title: Organic neem compounds inhibit soft-rot fungal growth and improve the strength of anthracite bricks bound with collagen and lignin for use in iron foundry cupolas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine organic neem compounds for their effective growth inhibition of saprotrophic soft-rot fungi on anthracite bricks bound with collagen and lignin for use in iron foundry cupolas as an alternative fuel source.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Azadirachtin, crude neem oil (NO), and clarified neem oil extract (CNO) were combined with copper to inhibit the growth of the soft-rot fungus, Chaetomium globosum. A synergistic interaction was observed between CNO and a low dose of copper on nutrient media (two-factor anova with triplicate replication: P < 0·05). Interaction was confirmed on lab-scale collagen-lignin-anthracite briquettes by measuring their unconfined compressive (UC) strength. The effective collagen strength of the briquettes was enhanced by applying CNO to their surface prior to inoculation: the room temperature UC strength of the briquettes was 28 ± 4·6% greater when CNO (0·4 mg cm(-2) ) was surface-applied, and was 43 ± 3·0% greater when CNO plus copper (0·14 μg cm(-2) ) were surface-applied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surface application of CNO and copper synergistically prevents fungal growth on bindered anthracite briquettes and increases their room temperature strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel organic fungicidal treatment may increase the storage and performance of anthracite bricks in iron foundries, thereby saving 15-20% of the energy used in conventional coke production.
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Kelsey
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Nieto-Delgado
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors: F S
authors: FS
authors: Cannon
authors: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Brennan
mesh_terms: D031601:Azadirachta / Q000737:chemistry*; D002597:Chaetomium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D003031:Coal / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005989:Glycerides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D005989:Glycerides; D013729:Terpenes; C002443:neem oil; D003300:Copper; D008031:Lignin; D003094:Collagen; D007501:Iron
keywords: Chaetomium globosum; anthracite; antimicrobials; copper; fungi; neem oil