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Pérez-Flores J, Borges-Ramírez MM, Vargas-Contreras JA, Osten JRV. Inter-annual variation in the microplastics abundance in feces of the Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from the Selva Maya, México. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 941:173659. [PMID: 38839015 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are found in a wide range of ecosystems, from the Arctic to the deep ocean. However, there is no data on their presence in terrestrial mammals that inhabit the Selva Maya. The aim of this study is to detect the presence of MPs in the feces of the Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from the region of Calakmul, located in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. We analyzed 129 fecal samples collected during 2017 and 2018, obtaining 57 and 72 samples during the rainy and dry seasons respectively. Sixty-eight percent of the samples contained 743 MPs with a mean of 19.3 ± 28.1 MPs/kg of dry weight (DW) feces in both years. An inter-annual variation in the average abundance of microplastic was observed during the two-year period (2017-2018), with a 72 % increase in these plastic particles in feces. Fourteen polymers were identified, with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PES) being the most abundant during both years. Although the effects of MPs on the health of tapirs are not known, their presence is cause for concern. There is an urgent need for the implementation of appropriate plastic waste management programs in communities of the Selva Maya to diminish the consumption of MPs in species including humans where they pose a significant risk to health. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of plastics worldwide is increasing every day, so the presence of microplastics is and will continue to be a major environmental problem. It is known that contaminants can adhere to plastics, making them hazardous materials. Microplastics can contaminate remote areas such as Biosphere Reserves. Terrestrial species such as the tapir can ingest microplastics, putting their health at risk. Knowing the dispersion of microplastics is very important in order to manage them properly, taking into account their emission sources and type of polymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Pérez-Flores
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencia y Tecnología (CONAHCYT), Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, CP 03940 Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico; El Colegio de La Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Unidad de Chetumal, Avenida Centenario Km 5.5, CP 77014 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Merle M Borges-Ramírez
- Instituto de Ecología, Pesquería y Oceanografía del Golfo de México (EPOMEX), Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campus VI, Av. Héroe de Nacozari 480, CP 24070, Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Jorge A Vargas-Contreras
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campus V, Av. Ex Hacienda Kalá S/N, CP 24085 Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Jaime Rendón-von Osten
- Instituto de Ecología, Pesquería y Oceanografía del Golfo de México (EPOMEX), Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campus VI, Av. Héroe de Nacozari 480, CP 24070, Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.
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Zhong C, Nidetzky B. Bottom-Up Synthesized Glucan Materials: Opportunities from Applied Biocatalysis. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2400436. [PMID: 38514194 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202400436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Linear d-glucans are natural polysaccharides of simple chemical structure. They are comprised of d-glucosyl units linked by a single type of glycosidic bond. Noncovalent interactions within, and between, the d-glucan chains give rise to a broad variety of macromolecular nanostructures that can assemble into crystalline-organized materials of tunable morphology. Structure design and functionalization of d-glucans for diverse material applications largely relies on top-down processing and chemical derivatization of naturally derived starting materials. The top-down approach encounters critical limitations in efficiency, selectivity, and flexibility. Bottom-up approaches of d-glucan synthesis offer different, and often more precise, ways of polymer structure control and provide means of functional diversification widely inaccessible to top-down routes of polysaccharide material processing. Here the natural and engineered enzymes (glycosyltransferases, glycoside hydrolases and phosphorylases, glycosynthases) for d-glucan polymerization are described and the use of applied biocatalysis for the bottom-up assembly of specific d-glucan structures is shown. Advanced material applications of the resulting polymeric products are further shown and their important role in the development of sustainable macromolecular materials in a bio-based circular economy is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Zhong
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Petersgasse 12, Graz, 8010, Austria
| | - Bernd Nidetzky
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Petersgasse 12, Graz, 8010, Austria
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib), Krenngasse 37, Graz, 8010, Austria
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Adibi A, Valdesueiro D, Mok J, Behabtu N, Lenges C, Simon L, Mekonnen TH. Sustainable barrier paper coating based on alpha-1,3 glucan and natural rubber latex. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 282:119121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Enzymatic Synthesis of Chiral Polyamide via Condensation of Natural Source Amino Acid Diesters and Diamine. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.202100162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Adibi A, Kim J, Mok J, Lenges C, Simon L, Mekonnen TH. Enzymatic polymerization designed alpha-1,3 glucan particle morphology as reinforcing fillers of dipped and casted rubber films. Carbohydr Polym 2021; 267:118234. [PMID: 34119186 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In this work, enzymatic polymerization derived microcrystalline glucan (MCG) polysaccharides fillers were employed as novel sustainable fillers of natural rubber (NR) films. MCG has a designed platelet morphology, with high crystallinity and colloidal stability in aqueous media and rubber lattices. NR films composed of 0-10 phr MCG were then fabricated using dipping and casting processes. The incorporation of MCG in the NR led to a remarkable enhancement in the tear strength, tensile properties, toughness, and an increase in water vapor permeability but a decrease in ethanol permeation. This behavior is appealing in gloves, where high sweat permeation from hands to the environment and limited to no solvent penetration from the environment to the skin is desired. The study indicated that the enzymatically polymerized MCG are effective reinforcing fillers for NR latex and potentially other elastomers offering the potential for appealing physical property improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azin Adibi
- University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymer Research, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Kim
- University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymer Research, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jorge Mok
- International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), 200 Powder Mill Road E353, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | - Christian Lenges
- International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), 200 Powder Mill Road E353, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | - Leonardo Simon
- University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymer Research, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tizazu H Mekonnen
- University of Waterloo, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Polymer Research, Waterloo N2L 3G1, Ontario, Canada.
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Zhang Y, Xia B, Li Y, Lin X, Wu Q. Substrate Engineering in Lipase-Catalyzed Selective Polymerization of d-/l-Aspartates and Diols to Prepare Helical Chiral Polyester. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:918-926. [PMID: 33427463 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis of optically pure polymers is one of the most challenging tasks in polymer chemistry. Herein, Novozym 435 (Lipase B from Candida antarctica, immobilized on Lewatit VP OC 1600)-catalyzed polycondensation between d-/l-aspartic acid (Asp) diester and diols for the preparation of helical chiral polyesters was reported. Compared with d-Asp diesters, the fast-reacting l-Asp diesters easily reacted with diols to provide a series of chiral polyesters containing N-substitutional l-Asp repeating units. Besides amino acid configuration, N-substituent side chains and the chain length of diols were also investigated and optimized. It was found that bulky acyl N-substitutional groups like N-Boc and N-Cbz were more favorable for this polymerization than small ones probably due to competitively binding of these small acyl groups into the active site of Novozym 435. The highest molecular weight can reach up to 39.5 × 103 g/mol (Mw, Đ = 1.64). Moreover, the slow-reacting d-Asp diesters were also successfully polymerized by modifying the substrate structure to create a "nonchiral" condensation environment artificially. These enantiocomplementary chiral polyesters are thermally stable and have specific helical structures, which was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and molecular calculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Xia
- Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji 311800, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianfu Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People's Republic of China
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Kedzior SA, Cranmer-Smith S, Behabtu N, Kim K, Lenges C, Bryant SL, Trifkovic M. Elucidating the effect of enzymatic polymerized polysaccharide particle morphology on emulsion properties. Carbohydr Polym 2021; 251:117112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Zhang M, Chen L, Ma J. Multiscale Simulation of Vinyl Acetate Systems Applied in the Industrial Gas Separation Column. Ind Eng Chem Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c03969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, R&D Center for Petrochemical Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Lihang Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, R&D Center for Petrochemical Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jing Ma
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, R&D Center for Petrochemical Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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