Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 255).

A recombinant Bacillus megaterium strain with a chromosomally integrated gene kerA, expressing keratinase, was analyzed regarding action in specific environmental stresses to obtain optimum parameters necessary for bacterial growth and optimal expression of the recombinant gene.The strain was grown on chicken feathers as substrate and the degradation of feather keratin during the growth was investigated with different levels of pH, temperature and feather concentration in the broth. Two strains were analyzed, capable to grow with 575 x and 1025 x amounts of antibiotics, erythromycin, where the strain of 1025 x showed higher potential for expression. Maximum keratinolytic activity was achieved at a pH of value 8.5, at temperature of 45 °C and substrate concentration of 0.2 % (w/v). The growth rate was determined by total plate count, which indicated that there was an increasing number of colony forming units together with increasing concentration of soluble keratin. The diluted fractions did not appear to produce colonies to any significant amount. However the results for which reason the results for optimal growth conditions are guidelines for future analysis for a chromosomally recombinant Bacillus megaterium. / Program: Master of Science with a Major in Resource Recovery – Industrial Biotechnology

Baseando-se na possibilidade de inserção de um novo material de origem têxtil natural animal, bem como, a reciclagem de aproximadamente 1,175 milhões de toneladas descartadas anualmente da matéria-prima estudada (UBABEF, 2011), esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral efetuar a caracterização física e microscópica de fibra de pena de frango para finalidade têxtil seja para o desenvolvimento de fios têxteis, não tecidos e reforço em compósitos ou outras aplicações. Deste modo, foram objetivos: i) realizar levantamento bibliográfico sobre estrutura e composição de penas e fibras de penas, reciclagem, aplicações existentes, técnicas e processos de caracterização da fibra; ii) coleta do material fibroso proveniente de um matadouro doméstico de frangos; iii) preparação do material, lavagem e secagem das penas; iv) testes mecânicos de caracterização como: alongamento, elasticidade e resistência realizados por meio do dinamômetro Instrom, determinação do teor de regain, umidade e densidade da fibra, bem como a taxa de encolhimento da fibra; v) testes microscópicos de caracterização como: microscopias longitudinais e transversais; vi) propostas e direcionamento do emprego das fibras caracterizadas para finalidade de produção têxtil. As principais conclusões foram: i) bibliografia inédita em português sobre penas de frango para a área têxtil; ii) estudo inédito no Brasil e na língua portuguesa de propriedades físicas e microscópicas de fibras de pena de frango; iii) com base em suas propriedades estruturais, perceberam-se características como brilho, conforto, maciez, toque, permeabilidade à líquido, leveza, entre outras propriedades, aumentando assim seu potencial de empregabilidade têxtil; iv) potencial de fiação e fabricação de têxteis para diversas aplicações. Publicações e palestras foram realizadas com os resultados desta dissertação. / Based on the possibility of developing a new textile material of natural animal origin, as well as the recycling of the studied raw material, of which approximately 1.175 million tons are annually discarded as waste in Brazil (UBABEF, 2011), this study aimed to characterize the general physical and microscopical fibers of chicken feathers for textile purpose for the development of textile yarn, non-woven and composite reinforcement. Its objectives were: i) to analyze the academic literature about the structure and composition of feathers and feather fibers, as well as its recycling, existing applications, processes and techniques of fiber characterization, ii) the collection of fibrous material from a chicken slaughterhouse, iii) the preparation of material, washing and drying the feathers, iv) to develop mechanical characterization tests such as elongation, elasticity and resistance made by Instrom dynamometer, determining the content, moisture regain and fiber density, v) to perform the microscopic characterization tests such as microscopy longitudinal and transverse, and vi ) to draft proposals on the employment of the analyzed and characterized fibers for purposes of producing textiles (yarns, reinforcement for composites, nonwoven blankets, etc.). The main findings were: i) unpublished literature in Portuguese about chicken feathers for the textile area, ii) unpublished study in Brazil and in portuguese language of physical and microscopic properties of chicken feathers\' fibers for the development of textile products of natural origin from such chicken feathers, iii) the identification of the potential for the production of blended yarn with cotton / wool, blankets and non-woven and reinforcement for composites, based on their physical, mechanical and microscopic properties, and, iv) the identification of the potential for yarn production (via spinning) and textile manufacturing for various applications. Publications and lectures were held with the results of this dissertation.

