Innovation of “Novel” Bio-based Products for Arkansas

Joshua P. Adams and Danielle Julie Carrier

Sweetgum bark • Tree logs used in

Kraft pulp mill are debarked before usage

• Bark represents 12% of a tree biomass

• Bark is being burned for energy

• However, some bark tree (sweetgum and pine) contains extractives with antimicrobial activity

Debarker from Evergreen Packaging Mill in Pine Bluff, AR

Sweetgum bark and composition

29.76%

31.57%

15.95%

5.76%

16.96%

Ext

ract

ives

Ash

Others

Carb

ohyd

rates

Lignin

Hot water extraction of sweetgum bark

1 L Parr reactor, set at 85°C for 60 min, with stirring

25 g sweetgum bark

+ 250 mL water

Sweetgum bark hot water extractives

Testing extractives for antimicrobial activity

One gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus

Three gram-negative pathogens Salmonella typhimurium Listeria monocytogenes Escherichia coli

Using disc diffusion assay with different concentration of extract

Antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus

aureus

10% Streptomycin (control)

Zone of inhibition is a clear zone were antimicrobials are preventing bacteria from growing

(control 23 mm zone, bark extract 11 mm zone)

Sweetgum bark extract

Sweetgum extract as antioxidant

6.25 mg/mL inhibits oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL = bad cholesterol)

standards

24 h

0 h 0 h 24 h0

3.1

6.2512.5

25

50

Chromatograph of certain

compounds from sweetgum bark

extract

A. B.

C. D.

• 25 g pine needles in 250 mL 20% NaCl in water

Gas Chromatograph Mass

Spectrometry of pine essential oil

GC/MS of Essential Oils of Pine Needles

α pi

nene

β pi

nene

limon

ene

terp

ineo

l

cary

op

hyl

len

e

β c

ary

op

hyl

len

e

Compounds as a function of

season

α-pi

nene

cam

phen

e

β-pi

nene

β m

yrce

ne

D-lim

onen

e

β-ph

ella

ndre

ne

terp

ineo

l

(-) tr

ans ca

ryop

hylle

ne

α-ca

ryop

hylle

ne

Germ

acre

ne D

Bicyc

loge

rmac

rene

β-ca

ryop

hylle

ne o

xide

Tau,

muu

rolo

l

α-ca

dino

l0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45 AprilMayJuneJulySep-tember

Staphylococcus aureus, including strains resistant to Methicillin Resistant (MRSA)

Preparing Disc Diffusion test

Zone of inhibition with Loblolly essential oil.

ConclusionsSweetgum

• Could fit seamlessly into mill operations

• Extract has antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus

• Extract has antioxidant characteristics

Pine• Needles contain essential oils

• Mass of essential oil varied as a function of season

• Essential oil showed activity against the methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain (MRSA)

Future work

• Identify which compounds confer antimicrobial activity

• Where are they located o Timeo Ageo Genotype

• Integration

USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs.

Team Members

SFTICJune 8-10,

2015Hot Springs

Questions?