An Apple and Acáchul Berry Snack Rich in Bioaccessible Antioxidants and Folic Acid: A Healthy Alternative for Prenatal Diets.

A fruit leather (apple and acáchul berry) oriented toward women of reproductive age was developed. The snack was supplemented with an ingredient composed of folic acid (FA) and whey proteins (WPI) to ensure the required vitamin intake to prevent fetal neural tube defects. In order to generate a low-calorie snack, alternative sweeteners were used (stevia and maltitol). The fruit leather composition was determined. Also, an in vitro digestion process was carried out to evaluate the bioaccessibility of compounds with antioxidant capacity (AC), total polyphenols (TPCs), total monomeric anthocyanins (ACY), and FA. The quantification of FA was conducted by a microbiological method and by HPLC. The leather contained carbohydrates (70%) and antioxidant compounds, mainly from fruits. Bioaccessibility was high for AC (50%) and TPCs (90%), and low for ACY (17%). Regarding FA, bioaccessibility was higher for WPI-FA (50%) than for FA alone (37%), suggesting that WPI effectively protected the vitamin from processing and digestion. Furthermore, the product was shown to be non-cytotoxic in a Caco-2 cell model. The developed snack is an interesting option due to its low energy intake, no added sugar, and high content of bioactive compounds. Also, the supplementation with WPI-FA improved the conservation and bioaccessibility of FA.

Leucoderma in Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in the Amazon Biome.

Leucoderma is a condition that affects the skin and hair of animals, causing depigmentation and acromotrichia. In buffaloes, this condition results in significant economic losses for the production chain due to its impact on the leather trade. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinicopathological aspects of leucoderma in buffaloes in the Amazon biome and describe the prophylactic treatment to control the disease. The study included 40 buffaloes, 16 males and 24 females, aged between 1 and 10 years, and were of the Murrah, Jafarabadi, Mediterranean, and Murrah × Mediterranean crossbreed breeds. The animals were raised without mineral supplementation. The clinical signs observed in the animals included acromotrichia and depigmentation, with varying degrees and distribution of skin lesions. Histological examination of the epidermis showed interrupted melanin production, mild dermal fibrosis, mild perivascular mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, and pigmentary incontinence. None of the animals had the genotype for albinism. After 120 days of mineral supplementation based on the use of copper sulfate, the clinical signs of leucoderma regressed. There was no predisposition by breed, sex, or age for the occurrence of the disease. The regression of skin lesions after proper mineral supplementation suggests that copper deficiency may be considered an important factor for the occurrence of leucoderma in buffaloes in the Amazon biome.

Extrato de Echinodorus grandiflorus apresenta efeito renoprotetor em ratos com nefrotoxicidade aguda induzida pela ciclofosfamida / Extract of Echinodorus grandiflorus presents renoprotetic effect on rats with acute nephrotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamid / El extracto de Echinodorus grandiflorus tiene un efecto renoprotector en ratas con nefrotoxicidad aguda inducida por ciclofosfamida

Pelas características anatômicas e fisiológicas dos rins, a lesão renal aguda tem sua origem nefrotóxica pela alta circulação local, o que favorece a alta concentração de substâncias tóxicas e seus metabólitos no tecido. A lesão renal aguda é uma complicação comum em internações hospitalares e principalmente em internações em unidades de terapia intensiva. A ciclofosfamida, um quimioterápico utilizado no tratamento de doenças autoimunes e neoplasias sólidas, pode causar nefrotoxicidade com disfunção glomerular e tubular. O uso de plantas medicinais, pelas suas potentes ações antioxidantes, tem sido usado para prevenção ou tratamento de lesões celulares induzidas pelo desequilíbrio entre enzimas antioxidantes e oxidantes. Por esse motivo, o objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o potencial efeito protetor da Echinodorus grandiflorus na prevenção da nefrotoxidade induzida pela ciclofosfamida. Para isso, foi realizado o experimento com a utilização de 35 ratos machos, Wistar, divididos em seis grupos experimentais, sendo administrado a ciclofosfamida na dose de 150mg/kg nos grupos G2 a G6 e diferentes doses da Echinodorus grandiflorus, com posterior análise de parâmetros sanguíneos e histológicos. A administração de ciclofosfamida na dose de 150mg/kg de massa corporal, em dose única, foi capaz de induzir a nefrotoxicidade aguda em todos os ratos. O extrato bruto de Echinodorus grandiflorus apresentou potencial efeito renoprotetor ao uso da ciclofosfamida, na dose de 300mg/kg de massa corporal, sendo possível observar redução dos efeitos nefrotóxicos do quimioterápico, pela redução dos danos tubulares e pela diminuição dos espaços capsulas, nitidamente encontradas alterados no grupo que recebeu apenas ciclofosfamida, denotando resultados promissores para utilização desta planta medicinal na prevenção da nefrotoxicidade induzida pelo fármaco. Contudo, novos estudos dos efeitos renoprotetor do chapéu de couro, poderão elucidar os mecanismos envolvidos na ação do extrato bruto do chapéu de couro. A utilização de extrato bruto de plantas medicinais torna-se um adjuvante aos tratamentos pelo baixo custo e pela facilidade de acesso das diferentes populações as plantas desde que devidamente orientados pelos profissionais habilitados.

