Optimization of synthesis of cationic starches for wastewater sludge and microalgae separation.

The implementation of stricter water protection legislation requires the development of novel environmentally friendly water treatment materials. A new method for the preparation of water soluble cationic starch flocculants using potato starch, 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride and CaO additive was developed and surface response methodology was successfully utilized for the optimization of degree of substitution in the cationization of potato starch with and without CaO additive. Based on the results of destabilization studies of model kaolin, wastewater sludge, and microalgae dispersion systems, optimized conditions ware proposed for obtaining an efficient, soluble, and biodegradable cationic starch flocculant with optimal structure.

Effects of extrusion conditions on the morphological, functional, and sensory properties of soy press cake extrudates.

We developed and applied 4 extrusion regimens (moisture content between 30 % and 60 % and temperature from 110 °C to 120 °C) with twin-screw extruder for valorising soy press cakes, byproduct of soy drink (Soy) and tofu (Soy) manufacturing processes, by varying physical conditions of extrusion for improving their morphological, functional, and sensory parameters. The valorised soy press cakes were compared to their respective control samples (Soy or Soy) both before and after extrusion. Two quantities (3%-6%) of untreated and extruded soy press cakes were utilised to develop meat analogues.

Synthesis and Characterization of Thermoresponsive Chitosan--poly(-isopropylacrylamide) Copolymers.

Thermoresponsive chitosan--poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (CS--PNIPAAm) copolymers of different composition were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of chitosan (CS) and -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) in aqueous solution using potassium persulfate (PPS) as an initiator. By changing the molar ratio of CS:NIPAAm from 1:0.25 to 1:10 graft copolymers with a CS backbone and different amounts of PNIPAM side chains were prepared.

Investigation of Bioactive Complexes of Chitosan and Green Coffee Bean or Artichoke Extracts.

The formation of water-insoluble complexes between chitosan (ChS) and caffeoylquinic acid (CQ) derivatives present in artichoke (AE) and green coffee bean (GCBE) extracts was investigated by the equilibrium adsorption method. The UPLC/HPLC analysis revealed that the phenolic compounds accounted for 8.1% and 74.

Production of Cationic Starch-Based Flocculants and Their Application in Thickening and Dewatering of the Municipal Sewage Sludge.

Polymer flocculants are used to promote solid-liquid separation processes in wastewater treatment technologies, and bio-based flocculants possess many advantages over conventional synthetic polymers. Potato starch microgranules were chemically modified and mechanically sheared to produce modified starch flocculants. The effectiveness of produced cationic starch (CS) and cross-linked cationic starch (CCS) flocculants in the thickening and dewatering of surplus activated sewage sludge was evaluated and compared with that of synthetic cationic flocculants (SCFs) The flocculation efficiency of SCF, CS, and CCS in sludge thickening was determined by measuring the filtration rate of treated surplus activated sludge.

Bioplastics for Food Packaging: Environmental Impact, Trends and Regulatory Aspects.

The demand to develop and produce eco-friendly alternatives for food packaging is increasing. The huge negative impact that the disposal of so-called "single-use plastics" has on the environment is propelling the market to search for new solutions, and requires initiatives to drive faster responses from the scientific community, the industry, and governmental bodies for the adoption and implementation of new materials. Bioplastics are an alternative group of materials that are partly or entirely produced from renewable sources.

Polysaccharide Matrices for the Encapsulation of Tetrahydrocurcumin-Potential Application as Biopesticide against .

Cereals are subject to contamination by pathogenic fungi, which damage grains and threaten public health with their mycotoxins. and its mycotoxins, trichothecenes B (TCTBs), are especially targeted in this study. Recently, the increased public and political awareness concerning environmental issues tends to limit the use of traditional fungicides against these pathogens in favor of eco-friendlier alternatives.

Interaction between cross-linked cationic starch microgranules and chlorogenic acid isomers in artichoke and green coffee bean aqueous extracts.

In the present study, the adsorption of phenolic compounds, first of all, chlorogenic acid isomers (chlorogenic, neo-chlorogenic and crypto-chlorogenic acids) predominant in the artichoke (AE) or green coffee bean (GCBE) extracts on cross-linked cationic starch having quaternary ammonium groups (CCS) has been investigated. The equilibrium adsorption studies showed that adsorption closely followed the Langmuir adsorption model, i.e.

