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The prevalence of diabetes has increased over the past years. Therefore, developing minimally invasive, user-friendly and cost-effective glucose biosensors is necessary especially in low-income and developing countries. Cellulose paper-based analytical devices have attracted the attention of many researchers due to affordability, not requiring trained personnel, and complex equipment. This paper describes a microfluidic paper-based analytical device for the detection of glucose in tear with the naked eye. The paper-based biosensor fabricated by laser CO2, and GOx/HRP enzymatic solution coupled with TMB was utilized as reagents. A sample volume of 10 µl was needed for the biosensor operation and the results were observable within 5 minutes. To evaluate the device performance, color intensity-based and distance-based results were analyzed by ImageJ and Tracker. Distance-based results showed a linear behavior in the range of 0.1–0.6 mM with an R2 = 0.967 and LOD of 0.2 mM. The results could be perceived by the naked eye without any need to further equipment or trained personnel in a relatively short time (3–5 minutes). Moreover, glucose concentration could be obtained non-invasively by tears collected by this µPAD.

The outbreak of new viral strains promotes advances in universal diagnostic techniques for detecting infectious diseases with unknown viral sequence. Long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a hallmark of infections, serves as a virus marker for prompt detection of viruses with unknown genomes. Here, we report on-chip paper electrophoresis for ultrafast screening of infectious diseases. Negatively charged RNAs pass through the micro and nanoscale pores of cellulose in order of size under an external electric field applied to the paper microfluidic channel. Quantitative separation of long dsRNA mimicking poly I:C was analyzed from 1.67 to 33 ng·μL−1, which is close to the viral dsRNA concentration in infected cells. This paper-based capillary electrophoresis chip (paper CE chip) can provide a new diagnostic platform for ultrafast viral disease detection at the point-of-care (POC) level.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging linear-accelerator (MRI-linac) equipment has recently been introduced to multiple centres in Australia and New Zealand. MRI equipment creates hazards for staff, patients and others in the MR environment; these hazards must be well understood, and risks managed by a system of environmental controls, written procedures and a trained workforce. While MRI-linac hazards are similar to the diagnostic paradigm, the equipment, workforce and environment are sufficiently different that additional safety guidance is warranted. In 2019 the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) formed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linear-Accelerator Working Group (MRILWG) to support the safe clinical introduction and optimal use of MR-guided radiation therapy treatment units. This Position Paper is intended to provide safety guidance and education for Medical Physicists and others planning for and working with MRI-linac technology. This document summarises MRI-linac hazards and describes particular effects which arise from the combination of strong magnetic fields with an external radiation treatment beam. This document also provides guidance on safety governance and training, and recommends a system of hazard management tailored to the MRI-linac environment, ancillary equipment, and workforce.

An industry compatible chemo-refining approach was tested for preparation of micro-nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) from bleached softwood pulp using sodium meta-periodate and sodium chlorite as oxidizers followed by refining in Valley beater. SEM and FTIR analyses confirmed micro-nano scale fibrillation and chemical functional group modification in laboratory prepared MNFC, respectively. The water retention value, carboxyl content and viscosity of MNFC were found comparable with imported NFC as reference (R-NFC). To evaluate MNFC as strength enhancer for paper properties, 5% MNFC addition to bleached mixed hardwood pulp showed 6% reduction in bulk with 36%, 24% and 97% increment in breaking length, burst index and double fold of the handsheets, respectively without affecting tear index and optical properties than the control. Surface properties were also improved. Pulp drainability (37°SR) after MNFC addition was found suitable for papermaking. These laboratory results confirmed the potential of MNFC as a suitable strength additive for paper quality improvement.

Consistency and clear guidelines on dosimetry are essential for accurate and precise dosimetry, to ensure the best patient outcomes and to allow direct dose comparison across different centres. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Linac (MRI-linac) systems have recently been introduced to Australasian clinics. This report provides recommendations on reference dosimetry measurements for MRI-linacs on behalf of the Australiasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) MRI-linac working group. There are two configurations considered for MRI-linacs, perpendicular and parallel, referring to the relative direction of the magnetic field and radiation beam, with different impacts on dose deposition in a medium. These recommendations focus on ion chambers which are most commonly used in the clinic for reference dosimetry. Water phantoms must be MR safe or conditional and practical limitations on phantom set-up must be considered. Solid phantoms are not advised for reference dosimetry. For reference dosimetry, IAEA TRS-398 recommendations cannot be followed completely due to physical differences between conventional linac and MRI-linac systems. Manufacturers’ advice on reference conditions should be followed. Beam quality specification of TPR20,10 is recommended. The configuration of the central axis of the ion chamber relative to the magnetic field and radiation beam impacts the chamber response and must be considered carefully. Recommended corrections to delivered dose are $${k}_{{Q}_{msr}{Q}_{0}}^{{f}_{msr}{f}_{ref}}$$ k Q msr Q 0 f msr f ref , a correction for beam quality and $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$ k B → , Q msr f msr , for the impact of the magnetic field on dosimeter response in the magnetic field. Literature based values for $${k}_{\overrightarrow{B},{Q}_{msr}}^{{f}_{msr}}$$ k B → , Q msr f msr are given. It is important to note that this is a developing field and these recommendations should be used together with a review of current literature.