Due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the kidneys, acute kidney injury has its nephrotoxic origin due to the high local circulation, which favors the high concentration of toxic substances and their metabolites in the tissue. Acute kidney injury is a common complication in hospital admissions and especially in intensive care unit admissions. Cyclophosphamide, a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and solid neoplasms, can cause nephrotoxicity with glomerular and tubular dysfunction. The use of medicinal plants, due to their potent antioxidant actions, has been used for the prevention or treatment of cellular injuries induced by the imbalance between antioxidant and oxidant enzymes. For this reason, the aim of the experiment was to evaluate the potential protective effect of Echinodorus grandiflorus in preventing cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity. For this, the experiment was carried out with the use of 35 male Wistar rats, divided into six experimental groups, being administered cyclophosphamide at a dose of 150mg/kg in groups G2 to G6 and different doses of Echinodorus grandiflorus, with subsequent analysis of parameters blood and histology. The administration of cyclophosphamide at a dose of 150mg/kg of body weight, in a single dose, was able to induce acute nephrotoxicity in all rats. The crude extract of Echinodorus grandiflorus showed a potential renoprotective effect with the use of cyclophosphamide, at a dose of 300mg/kg of body mass, and it was possible to observe a reduction in the nephrotoxic effects of the chemotherapy, due to the reduction of tubular damage and the reduction of capsule spaces, clearly found altered in the group that received only cyclophosphamide, showing promising results for the use of this medicinal plant in the prevention of drug-induced nephrotoxicity. However, further studies of the renoprotective effects of the leather hat may elucidate the mechanisms involved in the action of the crude extract of the leather hat. The use of raw extract of medicinal plants becomes an adjuvant to treatments due to the low cost and ease of access of different populations to plants, provided that they are properly guided by qualified professionals.

Debido a las características anatómicas y fisiológicas de los riñones, la lesión renal aguda tiene su origen nefrotóxico por la elevada circulación local, que favorece la alta concentración de sustancias tóxicas y sus metabolitos en el tejido. La lesión renal aguda es una complicación frecuente en los ingresos hospitalarios y principalmente en las unidades de cuidados intensivos. La ciclofosfamida, un quimioterápico utilizado en el tratamiento de enfermedades autoinmunes y neoplasias sólidas, puede causar nefrotoxicidad con disfunción glomerular y tubular. El uso de plantas medicinales, debido a sus potentes acciones antioxidantes, se ha utilizado para la prevención o el tratamiento de lesiones celulares inducidas por el desequilibrio entre enzimas antioxidantes y oxidantes. Por este motivo, el objetivo del experimento era evaluar el posible efecto protector del Echinodorus grandiflorus en la prevención de la nefrotoxicidad inducida por la ciclofosfamida. Para ello, se realizó el experimento utilizando 35 ratas Wistar macho, divididas en seis grupos experimentales, administrándoseles ciclofosfamida a una dosis de 150mg/kg en los grupos G2 a G6 y diferentes dosis de Echinodorus grandiflorus, con posterior análisis de sangre y parámetros histológicos. La administración de ciclofosfamida a una dosis de 150mg/kg de masa corporal, en dosis única, fue capaz de inducir nefrotoxicidad aguda en todas las ratas. El extracto crudo de Echinodorus grandiflorus presentó un potencial efecto renoprotector al uso de ciclofosfamida, a una dosis de 300mg/kg de masa corporal, siendo posible observar una reducción de los efectos nefrotóxicos de la quimioterapia, por la reducción del daño tubular y por la disminución de los espacios capsulares, encontrándose claramente alterados en el grupo que recibió solamente ciclofosfamida, denotando resultados promisorios para el uso de esta planta medicinal en la prevención de la nefrotoxicidad inducida por el fármaco. Sin embargo, nuevos estudios sobre los efectos renoprotectores del sombrero de cuero podrían dilucidar los mecanismos implicados en la acción del extracto crudo de sombrero de cuero. El uso de extractos crudos de plantas medicinales se convierte en un coadyuvante de los tratamientos por su bajo coste y la facilidad de acceso de las diferentes poblaciones a las plantas desde que son guiadas adecuadamente por profesionales cualificados.

