Humic and fulvic acids as biostimulants in horticulture

Tremendous efforts have been devoted to the development of electrode materials, electrolytes, and separators of energy-storage devices to address the fundamental needs of emerging technologies such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. However, binders, as an important component of energy-storage devices, are yet to receive similar attention. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been the dominant binder in the battery industry for decades despite several well-recognized drawbacks, i.e., limited binding strength due to the lack of chemical bonds with electroactive materials, insufficient mechanical properties, and low electronic and lithium-ion conductivities. The limited binding function cannot meet inherent demands of emerging electrode materials with high capacities such as silicon anodes and sulfur cathodes. To address these concerns, in this review we divide the binding between active materials and binders into two major mechanisms: mechanical interlocking and interfacial b...

Exploring Chemical, Mechanical, and Electrical Functionalities of Binders for Advanced Energy-Storage Devices

Polysaccharides, Protein and Lipid -Based Natural Edible Films in Food Packaging: A Review.

Recent years have witnessed great developments in biobased polymer packaging films for the serious environmental problems caused by the petroleum-based nonbiodegradable packaging materials. Chitosan is one of the most abundant biopolymers after cellulose. Chitosan-based materials have been widely applied in various fields for their biological and physical properties of biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial ability, and easy film forming ability. Different chitosan-based films have been fabricated and applied in the field of food packaging. Most of the review papers related to chitosan-based films are focusing on antibacterial food packaging films. Along with the advances in the nanotechnology and polymer science, numerous strategies, for instance direct casting, coating, dipping, layer-by-layer assembly, and extrusion, have been employed to prepare chitosan-based films with multiple functionalities. The emerging food packaging applications of chitosan-based films as antibacterial films, barrie...

Emerging Chitosan-Based Films for Food Packaging Applications

Humic acids: Structural properties and multiple functionalities for novel technological developments

Effect of chitosan coatings on the physicochemical characteristics of Eksotika II papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit during cold storage

Postharvest application of gum arabic and essential oils for controlling anthracnose and quality of banana and papaya during cold storage

The composite effects of gum arabic (GA) (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and chitosan (CH) (1.0%) on the biochemical and physiological characteristics of banana fruits stored at 13 ± 1 °C and 80 ± 3% relative humidity (RH) for 28 days and afterward for 5 days at simulated marketing conditions (25 °C, 60% RH) were investigated. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences were observed for the entire GA plus CH treatments as compared to the control. However, the results showed that after 33 days of storage, the weight loss and soluble solids concentration of fruits treated with 10% GA plus 1.0% CH composite coating were 24 and 54% lower, whereas fruit firmness, total carbohydrates, and reducing sugars were 31, 59, and 40% higher than the control, respectively. Furthermore, the composite edible coating of 10% GA plus 1.0% CH delayed color development and reduced the rate of respiration and ethylene evolution during storage as compared to the control. Similarly, sensory evaluation results also proved the effectiveness of 10% GA plus 1.0% CH composite coating by maintaining the overall quality of banana fruits. Consequently, the results of scanning electron microscopy also confirmed that the fruits coated with 10% GA plus 1.0% CH composite edible coating had very fewer cracks and showed a smooth surface. These findings suggest that 10% GA plus 1.0% CH as an edible composite coating can be used commercially for extending the storage life of banana fruits for up to 33 days.

Effect of a novel edible composite coating based on gum arabic and chitosan on biochemical and physiological responses of banana fruits during cold storage.

Bio-potential of compost tea from agro-waste to suppress Choanephora cucurbitarum L. the causal pathogen of wet rot of okra.

Compost tea is gaining importance as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The microbial population in the compost tea contributes toward its effectiveness. An attempt was made to enhance the biological activity of compost tea by fortification with microbial substrates. Humic acid and yeast extract (4:7 w/w 100 g-1 compost) when used as microbial starter during brewing of compost tea significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) enhanced the microbial population. There was a ten to hundred fold percentage increase for total bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes compared to control. The stability of microbial enriched compost tea was maintained up to four months of storage based on significantly higher number of viable cell counts when compared to compost tea without substrates (control). The viable microbial cell counts over a storage period of six months was 8.5x10(9), 4.6x10(6), 3.5x10(4), 3.9x10(4), 1.4x10(5), 4.8x10(4) and 7.3x10(5) for other bacteria.

Yasmeen Siddiqui

Papers

Effect of chitosan coatings on the physicochemical characteristics of Eksotika II papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit during cold storage

Postharvest application of gum arabic and essential oils for controlling anthracnose and quality of banana and papaya during cold storage

Effect of a novel edible composite coating based on gum arabic and chitosan on biochemical and physiological responses of banana fruits during cold storage.

Bio-potential of compost tea from agro-waste to suppress Choanephora cucurbitarum L. the causal pathogen of wet rot of okra.

Microbial starter for the enhancement of biological activity of compost tea