Eucalyptus Kraft lignin was blended in various proportions with two different types of polyethylene (PE) (low‐density polyethylene and post‐consumer recycled PCR), with or without compatibilizer ...(PE‐glycidyl methacrylate GMA or PE‐2‐hydroxyethyl methyl acrylate copolymers). Materials prepared by injection molding or extrusion casting were characterized for their thermal, antioxidant, antibacterial and mechanical properties. In addition, the photo‐permeability was assessed, as this property is specifically relevant to mulching applications. The use of compatibilizers enhanced the antioxidant properties which reached more than 3 h oxidation induction time when lignin was present at 20 wt% and beyond. Good antibacterial properties were obtained on Gram‐positive bacteria when using PE‐GMA as compatibilizer. The photo‐permeability of the materials was also reduced, reaching a transmittance lower than 5% throughout the whole measurement range (200–800 nm) in PCR. However, higher lignin contents led to a more brittle material and the overall processability of the material became more difficult, features that were not improved by compatibilizers. These materials are promising candidates for mulching film application, especially with PCR which still lacks high‐volume market applications.
Lignin represents a vastly under-utilized natural polymer co-generated during papermaking and biomass fractionation. Different types of lignin exist, and these differ with regard to isolation ...protocol and plant resource (i.e., wood type or agricultural harvesting residue). The incorporation of lignin into polymeric systems has been demonstrated, and this depends on solubility and reactivity characteristics. Several industrial utilization examples are presented for sulfur-free, water-insoluble lignins. These include materials for automotive brakes, wood panel products, biodispersants, polyurethane foams, and epoxy resins for printed circuit boards.
The objectives were to assess the effects of purified lignin from wheat straw (sodium hydroxide dehydrated lignin; SHDL) on
ruminal fermentation and on the growth performance of feedlot cattle.
...experiments were conducted by incubating a timothy-alfalfa (50:50) forage mixture (48 h) and barley grain (24 h) with 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/mL of rumen fluid (equivalent to 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 g SHDL/kg diet). Productions of CH
and total gas, volatile fatty acids, ammonia, dry matter (DM) disappearance (DMD) and digestion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or starch were measured. Sixty Hereford-Angus cross weaned steer calves were individually fed a typical barley silage-barley grain based total mixed ration and supplemented with SHDL at 0, 4, 8, and 16 g/kg DM for 70 (growing), 28 (transition), and 121 d (finishing) period. Cattle were slaughtered at the end of the experiment and carcass traits were assessed.
With forage, SHDL linearly (p<0.001) reduced 48-h
DMD from 54.9% to 39.2%, NDF disappearance from 34.1% to 18.6% and the acetate: propionate ratio from 2.56 to 2.41, but linearly (p<0.001) increased CH
production from 9.5 to 12.4 mL/100 mg DMD. With barley grain, SHDL linearly increased (p<0.001) 24-h DMD from74.6% to 84.5%, but linearly (p<0.001) reduced CH
production from 5.6 to 4.2 mL/100 mg DMD and NH
accumulation from 9.15 to 4.49 μmol/mL. Supplementation of SHDL did not affect growth, but tended (p = 0.10) to linearly reduce feed intake, and quadratically increased (p = 0.059) feed efficiency during the finishing period. Addition of SHDL also tended (p = 0.098) to linearly increase the saleable meat yield of the carcass from 52.5% to 55.7%.
Purified lignin used as feed additive has potential to improve feed efficiency for finishing feedlot cattle and carcass quality.
BACKGROUND
The kaolin flocculant activities of bovine blood (BB) and hemoglobin (HEM) at different salt and pH values were determined. Lower limit concentration (LLC), window of application (WA), and ...degrees of clarification (DC) values for BB and HEM were determined and compared with those of the synthetic polymeric flocculants poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), cationic polyacrylamide (PAM), and anionic PAM. BB flocculation of lignin, a bioproduct of biomass conversion to bioethanol, was demonstrated.
RESULTS
Flocculation of kaolin by BB and HEM increased at acidic pH and in the presence of NaCl. LLC values of HEM and BB were similar to LLC values of cationic and anionic PAM. LLC values of HEM and BB were 18–20‐fold higher than that of PDDMAC. WA values of BB and HEM were similar to those of PDADMAC, cationic PAM, and anionic PAM. For lignin flocculation, the ratio of LLC for BB/PDADMAC was 20–38, but the ratio of WA for BB/PDADMAC was > 3.6. For kaolin and lignin flocculation, DC values were similar for all flocculants.
