A5071359828- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Lignin and Wood Chemistry
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Enzyme-mediated dye degradation
- Biotechnology and Related Fields
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging
- Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Tendon Structure and Treatment
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Advanced Cellulose Research Studies
- Spectroscopy Techniques in Biomedical and Chemical Research
- Catalysis for Biomass Conversion
- Fermentation and Sensory Analysis
Scion
2013-2025
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
2013-2022
University of Connecticut
2003
The ubiquity of plastic debris in marine environments raises the question, what impacts do plastics have on our microbiota? To investigate this, we applied bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 region sequencing to identify changes microbial biofilm community compositions plastic, over time. We sampled virgin linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), nylon-6 (PA) glass after 2, 6 12 weeks constant immersion Te Whakaraupō-Lyttelton Harbour, Aotearoa-New Zealand. Of prokaryotes,...
Microplastics and their associated plastic additives are contaminants of emerging environmental concern. The extent rate additive leaching affects the behaviour fate these contaminants, therefore risk they present to organisms. However, most studies examining from microplastics use methods that not environmentally relevant. We evaluated a range common plastics using an relevant dynamic method with non-intentionally added substances quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. was...
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing has the potential to displace some of current techniques and is particularly attractive if local renewable waste resources can be used. In this study, rice husk wood powders were compounded in polylactic acid (PLA) by twin screw extrusion produce filaments for fused-deposition modelling printing. The biomasses characterized terms physical features (e.g. particle size, density) chemical compositions solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, ash content)....
Fused deposition modelling is a common 3D printing technique used for the freeform fabrication of complex shapes based on polymers. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material option, though polylactide (PLA) has also proved to be successful candidate. There an ever increasing demand harness new materials as possible candidates fused deposition. The current research focused evaluating polybutyrate-adipate-terephthalate–polymer (PBAT) modelling. Both neat and composite PBAT filled with...
Microbial degradation provides an avenue for the remediation of select plastic polymers contributing to urgent environmental problem global pollution. We demonstrate polycaprolactone (PCL) by Clonostachys rosea and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. constructed genome this fungal strain monitored changes in gene expression when exposed PCL. Twelve genes linked PCL were found C. rosea, some them upregulated presence plastic, including coding two cutinases. heterologously expressed...
Abstract Plastics in the world’s oceans are exposed to diverse environmental stressors that fragment them, accelerating leaching of associated additives. The impact potentially toxic plastic degradation products and additives on marine microorganisms remains poorly understood. We assessed leachate microbial communities vitro by exposure one four leachates (from linear low-density polyethylene [LLPDE], polyamide-6 [or polycaprolactam; PA6], terephthalate [PET] polylactic acid [PLA]), prepared...
BACKGROUND Forest biomass represents a potential low-cost feedstock for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. Softwoods, such as Pinus radiata (D.Don) are difficult to digest and require special pretreatments expose polysaccharides enzymatic saccharification. Different can lead inhibitor formation that may adversely affect PHA synthesis. RESULTS wood chips were subjected high-temperature mechanical pre-treatment (HTMP) or steam explosion in the presence of sulphur dioxide (SEW) before being...
Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is based on extrusion printing and one of the most widely used addive manufacturing techniques. Though capable challenging its traditional counterpart, injection molding in specific cases, current application FDM limited due to fewer material options need have raw filament form often. Considering significant role that process projected play varying fields applications, research considers evaluate certain biopolymer alternatives pellet forms for...
Abstract Molar masses, Mark-Houwink-Sakurada (MHS) exponents, and refractive index increments (dn/dc) for three lignins were determined without derivatization by multi-detector gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in dimethylformamide (DMF) with 0.05 M lithium bromide (LiBr). The lack of effectiveness fluorescence filters on molar mass determination GPC-multi-angle laser light scattering (MALS) was confirmed softwood kraft lignin (Indulin AT) revealed mixed hardwood organosolv (Alcell) as...
Complex microbial communities colonize plastic substrates over time, strongly influencing their fate and potential impacts on marine ecosystems. Among the first colonizers, diatoms play an important role in development of this 'plastiphere'. We investigated 936 biofouling samples factors diatom associated with colonization. These included geographic location (up to 800 km apart), duration substrate submersion (1 52 weeks), plastics (5 polymer types) impact artificial ageing UV light. Diatom...
A contact lens with an incorporated glucose-sensitive hologram has been designed as a system for non-invasive measurement of glucose levels in diabetic patients. The consists acrylamide copolymer hydrogel phenylboronic acid groups acting reversible glucose-binding ligands, allowing dynamic changes to be detected. colour white light reflected off the binds groups, and this change is used quantify concentrations. Holograms containing ligand 3-acrylamidophenylboronic (3-APB) were into lens. was...
Marine plastic debris (MPD) are a global threat to marine ecosystems. Among countless ecosystem impacts, MPD can serve as vector for ‘hitchhikers’ by facilitating transport and subsequent spread of unwanted pests pathogens. The these non-indigenous species (NIS) have substantial impacts on native biodiversity, services/functions hence, important economic consequences. Over the past decade, increasing research interest has been directed towards characterization biological communities...
Microplastics and plastic additives are contaminants of emerging environmental concern. Static leaching methods commonly applied to assess the rate extent additive release from microplastics. However, this approach may not be representative conditions where near infinite dilution or percolation occur. We evaluated three different approaches for assessing under environmentally relevant sink conditions, culminating in refinement validation DyLeMMA (Dynamic Leaching Method Microplastic...
ABSTRACT Wastewater treatment facilities can filter out some plastics before they reach the open environment, yet microplastics often persist throughout these systems. As age, in wastewater may both leach and sorb pollutants fragment to provide an increased surface area for bacterial attachment conjugation, possibly impacting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) traits. Despite this, little is known about effects of persistent plastic pollution on microbial functioning. To address this knowledge...