Assessing climate risk to support urban forests in a changing climate.
Globally, cities are planning for resilience through urban greening initiatives as governments understand the importance of urban forests in improving quality of life and mitigating climate change. However, the persistence of urban forests and the ecosystem benefits they provide are threatened by climate change, and systematic assessments of causes of tree dieback and mortality in […]
Effect of Acclimatization in Elevated CO2 on Growth and Aflatoxin B1 Production by Aspergillus flavus Strains on Pistachio Nuts.
There is little knowledge of the effect of acclimatization of Aspergillus flavus strains to climate-related abiotic factors and the subsequent effects on growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production. In this study, two strains of A. flavus (AB3, AB10) were acclimatized for five generations in elevated CO2 (1000 ppm × 37 °C) on a milled pistachio-based medium. A comparison was made of […]
Activated Carbon from Palm Date Seeds for CO2 Capture.
The process of carbon dioxide capture and storage is seen as a critical strategy to mitigate the so-called greenhouse effect and the planetary climate changes associated with it. In this study, we investigated the CO2 adsorption capacity of various microporous carbon materials originating from palm date seeds (PDS) using green chemistry synthesis. The PDS was […]
Establishing a Reference Baseline for Midday Stem Water Potential in Olive and Its Use for Plant-Based Irrigation Management.
Midday stem water potential (SWP) is rapidly becoming adopted as a standard tool for plant-based irrigation management in many woody perennial crops. A reference or “baseline” SWP has been used in some crops (almond, prune, grape, and walnut) to account for the climatic influence of air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) on SWP under non-limiting soil […]
Mapping the Genetic Regions Responsible for Key Phenology-Related Traits in the European Hazelnut.
An increasing interest in the cultivation of (European) hazelnut (Corylus avellana) is driving a demand to breed cultivars adapted to non-conventional environments, particularly in the context of incipient climate change. Given that plant phenology is so strongly determined by genotype, a rational approach to support these breeding efforts will be to identify quantitative trait loci […]
Development of Sustainable Chemistry in Madagascar: Example of the Valuation of CNSL and the Use of Chromones as an Attractant for Mosquitoes
This article describes a part of the results obtained from the cooperation between the University of Lyon1 (France) and the University of Antananarivo (Madagascar). It shows (among others) that useful research can be carried out in developing countries of the tropics if their social, technical, and economic conditions are taken into account. The concepts and […]
The Utilisation of Solid Fuels Derived from Waste Pistachio Shells in Direct Carbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.
The comprehensive results regarding the physicochemical properties of carbonaceous materials that are obtained from pistachio shells support their usage as solid fuels to supply direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells (DC-SOFCs). The influence of preparation conditions on variations in the chemical composition, morphology of the biochar powders, and degree of graphitization of carbonaceous materials were […]
Utilization of the UAE date palm leaf biochar in carbon dioxide capture and sequestration processes
This paper evaluates the potential use of date palm leaf biochar as a climate change solution through CO2 capture and sequestration. The pyrolysis of date palm leaf was performed at different temperatures 300°, 400°, 500°, and 600 °C. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized biochar were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray […]
Improved fertiliser management to reduce the greenhouse-gas emissions and ensure yields in a wheat-peanut relay intercropping system in China.
Over the last century, anthropogenic greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions have changed the global climate, and agriculture plays an important role in the global flux of GHG. Agricultural management practices, such as split N applications and the use of controlled-release fertilisers have significantly increased the crop yield and N-use efficiency by balancing the N demand of crops […]
Green production of hydrochar nut group from waste materials in subcritical water medium and investigation of their adsorption performance for Crystal Violet.
This study evaluates the production of hydrochars from the outer shells of the nut group (peanut, hazelnut, walnut, and pistachio) in an eco-friendly SWM medium and their effects as adsorbents on the removal of crystal violet (CV) from an aqueous solution. The prepared hydrochars were characterized using Brunauer Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), […]
Twist and lock: nutshell structures for high strength and energy absorption.
