Effects of Corn Stalk-composted Organic Fertilizer on Physiochemical Properties of Tobacco-growing Soil

In order to explore the method of returning corn stalk into field, the effects of returning corn stalk direcfly into soil and applying corn stalk-composted orgar^c fertilizer into soil on the physiochemical properties of tobacco-growing soil were studied. The results showed that returning corn stalk into soil could reduce soil bulk density and increase soil porosity, so as to improve the water and fertilizer retention capacity of tobacco-growing soil. At the same time, returning corn stalk into soil could also increase the organic matter, available phosphorus and available potassi- um contents in tobacco-growing soil. In the early field growth stage of tobacco, soil alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content decreased slightly; but in the middle and later field growth stage, the alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content in tobacco-growing soil increased. The treatment effect of corn stalk＋urea＋fermentation bacteria and corn stalk＋urea＋BM was better than that of the control （returning corn stalk directly into soil）, indicating that the corn stalk-composted organic fertilizer had certain popular- ization value.

Role of nickel on vanadium poisoned FCC catalyst: A study of physiochemical properties

Active sites of Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst are poisoned during operation in the FCC reactor due to causes including feedstock contaminant metals deposition. This leads to activity, selectivity and increasing coking problems, thereby raising concern to the refiner. This work investigated effect of nickel coexisting with vanadium in the FCC feedstock on the standard FCC catalyst during cracking process, in which destruction of active sites occurs as a result of the metals deposition. Laboratory simulated equilibrium catalysts (E-cats) were studied by XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, N-2 adsorption, solid state MAS-NMR, SEM and H-2-TPR. Results revealed that vanadium, above a certain concentration in the catalyst, under hydrothermal conditions, is highly detrimental to the catalyst's structure and activity. Conversely, nickel hardly affects the catalyst structure, but its co-presence in the catalyst reduces destructive effects of vanadium. The mechanism of nickel inhibition of vanadium poisoning of the catalyst is discussed. (C) 2016 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Effects of native and invasive Prosopis species on topsoil physiochemical properties in an arid riparian forest of Hormozgan Province,Iran

Biological invasions can alter soil properties within the range of their introduced,leading to impacts on ecosystem services,ecosystem functions,and biodiversity.To better understand the impacts of biological invasions on soil,we compared topsoil physiochemical properties at sites with invasive alien tree species(Prosopis juliflora),native tree species(Prosopis cineraria,Acacia tortilis,and Acacia ehrenbergiana),and mixed tree species in Hormozgan Province of Iran in May 2018.In this study,we collected 40 soil samples at a depth of 10 cm under single tree species,including P.juliflora,P.cineraria,A.tortilis,and A.ehrenbergiana,as well as under mixed tree species.The results showed that organic matter,moisture,potassium,calcium,nitrogen,and magnesium in topsoil at sites with A.tortilis and A.ehrenbergiana growing in combination with P.cineraria were higher than that at sites where P.juliflora was present(P<0.05).Sodium at sites with A.tortilis and A.ehrenbergiana growing in combination with P.cineraria and P.juliflora was lower as compared to that at sites with just A.tortilis and A.ehrenbergiana.Electrical conductivity was lower at sites with A.tortilis and A.ehrenbergiana growing in combination with P.cineraria,and it was higher at sites with mixed Acacia and P.juliflora trees.Based on the generally more positive effect of native Acacia and P.cineraria on topsoil physiochemical properties as compared to the P.julifora,afforestation with native tree species is preferable for soil restoration.In addition,due to the negative effects of P.julifora on soil properties,P.julifora spread should be better managed.

Study of Changes in Physiochemical Properties of Soil by the Addition of Cement

The effect of cement on physiochemical properties of three types of soils i.e garden soil, agricultural soil and roadside soil was investigated. The ordinary Portland cement was used. The amount of cement added to soil samples, as dry mass percentage was 20%. The results of analysis showed that the addition of cement is capable of bringing about changes in physiochemical properties of soil. The electrical conductivity and organic matter content in three soils get decreased by the addition of cement. While the pH, bulk density and water holding capacity of soils after the addition of cement gets increased. The soil found most suitable to be treated with cement was roadside soil. It was concluded that cement can be used to change the physiochemical properties of soil and this technique has great utility in improving the quality of problematic soils.

