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To improve the safety of HMX, HMX/NH2-GO composite was prepared with aqueous ammonia functionalized graphene oxide (NH2-GO). The composite was characterized by SEM, Zeta potential, XPS, Raman spectrum, XRD, HPLC, DSC and BAM sensitivity test. The results indicated that the functionalization with aqueous ammonia can enhance the interaction between GO and HMX, and more efficiently desensitize the explosive. The optimal impact sensitivity of the HMX/NH2-GO composite can be not less than 40 J, which is also the most insensitivity compared to the previous reports prepared by coating desensitization with non-energetic desensitized material. Moreover, the potential reason for the different impact and friction sensitivity was also discussed, which may bring a novel perspective to achieve the desensitization of energetic material.

Bastnaesite is an important rare earth mineral and is usually beneficiated by flotation. Sodium silicate is commonly used to depress calcium-bearing gangue minerals, however it can also depress bastnaesite when Ca2+ ions exist in the pulp. In this study, the effect of Ca2+ ions and sodium silicate individually or in combination on bastnaesite flotation was studied through micro-flotation, zeta potential, fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Micro-flotation results show that the combination of Ca2+ ions and sodium silicate depresses bastnaesite more severely due to their synergistic effect. Zeta potential results show that the combination renders the surface potential of bastnaesite negatively shifted more significantly. Fluorescence spectroscopy shows that the combination decreases the surface hydrophobicity of bastnaesite more severely. XPS shows that the combination increases the adsorption of sodium silicate on bastnaesite by forming hydrophilic Ca-SiO3 precipitate, which causes more serious depression on bastnaesite flotation.

Monazite ((Ce, La)PO4) is one of the major types of light rare earth minerals from which the light rare earth elements cerium (Ce) and lanthanum (La) are economically extracted. Flotation is extensively used to recover fine-grained monazite. Sodium oleate (NaOL) is considered as the collector with the strong collecting ability for monazite flotation. However, this study shows that its collecting ability is still limited. In this paper, a phosphonic acid, nonane-1,1-bisphosphonic acid (C9-BPA), was employed as the novel collector in place of NaOL. Flotation experiments show that even when the C9-BPA dosage is less than one-fifth of the NaOL dosage, the monazite recovery using C9-BPA as the collector is approximately 22 wt% higher than that using NaOL. The mechanism by which C9-BPA adsorbs on monazite was investigated using zeta potential, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements as well as first-principles calculations. Zeta potential measurements show a more significant decrease in the zeta potentials of monazite after the addition of C9-BPA compared to those after the addition of NaOL. For C9-BPA-treated monazite, the characteristic peaks of C9-BPA were observed in the IR and C 1s XPS spectrum, whereas for monazite treated by NaOL, no characteristic peak of NaOL was observed. Experimental results show that C9-BPA has a stronger affinity towards the monazite surface than NaOL as confirmed by the higher adsorption energy of CP-BPA on the monazite surface (‒204.22 kJ/mol) than NaOL (‒48.48 kJ/mol). This study demonstrates an extensive application value and prospect of C9-BPA in monazite flotation and helps design novel collectors with strong collecting ability for monazite flotation.

In the present work gold nanoparticles were synthesized by green method using Aegle marmelos bark extract and the reaction conditions were optimized. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by using different analytical techniques including UV–Visible spectroscopy, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra Red) spectroscopy, TEM (Transmission electron microscopy), DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) and Zeta Potential Analyser. The Biosynthesized gold nanoparticles were then used for colorimetric detection of Cr(III) and Al(III) from aqueous medium. It was found that the detection limit with nanoparticles was as low as 0.5 mM for Cr(III) ion and 0.01 mM for Al(III) ions in aqueous medium.

CAPE found in propolis has become the subject of research interest as it has various medicinal benefits such as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer and immunomodulatory properties [1] . In this study, propolis obtained in Kuantan, Pahang is encapsulated using biodegradable polymer, vitamin E TPGS as a drug delivery system whereas TPGS-CAPE is used as a control. The findings show the physical characterization of propolis loaded vitamin E TPGS polymeric micelles which includes size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, shape and morphology and encapsulation efficiency.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) having the potential to mimic the selectivity and sensitivity of biological molecular recognition are blended here with piezoelectric transducer (EQCM) able to provide ‘real time’ monitoring of molecular level events with extreme sensitivity. In this work, molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles selective for a psychoactive drug, cathinone were synthesized, characterized and applied for specific and selective uptake in water. Nanoparticles were separated by centrifugation and characterized for their size and zeta potential. p-Phenylene diamine was chosen as functional monomer to imprint S-cathinone via in silico studies. Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles were eletrodeposited on gold coated quartz crystal electrode of electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). Molecular imprinting experiments were optimized for selective and specific uptake of S-cathinone. Thus fabricated EQCM sensor was able to discriminate between stereoisomers and other close structural analogues also. Imprinting data were successfully fitted to Freundlich adsorption isotherm and curves for non-imprinted and imprinted data were compared. Under optimized conditions, response of nanoMIP-EQCM sensor is linearly proportional to S-cathinone concentration with detection limit as 0.12 ng mL−1 and quantification limit as 0.409 ng mL−1 and imprinting factor as 8. Hence, a highly specific and selective nanoMIP-EQCM sensor is fabricated in a facile manner.

Liquid crystalline nanoparticles (Cubosomes) are unique structures for the effective delivery of many pharmaceutical drugs. The present study is aimed to develop and characterize novel cubosomal formulation containing dexamethasone (DMS). The cubosomes were incorporated into hydrogel for prolonged delivery of DMS to treat vitiligo. The cubosomes were prepared via top-down technique using different concentrations of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) (lipid phase), poloxamer 407 (P 407) (non-ionic surfactant), oleic acid (fatty acid) and water (aqueous phase). The formulated cubosomal formulations were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta size analyzer for their surface morphology, particle size and zeta potential. Further, they were evaluated for % entrapment efficiency and in-vitro drug release. The optimized F-12 formulation exhibited a particle size of 250.40 nm and a zeta potential of −36.10 ± 2.56 mV. The in-vitro drug release of 88.12% was achieved at 12th h. The F-12 formulation was incorporated into 1% carbopol 940 to form cubogel (CG). The F-12 loaded CG was evaluated for physical characteristics, pH, drug content, viscosity, spreadability, and in-vitro drug release studies. All the evaluation parameters for the CG formulation were said to be within the standard limits. The in-vitro drug release for DMS loaded CG was found to be 83.58% at end of 12 h, thus indicating its potential as a better sustained drug delivery system for vitiligo.

