February 20, 2026
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January 31, 2026
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a promising biotechnological approach for sustainable electricity generation from waste substrates without combustion or secondary pollutant formation. In this study, a kombucha starter culture was employed to convert organic compounds in coconut processing waste into electricity within a carbon-capture MFC integrated with the green microalga <em>Chlorella</em> sp. BF03. The electrochemical performance of the MFC was evaluated according to Ohm’s law. By-products, carbon fixation rates, and degraded metabolites of the waste were also analyzed. The maximum current density and power density of the system were 6.40 ± 0.01 A/m<sup>2</sup> and 0.77 ± 0.02 W/m<sup>2</sup> respectively, with <em>Komagataeibacter saccharivorans</em> and <em>Acetobacter tropicalis</em> as the main bacterial cultures. No harmful compounds were detected among the degraded metabolites. The system achieved a maximum carbon fixation rate of 0.13 ± 0.00 g/L/day and a bacterial nanocellulose production rate of 0.54 ± 0.04 g/L/day accompanied by total chlorophyll a and b contents of 0.31 ± 0.01 µg/L and 0.32 ± 0.02 µg/L, respectively. Biomass extracts contained various nutraceuticals, including limonene, n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid and vitamin E. These results demonstrate the potential of kombucha-based carbon-capture MFCs for integrated energy generation, waste valorization, and production of high-value bioproducts.
January 31, 2026
Managing hydroponic lettuce with a nutrient solution enriched with biofertilizer can increase productivity and improve commercial product quality; however, few studies have addressed this topic. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding a biofertilizer to the nutrient solution of hydroponic lettuce grown in spring and winter. A randomized block experimental design was used with two nutritional treatments and two growing seasons, each with six replications. For nutrient supply, one treatment did not use biofertilizer, while the other included it. The biofertilizer is a compound based on fulvic acids, an amino acid complex, and alginic acid, applied at a dose of 1 liter per 1,000 liters of nutrient solution. The use of biofertilizer resulted in increases in red and green excitation fluorescence indices (SFR-R and SFR-G), total chlorophyll, flavonoids, and anthocyanins by 32.1%, 41.1%, 30.7%, 10.3%, and 3.5%, respectively, in the spring crop. For nitrogen balance in plants during spring cultivation, the use of biofertilizer promoted increases of 21.7% and 89.9% in red and green excitation nitrogen balance indices (NBI-G and NBI-R), respectively. The use of biofertilizer resulted in average gains, regardless of cultivation period, of 27.6% for root fresh mass, 74.0% for shoot fresh mass, and 11.7% for shoot diameter, as well as increases of 27.8% and 43.4% for stem diameter and number of leaves in spring cultivation. These positive effects indicate that the biofertilizer improves nutrient absorption and stress resistance, resulting in more robust plants with better commercial characteristics.
January 31, 2026
A tropical fruit, Gac (<em>Momordica cochinchinensis</em> Spreng), is valued for its high carotenoid content and antioxidant potential. This study investigated the physicochemical and biofunctional changes in Gac aril juice (GAJ) subjected to fermentation with 2% (w/v) kefir grain and enzymatic treatment using (2% v/v) food-grade pectinase or cellulase for 48 h under control conditions. Parameters assessed included pH, color, total dissolved solid, lycopene, β-carotene content (via HPLC), total flavonoid content, phenolics, antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP), volatile organic compounds (GC-MS), and cytotoxicity against HT-29 human colon cancer cells (MTT assay). Results revealed that both treatments significantly improved carotenoid content and antioxidant activity. Pectinase-treated juice showed the highest β-carotene and antioxidant levels, while kefir-fermented juice notably increased phenolic content and exhibited cytotoxic effects with an IC50 of 401.00 ± 1.76 µg/mL. Additionally, the volatile compound profile exhibited treatment-dependent changes in aroma. Morphological changes in HT-29 cells confirmed the cytotoxic effect of the fermented GAJ. This is the first report to demonstrate the cytotoxic potential of kefir-fermented GAJ against HT-29 cells, indicating its promise as a functional ingredient for value-added product development in the food and beverage sector.