Physiochemical Properties of Resistant Starch and Its Enhancement Approaches in Rice

With changes in food preferences and life styles,more and more attentions have been focused on healthier food.Nowadays,resistant starch(RS)which can resist digestion in the human intestine has been recognized and accepted.High RS diet shows great benefit for the human health,and breeding high RS rice variety is a great target for realizing dietary intervention.To provide guidance for RS improvement in rice,this review summarized the unique physiochemical properties of RS and the possible approaches,i.e.genetic regulation,for enhancing RS content in rice,and proposed the potential ways to obtain rice variety with high RS content.

Coconut oil research:Past,present,and future directions

Coconut oil contains a rich amount of medium-chain fatty acids,including lauric acid,decanoic acid,and octanoic acid,as well as the corresponding medium-chain triglycerides.It possesses functional attributes such as facile digestion and absorption,as well as antibacterial and antioxidant properties.The study utilized the Citespace and VOSviewer visual analysis software to examine the quantity of published papers,authors,publishing institutions,research hotspots and frontiers of 3442 effective literatures on the theme of"coconut oil"in the Web of Science(WoS)Core Collection database.The research on coconut oil can be condensed into four primary sections:(1)investigation and utilization of physiochemical characteristics of coconut oil,(2)analysis of nutritional composition and study of the effectiveness of coconut oil,(3)identification of adulteration in coconut oil,(4)evaluation of the impact of coconut oil as a dietary supplement on animal metabolism.Additionally,research focal points have evolved in three distinct phases.Prior to 2008,numerous studies were conducted to investigate the precise fatty acid makeup of coconut oil and its potential for lowering cholesterol levels.From 2009 to 2016,significant emphasis was placed on examining the impact of coconut oil on methane production in ruminants.Between 2018 to 2023,the main focus will be on investigating how nanoparticles can alter the properties of coconut oil.In the future,the anticipated research areas of interest are expected to focus on the rapid detection method of coconut oil,the efficacy of coconut oil and the advancement of coconut resources.The objective of this review is to provide researchers with relevant information about coconut oil,aiming to foster the continued growth of the coconut oil industry.

Effect on Optical and Antibacterial Activity of SnO2 and CuO Blended SnO2 Nanoparticles

Nanocrystalline SnO2 and CuO doped with SnO2 were prepared by the co-precipitation method and characterized for different physiochemical properties and microbiological activity. The composition and morphological formation were characterized by XRD, HRTEM, Raman, FTIR, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The Powder X-ray analysis reveals that Sn4+ ions have substituted the Cu2+ ions without changing the monoclinic structure of SnO2 but the average particle size of the SnO2 and CuO doped SnO2 samples from 11 and 5 nm respectively. However, it exhibits an inhibiting strong bacterial growth against tested bacterial strains.

Formulation and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of Theaflavin Effervescent Tablet

Theaflavins(TFs),as the major polyphenolic components of fermented tea,possess beneficial effects on human health.In this study,the effervescent tablets based on theaflavins were developed.The optimal formulation of TF effervescent tablets was obtained by response surface methodology with the Box-Behnken design.Then,the physiochemical properties were evaluated,including hardness,friability,effervescent time and pH of the solution.At last,the antioxidant ability of TF effervescent tablets was studied through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assay.According to the results,the optimal formulation of the tablets contained TF powder 9.09%,disintegrating agent 43.80%(the weight ratio of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate was 1:1),aspartame 1.86%,PEG-6003%,and mannitol in balance.With the wet granulation method,the TF effervescent tablets displayed suitable hardness,fast disintegration time,good color,pleasant taste and high antioxidant activity.This study demonstrated that the TF effervescent tablets could be a valuable product for the supplement market and contribute to promoting practical application of TFs.