By way of broadening the use of diverse sustainable bioethanol feedstocks, the potentials of Paper mulberry fruit juice (PMFJ), as a non-food, sugar-based substrate, were evaluated for fuel ethanol production. The suitability of PMFJ was proven, as maximum ethanol concentration (56.4 g/L) and yield (0.39 g/g) were achieved within half a day of the start of fermentation, corresponding to very high ethanol productivity of 4.7 g/L/hr. The established potentials were further optimally maximized through the response surface methodology (RSM). At the optimal temperature of 30 °C, yeast concentration of 0.55 g/L, and pH of 5, ethanol concentration, productivity, and yield obtained were 73.69 g/L, 4.61 g/L/hr, and 0.48 g/g, respectively. Under these ideal conditions, diverse metal salts were afterward screened for their effects on PMFJ fermentation. Based on a two-level fractional factorial design, nutrient addition had no positive impact on ethanol production. Thus, under the optimal process conditions, and without any external nutrient supplementation, bioethanol from PMFJ compared favorably with typical sugar-based energy crops, highlighting its resourcefulness as a high-value biomass resource for fuel ethanol production. Graphical Abstract

The study describes the preparation of pulp and nanocellulose from non-wood plant materials, as well as an improved properties of paper and cardboard for mass production. The pulps from wheat straw, kenaf and flax fibers were prepared by the environmentally friendly organosolv method—cooking in a solution of isobutanol or peracetic acid. The organosolv pulps used to prepare nanocellulose had traces of lignin and mineral substances. The process of hydrolysis of the investigated organosolv pulps was optimal when carried out under the following conditions: 43% sulfuric acid, temperature 60 °C, hydrolysis time 90 min and ultrasonic treatment 60 min. Using the methods of SEM, XRD, TEM, AFM and TGA, the structure and properties of organosolv pulps and nanocellulose were studied. The use of nanocellulose in bulk and on the surface of mass types of paper and cardboard—paper for corrugation, offset paper, recycled containerboard and cardboard for flat layers of corrugated cardboard were investigated. We established the positive effect of nanocellulose application on the physical and mechanical properties of paper and cardboard. Low consumption of nanocellulose allows production of the paper and cardboard with properties that meet the requirements to appropriate standards and replacement of synthetic reinforcing materials.

The main objective of this study is the evaluation of RPPW anaerobic digestion feasibility at laboratory scale under Mesophilic condition. The experiment is conducted using a two-stage biofilm digester of 5 L capacity with mobile support material. Anaerobic treatment of wastewater from recycled pulp and paper industry in Morocco was tested using a laboratory-scale anaerobic biofilm digester that operated under mesophilic conditions over a 70-day. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) efficiency, volatile and total solid (VS, TS) elimination of the substrate during the process were: 78%, 52% and 48% respectively. The system was stable throughout its operating cycle with an optimum pH (7.24), alkalinity (1750 mg CaCO3/L) and a volatile fatty acid value (760 mg/L). The experimental daily biogas production measured reaches a value of 5 L/day with a composition of 71% methane, 27.6% carbon dioxide, 0.2 oxygen and 7713 ppm of the H2S. The study results show that the anaerobic biofilm reactor is a suitable technique for recycled pulp and paper wastewater (RPPW) treatment. The reactor shows high performances in terms of process stability, removal efficiency (> 70%) and biogas production. Anaerobic digestion is an efficient waste treatment technology that uses natural anaerobic decomposition to reduce the volume of waste while producing biogas. However, research is needed to strengthen microbial metabolism, biochemistry and the functioning of the rector to improve biogas production. The RPPW AD experiment with biofilm digester technology was stable throughout the operation period. The digester knows an overloaded in the last phase of the experiment which leads to an inhibition of biogas production.

In order to improve the efficiency of disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring, it is desirable to detect the concentration of proteins and metal ions simultaneously, since the current popular diagnostic platform can only detect proteins or metal ions independently. In this work, we developed a colorimetric microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) for simultaneous determination of protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) and metal ions [Fe(III) and Ni(II)]. The µPAD consisted of one central zone, ten reaction zones and ten detection zones in one device, in which reaction solutions were effectively optimized for different types of chromogenic reactions. Fe(III), Ni(II) and BSA can be easily identified by the colored products, and their concentrations are in good accordance with color depth based on the established standard curves. The detection limits are 0.1 mM for Fe(III), 0.5 mM for Ni(II) and 1µM for BSA, respectively. Best of all, we demonstrated the efficiency of the µPAD with accurate detection of Fe(III), Ni (II) and BSA from river water samples within 15 minutes. The µPAD detection is efficient, instrument-free, and easy-to-use, holding great potential for simultaneous detection of cross type analytes in numerous diagnostic fields.

A superhydrophobic paper with excellent robustness was fabricated by roll coating with modified nano-TiO2. First, nano-TiO2 particles were hydrophobically modified by γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (POTS). Then the paper coating composed of modified nano-TiO2 particles as pigments and epoxy resin (EP) as adhesives was coated on a paper surface to create the desired surface morphology and surface energy. Compared with the uncoated filter paper, the prepared paper showed an improved rough surface morphology owing to the uniform layer of TiO2 microclusters deposited on the fiber network. The superhydrophobic paper exhibited water contact angles (WCA) about 153° ± 1.5°, and water sliding angles (WSA) about 3.5° ± 0.5°, low surface adhesion and excellent bounce ability. The superhydrophobic paper can withstand a variety of wear and tear, such as tape stripping and knife scraping. The as-prepared superhydrophobic paper showed mechanical durability even after 20 wear cycles with sandpaper,thus sustaining excellent superhydrophobicity on the filter paper surface. Moreover, it remains fully functional even in environments with high concentrations of acid and alkali for 96 h. The superhydrophobicity was not affected after storage for 6 months in a natural environment. It was confirmed that the superhydrophobic paper surface exhibited excellent chemical stability, long-term stability and self-cleaning properties. The entire production process was operated under normal environment, without complex equipment; and, as such, has the possibility for large-scale production and application in industry.

