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Ambrosia beetles are an emerging threat to forestry ecosystems, attacking native and non-native trees. The brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata (Lam.) Gagnon, H.C.Lima & G.P.Lewis) is currently considered the most appropriate material for the manufacture of violin bows due to its unique vibrational properties. An experimental plantation of brazilwood has been attacked by the ambrosia beetle Megaplatypus mutatus Chapuis. In this work, we compared the cell wall carbohydrate composition of brazilwood sawdust produced due to the attack of imagoes (adult males) and larvae of this beetle. We aimed to assess changes caused by the insect and its associated microbiota. Cellulose and xylans represented the main fractions of all materials, and pectin accounted for only 10-15% of the walls. The yield of wall fractions and cell wall composition of the sawdust produced by adult beetles, which is composed of long particles, were quite similar to those found in the material obtained from uninfected trunks indicating that the adult male does not feed on the wood at this stage. In contrast, chemical fractionation of the granular sawdust from larvae showed a lower content of extractable pectins, representing only 50% of the total amount detected in the sawdust produced by adult male beetles. Sugar composition analysis of the pectin fractions of the larval sawdust revealed the loss of arabinosyl, galacturonosyl, and galactosyl residues, indicating that the association between beetle/ambrosia fungus evolves towards the degradation of easily accessible pectic polysaccharides of the cell wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pods of the forest species Caesalpinia echinata were used as an alternative adsorbent to remove bright blue (BB) and methylene blue (MB) dyes. The raw and acid-treated samples were characterized by techniques like SEM, XRD, and FTIR. The acid-treated pod sample was characterized by an amorphous structure containing several cavities, bumps, and functional groups. The Elovich model was the most satisfactory to describe the adsorption kinetic data. The isothermal studies were better described by the Langmuir model for BB dye, with a maximum capacity of 261 mg g−1, and Tóth model for MB dye, giving a maximum capacity of 288 mg g−1. The thermodynamic study indicated a spontaneous and favorable process and endothermic nature for both dyes. In the treatment of two simulated effluents containing a mixture of different compounds such as dyes and salts, to simulate real wastewaters, the adsorbent was highly efficient, presenting around 80% of color removal for both effluents. Therefore, the acid-treated pods of Caesalpinia echinata have great potential to be applied as an alternative adsorbents in treating colored effluents in discontinuous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of eight different procedures used for the extraction of natural dyes was evaluated using contemporary wool samples dyed with cochineal, madder, woad, weld, brazilwood and logwood. Comparison was made based on the LC-DAD peak areas of the natural dye's main components which had been extracted from the wool samples. Among the tested methods, an extraction procedure with NaEDTA in water/DMF (1:1, v/v) proved to be the most suitable for the extraction of the studied dyes, which presented a wide range of chemical structures. The identification of the natural dyes used in the making of an eighteenth century Arraiolos carpet was possible using the NaEDTA/DMF extraction of the wool embroidery samples and an LC-DAD-MS methodology. The effectiveness of the NaEDTA/DMF extraction method was particularly observed in the extraction of weld dye components. Nine flavone derivatives previously identified in weld extracts could be identified in a single historical sample, confirming the use of this natural dye in the making of Arraiolos carpets. Indigo and brazilwood were also identified in the samples, and despite the fact that these natural dyes were referred in the historical recipes of Arraiolos dyeing, it is the first time that the use of brazilwood is confirmed. Mordant analysis by ICP-MS identified the widespread use of alum in the dyeing process, but in some samples with darker hues, high amounts of iron were found instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caesalpinia echinata, commonly known as Pau-brasil (Brazilwood), the famous tree that named Brazil is native to the Atlantic forest. Men extensively exploited it ever since discovery and colonial times due to its value as a source of red dye. As a consequence, Brazilwood is a threatened species with populations reduced to small forest fragments. Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed from an enriched genomic library. Using fluorescently-labeled primers, a total of 83 alleles were found after analyzing a sample of 44 trees. These high genetic information content markers should allow detailed investigations of mating systems, gene flow, population structure and paternity in natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the alternative of using woods products in providing musical instruments. It is reported that pernambuco or Guilandia echinata, the traditional material for violin bows until it became an endangered species, while the material scientists provide the instrument maker with an alternative, a carbon fiber composite bow. In addition, the author reports that musical marketplace has identified the most suitable materials without the benefit of accurate scientific testing.