Structure and properties of cationic starches synthesized by using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride.

Cationic starches (CS) with preserved microgranular structure were prepared from potato starch, with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride as cationic reagent. CS with degree of substitution (DS) and reaction efficiency (RE) ranging from 0.05 to 0.

Formation and characteristics of alginate and anthocyanin complexes.

Sodium alginates with different mannuronate to guluronate units ratio ALG1 and ALG2 were employed in the formation of insoluble complexes with anthocyanins (ATC) extracted from Vaccinium myrtilus by exploiting the electrostatic interaction between carboxylate groups of sodium alginate (ALG) and flavylium cations of ATC. Monomer composition of ALG1 and ALG2 was determined from the 13C CP-MAS NMR spectra. The amount of ATC incorporated into the complex depended on the type of ALG used, the ALG to ATC weight ratio and the total concentration of the components in the solution.

Thermogravimetric analysis of caffeic and rosmarinic acid containing chitosan complexes.

Thermal behaviour and stability of chitosan (CH) and phenolic acids complexes could be of high importance in regard both the practical applications and understanding the complex formation. Thermal degradation of insoluble complexes of CH and caffeic (CACH) or rosmarinic acid (RACH) was investigated in air and nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal decomposition of CACH proceeded in two stages, first of which was attributed to decarboxylation of adsorbed CA in the temperature interval from 150 °C to 200 °C, and second one was related to decomposition of CH backbone at temperatures higher than 200 °C.

Biodegradation of cross-linked and cationic starches.

The biodegradability and the influence of the degree of substitution of cationic groups or cross-linking level of starch were studied by using enzymatic hydrolysis and two aerobic degradation methods. Cationic starches with a degree of substitution varying from 0 to 0.54 were obtained by modifying native potato starch with 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, while cross-linked starches with a degree of cross-linking varying from 0 to 92.

Adsorption of rosmarinic acid from aqueous solution on chitosan powder.

In present study the adsorption of rosmarinic acid (RA) on chitosan (CH) powder from aqueous solution have been investigated in order to obtain insoluble RA-CH complexes with high amount of RA. The pseudo-second kinetic model and the Langmuir adsorption model described the kinetic and equilibrium adsorption of RA on CH with high correlation coefficients. With the increase of adsorption temperature the rate of adsorption decreased but amount of adsorbed RA increased.

Development of antioxidant food packaging materials containing eugenol for extending display life of fresh beef.

In this study, clove essential oil (CL) or eugenol (EU) containing cellulose acetate (CA) or acrylic component/hydrophobically modified starch (AC/S) coatings on corona treated oriented polypropylene film (OPP) were designed and investigated for their possible applications as antioxidant packaging materials for fresh meat. The antioxidant properties of the coatings were investigated by Vapour Phase-DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. The CA coatings containing CL or EU showed 43-92% and 43-94% inhibition against DPPH free radicals through the vapour phase, respectively, whereas AC/S/CL and AC/S/EU coatings resulted in DPPH inhibition of 21-65% and 25-84%, respectively.

Active Packaging Applications for Food.

The traditional role of food packaging is continuing to evolve in response to changing market needs. Current drivers such as consumer's demand for safer, "healthier," and higher-quality foods, ideally with a long shelf-life; the demand for convenient and transparent packaging, and the preference for more sustainable packaging materials, have led to the development of new packaging technologies, such as active packaging (AP). As defined in the European regulation (EC) No 450/2009, AP systems are designed to "deliberately incorporate components that would release or absorb substances into or from the packaged food or the environment surrounding the food.

Preparation and properties of propylene oxide and octenylsuccinic anhydride modified potato starches.

Starch was dually chemically modified for developing food-grade ingredients of lower digestibility and their properties were compared to those of single modified and native starches. Hydroxypropylation with propylene oxide (HP) followed by esterification with octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) of potato starch (P-native) produced derivatives with lower digestibility than esterification solely with OSA. The dextrose equivalent, maltose and glucose contents, which were used as the main indicators for in vitro digestion, were lower for modified starches.

Equilibrium adsorption of caffeic, chlorogenic and rosmarinic acids on cationic cross-linked starch with quaternary ammonium groups.

