos valores de entalpia do pico endotérmico foi interpretada como sendo devida à liberação de energia para a adesão do pigmento da tinta ao substrato. Os baixos valores de entalpia (58 a 121 cal.g-1) indicam que o assentamento da tinta ocorre por meio de interações físicas A fração de polpa enriquecida com elementos de vasos acarreta uma maior liberação de energia, durante a aderência do pigmento na polpa.

Métodos de extração e limpeza de sementes de araçá-boi (Eugenia stipitata)

The araçá-boi (Eugenia stipitata McVaugh, Myrtaceae) an Amazonian species, has fruits with agreeable aroma and flavour, and high pulp yield. This study evaluated physical and physiological seed qualities after hand and mechanical extraction, cleaning by friction with different materials (sand, sawdust, sand+sawdust, hydrated lime, on a sieve, and without friction) and cleaning by natural fermentation (with and without change of water every 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 c 7 days). The mechanical method allowed extraction of the largest quantity of pulp (78% of weight and 81% of fruit volume). Friction with hydrated lime gave the highest percentage (98 %) and germination speed (0,989). Under natural fermentation, keeping the same water for more than one day negatively affected the physiological quality of the seeds.

O araçá-boi (Eugenia stipitata McVaugh, Myrtaceae), espécie de origem amazônica, possui frutos de aroma e sabor agradáveis, com alto rendimento em polpa. O presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a qualidade física e fisiológica das sementes após extrações manual e mecânica, limpeza por fricção com diferentes materiais (areia, serragem, areia+serragem, cal hidratada, em peneira e sem fricção) e limpeza por fermentação natural (com e sem substituição diária da água, por 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 e 7 dias). Com o método mecânico obteve-se a maior quantidade de polpa (78% do peso e 81% do volume dos frutos). A fricção com cal hidratada proporcionou as maiores percentagem (98 %) e velocidade de emergência (0,989). Na fermentação natural, a manutenção da mesma água por mais de 1 dia afetou negativamente a qualidade fisiológica das sementes.