Janusz Kapuśniak

Utilization of starch films plasticized with urea as fertilizer for improvement of plant growth.

The utilization of starch films, obtained by extrusion of potato starch with urea as plasticizer, for the fertilization of plants has been undertaken. Release rate of urea from the starch films was conducted in water conditions. The molecular weight distribution, surface erosion and weight loss of the starch samples have been determined. The evaluation of efficiency of urea as a fertilizer in the process of release from the starch films was performed under laboratory conditions based on the plant growth test proposed by OECD 208 Guideline and the PN-ISO International Standard using oat and common radish. Although among extruded starch-based films, those that contain the highest amount of fertilizer hold the most promise for a delayed release system, the time of release of fertilizer from obtained films in undertaken study was not satisfactory. All the same, in the present study effort has been made to utilize extruded samples as a fertilizer for agriculture or horticulture purposes. Urea-plasticized starch was successfully used as a fertilizer. Plant growth assessment, including determination of such parameters as fresh and dry matter of plants and their visual evaluation, has proved the stimulating effect of using extruded films on the growth and development of cultivated plants.

Role of cation structure in the phytotoxicity of ionic liquids: growth inhibition and oxidative stress in spring barley and common radish

The present study determines the influence of three ionic liquids (ILs) containing cations with diversified structure on the growth and development of spring barley seedlings and common radish leaves. Increasing amounts of 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium hexafluorophosphate [Pyrrol][PF6], 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium hexafluorophosphate [Piper][PF6], and 1-butyl-4-methylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate [Pyrid][PF6] were added to the soil on which both plants were cultivated. The results of this studies showed that the applied ILs were highly toxic for plants, demonstrated by the inhibition of length of plant shoots and roots, decrease of fresh mass, and increase of dry weight content. Common radish turned out to be the plant with higher resistance to the used ILs. The differences in the cation structure did not influence phytotoxity of ILs for spring barley. Furthermore, all ILs led to a decrease of photosynthetic pigments, which was directly followed by decreased primary production in plants. Oxidative stress in plants occurred due to the presence of ILs in the soil, which was demonstrated by the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, changes in the H2O2 level, and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD). The changes in the chlorophyll contents and the increase of POD activity turned out to be the most significant oxidative stress biomarkers in spring barley and common radish. Both spring barley and radish exposed to ILs accumulated a large amount of fluoride ion.

Bacterial Microbiota and Fatty Acids in the Faeces of Overweight and Obese Children

Abstract The growing number of children with overweight and obesity constitutes a major health problem of the modern world and it has been suggested that intestinal microbiota may influence energy intake from food. The objectives of this study were to determine quantity and proportions of dominant genera of Bacteroides, Prevotella (phylum Bacteroidetes); Clostridium, Lactobacillus (phylum Firmicutes) and Bifidobacterium (phylum Actinobacteria) in the intestines and to determine the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in the stool of 20 obese children and 20 children with normal body weight. Strains classified as Firmicutes (Clostridium and Lactobacillus) predominated in stool microbiota of obese children, while those of Bacteroidetes (Prevotella and Bacteroides) were in minority (p < 0.001). Concentration of SCFAs in the stool of obese children was lower in comparison to the stool of normal weight children (p = 0.04). However, these differences were significant only in obese children, not in overweight children in comparison with the lean ones. Therefore, in our study obesity was associated with intestinal dysbiosis and a predominance of phylum Firmicutes. Secondly, stool of obese children contained lower amounts of SCFAs.

Chemical Modification of Starch-Protein Material Performed in Order to Obtain a Half Product for Thermoplastic Processing

This article presents the results of tests which were carried out on a starch-protein biomaterial produced from wheat. The research was performed in order to assess optimal conditions for performing the chemical modification (acetylation and oxidation reactions) and its influence on the physico-chemical properties of the new biomaterial. Modifying agents were acetic acid anhydride with the presence of NaOH and K2CO3 activators as well as hydrogen peroxide, whose effects were catalysed with Cu2+ ions. Modified polymers with a degrees of substitution from 0.38 to 2.45 and oxidation from 1.0 to 35% were obtained in the process. The polymers obtained were characterized with various levels of starch degradation, minimal when the acetylation reaction activated with the K2CO3 method was used, moderate to high when the acetylation reaction was activated by NaOH, and maximal starch degradation was observed when oxidation was catalysed with Cu2+ ions. The modified polymers showed minor thermal granulation abilities and did not achieve thermoplastic abilities. Evaluation of the modification effects was carried out with absorption spectroscopy in infra-red radiation with the Fourier transformation (FTIR) technique, DSC, scanning electron microscopy and determining the boundary viscosity value.

Investigation on the Structure and Properties of Modified Products from the Grain-Mill Industry for Use in the Preparation of Biopolymer Technical Materials

In the new century, the possible use of raw materials, half-products and materials derived from renewable resources is attracting growing attention. Green technologies come into play to exploit natural raw materials, including biopolymers such as cellulose, lignin chitin and chitosan, and starch. The company Lubella Sp. z o. o. S.K. (Lublin, Poland) is a manufacturer of innovative flour products of the Q-Farin series, which find use as starting materials in the preparation of new biodegradable and multifunctional biomaterials for packaging materials and paper processing. The preparation of innovative technology concepts opens ways toward the competitiveness and development of companies operating in the advanced sector of biodegradable packaging with the use of territorial renewable raw materials.

Dietary resistant dextrins positively modulate fecal and cecal microbiota composition in young rats.

The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the effect of dietary resistant dextrins, as potential prebiotics, on the intestinal microflora of young rats. Enzyme-resistant dextrin, prepared by heating of potato starch in the presence of hydrochloric (0.1% dsb) and tartaric (40% dsb) acid at 130ºC for 2 h (CA-dextrin). The experiment was performed on 24 Wistar male rats at 3-wk of age, divided by analogues in three experimental groups (control, starch and dextrin). Analyses determined the overall bacterial counts and the counts of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides and Clostridium strains within the feces and cecal contents of rats using fluorescence in situ hybridization method. CA-dextrin had no effect on primary growth indicators (body weight, body weight gain, dietary consumption) or the mass of the small intestine and the cecum, but dextrins caused a reduction in pH and the concentration of ammonia within the cecal contents. That supplementation of diet with resistant dextrins had a positive effect on composition of intestinal microflora in rats. It increased the counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains both in the feces and in the cecum. Moreover, it reduced the counts of Clostridium and Bacteroides strains. These results may suggest that resistant dextrins exerted a prebiotic-like effect in the large intestine.