Evaluation of soil nutrient status in poplar forest soil by soil nutrient systematic approach

A study was conducted to evaluate the soil nutrient status of poplar plantation by Soil Nutrient Systematic Approach (SNSA) in Jianghan Plain, Hubei Province, China. Soil physiochemical properties were analyzed in laboratory through collection soil samples of study site. Ten treatments of application different fertilizers were designed such as CK, optimum treatment (N, P, K, Zn), N(P, K, Zn), P(N, K, Zn), K(N, P, Zn), +Mg(N, P, K, Zn, Mg), Zn (N,P,K), +2P(N, 2P, K, Zn), +2K(N, P, 2K, Zn), and 2N+2P+2K(2N, 2P, 2K, Zn) for field experiment to test the effect on tree height, diameter (DBH) growth, and dry weight of poplar. The results showed that there was no significant difference in tree heights between treatments with different fertilizers, diameter growth of poplar trees in treatments of lack of N and Zn was significantly slower than that of trees in optimum treatment, and dry weight of poplar dropped significantly for treatment of CK as well as treatments without application N and Zn. It is concluded that N and Zn were main limiting factor for poplar growth. Results from laboratory analysis and field experiment were uniform per-fectly, which proved that SNSA was reliable in evaluating soil nutrient status of poplar plantation.

Influence of Different Drying Temperatures on Quality of Balsam Pear Slices

[Objective] The aim was to investigate the effects of different drying temperatures on the physiochemical properties and antioxidant activity of balsam pear slices. [Method] Balsam pear slices were dried at different hot air temperatures, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ℃. [Result] The polyphenols content was highest （2.83 mg/g） in the balsam pear slices dried at 50 ℃, and the flavonoids content was highest （2.584 mg/g） in those dried at 60 ℃. Different drying temperatures had a great impact on the antioxidant capacity of polyphenols in balsam pear. The balsam pear slices dried at 50 ℃ showed the strongest capacity for scavenging DPPH free radicals with IC50 of 0.015 mg/ml, and those dried at 80 ℃ showed the strongest capacity for removing ABTS free radicals with IC50 of 0.0689 mg/ml. [Conclusion] The hot air temperature of 50 ℃ had the least impact on the quality of balsam pear slices.

The Role of Biochar to Enhance Anaerobic Digestion: A Review

Biochar,one of the products of thermochemical conversion of biomass,possesses specific physiochemical properties such as conductivity,pore adsorption,surface functional groups,and cation exchange capacity.Anaerobic digestion(AD)as a classical bio-wastes conversion technology,suffers from inhibitions,process instability,and methanogenic inefficiency which limit its efficiency.With the advantages of pH buffering,functional microbes enrichment,inhibitors alleviating,and direct interspecies electron transfer(DIET)accelerating,biochar suggests a promising application as additives for AD.Herein,this paper reviewed the noting physicochemical properties of biochar,and discussed its roles and related mechanisms in AD.Further,this paper highlighted the advantages and drawbacks,and pointed out the corresponding challenges and prospects for future research and application of biochar amending AD.

Impact Assessment of Oil Spillage on Farmlands of Some Communities in Ilaje Area of Ondo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the impact assessment of oil spillage on farmlands of some communities in Ilaje Area of Ondo state. Three farmlands were considered in the course of this study. Two of the three farmlands were within the Ikorigho and Otumara communities that recently experienced oil spillage and they are about 300 m from each other. While the third farm was within the Igbokoda community which is geographically similar but has not experienced oil spillage, it was used as control. The farmland was delineated at each area by the grid technique and soil samples were collected at 0-20 cm depth of the ground. Some physiochemical properties that reflect soil nutrient content and fertility status （pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorous and cation exchange capacity （CEC）） were determined using standard methods and results from the three areas were compared. There was a significant decrease in the calcium （Ca）, magnesium （Mg）, potassium （K） and organic matter, as well as a significant increase in the electrical conductivity, moisture content and phosphorous content of the oil-spill affected farmlands at Ikorigho and Otumara when compared with the non-affected farmland at Igbokoda. The acidic nature of the farmlands could not be attributed entirely to the oil spill since the control farmland at Igbokoda was slightly acidic. The results show that oil spillage has adversely affected the nutrient level and fertility status of farmland at Ikorigho and Otumara communities, which needs urgent remediation.