The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has highlighted the need for versatile diagnostic assays that can discriminate among emerging variants of the virus. Here we report the development and performance benchmarking of an inexpensive (approximately US$0.30 per test) assay for the rapid (sample-to-answer time within 30 min) colorimetric detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The assay, which we integrated into foldable paper strips, leverages nucleic acid strand-displacement reactions, the thermodynamic energy penalty associated with single-base-pair mismatches and the metal-ion-controlled enzymatic cleavage of urea to amplify the recognition of viral RNAs for the colorimetric readout of changes in pH via a smartphone. For 50 throat swab samples, the assay simultaneously detected the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and mutations specific to the SARS-CoV-2 variants Alpha, Beta and Gamma, with 100% concordance with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and RNA sequencing. Customizable and inexpensive paper-based assays for the detection of viruses and their variants may facilitate viral surveillance.

In low-resource settings, resilience to infectious disease outbreaks can be hindered by limited access to diagnostic tests. Here we report the results of double-blinded studies of the performance of paper-based diagnostic tests for the Zika and chikungunya viruses in a field setting in Latin America. The tests involved a cell-free expression system relying on isothermal amplification and toehold-switch reactions, a purpose-built portable reader and onboard software for computer vision-enabled image analysis. In patients suspected of infection, the accuracies and sensitivities of the tests for the Zika and chikungunya viruses were, respectively, 98.5% (95% confidence interval, 96.2-99.6%, 268 serum samples) and 98.5% (95% confidence interval, 91.7-100%, 65 serum samples) and approximately 2 aM and 5 fM (both concentrations are within clinically relevant ranges). The analytical specificities and sensitivities of the tests for cultured samples of the viruses were equivalent to those of the real-time quantitative PCR. Cell-free synthetic biology tools and companion hardware can provide de-centralized, high-capacity and low-cost diagnostics for use in low-resource settings. Double-blinded studies show that paper-based diagnostic tests and a companion portable device designed for use in low-resource settings perform well for the diagnosis of the Zika and chikungunya viruses in serum samples.

The report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group No. 132 published in 2017 reviewed rigid image registration and deformable image registration (DIR) approaches and solutions to provide recommendations for quality assurance and quality control of clinical image registration and fusion techniques in radiotherapy. However, that report did not include the use of DIR for advanced applications such as dose warping or warping of other matrices of interest. Considering that DIR warping tools are now readily available, discussions were hosted by the Medical Image Registration Special Interest Group (MIRSIG) of the Australasian College of Physical Scientists & Engineers in Medicine in 2018 to form a consensus on best practice guidelines. This position statement authored by MIRSIG endorses the recommendations of the report of AAPM task group 132 and expands on the best practice advice from the ‘Deforming to Best Practice’ MIRSIG publication to provide guidelines on the use of DIR for advanced applications.

The occurrence of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in cellulose-based packaging is mainly due to the offset printing process where MOH are used as a ink pigments' solvent. The MOH migration from paper/paperboard to food is matter of concern for EFSA, members state authorities, consumers, and food industry. In this study, the feasibility to stabilize MOH by adding a sorbent into recycled paper obtained through a common washing process was investigated and the migration to wheat flour/Tenax® assessed. Among several white/pale yellow porous materials, organo-modified powder silica MCM-41-Si(CH3)3 showed the best combination between affinity for MOH (184% dw) and stability to thermal regeneration. A freshly issued newspaper with >3000 mg MOH kg-1 was used to produce recycled paper at a laboratory-scale plant. MCM-41-Si(CH3)3 was added at the pulping step (1% dw) and the sorbent-enriched pulp handled according to a washing paper production process with no effect on the paper optical brightness. The MOH content of the wheat flour in contact with the sorbent-enriched paper under accelerated migration conditions (15 days at 40 °C) resulted 20% of that contacted with control paper (4.3 ± 1.1 and 20.4 ± 5.5 mg kg-1, respectively), despite its contamination was 24% higher than the control. On the contrary, Tenax® contamination resulted 56.0 ± 10.0 and 47 ± 14.0 mg kg-1 when exposed to sorbent-enriched and control paper, respectively.

All-inkjet-printing of transistors has received much attention for low cost and flexible integrated circuits. However, most flexible field-effect transistors (FETs) based on the emerging two-dimensional materials suffer from the high cost of substrate and electrode materials. The requirements for high-temperature synthesis and precise control in processing add another layer of complexity. To overcome these issues, low-cost flexible paper-based MoS2 FETs were fabricated by inkjet printing of MoS2 channel materials on paper. Additionally, we proposed and achieved the mask-less and low-temperature formation of source and drain electrodes on paper using in-situ selective-area copper reduction. A low sub-threshold swing of 80 mV/dec, high on/off ratio of 105, and very high turn-on current (Ion) of 200 μA of the paper-based flexible MoS2 FETs were demonstrated using the proposed low-cost and facile all-inkjet-printing technique. The all-inkjet-printing technique assisted by in-situ copper reduction opens new opportunities for low-cost and batch fabrication of paper-based electronic devices in ambient conditions.

Three-dimensional visualization of cellular and subcellular-structures in histological-tissues is essential for understanding the complexities of biological-phenomena, especially with regards structural and spatial relationships and pathologlical-diagnosis. Recent advancements in tissue-clearing technology, such as Magnified Analysis of Proteome (MAP), have significantly improved our ability to study biological-structures in three-dimensional space; however, their wide applicability to a variety of tissues is limited by long incubation-times and a need for advanced imaging-systems that are not readily available in most-laboratories. Here, we present optimized MAP-based method for paper-thin samples, Paper-MAP, which allow for rapid clearing and subsequent imaging of three-dimensional sections derived from various tissues using conventional confocal-microscopy. Paper-MAP successfully clear tissues within 1-day, compared to the original-MAP, without significant differences in achieved optical-transparency. As a proof-of-concept, we investigated the vasculature and neuronal-networks of a variety of human and rodent tissues processed via Paper-MAP, in both healthy and diseased contexts, including Alzheimer’s disease and glioma.

