During stemwood harvesting, substantial volumes of logging residues are produced as a side stream. Nevertheless, industrially feasible processing methods supporting their use for other than energy generation purposes are scarce. Thus, the present study focuses on biorefinery processing, employing response surface methodology to optimize the pressurized extraction of industrially assorted needle-rich spruce logging residues with four solvents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to seasonally appearing viruses and several outbreaks and present pandemic, we are surrounded by viruses in our everyday life. In order to reduce viral transmission, functionalized surfaces that inactivate viruses are in large demand. Here the endeavor was to functionalize cellulose-based materials with tannic acid (TA) and tannin-rich extracts by using different binding polymers to prevent viral infectivity of both non-enveloped coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) and enveloped human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Recurring viral outbreaks have a significant negative impact on society. This creates a need to develop novel strategies to complement the existing antiviral approaches. There is a need for safe and sustainable antiviral solutions derived from nature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study demonstrated the antibacterial and antiviral potential of condensed tannins and tannic acid when incorporated into fiber networks tested for functional material purposes. Condensed tannins were extracted from industrial bark of Norway spruce by using pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), followed by purification of extracts by using XADHP7 treatment to obtain sugar-free extract. The chemical composition of the extracts was analyzed by using HPLC, GC‒MS and UHPLC after thiolytic degradation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVolatile organic compounds (VOC) affect the quality of indoor air. Terpenes and especially monoterpenes are the main molecules emitted from softwood material (coniferous species), which is widely used in construction. The corneal epithelium is one of the first human membranes to encounter VOCs in the air.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarlier studies have shown that the bark of L. species (Salicaceae family) is rich in extractives, such as diverse bioactive phenolic compounds. However, we lack knowledge on the bioactive properties of the bark of willow species and clones adapted to the harsh climate conditions of the cool temperate zone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFL. is a carnivorous plant used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. Because of its small size, its collection in nature is laborious and different cultivation methods have been studied to ensure availability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhole-cell bacterial biosensors can be applied for the screening of antibacterial properties of extracts. We constructed a biosensor panel consisting of four different bacterial biosensor strains: Escherichia, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas for expanded screening potential. The functionality of the panel was first evaluated with known antibacterial compounds: ethanol, naphthoquinones (juglone, lawsone, plumbagin) and a flavonoid (quercetin).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite the continuing interest in various plant and natural products, only a small portion of the biologically active compounds from nature has been discovered and exploited. In this study, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of aqueous fractions of three endophytic fungi isolated from the roots of 8-year-old Scots pines () growing on a drained peatland were investigated. The endophytic fungi species were , and /.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper published in [...
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndophytes are microorganisms living inside plant hosts and are known to be beneficial for the host plant vitality. In this study, we isolated three endophytic fungus species from the roots of Scots pine seedlings growing on Finnish drained peatland setting. The isolated fungi belonged to dark septate endophytes (DSE).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltraviolet radiation (UV-R) causes genotoxic and aging effects on skin, and sunscreens are used to alleviate the damage. However, sunscreens contain synthetic shielding agents that can cause harmful effects in the environment. Nature-derived substances may have potential as replacement materials for the harmful sunscreen chemicals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new method is described for the rapid real-time screening of antioxidative properties using a recombinant Escherichia coli DPD2511 biosensor. This microplate technique, without time-consuming pre-incubations and handling, has potential for a high-throughput search of bioactive compounds. Special emphasis was given to obtaining highly reliable and repeatable results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF