OCPA Research Reviews
Ken Hough, Director, Research and Market Development
New Uses of Corn Products
A new type of instantly soluble cornstarch could
replace petroleum-based additives in industrial processes. Many
industrial additives are made from non-renewable sources – and some are toxic to humans. USDA Agricultural Research
Service scientists have now developed a substitute from cornstarch, a renewable source that’s less expensive and
less hazardous to workers. Industry has used oxidized cornstarch for many years, but most types are not water soluble.
To create highly water-soluble cornstarch, scientists mixed it with hydrogen peroxide and then dried it at high
temperatures with a copper-iron catalyst. This process removes hydrogen, making the starch water soluble. This
oxidized starch, mixed into compounds like cement, absorbs excess water created by chemical reactions that occur
when concrete is blended with water and other chemicals. It replaces more hazardous chemicals like cyanide-based
drying products used in cement. Other possible uses for the new oxidized cornstarch include binding calcium, magnesium
and iron in repulping wood fibers for paper, replacement of formaldehyde in adhesives and coating crop seeds.
Reprinted from USDA Agricultural Research Service Quarterly Reports
of Selected Research Projects, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/qtr/q398/ip398.htmƒƒ. For further information, contact: Robert E. Wing, Plant Polymer Research Laboratory,
Peoria, IL (309) 681-6353, wingre@mail.ncaur.usda.gov
Byproducts from corn processing may help remove
lead, copper, zinc and other heavy metals from industrial wastewater.
USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists have developed a way to combine corn fibre and other corn products
with citric acid to form a material that binds with heavy metals. The process could help industry safely treat
heavy metal-laden wastewater. In the process, citric acid is heated to release hydrogen atoms from its molecules.
Those molecules then bond readily with corn byproducts to form the material that will bind with heavy metals in
wastewater. Stringent regulations require industry to remove heavy metals from wastewater before discharging the
water. The new process is cheaper than petroleum-based products and uses corn, a renewable resource. The technology
could also help farmers by increasing the value of corn and opening new markets for the crop.
Reprinted from USDA Agricultural Research Service Quarterly Reports
of Selected Research Projects, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/qtr/q298/swa298.htm. For further information, contact: Robert E. Wing/David J. Sessa, National Center for Agricultural
Utilization Research, Peoria, IL (309) 681-6353/6351, wingre@mail.ncaur.usda.gov,
sessadj@mail.ncaur.usda.gov
New micro-encapsulation technology could help
viruses, bacteria and other environmentally friendly biopesticides compete with traditional chemicals. Scientists mixed microbes such as the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or
baculoviruses – a group of viruses that cause disease in caterpillars – into cornstarch that was heated or partially
gelatinized. When the mixture was added to water and dried, the microbes became entrapped in tiny particles that
could be resuspended in water and sprayed on crops. Until now, marketing encapsulated biopesticide technology has
been impeded because there was no single formulation appropriate for different crops and field-spraying equipment.
The amount of ingredients such as sun protectants added to boost a formulation’s effectiveness depended on how
much water was needed for the mix. With the new technology, these ingredients – called adjuvants – are mixed into
formulations as they are manufactured. The adjuvants are uniformly bonded with starch and the biopesticide and
remain in a stable blend throughout conventional tank mixing and application.
Reprinted from USDA Agricultural Research Service Quarterly Reports
of Selected Research Projects, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/qtr/q298/ipm298.htm. For further information, contact: Michael R. McGuire, National Centre for Agricultural
Utilization Research, Peoria, IL (309) 681-6595, mcguirmr@mail.ncaur.usda.gov
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