Publications by authors named "Thomas L Eberhardt"

Applications of deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems to separate lignocellulosic components are of interest to develop environmentally friendly processes and achieve efficient utilization of biomass. To enhance the performance of a binary neutral DES (glycerol:guanidine hydrochloride), various Lewis acids (e.g.

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We investigated the antifungal activities of an endophytic fungus identified as , found on a loblolly ( L.) pine bolt in Louisiana during routine laboratory microbial isolations. The specific objectives were to determine the inhibitory properties of secondary metabolites (crude extract) on the mycelial growth of a brown-rot fungus and a white-rot fungus , and to determine the effective concentration of crude preparation against the two decay fungi .

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Lignin, a byproduct from the chemical processing of lignocellulosic biomass, is a polyphenolic compound that has potential as a partial phenol substitute in phenolic adhesive formulations. In this study, HBr and HI were used as reagents to demethylate an alkali lignin (AL) to increase its hydroxyl content and thereby enhance its reactivity for the preparation of phenolic resins. Analyses by FT-IR, H-NMR and 2D-NMR(HSQC) demonstrated both a decrease in methoxyl groups and an increase in hydroxyl groups for each demethylated lignin (DL).

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The role of biochar as a soil amendment on the adsorption-desorption and transport of tylosin, a macrolide class of veterinary antibiotic, is little known. In this study, batch and column experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption kinetics and transport of tylosin in forest and agricultural corn field soils amended with hardwood and softwood biochars. Tylosin adsorption was rapid at initial stages, followed by slow and continued adsorption.

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A cellulose solvent system based on lithium chloride (LiCl) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) was used to assess the merits of partial dissolutions of coarsely ground wood samples. Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ)-treated pine wood was of particular interest for treatment given the potential to generate a copper-rich stream apart from solid and/or liquid lignocellulosic feedstocks. Treatment with NMP alone gave yields of soluble materials that were higher than typical extractives contents thereby suggesting a limited degree of wood dissolution.

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Hydrothermal (HT) treatment of seeds from Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), a non-native and invasive species in the southeastern United States, was examined with respect to the generation of gas-phase and semi-volatile organic chemicals of industrial importance from a lipid-rich biomass resource. Aqueous seed slurries were transformed into biphasic liquid systems comprised of a milky aqueous phase overlain by a black organic layer. Present in the headspace were elevated levels of CO(2) and acetic acid.

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Biomass-based adsorbents have been widely studied as a cost-effective and environmentally-benign means to remove pollutants and nutrients from water. A two-stage treatment of aspen wood particles with solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and ferrous chloride afforded a biosorbent that was effective in removing phosphate from test solutions. FTIR spectroscopy of the biosorbent samples showed a decrease in the intensity of the carboxylate signal coinciding with a decrease in particle size.

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Biomass-based filtration media are of interest as an economical means to remove pollutants and nutrients found in stormwater runoff. Refined aspen wood fiber samples treated with iron salt solutions demonstrated limited capacities to remove (ortho)phosphate from test solutions. To provide additional sites for iron complex formation, and thereby impart a greater capacity for phosphate removal, a fiber pretreatment with an aqueous solution of a non-toxic anionic polymer, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), was evaluated.

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