Urban sewage sludge stabilization by alkalization-composting-vermicomposting process: Crop-livestock residue use.

Waste management practices are vital for human health and the environment in a world where natural resources stress is expected to increase with the growth of population. Our study aimed to evaluate the potential use of crop-livestock residue as a bulking agent associated with the ideal level of hydrated lime for the stabilization and sanitization of urban sewage sludge through the alkalization-composting process. Therefore, we determined the alkalization efficiency on the heavy metal concentration in urban sewage sludge, quantified the viable eggs of helminths in pure and alkalized sludge, and measured the rate of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) surviving in the vermicomposting process using different levels of alkalized urban sewage sludge associated with crop-livestock residue. Four sequential trials were carried out in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The lime alkalization reduced the levels of Ba, As, Pb, Cu, Cr, Mo, Ni, and Zn compared to the pure urban sewage sludge. Using 30% w/w of lime in the urban sewage sludge (SS-30) for composting process reduced the viable helminth eggs by 71, 72, and 69% for sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum officinarum; SB), fresh chopped Napier-grass (Pennisetum purpureum; NG), and bovine ruminal content (BR), respectively. The ideal level of hydrated lime for stabilization and sanitization of urban sewage sludge was found to be 30%, which was able to reduce the heavy metals. The residues have the potential as a bulking agent for the composting of urban sewage sludge when associated with alkalization. The lime alkalization decreases the total number of helminth eggs and the number of viable eggs. The possibility of starting a vermicomposting using the mixtures is promising, evidenced by the earthworm survival in composting urban sewage sludge mixed with crop-livestock residues after 45 days of composting. The earthworm survival is maintained by an association of at least 80% of the crop-livestock residues.

Improving hemocompatibility of decellularized liver scaffold using Custodiol solution.

Organ decellularization is one of the most promising approaches of tissue engineering to overcome the shortage of organs available for transplantation. However, there are key hurdles that still hinder its clinical application, and the lack of hemocompatibility of decellularized materials is a central one. In this work, we demonstrate that Custodiol (HTK solution), a common solution used in organ transplantation, increased the hemocompatibility of acellular scaffolds obtained from rat livers. We showed that Custodiol inhibited ex vivo, in vitro, and in vivo blood coagulation to such extent that allowed successful transplantation of whole-liver scaffolds into recipient animals. Scaffolds previously perfused with Custodiol showed no signs of platelet aggregation and maintained in vitro and in vivo cellular compatibility. Proteomic analysis revealed that proteins related to platelet aggregation were reduced in Custodiol samples while control samples were enriched with thrombogenicity-related proteins. We also identified distinct components that could potentially be involved with this anti-thrombogenic effect and thus require further investigation. Therefore, Custodiol perfusion emerge as a promising strategy to reduce the thrombogenicity of decellularized biomaterials and could benefit several applications of whole-organ tissue engineering.

Filés de tambacu submetidos a salga seca e salga úmida

Several studies have shown that the use of salting as a method for preservation, particularly for fish, has proven efficient and cost. Based on this scenario, the overall goal of this project is to analyze the hygienic-sanitary characteristics of fillets tambacu subjected to two curing processes: wet and dry. After processing microbiological parameters, water activity and color, from the experiment conducted at Don Bosco Catholic University were evaluated. The fillets used tambacu underwent dry salting using 2kg of salt and damp in the proportion of 30% with respect to the initial weight of the products, both remained in treatment for 07 days salting. After salting were placed in an oven with forced air at 40ºC. The steaks dry salting remained in the greenhouse for 48 hours and subjected to salting remained for 72 hours for drying. In microbiological testing was done testing for Salmonella and Staphylococcus are the main contaminants of food products and the results are shown far below the regulation of ANVISA, which guarantees the satisfactory sanitary conditions. And the evaluation of color and water activity confirm this characteristic of processed fish, since it had low water activity compared to the minimum requirement for the proliferation of pathogens and main characteristic color processing.

Vários estudos demonstram que a utilização da salga como método para conservação, principalmente para pescado, tem-se mostrado eficiente e de baixo custo. Com base neste cenário, o objetivo geral do presente projeto é analisar as características higiênico-sanitárias de filés de tambacu submetidos a dois processos de salga: úmida e seca. Após processamento foram avaliados parâmetros microbiológicos, atividade da água e cor, a partir do experimento realizado na Universidade Católica Dom Bosco. Os filés de tambacu utilizados foram submetidos a salga seca utilizando 2kg de sal e, salga úmida na proporção de 30%, com relação ao peso inicial dos produtos, ambos permaneceram em tratamento por 07 dias. Após salga foram acondicionados em estufa com ventilação forçada a 40ºC. Os filés da salga seca permaneceram em estufa por 48 horas e os submetidos a salga úmida permaneceu por 72 horas para secagem do produto. Em análises microbiológicas foi feito o teste para Staphylococcus e Salmonella que são os principais contaminantes de produtos alimentares e os resultados demonstraram-se muito abaixo da regulamentação da ANVISA, o que garante as condições higiênico-sanitárias satisfatórias. E a avaliação de cor e atividade de água confirmam essa característica do pescado processado, uma vez que apresentou baixa atividade de água comparada à necessidade mínima para proliferação dos principais patógenos e coloração característica do processamento.