VOA慢速英语2021 榴莲壳"变身"抗菌绷带

Scientists at Nanyang Technological¹ University (NTU) in Singapore have found a new way to handle food waste.

新加坡南洋理工大学（南大）的科学家发现了一种处理食物垃圾的新方法。

They are turning unused durian fruit coverings, or husks, into antibacterial bandages.

他们将未使用的榴莲壳制成抗菌绷带。

The researchers took fibers² from the fruit's husks after they were cut and dried.

研究人员先把榴莲壳切片和干燥，之后从中提取纤维素粉。

Then they mixed the fibers with a liquid called glycerol.

然后，他们将纤维素粉与一种名为甘油的液体混合。

This mixture becomes a soft substance called a hydrogel, which is then made into bandages.

这种混合物变成一种叫做水凝胶的柔软物质，然后被制成绷带。

The fruit's husks make up more than half of a durian's structure.

榴莲的外壳占榴莲结构的一半以上。

They are usually thrown away and burned, which adds to environmental waste.

它们通常被扔掉和焚烧，这增加了环境垃圾。

William Chen is director of the food science and technology program at NTU.

威廉·陈是南大食品科技项目主任。

He said, "In Singapore, we consume about 12 million durians a year, so besides the flesh, we can't do much about the husk and the seeds and this causes environmental pollution."

他说：“在新加坡，我们每年消费大约1200万榴莲，所以除了果肉，我们对果壳和种子无能为力，这就造成了环境污染。”

Chen added that the technology can also turn other food waste, such as soybeans and grains, into hydrogel.

陈补充说，这项技术还可以将大豆和谷物等其他食物垃圾转化为水凝胶。

The hydrogel bandages can keep wound areas cooler and more moist than normal bandages which can help speed up healing.

相比普通绷带，水凝胶绷带能保持伤口更凉爽湿润，有助于加速伤口愈合。

The researchers say using waste materials and yeast³ for the antibacterial bandages is less costly⁴ than using normal bandages.

研究人员表示，使用废弃材料和酵母制作抗菌绷带比使用普通绷带的成本更低。

The antibacterial substances in those bandages use more costly metallic⁵ compounds like silver or copper⁶.

普通绷带中的抗菌物质使用了更昂贵的金属化合物，如银或铜。

Fruit seller Tan Eng Chuan said he goes through as much as 1,800 kilograms of durian each day during durian season.

水果商谭恩川说，在榴莲季节，他每天要处理多达1800公斤的榴莲。

He said being able to use the parts of the fruit that are usually thrown away would make enjoying durian, in his words, "more sustainable."

他说，能够利用榴莲中通常被扔掉的部分，用他的话说，会让吃榴莲“更可持续”。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

我是乔纳森·埃文斯。

1 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

2 fibers   

光纤( fiber的名词复数 )； （织物的）质地； 纤维，纤维物质

参考例句：

• Thesolution of collagen-PVA was wet spined with the sodium sulfate as coagulant and collagen-PVA composite fibers were prepared. 在此基础上，以硫酸钠为凝固剂，对胶原-PVA共混溶液进行湿法纺丝，制备了胶原-PVA复合纤维。
• Sympathetic fibers are distributed to all regions of the heart. 交感神经纤维分布于心脏的所有部分。

3 yeast   

n.酵母；酵母片；泡沫；v.发酵；起泡沫

参考例句：

• Yeast can be used in making beer and bread.酵母可用于酿啤酒和发面包。
• The yeast began to work.酵母开始发酵。

4 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

5 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

6 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。