Nutshells achieve remarkable properties by optimizing structure and chemistry at different hierarchical levels. Probing nutshells from the cellular down to the nano- and molecular level by microchemical and nanomechanical imaging techniques reveals insights into nature’s packing concepts. In walnut and pistachio shells, carbohydrate and lignin polymers assemble to form thick-walled puzzle cells, which interlock three-dimensionally […]
Pistachio Hull Extract as a Practical Strategy to Extend the Shelf Life of Raw Minced Beef: Chemometrics in Quality Evaluation.
The agricultural processing industry produces a notable quantity of by-products rich in bioactive compounds, which can be exploited for agri-food applications. From pistachio industrial processing, pistachio’s hull is one of the major by-products. This work aimed to evaluate the potential of pistachio hull, as a potential source of natural antioxidant, to preserve the meat quality. […]
Almond (Prunus dulcis cv. Casteltermini) Skin Confectionery By-Products: New Opportunity for the Development of a Functional Blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius Schott) Jam.
This work proposes for the first time a model for reusing almond (Prunus dulcis cv. Casteltermini from Sicily, Southern Italy) skin to formulate a new functional blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius Schott) jam. For this purpose, blackberries were analysed fresh and as jam, traditionally prepared with a minimum fruit amount of 80%. Different percentages of almond skin […]
Almond By-Products: Valorization for Sustainability and Competitiveness of the Industry.
The search for waste minimization and the valorization of by-products are key practices for good management and improved sustainability in the food industry. The production of almonds generates a large amount of waste, most of which is not used. Until now, almonds have been used for their high nutritional value as food, especially almond meat. […]
Revalorization of Almond By-Products for the Design of Novel Functional Foods: An Updated Review.
The search for waste minimization and the valorization of by-products are key to good management and improved sustainability in the food industry. The great production of almonds, based on their high nutritional value as food, especially almond kernels, generates tons of waste yearly. The remaining parts (skin, shell, hulls, etc.) are still little explored, even […]
Selective limb removal pruning and reflective ground covers improve light and crop distributions in the lower zone of ‘Nonpareil’almond trees but not total yield.
Conventional planting and management systems for almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb) orchards involve trees trained from an early age to produce multiple large scaffold branches, which in mature orchards form closed light inefficient canopies. Treatments included a single round of selective limb removal pruning applied at the start of the research to remove […]
Date Fruit Processing Waste and Approaches to Its Valorization: A Review.
In the Middle East and North Africa, dates are a traditional and economically valuable crop, playing an essential role in people’s daily diets. Date fruit production and related processing industry generate a large quantity of waste; for illustration, the date juicing industry produces roughly 17-28% Date press cake (DPC), which is mainly discarded in open […]
Experimental and Theoretical Studies on Extract of Date Palm Seed as a Green Anti-Corrosion Agent in Hydrochloric Acid Solution.
Extracts from plant materials have great potential as alternatives to inorganic corrosion inhibitors, which typically have harmful consequences. Experimental and theoretical methodologies studied the effectiveness of agricultural waste, namely, date palm seed extract as a green anti-corrosive agent in 0.5 M hydrochloric acid. Experimental results showed that immersion time and temperature are closely related to […]
Pyrolysis of Almond (Prunus amygdalus) Shells: Kinetic Analysis, Modelling, Energy Assessment and Technical Feasibility Studies.
The aim of this work was to study the thermogravimetric analysis through the pyrolysis of almond (Prunus amygdalus) shells for evaluating its potential for bioenergy at different heating rates (10, 25, and 50 K min-1). The activation energy values for the process were of the range of 153.0, 152.02, and 152.73 kJ mol-1 as calculated by […]
Healthier and more sustainable diets: What changes are needed in high‐income countries?.
Debate persists around the food production and dietary changes needed to improve sustainability of our global food system. We reviewed 29 studies in high-income countries that used various methodologies to define a healthier, more sustainable diet. Diets aligned with dietary guidelines, containing less meat and higher amounts of plant-derived foods (vegetables, pulses [beans/lentils], fruit, wholegrains, […]
A Comparison of Rice Husks and Peanut Shells as Bedding Materials on Dairy Cows’ Preferences, Behaviour, and Health.
The provision and quality of bedding materials affect the behaviour, welfare, and health of dairy cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the preference, behaviour, cleanliness, and physiological status of cows on three bedding materials, peanut shells, rice husks, and a combination of two-thirds peanut shells, one-third rice husk. In an initial experiment, […]
Synergistic effect of pistachio shell powder and nano-zerovalent copper for chromium remediation from aqueous solution.
