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This work is a decision support contribution in Morocco’s household and similar waste management. This management based on total waste landfilling leads to several environmental impacts, such as the use of large land areas, also the gaseous pollutants released, such as methane. Our first action was to collect reference data on the composition of this waste through a physicochemical characterization in the landfill in the city of Mohammadia. We sorted the waste generated by four types of populations with different living standards. A quantity of 500 to 2315 kg was treated, which allowed us to classify the household waste studied into nine main components. The sorting results are (organic matter 54.94%, plastic 15,18%, paper and cardboard 9,72%, textiles 7,46%, sanitary textiles 5,82%, metals 2,20%, glass 1, 89%, Wood 1,82% and Other 1,28%). Thus, these results revealed organic matter dominance and an increase in the plastic rate, which did not exceed 8% in the past. Added to this, the physicochemical parameters results are (volatile matter 60,26%, Humidity rate 59,05%, a total organic carbon (TOC) 33,47%, and a lower heating value (LHV) 1840,3 kcal.kg-1). From these data, we can easily deduce that installing a sorting platform with a methanation and composting unit is the most suitable choice for recovering our waste. Therefore, we have chosen the methanation technology that meets the results obtained (dry batch and mesophilic) and sized this unit to assess its electricity production capacity that can be produced in our landfills. We carried out a scenario with a load factor of 0,9 and an electrical efficiency of 39%. The study results are 9 digesters to be built, 6.700 MW.y-1 of electrical energy produced, 14.523 tons.y-1 of refined compost, and 2.128.680 m3.y-1 of biomethane produced. By offering our own integrated and sustainable management system for household and similar waste, we have connected the landfill bins and the digesters to the same motor to avoid biogas leaks from the bins to the atmosphere and increase electrical efficiency by controlling the gas flow.

Recent developments in micro and nanoencapsulation are promising tools to encounter the different limitations of essential oil formulations, enhance their functionalities, and protect them from the external environmental conditions. This review addresses the current studies and progresses related to the development of encapsulated essential oils using different systems and carrier material types. It also focuses on the formation methods used with the subsequent physicochemical characterization of the developed particles. Moreover, this review considers the factors affecting the release of essential oils with the different physicochemical release models. The choice of the appropriate formation method as well as the carrier material types and system forms were shown to highly depend on the intended purpose of the encapsulated essential oil formulation. Micro and nanoencapsulation are used to control essential oils’ release properties, enhance the various characteristics of essential oils, and allow to expand applications in different fields. This review provides the optimal conditions for micro and nanoencapsulation of essential oil formulations based on the intended end uses.

Dose accuracy and precision for pulmonary drug delivery have been core elements of therapy for asthma for 70 years. As the technology has developed, its application has spread to various diseases. For many inhaled products, solid-state chemistry, the nature of the drug particles, and their relationship to other particles in the formulation underpin success in disease treatment. Methods of manufacturing yield unique particle systems whose properties support the range of doses required to treat diseases with low- and high-potency drugs requiring high and low doses, respectively. To ensure the quality of these particulate products, which correlates with safety and efficacy, comprehensive characterization of their physicochemical properties and aerosol performance is required. The delivered dose and aerodynamic particle size distribution are key characteristics related to lung exposure required in clinical efficacy trials for non-communicable, genetic, environmental, and communicable (i.e., infectious) diseases. The breadth of inhaled therapy has increased significantly since the introduction of the initial products in the last century. The desire to treat genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, and the emergence of new approaches to lung therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic is opening up new opportunities in inhaled biologicals that are anticipated to lead to future developments.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a high-value biopolymer with remarkable physicochemical properties and diverse applications in biotechnology and advanced materials. In this study, a BC-producing strain was isolated from Ficus carica and identified as Gluconacetobacter entanii through partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing, showing 99% identity. The strain was cultivated in Hestrin–Schramm medium under static conditions, promoting biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface. BC production increased progressively in both wet and dry weight during cultivation, reaching maximum values between days 11 and 13, with a dry weight of up to 7.7 g L⁻¹ and a maximum yield of 38.5%. The produced BC exhibited a high water retention capacity (>95%), indicative of a highly porous and hydrated nanostructure. Statistical analysis revealed that pH and temperature significantly influenced BC yield, with optimal conditions at pH 6.0 and 30 °C. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups typical of pure bacterial cellulose, with no evidence of contaminants. Overall, the results demonstrate that G. entanii isolated from F. carica is an efficient and sustainable source of bacterial cellulose with potential applications in biotechnology and functional materials.

The present study evaluated the replacement of beef fat in beef burgers using a tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) oil emulsion, in order to reduce total fat and saturated fatty acids in the studied samples. Three formulations were processed: Control—100% beef fat; tiger nut 50% (TN50)—50% of beef fat replaced using tiger nut oil emulsion and tiger nut 100% (TN100)—100% of beef fat replaced by tiger nut oil emulsion. The physicochemical parameters were affected after fat replacement. Moreover, the protein and fat contents decreased in those sample with tiger nut oil emulsion, thus the formulation TN100 can be considered as “reduced fat content”. Regarding color, an increased L* and b* value parameters was observed after TN100 while the values of a* remained similar to the Control samples. The hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness were similar in all formulations. The addition of tiger nut oil emulsion as a substitute for beef fat reduced saturated fat and increased the mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oleic acid was found to be in highest proportions in burgers. The TN100 samples were considered as acceptable by consumers. Therefore, total replacement of beef fat using tiger nut oil emulsions in beef burger resulted in a well-accepted and healthier meat product with reduced total and saturated fat contents, as well as increased unsaturated fatty acids.