In this study, a microbial consortium from an acid-treated rumen fluid was used to improve the yields of H2 production from paper residues in batch reactors. The anaerobic batch reactors, which contained paper and cellulose, were operated under three conditions: (1) 0.5 g paper/L, (2) 2 g paper/L, and (3) 4 g paper/L. Cellulase was added to promote the hydrolysis of paper to soluble sugars. The H2 yields were 5.51, 4.65, and 3.96 mmol H2/g COD, respectively, with substrate degradation ranging from 56 to 65.4 %. Butyric acid was the primary soluble metabolite in the three reactors, but pronounced solventogenesis was detected in the reactors incubated with increased paper concentrations (2.0 and 4.0 g/L). A substantial prevalence of Clostridium acetobutylicum (99 % similarity) was observed in the acid-treated rumen fluid, which has been recognized as an efficient H2-producing strain in addition to ethanol and n-butanol which were also detected in the reactors.

Sludge cake produced in paper mill industries is disposed into a landfill and may cause the environmental and health problems. Now many researchers have tried to recycle rigid materials from it for the purpose of decreasing its volume. The aims of this study were to clarify three hypotheses: (1) whether a flower pot would be economically made from sludge cake, (2) whether it would be safe for environment, and (3) when vegetables would grow enough in it, whether they would be safe for human consumption. Sludge cake was mixed with soil (soil texture: heavy clay). The circular plaster mold was used as a fixed mold. As the toxicological testing, leaching test and seed germination test were used. Heavy metal concentrations in vegetables grown in the flower pot were measured. The flower pot was sufficiently formed by drying in natural open air. The results of leaching test showed three heavy metals, lead, nickel and copper, were lower than the standard in Thailand. The seed germination test suggested no negative effects of the flower pot on the germination of Chinese kale. Lead concentrations in the Chinese kale were higher than the recommended maximum level in leafy vegetables. The new flower pot can be made from sludge cake with soil. It has the possibility to have no negative effect on the environment. Although the vegetables grown in this flower pot are not suitable to eat, this flower pot has the possibility to solve the environmental and health problems.

This Position Paper was prepared by members of the Task Force on Global Food Security of the International Society for Plant Pathology. An objective approach is proposed to the assessment of the potential of genetic modification (GM) to reduce the impact of crop diseases. \ud \ud The addition of GM to the plant breeder’s conventional toolbox facilitates gene-by-gene introduction into breeding programmes of well defined characters, while also allowing access to genes from a greatly extended range of organisms. The current status of GM crops is outlined. GM could make an additional contribution to food security but its potential has been controversial, sometimes because of fixed views that GM is unnatural and risky. These have no factual basis: GM technology, where adopted, is widely regulated and no evidence has been reported of adverse consequences for human health. \ud \ud The potential benefits of GM could be particularly valuable for the developing world but there are numerous constraints. These include cost, inadequate seed supply systems, reluctance to adopt unfamiliar technology, concern about markets, inadequacy of local regulatory systems, mismatch between research and growers’ needs, and limited technical resources. The lower cost of new gene-editing methods should open the practice of GM beyond multinational corporations. As yet there are few examples of utilization of GM-based resistance to plant diseases.\ud \ud Two cases, papaya ringspot virus and banana xanthomonas wilt, are outlined. In the developing world there are many more potential cases whose progress is prevented by the absence of adequate biosafety regulation. \ud \ud It is concluded that there is untapped potential for using GM to introduce disease resistance. An objective approach to mobilizing this potential is recommended, to address the severe impact of plant disease on food security.

The current work was aimed to develop the paper microzone plates (PµZP) as a scanometric system for determining the total antioxidant capacity of plant extracts. The PµZP was constructed by immobilizing CUPRAC reagent onto 70-well of patterned paper as a sensing zone for the scanometric detection system. The light blue-sensing zone showed a sensitive response to standard antioxidant (rutin) by forming light yellow color adducts which can be scanned and quantitatively measured by image processing program as a scanometric method. The sensor gave a notable signal at 8 min after rutin addition and presented a linear response in the concentration span of 1–10 mM. The developed method was shown to be reproducible (RSD

Biotechnological processes have the potential to reduce environmental pollution through their application in processes aimed at resolving waste dumping problems. In this study, Bacillus cereus was assessed for its efficiency to decolorize pulp and paper industrial effluents. The impact of carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, initial pH and incubation period on color reduction was also studied. The optimum pH and temperature were found to be 6.5 and 45 °C, respectively. B. cereus was efficient at decolorizing the effluents in the presence of glucose, xylose and starch (84, 45.5 and 66 %, respectively), but maximum color reduction (90.6 %) was obtained with 0.5 % sucrose as the carbon source in the presence of 1 % ammonium sulphate. The substantially high load of chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand was decreased by about 61 and 66 %, respectively, by B. cereus. The molecular size distribution studies of control and bacterial-treated effluent samples revealed the degradation of high and medium molecular mass compounds. The results demonstrate the high potential of B. cereus as a significant candidate for color removal from pulp and paper mill effluents.

