Browsing by Author "Bados, Raquel"
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- Assessment of the use of common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) foliage following the cascade principlePublication . Mediavilla, Irene; Bados, Raquel; Barros, Lillian; Xavier, Virginie; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Amaral, Joana S.; Rizzo, Andrea Maria; Casini, David; Lombardi, Giacomo; Chiaramonti, David; Camara, Miguel; Suarez, Ana; Ardid, Tomas; Esteban Pascual, Luis SaulJuniperus communis L. is a species commonly grown in regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and is a good candidate to be cultivated in marginal lands. Plants coming from a pruning performed in a natural population located in Spain were used to assess the yield and quality of different products obtained following the cascade principle. A total of 1050 kg of foliage biomass were crushed, steam-distilled, and separated into fractions to produce biochar and absorbents for the pet industry using pilot plants. The obtained products were analysed. The essential oil, with a yield of 0.45% dry basis and a qualitative chemical composition similar to that described for the berries in international standards or monographs, showed antioxidant activity with promising CAA results (inhibition of 89% of the cell's oxidation). However, regarding antibacterial and antifungal activities, it only inhibited the growth of microorganisms at the maximum concentration tested, 2.5%. Concerning the hydrolate, it did not show bioactivity. Regarding the biochar, whose yield was 28.79% dry basis, interesting results were obtained for its characterisation as a possible soil improver for agronomic purposes (PFC 3(A)). Finally, promising results were obtained regarding the use of common juniper as absorbent, taking into account the physical characterisation and odour control capacity.
- Assessment of the use of common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) foliage following the cascade principle: essential oil, absorbents and biocharPublication . Mediavilla, Irene; Bados, Raquel; Barros, Lillian; Xavier, Virginie; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Amaral, Joana S.; Rizzo, Andrea Maria; Casini, David; Lombardi, Giacomo; Cámara, Miguel; Suárez, Ana; Ardid, TomásThe main objective of the BeonNAT project is to create added-value bio-based products by growing underused tree and shrub species in marginal land. One of the species selected within the project is juniper (Juniperus communis L). Foliage biomass coming from a natural population in Spain was selected and a first sampling of wild biomass (1000 kg fresh plants with stem diameters below 50 mm) was performed. This biomass was distilled and, after it, different alternatives were defined in the project to obtain bioproducts from the distilled biomass following the cascade concept. Among them, absorbents for the pet industry and biochar have been selected in this work. Concerning the steam distillation, an essential oil yield of 0.44% (w/w d.b) was obtained and the characterisation of the essential oil compounds showed that it was close to meet the limits considered by the ISO 8897:2010. A fraction of the distilled biomass was used to produce pellets, whose quality as absorbents for the pet industry was promising. Finally, the rest of the distilled biomass was used to obtain biochar with a yield of 28.79 % (w/w d.b) and characteristics which indicated a good degree of carbonisation and stability.