The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), phenolic compounds, and antifungal activity of olive (Olea europaea var. sylvestris) and juniper (Juniperus foetidissima) sapwood and heartwood extractives were examined. The extractives were obtained using methanol solvents. The different compounds in extractives were identified and quantified. The antifungal activities of different parts of the olive and juniper wood extractives were determined in vitro. Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium was used for the antifungal activity experiment. Extractive compounds obtained from olive and juniper woods were found to be effective, natural antifungal agents.

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In this study, DNA protective, antioxidant, antibacterial and enzyme inhibiting properties of methanol extracts obtained from juniper and olive heartwood and sapwood were determined. These extracts were tested by five antioxidant methods (DPPH scavenging, FRAP, CUPRAC, metal chelating and phosphomolybdenum). Generally, heartwood extracts of both species are more efficient for DPPH radical scavenging activity, cupric ion reducing activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power and metal chelating activity than sapwood extracts. When compared to heartwood extracts, sapwood extracts have larger inhibition zone in disk diffusion test. In addition, all extracts showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. DNA protection of both extracts had a capacity to inhibit the DNA damage arisen from Fenton's reagent. The highest DNA protective activity was observed in juniper sapwood extract with 84%. Furthermore, other extracts also indicated more than 60% of DNA protective activity. Olive wood extracts displayed the strongest enzyme inhibition activities against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Although juniper heartwood extracts showed highest anti-amylase, anti-glucosidase and anti-tyrosinase effects, they had no ability for inhibition BChE.The methanol extracts of olive samples demonstrated the most antioxidant activity (DPPH, CUPRAC and FRAP). In addition, juniper samples showed the highest anti-amylase, anti-tyrosinase, metal chelating and DNA protective activity. According to these results, the extracts of juniper and olive wood can be considered as a source of natural bio active agents for dietary, pharmacological and medicinal applications. This research will also serve as a base for future studies about biological activities of wood extracts.

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Limited light availability due to insufficient vertical mixing is one of the main drawbacks of raceway ponds (RWPs), the most common type of microalgae cultivation system. In this study, we have investigated the application of vortex induced vibration (VIV) systems to improve vertical mixing in order to enhance algal biomass productivity. The system consists of a cylinder submerged parallel to the bottom in the pond with two springs attached at its ends. The cylinder oscillates perpendicularly to the flow direction at the pond to increase vertical mixing. A VIV system, which requires no additional energy input, was installed in a 0.3 m deep raceway pond and continuous cylinder oscillation was successfully achieved. Cylinder oscillation frequency of 1.24 s−1 and amplitude of 6.5 cm have been obtained experimentally for 0.3 m s−1 flow velocity. Numerical simulations were carried out with experimental parameters using CFD code and were in good accordance with experimental results. Numerical analysis revealed that it is possible to create high frequency light/dark cycles; mean light/dark cycle frequencies were found to be 2.33 s−1, 5.28 s−1 and 21.17 s−1, at lowermost, middle and uppermost cylinder positions, respectively. Enhanced velocity magnitude of 0.3 m s−1 was achieved in the vertical direction; vertical motion of flow resulting from cylinder oscillation covers about two thirds of pond depth. Effectiveness of the VIV system on biomass growth was also verified by comparative Chlorella vulgaris cultivation under outdoor conditions. It has been observed that the VIV system installed reactor enhanced biomass production capacity by over 20% compared to the control pond. These results indicate that the presented method possesses a potential for enhanced algal biomass production without significant increase in installation and operating costs.