Article
Polymer Science
Maria Guadalupe Lomeli-Ramirez, Benjamin Reyes-Alfaro, Silvia Lizeth Martinez-Salcedo, Maria Magdalena Gonzalez-Perez, Manuel Alberto Gallardo-Sanchez, Gabriel Landazuri-Gomez, J. Jesus Vargas-Radillo, Tania Diaz-Vidal, Jose Guillermo Torres-Rendon, Emma Rebeca Macias-Balleza, Salvador Garcia-Enriquez
Summary: This study demonstrates that cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers isolated from agro-waste can be used as reinforcements in a thermoplastic starch matrix to obtain environmentally friendly materials that can substitute contaminant polymers. The addition of nanocrystals and nanofibers improves the mechanical and antibacterial properties, as well as the solubility and water vapor permeability of the biocomposites. The study offers new insights into the improvement of starch films using different proportions of nanofibers and nanocrystals.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Enrique Marquez-Rios, Miguel Angel Robles-Garcia, Francisco Rodriguez-Felix, Jose Antonio Aguilar-Lopez, Francisco Javier Reynoso-Marin, Jose Agustin Tapia-Hernandez, Francisco Javier Cinco-Moroyoqui, Israel Ceja-Andrade, Ricardo Ivan Gonzalez-Vega, Arturo Barrera-Rodriguez, Jacobo Aguilar-Martinez, Edgar Omar-Rueda-Puente, Carmen Lizette Del-Toro-Sanchez
Summary: This study reports the impact of ionic liquids (ILs) in the production of nanofibers from cellulose bagasse. The results showed that nanofibers prepared with ILs exhibited improved thermal properties and physical interaction with cellulose. This offers new alternatives for cellulose bagasse with potential applications in various industries.
Article
Polymer Science
Ana Kramar, Francisco Javier Gonzalez-Benito
Summary: In the past decades, cellulose nanofibers have gained attention for their exceptional properties arising from their nanofibrous morphology. This review focuses on various spinning techniques for the production of cellulose and cellulose derivative fibers. The influence of solvents on spinnability and properties of nanofibers is discussed, as well as the recycling of cellulose waste into new materials. Applications of cellulose fibers in various fields are highlighted.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Anusuiya Singh, Rosa M. Rodriguez-Jasso, Rohit Saxena, Ruth Belmares Cerda, Reeta Rani Singhania, Hector A. Ruiz
Summary: This study investigated the impact of subcritical water pretreatment on the chemical composition, biomass fractionation, and enzymatic hydrolysis of agave bagasse from various tequila production processes. The research identified optimal conditions for the pretreatment process, resulting in increased cellulose content in the solid phase. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated agave bagasse showed promising conversion yield, indicating its potential as a raw material in second-generation biorefineries.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Materials Science, Textiles
S. Mowafi, H. El-Sayed
Summary: This article reviews the unique characteristics of keratin- and sericin-based electro-spun nanofibers and their applications in various fields. It highlights the principles of electro-spinning and the devices used for nanofiber fabrication. The chemistry of keratin and sericin bio-polymers and the methods of extraction from natural resources are discussed, as well as blending with other materials to improve their properties. The incorporation of nanosized metals, metal oxides, and bioactive materials into these nanofibers and their utilization in biomedical, filtration, and smart textile applications are illustrated. The current status and future prospects of electro-spun nanofibers are emphasized.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shiya Qiao, Jingling Yan, Zhen Wang, Yan Wang, Junrong Yu, Zuming Hu
Summary: With the increasing severity of health problems caused by air pollution, there is a growing demand for high-quality air filtration aerogel materials. This study successfully prepared composite nanofibrous aerogels with clear hierarchical porous structures by introducing cellulose nanofibers (CNF) into a polyimide nanofiber (PINF) system using self-assembly and freeze-drying technology. The resulting aerogels exhibited an extremely low density, a hierarchical porous structure, high filtration efficiency (99.69% for PM0.3), and a low pressure drop (230 Pa), making them promising air filtration materials for applications in more complex environments.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jinling Zhu, Hailiang Yang, Leitao Cao, Chenchen Dai, Jing Ren, Junrui Liang, Shengjie Ling
Summary: This work presents a non-destructive technique to functionalize structural materials by selectively etching their surface without compromising their internal structure. An ultrathin and transparent silk fibroin ionotronic nanofiber skin (SFINS) is electro-spun onto the surface of the materials, giving them electric conductivity and environmental responsiveness. This technique offers scalability, cost-effectiveness, and high efficiency, without altering the structure, properties, and sustainability of the substrate materials.