Efeito protetivo do extrato de Echinodorus grandiflorus sobre o urotelio vesical de ratos com cistite induzida por ciclofosfamida / Extract of echinodorus grandiflorus presents renoprotetic effect on rats with acute nephrotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamid / Extracto de Echinodorus grandiflorus presenta efecto renoprotético en ratas con nefrotoxicidad aguda inducida por ciclofosfamida

cistite hemorrágica e a cistite intersticial expressam uma etiologia variável, desde idiopática à provocada por fármacos, dentre eles a ciclofosfamida. A cistite apresenta tratamento multifatorial, e o potencial efeito satisfatório do uso da medicina complementar, vem ganhando espaço na prática médica. Assim o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito protetivo do extrato bruto de Echinodorus grandiflorus sobre a bexiga de ratos induzidos a cistite por ciclofosfamida. Utilizou-se neste estudo, 35 ratos, machos, Wistar, com peso médio de 321g, que foram submetidos a indução de cistite com uso de ciclofosfamida por via intraperitoneal e tratados com diferentes doses de extrato de Echinodorus grandiflorus (30, 100, 300mg) e o grupo controle com o fármaco Mesna. Todos os animais foram mortos no décimo sétimo dia e suas bexigas urinarias foram ressecadas para avaliação macro e microscópica, além da análise de hemograma e leucograma. A análise do sangue mostrou leucopenia com diferença significativa em todos os animais que receberam a ciclofosfamida. Observou-se que a dose de 300mg/kg do extrato bruto da planta, apresentou efeito protetivo no urotélio vesical, porém, inferior ao uso de Mesna. Diante dos resultados apresentados neste estudo sugere-se que o extrato de Echinodorus grandiflorus apresenta efeito protetivo no urotélio vesical na dose de 300mg/kg, porém estudos futuros quanto a dose e também a uma possível associação terapêutica ao Mesna devam ser realizados. Por se tratar de uma patologia com prevalência importante e ser muitas vezes desagradável e limitante à vida, faz-se necessário o empenho em métodos terapêuticos alternativos aos atuais, afim de, diminuírem os custos e efeitos colaterais dos métodos já documentados.

Hemorrhagic cystitis and interstitial cystitis have a variable etiology, from idiopathic to drug-induced, including cyclophosphamide. Cystitis has a multifactorial treatment, and the potential satisfactory effect of the use of complementary medicine has been gaining ground in medical practice. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of the crude extract of Echinodorus grandiflorus on the bladder of rats induced to cystitis by cyclophosphamide. In this study, 35 male Wistar rats, with an average weight of 321g, were submitted to cystitis induction with intraperitoneal use of cyclophosphamide and treated with different doses of Echinodorus grandiflorus extract (30, 100, 300mg) and the control group with the drug Mesna. All animals were killed on the seventeenth day and their urinary bladders were resected for macro and microscopic evaluation, in addition to the analysis of blood count and leukogram. Blood analysis showed leukopenia with a significant difference in all animals that received cyclophosphamide. It was observed that the dose of 300mg/kg of the crude extract of the plant had a protective effect on the vesical urothelium, however, it was inferior to the use of Mesna. In view of the results presented in this study, it is suggested that the Echinodorus grandiflorus extract has a protective effect on the vesical urothelium at a dose of 300mg/kg, but future studies regarding the dose and also a possible therapeutic association with Mesna should be carried out. Because it is a pathology with significant prevalence and is often unpleasant and life-limiting, it is necessary to commit to alternative therapeutic methods to the current ones, in order to reduce the costs and side effects of the methods already documented.