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) synthesis using microalgae is a promising low-cost sustainable alternative. High CO2 tolerant microalgae have not yet been explored for this application. This study pretends to determine the potential of an environmental green algae Desmodesmus abundans acclimated to low and high CO2 (LCA and HCA strains, respectively) as a platform for AgNPs synthesis and evaluate the effect of pH (5, 7.5, 11) and biological component (cells, supernatant and both components) in comparison to a collection strain Spirulina platensis. Exponential grown cultures were centrifuged, the pellet resuspended in 10 mM AgNO3 prepared in water or supernatant at different pH and incubated for 40 h (24 °C, continuous light). After, the filtrated solution was characterized using UV–visible absorption spectra, Zetasizer and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Results showed drastic differences between strains. No nanoparticles were observed with strain LCA, except at pH 11 using the pellet, which generated large particles (127.8 ± 14.8 nm diameter, −26.7 ± 2.4 mV zeta potential). In contrast, the HCA strain in these conditions showed the smallest AgNPs with the lowest zeta potential (14.9 ± 6.4 nm, −32.7 ± 5.3 mV). When the supernatant was conserved, HCA exhibited AgNPs in all pH solutions, with smallest sizes at pH 11 (27.7 ± 14.0 nm, −20.0 ± 1.8 mV). In addition, the HCA supernatant alone showed reducing potential for AgNP synthesis (51.8 ± 20.7 nm, −17.4 ± 1.3 mV). S. platensis also generated AgNPs in all conditions, but nanoscale particles were observed only at pH 11 (18.3 ± 7.5 nm, −33.9 ± 2.4 mV). In conclusion, high CO2 atmospheres seem to potentiate AgNPs synthesis by microalgae with interesting properties accordingly to biological component employed, representing a potential byproduct in CO2 mitigation systems.

Nanostructures of layered materials have gained increasing attention in photocatalytic and water-treatment processes. Herein, we report on sub-30 nm SnS2 nanosheets (NSs) which can perform photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) quite efficiently on one hand, while removes large quantities of toxic organic dye molecules by choosing an adsorption mode of operation over photo-degradation on the other hand, unlike most other SnS2 nanostructures. The NSs have a highly extended crystallinity growing perpendicular to the (0 0 1) lattice direction but exhibit poor X-ray diffraction for the 10 l (1 = 1,2,3…) lattice planes. With such defects, the NSs have a narrow bandgap of 2.21 eV and exhibit a significant photocurrent density at near band-edge illumination. Cr(VI) photo-reduction using the SnS2 NSs follows a first-order reaction kinetics (rate constant of 0.10 min-1), five-fold higher than commercial TiO2 (P-25). Furthermore, the NSs adsorb Rhodamine B dye molecules from an aqueous solution by forming a monolayer of dye molecules following a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and exhibit an adsorption capacity of ∼ 53.28 mg/g. We show that the NSs have a Zeta potential of ∼ –22 eV and preferably adsorb cationic dyes only. Thus the SnS2 NSs can be effective for Cr(VI) contaminated waste-water treatment in a photocatalytic manner and can also act as a potential adsorbent for polluting dye molecules either in the presence or absence of sunlight. While both these activities are known for SnS2 as well as other materials, the competitive nature of the two mechanisms while each of them is a possibility has never been investigated. Therefore, besides the high activities, the study highlights the presence of different active sites on the material surface that can respond preferentially to either inorganic or organic impurities.

Carbon dots (CDs) are novel fluorescent nanomaterials with good water solubility, high resistance to photobleaching and low toxicity. While, there are few studies elaborate on the relationship among reaction conditions, properties and applications of CDs. In this study, a series of CDs are synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal method, and different reaction conditions are carried out to study the influencing factors of CDs properties. As a result, with the increase of temperature and reaction time, the particle size and zeta potential of CDs increased, the maximum emission wavelength red-shifted and the fluorescence quantum yield (QY) improved. Among them, CD3006 has good water solubility and highest QY of 81.4%, which is beneficial for its applications in bioimaging and ion detection. CD3006 is almost nontoxic in cells at a concentration of 500 μg/mL. In addition, the positive charged CD3006 shows nuclear targeting potential because of its combination with DNA through electrostatic interaction in nucleus. The properties of CDs can be greatly enhanced by controlling reaction conditions, and it provides great application prospects.

Flotation separation and recovery of rare earth minerals (REM) have returned to an important position due to the growing strategy demand for rare earth elements (REE). In this paper, a comparative investigation into the floatability of bastnaesite ((Ce,La)FCO3) was conducted by using three di/trialkyl phosphate collectors, di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (DEHPA), dibutyl phosphate (DBP) and tributyl phosphate (TBP). The density functional theory (DFT) computation recommends that the chemical activity of the three phosphate collectors is in order of DEHPA ≥ DBP >> TBP, and their hydrophobization as-suggested by the lgP (oil-water partition coefficient) value is in the order of DEHPA > TBP > DBP. The micro-flotation indicates that the preferable pH values for flotation of bastnaesite with the three phosphate collectors are 7.0–8.0, and DEHPA achieves much higher flotation recovery of bastnaesite, followed by DBP, and then TBP, which coincides with their reactivity and hydrophobicity, the two prerequisites for froth flotation. The contact angle, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) deduce that DEHPA likely reacts with the Ce(Ⅲ) atoms of bastnaesite interface through its O atom(s) of the P(=O)–O– group to generate the Ce–O–P bonds, and its two 2-ethylhexyl groups orient outside for attaching bubbles, resulting in flotation enrichment of bastnaesite. Furthermore, this investigation offers a novel strategy for developing collectors in selective beneficiation of REM.

In order to eliminate multiple coexisting pollutants in environmental wastewater, a magnetic three-dimensional hierarchical porous flower-like N, Co-doped graphitic carbon nano-polyhedra decorated NiCo-layered double oxides (N-Co@C/NiCo-LDOs) adsorption material was synthesized, which consisted of two-dimensional LDOs nanosheets with functionalized surfaces (N, Co-doped graphitic carbon loaded on both sides of NiCo-LDOs nanosheets). The adsorption properties of N-Co@C/NiCo-LDOs for five types of typical pollutants (cationic dyes: rhodamine b, methylene blue; pesticides: ethofenprox, bifenthrin; anionic dyes: methyl orange, congo red; inorganic cations: Cr2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, inorganic anions: Cr2O72−, AsO33−) were investigated systematically in single and coexisting systems. Combined with the results of FTIR and zeta potential, the adsorption mechanism was discussed. By virtue of its hierarchical porous architecture and the combined effect of functionalized surfaces and LODs supporter, the as-prepared N-Co@C/NiCo-LDOs demonstrates excellent adsorption performance towards five types of typical pollutants with fast adsorption rate, high adsorption capacity and good co-adsorption performance. More importantly, the N-Co@C/NiCo-LDOs showed satisfactory removal efficiency, stability and reusability in model wastewater. The broad-spectrum, rapid, easily separable, and reusable adsorption properties make N-Co@C/NiCo-LDOs promising for highly efficient wastewater treatments. This work also provides a feasible way for the preparation of adsorption materials for the treatment of complex wastewater systems.

With using Sn2+ as tin source, l -cysteine as sulphur source and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP, Mw = 1300000) as surfactant, a novel three-dimensional and crescent-like SnS nanocrystal (NCs) was successfully synthesized in a one-pot hydrothermal method. The as-prepared SnS NCs displayed uniform crescent-like morphological structure, and demonstrated excellent efficiency for the adsorption of cationic dyes such as rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB). Kinetic analysis indicated that the adsorption process followed the pseudo second-order model, and the maximum capacity of the SnS NCs to adsorb MB was determined by Langmuir equation to be 252 mg⋅g−1 at 298 K. The pH dependence of SnS NCs on the adsorption of cationic dyes and the characterization of zeta potential jointly suggested the existence of electrostatic attraction in the process. Overall, this study showed that electrostatic field of functional groups and the capping of PVP could significantly enhance the adsorption performance of the SnS NCs, and also provides a novel insight into the development of highly efficient inorganic adsorbents for cationic dyes.

