Sunday, August 18, 2024

Researchers develop an instant version of trendy, golden turmeric milk

American Chemical Society

DENVER, Aug. 18, 2024 — If you’ve visited a trendy café in the past few years, you might have noticed “golden” turmeric milk on the menu. Though recently advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, the drink is a fancified version of haldi doodh — a traditional Indian beverage often used as an at-home cold remedy. And now, researchers have developed an efficient method to make a plant-based, instant version that maintains the beneficial properties of the ingredients while also extending its shelf life.

The researchers will present their results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Fall 2024 is a hybrid meeting being held virtually and in person Aug. 18-22; it features about 10,000 presentations on a range of science topics.

Golden milk — also called golden or turmeric latte — consists of milk, turmeric and spices, and is a good option for people who want to avoid caffeine or coffee or maybe enjoy a unique flavor. “It’s a very good beverage, especially if it’s cold outside, or if you’re sick,” explains Anthony Suryamiharja, a graduate student at the University of Georgia who’s presenting the research at the meeting. He says turmeric also features the bioactive compound curcumin — a polyphenol that has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. “If we can incorporate bioactive compounds like curcumin into plant-based milks to bring them up to the same nutritional level as cow’s milk, why not?” asks Suryamiharja.

Curcumin, however, is difficult to separate from turmeric, typically requiring complicated extraction techniques that involve organic solvents, multiple days and lots of energy. In addition, the compound tends to break down over time, shortening its shelf life. So, inspired by golden milk, Suryamiharja, Hualu Zhou and colleagues wanted to investigate whether there was a way to extract and store curcumin within plant-based milk.

They first added turmeric powder to an alkaline solution, where the high pH made the curcumin more soluble and easier to extract than in plain water. This deep red solution was then added to a sample of soy milk, turning it a dark yellow color. They brought it down to a neutral pH around 7. Just like low-pH acids, high-pH bases are not the most pleasant things to consume. The neutralized pseudo-golden milk could be enjoyed as-is, but to further preserve it, the team removed the water from the solution through freeze-drying, producing an instant golden milk powder.

Not only does the method extract curcumin from turmeric more efficiently than existing methods, but it also encapsulates the curcumin in oil droplets within the soy milk. This means that when consumed, our bodies recognize the curcumin as fat and digest it as such, theoretically making the curcumin more bioavailable, or likely to be absorbed and able to have an effect in the body. Encapsulating the curcumin also protects it from air and water, preserving it and keeping it shelf-stable for longer.

While this work focused specifically on soy milk because of its high amino acid content, the researchers say that it could be applied to other plant-based milks, providing options for those with allergies to soy. In addition, their pH-driven extraction method could be used on different plant compounds with similar ease and efficiency. For example, blueberries are rich in anthocyanins, another water-soluble polyphenol. “When we use the same method, within around a minute we can extract the polyphenols,” explains Zhou. “We want to try and use it to upcycle by-products and reduce the food waste from fruit and vegetable farming here in Georgia.”

Though more research is needed before their instant golden milk appears on store shelves, the researchers’ initial result is promising — Suryamiharja reports that it tasted good, despite not being a frequent golden latte enjoyer himself.

The team hopes that this work can help explain the chemistry behind what may seem like nothing more than a simple beverage, as well as improve that drink’s nutritional value and convenience for those who enjoy it. Suryamiharja explains that “people usually do a lot of simple things in the kitchen, but they don’t really realize there’s a chemistry behind it. So, we’re trying to explain those unspoken things in a simple way.”

The research received startup funding from the Department of Food Science & Technology at the University of Georgia.

A Headline Science video about this topic will be posted on Sunday, Aug. 18. Reporters can access the video during the embargo period, and once the embargo is lifted the same URL will allow the public to access the content. Visit the ACS Fall 2024 program to learn more about this presentation, “Utilizing a green pH-driven approach for developing curcumin-infused soymilk,” and other science presentations.

Inspired by golden milk, this powdered golden soy milk made from turmeric (left) or curcumin (right) is easy to produce and has an extended shelf life.