cistitis hemorrágica y la cistitis intersticial tienen una etiología variable, desde idiopática hasta inducida por fármacos, incluida la ciclofosfamida. La cistitis tiene un tratamiento multifactorial, y el potencial efecto satisfactorio del uso de la medicina complementaria ha ido ganando terreno en la práctica médica. Así, el objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el efecto protector del extracto crudo de Echinodorus grandiflorus sobre la vejiga de ratas inducidas a cistitis por ciclofosfamida. En este estudio, 35 ratas Wistar macho, con un peso promedio de 321g, fueron sometidas a inducción de cistitis con uso intraperitoneal de ciclofosfamida y tratadas con diferentes dosis de extracto de Echinodorus grandiflorus (30, 100, 300mg) y el grupo control con el fármaco Mesna. Todos los animales fueron sacrificados al decimoséptimo día y sus vejigas urinarias fueron resecadas para evaluación macro y microscópica, además del análisis de hemograma y leucograma. El análisis de sangre mostró leucopenia con una diferencia significativa en todos los animales que recibieron ciclofosfamida. Se observó que la dosis de 300 mg/kg del extracto crudo de la planta tuvo un efecto protector sobre el urotelio vesical, sin embargo, fue inferior al uso de Mesna. En vista de los resultados presentados en este estudio, se sugiere que el extracto de Echinodorus grandiflorus tiene un efecto protector sobre el urotelio vesical a una dosis de 300 mg/kg, pero se deben realizar estudios futuros sobre la dosis y también una posible asociación terapéutica con Mesna. llevado a cabo. Por tratarse de una patología con una prevalencia importante y muchas veces desagradable y

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of chromium from tanned leather shavings: A promising continuous flow technology for the treatment of solid waste.

In this work, a continuous flow extraction system assisted by ultrasound (US) was developed for the extraction of Cr(III) from residual tanned leather shavings. US energy was delivered into the system by a tubular applicator (clamp-on tube US applicator). The effect of the US energy was investigated at 20 kHz of frequency and electrical input power of 75, 150, 300 and 600 W. Residence time and temperature profile were also evaluated. It was observed that the internal temperature profile was affected by the presence of US and inverted in comparison with the conditions without US. In this way, the temperature profile generated by the US was reproduced by using electrical resistances in order to compare the obtained results. The US intensity was measured using a hydrophone connected to a sound pressure meter. The use of the US did not alter the dynamic behavior of the system but increased the extraction efficiency when compared to the silent condition. US power above 75 W did not lead to increased extraction efficiency, when the residence time was 30 min. However, when 60 min of residence time were employed, the optimized US power was 150 W, resulting in an extraction efficiency of 71.7 ± 0.7 %, about 28 % higher when compared to the silent condition in the same temperature and other conditions. The US energy allowed a reduction in processing time and operational temperature when compared to the silent condition with the same temperature profile. The overall energy consumption with US was similar or lower than that observed without US, showing the feasibility of the proposed extraction system.

Survival Analysis to Predict How Color Influences the Shelf Life of Strawberry Leather.

Color change of fruit-based products during storage is an important quality parameter to determine their shelf life. In this study, a combination of relative humidity (RH) and illumination was evaluated on the stability of strawberry leathers. Samples were conditioned at 25 °C, in chambers with RH of 22.5% and 52.3% and under two levels of illumination (no illumination and with a light-emitting diode (LED) illumination at 1010 lx). Samples were analyzed during storage by instrumental color measurements, total anthocyanin content, and consumers' acceptance/rejection of the product color. Current-status survival analysis was performed to estimate the sensory-based shelf-life of the strawberry leather. The chromatic parameters (a* and ΔE* values) and anthocyanin content changed with increasing storage time and RH, fitting a first-order fractional conversion model. Samples conditioned at the higher RH showed a higher reduction of a* values and anthocyanins losses when stored under LED illumination than those without illumination. The increase of RH resulted in a faster increase of the consumer rejection probability and a shorter shelf life of the strawberry leather. For 50% of consumers' rejection, the sensory shelf life of the strawberry leather equilibrated at 22.5% RH was estimated as at least 54 days, while it was reduced to approximately 2 days at 52.3% RH. The red chromatic parameter (a* value) strongly correlated to the percentage of consumer rejection in all storage conditions, suggesting that this analytical parameter can be useful as a predictor of strawberry leather's shelf life. Therefore, the results of this study show the applicability of an approach that integrates instrumental and sensory data to acquire faster information on color changes during the storage of strawberry leather and product shelf-life prediction.

