Mateusz Samoraj

The application of biosorption for production of micronutrient fertilizers based on waste biomass.

In the present paper, new environmental-friendly fertilizer components were produced in biosorption process by the enrichment of the biomass with zinc, essential in plant cultivation. The obtained new preparations can be used as controlled release micronutrient fertilizers because microelements are bound to the functional groups present in the cell wall structures of the biomass. It is assumed that new fertilizing materials will be characterized by higher bioavailability, gradual release of micronutrients required by plants, and lower leaching to groundwater. The biological origin of the material used in plant fertilization results in the elimination of toxic effect towards plants and groundwater mainly caused by low biodegradability of fertilizers. Utilitarian properties of new formulations enable to reduce negative implications of fertilizers for environmental quality and influence ecological health. In this work, the utilitarian properties of materials such as peat, bark, seaweeds, seaweed post-extraction residues, and spent mushroom substrate enriched via biosorption with Zn(II) ions were examined in germination tests on Lepidium sativum. Obtained results were compared with conventional fertilizers—inorganic salt and chelate. It was shown that zinc fertilization led to biofortification of plant in these micronutrients. Moreover, the mass of plants fertilized with zinc was higher than in the control group.

Biofortification of milk and cheese with microelements by dietary feed bio-preparations.

AbstractThe present work reports studies on biofortification of milk and cheese with microelements. The diet of goats was supplemented with soya-based preparations with Cu(II), Fe(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II), produced by biosorption, instead of mineral salts. In innovative preparations, soya was the biological carrier of microelements. The utilitarian properties of the new preparations were tested in two groups (8 goats in each): experimental and control. The concentration of supplemented microelements was monitored in milk during the experiment. The collected milk was then used to produce cheese by enzymatic and acidic coagulation method. The effect of milk and cheese biofortification in microelements was confirmed. In milk, the level of the following microelements was higher than in the control: Cu(II) – 8.2 %, Mn(II) – 29.2 %, Zn(II) – 14.6 %. In cheese the content of Zn(II) obtained in enzymatic (19.8 %) and in acidic (120 %) coagulation was higher when compared to the control group. By using bio-preparations with microelements it was possible to produce new generation of functional food biofortified with microelements, by agronomic, and thus sustainable and ethically acceptable way. Biofortified milk and cheese can be used as designer milk to prevent from micronutrient deficiencies. Graphical Abstractᅟ

Biofortification of maize with micronutrientsby Spirulina

Abstract The aim of the present work was to examine the effect of the application of Spirulina platensis post-extraction residues enriched with Zn(II), Mn(II), Cu(II) via biosorption as micronutrient fertilizer for the biofortification of maize grains with micronutrients in field tests. As a nominal dose 2.5 kg ha-1 of zinc, 1.0 kg ha-1 of manganese and 0.5 kg ha-1 of copper were applied. The preparation was applied also in higher doses (150%, 200%) to investigate agronomic biofortification of maize grains. In field trials, obtained grain yield (7.2 Mg ha-1 for Spirulina 100%) was higher than in control group (6.2 Mg ha-1) and commercial reference product (6.6 Mg ha-1). For the same dose of micronutrients, their bioavailability was higher for bio-preparations than for reference fertilizer. The highest content of micronutrients delivered to plants (2.15 mg kg-1 – Cu, 7.07 mg kg-1 – Mn, 29.0 mg kg-1 – Zn) was observed for maize grains fertilized with preparation of Spirulina 150%, which signifies that biofortified maize grain was obtained. Corn grains biofortified with micronutrients can be used as staple food or feed preventing from micronutrient malnutrition. The application of micronutrient biocomponents based on Spirulina biomass allows to manufacture a valuable fertilizer with bioavailable micronutrients. Graphical Abstract

Biofortification of maize grains with micronutrients by enriched biomass of blackcurrant seeds

Abstract Effect of the application of blackcurrant seed post-extraction residues (BS) enriched via biosorption with Zn(II), Mn(II) and Cu(II) was examined in field tests on maize. As a nominal dose (100%), 2.5 kg of zinc, 1 kg of manganese and 0.5 kg of copper per hectare, were applied. The preparation was applied, also, in higher doses (150%, 200%). Crop yield and quality were assessed and multielemental analysis of grains was conducted. Grain yield obtained for maize treated with different doses of micronutrients (7.3 and 7.2 Mg ha-1 for BS 100% and BS 200%, respectively) was higher than in control group (6.2 Mg ha-1) and similar to a commercial reference product (7.1 Mg ha-1). Bioavailability of micronutrients from BS was shown to be higher than from reference commercial fertilizer. The highest content of micronutrients delivered to plants was observed for groups fertilized with BS in nominal dose of micronutrients (1.79, 7.08 and 28.55 mg kg-1 for Cu, Mn and Zn, respectively). The content of each micronutrient was 5.6% (Cu) 12.1% (Mn) and 12.6% (Zn) higher than in untreated group and 8.9% (Cu) 9.7% (Mn) and 8.7% (Zn) higher than commercial reference micronutrient fertilizer. New biocomponents are cheap and biodegradable carriers of nutrients which can be released in controlled way. Graphical Abstract

Using XRF and ICP-OES in Biosorption Studies

In this work, a method of recalculation of results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique to Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) method was elaborated for biosorption studies. Equations that calibrate XRF to ICP-OES were determined, as a biosorbent strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry seeds after supercritical CO2 extraction were used. ICP-OES showed a better precision and lower detection limits than XRF. The latter technique is cheaper, requires minimal sample preparation and gives faster results. Linear regression of the data gave almost 1:1 correlations without additional correction (for Cu r2 = 0.9998, Mn r2 = 0.807, Zn r2 = 0.979). Calibration and quantification of intensities of XRF was obtained using ICP-OES measurements after samples digestion with HNO3 in a microwave system. High positive correlations were estimated for Cu, Mn, Zn. It was demonstrated that XRF technique can be used together with other well established techniques (ICP-OES) to produce quantitative data from biosorption studies. Elaboration of cheap and quick analytical methodology is an important aspect in development of new processes and products based on biosorption process.