Credit

Anthony Suryamiharja

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Title
Utilizing a green pH-driven approach for developing curcumin-infused soymilk

Abstract
With the global population projected to reach approximately 10 billion by 2050, there is a urgent need for sustainable, healthy, and affordable next-generation foods to meet increasing demand. However, fully harnessing the potential of plants to enhance the sustainability and health benefits of plant-based ingredients or foods remains challenging, particularly in the absence of efficient and cost-effective processing methods. In this study, we developed a novel two-in-one approach, termed the post pH-driven (PPD) method, to simultaneously extract and encapsulate curcumin in plant-based milks. This innovative technique offers a highly efficient and economical means of incorporating bioactive curcumin or turmeric for enhanced health benefits. Using soy milk as a model system, we initially dissolved curcumin or turmeric in an aqueous extraction solution. Subsequently, the dissolved compounds were directly encapsulated into the hydrophobic phase of soymilk. Finally, the mixture was processed into milk powder, achieving exceptional extraction and encapsulation efficiencies of approximately 100% for curcumin and 80% for turmeric. The slightly lower efficiency observed for turmeric can be attributed to the fact that only approximately 80% of curcumin was extracted, while its encapsulation efficiency approached 100%. Moreover, the resulting curcumin-infused milk powder exhibited high water solubility due to the encapsulation of curcumin within the hydrophobic phase of soymilk. Additionally, the chemical stability of curcumin was significantly enhanced. The successful infusion of curcumin or turmeric can be attributed to the rapid and efficient processing enabled by the PPD approach. Moreover, this method is noteworthy for its avoidance of organic solvents and sophisticated equipment, resulting in a reduced environmental footprint. Overall, the PPD approach holds significant promise for driving innovation in the development of plant-based foods.

Evidence stacks up for poisonous books containing toxic dyes

American Chemical Society

DENVER, Aug. 18, 2024 — If you come across brightly colored, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era, you might want to handle them gently, or even steer clear altogether. Some of their attractive hues come from dyes that could pose a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians. The latest research on these poisonous books used three techniques — including one that hasn’t previously been applied to books — to assess dangerous dyes in a university collection and found some volumes may be unsafe to handle.

“These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries and private collections,” says Abigail Hoermann, an undergraduate studying chemistry at Lipscomb University. Users can be put at risk if pigments from the cloth covers rub onto their hands or become airborne and are inhaled. “So, we want to find a way to make it easy for everyone to be able to find what their exposure is to these books, and how to safely store them.” Hoermann, recent graduate Jafer Aljorani, and undergraduate Leila Ais have been conducting the study with Joseph Weinstein-Webb, an assistant chemistry professor at Lipscomb.

The study began after Lipscomb librarians Jan Cohu and Michaela Rutledge approached the university’s chemistry department to test brilliantly colored 19th- and early-20th-century fabric-covered books from the school’s Beaman Library. Weinstein-Webb was intrigued to hear about how the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library had previously examined its own 19th-century books for the presence of an arsenic compound known as copper acetoarsenite. This emerald-green pigment was used in Victorian era wallpaper, garments and — as Winterthur found out — in cloth book covers. This discovery led to the launch of the Poison Book Project, a crowdsourced research effort that uses X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman spectroscopy and other techniques to reveal toxic pigments in books around the world. Weinstein-Webb and the Lipscomb students he recruited launched their own investigation in 2022.

For the Lipscomb book project, the team used three spectroscopic techniques:

XRF to qualitatively check whether arsenic or other heavy metals were present in any of the book covers.
Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to determine the concentration of those metals.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the pigment molecules that contain those metals.

Although XRD has been previously used to examine paintings and wallpaper, this is the first time it has been used to check for poison in books, Ais says. The XRD testing is being done in collaboration with Janet Macdonald at Vanderbilt University.

Recently, the researchers used XRF data to show that lead and chromium were present in some of the Lipscomb books. To quantify the amounts, they snipped samples roughly the size of a small paperclip from the cloth covers and then dissolved them in nitric acid. Their analysis by ICP-OES showed that lead and chromium were both present at high levels in some samples. Subsequent XRD testing indicated that in some instances these heavy metals were in the form of lead(II) chromate, one of the compounds that contributes to the chrome yellow pigment favored by Vincent van Gogh in his sunflower paintings.

However, there was far more lead than chromium in the book covers, which is somewhat mystifying, since lead(II) chromate contains equal amounts of lead and chromium. The researchers speculate that the dyes used to color the books contain other lead-based pigments that lack chromium, such as lead(II) oxide or lead(II) sulfide. The team is working to identify those other compounds in the yellow pigments.