CONCLUSIONS
The renewable flocculants BB and HEM rapidly settle kaolin and lignin suspensions; BB and HEM could be used in the process to separate lignin from other biomass components. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
A study was conducted to investigate the potential of purified lignin and hemicellulose as prebiotics in diets for Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., postsmolt in seawater (30 ppt) at 14.9 ± 1.2°C. ...Triplicate groups of fish (initial individual body mass of 101.6 ± 1.2 g) were fed either the fishmeal-dense (32% of fishmeal) control diet (A) or one of the nine diets (15% fishmeal) supplemented with lignin:hemicellulose ratios (% diet:% diet) of 0.05:0 (B), 0.25:0 (C), 0.50:0 (D), 1.00:0 (E), 0:0.05 (F), 0:0.25 (G), 0:0.50 (H), 0.05:0.25 (I), and 0.25:0.50 (J) for 12 weeks in a complete randomized experimental design. At the end of the experiment, the thermal-unit growth coefficient (TGC) was significantly lower in salmon fed diets with 0.50% and 1.00% purified lignin than those fed the control diet, while there was no significant difference between the other treatments and the control diet (P < 0.05). The feed efficiency (FE) was significantly lower in salmon fed diets with 0.50% and 1.00% purified lignin and 0.05% hemicellulose than those fed the control diet, while there was no significant difference between the other treatments and the control diet (P < 0.05). The hepatosomatic index (HSI), intestinal villus length, and apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of nutrients in diets were similar (P > 0.05) among all the diets. This study demonstrated that inclusions of up to 0.25% of dietary purified lignin alone, and 0.25%-0.50% of dietary hemicellulose alone or in combination with dietary lignin can be considered as candidate prebiotics in Atlantic salmon nutrition.
Objective: The objectives were to assess the effects of purified lignin from wheat straw (sodium hydroxide dehydrated lignin; SHDL) on in vitro ruminal fermentation and on the growth performance of ...feedlot cattle. Methods: In vitro experiments were conducted by incubating a timothy-alfalfa (50:50) forage mixture (48 h) and barley grain (24 h) with 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/mL of rumen fluid (equivalent to 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 g SHDL/kg diet). Productions of $CH_4$ and total gas, volatile fatty acids, ammonia, dry matter (DM) disappearance (DMD) and digestion of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or starch were measured. Sixty Hereford-Angus cross weaned steer calves were individually fed a typical barley silage-barley grain based total mixed ration and supplemented with SHDL at 0, 4, 8, and 16 g/kg DM for 70 (growing), 28 (transition), and 121 d (finishing) period. Cattle were slaughtered at the end of the experiment and carcass traits were assessed. Results: With forage, SHDL linearly (p<0.001) reduced 48-h in vitro DMD from 54.9% to 39.2%, NDF disappearance from 34.1% to 18.6% and the acetate: propionate ratio from 2.56 to 2.41, but linearly (p<0.001) increased $CH_4$ production from 9.5 to 12.4 mL/100 mg DMD. With barley grain, SHDL linearly increased (p<0.001) 24-h DMD from74.6% to 84.5%, but linearly (p<0.001) reduced $CH_4$ production from 5.6 to 4.2 mL/100 mg DMD and $NH_3$ accumulation from 9.15 to $4.49{\mu}mol/mL$. Supplementation of SHDL did not affect growth, but tended (p = 0.10) to linearly reduce feed intake, and quadratically increased (p = 0.059) feed efficiency during the finishing period. Addition of SHDL also tended (p = 0.098) to linearly increase the saleable meat yield of the carcass from 52.5% to 55.7%. Conclusion: Purified lignin used as feed additive has potential to improve feed efficiency for finishing feedlot cattle and carcass quality.
Polymeric flocculants are used extensively for water purification, inhibition of soil erosion, and reduction in water leakage from unlined canals. Production of highly active, renewable polymeric ...flocculants to replace synthetic flocculants is a priority. Using suspensions of kaolin, flocculation by bovine blood (BB) and hemoglobin, the major protein component of BB, increased at acidic pH, but the extent of maximum flocculation was not affected by NaCl. The flocculation activities of BB and hemoglobin were measured and compared to those of poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC), and cationic and anionic polyacrylamides (PAM). The windows of application of BB and hemoglobin are similar to that of polyDADMAC, although a lower concentration of polyDADMAC was needed for flocculation. Similar concentrations of blood, hemoglobin, and cationic PAM were needed for maximum flocculation. The lowest level of suspended kaolin given by BB and hemoglobin was similar to that given by polyDADMAC and cationic PAM, and lower than that given by anionic PAM.