A decision support system for fault detection and definition of the quality of wet blue goat skins.

The vast majority of goat skin processed by traditional tanneries comes from small rural producers. Thus, with the predominance of rustic creation, slaughter, and skinning methods, the batches of hides processed by tanneries have a very heterogeneous quality. Thus, there is a need to categorize the samples according to the quantity and location of defects. The categorization process is subjective and strongly influenced by the experience of the professional classifier, causing a lack of homogeneity in the composition of the goat hide lots for sale. Aiming to reduce failures in the categorization of goatskin samples, the authors investigate the application of computer vision and artificial intelligence on a set of previously categorized wet blue goatskin photographic samples. That said, is analyzed the capacity of different classifiers, with different paradigms, in detecting defects in goatskin samples and in categorizing these samples among seven possible quality levels. A hit rate of 95.9% was achieved in detecting defects and 93.3% in categorizing quality levels. The results suggest that the proposed methodology can be used as a decision aid tool in the qualification process of goat leather samples, which can reduce sample labeling errors.

Nanomaterials to help eco-friendly leather processing.

The leather industry converts the hide, a byproduct of slaughterhouses, into leather, a value-added product. This old industry generates wastes, causing environmental pollution. However, nanomaterials can help to decrease this problem. These tiny particles (1-100 nm) can replace chemicals in various steps of leather processing. This paper aims at giving an overview of the fundamentals of classical leather process and how nanomaterials can be applied in each step to obtain a more sustainable manufacturing. After a comprehensive literature review of journal articles, six steps were identified for potential for application of nanomaterials: unhairing, tanning, retanning, dyeing, fatliquoring, and finishing. With nano-oxides, polymers, and metals, it is feasible to reduce the amount of chemical products and also improve the properties of leather. Thus, it is possible to reach a more eco-friendly and effective process with the use of nanomaterials to turn hide/skins into finished leather.

Advanced Oxidation Processes and Biotechnological Alternatives for the Treatment of Tannery Wastewater.

The tannery industry is one of the economic sectors that contributes to the development of different countries. Globally, Europe and Asia are the main producers of this industry, although Latin America and Africa have been growing considerably in recent years. With this growth, the negative environmental impacts towards different ecosystem resources as a result of the discharges of recalcitrated pollutants, have led to different investigations to generate alternative solutions. Worldwide, different technologies have been studied to address this problem, biological and physicochemical processes have been widely studied, presenting drawbacks with some recalcitrant compounds. This review provides a context on the different existing technologies for the treatment of tannery wastewater, analyzing the physicochemical composition of this liquid waste, the impact it generates on human health and ecosystems and the advances in the different existing technologies, focusing on advanced oxidation processes and the use of microalgae. The coupling of advanced oxidation processes with biological processes, mainly microalgae, is seen as a viable biotechnological strategy, not only for the removal of pollutants, but also to obtain value-added products with potential use in the biorefining of the biomass.

Biochemical characterization of a partially purified protease from Aspergillus terreus 7461 and its application as an environmentally friendly dehairing agent for leather industry.

Proteases can be used in several biotechnological processes including detergent, food and leather industries. In the leather industry, dehairing is carried out by chemicals, which pollute the environment. Therefore, to make the hair removal process environmentally friendly, a protease produced by Aspergillus terreus has been purified, biochemically characterized and had an efficient ability to remove hair from bovine leather. The protease was produced using 1% wheat bran and was purified 2.3-fold using two chromatographic steps showing a molecular weight of 90 kDa. Optimal temperature and pH were 50 °C and 6.5, respectively. Thermal stability was up to 1 h at 50 °C. Protease was stable to detergents like Tween 80 and to organic solvents. The activity was activated by Ca2+ and inhibited by Hg2+ and Cu2+. The enzyme was classified as serine protease, by the inhibition by PMSF and was stable to reducing agents. It hydrolyzed casein, azocasein, BSA, egg albumin and BTpNA. The Km and Vmax values were 0.65 ± 0.03 mg/mL and 3.66 ± 0.18 µmol/min, respectively. Remarkable properties about temperature, pH, stability to detergents and reducing agents ensure that the protease from A. terreus can be an excellent candidate for industrial applications, particularly in the leather industry.