Weinstein-Webb and the students also wanted to find out whether the levels of heavy metals in the Lipscomb books could be harmful for librarians who might handle them. For some of the book covers, the researchers discovered metal concentrations above acceptable limits for chronic exposure, according to standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the dissolved sample from the most contaminated cover, the lead concentration was more than twice the CDC limit, and the chromium concentration was almost six times the limit. Chronic exposure to inhaled lead or chromium could lead to health effects such as cancer, lung damage or fertility issues.

“I find it fascinating to know what previous generations thought was safe, and then we learn, oh, actually, that might not have been a great idea to use these brilliant dyes,” Weinstein-Webb says.

The findings led the Lipscomb library to seal colorful 19th-century books that have not yet been tested in plastic zip-close bags for handling and storage. Meanwhile, books confirmed to contain dangerous dyes have also been sealed in bags and removed from public circulation.

Once the researchers have done some more testing, they plan to contribute their results to the Poison Book Project and to help spread awareness on safe handling, conservation and storage of these books among librarians and collectors.

They also hope others will follow their lead and begin using XRD, because it doesn’t require investigators to cut samples from books. “Moving forward,” says Hoermann, “we want libraries to be able to test their collections without destroying them.”

The research was supported by funds from Lipscomb University’s chemistry department.

Visit the ACS Fall 2024 program to learn more about this presentation, “Multimodal detection of toxic metals in Victorian era book cloths as part of the Beaman library collection,” and other science presentations.

###

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Title
Multimodal detection of toxic metals in Victorian era book cloths as part of the Beaman library collection

Abstract
In the nineteenth century, textile manufacturing during the Victorian Era involved usage of heavy metals and carcinogenic amines in the production of book-cloth case bindings, posing potential risks to both environment and biological health. These fabrics encompass a range of vivid hues; the highly toxic pigment emerald green (copper acetoarsenite), non-arsenical chrome yellow (lead (II) chromate PbCrO4), or a mixture of Prussian blue (hydrated iron hexacyanoferrate complex Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 . x H2O). Utilizing inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), preliminary research has revealed more than 100 rare circulating books containing these toxic dyes. The purpose of this study is to detect and quantify levels of arsenic, copper, chromium, lead, and manganese in local books utilizing ICP-OES and any applicable optical modality. In the end, we hope to contribute to the larger Winterthur Project. Through this, elevated levels of harmful metals, specifically lead (II) chromate, were confirmed within the Beaman Library collection via ICP-OES.

MIT engineers design tiny batteries for powering cell-sized robots

These zinc-air batteries, smaller than a grain of sand, could help miniscule robots sense and respond to their environment.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Microbatteries — image:
A zinc-air microbattery designed by MIT engineers could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for drug delivery within in the human body, as well as other applications such as locating leaks in gas pipelines.
view more
Credit: Courtesy of Michael Strano, et al

A tiny battery designed by MIT engineers could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for drug delivery within in the human body, as well as other applications such as locating leaks in gas pipelines.

The new battery, which is 0.1 millimeters long and 0.002 millimeters thick — roughly the thickness of a human hair — can capture oxygen from air and use it to oxidize zinc, creating a current of up to 1 volt. That is enough to power a small circuit, sensor, or actuator, the researchers showed.

“We think this is going to be very enabling for robotics,” says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. “We’re building robotic functions onto the battery and starting to put these components together into devices.”

Ge Zhang PhD ’22 and Sungyun Yang, an MIT graduate student, are the lead author of the paper, which appears in Science Robotics.

For several years, Strano’s lab has been working on tiny robots that can sense and respond to stimuli in their environment. One of the major challenges in developing such tiny robots is making sure that they have enough power.

Other researchers have shown that they can power microscale devices using solar power, but the limitation to that approach is that the robots must have a laser or another light source pointed at them at all times. Such devices are known as “marionettes” because they are controlled by an external power source. Putting a power source such as a battery inside these tiny devices could free them to roam much farther.

“The marionette systems don’t really need a battery because they’re getting all the energy they need from outside,” Strano says. “But if you want a small robot to be able to get into spaces that you couldn’t access otherwise, it needs to have a greater level of autonomy. A battery is essential for something that’s not going to be tethered to the outside world.”