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Julio Cesar Gomora-Hernandez, Alberto Tecante, Maria del Carmen Carreno-de-Leon, Nicolas Flores-Alamo, Sagnite Ventura-Cruz
Summary: Microcrystalline cellulose was obtained from agave bagasse through sequential alkaline hydrogen peroxide hydrolysis and dilute acid hydrolysis. The treatments efficiently produced porous crystalline cellulose with reduced lignin and hemicellulose content. However, they were unable to remove the characteristic calcium oxalate crystals in agave bagasse cell walls. The proposed method offers a way to produce porous crystalline cellulose in a short-term process without the need for complex and costly steps.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Weihua Zhang, Luyao Wang, Ermei Makila, Stefan Willfor, Chunlin Xu
Summary: In this study, a novel ultralight aerogel-based adsorbent with a highly porous structure and good mechanical integrity was developed. It showed excellent water stability, fast shape recovery, and ultra-fast water transport. Additionally, the adsorbent exhibited excellent selective adsorption and separation performance. This research provides a new strategy for the development of low-cost and highly efficient adsorbents for wastewater treatment.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Huaizhong Xu, Shinichi Yagi, Sherry Ashour, Lei Du, Md Enamul Hoque, Lin Tan
Summary: Nanofiber-based products are widely used in various industries, and the demand has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Electrospinning is the most popular technology, while centrifugal spinning and electro-centrifugal spinning are alternative methods. This article provides an overview of the existing devices and processing parameters, and suggests ways to improve centrifugal and electro-centrifugal spinning.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Dimitrios Georgouvelas, Hani Nasser Abdelhamid, Jing Li, Ulrica Edlund, Aji P. Mathew
Summary: A simple method for manufacturing all-cellulose layered membranes with high adsorption and catalytic properties for metal ions and organic dyes has been developed in this study, with a significant increase in hydrogenation efficiency for dyes achieved in the presence of membranes compared to NaBH4 alone. The membranes show great potential for water purification systems due to their water-based processing, abundance of component materials, and multifunctional characteristics.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenbin Zhang, Keyan Yang, Xiangsheng Han, Hongzhen Cai, Wenyu Lu, Yanhao Yuan, Shunyi Zhang, Feng Gao
Summary: In this study, cellulose nanofibers based membranes were successfully prepared with high dye solution flux and rejection rates. The membranes were made from cellulose nanofibers obtained from pomelo peels through a simple oxidation process and decorated with ZIF-8 crystals. The resulting membranes exhibited mechanical strength, high surface area, and excellent dye rejection rates, making them suitable for remediation of dye contaminated water.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Eman Elnabawy, Dongyang Sun, Neil Shearer, Islam Shyha
Summary: Electro-blown spinning (EBS) is an emergent hybridized nanofibers formation technology. This paper provides a detailed review of the EBS process, including working principle, operation parameters, nanofibers materials, setup modifications, and various applications. EBS can produce outstanding spinning efficiency and superior nanofibers characteristics compared to conventional spinning methods, and it has been proven to be feasible for large-scale production with highly viscous polymers.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE-ADVANCED MATERIALS AND DEVICES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Ana Kramar, Thomas Luxbacher, Javier Gonzalez-Benito
Summary: Cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers were prepared using solution blow co-spinning (SBS) with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and pure CA membranes were obtained by washing water-soluble PEO from the fibrous CA-PEO blend. The nanofibrous membranes were characterized using various methods, including optical and scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and surface zeta potential measurements. The study confirmed the removal of PEO and the successful deacetylation to cellulose, and also proposed a new staining method for differentiating CA and PEO components.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ilse Ileana Cardenas Bates, Ingrid Berenice Sanchez Carrillo, Hugo Germain, Eric Loranger, Bruno Chabot
Summary: The antibacterial composite material used in the study showed bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and can completely remove them from water solutions through filtration. The antibacterial properties of the composite material can be further enhanced by doping with copper ions, and it can still maintain good performance after multiple uses.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo, Graciela Nani, Florentina Zurita, Carlos Nakase, Sergio Zamora, Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo, Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres
Summary: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Mexico was studied, and a correlation was found between the percentage of treated wastewater and the number of COVID-19 positive cases. The study highlights the need to increase wastewater treatment coverage and emphasizes the potential of untreated wastewater as a bioindicator for virus presence. However, the wastewater treatment systems in Mexico are fragile and limited in coverage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Allan Tejeda, Alberto J. Valencia-Botin, Florentina Zurita
Summary: This study evaluated the resistance of four macrophyte species to tequila vinasse and found that Iris sibirica has the greatest potential to be used for the purification of tequila vinasse in wetland systems.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Arturo Montoya, Allan Tejeda, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel, Florentina Zurita
Summary: This study evaluated the treatment of tequila vinasse (TV) in two types of constructed wetlands (CWs), showing similar high removal efficiencies for various pollutants. The highest removal percentages were obtained at 40% of dilution in both horizontal subsurface flow wetlands (HSSFWs) and vertical upflow wetlands (VUFWs). This research demonstrates the potential of CWs as an effective treatment system for TV.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo, Jose Luis Marin-Muniz, Alejandro Alvarado-Lassman, Florentina Zurita, Oscar Marin-Pena, Mayerlin Sandoval-Herazo
Summary: This study evaluated the use of ornamental plants and polymer-based filter media in a large-scale community wetland system for treating municipal wastewater. The results showed that systems with vegetation effectively removed pollutants, and ornamental plants exhibited good growth in both monoculture and polyculture.
