Accumulation of pollutants from fly ash in Pleurotus ostreatus and a substrate based on coffee grounds by elemental analysis using the ICP-OES method and photometric method.

The substrate mixtures were created in the study, using spent coffee grounds for Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation with the addition of straw and fluidized bed ash at 5 and 10 percent by weight relative to the total weight of coffee grounds. In order to determine the ability to accumulate heavy metals and the possibility of further waste management, analyses of micro- and macronutrients, biogenic elements, as well as the metal content of fungal fruiting bodies, mycelium and post-cultivation substrate were performed. The addition of 5 percent resulted in slower growth of mycelium and fruiting bodies, and with the addition of 10 percent, the growth of fruiting bodies was completely inhibited. The accumulation of elements such as (Cr), (Cu), (Ni), (Pb) and (Zn) was reduced in the fruiting bodies grown on the substrate with the addition of 5 percent fly ash, compared to spent coffee grounds without additives.

Effect of green and roasted coffee storage conditions on selected characteristic quality parameters.

The paper attempts to determine the best storage conditions for green and roasted coffee beans. Coffee beans were processed in various ways-some of them were washed or left in their natural state after harvesting, then they were stored in two types of packaging with different permeability, i.e. jute bag and GrainPro polymer bag, ensuring stable conditions in three temperature chambers, i.e. - 10, 10 and 20 °C. The grains treated in this way were evaluated after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The selection of the analyzed parameters (in roasted coffee-cupping and 3 selected volatile organic compounds; in green coffee-average water activity, content of volatile fatty acids, 6 selected volatile organic compounds) was to monitor the ongoing processes, and thus the qualitative changes taking place in grains. The research shows that grain stored at 20 °C ages the fastest. Grains stored in - 10 °C and 10 °C chambers perform similarly well. The evaluation of the parameters shows that among the grains stored in these two chambers, the method of grain processing (Natural/Washed) had a greater impact on the results, while the type of packaging did not differentiate the grains to such a significant extent.

Assessment of the Content of Fluorescent Tracer in Granular Feed Mixture.

Background: This paper describes the use of fluorescence induced by UV radiation to evaluate the share of tracer in feed mixture. Methods: For the purpose of this study, three substances were used. They are as follows: Tinopal, Rhodamine B, and Uranine. Tracer in the form of maize or kardi was added to chicken feed before the mixing process. Grains used in the process were grinded in the mill sieve with a mesh size of 4 and 6 mm. The drawn samples of the mixture were illuminated with UV radiation to make grain tracer light, and then the photo was taken with a digital camera. The acquired images were analyzed with the use of a computer program running on the RGB color model, which was the way to obtain essential information about the percentage share of tracer. Results: It was observed that, in the case of kardi grains, the proposed method gives results significantly deviating from the verification method. Conclusions: Only the tests with the use of maize having an average particle diameter of 2.4 mm and tinted with the solution of Rhodamine B led to acceptable results (consensual with the predetermined verification level).