To create robots that could become more autonomous, Strano’s lab decided to use a type of battery known as a zinc-air battery. These batteries, which have a longer lifespan than many other types of batteries due to their high energy density, are often used in hearing aids.

The battery that they designed consists of a zinc electrode connected to a platinum electrode, embedded into a strip of a polymer called SU-8, which is commonly used for microelectronics. When these electrodes interact with oxygen molecules from the air, the zinc becomes oxidized and releases electrons that flow to the platinum electrode, creating a current.

In this study, the researchers showed that this battery could provide enough energy to power an actuator — in this case, a robotic arm that can be raised and lowered. The battery could also power a memristor, an electrical component that can store memories of events by changing its electrical resistance, and a clock circuit, which allows robotic devices to keep track of time.

The battery also provides enough power to run two different types of sensors that change their electrical resistance when they encounter chemicals in the environment. One of the sensors is made from atomically thin molybdenum disulfide and the other from carbon nanotubes.

“We’re making the basic building blocks in order to build up functions at the cellular level,” Strano says.

Robotic swarms

In this study, the researchers used a wire to connect their battery to an external device, but in future work they plan to build robots in which the battery is incorporated into a device.

“This is going to form the core of a lot of our robotic efforts,” Strano says. “You can build a robot around an energy source, sort of like you can build an electric car around the battery.”

One of those efforts revolves around designing tiny robots that could be injected into the human body, where they could seek out a target site and then release a drug such as insulin. For use in the human body, the researchers envision that the devices would be made of biocompatible materials that would break apart once they were no longer needed.

The researchers are also working on increasing the voltage of the battery, which may enable additional applications.

The research was funded by the U.S. Army Research Office, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and a MathWorks Engineering Fellowship.

###

Written by Anne Trafton, MIT News

Paper: “High energy density picoliter-scale zinc-air microbatteries for colloidal robotics”

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.ade4642

Journal

Science Robotics

DOI

10.1126/scirobotics.ade4642

Article Title

High energy density picoliter-scale zinc-air microbatteries for colloidal robotics

Article Publication Date

14-Aug-2024

Perceived parental distraction by technology and mental health among emerging adolescents

JAMA Network

About The Study:

In a cohort study of 1,300 emerging adolescents ages 9 to 11 across three assessments, higher levels of anxiety symptoms were associated with higher levels of perceived parental technoference later in development. Higher levels of perceived parental technoference were associated with higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms later in development. The findings of this study speak to the need to discuss digital technology use and mental health with parents and emerging adolescents as a part of routine care.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Sheri Madigan, PhD, email sheri.madigan@ucalgary.ca.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.28261)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

# # #

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.28261?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=081624

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

Journal

JAMA Network Open

New research shows agricultural impacts on soil microbiome and fungal communities

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Colombian Coffee Farm — image:
New research shows shade-grown coffee farms alter the soil microbiome and fungal communities, and provides new insight into how coffee farm management decisions impact the entire agricultural ecosystem.
view more
Credit: Roshan Patel/Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

New research from Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly Coffee program highlights a type of biodiversity that often gets overlooked: soil bacteria and fungal communities. For over twenty years, Smithsonian research has shown that coffee farms with shade trees protect more biodiversity than intensified, monoculture coffee farms. The new research, published today in Applied Soil Ecology, shows that soil bacteria and fungi on coffee farms also respond to the intensity of coffee farm management. To conduct this research, the team collected soils samples on coffee farms in Colombia, El Salvador, and Peru and used DNA analysis to profile bacterial and fungal soil on farms with different management regimes. They found that farming coffee as a monoculture alters the soil microbiome in both community composition and species diversity. But not all shade-grown coffee farms were the same. The soil microbiomes on farms with native shade trees was different than on farms with non-native, introduced species of shade trees as well. Soil microbiomes in the tropics are poorly understood, and this research demonstrates the incredible diversity within soils in tropical agricultural landscapes across Latin America. This research also furthers our understanding of how coffee farm management decisions impact that entire agricultural ecosystem, which in turn impacts the production of coffee and the livelihoods that depend on it. As biodiversity is declining globally at an alarming rate, agricultural landscapes can play an important role in conserving unique species and ecological processes that enable agriculture to thrive.