Chicken feathers are the most abundant keratinous biomass in the world. Disposal of thehuge and increasing volume of waste feathers presents as a major concern for poultryindustry. On the other hand, energy and material recovery of this valuable protein sourceis an important issue for organic solid waste treatment and bioenergy generation.Anaerobic digestion is an environmentally and economically promising alternativeprocess for biogas production of waste feathers.In this study in order to enhance the methane potential of batch anaerobic digestion ofchicken feathers this waste was treated by various kinds of pretreatments includingthermal, thermo-chemical, enzymatic, thermo-enzymatic and chemo-enzymatic methods.Also the effect of different treatment conditions on the methane yield was investigated.As a whole, thermo-chemical pretreatment with lime (Ca(OH)2) rendered the mostsignificant effect on enhancement of the chicken feathers methane potential. In particularlime treated triplicate samples under treatment condition of 40g TS feather/l water, 0.1gCa (OH)2 /g TS feather, 100°C and 30 min produced the highest amount of methane (anaverage maximum volume of 480 Nml/g VS, which is about 96.8% of the theoreticalmethane potential of protein), during 50 days of anaerobic incubation. Increasing theoperational parameters such as feather concentration, lime loading, temperature andreaction time improved the feathers solublisation resulting in a higher soluble chemicaloxygen demand (SCOD) concentration of the samples but inserted negative impacts onthe anaerobic digestion performance. Although other pretreatment methods improved theSCOD concentrations of the feathers too, compared to the lime treatment those methodsdidn’t show considerable effects on the enhancement of methane yield from the chickenfeathers. Thermo-enzymatic, enzymatic, and thermal pretreated triplicate samplesproduced an average maximum of 185 Nml/g VS, 154 Nml/g VS, and 143 Nml/g VS(37.3%, 31%, 28.8% of the theoretical methane potential) respectively, during 33 days of50 days of anaerobic incubation. Especially, chemo-enzymatic pretreated sample showednegative methane potential of only 41 Nml/g VS, i.e. 8% of the theoretical methanepotential. Consequently, lime pretreatment under the above recommended conditions canbe suggested for hydrolysis of chicken feathers to achieve significant enhancement of itsmethane potential.

Baseando-se na possibilidade de inserção de um novo material de origem têxtil natural animal, bem como, a reciclagem de aproximadamente 1,175 milhões de toneladas descartadas anualmente da matéria-prima estudada (UBABEF, 2011), esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral efetuar a caracterização física e microscópica de fibra de pena de frango para finalidade têxtil seja para o desenvolvimento de fios têxteis, não tecidos e reforço em compósitos ou outras aplicações. Deste modo, foram objetivos: i) realizar levantamento bibliográfico sobre estrutura e composição de penas e fibras de penas, reciclagem, aplicações existentes, técnicas e processos de caracterização da fibra; ii) coleta do material fibroso proveniente de um matadouro doméstico de frangos; iii) preparação do material, lavagem e secagem das penas; iv) testes mecânicos de caracterização como: alongamento, elasticidade e resistência realizados por meio do dinamômetro Instrom, determinação do teor de regain, umidade e densidade da fibra, bem como a taxa de encolhimento da fibra; v) testes microscópicos de caracterização como: microscopias longitudinais e transversais; vi) propostas e direcionamento do emprego das fibras caracterizadas para finalidade de produção têxtil. As principais conclusões foram: i) bibliografia inédita em português sobre penas de frango para a área têxtil; ii) estudo inédito no Brasil e na língua portuguesa de propriedades físicas e microscópicas de fibras de pena de frango; iii) com base em suas propriedades estruturais, perceberam-se características como brilho, conforto, maciez, toque, permeabilidade à líquido, leveza, entre outras propriedades, aumentando assim seu potencial de empregabilidade têxtil; iv) potencial de fiação e fabricação de têxteis para diversas aplicações. Publicações e palestras foram realizadas com os resultados desta dissertação. / Based on the possibility of developing a new textile material of natural animal origin, as well as the recycling of the studied raw material, of which approximately 1.175 million tons are annually discarded as waste in Brazil (UBABEF, 2011), this study aimed to characterize the general physical and microscopical fibers of chicken feathers for textile purpose for the development of textile yarn, non-woven and composite reinforcement. Its objectives were: i) to analyze the academic literature about the structure and composition of feathers and feather fibers, as well as its recycling, existing applications, processes and techniques of fiber characterization, ii) the collection of fibrous material from a chicken slaughterhouse, iii) the preparation of material, washing and drying the feathers, iv) to develop mechanical characterization tests such as elongation, elasticity and resistance made by Instrom dynamometer, determining the content, moisture regain and fiber density, v) to perform the