The TOPSi/HAP composite was obtained after heat treatment of thermally oxidized porous silicon (TOPSi) spin-coated with Hydroxyapatite (HAP) precursor solution. Silicon–Calcium Phosphate composite nanoparticles (SiCaPs) were synthesized in distilled water by laser ablation method using the TOPSi/HAP composite as the target material. According to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta Potential analyzes, SiCAPs are ultra-pure, spherical shaped nanoparticles with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 120 nm and a Zeta Potential of −20 mV for Ph 4,5. The proposed unique method enabled the SiCaPs synthesis. By changing some parameters of the synthesis conditions, SiCaPs of various properties can be designed for bone tissue engineering, wound healing, drug delivery, medical adhesives, and various biomedical applications.

The combined approach of specific surface area (SSA), porosity, microprobe analysis (EMPA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with EDX and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) provided the mica mineral physico-chemical and morphological characterisation. The electrostatic surface properties were assessed through the determination of the Point of Zero Charge (pHPZC) by the drift method and the electrokinetic mica mineral features represented by the Isoelectric Point (pHIEP) which was carried out through zeta potential measurements. Adsorption tests were performed to correlate the surface charge behaviour of the mica mineral and its influence on the adsorption efficiency of two different dyes, namely: Safranin Orange (SO), as a cationic dye and Reactive Black 5 (RB5), as an anionic dye. The higher adsorption capacity SO dye was observed at pH 9 and achieved almost 83% of removal, while RB5 dye adsorption on mica surface had the highest result, about 45% of removal efficiency, on pH of 3. In both cases, the main mechanism identified that drove this results is the electrostatic force of attraction between the adsorbent edge surface charge (pHdependent) and the ionic nature (anionic or cationic) of the pollutant dyes particles. The preliminary adsorption experiments demonstrated that the raw grounded mica mineral has a greater potential associated with its application on cationic dye removal in wastewater. The present study aimed to detail the main characteristics of the mica mineral in order to evaluate the potential use of such mineral residues in the removal efficiency of contaminated wastewater info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Carbon dot (CDs) were prepared for carrying DOX (Doxorubicin) or FAC (Ferric ammonium citrate), and the loading mechanism and release kinetics of CDs-drugs were studied. CDs were prepared using peony pollen and urea, and characterized by TEM, XRD, 13C NMR, XPS, UV, FT-IR, DLS and zeta potential. The obtained CDs were rich of –NH2 group on the surface, amorphous phase, spherical morphology with the diameter about 5 nm, and had a blue fluorescence with the quantum yield (QY) of 12%. Iron disorders can cause cancer or anemia. DOX is used for treating cancer, but has severe side effects. FAC is an iron supplement agent, but had low bioavailability. CDs carried DOX (or FAC) through –N=C– (or –CONH–) bond, had high loading efficiency for DOX (37.2%) and FAC (54.0%) by optimizing mass ratios of mCDs to mdrug and reacted overnight. Cellular experiments showed that CDs-drugs had lower cytotoxicity than free drugs and CDs co-located with the drug. In vitro release indicated that CDs-DOX had pH-targeted property and CDs-FAC could be absorbed easily. CDs-drug release belonged to Weibull model, and release mechanism was determined by the bonding way between CDs and drug. CDs had potential applications in delivery drugs with –C=O or –COOH group.

SiC is a promising functional ceramic material with many great properties. High concentrated SiC slurry with excellent rheology and stability is required in some processes of ceramic forming. In this work, the dispersion of SiC powders was obviously improved by ternary modifiers: γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy) propytrimethoxysilane (KH560), sodium humate and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Modified SiC slurry showed the lowest viscosity of 0.168 Pa s at a solid content of 50 vol%. The maximum absolute value of zeta potential of SiC increased from 47.3 to 61.6 mV by modification. Sedimentation experiments showed that a highly stable suspension of modified SiC was obtained at pH 10. SiC green body with high density of 2.643 g/cm3 was prepared with modified powders by slip casting. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and thermogravimetry (TG) measurements indicated the adsorption of modifiers on SiC surface. Therefore, modified SiC powders could stably disperse in aqueous media due to the increase of electrosteric repulsion between particles. The novel strategy used in this study could further improve the dispersion of SiC powders.

This work aimed to prepare nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions using cinnamon essential oil. Different formulations were investigated by varying the preparation time, homogenization speed, oil and nanocellulose concentration, and morphology. The emulsions were first characterized by droplet size, morphologies, and storage stability. The Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to evaluate the parameter’s effects on the emulsions’ stability, and the emulsions with optimum particle size and stability were evaluated by antimicrobial activity. The more stable emulsions required higher energy in the system to obtain efficient emulsification. The cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) emulsions showed a 30% oil volume as a constant to obtain a low creaming index (34.4% and 42.8%) and zeta potential values around −29 mV, indicating an electrostatic stabilization. The cellulose nanofiber (CNF) emulsions showed 100% stability after a month using a 20% oil volume as a constant and Zeta potential values around −15 mV, indicating a steric stabilization. CNF-emulsions’ inhibition halos for Bacilus subtilis were 30.1 ± 3.7% smaller than those found in CNC-emulsions (65 ± 2.9 mm), while Pseudomonasaeruginosas almost do not present differences in the inhibition halos. These results suggest that the nanocellulose morphology may promote a regulation on the EO migration to the medium, as well that this migration ratio does not affect the bacteria.

This study used reactive ultra-fine fly ash (RUFA) as the primary raw materials in the preparation of a novel RUFA geopolymer. Note that the solution to binder weight ratio was maintained at the same level by varying the concentration of the NaOH solution. Extensive analysis was conducted to characterize the flowability and mechanical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), thermogravimetric (TG), and zeta potential analyses were used to examine the microstructure of RUFA geopolymers. Increasing the concentration of NaOH also led to an increase in compressive strength. A high NaOH concentration of 12 mol/L resulted in compressive strength of 97.6 MPa at 28 days. Finally, increasing the concentration of NaOH increased the formation of the primary reaction geopolymerization product, N-A-S-H gel, resulting in a denser microstructure with lower porosity.

In the current investigation, an instantaneous, single step, cost-effective, and environmentally safe biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the aqueous extract of P. salicifolia leaves is reported for the first time. P. salicifolia-AuNPs were characterized via several techniques including UV–Visible spectroscopy, Zeta potential, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) attached to SEM, High-resolution Transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED), EDX elemental mapping and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Results demonstrated the formation of violet-colored, mostly spherical-shaped AuNPs with a diameter between 5 and 23 nm and a plasmon peak at 535 nm indicated the successful phytosynthesis of AuNPs using the aqueous extract of the investigated species. The cytotoxicity investigation of the phytosynthesized AuNPs using Sulphorhodamine-B (SRB) assay reflected superb cell capability in inhibiting the growth and proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MCF7 cell line) with IC50 2.24 μg/mL. Additionally, P. salicifolia-AuNPs were proved to be a potent antioxidant. These results offer a promising route of AuNPs synthesis using the extract of P. salicifolia.

Copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) is one of the most popular ferrite spinel semiconductors due to its superparamagnetic properties. In this study, CuFe2O4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared through green synthesis mediated by Morus alba L. leaf extract. Secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids and saponins, in Morus alba L. leaf extract acted as a weak base provider and as a capping agent in the formation of CuFe2O4. The crystal structure, grain morphology, particle size, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirms the formation of the CuFe2O4 phase with a cubic Fd-3ms space group. The nanoparticles mediated by Morus alba L. have a spherical shape with distributed particle sizes at 20–70 nm. In the evaluation of stability, the nanoparticles agglomerate with a zeta potential value of −21.7 mV and have a soft ferromagnetic nature with Hc, Mr, and Ms values of 175.44 Oe, 1.75 emu/g, and 14.16 emu/g, respectively. The catalytic ability of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles in the Mannich reaction showed good catalyst performance with a yield of 83.83% at optimum conditions. Green synthesis using Morus alba L. leaf extract offers a more environmentally friendly and effective method for obtaining CuFe2O4 nanoparticles with good characteristics.

This study focused on preparation and characterization of two activated SiO2@C nanocomposites from rice-husk waste material through a controlled method. Both of them contain different percentages of silica and carbon. After chemical and thermal activations of the prepared composites, high energy ball milling was utilized to prepare nano powders. The percent of silica in the prepared nanocomposites was determined by HF method. Moreover, their chemical compositions were determined by XRF technique. The prepared materials were also examined by x-ray diffraction technique, FT-Infrared, scanning electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscope, Zeta Sizer, and Surface-Area-Analyzer. The prepared SiO2@C nanocomposite that contains higher silica percent was selected as adsorbent for removing of Cu, Zn and Pb from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH and contact time on the adsorption process were also studied. The results showed that SiO2@C nanocomposites with different percentages of silica and carbon were prepared successfully by the proposed method. The sample that contains higher silica, exhibited smaller particle size (20–50 nm), higher specific surface area (262.39 m2g-1) and higher negative zeta potential (−71 mV). On the other hand, the sample that contains lower silica exhibited higher particle size (20–70 nm), lower specific surface area (42.95 m2g-1), and lower zeta potential (-6 mV). The adsorption efficiencies of prepared SiO2@C nanocomposites at pH 6 for removing of Cu, Zn, and Pb from aqueous solutions were 96.5, 97, 9 and 88.66%, respectively. The kinetic study revealed that the adsorption process proceeded by pseudo-second order reaction.

The fishing industry produces waste such as viscera, which is an environmental problem for many countries. Obtaining protein from these wastes are useful for the food industry. In this study, the chemical composition, amino acid profile, solubility, digestibility and thermal properties of Yamú protein isolate (PI) and its hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis were characterized. The hydrolysates (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2% w/v) were mixed with a sodium alginate-based solution to form an edible coating solution (ECS). Antioxidant capacity antimicrobial activity, Zeta potential (ζ) and adsorption kinetics properties were determined. PI contains 88% (w/w) protein showing better solubility, digestibility and thermal stability properties. The hydrolysate concentrations with DPPH inhibitory ECS were 0.1 and 0.5% (w/v). The kinetic properties of ECS showed good stability and excellent adsorption. These results suggest that this Yamú protein has high nutritional potential as an ingredient for the production of functional foods.

Objective: Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa has been widely used in Indian traditional medicine and has many reported pharmacological activities. The aim of this research was to formulate solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of Aegle oil (AO) that enhanced the beneficial antimicrobial activity of the oil. Methods: The chemical composition of Aegle leaf essential oil was analysed by GC-MS. Additionally, a phytochemical study of A. marmelos methanolic leaf extract was conducted using Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay for determination of total phenolic content as well as ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS-MS) analyses for identification of individual components. Six formulations of AO-loaded SLNs (AO-SLNs) were prepared by a double emulsification method. The particle size, zeta potential (ZP), polydispersibility index (PDI) and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the SLNs were determined. The morphology of the SLNs was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antimicrobial activity of AO and AO-SLNs was assessed using disc diffusion method. Results: Thirty-two compounds were identified in the Aegle oil, of which Δ-carene and α-phellandrene were the most abundant (48.14% and 34.14%, respectively). The estimated total phenolic content was 968mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, while UPLC-ESI-MS-MS led to the tentative characterization of thirteen metabolites. The SLNs showed ZP, PDI and EE 125 ± 0.22nm, –37.85, 0.282, and 92%, respectively. AO and AO-SLNs showed significant antimicrobial activity, and the SLNs could sustain the release of AO from their gel vehicles. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for the application of AO-SLNs in topical and transdermal delivery systems.

The authors reported a potential candidate methylated mud snail protein (MeMsp) as an effective and eco-friendly flocculant to treat the high turbidity wastewater. MeMsp was obtained by extraction of mud snail protein (Msp) through isoelectric precipitation (PSC-IP) and then methylated via the esterification with side-chain carboxyl. Structural characterization of FT-IR, zeta potential and elemental analysis were carried out and further confirmed the successful of the methylation. Flocculation experiments with kaolin suspension simulated wastewater indicated that MeMsp-24 displayed more excellent flocculation efficiency at a low dosage. At the optimum dosage 27 mg/L, the maximum clarification efficiency of MeMsp-24 was 97.46% under pH 7.0. Furthermore, MeMsp-24 exhibited a wide flocculation window in the pH range 1.0–9.0, and faster sedimentation velocity and larger flocs size. In addition, MeMsp-24 exhibited 92.12% clarification efficiency in treating railway tunnel construction effluent. The flocculation kinetic and mechanism analysis revealed that the most effective particle collision occurred at the optimal dosage, with charge neutralization and adhesion playing irreplaceable roles in different environments, respectively. Therefore, through extraction and methylation modification, MeMsp could be a promising eco-friendly flocculant for high turbidity wastewater treatment. HIGHLIGHTS Synthesized a novel bio-flocculant methylated mud snail protein.; The protein-rich mud snail is fully utilized.; Methylation successfully improved the flocculation performance of mud snail protein.; Methylated mud snail protein achieved a significant turbidity removal for high turbidity wastewater treatment.; Methylated mud snail protein is completely environmentally friendly.

The addition of glycerin reduced the dielectric constant of the aqueous alumina suspension, increased the zeta potential of the alumina powder, thickened the electric double layer, and improved the dispersibility of an alumina suspension for aqueous gel-casting. The glycerin-added suspension can effectively avoid the agglomeration, so that the green body had a more uniform microstructure and a higher relative density. The simultaneous addition of magnesium nitrate, EDTA and glycerol in aqueous-based alumina slurry can effectively promote the homogeneity of green microstructure and hence obtaining the sintered sample with relative sintered density of 99.7% and the mean grain size and distribution of 1.20 ± 0.44 μm. The (pressure-less sintered) sample Mg + EDTA + Gly exhibited superior Vickers hardness comparable to the samples prepared using HP, HIP, and SPS due to the small grain size (1.2 μm) and high sintered density (99.7%).