Criação comercial sustentável de jacaré no Brasil / Sustainable commercial creation of alligator in Brazil

Considerados animais semiaquáticos, os crocodilianos, que hoje fazem parte da fauna brasileira, estão distribuídos em diversas regiões do Brasil, com predominância no Pantanal, na bacia Amazônica e nas bacias dos rios São Francisco e Paraná. Jacaré do pantanal (Caiman yacare), jacaré-tinga (Caiman crocodilus), jacaréde-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris), jacaré açu (Melanosuchus niger), jacaré paguá (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) e jacaré coroa (Paleosuchus trigonatus) são as espécies que ocorrem no território nacional, das quais se destacam os exemplares de C. yacare, C. latirostris e o C. crocodilos, uma vez que possuem boas características para produção e são aptas ao sistema de criação em cativeiro no país. Com o aumento da procura de produtos e subprodutos dessas espécies, houve consequente necessidade de regulamentação para sua criação, visto que a exploração desregrada desses indivíduos, bem como a caça ilegal, estavam culminando na redução de seus exemplares, fato este comprovado, já que algumas espécies foram incluídas na lista de animais em extinção (Apêndice I da CITES). Contudo, a criação de legislações que favoreceram a prática da criação sustentável, com destaque para os sistemas Ranching e Farming, bem como o aumento de estudos/conhecimento sobre as espécies, culminaram na diminuição da caça desses animais, contribuindo, dessa maneira, para o restabelecimento das populações de jacarés na fauna nacional e para a manutenção do ecossistema em que elas estão inseridas.

Considered semi-aquatic animals, crocodilians, which are now part of the Brazilian fauna are distributed in several regions of Brazil, predominantly in the Pantanal, in the Amazonia basin and in the basins of the São Francisco and Paraná rivers. The yacaré (Caiman yacare), spectacled caiman (C. crocodilus), broad-snouted caiman (C. latirostris), black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) and smooth-fronted caiman (P. trigonatus) are the species that occur in the Brazilian territory, of which stand out the specimens of C. yacare, C. latirostris and the C. crocodilos, since they have good characteristics for production and are suitable for the captive breeding system in the country. With the increase in demand for products and byproducts of these species, there was a consequent need for regulation for their breding, since the disorderly exploration of these individuals, as well as illegal hunting, were culminating in the reduction of their numbers, a fact proven since some species had been included in the past in the list of endangered animals (CITES Appendix I). However, the creation of laws that favored the practice of sustainable breeding, with emphasis on the Ranching and Farming systems, as well as the increase in studies / knowledge of the species, culminated in the reduction of hunting of these animals, thus contributing to the reestablishment of alligator populations in the national fauna and for the maintenance of the ecosystem in which they are inserted.

Impact of post-tanning chemicals on the pollution load of tannery wastewater.

The leather industry uses a large amount of chemicals to transform a raw hide into finished leather. Chemicals are not fully taken up by leather and thus end up in tannery wastewater. Physicochemical and toxicological characterization of tannery effluents has been widely assessed. However, the characterization of processing chemicals and their relation to the pollution load of effluents remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to assess a physicochemical and cytotoxic characterization of chemicals used in the leather post-tanning process and to evaluate the contribution of each chemical to the pollution load of raw wastewater. This study was performed using a leather post-tanning formulation applied by a large tannery located in Brazil. Deacidulation agents caused high conductivity and dissolved solids in wastewater. Retanning agents (natural and synthetic tannins) were responsible for the largest inorganic pollution load, and synthetic tannins were more toxic than natural ones. Fatliquoring agents released the highest chemical oxygen demand load in wastewater and they were the chemical group that presented the highest toxicity. Fixing agent and black dye provided inorganic pollution load to wastewater, and nitrogen pollution of wastewater was mainly related to the neutralizing retanner and the black dye.

Steam Explosion in alkaline medium for gelatine extraction from chromium-tanned leather wastes: time reduction and process optimization.