Pistachio shell powder supported nano-zerovalent copper (ZVC@PS) material prepared by borohydride reduction was characterized using SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA/DTA, BET, and XPS. SEM, XRD, and XPS revealed the nano-zerovalent copper to consist of a core-shell structure with CuO shell and Cu(0) core with a particle size of 40-100 nm and spherical morphology aggregated on PS […]
The adsorption properties of microporous activated carbon prepared from pistachio nut shell for low-concentration VOCs under low-medium temperatures.
The control of low-concentration VOCs in coal-fired flue gas is one of the research hotspots at present. In this work, K2CO3 and K2CO3-KCl were employed to activate the agricultural wastes (pistachio nut shell) to prepare activated carbon (AC), named PSAC-1 and PSAC-2, respectively. By testing the adsorption performance of the prepared AC and commercial activated carbon […]
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pistachio husk biochar combination reduces Ni distribution in mungbean plant and improves plant antioxidants and soil enzymes.
Soil pollution with nickel (Ni) casts detrimental effects on the quality of crops. Low-cost amendments can restrict Ni mobility in soil and its uptake by the plants. In this pot experiment, the effects of pistachio husk biochar (PHB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the distribution of Ni in mung bean and its bioavailability in […]
Walnut (J. regia) Agro-Residues as a Rich Source of Phenolic Compounds.
The present study was designed to identify and quantify the major phenolic compounds (phenolics) in the inner and outer husks, buds and bark of the Persian walnut, Juglans regia L. A comparison across six different cultivars grown in Slovenia was also carried out: ‘Fernor’, ‘Fernette’, ‘Franquette’, ‘Sava’, ‘Krka’ and ‘Rubina’. A total of 83 compounds were identified, […]
Polyurethane Composites Reinforced with Walnut Shell Filler Treated with Perlite, Montmorillonite and Halloysite.
In the following study, polyurethane (PUR) composites were modified with 2 wt.% of walnut shell filler modified with selected mineral compounds-perlite, montmorillonite, and halloysite. The impact of modified walnut shell fillers on selected properties of PUR composites, such as rheological properties (dynamic viscosity, foaming behavior), mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, impact strength), dynamic-mechanical behavior […]
Nanocomposites of zero-valent iron@ biochar derived from agricultural wastes for adsorptive removal of tetracyclines.
Tetracycline antibiotics as the emerging pollutants had been drawn abroad increasing concerns. An agricultural waste, the lignocellulosic hazelnut shell, was used as the carbon source to prepare the nanocomposites of zero-valent iron@biochar by pyrolytic reduction method at 1123 K for 2 h in N2 atmosphere. The adsorptive removal of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline by the zero-valent […]
Process intensification and kinetic studies of ultrasound-assisted extraction of flavonoids from peanut shells.
In this work, extraction of flavonoids from peanut shells has been studied in the presence of ultrasound and the results are compared with Soxhlet and heat reflux extraction for establishing the process intensification benefits. The process optimization for understanding the effects of operating parameters, such as ethanol concentration, particle size, solvent to solid ratio, extraction […]
Iron-modified activated carbon derived from agro-waste for enhanced dye removal from aqueous solutions.
Background and aim: Finding a cost-effective adsorbent can be an obstacle to large-scale applications of adsorption. This study used an efficient activated carbon adsorbent based on agro-waste for dye removal. Methods: Pistachio shells as abundant local agro-wastes were used to prepare activated carbon. Then, it was modified with iron to improve its characteristics. Acid red 14 was […]
Dependence of the Ripeness Stage on the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Green Husk Extracts from Industrial By-Products.
Walnut green husk (WGH) is a waste generated by the walnut (Juglans regia L.) harvest industry. It represents a natural source of polyphenols, compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, but their activity could be dependent on the ripeness stage of the raw material. In this study, the effect of the different ripeness stages-open (OH) and […]
Choline Chloride–Lactic Acid-Based NADES As an Extraction Medium in a Response Surface Methodology-Optimized Method for the Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Hazelnut Skin.
Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are promising green solvents for the extraction of compounds from food byproducts. Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is one of the most commonly cultivated tree nuts worldwide. The skin represents one of the major byproducts of the hazelnut industry and accounts for 2.5% of the total hazelnut kernel weight. It is a […]
The Analysis of Phenolic Compounds in Walnut Husk and Pellicle by UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS and HPLC.
Husk and pellicle as the agri-food waste in the walnut-product industry are in soaring demand because of their rich polyphenol content. This study investigated the differential compounds related to walnut polyphenol between husk and pellicle during fruit development stage. By using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap), a total of 110 bioactive components, including hydrolysable tannins, […]
Post-harvest industrial processes of almond (Prunus dulcis L. Mill) in Sicily influence the nutraceutical properties of by-products at harvest and during storage.
Almond cultivation in Sicily is experiencing a phase of great interest which is mainly concentrated in the development of specialized orchards, with irrigation and by adopting cultivars with high qualitative and quantitative performances. These are mostly Mediterranean genotypes with high fat content and hard or semi-hard shell, extremely different from the varieties of Californian diffusion. […]
Exhaustive valorization of cashew nut shell waste as a potential bioresource material.
In this paper, we report extraction of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) from cashew nut shell waste (CNSW) and further use of residues for generation of activated carbon for removal of heavy metals and methylene blue (MB). Solvent extraction yielded 24.6 ± 0.4%, 38.2 ± 0.4% and 40.1 ± 0.9% for petroleum ether, hexane and […]
Potential Valorization of Hazelnut Shells through Extraction, Purification and Structural Characterization of Prebiotic Compounds: A Critical Review.
Hazelnuts are one of the most widely consumed nuts, but their production creates large quantities of by-products, especially shells, that could be upcycled into much more valuable products. Recent studies have shown that hazelnut shell hemicellulose is particularly rich in compounds that are potential precursors of xylooligosaccharides and arabino-xylooligosaccharides ((A)XOS), previously defined as emerging prebiotics […]
Detection and Comparison of Bioactive Compounds in Different Extracts of Two Hazelnut Skin Varieties, Tonda Gentile Romana and Tonda Di Giffoni, Using a Metabolomics Approach.
Agro-wastes are one of the major sources for nutritional and therapeutic benefits along with other beneficial properties. Dark brown pellicular pericarp (skin or testa), covering the hazelnut seed, is removed before consumption after the roasting of a kernel. Defatted skins of both hazelnut varieties, Tonda Gentile Romana and Tonda di Giffoni, were profiled by a metabolomics-based […]
Antioxidant activity and some quality characteristics of buffalo yoghurt fortified with peanut skin extract powder.
Peanut is an important crop grown worldwide. Peanut skin, the byproduct of peanut processing is a valuable byproduct due to its content of many functional components. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of fortification of yoghurt with peanut skin extract powder (PSEP) at 50, 100 and 200 mg/L milk on the antioxidant activity […]
Composition and Physicochemical Characterization of Walnut Flour, a By-product of Oil Extraction.
The by-product of walnut oil (Juglans regia L.) extraction is a press cake rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and other bioactive compounds. From this cake, walnut flour is obtained by a milling process. The composition and a physicochemical characterization of walnut flour was performed: proximal composition, mineral content, and fatty acid and amino acid profiles […]
An Evaluation of the Impact of the Amount of Potassium Hydroxide on the Porous Structure Development of Activated Carbons.
This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the impact of the amount of potassium hydroxide on the obtained porous structure of the activated carbons derived from the shells of pistachios, hazelnuts, and pecans by carbonization and subsequent chemical activation with potassium hydroxide by different adsorption methods: Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, Dubinin-Raduskevich, the new numerical clustering-based adsorption […]
Adsorption of U (VI) from aqueous solution by using KMnO 4-modified hazelnut shell activated carbon: characterisation and artificial neural network modelling.
This study is based on U(VI) removal from wastewater by KMnO4-modified hazelnut shell activated carbon (KM-HSAC) using adsorption technology. A characterisation study of KM-HSAC was conducted through scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The rough surface of KM-HSAC contains many irregular microspores. The EDS pattern confirmed the U(VI) adsorption on the KM-HSAC. […]
Feeding high amounts of almond hulls to lactating cows.