Common collectors for rare earth mineral (REM) flotation, which include carboxylates and hydroxamates, face problems such as being non-selective and sensitive to impurity ions. A type of ionic liquid (IL), tetraethylammonium mono-(2-ethylhexyl)2-ethylhexyl phosphonate ([N2222][EHEHP]), has been investigated previously for rare earth elements (REE) solvent extraction, and was proven to be selective and effective. In this work, [N2222][EHEHP] was evaluated as a collector in bastnasite (a primary REM source for REE production) flotation for the first time. The results were compared with quartz and hematite, two common gangue minerals in REM deposits. Zeta potential measurements and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were completed to investigate the surface chemical properties involved in the flotation of these minerals using this collector. The findings were compared with microflotation results. FT-IR and zeta potential measurements suggest adsorption of the collector's phosphonate group onto bastnasite and hematite, likely through chemisorption; whereas for quartz, the minimum microflotation recovery is likely due to no adsorption of IL on its surface. Microflotation results show higher collectability of [N2222][EHEHP] for hematite than bastnasite, the latter only shows appreciable recovery at pH 5 with elevated dosage of IL (500 g/t). To achieve better separation, a two-stage flotation scheme was designed and evaluated by bench scale flotation on a synthetic mineral mixture. The concentrates and tails were analyzed by magnetic separation, and it is found that bastnasite recovery over 90% with maximum upgrade ratio 1.7 can be achieved with elevated collector dosage.

Plant viruses are major contributors to crop losses and induce high economic costs worldwide. For reliable, on-site and early detection of plant viral diseases, portable biosensors are of great interest. In this study, a field-effect SiO2-gate electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor was utilized for the label-free electrostatic detection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles as a model plant pathogen. The capacitive EIS sensor has been characterized regarding its TMV sensitivity by means of constant-capacitance method. The EIS sensor was able to detect biotinylated TMV particles from a solution with a TMV concentration as low as 0.025 nM. A good correlation between the registered EIS sensor signal and the density of adsorbed TMV particles assessed from scanning electron microscopy images of the SiO2-gate chip surface was observed. Additionally, the isoelectric point of the biotinylated TMV particles was determined via zeta potential measurements and the influence of ionic strength of the measurement solution on the TMV-modified EIS sensor signal has been studied., Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation), Projekt DEAL

Background The overall objective was to prepare a highly accurate nanocarrier system of mesalamine for the treatment of ulcerative colitis with increased therapeutic efficacy and targeting. In the formulation of nanocarrier systems, optimization is a critical process for understanding nanoformulation variables and quality aspects. The goal of the present work was to determine the effect of independent variables, i.e., the concentrations of chitosan, carboxymethyl inulin (CMI), and the drug on the response variables, i.e., particle size and percent entrapment efficiency of the mesalamine-loaded nanoparticle using the Box Behnken design (BBD). The correlation between the independent and dependent variables was investigated using the Design Expert generated mathematical equations, contour, and response surface designs. Result An optimized batch was developed using the ionotropic gel method with selected independent variables (A: + 1 level, B: 0 level, C: − 1 level) and the developed nanoparticles had a particle size of 184.18 nm, zeta potential 26.54 mV, and entrapment efficiency 88.58%. The observed responses were remarkably similar to the predicted values. The morphological studies revealed that the formulated nanoparticles were spherical, and the results of the FTIR and DSC studies indicated the drug-polymer compatibility. The nanoparticle showed less than 5% release in the pH 1.2. In the colonic region (pH 7.4), more than 80 % of the medication was released after 24 h. The kinetics study showed that the Higuchi and Korsemeyer-Peppas models had R2 values of 0.9426 and 0.9784 respectively, for the developed formulation indicating linearity, as revealed by the plots. This result justified the sustained release behavior of the formulation. Conclusion The mesalamine-loaded chitosan-CMI nanoparticle has been successfully developed using the ionotropic gelation method. The nanoparticles developed in this study were proposed to deliver the drug to its desired site. The developed nanoparticles were likely to have a small particle size with positive zeta potential and high percent drug entrapment. It could be stated from the results that BBD can be an active way for optimizing the formulation and that nanoparticles can be a potential carrier for delivering therapeutics to the colon.

The chemical conversion of the surface termination of 2D transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) has opened up a design space that previously had not been extensively explored for this functional material. Herein, via a simple sealed thermal method, the amino terminated groups were successfully introduced on Ti3C2 MXene surface. The substitution reaction of amino group to hydroxyl group was proposed to elucidate this aminated process. As the amination would reduce the carrier density on the surface of MXene, the electrical conductivity of MXene-NH2 film decreased, while it still reached a high conductivity of 2.11 × 104 S m−1. This film also possessed an excellent electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 16160 dB cm2 g−1. Importantly, although the introduction of amino termination altered Zeta potential value, Zeta potential sign remained negative and the MXene-NH2 exhibited excellent dispersity in water similar to that of traditional MXenes. Furthermore, the existence of covalent bonds endowed MXene-NH2 polymer composite film with improved mechanical properties. Compared with that of traditional CMC/MXene film, the tensile strength and fracture energy of CMC/MXene-NH2 increased by 65.5% and 132.7%, respectively. These results demonstrated that the introduction of amino terminated group on MXene surface would be an effective strategy to obtain higher performance MXene-based films.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have several applications in nanomedicine where the use of bacterial proteins for synthesis and capping of nanoparticles remain unstudied. Therefore, an extracellular protein of Enterobacter cloacae (SMP1) with ∼15.6 kDa size was partially purified and utilized for the synthesis of AgNPs. Synthesized AgNPs were detected by UV–vis spectrophotometer and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), cryo-scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-STEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). These AgNPs were monodispersed, spherical/quasi-spherical with zeta potential (ZP) of -26.9 mV with an average size of 58.75 nm measured by DLS. The encapsulation of AgNPs with protein was confirmed by electron elemental mapping and the potential mechanism of the synthesis of protein encapsulated AgNPs is outlined. These AgNPs showed broad spectrum bactericidal activity to clinical antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This study revealed that the extracellular protein of bacteria play a vital role in the synthesis of protein-encapsulated bactericidal AgNPs.

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles are being used in cancer therapy as agents of MRI contrasting, drug delivery, and hyperthermia therapy. Their radiosensitization ability is less explored in comparison with gold and other high – Z nanoparticles. Herein, we report the radiotherapy application of Zn0.4Co0.6Fe2O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrothermal method and they were characterized using XRD, VSM, FTIR, DLS, FE-SEM, and XPS techniques. The nanoparticles have spherical morphology with a cubic spinel structure. The surface of the nanoparticles contains hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups. The hydrodynamic mean size of the nanoparticles is 55.2 nm with a moderate zeta potential of 29.11 mV. The nanoparticles are superparamagnetic with a good saturation magnetization value of 73 emu/g. The cationic distribution study showed that the tetrahedral crystal positions are occupied by Co2+ and Fe3+ cations whereas the octahedral positions are occupied by Zn2+, Co2+, and Fe3+ with Fe3+ being the most. The cytotoxicity was investigated by MTT assay. The anticancer and radiosensitization ability of the nanoparticles was assessed by colony forming assay. The IC50 obtained from the cytotoxicity study is 100 μg/mL. The anticancer study showed 43% proliferation inhibition at 100 μg/mL. The combination of 2 Gy and nanoparticles resulted in more damage on colorectal cancer cells than 4 Gy alone in the radiosensitization study. The present investigation suggests that Zn0.4Co0.6Fe2O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles are potential candidates to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy in the case of colorectal cancer.