Article
Forestry
Rodrigo Hakamada, Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz, Eduardo More Mattos, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel
Summary: Our study provides a comprehensive overview of forestry programs in Brazil, comparing them with programs in other countries and considering geographical factors. We found that although the number of forestry programs and graduates in Brazil has increased over the past 25 years, there is still a low fill rate for university vacancies. Additionally, many professors in these programs have no prior professional experience outside academia.
Article
Forestry
Rodrigo Hakamada, Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel, Luiza Lucena, Hasbleidy Palacios Hinestroza
Summary: The employment rate and organizational interest in high-skilled professionals are important drivers for universities to improve the qualifications of college students. By investigating the sectors of employment pursued by forestry engineering graduates and surveying companies affiliated with the Forest Science and Research Institute (IPEF), it was found that there is a significant potential for employment in the forestry sector, with noticeable growth in the past five years. This growth is attributed to market demand and changes in action plans.
Article
Forestry
Rodrigo Hakamada, Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel
Summary: This study investigated the current scenario and trends regarding human resources in the forest sector. The findings suggest a shortage of qualified professionals in the job market and a lack of behavioral skills training. New college graduates were found to lack important soft skills and knowledge in certain areas. However, there was a convergence between job requirements and the skills considered important by new graduates.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rodrigo Hakamada, Jesus Prados-Coronado, Cassiano Lages, Arthur Vrechi, Virgilio Zuniga-Grajeda, Freddy Hernan Villota-Gonzalez, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of different stocking densities on the growth of Gmelina arborea and the efficacy of using drones to capture aerial images of tree crown cover. The results showed that higher stocking densities led to better tree growth and that Gmelina arborea has promising carbon storage capacity. Using simple cameras and drones proved effective in detecting and estimating crown areas, although the presence of weeds reduced effectiveness.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicolas Francisco Mateo-Diaz, Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo, Florentina Zurita, Mayerlin Sandoval-Herazo, Graciela Nani, Eduardo Fernandez-Echeverria, Gregorio Fernandez-Lambert, Georgina Martinez-Resendiz
Summary: This research evaluated the efficiency of horizontal subsurface flow-constructed wetlands planted with Hippeastrum striatum and Heliconia lastisphata for the treatment of contaminated river waters by wastewater from the dairy industry and domestic wastewater in tropical climates. The results showed that both species can effectively treat the wastewater.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Allan Tejeda, Arturo Montoya, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel, Florentina Zurita
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality in two streams in the Valles region of Jalisco, Mexico and determine if they are being used as disposal sites for tequila vinasse. It was found that the concentration of pollutants in the streams increased as they passed through tequila factories, leading to highly polluted water with little aquatic life. The study highlights the urgent need for tequila companies to implement treatment systems for vinasse to improve the current situation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel, Jean Jouvenson, Jesus Barrera-Rojas, Hasbleidy Palacios-Hinestroza, Kelly Joel Gurubel Tun
Summary: The water hyacinth is an invasive plant that spreads rapidly in bodies of water, affecting the ecosystem. However, it can be utilized for bioenergy production and obtaining high-value products due to its rich organic matter content, without competing with food security.
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jesus Barrera-Rojas, Kelly Joel Gurubel-Tun, Emmanuel Rios-Castro, Maria Cristina Lopez-Mendez, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel
Summary: This study characterized sediments from the Santiago River and searched for an alternative source of inoculum for biogas production. Proteomic analysis was performed on methane-processing archaea present in these sediments. The results showed the presence of diverse euryarcheotic species with high potential for methane production.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Gabriela Montes de Oca-Vasquez, Marianelly Esquivel-Alfaro, Jose Roberto Vega-Baudrit, Guillermo Jimenez-Villalta, Victor Hugo Romero-Arellano, Belkis Sulbaran-Rangel
Summary: This study developed nanocomposite chitosan films with antimicrobial activity extracted from agave bagasse and shrimp shells. The addition of nanofibers and silver nanoparticles improved the mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of the films, showing potential as a green alternative for food preservation and packaging.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH
(2023)
