The effect of argon (Ar) and oxygen (O₂) gases as well as the treatment times on the properties of modified bamboo fibers using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at generated power of 180 W were investigated. The plasma treatment of bamboo fibers with inert gases leads to the generation of ions and radicals on the fiber surface. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that the functional groups of lignin and hemicellulose were reduced owing to the removal of the amorphous portion of the fibers by plasma etching. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) results in an increased crystallinity percentage. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed the oxygen/carbon (O/C) atomic concentration ratio increased with increasing treatment time. The fiber weight loss percentage increased with increased treatment time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that partial etching of the fiber surface led to a higher surface roughness and area and that the Ar + O₂ gas plasma treatment provided more surface etching than the Ar gas treatment because of the oxidation reaction of the O₂ plasma. The mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced epoxy (FRE) matrix composites revealed that the F_(tr)RE-Ar (30) samples showed a high tensile strength, whereas the mechanical properties of the F_(tr)RE-Ar + O₂ sample decreased with increased treatment time.

The present study aimed to extract nanocellulose (NC) from sugarcane bagasse agricultural waste through a chemical method (sulfuric acid hydrolysis and ultrasonication). Subsequently, the nanocellulose product was conjugated with polylysine (NC–PL) and assessed for its efficacy in reducing the toxicity of Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by fungi commonly found in corn, wheat, and other grains. Experimental results confirmed the successful conjugation of NC and PL, as evidenced by FTIR peaks at 1635 and 1625 cm⁻¹ indicating amide I and amide II vibrations in polylysine (PL). SEM analysis revealed a larger size due to PL coating, consistent with DLS results showing the increased size and positive charge (38.0 mV) on the NC–PL surface. Moreover, the effect of FB1 adsorption by NC and NC–PL was evaluated at various concentrations (0–200,000 μg/mL). NC–PL demonstrated the ability to adsorb FB1 at concentrations of 2000, 20,000, and 200,000 μg/mL, with adsorption efficiencies of 94.4–100%. Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were utilized to assess NC and NC–PL cytotoxic effects. This result is a preliminary step towards standardizing results for future studies on their application as novel FB1 binders in food, food packaging, and functional feeds.

This study investigates the microstructural characterization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and microcellulose (MC) extracted from bamboo fibers (Bambusa longispatha) and their potential as reinforcement agents in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) composites. CNC with a mean particle size of 29.3 nm and MC with a mean size of 14.6 × 10³ nm were incorporated into OPC at varying concentrations (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% by cement mass). The compressive strength analysis revealed that increasing MC content led to a decrease in strength, with reductions ranging from 8.8% to 25.9% relative to the control OPC, while the CNC-enhanced composite at 0.4% achieved the highest compressive strength of 43.2 MPa. Flexural strength analysis indicated a minor increase in strength with MC addition (from 7.5 MPa to 8.1 MPa), while CNC addition at 0.1% improved flexural strength to 8.2 MPa but declined with higher concentrations. SEM and stereo microscopy demonstrated MC and CNC dispersion and highlighted microstructural differences, including pore distribution in the composites. XRD analysis showed increased crystallinity for CNC composites compared to pure OPC, with the highest crystallinity index of 52.2% observed at 0.4% CNC. This study highlights that CNC at specific concentrations can enhance OPC mechanical properties, while higher MC and CNC additions may impact strength properties variably due to their microstructural integration and crystallinity. These findings support the potential for bamboo-derived cellulose materials in enhancing cementitious composite performance.

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of the steam explosion (SE) process on curcumin extraction from fresh turmeric chips. Fresh turmeric chips abruptly disintegrated during the steam explosion process. The investigation into the turmeric particles following the steam explosion process in the SEM micrographs revealed that the formation of surface cracks and cavities led to an increase in the surface area of turmeric particles. Curcumin extracted from turmeric particles after the steam explosion process yielded 3.24% (w/w), which was comparable to the yield of 3.98% (w/w) from finely ground turmeric particles, while the steam explosion used 74% less energy than the grinding process. Therefore, the steam explosion process is an efficient process compared to untreated and conventional mechanical grinding methods. On average, the turmeric particles decreased in size when the dissipated energy per mass increased. The curcumin yield from the steam explosion exhibited a linear positive correlation with the dissipated energy per mass. FTIR, TG/DTG, and DSC analyses on the turmeric particles after the steam explosion process showed that the compounds exhibited no change in chemical structure, higher thermal decomposition properties, and higher purity, respectively. The results of this research can be applied to find optimal conditions for extracting curcumin and predicting the yield of curcumin. Additionally, they can be applied to evaluate the process condition in commercial applications.

This study was aimed at producing nanocellulose from sugarcane bagasse and durian rind residues for applications to determine adsorption capacity against mycotoxin in poultry diets. Durian rind-derived nanocellulose exhibited finer fiber (12–21 nm diameter and 197–350 nm length) and higher yield (42.1%) than bagasse-derived nanocellulose (18–36 nm diameter and 82–169 nm length), with FTIR confirming purer cellulose I/II structures. The in vitro test adsorption capacity against ochratoxin (OTA) was determined at an incubation time of 180 min to establish working conditions. It was found that the working conditions of bagasse-derived nanocellulose and durian rind-derived nanocellulose were 33 mg/mL and 36.5 mg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, using these working conditions, adsorption capacity was determined via an in vitro digestibility test. Bagasse-derived nanocellulose exhibited an adsorption capacity against OTA of 35.59%, while durian rind-derived nanocellulose achieved an OTA adsorption rate of 39.53% at a contact time of 3 h. Naturally contaminated poultry feeds collected from nine farms in Chiang Mai, Thailand, indicated that both types of nanocelluloses achieved minimum–maximum OTA adsorption rates of 42–43%, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) at 29–30%, and fumonisin B1 (FB1) at 21–23% across the nine farms’ mean values. These findings suggest that nanocellulose derived from sugarcane bagasse and durian rind has potential as a sustainable biosorbent for improving mycotoxin management in poultry production.