Long-Term No-Tillage Direct Seeding Mode for Water-Saving and Drought-Resistance Rice Production in Rice-Rapeseed Rotation System

To study the effects of long-term no-tillage direct seeding mode on rice yield and the soil physiochemical property in a rice-rapeseed rotation system, a comparative experiment with a water-saving and drought-resistance rice （WDR） variety and a double low rapeseed variety as materials was conducted under no-tillage direct seeding （NTDS） mode and conventional tillage direct seeding （CTDS） mode for four years, using the CTDS mode as the control. Compared with the CTDS mode, the actual rice yield of WDR decreased by 8.10% at the first year, whereas the plant height, spikelet number per panicle, spikelet fertility, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, actual yield, and harvest index increased with no-tillage years, which led to the actual yield increase by 6.49% at the fourth year. Correlation analysis showed that the panicle length was significantly related to the actual yield of WDR. Compared with the CTDS mode in terms of the soil properties, the pH value of the NTDS mode decreased every year, whereas the contents of soil organic matter and total N of the NTDS mode increased. In the 0-5 cm layer of the NTDS mode, the soil bulk decreased, whereas the contents of soil organic matter, total N, and available N increased. In the 5-20 cm layer of the NTDS mode, the available N and K decreased, whereas the soil bulk, contents of soil organic matter, and total N increased. In summary, the NTDS mode increased the rice yield, and could improve the paddy soil fertility of the top layer.

Computerized recognition of pineapple grades using physicochemical properties and flicking sounds

Fruit is one of the essential sources of human nutrition.Consumers around the world need to be able to purchase fruit of reliable flavor and nutritional quality.Physical appearance and physicochemical properties play a key role in determining desirable quality and flavor.However,for some fruits such as watermelon,durian,pineapple,it is very hard to determine quality and flavor by external appearance.Therefore,a practical method to predict physical and physicochemical properties of fruit needs to be developed.In this study,a computerized technique is investigated to determine pineapple grades and their physical and physicochemical properties,including ripeness,total soluble solids,pH value and water content.The results reveal that by grading using pulp characteristics it is possible to classify pineapples into three distinct groups,which are significantly different in TSS,pH value and water content.In addition,predicting pineapple grades using flicking sounds and signal processing demonstrates that pineapples classified as grade 1 and grade 3 are significantly different in TSS,pH value and water content.This suggests that the estimation of the texture of pineapple pulp and its physicochemical properties can be performed prior to cutting.Therefore,it is feasible to develop an automated grading technique that can be used to determine pineapple quality as accurately as destructive grading to predict pineapple grades,texture and physicochemical properties.

Spatial Distribution of Surface Soil Organic Carbon Density and Related Factors along an Urbanization Gradient in Beijing

Urban surface soil has a unique set of structures and processes that affect surface soil organic carbon density(SOCdensity) and its spatial variations. Using Beijing as a case study, and assisted by field investigations and experiments, we analyzed the spatial distribution of SOCdensity in different land use types and functional regions, and assessed associated factors such as urbanization level, the physiochemical properties of soil and plant configurations. The present study aims to provide useful information about the mechanisms driving soil organic carbon and climate change in developing and developed areas in urbanized regions like Beijing. Results indicate that P is the main factor positively influencing SOCdensity in most regions. Because of the specific interference directly related to human beings in urban areas, with decreases in the urbanization level, more physiochemical factors of soil can influence SOCdensity. SOCdensity under grasses is not significantly different from that under other plant compositions. Urbanization processes decrease the heterogeneity of the spatial pattern of SOCdensity in most land use types, but increased its contents when the area reached a developed level in Beijing. More factors related to human interference and spatial variation of surface soil carbon storage, especially under impervious land in urban areas, should be considered in future studies.