Journal

Applied Soil Ecology

DOI

10.1016/j.apsoil.2024.105571

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Farm management and shade tree species influence coffee soil microbiomes in Central and South America

Article Publication Date

14-Aug-2024

Green warriors: plants on the frontline against microplastics

Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEE

image:
Possible mechanisms and technological process of micro/nanoplastics phytoremediation. The plastics absorbed and intercepted by plants can be recycled through different processes for incineration power generation, reuse, or degradation through other chemical and biological measures.
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Credit: Eco-Environment & Health

In an innovative ecological article, researchers have unveiled the potential of phytoremediation to curb microplastic pollution. This approach leverages natural plant processes to absorb and diminish micro and nanoplastics, offering a viable solution for managing environmental plastic pollution. This viewpoint advocates utilizing plant life as an effective tool against the widespread issue of plastic contamination in ecosystems.

With escalating concerns about the enduring impact of plastic waste, phytoremediation emerges as a promising solution. This method utilizes plants to capture and degrade pollutants, providing an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional techniques. As plastics continue to inundate ecosystems worldwide, advancing phytoremediation could revolutionize our environmental management strategies. Addressing these challenges, there is an essential demand for comprehensive research to enhance and apply phytoremediation effectively.

Proposed by the Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, this pivotal perspective (DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.04.001), published in Eco-Environment & Health on April 16, 2024, explores how plants can alleviate micro/nanoplastic pollution. The research identifies possible mechanisms and technological pathways for phytoremediation to combat plastic pollution, potentially delivering a sustainable solution for polluted environments across terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric realms.

This novel perspective evaluates the potential of different types of plants to capture, stabilize, and filter micro and nanoplastics. Targeted hyperaccumulators are expected to significantly lower plastic concentrations, thus preventing their further spread. The perspective delves into the application of phytoaccumulation, phytostabilization, and phytofiltration across diverse environmental settings. By strategically selecting and positioning these plants, they not only sequester harmful plastics but also convert them into harmless or useful forms, marking a substantial advance in sustainable plastic remediation.

Dr. Yuyi Yang, the study's lead researcher, underscores its transformative potential, stating, "Phytoremediation isn't merely a technique; it's a sustainable revolution in our battle against plastic pollution. By harnessing plant-based solutions, we are able to lessen the environmental burden of plastics, turning waste into valuable resources and fostering a healthier planet."

The study's findings are significant, advocating for the integration of phytoremediation within existing waste management frameworks to boost both efficacy and sustainability. This strategy not only reduces pollution but also aids in ecosystem recovery, enhancing biodiversity and ecological health. The research calls for expanding phytoremediation practices, highlighting the necessity for holistic strategies that encompass prevention, interception, and recycling of plastics using advanced green technologies.

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References

DOI

10.1016/j.eehl.2024.04.001

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eehl.2024.04.001

Funding information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32201391 and 42107048) and the Special Research Assistant Project, Chinese Academy of Sciences (E1291P02). E.G.B. X acknowledges the support of the Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, and Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond (0165-00056B).

About Eco-Environment & Health (EEH)

Eco-Environment & Health (EEH) is an international and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal designed for publications on the frontiers of the ecology, environment and health as well as their related disciplines. EEH focuses on the concept of "One Health" to promote green and sustainable development, dealing with the interactions among ecology, environment and health, and the underlying mechanisms and interventions. Our mission is to be one of the most important flagship journals in the field of environmental health.

Journal

Eco-Environment & Health

DOI

10.1016/j.eehl.2024.04.001

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

The power of green: Harnessing phytoremediation to combat micro/nanoplastics

Green light for accurate vegetation research: new evaluation of global SIF datasets

Journal of Remote Sensing

image:
Spatial distribution patterns of trends in GPP and SIF during the growing season. (A) RF–GPP; (B) FLUXCOM–GPP; (C) SIF averaged; (D) CSIFalldaily 757 nm; (E) CSIFcleardaily 757 nm; (F) GOSIF 757 nm. Black dotted areas indicate statistically significant anomalies (M–K test, P < 0.05). The lower left panel represents the histogram of trend distribution. The right panel shows the correlation scatterplot of the SIF and GPP. A brighter color indicates a higher density.
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Credit: Journal of Remote Sensing