California is the leading state for the production of almonds, with more than 400,000 bearing hectares of orchards that produced approximately 1 billion kg of shelled nuts in 2017. Almond hulls (AH) are a regional by-product feedstuff fed predominately to dairy cattle in California. A 2012 study surveyed 40 dairy farms in California and found […]
Acid hydrolysis of almond shells in a biphasic reaction system: obtaining of purified hemicellulosic monosaccharides in a single step.
The aim of this work is to comprehend the biphasic reaction systems through another perspective; the simultaneous purification and production of carbohydrates during the pretreatment of biomass. A dilute acid hydrolysis of almond shells in a 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran/H2O system was optimised to maximise the obtaining of hemicellulose-derived monosaccharides with the minimum formation of degradation products. The […]
Films from cashew byproducts: cashew gum and bacterial cellulose from cashew apple juice.
Cashew is a major crop in several tropical countries. Its cultivation is mostly aimed to the production of cashew nuts, whereas its byproducts (including cashew tree gum and cashew apples) are underutilized. In this study, cashew tree gum (CG) has been combined to nanofibrillated bacterial cellulose (NFBC) produced from cashew apple juice, at different ratios […]
Sugarcane/peanut intercropping system improves physicochemical properties by changing N and P cycling and organic matter turnover in root zone soil
Background: The sugarcane/peanut intercropping system is a specific and efficient cropping pattern in South China. Intercropping systems change the bacterial diversity of soils and decrease disease rates. It can not only utilized light, heat, water and land resources efficiently, but also increased yield and economic benefits of farmers. Methods: We determined soil nutrients, enzymes and […]
Nutshells as Efficient Biosorbents to Remove Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury from Contaminated Solutions
The release of potentially toxic elements into the environment, and their effects on aquatic ecosystems still present a real threat. To avoid such contamination, the use of biological sorbents as an alternative to conventional and expensive water remediation techniques has been proposed. The present study evaluated the potential of 0.5 g L-1 of peanut, hazelnut, […]
Evaluation of pruning wound protection products for the management of almond canker diseases in California
Almond trunk and branch canker diseases constitute a major cause of tree mortality in California. Numerous fungal pathogens have been associated with these canker diseases and pruning wounds act as major infection courts. Prior to this study, there were no products registered in California for the management of these diseases. In this study, fungicidal products […]
Facile Preparation of Activated Carbon from Peanut Shell for Determination of Bisphenol A in Human Urine by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.
Herein, a facile and low-cost method for the preparation of activated carbon from peanut shell was developed for the first time for the fast extraction and determination of Bisphenol A in human urine. Bisphenol A was separated by EC-C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 4 μm) and was detected by VWD, with retention time for qualitative […]
Effects of NaOH, thermal, and combined NaOH-thermal pretreatments on the biomethane yields from the anaerobic digestion of walnut shells.
Anaerobic digestion (AD) of walnut shells (WS) results in only a limited biomethane yield because of their high fibre content, which ultimately represents an essentially nonbiodegradable lignocellulosic biomass. In the present study, thermal (i.e. 50-250 °C), alkaline (i.e. 1-5% w/w NaOH) and combined alkaline-thermal (i.e. 4% w/w NaOH + 150 °C thermal) pretreatment methods have […]
Synthesis and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Biowaste-Peanut Shell and Application to Preconcentration/Removal of Uranium.
This study aims to synthesize and characterize an economical and ecological adsorbent with high adsorption capacity. For this purpose, the peanut shells (Pistacia vera L.) were modified chemically. After the synthesis of activated carbon (AC), the optimum conditions for enrichment steps were performed using parameters: pH and contact time for uranium in the model solutions. […]
Combustion of pellets produced from the powders of coconut and cashew nut shells: Chemical, thermal and emission analyses.
Most of the energy consumed worldwide comes from non-renewable sources, such as oil derivatives, making it necessary to search for renewable, clean energy sources, with emphasis on biomass from agricultural and industrial waste. Coconut shell pellets (CSPs) and cashew nut shell pellets (CNSPs) were manufactured and subsequently subjected to chemical, thermal and exhaust gas analyses […]