This study is aimed at assessing the biobleaching activity of fungal xylanase on paper pulp isolated from Tirumala forest, Eastern Ghats of India. Of the 98 fungal isolates obtained after initial screening, eight isolates were selected and one potential strain was further cultivated under submerged fermentation for production of xylanase. The biobleaching efficiency on waste paper pulp and paper industry effluent was tested with crude enzyme. Xylanolytic activity by the chosen organism in submerged fermentation reached the maximum (981.1 U ml−1) on the 5th day of incubation. Molecular characterisation of the isolate led to its identification as Trichoderma asperellum which exhibited the production of enzyme even at alkaline pH of the culture medium. Xylanase pretreatment of paper pulp had shown reduction in the Kappa number by 4.2 points and increased brightness by 4.0 points. FTIR and SEM studies revealed loosening of pulp fibres after enzyme treatment. In conclusion, xylanase of Trichoderma asperellum was effective as a pulp biobleaching agent and the process is economical as well as eco-friendly.

Humicola insolens produced a new β-glucosidase (BglHi2) under solid-state fermentation. The purified enzyme showed apparent molecular masses of 116 kDa (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and 404 kDa (gel-filtration), suggesting that it is a homotetramer. Mass spectrometry analysis showed amino acid sequence similarity with a β-glucosidase from Chaetomium thermophilum. Optima of pH and temperature were 5.0 and 65 °C, respectively, and the enzyme was stable for 60 min at 50 °C, maintaining 71 % residual activity after 60 min at 55 °C. BglHi2 hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside and cellobiose. Cellobiose hydrolysis occurred with high apparent affinity (K M = 0.24 ± 0.01 mmol L(-1)) and catalytic efficiency (k cat/K M = 1,304.92 ± 53.32 L mmol(-1) s(-1)). The activity was insensitive to Fe(+3), Cr(+2), Mn(+2), Co(+2), and Ni(2+), and 50-60 % residual activities were retained in the presence of Pb(2+), Hg(2+), and Cu(2+). Mixtures of pure BglHi2 or H. insolens crude extract (CE) with crude extracts from Trichoderma reesei fully hydrolyzed Whatman no. 1 paper. Mixtures of H. insolens CE with T. reesei CE or Celluclast 1.5 L fully hydrolyzed untreated printed office paper, napkin, and magazine papers after 24-48 h, and untreated cardboard was hydrolyzed by a H. insolens CE/T. reesei CE mixture with 100 % glucose yield. Data revealed the good potential of BglHi2 for the hydrolysis of waste papers, promising feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production.

Xylanases are hydrolytic enzymes which cleave the β-1, 4 backbone of the complex plant cell wall polysaccharide xylan. Xylan is the major hemicellulosic constituent found in soft and hard food. It is the next most abundant renewable polysaccharide after cellulose. Xylanases and associated debranching enzymes produced by a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, actinomycetes, yeast and fungi bring hydrolysis of hemicelluloses. Despite thorough knowledge of microbial xylanolytic systems, further studies are required to achieve a complete understanding of the mechanism of xylan degradation by xylanases produced by microorganisms and their promising use in pulp biobleaching. Cellulase-free xylanases are important in pulp biobleaching as alternatives to the use of toxic chlorinated compounds because of the environmental hazards and diseases caused by the release of the adsorbable organic halogens. In this review, we have focused on the studies of structural composition of xylan in plants, their classification, sources of xylanases, extremophilic xylanases, modes of fermentation for the production of xylanases, factors affecting xylanase production, statistical approaches such as Plackett Burman, Response Surface Methodology to enhance xylanase production, purification, characterization, molecular cloning and expression. Besides this, review has focused on the microbial enzyme complex involved in the complete breakdown of xylan and the studies on xylanase regulation and their potential industrial applications with special reference to pulp biobleaching, which is directly related to increasing pulp brightness and reduction in environmental pollution.

Microbial communities play a vital role in maintaining soil health. A multiphasic approach to assess the effect of pulp and paper mill effluent on both the structure and function of microbial soil communities is taken. Bacterial communities from agricultural soils irrigated with pulp and paper mill effluent were compared to communities form soils irrigated with well water. Samples were taken from fields in the state of Uttarakhand, India, where pulp and paper mill effluent has been used for irrigation for over 25 years. Comparisons of bacterial community structure were conducted using sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from both isolates and clone libraries attained from the soil. Community-level physiological profiling was used to characterize the functional diversity and catabolic profile of the bacterial communities. The multiphasic approach using both physiological and molecular techniques proved to be a powerful tool in evaluating the soil bacterial community population and population differences therein. A significant and consistent difference in the population structure and function was found for the bacterial communities from soil irrigated with effluent in comparison to fields irrigated with well water. The diversity index parameters indicated that the microbial community in pulp and paper mill effluent irrigated fields were more diverse in both structure and function. This suggests that the pulp and paper mill effluent is not having a negative effect on the soil microbial community, but in fact may have a positive influence. In terms of soil health, this finding supports the continued use of pulp and paper mill effluent for irrigation. This is however only one aspect of soil health which was evaluated. Further studies on soil resistance and robustness could be undertaken to holistically evaluate soil health in this situation.

This study is the first comprehensive investigation of enzyme-producing bacteria isolated from four sludge samples (primary, secondary, press and machine) collected in a Kraft paper mill. Overall, 41 strains encompassing 11 different genera were identified by 16S rRNA gene analysis and biochemical testing. Both biodiversity and enzymatic activities were correlated with sludge composition. Press sludge hosted the largest variety of bacterial strains and enzymatic activities, which included hydrolytic enzymes and ligninolytic enzymes. In contrast, strains isolated from secondary sludge were devoid of several enzymatic activities. Most strains were found to metabolize Kraft liquor at its alkaline pH and to decolorize industrial lignin-mimicking dyes. Resistance to lignin or the ability to metabolize this substrate is a prerequisite to survival in any paper mill sludge type. We demonstrate here that the bacterial strains found in a typical Kraft paper mill represent a source of potential novel enzymes for both industrial applications and bioremediation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3147-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Analyzing electrolytes in urine, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and nitrite, has significant diagnostic value in detecting various conditions, such as kidney disorder, urinary stone disease, urinary tract infection, and cystic fibrosis. Ideally, by regularly monitoring these ions with the convenience of dipsticks and portable tools, such as cellphones, informed decision making is possible to control the consumption of these ions. Here, we report a paper-based sensor for measuring the concentration of sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and nitrite in urine, accurately quantified using a smartphone-enabled platform. By testing the device with both Tris buffer and artificial urine containing a wide range of electrolyte concentrations, we demonstrate that the proposed device can be used for detecting potassium, calcium, chloride, and nitrite within the whole physiological range of concentrations, and for binary quantification of sodium concentration.

