Micromorphological changes and mechanism associated with wet ball milling of Pinus radiata substrate and consequences for saccharification at low enzyme loading.

In this work, substrates prepared from thermo-mechanical treatment of Pinus radiata chips were vibratory ball milled for different times. In subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, percent glucan conversion passed through a maximum value at a milling time of around 120min and then declined. Scanning electron microscopy revealed breakage of fibers to porous fragments in which lamellae and fibrils were exposed during ball milling.

Improved saccharification of steam-exploded Pinus radiata on supplementing crude extract of Penicillium sp.

Commercially available enzymes do not contain all the necessary softwood-specific accessory enzymes to obtain high saccharification efficiency. In this work, six saprophytic fungi obtained from Pinus radiata plantation site were screened for the putative softwood-specific accessory enzyme, β-mannanase. A Penicillium sp.

A mathematical model for the inhibitory effects of lignin in enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosics.

A new model for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass distinguishes causal influences from enzyme deactivation and restrictions on the accessibility of cellulose. It focuses on calculating the amount of unreacted cellulose at cessation of enzyme activity, unlike existing models that were constructed for calculating the time dependence of conversion. There are three adjustable parameters: (1) 'occluded cellulose' is defined as cellulose that cannot be hydrolysed regardless of enzyme loading or incubation time, (2) a 'characteristic enzyme loading' is sufficient to hydrolyse half of the non-occluded cellulose, (3) a 'mechanism index' measures deviations from first-order kinetics.

Citronella as an insect repellent in food packaging.

Of five commercial plant extracts (citronella, garlic oil, neem extract, pine oil, and pyrethrum), citronella was found to be effective in deterring the infestation of cartons containing muesli and wheat germ by red flour beetles. The chemical components were applied as part of a coating on the carton board. In an experimental set up that accelerates infestation over a 2 week period, citronella-treated cartons (0.

High-humidity performance of paperboard after treatment with xylanase, endoglucanse, and their combination.

For paperboard used to produce packaging, treatment of its fiber constituents with commercial enzymes can improve its compressive strength under cycling and high-humidity conditions. Xylanase that selectively removes pulp xylan (ca. 2% of the pulp by mass) yielded most of the observed beneficial effects, which did not appear related to the packing of the fiber network in the sheet or to the uptake of moisture at high humidity.