A recent study has pinpointed the top-performing solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) products for precise global monitoring of photosynthesis and vegetation dynamics. By thoroughly evaluating eight widely-used SIF datasets, the research team identified Global OCO-2 SIF (GOSIF) and Contiguous Solar-Induced Fluorescence (CSIF) as leading tools for estimating gross primary productivity (GPP) and forecasting key phenological stages. These findings provide crucial direction for scientists aiming to enhance global vegetation monitoring and deepen our understanding of Earth’s ecological processes, marking a significant leap in refining tools for tracking the planet’s green pulse.

Vegetation is vital for climate regulation and ecological stability, yet global monitoring of its photosynthetic activity remains challenging. Traditional methods, relying on vegetation indices, often fail to capture the intricate dynamics of photosynthesis, especially under varying environmental conditions. These challenges highlight the need for more direct indicators, such as solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), which offers a promising pathway for accurately tracking vegetation productivity and phenology on a global scale.

Conducted by Peking University and published in Journal of Remote Sensing on July 23, 2024, this study (DOI: 10.34133/remotesensing.0173) offers a comprehensive evaluation of eight global SIF products. The research focuses on assessing these products’ ability to estimate GPP and predict vegetation phenology. Through meticulous comparisons with GPP datasets and phenological observations, the study reveals the strengths and limitations of each SIF product, providing valuable insights for remote sensing and global vegetation monitoring experts.

The study conducted a detailed analysis of eight SIF products derived from various satellite missions, including OCO-2, GOSAT, MetOp, and TROPOMI, each with unique spatiotemporal resolutions and inversion algorithms. By comparing these products against GPP datasets such as FLUXNET, FLUXCOM, and RF-GPP, the researchers identified GOSIF (757 nm) and CSIF datasets as superior in capturing the spatiotemporal variability of global GPP. These datasets excelled particularly in representing the GPP of deciduous broadleaf forests, mixed forests, and evergreen needleleaf forests. The research also found that SIF products were more reliable in predicting the start of the growing season than the end or duration. This systematic evaluation underscores the importance of selecting appropriate SIF products for large-scale vegetation studies and lays the groundwork for future advancements in SIF data refinement.

Dr. Zaichun Zhu, the lead scientist of the study, highlights the importance of this research, “Our evaluation sets a comprehensive standard for selecting SIF products, improving the accuracy of vegetation monitoring and advancing ecological and climate research.”

The findings from this study have wide-ranging applications in ecological monitoring, climate modeling, and environmental management. By identifying the most reliable SIF products for global GPP estimation, this research enhances the accuracy of vegetation productivity tracking, which is essential for understanding the carbon cycle and forecasting the effects of climate change. Additionally, these insights provide a foundation for refining current SIF products and developing new ones, contributing to more precise and reliable tools for monitoring the health and function of ecosystems worldwide.

###

References

DOI

10.34133/remotesensing.0173

Original Source URL

https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/remotesensing.0173

Funding information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42271104), the Shenzhen Fundamental Research Program (GXWD20201231165807007-20200814213435001), and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (KQTD20221101093604016; JCYJ20220531093201004). Phenological data were provided by the members of the PEP725 project.

About Journal of Remote Sensing

The Journal of Remote Sensing, an online-only Open Access journal published in association with AIR-CAS, promotes the theory, science, and technology of remote sensing, as well as interdisciplinary research within earth and information science.

Journal

Journal of Remote Sensing

DOI

10.34133/remotesensing.0173

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Characterization and Evaluation of Global Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Products: Estimation of Gross Primary Productivity and Phenology

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Sunday, August 18, 2024

Researchers develop an instant version of trendy, golden turmeric milk

Credit

Evidence stacks up for poisonous books containing toxic dyes

MIT engineers design tiny batteries for powering cell-sized robots

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Perceived parental distraction by technology and mental health among emerging adolescents

Journal

New research shows agricultural impacts on soil microbiome and fungal communities

Journal

DOI

Subject of Research

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Green warriors: plants on the frontline against microplastics

Journal

DOI

Subject of Research

Article Title

Green light for accurate vegetation research: new evaluation of global SIF datasets

Journal

DOI

Subject of Research

Article Title

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