In the present study, the equilibrium adsorption of caffeic acid (CA) and its derivatives, namely, chlorogenic (CGA) and rosmarinic (RA) acids on cationic cross-linked starch (CCS) with degree of substitution of quaternary ammonium groups of 0.42 have been investigated in relation to the structure and acidity of phenolic acids. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption models have been used to describe the equilibrium adsorption of CA, CGA and RA from their initial solutions and solutions having the equimolar amount of NaOH at different temperatures.

Preparation and characterization of single and dual propylene oxide and octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch carriers for the microencapsulation of essential oils.

Hydroxypropylation with propylene oxide followed by esterification with octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) was used to produce modified potato starch derivatives suitable for the encapsulation of essential oils. Caraway essential oil (EO) was encapsulated by spray-drying into enzymatically hydrolyzed dual/single modified and native starches. The EO microencapsulation efficiency in different modified starches, the retention of volatile aroma compounds, the emulsion particle size and the microstructure of the spray-dried encapsulated powdered products, as well as the compositional aroma changes taking place during the processing and storage for up to 8 months have been estimated.

Thermal degradation and stability of cationic starches and their complexes with iodine.

Thermal degradation processes of cationic starch (CS) and CS-iodine complex were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) in air and under nitrogen atmosphere at 10 °C min(-1) heating rate and compared. Moreover, the thermal stability of CS with different degree of substitution (DS) and their complexes with iodine was studied by TG under nitrogen atmosphere at different heating rates. The average E(a) values for CS were found to be slightly lower as compared to native starch, suggesting lower thermal stability of modified starches due to cationisation.

Preparation, stability and antimicrobial activity of cationic cross-linked starch-iodine complexes.

Cationic cross-linked starch (CCS)-iodine complexes containing different amounts of quaternary ammonium groups (different degrees of substitution (DS)) and iodine have been obtained by iodine adsorption on CCS from aqueous iodine potassium iodide solution. Equilibrium adsorption studies showed that with an increase of DS the amount of iodine adsorbed on CCS and the affinity of iodine to CCS increased linearly. The influences of the DS of CCS and the amount of adsorbed iodine on the stability of CCS-iodine complexes in a solution of 0.

Cationic starch nanoparticles based on polyelectrolyte complexes.

Cationic starch nanoparticles were obtained by aqueous polyelectrolyte complex formation between cationic quaternary ammonium substituted starches and anionic sodium tripolyphosphate. The formation of nanosized starch particles of spherical shape was verified by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy measurements. The cationic starch nanoparticles of different constitution and containing various contents of free quaternary ammonium groups were produced and their zeta potential was modulated between +4 mV and +34 mV by varying polycation/polyanion ratio.

Adsorption of hexavalent chromium on cationic cross-linked starches of different botanic origins.

The influence of origin of native starch used to obtain cationic cross-linked starch (CCS) on the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto CCS has been investigated. CCS granule size is influenced by the botanic source of native starch. The equilibrium adsorption of Cr(VI) onto CCS was described by the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Temkin models.

The polymer physics and chemistry of microbial cell attachment and adhesion.

The attachment of microbial cells to solid substrata is a primary ecological strategy for the survival of species and the development of specific activity and function within communities. An hypothesis arising from a biological sciences perspective may be stated as follows: The attachment of microbes to interfaces is controlled by the macromolecular structure of the cell wall and the functional genes that are induced for its biological synthesis. Following logically from this is the view that diverse attached cell behaviour is mediated by the physical and chemical interactions of these macromolecules in the interfacial region and with other cells.

Highly branched poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide)s with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)- or COOH-chain ends that form sub-micron stimulus-responsive particles above the critical solution temperature.

Highly branched poly(-isopropyl acrylamide)s with peptide-end groups form colloidally stable dispersions of sub-micron particles above the lower critical solution temperature.

Highly branched poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) for use in protein purification.

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)s with imidazole endgroups were used to separate a histidine-tagged protein fragment directly from a crude cell lysate. The polymers display a lower critical solution temperature that can be tuned to occur at a range of subambient temperatures. UV-visible spectra indicated differences in the binding in aqueous media of Cu(II) and Ni(II) to the imidazole endgroups.