Xylanase is a hemicellulase enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of xylan to xylose which is widely used in processing of feed, pulp and paper. It is produced by many microorganisms especially filamentous fungi like Trichoderma and Aspergillus. A potential xylanolytic fungal isolate Aspergillus niger was isolated from forest soils of Tirumala, AP, India, and its crude enzyme was checked for its potential in paper bleaching. Under submerged fermentation, production of xylanase, cellulase, biomass, total protein and sugar released were analysed after 7 days of incubation at room temperature. Maximum enzyme activity was recorded on the fifth day of incubation, biomass after the seventh day, total protein and sugar released on the sixth day of incubation. Enzyme pretreatment of paper reduced 3.5 points in kappa number, 3.1 points increase in brightness and removal of chromophores and hydrophobic compounds. The FTIR and SEM analysis of enzyme-treated sample had shown modification in surface morphology and functional groups. These results clearly demonstrated that the xylanase produced by A. niger was effective as a pulp biobleaching agent which can be used on an industrial scale.

An improved method for genetic transformation of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Shinhokusei No. 1) was developed. Vacuum infiltration of cotyledonary explants with Agrobacterium suspension enhanced the efficiency of Agrobacterium infection in the proximal regions of explants. Co-cultivation on filter paper wicks suppressed necrosis of explants, leading to increased regeneration efficiency. Putative transgenic plants were screened by kanamycin resistance and green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence, and integration of the transgene into the cucumber genome was confirmed by genomic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blotting. These transgenic plants grew normally and T1 seeds were obtained from 7 lines. Finally, stable integration and transmission of the transgene in T1 generations were confirmed by GFP fluorescence and genomic PCR. The average transgenic efficiency for producing cucumbers with our method was 11.9 ± 3.5 %, which is among the highest values reported until date using kanamycin as a selective agent. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11816-012-0260-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

14 páginas, 7 figuras, Pitch control is an important aspect in pulp and paper manufacture, and the first example where microbial biotechnology provided successful solutions in this industrial sector. Triglycerides cause deposits in softwood mechanical pulping, and both microbial and enzymatic products have been commercialized to be applied on wood and pulp, respectively. The former are based on colorless strains of sapstain fungi. The latter are improved lipases, including thermostable variants from directed evolution. These enzymes are among the additives of choice in pulping of high-resin-content softwoods. However, lipases are not useful when pitch originates from other lipids, such as steroids and terpenes, and the sapstain inocula are also only partially effective. In the search for stronger biocatalysts to degrade recalcitrant lipids, the potential of white-rot fungi and their enzymes has been demonstrated. When inocula of these fungi are used, wood treatment must be controlled to avoid cellulose degradation. However, the efficiency and selectivity of the laccase-mediator system permits its integration as an additional bleaching stage. A double benefit can be obtained from these treatments since pitch is controlled at the same time that residual lignin is removed facilitating the implementation of totally chlorine free pulp bleaching., This work was supported by the Spanish projects AGL2008-00709, BIO2005-03569 and BIO2008-01533, and the BIORENEW project of the European Union (contract NMP2-CT-2006-026456).

1Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, CSIC, PO Box 1052, E-41080, Seville, Spain; and 2Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, E-28040 Madrid, Spain, Lipophilic extractives in wood and other lignocellulosic materials exert a negative impact in pulp and paper manufacturing causing the so-called pitch problems. In this work, the appropriateness of an enzymatic treatment using the laccase-mediator system for pitch biocontrol is evaluated. With this purpose, three pulp types representative for different raw materials and pulping processes - eucalypt kraft pulping, spruce thermomechanical pulping and flax soda-anthraquinone pulping - were treated with a high-redox potential laccase from the basidiomycete Pycnoporus cinnabarinus in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as a redox mediator. The gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of the lipophilic extractives from the enzymatically-treated pulps revealed that the laccase-mediator treatment completely (or greatly) removed most of the pitch-causing lipophilic compounds present in the different pulps including: i) free and conjugated sitosterol in eucalypt paper pulp; ii) resin acids, sterol esters and triglycerides in spruce pulp; and iii) sterols and fatty alcohols in the flax pulp. Different amounts of free and conjugated 7-oxosterols were found as intermediate products in the oxidation of pulp sterols. Therefore, the laccase-mediator treatment is reported as an efficient method for removing pitch-causing lipophilic compounds from paper pulps obtained from hardwood, softwood and nonwoody plants., This study has been funded by the Spanish projects AGL2002-393 and BIO2002-1166, the EU projects QLK5-99-1357 and QLK3-99-590, and by ENCE-CSIC contracts.