Risk assessment of microplastic (MP) pollution requires understanding biodegradation processes and related changes in polymer properties. In the environment, there are two-way interactions between the MP properties and biofilm communities: (i) microorganisms may prefer some surfaces, and (ii) MP surface properties change during the colonization and weathering. In a 2-week experiment, we studied these interactions using three model plastic beads (polyethylene [PE], polypropylene [PP], and polystyrene [PS]) exposed to ambient bacterioplankton assemblage from the Baltic Sea; the control beads were exposed to bacteria-free water. For each polymer, the physicochemical properties (compression, crystallinity, surface chemistry, hydrophobicity, and surface topography) were compared before and after exposure under controlled laboratory conditions. Furthermore, we characterized the bacterial communities on the MP surfaces using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and correlated community diversity to the physicochemical properties of the MP. Significant changes in PE crystallinity, PP stiffness, and PS maximum compression were observed as a result of exposure to bacteria. Moreover, there were significant correlations between bacterial diversity and some physicochemical characteristics (crystallinity, stiffness, and surface roughness). These changes coincided with variation in the relative abundance of unique OTUs, mostly related to the PE samples having significantly higher contribution of , and uncultured Planctomycetaceae compared to the other test materials, whereas PP and PS samples had significantly higher abundance of Sphingobacteriales and Alphaproteobacteria, indicating possible involvement of these taxa in the initial biodegradation steps. Our findings demonstrate measurable signs of MP weathering under short-term exposure to environmentally relevant microbial communities at conditions resembling those in the water column. A systematic approach for the characterization of the biodegrading capacity in different systems will improve the risk assessment of plastic litter in aquatic environments.

This research presents the microencapsulation and conservation of antioxidants of broccoli juice processed by spray drying, and proposes the use of a by-product as a technological application. Broccoli juice (BJ) extracted from two sources, stalks and florets, was spray-dried employing maltodextrin (MX) as a carrier agent at concentrations of 5, 7.5, and 10%, and inlet temperatures of 150 and 220 °C. The total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) of the BJ-MX powders were determined together with the physicochemical characteristics, including particle morphology, microstructure, and thermal properties. Based on the TPC and AA, the optimal processing conditions found were 5% of MX and a drying temperature of 220 °C. However, the florets showed higher TPC, while stalks presented higher AA under those processing conditions. The particles exhibited micrometric sizes and a mixture of spherical-shape particles and pseudo-spherical particles. The diffractograms indicated an amorphous microstructure in all samples. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was determined in the range of 50 °C for the samples dried at 150 °C and 55 °C for those dried at 220 °C. This suggested that powders might be stored at temperatures below the Tg without presenting any loss of antioxidants.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) were used to extract bioactive compounds from marine by-products: codfish bones, mussel meat, and tuna vitreous humor. NaDES were prepared using natural compounds, including lactic acid (Lac), fructose (Fru), and urea (Ur), and were characterized to define their physicochemical properties, including the viscosity, density, surface tension, and refractive index. FTIR and NMR analysis confirmed the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding in NaDES. The extracts obtained using these NaDES were characterized to define their composition. Results demonstrated that the extract’s composition differed highly, depending not only on the DES used, but also on the structure and composition of the raw material. Proteins and lipids were mainly present in extracts obtained from mussels, while ash content was highest in the extracts obtained from codfish bones. The biocompatibility of NaDES and the soluble fractions (SF) of the raw materials in NaDES was evaluated, and it was possible to conclude that the soluble ingredients obtained from the raw materials improved the biocompatibility of NaDES.

This paper investigates the feasibility of using Korean-produced biochar derived from wood (WB), rice husk (HB), and poultry manure (MB) as a cement replacement in mortar. The physicochemical and microstructural characteristics of each biochar were analyzed, and mortar specimens containing 5% biochar were tested for flow and compressive strength. WB and HB showed favorable particle sizes and large specific surface areas, enhancing internal curing and filler effects, which resulted in up to 29% higher compressive strength than plain mortar at 28 days. In contrast, MB, with coarse particles and low surface area, improved flowability but significantly reduced compressive strength by about 44%. Analytical results confirmed that WB and HB have higher carbon content and chemical stability than MB. These results demonstrate that feedstock type and physicochemical properties affect mortar performance. WB and HB showed potential for use as supplementary cementitious materials based on their strength and workability performance, whereas MB was shown to be unsuitable due to its inferior properties.

The long-term objective of the present study was to prepare, physicochemically characterize and determine the anticancer of clausenidin/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (Clu/HPβCD) inclusion complex. We used differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometer, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer and 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance followed by in vitro anticancer assays. The orientation and intermolecular interactions of Clausenidin within cyclodextrin cavity were also ascertained by molecular docking simulation accomplished by AutoDock Vina. The guest molecule was welcomed by the hydrophobic cavity of the host molecule and sustained by hydrogen bond between host/guest molecules. The constant drug release with time, and increased solubility were found after successful complexation with HPβCD as confirmed by physicochemical characterizations. Clausenidin had greater cytotoxic effect on colon cancer HT29 cells when incorporated into HPβCD cavity than dissolved in DMSO. Also, from a comparison of cell viability between normal and cancer cells, a reduced side effect was observed. The Clu/HPβCD inclusion complex triggered reactive oxygen species-mediated cytotoxicity in HT29 cells. The inclusion complex-treated HT29 cells showed cell cycle arrest and death by apoptosis associated with caspases activation. The presence of HPβCD seems to aid the anticancer activity of clausenidin.