In this research, we adopt an ecofriendly and sustainable approach to compare the potentiality and efficiency of Phragmites australis aqueous extracts of two different organs to fabricate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The aqueous extracts of plant roots and rhizome were used as alternative reducing agents to conventional chemicals. Various Characterization techniques were used; UV–Vis spectroscopy, Zeta potential, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) equipped with elemental mapping in order to confirm the formation of zero-valent AuNPs, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Our results demonstrated that both extracts of Phragmites australis are good candidates for the green-synthesis of AuNPs. Zeta potential was used to confirm the stability of AuNPs. The cytotoxic capacities of both AuNPs samples were validated using MTT assay which proved the inhibition of the growth and proliferation of human lung cancer cells (A549 cell line). Antioxidant potentialities were >10%. The phytosynthesized AuNPs exhibited high capacity in removing methylene blue and methyl orange dyes within just one min. This research offers an alternative solution to manage the accumulated unwanted biomass of a widely distributed aquatic macrophyte in aquatic ecosystems.

In this study, the effects of melatonin were investigated on the exosome release from bovine cumulus cells after 7 days. Cells were randomly allocated into three groups as follows; Control, 0.1 nM, and 0.1 mM Met groups. The physicochemical properties of exosomes such as size and zeta potential were measured by the dynamic light scattering. Both scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize exosome morphology. The effect of melatonin on cell viability was studied using an MTT assay. The expression of exosome markers like Alix, CD63, Rab27a, and Rab27b was monitored using real-time PCR analysis. We also investigated fatty acid composition by the gas chromatography method. TEM and SEM confirmed typical exosome's morphology. By increasing the concentration of melatonin, the viability of cumulus cells was significantly increased compared to the control group (p

Propolis extract (PE) is a praiseworthy bioactive composition/mixture with potent pharmacological efficacy, nevertheless, its application is confined due to its high perishability, low dissolution rate and bioavailability, high sensitivity as well as bitter taste. Encapsulation represents an interesting method to improve its handling properties. In this study, propolis was extracted and entrapped in sodium caseinate–maltodextrin nanocomplex. The characterization of the resulting nanocomplexes was carried out by monitoring the average size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), color properties and morphology. The results showed that smaller nanocomplexes with less PDI and core/encapsulant ratio had better EE. FT-IR and XRD analysis indicated that PE had been successfully incorporated within nanocomplexes. Chromatics analysis showed that an increase in content of protein and PE, decreased lightness index (L*) and a* index thus indicating b index increased. Finally, the photographs of the nanocomplexes containing PE exhibited regular shapes and spherical particles with smooth surfaces. The results of this research can be useful to formulate nanocomplexes suitable for PE applications into foods and pharmaceutical products.

The present study describes the development of a novel liposome nanocarrier system. The liposome was coated with Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6074 S-layer protein (SLP) to improve the intestinal absorption of the cholesterol-lowering peptide Leu-Gln-Pro-Glu (LQPE). The SLP-coated liposomes were prepared and characterized with morphology, particle size, zeta potential, membrane stability, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dual-channel surface plasma resonance. The results showed that SLP could successfully self-assemble on liposomes. Then, LQPE liposomes and SLP-coated LQPE liposomes (SLP-L-LQPE) were prepared. SLP-L-LQPE not only showed better sustained release properties and gastrointestinal tolerance in vitro but also increased the retention time in mice intestine. Transepithelial transport experiment indicates that the transshipment of LQPE increased significantly after being embedded by liposomes and coated with SLP. The research provides a theoretical basis for the study of SLP-coated liposomes and a potential drug delivery system for improving the intestinal absorption of peptides.

The present work aimed to remove azithromycin (AZM) from the contaminated aqueous system using a water/ethanol/transcutol/Capryol-90 green nanoemulsion. The drug is identified as a potential pharmaceutical contaminant detrimental for flora and fauna of aquatic lives as well as human health. Green nanoemulsions were tailored and characterized for thermodynamic stability, size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, viscosity, refractive index (RI), and morphological assessment using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, nanoemulsions were investigated for percent removal efficiency (%RE) and factors affecting percent removal efficiency (%RE). The results suggested that the developed green nanoemulsions (ANE1-ANE5) were transparent (˂ 200 nm) and stable. ANE5 exhibited the lowest value of globular size (49 nm), PDI (0.17), viscosity (~ 93 cP), and optimum zeta potential (-27.8 mV). The value of %RE depended upon the content of water and Capryol-90 of the nanoemulsion. Furthermore, the value of %RE was found to be increased with increased content of water, whereas this was decreased on increasing the Capryol-90 content in the nanoemulsions. Similarly, on decreasing the values of size and viscosity, the %RE values were observed to be increased. There was insignificant impact of the duration of exposure time on %RE. Thus, the maximum %RE value (96.8%) was obtained by ANE5 from the aqueous solution after 20 min of contact time with ANE5. Thus, this method could be a promising approach to remove AZM from the contaminated water and serve as an alternative to conventional methods.

The present study involves the green synthesis of unmodified silver nanoparticles using the aqueous leaf extract of Mimosa diplotricha (AgNP-MD). This work highlights the reliable optical and electrochemical sensing of Hg2+ ion (5–45 μM) by AgNP-MD with high selectivity. Optical sensing was easily identified by the color change of AgNP-MD to colorless upon effective interaction of metal nanoparticles with mercuric ions, which is in accordance with the decrement in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of nanoparticles. Electrochemical voltammetric sensing was performed using a platinum electrode modified with AgNP-MD (AgNP-MD-Pt). The limit of detection (LOD) of the developed green sensor for mercuric ions was calculated from differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis as 1.46 μM. The applicability of unmodified AgNP-MD towards Hg2+ ions was inspected for the collected real water samples. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques were used to characterize the synthesized AgNP-MD and AgNP-MD-Hg2+ complexation. Moreover, the catalytic potential of green synthesized AgNP-MD towards the reduction of methyl orange and methylene blue was also evaluated. Both the degradations were fast, completed within few minutes, and followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with good regression coefficients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of AgNP-MD using MD extract and its multifunctional applications including the fields of sensors and catalysis.

The presence and adsorption of particles at the oil/water interface play a critical role in stabilizing Pickering emulsions and affecting their bulk behavior. For water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions with pH-responsive nanoparticles, their interaction forces and stabilization mechanisms at the nanoscale have not been reported. Herein, the Pickering emulsions formed by oil/water mixtures under different pH values with bilayer oleic acid-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@2OA NPs) were characterized using microscopy imaging and zeta potential and interfacial tension (IFT) measurements. The interaction forces between formed emulsion droplets were quantified using an atomic force microscope (AFM) drop probe technique. A W/O emulsion formed at pH 2 and 4 is mainly stabilized by the steric barrier formation of confined particle layers (with Fe3O4@2OA NPs and aggregates). At pH 9 and 11, an O/W emulsion is formed, and its stabilization mechanism is mainly due to relatively low IFT, strong electrostatic repulsion due to carboxyl groups, and steric repulsion from confined nanoparticles and aggregates, leading to a stable confined thin water film. Increasing the maximum loading force and dwelling time enhances the confinement of Fe3O4@2OA particles and aggregates at the oil/water interface. This work provides useful insights into the interaction and stabilization mechanisms of Pickering emulsions with stimuli-responsive interface-active particles.