This opinion article addresses the implications of recent EU regulations on alcoholic drinks labeling for regional development. In March 2017, the European Commission released a report requiring the mandatory labeling of ingredients and nutritional information for alcoholic beverages within 1 year, putting an end to the exceptionality of this sector compared to other foodstuffs, and responding to pressing demands by European consumer associations and other actors. Pressure from the alcohol sector had delayed EU legislation on the matter and managed to avoid a mandatory labeling provision, instead generating the possibility of making its own regulation proposal within a year. The Commission will assess this proposal in March 2018 and could review or reject it if found to be unsatisfactory. Here, we want to examine the controversy elicited by this new regulation, analyzing the consequences of labeling (or not) in the particular case of wine regions. It shows how the lack of labeling regulations harms winemakers oriented towards the production of quality wines and generates important information asymmetries that can lead to an overall decrease of wine quality. Ultimately, it highlights the relevance of a regional perspective on EU sectoral policies, as these can have unintended effects and lead to contradictory outcomes. The example of wine regions is used to emphasize this issue by showing the need to harmonize regional cohesion and CAP policies with industrial, environmental and consumer protection policies., This work was supported by the Rede de investigación Novos Enfoques da Análise Territorial (NEDAT), funded by the SUG, Xunta de Galicia 2017.

A stilbene dye (Direct Yellow 11) and a methine dye, Basazol 46L, recalcitrant to common chemical bleaches, were treated with horseradish and soybean peroxidases. Both enzymes were effective at chromophore removal. When compared to laccase in combination with a mediator (ABTS), soybean peroxidase was more effective at oxidative dye removal, especially for the methine dye.

Background It is important for industries to find green chemistries for manufacturing their products that have utility, are cost-effective and that protect the environment. The paper industry is no exception. Renewable resources derived from plant components could be an excellent substitute for the chemicals that are currently used as paper binders. Air laid pressed paper products that are typically used in wet wipes must be bound together so they can resist mechanical tearing during storage and use. The binders must be strong but cost-effective. Although chemical binders are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the public is demanding products with lower carbon footprints and that are derived from renewable sources. Results In this project, carbohydrates, proteins and phenolic compounds were applied to air laid, pressed paper products in order to identify potential renewable green binders that are as strong as the current commercial binders, while being organic and renewable. Each potential green binder was applied to several filter paper strips and tested for strength in the direction perpendicular to the cellulose fibril orientation. Out of the twenty binders surveyed, soy protein, gelatin, zein protein, pectin and Salix lignin provided comparable strength results to a currently employed chemical binder. Conclusions These organic and renewable binders can be purchased in large quantities at low cost, require minimal reaction time and do not form viscous solutions that would clog sprayers, characteristics that make them attractive to the non-woven paper industry. As with any new process, a large-scale trial must be conducted along with an economic analysis of the procedure. However, because multiple examples of “green” binders were found that showed strong cross-linking activity, a candidate for commercial application will likely be found.

The relative importance of each of three dechlorinating species to overall organochlorine removal from bleached kraft-mill effluents (BKME) was assessed. Ancylobacter aquaticus A7, Pseudomonas P1, and Methylobacterium CP13, strains indigenous to a BKME treatment system, were tested for growth on chlorinated acetic acids and alcohols, and for adsorbable organic halogen (AOX) reduction in batch cultures of sterile BKME from three sources. A. aquaticus A7 exhibited the broadest substrate range, but could only affect significant AOX reduction in softwood effluents. Methylobacterium CP13 exhibited a limited substrate range, but was capable of removing significant amounts of AOX from both hardwood and softwood effluents. By contrast, Pseudomonas sp. P1 exhibited a limited substrate range and poor to negligible reductions in AOX levels from both effluent types. Mixed inocula of all three species combined and inocula of sludge from mill treatment systems removed as much AOX from softwood effluents as did pure populations of Methylobacterium CP13. When BKME was hydrolysed prior to AOX analysis, the subsequent estimates of recalcitrant, or non-hydrolysable, AOX levels were far less variable than their counterpart total AOX measures. It is suggested that this is a relevant and useful measure of AOX for biodegradation studies.

Waste office paper was treated with steam in a pressure vessel at 170–220°C and then enzymatically saccharified and fermented to ethanol. Steam alone was not effective in raising yields, but acid catalysed steam treatment resulted in yields of 460 litres per ton, an increase of 29% over controls, and 91% of theory.

Waste paper is a plentiful and low-cost lignocellulosic feed material that may represent the most direct way to penetrate the market with an advanced bioprocessing system. Innovative bioprocessing concepts integrated into such a system for the production of ethanol should be economically viable. Several of the proposed processing advances for such a system have only been studied on a laboratory scale, so a more thorough process development and scale-up effort will be required.

A hand-powered centrifuge made of two paper discs, string and wooden handles is shown to achieve rotational speeds of 125,000 r.p.m., separate pure plasma from whole blood in less than 1.5 minutes and isolate malaria parasites in 15 minutes.

This study aimed to establish whether protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) of hybrid Cymbidium Twilight Moon ‘Day Light’ could be cultured on paper bridges to remove tissue and medium browning and enhance growth. In addition, the effects of two antioxidants (ascorbic acid [AA] and α-tocopherol [AT]) and activated charcoal (AC) on tissue and medium browning were evaluated. Half-PLBs were cultured on Whatman No. 1 paper bridges in 10 ml of medium containing AC, AA, or AT. The production and development of new PLBs was inferior to that on standard agar-based solid medium when half-PLBs were used. The addition of 1 g/l AC, 10 mg/l AA, or 25 mg/l AT did not affect the formation of new PLBs from half-PLBs, but tissue or medium browning was also not observed. Encapsulated PLBs developed from half-PLBs germinated on medium containing AC or antioxidants. This research provides a simple but effective chemical means, through the use of AC or antioxidants, of avoiding tissue or medium browning without negatively impacting the growth and productivity of orchid PLBs. The use of paper bridges, however, significantly reduced PLB-related growth and development parameters relative to agar-based medium.

