Here, a novel nitrogen-doped carbon nano-material (N-CGNM) with hierarchically porous structure was prepared from spent coffee ground for efficient adsorption of organic dyes by a simple one-step carbonization process (the uniform mixture consists of spent coffee ground, urea, and CaCl2 with the ratio of 1:1:1, which was heated to 1000 °C with a rate of 10 °C min− 1 and held at 1000 °C for 90 min in N2 atmosphere to carry out carbonization, activation, and N-doping concurrently). The morphology and structure analysis show that the prepared N-CGNM exhibits hierarchical pore structure, high specific surface area (544 m2/ g), and large numbers of positively charged nitrogen-containing groups. This unique structure and chemical composition endow N-CGNM with an excellent adsorption capacity toward anion Congo red (623.12 ± 21.69 mg/g), which is obviously superior to that (216.47 ± 18.43 mg/g) of untreated spent coffee ground-based carbon nano-materials (CGM). Oppositely, the adsorption capacity of N-CGNM towards cation methylene blue is inferior to that of CGM due to the existence of electrostatic repulsion. These findings show a great guidance for the development of low-cost but efficient selective adsorbent.

새송이버섯(Pleurotus eryngii)은 인기 있는 식용버섯 중의 하나로서 항산화, 항암 또는 면역조절 기능 등의 인체에 유익한 생리활성 기능을 지닌다. 본 연구에서는 새송이버섯 균사체 배양 시 커피음료 생산 과정으로부터 폐기되는 커피박(spent coffee ground: SCG) 첨가에 의한 균사체의 생장과 기능성의 변화를 조사하였다. 그 결과, SCG(1-10%, w/v) 첨가 시 생장속도가 상당히 증가하는 경향을 나타내었다. 특히 1% SCG 첨가 시 무첨가에 비해 건조중량이 2.5배 증가함으로써 SCG가 탁월한 새송이버섯 균사체의 생장촉진제 기능이 제시되었다. SCG 첨가에 의하여 균사체의 polysaccharide 함량은 변화가 없었으나 polyphenol량 및 항산화능의 증대를 확인할 수 있었다.