In this research, ZnAl2O4/Al2O3 nanocomposites with different ZnAl2O4 (30, 50, and 70 wt.%) were successfully prepared in one step by sol–gel method and utilized for the removal of methylene blue (MB). The structural properties of nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), FTIR analysis, Zeta potential, and BET. The obtained results showed the synthesized nanocomposites by sol–gel method were amorphous and heat treatment at 700 °C led to the crystallization of zinc aluminate spinel. The maximum MB removal (70%) was obtained under o9 ptimal conditions such as initial concentration of MB (10 mg/L), pH of solution (8.5), the amount of adsorbent (0.05 g), type of adsorbent (70 wt.% ZnAl2O4/Al2O3 nanocomposite). The average size of zinc aluminate crystals in the maximum amount of zinc aluminate in the composite (70 wt.%) was calculated to be 27 ± 1 nm and its morphology changed from sheet to mass. The specific surface area of the nanocomposite was calculated to be 70 m2/g. The kinetics of adsorption was fitted with the pseudo-second order model.

Calcium oxide (CaO) is an up-and-coming adsorbent, effectively accessible and extractable from natural resources. In this paper, the extraction and characterization of CaO extracted from eggshells and its adsorption efficiency is compared to commercially available CaO. The extracted CaO from egg shells was characterized for average hydrodynamic size through DLS, surface area (BET) (92 m2g−1), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), surface morphological studies (SEM), High Resolution TEM (HRTEM), electro-kinetic factor (zeta potential) and adsorption studies. The lattice strain and crystallite size for annealed (900 °C) nanospheres were assessed by W–H analysis from powder XRD data and the outcomes were found to be in good agreement with TEM results (40–50 nm). The current work reports the capability of CaO nanospheres towards removal of cationic (Brilliant Green) and anionic (Phenol Red) dye individually and their binary mixture as compared to monetarily CaO. Adsorption studies in binary system displayed that the extracted CaO showed higher adsorption (98%) of Brilliant Green (BG) than Phenol Red (PR) which is 78%, where strong electrostatic interactions played a significant role. The adsorption performance was evaluated in terms of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) that exhibited reduction up to 90.6% and followed Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Further, the catalysts’ reusability study was taken in pellet form so that it can be separated effortlessly from the reaction mixture. Calcium oxide (CaO) nanospheres (40–50 nm) extracted from waste egg shells exhibited a better surface structural and electro-kinetic properties and efficiently adsorbed cationic and anionic dye separately, and in their binary mixture than commercial CaO. This reaction system was found to be capable in reducing the concentration of COD upto 90.6% during brilliant green and phenol red dye removal through Langmuir type adsorption.

In the present study, the lactoferrin (LF) that had been extracted from camel milk (through ion-exchange chromatography) has been loaded onto hydrogel particles of calcium alginate (Alg), while its effects on osteoblast cells line MG63 have been thoroughly evaluated. The extracted LF has been purified by the application of HPLC and SDS-PAGE techniques. Subsequent to being exposed to Alg (two concentrations of 0.2% and 0.5% in three pHs 6, 7, and 8), the interactions between LF and Alg have been studied by multiple spectroscopic as well as the zeta potential, and DLS particle size distribution. Fluorescence spectroscopy results have displayed the quenched emissions of proteins upon their interactions with Alg. In accordance with the obtained results, the zeta potential value of LF has faced a decrease through the formation of LF–Alg complex. Moreover, an outcome of 89.9% of loading has been perceived in both concentrations of Alg that the utilization of SEM electron microscopy. Once the loading had been confirmed, the effect of the particles that have been loaded on the MG63 cell line was put under investigation through the employment of MTT test. Taken together, it has been indicated by the achieved results that LF and Alg alone cannot cause any toxicity on the MG63 cells, while significantly increase their growth by being added to the cell culture media. The results have suggested that throughout all of the samples with evident increased cell growth, the highest interaction between LF and Alg has been observed to be at pH 8.

High solid waste generation is one of the biggest environmental issues today. The rapid cycle of fashion in the textile industry has contributed intensely to the extremely high levels of material consumption and waste generation. This paper presents a proposal for obtaining cellulose nanocrystals from recovered textile waste. For this, cotton cloth waste and cotton and polyester fabric blend waste were used. Spherical cellulose nanocrystals were obtained from the milling of fabrics in liquid medium and oxidative treatment. The results obtained by transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry showed that both fabric samples promoted the formation of spherical cellulose nanocrystals with high crystallinity index. The oxidative treatment promoted the increase of the crystallinity percentage of the samples, as well as the decrease of the crystallite size. With this, the potential of the textile industry waste to obtain cellulose nanocrystals becomes evident.

In this study, a system was investigated for controlled delivery of gemcitabine (GEM), an anti-cancer drug with short biological half-life time (8–17 min), using graphene oxide (GO)/montmorillonite (MMT)/chitosan (CS) nanocomposite. The structure, morphology, zeta potential, and thermal stability of the nanocomposite were evaluated by FT-IR, XRD, zeta potential analyzer, FESEM, and TGA. The results revealed that the GO interacted with positively charged GEM and CS surface. Also, the drug was intercalated between the silicate layers of MMT, and this phenomenon is responsible for more protection of the drug from burst release. The positive zeta potential of GO/GEM/CS/MMT nanocomposite (+ 16.5 mV) promotes physical stability and interaction with the negative domains of the cell membrane. A significant synergistic effect of GO and MMT on the controlled release of GEM from the drug delivery system-based chitosan matrix has been obtained. The nanocomposite with 17 wt% MMT in the release media with pH of 7.4 provided the optimal combination of drug release rate and drug release content, whereas the time for GEM 50% release (T50%) was obtained about 2 h. The non-Fickian diffusion mechanism and Korsmeyer–Peppas kinetic model were confirmed for release of GEM from drug-loaded nanocomposites. Finally, to investigate the efficiency of nanocomposite as an anti-cancer drug delivery system, an in vitro cytotoxicity assay was also carried out using breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Results confirmed that the prepared nanocomposite could be used as a potential breast cancer therapy system for the controlled delivery of GEM.

A new hydrophilicity and negatively charged polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fiber membrane has been developed and characterized. Specifically, the dopamine (DA) and polyethylenimine (PEI) were co-deposited onto the PTFE fiber membrane surface via covalent connection. Then the amine groups of the membrane surface were reacted with anhydride groups of poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA). Last, unreacted anhydride groups have hydrolysis and ionization. The preparation membrane has been investigated and confirmed by using XPS, ATR-FTIR, SEM, Zeta potential analyzer, pore size analyzer water contact angle, respectively. The results showed that the membranes were endowed with excellent hydrophilicity and negatively charged. It has high separation efficiency and permeation flux for oil-in-water emulsion containing cationic emulsifiers, and excellent anti-fouling property.