Alkaline hydrolysis of chromium-tanned leather wastes (CTLW) is a well-known process that allows the extraction of its most valuable portion: the protein. However, alkaline hydrolysis is time-consuming. It usually takes from 2 to 10 h to be completed. In this work, alkaline hydrolysis was performed in a steam explosion reactor, using CaO as the alkalinizing agent and aiming at a short-time process. Three different temperatures and residence times were tested: 130, 140, and 150°C; 5, 10, and 15 min. When performed at 140°C for 10 min, the steam explosion in alkaline medium resulted in the optimum combination of protein extraction yield (30%) and gelatine quality (viscosity of 2.4 cP at 25°C in a 24.6 g/L protein solution - 39 kDa of molecular mass [Formula: see text]w). Not only a high extraction yield was achieved, but when compared to traditional methods, steam explosion in alkaline medium reduced the process time by a factor that varied from 12 to 36 times. It also reduced chromium content in the gelatine by a factor that varied from 16 to 96 times. Finally, to produce a high quality product, the ash content of the gelatine was reduced from 11.8% (dry basis) to 1.2% (dry basis) through diafiltration. This purification allows the application of the gelatine, for example, in the production of polymeric films.

Extracellular Tannase from Aspergillus ochraceus: Influence of the Culture Conditions on Biofilm Formation, Enzyme Production, and Application.

Aspergillus ochraceus biofilm, developed on an inert support, can produce tannase in Khanna medium containing 1.5% (w/v) tannic acid as the carbon source, at an initial pH of 5.0, for 72 h at 28 °C. Addition of 0.1% yeast extract increased enzyme production. The enzyme in the crude filtrate exhibited the highest activity at 30 °C and pH 6.0. At 50 °C, the half-life was 60 min and 260 min at pH 6.0. In general, addition of detergents and surfactants did not affect tannase activity significantly. Tannase has potential applications in various biotechnological processes such as the production of propyl gallate and in the treatment of tannin-rich effluents. The content of tannins and total phenolic compounds in effluents from leather treatment was reduced by 56-83% and 47-64%, respectively, after 2 h of enzyme treatment. The content of tannins and total phenolic compounds in the sorghum flour treated for 120 h with tannase were reduced by 61% and 17%, respectively. Interestingly, the same A. ochraceus biofilm was able to produce tannase for three sequential fermentative process. In conclusion, fungal biofilm is an interesting alternative to produce high levels of tannase with biotechnological potential to be applied in different industrial sectors.

Changes in the microstructural, textural, thermal and sensory properties of apple leathers containing added agavins and inulin.

In this study the effect of agavin and inulin addition on the microstructural, textural, thermal and sensory properties of apple leathers was investigated. Agavins and inulin were added to leathers at two concentration levels (6 and 4%) individually and as a mixture. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed more compact and less porous matrices in the 6% concentration with respect to the control, influencing leather texture. In formulations with agavins the texture was significantly (p < 0.05) smoother than in those with inulin. No relationship was found between hardness and glass transition temperature (Tg), but there was a significant difference between treated leathers and the control. The acceptability of the product showed a direct relationship with the hardness. There were significant changes in the leathers after storage. Agavins and inulin exhibited different technological properties and considering the texturising effect of the agavins, their potential for use in the food industry is promising.

Preparation and characterization of activated carbon produced from tannery solid waste applied for tannery wastewater treatment.

The removal of toxic compounds (azo dyes) from dyeing wastewater was investigated by an environmentally friendly activated carbon produced from solid waste generated in the tannery process, the cattle hair (CHW), activated with H3PO4 (AC-CHW), suggesting a life cycle extension for this material from leather processing. Preliminary tests with aqueous solutions containing Acid Brown 414 (AB-414) and Acid Orange 142 (AO-142) removed 71.06% and 73.05%, respectively. The activated carbon was characterized by zeta potential (ZP), functional groups (FTIR), elemental composition, sorbent specific surface area, and pore size distribution (BET/BJH). The specific surface area showed low values when compared to commercial activated carbon, but average pore diameter was higher, which facilitates the adsorption of larger and complex molecules, such as those present in real wastewaters. Through SEM and FTIR, the presence of the toxic compounds studied in the AC-CHW after sorption process was observed, where the results indicated that the functional groups of -CH=CH- participated in the removal process for these compounds. The removal efficiency obtained with AC-CHW was 51.94% and 49.73% for the dyeing wastewater containing AB-414 and AO-142, respectively. The obtained results open a promising via to use AC-CHW as efficient eco-friendly sorbent for the treatment of leather wastewater.

Adsorption of leather dyes on activated carbon from leather shaving wastes: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamics studies.