microscopic characterization tests such as microscopy longitudinal and transverse, and vi ) to draft proposals on the employment of the analyzed and characterized fibers for purposes of producing textiles (yarns, reinforcement for composites, nonwoven blankets, etc.). The main findings were: i) unpublished literature in Portuguese about chicken feathers for the textile area, ii) unpublished study in Brazil and in portuguese language of physical and microscopic properties of chicken feathers\' fibers for the development of textile products of natural origin from such chicken feathers, iii) the identification of the potential for the production of blended yarn with cotton / wool, blankets and non-woven and reinforcement for composites, based on their physical, mechanical and microscopic properties, and, iv) the identification of the potential for yarn production (via spinning) and textile manufacturing for various applications. Publications and lectures were held with the results of this dissertation.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:58:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AlcioneOG_DISSERT.pdf: 4986234 bytes, checksum: d81c2eeeb91a55690b1f5b9671a9a5e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-26 / Use of natural fibres as a reinforcement material in the manufacture of composites show a series of advantages: availability, biodegradability, low weight and regeneration in relation to synthetic fibres, thus justifying its utilization. In the present research work, composites were developed with chicken feathers (KF), using unsaturated polyester resin as matrix, for diversified applications, mainly in the furniture/timber industry.At present, in Brazil the chicken feathers are used as part of the animal feed, even though this material possesses low aggregated value. The chicken feathers are hollow, light and resistant. After washing with water at room temperature, a part of the chicken feathers were treated with 2% NaOH. Composites were manufactured using treated and untreated chicken feathers with unsaturated orthothalic polyester resin and 1% peroxide as catalyser, obtained in the commerce. Samples with size 150x25x3 mm for mechanical tests were cut by laser in the composite plate. Mechanical analyses were carried out in the Laborat?rio de Metais e Ensaios Mec?nicos UFRN. All the analyses were in accordance with ASTM standards. SEM analyses were also carried out on the samples.In the analyses of the results obtained, it was observed that the composites made with untreated chicken feathers showed better results (Traction 11.406 MPa and 9.107 MPa Bending 34.947 and 20.918 MPa for samples with and without treatment respectively) compared to the composite with treated feathers. Very low values of the water absorption results, evidenced the impermeability characteristic of the feathers. From the SEM images, the structure, fracture and the fibre/matrix adsorption can be evidenced. In the flammability test, it was observed that despite the feathers having sulfur as a constituent, natural inhibitor of flame, no burning support of the composites, because the manufacturing process of the composite / O uso de fibras naturais como refor?o em comp?sitos apresenta uma s?rie de vantagens: abund?ncia, biodegradabilidade, baixo peso e regenerabilidade em rela??o ?s fibras sint?ticas, justificando sua utiliza??o. Na presente pesquisa foram desenvolvidos comp?sitos com penas de frango (KF), utilizando resina de poli?ster n?o-saturado como matriz. Atualmente, no Brasil, as penas de frango s?o utilizadas como parte de ra??o animal, por?m este produto possui um baixo valor agregado. As penas s?o um material oco, leve e resistente. Ap?s a lavagem com ?gua em temperatura ambiente uma parte das penas foi tratada com 2% de NaOH. Foram fabricados dois comp?sitos, um com as penas tratadas e outro sem tratamento, usando o processo de molde fechado por compress?o, utilizando a resina de poli?ster ortoft?lica e 1% de per?xido MEK (per?xido de metil etil cetona) como iniciador, adquiridos no com?rcio local. As amostras com 150x25x3 mm de tamanho para os ensaios mec?nicos foram cortadas a laser na placa do comp?sito. Os ensaios de tra??o e flex?o em tr?s pontos foram realizados no Laborat?rio de Metais e Ensaios Mec?nicos - UFRN. Todas as an?lises estavam de acordo com as normas da ASTM. As amostras resultantes dos ensaios mec?nicas foram avaliadas no MEV. Com base nas observa??es dos resultados nos ensaios mec?nicos, (Tra??o 11,2 Mpa e 8,3 Mpa; Flex?o 34,9 Mpa e 22,9 MPa para as amostras sem e com tratamento respectivamente) observou-se que os comp?sitos refor?ados com as penas sem tratamento apresentaram um melhor comportamento quando foram expostos a carregamentos tanto de tra??o quanto de flex?o. O ensaio de absor??o evidenciou nos valores de absor??o de ?gua, uma das caracter?sticas da prote?na existente nas penas, a queratina, a sua capaciade de impermiabiliza??o a ?gua. Nas imagens do MEV foi poss?vel verificar a estrutura da pena, as regi?es de ruptura do comp?sito e a ades?o fibra/matriz. No ensaio de inflamabilidade, observou-se que apesar das penas terem como constituinte o enxofre, inibidor natural de chama, n?o houve a susten??o da queima nos comp?sitos, devido o processo de fabrica??o do comp?sito