The green synthesis of metal nanoparticles is growing dramatically; however, the toxicity of these biosynthesized particles against living organisms is not fully explored. Therefore, this study was designed to synthesize and characterize TiO2-NPs, encapsulation and characterization thyme essential oil (ETEO), determination of the bioactive constituents of ETEO using GC-MS and evaluate their protective role against TiO2-NPs-induced the oxidative damage and genotoxicity in rats. Six groups of rats were treated orally for 30 days including the control group, TiO2-NPs (300 mg/kg b.w)-treated group, ETEO at low (50 mg/kg b.w) or high dose (100 mg/kg b.w)-treated groups TiO2-NPs plus ETEO at the two doses-treated groups. Blood and tissues were collected for different assays. The GC-MS results indicated the presence of 21 compounds belongs to phenols, terpene derivatives, and heterocyclic compounds. The synthesized TiO2-NPs were 45 nm tetragonal particles with a zeta potential of -27.34 mV; however, ETEO were 119 nm round particles with a zeta potential of -28.33 mV. TiO2-NPs administration disturbs the liver and kidney markers, lipid profile, cytokines, oxidative stress parameters, the apoptotic and antioxidant hepatic mRNA expression and induced histological alterations in the liver and kidney tissues. ETEO could improve all these parameters in a dose-dependent manner. It could be concluded that ETEO is a promising candidate for the protection against TiO2-NPs and can be applied safely in food applications.

A facile and green approach was developed to in-situ prepare Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the TiO2. Through the (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS), mono-dispersed AgNPs were loaded on TiO2 (AgNPs@MPTMS-TiO2). In the presence of NaBH4, the AgNPs@MPTMS-TiO2 displayed an ultra-high catalytic activity for 4-nitrophenol reduction, of which the apparent kinetic rate constant (kapp) reached up to 394 × 10–3 s−1. Comparing to the best previous performance (kapp = 120 × 10–3 s−1), the obtained Ag-catalysts made a huge progress. Moreover, the catalytic activity of the AgNPs@MPTMS-TiO2 could be optimized via changing series of fabrication parameters including Ag+ precursor amount and MPTMS amount, and reaction time. Various characterization techniques including TEM, HRTEM, XPS, FT-IR and Zeta potential have been utilized to study the material morphology, valance states and surface chemistry. It revealed that the AgNPs were coordinated by MPTMS though R-S–Ag bonds, which could prohibit the AgNPs from self-aggregation. In addition, the R-S–Ag bonds favored reaction of AgNPs with BH4− and thus releasing substantial protons. Consequently, the increasing proton concentration would speed up the transformation from 4-hydroxylaminophenol to 4-aminophenol. In-situ grow Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) on (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) modified TiO2 with characters of small size, good distribution and controllable loading. The apparent kinetic rate constant (kapp) reaches as high as 394 × 10–3 s−1.

Aggregates in aqueous solutions can embed hydrophobic molecules, and their interactions depend on the properties of the aggregates. The electric surface potential, molecular mobility, and gradual hydrophobicity are the properties that regulate the interactions, and it is essential to understand these to quantify the properties. Electric surface potential and molecular mobility are quantified using the zeta potential and NMR measurements. In this study, the quantification of gradual hydrophobicity within the aggregate based on the relative permittivity, also called the dielectric constant, has been estimated from fluorescence spectra of pyrene-dicarboxylic acid conjugates. The localization of the pyrene moiety was modified by conjugation with succinic acid, suberic acid, or dodecanedioic acid, and the conjugates were evaluated in the shallow, middle, and deep regions of the aggregates. Span and Tween surfactants have been employed to prepare these aggregates, because they form various kinds of aggregates such as micelles and vesicles. It was realized that the hydrophobicity gradually increased from the interface to the hydrophobic core. Alternatively, a comparison of hydrophobicity within the aggregates showed no remarkable difference. Moreover, the analyses suggested that there are a few water molecules in the deep region. These results support the idea of the localization of embedded molecules in aggregates.

Environmentally friendly flotation reagent, polyaspartic acid (PAPA), was tested as a potential selective depressant in the flotation separation of chalcopyrite and Cu-activated sphalerite. The depression mechanism of PAPA was revealed by contact angle measurements, Zeta potential measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) measurement. The micro-flotation tests with single minerals showed that PAPA selectively depressed Cu-activated sphalerite, while chalcopyrite remained floatable. Moreover, a concentrate containing 31.40% Cu with a recovery of 92.43% was obtained in flotation tests of artificially mixed minerals. Results of contact angle measurements, Zeta potential measurements and FT-IR spectrum revealed that PAPA exerted a much stronger adsorption on Cu-activated sphalerite surface than on chalcopyrite surface, preventing the further adsorption of sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (DDTC) on its surface. ICP measurements indicated that PAPA had an excellent complexing ability with Cu2+ in flotation pulp, weakening the activation of Cu species on sphalerite surface and producing selective depression.

Weiyong Hong,1,2 Ying Gao,2 Bang Lou,2 Sanjun Ying,2 Wenchao Wu,2 Xugang Ji,2 Nan Yu,2 Yunlong Jiao,2 Haiying Wang,1 Xuefeng Zhou,1 Anqin Li,3 Fangyuan Guo,2 Gensheng Yang2 1Department of Pharmacy, Taizhou Municipal Hospital, Taizhou, 318000, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 3Zhejiang Share Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310019, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fangyuan Guo; Gensheng YangCollege of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, #18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86571-88871077Fax +86571-88320913Email guofy@zjut.edu.cn; yanggs@zjut.edu.cnPurpose: To develop microchannel-based preparation of curcumin (Cur)-loaded hybrid nanoparticles using enzyme-targeted peptides and star-shaped polycyclic lipids as carriers, and to accomplish a desirable targeted drug delivery via these nanoparticles, which could improve the bioavailability and antitumor effects of Cur.Methods: The amphiphilic tri-chaintricarballylic acid-poly (ϵ-caprolactone)-methoxypolyethylene glycol (Tri-CL-mPEG) and the enzyme-targeted tetra-chain pentaerythritol-poly (ϵ-caprolactone)-polypeptide (PET-CL-P) were synthesized. The Cur-loaded enzyme-targeted hybrid nano-delivery systems (Cur-P-NPs) were prepared by using the microfluidic continuous granulation technology. The physicochemical properties, release behavior in vitro, and stability of these Cur-P-NPs were investigated. Their cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, anti-proliferative efficacy in vitro, biodistribution, and antitumor effects in vivo were also studied.Results: The particle size of the prepared Cur-P-NPs was 146.1 ± 1.940 nm, polydispersity index was 0.175 ± 0.014, zeta potential was 10.1 ± 0.300 mV, encapsulation rate was 74.66 ± 0.671%, and drug loading capacity was 5.38 ± 0.316%. The stability of Cur-P-NPs was adequate, and the in vitro release rate increased with the decrease of the environmental pH. Seven days post incubation, the cumulative release values of Cur were 52.78%, 67.39%, and 98.12% at pH 7.4, pH 6.8 and pH 5.0, respectively. Cur-P-NPs exhibited better cell entry and antiproliferation efficacy against U251 cells than the Cur-solution and Cur-NPs and were safe for use. Cur-P-NPs specifically targeted tumor tissues and inhibited their growth (78.63% tumor growth inhibition rate) with low toxic effects on normal tissues.Conclusion: The enzyme-targeted hybrid nanoparticles prepared in the study clearly have the tumor-targeting ability. Cur-P-NPs can effectively improve the bioavailability of Cur and have potential applications in drug delivery and tumor management.Keywords: enzyme targeting, nanoparticle fabrication, mouse model, growth inhibition