In this work, the adsorption of Acid Black 210 (AB210) and Acid Red 357 (AR357) onto activated carbon prepared from leather shaving wastes (ACLW) was investigated. The activated carbon presented a surface area of 800.4 m²/g with an average pore size of 1.27 nm. The kinetic study showed that the adsorption of both dyes followed the Elovich kinetic model while the AB210 and AR357 isotherm data were well described by the Langmuir and BET models, respectively. Furthermore, the Boyd plot revealed that the adsorption of the leather dyes on activated carbon was mainly governed by film diffusion. The pH had a strong influence on the adsorption, and the higher amounts of dye adsorbed were obtained at pH 2. The obtained activated carbon exhibited a high monolayer adsorption capacity of 573.9 and 204.4 mg/g for AB210 and AR357, respectively. Its high capacity is mainly attributed to its basicity (0.17 mmol/g) and high surface area. Desorption efficiency of the spent activated carbon was found to be 54.3% and 43.0% for AB210 and AR357, respectively. The spontaneity of the process was demonstrated by the negative values of the Gibbs free energy change.

Chromium(III), chromium(VI) and cobalt release from leathers produced in Nicaragua.

BACKGROUND: Leather exposure has been associated with chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) contact dermatitis. Cr(VI) in leather is now restricted to <3 mg/kg in the EU. Cr(III) is not restricted. OBJECTIVES: To analyse 29 differently coloured Cr-tanned leather samples from two Nicaraguan tanneries, and to compare their release of Cr, Cr(VI) and Co with that of leathers produced in Europe. METHODS: Cr, Cr(VI) and Co were extracted in phosphate buffer for 3 hours at 25°C according to EN ISO 17075. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and spectrophotometry were used for detection of the metals in phosphate buffer. RESULTS: There was no difference in total Cr or Cr(VI) release between European and Nicaraguan leathers. There was no association between Cr(VI) and total Cr release. Co was released primarily from leathers of one tannery. Cr(III) was released in significantly higher amounts than Cr(VI). CONCLUSIONS: Future investigations and regulations should focus on Cr(III) and Co as well as on Cr(VI).

The potential reproductive toxicity of tannery effluent to the estrous cycle and ovarian follicular dynamics of female Swiss mice.

Although the toxic effects of tannery effluent (TE) on tanning-industry workers have been reported in many studies, its effects on females' reproductive system are unknown. We aimed at evaluating the effects of direct contact with TE on the "emotional" status, estrous cycle (during 15 consecutive exposure days), and ovarian follicular dynamics of female Swiss mice at the end of the experiment to broaden the knowledge about the toxicity of this pollutant. The herein adopted exposure protocol simulated tanning-industry workers' exposure to TE. The test animals were subjected to 45 exposure days, for 1 h a day, 5 days a week (from Monday to Friday). Based on the collected data, female mice exposed to TE recorded high anxiety index in the elevated plus maze test, although we did not observe changes in their estrous cycle. The smaller total and specific number of ovarian follicles (types 1 to 6) and the higher frequency of degenerating follicles (atresic) in female mice exposed to TE marked the folliculogenesis reduction in them. Therefore, our study was the first to provide evidences that the exposure to TE can cause reproduction issues in female mice, as well as the first experimental insight about the impact of unhealthy work activities in tanning industries on women's reproductive system.

Determination of toxic metals in leather by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) with emphasis on chromium.

The tanning industry is one of the largest environmental polluters due to high generation waste in all production processes, but the tanning is particularly worrisome due to the use of significant amounts of chromium. Cr is an element potentially toxic to both health and the environment, depending on the concentration and the oxidation state. Cr(VI) can come in contact with human skin when using leather goods, which can cause allergies and dermatitis, besides being carcinogenic. Considering that approximately 90% of the world production of leather is performed with Cr salts, the determination of this element in leather is necessary to avoid exposure to the risks that the element can provide. The main goal of this study was the development of an alternative analytical method for the determination of Cr in leathers (ovine and bovine leather tanned with Cr and vegetable tannin) using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) for direct solid analysis. Besides performing analysis of the chemical composition and determination of Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ti, and Zn in leather by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Principal component analysis (PCA) was also used in the evaluation of the WDXRF and ICP OES data sets. WDXRF calibration models for Cr presented satisfactory figures of merit and the analysis of the leathers revealed an alarming concentration of total Cr in the samples reaching 21,353 mg kg-1.