A significant fraction of short fibers commonly called “reject fines” is produced while recycling wastepaper at paper mills producing linerboard. These fines are usually rejected into the solid waste stream that further requires land filling and poses environmental problems. The major component of these rejects is cellulose that can be a potential source of fermentable sugars for biofuels, bioplastics or other products. Therefore, a feasible process for converting these reject fines into sugars can profit the paper mills by producing value for their waste products while simultaneously mitigating their adverse environmental impact by avoided solid waste. Additionally, the sugar feedstocks can be used to reduce fossil carbon contributing to the sustainability of the industry. Enzymatic conversion of rejects fines from paper mills was achieved using commercial cellulases from Trichoderma reesei. The presence of mineral particles along with the cellulosic fines was found to have potent inhibitory effects on enzyme hydrolysis. The mineral particles are kaolin and calcium carbonate and originate from the fillers used in the wastepaper. The adsorption of the cellulase onto these mineral components was measured and quantified by the slope of the adsorption isotherm. The application of a nonionic surfactant Tween-80, decreased the adsorption of cellulase and this improved the hydrolysis yield of sugars. Enzymatic hydrolysis of rejects from recycled paper mills is feasible and provides a source of sugars for biofuels and bioplastics. However, the presence of mineral particles can be detrimental to this bioconversion. Calcium carbonate which occurs as a filler in waste paper shows high adsorption affinity to the cellulase enzymes and thus reduces the available enzyme for cellulolysis. This can be remedied by the application of surfactants which preferentially occlude to the mineral surfaces and thus increase enzyme availability in solution. The non-ionic surfactant, Tween-80, shows the best hydrolysis enhancement at a dosage of 3 % based on the dry weight of the biomass.

Rhizopus fungi is suitable for the production of lactic acid, which is the backbone material of polylactic acid used as green plastic from lignocellulosic biomass, since it can grow and ferment in simple medium with various carbon sources such as starch and cellulose. Although paper sludge (PS) contains a lot of cellulosic fibers and in general was incinerated for volume reduction and heat recovery, other efficient utilizations have hardly been developed. In effective production of lactic acid from PS, the research of the extraction of cellulosic fiber from raw PS to obtain effectively fermentable sugars by cellulase and the selection of lactic acid microorganism are necessary. In this study, the PS pretreatment method with NaOH and HCl and the optimization of cellulase reagent were achieved, and also a desirable thermotolerant Rhizopus was selected. Finally, the production of lactic acid from the treated PS at 40 °C by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with the strain and an optimized cellulase cocktail was investigated. Rhizopus oryzae NBRC 5384 was selected for thermotolerant lactic acid production from Rhizopus library because of its heat tolerance up to 40 °C and high lactic acid production of 80 g/L. The strain can ferment to lactic acid from hexose, pentose, sugar alcohol, disaccharide and starch. The soaking of raw PS in NaOH and HCl was able to reduce effectively inorganic materials and other reagents for repulping, and the content of Al and Ca per PS dry matter was mainly decreased from 32.9 and 30.8 to 14.1 and 1.66 %, respectively. SSF of the treated PS of 50 g/L with optimized cellulase cocktail and 5384 at 40 °C resulted in lactic acid production of 9.33 g/L for 96 h. The thermotolerant Rhizopus fungus was found based on its high performance in lactic acid production at high temperature from not only glucose, but also other various carbon sources including polysaccharides and the secretion of amylases and cellulases. The treatment of raw PS by NaOH and subsequent HCl was able to remove a large amount of inorganic materials with decrease of hydrophobicity. In SSF of the treated PS with the strain and the optimized cellulase cocktail, lactic acid was able to be produced. However, the increase of initial PS concentration in SSF led to the decrease of the yield with ethanol production, because of limited aeration due to increase of density. An appropriate oxygen supply to the strain is necessary to improve lactic acid production.

Background Ethanol production from paper sludge (PS) by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is considered to be the most appropriate way to process PS, as it contains negligible lignin. In this study, SSF was conducted using a cellulase produced from PS by the hypercellulase producer, Acremonium cellulolyticus C-1 for PS saccharification, and a thermotolerant ethanol producer Saccharomyces cerevisiae TJ14 for ethanol production. Using cellulase of PS origin minimizes biofuel production costs, because the culture broth containing cellulase can be used directly. Results When 50 g PS organic material (PSOM)/l was used in SSF, the ethanol yield based on PSOM was 23% (g ethanol/g PSOM) and was two times higher than that obtained by a separate hydrolysis and fermentation process. Cellulase activity throughout SSF remained at around 60% of the initial activity. When 50 to 150 g PSOM/l was used in SSF, the ethanol yield was 21% to 23% (g ethanol/g PSOM) at the 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask scale. Ethanol production and theoretical ethanol yield based on initial hexose was 40 g/l and 66.3% (g ethanol/g hexose) at 80 h, respectively, when 161 g/l of PSOM, 15 filter paper units (FPU)/g PSOM, and 20% inoculum were used for SSF, which was confirmed in the 2 l scale experiment. This indicates that PS is a good raw material for bioethanol production. Conclusions Ethanol concentration increased with increasing PSOM concentration. The ethanol yield was stable at PSOM concentrations of up to 150 g/l, but decreased at concentrations higher than 150 g/l because of mass transfer limitations. Based on a 2 l scale experiment, when 1,000 kg PS was used, 3,182 kFPU cellulase was produced from 134.7 kg PS. Produced cellulase was used for SSF with 865.3 kg PS and ethanol production was estimated to be 51.1 kg. Increasing the yeast inoculum or cellulase concentration did not significantly improve the ethanol yield or concentration.